Congo’s cobalt curbs expose China’s critical metals weak spotBy Andy Home / Reuters, LONDONChina’s dominance of critical mineral supply chains is not as absolute as it might appear. The DR Congo suspended cobalt exports in February last year and introduced a quota system in October. The US has helped mediate a peace deal between Kinshasa and Rwanda to stop the fighting that has engulfed the DR Congo’s eastern regions. Chinese cobalt buyers are facing not just lower imports from the Congo but increased competition for what is being mined. That dependence is going to be increasingly problematic as, China’s cobalt buyers are finding out.

By the time it was over, about 20 unarmed Vietnamese refugees — men, women, elderly and children — were dead. Previously, an officer who had allowed two Chinese refugees to seek shelter was punished, reinforcing this hardline policy. Relatives display the names and photos of the victims of the March 7, 1987 massacre of Vietnamese refugees during a press conference in 2024. A map showing the location of the March 7, 1987 massacre of Vietnamese refugees on Lieyu Island. Hau’s diary indicates that they already knew that the vessel carried Vietnamese refugees.

Argentine congress adopts president’s labor reformsAFP, BUENOS AIRESThe Argentine Congress on Friday adopted Argentine President Javier Milei’s flagship labor reform, handing victory to the libertarian leader in his push to boost hiring by loosening rules on working hours, dismissals and overtime. The so-called “labor modernization law” allows working days of up to 12 hours, reduces severance pay, limits the right to strike and lowers employer taxes, among other provisions. Demonstrators rally outside the Argentine Congress as they protest against a labor reform bill proposed by Argentine President Javier Milei’s government in Buenos Aires on Friday. More than 43 percent of Argentine workers lack formal employment contracts. Argentine Industrial Union president Martin Rappallini welcomed the law’s aim to reduce the number of workplace lawsuits, but cautioned that unemployment “cannot be solved with a single law.”

At least 15 dead in Bolivia plane crashMONEY GRAB: People were rushing to collect bills scattered on the ground after the plane transporting money crashed, which an official said hindered rescue effortsAP, LA PAZ, BoliviaA cargo plane carrying money on Friday crashed near Bolivia’s capital, damaging about a dozen vehicles on highway, scattering bills on the ground and leaving at least 15 people dead and others injured, an official said. Members of the Bolivian armed forces guard the wreckage of a military plane that crashed in el Alto, Bolivia, on Friday. Photo: AFPFire chief Pavel Tovar said at least 15 people died, but did not clarify if the dead were in the plane or in the cars on the nearby highway. The plane, which belonged to the Bolivian air force, was transporting money to La Paz. Images on social media showed people rushing to collect the bills scattered at the crash site, while police in riot gear tried to disperse them.

Access for indigenous candidatesBy Chen Chi-nung 陳啟濃Former legislator-at-large Kolas Yotaka has spoken out on numerous occasions about Taiwan’s electoral system for indigenous candidates and constituents. Despite living in Taipei’s Daan District (大安), she is not eligible to stand as a general legislative candidate in her area due to her indigenous status, which exemplifies the paradoxical situation in which indigenous Taiwanese all too often find themselves. While representatives in mountain townships do not necessarily have to hold indigenous status, their mayors do. Indigenous Taiwanese should be able to run as candidates and vote in the general electoral roll without renouncing their indigenous status — and all of the welfare benefits associated with it. A further issue is the crude distinction drawn between “mountains” and “plains” indigenous groups, with separate voting and candidate pools for seats in each category.

EDITORIAL: Career ends of TPP’s HuangThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said on Monday that it would be announcing its mayoral nominees for New Taipei City, Yilan County and Chiayi City on March 11, after which it would begin talks with the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) to field joint opposition candidates. The KMT would likely support Deputy Taipei Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) as its candidate for New Taipei City. The TPP is fielding its chairman, Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), for New Taipei City mayor, after Huang had officially announced his candidacy in December last year. Huang responded with: “Of course.”Some commentators criticized Huang for what appears to be bare-faced transactionalism to further his own career ends. His shot at New Taipei City mayor might not be a personal power play for his own career ends; it is sensible strategy for the good of the party to win a major locality.

Moreover, the NSS explicitly frames the region as the “economic and geopolitical battleground” where US prosperity would be determined. Third, Sun’s reliance on simple force and budget comparisons to measure military capability is methodologically limited and outdated. In Taiwan, maintaining the “status quo” is widely understood to mean preserving the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan), with or without international diplomatic recognition. Sixth, Sun’s optimism that China could secure a favorable political settlement from a Taiwan invasion and emerge strategically strengthened is misplaced. Joanna Yu Taylor is a former Taiwan and China country director at the Office of the US Secretary of Defense.

