Philippine ferry sinking kills 18, leaves 10 missing
Philippine ferry sinking kills 18, leaves 10 missingAFP, MANILAA ferry with more than 340 people onboard sank early yesterday off the southern Philippines, killing at least 18 and leaving 10 still missing, the coast guard said. Search-and-rescue efforts were expected to continue through the night, Philippine Coast Guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab said, adding that an earlier tally of passengers had been reduced to 344 as some on the ship’s manifest never boarded. The triple-decker vessel sank on nearly the same route where 31 people died in 2023 after a fire aboard the Lady Mary Joy 3 ferry. Why did it sink when there was no storm?” asked Jun Guro, a lawyer whose interview was posted by the Isabela City government in Basilan. We are short-staffed at the moment,” Perez said in an interview, adding that at least 18 had been taken to one local hospital.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
WHO ignored Taiwan on COVID warning: US officials
WHO ignored Taiwan on COVID warning: US officialsBy Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNAThe WHO ignored early COVID-19 warnings from Taiwan, US Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill said on Friday, as part of justification for Washington withdrawing from the global health body. The WHO “ignored early COVID warnings from Taiwan in 2019 by pretending Taiwan did not exist, O’Neill wrote on X on Friday, Taiwan time. “It ignored rigorous science and promoted lockdowns.”A logo is pictured outside a WHO building in Geneva, Switzerland, in an undated photograph. Iwasaki said that when he traveled to Taiwan in January 2020, he was immediately briefed on the situation by Ministry of National Defense and health officials. Taiwan had already detected an unknown virus emerging in China and asked whether Japan had any relevant information, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
US official praises Seoul as US eyes less military support
US official praises Seoul as US eyes less military support‘MODEL ALLY’: Elbridge Colby commended South Korea for committing to meet the global standard of spending 3.5 percent of its GDP on defenseBloombergA top Pentagon official yesterday praised South Korea as a model ally ready to take greater responsibility for its own security after a new US defense strategy signaled a reduction in US military support to deter North Korea from aggression. Protesters wearing masks of US President Donald Trump, left, and US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, right, shout slogans near the presidential Blue House in Seoul yesterday. South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun emphasized the need for continued close communication and cooperation with the US during an earlier meeting with Colby, his ministry said. “South Korea is capable of taking primary responsibility for deterring North Korea with critical but more limited US support,” the document said. The Pentagon is expected to release an assessment soon of where and how the US stations its military forces around the world, known as the Global Posture Review.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Defense budget delay could stall upgrades: Koo
Defense budget delay could stall upgrades: KooBy Huang Ching-hsuan / Staff reporterFailure to complete the signing of an offer on US arms procurement included in the Executive Yuan’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget could raise serious doubts among democratic allies about Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday. Speaking at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Koo added that it would mean that the procurement process would have to be restarted and cause delays in upgrading the military’s combat capabilities. The Executive Yuan on Nov. 27 approved the NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget plan and forwarded it to the Legislative Yuan for review. On Friday, it blocked the special defense budget for the eighth time. Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo speaks at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee in Taipei yesterday.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
KMT denies Beijing leaning on party
KMT denies Beijing leaning on partyDENY, DEFLECT, DISSEMBLE: The party has denied claims that Beijing has made crippling the special defense budget a condition of future meetingsBy Lin Hsin-han and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writerChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) yesterday denied allegations that Beijing asked the party “to increase mutual trust” by boycotting the defense budget bill, saying they were fabricated statements. Beijing reportedly asked the KMT to “take concrete actions” — such as hindering the passage of the defense budget — to resume the KMT-Chinese Communist Party forum and facilitate a potential meeting between KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Hsiao Hsu-tsen attends an event in Taipei yesterday. The Cabinet last year approved a NT$1.25 trillion defense budget bill with an eight-year span and sent it to the legislature for review. That fact is aligned with media reports, he said, calling on the KMT to stop boycotting the defense budget bill and put it on the agenda.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Taiwan’s outbound travelers hit new high in 2025; foreign arrivals up 9%
