President Lai Ching-te marked two years in office today .... which also falls
on the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's first direct presidential election.

In a speech, Lai said U-S arms purchases were essential for peace in the
Taiwan Strait ... that Taiwan is a soverign and independent nation ...

... and that its future should be decided by its people.

The remarks come after recent comments by U-S President Donald Trump ... off
the back of his visit to Beijing last week ...

... who said he hoped tensions between Taiwan and China would ease and that
he did not want Taiwan to declare independence.

Trump also said Washington was considering a new round of arms sales to
Taiwan ... but gave no indication of whether he'd approve the package.

A-P correspondent Charles de Ledesma has more.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says the government plans to introduce a monthly
5-thousand NT growth allowance for every child from birth to age 18 ...

... with the program expected to begin next year.

Cho says the measure is part of a broader strategy to address Taiwan's
declining birth rate.

Under the proposal, children under six would receive the full monthly amount
to help parents care for their children.

For children between six and 18, the government hopes parents will place half
of the monthly allowance into a youth future fund ...

... allowing children to accumulate a base fund of about 360-thousand NT by
the time they reach adulthood.

Cho says the program would cost the government about 200 billion NT annually
...

... but stressed that Taiwan has the financial capacity to support it.

(IG)

Taipower says it is trying to keep this year's losses from growing worse ...
as higher natural gas prices continue pushing up electricity generation
costs.

Taipower Chair Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) says the company had originally
projected losses of around 28 billion NT for the year ... but warned the
figure could grow if natural gas prices fail to fall.

Tseng says conflict in the Middle East has continued driving up international
energy costs ... although global conditions have recently shown signs of
easing, with suppliers gradually increasing production.

Lawmakers are also closely watching whether higher fuel costs could create
pressure for an electricity rate hike in October.

Tseng says a clearer picture of natural gas conditions should emerge ahead of
the electricity rate review meeting in September.

(IG)

The "in89 Cinemax" movie theater in Taipei's Xi-men-ding shopping district is
set to close at the end of this month ... after more than sixty years in
business.

The theater says it will officially shut down on May 31st due to adjustments
in the company's business strategy ... and thanked moviegoers for their
support over the years.

Originally opened in 1964, the cinema became one of Ximending's best-known
movie houses and a longtime landmark for filmgoers in the capital.

One of its screening rooms -- Theater Number Nine -- also had gained online
attention due to its unusually long and narrow layout.

(IG)

In international news ... and over in central Africa ...

Aid efforts are ramping up in eastern Congo as health officials try to
contain an outbreak of a rare strain of Ebola that the W-H-O warns could last
for months.

The Bun-di-bu-gyo strain has been linked to 134 suspected deaths and more
than 500 suspected cases.

Officials say the virus was initially missed because tests focused on a more
common form of Ebola.

There are currently no approved treatments for the strain.

Residents in the city of Bunia, where the first death was reported, say face
masks are becoming harder to find and disinfectant prices are rising sharply.

Congo is expecting shipments of an experimental vaccine, but experts say it
could take time before it has an impact.

The Centers for Disease Control has raised its travel advisory for specific
outbreak areas in Africa ...

... following a recent outbreak of a rare Ebola strain in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Affected areas are now under a Level Two "Alert" ... advising travelers to
'practice enhanced precautions'.

Those returning from Congo, Uganda, or nearby affected countries are urged to
monitor their health for 21 days.

The CDC says the "Bun-di-bu-gyo" strain has a fatality rate of about 30 to 40
percent, and there is currently no vaccine or related medication available
for prevention or treatment.

Health officials are also warning people not to touch dead bodies, and to
avoid contact with wild animals ... such as bats and primates.

*The World Health Organization, meanwhile, says the risk of global spread of
Ebola outbreak is low, but high at national, regional levels in Congo and
Uganda.

(IG)

President Lai Ching-te says Taiwan’s future should be decided by its people,
not outside forces.

He says Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent country - whether it’s
called the Republic of China, Republic of China Taiwan, or simply Taiwan.

The remarks came as Lai marked two years in office and Taiwan marked 30 years
since its first direct presidential election.

Lai also urged members of the ruling D-P-P to defend Taiwan’s democracy amid
growing pressure from China.

On ties with Washington,

Lai says he hopes the U-S will continue arms sales to Taiwan, calling them
essential for peace across the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile on the opposition front ...

The K-M-T says it will hold its National Congress on July 25th ... as part of
efforts to build momentum for the year-end local elections.

Party officials say the event will serve as a major campaign rally for the
party's mayoral and county magistrate candidates.

K-M-T officials say most nominations have now been largely finalized ...
although the Chiayi County candidate remains undecided and some incumbent
nominations are still being processed.

The party also says it hopes to cooperate with the Taiwan People's Party in
some races, including the Zhubei mayoral contest, after the K-M-T completes
its own primary process.

(IG)

Mandopop star Jay Chou has dropped a new music video for his song "Aurora in
July" ... from his latest album "Children of the Sun".

Chou says the song was inspired by a family road trip two years ago, when he
saw both the aurora and a shooting star while traveling with loved ones.

The track was co-created with longtime lyricist Vincent Fang, who says part
of the song's lyrics came from Chou's belief that the best wishes are the
ones shared with the people closest to you.

Chou had previously hinted at turning the experience into a song in an
Instagram post shortly after the trip.

(IG)

The Executive Yuan has proposed another special defense budget after the
legislature passed less than 2/3rds of what the cabinet had originally
proposed.

The new proposal comes with a total pricetag of 294.9 billion NT.

The Executive Yuan last year proposed a special defense budget that would
have cost 1.25 trillion NT...

but what the Legislature ultimately passed was 470 billion NT less than that
figure.

The proposal today outlines spending year-by-year, with 8.8 billion NT
earmarked for spending this year.

In announcing the new proposal, Premier Zhuo Rong Tai emphasized that the
deadline to purchase HIMARS systems from the US is approaching at the end of
the month.

He urged the legislature to move quickly to pass the measure so that the
purchase could proceed as planned.

In addition to the HIMARS system, the special budget includes 4 other items,
including howitzers and Javelin anti-tank missiles.

(AH)

President Lai Ching-te says the government plans to offer a monthly allowance
for children and teenagers.

Lai made the announcement during his second anniversary address at the
Presidential Office today.

He says each child from age zero to 18 would receive 5-thousand NT a month.

The plan is part of a new national strategy to respond to Taiwan's declining
birth rate.

Lai says the family support package includes 18 measures covering marriage,
pregnancy, childcare, workplaces and housing.

He says part of the allowance could go into a future account for children.

That money could then be used for education or starting a business after they
turn 18.

Lai says the plan would cost about 200-billion NT a year, and Taiwan can
afford it without cutting other budgets.

(PB)

Wulai District in New Taipei City has received international certification as
a safe community.

The World Health Organization's International Safe Community Certifying
Centre officially certified Wulai as an "International Safe Community".

The Safe Community framework was developed by the W-H-O to promote equal
health and safety rights for all people, including vulnerable groups.

Local officials say after Wulai was severely damaged by Typhoon Soudelor in
2015, residents built a more comprehensive community safety system covering
traffic, home safety, aging populations, school environments, injury
prevention, and natural disaster response.

They say community-based disaster preparedness has been central to Wulai's
resilience, with Indigenous villages training disaster response volunteers.

The mountain district is the the 443rd certified in the world, and the first
Indigenous community in northern Taiwan to receive the designation

(NS)

President Lai Ching-te has delivered an address marking the second
anniversary of his inauguration.

Lai presented the address from the Presidential Building accompanied by Vice
President Hsiao Bi-khim, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Meng-an,
and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu.

Lai called on the island's main political parties to unite and stand on the
side of national interests - arguing that while there will be competition
between the ruling and opposition parties, the nation cannot be divided as it
is facing external threats.

According to Lai, Taiwan's future cannot be decided by foreign forces, nor
can it be held hostage by fear, division, or short-term interests - and the
nation's future must be decided by the 23-million people of Taiwan.

Lai also said the government plans to respond to the island's declining birth
rate by proposing a new population strategy to support families - and one
aspect of that is to initiate a monthly allowance of 5,000 N-T per child aged
from the ages of 0 to 18.

The president went on to explain that the allowance aims to provide
assistance to families by helping young people balance work and family life
and encouraging them to marry, have and raise children.

Carrefour Taiwan is set to change its name at the end of June...

...though Uni-President Chairman Alex Lo (羅智先) says the new name cannot be
announced before June 30.

He says the company must stop using the old name from July 1 because of
regulations and contract limits.

But Lo says signs and other changes cannot all be completed overnight, so
some work will have more time.

Uni-President announced last year that Carrefour Taiwan would begin a
name-change plan.

Lo says the company is not rushing to open new stores, but will expand when
there are good opportunities.

He says retail lines are becoming less clear, as consumers care more about
whether stores meet their needs.

(PB)

Two Chinese oil tankers have left the Strait of Hormuz, raising hopes for
progress toward ending the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Shipping data shows the tankers were carrying about 4-million barrels of
crude.

U.S. President Donald Trump says the war could end very quickly.

Vice President JD Vance says Washington is in a good position in talks with
Tehran.

Iran is seeking an end to sanctions, the release of frozen funds and an end
to the U.S. marine blockade.

The conflict has caused major disruption to global energy supplies, with many
tankers blocked from leaving the Gulf.