Trump delays Taiwan arms sales ahead of China tripTRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrenceBloombergUS President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. US President Donald Trump, right, takes part in a welcoming ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to Taipei with the “utmost caution,” the Chinese government said after the call. The Financial Times in January reported that the US is preparing a new round of arms sales to Taiwan, which has unsettled Chinese officials.

US and Israel launch waves of Iran strikesAFP, PARISThe US and Israel yesterday launched a wave of strikes against targets in Iran, triggering explosions in Tehran and an escalation across the region. The joint operation began with smoke seen rising over Tehran after strikes that Israel said were pre-emptive. Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, reported that the strikes targeted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. GULF EXPLOSIONSThe United Arab Emirates said it intercepted a second wave of Iranian strikes, after a first wave killed one civilian in Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia condemned Iranian attacks targeting its neighbors, but made no mention of Iran targeting the kingdom.

Exiled activist more determined to fight after HK jails fatherAP, WASHINGTONA Hong Kong activist in exile in the US said a court ruling in Hong Kong to imprison her father for eight months has only made her more determined to fight for the territory and its people. I’m just going to be more strategic with more long-term thinking and be more dedicated to the Hong Kong cause,” she said. Hong Kong activist in exile Anna Kwok speaks in Washington on Friday. Photo: APA Hong Kong court jailed her 69-year-old father, Kwok Yin-sang (郭賢生), for attempting to withdraw about US$11,000 from her insurance policy. Her father bought the policy when she was a toddler, and she gained control of it when she reached the age of 18.

Single-person households surpass 40% for first timeBy Kao Chia-ho and Esme Yeh / Staff reportersOne-person households accounted for more than 40 percent of all registered households for the first time last year, while three-generation family households fell below 10 percent, Ministry of the Interior data showed, suggesting that Taiwanese society appears to be growing increasingly “lonely” as the nation’s birthrate continues to decline amid the “silver tsunami.”Of the 9.85 million registered households in Taiwan last year, 3.99 million were one-person residences, surpassing 40 percent for the first time, the data showed. Penghu County’s one-person households account for 44.41 percent of all households in the county, the highest nationwide, followed by Keelung at 44.31 percent and Yilan County at 43.52 percent, it showed. New Taipei City has the most number of single-person households among the administrative areas, totaling 758,000, or 42.43 percent of all households in the city, it showed. Although it is lower than Penghu County’s percentage, those households still represent a tough challenge for social welfare and lonely aging in New Taipei City, the data showed. However, the situation changed last year due to population aging and low birthrates, with the county’s aging index reaching 101.88 percent and the city’s surging to 106.59 percent, it showed.

The 228 Incident refers to a crackdown launched by the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime against civilian demonstrators following an incident in Taipei on Feb. 27, 1947. President William Lai, right, holds a wreath at an event in Kaohsiung yesterday marking the 79th anniversary of the 228 Incident. Combined with archives declassified since Taiwan’s first transition of power in 2000, the bureau has transferred 140,000 unredacted political records to the National Archives Administration for public review, Lai said. However, “archives about the Lin family case are incomplete and much of the oral history has proven unreliable or fabricated,” he said. Separately yesterday, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) spoke during a memorial service at Gikong Presbyterian Church to mark the 46th anniversary of the Lin family murders, stressing the importance of understanding history.

Stray cats reported to remember the hand that feedsDO THEY BITE IT? Cats have better memories than people might think, but their motivation is based entirely around the chance of getting fed Cats can remember the identity of the people who fed them the day before, Taipei-based veterinarians said on Friday, debunking a popular myth that cats have a short memory. If a stray does not recognize the person who fed them the previous day, it is likely because they are not carrying food and the cat has no reason to recognize them, said Wu Chou Animal Hospital head Chen Chen-huan (陳震寰). “When cats come to a human bearing food, it is coming for the food, not the person,” he said. “The food is the key.” Since the cat’s attention is on the food, itBy Jonathan Chin

Net zero is dead, long live renewable energyWhile the world would remain addicted to fossil fuels, renewables — solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and other green sources — would drive energy growthBy Javier Blas / Bloomberg OpinionIn diplomacy, words matter. When the world’s richest nations got together in 2022 for their biennial energy meeting, their communique mentioned “net zero” 13 times; in 2024, the references went up to 15. The word-count collapse is illustrative of the direction of global energy policy: Net zero is, effectively, dead. Even at the peak of its popularity, net zero looked far-fetched. However, do not mistake the death of net zero for the end of renewable energy.

Asif wrote on X that Pakistan had hoped for peace in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces, and expected the Taliban to focus on the welfare of Afghans and regional stability. Instead, the Taliban had turned Afghanistan “into a colony of India,” gathered militants from around the world and begun “exporting terrorism,” he said. Taliban security personnel operate an anti-aircraft gun near the Durand Line in Gurbuz District, Afghanistan, yesterday. Pakistan has frequently accused India of backing the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army and the Pakistani Taliban, allegations New Delhi denies. Pakistani Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three wounded.