The 2009 Coffee, Tea and Wine Fair kicked off on Friday at the World Trade Center with the participation of hundreds of local and international exhibitors, including coffee experts from Central America.

Working to overcome the challenges of climate change, a school in Taipei, the first on the island to embrace renewable energy, is now being powered by a new solar panel installed above the playground.

New York Yankees pitcher Wang Chien-ming said yesterday he prefers to stay in the Yankees next season unless he is forced to make another choice.

A civic movement has collected enough signatures in the initial stage of a drive to launch a referendum on U.S. beef imports, the Consumers' Foundation said yesterday, but the biggest hurdle to achieving the goal still lies ahead.

Rivalry within the main opposition party for nomination for next year's election in Kaohsiung has already heated up, with two potential contenders coming close to engaging each other in an early smear campaign.

President Ma Ying-jeou has not been featured in the ruling Kuomintang's latest TV advertisement, sparking speculation that the party no longer sees the leader as an asset for election campaigns because of his declining popularity.

Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC) announced a rewards program Friday to encourage Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan with charter cruises.

The Taipei District Court yesterday gave a former interior minister a suspended two-year prison term after finding him guilty of corruption in one of the cases involving ex-first lady Wu Shu-chen.

The chairwoman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) expressed optimism Thursday about the party's chances in the upcoming Dec. 5 local elections, saying that the DPP is expected to retain its grip on the counties of Yunlin, Chiayi and Pingtung.

Confronted with an ever-growing pile of old newspapers, Taiwanese fashion designer Colin Lin came up with the idea of using them to make shoes and tote bags for her environmentally friendly footwear company.