title: 別再苦苦排隊 嘉市這招讓口罩供應透明化

content_text:
由於口罩貨源緊繃，嘉義市府為使民眾更為安心，與藥局、藥妝店、超商、醫療器材行等溝通，請店家張貼口罩上架與貨源狀況的資訊傳單，讓口罩供應透明化，民眾一目了然口罩上架銷售時間，安定民心，不用再苦苦排隊。

市長黃敏惠晚間也前往興業西路弘安藥局與佑全藥粧等藥局與藥妝店，感謝他們配合張貼。她表示，要感謝藥局等通路的幫忙與協助，在防疫的關鍵時刻，以更公開透明的資訊讓民眾了解口罩供應狀況，有助於減少民眾恐慌，也再次提醒口罩配戴的要訣與時機，真正做好健康自主管理。

市府衛生局表示，即日起藥局、藥妝店、醫療器材行、超商，將陸續在明顯處，除了有口罩上架時間與供應狀況，海報上也提醒民眾口罩配戴的要訣「先洗手 再戴口罩，有顏色的面朝外，口罩壓條貼緊鼻樑」等語。

衛生局表示，注意戴口罩的時機「例如看病、陪病、探病的時候要戴，有呼吸道症狀者應戴口罩，有慢性病者外出建議戴口罩」，健康民眾與在戶外無須戴口罩，也籲請企業保持辦公環境的通風。

另外，除了配戴口罩外，最具體有效又經濟實惠的方法就是「勤洗手」，不論是使用肥皂的濕洗或消毒液的乾洗，都可以達到防疫效果。

衛生局指出，市府已經設立「醫事口罩平台」，迅速解決醫事人員口罩供需，同時也將以醫事機構及辦理具感染風險民眾管理機構為優先撥借對象，若上述單位有急迫需求（如口罩儲量低於2天），請即時向所屬公會登記，衛生局將立即撥借給醫事機構應急，保障第一線醫療院所防疫安全。

嘉義市府設計出口罩供應的資訊傳單，市長黃敏惠希望減低民眾恐慌。圖／市府提供 分享

taiwan-subdivisions: 嘉義市 安定

things: 防疫 經濟


events: 罷工 武漢肺炎

countries: 中國 香港

content_text:
武漢肺炎擴散，香港醫護人員爭取對中國封關遭港府拒絕，號召醫護人員罷工的香港醫管局員工陣線今天宣布談判破裂，明天起將罷工5天，第1階段有3000名非緊急醫療的人員參與。

香港醫管局員工陣線表示，如果港府3日傍晚6時前仍拒絕醫護人員的封關等5大訴求，罷工行動則將於4日升級，屆時可望動員9000名醫護人員響應。

但陣線副主席羅卓堯指出，一旦香港出現武漢肺炎社區型感染，就會考慮擱置所有罷工行動。

醫管局員工陣線1日舉行員工大會，以3000多票的99%得票率通過罷工決議，而陣線爭取與香港特首林鄭月娥當面且公開談判也未能如願，遂宣布談判破裂，同時取消與醫管局官員會面。

醫管局員工陣線主席余麗明表示，目前的問題已經不是醫管局層面可解決，需要港府封關配合，否則無法阻截武漢肺炎病毒源頭。

羅卓堯則指出，如果港府採取拖字訣，會令港人受害，醫療系統亦會超載，「是不是要讓我們一個個倒下？這樣還能有誰去照顧病人呢」？

根據報導，明天參與首階段罷工的香港醫護人員，會在上午9時至中午12時，到各區域的龍頭醫院門外簽到，並前往其他醫院及診所分發白絲帶，呼籲醫護界加入罷工行列。

至於第2階段罷工，簽到地點將改為醫管局總部門前，陣線並考慮舉行集會，目前正向警方申請不反對通知書。

醫管局員工陣線先前提出的5大訴求，包括禁止非港人旅客經由中國入境；港府呼籲全港民眾戴口罩；提供足夠隔離病房且暫停非緊急服務；嚴肅追究病人逃走事件；確保住有隔離病患的工作環境安全，並向醫護人員提供足夠配套。

武漢肺炎疫情延燒，香港市民排隊買口罩。（中通社） 分享

title: 要求向中國封關未果 香港醫護人員3日發動罷工


countries: 史瓦帝尼 中國 南非 中華民國 台灣 中華人民共和國 辛巴威 中非 馬拉威

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中國限縮友邦史瓦帝尼簽證以報復史國維持台史邦交，外交部今天表示，史國雖面對中國壓力，但仍堅定支持台史邦誼；對於中國赤裸裸以政治手段粗暴干預他國，予以嚴厲譴責與唾棄。

有民眾向中央社提供一份中華人民共和國駐南非大使館的新聞稿，該新聞稿表示，自1月10日起，史瓦帝尼人民僅能在中國駐南非大使館申請前往中國的簽證，這是因為史瓦帝尼拒絕承認一個中國原則，並和「中國台灣」維持所謂的「外交關係」。

對此，外交部發言人歐江安表示，中國近期透過限縮簽證核發的手段，報復非洲友邦史瓦帝尼王國與台灣維持邦交，駐史國大使館已充分掌握相關情資，並與史國總理及外長等高層保持密切聯繫，多次深入交換意見。

歐江安表示，史國政府再度重申雖面對中國壓力，但仍堅定支持深化台史邦誼。對於史瓦帝尼無畏中國無理打壓，堅定維護兩國外交關係，中華民國台灣政府表達由衷謝忱與最高敬意；對於中國政府赤裸裸以政治手段粗暴干預他國的經濟活動，外交部予以嚴厲譴責與唾棄。

歐江安說，長期以來，中國政府不斷以商逼政，企圖誘拉史國外交轉向，惟未能得逞。此次中方更變本加厲，歧視性限縮史國人民申請赴中國簽證，並從中作梗史國進出口貿易，影響史國民生需求。不但嚴重違反人員自由交流及貨物流通的國際貿易規則，更凸顯一個超級強權為了達到施壓台灣的政治目的，不惜對一個非洲友邦的普通企業人士橫蠻施加不當壓力。外交部對中國在國際間的霸凌行徑予以強烈譴責，並將力挺史國捍衛國家尊嚴。

歐江安指出，史瓦帝尼是台灣在非洲唯一的邦交國，中國曾多次公開喊話，盼史國出席「中非合作論壇」。在史國政府明白表達不出席上述論壇及堅決維護與邦誼後，中國立即宣布限縮史國簽證等系列報復措施。

