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.

U.S. President Donald Trump says his patience with Iran is running out.

Trump spoke as he flew back from Beijing after talks with Chinese President
Xi Jinping.

He says he and Xi agreed that Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

But Trump says he did not ask China for any favors.

China says the conflict should never have happened and has no reason to
continue.

Iran says it has received messages from Washington about continuing talks.

But Tehran says it does not trust the U.S. and is also ready for more
fighting.

The strait is a key route for global energy shipments, and oil prices rose on
concern over the lack of progress.

(PB)

The DPP and KMT are arguing over how to pay for weapons left out of a special
defense budget bill.

The bill passed last week with a cap of 780-billion NT for U.S.-approved
weapons sales to Taiwan.

But it left out items including drones, unmanned surface vessels,
counter-drone systems and anti-ballistic missiles.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says the Cabinet is weighing three options to cover
those costs.

Those include another special budget bill, a higher 2026 general budget, or a
larger 2026 defense budget.

The DPP says the opposition cut the original plan and forced the government
to find another solution.

The KMT says the funding should go through the 2027 general budget so it can
face fuller public review.

Lawmakers also voted Friday to extend the current legislative session through
the end of August.

(CNA-PB)

Taiwan has launched the 12th and final 600-tonne Anping-class patrol vessel
for the Coast Guard.

The new ship is named Donggang and was christened Friday at a ceremony in
Kaohsiung.

Officials say the launch completes the Anping-class fleet under Taiwan's
indigenous shipbuilding program.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling says the program began in 2018 to
build 141 coast guard vessels over 10 years.

She says Taiwan's coast guard now faces growing pressure from gray-zone
activity, Chinese incursions and threats to undersea cables.

Officials say the new vessel can handle patrol, fishery protection and rescue
work in peacetime.

It can also support maritime defense under Taiwan's civil-military
mobilization system when needed.

The Donggang will be deployed with a mobile coast guard unit in eastern
Taiwan to strengthen regional patrols.

(CNA-PB)

The Ministry of National Defense says it detected no Chinese military
aircraft near Taiwan during the latest reporting period.

The report covers the 24 hours from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. today.

It came as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held
their final day of talks in Beijing.

The ministry says it did detect eight Chinese naval vessels and one official
vessel around the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan's military closely monitored the situation with aircraft, ships and
shore-based missile systems.

Trump left Beijing yesterday afternoon after his final meeting with Xi.

The defense ministry says no flight-path map was issued because no Chinese
military aircraft were detected.

(PB)

Support for same-sex marriage in Taiwan has risen to 54-point-3 percent,
according to a new survey.

The Taiwan Equality Campaign says that is up 12 percentage points from seven
years ago, when same-sex marriage became legal.

Support for transnational same-sex marriage reached 63 percent, while support
for joint adoption by same-sex couples rose to 67-point-2 percent.

The survey also found record support for gender equality education at 75
percent.

Nearly 60 percent of respondents also backed assisted reproduction rights for
female same-sex couples.

The group is urging lawmakers to move faster on proposed legal changes.

The survey also found growing support for LGBTQ-plus people holding public
office and for LGBTQ-friendly workplaces.

(CNA-PB)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Russia is trying to draw Belarus
deeper into the war.

Zelenskiy says Moscow is considering operations from Belarusian territory.

He says the plans could target northern Ukraine or a NATO country.

Zelenskiy did not provide further details.

Belarus borders Ukraine, as well as NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

There was no immediate response from Moscow or Minsk.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko allowed Russia to use Belarus for
part of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Zelenskiy says Ukraine is preparing a response and strengthening defenses in
the northern Chernihiv and Kyiv regions.

(PB)

Japanese filmmaker Koji Fukada says AI could weaken the creative process
behind art.

Fukada made the comments at the Cannes Film Festival, where his new drama,
"Nagi Notes," is premiering.

He says using AI to create artwork or video can skip the human process and
jump straight to the result.

Fukada says that process is important because it helps artists express
themselves and better understand the world.

"Nagi Notes" is set in rural Japan and follows a Tokyo architect who visits a
village to pose for a sculpture.

The film also shows two young boys exploring their feelings for each other.

Fukada says he hopes future audiences will see characters of all sexual
orientations as a normal part of dramas.

"Nagi Notes" is competing for Cannes' top Palme d'Or prize.

(PB)

The Centers for Disease Control says a New Zealand cruise passenger linked to
a rare hantavirus outbreak poses no risk to the local community.

Officials say the passenger tested negative for both PCR and antibody tests
for the Andes strain.

The case is tied to an outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship Hondius, where
11 cases and three deaths have been reported.

The passenger arrived in Taiwan on May 7 after leaving the ship in late April.

Health officials say the person has shown no symptoms and is being kept under
enhanced health management in a hospital room until June 6.

The CDC says the next week is still important because most infected patients
develop symptoms within 25 days of exposure.

Authorities also say no other passengers or contacts from the cruise ship are
currently in Taiwan.

(CNA-PB)

TSMC plans to sell part of its stake in Vanguard International Semiconductor,
or V-I-S.

The company says it may sell up to 152-million VIS shares through block
trades to financial institutions.

That would cut TSMC's holding in VIS by 8-point-1 percentage points, from the
current 27-point-1 percent.

