Chinese travellers flock to Central Asia as flight bookings soar 120% on pre-...
Sunday, April 26,2026,08:00
Once a niche destination, Central Asia is quickly emerging as a key market for Chinese travellers, supported by robust traffic growth, expanding air links and deeper economic ties under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, according to analysts. Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China showed that passenger traffic to Central Asia grew 59.3 per cent in 2025 from a year earlier, marking one of the fastest growth rates among all regions tracked, said Mayur Patel, commercial and industry... .. read more..
Rockslide damages Suhua Highway tunnel; traffic limited to one lane
Sunday, April 26,2026,06:39
Taipei, April 26 (CNA) Traffic in the Daqingshui open-cut tunnel on Provincial Highway No. 9 in Hualien has been restricted to one lane after a rockslide struck the tunnel's rock shed early Sunday, damaging its steel roof structure. .. read more..
Fair weather in Taiwan through Monday, rain later next week
Sunday, April 26,2026,06:34
Taipei, April 26 (CNA) Taiwan will see mostly cloudy to sunny weather from Sunday through Monday as moisture decreases, though a weather front is expected to bring brief showers from Wednesday into Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. .. read more..
Yilan village chief recalled over mining project in Indigenous territory
Sunday, April 26,2026,05:49
Taipei, April 26 (CNA) A recall vote against Lunpi Village chief Wu Ping-tsung (吳秉宗) in Datong Township, Yilan County, passed on Saturday, driven by controversy over his handling of a mining project in an Indigenous traditional territory. .. read more..
At Malaysia’s arms bazaar, drone dealers chase Southeast Asian market share
Sunday, April 26,2026,05:30
Watch a cheap commercial drone destroy a battle tank on the frontlines in Ukraine, or a cut-price Iranian Shahed menace Tel Aviv, then ask yourself why Southeast Asia’s defence ministries are suddenly very interested in unmanned aerial vehicles. The answer was on full display last week at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, where vendors from Abu Dhabi to Pretoria were chasing deals in one of the global arms trade’s hottest emerging markets. “There is huge demand from the... .. read more..
Lai condemns violence following gunshots at White House press dinner
Sunday, April 26,2026,05:14
Taipei, April 26 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) took to social media to condemn political violence on Sunday, following a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Gala. .. read more..
Taiwan headline news
Sunday, April 26,2026,04:28
Taipei, April 26 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Sunday are as follows: .. read more..
Midnight pranksters fan flames of frustration for Malaysia’s fire services
Sunday, April 26,2026,04:18
It’s midnight. A call was made to Malaysia’s Fire and Rescue Department about a forest fire in Tanjung Bungah, Penang. Firefighters rushed to the scene only to discover there was no such blaze. the department gets a prank call every other day. Many of these calls are usually made about an hour before or after midnight. Its exasperated director general Nor Hisham Mohammad is now calling for a multiprong approach to deal with the problem. “There should be stricter enforcement, use of technological... .. read more..
Singapore’s answer to school bullying? The cane … and counselling
Sunday, April 26,2026,03:00
For six months, Adriana Lim Escano’s teenage son went to school and said nothing. He had tried to do the right thing – stepping in when a group of boys bullied a classmate – and paid for it with half a year of misery, name-calling and social isolation. His mother only found out when another parent called to say her son had voiced suicidal thoughts to a friend. The school’s response, when it finally came, was a talking-to from the discipline committee. No suspensions. No meaningful... .. read more..
Iconic South Korean district on the brink in divisive urban renewal fight
Sunday, April 26,2026,01:30
For 42 years, Ha Sung-ki has sold large speakers to churches and event halls from his electronics shop inside Seoul’s Sewoon Plaza. On a weekday afternoon, the corridor outside – once part of a bustling merchants’ network – is largely empty. “These days, the number of customers crossing the street to come here can be counted on your fingers – sometimes fewer than 10 a day,” he said. “People used to come for the nostalgia, the vintage products and the experience of assembling electronic... .. read more..
