[{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"290","ar_id":"2003831501","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Military detects six Chinese balloons","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Six Chinese balloons were detected near the nation, the Ministry of National Defense said today.The six balloons were spotted in the 24 hours ending at 6am today, the ministry said, giving one of its highest daily tallies of the devices.Along with the balloons, nine Chinese military aircraft, six wa","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831501","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831501","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense","ph_cap":"","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"balloons.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/balloons.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/balloons.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"202","ar_id":"2003831500","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Lai thanks Guatemala, US for support","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"President William Lai (\u8cf4\u6e05\u5fb7) yesterday thanked Guatemala and the US for their support of Taiwan and said he looked forward to seeing enhanced trilateral trade ties.In a social media post, Lai thanked Guatemalan President Bernardo Ar\u00e9valo and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for \"expressing firm supp","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831500","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831500","ph_attr":"Photo: Taipei Times","ph_cap":"President William Lai speaks in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"Lai.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/Lai.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/Lai.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Sam Garcia","ar_views":"296","ar_id":"2003831498","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"US confirms departure of former AIT chair Rosenberger","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Laura Rosenberger's term as American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chair officially ended on Jan. 21, AIT Managing Director Ingrid Larson said today, after the US was silent on the departure of the AIT chair yesterday.The AIT would appoint a new chair based on the recommendation of the US Department of ","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831498","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831498","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"Former American Institute in Taiwan chair Laura Rosenberger, left, shakes hands with former president Tsai Ing-wen, right, at the Presidential Office in Taipei in April 2023.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"Rosenburg with Tsai 2.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/Rosenburg with Tsai 2.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/Rosenburg with Tsai 2.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"234","ar_id":"2003831497","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Migrant caregiver flexibility program to start in March","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"A program allowing eligible families to hire migrant caregivers for a minimum of four hours at a time is to go into effect by the end of next month, and six selected employers under the program would soon be unveiled, a labor official said yesterday.Under the program announced in May last year, elig","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831497","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831497","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"Migrant caregivers accompany elderly people in wheelchairs in a park in Kaohsiung on Nov. 29, 2021.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"migrantworkers.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/migrantworkers.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/migrantworkers.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"DEFENSE SUPPORT: ","ar_byline":"By Chen Chih-cheng \r\nand Jake Chung","ar_views":"417","ar_id":"2003831475","ar_sbhdbody":"The MND said it had ordered 400 additional Stinger missiles and the inauguration of a UAV training center would help in training new recruits","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Conscripts to train with drones, Stinger missiles","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Military conscripts starting their mandatory service this year would be training with drones and Stinger missiles during their eight-week basic training course, building a solid foundation for further specialized training in the next stage, the Executive Yuan\u2019s administrative report issued this week","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831475","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831475","ph_attr":"Photo: Military News Agency via AP","ph_cap":"Soldiers launch a missile from an FIM-92 Stinger portable air-defense system during the Han Kuang military exercises in Penghu County on July 24 last year.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p02-250207-lead.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p02-250207-lead.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p02-250207-lead.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Jake Chung","ar_views":"404","ar_id":"2003831476","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"UK should boost ties with Brunei: research report","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"A research group has called on the British government to strengthen ties with Brunei in response to growing Chinese influence in the region.A recent report by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, titled \u201cGeopolitical Vulnerabilities of the UK\u2019s International Military Partnerships \u2014 A Case Stu","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831476","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831476","ph_attr":"Photo: Reuters","ph_cap":"A photograph taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows a globe in front of Taiwanese and Chinese flags.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p02-250207-332.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p02-250207-332.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p02-250207-332.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"TRUMP ERA: ","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"1049","ar_id":"2003831477","ar_sbhdbody":"The change has sparked speculation on whether it was related to the new US president\u2019s plan to dismiss more than 1,000 Joe Biden-era appointees","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"US silent on apparent departure of AIT chair","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The US government has declined to comment on a post that indicated the departure of Laura Rosenberger as chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).Neither the US Department of State nor the AIT has responded to the Central News Agency\u2019s questions on the matter, after Rosenberger was listed as ","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831477","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831477","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"American Institute in Taiwan Chair Laura Rosenberger is pictured in Washington on Oct. 5, 2023.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p02-250207-605.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p02-250207-605.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p02-250207-605.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"415","ar_id":"2003831478","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Hualien authorities may have broken law: CEC","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The Central Election  Commission (CEC) has demanded an explanation from  local authorities in Hualien County after personnel from the  county\u2019s Household Registration Office allegedly broke the  law by visiting the residences of voters who lawfully  engaged in recall vote activism.The CEC said yeste","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831478","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831478","ph_attr":"Photo: Lee Wen-hsin, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"The Central Election Commission logo in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p02-250207-online1.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p02-250207-online1.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p02-250207-online1.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Chen Cheng-yu \r\nand Jason Pan","ar_views":"336","ar_id":"2003831479","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"DPP caucus calls for judicial probe into TPP lawmaker","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus yesterday called for a judicial probe into a potential conflict of interest and allegations of profiteering by Taiwan People\u2019s Party (TPP) Legislator Wu Chun-cheng (\u5433\u6625\u57ce) and his family through their \u201cstrong generation\u201d (\u58ef\u4e16\u4ee3) programs.Besides founding the","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831479","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831479","ph_attr":"Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, center, holds a bottle of popcorn at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p02-250207-003.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p02-250207-003.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p02-250207-003.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Liu Wan-lin\r\nand Jonathan Chin","ar_views":"467","ar_id":"2003831480","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"KMT legislator apologizes over failure to disclose properties in California","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (\u674e\u5f65\u79c0) yesterday apologized over reports that she failed to disclose properties she owned in California, but said they were acquired in her name by her father decades ago.Her comments came a day after former Democratic Progressive Party legislat","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831480","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831480","ph_attr":"Photo: Taipei Times","ph_cap":"Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu is pictured in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p02-250207-002.