TSMC says the move will help it focus resources on its core businesses.

The company adds that its strategic cooperation with VIS will stay in place.

That includes outsourcing silicon interposer production and licensing gallium
nitride process technology.

TSMC also says it does not plan to sell more VIS shares in the near term.

(CNA-PB)

Digital Affairs Minister Lin Yi-jing says Starlink has not made Taiwan a
high-priority market.

Lin says Starlink believes Taiwan's 4G and 5G networks already cover more
than 99-percent of the population.

He says Starlink earlier insisted on operating in Taiwan as a fully owned
company.

But Taiwan law limits direct foreign ownership in telecom businesses to
49-percent.

Lin says the ministry is still communicating with Starlink.

He says Amazon LEO is preparing to launch commercial service worldwide in the
first half of next year, including Taiwan.

Amazon is working with local agents and has not asked Taiwan to change the
law.

Lin says low-Earth-orbit satellite service is a commercial issue, but it also
affects Taiwan's communications resilience and national security.

(PB)

U.S. President Donald Trump has left Beijing after two days of talks with
Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Reuters reports the visit ended with no major breakthroughs on trade or the
war involving Iran.

Trump praised Xi during the visit, and Xi is expected to visit the U.S. this
fall.

But Xi also warned that mishandling Taiwan could lead to conflict.

Trump says Xi told him he opposes Taiwan independence, but Trump says he made
no commitment either way.

Trump also says he will soon decide on a pending arms sale to Taiwan.

The two sides announced plans for new trade and investment boards, but
details were limited.

A Boeing deal also fell short of expectations, with China agreeing to buy 200
jets.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington's Taiwan policy remains
unchanged.

(PB)

BRICS foreign ministers have ended two days of talks in New Delhi without a
joint statement.

Reuters reports host India released only a chair's statement, pointing to
divisions over the war in Iran.

Iran wanted BRICS to condemn U.S.-Israeli attacks and accused the United Arab
Emirates of involvement.

The UAE rejected the allegations and said it reserves the right to respond to
threats.

India's statement says members had different views on the situation in the
Middle East.

It says ministers called for dialogue, respect for sovereignty and protection
of civilian lives and infrastructure.

The bloc also called on developing countries to work together on global
challenges.

BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt,
Iran and the UAE.

(PB)

Chinese President Xi Jinping used strong rhetoric regarding Taiwan during his
summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, which is rare in a diplomatic sense.

Xi told Trump that any mishandling of that critical issue could lead to
conflict and push China-U.S. relations into an “extremely dangerous
situation”.

Wen-ti Sung, a Nonresident Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub,
has this to say about Xi's remarks.


Meanwhile U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News that U.S. policy
toward Taiwan was "unchanged."

He also framed Xi's comments as standard practice.

(TB)

Several Democratic U.S. senators are urging President Donald Trump to move
forward with a 14-billion US dollar arms sale to Taiwan.

The call came after Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Trump says he and Xi talked a lot about Taiwan, but he made no commitment on
the issue.

He also says he will soon decide on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

Democratic senators say they are concerned the two leaders discussed
Washington's legal duty to help Taiwan defend itself.

They are calling on the Trump administration to formally notify Congress
about the sale.

Congress had pre-approved the package in January.

The senators say Congress will keep backing Taiwan and oppose attempts to
change the status quo by force or coercion.

(PB)

The junior high school entrance exam is taking place today and tomorrow, as
southern Taiwan faces hot weather.

The Central Weather Administration has issued a yellow high-temperature
warning for Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung.

It says people should watch for temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius or higher.

Weather expert Wu Der-rong says the weather is improving as a front moves
south to the Bashi Channel.

He says eastern Taiwan may see some showers, while central and southern areas
may see afternoon thunderstorms.

Wu says southern Taiwan could reach 36 degrees today, and tomorrow will feel
like summer.

He says the weather will stay mostly stable and hot through next week.

(PB)

The Pentagon has canceled plans to deploy 4-thousand U.S. troops to Poland.

Reuters reports the decision has drawn criticism from lawmakers in both
parties.

Army Acting Chief of Staff General Christopher LaNeve confirmed the move
during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.

But he gave few details, saying only that it made the most sense not to send
the brigade.

Some lawmakers say Congress was not notified or consulted.

They say the move sends a bad message to U.S. allies and adversaries.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says he has received assurances that
Poland's security will not be affected.

The decision comes as the U.S. reviews its troop presence in Europe and
pushes NATO allies to spend more on defense.

(PB)

Peru's presidential race is heading to a June runoff between leftist Roberto
Sanchez and right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori.

Official results show Fujimori won the first round with just over 17-percent
of the vote.

Sanchez narrowly took second place with about 12-percent.

He finished around 21-thousand votes ahead of conservative candidate Rafael
Lopez Aliaga.

Sanchez says Peru needs a broad democratic coalition and may announce his
cabinet next week.

Fujimori is promising to crack down on crime, one of voters' top concerns.

The long vote count led to fraud claims, but European Union observers say
they found no concrete evidence.

Analysts warn the runoff could be sharply polarized, with many Peruvians
looking for more moderate leadership.

(PB)

Major flooding is being reported in parts of Hualien's Guangfu Township ...
after heavy rain caused rivers and drainage systems to overflow.