Taiwan’s outbound travelers hit new high in 2025; foreign arrivals up 9%Staff Writer, with CANThe number of outbound travelers from Taiwan smashed previous records, rising more than 12 percent year on year, while the number of foreign arrivals rose 9 percent, the Tourism Administration said Monday. The data indicated foreign arrivals totaled 8.57 million in 2025, up about 9 percent from a year earlier, while Japan was the largest source of tourist visiting Taiwan followed by Hong Kong/Macau and South Korea. Photo: Taipei TimesThe difference between inbound and outbound tourists in 2025 reached about 10.40 million, according to the agency. According to the agency, the annual number of outbound travelers has exceeded the number of foreign arrivals since 1990, a trend that benefits Taiwan-registered carriers, travel agencies and insurance firms. In 2024, Taiwan’s international tourism income totaled US$10.03 billion, the agency said citing United Nations statistics.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Taichung Prison to ’supervise’ ex-president Chen’s planned speech
Taichung Prison to ’supervise’ ex-president Chen’s planned speechStaff writer, with CNATaichung Prison said it will "enforce supervision" of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who is on medical parole, after he announced plans yesterday to give a public speech in early February. Former president Chen Shui-bian is pictured in an undated photograph. The promotional poster for the event states that the final 30 minutes of the speech will be reserved for a question- and-answer session. Taichung Prison said that although Chen has already reported his itinerary, it will "continue to handle and understand the relevant circumstances" and enforce supervision in line with the regulations. Chen was sentenced to 20 years in prison for multiple corruption and money-laundering charges following his two terms in office (2000-2008).
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Tea, coffee can prevent cancer: study
Tea, coffee can prevent cancer: studyUSEFUL HABIT? A series of long-term follow-up studies revealed a significantly higher prevalence of EBV antibody positivity among family members of NPC patients, it said. The hospital said that through a study including about 1,800 NPC patients and a control group of 2,000 people, it also found that drinking two cups (about 500ml) of green tea or coffee per week can reduce the risk of developing NPC. Other dietary choices, including eating more fresh fish or vegetables high in vitamin A (such as carrots), were also associated with reduced NPC risk, Wang said. The age-adjusted five-year survival rate for NPC patients treated at NTUH is 78 percent, exceeding the national average of 74 percent and surpassing the global average of 62 percent, the hospital said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Taiwan court rejects damages claim over Lebanon pager blasts
Taiwan court rejects damages claim over Lebanon pager blastsStaff writer, with CNAThe Shilin District Court has rejected a damages claim filed by 13 foreign nationals against a Taiwanese company linked by media reports to pagers that exploded in Lebanon in 2024, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to complete required legal authorization procedures. The entrance to the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph. Prosecutors said the presence of the Gold Apollo trademark on the pagers was due to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in 2022 between the company and FGE. Under Taiwanese law, when a power of attorney is issued abroad and its authenticity is disputed, it must be certified by a Taiwanese overseas mission to be deemed valid. The court said Gold Apollo challenged the authenticity of the authorization documents.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Two convicts to pay Taipower NT$33.48m
Two convicts to pay Taipower NT$33.48mBy Hsu Kuo-chen and Jason Pan / Staff reportersThe High Court’s Taichung branch has upheld a lower court sentencing which had ordered the employees of a cosmetic surgery clinic to pay NT$33.48 million (US$1.06 million) to Taiwan Power (Taipower) after they were found guilty of stealing electricity to mine cryptocurrency. Cheng and Su had acquired 27 bitcoins, worth about NT$25 million in total, but stole about NT$76 million in electricity, according to court filings. Photo: Taipei TimesThe couple hired two employees, surnamed Hsu (徐) and Huang (黃), to monitor the eight stations, the filings showed. Taipower filed a separate civil claim and, after deducting what Cheng and Su had already paid, sought NT$33.48 million in compensation from the two employees. Huang said he was also just a worker and initially unaware of the electricity theft, adding that after finding out about it, he resigned and exposed the operation.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Lawmaker urges better education on cosmetics use
