World
Who is Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te?
William Lai Ching-te from the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who is seen as a “dangerous separatist” by China, has won Taiwan’s presidential election.
Lai, the current vice president, who has asserted the self-ruled island’s sovereignty, beat his nearest rival Hou Yu-ih of the conservative Kuomintang (KMT) by more than 900,000 votes in Saturday’s elections.
With Lai’s win, the DPP secured an unprecedented third consecutive term in power, signifying that the majority of Taiwanese stand behind the party’s values of preserving democracy.
The DPP does not represent the mainstream public opinion on the island, Beijing said after Lai was named the winner of Saturday’s vote, adding that the vote “will not impede the inevitable trend of China’s reunification”.
In his victory speech, the 64-year-old Lai congratulated voters for refusing to be swayed by “external forces” trying to influence the election in an apparent reference to China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory.
He said he wanted to cooperate with China – Taiwan’s biggest trade partner – and maintain peace and stability, but pledged not to be “intimidated” by Beijing.
Here’s more about the president-elect that China has vocally opposed:
Steering Taiwan as vice president
In his most recent role as vice president, Lai helped promote Taiwan’s interests internationally.
Last August, he made a diplomatic mission to Paraguay, a move criticised by Beijing. The Latin American country is one of a dozen that still maintains formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Taiwan, however, has trade ties with countries around the world.
Lai has also drawn a line between Taiwan and Ukraine and the rise of authoritarianism globally, saying the phenomenon has “awakened the international community to the fragility of democracy”.
During his and outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen’s tenure, Taiwan increased arms acquisitions from the United States, which is bound by law to provide the island with weapons needed to protect itself. Washington does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in line with its “one China” policy.
As such, during his run as VP, Lai talked about the need to build up Taiwan’s military deterrence capabilities, strengthen its economic security, and forge partnerships with democracies worldwide.
“We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we will stand on the side of democracy,” Lai told his supporters on Saturday night.
Relations with China
China has been vocal about its opposition to Lai, calling him a dangerous separatist. Beijing had, in fact, called the poll a choice between war and peace.
The new president-elect, however, has repeatedly said during the campaign that he wanted to keep the status quo with China and has on numerous occasions offered to talk to Beijing.
Lai once said the head of state he would most like to have dinner with is Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he said needs to “chill out a little”.
With the leader now elected, what is at stake is peace, social stability and prosperity on the island, as Beijing builds up military activity around the island, which it has said could be retaken by force if necessary.
Taiwan is home to the world’s leading semiconductor industry, producing tiny chips used in everything from Bluetooth headphones to missile systems.
These silicon wafers are the lifeblood of the modern global economy, placing great responsibility on Lai to maintain a careful balance on tensions as the United States and China tussle over technology exports.
In running for president, Lai advocated for domestic issues such as reviving the sluggish economy and housing affordability.
From humble origins to Harvard-educated
Lai grew up in northern Taiwan and hails from a humble background as the son of a coal miner who died when the president-elect was a small child.
He left his medical career as a physician specialising in spinal cord injuries to pursue politics.
Before becoming president-elect, Lai held several prominent jobs including vice president, premier, legislator and mayor of the southern city of Tainan.
The new leader of Taiwan has a master’s degree in public health from Harvard University in the US.
EU Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica is set to be grilled by member states at Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council, where she will brief ministers on her visit to the inauguration of Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
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Šuica has been at the centre of controversy and faced criticism for attending the event in Washington as an observer. France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said the European Commission lacked a mandate from member states to take part in the meeting.
The criticism stemming from the Commission overstepping its mandate on foreign policy, without the approval of the 27 member states.
The Board of Peace is an initiative launched by Trump aimed at finding solutions to international conflicts. However, several EU countries have criticised the project, arguing it could sideline the United Nations and grant Trump a lifelong presidency of the body.
Šuica, who is the Commissioner for the Mediterranean, will attend Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council to inform member states about her trip to Washington, sources familiar with the matter told Euronews.
Several EU countries are expected to raise whether the Commission made a mistake by attending and whether it had the legal mandate to do so. Alongside France, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and Portugal have raised objections to Šuica’s participation in the Washington gathering.