她說，中國政權醜陋的本質及卑劣的打壓手段令人不齒，也註定遭到國際輿論的撻伐。例如，史國當地主流媒體「史瓦帝尼時報」的社論提及，「中非合作論壇」雖提供鉅額貸款挹注大型建設計畫，但是許多非洲國家，如馬拉威及辛巴威等，也因此陷入中國的「債務陷阱」，因此呼籲史國政府必須高度警覺中國華而不實的承諾。

title: 中國限縮簽證 史瓦帝尼重申支持台史邦誼


title: 買不到口罩？ 經濟部：周末口罩生產量較少

content_text:
民眾紛紛抱怨跑遍各大超商都搶不到口罩，經濟部今晚在臉書解釋，很多口罩製造商年假時就開工，周末勞工需要休假，因此週末兩天口罩的生產量比較少。

經濟部指出，很多口罩製造商年假時就開工，一直工作到現在，勞工週末兩天需要陸續休假，因此今天跟明天晚上之後，抵達超商、藥局通路的口罩數量，確實會比較少。

經濟部也說明周末兩天徵購口罩情況：2月1日物流到工廠收到267萬片口罩，其中72萬片供指揮中心防疫使用，195萬片提供超商與藥局等通路販售；2月2日物流到工廠收到156萬片口罩，加上日前到貨晚而來不及出貨的33萬片，共有189萬片口罩，其中58萬片供指揮中心防疫使用，131萬片提供超商與藥局等通路販售。

經濟部也表示，目前已經有不少製造商，採取全天候輪班生產的方式製造口罩，但還有一些廠商需要協助。有關後續加班的人力缺口，以及全天候輪班生產所需的新增人力，感謝國防部將協助動員後備軍人幫忙。

things: 經濟 防疫


title: 武漢肺炎歐洲延燒 華人遭歧視事件屢傳

events: 武漢肺炎 2019新型冠狀病毒 2019-nCoV

countries: 日本 法國 英國 韓國 義大利 中國

content_text:
2019新型冠狀病毒疫情升溫，歐洲多國傳出確診病例，華人臉孔在歐洲遭受歧視的案例也隨之增加，英國傳出有中國學生戴口罩遭到騷擾，恐慌情緒蔓延令人憂心。

英國目前有2起2019新型冠狀病毒（2019-nCoV，武漢肺炎）確診病例，正接受專業治療。約克大學證實，其中一人是在校生。「每日郵報」報導，這名在校生來自中國，另一名確診病例是他的母親。

隨著確診病例出現，英國各地藥局傳出口罩缺貨，網路上的口罩被炒出高價。根據亞馬遜網站，10個外科口罩甚至開出49.99英鎊（約新台幣2000元）。然而，即使買到口罩，戴著口罩在路上走也有其他風險。

英國學生報The Tab報導，雪菲爾大學（University of Sheffield）一名中國籍女研究生1月30日下午1時戴著口罩獨自在街上行走時，遭到言語及肢體騷擾。

雪菲爾華人社區中心表示，這起事件顯現缺乏文化上的理解。員工說，這名女學生被問為何要戴口罩，是不是有什麼問題。她感到害怕，沒有回答。這名學生狀況還好，她也不想要提告，她理解這是因為大眾不了解整體情況。

曼徹斯特大學亞裔碩士生潘山姆（Sam Phan）在「衛報」投書表示，對亞洲人的刻板印象和病毒一樣迅速傳播，他搭巴士、走在街上時都有類似經驗，隨著新型冠狀病毒疫情占據頭版，身為亞裔的他越來越感到不愉快。

他寫道，巴士上，他一坐下，隔壁男子立刻拿起行李換座位；在火車上，他聽到隔壁乘客討論週末計畫，其中一人說：「如果我是你，我就不會去中國城，他們有那種病。」他也聽到一名女子大聲談話，說著她朋友和中國學生工作過一陣子，真擔心朋友會把病毒傳染給她。

潘山姆說，類似情況時有所聞，他的朋友在學校圖書館只要一坐下，對面的人就會收拾東西離開。

他說，身為英國公民，他和這些人感染病毒的可能性其實一樣高，但所有東亞人種在這時候都被視為一體。不論是來自中國非感染區，甚至來自其他國家，對他們而言都一樣。

歐洲其他國家也傳出類似情況。「衛報」報導，在中國旅客最愛造訪的歐洲國家義大利，聖西西利亞音樂院（Santa Cecilia Conservatory）院長朱利安尼（Roberto Giuliani）叫中國、日本與韓國學生在找醫師確定沒有感染前不要到校上課，他因此受到批評。

義大利「共和報」（La Repubblica）在網站刊登一張照片，顯示羅馬特里維噴泉附近的一家咖啡廳張貼告示，禁止所有來自中國的人入內。

義大利最多華人居住的普拉托（Prato）地區華裔議員王小波（Marco Wong）說：「不幸的是，這場疫情帶來的必然影響之一就是仇外情結。」

他說：「如果有中國籍同學，家長就不讓孩子去上課。有人在網路上發文，要大家不要去中國店舖和餐廳。假新聞到處流竄，像是有個義大利人聲稱人在武漢，知道有關秘密實驗室製造出病毒的秘辛。」

在法國，民眾紛紛以#JeNeSuisPasUnVirus （我不是病毒）的標籤分享自己的故事。一名年輕女子在推特（Twitter）發文說：「並非所有亞洲人都是中國人，並非所有中國人都在中國出生、到過中國。一名亞洲人咳嗽，不代表感染冠狀病毒。因為病毒而侮辱亞洲人，就像是因為炸彈攻擊事件而侮辱穆斯林。」


content_text:
中央社

伊拉克內政部今天在網路發布聲明表示，為防止中國武漢爆發的2019新型冠狀病毒肺炎疫情入侵，禁止從中國抵達伊拉克的外國人入境。

伊拉克當局1月31日曾說，無論在伊拉克境內或在伊拉克海外僑民當中，都未出現任何武漢肺炎確診病例 。

中國和伊拉克間並無直航班機，但在「石油輸出國 家組織」（OPEC）第2大產油國伊拉克，有數以百計中國人在各地油田從事收入豐沛的工作。

伊拉克外交部一名發言人上週告訴法新社，巴格達 當局正在努力將最多50位伊拉克公民自武漢撤離，他們 是在當地求學的學生和家屬。

countries: 中國 伊拉克

events: 武漢肺炎 2019新型冠狀病毒

title: 防堵武漢肺炎！伊拉克禁止從中國來訪外國人入境


title: 快訊／倫敦驚見恐怖攻擊！男持刀街頭亂砍「多人受傷」　遭警開槍擊斃

content_text:
記者曾羿翔／綜合報導

位於英國倫敦南部的斯特里薩姆（Streatham）2日發生砍人事件，一名男子持刀在街頭砍傷許多路人，警員趕往現場後開槍將持刀男子擊斃。警方指出，該案件涉及恐怖主義。根據倫敦都會區警察局釋出的最新消息，已有2位民眾確定受傷。

綜合外媒報導，警方表示，目前現場情況已控制住，正在等待傷者人數更新。當局也派出救護車前往現場救治受傷路人。據了解，持刀男倒臥在街上的一間藥房外，警方朝他開槍。該男胸口疑似綁有裝置，目前尚無法確認是否為爆炸裝置。

一名當地的19歲學生布爾漢（Gulled Bulhan）還原過程，他當時正在過馬路，親眼看見槍擊事件就發生在Boots藥房前，行兇男的胸口上有一個銀色的罐子。

倫敦都會區警察局（Metropolitan Police）2日透過推特表示，男子遭武裝員警開槍擊中，據信有數人遭到刺傷，該事件與恐怖分子有關。有目擊者則表示，他聽到3聲槍響，受傷路人正在接受醫師治療。

We believe there are two injured victims. We await updates on their conditions.