Authorities say rising water levels in the Mataian and Hualien rivers
overwhelmed the Madana (瑪達娜) Creek drainage system, triggering floods in
Dongfu (東富) Village and along Fozu (佛祖) Street.

Floodwaters trapped vehicles and flooded several homes, with water levels in
some houses reaching ankle-to-calf height ... forcing six households to
evacuate.

Officials say local tribal patrol teams helped residents leave flooded homes,
while emergency shelters have also been opened.

Local authorities and construction crews have deployed large flood-control
bags in an effort to stop more water from entering residential areas.

The Central Weather Administration has issued an Extremely Heavy Rain
advisory for Hualien County ...

... warning of intense rainfall, thunderstorms, strong wind gusts, possible
landslides, as well as flooding in low-lying areas.

(IG)

New Taipei is fining three branches of the Airelee Clinic group 500 thousand
NT over violations of patient privacy.

City authorities have also ordered the branches in Xinzhuang, Linkou, and
Yonghe districts to suspend operations for six months.

The penalties came after health authorities said investigators confirmed the
clinics used disguised surveillance equipment to record patients inside
treatment and operating rooms.

They say the clinics violated medical regulations and laws protecting patient
privacy and safety.

Authorities add that another Airelee branch in Banqiao could face the same
punishment once investigators recover and review surveillance footage that
had been formatted or erased.

New Taipei officials also say they are coordinating with prosecutors in a
separate investigation involving Glow Clinic ...

... and promise severe penalties if evidence of illegal recordings is
confirmed.

(IG)

In a related development, authorities have ordered two branches of Airelee
Clinic to suspend operations for six months ... also over allegations
involving hidden cameras.

City officials say the Da-an and Nanjing branches seriously violated patient
privacy rights after investigators confirmed evidence of concealed recording
devices through seized footage.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an says the clinics were also fined a combined
1-point-25 million NT.

Health authorities say one branch received additional penalties for improper
fee practices, including unauthorized charges.

The Taipei City Government says inspections targeting cosmetic clinics, gyms,
and saunas will continue as part of a broader crackdown on illegal hidden
cameras and privacy violations.

(IG)

New survey data shows public support for same-sex marriage in Taiwan has
risen sharply since it was legalized nearly seven years ago.

According to the poll released by the "Taiwan Equality Campaign", support for
same-sex marriage now stands at 54-point-3 percent — up 12 percentage points
from 2019.

The survey also found growing support for related issues, including adoption
rights, cross-national same-sex marriages, and gender equality education.

More than two-thirds of respondents said they support adoption by same-sex
couples, while support for gender equality education reached a record 75
percent.

The poll also found younger Taiwanese are especially supportive of
LGBT-friendly workplaces and political representation.

(IG)

Taiwan Railway Corporation says it will add 116 extra train services to
handle increased passenger demand during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival
holiday.

The additional trains will operate between June 18th and June 22nd, covering
routes across Taiwan, including extra east coast and cross-island services.

Tickets for the holiday period will go on sale starting midnight on the
morning of May 19th — which is this coming Tuesday at early hours.

Taiwan Railway also says real-name reservation services for eligible east
coast residents and their immediate family members will begin a day later.

The operator also announced that EMU-3000 trains on the western line will
temporarily suspend non-reserved seating during the holiday rush ...

... with 200 standing tickets to be sold on the day of travel instead.

(IG)

Looking ahead,

Forecasters say to expect more stable weather islandwide through the weekend
... with mostly cloudy to sunny skies expected by early next week.

Daytime temperatures are forecast to climb steadily, reaching between 30 and
33 degrees Celsius across the island.

Current temperatures...

Taipei - 26

Taichung - 29

Kaohsiung - 31

Hualien - 22

Chinese President Xi Jinping used strong rhetoric regarding Taiwan during his
summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, which is rare in a diplomatic sense.

Xi told Trump that any mishandling of that critical issue could lead to
conflict and push China-U.S. relations into an “extremely dangerous
situation”.

Wen-ti Sung, a Nonresident Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub,
has this to say about Xi's remarks.


Meanwhile U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News that U.S. policy
toward Taiwan was "unchanged."

He also framed Xi's comments as standard practice.

(TB)

A recent survey by a KMT-run think tank suggests that mainstream public
opinion in Taiwan favours maintaining an equal distance from both the United
States and China.

The National Policy Foundation's poll shows that 44 per cent believe that
Taiwan should not lean too heavily towards either side.

27 per cent favour moving closer to the U.S., while only 12 per cent prefer
closer relations with China.

In addition, more than 40 percent of respondents said they 'somewhat
distrust' or 'completely distrust' the United States.

And a majority, at 53 per cent, said they were not worried about the Trump-Xi
summit that wraps up today.

(IG)

The Highway Bureau says traffic has been restored to the number 9 Provincial
road, also known as the Su-hua Highway.

The section between Ho-ren (和仁) and Chong-de (崇德) was shut down as a
precaution from 12:15 PM to 2 PM today due to torrential rain-triggered
mudslides.

The closure means some 40 vehicles got stuck within that section.

Highway officials say the road is currently open in both directions, but it
could close again depending on weather conditions.

(JL)

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said today that a Russian missile
attack on a Kyiv apartment building yesterday killed 24 people, including
three children.

