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中东局势动荡牵动 日本考虑加强太平洋防御

2026年4月17日 23:57 / 联合早报 符祝慧 东京特派员

日本政府本月成立专家小组，探讨加强包括太平洋海上航道在内的防御机制。图为一艘小型油轮驶至日本东京以南川崎市京滨工业区的炼油厂附近。 （路透社档案照片）

中东冲突导致霍尔木兹海峡遭封锁，坚定了日本强化海防的决心。日本政府计划以此为契机，在本月成立专家小组，探讨加强包括太平洋海上航道在内的防御机制。

日本未直接卷入中东冲突，但霍尔木兹海峡被封锁也冲击日本。

日本99.5%的贸易依赖海上运输。在资源方面，所有石油、煤炭和液化天然气（LNG）都依赖海上运输进口。其中约四成的天然气来自澳大利亚，15%来自马来西亚；煤炭有超过七成依赖澳洲，13%来自印度尼西亚。

此外，日本62%的农产品和海产品依赖进口；约九成饲料谷物同样需仰赖海外供应，因此一旦供应严重受阻，海上运输出现中断，肉类产量将骤减。

《日经新闻》报道，日本政府最早将于本月启动旨在修订国家安全保障战略的专家会议，并于年底汇总包括有关战略在内的“安保三文件”。作为保障国民生活与经济安全的支柱，将把加强防卫太平洋一侧的海上交通线写入文件中。

报道指出，海域航道是日本的生命线，守护商船的航行安全，日本责无旁贷。除了连接日本和澳洲的南太平洋航道至关重要外，日本当局当前最大的担忧仍是周边地区局势。

报道说：“一旦发生台海冲突，第二岛链（从伊豆群岛经小笠原群岛，延伸至关岛的岛链）以西的西太平洋的航行风险将会上升。”

报道也说，中国在太平洋地区的扩张显著。有鉴于此，日本政府内部正在考虑加强对太平洋的监控能力，要在岛屿地区部署巡逻机和侦察雷达。在海巡方面，除加强自卫队舰艇的巡逻机制外，也将深化与沿海国家的合作。

此前，日本政府已通过“政府安全能力增强援助（OSA）”计划，向东南亚国家和其他国家提供巡逻艇和救援船。此举是为了提升这些国家的能力，以便共同维护地区海洋安全，有效应对突发事件。

曾在安倍晋三政府中担任副内阁秘书长的兼原信克告诉日经，海上航道是大动脉，政府本应在海上咽喉要道投入更多资源。他建议政府通过外交手段，深化与海上航道沿线国家的关系。

另外，日本将参加4月20日到5月8日，在菲律宾举行的“肩并肩26”（Balikatan 26）多边联合演习。

自2012年起，日本一直以观察员身份观摩此项军演，这次是首次派出1400多名军人参加实弹演习。这项军演由美国和菲律宾联合主办，参与国有澳洲、加拿大、法国等七个国家。

Mexican environmentalist survives assassination attempt caught on video: “I told the hitman ‘good morning’”

April 17, 2026 / 11:43 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

A defender of Mexican jaguars who survived an assassination attempt in March was described on Thursday as a “living miracle” during the presentation of a report that documented the killing of 10 activists in the country in 2025.

The drug war violence convulsing Mexico also takes a toll on environmental activists, many from indigenous communities. The country is considered “megadiverse” for its variety of species and ecosystems.

Speaking at the press conference for the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA) where the report was released, the activist and journalist Erik Saracho recounted the armed attack he survived last March 11 at his home in the western Mexican state of Nayarit.

“I told the hitman ‘good morning,’” he recalled, “and at that moment he opened fire with a pistol.”

The director of the Jaguar Alliance, a civil organization dedicated to protecting the endangered feline, said he then pressed the panic button the federal government gave him due to previous threats.

Over 25 minutes passed before he received the medical help that saved his life.