Oil prices eased after the comments from Washington and the tankers' movement
through Hormuz.

But Vance says negotiations remain difficult, partly because Iran's position
is not always clear.

(PB)

Emergency services say eastern Turkey has been struck by a magnitude 5.6
earthquake.

It hit the Battalgazi district of Malatya province at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

There were no immediate reports of damage, but TV images showed schools being
evacuated and residents rushing outside.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency recorded the quake’s depth
as a shallow 7 kilometers.

In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey
and 6,000 people were killed in neighboring Syria.

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz faces a deepening crisis as protests and
blockades grip the country.

Two weeks of road closures, led by unions and miners, have emptied markets in
La Paz and depleted hospital oxygen reserves.

The government reports at least three deaths due to blocked medical
assistance.

On Monday, supporters of ex-President Evo Morales clashed with police,
demanding Paz's resignation.

The unrest challenges Paz, who lacks a legislative majority.

Business groups say the blockades drain $50 million US dollars daily from
Bolivia's economy.

Morales, accused of fueling protests, denies charges against him.

The U.S. supports Paz's efforts to restore order.

Torrential rain and floods have hit parts of China, killing at least 12
people and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate.

State broadcaster CCTV reported today that five deaths and 11 missing people
are in Shimen County, Hunan province.

The rescue operation is underway. By Tuesday evening, more than 19,000 people
had been relocated.

In nearby Hubei province, streets turned into rivers, and rescuers deployed
inflatable boats.

Three people were killed and four others were missing.

In Guizhou Province, heavy rain and floods caused four deaths and left five
others missing.

President Lai Ching-te in comments marking 2 years in office has announced
how the Executive Yuan seeks to provide more funds for defense spending.

That's after the legislature passed just over 60% of what the Executive Yuan
originally proposed to fund additional defense spending over the next 8
years...

exempting, among other things, funds for developing the domestic drone
industry.

The president says that the cabinet will propose another special act to raise
spending for procurement, commissioning, international cooperation, and
promotion of the domestic defense industry.

Lai underscored the necessity for Taiwan to develop defensive capabilities...

adding that the government will also attempt to use annual budgets to
facilitate defense development.

(AH)

The TPP is tapping Hsinchu Deputy Mayor Qiu Chen Yuan邱臣遠 to run as mayor of
Zhubei.

TPP Chair Huang Kuo Chang says that Qiu has already presented his resignation
to Mayor Gao Hong An, effective immediately.

He said that the party's election committee had reached a high consensus on
the matter.

The announcement comes as the DPP reportedly attempts to persuade current
Zhubei Mayor Zheng Chao Fang 鄭朝方　to run for Hsinchu magistrate.

（AH）

Taiwan Railways trains running between Nangang and Songshan stations are
currently delayed and running on a single track.

TRC says, the slowdown was caused by a death on the tracks.

It's not currently clear when the trains will be back to normal.

(AH)

Just before Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi's historic Booker Prize win, she
remarked that advancing to the final round of the prize represents a "new
imagination."

Yang just became the first Taiwanese author to win the prestigious Booker
Prize for her novel Taiwan Travelogue.

The 50,000 British pound prize will be split evenly between Yang and English
translator Lin King.

When asked if the two had any plans with how to use the over one million NT
that they will each receive, Yang joked that she would go "all in" on buying
shares in TSMC...

while King said she would probably take half a year off.

But in earnest, Yang remarked that the achievement shows Taiwanese literary
minds that "we can do it."

(AH)

And speaking of buying stock in TSMC

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex closing at 40067
after losing 107 points.

Thr turnover was 916.5 billion NT

Now turning to international news...

The Israeli finance minister is ordering the eviction of a Palestinian
village in the West Bank.

He says the measure is in response to reports that he may be a target of
international war crimes prosecutors...

but the International Criminal Court keeps requests and plans for warrants
confidential.

Although it's not clear if they will take any moves in the finance minister's
case, the ICC has issued arrest warrants for other top Israeli officials,
including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He faces war crimes charges over Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has led an aggressive expanion of Israeli
settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Past attempts to evacuate the village in question have been challenged in
court.

An anti-settlement civil group says that the demolition of village structures
may take place within weeks.

Floods in China have killed at least 12 people and forced the evacuation of
tens of thousands.

State media reported that 5 of those deaths, plus 11 missing, are from Hunan
province's Shimen County.

Rescue operations are underway.

As of last night, more than 19,000 people had been relocated.

In Guizhou province, meanwhile, heavy rain and flooding killed 4 and left 5
others missing...

and in Hubei rescuers were forced to deploy rafts to help stranded residents.

And,

local primary elections in the US have seen anti-Trump republicans rejected
by voters.

Most notably, Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky has lost his primary bid
for reelection.

That's after the US president launched an expensive attack on him...

showcasing the president's power to remove adversaries within the Republican
party.

Massie opposed Trump's tax cuts and miltiary actions, and pushed for the
release of the Epstein files.

Despite his popularity in his district, Trump's relentless criticism
ultimately led to Massie's defeat.

Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子) and translator Lin King (金翎) have won
the International Booker Prize in London.

Their novel, "Taiwan Travelogue" (臺灣漫遊錄), is the first Taiwanese literary
work to win the award.

It is also the first winning book originally written in Chinese.

The story is set in Taiwan under Japanese rule in the 1930s, and follows two
women caught between love, language and power.

Jury chair Natasha Brown called the book fascinating, restrained and full of
ingenuity.

Culture Minister Li Yuan (李遠) says the win shows Taiwan's literature and
culture are ready for the world stage.

The 50-thousand-pound prize is split between Yang and King, and the book's
rights have now sold in 24 countries.

(PB)

The Taichung District Court has sentenced a woman surnamed Li (李) to 11 years
in prison in a fraud case linked to five deaths in Fengyuan.

The court found Li guilty of fraud, extortion and other offenses in the first
ruling today.

Prosecutors said Li ran a group-buying business and used gold-investment
claims to defraud a Wang (王) family and other victims.

They said the total amount was more than 15-million-360-thousand NT.

The Wang family of five was found dead at home in July last year, after
reportedly facing debt and pressure tied to the case.

*Prosecutors identified carbon monoxide poisoning as the main cause of death.

Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Li to more than 15 years in
prison.

The court handed down an 11-year sentence, and the ruling can still be
appealed.

(PB)

*can omit

Starlux Airlines has again received a five-star airline certification from
Skytrax.

It is the second year in a row that Starlux has won the international rating.

Skytrax evaluates airlines through on-site audits, covering airport service,
cabin design, in-flight service and food quality.

Starlux CEO Glenn Chai says the award is an important milestone for the
airline.

He says it shows the company's service standards have received international
recognition.

Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted praised Starlux's cabin design, service culture,
in-flight dining and digital experience.

Starlux says it will launch Taipei and Taichung flights to Busan in South
Korea on June 1st.

It also plans to open its first Europe route, from Taipei to Prague in the
Czech Republic, on August 1st.

(PB)

Health officials say suspected Ebola deaths in eastern Congo have risen to
131.

Authorities reported 26 more suspected deaths in 24 hours.

Congolese officials say there are now more than 500 suspected cases and 33
confirmed cases.

Two confirmed cases have also been reported in neighboring Uganda.

The World Health Organization says it is deeply concerned about the scale and
speed of the outbreak.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved
strain-specific vaccine or treatment.

Some border movement is being restricted, but the WHO is warning countries
not to close borders.

The U.S. says one American has tested positive, and six other exposed
Americans are being moved to Germany for monitoring.

(PB)

Banks in Bolivia's capital, La Paz, have temporarily closed some branches as
anti-government protests grow.

Unions, miners, transport workers and rural groups are demanding President
Rodrigo Paz roll back austerity measures and address rising living costs.

Some protesters are also calling for Paz to resign, just months after he took
office in November.

Roadblocks have stranded trucks and caused shortages of food, fuel and
medical supplies.

A public transport strike was also reported in nearby El Alto.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau says he is concerned about
attempts to overthrow Paz.

European diplomats are calling for dialogue and peaceful demonstrations.

Paz has raised the minimum wage and increased some benefits, but the measures
have not eased tensions.

(PB)

No damage or injuries are being reported following this morning's magnitude
4.8 earthquake the rattled the Taitung and Hualien areas.

The quake struck at 9:11 and was centered some 65-kilometers north-northeast
of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 28-kilometers.

It was felt stongest in Taitung's Changbin Township and Chenggong areas -
where it registered a magnitude 4 on the Central Weather Administration's
intensity scale.

The quake registered a 3 on the scale in other areas of Taitung and southern
parts of Hualien and it registered a 2 on the scale in parts of Yunlin,
Chiayi and Changhua.

It was followed some three minutes later by a magnitude 4.1 earthquake -
which was centered in the same area - which was felt strongest in the
Changbin Township area - where it registered magnitude 2 on the weather
administration's intensity scale

30-day stay

R-O-C passport holders may soon no longer be granted 60-day visa-free travel
to Thailand.

It comes after the country's foreign ministry announced that it's cutting
visa-free stays for travelers from more than 50 countries, to just 30 days.

Along with Taiwan, those countries include Japan, the United States, Canada,
the U-K, France, Germany, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The Thai government has said the adjustments to its visa policy are based on
considerations of national security, tourism and economic interests, and the
principle of reciprocity.

The Ministry of National Defense is reporting 24 Chinese Air Force sorties
operating near Taiwan between 6AM Tuesday and 6AM today.

