■ DIPLOMACY
You Ching may go to Berlin
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator You Ching (尤清) has been tapped to serve as the nation's representative to Germany, Executive Yuan spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said. Shieh, who just ended a two-year stint as representative to Germany, took office as Executive Yuan spokesman and Government Information Office minister on Monday. You earned a doctoral degree in law from Germany's Heidelberg University, Shieh said, adding that his formation of a good social network during his study in Germany was sure to help him. You has been a Control Yuan member, a National Chengchi University associate professor, a Presidential Office national policy adviser and an ambassador-at-large.
■ AGRICULTURE
Produce labels to ease fears
The first batch of Taiwan-grown tomatoes labeled with "produce traceability" recently entered the market, Council of Agriculture (COA) officials said yesterday. The officials said that the tomatoes were cultivated on a farm in Taichung County with the assistance of the council's research center in central Taiwan. Given growing concern among consumers about the hygiene standards of agricultural products, quality inspection labeling on the packaging of such products has become a global trend, the officials said, adding that this was why council Chairman Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) made implementing the "produce traceability" system his top priority when he assumed his post in January last year. The council's efforts in this regard have borne fruit, with more Taiwanese produce bearing "produce traceability" labels.
■ POLITICS
Farmers' party founded
The Taiwan Farmers' Party was established yesterday in Kaohsiung County, with the aim of better representing the rights and interests of local farmers and fishermen, party officials said. Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) attended the ceremony and congratulated Yang Cheng-chi (楊政治), chief of the Kaohsiung Farmers' Association, who was chosen as party chairman by representatives from local farmers' and fishermen's associations across the country. Addressing the ceremony, Yang Chiu-hsing said he was happy to see such a party established -- the first of its kind dedicated to grassroots farmers and fishermen in the country. Yang Chiu-hsing said he hoped that the new party could help the government work out sound policies to attend to the needs of farmers and fishermen. For his part, Yang Cheng-chi said that the party, as a representative of grassroots workers, would work hard to win public recognition.
■ DIPLOMACY
Ties with Nicaragua steady
Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳) said yesterday that diplomatic relations with Nicaragua were stable. Huang made the remarks after presiding over a swearing-in ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of new officials and representatives of overseas offices. Commenting on media reports that relations between Taiwan and Nicaragua were shaky, Huang said that given current difficulties, he could not guarantee that relations with every ally would be problem-free. "Taiwan has limited resources and cannot compete with China's checkbook diplomacy," he said. "What we can do is to be on guard and do everything possible to cement ties with our allies," he said, adding that "Taiwan's relations with Nicaragua are solid at present."
■ JUSTICE
Dog owner sentenced
A Taipei County man was sentenced to 30 days in detention for an injury his dog caused to a passerby, Taipei District Court officials said on Wednesday. The 57-year-old dog owner, surnamed Wu, did not have his door completely closed on Jan. 17, when his dog, unleashed and unmuzzled, ran out on to the street and attacked a passing woman. The court ruled that Wu should have been aware that dogs can be aggressive in certain situations, and that owners should leash their dogs or muzzle them to prevent their animals from assaulting others. The sentence may be commuted to a fine at a rate of NT$1,000 per day.
■ POLITICS
Mayor dismisses allegation
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), who once served as secretary-general of the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China, yesterday dismissed an allegation that the organization had embezzled funds from its government-allotted budget over the past 20 years. Hau, who served as Red Cross Society secretary-general between April 2005 and February, said he had seen to it during his stint that all income and expenses were audited by certified public accountants, making embezzlement impossible at the public-interest organization. Hau termed it as "immoral" that certain people had "fabricated a wholly untrue story" accusing Red Cross Society management of misusing funds allocated to the organization from government coffers. He was referring to a report by the Chinese-language China Times yesterday that quoted Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Jung-chang (王榮璋) as saying that Minister of the Interior Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) told him recently that an investigation conducted by ministry officials had discovered that the Red Cross Society had misused government subsidies over the past 20 years and that the ministry would work to retrieve the money.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or