The state prosecutor’s office released video of the alleged attack and offered a reward of 100,000 pesos for information.

Mexican activist and journalist Erik Saracho recounted the armed attack he survived last March 11 at his home in the western Mexican state of Nayarit. Nayarit prosceutor’s office

In a statement posted to social media, Jaguar Alliance condemned the attack and demanded an “immediate, exhaustive, and transparent investigation.”

“He is someone who—apparently due to his commitment to civic engagement and the protection of our region’s natural heritage—has become an inconvenient target, a reality that, as a society, we neither should nor can accept,” the group wrote.

Beyond 10 killings, Cemda recorded 135 “aggressions,” ranging from cases of “stigmatization” and “defamation” to “robbery” and “surveillance.”

Gustavo Alanis, executive director of Cemda, said that the Mexican state is “the primary perpetrator of aggressions” against environmental activists.

According to the report, an array of federal, state, and municipal authorities participated in the 76 cases of aggression — 56.2% of the documented threats.

Nonetheless, the organization clarified in the report that state agents weren’t documented participating in any of the 10 registered homicides.

According to Cemda, over the past decade 199 environmentalists have been murdered in Mexico in relation to their defense of natural resources and ecosystems.

This week on “Sunday Morning” (April 19)

April 17, 2026 / 10:21 AM EDT / CBS News
By David Morgan

The Emmy Award-winning “CBS News Sunday Morning” is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. “Sunday Morning” also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)

Hosted by Jane Pauley.

COVER STORY: Former judges speak out on Trump admin’s immigration court purgesTens of thousands of people, including U.S. citizens, are currently detained by ICE following President Trump’s promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Meanwhile, more than 200 immigration judges, who adjudicate asylum and immigration cases, have been fired, forced out or retired, and are being replaced by what are advertised as “deportation judges.” “Sunday Morning” senior contributor Ted Koppel talks with former immigration judges about the administration’s current practices, which they say deny defendants their day in court, running counter to the law.

For more info:

• National Association of Immigration Judges

ALMANAC: April 19“Sunday Morning” looks back at historical events on this date.

ARTS: Crafting a legacy out of woodWoodworker George Nakashima (1905-1990), considered a giant of 20th century furniture design, was a leader of the American craft movement. His legacy is continuing through his daughter, Mira, who took the reins of the company he founded, Nakashima Woodworkers. Mo Rocca talks with Mira about producing not only her father’s iconic designs, but also her own pieces.

For more info:

• George Nakashima Woodworkers, New Hope, Pa.

A test of the Panthalassa Ocean-2 wave energy converter, which would generate electricity to power sea-based data centers. Panthalassa

EARTH DAY TRIPTYCH #1: Using the ocean to power data centersThe renewable energy company Panthalassa says it has a solution to the proliferation of AI data centers, which consume massive amounts of energy and are the cause of increased carbon pollution: sea-based data centers, powered by wave energy. Correspondent David Pogue examines what Panthalassa’s alternative to land-based data centers may mean.

For more info:

• Panthalassa

Painter Michael Shane Neal at work. CBS News

ARTS: A portrait of portraitist Michael Shane NealMichael Shane Neal, perhaps America’s greatest living portraitist, recently fulfilled a long-held ambition: to paint a living president. He talks with correspondent Martha Teichner about producing a portrait of former President Joe Biden. He also discusses “being in the zone” while painting a portrait; following in the footsteps of famed artists Everett Raymond Kinstler and John Singer Sargent; and becoming a TikTok fashion icon.

For more info:

• Michael Shane Neal (Official site)

PASSAGE: In memoriam“Sunday Morning” remembers some of the notable figures who left us this week.

BUSINESS: Selling cars for a songWhen opera singer Andrew Hiers took a side gig as a car salesman in Cocoa, Florida, his talent was not as evident on the showroom floor. But once the bass-baritone posted a video of himself singing a car’s praises, his sales hit a high note. Luke Burbank reports.

