Rethinking university admissionsBy Wen Shun-te 溫順德Out of 64 participating universities in this year’s Stars Program — through which schools directly recommend their top students to universities for admission — only 19 filled their admissions quotas. However, certain departments at elite universities that failed to meet their admissions quotas are not improving. National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) had four vacancies across two departments, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) had 14 vacancies across four departments. With fewer students meeting those requirements, vacancies remain in the programs, while the remaining four only filled their quotas after a second round of admissions. Although the curriculum reforms were meant to promote adaptive learning and encourage diverse exploration, the mess of university admissions requirements has rendered the pathways system ineffectual.

Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau agents at an undisclosed location raid a Chinese firm accused of talent poaching. Prosecutors said that SG Micro had concealed its Chinese funding and is engaged in research and development, and production of ICs. Prosecutors said the investigation had uncovered that Chinese firms had registered shell companies in third nations to bypass the prohibitions, contravening the regulations. They said the 10-day operation had identified more Chinese enterprises engaged in alleged talent poaching, including the Shanghai-based Huaqin Technology Corp (華勤技術). Prosecutors reminded Taiwanese in high-tech industries to remain vigilant, not to get lured into a false promise of high-paid job in China, in light of the crackdown on illegal Chinese-funded enterprises.

Human rights concerns swirl around World CupAFP, LONDONAmnesty International warned this summer’s World Cup, spread across three North American countries and beginning in June, risks becoming a “stage for repression” in a report published Monday. The London-based human rights organization’s report, titled Humanity Must Win, called on FIFA and host countries Canada, Mexico and the US to take urgent action to protect fans, players and other communities. Photo: APAmnesty described the US as facing a “human rights emergency” under US President Donald Trump’s presidency, marked by mass deportations, arbitrary arrests and “paramilitary-style” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. “While FIFA generates record revenues from the 2026 World Cup, fans, communities, players, journalists and workers cannot be made to pay the price,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice. “It is these people — not governments, sponsors or FIFA — to whom soccer belongs, and their rights must be at the center of the tournament,” he said.

Trump’s new threat in a social media post and earlier comments in an interview with the Financial Times that suggested US troops could seize the Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub highlighted a frequent tactic. On the one hand, he has repeatedly said that talks with Iran are going well — although Tehran denies negotiating directly. In the Financial Times interview, Trump said that his preference would be to “take the oil in Iran” — a move that would require seizing Kharg Island, the terminal through which nearly all of Iran’s oil exports pass. “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t,” he added. Iran has threatened to launch its own ground invasion of Gulf Arab countries and mine the Persian Gulf if US troops set foot on its territory.

US Senate delegation urges passage of defense budgetStaff writer, with CNAA group of visiting US senators today highlighted the importance of "peace through strength," while calling on Taiwan to swiftly pass a special defense budget bill to fund planned purchases of US weapons systems for self-defense. President William Lai, center right, shakes hands with visiting US Senator Jeanne Shaheen at the Presidential Office in Taipei today. "I'd like to personally endorse the special defense budget and tell you that, back in Washington DC, my colleagues are watching — this is important," he added. The four senators made their remarks following a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office this morning. During the meeting, Lai told the senators that a government-proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.07 billion) special defense budget is the most comprehensive proposal, while also calling on lawmakers to pass it as soon as possible.

US offers ‘unprecedented’ extension for first HIMARS payment: MNDBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNAThe US has agreed to defer Taiwan’s first payment for 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) until it has completed negotiations with contractors, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The Legislative Yuan on March 13 authorized the Executive Yuan to sign four LOAs, including one for the HIMARS. However, the ministry had no basis to make the payment, as the budget had not yet been passed by the Legislative Yuan. The Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee met today, calling Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to give a report on the ministry’s annual investment plan and ability to meet its financial commitments. The process for procuring weapons usually requires a signed LOA and an initial payment before the US can begin negotiating with manufacturers.

US senate delegation arrivesStaff writer, with CNAA group of four US senators, led by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and Republican John Curtis, arrived in Taiwan last night for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening alliances in the Indo-Pacific region. The delegation, which also includes US senators Thom Tillis and Jacky Rosen, arrived at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) on a US C-40 Clipper military transport plane at about 12:20am. Photo: ReutersThey were welcomed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) and US Deputy Representative to Taiwan Karin Lang. The visit is part of a broader Indo-Pacific trip by the Senate delegation, the American Institute in Taiwan said. "Our alliance with Taiwan is one of the most strategically and morally significant partnerships America has in the Indo-Pacific," Curtis said.

KMT chair accepts trip invite from Xi JinpingBy Lin Che-yuan and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writerChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) today accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to lead a delegation to China next month, saying she hopes to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and bring stability to the Taiwan Strait. “I am grateful and happy to accept this invitation,” Cheng said in a statement from the KMT chairperson’s office. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun speaks at the party’s Central Standing Committee meeting in Taipei on Jan. 28. “CCP Secretary General Xi Jinping has invited Cheng to lead a KMT delegation to visit Jiangsu, Shanghai and Beijing from April 7 to 12,” Song said. The invitation is to promote the peaceful development of CCP-KMT and cross-strait relations, he said.