Of those sorties, 13 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan strait
and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense
identification zones.

The aircraft included fighter jets, support planes and one U-A-V.

Six Chinese Navy vessels and three maritime patrol vessels were also spotted
operating in Taiwan Strait over the same 24-hour period.

The defense ministry has said that China has been carrying out joint air-sea
exercise near Taiwan since yesterday morning.

The United Nations has lowered its forecast for global economic growth and
raised the prospects for inflation in response to Middle East crises and
rising oil prices.

U-N economists say global G-D-P growth is now forecast at 2.5-per cent for
this year -- down from a forecast of 2.7-per cent in January.

The economists are also warning that it could fall to 2.1-per cent "in a
more adverse scenario."

That would be one of the weakest rates this century, outside the COVID-19
pandemic and the global financial crisis of 2008.

The World Health Organization's director-general is expressing concern over
the rapid spread of a rare type of Ebola in eastern Congo.

Authorities there have reported at least 134 suspected deaths and over 500
cases.

The W-H-O has declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of
international concern, requiring a coordinated response.

And finally,

Britain's free-to-air public broadcaster, Channel 4 has pulled all episodes
of "Married at First Sight UK" after three contestants claimed they were
sexually assaulted by on-screen partners.

The broadcaster is calling the allegations "very serious."

While the British government says there must be "consequences for criminality
or wrongdoing."

The claims were made during a BBC investigation, but the claimants have not
contacted the police.

The men involved dispute the allegations.

The show matches strangers, who move in together after mock weddings.

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

President Lai Ching-te is slated to deliver an address at 10 o'clock this
morning marking the second anniversary of his inauguration.

Lai will present the address from the Presidential Building accompanied by
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan
Meng-an, and other senior members of his team.

Reports say Lai will use the occasion to review his achievements since his
inauguration two years ago, focus on the 30th anniversary of direct
presidential elections and outline his future policy directions.

Those future directions are expected to include issues related to
strengthening democracy, national security, economic resilience, and social
welfare ...

.. as well as plans to invest in industrial revitalization and measures to
address the declining birth rate.

Lai is also expected to call on Taiwan's major political parties to agree and
a common base line in the face of external threats and to reject China's
united front tactics.

Premier Cho Jung-tai has unveiled a package of family support measures as
part of ongoing government policies to address the island's declining birth
rate.

The latest package of incentives includes expanded parental leave and housing
tax incentives for parents.

According to Cho, the government will be introducing a "0-to-18 full support"
policy covering childbirth, child-rearing and education and the overall plan
is expected to be submitted for Cabinet approval on May 28.

Under the proposal, the government will provide support through increased
subsidies, reduced financial burdens, greater workplace flexibility and
expanded caregiving services, with the aim of creating a more family-friendly
environment.

The premier says one of the key measures will expand the current parental
leave system by extending eligibility to parents of children up to 6 years
old, up from the current age limit of 3.

He also says the government will introduce housing tax incentives for
families raising children and review regulations governing marriage leave,
maternity leave and paternity leave with the aim of encouraging parents to
share caregiving responsibilities.

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says Taiwan's delegation attending events on
the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva have been facing
monitoring and pressure from China during this year's gathering.

According to Shih, although many like-minded countries continue to express
support for Taiwan's participation, Beijing's pressure can be felt in private
interactions.

Shih says individuals believed to be Chinese nationals were seen monitoring
the movements of members of Taiwan's delegation during a walking event ..

.. while attendance by representatives from Taiwan's diplomatic allies and
international organizations at a "Taiwan Night" event organized by civic
groups was noticeably lower this year, which may have been linked to pressure
from China.

However, the health minister is stressing that despite the absence of U-S
health officials this year, exchanges with other countries and participation
in technical meetings and forums on the sidelines have not been not
significantly affected.

The minister also says Taiwan's W-H-A action team adopted a more flexible
approach to international exchanges this year, using side events,
professional forums, and banquets to deepen interactions with health
officials and delegates from other countries.

humans

The Centers for Disease Control says a man in Keelung who contracted
hantavirus after being bitten by a rat was infected with a strain that is
non-transmissible between humans.

The statement comes after the C-D-C confirmed Taiwan's third hantavirus
infections this year following earlier cases in Taipei and New Taipei.

According to the C-D-C, genetic sequencing identified the latest case as
being the Seoul virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and
to date there have been no reports of person-to-person transmission involving
that strain.

The C-D-C says the Seoul virus strain has an estimated fatality rate of
between 5 and 15-per cent.

The patient is a man in his 40s from northern Taiwan with no recent travel
history or chronic illnesses and was bitten by a rat while working on April
7.

Health authorities say 11 household and workplace contacts have been
identified, none of whom have shown symptoms, while rodent control and
disinfection operations have been carried out at the patient's home and
workplace.

And finally,

Taiwan has jumped to 20th place in the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index
rankings.

That's up five places from last year.

The ranking index is compiled by StartupBlink, an Israel-based global startup
ecosystem mapping and research center.

It covers more than 1,500 cities and 100 countries worldwide.

According to the National Development Council, this year's ranking was
Taiwan's best-ever result and reflects the joint efforts of the government,
industry, and the startup community.

The N-D-C says Taiwan performed especially well in the Hardware & Internet of
Things sub-index, ranking seventh, which its says reflects Taiwan's strong
base in semiconductors and related industries.

Looking at Tuesday's main world markets, where Wall Street fell as tech
stocks stumbled, oil prices eased and pressure mounted on bond markets.

The A-P's Seth Sutel has the latest.


In Europe ..

The FTSE added less then 0.1-per cent.

The DAX rose 0.4-per cent.

And the CAC 40 fell less than 0.1-per cent.

Earlier in Asia ..

The Nikkei lost 0.4-per cent.

The Kospi tumbled 3.3-per cent.

The Hang Seng added 0.5-per cent.

And the Shanghai Composite gained 0.9-per cent.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo says the government remains "cautiously
optimistic" about future arms sales Taiwan by the United States despite
reports suggesting that Washington could indefinitely delay such sales.

This, after a New York Times report which said comments by U-S leader Donald
Trump describing arms sales to Taiwan as a "very good negotiation chip", had
sparked concern within Trump's administration over security assurances to
Taiwan.

The report also raised the possibility that Washington could "indefinitely
withhold" an 14-billion U-S dollar arms sales package to the island.

Koo told lawmakers that U-S officials have repeatedly stated that
Washington's Taiwan policy remains unchanged.

Koo added the government has consistently made clear that it is a maintainer
of the cross-strait status quo rather than a provocateur and that China is
the party undermining regional peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The defense minister also stressed that the Lai administration will continue
communicating with the U-S, while remaining "cautiously optimistic" that arms
sales will continue.

A proposal initiated by Taiwan's diplomatic allies calling for the island to
participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer has been rejected by
World Health Organization member states, in a widely expected move.

Member states voted down the proposal with a "two-on-two debate."

Palau and Paraguay backed Taiwan's participation, while China and Pakistan
opposed it.

China's permanent representative reiterated Beijing's long-held stance that
the People's Republic of China fully represents Taiwan and argued that
participation in the W-H-A must be handled in accordance with the one-China
principle.

The representative cited United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and
W-H-A Resolution 25.1 as being the basis for that and the argument was
supported by Pakistan's representative

Palau's representative told delegates that Taiwan's exclusion from W-H-O is
unjustified and weakens global disease surveillance and also argued that that
neither resolutions cited by China mention Taiwan or authorize another
government to represent it in the U-N system.

Paraguay's representative made a similar argument in support ..

.... saying Taiwan has proved itself to be a "responsible and effective
partner in public health" and deserved to participate in the assembly as an
observer.

An impeachment motion initiated by the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party
against President Lai Ching-te has failed to meet the constitutional
threshold in the Legislature.

Lawmakers voted 56 to 50 in favor of impeachment.

However, the 56 "yes" votes were far short of the 76 needed for the motion to
succeed.

The outcome was a foregone conclusion, as the motion needed to gain the
backing of at least two-thirds of all lawmakers before being able to proceed
to another vote by the Constitutional Court's grand justices.

The K-M-T, T-P-P, and two independents together only make up 55-per cent, of
the total 113 legislative seats.

It was the first ever impeachment vote to have targeted the president.

The motion was proposed in December of last year after Lai failed to
promulgate a bill passed by lawmakers that would have increased the share of
tax revenue given to local governments.

The Ministry of Labor has announced plans to launch a new investigator
training program and expert database as part of efforts to combat workplace
bullying.

The ministry says the program aims to train over 1,000 specialists from
different professional fields, including lawyers, psychologists, labor
mediators and occupational health personnel.

20 training sessions will be held across the island beginning in June.

The program is being launched ahead of new workplace bullying regulations -
which take effect on July 1.

Under revised rules, employers who are made aware of workplace bullying
complaints will be required to take immediate action, protect complainants
and conduct formal investigations.

Authorities say the new expert database is intended to help employers and
local governments quickly find qualified investigators to assist with
handling complaints.

The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed a recent mpox case... one of
which was imported.

It's one of two new cases of mpox that have been confirmed this month.

The cases involve a man in his 40s in northern Taiwan and the imported case
involving a man in his 20s.

The C-D-C says neither of the men had not been vaccinated against the disease.

