Taipei daycare subsidy to rise by NT$3,000Staff writer, with CNAThe Taipei City Government's monthly subsidy for government-contracted daycare is to rise by NT$3,000 starting in July, a move expected to benefit 8,000 children under the age of three, city officials said yesterday. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday announced a set of childcare measures, headlined by a NT$3,000 increase in the city's monthly daycare subsidy. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an presents a daycare subsidy plan in the city yesterday. Currently, the central government provides a monthly daycare subsidy of NT$14,000 for a second child and NT$15,000 for a third child or more. With the upcoming NT$3,000 increase, the city government subsidy for a second child and above is to reach NT$10,000, effectively making childcare free for parents.

Man receives 8 years in prison for TV noise stabbingStaff writer, with CNAA Taichung man was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison on Tuesday for stabbing two people during a dispute over noise from a neighbor's television. The entrance to the Taichung District Court is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Chang Jui-chen, Taipei TimesLin went to confront his 71-year-old neighbor, surnamed Chen (陳), at her home in Wufeng District (霧峰) on Oct. 16 last year, complaining that her TV was too loud, prosecutors said. A 71-year-old auto repair shop worker, surnamed Shih (施), who heard the argument, attempted to intervene, they said. Lin was in 2023 convicted for a similar knife attack against a neighbor, raising concerns about repeated violent behavior, prosecutors said.

Lin Yu-ting returns to international boxing with 5-0 winBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNABoxer Lin Yu-ting today returned to international competition with a 5-0 victory in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar, representing Taiwan at the Asian Boxing Elite Championships. Today marked her first international appearance in 19 months, after she was barred from competing due to gender testing regulations imposed by World Boxing. Competing in the women’s 60kg division, Lin defeated Thailand’s Thananya Somnuek 5-0 and received a perfect score of 10 from all five judges across all three rounds. Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, right, triumphs over Thailand’s Thananya Somnuek, left, at the Asian Boxing Elite Championships in Ulaanbaatar today. Eleven athletes are to compete in the women’s 60kg division at this year’s Asian Boxing Elite Championships.

Minister warns film sector against China’s manipulationBy Fion Khan / Staff writer, with CNAMinister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠) today urged the domestic film industry to remain united and expand into international markets to avoid being “manipulated” by Beijing’s “united front” tactics, following a controversy involving the hit Taiwanese film Sunshine Women’s Choir (陽光女子合唱團). Taiwanese films entering the Chinese market must go through two Chinese state-run distributors — China Film Group (中國電影集團) and Huaxia Film Distribution Co (華夏電影發行), he said. He urged the local film industry to stand united and remain vigilant when facing Chinese manipulation that aims to provoke internal conflict and hostility in Taiwan. The ministry has been promoting international coproductions, increasing subsidies and incorporating international funding to expand the local market, Li said. The domestic film market has been particularly strong from January to this month, with total box office revenue surpassing last year’s full-year figure, he said.

Hon Hai injects new funds into US unit, said to be AI server relatedStaff writer, with CNAHon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), known internationally as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), has increased its investment in a subsidiary in the US, which an industry source said was aimed at expanding artificial intelligence (AI) server production. The logo of Foxconn Technology Group, known in Taiwan as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, is pictured at the company’s office building in Taipei on May 6, 2024. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFEThough Hon Hai did not disclose the purpose of the investment, the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the company did it to expand its AI server production for North American clients. While Hon Hai has not officially disclosed the amount it has invested in the US, analysts have estimated total investment has reached several billion US dollars. Hon Hai runs 223 factories in 24 countries and has total annual sales of about US$260 billion, while accounting for more than 40 percent of the world's AI server market, Liu said.

Taiwan halts retaliation against S Korea amid naming spatStaff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is suspending retaliation measures against South Korea that were set to take effect tomorrow, after Seoul said it is updating its e-arrival system, MOFA said today. South Korea’s e-arrival system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in an undated screen grab. Photo: Screen grab from e-arrivalcard.go.krMOFA last week said that if South Korea did not respond positively before today, Taiwan would also revise its own online immigration entry system, changing "Korea, Republic of" to "Korea (South)." According to Hsiao, South Korea did not specify whether the update would replace Taiwan's designation, nor did it provide a timeline for the change. The dispute began after South Korea on Feb. 24, 2025, introduced a new online immigration entry system that listed Taiwan as “China (Taiwan),” as an alternative to paper landing cards.

China’s sanctions on Japanese lawmaker ‘truly regrettable’: MOFABy Lin Hsin-han and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerChina’s sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya over his visits to Taiwan are “truly regrettable,” and Beijing’s diplomatic reliance on intimidation and coercion is likely to backfire, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) said today. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi gestures in an undated photograph. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has also condemned China’s use of transnational repression as a diplomatic tool. That shows China’s sanctions and transnational repression are proving unsuccessful and only creating further problems for Beijing, he added. Beijing’s method of conducting international affairs is “truly regrettable,” he said, adding that China is creating issues out of thin air.

