Earthquakes do not care about borders. Neither do floods, hurricanes or the diseases that follow them. When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, the international system is supposed to respond based on need, not politics.Organizations like the WHO exist specifically to coordinate amid global heal
My neighbor recently asked me: “Why did the court find Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) not guilty of fraudulently claiming assistant fees?”I said that the appellate court judges held that although Kao did indeed “underpay and overreport” assistants’ salaries, which created a discrepancy of about NT$110,
Climate change is a multiplier of conflict, and governance gaps are a multiplier of climate risk. The connection between Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and goal 13 on climate action can no longer be ignored. India and Taiwan are well-placed to advance both
EDITORIAL CARTOON
It might have seemed that every piece of bad news for the global climate and energy transition this year had some sort of connection to US President Donald Trump. If only it were so simple.In fact, there are plenty of negative factors well away from the White House that have damaged our chances of t
So much climate news comes out in any given week that it can be hard to keep up with it all. Much is gloomy, but there are positive developments all the time — so many, in fact, that it is easy to miss some of the things that have been happening.For the past few years, I have been compiling year-end
The Constitutional Court on Friday last week ruled that an opposition-backed amendment to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) was unconstitutional and should be rendered void, as it was passed in an undemocratic manner and goes against the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
Kaohsiung’s Beiling Elementary School has become the nation’s first experimental immersion school for the Hoklo language, (often known as Taiwanese, or Tai-gi). It is a huge step forward for Hoklo-language education, and hopes are high that it could pave the way for more schools around the country.
Tensions between Japan and China over Taiwan have again exposed the fragility of East Asia’s security architecture. Comments by Japanese leaders warning that a Chinese use of force against Taiwan could pose a direct threat to Japan’s security triggered sharp reactions from Beijing, reviving fears of
Taiwan is the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage, and Taipei’s Pride Parade has become a symbol of freedom and diversity. However, across the South China Sea, Malaysian police raided a private gay gathering, with more than 100 men taken in for questioning. The legal basis was, once aga
Lessons in wake of attackThe Taipei Metro attack on Friday last week is not without precedent in Taiwan. In the wake of the rampage, we are reminded that although these events are rare, they still happen, especially in crowded public spaces. Dangers can present themselves suddenly and unpredictably.
EDITORIAL CARTOON
This was the year that the remaining pillars of the late 20th century order were shattered, exposing the hollow core of what passed for a global system. Three blows sufficed.The first was Russia’s impending victory in Ukraine over Europe’s combined leadership. For almost four years, the EU and NATO
From inside a military base last week, Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing announced who he wanted voters to pick in Sunday’s general election, nearly five years after seizing power in a coup.“He suggested that during the upcoming election period, voters should choose candidates who can cooperate
In one of his last sermons, the great Christian theologian and philosopher Paul Tillich asked: “Do we have a right to hope?”As an army chaplain to German forces during World War I and a refugee from Nazi Germany, Tillich had witnessed first-hand some of the horrors of the 20th century, but his answe
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) on Monday rebuked seven Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers for stalling a special defense budget and visiting China.The legislators — including Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲), Yeh Yuan-chih (葉元之) and Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) — attended an event in
Taiwan’s democracy has entered deep waters and is facing mounting geopolitical risks. The issue is no longer over a contest for parliamentary seats between the blue, green and white camps, but China’s war on Taiwan, targeting its constitution, democracy and defenses. In the past few years, the Chine
The public debate surrounding the impeachment campaign against President William Lai (賴清德) has been framed as a clash of political wills: a defiant president versus an aggrieved legislature. That framing is not only misleading — it conceals a deliberate inversion of constitutional logic being pursue
The limits of Taiwan’s Constitution are being severely tested.With the “Bluebird movement” last year and the mass recall campaign earlier this year, it is clear that a significant number of voters are frustrated with the Legislative Yuan, controlled by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
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