RELEASED: Ko emerged from a courthouse before about 700 supporters, describing his year in custody as a period of ‘suffering’ and vowed to ‘not surrender’
Former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was released on NT$70 million (US$2.29 million) bail yesterday, bringing an end to his year-long incommunicado detention as he awaits trial on corruption charges.Under the conditions set by the Taipei District Court on Friday, Ko must remai
Taiwanese pro-independence advocates yesterday said that the people of Taiwan have the right to self-determination and would achieve nationhood by throwing off what they called the “Chinese foreign regime,” at an event marking the 74th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco.The Ta
South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun was to head to the US yesterday as he sought to resolve the fallout over the detention of hundreds of Korean workers during an immigration raid at a time when Seoul has committed to massive investment plans in the US.Seoul on Sunday said that negotia
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was issuing a “last warning” to Hamas, saying that the Palestinian militant group must accept a deal to release hostages in Gaza.“The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said
China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive int
PRESSURE: Ishiba had previously insisted on staying, stressing the need to avoid a political vacuum at a time when Japan faces major challenges including US tariffs
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba yesterday announced that he would step down following growing calls from his party to take responsibility for a historic defeat in July’s parliamentary election. Ishiba, who took office in October last year, had resisted demands from mostly right-wing opponents
A veteran US senator who visited Taiwan last month has issued a warning to the US and the world about the consequences they would face if China annexed Taiwan. “A conquered Taiwan would mean widespread loss of life and liberty for its people. It would also plunge the world into an economic depressio
Taiwan’s women’s 500kg team yesterday defeated Switzerland to win gold at the World Tug-of-War Championships in Nottingham, England, securing their fourth consecutive title since 2022. The championships ran from Thursday through yesterday, with the first two days featuring the open tournament. In th
Russia fired its biggest-ever aerial barrage at Ukraine early yesterday, killing two people and setting the seat of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv ablaze in an attack Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned would prolong the war. An Agence France-Presse (AFP) reporter saw the roof of Ukrain
RESPONSE: The transit sends a message that China’s alignment with other countries would not deter the West from defending freedom of navigation, an academic said
Canadian frigate the Ville de Quebec and Australian guided-missile destroyer the Brisbane transited the Taiwan Strait yesterday morning, the first time the two nations have conducted a joint freedom of navigation operation.The Canadian and Australian militaries did not immediately respond to request
ENERGY: The legislation would require the US to increase LNG exports to Taiwan and work with Taipei to strengthen its energy infrastructure through security measures
Two US senators on Friday introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at boosting liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Taiwan and strengthening its energy infrastructure amid China’s growing aggression. The Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act was sponsored by Republican Pete Ricketts and Democrat C
Permanent foreign residents would also be eligible to receive NT$10,000 (US$327) cash handouts, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Speaking to reporters at an event in Taipei, Cho said the Cabinet plans to submit a special budget proposal next week for legislative approval to unlock funding
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday shook up his Cabinet after his top deputy stepped down over a tax error on a home purchase, leaving a big hole in the center-left Labour government. Starmer carried out a major reshuffle, a forced government reboot after a rocky 14 months in office that
US President Donald Trump on Friday created a blacklist of countries that Washington says unjustly detain Americans, spelling out harsh punishments including bans on travel. In an executive order, Trump said the US would designate “state sponsors of wrongful detention,” similar to the powerful tool
‘NOT ALONE’: A Taiwan Strait war would disrupt global trade routes, and could spark a worldwide crisis, so a powerful US presence is needed as a deterrence, a US senator said
US Senator Deb Fischer on Thursday urged her colleagues in the US Congress to deepen Washington’s cooperation with Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific partners to contain the global security threat from China.Fischer and other lawmakers recently returned from an official trip to the Indo-Pacific region, w
The Taipei District Court yesterday granted bail to former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇), after the completion of cross-examinations in the Core Pacific City corruption case.The two were granted bail of NT$70 million (US$2.29 million) and NT$30 million resp
Broadcom Inc is helping OpenAI design and produce an artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator, getting into a lucrative sphere dominated by Nvidia Corp.The two firms plan to ship the first chips in that lineup starting next year, a person familiar with the matter said.OpenAI would initially use the
The Lebanese government yesterday was discussing an army plan to disarm Hezbollah, which the Iran-backed militant group said plays into the hands of Israel and the US.Last month, under heavy US pressure and fearing Israel would intensify its strikes, Lebanon’s government ordered the army to draw up
READINESS: South Korea, Japan and the US said they are to conduct defensive drills on Sept. 15 to upgrade the countries’ capabilities against Pyongyang’s missile threats
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) that it was his “steadfast will” to “steadily develop” bilateral relations, state media said yesterday.The two leaders held talks on Thursday evening at the Great Hall of the People, where Kim affirmed the “friendly feelings” be
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