MAINTAINING DIGNITY: More Taiwanese are willing to make advance plans for the final stages of their lives, demonstrating concern for patient autonomy, an official said
Taiwan ranked first in Asia for hospice and palliative care, the World Map of Palliative Care released by a WHO collaborating center said. The report, released earlier this month by ATLANTES Global Observatory of Palliative Care at the University of Navarra in Spain, analyzed and compared the status
The combined effect of the monsoon, the outer rim of Typhoon Fengshen and a low-pressure system is expected to bring significant rainfall this week to various parts of the nation, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The heaviest rain is expected to occur today and tomorrow, with torrentia
Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) have broadly agreed to form a coalition government, setting the stage for the country’s first female prime minister, Kyodo news agency reported yesterday. LDP President Sanae Takaichi and JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura are se
Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to an “immediate ceasefire” at talks in Doha, after at least 10 Afghans were killed in Pakistani airstrikes that broke an earlier truce. For more than a week, the South Asian neighbors have engaged in bloody border clashes — their worst conflict since the return of th
Thieves wielding power tools robbed the Louvre yesterday, taking some of France’s priceless crown jewels in a brazen, seven-minute heist carried out in broad daylight, officials and sources said.Authorities recovered a 19th-century gem-encrusted crown -- damaged -- near the museum, but the culprit
‘TRUE PEACE’: Peace cannot be achieved through a single agreement, but through enhancing defenses to deter war and preparedness to avoid war, the president said
Peace is Taiwan’s goal, but it cannot be achieved through a single agreement, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that defending the Republic of China (ROC) must begin with safeguarding Taiwan, as the ROC can only exist if Taiwan exists.Lai made the remark in an address at a ceremony
UNITED: The other candidates congratulated Cheng on her win, saying they hoped the new chair could bring the party to victory in the elections next year and in 2028
Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday won the party’s chair election with 65,122 votes, or 50.15 percent of the votes.It was the first time Cheng, 55, ran for the top KMT post, and she is the second woman to hold the post of chair, following Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱)
Taiwan’s population has declined for 21 consecutive months, Ministry of the Interior data showed, with experts warning that the nation’s trend of aging population and low childbirth rate might be difficult to reverse.As of end of last month, the population was 23,317,031, which is 87,107 fewer than
The Chinese Communist Party is today to begin four days of key closed-door discussions, formulating core economic strategy for coming years as growth flags and trade headwinds mount.The gathering of the Central Committee would be crucial in determining policy objectives in the world’s second-largest
Afghan and Pakistani delegations were in Doha yesterday for talks on defusing the deadliest crisis between them in several years, after more than a week of fighting killed dozens of people and injured hundreds on both sides.Both governments sent their ministers of defense to lead the talks, which Pa
REFORM: The armed forces must embrace new training and equipment by integrating emerging techniques and technology, to transform military power, the president said
The nation’s armed forces would comprehensively enhance their combat capabilities, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday aboard the navy’s Tsoying (左營) destroyer, just hours after the conclusion of the military’s annual Hai Chiang (海強, “Sea Strong”) live-fire exercise near Taiwan proper.Lai was
PROJECTION: The institution said it expects inflationary pressure to ease in the second half of the year, but households could continue to feel the pinch from rising food prices
The Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER, 中華經濟研究院) yesterday sharply raised its forecast for Taiwan’s economic growth this year to 5.45 percent, citing sustained global demand for semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI)-related technologies.The upgrade from 3.05 percent in July
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed a special budget bill aimed at bolstering economic, social and national security resilience that includes funding for a proposed NT$10,000 (US$326) cash handout to members of the public. The distribution of the cash handout is expected to begin early next month,
US President Donald Trump was to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks at the White House yesterday, with Trump signaling he is not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.The one-on-one comes a day after Trump and Russia
South Korea began its largest-ever arms fair yesterday, with firms expected to show off new uncrewed and artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced weapons from howitzers to suicide drones, as Seoul seeks to bolster its military and pursues more global defense sales.Organizers said a record 600 companies
SUPPLY CHAIN: Taiwan’s advantages in the drone industry include rapid production capacity that is independent of Chinese-made parts, the economic ministry said
The Executive Yuan yesterday approved plans to invest NT$44.2 billion (US$1.44 billion) into domestic production of uncrewed aerial vehicles over the next six years, bringing Taiwan’s output value to more than NT$40 billion by 2030 and making the nation Asia’s democratic hub for the drone supply cha
‘CONFIDENCE BOOSTER’: The combined effect of the proposed bills would improve Taiwan’s defense posture and give it additional diplomatic space, the chamber said
A series of US government actions aimed at deepening ties with Taipei and expanding its participation in international organizations are important for regional stability and investor confidence, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham) said yesterday in a statement published on its Web si
The Ministry of National Defense has proposed a budget of NT$8.1 billion (US$264.14 million) to procure T112 rifles as the army’s new standard infantry weapon from next year through 2029, Legislative Yuan documents showed.Lawmakers today are scheduled to begin reviewing the budget request for 86,114
At least one man was killed in violence at a rally in Peru’s capital on Wednesday, said Peruvian President Jose Jeri, whose accession days ago has failed to stamp out angry protests against the political class in the South American nation.The Peruvian Ombudsman’s Office said that 102 people were inj