ASTRONOMY
Venus eclipse visible today
Astronomy buffs have a chance to see the moon eclipse Venus today, albeit in less-than-stellar viewing conditions, the Taipei Astronomical Museum said. The phenomenon, known as a lunar occultation, should be visible in Taiwan from noon to 1:03pm, and can also be observed in Hong Kong and parts of Southeast Asia, the museum said. The last time a lunar occultation of Venus could be seen in Taiwan was in 2003, and the next time will not be until 2036. Because the eclipse will occur during the day, it cannot be seen with the naked eye, although people with star tracking equatorial mounts can train their telescopes on Venus before dawn and track the planet until the occultation occurs, the museum said. Weather permitting, a narrated livestream of the event is to be broadcast on YouTube beginning at 11:40am.
WEATHER
Falling rocks injure driver
A scooter rider was taken to hospital with a broken arm after being hit by falling rocks in New Taipei City’s Wugu District (五股) on Wednesday, as areas across the nation were soaked under heavy rainfall. The man in his 50s lost his balance and broke his right arm after being hit by rocks that fell on Laiyi Road, the city’s fire department said. A weather station in the city’s Bali District (八里) recorded Wednesday’s rainfall at 184mm as of 8:50pm, while nine other locations in New Taipei City and Taoyuan recorded 157.5mm to 178mm of rain. In Alishan Township (阿里山), falling rocks damaged two cars in separate incidents on Wednesday, county police said, adding that the occupants of the vehicles were uninjured.
DIPLOMACY
Delegation tightens EU ties
A delegation led by Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi (陳正祺) met with European Commission officials to discuss bilateral economic ties during its trip to Brussels on Monday and Tuesday, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. The Taiwanese and European sides exchanged views on trade and investment, and discussed ways to boost economic ties, the ministry said. The visit to Brussels is part of a trip that includes a stop in Lithuania from Wednesday to today. The 24-member delegation also attended roundtable talks with about 20 representatives from European businesses, think tanks and industry associations.
DEMOCRACY SUMMIT
Lawmakers speak for Taiwan
Independent Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) on Wednesday said he would attend the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on June 9 and 10, where he is to discuss “standing up to China’s authoritarian bullying” with foreign parliamentarians. Lim said on social media that he would take part in discussions with German, Indian and Ugandan lawmakers during the summit, organized by the Alliance of Democracies. He hopes to ensure that Taiwan’s voice is heard, and to learn from other countries’ experiences, he said. Other lawmakers attending include Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Fan Yun (范雲), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝衣鳳), New Power Party Legislator Claire Wang (王婉諭) and Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Chiu Chen-yuan (邱臣遠). The summit, now in its fifth year, is scheduled to host discussions on the relationship between technology and democracy, along with ways to defend Ukraine, counter authoritarian power and build an alliance of democracies, the organizers said.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about