On Monday, EU foreign ministers will also discuss the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. They are set to host the Director-General of the Board of Peace for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, for discussions.
Speaking on Thursday, Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho defended Šuica’s participation, saying the EU needs to be at the table.
“Otherwise we will simply be a payer and not a player” in Gaza’s future recovery, the spokesperson said.
Fourteen EU countries took part in Thursday’s Board of Peace launch event in Washington. Bulgaria and Hungary joined as full members, while the other 12 EU countries attended as observers, represented by ministers or diplomats.
World
Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone and ‘Hamnet’ Win at Irish Film and TV Awards With Indie Drama ‘Christy’ Taking Top Prize
Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone and the independent Irish drama “Christy” were among the winners at the 2026 Irish Film and Television Awards, announced in Dublin on Friday.
The Brendan Canty-directed “Christy” (not to be confused with the Sydney Sweeney boxing drama of the same name) entered the night as the top-nominated title with 14 mentions and delivered in key races, winning best film, director and casting, along with editing and a supporting actor prize for Jamie Forde. The film follows a young man seeking independence after leaving the foster system.
Elsewhere in the film categories, “Hamnet” notched wins for best international film, lead actress for Oscar frontrunner Jessie Buckley, supporting actor for Paul Mescal and script for Maggie O’Farrell and Chloé Zhao. Other Oscar hopefuls that received notices in the international lead acting races ahead of Sunday’s BAFTA ceremony were Leonardo DiCaprio’s work as a former revolutionary in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” and Emma Stone, for her work as an executive who may or may not be an alien, in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia.”
At the same time, Éanna Hardwicke took lead actor for “Saipan” while the double-nominated Kerry Condon prevailed with a supporting actress prize for Joseph Kosinski’s “F1.”
On the television side, “Blue Lights” won best TV drama, while Ailbhe Keogan won script for “Trespasses.” Anthony Boyle took lead actor in drama for “House of Guinness,” and Lola Petticrew won lead actress for “Trespasses.” Chris Walley won supporting actor for “The Young Offenders,” and Alison Oliver was named supporting actress for “Task.” Louisa Harland won the Rising Star Award.
“Christy” and “Saipan” led the nominations heading into the ceremony, with “Saipan” earning 12. The ceremony also marked a record number of women nominated in directing categories, with seven across film and TV.
This year, Ciarán Hinds is set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The list of winners is below.
Best Film
- “Aontas”
- “Blue Moon”
- “Christy” (WINNER)
- “Four Mothers”
- “Saipan”
- “Steve”
Director – Film
- Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn — “Saipan”
- Brendan Canty — “Christy” (WINNER)
- Myrid Carten — “A Want in Her”
- Lorcan Finnegan — “The Surfer”
- Ruán Magan — “Báite”
- Edwin Mullane, Adam O’Keeffe — “Horseshoe”
Script – Film
- Sarah Gordon, Damian McCann — “Aontas”
- Maggie O’Farrell, Chloé Zhao — “Hamnet” (WINNER)
- Alan O’Gorman — “Christy”
- Sheena Lambert — “Báite”
- Darren Thornton, Colin Thornton — “Four Mothers”
- Enda Walsh — “Die My Love”
Lead Actor – Film
- Steve Coogan — “Saipan”
- Daniel Day-Lewis — “Anemone”
- Colin Farrell — “Ballad of a Small Player”
- Éanna Hardwicke — “Saipan” (WINNER)
- Cillian Murphy — “Steve”
- Daniel Power — “Christy”
Lead Actress – Film
- Jessie Buckley — “Hamnet” (WINNER)
- Carolyn Bracken — “Horseshoe”
- Carrie Crowley — “Aontas”
- Fionnula Flanagan — “Four Mothers”
- Eleanor O’Brien — “Báite”
