Taiwanese voters rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers, all from the opposition Nationalist Party, in a recall election Saturday, dampening hopes for the ruling party to flip the balance of power in the self-ruled island’s legislature. The independence-leaning ruling Democratic Progressive Party won last year’s presidential election, but the China-friendly Nationalists, also known as the KMT, and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party have enough seats to form a majority bloc. Official preliminary results showed that the recall efforts failed to remove any of the two dozen KMT lawmakers. The scale of the recall elections is unprecedented, with another seven KMT lawmakers facing a similar vote on Aug. 23. The KMT currently holds 52 seats, while the ruling DPP holds 51 seats. For the DPP to secure a legislative majority, at least six KMT lawmakers would need to be ousted, and the ruling party would need to win the by-elections, which must be held within three months of the announcement of results. For the recall to pass, more than a quarter of eligible voters in the electoral district must vote in favor of it, and the total number of supporters must exceed those voting against. The poll closed at 4 p.m. local time. Taiwan’s Central Election Commission will announce the official results on Aug. 1. If next month’s poll results are also unfavorable to the DPP, it would mean that the government of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te could continue to face strong resistance from within the legislature before elections expected to take place in 2028. ‘An uphill battle’ KMT chairman Eric Chu told reporters that voters had used their ballots to prove Taiwan’s democracy is mature and great, calling for an apology from Lai. “All Taiwanese people chose stability, chose that the government should focus on getting things done, rather than engaging in bitter political fighting,” he said. Despite their huge effort, those backing the recall were facing an “uphill battle” in trying to unseat lawmakers in well organized, strongly KMT districts, said Lev Nachman, a professor of political science at National Taiwan University. The result is going to make it even harder for Lai to push his agenda forward, especially ahead of local elections next year, said Nachman, who is an expert on Taiwan’s elections. “At the moment, there is very little Lai can do other than try to think of other creative ways to appeal to the public,” he told The Associated Press. Fu Kun-chi, one of the most powerful and controversial lawmakers targeted, said the result left Lai with no option other than to meet with the opposition and “find a way for Taiwan to proceed in a more stable way in this chaotic world.” DPP Secretary-General Lin Yu-chang said they humbly accepted the results, saying the recall should not be reduced to a victory or defeat for political parties and that it should be seen as a demonstration of civic power. He said his party has the responsibility to reflect on public sentiment more cautiously and adjust its approach to meet people’s expectations. Political retaliation claim Those who support removing the 24 lawmakers have criticized the KMT and its allies for blocking key legislation, especially the defense budget, and passing controversial changes that are seen as diminishing the power of the executive and […]
In the wake of Hamas’s libelous campaign of “starvation in Gaza,” leading to intense international pressure on Israel, the IDF announced on Sunday morning that beginning immediately, military activity will be suspended from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. “for humanitarian needs.” The move comes after Israel carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid to its enemy in Gaza on Motzei Shabbos. “In accordance with the directives of the political echelon and as part of the IDF’s ongoing effort through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) to increase the volume of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, starting today (Sunday), a local tactical pause of military activity will begin for humanitarian needs from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,” the announcement stated. “The pause will begin in areas where the IDF is not operating—Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City—every day until further notice.” It was also stated that the decision was coordinated with the UN and international organizations after discussions on the matter. Additionally, the IDF announced that it has established secure routes that will be open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m which will allow the safe movement of UN convoys and aid organizations for the entry and distribution of food and medicine to “innocent civilians” in Gaza. Following the annoucement, Egyptian media outlets reported on Sunday that aid trucks had begun entering the Gaza strip. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir slammed the government’s decision. “On Motzei Shabbos, I was updated by a source in the Prime Minister’s office that a security consultation took place on Shabbat without me (the official claim: ‘so as not to desecrate Shabbat’ – when they know very well that as Minister of National Security I am available on Shabbat for any important security event and consultation) in which it was decided to increase the amount of ‘humanitarian’ aid entering Gaza,” he wrote on X. “I told the official from the office that this is a surrender to Hamas’s false campaign, which endangers IDF soldiers, and that this surrender is several times more serious after the Prime Minister said on Friday that ‘we will examine alternative ways to release the hostages.’ It turns out that the ‘alternative way’ is to surrender to Hamas and its false campaigns and to increase the humanitarian aid that goes directly to it [Hamas]. This path delays the return of the hostages and, more importantly, hinders the achievement of total victory in the war.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard fired back at former President Barack Obama, accusing him of deflecting from his administration’s “absolute failure” to vet intelligence reports used to fuel narratives of Russian collusion with the 2016 Trump campaign.
