ROAD SAFETY: The amendments increase penalties for traffic contraventions such as using mobile phones or smoking a cigarette while riding a motorcycle
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例) that increase penalties for certain traffic contraventions. They were passed without any objections. The amendments are to raise the fine for using mobile phones, computers or other similar d
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed a new law that lays out principles on how artificial intelligence (AI) is to be governed in Taiwan and designated the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) as the governing authority for AI.Under the Artificial Intelligence Basic Act (人工智慧基本法), the gove
US President Donald Trump on Monday said it would be “smart” for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down, as US naval forces pressed a blockade on the South American country’s oil wealth. However, Venezuela’s key ally Moscow expressed its “full support” for Maduro’s government, as Washingto
Thailand yesterday rejected a request by Cambodia to hold bilateral talks in a neutral country, leaving a planned meeting to negotiate an end to deadly border clashes in doubt. The nations’ long-standing border conflict reignited this month, shattering an earlier truce, killing more than 40 people a
POSITIVE FEELINGS: Eighty percent of Japanese feel a sense of closeness with Taiwan, a Japanese lawmaker said, citing a survey amid a high in Taiwan-Japan relations
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan can deepen cooperation in various fields and work together to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.Lai made the remarks while welcoming a delegation led by Japanese Representative Koichi Hagiuda, who is incumbent secr
HOLIDAY SAFETY: The government plans to deploy more than 17,000 police officers and civil defense personnel to bolster security ahead of the coming holidays
Authorities are considering requiring real-name registration to purchase smoke grenades following their use in an attack on the Taipei MRT on Friday last week, as well as introducing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered scanners at public transportation entrances, National Police Agency Director-Gen
The Ministry of Health and Welfare is to launch the second stage of its Long-term Care 3.0 on Thursday next week, expanding dementia services and upgrading community-based care as Taiwan transitions to a “super-aged” society.The first stage of the new policy’s rollout began on Sept. 1 when the minis
Japan yesterday took the final step to allow the world’s largest nuclear power plant to resume operations with a regional vote, a watershed moment in the country’s return to nuclear energy nearly 15 years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster.Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, about 220km north
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war.Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but
‘BACK ON TRACK’: The court’s decision was important in reaffirming the separation of powers between the legislature and the executive, the groups’ statement said
More than 20 civic groups, 160 academics and 130 lawyers yesterday issued a joint statement supporting the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Friday that amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) passed last year were unconstitutional, saying it was the first step to restoring the n
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety
Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured.In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large g
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has previewed proposed amendments to the Road and Traffic Safety Training Regulations (道路交通安全講習辦法) and Road Traffic Safety Rules (道路交通安全規則) to tackle problems caused by people driving without a license. The new measures are to be launched eith
The US seized another oil tanker off Venezuela on Saturday, a move Caracas deemed a “theft and kidnapping,” in the latest salvo of a pressure campaign by Washington, the US government said.It was the second time in two weeks that US forces have interdicted a tanker in the region, and comes days afte
Nine people have died and at least 10 were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of yesterday, authorities said.The incident occurred just before 1am in the township of Bekkersdal, 46km west of Johannesburg. It is the second mass shootin
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery
The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day.Lai made the remarks following a b
REBUFFED: In response to Chinese criticism over recent arms sales, Washington urged Beijing to engage in meaningful dialogue instead of threats and intimidation
Washington’s long-term commitment to Taiwan would not change, the US Department of State said yesterday, urging Beijing to stop pressuring Taiwan and engage in meaningful bilateral dialogues.The remarks came in response to a backlash from Beijing about Washington’s latest approval of arms sales to T
The Ministry of Environment said it is planning to require carbon storage projects to undergo an environmental impact assessment (EIA) regardless of size.The ministry on Friday announced draft amendments to articles 29, 42 and 46 of the Standards for Determining Specific Items and Scope of Environme
The US Department of Justice on Friday began releasing a long-awaited cache of records from its investigations into the politically explosive case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — although much of the material remained heavily redacted.Among the trove are numerous photographs depicting fo
US President Donald Trump left open the possibility of war with Venezuela, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday vowed to enforce a blockade on the country’s oil wealth.Asked in an interview with NBC News conducted on Thursday about a war with Venezuela, Trump said: “I don’t rule it out, no
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