The Tai-Ex opened up 232-points this morning from yesterday's close, at
23,346 on turnover of $9.8-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan closed slightly higher Thursday as contract chipmaker TSMC
moved in a narrow rage ahead of an investor conference slated to open after
the trading session.

Analysts say investors remained cautious before the chipmaker gave guidance
for the third quarter, and it was no surprise that the Taiex fell into
consolidation mode throughout the session.

Attention shifted to select old economy stocks and the buying provided some
support to the broader market.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau says it had busted a money laundering ring
and arrested five people suspected of using e-commerce platforms to conceal
(隱藏) the flow of illicit funds.

The CIB says the raid and arrests followed an investigation of suspicious
financial flows, facilitated by illegal third-party payment providers and a
gambling syndicate (聯合組織).

Investigators say the money laundering ring was essentially providing
"real-time payment services" for a gambling syndicate involving about
$30-billion NT over a one-year period.

After months of surveillance and investigation, the CIB task force launched a
coordinated raid of the two third-party payment companies on March 13-th and
arrested five suspects.

They were handed over to the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office on
charges that included fraud and money laundering.

Donald Trump has denied he plans to fire the head of the US central bank
Jerome Powell.

The president has reportedly drafted a letter of termination (解僱) for the
Federal Reserve chairman, but is now walking back claims he's planning to let
him go.

Kate Fisher reports from Washington.

The United Nations chief says he would have liked more results from his
meetings with the rival leaders of divided Cyprus.

The Turkish Cypriot leader said Thursday that he was “very, very upset”
that there was no agreement on opening four new border crossings.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the meetings “constructive”
(建設性的) and pointed to progress on four of the six initiatives the leaders
agreed to in March.

But he cautioned that “there’s a long road ahead.”

The Mediterranean island was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a
coup by supporters of uniting the island with Greece.

Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence, and it
maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island’s northern third.

Brazil’s lower house has passed a controversial bill that overhauls
environmental legislation.

The bill simplifies environmental licensing, allowing companies to
self-declare compliance (遵守) online.

Environmental experts warn this could increase pollution, deforestation, and
water scarcity while threatening protected areas.

Over 300 non-profits, including Greenpeace and WWF Brazil, have opposed the
bill, calling it a major setback.

The legislation now awaits President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s decision to
either approve or veto it, fully or partially.

Beijing says, Chinese media will continue to refer to Taiwan's team as
"Taipei, China" in reports on the upcoming World Games in Chengdu...

while Taiwan said it "hopes" the Chinese sides will follow the "Olympic
Protocol" and refer to its team as "Chinese Taipei."

A spokesperson from China's Taiwan Affairs Office said that protocol only
applies to sports-related matters and has been, and will continue to be,
implemented at international sporting events held in China...

but he said that the protocol does not apply to news media or areas beyong
sports events.

The spokesman's remarks indicate that China will continue to use the name
that Taiwanese authorities see as diminishing of Taiwan's status- Taipei,
China- instead of the olympic-approved "Chinese Taipei."

The situation mirrors a controversy earlier this year during the Asian Winter
Games in Harbin, where both the Taiwan Office and media in China referred to
the delegation of Taiwan as "Taipei, China."

The games are set to be held in Chengdu in august.

(AH-CNA)

Molie Quantum Energy Corporation announced yesterday that it will adjust
production capacity at its Southern Taiwan Science Park facility.

The park will support high-end product shipments originally (起初) handled by
the Kaohsiung facility.

This comes after a fire broke out at its lithium-ion battery cell plant in
Kaohsiung earlier this week.

The company's battery cell brand, Molicel, supplies premium markets including
supercars, aerospace, and AI server data center backup systems.

The Southern Taiwan Science Park facility's three production lines will begin
assisting with shipments next month.

(AH-CNA)

An American aid organization says 20 Palestinians were killed at a
distribution site in Gaza.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said it believed 19 died from trampling
Wednesday at its food distribution (分發) center and one was stabbed.

The group accuses Hamas of spreading panic but provided no evidence.

Witnesses said GHF guards threw stun grenades and used pepper spray on people
pressing to get into the site before it opened, causing panic.

The United Nations reports 875 Palestinians have died near aid sites since
May.

Meanwhile, hospital officials say Israeli strikes killed 54 others, including
14 children.

Israel says its strikes target Hamas, accusing the group of hiding among
civilians.

From the US.....

A Tsunami warning for parts of Alaska has now been downgraded (降級).

AP’s Lisa Dwyer reports

A huge fire has damaged (損壞) the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival
site in Belgium.

The fire broke out on Wednesday in the town of Boom, north of Brussels.

No concerts were happening at the time and no injuries were reported. I

The festival, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors from across
Europe, was set to open on Friday.

In a statement shared online, festival organizers said the stage was
“severely damaged” but that no one was hurt.

The Tai-Ex opened up 132-points this morning from yesterday's close, at
22,968 on turnover of $5.5-billion N-T.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani highlighted Chinese drills around
Taiwan yesterday in the defense white paper.