The Israeli military announced it will conduct an airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza tonight as part of a series of efforts to improve conditions in the Strip, with the operation carried out by the Air Force and coordinated with international aid groups.
A Southwest flight rapidly descended nearly 500 feet to avoid a midair collision with a Hawker Hunter aircraft on Friday, according to flight tracking data and passengers on the plane.
A federal appeals court is set to hear a major case challenging Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs, with analysts warning his trade deals could be ruled illegal as similar lawsuits advance through the courts.
China unveiled a global AI action plan calling for international cooperation and proposed a global AI cooperation organization, just days after the U.S., as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt met with Shanghai officials ahead of an AI conference.
Amid growing outrage over starvation in Gaza, Israel said it will allow humanitarian pauses and open corridors for UN aid convoys, while also coordinating airdrops; meanwhile, protests erupted across Israel as pressure mounts on Netanyahu over the ongoing war and failure to secure hostage releases.
Democrats’ approval rating among registered voters has dropped to its lowest point in 35 years, with 63% viewing the party unfavorably and only 33% holding a positive view, according to a Wall Street Journal poll, which also shows Republicans leading on most key issues important to Americans.
The Foreign Ministry confirms that the Israeli Navy has taken over the Handala activist boat attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, stressing that everyone on board is safe. The Handala boat set sail from Sicily earlier this month, weeks after Israel intercepted a different vessel that had made a high-profile attempt to reach Gaza. The boat will be towed to Ashdod Port by the Navy, and the activists will then be deported from the country
Passengers were quickly evacuated and slid down the evacuation slide after an American Airlines plane at Denver International Airport caught fire at the wheels. Everyone is reportedly accounted for.
HY’D: A reservist seriously wounded by a roadside bomb in southern Gaza a week ago died of his wounds on Shabbos, the IDF announced on Motzei Shabbos. He was identified as Sgt. Maj. (res.) Betzalel Yehoshua Mosbacher, H’yd, 32, of Avnei Eitan, a religious moshav in Ramat HaGolan.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that the Israeli Navy successfully intercepted the Handala boat, which attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. The ministry emphasized that “all passengers are safe.” In its official statement, the Foreign Ministry referred to the vessel by its original name, saying, “the forces stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza.” “The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe,” the statement continued. The ministry underscored the seriousness of the breach attempt, noting, “Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.” While the IDF has not yet released a formal statement on the incident, live footage from earlier in the day showed Israeli Navy troops boarding the Handala at sea. The Handala is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the same group behind a previous attempt involving the Madleen vessel. According to the coalition’s website, the boat was carrying 19 activists along with two Al Jazeera journalists. The vessel is currently being towed to Ashdod Port, whereupon the “activists” will be deported from Israel.
France held secret meetings with Hamas leaders, with the approval of French President Emmanuel Macron, three years before the October 7 attack, Channel 12 News reported on Motzei Shabbos. Documents found in Gaza during the war revealed that the first meeting took place between a French delegation headed by a high-ranking intelligence official and Hamas leaders Mousa Abu Marzouk and Khaled Mashal on October 16, 2020, in Doha, Qatar. France initiated the meeting According to the report, the senior French official told the Hamas leaders, “We don’t want to talk only with the Palestinian Authority, but also with you. France has a historical connection to the Palestinian struggle.” Mashal and Abu Marzouk responded, “Even if the international community supports the Zionist entity, we will defeat them. This land is ours. The resistance has continued for over a hundred years, and we will continue until victory.” The French representatives did not express any objection to Hamas’s stated goal of destroying Israel. In response to the report, a senior diplomat at the French Embassy said, “These baseless accusations are apparently intended to undermine the legitimacy of our efforts to promote a two-state solution.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)
President Trump on Hamas and Gaza: “They pulled out in terms of negotiating. It was too bad. Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die.”
Approximately 50 followers of Eliezer Berland illegally entered Shechem overnight in an unauthorized attempt to reach Kever Yosef, the IDF said. The group was detained by Palestinian security forces and handed over to the IDF, then transferred to police. An investigation is underway amid claims some threw rocks at buildings. No injuries were reported. The IDF emphasized that such uncoordinated visits are dangerous and strictly prohibited.