- Fiona Shaw — “Hot Milk”
Supporting Actor – Film
- Liam Cunningham — “Palestine 36”
- Jamie Forde — “Christy”
- Paul Mescal — “Hamnet” (WINNER)
- Diarmuid Noyes — “Christy”
- Seán T. Ó Meallaigh — “Aontas”
- Andrew Scott — “Blue Moon”
Supporting Actress – Film
- Brid Brennan — “Aontas”
- Kerry Condon — “F1” (WINNER)
- Kerry Condon — “Train Dreams”
- Sarah Greene — “Trad”
- Dearbhla Molloy — “Four Mothers”
- Emma Willis — “Christy”
International Film
- “Bugonia”
- “Hamnet” (WINNER)
- “One Battle After Another”
- “Palestine ’36”
- “Sentimental Value”
- “Sinners”
International Actor
- Leonardo DiCaprio — “One Battle After Another” (WINNER)
- Ethan Hawke — “Blue Moon”
- Michael B. Jordan — “Sinners”
- James McArdle — “Four Mothers”
- Sean Penn — “One Battle After Another”
- Jesse Plemons — “Bugonia”
International Actress
- Chase Infiniti — “One Battle After Another”
- Jennifer Lawrence — “Die My Love”
- Margaret Qualley — “Blue Moon”
- Renate Reinsve — “Sentimental Value”
- Emma Stone — “Bugonia” (WINNER)
- Teyana Taylor — “One Battle After Another”
George Morrison Feature Documentary
- “A Want in Her” (WINNER)
- “The Essence of Eva”
- “Listen To The Land Speak”
- “Sanatorium”
- “Testimony”
- “Útoipe Cheilteach”
Rebbreast Short Film Award
- “The Ban”
- “No Mean City”
- “No Time Wasters”
- “Nostalgie” (WINNER)
- “Punt”
- “Three Keenings”
Animated Short
- “Éiru”
- “Inside, The Valley Sings”
- “Rerooted”
- “Retirement Plan” (WINNER)
Cinematography
- “Bugonia” — Robbie Ryan
- “Christy” — Colm Hogan
- “Die My Love” — Seamus McGarvey (WINNER)
- “Saipan” — Piers McGrail
- “Severance” — Suzie Lavelle
Casting
- “Christy” — Amy Rowan (WINNER)
- “Four Mothers” — Louise Kiely
- “The Rainmaker” — Emma Gunnery
- “Ready Or Not” — Maureen Hughes
- “Saipan” — Aine O’Sullivan
Costume Design
- “Blue Moon” — Consolata Boyle (WINNER)
- “Christy” — Hannah Bury
- “Four Mothers” — Joan O’Cleary
- “Saipan” — Lara Campbell
- “Video Nasty” — Joanne O’Brien
Editing
- “Blue Lights” — Helen Sheridan
- “Christy” — Allyn Quigley (WINNER)
- “House of Guinness” — Ben Yeates
- “Saipan” — John Murphy, Gavin Buckley
- “The Surfer” — Tony Cranstoun
Make-up & hair
- “Blue Moon” — Linda Gannon, Liz Byrne
- “Christy” — Jennie Readman, Edwina Kelly
- “Saipan” — Polly McKay
- “Trespasses” — Natalie Reid (WINNER)
- “Wednesday” — Lynn Johnston
Original Music
- “Aontas” — Daithí Ó Drónaí
- “Báite” — Eimear Noone, Craig Stuart Garfinkle (WINNER)
- “Christy” — Daithí Ó Drónaí
- “Saipan” — David Holmes, Brian Irvine
- “Video Nasty” — Die Hexen
Production Design
- “Blue Moon” — Susie Cullen, Kevin Downey
- “Christy” — Martin Goulding
- “Saipan” — John Leslie
- “Wednesday” — Philip Murphy, Neville Gaynor (WINNER)
- “Video Nasty” — Tara O’Reilly
Sound
- “Anemone” — Steve Fanagan (WINNER)
- “Blue Moon” — Hugh Fox
- “Saipan” — Tim Harrison, Andrew Graham, Paul Maynes
- “The Surfer” — Aza Hand
- “Video Nasty” — Patrick Downey
VFX
- “Anemone” — Tom Fagan
- “Foundation” — Ed Bruce, Andrew Barry
- “House of Guinness” — Eoin O’Sullivan, David Sewell (WINNER)
- “One Battle After Another” — Ed Bruce, Amrei Bronnenmayer
Television Categories
Best TV Drama
- “Blue Lights” (WINNER)
- “Leonard and Hungry Paul”
- “Trespasses”
- “The Walsh Sisters”
- “Wednesday S2”
- “The Young Offenders”
Director — Drama
- Rachel Carey — “Obituary” (WINNER)
- Megan K. Fox — “Video Nasty”
- Oonagh Kearney — “The Au Pair”
- Mia Mullarkey — “Hidden Assets”
- Hugh O’Conor — “Showkids”
- Aisling Walsh — “Miss Austen”
Script Drama
- Peter Foott — “The Young Offenders”
- Ailbhe Keogan — “Trespasses” (WINNER)
- Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson — “Blue Lights”
- Cara Loftus — “Hidden Assets”
- Stefanie Preissner — “The Walsh Sisters”
- Hugh Travers — “Video Nasty”
Lead Actor – Drama
- Anthony Boyle — “House of Guinness” (WINNER)
- Pierce Brosnan — “MobLand”
- Domhnall Gleeson — “The Paper”
- Martin McCann — “Blue Lights”