He wrote on X that emergency workers have finally finished digging through
the nine-storey building's rubble, after more than a day.

The cruise missile was part of what the Ukrainian air force said was Russia's
biggest barrage on the country since its all-out invasion began in February
2022.

Zelensky said that the assault mostly targeted the Ukrainian capital, where
48 people were wounded.

Kyiv marked an official day of mourning today.

The director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, has met with Cuban officials during
a high-level visit to the island.

These include the interior minister, the head of the Cuban intelligence
services, and the grandson of former president Raul Castro.

These meetings were confirmed by both American and Cuban officials.

A CIA official said that Ratcliffe was there "to personally deliver President
Donald Trump's message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage
on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes."

This is the latest in a series of meetings between American and Cuban
officials and comes during an American energy blockade of Cuba, causing the
Cuban power grid to collapse.

Te Arikinui Kuini Nga Wai hono i te po, New Zealand's Maori Queen, met with
King Charles III at Buckingham Palace today.

This marks the nearly 200-year relationship between the Maori, the indigenous
peoples of New Zealand, and the British crown.

This was the first meeting between the 29-year-old Queen and King Charles
since she acceded to the throne following the death of her father, Kiingi
Tuheitia.

The monarch of the Maori is a largely ceremonial role created in the 19th
century, as different Maori tribes decided to nominate a unifying figure,
like a European king or queen, to face the incoming British.

Yemen's government and Houthi rebels have agreed to free more than 1,600
detainees in the largest swap of Yemen's 11-year civil war. The agreement was
signed Thursday in Amman, Jordan, after 14 weeks of negotiations. The U.N.
and the International Committee of the Red Cross observed the talks. A Houthi
official said 1,100 of the detainees are Houthi-affiliated. The swap includes
seven Saudis and 20 Sudanese. U.N. Special Envoy Hans Grundberg said it's the
largest release of conflict-related detainees. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres welcomed the deal and called on the parties to swiftly implement it
so families could soon be reunited.

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Yemen's internationally recognized government and the
Iran-backed Houthi rebels agreed Thursday to free more than 1,600 detainees
in the largest swap during Yemen's 11-year civil war.

The deal was signed in Amman, Jordan, after 14 weeks of negotiations observed
by U.N. officials and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the deal and called on the
parties to move swiftly toward implementing it so families could soon be
reunited, a U.N. spokesperson said.

Abdelkader al-Murtada, the Houthi head of the National Committee for
Prisoners’ Affairs, who was involved in the talks, said that 1,100 of the
almost 1,700 detainees are Houthi-affiliated, while seven Saudis and 20
Sudanese are among the 580 detainees that will be released by the other side.

The head of the government delegation, Yahya Kazman, said in a post on X that
a “number of politicians and media professionals" held by the Houthis will
also be released. He did not give details.

U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said the deal covered the largest
release of “conflict-related detainees.” The ICRC in a statement said both
sides agreed on the identities of the detainees to be released, and added
that the Geneva-based organization is ready to facilitate their repatriation.

It was not immediately clear when the release would start.

Guterres also called on the government and the Houthis to build on the
positive momentum generated by the deal and to engage constructively toward
an inclusive political process for a just and lasting peace in Yemen,
Guterres’ deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said.

“The Secretary-General further urges the Houthis to immediately and
unconditionally release all arbitrarily detained personnel from the United
Nations, NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions,” Haq said.

The agreement builds on negotiations held in Oman in December 2025, Grundberg
said. Both sides at the time discussed the release of 2,900 detainees.

Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital,
Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen and forced the government into exile. A
Saudi-led coalition, including the United Arab Emirates, intervened the
following year in an attempt to restore the government to power.

The conflict has pushed the economy to the brink of collapse and caused
severe food insecurity in northern provinces, according to the World Food
Program.

___

Chehayeb reported from Beirut.

A woman who was injured whilst performing at an "escape room" business in
Taipei has died.

Her family announced her death today, and called on the city government and
the industry to overhaul safety standards.

The 29-year-old was found suspended and unresponsive at the entertainment
facility in Xinyi District on May 10th and was rushed to hospital.

Police have referred the case to the Taipei District Prosecutor's Office on
charges of negligent injury and negligence causing grievous bodily harm.

The family's lawyer said they will file additional charges of negligent
homicide against the company's responsible person.

The familiy is demanding a comprehensive review and clear safety regulations
for escape rooms and immersive experience venues.

(NS)

June at the earliest

Officials in Hualien County announced today that pedal boats are currently
undergoing inspections and will not resume operations on Liyu or Carp Lake
until June at the earliest.

This is after a pedal boat capsized on the lake during the Lunar New Year
holiday, resulting in the death of a 9-year-old boy.

The Hualien County Government said that they have now established boat safety
inspection procedures and standards.

Businesses - which have been shut down since the incident nearly three months
ago - can apply to resume operations after passing these inspections.

Operators will also have to conduct inspections every year or every three
years, depending on the size of the craft.

It is expected that inspections of all 143 boats plying the lake will be
finished by June 10th.

(JM)

Taiwanese paddler Li Yu-jhun (李昱諄) claimed the women's singles title at
the WTT Feeder Istanbul 2026, a table tennis tournament, marking the first
international title of her career.