The scene has been fully contained.

We will issue more information when possible.

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 2, 2020


content_text:
▲武漢肺炎疫情持續延燒，經濟部持續協調口罩業者加班趕工、提升產能，確保國內口罩產能與供給無虞。（圖／記者周宸亘攝）

記者林淑慧／台北報導

防範武漢肺炎疫情，引發口罩排隊搶購熱潮，對於坊間「一罩難求」情況，台北市長柯文哲今（2）日呼籲中央應公開透明口罩分配方式；對此，經濟部晚間於臉書PO文表示，昨天和今天收到的口罩分別達267萬片與189萬片，並公佈具體流向供外界參考。

經濟部表示，這兩天徵購到的口罩，是用以下方式分配：一、2月1日物流到工廠收到267萬片口罩，其中72萬片供指揮中心防疫使用，195萬片提供超商與藥局等通路販售。

二、2月2日物流到工廠收到156萬片口罩，加上日前到貨晚而來不及出貨的33萬片，共有189萬片口罩。其中58萬片供指揮中心防疫使用，131萬片提供超商與藥局等通路販售。

經濟部官員指出，週末兩天口罩的生產量真的比較少，主要的原因是因為很多口罩製造商年假時就開工，一直工作到現在，勞工朋友週末兩天實在需要陸續休假，因此，今天跟明天晚上之後，抵達超商、藥局通路的口罩數量，確實會比較少。

另外，目前已經有不少製造商，採取全天候輪班生產的方式製造口罩，但還有一些廠商需要協助。有關後續加班的人力缺口，以及全天候輪班生產所需的新增人力，經濟部將會協助動員後備軍人來幫忙。

people: 柯文哲 林淑慧

title: 柯P批口罩荒：「分配應公開透明」　經濟部臉書公佈口罩流向


content_text:
▲口罩一片難求。（圖／記者蔡玟君攝）

記者李錦奇／台北報導

口罩供不應求，演成全民排隊景象，經濟部今晚坦承，這兩天的口罩產量，確實比較少，未達先前公布的每天4百萬片產量，原因是製造商過年就開工至今，勞工朋友週六日也需要休假。為昭公信，經濟部也公布口罩分配情況，總計這兩天一共徵購了456萬片口罩，其中130萬片是供指揮中心防疫之用，326萬片提供超商與藥局等通路銷售，比重約佔71.5％。

經濟部先前表示，國內目前口罩產量約每日400萬片，不過，實際上，這兩天的日產量都未達這個數量。經濟部在臉書粉絲專頁坦承，這兩天（2/1-2/2）口罩生產量真的比較少，主要的原因是很多口罩製造商年假時就開工，一直工作到現在，勞工朋友週末兩天實在需要陸續休假，因此，今天跟明天晚上之後，抵達超商、藥局通路的口罩數量，確實會比較少。

▲經濟部官方臉書公布了口罩的徵購量與分配方式，坦言週六日口罩產量確實比較少。（圖／翻攝自Facebook／經濟部）

經濟部指出，這兩天徵購到的口罩，是用以下方式分配：

■2/1：物流到工廠收到267萬片口罩，其中72萬片供指揮中心防疫使用，195萬片提供超商與藥局等通路販售。

■2/2：物流到工廠收到156萬片口罩，加上日前到貨晚而來不及出貨的33萬片，共有189萬片口罩。其中58萬片供指揮中心防疫使用，131萬片提供超商與藥局等通路販售。

換句話說，政府這兩天一共徵購了456萬片口罩，其中130萬片是供指揮中心防疫之用，比重將近28.5％；其餘326萬片提供超商與藥局等通路銷售。

經濟部最後強調，目前已經有不少製造商，採取全天候輪班生產的方式製造口罩，但還有一些廠商需要協助。有關後續加班的人力缺口，以及全天候輪班生產所需的新增人力，經濟部非常感謝國防部，接下來會協助動員後備軍人來幫忙。

references: Facebook 臉書

title: 口罩短缺有苦衷！經濟部公布週六日僅徵購456萬片　「產量少」是因勞工得休假


content_text:
為降低遭病毒傳染風險，高雄三大醫學中心2月3日起將門診慢性病連續處方箋領藥改至戶外，高雄榮總今晚宣布， 即日起病患將全面使用網路預約2、3次領藥，並將藥局慢箋發藥櫃台改至門診大樓右側步道，慢箋病友第2、3次領藥不須進入醫院即可領取。

高雄榮總表示，慢箋藥品領藥開放時間為周一至周五早上8點30分至5點，急診藥局將專責急診緊急醫療業務，不再受理慢性處方箋領藥及預約領藥服務。

高雄醫學大學附設中和紀念醫院為減少病友進出醫院，也自2月3日起，周一至周五上午8點30分到下午5點（中午不休息），在醫院自由路啟川大樓門口處，增設戶外慢性病連續處方箋預約領藥的貼心服務。

藥學部主任王雅玲表示，病友可在領藥當日或之前，透過網路或APP操作高醫「慢性病連續處方箋領藥預約系統」預約領藥，到醫院啟川大樓門口即可領藥，無需再進到醫院，以節省領藥時間與減少出入醫院的次數。院內原有的慢性病連續處方箋領藥仍照常運作。

高雄長庚日前也宣布即日起至2月29日，已預約慢性處方箋領藥的民眾，須改至兒童大樓門口領藥，服務時間上午8點到下午5點。

高雄三大醫學中心高醫、高雄榮總及高雄長庚，即日起將慢性病處方籤領藥處改至戶外，病友可在網路上預約後到醫院指定門口處領藥，降低被感染風險。圖／高醫提供 分享

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 中和

title: 降低感染風險 高雄3醫學中心慢性籤明起改戶外領藥


content_text:
2020-02-3

牡羊座

運勢旺盛，諸事順利的一天。

整體運：★★★★☆

適合表白，有暗戀對象的人多花些心思，用特別的方式勇敢表白，會獲得令你滿意的效果。工作能掌握重點，管理者與下屬相處和諧，溝通頗為順暢。財運平穩，雖收入不如預想，但頗為平衡。