Data shows a total of 530 cases of mpox have reported since it was listed as
a notifiable communicable disease -- these include 493 local and 37 imported
cases.

A total of 14 cases - 12 local and two imported - have been reported so far
this year.

The New Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted 17 Taiwan nationals
for allegedly operating a telecom fraud ring in the Philippines and
defrauding more than 100 victims in Taiwan of over 60-million N-T.

Prosecutors are recommending a prison sentence of more than 25 years for the
alleged ringleader, while the other 16 defendants are facing recommended
prison terms ranging from 10 to more than 20 years in prison.

According to the prosecutors' office, the suspects were arrested last year in
a joint operation by Taiwan and Philippine law enforcement authorities
targeting a scam operation in Cebu.

The suspects were deported from the Philippines to Taiwan in January and
later detained.

Prosecutors says the group established the scam operation in April of 2024
and used fake charity campaigns and online romance schemes to target victims
in Taiwan.

Authorities have seized assets worth nearly 20-million N-T linked to the
suspects.

All 17 suspects have been charged with fraud, money laundering, organized
crime offenses, and operating overseas fraud-related equipment.

The Food and Drug Administration has seized a 75,000-kilogram shipment of
imported Vietnamese black rice after it tested positive for pesticide
residue.

According to the F-D-A, the shipment was found to contain 0.04 parts per
million of oxolinic acid.

Under the Standards for Pesticide Residue Limits in Foods, oxolinic acid must
not be detectable in rice, with the limit of quantification set at 0.02 parts
per million.

The F-D-A says seven of the 38 Vietnamese brown rice shipments submitted for
inspection between November of last year and May 11 failed to meet standards,
all due to pesticide residue violations.

That represents a non-compliance rate of 18.4-per cent.

All imported rice is subject to a 100-perc ent inspection rate.

Israeli forces have intercepted the remaining vessels from an activist
flotilla challenging Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.
The flotilla aimed to highlight the dire conditions faced by nearly 2 million
Palestinians in the territory.

Activists claim Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets and damaged boats.

Italy’s foreign minister has called for a review of Israel’s alleged use of
force. The flotilla had departed from Turkey and carried a symbolic amount of
aid.

Israel describes the flotilla as a provocation.

Critics argue the Gaza blockade amounts to collective punishment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in China for meetings with
Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The visit comes less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up
his own trip to Beijing.

Putin's two-day visit is likely to be closely watched as Beijing seeks to
maintain stable relations with the United States while also preserving strong
ties with Russia.

The Kremlin has said Putin and Xi are planning to discuss economic
cooperation between the two countries but also key international and regional
issues.

The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Russian Treaty of
Friendship signed in 2001.

Looking at Tuesday's main world markets, where Wall Street fell as tech
stocks stumbled, oil prices eased and pressure mounted on bond markets.

The A-P's Seth Sutel has the latest.


In Europe ..

The FTSE added less then 0.1-per cent.

The DAX rose 0.4-per cent.

And the CAC 40 fell less than 0.1-per cent.

Earlier in Asia ..

The Nikkei lost 0.4-per cent.

The Kospi tumbled 3.3-per cent.

The Hang Seng added 0.5-per cent.

And the Shanghai Composite gained 0.9-per cent.

Taiwan's government is preparing a set of family-friendly workplace policies
covering children from birth to age 18.

Premier Cho Jung-tai announced the initiative at a press conference today,
with key measures including upgrading the existing flexible parental leave
into a broader childcare leave applicable until a child turns six, extending
maternity leave, and revising rules on wedding leave and paternity leave.

Labor Minister Hung Sun-han the government has secured funding to cover the
additional salary costs that employers would incur from the expanded leave
entitlements, meaning businesses will not bear those costs directly.

Hung says the package also includes subsidies and incentives for companies
that hire replacement staff or pay existing employees to cover for colleagues
on leave, with particular attention to small and medium enterprises.

Full details of the package, including budget figures, will be announced
after the Cabinet meeting on May 28th.


(NS)

Mitsui Fudosan says it's inspecting all of its outlet malls and LaLaport
shopping centers across Taiwan ...


... after allegations that a camera at a Taichung sportswear store may have
recorded inside a changing room.

A shopper at Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport in Taichung's East District
reported finding a surveilance camera facing a fitting room inside the store.

The customer alleged the device could have captured people changing clothes
through reflections from a mirror and gaps in the fitting room door.

Local police say the case has been referred to prosecutors over alleged
illegal recording and privacy violations involving the fitting room camera.

Mitsui Fudosan says management teams and store operators are now reviewing
camera locations and angles across all of its Taiwan properties to help
protect customer privacy.

(IG)

New data shows many Yilan residents are cautious about plans to extend
high-speed rail to the county ...

... and prefer proposed faster Taiwan Railway services to Taipei instead.

It comes from a survey conducted late February by civic groups ...

... which found support for the H-S-R extension weakened when residents
considered transfers, long-term regional development, and construction and
operating costs.

According to the poll, travelers making shorter trips between Yilan and the
Taipei area tended to favor faster T-R-C services ...

... while those heading farther south were more likely to support high-speed
rail.

The groups behind the survey say the government and Railway Bureau have not
done enough public consultation ... and are calling for broader public
dialogue before the project moves forward.

The proposed high-speed rail extension to Yilan cleared an environmental
review last year and is now awaiting final approval from the Executive Yuan.

(IG)

Taipei city is confirming that they have not yet chosen a date to hold the
next Twin Cities Forum.

That's after KMT City Councilor Qin Hui Zhu asked if the event would be held
close to November's elections.

City officials say they have not received any direction from Mayor Chiang Wan
An regarding the case and have no concrete dates to share.

Those comments come after the forum has attracted plenty of attention over
the past few days...

since Puma Shen, the DPP's pick to challenge Mayor Chiang, said that he would
not hold the event if he were to be elected.

(AH)

McDonald's Taiwan says it will raise prices on selected menu items beginning
May 27th ...

... citing overall business strategy.

The fast food chain says some combo meals and sharing boxes will see the
biggest price hike at 5 NT...

while some the prices of some breakfast combo meals, corn soup, and drinks
will rise by $3 NT.

But the company says a la carte main meal prices will stay the same.

(IG)

Now turning to international news...

Congolese authorities are revising the death toll in an Ebola outbreak in the
country...

saying they have now recorded at least 131 deaths and 500 cases overall.

Health experts say the virus spread undetected for weeks.

The World Health Organization has expressed deep concern about the speed and
scale of the epidemic.

A ship carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico and Uruguay has arrived in Cuba
to help ease the country's spiraling crisis.

The ship left from a Mexican port and includes food and personal hygiene
items.

Officials say the aid arrives during a time of great economic hardship, which
has been worsened by the US blockade.

The aid will prioritize children, the elderly, and vulnerable families.

Crises in Cuba have deepened this year following the US invasion of Venezuela
in January, which halted critical oil shipments.

A severe gas shortage and widespread blackouts continue across the island.

The Legislative Yuan has voted down an impeachment motion against President
Lai Ching-te after the proposal failed to reach the required threshold for
passage.

A total of 56 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion, while 50 voted against
it — leaving the proposal short of the votes needed to pass.

The impeachment proposal was backed by opposition lawmakers from the KMT and
the Taiwan People's Party.

Following the vote, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo said Lai would
continue leading the country steadily and with openness.

She also urged lawmakers to quickly review this year's central government
budget and focus on measures that would genuinely benefit the public.

Acting Prosecutor-General Hsu Hsi-hsiang (徐錫祥) is defending his appointment
after lawmakers questioned President Lai Ching-te's decision to designate him
to the post ...

... despite his formal nomination being rejected by the legislature.

President Lai nominated Hsu for the position on March 13th, but lawmakers
voted down the appointment on May 5th.

Hsu said the Supreme Prosecutors Office performs the important function of
handling extraordinary appeals ... and that mechanism "cannot be allowed to
stop".

As Hsu's predecessor's term ended on May 7th, Lai designated Hsu as acting
prosecutor-general, with the appointment taking effect on May 8th.

Hsu said today that he had been assigned to carry out the role and would
serve in the acting position as directed.

Truth

The National Human Rights Museum held a ceremony today marking May 19th White
Terror Memorial Day.

At the event, officials renewed calls to protect sites linked to Taiwan's
transitional justice efforts and continue confronting the truth about past
political persecution.

Culture Minister Li Yuan said the ministry will continue advancing four major
policy initiatives, including legislation to preserve locations associated
with political repression.

Li said efforts are also underway to open political archives and the Taiwan
Human Rights Memory Bank ... allowing the public to better understand the
White Terror era.

(IG)

In world news...

Russian President Vladimir Putin is traveling to China to meet with Chinese
leader Xi Jinping.

The visit comes less than a week after U-S President Donald Trump wrapped up
his own trip to Beijing.

Putin is scheduled to be in China today and tomorrow.

The meeting is likely to be closely watched as Beijing seeks to maintain
stable relations with the United States while also preserving strong ties
with Russia.

The Kremlin has said Putin and Xi are planning to discuss economic
cooperation between the two countries but also key international and regional
issues.

The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Russian Treaty of
Friendship signed in 2001.

Meanwhile,

Hungary's new prime minister, Péter Magyar, is visiting Poland as he looks to
reshape Hungary's political system after defeating longtime leader Viktor
Orbán last month.

Magyar says he wants to dismantle what critics describe as the authoritarian
system built by Orbán during his 16 years in power.