Li also reached the women's doubles final alongside Taiwan's Chien Tung-chuan
(簡彤娟), with the pair finishing as runners-up.

The 28-year-old Li faced 18-year-old South Korean Park Gahyeon in the
championship match.

Li came out firing, reeling off five consecutive points in the first game,
and kept her composure through a rough patch to dominate the fourth game,
sealing the match and the title with an 11-2 win.

She is currently ranked 61st in the world and was seeded second at the
tournament,

(CNA -NS)

Australia

Six passengers from the cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak have arrived
in Australia for a quarantine stricter than that implemented in other
countries.

The jet carrying five Australians and one Kiwi from the MV Hondius ship
landed earlier today outside Perth in Western Australia.

They will spend three weeks in a quarantine facility built during the
COVID-19 pandemic and that has hardly been used since.

Most American and European passengers only spent a few days in a quarantine
facility before being sent home.

The virus's incubation period is six weeks, and Australia's health minister
said no decision had yet been taken on what to do with the six passengers
during the three weeks after their quarantine.

Australia's health minister also said all six passengers have tested negative
for the virus.

Three people amongst the eleven confirmed cases of hantavirus on board the
ship have died.

Africa's top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo’s remote Ituri province, which is located
far inland near the border with Uganda.

The Africa CDC has reported 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths so far.

The Highway Bureau has partially closed the Number 9 Provincial Road, also
known as the Su-hua (蘇花) Highway, due to mudslides triggered by torrential
rain.

The section being closed runs from Ho-ren (和仁) to Chong-de (崇德), and
vehicles are banned from entering.

The Central Weather Administration's data shows that the accumulated rainfall
in Hualien County's Sioulin Township (秀林) has already reached nearly 140
millimeters today and the rain continues to fall.

(JL)

The KMT's mayoral candidate in New Taipei, Lee Shu-chuan, is promoting
upgrades to the senior citizen card program, pledging that the card will
cover medical services, prescription pickups, senior care products, and daily
necessities.

Lee said that the goal is to make the program more practical and better
suited to seniors' actual needs.

Currently, the main complaint is that the card is used only sparingly,
especially amongst seniors in remote areas who do not have access to the MRT
system or sports centres.

That leaves many of the points unused.

Meanwhile Lee's rival, DPP lawmaker Su Chiao-hui, said her six major welfare
policies include increasing the number of points on the senior card to 1,000,
and extending their validity to one year.

The card now contains 480 points and expire at the end of every month.

Su said that the card could be used not only for public transportation but
also for shopping.

(JL)

Taipei's Mayor Chiang Wan-an says the city will complete its smoke-free city
plan by the end of the year.

Chiang says the first phase focuses on establishing negative pressure smoking
rooms and hedge-enclosed outdoor smoking areas.

These will be in two commercial districts in Zhongshan and Ximending, as well
as along Dunhua North and South Roads and Xinyi Road.

This first phase is expected to cost $100 million NT and be completed by the
end of June.

Deputy Mayor Lin Yi-hua also says eight additional negative pressure smoking
rooms will be installed before the end of June.

Lin says the city will monitor the areas' usage rates and maintenance needs
to guide future site selection, and construction costs are expected to come
down as the program scales up.

(NS)

Asian stocks are mostly lower today as investors are watching closely for
developments from the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese
leader Xi Jinping.

Taiwan shares dropped 579 points today to end the session at 41,172 points.

The turnover remains robust, at 1 trillion 314 billion NT.

(JL)

The Solomon Islands has elected Matthew Wale, a noted critic of his country's
closeness to China, as its next prime minister.

The Pacific Island nation of roughly 800 000 inhabitants about 1600
kilometres northeast of Australia has been one of Beijing's closest allies in
the region in recent years.

The former prime minister was ousted last week after a no-confidence motion,
after a dozen ministers stepped down back in March.

After his victory, Wale told reporters that "Change is coming. These changes
are necessary and may be painful."

He has been the leader of the opposition since 2019, when the Solomon Islands
switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China.

Wale is an accountant by training and comes from Malaita, a province that
broke out in massive pro-Taiwan protests after the switch in allegiance.

One academic said that this election was a "seismic shift" in the Solomons'
politics, whilst others said that it would be a "delicate balancing act" for
the "pragmatic" Wale, since some of his coalition partners were pro-Beijing.

The prime minister of Latvia has resigned.

Evika Silina, of the centre-right Unity Party, lost the support of her
coalition partner, the left-leaning Progressives, yesterday.

This followed the forced resignation of Silina's defence minister, Andris
Spruds of the Progressives, last week, after two stray drones, thought to
originate from Ukraine, entered Latvian airspace.

One of those drones crashed into a fuel storage facility.

At the time, Silina said that Spruds had lost her trust and that of the
public.

Spruds said that these Ukrainian drones probably meant to target Russia and
ended up in Latvia by mistake, but critics said that these incidents
highlighted weaknesses in Latvia's military response.

Ukraine's foreign minister said that Russian electronic warfare was behind
the diversion of Ukrainian drones away from their targets in Russia.

Elections in Latvia are scheduled for October, but Latvian president Edgars
Rinkevics will meet with representatives from all parties in parliament
today, in his attempt to appoint a new prime minister.

