Prosecutors sniffed around the case, but it is unclear if they intend to follow up with formal charges. Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei TimesHOW THE TPP DEFIED GRAVITYWhat are the political implications of all this during an election year? This case started long before the currently tight-knit relationship between the TPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was formed. To change that would require changing the law, which the KMT and TPP have the majority to bring about. Donovan’s Deep Dives is a regular column by Courtney Donovan Smith (石東文) who writes in-depth analysis on everything about Taiwan’s political scene and geopolitics.

Italy triumph to stay in World Cup huntAFP, PARISItaly are to face Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place at the FIFA World Cup after beating Northern Ireland 2-0 on Thursday, as Wales and the Republic of Ireland suffered agonizing penalty shoot-out defeats in their qualifying playoff semi-finals. Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean struck second-half goals in Bergamo to keep four-time World Cup winners Italy on track to end a 12-year absence from the tournament. Italy’s Moise Kean, center, scores against Northern Ireland in their FIFA World Cup playoff semi-final in Bergamo, Italy, on Thursday. Sweden are to play Poland in Stockholm for one of four remaining European tickets to the World Cup. David Strelec’s stoppage-time strike was not enough to deny Kosovo, who are to host Turkey for the right to go to the World Cup.

Consumer confidence at lowest level in 3 yearsHEIGHTENED CONCERNS: A survey by National Central University showed that consumer concerns are linked to uncertainty caused by the war in IranBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterTaiwan’s consumer confidence declined this month as escalating tensions in the Middle East weighed on sentiment and heightened concerns over inflation and economic risks, a survey released yesterday by National Central University (NCU) said. The consumer confidence index dropped 4.28 points from the previous month to 62.3, the lowest level in three years and two months, the survey showed. Although the government has introduced measures to stabilize energy prices, those policies would delay inflation rather than resolve it altogether, Wu said. As a result, weak consumer sentiment could persist for some time. If the conflict pushes up prices globally, it could also weigh on consumer spending in the US and other major economies.

Since their conversion to drones, the aircraft have been identified at five bases in China’s Fujian Province and one in Guangdong Province, the report said. J. Michael Dahm, a senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute, said that the PLA has deployed an estimated 200 or more obsolete fighters converted to drones to airfields near the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese People’s Liberation Air Force has converted some of the fighters into attack drones. The PLA Air Force in September last year exhibited one of the converted fighters at the Changchun Air Show in northeast China. The Chinese airfields closest to the Taiwan Strait where J-6 drones are based would be vulnerable to counterattack from Taiwan and its allies in a conflict, Dahm said.

The average electricity rate would stay unchanged at NT$3.78 per kilowatt-hour for the next six months, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Lai Chien-hsin (賴建信) told a news conference after the electricity price review committee wrapped up its meeting. The committee also aimed to help safeguard the competitiveness of local industries by keeping electricity cost unchanged, he said. Taipower still has some leeway to absorb increases in power generation costs, as the state-run utility company reported profit of NT$72.9 billion (US$2.29 billion) last year, Lai said. If the war ends within three months, the Ministry of Economic Affairs expects there to be little chance that global prices in October would be much higher, he said. “Inflation is highly correlated to electricity prices, and inflation is difficult to reverse once it goes up,” Hsu said.

DR Congo strife escalating, UN warns‘HEAVY WEAPONS’: The situation in South Kivu is tense, with hostilities expanding and shifting the front lines, including toward the border with Burundi, an official saidAP, UNITED NATIONSThe UN’s acting top envoy for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) on Thursday warned the UN Security Council that the conflict in the nation is escalating and expanding, with increasing use of heavy weapons and offensive drones posing serious risks to civilians. “The situation in South Kivu remains tense, and the renewed hostilities have expanded and shifted the front lines, including toward Burundi’s border, increasing the risk of a regional conflagration,” Van de Perre said. A woman helps children get off a motorcycle at Unity Stadium in Goma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Friday last week. Photo: AFPEastern DR Congo has been battered by decades of unrest as government forces fight more than 100 armed groups, the most potent being M23, often over access to the nation’s mineral riches. Officials from DR Congo, Rwanda and the US met in Washington last week and agreed on coordinated steps to de-escalate tensions in the nation’s east.

This is precisely why pro-unification forces become visibly agitated whenever the Sunflower movement is mentioned. It must also be why 12 years later, they are still launching troll campaigns online, mocking the movement’s anthem, Island’s Sunrise (島嶼天光). Even in the face of expanding authoritarian pressure from China, Taiwan has remained committed to safeguarding human rights and democratic values. The many social movements that have worked to defend democracy and freedom while resisting CCP aggression have all played an indispensable role in this achievement. Pan Kuan was a participant in the 2014 Sunflower movement.