The victory of Magyar’s center-right Tisza party has raised hopes among
supporters for a return to stronger democratic institutions and greater media
independence.

Poland is seen as a key example after its own recent efforts to restore
democratic norms following years of nationalist rule.

Magyar says his government will focus on restoring judicial independence and
holding former officials accountable, though replacing Orbán-appointed
figures throughout the state system is expected to be a major challenge.

US Ambassador to China David Perdue said during a TV interview that the U.S.
continues to adhere to the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués,
and the "Six Assurances."

Perdue also said that the U.S. does not want to see China exert coercion on
Taiwan... when he appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss President
DonaldTrump's meetings in Beijing.

The host Joe Kernen asked whether comments made by Donald Trump about using
arms sales to Taiwan as a bargaining chip sounded as though the U.S. had
abandoned Taiwan.

Kernen also asked Purdue if he knew what had actually happened as he attended
the Trump-Xi summit with both leaders present.



Perdue responded that he knows exactly what happened, and President Trump
was very clear.

He stressed that Trump told Beijing clearly that U.S. policy toward Taiwan
has not changed, and that he wants to see a peaceful solution.

According to the ambassador, Trump listened to what Xi Jinping had to say
about Taiwan, and allowed Xi to fully explain the Chinese side’s perspective.

(JL)

Puma Shen and Su Qiao Hui paid a visit to the Taipei Fish Market today...

marking the first joint appearance by the two DPP candidates for mayor in
Taipei and New Taipei Cities.

The lawmakers were also accompanied by their colleague Wu Pei Yi, as she runs
to lead the DPP's Taipei offices, in addition to several New Taipei city
councilors.

In comments to the media, Shen disagreed with comments from the KMT's New
Taipei candidate Li Si Chuan that "Taipei and New Taipei should be jointly
run..."

He said the two should compete with each other and thrive together, striving
to be "jointly prosperous."

He added that, if he and Su are both successful in their campaigns, they will
work together to make both cities the most prosperous municipalities in the
country.

(AH)

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark Tai ex losing 716 points to
close the session at 40175.

The turnover was 1.088 trillion NT

Politicians in Italy are ramping up anti-immigrant discourse following an
attack by a second-generation Italian citizen.

This comes after a 31 year old man of Moroccan descent wounded 8 people when
he drove into pedestrians before crashing into a shop window.

The interior minister said that the event "highlights challenges around
integration."

The minister has ruled out terrorism, but says the incident cannot be seen as
an isolated one.

He's suggested social marginalization and perceived discrimination may have
played a role.

One victim remains in life-threatening condition while other victims also
sustained severe injuries.

The case is fueling political debate in Italy, where Premier Giorgia Meloni's
conservative agenda hinges on limiting migration.

The leaders of Japan and South Korea are set to meet for the fourth time in
about 6 months today.

The meeting underscores Sanae Takaichi's and Lee Jae Myung's push to deepen
ties in the face of geopolitical challenges.

Lee will host Takaichi in his hometown of Andong.

The two last met in January in Takaichi's hometown of Nara.

The meetings mark the first time sitting leaders of the two countries have
visited each other’s hometowns.

The summit's official agenda includes economic and energy cooperation, the
Iran war and development of their bilateral ties, which have no current
sticking points.

Experts say the meeting likely will proceed smoothly and the relationship
will remain on a positive trajectory for now.

The mayor of Keelung is attempting to allay fears of Hantavirus after a case
came to light yesterday.

Xie Guo Liang says that the city government is continuing to strengthen
disinfection measures in the city...

and is encouraging residents to report any rat sightings immediately.

Xie claimed that there is no risk of human to human transmission, and advised
residents against attempting to deal with rats themselves.

The Hantavirus case in question comes from a 40 year old man who works in
Keelung but lives in New Taipei.

Central health authorities confirmed the case yesterday and say the man is
almost back to normal, and the rat that bit him was immediately captured.

Keelung officials say the man's workplace is carrying out disinfection
efforts.

They are urging calm, as they say none of the man's contacts appear to have
contracted the disease as of yet but they'll be under observation all through
next month.

(AH)

In related news...

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yo-yi said the new hantavirus case is a resident in
Lin-kou where the city has completed the first round of disinfection.

Hou says the city received notification of the case immediately and carried
out sanitation and disinfection measures at the patient’s residence.

The mayor says his city is now launching a second round as part of ongoing
environmental cleanup efforts aimed at containing the virus.



According to the city's health director, the patient was bitten by a rat
while working in Keelung.



The patient's mild flu-like symptoms developed between April 7th and May 2nd-
almost one month after exposure.


(JL)

Premier Chuo Rong-tai says the government will soon roll out new
family-friendly policies.

Chuo says the Cabinet plans to introduce a comprehensive support system for
families with children from birth to age 18.

It includes extending eligibility for flexible parental leave until a child
turns six.


Right now, it only covers children under the age of 3.

Other proposed measures include tax breaks for families raising children, as
well as more flexible and better-structured wedding leave, maternity leave,
and paternity leave policies.



Cho says the goal is to encourage both parents to take part in childcare via
more subsidies, reduced financial burdens, greater flexibility, and housing
benefits.

(JL)

Now turning to international news...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Russia has targeted eight
regions of Ukraine in a nighttime drone and missile attack.

Local authorities reported that more than 2 dozen civilians were wounded.

The attacks are the latest in a recent string of more intense strikes.

Ukraine has also launched significant drone strikes on Russia, increasing
pressure on Russia.

Zelenskyy claims that Ukraine's long-range capabilities are changing the
situation and global perception of the war.

Ukraine has hit oil facilities that represent a critical part of the Russian
economy, as well as other targets deep inside Russia, forcing civilians to
take notice.

Venezuelans are protestting political detainees, as human rights
organizations estimate there are more than 400 people detained in the country
for such reasons.

The protesters gathered in the capital of Caracas in memory of a woman who
passed away just days after she learned that her son had died in state
custody several months ago.

The demonstrators blocked a highway as they blamed Venezula's government for
the deaths of former detainee Víctor Hugo Quero and his elderly mother Carmen
Navas.

Navas died after the Venezuelan government announced that her son had died in
July.

They withheld the information even as Navas demanded proof of life, visiting
detention centers, courthouses, and government agencies to get information
about her son...

who had been detained since January of last year.

In the US, police say 5 are dead following a shooting at a mosque.

San Diego authorities say they're investigating the attack as a hate crime.

The shooting took place at the largest mosque in San Diego County.

Two teenage shooters opened fire, killing three people and then themselves.

Police said they were already looking for one of the two shooters...

after his mother called in concerned that her son was suicidal and had run
away, possibly taking weapons and her car.

Among those killed is a mosque security guard who police say prevented the
attack from being much worse.

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Member states of the World Health Organization have rejected a proposal to
​invite Taiwan to its annual assembly in Geneva after ‌China said it would
block its participation.

Speaking in front of the World Health Assembly, China took to the floor,
alongside Pakistan, to oppose ​the motion on Monday ...

... with a Chinese ​delegate telling member states that Beijing does not
​agree to the participation of China's Taiwan region in the World Health
Assembly in any form.

The assembly accepted Taiwan's exclusion.

Palau was among a number of ​countries supporting a proposal to include
Taiwan as an observer at the annual meeting of the global health body ....

.... saying Taiwan's exclusion was unjustified and risked weakening global
disease ​surveillance and information sharing.

According to the delegate from Palau, global health governance cannot afford
gaps, excluding ​any capable and responsible partner, including Taiwan,
creates precisely such a gap.

The decision by the World Health Organization member states regarding
Taiwan's status at the World Health Assembly came after President Lai
Ching-te told delegates at the Taiwan Global Health Forum Series ..

.. that Taiwan would be able to make greater contributions to global health
if it were a member of the W-H-O.

Speaking in a prerecorded video message at the event in Geneva, Lai said
Taiwan has long played an active role in global health and remains committed
to sharing its experiences as a responsible and reliable partner.

According to Lai, the world is seeing many profound changes. Technology is
developing fast, populations are aging, and new infectious diseases continue
to emerge. Therefore, we bear greater responsibilities than ever before ...

... and as Taiwan's first president with a medical background, he is eager to
join forces to build a "Healthy Taiwan."

The two-day Taiwan Global Health Forum Series has been organized by the
Ministry of Health to coincide with the 79th World Health Assembly.

Both Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and Health Minister Shih Chung-liang are
in the Swiss city to attend events on the sidelines of the W-H-A.

Lawmakers are slated to vote later today on a motion to impeach President Lai
Ching-te.

It comes after Lai failed to attend legislative review sessions on an
impeachment motion against him ahead of a final vote.

The impeachment drive was initiated by the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's
Party.

Both parties accuse Lai of breaching the Constitution and disregarding the
Legislative Yuan, following Premier Cho Jung-tai's refusal to countersign
legislation passed by the Legislature covering amendments to a fiscal revenue
allocation law.

The K-M-T has been stressing that no one in the Republic of China is above
the law and it is unacceptable that a president elected through democracy who
is unwilling to accept its constraints.

While the T-P-P says the impeachment bid is aimed as being a "wake up" call
for the the president.

D-P-P lawmakers boycotted the review sessions after charging the opposition
with turning a political dispute into an impeachment matter.

However, D-P-P lawmakers are slated to attend tomorrow's vote to formally
oppose the motion.