愛情運：★★★★☆

今日是表現溫柔體貼的時刻，他想要怎樣就順著他的意思吧！

事業運：★★★★☆

事業運小佳，助力挺多的，自己不會太辛苦，能快樂的度過一天唷！

財運：★★★☆☆

愛花錢的一天，不要在外面逗留，逗留愈久荷包愈空！

貴人星座：雙子座

幸運數字：1

吉時吉色：16:00-18:00祖母綠

開運方位：西北方向

金牛座

凡事要多份耐心。

整體運：★★☆☆☆

遇到不順會很不耐煩，你會無意間蹦出幾句粗話，因此而破壞自己在他心目中的好形象；今天不適合外出拜訪或商談，易吃到閉門羹；購物的時候，參加抽獎，獲得意外驚喜的機率很高。

愛情運：★★★☆☆

要忙的事情很多，單身者無心戀愛；已婚者忙著拜訪、接待親人，忙碌中感情倍增。

事業運：★☆☆☆☆

今日事業運很背，莫名其妙的事情特別多，尤其是突發狀況連連，耐著性子處理突如其來的改變，才能讓你順利完成手邊任務。

財運：★★★☆☆

工作性質危險性高者要注意自身安全，倘若不慎受傷了就不能賺錢囉！

貴人星座：雙魚座

幸運數字：9

吉時吉色：09:00-10:00芒果黃

開運方位：正西方向

雙子座

別自己難為自己哦！

整體運：★☆☆☆☆

太過熱心，卻反而幫了倒忙，雖然對方不說，但卻已經給出了黃牌警告；今天還是暫停斂財腳步，讓神經放鬆一下比較好；工作能力遭他人質疑，這種情況更是讓你有些力不從心。

愛情運：★★☆☆☆

單身者感到孤獨時，可試著將更多的時間放在自己喜愛的事務上，會感到很充實喔！

事業運：★★☆☆☆

今日事業運不佳，發展能力很差，有被困住難以突破的跡象。你不用急著想要改變什麼，先冷靜自身的情緒最重要，凡事以保守為上策，規劃上宜先聯想最壞的狀況。

財運：★☆☆☆☆

金錢問題多多，特別容易為錢煩惱，想要守住財富卻又力不從心。

貴人星座：射手座

幸運數字：2

吉時吉色：19:00-20:00薰衣草紫

開運方位：西南方向

巨蟹座

成由節儉，敗由奢。

整體運：★★☆☆☆

曖昧不明的關係終於在今天明朗，感情可望獲得進一步發展。工作任務頗重，像跑馬拉松一樣疲倦，應做好時間管理。金錢運一般，雖然獎金頗為豐厚，但是不可太奢侈無度地生活哦。

愛情運：★★★☆☆

單身者有機會與朋友發展一段戀情；已婚者與另一半易產生小磨擦，應耐心處理。

事業運：★☆☆☆☆

事業運不佳，急躁，好大喜功容易惹得一身腥，乖乖的把份內事完成比較重要咧！

財運：★★★☆☆

理財的日子，在金錢運作上適合只進不出。

貴人星座：雙魚座

幸運數字：2

吉時吉色：23:00-24:00湖水綠

開運方位：東南方向

獅子座

鴻運當頭，辦事相當順利。

整體運：★★★★★

對他發出的邀請能得到對方的同意，精心策劃的小節目也能取悅他。工作效率頗高，收效不錯，即使遇到一些麻煩也能得到同事朋友的幫忙。抽時間進行一些有氧運動有助於提高大腦的思維敏銳度。

愛情運：★★★★☆

異性緣超級好的，有許多機會跟異性互動，也容易得到異性的幫助喔！

事業運：★★★★★

今日是變化萬千的一天，所以也會很忙碌，多用智慧來處理事情，必能獲得良好的成效。

財運：★★★★☆

財源順遂，遇到金錢困難時，只要積極開口，就能找到援助者。

貴人星座：摩羯座

幸運數字：8

吉時吉色：16:00-18:00祖母綠

開運方位：正東方向

處女座

神清氣爽，愜意的一天。

整體運：★★★★☆

有伴侶的人彼此對愛情的執著讓感情迅速升溫，再加上朋友們的鼎力相助，愛情想不牢固都難。貴人運良好，投資局勢的扭轉便得益於他們的幫助。豐收在望，積極性隨著工作中所取得的成效而不斷顯露。

愛情運：★★★★☆

異性緣不錯喔！容易得到異性朋友的助力。

事業運：★★★☆☆

事業運普通，適合在平穩中循序漸進，很適合做點歸納整理的工作，例如：計劃表的制定等等。

財運：★★★★☆

得財不費力，很適合動腦想想哪裡可以賺錢，趁今日構思賺錢計劃表！

貴人星座：天蠍座

幸運數字：7

吉時吉色：14:00-15:00白鋼銀

開運方位：正北方向

天秤座

今天運氣不錯，做什麼事都會輕鬆愉快。

整體運：★★★☆☆

感情豐富的一天，戀愛中的情侶非常想黏在一起，忙裡偷閒的約會能讓感情急劇升溫，一份對方喜歡的禮物能讓感情蜜裡調油；單身者則沉湎於與親友互動的溫情喜悅中。工作方面需要處理的事不多，留給你充足的時間把事情做的更好。

愛情運：★★★★☆

心情愉快，把伴侶的心情也調動起來了，時常手牽手散散步，聊聊心事，可增進感情！

事業運：★★★☆☆

人際關係易出現小風波，與人交往時多留意自己的言行舉止。

財運：★★☆☆☆

財務上容易出現小狀況，可是只要用保守理智的態度來處理，就能降低風險與損失。

貴人星座：水瓶座

幸運數字：3

吉時吉色：22:00-24:00苔蘚綠

開運方位：正南方向

天蠍座

不要老把壞的一面擺在眼前。

整體運：★★★☆☆

今天喜歡拿另一半跟別人做比較，傷到對方自尊的機率高，應多留意自己的態度與行為表現。財運欠佳，不宜擅自主張進行投資。求職者易從網上和報紙上獲得很好的工作機會。

愛情運：★★☆☆☆

小別勝新婚，保持距離以策安全，今日還是別黏太緊比較妥當！

事業運：★★★★☆

運勢上升，自信心也會增強，熱情積極地投入到工作當中，會令人刮目相看！

財運：★★☆☆☆

外力干擾多，恐有為錢擔憂的傾向，放輕鬆點，急不得喔！

貴人星座：天秤座

幸運數字：7

吉時吉色：17:00-19:00蕃茄紅

開運方位：正東方向

射手座

普普通通的一天，趁機調整生活節奏。

整體運：★★★☆☆

今天精神不錯，工作認真仔細，查找出許多小錯誤，得到上司的表揚。感情上可以約上另一半，一起漫步於小溪邊或是林蔭道增添兩人的感情。閒暇的時候可以在家聽聽鋼琴曲，陶冶情操的同時還能思索一下今後的生活方式。

