Pope demands AI weapons be ‘disarmed’
Richard Sanders, Taipei Pope Leo XIV has issued a sweeping warning on the dangers of artificial intelligence in warfare, arguing that the technology is helping to “normalize war” and shifting decisions of life and death to opaque “technological actors” beyond democratic control. The American-born pontiff set out his concerns in a major encyclical released on…
US defense delegation visits Taipei
Richard Sanders, Taipei The US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) today announced that its 9th annual defense delegation will take place May 26-29, 2026. Led by General (Ret.) Charles A. Flynn, the delegation of 41 senior executives is visiting Taiwan to promote expanded bilateral cooperation with the United States and in support of the national security goals…
Anduril Founder Warns of China Threat and U.S. Arsenal Strain
Richard Sanders in Kaohsiung Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey has rapidly become one of the most talked-about figures in Taiwan’s defence circles. Known for his unconventional scruffy style – Hawaiian shirts, flip-flops, and blunt public commentary – Luckey is increasingly viewed by some in Taiwan’s military community as a Silicon Valley defence entrepreneur in the…
Trump announces ‘finalization’ of Iran deal
Richard Sanders, Kaoshiung US President Donald Trump has said that a peace agreement with Iran has been “largely negotiated” and is now being finalized, signaling a potential breakthrough after nearly three months of war and repeated threats of renewed American strikes. Trump said he had held what he described as a “very good call” from the Oval Office with leaders…
Taiwan not aware of arms sales ‘pause’
Richard Sanders, Tainan Taiwan’s government said it has not received any notification from Washington about changes to planned US arms sales, after a senior American official suggested that some foreign weapons deliveries had been temporarily paused because of US military needs following the attack on Iran. The comments came after US Acting Navy Secretary Hung…
Trump Holds Up $14 Billion Taiwan Arms Package as China Talks Shape Decision
Richard Sanders TAIPEI, May 21 – A proposed U.S. arms package for Taiwan worth about $14 billion remains stalled as President Donald Trump considers whether to use the sale as leverage in negotiations with China, raising concerns in Taipei and among U.S. lawmakers over the future of American security support for the island. The package,…
Taiwan Travelogue Becomes First Mandarin-Translated Novel to Win International Booker Prize
Dave Chamberlain, Guam A story of forbidden love, Taiwanese cuisine and colonial history has won the International Booker Prize, marking the first time a novel translated from Mandarin Chinese has received the prestigious literary award. Taiwan Travelogue, written by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translated into English by Taiwanese-American translator Lin King, follows two women…
Catholic Church Reportedly Offers to Mediate as US-Cuba Tensions Rise
Frank Williams, Phnom Penh Diplomatic efforts may be underway to prevent a worsening confrontation between Washington and Havana, according to sources at the Cuban Embassy in Phnom Penh, who said there have been overtures from the Catholic Church to mediate between the two governments in the interest of avoiding military conflict. The reported mediation efforts…
CIA chief delivers Trump’s message to Havana
Frank Williams, Manila CIA Director John Ratcliffe has paid a rare visit to Havana to deliver a message from US President Donald Trump to the Cuban leadership amid a US-imposed fuel blockade of the island. According to Reuters, it was the first time a CIA chief had visited Cuba since the Communist Revolution in the…
US intel fears Iran war handed China strategic advantage – WaPo
Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh The US-Israeli war against Iran has handed China a strategic opening to chip away at US influence on every major front, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing a classified intelligence analysis. Two US officials familiar with the matter told the newspaper that the document was produced by the Joint Staff’s…
