The Tai-Ex opened down 58-points this morning from yesterday's close, at
45,620 on turnover of $18-billion N-T.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says motorists who cause death or serious injury while
driving under the influence of drugs will face a lifetime license ban under
planned amendments to the law.

According to the Cabinet, the Ministry of Justice has been instructed to
draft amendments imposing harsher (更嚴厲的) criminal penalties for drug-impaired
driving as soon as possible.

The premier says Cabinet would discuss establishing a legal basis for rapid
saliva testing of suspected drug-impaired drivers and those tests could also
be used alongside existing urine tests in schools to strengthen anti-drug
efforts.

The premier also says authorities will step up border inspections targeting
vapes and that he's instructed the justice ministry to convene a narcotics
review committee to consider reclassifying etomidate from a Category 2 to a
Category 1 narcotic.

The proposed changes come after the Ministry of Transport earlier this week
unveiled a package of stricter administrative penalties that also covered
passengers riding with drug-impaired drivers and expanded license
revocations.

Taipei Zoo is scheduled to receive two red pandas from Shanghai Zoo tomorrow.

The red pandas are coming to Taiwan under an agreement signed at the 2024
Shanghai-Taipei Twin City Forum.

Taipei Zoo will be sending white‑handed gibbons to Shanghai Zoo instead of
African penguins as originally (起初) stated in the agreement.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan‑an says the red pandas are expected to make their
public debut after completing a one-month quarantine period following their
arrival.

Donald Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton has reportedly
agreed to plead guilty to mishandling classified misinformation, stemming
from a critical book he wrote about his time in the administration..

The case is part of the US President’s campaign to aggressively (激烈地，竭力地)
prosecute his perceived (認為) critics.

Ira Spitzer has more.

Somalia's opposition supporters and security forces have clashed in Mogadishu
for a second day ahead of a planned anti-government demonstration.

The United Nations and the United States called for restraint (克制) as the
government and opposition blame each other for the violence.

Residents reported heavy gunfire and explosions in several neighborhoods.

The clashes highlight growing political tensions over elections and the
constitution.

Gunfire subsides Thursday afternoon after mediation efforts.

Opposition figures say the rally protests constitutional violations and
efforts by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to extend his tenure.

The government rejects those allegations.

The European Union is expanding its ocean monitoring network with underwater
drones and satellites as climate change intensifies heat waves and storms.

EU Commision President Ursula von der Leyen $107-million US dollars will fund
this effort.

Oceans are vital ecosystems covering about 70% of planet Earth, hosting
complex webs of life that generate oxygen and absorb (吸收) greenhouse gases
like carbon dioxide.

The EU aims to lead global ocean research and protection.

Funds will support oceanic technology incubators and the United Nations'
Global Ocean Observing System.

By 2035, the EU hopes to cover 35% of Earth's maritime monitoring network.

The Tai-Ex opened down 95-points this morning from yesterday's close, at
46,364 on turnover of 13-billion N-T.

The market closed at yet another record high on Wednesday, it surpassed the
46,000 mark following an overnight rally among tech stocks on Wall Street -
which triggered buying, particularly in the bellwether electronics sector
(指標電子類股).

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The government-sponsored Metal Industries Research & Development Center has
signed a memorandum of understanding (合作備忘錄) with US-based defense technology
developer Anduril Industries for the development of unmanned aerial vehicles
(無人機).

The agreement was signed by Center Chairperson Liu Chia-ru and Anduril
founder Palmer Luckey in Taipei.

According to the center, cooperation will focus on the development of A-I
autonomous systems and key drone components and the two parties will
integrate the supply chains, promote localized production (在地化生產) and expand
technology exchanges.

Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming says Taiwan's greenhouse gas emissions
(溫室氣體排放) in 2025 are estimated to have been about 9-per cent below 2005
levels, narrowly missing the government's 10-per cent reduction target
(減量目標).

According to Peng, the official goal remain to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by 28-per cent, plus or minus 2 percentage points, by 2030 compared
with 2005 levels.

Peng says in order to meet the 2030 target, the government will need to
reduce emissions by nearly 20-per cent over the next five years.

Peng is describing that possibilty as being challenging, despite emissions
here in Taiwan being on a steady downward trend (下降趨勢).

House lawmakers have delivered a bipartisan condemnation (譴責) of the Iran
war, passing a resolution to block U.S. President Donald Trump from ordering
further strikes.

Kate Fisher reports from Washington

Indonesia's former head of the National Nutrition Agency has been arrested on
corruption charges (貪污指控) related to a multibillion-dollar free-meals
program.

The initiative aimed to fight malnutrition (營養不良) by feeding nearly 90
million children and pregnant women.

President Prabowo Subianto fired Dadan Hindayana on Tuesday, replacing him
with the agency's deputy chief.

Investigators searched the agency’s offices early Wednesday.

Prosecutors also arrested two other officials.

The program, expected to cost $28 billion through 2029, has faced criticism
for high costs and food poisoning (食物中毒) cases.

The World Health Organization says Congo's Ebola outbreak (疫情爆發) had a head
start, but testing is improving, even as violence plagues the region.

Since mid-May, 344 cases and 60 deaths have been confirmed in three eastern
provinces.

The number of suspected cases (疑似病例) has dropped significantly.

Uganda has 15 confirmed cases, including one death.

The outbreak involves a rare Ebola type with no approved medicine or vaccine.

Limited testing and access issues make assessing the outbreak's extent
difficult.