Lawmaker urges better education on cosmetics useHEALTH CONCERN: An eighth-grader student representative said some of her classmates wear masks in classroom due to anxiety over their appearanceBy Chen Chih-cheng and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writerSchools should provide education on cosmetics use, as more teenagers wear makeup and need help in choosing safe products, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Yueh-chin (林月琴) said yesterday. Sudan red dye is a carcinogenic chemical banned in foods, medicines and cosmetics in Taiwan, but late last month, it was detected in some makeup products. At a joint news conference by DPP lawmakers and the Taiwan Tao Zhan Civil Empowering Association, the speakers cited a survey on teenagers’ cosmetics use. While people start using makeup younger, cosmetics labeling remains opaque, Lin said, adding that schools and the industry failed to provide education on cosmetics. The adoption of K-pop culture has significantly increased Taiwanese children’s use of makeup, but education on the issue remains inadequate, Lai said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Northern bus services test AI assistant
Northern bus services test AI assistantBy Tung Kuan-yi and Shelley Shan / Staff reportersTransportation officials in Taipei and New Taipei City are testing whether artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to answer people’s questions about bus services. The two cities in August last year launched a one-week trial using an AI chatbot, dubbed “Bus Station Master Ah-Ming (公車站長阿明),” at Taipei City Bus Hall Station, Banciao Bus Station, Taipei Railway Station and Tamsui MRT Station to answer frequently asked questions from bus passengers. The Taipei and New Taipei City “Bus Stationmaster Ah-Ming” system is introduced at a news conference in Taipei on Aug. 11 last year. The 20 bus stops were chosen as they are locations where bus drivers are often asked questions. In New Taipei City, the locations include Tamsui MRT Station (southbound), Luzhou MRT Station (northbound), Fu Jen University MRT Station (westbound), Yongning MRT Station (northbound), Qizhang MRT Station (northbound), Banciao Bus Station (Platform 1, northbound), Linkou Transit Center (Platform 1, northbound), Civic Plaza (eastbound), En Chu Kong Hospital (westbound) and Xizhi (eastbound).
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Japanese artists to build lantern floats for Taiwan Lantern Festival
Japanese artists to build lantern floats for Taiwan Lantern FestivalStaff writer, with CNANebuta artists Makoto Suwa and Hiromi Hayashi from Japan’s Aomori City yesterday announced they will craft large lantern floats for the 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi County at the invitation of the General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC). Nebuta are traditional lantern floats handmade with wood, metal wire and paper. The Aomori Nebuta Festival was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1980. GACC Secretary-General Lee Hou-ching (李厚慶) said the lantern festival coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011. The floats will also take part in the festival parade scheduled for the evening of March 7, accompanied by nebuta dancers known as haneto, a staple feature of the Aomori Nebuta Festival.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 17:14 UTC
Former Cabinet official, businessman indicted over ‘united front’ work
Former Cabinet official, businessman indicted over ‘united front’ workBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNAThe High Prosecutors' Office today indicted retired Cabinet official Hu Peng-nien (胡鵬年) and businessman Cheng Ming-chia (鄭明嘉) for cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) United Front Work Department to establish organizations in Taiwan. The office after completing its investigation indicted the two for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) by developing organizations for China. Law enforcement lead retired Cabinet official Hu Peng-nien through the High Court in Taipei today. Cheng, who has long conducted business in China, previously held a key position in an organization affiliated with the CCP’s United Front Work Department, they said. Hu and Cheng allegedly attempted to recruit active and retired military personnel and political figures to obtain classified military information, they said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 10:52 UTC
Indigenous submarine begins sixth sea trial
Indigenous submarine begins sixth sea trialStaff writer, with CNATaiwan's first indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤), or Narwhal, began its sixth sea trial today, drawing many military enthusiasts to Kaohsiung Harbor. Fans were spotted waving the Republic of China flag and holding banners to show support for the submarine project. Taiwan's first indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun undergoes a sea acceptance trial this morning at Kaohsiung Harbor. Photo: Lee Huei-chou, Taipei TimesThe submarine sailed out to sea from CSBC Corp, Taiwan's shipyard, for its sixth sea trial, or sea acceptance test (SAT). CSBC, the main contractor for the prototype of the Hai Kun, completed the fifth SAT for the submarine on Nov. 28 last year.
Source:Taipei Times
January 26, 2026 10:32 UTC