Flights and shipping affected by Chinese drillsTrips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes andBy Shelley Shan

Myanmar’s junta opened voting in the phased month-long election a week ago, with its leaders pledging the poll would bring on democracy. Relatives of prisoners hold placards with the names of inmates as they wait outside Insein prison in Yangon, Myanmar, yesterday. It was not immediately clear whether those released include the thousands of political detainees imprisoned for opposing military rule. The prisoner releases, common on holidays and other significant occasions in Myanmar, began yesterday and are expected to take several days to complete. At Yangon’s Insein Prison, which is notorious for housing political detainees, relatives of prisoners gathered at the gates early in the morning.

UK, France launch airstrikes on ‘IS’ facility in SyriaAP, DAMASCUSBritish and French warplanes carried out an airstrike in central Syria on an underground facility where members of the Islamic State (IS) group are suspected to have stored weapons and explosives, the British Ministry of Defence said yesterday. The UK and France are part of the US-led coalition that has been fighting IS militants for more than a decade. Photo: EPA / SGT LEE GODDARD HANDOUTThe ministry said the British military used Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets supported by a Voyager refueling tanker and were joined by French aircraft in the joint strike. Despite its defeat in Syria in 2019, IS sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq where the extremists once declared their caliphate. UN experts say IS still commands between 5,000 and 7,000 members across its former stronghold in Syria and Iraq.

Watch out for undercover Chinese ships, researcher says‘GRAY ZONE’: The real threat China’s navy poses is not coming from its civilian fleet, but from undercover ships that can launch fiber-optic drones, a researcher saidBy Fang Wei-li and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerChinese vessels flying another nation’s flag could be deployed in “gray zone” operations around Taiwan, a civil preparedness advocate said on Friday. Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard AdministrationThis class of vessels was heavily featured in the Chinese military’s drills around Taiwan proper, it said. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chen Chia-sheng (陳嘉生) last month said the PLA could use field modifications to transform civilian vessels into disposable missile platforms. The real threat is the potential use of false-flagged ships in covert operations, which has been showcased by the ongoing Chinese military exercise, he said. Citing government reports, Ho said the coast guard so far discovered eight Chinese state-owned ships operating in the waters surrounding Taiwan, including seven that requested permission to dock.

Photo courtesy of the foundationThe poll showed that 16.3 percent of the students frequently eat fast food and fried food, 53 percent consume snacks and desserts and 16.2 percent drink bubble tea. Further analysis confirmed that children who are classified as obese tended to consume bubble tea, fast food or fried foods often. Regarding the daily three meals, the poll showed 11 percent of students eat breakfast fewer than three days a week. About 31.8 percent of students ate a more balanced dinner, the poll showed. Among students who eat energy gels, the poll showed 5.1 percent consume some more than once a day, and 28.1 percent eat some once a day.

The amendment, proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍), would allow the establishment of free-trade zones on designated outlying islands. Procedures required for urban renewal projects and environmental impact assessment inside the free-trade zones would be streamlined, while rules governing the establishment and management of free-trade zones would be set by the local governments of outlying islands, the draft says. An official familiar with cross-strait issues said on condition of anonymity that such a matter should be handled based on the cross-strait act. The MAC in a report to the legislature last year said the Offshore Islands Development Act stipulates that the National Development Council and governments of the outlying islands should jointly assess if the islands are equipped with the infrastructure necessary to build a free-trade zone. Under the regulations, any approval for Chinese-invested businesses to set up in free-trade zones or parks must comply with Article 73 and other provisions of cross-strait act, it said.

“Thankfully shots went in and gave us a lot of momentum.”The Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, center, guards the Utah Jazz’s Keyonte George during their NBA game in San Francisco on Saturday. Green also returned to action, but was ejected minutes into the second quarter when he received two quick technical fouls for arguing with officials. Green apparently thought there should have been a three-second call and was ejected with two minutes, 25 seconds left in the second quarter. “We won the game, that’s all we care about, that’s all he cares about,” Stephen Curry said. The Warriors need Green to be smart with his emotions, Kerr said.

EVA pilot suspended for striking first officerStaff writer, with CNAEVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating procedure. Aircraft operated by EVA Airways Corp are pictured at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei TimesThe pilot responded by punching the first officer at least four times, the report said, leaving him with swelling and bruising on the back of one hand. Once the investigation is completed, the pilot, who is currently on flight suspension, would be referred to the airline’s disciplinary review board for further review, EVA Air said.