Pope Leo XIV denounced investments in AI and high-tech weaponry, warning that
they lead to a "spiral of annihilation".

During a visit to Rome's La Sapienza University, founded by Pope Boniface
VIII in 1303, the pope criticised the increases in military spending this
last year, particularly at the expense of education and healthcare.

He said that this enriched "elites who care nothing for the common good".

Pope Leo also called for better monitoring of the development of AI and its
use in military and civilian contexts, "so that it does not absolve humans of
responsibility for their choices and does not exacerbate the tragedy of
conflicts".

Instead, he said that education and research must value "the lives of peoples
who cry out for peace and justice".

He was warmly welcomed at the university, including by young Palestinian
students who had just arrived from Gaza to continue their studies.

Italy has brought hundreds of Palestinians to the country over the past three
years, both for studies and medical care.

Tensions are escalating again near the Strait of Hormuz after a ship anchored
off the United Arab Emirates was seized and taken toward Iran and another was
attacked and sank near the coast of Oman.

The incidents reported on Thursday came as a senior Iranian official
reiterated his country’s claim to the waterway.

Another Iranian official says Tehran has a right to seize oil tankers
connected to the U.S.

The British military says the ship seized near the UAE was moving toward
Iranian territorial waters.

The seizure comes as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese leader Xi
Jinping in Beijing.

Colombian superstar Shakira and Afrobeats icon Burna Boy have released the
official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem. It is titled “Dai Dai.”

It’s a mesh of their musical landscapes. Afrobeats and Latin rhythms are
prevalent in this undeniably global pop song.

In one verse, they name a number of the world’s most famous soccer players
and countries competing in this years’ World Cup.

But lyrically, the song is about believing in yourself. The FIFA tournament
will kick off on June 11 with Mexico taking on South Africa in Mexico City.

The final is scheduled for July 19th... at MetLife Stadium just outside New
York City.

The opposition KMT is urging the central government to include the deleted
budget in the special defense procurement bill in the 2027 general budget.

KMT legislative caucus leader Fu Kun-qi said today that the 2027 general
budget is scheduled to send to the Legislature at the end of August, so the
Cabinet could list needed military equipment and weapons procurement funding
in it.

Fu argued that special budgets should only be used during wartime emergencies
or natural disasters, saying the current military-civilian cooperation
projects are planned over periods of eightyears, making them unsuitable for
special budget treatment.

The Legislative Yuan last week passed a special defense bill worth 780
billion NT, which is more than 400 billion short of the Lai administration’s
proposed 1.25 trillion.

The excluded funding was meant to cover commercial procurement and
commissioned manufacturing projects, including drones.

The ruling DPP caucus, on the other hand, said it supports the plans that the
Executive Yuan has proposed.

Premier Chuo Rong-tai said on Wednesday that he's considering several
options, including introducing another special bill, seeking additional
budget allocations, or expanding the annual defense budget.

(JL)

Cathay Pacific is tightening its boarding procedures starting June 1st.

The airline says it will close departure gates 15 minutes before takeoff —
five minutes earlier than the current practice.

Cathay Pacific says one of the leading causes of departure delays is
passengers arriving late at the gate or failing to show up at all.

The airline says the five-minute adjustment is designed to ensure smoother
boarding and help flights depart on schedule.

(NS)

Tensions are escalating again near the Strait of Hormuz after a ship anchored
off the United Arab Emirates was seized and taken toward Iran and another was
attacked and sank near the coast of Oman.

The incidents reported on Thursday came as a senior Iranian official
reiterated his country’s claim to the waterway.

Another Iranian official says Tehran has a right to seize oil tankers
connected to the U.S.

The British military says the ship seized near the UAE was moving toward
Iranian territorial waters.

The seizure comes as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese leader Xi
Jinping in Beijing.

In world news...

Trump said China has agreed to buy oil from the U.S. as the two nations push
for tangible wins at the two-day summit in a pre-recorded interview with Fox
News.

The interview was conducted after his first meeting with Chinese leader Xi
Jinping on Thursday.

Trump also said that the Chinese president would like to see the Strait of
Hormuz open and free of tolls.

U.S. crude oil exports to China plunged 95% from 2023 to 8.4 million barrels
in 2025.

China’s foreign ministry said today that the two leaders have reached “a
series of new consensus” during the Thursday meeting, including an agreement
to build “constructive, strategic stability” in the bilateral relationship.

Colombian superstar Shakira and Afrobeats icon Burna Boy have released the
official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem. It is titled “Dai Dai.”

It’s a mesh of their musical landscapes. Afrobeats and Latin rhythms are
prevalent in this undeniably global pop song.

In one verse, they name a number of the world’s most famous soccer players
and countries competing in this years’ World Cup.

But lyrically, the song is about believing in yourself. The FIFA tournament
will kick off on June 11 with Mexico taking on South Africa in Mexico City.

The final is scheduled for July 19th... at MetLife Stadium just outside New
York City.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says the Cabinet is considering ways to fund key weapons
programs excluded from that supplementary defense budget bill passed by
lawmakers last Friday.

Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee says the options include proposing another
supplementary budget or increasing the Ministry of National Defense's annual
budget.

Lawmakers passed opposition-backed supplementary budget bill to fund U-S
weapons systems, including self-propelled howitzers, drones, and anti-armor
missiles.

