Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised eyebrows recently when he declared the era of American unipolarity over. He described America’s unrivaled dominance of the international system as an anomaly that was created by the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War. Now, he observed, the U
The government faces several obstacles to implementing a proposal to rename roads — spelled Zhongzheng (中正) in Taipei and Jhongjheng in other parts of the nation — commemorating former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石). However, replacing the Presidential Office Building would be a more feasible goal,
A few years ago, COVID-19 dealt a severe blow to the world’s economy and public health. As of April 2023, nearly 7 million people had died from the disease. However, another virus, ancient and far more destructive, is spreading globally — the virus of war. It is propagating through lust for power, o
EDITORIAL CARTOON
Against the odds, some in China are questioning the top-down push to get aboard the artificial intelligence (AI) hype train. In a tightly controlled media environment where these experts can easily be drowned out, it is important to listen to them. Across the US and Europe, loud voices inside and ou
A full, independent investigation into the killings of Palestinians attempting to collect food for their family, and accountability for their deaths, is essential, but no investigation is needed to establish that Israel is ultimately responsible, by starving people and then implementing a food-colle
Following the collapse of Germany’s dysfunctional three-party coalition in November last year, then-conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz vowed that he would transform the country from “a sleeping middle power” to a “leading” one should he become chancellor. Judging by his first month in off
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Tuesday said it had taken measures to prevent espionage by party members, after a former staffer was allegedly discovered using a cellphone with a Chinese spying app. Former DPP staffer Huang Chu-jung (黃取榮) and four other former party members allegedly gathe
Debates in Taiwan over the clash between former US President Donald Trump and Harvard University have generated no shortage of commentary, analysis and emotion. As a US citizen observing from a distance, I fully understand the desire to engage with developments in the US. However, I would caution ag
The selection of Robert Francis Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis is part of an internal Catholic Church desire to continue the latter’s reform agenda. In terms of international relations, the key question is whether Pope Leo XIV would choose to maintain the path of engagement with China that
Many Taiwanese news media have recently reported that geomagnetic storms might be harmful to humans, saying they could affect the nervous, cardiovascular, immune and endocrine systems, as well as quality of sleep. Those who do not understand the health effects of magnetic fields often use the word “
Relationships in the AI ageWith the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, an increasing number of young people are forming emotional connections with virtual AI chatbot companions. Some even refer to them as “AI boyfriends” or “AI girlfriends,” seeking comfort amid loneliness
EDITORIAL CARTOON
The Tibetan plateau is home to vast glacial reserves, which amount to the largest store of fresh water outside the arctic and the antarctic. It is also the source of 10 major Asian river systems — including the Yellow and Yangtze rivers of China, the Mekong, Salween and Irrawaddy rivers of Southeast
During US President Donald Trump’s first term, he famously toured a Texas factory and claimed credit for bringing Apple Inc production “back to the US.”Except the plant had been running long before he took office. And it was an “unmitigated fiasco.”Workers in China had to be flown in to help fix the
Taylor Swift on Friday emerged triumphant after a years-long battle over the rights to her earlier music. She now has complete control from the songs to packaging to distribution — and no corporate edicts to deal with. That would be enough cause for celebration, but reports say that she bought her c
A recent scandal involving a high-school student from a private school in Taichung has reignited long-standing frustrations with Taiwan’s increasingly complex and high-pressure university admissions system. The student, who had successfully gained admission to several prestigious medical schools, sh
Prior to the second Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit — which began on Wednesday last week — Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) warned that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long used such activities to package the promotion of its “united front” propaganda ta
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has reshaped the global security landscape, with consequences that extend beyond Europe to countries like India, which has long pursued strategic autonomy and multialignment. Moscow’s deepening dependence on Beijing, economically, militarily and diplomatically
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