Sat, Aug 22, 2026
PACIFIC SOGO CASE: The ex-lawmakers involved had helped pressure the MOEA over Pacific Distribution’s ownership dispute through legislative oversight and amendments The High Court yesterday acquitted a lawmaker, a former lawmaker and two associates in a bribery case involving efforts to help former Pacific Distribution Investment Co chairman Lee Heng-lung (李恆隆) regain control of Pacific SOGO, while upholding prison sentences for two former legislators.The court
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday called for the immediate release of two Hong Kong pro-democracy activists after Hong Kong’s Court of First Instance convicted them and the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China of subversion.The MAC expressed
China’s foreign and defense ministers yesterday met their Indonesian counterparts in Jakarta for talks seeking greater political and military cooperation days after a joint navy drill Taiwan blasted as a “provocation.”The talks marked “an important milestone in our bilateral relations,” Indonesian M
The UN’s most powerful body, the Security Council, met yesterday to hold another straw poll to gauge the popularity of a growing field of contenders to lead the embattled organization.UN Conference on Trade and Development Secretary-General and former Costa Rican vice president Rebeca Grynspan was
DEFENSE PORTION: The defense budget would account for 3.01% of the projected GDP for this year, and includes funding for drones, missiles and the coast guard The Cabinet yesterday approved the central government’s budget proposal for next year, which would allocate NT$1.1225 trillion (US$35.16 billion) for defense, or 3.01 percent of projected GDP.President William Lai (賴清德) has set a goal of keeping Taiwan’s defense budget above 3 percent of GDP while g
The much-anticipated domestic travel subsidies, designed to encourage people to travel on weekdays, are to become available on Sept. 1.The expanded domestic tourism subsidy program, which has a NT$3.33 billion (US$104.31 million) budget, was scheduled to launch in April, but was delayed due to the s
ABUSE: The Indonesian technicians were allegedly promised about NT$50,000 per month, but their pay was slashed to NT$100 per hour upon their arrival The Ministry of Labor yesterday pledged to launch an investigation into allegations of forced labor and wage theft made by Indonesian technicians working on renewable energy projects in Taiwan.The ministry made the remarks hours after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Yueh-chin (林月琴), toge
‘CHAINSMOKER CAT’: Platform operators dropped the show even before an official investigation was completed under the threat of penalties, a creative rights group said The removal of the anime Chainsmoker Cat (尼古喵喵) from streaming platforms due to complaints about tobacco product placement contravenes the principle of proportionality and stifles creative expression, an advocacy group said on Thursday, after the Health Promotion Administration launched an investiga
The Ministry of Environment has set up an exhibition of heat adaptation products in front of its building to showcase the industry’s development and encourage public participation.The ministry on Thursday held a news conference to unveil the exhibition demonstrating the cooling technologies of a “hi
The Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute yesterday announced an action plan for conserving three endangered native plant species under the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Taiwan Ecological Network program.The three species are the endangered Kao’s thorowax, and the critically endangered
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced yesterday that it will add more NT$500 (US$15.71) prizes to its bimonthly cloud invoice lottery this year, starting with the July-August draw on Sept. 25.Taiwan’s uniform invoice lottery is drawn on the 25th day of odd-numbered months -- January, March, Ma
VAGUE: The Chinese side did not give an exact reason for the request for removal of the two South Korean lawmakers, only stating that ‘it would be difficult,’ the source said A source in South Korea’s diplomatic corps said that two lawmakers were asked by the Chinese embassy in Seoul to be removed from the delegation that was to visit China on Wednesday, allegedly over a prior visit to Taiwan, the Korean-language Chosun Daily reported yesterday.The embassy had, at the be
INCENTIVE: The amendment, which is set to take effect retroactively from Jan. 1, was proposed to ease financial pressure on families raising children, the government said The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed an amendment to the Income Tax Act (所得稅法) raising the tax exemption threshold for dependent minor children and expanding itemized deductions for social insurance premiums.The amendment, which cleared its third reading, increases the tax exemption for dependent m
The legislature yesterday passed portions of an amendment to the School Health Act (學校衛生法) mandating that the government assist schools in stocking menstrual products, teach students about menstruation, and ban tobacco and e-cigarettes in schools.The Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committe
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed a bill to authorize a repeatable fine of up to NT$750,000 for top electricity users whose renewable energy capacities do not meet regulatory requirements, although it exempts current heavy users.The Energy Administration Act (能源管理法) amendments are now headed to
SPECIALTY SUPPLIES: Taiwan is ushering in a major shift in industrial upgrades and a local alliance will reinforce supply chain resilience, SEMI president Terry Tsao said SEMI Taiwan launched a semiconductor materials alliance yesterday to fortify industry resilience, capitalizing on surging domestic demand fueled by advanced nodes and next-generation packaging.Taiwan has been the world’s largest semiconductor materials consumer for 16 years in a row, the industry as
DATA CENTER DRIVER: The firm has stepped up investment in the segment and shifted its focus from standalone UPS products to total solutions, an executive said Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) maker CyberPower Systems Inc (碩天科技) yesterday said that third-quarter revenue and profit are expected to surpass its second-quarter results and be the strongest quarter this year.Growth would be driven by seasonal demand, including for UPS systems and data center p
