US President Trump asks allies to escort shipsHORMUZ PROBLEM: Trump told NBC that the US would fight on to enforce better terms in future negotiations and that he would bomb Kharg Island ‘just for fun’AFP, TEHRANIran yesterday warned more countries against getting involved in its war with the US and Israel, after US President Donald Trump urged world powers to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint in the Persian Gulf. The strikes were in retaliation for the US and Israeli air campaign that killed its supreme leader and triggered the regional Middle East war. He said might, again, bomb targets on Iran’s oil hub, Kharg Island, “just for fun.”“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it, because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump told NBC News. Online operations at Bank Melli, one of the country’s largest, had been paralyzed in the past few days. Late on Saturday, authorities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, also said air defenses had made further interceptions after Iran’s military warned civilians to avoid port areas.

Banks to utilize facial recognition at ATMs: reportBy Chen Cheng-hui / Staff reporterTo combat fraud, the Ministry of Finance has required eight state-run banks to install artificial intelligence (AI)-powered facial recognition systems in automated teller machines (ATMs), the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) reported yesterday. If people transfer money while talking on the phone, ATMs would urge them to stay alert to potential fraud, the report said. Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Taipei TimesThe eight banks are Bank of Taiwan Co (臺灣銀行), Land Bank of Taiwan Co (土地銀行), Hua Nan Commercial Bank Ltd (華南銀行), Taiwan Cooperative Bank Ltd (合作金庫銀行), First Commercial Bank Ltd (第一銀行), Chang Hwa Commercial Bank Ltd (彰化銀行), Mega International Commercial Bank Co (兆豐銀行) and Taiwan Business Bank Ltd (臺灣企銀). About 1 to 2 percent of the more than 5,000 ATMs operated by the eight state-run banks have facial recognition systems. The ministry wants to lift the ratio to 20 percent by the end of this year, the report said.

Cabinet’s priority is to pass security bills: officialLEGISLATION: Those who advocate, promote or support the initiation of war against the Taiwan would face a NT$1 million fine under the draft amendmentsBy Chen Fu-yu / Staff reporterThe Executive Yuan would prioritize pushing forward 13 national security bills during this legislative session, a government official familiar with the matter said yesterday, adding that these measures are crucial to Taiwan’s security and should receive cross-party support. Regarding the National Security Act, the draft amendments include new provisions defining illicit organizational activities and introducing administrative penalties for speech advocating war. Currently, if military personnel, civil servants, teachers or retired military officers are involved in national security crimes, their retirement pension can be revoked once a final guilty verdict is delivered. The proposed amendments, as well as the passage of a special budget for US arms purchases, are intended to protect Taiwan’s national security, and safeguard its democracy and self-defense mechanisms, which are all matters of great urgency, the official said. “They are of paramount importance to Taiwan’s security and should receive cross-party support for their passage,” they added.

Ministry details security and resilience subsidiesRESILIENCE: The subsidies would fund disaster response equipment, air-raid shelters and protection of critical infrastructure, and bolster counterterrorism capabilitiesBy Chen Yun and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Ministry of the Interior has announced subsidy standards for measures aimed at bolstering national security and resilience, with a NT$6.25 billion (US$195.8 million) budget earmarked. Following the passage of the special resilience act at the legislature last year, the ministry outlined details of the regulations for the implementation of the act. For disaster response and life-support equipment, the ministry has allocated NT$1.58 billion to assist local governments in establishing 368 disaster coordination centers nationwide, and equipping 7,748 villages with emergency disaster-response and life-sustaining equipment. A total of NT$1.99 billion is allocated for subsidizing the installation of anti-drone systems, aimed at bolstering counterterrorism capabilities and improving the security of critical infrastructure. The government last year proposed the Special Statute on Strengthening the Resilience of the Economy, Society, and National Security in Response to International Developments in response to the US tariffs.

North Korea tests nuclear-capable rocket launchersAFP, SEOULNorth Korea tested nuclear-capable rocket launchers, state media reported yesterday, a day after Seoul detected the launch of about 10 ballistic missiles. The test comes after South Korean and US forces launched their springtime military drills, due to run until Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday oversaw the testing of the multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS), the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, center, oversee a training exercise of the North Korean army’s 600mm caliber ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers at an undisclosed location in North Korea on Saturday in a photo released yesterday. The rockets battered an island target in the Sea of Japan (known as the “East Sea” in South Korea and the “East Sea of Korea” in North Korea) more than 360 km away, KCNA said.

Former Polish president, ex-Fijian PM to speak at Yushan ForumStaff writer, with CNAFormer Polish President Lech Walesa and former Fijian prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry are among the foreign guests set to attend an annual international forum in Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced yesterday. An image featuring theme of this year’s Yushan Forum is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Screen grab from Yushan Forum’s Web sitePresident William Lai (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) will both speak at the forum on Monday, MOFA added. This year’s forum will be held under the theme “Indo- Pacific Partnership Prospects: Taiwan’s Values, Technology, and Resilience,” aimed at promoting regional collaboration through solutions “based on Taiwan’s values and incorporating technology and resilience,” according to the forum’s website. The Yushan Forum, launched in 2017, aims to strengthen Taiwan’s exchanges with partners under the New Southbound Policy, which was introduced by then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in 2016 to boost trade, investment and people-to-people ties with 18 countries in ASEAN, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Caspian tern population surges in Tainan parkBy Tsai Wen-chu / Staff reporterThe Tainan Caspian tern population has in the past few years surged dramatically, Taijiang National Park has said. Their numbers have continued to grow, with 1,550 observed on Friday, making them Taijiang National Park’s most important ecological resource after the black-faced spoonbill, it said. Caspian terns are pictured at the Zengwen River estuary in an undated photograph. Caspian terns gather at the Zengwen River estuary in an undated photograph. The tern population in the past few years has grown steadily, prompting Taijiang to begin recording their numbers starting last year, he said.