Sunny weather forecast, highs of 36°C possibleStaff writer, with CNAPartly cloudy to sunny skies are forecast for most of Taiwan today, with daytime temperatures reaching as high as 36°C in the south, but the heat should ease tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The CWA this morning issued a "yellow" heat advisory for Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung and Taitung counties, warning of temperatures potentially reaching 36°C due to the warming effect of southwesterly winds. Daytime temperatures could reach as high as 36°C in the south today. The weather would again become summer-like on Thursday and Friday, with only localized showers in northwestern Taiwan on Friday morning, Wu said. From Sunday to Monday, temperatures are expected to gradually rise, though the wet weather could persist, Wu said.

Global sustainability summit in Paris features first Taiwan pavilionStaff writer, with CNAThe annual ChangeNOW Summit in Paris this year features a Taiwan pavilion for the first time, highlighting Taiwan's efforts in marine conservation and sustainable innovation. At the three-day event's opening ceremony yesterday, Representative to France Hao Pei-chih (郝培芝) said that the pavilion demonstrates Taiwan's active role in global sustainable development. Attendees, including Representative to France Hao Pei-chih, center, display Taiwan’s national flag at the opening ceremony of the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris yesterday. Taiwan should not be excluded from global participation due to geopolitical pressure, he said, pledging to continue advocating for its inclusion in international institutions. Founded in 2017, the ChangeNOW Summit brings together global innovators and sustainability leaders to promote actionable solutions to environmental challenges.

Grab seeks approval for US$600 million Foodpanda dealStaff writer, with CNASingapore-based ride-hailing and delivery giant Grab Holdings Ltd has applied for regulatory approval to acquire the Taiwan operations of Germany-based Delivery Hero SE's Foodpanda in a deal valued at about US$600 million. Grab submitted the filing to the Fair Trade Commission on Friday last week, with the transaction subject to regulatory review and approval, the company said in a statement yesterday. Its independent governance structure would help foster a healthy and competitive market in Taiwan if the deal is approved, Grab 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. Uber's board representative has recused themselves from decisions related to Taiwan, Grab said.

Taiwan missed out on CPTPP three times, official saysBy Chung Li-hua and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan has on three occasions missed out on joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), an official said yesterday, calling for decoupling Taiwan’s accession from China’s. In her resignation, citing chronic health issues, late deputy trade representative Yen Huai-shing (顏慧欣) said the execution of promoting Taiwan’s accession to the CPTPP had been perfunctory. Photo courtesy of the Executive YuanHowever, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Taiwan has let three golden opportunities slip. Second, China applied for participation in the CPTPP in September 2021 before Taiwan made an application, putting Taiwan on the defensive, the official said. Third, Taiwan’s accession has in the past few years been tied to China’s, further posing obstacles, they said.

Iran 30 days into Internet blackout, isolating millionsAFP, PARISIran’s nationwide Internet blackout on Sunday entered its 30th consecutive day, leaving millions cut off from information and communications since the war with the US and Israel began. Iran’s Internet “blackout has now entered day 30 as the nationwide censorship measure continues into its fifth week after 696 hours,” Internet monitoring group NetBlocks said on social media on Sunday. While the domestic Intranet remains operational — supporting local messaging apps, banking platforms and other services — access to the global Internet has been severely restricted. A couple pose for a selfie on a beach by the Caspian Sea in Sorkhrud, Iran, on Tuesday last week. “We get updates from friends and family by phone, but it’s very difficult, we’re constantly stressed,” the 37-year-old added.

Then, oil prices surged after the US and Israel attacked Iran. Much depends on how long the Iran war persists and if oil prices stay elevated. In Pakistan, meanwhile, solar panels at homes and businesses have increased the country’s electricity capacity by 50 percent. “A switch was flipped,” said Janik Nolden, chief executive officer of Solarhandel24, which sells solar panels. He pulled the trigger on a heat pump and solar panels for his home soon after the US and Israel first launched strikes against Iran.

Plastics suppliers asked to prioritize medical sectorDISRUPTION: Most of the medical devices can be made domestically, so as long as the supply of raw materials is maintained, people do not have to worry, an official said Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) yesterday said that the ministry is working with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) to ask local plastic material suppliers to prioritize healthcare-related manufacturers to avoid a shortage. The minister was responding to reporters’ questions about concerns regarding the war in the Middle East having disrupted petrochemical supplies and driving up plastic packaging costs at the legislature’s Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee in Taipei yesterday. Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital deputy superintendent Hung Tzu-jen (洪子仁), who is also director of Taiwan College of Healthcare Executives, on Sunday said that he has heardBy Lee I-chia

The KMT that fought the Qing is no moreBy Lee Hsiao-feng 李筱峰A group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators and supporters of former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Sunday gathered on Taipei’s Ketagalan Boulevard to show support for Ko, who was last week sentenced to 17 years in prison on corruption charges. The date holds special significance for the KMT, which designated it as Youth Day to commemorate the “72 martyrs” of the Second Guangzhou Uprising in 1911. The March 29 date is a misinterpretation of what was originally a lunar calendar date, when more than 72 people died in the failed uprising against the Qing Dynasty. Lu was beheaded after the first Guangzhou uprising. The list of KMT mayors, councilors and officials involved in corruption and bribery over the past two decades is too long to list.