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Thursday said that he might further increase the US government’s repurchases of Treasuries, attempting to jawbone a government debt market that was beginning to balk after the previous day’s surprise plan to double buybacks.Bessent, a former hedge fund m
Amid strong economic growth fueled by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, President William Lai (賴清德) on Monday announced that the government would distribute a NT$10,000 (US$314) cash handout to all citizens next year — a move the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) characterized as the “ultimate po
With the November nine-in-one elections drawing closer, the collaboration between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) is once again drawing public attention. The KMT Taipei chapter has reportedly decided to focus on winning an outright majority in the council. As
The opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan on Friday last week approved three referendum proposals. One of the questions is: “Do you agree that the government should abolish its ‘nuclear-free homeland’ energy policy to ensure public health, stabilize power supply, lower electricity prices, enhance n
TAIWAN’S HSIEH ADVANCES: Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko made the semis, but Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint of Australia were beaten in the women’s doubles World No. 3 Jessica Pegula on Thursday survived a stirring fightback from Amanda Anisimova to win 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4) and reach the Cincinnati Open semi-finals, while Iga Swiatek also advanced when Elena Rybakina retired injured.World No. 2 Rybakina retired in the first set with an ankle problem in
Jacob deGrom on Thursday reached 2,000 MLB career strikeouts in the second-fewest games and innings pitched in the history of the league when the Texas Rangers right-hander fanned the first two batters among his 10 K’s in a 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals.DeGrom struck out Daylen Lile and Abim
Brazil great Ronaldinho on Thursday landed in Ravenna, a city more famous for its nearby beaches than its soccer team.The lyrics “and the world’s going to know your name” seemed ironically superfluous as one of soccer’s most recognizable figures stepped on stage in front of thousands of fans.That so
China’s world No. 3 Wang Zhiyi on Thursday overcame severe cramps to down Indian star P.V. Sindhu and reach the quarter-finals of the Badminton World Championships.The top seeds kept their campaign on track, with South Korea’s world No. 1 An Se-young and defending champion Akane Yamaguchi also winni
CAUTION: Putin’s visit to the Kurils could have been a warning against deeper Japanese support for Ukraine and closer cooperation with NATO, analysts said Japan yesterday said it had protested against Russia’s notification that Moscow would conduct missile tests off disputed islands visited by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.“We lodged a protest in response to the notification about the plan to conduct a missile test” off the Kuril
BRUSHED OFF: Judges rejected the activists’ defense that they believed they were acting within the law, saying that they were ‘bent on embracing the resistance line’ Hong Kong’s High Court yesterday convicted two pro-democracy activists of inciting subversion, highlighting their use of the phrase “end one-party dictatorship” in their political activities.Lee Cheuk-yan (李卓人) and Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤) were part of a group known for organizing annual vigils marking
It is festival day and Dino Haimandos is savoring the sight of Gokceada’s streets filled with Greek Orthodox icons for a parade led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who was born on the Turkish island.Now 77, Haimandos returns every summer to the village where he grew up on this island off Turk
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) is facing some difficulties, and there are some tensions in their alliance with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). However, though these problems are real, the local press is blowing them out of proportion and hyping too much out of context. Take, for example, a pol
They were born Taiwanese, educated as Japanese and drawn into the war effort for an empire that was eventually defeated. Under the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime, when Japanese became the enemy, they mostly kept those memories to themselves. Of the six men and women interviewed in depth for
I like to think of myself as a fairly laid-back person. Other people’s behavior is not my business. There is one notable exception: my gym nemesis.He brings his computer to the gym and takes work conference calls at full volume. He has four to six pairs of dumbbells around him at all times — then do
A tiny croissant with a small, smiling face sits on a desk. Nearby, a soft strawberry with dangling legs leans against a stack of books, while a floppy-eared bunny rests quietly on a bed. These charming plush toys are part of the world of “JellyCat,” a British brand known for turning everyday object
A: Besides boyband BTS’ Grammy boycott in the music scene, the box office has been sizzling, with summer blockbuster “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” setting a new all-time opening weekend record in history.B: And “Toy Story 5,” “Moana” and “The Odyssey” have also swept the globe. A: Isn’t “The Odyssey”
A: What’s the latest in the music and film industries?B: South Korean supergroup BTS just announced they will not submit for the 2027 Grammy Awards, shocking fans worldwide.A: Five-time Grammy nominee BTS is boycotting the introduction of “Best Asian Pop Music Performance Award” to protest against t
| New Taipei City | 26-28 | 20% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 27-28 | 20% | |
| Hsinchu City | 27-28 | 20% | |
| Taipei City | 26-28 | 20% | |
| Miaoli County | 26-27 | 20% | |
| Taoyuan City | 26-27 | 20% |  |
| Keelung City | 26-27 | 20% | |
| Yunlin County | 26-27 | 40% |  |
| Taichung City | 26-27 | 60% | |
| Nantou County | 26-27 | 50% | |
| Changhua County | 26-27 | 40% | |
| Chiayi County | 26-26 | 70% | |
| Chiayi City | 25-26 | 60% | |
| Tainan City | 26-26 | 70% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 26-26 | 70% | |
| Pingtung County | 25-26 | 90% | |
| Yilan County | 26-27 | 20% | |
| Hualien County | 26-27 | 20% |  |
| Taitung County | 26-28 | 60% | |
| Kinmen County | 27-27 | 30% | |
| Penghu County | 27-27 | 40% | |
| Lienchiang County | 27-27 | 30% | |
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