For more info:

• andrewallanhiers.com
• Andrew Allen Hiers (Instagram)
• Boniface Hiers
• Vero Beach Opera

According to Washington State University’s Breadlab, inadequate consumption of whole grains is the second most impactful contributor to morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Breadlab/WSU

EARTH DAY TRIPTYCH #2: Breeding a better breadOver the past century, the cultivation and processing of wheat has led to strains of grain that are less nutritious, less flavorful, and more vulnerable to climate change. The researchers at Breadlab, at Washington State University, are trying to breed varieties of whole grains that are better for farmers, consumers – and taste buds. David Pogue reports.

For more info:

• Breadlab: Washington State University
• Breadlab recipes

Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle, stars of the Broadway revival of “Proof.” CBS News

STAGE: “Proof”: Don Cheadle and Ayo Edebiri make their Broadway bowsCelebrated actors Don Cheadle and Ayo Edebiri are both making their Broadway debuts in a revival of David Auburn’s Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winner “Proof,” about a brilliant mathematics professor with mental-health issues, and his brilliant daughter with issues of her own. Cheadle and Edebiri talk with Tracy Smith about exploring the dynamics of a parent-child relationship, and how their off-stage relationship helps them on-stage.

For more info:

• “Proof,” at the Booth Theatre, New York City (through July 19) | Ticket info
• Blackbird Collective PBC

As truck traffic increases, government and industry haven’t been able to stop thousands of so-called “chameleon carriers,” with deadly consequences. CBS News

U.S.: Seeking accountability in trucking accidentsIn 2024, approximately 5,000 people died in accidents involving trucks, up more than 50% from 15 years ago. And while a new proposed law would strengthen enforcement against truck drivers, safety advocates say it will do nothing against freight brokers – middleman companies that often hire firms with poor safety records. Correspondent Jim Axelrod reports on the tragic stories of victims of trucking accidents, and efforts to hold brokers accountable.

See also:

• The trucking companies evading federal safety enforcement and plaguing U.S. highways (“60 Minutes”)

Instead of the polluting processes that are used to form most cements, the “biocement” produced by Biomason is created with bacteria. CBS News

EARTH DAY TRIPTYCH #3: Cementing a more sustainable alternative to concreteThe process of making 30 billion tons of concrete every year produces more carbon pollution than all the world’s ships and planes put together. Now, the North Carolina and Denmark-based Biomason is using biotechnology, including naturally-occurring microbes, to create “biocement” that’s just as sturdy but emits much less CO2. David Pogue reports.

For more info:

• Biomason

NATURE: TBD

WEB EXCLUSIVES:

Stories behind modern technology by CBS Sunday Morning on YouTube

MARATHON: Stories behind modern technology (YouTube Video)This “CBS Sunday Morning” marathon chronicles the rise of the digital age, from 90s internet startups to wearable tech, and features interviews with key figures like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook. Featuring:

• Elon Musk and internet startups vs. Microsoft
• Four young internet entrepreneurs
• Smartwatches, the latest in wearable gadgets
• Happy 10th birthday, iPhone
• David Pogue on your evolving smartphone
• A visit into the “Cloud”
• How Intel was born
• Meet Amazon’s robots
• The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine
• David Sedaris on talking back to Siri
• Big Tech’s big bet on nuclear power
• Apple: The first 50 years

Notable Deaths in 2026 23 photos

GALLERY: Notable deaths in 2026A look back at the esteemed personalities who left us this year, who touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.