Muddy yet clear-cut: How Chinese investors are turning jungle into Indonesia’...
Sunday, April 26,2026,01:00
After an hour’s drive through the jungle of Borneo, you reach more jungle. Your rental van from the Balikpapan city airport shakes precariously, navigating a partial bridge washout. A roadside sign admonishes against poaching the endangered sun bears. By hour three you’ve arrived at Indonesia’s new capital, which is due to start taking over from gridlocked, polluted and seaward-sinking Jakarta in 2028. Welcome to Ibu Kota Nusantara, known locally as just Nusantara or IKN. Eventually, if all goes... .. read more..
Will South Korea or Japan develop a nuclear deterrent of their own?
Sunday, April 26,2026,00:00
War on Iran has changed many things, not least of which is the tenor of nuclear debate in two of America’s closest Asian allies: countries that have long defined themselves by the weapons they do not possess. For decades, the question of whether South Korea and Japan might one day build their own nuclear arsenal was treated as fringe speculation – the preserve of hawks and provocateurs. No longer. The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has sounded the alarm.... .. read more..
Roommate charged with murder of 2 Bangladeshi PhD students in US
Saturday, April 25,2026,18:30
A former University of South Florida student has been charged with killing his roommate and the roommate’s girlfriend – two doctoral students from Bangladesh who disappeared earlier this month, authorities said Saturday. Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, is facing two counts of premeditated murder in the first degree with a weapon in the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, students at USF, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. He made an initial court appearance Saturday in Tampa,... .. read more..
1 dead, 12 injured in Gansu bus accident involving Taiwanese group: SEF
Saturday, April 25,2026,13:53
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) One member of a Taiwanese tour group was killed and 12 others were injured when their tour bus rolled over in China's Gansu Province on Friday, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said Saturday. .. read more..
Thai Festival in Taipei celebrates people-to-people ties
Saturday, April 25,2026,12:50
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Officials speaking at the three-day Thai Festival 2026 on Saturday and festivalgoers both highlighted the strong people-to-people ties between Taiwan and Thailand and the many areas of life, including democracy, that connect the two sides. .. read more..
Japan evacuates thousands as hundreds of firefighters battle wildfires
Saturday, April 25,2026,12:16
Hundreds of firefighters were battling wildfires in the forests of northern Japan on Saturday, as authorities urged more than 3,200 people to evacuate their homes, government officials said. As of Saturday morning, blazes in the mountainous areas of Iwate region had burned about 700 hectares (1,730 acres) since breaking out three days ago, local government officials said in a statement. A large column of smoke, which could be smelled 30km (20 miles) away, was seen rising up the valley near the... .. read more..
French travel writer to explore Taiwan by scooter on 'peace journey'
Saturday, April 25,2026,11:35
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) French travel writer and social entrepreneur Ludovic Hubler plans to visit Taiwan with his 10-year-old son in the next two months and take a scooter trip to "listen to people's voices," as part of a new global project focused on peace. .. read more..
Upcycling waste oil into soap, Taiwanese makes mark in Finland
Saturday, April 25,2026,10:54
Helsinki, April 25 (CNA) Guided by a passion for upcycling, a Taiwanese entrepreneur based in Finland has created soap made from used cooking oil that is now used by several renowned local establishments, including Michelin green star restaurant Nolla. .. read more..
Taiwan wins 1 silver, 1 bronze at junior shooting world cup
Saturday, April 25,2026,10:28
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Taiwan has won a silver medal in the mixed 10-meter air rifle event and a bronze medal in the women's 10-meter air pistol at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Cairo. .. read more..
Man arrested after attacking Filipino child at Taipei Main Station
Saturday, April 25,2026,09:24
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) A Taiwanese man was arrested after allegedly kicking a 2-year-old Filipino girl in the abdomen in the lobby of Taipei Main Station on Saturday afternoon, according to the Railway Police Bureau. .. read more..
