The local media's failure to provide sufficient and high-quality international news could be a result of their lack of vision, as they focus only on trivial and sensational subjects to maintain high ratings, media insiders said.

Taiwan's top media regulator is taking action to improve global news coverage on local radio and TV channels, which have long been criticized for focusing too narrowly on domestic affairs, but the sensitive question of government interference in news-providing could hinder its efforts.

The nation's education minister said yesterday that officials will launch discussions on the tuition details of the upcoming 12-year compulsory education system, adding that the previous NT$1.14 million household income threshold may be adjusted upwards.

Cross-strait ties must not be dominated by the Chinese communists and the Kuomintang (KMT), as it would harm Taiwan's interests, opposition heavyweight Frank Hsieh said yesterday.

Wowprime Chairman Dai Sheng-yi yesterday partially retracted his previous call for students not to be overly eager to save money, but continued to urge them to “invest” in themselves and to work hard.

Major developers expressed optimism Saturday over the local property market in the second half of this year amid fading impact from the implementation of the luxury tax, which is aimed at curbing speculation in house prices.

Uni-President Enterprise Corp. put seven of its dessert products — including once-popular Uni-President Pudding — back on store shelves Saturday, following a recall two weeks ago amid reports that they contain questionable or unacceptable ingredients.

The government should consider allowing the New Taiwan dollar to be pegged to a basket of currencies including the U.S. dollar, the euro, the British pound, the Japanese yen and the Korean won, instead of the greenback only, a professor from National Taiwan University (NTU) said yesterday.

After returning home from a hard day's work, Taipei resident Alice Chen switches on a cable TV news channel before doing almost anything else.

Taiwan's main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) formally opened its representative office in the United States on Friday, and explained that the facility is tasked with presenting Taiwan's voice to the outside world.