Taiwan's HTC Corp. fell out of the world'stop 10 smartphone makers in the first quarter as the company's sales continued to slide, tech tracking firm Gartner Inc. said in a report.

EVA Airways Corp. announced yesterday that it will increase its flights to Paris and Vienna to four from the current three per week from May 16 and Sept. 2, respectively.

A Taiwan naval vessel yesterday departed from a southern harbor to join a joint exercise with the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) set to be held today as part of the government's efforts to showcase its determination to protect fishermen operating in disputed areas in the South China Sea.

A long-awaited apology on behalf of Philippine President Benigno Aquino and the Filipino people was issued through a special envoy last night to the family of a Taiwanese fisherman slain by a Philippine coast guard last Thursday.

Members of the Pingtung District Prosecutors Office are slated to leave today for the Philippines to further investigate the recent shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine coast guards.

President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday held a National Security Council meeting, deciding to launch the first round of sanctions against the Philippines over its failure to meet Taiwan's demands with regard to the recent shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine coastguardsmen.

The Philippines government was expected to issue an official apology to Taiwan government over the attack of a Taiwanese fishing boat by a Philippine state vessel last Thursday, which left one Taiwanese fisherman dead, local media reported yesterday.

A Taiwanese skipper has been arrested by Japanese authorities for fishing on Japan's side of a temporary enforcement line in overlapping waters in the East China Sea, an official said yesterday.

A Taiwanese captain arrested by the Japanese authorities Tuesday in waters near Japan's Ishigaki Island for trespass has been released along with his detained fishing vessel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

The Pingtung County-registered Lung Wang Li No. 97 (龍旺利97號) fishing boat was returning to Taiwan last night after being intercepted by Vietnamese vessels in the South China Sea, according to the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).