CPC to leave domestic gasoline, diesel prices steady for next week
Saturday, April 25,2026,09:08
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) CPC Corp., Taiwan, the sole state-owned oil supplier in the country, announced on Saturday that it will leave its gasoline and diesel prices in the local market unchanged for next week in a bid to stabilize domestic consumer prices under the government's instructions amid global crude oil price volatility. .. read more..
Foreign minister arrives in Eswatini after Lai cancels trip
Saturday, April 25,2026,09:07
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) arrived in Eswatini on Saturday morning, days after Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) was forced to cancel his planned trip to southern Africa due to reported interference from China. .. read more..
Abe School opens in Taipei, highlighting Taiwan-Japan ties
Saturday, April 25,2026,08:39
Taipei, April 26 (CNA) The inaugural Abe School of Politics and Economics opened in Taipei on Saturday, bringing together government officials, scholars and students to examine the legacy of late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and promote Taiwan-Japan cooperation. .. read more..
Taiwan rejects claim that Mauritius never approved Lai's flight permit
Saturday, April 25,2026,08:17
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) The Presidential Office on Saturday rejected a Mauritian media report saying that the African country had never granted overflight permission for President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) now-canceled Eswatini trip, calling the claim "rumor-mongering." .. read more..
Computer-aided part of Han Kuang drills end, referenced overseas conflicts: Koo
Saturday, April 25,2026,07:46
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) The computer-aided segment of the annual Han Kuang military exercises concluded on Friday, following 14 days of intensive wargaming incorporating elements in recent international conflicts and other realistic scenarios to strengthen the decision-making and responses of Taiwan's armed forces. .. read more..
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake shakes northeastern Taiwan
Saturday, April 25,2026,07:34
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Taiwan at 3:16 p.m. Saturday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). .. read more..
Iran war is tearing the polyester fabric of fast fashion – and shoes could be...
Saturday, April 25,2026,07:18
A surge in fossil fuel prices since the Iran war is squeezing polyester suppliers and garment makers across India and Bangladesh, threatening to raise costs for fast-fashion retailers like Zara and H&M. Filatex, one of India’s biggest polyester yarn producers, is paying nearly 30 per cent more for the petroleum-derived feedstocks – purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG) – that it needs to make yarn, as Chinese suppliers raise prices and Middle East supply is disrupted,... .. read more..
'Non-nuclear' homeland revisited: Lai remarks raise questions
Saturday, April 25,2026,07:01
When Taiwan's last active nuclear reactor at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant was shut down on May 17, 2025, Taiwan officially became a "non-nuclear homeland," a longtime goal of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). .. read more..
India-Germany defence road map ‘good template’ for wider EU cooperation
Saturday, April 25,2026,07:00
India and Germany’s new defence road map could give New Delhi fresh momentum in its long-running push to modernise its undersea fleet, while helping Europe expand its security role in the Indo-Pacific, experts say. The two countries signed a Defence Industrial Cooperation Road Map in Berlin on Wednesday, with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, agreeing to deepen collaboration in development, production and niche technologies. The agreement was... .. read more..
Hon Hai, Mitsubishi Electric sign MOU on potential joint automotive business
Saturday, April 25,2026,06:17
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. announced on Friday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japan's Mitsubishi Electric Corp. to explore possible joint operations in the automotive equipment business. .. read more..
Malaysia gets new anti-corruption chief as protests mount against outgoing head
Saturday, April 25,2026,05:51
Malaysia on Saturday appointed a former judge as its new anti-corruption chief in an unprecedented move, as the government seeks to calm months of political turbulence over alleged misconduct linked to the watchdog’s outgoing head. Allies and opponents have hit out against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since February following reports claiming that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) boss Azam Baki was involved in a share ownership scandal and the agency’s officers were allegedly working... .. read more..
China's DeepSeek Unveils V4 Built On Huawei Chips, Challenging Nvidia Dominan...