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p02-250207-002.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p02-250207-002.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"KEY SYSTEMS: ","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"379","ar_id":"2003831481","ar_sbhdbody":"Onglaisat tested technologies that could prevent data transmission bottlenecks, improve image resolution and help Taiwan develop its own satellites","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Taiwan-Japan satellite hits milestone","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) on Wednesday announced that the Taiwan-Japan codeveloped small satellite Onglaisat had hit a key milestone by completing 50 imaging operations and successfully testing three key technologies.After nearly three months of in-orbit operation, Onglaisat achieved its object","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831481","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831481","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Space Agency","ph_cap":"A simulated image depicts Onglaisat, a cubesat codeveloped by Taiwan and Japan.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-004.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-004.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-004.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"393","ar_id":"2003831482","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Two dead, 19 injured in fire at fiber factory","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"A fire broke out at a chemical fiber factory in Hsinchu County in the early hours of yesterday, claiming the lives of two people and injuring 19, according to Far Eastern New Century Corp, which runs the plant.The fire at the plant in Sinpu Township (\u65b0\u57d4) was reported at 2:53am yesterday. Although fi","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831482","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831482","ph_attr":"Photo: Huang Mei-chu, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"A firefighter works to put out a blaze at a Far Eastern New Century Corp chemical fiber plant in Hsinchu County\u2019s Sinpu Township yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-007.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-007.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-007.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"667","ar_id":"2003831483","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Legislator allegedly involved in hospital fire released on bail","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Su Ching-chuan (\u8607\u6e05\u6cc9), who is allegedly responsible for a fire at a hospital in Pingtung County that killed nine people in October last year, has been released on bail of NT$5 million (US$152,318).Su, former honorary director of Antai Tian-Sheng Memorial Hos","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831483","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831483","ph_attr":"Photo: Taipei Times","ph_cap":"Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Su Ching-chuan is pictured in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-005.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-005.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-005.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"125","ar_id":"2003831484","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Artists and fans flock to Taipei annual comics fair","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Thousands of manga and comic  fans yesterday morning flocked to the Nangang International Exhibition Center for the opening of the annual comics  fair, which is expected to generate record-high revenues this  year.Hours before the official opening at 10am of the Taipei International Comics and Anima","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831484","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831484","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"A person is pictured with an interactive installation at the Taipei International Comics and Animation Festival in Taipei yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-603.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-603.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-603.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Tsai Wen-chu and Esme Yeh","ar_views":"112","ar_id":"2003831485","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Award-winning TV show captures Tainan\u2019s charm","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"An Emmy Award-winning TV program filmed in Tainan is expected to capture the new charm of the old city from a US perspective.The travel series Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, from US public broadcaster Public Broadcasting Service, has 10 episodes per season. It has won the Emmy Award four times.Bar","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831485","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831485","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of the Tainan Bureau of Tourism","ph_cap":"<i>Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi<\/i> program host Mickela Mallozzi, left, learns how to perform religious rituals with incense and paper money at Anping Matsu Temple in Tainan in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-006.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-006.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-006.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"168","ar_id":"2003831486","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Philippines on track to lead Southeast Asian arrivals in Taiwan for 2024","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"For the first time, the Philippines is  on track to become the top Southeast Asian source of  tourists to Taiwan in 2024, with 415,635 visitors recorded  from January to November, according to the Tourism  Administration.Data showed the figure exceeded the 384,000  Malaysians and 376,000 Singaporean","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831486","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831486","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"People pose with the \"Love\" sculpture in front of Taipei 101 in Taipei in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-online1.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-online1.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-online1.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY:","ar_byline":"By Esme Yeh","ar_views":"90","ar_id":"2003831487","ar_sbhdbody":"Perks and discounts in accommodations, transportation, tourism and cultural activities would be available to athletes pursuing their dreams","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Taiwan to host its first World Masters Games","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The World Masters Games, jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, is to run from May 17 through May 30. In the spirit of lifelong sports and sports for all, the event is being held in Asia for the first time, with up to 35 sports categories, nine of which include events for p","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831487","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831487","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism","ph_cap":"A poster promoting the World Masters Games is pictured in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-advertorial.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-advertorial.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-advertorial.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"75","ar_id":"2003831488","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Hakka tradition","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"People attend a dotting of the eyes ceremony in the square outside Yuqing Temple in Miaoli City yesterday. The Miaoli Bombing Dragon, a Hakka Lantern Festival tradition, began yesterday with teams painting the black dots in the eyes of their dancing dragons, required for the dragon to \u201ccome alive\u201d b","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831488","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831488","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p01-250207-602.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p01-250207-602.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p01-250207-602.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"54","ar_id":"2003831489","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"Step toward inclusivity","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Sports Administration Deputy Director-General Hung Chih-chang, center, holds placards along with other officials and two representatives in Taipei yesterday to promote the agency\u2019s guide for sports for people with disabilities. The guide includes suggestions and forms for event-hosting organizations","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831489","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831489","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p03-250207-604.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p03-250207-604.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p03-250207-604.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"88","ar_id":"2003831490","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-07","ar_head":"New \u2018blue\u2019 alliance","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu, center, presides over the a Lunar New Year event at the legislature in Taipei yesterday. Fellow Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers, including Legislative Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang, fifth left, caucus whip Fu Kun-chi, fifth right, as well as Taiwan People\u2019s P","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/07\/2003831490","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831490","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/07","ph_fname":"p02-250207-601.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/p02-250207-601.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/07\/thumbs\/p02-250207-601.jpg"}}]