However, the bill excluded funding for domestic contract production programs
and foreign direct commercial sales.

The head of the defense ministry's Department of Strategic Planning, says the
decision to cut funding for man-portable counter-drone systems will
significantly weaken Taiwan's ability to respond to small drone swarms.

According to Huang Wen-chi, the exclusion of funding for domestically
produced attack drones and kamikaze unmanned surface vessels will also hurt
Taiwan's defense industry.

The premier is urging lawmakers to quickly approve funding for the High
Mobility Artillery Rocket System that U-S has approved for sale to Taiwan, as
required under the supplementary budget bill signed into law by President Lai
Ching-te.

Under the legislation, both approved and future arms sales must still receive
legislative approval before funding can be made available.

Meanwhile,

The Cabinet says an external investigation team has completed its interviews
as part of an probe into the death of former deputy trade representative, Yen
Huai-shing.

Yen died on March 12 at the age of 53 after being hospitalized with an
unspecified illness at the beginning of the year.

News of her death was made public on March 24, after her funeral, at her
family's request.

Yen's sudden death draw allegations of work place bullying by trade
representative Yang Jen-ni - which allegedly may have contributed to Yen's
passing.

Premier Cho Jung-tai ordered an investigation into those allegations days
after reports of Yen's surfaced surfaced.

According to the Cabinet, the investigation team is compiling a summary
report and it will handle the issue appropriately once the report is
released.

The Kaohsiung City's Health Department has ordered two branches of the Airlee
aesthetic clinic chain to suspend medical services for six months over
multiple violations.

Those violations include the alleged unauthorized filming of patients.

The move comes amid widening scrutiny of cosmetic surgery and aesthetic
clinics following allegations of hidden-camera recordings at several clinics
across the island.

According to the health department, inspections found the two clinics had
violated the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act and the Medical Care Act, including
by allegedly recording patients without consent.

Along with being ordered to suspend medical operations for six months, the
clinics are still required to remain open to process patient refunds.

City's health department officials say inspections of 43 medical institutions
- including 40 aesthetic clinics and three municipal hospitals - have been
completed as part of a special campaign targeting high-risk cosmetic medicine
providers.

Authorities say they had received 88 complaint calls and 15 formal
complaints, all linked to the two Airlee clinics and one Dr. Shine clinic.

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a Taoyuan chemistry teacher
convicted of helping manufacture narcotics.

The man was found guilty by the Taoyuan District Court in December of 2024 of
manufacturing narcotics and mixing controlled substances in violation of the
Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.

Two other men were convicted in the same case.

The three were found to have produced mephedrone and other drugs at a
manufacturing site in Taoyuan's Yangmei District.

The Supreme Court's ruling means that chemistry teacher will serve a prison
sentence of seven years and nine months.

It cannot be appealed.

According to prosecutors, the chemistry teacher provided technical guidance
and helped procure ingredients and equipment for the operation.

He denied teaching the other two men how to produce drugs and denied any
knowledge that they were manufacturing narcotics during his trial.

However, the court rejected those arguments, citing phone records showing the
teacher was aware of the drug operation.

And finally, in last night's Taiwan Professional Basketball League play-offs.

The Formosa Dreamers beat the Hsinchu Lioneers 114-106 Game 3 of their
play-off series at the Hsinchu County Stadium.

The result means the Dreamers are now leading the five game series 2-1.

Game 4 is tomorrow, also at the Hsinchu County Stadium.

Meanwhile,

The Taiwan Beer Leopards and the New Taipei Kings meet at the Hoping
Gymnasium in Taipei this evening for Game 3 their play-off series.

That series is level at one win apiece.

This evening's game begins at 7 o'clock.

Trump

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is calling Beijing is "the sole risk to
regional peace and stability."

The statement came after Xi Jinping told U-S President Donald Trump that
Taiwan was "the most important issue" in China-US relations.

Chinese state media reports quote Xi as telling Trump that if the issue "is
handled properly," then "the bilateral relationship" between the U-S and
China "will enjoy overall stability ...

... otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts,
putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy."

Xi also told trump that "Taiwan independence" and cross-strait peace are as
irreconcilable as fire and water"

The foreign ministry here in Taipei says Taiwan will continue to cooperate
with the U-S and other countries that uphold freedom and democracy to ensure
regional security and prosperity.

The ministry is also reiterating that Taiwan and the People's Republic of
China "are not subordinate to each other," and Beijing has no right to
represent Taiwan in any international arena.

Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee says the government's national security and
diplomatic teams remained in close contact with the U-S side during the
Trump-Xi meeting.

While Mainland Affairs Council spokesman Liang Wen-chieh says there has been
no surprising information out of Trump's visit to China so far and the
government will continue to maintain close communication with the U-S side.

At the same time,

U-S Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed Washington's policy on Taiwan
has not changed following the summit between U-S President Donald Trump and
China's President Xi Jinping.

Rubio reiterated that it would be a terrible mistake for China to pursue what
it calls "reunification" by force or through any coercive means, and "there
would be repercussions for that globally, not just for the United States."

Rubio said Beijing raised the Taiwan issue, as it has in the past, and the
U-S responded by by saying "anything that would compel or force a change in
what we have now would be problematic, and U-S "policies on that have not
changed."