Saturday, April 25,2026,05:38
On Friday, Chinese startup DeepSeek released a preview of its highly anticipated V4 model, designed to run on chips from Huawei Technologies —marking a shift away from its earlier reliance on Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA ) hardware. Performance Claims Put V4 Among Top AI Models DeepSeek said its V4 Pro model outperforms most open-source competitors on world knowledge benchmarks, trailing only closed-source systems like Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOG ) (NASDAQ: GOOGL ) Google's Gemini-Pro-3.1 , Reuters reported. The model is optimized for handling long and complex text tasks, processing more than one million tokens while using significantly less compute than rivals. However, it lacks... .. read more..
The Middle East’s new power brokers? Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt unite
Saturday, April 25,2026,05:30
Amid the rubble of the US-Israel war on Iran, a new Middle East appears to be taking shape as a constellation of regional powers jockey for a seat at the table. Led by Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the grouping stretches from the Gulf across the Caucasus to Central and South Asia, binding together countries with overlapping interests, interlocking partnerships and a shared conviction: that the post-war order should not be dictated exclusively by the US-Israel alliance or Iran and its battered but... .. read more..
European lawmakers raise concerns over China's pressure on Lai's flight
Saturday, April 25,2026,05:28
Berlin and Rome, April 24 (CNA) Several lawmakers from Germany and Italy on Friday raised concerns over China applying pressure on three African countries to revoke overflight rights for Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) flight, which led to the cancellation of his planned trip to ally Eswatini this week. .. read more..
Rain to persist across Taiwan on Saturday before weather stabilizes
Saturday, April 25,2026,04:10
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Rainy and cooler weather is expected to persist across Taiwan on Saturday before conditions stabilize the next day, bringing cloudy to sunny skies and rising temperatures, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). .. read more..
Traditional bathhouses in Japan sink under soaring energy costs
Saturday, April 25,2026,03:28
Traditional public bathhouses in Japan are in deep water as soaring energy costs triggered by the Middle East oil supply disruptions threaten to extinguish the fires of a fading tradition, with some of them forced to shorten their hours or even shut their doors for good. Already struggling with a shrinking customer base and ageing owners without successors, the oil price surge is dealing a fresh blow to sento, as the communal baths are known in Japanese, with regulated pricing making it... .. read more..
Taiwan headline news
Saturday, April 25,2026,03:11
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Saturday are as follows: .. read more..
Japanese military seeks answers for fatal Type 10 tank blast that should not ...
Saturday, April 25,2026,01:30
A turret explosion that killed three Japanese crew members inside a Type 10 tank during manoeuvres earlier this week has caused shock and confusion in military circles. Japan’s defence ministry and experts concur that a round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of and the cause of the accident will need to be traced before the Ground Self-Defence Force’s (GSDF) newest and most advanced tank can return to training. An analyst suggests the investigation will look closely at... .. read more..
Mixed bag: Indonesia’s 8% growth dream hits a plastic ceiling
Saturday, April 25,2026,00:00
The plastic bag is an unlikely symbol of economic frailty. But in Indonesia, the soaring cost of that humble everyday item is raising uncomfortable questions about the country’s future growth prospects. At a market in Depok, south of Jakarta, the plastic bags Budi needs to sell his chicken have nearly doubled in price. “Plastic is really expensive right now,” he said in an interview on April 17. “Usually, I’d have to set aside at least 10,000 rupiah (58 US cents) for plastic bags, but now, I... .. read more..
Kuomintang gets the carrots, DPP the stick
Friday, April 24,2026,21:30
Another day, another big humiliation for William Lai Ching-te. The Taiwanese leader effectively had to cancel a visit to eSwatini, the island’s last partner in Africa, for the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne and his 58th birthday. Taiwan said the visit was “postponed” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar cancelled their previously approved overflight permission without warning. Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)... .. read more..
