Responsibility for certain budgets would shift to local governments, including school electricity fees, the Cabinet said yesterday, as it seeks to adjust spending to conform with changes to budget allocation rules passed earlier this year.Support for local governments must be adjusted to avoid affec
ALL QUIET: The Philippine foreign secretary told senators she would not respond to questions about whether Lin Chia-lung was in the country
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that a business delegation is visiting the Philippines, but declined to say whether Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is part of the group, as Philippine lawmakers raised questions over Lin’s reported visit.The group is being led b
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to start construction of its 1.4-nanometer chip manufacturing facilities at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP, 中部科學園區) as early as October, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday, ci
Russian missiles and drones early yesterday ripped through apartment blocks in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, killing at least 15 people, including four children, an attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said showed Moscow’s rejection of peace negotiations.Russia has rained down aerial a
A Hong Kong court yesterday finished hearing closing arguments in the national security trial of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai (黎智英), although a judge declined to say when a verdict would be reached.The 156-day trial, which began in December 2023, has become the most high-profile example of C
TEAM PLAYERS: The premier is today to officially introduce the new Cabinet members, which is to include Olympic badminton star Lee Yang and baseball legend Chen Yi-hsin
The Executive Yuan yesterday unveiled its new Cabinet aimed at expediting procedures and policies, and bolstering President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration.Under the reshuffle, which started on Sunday, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫), the former head of the National Developm
DEFENSIVE EDGE: The liaison officer would work with Taiwan on drones and military applications for other civilian-developed technologies, a source said
A Pentagon unit tasked with facilitating the US military’s adoption of new technology is soon to deploy officials to dozens of friendly nations, including Taiwan, the Financial Times reported yesterday.The US Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is to send a representative to collab
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday emphasized his administration’s commitment to strengthening Taiwan’s military capabilities and security cooperation with allies, reiterating the nation’s target to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2030.Lai made the comments in a meeting with a gr
Prosecutors yesterday charged three people with stealing trade secrets relating to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TMSC, 台積電) most advanced 2-nanometer chips to help a Japanese company that makes equipment for the chipmaking giant.TSMC is the world’s largest contract maker of chips that are
A Thai woman who received one of the kingdom’s longest royal insult sentences was freed from prison yesterday under a mass pardon marking the king’s birthday.Anchan Preelert, 69, was jailed for 43 years in 2021 after sharing online audio clips on YouTube of an underground podcast host known as “DJ B
Australian police yesterday battled wintry weather as they searched alpine bushland for a “heavily armed” gunman who allegedly shot dead two officers and injured another at a rural property in the state of Victoria.Police said day two of the manhunt was “tough going” for officers, with the threat of
PRIORITIES: The changes would be in line with President Lai’s vow to have a Cabinet that would be more efficient in solving problems and responsive to public opinion
A Cabinet reshuffle is to be finalized later this week, with more than five senior officials expected to be replaced, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. While confirming that the reshuffle would be completed this week, Cho declined to elaborate on the scale
Storing nuclear waste on the main island of Kinmen is out of the question, but Erdan (二膽) — one of the smaller, uninhabited islands in Kinmen County — could be an option, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍) said yesterday.Chen, who represents Kinmen County, was responding to
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed gratitude to bipartisan US Congress members for condemning China’s unilateral third extension of the M503 flight route in the Taiwan Strait.A letter signed by four US lawmakers was sent to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Secretary
Australia yesterday expelled Iran’s ambassador, accusing the country of being behind anti-Semitic arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.It marks the first time Australia has expelled an ambassador since World War II.Intelligence services reached the “deeply disturbing conclusion” that Iran directed
DEADLY STRIKES: Israeli assaults on Gaza’s main hospital killed 20 people, including medics and journalists, drawing global condemnation
Protesters in Israel yesterday torched tires, blocked highways and clamored for a ceasefire that would free hostages still in Gaza, as Israeli leaders pressed ahead with plans for an offensive which they say is needed to crush Hamas.The disruption came as Palestinians in Gaza braced for the expanded
CONSENSUS: The government and industry understand the importance of keeping industries rooted in Taiwan to maintain the nation’s competitiveness, the premier said
The government and industry are in agreement that Taiwan’s industrial roots must stay in Taiwan to maintain the nation’s leading position in key industries, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday.Cho was responding to questions by lawmakers about the possibility
Democratic nations should refrain from attending China’s upcoming large-scale military parade, which Beijing could use to sow discord among democracies, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Shen You-chung (沈有忠) said.China is scheduled to stage the parade on Wednesday next week to mark the 80th a
CHAMPIONS: President Lai congratulated the players’ outstanding performance, cheering them for marking a new milestone in the nation’s baseball history
Taiwan on Sunday won their first Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) title in 29 years, as Taipei’s Dong Yuan Elementary School defeated a team from Las Vegas 7-0 in the championship game in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It was Taiwan’s first championship in the annual tournament since 1
Indonesia and the US yesterday began annual joint military exercises together with forces from a dozen other countries, as Washington pushes its allies to take threats from China more seriously.Hosted by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), this year’s Super Garuda Shield focused on strengthe