His ministry emphasized China's intensification of the drills surrounding
Taiwan since last year, and they accuse Beijing of trying to isolate the DPP
government.

The document points out that China has been actively increasing its military
presence around Taiwan in recent years.

The report noted Beijing's large-scale drills after President Lai Ching Te's
inauguration in May of last year, as well as those around National Day on
October 10th.

Beijing aims to criticize the Lai administration and deter the US from
deepening security ties with Taiwan, according to the report.

The PRC further aims to divide Taiwanese society and isolate the Lai
government by using a dual strategy of hardline (強硬的) military action in
addition to pushing to strengthen economic ties with Taiwan.

The report says that the exercises around Taiwan share three main
characteristics, including combat training, propaganda orientation, and
normalization.

Notably, the report emphasizes that the exercises serve as a political
messaging tool for the CCP, who broadcast footage of the drills widely.

Nakatani says, Japan will reinforce its defense capabilites and respond
calmly.

(AH-CNA)

The European Union is seeking updates and more action from Israel on
implementing a new deal to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The deal aims to provide food and fuel to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents after
more than 21 months of war.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday there was a need for
effective implementation (執行) and called for a ceasefire.

Ministers meeting in Brussels will also discuss Iran’s nuclear program,
tensions in Georgia and Moldova and new sanctions on Russia.

The US Supreme Court has paved the way for the dismantling of the Department
of Education - saying the Trump administration can move ahead with mass
layoffs.

A lower court had blocked the move over concerns that gutting (摧毀內部) the
agency would undermine its mission - which is dictated by Congress.

Toni Waterman has more.

France’s prime minister has proposed cutting two public holidays to save
money in next year’s budget.

He suggested on Tuesday to remove Easter Monday and Victory Day which marks
the Allied victory over the Nazis.

The prime minister argued that this would boost tax revenues from increased
economic activity.

The proposal is part of a broader plan to save $51.3 billion US dollars and
reduce France’s debt and deficit.

President Emmanuel Macron tasked the prime minister with balancing these cuts
while increasing defense spending.

The plan faces opposition from unions and political rivals (競爭對手).

The government has no parliamentary majority and must secure support to pass
the budget this fall.

That leaves its fate uncertain.

The Tai-Ex opened up 3-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,618
on turnover of 3.5-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan closed lower Monday as investors remained concerned U.S.
President Donald Trump's tariff policies after he intensified trade tensions
by announcing a 30 percent levy on imports from Europe and Mexico over the
weekend.

Analysts say the bellwether electronics sector led the downturn on the
broader market as investors locked in profits built by the sector last week,
helping the Taiex rebound.

Nineteen individuals associated with the KMT New Taipei City party
headquarters have been granted deferred prosecution, in a case involving
forged recall petitions.

The New Taipei District Prosecutor's Office is investigating alleged forgery
in recall petitions targeting DPP legislators including Su Chiao-hui, Chang
Hong-lu and Lee Kun-cheng, indicting over 31 people on charges related to
violating personal data protection laws and forgery last month.

Now the office says 19 individuals, including KMT volunteers and relatives,
admitted to forging (偽造) signatures on recall petitions, and received a
one-year deferred prosecution.

The individuals must also complete three hours of legal education and eighter
pay a fine of up to $30-thousand NT to the public treasury, or perform 40
hours of community service.

(NS)

US President Donald Trump has threatened "secondary tariffs" if Russia does
not reach a ceasefire (停火) deal with Ukraine in the next 50 days.

He has also agreed to send new weapons to Ukraine under an agreement that
will see NATO members buy American-made arms.

Nick Harper reports from Washington.

U.N. health officials reported that more than 14 million children did not
receive a single vaccine last year.

In their annual estimate of global vaccine coverage, released today, the
World Health Organization and UNICEF said access to vaccines remained
“deeply unequal” and that conflict and humanitarian crises quickly
unraveled progress.

The data showed that nine countries accounted for 52% of all children who
missed out on immunizations entirely: Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia,
Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Angola.

The WHO and UNICEF said that coverage against measles rose slightly, with 76%
of children worldwide receiving both vaccine doses.

But experts say measles vaccine rates need to reach 95% to prevent outbreaks
of the extremely contagious (傳染性的) disease.

WHO noted that 60 countries reported big measles outbreaks last year,
including the US, which is now having its worst measles outbreak in more than
three decades.

Customs officials have released photos from a seizure of roughly
1-thousand-500 young tarantulas found inside plastic containers that had been
hidden in chocolate spongecake boxes shipped to an airport in western
Germany.

Customs officials said the shipment was found at Cologne Bonn airport in a
package that had arrived from Vietnam.

The tarantulas were discovered three weeks ago.

But the customs office only made the photos public on Monday.

The office says many of the eight-legged creatures didn't survive the trip,
while survivors were given to the care of an expert handler.

Criminal proceedings are underway (正在進行) against the intended recipient.