The W-H-O says only 45-per cent of contacts have been traced, with insecurity
and displacement complicating efforts.

The Tai-Ex opened up 103-points this morning from yesterday's close, at
45,660.

However, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing saw its share prices (股價) soar to
a record high (歷史新高) of 2,440 N-T with the opening minutes - and that
resulted in the main board making a significant gain of 841 points ...

.. which pushed the market above the 46,000 point mark, as it reached 46,398.

Market watchers say the rises are due to investor optimism (投資人樂觀情緒) toward
A-I, as keynote speeches at Computex Taipei has boosted tech stocks values
both here in Taiwan and on Wall Street overnight.

The Air Force has grounded (停飛) all of its T-34C trainers pending safety
checks (安全檢查) following a crash at the Gangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung that
left two pilots dead.

The two-seater aircraft crashed while conducting a routine simulated
engine-failure training exercise.

Both Lt. Col. Lu Chi-yu and Lt. Col. Kuo Chun-nan were pronounced dead at the
scene.

According to Air Force Chief Inspector Major General Chiang Yi-cheng, the
pilots reported no anomalies or malfunctions (故障) during the flight test and
weather conditions, including visibility, were suitable for flying.

The Air Force has formed a special task force to investigate the cause of the
crash.

Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih has overseen a send-off ceremony for the
first large-scale export (大規模出口) of Taiwan-grown summer fruits to Europe.

The 6 metric tons of mangoes, lychees and dragon fruit left Pingtung County
after meeting European Union import and quarantine requirements (檢疫規定).

Speaking at the ceremony Chen said Taiwan's fresh fruit exports to Europe had
previously been limited, but this latest shipment mark the start of a more
systematic push into the European market.

According to the exporter, the shipment is destined for Rungis, France's
largest wholesale fresh produce market (生鮮批發市場), which serves as a key
sourcing hub for Michelin-starred restaurants, hotels and major retailers.

leadership crisis

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesperson (官方發言人) has
confirmed the prime minister's WhatsApp messages are set to automatically
disappear (自動消失)...

A revelation that emerged after a cabinet meeting on the same day as the
release of around a thousand pages of documents related to the appointment
and dismissal of Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to Washington.

The opposition Conservatives say they are surprised by how little of the
prime minister's own communications feature in the release, and have accused
the government of a cover-up (掩蓋真相).

Olly Barratt reports from London.

Canada is calling on the United States and Mexico to renew (延長 / 續約) the free
trade agreement (自由貿易協定) between the countries for another 16 years just as
U.S. President Donald Trump revives talk of making Canada the 51st state.

Canada’s minister for U.S. trade sent a letter to United States Trade
Representative Jamieson Greer and Mexico’s Secretary of Economy Marcelo
Ebrard on Tuesday that conveys Canada’s recommendation.

The letter comes ahead of the scheduled July review of the United
States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Its the latest version of free trade agreements among the U.S., Mexico and
Canada dating back to the early 1990s that have intertwined (緊密相連 / 交織在一起)
the economies of the three North American countries.

Trump posted “51st State!” on social media late Monday.

The Tai-Ex opened up 51-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 45,388
on turnover of 19.1-billion N-T.

The market gained solid ground and closed above the 45,000-point mark for the
first time on Monday, amid investor enthusiasm over the artificial
intelligence boom.

The rise came as some of the world's leading tech companies are in Taiwan for
Computex this week - where they're expected to give solid guidance for A-I at
a series of forums and keynote speeches.

Analysts say Computex-driven business opportunities could help push the
market higher for much of this week.

Visiting Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil says China cannot tell the
Czech Republic whom to befriend (交朋友).

The statement came shortly after Vystrcil arrived in Taiwan on Monday heading
a delegation of around 40 people for a four-day visit at the invitation of
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu.

Along with meeting with representatives from the K-M-T and the D-P-P,
Vystrcil is also slated to hold talks with President Lai Ching-te and other
senior government officials this week.

long-term care services

The Ministry of Health says foreign professionals and their dependents will
soon be eligible for long-term care services.

According to the ministry, the move means foreign professionals with
permanent residency status along with their spouses, children under the age
of 18 will have access to the services beginning June 30.

Foreign professionals with permanent residency, dependants aged 65 or over or
with disabilities will also be eligible.

However, eligibilty only applies to those who have legally lived in Taiwan
for 10 cumulative years and spent at least 183 days per year here.

The health ministry says the move is expected to benefit (造福) between 100 to
200 people.

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis have demonstrated across the
country against mandatory military enlistment.

On Monday, they blocked roads and trains, lit cars on fire, and attacked a
soldier.

Police struggled to control the crowds with water cannons and horses.

The protest disrupted highways and public transportation in Jerusalem and Tel
Aviv.

Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel, but
ultra-Orthodox parties have historically secured exemptions.

Israel is currently maintaining a simultaneous (同時) military presence in
Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, in addition to fighting a war with Iran, which has
stretched its robust military to the breaking point.

The issue is tearing apart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing
coalition, possibly moving elections up by several weeks this fall after the
ultra-Orthodox parties withdrew their support for Netanyahu.

The artificial intelligence company Anthropic says it has filed paperwork for
an initial public offering, setting the stage for a blockbuster IPO possibly
later this year.

The maker of the chatbot Claude will be competing (競爭) with rival OpenAI, as
well as SpaceX, both of which are also planning to go public.

Ira Spitzer reports from San Francisco.