Category: Politics

Business

Taiwan Defense Budget Lifts Veil on Secret Ching Tien Missile Program

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's proposed defense budget has offered the clearest public indication yet that the military has moved a long-rumored long-range missile program into operational service — while also pointing to the development of a more advanced successor capable of reaching deeper into China. The non-classified portion of Taiwan's proposed defense budget for next year includes a new spending item for the “Fei Chi II weapons system and equipment maintenance program,” scheduled to run from

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Business

How Democracy Changed Taiwan’s Streets — and What Traffic Safety Reveals About Freedom

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's roads are often criticized for being dangerous, chaotic and unforgiving. For years, international media and frustrated residents have pointed to poor pedestrian protection, reckless driving and the country's high number of traffic accidents as evidence that Taiwan still has a long way to go. But according to a new feature by columnist Courtney Donovan Smith, Taiwan's changing traffic culture may also reveal something far bigger than road safety. It may show how profo

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Philippines

34,000 New Classrooms Coming: Angara Reveals What Happens Next as Government Races to Fix School Shortage

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of Filipino students could soon have more space to learn as the Department of Education (DepEd) pushes ahead with an ambitious classroom-building program aimed at easing the country’s long-standing shortage of school facilities. Education Secretary Sonny Angara has said that around 34,000 classrooms are targeted for construction in 2026, as the government accelerates infrastructure projects nationwide. The classroom drive comes as the Marcos administration puts

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Philippines

Ombudsman Steps In Over Alleged Student Mobilization in Cebu—Now DepEd-7 Is Being Asked to Act

CEBU CITY — The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas is pressing the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) to take action on a fact-finding request involving the alleged mobilization of students to a Cebu City Council session—an issue that has raised questions about student protection, parental consent and the use of minors in a politically sensitive setting. The controversy stems from an April 14, 2026 incident at Cebu City Hall, when buses carrying senior high school students arrive

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Politics

Iran Plans New ‘Exclusion Zone’ Near Strait of Hormuz—What Happens to Ships That Enter?

TEHRAN — Iran is preparing to announce a new “exclusion zone” outside the strategic Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh concerns over commercial shipping, global oil supplies and the possibility of a wider escalation between Tehran and Washington. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Sunday that the new zone would be announced in the coming days. According to Iranian state media, the proposed area would begin around the line of the U.S. naval blockade, extend t

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Philippines

Remulla Challenges Sara Duterte: “Show the Proof” of Alleged Police Harassment

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has challenged Vice President Sara Duterte and her camp to present concrete evidence supporting their allegations that police personnel harassed or intimidated her and her family during the implementation of an arrest warrant. Speaking at a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday, Remulla rejected the accusation that police officers acted improperly when they served the warrant against Duterte in connection with her grave threats case. “Th

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Politics

KMT-TPP Alliance Collapses in Hsinchu County as Bitter Election Fight Escalates

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s opposition alliance has suffered a major setback after the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) formally suspended electoral cooperation with the Kuomintang (KMT) across Hsinchu County, exposing deepening mistrust between the two parties just months before Taiwan’s 2026 local elections. The TPP's Central Committee approved the decision on Sunday, Sept. 6, effectively ending the opposition cooperation arrangement in Hsinchu County and directing party officials and candidates not to camp

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Business

KMT and TPP Halt Election Cooperation After Jhubei Mayoral Race Sparks Bitter Split

HSINCHU, Taiwan — Taiwan's opposition alliance has suffered a major setback after the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) announced it was suspending all electoral cooperation with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in Hsinchu County, following a bitter dispute over the Jhubei City mayoral race. The split erupted after both parties refused to step aside for the other's preferred candidate, raising fresh questions about whether the opposition's broader electoral alliance can survive ahead of Taiwan's N

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Politics

Taiwan Pavilion Opens at Gwangju Biennale After Naming Dispute Triggers China’s Withdrawal

GWANGJU, South Korea — Taiwan's artists and curators have celebrated the opening of the “Taiwan Pavilion” at the prestigious Gwangju Biennale after a tense naming dispute sparked accusations of political censorship and ultimately led China's curatorial team to withdraw from the event. The controversy centered on whether Taiwan's exhibition space could officially use the name “Taiwan Pavilion.” After weeks of negotiations, pressure from artists and growing support from the local and internation

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Politics

Taiwanese in Canada Form Giant ‘TW’ Display in Push for Taiwan’s UN Inclusion

VANCOUVER, Canada — Taiwanese community members in Canada have taken their campaign for Taiwan's international inclusion to a new level, using dozens of vehicles to create a massive “TW” formation visible from the air ahead of the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly. A total of 45 vehicles gathered near Vancouver to spell out the letters “TW” as part of this year's “UN for Taiwan” campaign, a grassroots effort calling for greater international participation for Taiwan. Each

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