The impeachment is expected to fail - as the K-M-T and T-P-P hold a combined
62 seats - which falls short of the two-thirds majority required to refer the
case to the Constitutional Court.

It comes as Lai will be marking the halfway point of his four year term
tomorrow.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu says he met with Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of
the U-K's House of Commons during his visit to London last week.

It's the first ever meeting between a Taiwan legislative speaker and the
speaker of Britain's lower house of the Parliament.

Taiwan's representative to the U-K Vincent Yao says that the meeting between
Hoyle and Han was especially significant because it took place immediately
after the State Opening of Parliament on May 13, when U-K lawmakers were
occupied with debates over the King's Speech.

Han led a cross-party legislative delegation to both France and the U-K
last week.

According to Han, the delegation's visit to was "highly fruitful" and
resulted in major advancements in speaker-to-speaker dialogues, parliamentary
exchanges, and strategic think tank engagements.

The cross-party delegation met directly with senior parliamentary figures in
both countries, including the speaker of Britain's lower house of the
Parliament and the president of the French Senate.

The delegation also held talks lawmakers from pro-Taiwan groups in both
countries.

Han says some of those lawmakers have pledged to visit Taiwan soon, with the
first group expected as early as later this month.

Taiwan students have won eight awards at this year's Robofest World
Competition - which took place at the Lawrence Technological University in
Michigan.

They bagged two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze at the international
robotics competition.

Dozens of Taiwanese elementary, junior high, and senior high school students
competed against teams from 25 countries.

Taiwan's representative office in Chicago has presented congratulatory
messages to the award-winning students, commending their dedication and
encouraging them to continue striving for excellence in their future
endeavors.

The awards earned by the Taiwan students include gold for teams from the Kang
Chiao International School in the RoboMed Senior category, the Washington
High School in Taichung in the Exhibition Senior category.

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration says we can expect to see mostly sunny
skies islandwide this week.

However, the administration's forecast center says southwesterly winds will
bring more humid conditions from tomorrow ...

.... and there's the chance of localized afternoon showers or thundershowers
in some northern and central areas through Saturday.

Temperatures will be relatively stable throughout the week - with highs of
30-degrees in the north and of between 33 and 35 degrees in the center and
south.

Overnight lows will drop to between 22 and 25 degrees islandwide.

Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu says current forecasts show Taiwan could
see another wave of "plum rains" mid-next week, but that currently remains
uncertain and will require further observation.

Meanwhile,

Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi says the government would welcome a
direct call between U-S President Donald Trump and President Lai Ching-te.

The statement follows Trump's recent remarks about arms sales to Taiwan being
used as a bargaining chip with China and Trump appearing to suggest that he
was seeking to speak with Lai about the issue - albeit without actually
naming him.

Chen said Trump's remarks had "caused some unnecessary concern" in Taiwan,
despite the ​government believing that "nothing has changed."

The deputy foreign minister is also stressing that the government is seeking
confirmation from Washington about whether Trump wanted to speak to Lai and
is also using all available channels to understand what the U-S side is
actually thinking.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung says Taiwan's continued absence from the World
Health Assembly is not only a global health issue but also a diplomatic one
...

... which is why medical experts from around the world participate in the
events that Taiwan usually holds in Geneva each year to coincide with the
WHA.

Lin said while Taiwan's ultimate goal is to return to the W-H-A, its efforts
to hold simultaneous events in Geneva are also aimed at giving it greater
visibility worldwide.

Lin is the first Taiwan foreign minister to have participated in the events
in Geneva held by Taiwan to coincide with the W-H-A.

Those events include the Taiwan Smart Medical & HealthTech Expo, which is
being held at a Geneva hotel until today.

The exhibition features several of Taiwan's leading medical centers and 30
Taiwan companies that specialize in smart and innovative healthcare.

Taiwan Space Agency Director-General Wu Jong-shinn says his agency has been
invited to submit suggestions on possible solutions for NASA's lunar
exploration program.

Wu said it's the first time NASA as asked his agency for suggestions and he
hopes it will help Taiwan gain a foothold in the emerging global "lunar
economy."

Wu says securing the invitation will enable Taiwan companies to bypass
third-party system contractors and work directly with NASA.

Formally known as a "request for information," the invitation was issued by
NASA to get input on 32 technical gaps in its Artemis lunar exploration
program.

Artemis aims to land humans on the moon by 2028 and establish a long-term
lunar base by 2030.

Wu said Taiwan's space industry currently generates nearly 300-billion N-T in
annual output value and the rise of the lunar economy could create new
momentum for growth.

The Taipei City Government says inspections of 34 escape room venues in the
capital had identified violations at 21 locations.

The inspections were carried out by the city's Department of Cultural Affairs
after an employee at an escape room business died last week.

The Department said inspections found that 12 businesses had fire safety or
building safety violations, resulting in 15 fines totaling just over
1-million N-T.

Those violations included fire doors that could not close properly,
malfunctioning exit sign lights, a lack of residential fire alarms or fire
extinguishers, and unauthorized interior renovations, according to the
department.

The businesses fined were ordered to make improvements within two to 30 days.

A futher nine businesses were also determined to have violated land-use
zoning regulations and have been referred to the city's Department of Urban
Development for penalties.

A 29-year-old female employee at the Xinyi branch of Rostart Games escape
room business reportedly suffocated while role-playing as a hanged ghost on
May 10...

She died five days later.

replaced

And,

A survey by the Child Welfare League Foundation shows nearly 60-per cent of
junior high school students have had physical education and arts classes
replaced by core academic subjects.

The findings came as the Ministry of Education's guidelines on normal
teaching practices at elementary and junior high schools entered their 13th
year.

The foundation said its survey focused on widespread non-compliance with the
policy, despite more than a decade of enforcement.

The foundation says 58.7-per cent of respondents had experienced teachers
replacing non-core classes, down from 82-per cent in 2015, but still
affecting more than half of students.

It also found that subjects such as physical education and arts were
increasingly being replaced by core academic lessons as high school entrance
exams approached, particularly among eighth and ninth graders.

And 82.9-per cent of students said they had taken tests during morning study
sessions, while 38.1-per cent reported being tested during lunch breaks or
recess - that, despite rules prohibiting tests during morning self-study
sessions, lunch breaks and recess periods.

The Israeli military has intercepted boats off the coast of Cyprus, part of a
flotilla attempting to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza.

More than 50 vessels departed from Turkey last week.

Organizers say the boats were intercepted 250 nautical miles from Gaza's
shores.

Israel's Foreign Ministry called the flotilla a provocation while Turkey
condemned the intervention as piracy.

The blockade has been in effect since 2007, restricting movement in and out
of Gaza.

The Philippine ​Senate has opened an impeachement trial of Vice President
Sara Duterte.

Sara Duterte was given 10 days to respond to accusations she misused public
funds, amassed unexplained wealth, and threatened ​the lives of President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the first lady, and a former House speaker.

If convicted, she faces a ‌ban from holding public office that could derail
her ambitions to become president in 2028.

The high-stakes trial comes just days after chaos and a shootout in the upper
house and a decisive change in Senate leadership.

The turmoil by the dramatic re-emergence from hiding of a pro-Duterte senator
wanted by the International Criminal Court.

Prevention Campaign

A Taichung city councilor says a nearly one-kilometer wall of discarded
mattresses in Tanzi (潭子) District is undermining the city's "No Rats"
prevention and clean-up campaign ...

... which kicked off over the weekend.

Lai Chao-kuo (賴朝國) of the KMT went on to say that mattresses typically
contain metal springs ...

... and sanitation workers dismantling them by hand can process only a few
each day ...

... making the work labor-intensive and economically inefficient.

The city's Environmental Protection Bureau says Taichung handles around 70
thousand discarded mattresses each year ...

... but about 20 thousand remain unprocessed after a previous procurement
tender failed, and a second tender is now underway.

(IG)

Italy's Foreign Ministry says rescuers have located the bodies of four
Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave in a Maldive
atoll.

The searches had resumed on Monday after being suspended following the death
of a local military diver during a perilous mission to try to reach them.

Five Italian divers are believed to have died while exploring a cave at a
depth of about 50 meters (160 feet) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to
Italy’s Foreign Ministry.

The body of one Italian — a diving instructor — was found earlier outside the
cave.

Hungary and Ukraine are planning to start high-level consultations on the
rights of Ukraine's ethnic Hungarian minority.

The move signals a potential improvement in relations between the two
countries which have been strained under former Hungarian Prime Minister
Viktor Orbán.

Orbán's government had blocked EU funding for Ukraine and held up sanctions
against Moscow.

Hungary's new foreign minister, Anita Orbán, announced on Monday that the
bilateral talks could begin this week.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha expressed readiness to open a new
chapter in relations after Viktor Orbán's government was defeated in an
election in April.

Lawmakers are set to vote tomorrow on an impeachment motion against President
Lai Ching-te ...

... marking the first presidential impeachment case in Taiwan's
constitutional history.

The motion was launched by the opposition K-M-T and Taiwan People's Party
after Premier Cho Jung-tai refused to countersign legislation changing how
tax revenues are divided between the central and local governments.

Both opposition parties accuse Lai of violating the Constitution,
disregarding the Legislative Yuan ... and refusing to implement or budget for
laws that it has passed.

In response, the ruling D-P-P says the impeachment effort is political
theater and has confirmed its lawmakers will vote against the motion.