Oil prices mixed as U.S. and Iran expected to hold talks in Pakistan
Friday, April 24,2026,20:32
The talks would come after a previous efforts at negotiations fell apart. .. read more..
Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extension fails ...
Friday, April 24,2026,14:17
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed as investors remained cautious despite a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. .. read more..
Japanese protest ‘frightening’ easing of decades-old arms export curbs
Friday, April 24,2026,13:54
Protesters gathered in Tokyo on Friday to rally against Japan’s decision to ease decades-old arms export curbs, which critics argue erode the country’s post-war pacifist tradition. The new rules permitting the sale of lethal weapons overseas signal a major shift, as Japan ramps up its defence ambitions and seeks to enter the global arms market in part to boost economic growth. The move, announced this week on Tuesday by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government, has been met with some criticism... .. read more..
Man arrested after attempted bank robbery using BB gun, fake grenade
Friday, April 24,2026,13:32
Taipei, April 24 (CNA) A man in his 30s was arrested Friday after attempting to rob a bank in Taipei using a BB gun and a fake grenade, police said. .. read more..
3 generations of Kyogen masters present 3/11 tribute work in Kaohsiung
Friday, April 24,2026,12:47
Kaohsiung, April 24 (CNA) Three generations of Japan's renowned Nomura family of Kyogen are scheduled to perform in Kaohsiung with actor Mansai Nomura in a work dedicated to victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. .. read more..
Newly employed graduates earn NT$39,000 on average in 2025: Ministry
Friday, April 24,2026,12:35
Taipei, April 24 (CNA) Newly employed graduates earned an average monthly wage of NT$39,000 (US$1,239) in 2025, up 5.4 percent from a year earlier, with 17.2 percent paid the minimum wage of NT$28,590 at the time, the Ministry of Labor said Friday. .. read more..
Taiwan groups donate 68 emergency vehicles to Ukraine
Friday, April 24,2026,12:30
Lviv, Ukraine, April 23 (CNA) Sixty-eight ambulances and fire trucks, donated by Taiwanese private groups and fire agencies, were delivered to Ukraine on Thursday to support frontline rescue efforts in war-affected areas. .. read more..
Will China’s deal with Australian mining giant BHP boost yuan internationalis...
Friday, April 24,2026,12:00
Australian mining giant BHP’s decision to adopt a yuan-denominated index for a major Chinese buyer poses a challenge to the US dollar’s long-standing dominance in iron ore pricing, delivering a hard-won victory for Beijing, analysts said. But while the agreement marked a breakthrough in Beijing’s push to gain greater commodity pricing power at a time when the United States faces growing “geopolitical isolation”, analysts stressed that its broader efforts to reshape the old order remained far... .. read more..
Chinese drone discovery sharpens focus on Asia’s undersea security race
Friday, April 24,2026,11:27
A suspected Chinese underwater drone hauled out of Indonesian waters this month has sharpened global focus on a security race that analysts say has been years in the making across South and Southeast Asia: undersea surveillance. The torpedo-shaped device was found near the Lombok Strait, one of the few deepwater channels through which submarines can transit submerged between the Pacific and Indian oceans and a passage closely watched by the United States and Australia. Beijing said it did not... .. read more..
Haidilao's Overseas Boss Returns To China To Reignite Slowing Growth
Friday, April 24,2026,11:26
The return of 31-year company veteran Yang Lijuan, who oversaw the hotpot chain's global operation, may be its best hope for reviving stagnating revenues and declining profits at home image credit: Bamboo Works Key Takeaways: Haidilao announced that veteran Yang Lijuan, CEO of its overseas business, will return to the parent company, sparking a 7% jump in its shares The former hotpot giant's profit fell in 2025 after a big drop in customer traffic, despite shedding more than 11,000 employees Nearly every successful business inevitably reaches an inflection point, at which time many often turn to their founding entrepreneurs for new inspiration. That's happened twice this ye... .. read more..