特朗普政府游说盟友 支持“以贸易取代援助”倡议

2026年4月17日 20:18 / 联合早报

据路透社查阅的美国国务院外交电报，国务卿鲁比奥星期三（4月15日）指示驻全球各地的美国外交官游说所在国高层，在联合国支持美国的“贸易取代援助”宣言，并争取各国在4月20日前签字支持。 （路透社）

（华盛顿路透电）美国特朗普政府推动外交政策调整，计划在联合国推动“以贸易代替援助”宣言，并要求各国表态支持。

据路透社查阅的美国国务院外交电报，国务卿鲁比奥星期三（4月15日）指示驻全球各地的美国外交官游说所在国高层，在联合国支持宣言，并争取各国在4月20日前签字支持。

电报称，这项倡议旨在借助联合国体系推广“美国优先”理念，同时为美企创造更多商业机会。

特朗普重回白宫后就冻结并削减大量援助项目，称原有体系存在浪费与滥用、制造了依赖关系，并未促进美国利益。

国务院副发言人皮戈特强调，美国仍是最慷慨的国家，“那些主张‘援助而非贸易’的人，实际上是在为腐败的非政府组织谋取私利”。

但慈善机构洛克菲勒基金会副总裁佩洛夫斯基指出，美国人历来都是冲向火场施以援手，而不是向受难者兜售消防水管，这种做法背离了美国的传统、价值观和国家安全利益。

特朗普政府游说盟友 支持“以贸易取代援助”倡议

2026年4月17日 20:18 / 联合早报

据路透社查阅的美国国务院外交电报，国务卿鲁比奥星期三（4月15日）指示驻全球各地的美国外交官游说所在国高层，在联合国支持美国的“贸易取代援助”宣言，并争取各国在4月20日前签字支持。 （路透社）

（华盛顿路透电）美国特朗普政府推动外交政策调整，计划在联合国推动“以贸易代替援助”宣言，并要求各国表态支持。

据路透社查阅的美国国务院外交电报，国务卿鲁比奥星期三（4月15日）指示驻全球各地的美国外交官游说所在国高层，在联合国支持宣言，并争取各国在4月20日前签字支持。

电报称，这项倡议旨在借助联合国体系推广“美国优先”理念，同时为美企创造更多商业机会。

特朗普重回白宫后就冻结并削减大量援助项目，称原有体系存在浪费与滥用、制造了依赖关系，并未促进美国利益。

国务院副发言人皮戈特强调，美国仍是最慷慨的国家，“那些主张‘援助而非贸易’的人，实际上是在为腐败的非政府组织谋取私利”。

但慈善机构洛克菲勒基金会副总裁佩洛夫斯基指出，美国人历来都是冲向火场施以援手，而不是向受难者兜售消防水管，这种做法背离了美国的传统、价值观和国家安全利益。

霍尔木兹海峡航运受阻 巴拿马运河“插队费”飙升

2026年4月17日 20:44 / 联合早报

知情人士透露，最近一艘液化石油气运输船为了优先通行巴拿马运河，支付了高达400万美元（约500万新元）的“插队费”，远高于3月初伊朗冲突爆发初期的不到100万美元。 （路透社档案照片）

知情人士透露，最近一艘液化石油气运输船为了优先通行巴拿马运河，支付了高达400万美元（约500万新元）的“插队费”，远高于3月初伊朗冲突爆发初期的不到100万美元。 （路透社档案照片）

（巴拿马城综合电）伊朗战争使霍尔木兹海峡航运受阻，船只纷纷转向巴拿马运河，导致运河通航船只数量大增，目前要进入运河平均得等上三天半。

知情人士透露，最近一艘液化石油气运输船为了优先通行，甚至支付高达400万美元（约500万新元）的“插队费”，远高于3月初伊朗冲突爆发初期的不到100万美元。

不过，巴拿马运河管理局受询时试图淡化有关报道，称液化石油气船通过拍卖获得优先通行权，反映的是短期市场变化，而非运河设定的收费。

运河管理局有时会在交通拥堵时，拍卖插队权，出价最高的船只可优先通行。当局指出，拍卖价格由多重因素决定，包括客户的紧迫性、商业优先事项、全球供需状况，以及运费和燃料价格等。