愛情運：★★★☆☆

夫妻之間應有各自的獨立空間，時常黏在一起容易起爭執。

事業運：★★★☆☆

為賺錢而奔波忙碌，甚至廢寢忘食，要注意身體健康，身體好才有精力打拼賺錢！

財運：★★★☆☆

財務波動性大，金錢流通量大而快速。

貴人星座：雙子座

幸運數字：5

吉時吉色：09:00-10:00深茄紫

開運方位：正東方向

摩羯座

利弊共趨的形勢演變。

整體運：★★☆☆☆

單身者桃花較旺，會遇到談得來的對象，相處融洽且發展空間頗大。購置一些保值性強的物品好過風險較大的證券投資，且更易避免損失。工作熱情過高，造成操勞過度，反而影響健康。

愛情運：★★★☆☆

單身者戀愛機會多，但想進一步發展感情還應彼此瞭解；戀愛中的人多約會，讓感情升溫。

事業運：★★☆☆☆

易被挑起不良情緒，引發行為衝動。尤其對上司的苛責或帶侮辱性言語，會表現激烈，甚至莽撞離職。

財運：★★☆☆☆

財運不濟，恐有財務困境或煮熟鴨子飛了的情形。

貴人星座：摩羯座

幸運數字：3

吉時吉色：17:00-19:00芙蓉晶粉

開運方位：正東方向

水瓶座

以不變應萬變。

整體運：★★★★☆

由於對感情甚為重視，若有風吹草動則易起疑心，因而受感情困擾；今天盡量不要做創新的提議及開創性的工作，明哲保身不是處事的態度，但卻是你唯一選擇；健康運一般，要留意腸胃疾病健康。

愛情運：★★★☆☆

戀愛運普通，戀愛中人可以互相包容、和睦相處；單身者專心工作吧！

事業運：★★★☆☆

工作上被上司挑剔的機率高，但謙虛的態度又能讓你扭轉情勢，順利渡過險情。

財運：★★★★☆

有許多賺外快的機會，可大膽出擊，只要小心操作就能有不錯的回報。

貴人星座：摩羯座

幸運數字：0

吉時吉色：08:00-10:00咖啡棕

開運方位：正東方向

雙魚座

給他人多點關心。

整體運：★★★☆☆

過分依賴對方，明明自己可以處理的事情也要甩給他，這樣會讓他感到巨大的壓力；投資得到的回報並非如你想像般樂觀，投資前需做好充分的思考；良好的人際關係，今天在工作中會起到很大的作用。

愛情運：★★☆☆☆

相處上有點問題，除了意見不合外，也要注意不要把工作上的負面情緒遷怒在對方身上喔！

事業運：★★★★☆

頭腦靈活、思路清晰，對周圍事情發展態勢瞭如指掌，多能因此而致勝。

財運：★★★☆☆

別為金錢而傷神，宜懂得破財消災哦！

貴人星座：天秤座

幸運數字：7

吉時吉色：05:00-07:00玳瑁棕

開運方位：正西方向

【更多命理分析，請前往 科技紫微網 】

title: 每日星座運勢／獅子鴻運當頭辦事順   異性緣超級好


content_text:
勞動部部長許銘春昨(2)日表示，武漢肺炎疫情持續發燒，防疫照顧假針對12歲以下學童，家長可有一人請這個假。更不可歸責於勞工，雇主一定要准假，也不得要求以事假，不可扣全勤獎金，不能刁難。商總理事長賴正鎰認為實在沒必要硬性規定，工總秘書長蔡練生則表示雇主不是壞人，籲共體時艱，勞雇雙方互相體諒。

適逢開學日，為降低病毒在校園交叉傳播增加感染率，教育部昨(2)日也宣布，高中以下學校延後開學，將延長寒假，縮短暑假。由2月11日延到2月25日開學，讓暑假縮短，7月15日才開始放暑假，小孩照顧成為問題。

蔡練生表示，雇主不是壞人，大家還是要共體時艱，疫情已經造成產業損失，甚至供應鏈斷鏈，也不要過度增加雇主困擾。基本上，因疫情隔離部分，企業一定全力配合，也是可以理解的。只是勞動部提出，「防疫照顧假最多可以請兩週」、「不得要求以事假，不可扣全勤獎金，不能刁難」，只要請假不帶薪，基本上也都能全力配合。

賴正鎰則認為，寒暑假基本上是固定的，因此一般家庭多半早有規劃，這次因應疫情，教育部規定寒假延長、暑假縮短，勞動部更直接頒布「防疫照顧假」，實在沒有必要，不應該去硬性規定勞工請假，家長應該會自己去調配小孩照顧問題。

賴正鎰進一步指出，雇主因為武漢肺炎疫情影響到各產業生產問題，政府應該優先想到關於雇主經營損失的配套方案，包括減稅或是銀行貸款等問題。

title: 高中以下延至25日開學 家長可請防疫照顧假


content_text:
The Diamond Princess is moored in Keelung after its arrival on its maiden visit to the city in December 2018.Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises / Carnival Corp
Carnival Corp’s Princess Cruises yesterday announced it would not allow passengers who have traveled in China within the past 14 days to board its cruise ships, although the exclusion would not apply to visitors traveling from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, due to the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

“Although the risk to our guests and crew is low, we are closely monitoring the evolving situation with respect to the coronavirus originating in mainland China. Our medical experts are coordinating closely with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the WHO to implement enhanced screening, prevention and control measures for our ships globally,” the company said.

Princess Cruises said it would perform preboarding medical evaluations of its passengers, including temperature checks, requiring passengers to report any illness or symptoms to the company, and screening for 2019-nCoV should they show symptoms of a respiratory illness.

It would “report to local and national health authorities all cases of fever and respiratory illness, and any patients with suspected coronavirus infection,” the company said.

Crew members who have traveled in China must wait until further notice before joining any cruise ship, while any staff scheduled to connect on a flight through China have been rerouted, the company said.

It has also changed the departing port for two voyages on May 2 and one voyage on June 3 from Shanghai to Yokohama, Japan, the company said.

Two round-trip cruises to Shanghai on the Sapphire Princess, scheduled for June 3 and June 11, have been canceled, it said.

“We are also looking to remove the transit calls to Shanghai on May 1 and July 17 on Sun Princess, replacing it with Japanese ports of calls,” with the new ports to be announced later, it said.

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title: Virus Fears: Carnival line bars guests after recent trips to China


content_text:
Viral Outbreak: US pans UN over Taiwan’s exclusion amid virus fight

A petition calling on the US to help Taiwan be included in the WHO that was initiated on Thursday yesterday reached the 100,000-signature threshold, requiring an official response.Photo: US White House Web site
The US Department of State and several prominent US politicians have criticized international organizations for excluding Taiwan amid a global effort to curb the spread of a new coronavirus.

