Fri, Aug 21, 2026
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
Ugandan immigration authorities have returned the passports of four Taiwanese after withholding the travel documents at Entebbe International Airport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said yesterday.After hearing about the incident, the ministry immediately instructed its
‘PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE’: The solution to tensions in the Korean Peninsula is urging the US to abandon its hostile policy, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said North Korea yesterday launched a barrage of ballistic missiles toward the sea, South Korea’s military said, a day after Pyongyang shrugged off a US decision to scale back military drills with Seoul in an apparent bid to resume diplomacy.About 10 short-range ballistic missiles were launched from Nort
The US’ gross national debt has surged past US$40 trillion for the first time, government data showed on Wednesday, outstripping earlier forecasts at a pace fueled in part by US President Donald Trump’s invalidated tariffs.The record comes as longer-term US obligations linked to social security and
The Executive Yuan today approved a NT$3.9266 trillion (US$123.133 billion) central government budget proposal for next year, including NT$1.1225 trillion for national defense, marking the first year the figure has surpassed NT$1 trillion.It is also the first time in 78 years that the government has
INSTALLING AGENTS: Minister Hsu Chia-ching said that the council is under great pressure, but it would not be confined, as that would mean it is failing in its duties China has compromised Taiwanese overseas diaspora groups, Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) said yesterday, confirming comments by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵).Hsu made the comments while presenting a report at a meeting of the Legi
ADD-ONS: Benefits for public workers are to be adjusted and a NT$2,000 increase in professional or supervisory allowances is to be provided, the Executive Yuan said The Executive Yuan yesterday budgeted for a provisional increase of nearly 6 percent in pensions for public-sector retirees, adding NT$11.4 billion (US$357.1 million) to planned government spending.Pensions for retired government workers are provisionally budgeted to increase by 5.89 percent to keep
SAME PAGE: Despite opposition lawmakers’ suggestions, Taiwan’s defense and economic interests are aligned on drones, as large orders would stimulate the industry Forcing drone procurement into the annual budget cycle could cripple Taiwan’s defense autonomy and deter the domestic drone industry from investing in crucial “non-red” supply chains, a national security official said yesterday, following a breakdown in negotiations over a special budget for uncrewe
The New Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office on Wednesday indicted 15 people for evading mandatory military service or assisting others in doing so, including a former boy band member and a rapper.Prosecutors uncovered the scheme last year following an investigation into actor Darren Wang (王大陸), who alle
China is responding to closer cooperation between the Philippines and Japan by expanding its presence east of Taiwan in an apparent bid to establish jurisdiction over waters in the Philippine Sea, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said in a report released on Wednesday.The “unpreceden
Seven in 10 people in Taiwan view recent Chinese coast guard patrols in waters east of Taiwan as an act of “ill will,” according to a Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) poll released Thursday.The survey found that 70.5 percent of respondents regarded the patrols as malicious, while 7.5 percent considere
Experts at a meeting of the legislature’s Constitutional Amendment Committee yesterday advocated abolishing the Control Yuan and Examination Yuan to transition to a bicameral system, while others warned of unconstitutional overreach.National Chengchi University College of Law professor Lin Chai-ho (
The winners of a lottery for taxpayers, including foreign nationals, who filed last year’s individual income tax returns using a mobile device are to be announced at 4pm today, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday.Prizes include cash awards of up to NT$50,000 and electronic vouchers worth NT$20
LEGAL ISSUES? A Health Promotion Administration official said images from the show might contravene Article 12 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act Chainsmoker Cat (尼古喵喵), an anime show, might contravene the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (菸害防制法) by promoting smoking, the John Tung Foundation said yesterday, adding that it has submitted a formal complaint.Lin Ching-li (林清麗), head of the foundation’s tobacco hazard prevention center, said that i
‘LONG HOURS’: Officials said that 6pm is too early for many parents to pick up children, but unions said the policy addressing that would be too taxing A policy starting on Sept. 1 to extend public preschool after-school care to three hours would exacerbate labor shortages and force educators into involuntary overtime, teachers’ unions said yesterday.Public preschool classes usually end at 4pm, which is inconvenient for dual-income families, prompt
AI BOOM: Orders for ICT products increased 89.5 percent, and electronic products climbed 71.7 percent, while orders for optoelectronic products decreased 10.6 percent Export orders last month rose 61.9 percent year-on-year to a record US$97.94 billion, marking the 18th consecutive month of increases, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.The expansion accelerated from the 59.4 percent annual increase in June and exceeded the ministry’s forecast of a 54.