“插队费”是运河通行费以外的收费，通行费则是根据船舶类型、尺寸及载货量计算，一般高达数十万美元。

能源分析公司Vortexa的数据显示，由中国万华化学公司控制、悬挂新加坡国旗的Gas Virgo货船，从美国得克萨斯州运载液化石油气于星期三（4月15日）通过运河。针对这艘船是否就是400万美元“插队费”的支付者，万华化学公司位于烟台的总部发言人拒绝评论。

Here’s who is spending money on AI subscriptions, and how much they cost

April 17, 2026 / 10:35 AM EDT / CBS News

By Megan Cerullo

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

Spending on AI subscriptions is starting to become a part of some households’ budgets as users choose to upgrade to more powerful versions of publicly available generative AI tools, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

The share of U.S. households that now pays for a generative AI subscription is up roughly 155% compared to last year, according to new data from PNC Bank.

However, only about 2% of all U.S. households, many of them upper-income, spend money on such tools.

Not a lot of churn

Consumers who pay to use AI tools appear to be satisfied with the products they’re spending money on, according to PNC data, which found that subscriptions are “getting stickier.”

In other words, once users sign up, they tend to remain subscribers for a long period as opposed to dropping the plans. The average length of a subscription is seven months, according to PNC.

“That suggests many users are finding ongoing value in these services rather than simply trying them out for a month or two,” the report’s authors said.

How much does Gen AI cost?

Among households that pay for generative AI subscriptions, the vast majority are shelling out $20 a month, which is roughly the going rate for most consumer-facing tools, according to PNC.

A much smaller share of households opt for more expensive “pro” plans.

OpenAI’s most basic ChatGPT offering is free, but comes with limitations. An $8 per month “Go” offering lets users send more messages than the free model, while a $20 “Plus” plan is faster and gives users early access to new features. ChatGPT “Pro,” the most expensive offering, costs $100 a month.

Similarly, Anthropic’s AI assistant, called Claude, has a free version that can analyze text and images and write basic code. A “Pro” version, at $17 per month, has more memory and gives subscribers more usage. Claude also has a $100 “Max” plan.

Real revenue stream?

The 2% of households that subscribe to generative AI services is far lower than the roughly 25% of U.S. consumers who pay for monthly streaming subscriptions, according to Brian LeBlanc, senior economist at PNC.

“We are growing quite rapidly, but we are still nowhere near streaming,” he said. “AI capital expenditure if fueling growth in the economy and a lot of investment is predicated on it eventually being profitable.”

A greater share of consumers spend money gambling online than they do paying for AI tools. PNC found that 5% of U.S. households spend money on sports betting apps.

LeBlanc said the big AI players are vying for market share and expects free offerings to remain on the market for now. Ultimately, though, the firms behind generative AI tools will have to find a way to make up the cost of providing such services.

“We’re living in a time where it’s cheapest to use these services,” LeBlanc said. “I’m curious, as time goes on, whether they’ll start increasing prices, and what that will do to adoption rates.”

Edited by Mark Osborne

霍尔木兹海峡航运受阻 巴拿马运河“插队费”飙升

2026年4月17日 20:44 / 联合早报

知情人士透露，最近一艘液化石油气运输船为了优先通行巴拿马运河，支付了高达400万美元（约500万新元）的“插队费”，远高于3月初伊朗冲突爆发初期的不到100万美元。 （路透社档案照片）

（巴拿马城综合电）伊朗战争使霍尔木兹海峡航运受阻，船只纷纷转向巴拿马运河，导致运河通航船只数量大增，目前要进入运河平均得等上三天半。

知情人士透露，最近一艘液化石油气运输船为了优先通行，甚至支付高达400万美元（约500万新元）的“插队费”，远高于3月初伊朗冲突爆发初期的不到100万美元。

不过，巴拿马运河管理局受询时试图淡化有关报道，称液化石油气船通过拍卖获得优先通行权，反映的是短期市场变化，而非运河设定的收费。

运河管理局有时会在交通拥堵时，拍卖插队权，出价最高的船只可优先通行。当局指出，拍卖价格由多重因素决定，包括客户的紧迫性、商业优先事项、全球供需状况，以及运费和燃料价格等。