The WHO on Thursday declared the virus a public health emergency of international concern, but did not permit Taiwan to attend emergency briefings about the virus even though there are 10 confirmed cases in the nation.

US senators, including Mitt Romney and Cory Gardner, said China has placed pressure on UN-related agencies, such as the WHO and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), to exclude Taiwan from discussions, and called instead for Taiwan’s immediate inclusion.

Japan, Canada, the EU and other world powers in the past week have also renewed their support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the annual World Health Assembly, the WHO’s decisionmaking body, as an observer amid the outbreak.

The US State Department on Saturday criticized the ICAO for allegedly blocking users on Twitter who refer to Taiwan’s non-participation in the organization.

“Taiwan has a relevant and credible voice on transnational health issues, and the United States has long supported its active engagement in international venues, including ICAO, where its expertise can be beneficial,” US Department of State spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

“We call upon ICAO to immediately and permanently reverse its practice of blocking discussion of Taiwan on its Twitter properties and make clear publicly its understanding that freedom of expression must always supersede the political insecurities of member states,” she said.

The ICAO denied blocking Twitter users.

In related developments, a petition submitted to a White House Web site that calls on the US to help Taiwan be included in the WHO has reached the required threshold to warrant an official response.

The petition, initiated on Thursday by someone identified only as “C.C.,” had collected more than 120,000 signatures as of 2pm yesterday.

According to the rules of the “We the People” Web site, a petition needs to gain at least 100,000 signatures within 30 days to obtain a White House review and response.

The White House says it usually gives a response within 60 days, but it could take longer, depending on the issue and the volume of petitions submitted.

The person who initiated the petition said Taiwan has “high-quality medical technology and abundant medical experiences and has been contributing to medical issues continuously.”

“However, Taiwan has always been precluded from WHO due to China’s opposition and pressure, which made Taiwan unable to access timely information from WHO at SARS outbreak,” the petition said.

Taiwan is standing “at the first line of defense” during the new coronavirus outbreak, so it should not be excluded from the WHO for political reasons, for the sake of Taiwan’s 23 million people and global safety, the petition added.

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Blood samples taken from pigs in a southern province of the Philippines, the world’s 10th-largest pork consumer, have tested positive for African swine fever, the Philippine Department of Agriculture said yesterday.

It was the first reported case of African swine fever in Davao Occidental province and elsewhere in Mindanao, the southern island of the Philippines.

Philippine Secretary of Agriculture William Dar has ordered regional department officials to restrict the movements of animals in that part of the archipelago, the department said in a statement.

The Philippines, also the world’s seventh-biggest pork importer, reported its first African swine fever outbreak in September last year in some backyard farms near the capital, Manila.

The disease quickly spread to other parts of the main island of Luzon, including Manila, prompting some central and southern provinces to ban pork and pork-based products from disease-hit areas.

Pork smuggled from China, where millions of pigs have been culled because of the disease, could be behind the outbreak in the Philippines, Dar said.

Although the blood samples from pigs in Davao Occidental had already tested positive for African swine fever, further tests were to be undertaken by the Bureau of Animal Industry for confirmation.

The department said that the initial tests covered blood samples from more than a dozen villages in the province.

The provincial government has already imposed a “complete, but temporary, lockdown,” prohibiting the transport of pigs and pork products from and into Davao Occidental, it said.

“Backyard pig farmers in the area practice group rearing of hogs, from different owners, most [of them without] proper housing provisions nor biosecurity practices,” the department said.

There is also no regular vaccination, vitamin supplementation and deworming of pigs in the province, and household butchering is common, especially with animals exhibiting weakness or disease, it said.

About 1,000 pigs in Davao Occidental have been culled amid the outbreak, local media reported, citing information from the provincial government.

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title: African swine fever spreads in Philippines


title: Court upholds NTU exam fine

content_text:
The Ministry of Education building is pictured in Taipei on March 13 last year.Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei Times
National Taiwan University (NTU) is to be fined NT$30,000 after a question in an entrance exam for the Department of Technical Engineering in March 2016 was found to contravene the Gender Equity Education Act (性別平等教育法).

Students were asked to describe “a social responsibility engineers should fulfill, as well as the natural or social law this social responsibility is based on” in 100 words or less.

The preface to the question read: “There are also many laws in society, such as: a person must leave their parents and join with their wife, the two people becoming one; a family is comprised of a man and a woman, a husband and a wife, this is the law of society and family.”

“An engineer’s innovation cannot contravene natural laws, society’s harmony cannot contravene social laws. Although there are some exceptions, the following question does not include these exceptions,” the preface said.

The NTU Student Congress, which reported the question to the Ministry of Education, said that the professor who wrote the question abused their power and it had demanded that all students be given full marks, but the department had only apologized in a statement.

The ministry’s gender equity education committee said that the question contravened the concept of “diverse family formations,” limited students’ responses with the “one man, one woman” statement in its preface, negatively affecting students’ rights.

It issued three penalties — the NT$30,000 fine; a requirement that the professor who wrote the question attend a gender equity education course; and that the faculty create a gender-friendly environment.

NTU filed administrative litigation to appeal the penalties, but later withdrew the litigation for the latter two penalties.

The Taipei High Administrative Court transferred proceedings over the NT$30,000 fine to the Taipei District Court.

The answers were graded by a teacher with no religious beliefs and who had worked as an engineer for several years, the university said, adding that there was no differential treatment in the grading of students’ essays.

Since Article 19 of the act regulates teachers and not schools, the ministry cannot penalize the university, NTU said, adding that the essay question should not be considered an “educational activity” as referred to in the article because the students were not enrolled at the university.

Test questions are within the scope of a university’s autonomy and academic freedom, and the ministry should respect that, it said, adding that the ministry should not “set a precedent” by penalizing NTU because it is a top university.

The Taipei District Court in May last year ruled that while test questions and grading are within the scope of university autonomy, academic freedom and university autonomy cannot be used as reasons to contravene constitutional rights, human rights conventions or gender equity laws.

Universities should especially prevent contraventions of gender equality laws, it said.

It can reasonably be expected that students would have taken into consideration the words used in the question and the logic represented by “one man, one woman” when writing their responses, the court said.

If their responses did not follow the logic in the preface, it can reasonably be determined that it would not be easy to earn a high mark, thus lowering a student’s chance of being accepted by the department, it said.


content_text:
Fraudsters cash in on New Year

NO FRIEND OF MINE:The Criminal Investigation Bureau urged people to be on the alert when they receive any telephone call or text message that is requesting money
A handout provided by the Criminal Investigation Bureau on Saturday details typical fraud tricks and ways to avoid being scammed.Photo courtesy of the Criminal Investigation Bureau
Amid a rising number of fraud cases, the Criminal Investigation Bureau yesterday urged the public to double check the identity of “relatives or friends” who ask for money in a telephone call.