Braves win twice in Lin Chih-chieh’s returnStaff writer, with CNAThe Taipei Fubon Braves last night defeated the Yankey Ark Professional Basketball Team 126-105 at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, a day after they trounced the Tainan TSG GhostHawks 124-86 in veteran Lin Chih-chieh’s first game of his final season. The Taipei Fubon Braves’ Lin Chih-chieh shoots toward the basket in their P.League+ game against the Yankey Ark Professional Basketball Team at Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium last night. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei TimesOn Saturday, three Braves scored more than 20 points, led by Troy Gillenwater’s 24. Singletary sustained a season-ending foot injury in January 2024 and left the team before his return was announced last month. Lin scored five points, with five rebounds and five assists.

Cold weather to be upon the land once again todayBy Tang Shih-ming / Staff reporter, with CNAA strong continental cold air mass and radiative cooling sent temperatures plunging across Taiwan early yesterday, with the lowest recorded temperature in low-lying areas down to 4.8°C in Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. A Central Weather Administration chart shows the weather forecast for this week. The red line represents northern Taiwan, the orange line central Taiwan, the yellow line southern Taiwan and the green line eastern Taiwan. Another strong continental cold air mass is forecast to move south from today into tomorrow, driving temperatures down. Brief showers are expected in areas north of Taoyuan, as well as northeastern and eastern Taiwan, the CWA said.

Joe Root, Harry Brook tame Australia in rain-hit AshesAFP, SYDNEYJoe Root and Harry Brook yesterday tamed Australia’s all-pace attack with an unbroken 154-run stand to rescue England and give them the upper hand after a rain-hit day one of the fifth and final Ashes Test. England’s Joe Root hits a shot on day one of the fifth Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. “We’re in very good position, obviously three down at the end of the end of play,” said Brook. It was the first time in 138 years that the hosts have not played a frontline spinner during a Sydney Test. “Hate doing it,” Australia skipper Steve Smith said.

Man sentenced for threatening mayorStaff writer, with CNAA Keelung man has been sentenced to two months in prison for threatening to kill Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) over a water issue with his home. Upon reaching the hotline representative, Chang threatened Hsieh by name, before going on to warn: “If you come bother me again where I live, I’ll go to Keelung City Hall and start killing people. If you have the guts, you can sue me.”The Keelung District Court is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Lin Chia-tung, Taipei TimesThe hotline worker notified the police, while Chang, who was later brought in for questioning, admitted to having threatened the mayor. The court sentenced Chang to two months’ imprisonment, commutable to a fine of NT$60,000, significantly less than the maximum two-year prison sentence allowed under the law.

Okamoto signs 4-year deal with Blue JaysAP, TORONTOInfielder Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a US$60 million, four-year contract, two people familiar with the negotiations said on Saturday. He homered off Colorado’s Kyle Freeland to help Japan beat the US 3-2 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic final. Under the MLB’s posting agreement with Nippon Professional Baseball, the Blue Jays would owe the Giants a posting fee of US$10,875,000. After coming within two outs of their first World Series title since 1993, the Blue Jays have made significant additions to the roster. Right-hander Shane Bieber also exercised a US$16 million player option for this season rather than become a free agent.

Panama-flagged cargo ship refloated off HualienStaff writer, with CNAA Panama-flagged bulk carrier that ran aground off Hualien County on New Year’s Day was successfully refloated on Saturday and towed into Hualien Port, with no oil pollution detected, authorities said yesterday. After passing hull inspections, the vessel, CSE Prosperity Express, was refloated by two tugboats under coast guard escort and safely berthed at Wharf No. 22 at around 8 pm, the Maritime Port Bureau said. No oil leakage was observed during or after the operation, despite the ship carrying more than 200 metric tons of residual fuel. The Panama-flagged bulk carrier, CSE Prosperity Express, is pictured off Hualien County on Saturday.

Osaka wins after Raducanu pulls out of the United CupStaff writer, with AFP, PERTH, AustraliaFour-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka yesterday got her season off to a winning start for Japan in the United Cup, after the UK’s Emma Raducanu pulled out of their singles clash with a fitness issue, while in Brisbane, Taiwan’s Latisha Chan and Wu Fang-hsien crashed out of the women’s doubles. Osaka was too strong for reserve and 276th-ranked Katie Swan, winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 as Raducanu watched from the sidelines. Katie Swan of the UK returns to Naomi Osaka of Japan during their United Cup match in Perth, Australia, yesterday. Also on Saturday, in Sydney, Zhang Zhizhen led China to a 2-1 win over Belgium to begin their tournament, and despite Norway’s Casper Ruud stunning Australian No. 1 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-3, the hosts prevailed 2-1.