“插队费”是运河通行费以外的收费，通行费则是根据船舶类型、尺寸及载货量计算，一般高达数十万美元。

能源分析公司Vortexa的数据显示，由中国万华化学公司控制、悬挂新加坡国旗的Gas Virgo货船，从美国得克萨斯州运载液化石油气于星期三（4月15日）通过运河。针对这艘船是否就是400万美元“插队费”的支付者，万华化学公司位于烟台的总部发言人拒绝评论。

伊朗宣布霍尔木兹海峡开放让商船通行 油价随即大跌

2026年4月17日 21:13 / 联合早报

伊朗说，根据黎巴嫩停火协议，霍尔木兹海峡对所有商船的通行在停火协议剩余期限内完全开放。 （路透社）

伊朗外交部长阿拉格齐星期五（4月17日）说，根据黎巴嫩停火协议，霍尔木兹海峡对所有商船的通行在停火协议剩余期限内完全开放。

路透社引述阿拉格齐在社交媒体X网站上的贴文说，船舶将按照伊朗港口和海事组织此前公布的协调航线通过海峡。

美国总统特朗普随后在交媒体上感谢伊朗开放霍尔木兹海峡。他说：“伊朗海峡已完全开放，可全面通行。谢谢！”

阿拉格齐宣布消息后，油价暴跌逾10%，延续了此前的跌势。

格林尼治标准时间17日13时11分（新加坡时间21时11分），布伦特原油期货下跌11.12美元（14.12新元），跌幅11.2%，至每桶88.27美元（112.06新元）。美国西得克萨斯中质原油期货下跌11.40美元，跌幅12%，至每桶83.29美元。

瑞银分析师斯陶诺沃说：“伊朗外长的讲话表明，只要停火协议有效，局势就会缓和。现在，我们还需要观察通过霍尔木兹海峡的油轮数量是否会大幅增加。”

由于美国和伊朗周末可能举行进一步会谈，以及黎巴嫩和以色列之间达成为期10天的停火协议，提振了投资者对中东战争可能接近结束的希望，因此，早盘价格已经下跌。

伊朗宣布霍尔木兹海峡开放让商船通行 油价随即大跌

2026年4月17日 21:13 / 联合早报

伊朗说，根据黎巴嫩停火协议，霍尔木兹海峡对所有商船的通行在停火协议剩余期限内完全开放。 （路透社）

伊朗外交部长阿拉格齐星期五（4月17日）说，根据黎巴嫩停火协议，霍尔木兹海峡对所有商船的通行在停火协议剩余期限内完全开放。

路透社引述阿拉格齐在社交媒体X网站上的贴文说，船舶将按照伊朗港口和海事组织此前公布的协调航线通过海峡。

美国总统特朗普随后在交媒体上感谢伊朗开放霍尔木兹海峡。他说：“伊朗海峡已完全开放，可全面通行。谢谢！”

阿拉格齐宣布消息后，油价暴跌逾10%，延续了此前的跌势。

格林尼治标准时间17日13时11分（新加坡时间21时11分），布伦特原油期货下跌11.12美元（14.12新元），跌幅11.2%，至每桶88.27美元（112.06新元）。美国西得克萨斯中质原油期货下跌11.40美元，跌幅12%，至每桶83.29美元。

瑞银分析师斯陶诺沃说：“伊朗外长的讲话表明，只要停火协议有效，局势就会缓和。现在，我们还需要观察通过霍尔木兹海峡的油轮数量是否会大幅增加。”

由于美国和伊朗周末可能举行进一步会谈，以及黎巴嫩和以色列之间达成为期10天的停火协议，提振了投资者对中东战争可能接近结束的希望，因此，早盘价格已经下跌。