Fraudsters cash in on the Lunar New Year holiday by impersonating an acquaintance to ask that a victim transfer them money, with older people making up nearly 70 percent of victims, the Crime Prevention Affairs Division said.

Citing a case, officials said that a Taipei man, surnamed Chang (張), received a telephone call from someone claiming to be the brother of his ex-wife who was in urgent need of cash.

Without verifying the identity of the caller, whose voice Chang said was very similar to his ex-wife’s brother’s, Chang added him to his Line app and transfered NT$50,000 to his account, believing that he would be repaid the next day, the officials said.

The next day the caller asked for another NT$30,000 and then became impossible to contact after Chang said that he could not send any more money, leading Chang to suspect that he had been scammed, they said.

In another case, a Kaohsiung man, surnamed Cheng (程), received a telephone call from an unknown number, with the caller claiming to be the husband of Cheng’s granddaughter and that he owed a debt of NT$180,000, and hoped that Cheng could help.

Wanting to help, Cheng visited a bank and wired NT$100,000.

An hour later, the man called again to say that the money was not enough, prompting Cheng to ask his wife to wire another NT$50,000 to the account, the officials said.

Cheng had not realized that he had been scammed until he met his real grandson-in-law at the funeral of a family member, they said, adding that Cheng reported the case immediately after the funeral.

The division urged people to be on the alert for fraud when they receive any phone call or text message requesting money, and not to make any transfer before checking the caller’s identity.

People could decide upon a secret code or term known only to themselves to verify the identity of a caller, the officials said.

Maintaining online security is also important. People should avoid using the same password for multiple accounts and not click on suspicious Web addresses, the officials said.

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title: Fraudsters cash in on New Year


content_text:
Viral Outbreak: Taiwan to evacuate nationals

RETURN:China Airlines would dispatch a charter flight to transport 200 Taiwanese in the first stage of evacuation once officials iron out the details, the government said
By Lu Yi-hsuan , Lee I-chia
and Dennis Xie / Staff reporters, with staff writer
The title and logo of the Mainland Affairs Council are seen on a podium at the council’s Taipei offices in an undated photograph.Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
Taiwanese who have been stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak, would soon be repatriated on a charter flight, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that it is facilitating the arrangement.

More than a dozen countries, including the US, the UK, France, Japan, Australia, India, Indonesia and South Korea, have evacuated or are planning to evacuate their citizens from China.

Taiwan had tried to arrange a charter flight to repatriate Taiwanese who have expressed a desire to return home, but Chinese authorities refused the request until yesterday.

The Taiwanese have been stranded in Wuhan since Jan. 23, when China locked down the city to prevent the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.

The state-run China News Service yesterday reported that the office in charge of Taiwan affairs in Hubei Province, of which Wuhan is the capital, said it would soon arrange the first stage of evacuations, allowing about 200 Taiwanese to return home.

The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) confirmed the development, adding that it would keep a close eye on further updates and help coordinate the efforts.

A total of 503 Taiwanese are in Wuhan, 86 percent of whom are there for travel, business or to transfer flights, said Hsu Cheng-wen (徐正文), who represents a support group for Taiwanese who want to return home.

“Their biggest wish is to return to Taiwan,” Hsu said, adding that they are willing to be placed under quarantine after returning home, despite being in good health.

One of the two Taiwanese who was infected in Wuhan has been hospitalized, while the other’s situation is being investigated, Hsu added.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications confirmed that China Airlines Ltd (中華航空) would dispatch a charter flight.

The airline is awaiting instructions, the ministry said, adding that the flight can be dispatched once the council and the SEF settle the evacuation’s details with Chinese authorities.

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), head of the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), said the center has made preparations to handle the evacuation, including quarantine measures and settlement in Taiwan.

Settlement measures would include health monitoring, accommodation and food during 14 days of quarantine, he said.

The center would send medical professionals on the evacuation flight, and the passengers would be provided with protective clothing and N95 respirator masks to prevent possible cross-infection, he added.

“Taiwanese who are confirmed to have 2019-nCoV will not be allowed to board the charter flight,” Chen said, adding that suspected cases would be separated from other passengers.

The timing of the evacuation is being negotiated between the Taiwanese and Chinese governments, he added.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said that if the evacuees show any symptoms before boarding the airplane, they would be immediately hospitalized upon their arrival in Taiwan.

The CDC has also arranged facilities in northern, central and southern Taiwan to quarantine the evacuees, but would not announce their location at this point to avoid panic or stigmatization, Chuang said.

Asked about Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) remark yesterday that one of the facilities is a dormitory in Taipei’s Yangmingshan (陽明山) area, Chen said that anyone who discloses the information without the CECC’s consent would be dealt with in accordance with regulations.

people: 陳時中 柯文哲


content_text:
By Lin Hsin-han and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The iconic “Queen’s Head” rock formation at Yehliu Geopark in New Taipei City’s Wanli District is pictured lit up in an undated photograph.Photo courtesy of the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administrative Office
The North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administrative Office yesterday said that it is selling tickets for a “Visit the Queen at Night” event at Yehliu Geopark (野柳地質公園) in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) from April 17 to April 26 that features two nighttime concerts.

The office is hoping to attract more tourists to the park and the surrounding area, in particular the north coast, it said, adding that local industries and the tourism sector would hopefully benefit.

The first concert on April 18 is to feature singers Kevin Lin (林隆璇) and Where Chou (周蕙), while the second on April 25 is to feature Bobby Chen (陳昇).

Cellist Chang Cheng-chieh (張正傑), violinist Connie Mae (康妮媚) and the youth group of the National Taiwanese Symphony Orchestra are also to perform by the sea during the event, the office said.

The tickets to enter the park cost NT$200 and are being capped at 700 per day, the office said.

Two travel agencies — Lion Travel Service Co and Ann-I Travel Service — and online ticketing platform KKday would also be selling tickets, it said, adding that 200 tickets would be sold at the entrance each night.

Tickets to the concerts cost NT$1,000 and are to be capped at 600 per concert, the office said, adding that children must be six or over to attend.

Shuttle buses to the park are to leave from East 3 Gate at Taipei Railway Station twice a day with the round-trip fare costing NT$100.

All shuttle bus proceeds are to be donated to the New Taipei City branch of the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, the office said.

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title: ‘Visit the Queen’ tickets go on sale


people: 許銘春 陳時中

content_text:
Virus Fears: Two more weeks holiday for schools

NO CHANGE TO EXAM DATES:The decision was made to limit the risk of cluster infections of the new coronavirus. The start of summer vacation will also be delayed
Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung, right, speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday as Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, left, listens.Photo: CNA
The post-holiday start date for schools from senior high and below has been pushed back two weeks to Feb. 25 due to the global spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced yesterday.

