The results of the national junior-high school entrance exam that took place across Taiwan from May 16 to 17 are in. Once again, a disproportionate number of students from sports-focused junior-high programs received “needs improvement” grades. The issue is closely tied to the processes for selectin
The unending string of construction projects at Daan Forest Park has become a collective gripe heard all too often among Taipei City residents. Daan Forest Park should be a place where residents can relax, take a stroll and pause for a moment. However, large areas have been cordoned off, and access
Recognition, respect and legitimacy are never permanently granted by institutions alone. They are ultimately commanded through achievement, resilience and moral authority. History offers many examples. Mahatma Gandhi, perhaps the greatest global advocate of non-violence and peace, never received the
The Ministry of Digital Affairs recently announced the results of a cybersecurity assessment for four Chinese apps. In addition to concerns over the navigation app Amap (高德地圖), the widely used streaming platforms Bilibili (嗶哩嗶哩) and iQIYI (愛奇藝), along with the chat app BimoBimo (比萌比萌), were also fou
EDITORIAL CARTOON
I have a guilty pleasure: reality TV, the trashier the better. A few years ago, I had a job that involved writing an early-morning political e-mail, which necessitated working through the night. At the end of a grueling shift, I would reward myself by unwinding with the most tawdry show of all: Marr
Japan’s conbini (convenience stores) are beloved — a lifeline for the country’s overworked parents and hungry salarymen as well as a must-see experience for tourists. However, they were not always so welcome. In the decades since the first outlet was opened in 1974, the now nearly 60,000 convenience
SpaceX’s upgraded Starship launch on Friday last week delivered enough progress to keep momentum intact behind Elon Musk’s US$1.75 trillion IPO while warning that full reusability of the rocket remains a work in progress. Starship is critical to lowering SpaceX’s launch costs, expanding its Starlink
Taiwan Travelogue (台灣漫遊錄), written by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子) and translated into English by Taiwanese-American Lin King (金翎), won the International Booker Prize last week, becoming the first Chinese-language novel to receive the award and a milestone for Taiwan’s literature on the glo
President William Lai (賴清德) has stated that “Taiwanese have the right to engage with the world.” That is a basic principle and should not be controversial. Yet in past years, Taiwan’s routine international engagement has been framed as provocative, a representation that is misleading and analyticall
Winning this year’s International Booker Prize has transformed Taiwan Travelogue (台灣漫遊錄) from an acclaimed literary work into a cultural moment for Taiwan itself. The novel had already made history in 2024 by becoming the first Taiwanese work to win the US National Book Award for Translated Literatu
President William Lai’s (賴清德) substantial expansion of assisted reproduction subsidies would provide critical hope to countless families struggling with infertility who long to have children. By incorporating forward-thinking technology and preventive medicine into population strategy, policymakers
EDITORIAL CARTOON
China’s worst mining disaster in decades feels like an echo of a past it has long sought to forget. The blast, which has killed at least 82 people at a pit in Liushenyu in the Shanxi coal belt, is the worst since 2009. It is a reminder of the grim days of the 2000s, when thousands died every year in
Ukrainian drones have strayed into Baltic countries’ airspace, sowing confusion and raising tensions with Russia at a time when the US’ commitment to NATO’s collective security is in question. The airspace incursions have occurred as Ukraine, seeking to land heavier blows on Russia four years after
In calling for regulation of the digital revolution and foregrounding human dignity, the pontiff has contributed to a crucial ethical debateWhen the present pope adopted his regnal name, he explained the choice by reference to a 19th-century predecessor who used the papacy to address the great socia
Three people have died and two people were injured in separate drug-impaired driving incidents over the past week. In New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District, a driver allegedly under the influence of etomidate-laced vape products hit and killed a motorcyclist. In Changhua County, a driver crashed into a
The Ministry of the Interior, working with the navy and coast guard, is organizing Taiwan’s first joint exercise simulating escort tankers carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil through a Chinese blockade. The drills simulate fuel transport along three maritime corridors leading toward Japan,
After arriving in Taiwan, Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) stated plainly that Taiwan needs more electricity for the development of artificial intelligence (AI). The remark was originally intended as an expectation for Taiwan’s overall energy strategy, but Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) turned i
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