ABOVE EXPECTATIONS: This first cycle came in about 10 percent above the projected amount, and could go toward emission-reduction project grants
The Ministry of Environment (MOENV) yesterday said it collected NT$4.97 billion (US$158.1 million) in Taiwan’s first carbon fee collection cycle.A total of 461 factories operated by 240 companies paid carbon fees, the ministry said, adding that among them, 123 semiconductor manufacturing facilities
Men overtook women in applications for flexible parental leave last month, the first time it has happened since the “child-friendly workplace” policy was implemented on Jan. 1, the Ministry of Labor said.The flexible parental leave without pay policy allows applications to be submitted on a daily ba
Kuwaiti civil aviation authorities said the country’s main airport has partially reopened after an Iranian attack damaged it yesterday.Kuwait Airways flights resumed from a different terminal from the one that was hit. No other flights would be operating, they said.Kuwait suspended commercial flight
New Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale yesterday said he would review a secretive 2022 security pact with Beijing, which rattled Canberra and Washington by opening the door to Chinese forces in the South Pacific.Asked about that pact alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the
TRUSTWORTHINESS: Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the nation’s most responsible commitment to the global supply chain, William Lai said
Taiwan has become indispensable to the development of artificial intelligence (AI) worldwide, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday at the opening of Computex Taipei.Lai said global tech giants had gathered in Taiwan for this year’s Computex, with some announcing plans to continue investing in
‘TRAGEDY’: The air force has grounded all T-34C trainer aircraft as it investigates the cause of the crash that killed the pilots carrying out a simulated engine-failure exercise
The air force yesterday said that pilots reported no anomalies or malfunctions before a T-34C trainer aircraft crashed at an air base in Kaohsiung while carrying out a simulated engine-failure exercise earlier in the day.Following the crash yesterday morning, killing two pilots, the air force ground
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday showcased its locally developed variants of the Vision 60 robotic patrol dog, which it plans to deploy on the nation’s outlying territories in the South China Sea.The variants were produced under the Joint Lab project — created by
Kenyan President William Ruto yesterday defended the opening of an Ebola quarantine center for US nationals after a court halted the plan and security forces teargassed protesters fearing the deadly virus could spread in the country.The US-built facility at Kenya’s Laikipia Air Base was due to open
Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight, killing at least 18 civilians and wounding 131 others, authorities said yesterday.Russian President Vladimir Putin has escalated Moscow’s aerial campaign in the past few weeks in an apparent
MAKING FRIENDS: Chinese pressure to squeeze Taiwan’s international space should not hinder the nation from engaging with the world with confidence, a lawmaker said
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) is to embark on a five-day visit to Palau later this week to bolster diplomatic relations with the Pacific ally, the Presidential Office said yesterday.Hsiao is to meet with Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and other government officials during her visit from S
Nvidia Corp yesterday unveiled the company’s first chip to power a new breed of laptops on Microsoft Corp’s operating system, addressing growing demand for agentic artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities on edge devices for consumers.During the company’s GTC event in Taipei, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huan
Taiwan’s indigenous submarine prototype, the Hai Kun (Narwhal, 海鯤), is aiming for delivery to the navy later this year, while two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines are expected to undergo combat-system validation next year, significantly enhancing the navy’s undersea warfare capabilities.The Hai
ENHANCED RELATIONS: The two nations plan to hold more joint military drills, strengthen maritime cooperation and increase readiness for disasters
The Philippines and Vietnam are eyeing more joint military activities after their leaders elevated ties to an enhanced strategic partnership in the face of Beijing’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.Among the steps being considered to reinforce security ties are holding joint military drills, st
Right-wing Colombian Aberaldo de la Espriella on Sunday pulled ahead in Colombia’s race for the presidency in the first round of elections, capitalizing on a growing appetite for heavy-handed crackdowns on criminal groups across Latin America.However, the second-place finisher, progressive Senator I
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) is to lead a delegation to Palau from Saturday to Wednesday next week at the invitation of Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr, the Presidential Office said today.The trip is to mark Hsiao’s first official state visit since taking office, and include Deputy Minist
TIT-FOR-TAT: The US allegedly revoked the visa of a Chinese national working at Xinhua News Agency in the US in response to Beijing’s expulsion of Vivian Wang
The Presidential Office yesterday condemned China for expelling a New York Times correspondent from Beijing following the newspaper’s interview with President William Lai (賴清德), saying the move highlighted Beijing’s suppression of press freedom and its threat to international news media.Taiwan has n
The Philippines is seeking closer ties with Taiwan and stronger military ties with nations focused on deterring China’s “nefarious plans,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro said.In an interview at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, Teodoro outlined deepening
The China Coast Guard has increased patrols near Taiwan’s Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) since February 2024, increasing from occasional transits to more than 30 transits annually, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said.On Feb. 14, 2024, a Chinese speedboat illegally entered prohibited wa
BIGGER FISH TO FRY: China has been increasing its military capabilities and defense budget quickly, with a lack of transparency, a Japanese minister said
Japan rejected China’s accusation that it is pursuing “new militarism,” a sharp rebuke against Beijing as tensions between the two countries continue to simmer.Without explicitly naming China, Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi yesterday said that Tokyo was being unfairly called out for i
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