Military contractor sentenced for using Chinese materialsBy Pao Chien-hsin and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Kaohsiung branch of the High Court earlier this month sentenced a military contractor to five years and two months in prison for fraud after finding them guilty of importing raw materials from China and selling them for illegal profits of up to NT$40 million (US$1.25 million). The court upheld a guilty verdict and decreased the sentence by four months, after the first-instance trial at the Ciaotou District Court sentenced the contractor to five years and six months for document forgery and other offenses. Photo: Taipei TimesThe contractor, surnamed Yang (楊), was involved in a procurement tender issued by the Ministry of National Defense’s Armaments Bureau. The court found that Yang knowingly sold shock-absorbing pads made of polyurethane with raw materials imported from China, not from Europe, as per regulations. The contractor allegedly forged documents to claim that the materials were polyethylene foam imported from Europe.

Starlux launches Taichung-Tokyo routeStaff writer, with CNAStarlux Airlines today launched a new Taichung-Tokyo route, with chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) saying the carrier is to expand its operations in the central Taiwan market. Starlux Airlines flight crew hold signs promoting new routes between Taichung and the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Kumamoto at an event today. Photo courtesy of Starlux Airlines via CNAStarlux has long regarded Taichung Airport as its second operational hub, Chai said in a news release, adding that the airline's Taichung-Kumamoto service is to launch tomorrow. The flights from Taichung to the two Japanese cities are operated using an A321neo aircraft, with weekly flights set to gradually increase, Starlux said. On the Kumamoto route, there would initially be three flights per week, rising to five weekly flights from May 1 to 31, six weekly flights from July 10 to Aug. 19, and returning to three flights per week from Aug. 21 onward, it said.

One killed, seven injured as car rams motorcycles in TainanBy Liu Wan-chun / Staff reporterOne person was killed and seven injured in a traffic accident this morning in Tainan’s Anding District (安定), when a passenger car veered into oncoming traffic and crashed into seven motorcycles. For reasons yet to be determined, the car suddenly surged into the opposite lane, striking the motorcycles, police said. Among the victims, a 35-year-old male motorcyclist lost vital signs at the scene and was rushed to Tainan Municipal Annan Hospital, the Tainan Fire Bureau said. First responders arrived to find the car and multiple scooters severely damaged and debris scattered across the road. Officers from the Tainan Police Department's Shanhua Precinct are currently clearing the area and investigating the cause of the crash.

Grab-Foodpanda deal could reshape market: expertsStaff writer, with CNATaiwan’s food delivery market could undergo a major shift if Singapore-based Grab Holdings Ltd completes its planned acquisition of Delivery Hero SE’s Foodpanda business in Taiwan, industry experts said. A smartphone displays Grab Holdings Ltd’s logo in front of a Foodpanda delivery bag in an illustration photograph taken in Taipei on Monday last week. The relatively small market size and dense concentration of food and beverage outlets make delivery services highly substitutable, market analyst Lee Shi-chen (李世珍) said. Questions have been raised about Uber Technologies’ “indirect investment” in Taiwan’s delivery market through Grab, as the US company is its largest institutional shareholder with a roughly 13.1 percent stake. The commission would also look into concerns of “indirect investment” and remain alert to potential market concentration or abuse, Chen said.

The central bank said its intervention level remained in line with guidance set by the US Department of the Treasury when it evaluates trading partners for possible currency manipulation. During the same period, the NT dollar rose 9.63 percent against the US dollar, prompting the central bank to make net purchases totaling US$13.25 billion. The US dollar index rose 1.49 percent, while the greenback gained 4.89 percent against the NT dollar, the central bank said. During the July-to-December period, the central bank sold US$5.56 billion more US dollars than it bought to support the NT dollar, the report showed. Overall, the NT dollar rose 4.27 percent against the US dollar last year.

At 50, Apple confronts its next big challenge: AIAFP, SAN FRANCISCO, United StatesApple Inc celebrates its 50th anniversary as artificial intelligence (AI) challenges the Silicon Valley legend to prove it can deliver yet another culture-changing innovation. Apple has sold more than 3.1 billion iPhones since the handsets debuted in 2007, generating about US$2.3 trillion in revenue, according to Counterpoint Research. With the premium smartphone market widely seen as saturated, Cook has increasingly turned to selling digital content and services to the company’s vast existing base of users. A concern haunting investors is that Apple appears to be easing into generative AI while rivals Google, Microsoft and OpenAI race ahead. And rather than relying on its own engineers to overhaul Siri, Apple has turned to Google for AI capability.

CPC, Formosa to raise fuel pricesMIDDLE EAST IMPACT: CPC would have absorbed an estimated NT$6.99 billion in fuel costs from Feb. 28 to yesterday under a government policy to stabilize pricesStaff writer, with CNAState-owned oil supplier CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) on Saturday said it would raise gasoline and diesel prices by NT$1.7 and NT$1.5 per liter respectively this week, while Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) yesterday announced similar increases. CPC and Formosa cited higher global energy prices amid Middle East tensions as the main reason for the price hikes. A person pumps fuel next to a CPC Corp, Taiwan tanker truck at a fuel station in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District yesterday. If the war continues until the end of June, with the Strait of Hormuz staying shut, oil prices could reach US$200 per barrel, Macquarie Group Ltd analysts said. CPC said that under its floating fuel price mechanism, gasoline and diesel prices should have risen by NT$10.9 and NT$13 per liter this week.