MATERNITY: The high rate of C-sections might be due to changes in the traits of mothers, as the population ages, as well as a desire for ‘auspicious’ birthdays
About one-third of babies in Taiwan were born through caesarean section (C-section), as the nation’s C-section rate increased from 35.2 percent in 2017 to a record high of 38.4 percent in 2023, with about 52,000 babies born through the procedure that year, Health Promotion Administration data showed
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament.Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese du
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy yesterday said that Kyiv would meet with Moscow for talks in Istanbul on Thursday, but said that Russia must first commit to a 30-day ceasefire starting today. Zelenskiy said he sees a “positive sign” from Russia. The warring sides have not held direct talks s
Top Iranian and US negotiators resumed talks yesterday to address disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program, Iranian state media reported, in a push for progress as Washington hardens its stance ahead of US President Donald Trump’s Middle East visit.Although Tehran and Washington have said they prefer
DEFENSE RESILIENCE: NT$150 billion would also be set aside to build ships for the coast guard to bolster its capabilities in countering China’s ‘gray zone’ tactics
The government is planning a special budget, estimated at up to NT$500 billion (US$16.5 billion), for military purchases from the US, a high-level government official said yesterday on condition of anonymity.The planned special budget would be in addition to a draft special act aimed at bolstering e
BLURRED LINES: The amendment would bring Hong Kong and Macau interactions under the same rules as the act governing relations with the Mainland Area
To tackle so-called “origin laundering,” lawmakers have put forward proposals to amend the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau (香港澳門條例) to prevent China from abusing substantial transformation of goods by passing them through the two territories.“Origin laundering” refers to the decepti
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed.The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland yesterday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy.The U
India and Pakistan yesterday confirmed a ceasefire deal after US-led talks to end a conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals following missile and drone attacks on each other’s military bases.The two have been locked in hostilities after a gun massacre last month that India has blamed Pakistan for.
PARTNERSHIP ‘We look forward to building on our diplomatic ties with the Holy See, 83 years strong, to advance peace, justice, solidarity and benevolence,’ Lai said
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday extended his congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on his election as the new leader of the Catholic Church, saying Taiwan looked forward to collaborating with the Vatican on promoting peace, justice, religious freedom, unity and human dignity.“We l
LEISURE: The new law adds Confucius’ birthday, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou, Constitution Day and Little New Year as national holidays
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed new legislation adding four national holidays and making Workers’ Day a national holiday for all sectors.The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party used their combined majority in the legislature to push the jointly proposed draft through
Pope Leo XIV urged the Catholic Church to “desperately” counter a lack of faith in his first homily as pope yesterday, a day after the modest cardinal largely unknown to the world became the first US head of the 2,000-year institution.Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost on Thursday became the 267th
A Taiwanese delegation is to depart for the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday next week, Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said yesterday. The WHA’s 78th annual assembly is to be held from May 19 to 27.Taiwan has not received an official invitation, as in
Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in Kashmir late on Thursday, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.In Pakista
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said
The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” Presiden
‘FALLACY’: Xi’s assertions that Taiwan was given to the PRC after WWII confused right and wrong, and were contrary to the facts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) claim that China historically has sovereignty over Taiwan “deceptive” and “contrary to the facts.”In an article published on Wednesday in the Russian state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Xi said that this year not only ma
Two US senators on Monday reintroduced the Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act, which they said aims to reaffirm US policy to support Taiwan’s democracy and international engagement amid China’s increasing diplomatic and military aggression.Republican Senator John Curtis and Democratic Senator Jeff M
Thick black smoke yesterday billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals again failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church, but they were scheduled to hold two more rounds of voting after press time last night.Among the thousands of Catholics and curious tourists ma
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies.The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has be
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