The impeachment is expected to fail, as the opposition coalition controls 62
seats in the 113-member legislature — short of the two-thirds majority needed
to refer the case to the Constitutional Court.

(IG)

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu says he met with Lindsay Hoyle during a visit
to Britain last week ...

... marking what he described as the first meeting between a Taiwanese
legislative speaker and the speaker of the House of Commons.

Han said the trip to Britain and France was highly productive, with the
cross-party delegation holding talks with senior parliamentary figures in
both countries, including the president of the French Senate.

He added that some meetings with what he called 'sensitive figures' were kept
private at their request.

Han also said Taiwanese lawmakers met with think tanks to discuss issues
including Taiwan's arms purchases and the possible impact of future talks
between U-S President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to Han, lawmakers from pro-Taiwan groups in Britain and France also
pledged to visit Taiwan in the near future.

(CNA_IG)

The DPP is touting recent poll numbers which they say demonstrate majority
support amongst the public for both President Lai Ching-te himself as well as
his administration's policies.

DPP policy committee chair Wu Si Yao said that poll numbers on the
government's efforts to ease economic burden on the public are above 70
percent...

while she said 8 main policies have clearly received public mandate.

Wu touted low unemployment numbers and a high per capita GDP, which has now
exceeded those of both Korea and Japan.

Meanwhile spokesman Wu Zheng touted a slight majority of constitutents who
approve of the Lai administration's handling of national security, defense,
foreign affairs and other issues...

representing broad approval of 8 key policy directions.

(AH)

Residents near Taitung's Kangle station can expect to see Taiwan Railways'
Ziqiang trains stopping at the station starting in July.

DPP lawmaker and magisterial candidate Chen Ying announced today that the
decision was made after negotiations with the TRC.

Residents near Kangle had been hoping to see the improved TRC trains stop at
the station, which provides service to 7 villages nearby.

Without the changes, residents have to go further to Taitung city or Zhiben
Station for a trip to northern Taiwan.

Chen says today that the change will not only be more convenient for local
residents, but will also make tourism to the National Museum of Prehistory
more smooth as well.

The 441 and 402 train services will begin from July 1st.

(AH)

The wife of Penghu magistrate Chen Guang Fu says, Chen is beginning nerve
therapy after a fell in Feburary left him in a coma.

Wu Shu Jin said that the therapy would take place over a period of 5 months.

Wu noted that the therapy process was originally meant to begin last month at
Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, but it was moved back due to other
health issues.

The Penghu magistrate appears to be getting better, with Wu saying that he in
March was able to move his eyes and can now move his head.

Wu said she hoped her husband would be able to be restored to full health
soon.

(AH)

Now turning to international news...

The Israeli military has begun intercepting several boats that are part of a
flotilla attempting to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza.

More than 50 vessels departed from a port in Turkiye in what organizers
descrivbed as the final leg of their journey to Gaza.

The livestream of the event showed several activists filming with cameras as
Israeli military members boarded the boats off the coast of Cyprus.

An hour prior to the interception, the Israeli foreign ministry ordered
activists to "change course and turn back immediately."

The KMT legislative caucus has proposed major policies aimed at addressing
the country’s declining birthrate.

The proposals include fully covering National Health Insurance premiums for
children aged zero to six, and providing them childcare subsidies at
40-thousand NT a year.

There’s also an offer of monthly childcare allowance of 5-thousand NT for
every child aged zero to 15.

The combined annual budget for the three policies is estimated 241 billion.

KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-xiang said the cost would be less than
one percent of Taiwan’s GDP and about eight percent of this year’s central
government budget.

Lin stressed that low birthrates are an urgent crisis and should be treated
as seriously as other national security issues.

(JL)

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu-yan said today TSMC has broken ground on its investment
project in the city, and the first plant in Phase 2 is expected to be
completed in 2027.

She added that the company’s combined Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects in
Taichung, totaling 7 factories, are expected to form Taiwan’s largest
semiconductor R&D and manufacturing cluster.

The Mayor made the comments when asked if U.S. President Donald Trump's
summit with his Chinese counterpart would change Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Company's plan.

Lu stressed that rven if there are changes, TSMC would adjust its future
projects, and that it would not be Taichung.

She also noted that TSMC's plans in her city will feature 1.4-nanometer
advanced process technology, which is Taiwan's most advanced chipmaking
process.

(JL)

The Child Welfare League Foundation is highlighting the prevalence of
"time-borrowing" practices in junior high schools.

The foundation released a survey for this year, comparing current conditions
with data from a similar survey in 2015, finding that nearly 60 percent of
Taiwan's junior high school students have had classes "borrowed" by teachers
of other subjects.

The data shows that come exam time, subjects such as phys. ed, and art are
often sidelined in favor of core subjects.

In additon, more than 80 percent of students surveyed have taken tests during
morning homeroom, and roughly half have had their break times canceled.

The foundation says students in schools with abnormal teaching practices show
significantly higher rates of severe fatigue, and is calling on education
authorities to strengthen oversight .

(NS)

In world news...

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran the "clock is ticking" as talks to
bring the war to an end have stalled.

"They better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them," he
wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The message came as the president spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu on Sunday.

Iranian media meanwhile reported that the US had failed to make any concrete
concessions in its response to Tehran's latest proposals to end the conflict.

The news agency said a lack of compromise from Washington would lead to an
"impasse in the negotiations".

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake has struck south China's Guang-xi region, killing
two people and toppling buildings.

State media reports the quake hit early this morning, injuring four others
and forcing over 7,000 residents to evacuate from Liu-zhou city.

Authorities say the search for missing residents wrapped up around midday
today.

A 91-year-old man was found alive in good condition.

State broadcaster footage showed that at least 13 buildings collapsed, and
landslides blocked roads.

Train services around Liuzhou were canceled or delayed.

中文中文

可以嗎

French President Emmanuel Macron has kicked off (展開) a visit to Kenya ahead
of a two-day Africa Forward Summit.

The gathering, which starts today, is meant to showcase France’s new policy
for the continent, in what Paris describes as a partnership of equals
(平等夥伴關係).

The summit comes after French troops completed their withdrawal (撤軍) from
West Africa last year.

On Sunday, Kenya and France signed 11 agreements involving investments in
various sectors, including an ambitious nuclear energy plant, modernized
transport, and sustainable agriculture.

銝剜?? ?臭誑??
皜祈岫皜拽br/>
Researchers in Dublin have uncovered the oldest surviving English poem in a
Roman library.

The poem, "Caedmon??s Hymn," was composed in Old English by a Northumbrian
worker in the seventh century.

It appears within the Latin text "Ecclesiastical (??????) History of the English
People" by the monk known as the Venerable Bede.

The discovery highlights the diffusion of the English language centuries
earlier than previously believed.

The manuscript had a complex history, traveling across Europe and the
Atlantic before being found in Rome's public library.

The library's digitization (?訾???) efforts may lead to more discoveries.

The eastern extension of the Taipei MRT Xin-yi Line, from Xiang-shan (象山)
to Guang-ci (廣慈) Station is expected to open for operations by the end of
June.

The 1.4-kilometer section passed its preliminary inspection on the weekend.

But the Taipei City officials said four deficiencies still need to be
corrected before the project can be submitted to the Transport Ministry for a
final inspection.

The improvements mainly involve station and tunnel facilities and signage, as
well as fire safety inspections, and should be complete in a month.

Officials said the project is considered one of the most challenging metro
construction projects in Taipei Metro history because excavation reached
depths equivalent to nearly 10 underground floors.

As the area surrounding the Guang-ci Station is densely populated, city
officials say in the future there'll be the YouBike system and connecting bus
routes to make commuting even more convenient.

(JL)

In response to increased complaints, New Taipei's Agriculture Bureau said
district offices have already listed shade improvements at parks as a
priority project.

The Bureau said if district offices lack sufficient funding, the city’s
Landscape Engineering Office will provide priority subsidies.

New Taipei city councilor Chen Shi-xuan (陳世軒) said a slide at Xin-zhuang's
Happy Park, an all-age inclusive park, can reach temperatures beyond 50
degrees Celsius if it's exposed to direct sunlight for a long time.

Chen said a lack of adequate shade design for the park has turned it
unsuitable or even dangerous for children and adults.

He stressed that with climate change, extreme heat will become the norm, and
district offices should moderately relax restrictions on installing shade
facilities in parks.

Meanwhile the Agriculture Bureau said parks can achieve shading effects by
planting north-south rows of large trees.

Officials said 11 parks and playgrounds were identified as needing improved
shade coverage last year, and work on nine of those has already been
completed.

Another nine projects are currently underway this year.

(JL)

The head of the Veteran Affiars Council says, Taiwan must build up reliable
military strength as Chinese threats against Taiwan grow.

Yan De Fa made the comments in regards to funding for Taiwan's domestic
submarine program being frozen or cut.

He emphasized Taiwan's key role as a defender of democracy in the
Asia-Pacific region, saying that Taiwan must maintain free democracy.

(AH)

Former U-K health minister Wes Streeting says he will challenge Prime
Minister Keir Starmer in any leadership contest.

The statement comes days after he stepped down and urged Starmer to set a
timetable for his departure

Streeting has described Britain's 2016 referendum decision to leave the
European Union as "a catastrophic mistake" that had made the country its
weakest since before the Industrial Revolution .. and the U0K should seek to
rejoin the bloc.