Rubio added that Xi's requesting that Trump stop selling weapons to Taiwan
had been discussed in the past, but it "did not feature prominently in
Thursday's discussion."

And the U-S Secretary of State went to say that U-S arms sales to Taiwan are
decisions "the president gets to make," and that the U-S Congress also plays
a role in the process.

The U-S and the European Union are both expressing support for Taiwan's
participation in international organizations.

This, after Taiwan failed to receive an invitation to the World Health
Assembly - scheduled for May 18 through 23 in Geneva.

It's the 10th consecutive year that Taiwan has been denied representation at
the annual meeting of the global health body.

A U-S State Department spokesperson says although Washington withdrew from
the World Health Organization in January, it remains supportive of Taiwan's
participation in international organizations ..

.. as the world stands to benefit from Taiwan's expertise and resources to
address some of today's most difficult global challenges.

The European Union's diplomatic service has also issued a statement saying
"Taiwan's participation in international frameworks should be allowed
wherever this is consistent with the rules or practice of the organization."

Although Taiwan has not been invited to participate in the W-H-A again this
year, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang will be leading a delegation to Geneva
to hold bilateral talks with health officials from other countries.

While Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has said he hopes to travel to Geneva to
take part in events being organized by there by Taiwan's W-H-A Action Team.

Premier Zhu Rong-tai has issued a crackdown government agencies on voyeurism
crimes.

The move follows lleged privacy violations involving several cosmetic clinic
chains across Taiwan.

Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee says the directive covers the ministries of
health, sports, transportation and economic affairs - these have been ordered
to inspect cosmetic clinics, beauty salons, fitness centers and hotels to
identify potential hidden-camera crimes.

Lee says local governments have been asked to assist with those inspections.

The Cabinet spokeswoman also say authorities are studying whether buyers of
covert recording devices should be required to register their real
identities, and whether online sales of such devices should be more tightly
regulated.

Authorities are also discussing ways to strengthen oversight of contractors
responsible for installing such equipment.

The statements come afer three well-known cosmetic clinic chains and several
independent ones have been searched and pinhole cameras were discovered in
treatment rooms.

The Changhua District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a poultry farmer and
an egg distributor on charges related to the illegal use of fipronil and the
sale of tainted eggs.

Both the Changhua County poultry farm owner, and the Taichung-based egg
distributor have been charged with fraud and of violating the Act Governing
Food Safety and Sanitation.

Prosecutors says the farm owner mixed fipronil with other diluted pesticides
and sprayed the mixture in chicken coops and cages to treat a mite
infestation that occurred last year... they knew the insecticide is banned
for use on egg-laying chickens.

The farm owner then began selling the contaminated eggs in October of last
year to four egg dealers in Taichung and Changhua, who then sold them to
various local chain supermarkets and shopping centers.

One of those egg dealers allegedly continued selling boxes of contaminated
eggs to downstream restaurants and consumers after the illegal use of
fipronil by the poulty farmer had been reported to authorities.

Prosecutors have requested the confiscation of 3.6-million N-T in alleged
illegal gains from the poultry farm owner and 120,000 N-T in illegal gains
from the egg dealer.

minors

The Shilin District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a former Taipei
elementary school basketball for allegedly sexually assaulting minors and
filming sexual images involving up to 53 victims.

Prosecutors say the man was charged with violations of the Child and Youth
Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act, the Child and Juvenile Welfare and Rights
Protection Act, and the Criminal Code.

The prosecutors' office says the man created Instagram accounts in June and
July of last year and used a female profile photo to pose as a woman to
befriend underage girls and persuade them to send nude and sexually explicit
photos and videos to him.

Prosecutors say the man sexually assaulting two other children in separate
incidents in August and November 2025, and secretly filmed students in
toilets and shower areas at schools and other locations using his mobile
phone between 2024 and 2025.

The Taipei Department of Education says he was immediately dismissed from his
job when the case first came to light late last year and handed a lifetime
teaching ban.

And,

The Taipei Zoo says one of its Asian small-clawed otters has arrived at New
Zealand's Auckland Zoo to participate in an international conservation
program aimed at contributing to biodiversity.

The otter departed for Auckland on Tuesday evening to participate in the
program, which is being coordinated by the European Association of Zoos and
Aquaria.

The program selected the Taiwan-born otter to help conserve the Asian
small-clawed otter population by contributing to genetic diversity through
its transfer to the New Zealand zoo.

The otter is currently undergoing quarantine procedures in Auckland, after
which it will join the zoo's Asian small-clawed otter family.

The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and is commonly
found in the wetlands, rivers, and lakes of Southeast and South Asia.

It is listed as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of
Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

The Reuters News Agency says The Pentagon has canceled plans to temporarily
deploy 4,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland.

The decision comes just two weeks after the Pentagon announced it was
withdrawing 5,000 troops from NATO ally Germany, in part due to a widening
rift over the Iran war between President Donald Trump and Europe.

A Pentagon spokesperson declined comment, a lawmaker said the decision had
not yet been notified to Congress, and no formal announcement has been made.

Reuters says the U.S. has been reviewing its troop presence in Europe and has
long been expected to scale it back, following demands from Trump that NATO
take a larger role in the defense of Europe.