- Aaron Monaghan — “Hidden Assets”
- Alex Murphy — “The Young Offenders”
Lead Actress – Drama
- Niamh Algar — “The Iris Affair”
- Caitriona Balfe — “Outlander”
- Siobhán Cullen — “Obituary”
- Louisa Harland — “The Walsh Sisters”
- Nora-Jane Noone — “Hidden Assets”
- Lola Petticrew — “Trespasses” (WINNER)
Supporting Actor – Drama
- Jack Gleeson — “House of Guinness”
- Cal O’Driscoll — “Video Nasty”
- Dónall Ó Héalai — “Hidden Assets”
- Fionn O’Shea — “House of Guinness”
- Aidan Quinn — “The Walsh Sisters”
- Chris Walley — “The Young Offenders” (WINNER)
Supporting Actress – Drama
- Cathy Belton — “Hidden Assets”
- Ruth Bradley — “Slow Horses”
- Katherine Devlin — “Blue Lights”
- Danielle Galligan — “House of Guinness”
- Alison Oliver — “Task” (WINNER)
- Genevieve O’Reilly — “Andor”
Rising Star Award
- Carolyn Bracken (Actor, “Horshoe,” “Oddity”)
- Brendan Canty (Director, “Christy,” “Gealtra”)
- Myrid Carten (Director, “A Want in Her”)
- Louisa Harland (Actor, “The Walsh Sisters,” “Derry Girls”) (WINNER)
World
Potential US military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals, pursue regime change: report
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Potential U.S. military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals and even pursue regime change, a report said.
Two U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity reportedly said those are options that have emerged in the planning stage, if ordered by President Donald Trump. They did not say which individuals could be targeted, but Trump, notably, in 2020 ordered the U.S. military attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the Department of War for comment.
Trump already said Friday that he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran to pressure its leaders into a deal over its nuclear program, when asked by a reporter at the White House.
BUILT FOR WEEKS OF WAR: INSIDE THE FIREPOWER THE US HAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST
President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House, on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. Trump said Friday he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran. (Allison Robbert/AP)
Last week, when questioned if he wanted regime change in Iran, the president said, “Well it seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.”
Trump on Thursday suggested the window for a breakthrough is narrowing in talks with Iran, indicating Tehran has no more than “10, 15 days, pretty much maximum” to reach an agreement.
“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” he said.
TRUMP GIVES IRAN 10-DAY ULTIMATUM, BUT EXPERTS SIGNAL TALKS MAY BE BUYING TIME FOR STRIKE
The USS Gerald R. Ford is heading to the Middle East as the U.S. is building up its military presence there, amid talks with Iran. (U.S Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 6th Fleet / Handout via Reuters)
A Middle Eastern source with knowledge of the negotiations told Fox News Digital this week that Tehran understands how close the risk of war feels and is unlikely to deliberately provoke Trump at this stage.
However, the source said Iran cannot accept limitations on its short-range missile program, describing the issue as a firm red line set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iranian negotiators are not authorized to cross that boundary, and conceding on missiles would be viewed internally as equivalent to losing a war.
In 2020, the Pentagon said President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, left, in Iraq. (Getty Images)
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The source indicated there may be more flexibility about uranium enrichment parameters if sanctions relief is part of the equation.
Fox News’ Emma Bussey and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
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