Starmer opposed Britain leaving the E-U but as prime minister has rejected
trying to rejoin or to make major concessions on areas like immigration,
which the E-U sees as essential for much closer economic ties.

Starmer has rejected calls to step down after his party suffered a heavy
defeat in local elections.

remarks

President Lai Ching-te says Taiwan "will never be sacrificed or traded away"
- as the government and the D-P-P continue to respond to remarks by U-S
President Donald Trump last week following his meeting China's Xi Jinping.

Lai said ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait has long been a
broad consensus and shared interest of Taiwan, the United States and all
democratic countries around the world.

Lai used social media to describe what he called the "greatest consensus"
among Taiwan's people ..

.... including the position that the Republic of China and the People's
Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, that Taiwan's
sovereignty must not be infringed upon or annexed, and that Taiwan's future
should be decided by its people.

Lai went on to claim that his points of consensus "are also the status quo"
his government is seeking to defend, and there is no so-called 'Taiwan
independence issue."

In an interview with Fox News aired last Friday, Trump said that he did not
want to see Taiwan declare independence, but instead hoped to see tensions
eased between Taiwan and China.

Trump also said his administration is weighing a new round of weapons sales
to Taiwan, but stopped short of saying whether he would approve the package.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung will be attending events organized by the
government and N-G-O's in Geneva this week to coincide with the upcoming
World Health Assembly.

Lin is Taiwan's first top diplomat to have visited the Swiss city during the
annual meeting of the global health body.

The foreign minister says he has already attended two events there with
Health Minister Shih Chung-liang.

Lin took part in an annual symposium organized by the European Federation of
Taiwan Health Alliance and a banquet hosted by the health ministers and
permanent representatives of allied nations in Geneva.

The traveling diplomat said although Taiwan was not invited to participate in
the W-H-A again this year, it has never been absent from the critical moments
whenever the global public health system needs Taiwan.

Taiwan's representative office in Geneva, says Lin and Shih also held a press
event on Sunday to release a government-produced promotional video calling
for Taiwan's inclusion in the W-H-A.

The 79th W-H-A is scheduled to take place in Geneva from today through
Sunday.

Lawmakers are slated to vote tomorrow on a motion to impeach President Lai
Ching-te.

This, after Lai failed to attend legislative review sessions on an
impeachment motion against him ahead of a final vote.

The impeachment drive was initiated by the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's
Party ..

They accuse Lai of breaching the Constitution after Premier Zhu Rong-tai
refused to countersign amendments passed by lawmakers to a fiscal revenue
allocation law.

The K-M-T stressed that no one in the Republic of China is above the law and
it is unacceptable that a president elected through democracy who is
unwilling to accept its constraints.

While the T-P-P says the impeachment bid is aimed as being a "wake up" call
for the the president.

D-P-P lawmakers boycotted the review sessions after charging the opposition
with turning a political dispute into an impeachment matter.

However, D-P-P lawmakers are slated to attend tomorrow's vote to formally
oppose the motion.

The impeachment is expected to fail - as the K-M-T and T-P-P hold a combined
62 seats - which falls short of the two-thirds majority required to refer the
case to the Constitutional Court.

It comes as Lai will be marking the halfway point of his four year term on
Wednesday.

The Shilin District Prosecutors' Office has detained the son of television
personalities Sun Peng and Di Ying over allegations related to a homemade
flamethrower and weapons possession.

Sun An-tso is suspected of offenses that include public intimidation,
endangering public safety, and illegal possession of a non-standard shotgun
and imitation firearms.

Prosecutors further argued that Sun could collude with others, tamper with
evidence and interfere with witnesses if he isn't detained.

Sun was seen in a video circulated on social media showing individuals
testing a flamethrower-like device near a riverside area in Taipei.

Prosecutors and police searched Sun's residences of Sun on Saturday... they
seized a shoulder-mounted flamethrower device, fuel hoses, industrial gas
cylinders, a modified shotgun, imitation firearms and marijuana.

Another suspect has has been released on bail of 30,000 N-T.

Sun drew international attention in 2018 after being arrested in the U-S over
threats linked to a planned school shooting.

He later pleaded guilty to terroristic threats and weapons-related charges
before he was deported back to Taiwan.

And,

The Central Weather Administration's Seismological Center is warning that
aftershocks of between magnitudes 4 and 4.5 could be felt over the coming
week, after yesterday's magnitude 5.1 earthquake in Nantou County.

The quake struck at 8:46AM and was centered some 33-kilometers east-northeast
of Nantou County Hall at a depth of 15-kilometers.

It was felt strongest in Nantou's Puli Township, where it measured a 4 on the
weather administration's intensity scale.

The earthquake was caused by the northwestward collision of the Philippine
Sea Plate with the Eurasian Plate ..

Its epicenter was located in an area with relatively active seismic activity,
where long-term stress accumulation and fracturing in geological formations
triggered the quake.

The center says the quake has been regarded as a single, isolated seismic
event, but that aftershocks could still occur.

Data shows there have been 15 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or above within a
30-kilometer radius of Sunday's epicenter since 2000, with the most recent
one occurring in 2021.

The son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has won a steering role in his
father's political party.

Yasser Abbas won a seat in elections for the Fatah Central Committee... the
party's highest decision-making body.

The party held its first general conference in almost a decade.

Abbas' son's entry into politics has fuelled speculation that the president
may be seeking to position Yasser, 64, to succeed him as head of Fatah.

Mahmoud Abbas remains the party's chairman.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly called for presence of
stronger frontline units on the border with South Korea as a deterrent to
war.

State media reports say Kim made the call during a meeting of divisions and
brigade commanders from across the army.

Kim also called for adjusting the training system and expanding practical
drills to reflect changes in modern warfareand the development of North
Korea's military.

He is also said to have stressed ideological loyalty and vigilance against
what he called the "arch enemy," which is a term North Korea has used for
South Korea.

ICC arrest

Philippine government lawyers are calling on the Supreme Court to reject the
bid of a fugitive Senator who is wanted for crimes against humanity.

Ronald dela oversaw former President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-narcotics
crackdown...

He faces the same charges as Duterte, who is set to become the first former
Asian head of state to go on trial in The Hague.

Both have denied wrongdoing.

The Office of the Solicitor General argues that the Philippines may enforce
the ICC warrant under a domestic law which allows authorities to surrender
suspects accused of grave international crimes to international courts for
prosecution.

Dela Rosa evaded arrest on Monday after being granted protection by the
Senate, now headed by a Duterte ally.

Meanwhile,

A North Korean women's soccer team has arrived in South Korea to compete in a
regional tournament.

They are the first visit by North Korean athletes to have traveled to the
South in eight years amid political tensions between the two sides.

A total of 39 players and staff with North Korea's Nae-go-hyang Women's F-C
team arrived at Incheon International Airport aboard a plane from China.

The North Korean team will face South Korea's Su-won FC Women on Wednesday in
the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League
in Suwon City - which is just south of Seoul.

North Korea last sent its athletes to South Korea in December 2018 for a
table tennis event.

Melbourne City F-C and Tokyo Verdy Bel-eza are to face off in the other
semifinal on Wednesday.

The final is set for Saturday at a stadium in Suwon.

---------------------------------------------

In tennis news,

Jannik Sinner has become the first Italian man to win the Italian Open since
Adriano Pan-atta 50 years ago.

The top-ranked Sinner's 6-4, 6-4 victory over Casper Ruud in the final on the
red clay of the Foro Italico on Sunday also made him only the second man
after Novak Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 events.

With his only real rival Carlos Alcaraz currently sidelined due to a right
wrist injury seemingly nobody can beat Sinner.

Sinner extended his winning streak to 29 matches.

With many of Sinner's fans dressed in orange. the capacity crowd of 10,500 on
Campo Centrale created a soccer-style atmosphere with chanting and loud
cheers for the player who has become far and away Italy's most popular
athlete.

Sinner is now 17-0 on clay this year entering the French Open.

Roland Garros begins next Sunday.

--------------------------

In Major League news,

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered and scored twice as the Toronto Blue Jays beat
the slumping Detroit Tigers 4-1.

Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz homered as the Tampa Bay Rays earned their
18th win in their past 22 games with a 6-3 win over the Miami Marlins.

Zack Wheeler pitched seven sparkling innings, and Bryce Harper hit a home run
to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates
and a sweep of the three-game series.

And Kyle Man-zardo homered twice as the Cleveland Guardians connected a
season-high six times in a 10-3 blowout of the Cincinnati Reds.

-----------------------------

England has won a record eighth consecutive Women's Six Nations title and
fifth successive Grand Slam after beating hosts France 43-28.

Unbeaten France with home advantage and backing from its largest ever home
crowd was expected to seriously threaten England's relentless domination of
the championship.

However, England, with only six survivors from its Rugby World Cup champion
team last September, ultimately cruised to the six-try victory.

The English team has now extended its world record winning streak to 38
matches which won't be challenged again until September when they host No.
2-ranked New Zealand and No. 3 Canada.

-

And finally,

Former Scotland rugby center Scott Hastings has died.

He was 61.

Hastings played alongside his older brother Gavin for the national team as
well as the British & Irish Lions.

Hastings announced he has been diagnosed with cancer in 2022.

He was the most-capped center in the history of Scotland's men's team after
making 65 appearances from 1986-1997.

Hastings was a member of its Grand Slam-winning team in the Five Nations in
1990 and scored 10 tries for his country.