Satellite observations offer tsunami formation insightReutersObservations made by a satellite operated by the US and French space agencies shortly after a strong earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula last year are giving scientists a better understanding of how tsunamis originate and propagate. The NASA-CNES Surface Water and Ocean Topography, or SWOT, satellite made its observations within 70 minutes of the start of the earthquake. This allows scientists to see the shape, direction and spacing of tsunami waves in much greater detail. The Kamchatka tsunami did not cause significant loss of life, but others have caused huge death tolls such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed about 230,000 people. “This opens a new window to understand in a better way what happens with earthquakes and tsunamis near the trench,” Sepulveda said, referring to SWOT observations.

Nepal’s youngest prime minister takes oath of officeAP, KATHMANDUNepal’s youngest prime minister took the oath of office yesterday after his party won a landslide victory in elections earlier this month. Balendra Shah was appointed prime minister by Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel after his Rastriya Swatantra Party won nearly two-thirds of the seats in the Nepalese House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, in the March 5 polls. Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah, right, and former Nepalese interim prime minister Sushila Karki embrace during a ceremony in Kathmandu yesterday. Shah later yesterday entered his new office at 14:15pm, which also fits a “14-15” pattern. Hindu priests consider such numerical patterns as auspicious.

Chinese anxiety about Trump visitBy Gurjit SinghThe shifting geopolitical tectonic plates of this year have placed Beijing in a profound strategic dilemma. The summit between Takaichi and Trump has rattled Beijing’s strategic planners more than any other regional development this year. To ensure the Trump visit remains viable and successful, China is adjusting its posture across several fronts. Chinese economic officials have been active in international circles, signaling that Beijing is prepared to offer tangible trade wins that appeal to Trump’s preference for bilateral deals. This “goodwill gesture” is intended to show that China remains a reliable, albeit competitive, pillar of the global economy.

Israel says its attacks on Iran ‘will escalate’AP, DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesIsraeli attacks on Iran “will escalate and expand,” Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz said in a statement yesterday, adding that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “warned the Iranian terrorist regime to stop firing missiles at the civilian population in Israel.”“Despite the warnings, the firing continues — and therefore [Israeli military] attacks in Iran will escalate and expand to additional targets and areas that assist the regime in building and operating weapons against Israeli citizens,” Katz said. Photo: AFP / US Air Force / US Central CommandIsrael launched a new wave of strikes on Iran. Israel’s attack on Friday “in the heart of Tehran” targeted sites used by Iran to produce ballistic missiles and other weapons, the Israeli military said. It also hit missile launchers and storage sites in western Iran, it said. Air raid sirens sounded in Israel as the military said it was working to intercept Iranian missiles, and Iran kept firing missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbors, with sirens warning of attacks in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Taipei Floral Picnic to feature Pokemon GoBy Sun Wei-jung and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writerThis year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park this weekend, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a theme food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances. Pokemon GoTwo massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as photo attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm. A giant inflatable Pikachu is pictured at Daan Park in Taipei for an event this weekend. Photo courtesy of the Taipei City GovernmentParticipants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs. Pokemon trainers could also experience the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area.

2 in WBSC rankings after WBCStaff writerTeam Taiwan maintained their No. 2 position in the latest World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) world rankings released yesterday following the conclusion of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), staying close behind top-ranked Japan. Meanwhile, WBC champions Venezuela saw a significant boost in points to narrow the gap with the world's baseball powerhouses, coming in at No. During the group stage of this year's WBC, Taiwan fell to Australia and Japan, but defeated the Czech Republic and South Korea to finish with a 2-2 record. The top five spots in the WBSC rankings remain unchanged, with Japan continuing to hold the No.

No party action against Ko in response to ruling: TPPStaff writer, with CNAThe opposition Taiwan People's Party (TPP) has characterized the case involving former chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) as "political prosecution," and therefore there would be no expulsion or disciplinary action against the party's founder, TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said today. Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, right, speaks as former party chairman Ko Wen-je looks on at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Huang said the party has made its position clear, which is that Ko's case constitutes political targeting and persecution by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government. "Therefore, there is, of course, no issue of expulsion from the party or internal disciplinary action," he said. Huang added that party disciplinary measures are meant to address contraventions of internal integrity rules and not intended to deal with members who are subject to political persecution or judicial targeting.

Taipower submits plans to restart Pingtung nuclear plantBy Lin Ching-hua and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan Power Co (Taipower) today formally submitted plans to the Nuclear Safety Commission to restart the decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春). It does not mean that the power plant could immediately resume operations if the plan is approved, as the plant still requires further internal safety inspections, reviews and to obtain a renewed operating license, Taipower said. The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County's Hengchun Township is pictured on July 10, 2024. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) made plans in 2016 for a “nuclear-free homeland” by last year, decommissioning the Ma-anshan plant in May. In November last year, the government said that Taipower was also expected to submit plans to reopen the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里), decommissioned in 2023.