China Steel Corp (CSC, 中鋼), the nation’s biggest steelmaker, yesterday reported a 55 percent month-on-month slump in pretax profit for last month, as sliding steel demand in Asia drove lower gross profit.Pretax profit dipped to NT$655 million (US$20.52 million) from a 47-month high of NT$1.47 billio
Taiwan’s shortage of readily available low-carbon electricity could deter investment in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers despite the country’s technological strengths, a renewable energy executive said yesterday.AI data centers require more than electricity: They need power that is availabl
In a hacking campaign last month believed to be linked to China, artificial intelligence (AI) agents launched 12 waves of attacks against the government in four days, which is believed to be the first disclosed case of a fully AI autonomous attack against a government.The Financial Times on Wednesda
If a 25-year-old’s resume stands out not for a degree from a prestigious university or professional certifications, but because they have accumulated 2,000 hours playing strategy games, would Taiwan’s public sector include the applicant in its talent pool, or reject them outright?US Secretary of Tra
The 42nd Han Kuang Exercises represent a significant improvement over previous iterations of Taiwan’s most important military drills. It was longer, more realistic, less scripted and, crucially, placed much greater emphasis on the whole-of-society dimension of Taiwan’s defense.That included closer c
SHARP FOCUS: Although surpassing a major record for a Taiwanese player on Monday, Lee said that he is not paying attention to breaking Taiwanese records Detroit Tigers infielder Lee Hao- yu (李灝宇) on Wednesday reached base three times, but his team fell 4-3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates and lost the three-game series 2-1.Lee, batting ninth and starting at third base, singled and drew two walks in his first three plate appearances before striking out in t
England’s Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue shared both the wickets and the match ball as they joined forces to bowl out Pakistan on the opening day of the first Test at Headingley on Wednesday.The two paceman took five wickets each as Pakistan were dismissed for a meager 171 on the first day of Englan
From about 650 competitors at its first event to more than 1 million participants worldwide today, Hyrox has gone from niche fitness challenge to global phenomenon with its sights set on the Olympics in less than a decade.A structured indoor activity divided into eight segments, each involving a 1km
American teenager Garret Tan made his mark at the world badminton championships in New Delhi on Wednesday with a stunning win over India’s Lakshya Sen.The 18-year-old, who is ranked 92nd in the world, beat 14th-seeded Sen 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 in round two of the men’s singles to silence the home crow
HELD ACCOUNTABLE: A total of 56 people were handed prison sentences, with terms for senior executives ranging from six to 18 years in jail, Xinhua reported China yesterday sentenced the founder of embattled property giant Evergrande to life in prison and fined the group more than US$2 billion for offenses including fraud, five years after a high-profile default.Evergrande Group was once the face of Chinese real estate, surfing a decades-long property b
Forget the long lines at Roman ruins and overpriced gelato — sweating tourists are enjoying a break from the scorching heat by rafting on the Eternal City’s Tiber River.A welcome change from the beaten tourist track, river rafting on the Tiber — long the lifeblood of the ancient city — is a unique a
PERSONALIZED VACCINE: The new treatment involves identifying the ‘signature’ of a person’s tumor and using mRNA tech to fight the cancer, an oncologist said US drugmakers Merck and Moderna on Wednesday said a personalized cancer treatment had shown success in reducing the recurrence of melanoma tumors in a late-stage trial hailed by experts as a “breakthrough.”The drug, called “intismeran autogene,” is based on the same messenger RNA (mRNA) technology b
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
“She is gone, but she used to be mine,” go the words of Sara Bareilles’ poignant and powerful anthem from Waitress, the quintessential Broadway 11 o’clock number. For musical theater fans, the mere sound of those opening chords is enough to send tear ducts into overdrive.So when at the beginning of
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
Picture yourself standing before a gigantic iceberg, its surface glowing under the Arctic sun. The air is crisp, and the silence is broken only by the distant cracking of shifting glaciers. This is Greenland, the world’s largest island. Despite its massive size, fewer than 60,000 people call it home
| New Taipei City | 27-27 | 30% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 26-27 | 30% | |
| Hsinchu City | 27-27 | 30% | |
| Taipei City | 26-27 | 30% | |
| Miaoli County | 26-27 | 30% | |
| Taoyuan City | 26-27 | 30% | |
| Keelung City | 26-27 | 50% | |
| Yunlin County | 26-26 | 70% | |
| Taichung City | 26-27 | 70% | |
| Nantou County | 25-26 | 70% | |
| Changhua County | 26-27 | 70% | |
| Chiayi County | 25-26 | 80% | |
| Chiayi City | 25-26 | 70% | |
| Tainan City | 25-26 | 90% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 25-26 | 90% | |
| Pingtung County | 25-25 | 100% | |
| Yilan County | 26-26 | 30% | |
| Hualien County | 26-27 | 30% | |
| Taitung County | 26-27 | 60% | |
| Kinmen County | 27-27 | 40% | |
| Penghu County | 26-26 | 50% | |
| Lienchiang County | 27-27 | 40% | |
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