Taipei City Government advisor Hsu Po-yun (許博允) was charged yesterday for sexually harassing a female vocalist who worked at Taipei Symphony Orchestra (TSO) in 2012, according to the Taipei District Public Prosecutors Office.

Australia's economy grew slower-than-expected in the first three months of the year as the commodities-powered nation faces a painful transition away from its reliance on the mining sector.

Insurance shares yesterday got a boost on hopes that the government could lift a ban that denies the long-term care (LTC) industry status as a profession — therefore restricting local insurers from offering it coverage — pushing the finance sub-index higher when the session ended.

Deaths related to driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol decreased significantly in the first four months of the year after more severe punishments for drunk drivers were introduced, according to police.

A Japanese man was caught smuggling nearly 3 kilograms of heroin into Taiwan Wednesday, police said. The 57 year-old man, identified only as Tamura, was detained after his checked luggage was found to contain 12 bricks of a suspicious looking white powder that was later determined to be heroin, the Kaohsiung branch of the Aviation Police Office said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a travel advisory for the Czech Republic yesterday, advising Taiwanese traveling to the country to beware of widespread flooding there that has left seven people dead.

Chinese pro-democracy dissidents Wei Jinsheng, Wu'er Kaixi and hundreds of other people gathered in front of China's consulate in New York in remembrance of China's June 4, 1989 bloody crackdown on student protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

Taiwan will send two choreographers to a residency program at this year's American Dance Festival to encourage more interaction between local and foreign choreographers, the Ministry of Culture said recently.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in May rose 0.74 percent compared with a year ago, its lowest rise since March 2012, according to a report released by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS, 主計處) yesterday.

Eying Taiwan's future status as a major offshore renminbi market, some of China's flagship state-run banks are said to be looking at the possibility of listing Formosa Bonds in Taiwan, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) confirmed Tuesday.