Taiwan wins women’s 540kg, men’s 640kg world indoor tug of war titlesStaff writer, with CNATaiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. Taiwanese players pose for a photograph in Taipei yesterday, after Taiwan defended its women’s 540 kg title at the World Indoor Tug of War Championships. Photo: CNATeam captain Lee Yi-chin (李怡謹) said the team had begun training for the indoor championships after completing a season of outdoor tug of war competitions last September. Taiwan also took home gold medals in the mixed 580 kg, U23 men’s 600 kg and U23 women’s 500 kg categories Sunday, completing the two-day championships with a total of 9 golds and one fourth-place finish.

Cabinet’s defense budget proposal could generate billions and create jobs: officialCABINET’S VERSION: Its bill focuses on building a ‘T-Dome,’ using AI for a quick and precise kill chain, and speeding up domestic defense industries’ developmentBy Chung Li-hua and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Cabinet’s version of the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.16 billion) special defense budget is expected to trigger massive growth in the defense industry if passed, an Executive Yuan official said on Saturday. The Cabinet’s proposal is expected to generate more than NT$400 billion in defense industry output and create more than 90,000 jobs, bolstering national security while boosting economic growth, said the official, who declined to be named. Cabinet data showed that the defense sector last year generated NT$230.8 billion in production value, including NT$12.9 billion from drones, NT$69.6 billion from shipbuilding and NT$148.3 billion from aerospace. In the drone sector, the Cabinet last year approved plans to invest NT$44.2 billion into the domestic production of uncrewed aerial vehicles. The defense sector is one of the 13 strategic industries designated by the Executive Yuan as pillars for future national development.

Large-scale air activities near Taiwan restartBy Ben Blanchard / Reuters, TAIPEIThe Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. A map shows the sighting of a Chinese balloon near Taiwan in the 24 hours that ended at 6am yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National DefenseThe Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that while the aircraft had left, there are still Chinese warships around the nation and the threat posed by Beijing remains.

MOFA blasts ‘no sovereignty’ remarkLOOK INWARD: Beijing should listen to its people and accelerate reforms, as that would better serve its development, instead of discrediting Taiwanese democracy, the MAC saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said societies that cannot choose their own leaders still hope to have direct elections one day, and that China has no say on Taiwanese sovereignty. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ name and logo are displayed at the ministry in Taipei. Taiwan’s democratic achievements have been highly praised by executive branches and parliaments in more than 50 countries, including the US, Japan, France, the UK, Germany and Australia, it said. “The Republic of China, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and the Chinese Communist Party regime has never ruled Taiwan, which is the current ‘status quo’ in the Taiwan Strait,” it added. Distorting the narrative regarding Taiwanese sovereignty cannot change the internationally recognized cross-Strait “status quo,” the ministry said, adding that the nation’s future can only be decided by the 23.5 million Taiwanese.

Antonelli and Mercedes win big in ShanghaiAP, SHANGHAIKimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s second-youngest race winner with a composed drive to victory for Mercedes in an eventful Chinese Grand Prix yesterday. Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy steers his car during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix race at the Shanghai International Circuit yesterday. Lewis Hamilton was third for his long-awaited first Grand Prix podium finish for Ferrari. The only driver younger than Antonelli to win a Grand Prix was Max Verstappen, who was 18 when he took his first victory in 2016. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli celebrates his victory after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai yesterday.

F1 announces all races in Persian Gulf area canceledAFP, PARISFormula One (F1) races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been canceled as war engulfs the region, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced on Saturday. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll during practices on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia in 2025. Photo: ReutersBahrain was scheduled as the fourth Grand Prix this season to take place April 10-12, with the Saudi race a week later. Saudi Arabia has weathered scores of strikes, some of them targeting crucial oil infrastructure. Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy events Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are scrubbed.

Driver’s license test changes announcedUPDATED TEST: The new rules aim to assess drivers’ awareness of risky behaviors and how they respond under certain circumstances, the Highway Bureau said Driver’s license applicants who fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections or to check blind spots, or omit pointing-and-calling procedures would fail the driving test, the Highway Bureau said yesterday. The change is set to be implemented at the end of the month, and is part of the bureau’s reform of the driving portion of the test, which has been criticized for failing to assess whether drivers can operate vehicles safely. Sedan drivers would be tested regarding yielding to pedestrians and turning their heads to check blind spots, while drivers of large vehicles would be tested on their familiarity with pointing-and-callingBy Shelley Shan

Cuba releases prisoners and confirms talks with USAFP, HAVANACuba’s communist authorities on Friday began a prisoner release negotiated with the Vatican and confirmed that talks were underway with Washington amid intense pressure from US President Donald Trump. Cuba on Thursday said that it would release 51 prisoners after talks with the Holy See, which has in the past acted as mediator between Havana and Washington. Justice 11J, which tracks arrests since the 2021 protests, said there are at least 760 political prisoners in Cuba. The unusual show of clemency came hours after Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed that his government was in talks with the US. Trump last weekend predicted that Cuba “is going to fall pretty soon” and told CNN: “They want to make a deal so badly.”