While the outbreak of the virus in China is still serious, Taiwan has not seen a local outbreak, but the center is concerned about the risk of cluster infections once students return to school, said the center’s head, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中).

“The command center’s specialist meeting suggested pushing back the start of classes to reduce the risk of clustered infections,” he said.

Extending the winter break means the first day of the new semester for levels for all schools at the senior high level and below has been pushed back from Feb. 11 to Feb. 25, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said.

Students’ education would not suffer and the number of school days would not be cut, but the summer break would be pushed back from July 1 to July 15, Pan said.

“The dates remain the same for the Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students exams, the Entrance Examination for Technological and Vocational Education, and the College Entrance Examination,” Pan said.

However, the examination paper-setting will be adjusted according to the postponed school schedule, so that examinees’ rights would not be affected by the policy, he added.

A new semester schedule for universities is to be discussed today at a meeting with university officials and would be announced after the meeting, Pan said.

Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun (許銘春) said that the rights of working parents with young children should not be harmed by the extended winter break.

A parent of a child under 12 years old can ask their employer for “disease prevention childcare leave” during the two weeks, Hsu said.

“As it is a special policy, the employers are required to approve the child-care leave request, and they cannot deem an employee absent from work or make them take personal or other types of leave, nor can they dismiss or punish the employee or deprive them of a perfect attendance record,” she said.

However, a company can decide whether the employee who takes such leave should receive their salary during the leave, she said.

The Ministry of Labor understands that the policy might cause human resource difficulties, but it hopes employers can help as the nation faces this difficult time.

As for the spread of the virus in Taiwan, the CECC said 89 new cases of severe pneumonia with novel pathogens were reported on Saturday, bringing the nationwide total to 1,007 cases, including 10 confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV infection, but 829 people have been ruled out, and the rest are under quarantine.

No new confirmed case of 2019-nCoV was reported on Saturday, and the 10 patients with confirmed cases are in stable condition and still receiving treatment, with just one having a fever and one requiring oxygen.

One of the 2019-nCoV patients being treated has since tested negative for the virus twice, but they would not be discharged from the hospital until their condition has been assessed by specialists and another test comes back negative, the CECC said.

WENZHOU ALERT

At 8pm last night, the CECC announced that Wenzhou, in China’s Zhejiang Province, has been listed as a secondary epidemic area.


content_text:
Viral Outbreak: Philippines reports first virus death outside of China, restricts travelers

Security personnel guard the entrance to San Lazaro Hospital, where the first coronavirus death outside of China was confirmed, in Manila yesterday.Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines yesterday reported the first death from the 2019 novel coronavirus outside of China, where authorities delayed the opening of schools in the worst-hit province and tightened quarantine measures in a city that allows only one family member to venture out to buy supplies.

The Philippine Department of Health said a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan was admitted to hospital on Jan. 25 after experiencing a fever, cough and sore throat.

He developed severe pneumonia and in his last few days, “the patient was stable and showed signs of improvement, however, the condition of the patient deteriorated within his last 24 hours.”

The man’s 38-year-old female companion, also from Wuhan, also tested positive for the virus and remains in hospital.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved a temporary ban on all travelers, except Filipinos, from China and its autonomous regions.

Three Philippine airlines had on Saturday canceled flights to China.

The death toll in China yesterday climbed by 45 to 304 and the number of cases by 2,590 to 14,380, according to the Chinese National Health Commission.

Six officials in the city of Huanggang, neighboring the epicenter of Wuhan in Hubei Province, have been fired over “poor performance” in handling the outbreak, Xinhua news agency reported.

The trading center of Wenzhou in coastal Zhejiang Province also confined people to homes, allowing only one family member to venture out every other day to buy necessary supplies.

All Hubei schools are to postpone the opening of the new semester until further notice and students from elsewhere who visited over the holiday would also be excused from classes.

Wenzhou put off the opening of government offices until Sunday, private businesses until Feb. 17 and schools until March 1.

Similar measures have been announced in the provinces and cities of Heilongjiang, Shandong, Guizhou, Hebei and Hunan, while the major cities of Shanghai and Beijing were on indefinite leave pending developments.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army was given control of a nearly finished field hospital that would treat patients in Wuhan.

Among a growing number of airlines suspending flights to China was Qatar Airways.

Indonesia and Oman also halted flights to China, as did Saudi Arabia’s flagship national carrier, Saudia.

Indonesia also barred entry to visitors who have been in China in the past 14 days.

South Korea barred foreigners who have stayed in or traveled to Hubei Province within the past 14 days from entering the country.

The Iraqi Ministry of the Interior yesterday banned entry of all foreign visitors coming from China.

Vietnam counted its seventh case, a Vietnamese-American man who had a two-hour layover in Wuhan on his way from the US to Ho Chi Minh City.

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content_text:
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at a news conference in Nur-Sultan yesterday.Photo: EPA-EFE
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday pressed Kazakhstan to be wary of Chinese investment and influence, urging the Central Asian nation and others to join calls demanding an end to China’s repression of minorities.

Bringing a message similar to the one he has delivered repeatedly to other countries, Pompeo told senior Kazakh officials that the attractiveness of Chinese investment comes with a cost to sovereignty and might hurt, instead of help, the country’s long-term development.

“We fully support Kazakhstan’s freedom to choose to do business with whichever country it wants, but I am confident that countries get the best outcomes when they partner with American companies,” he said.

“You get fair deals. You get job creation. You get transparency in contracts. You get companies that care about the environment and you get an unsurpassed commitment to quality work,” he added.

Pompeo began his brief visit to the country by meeting with ethnic Kazakhs whose families have gone missing or been detained in China’s widespread crackdown on Muslims and other ethnic and religious minorities in its western Xinjiang region.

“The protection of basic human rights defines the soul of a nation,” he said, thanking Kazakhstan for taking in those fleeing persecution.

“The United States urges all countries to join us in pressing for immediate end to this repression. We ask simply for them to provide safe refuge and asylum for those seeking to flee China. To protect dignity, just do what’s right,” he added.

Pompeo also congratulated Kazakhstan on its repatriation of Islamic State fighters from Iraq and Syria.

Kazakhstan has taken back nearly 600 fighters and family members detained in areas formerly controlled by the group.

“I have and will continue to commend the Kazakhstani government for its leadership in repatriating foreign terrorists fighters and their families from Iraq and Syria,” he said. “I hope this commitment to justice will inspire other nations to do the same.”

However, Kazakhstan has come under criticism for pressuring an advocate who had campaigned for the release of ethnic Kazakhs in China.

In addition, Pompeo urged senior Kazakh officials to continue reforms that would allow greater US investment in the country.

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title: Pompeo warns Kazakhs of China’s growing reach


content_text:
Argentine filmmaker Marcos Rodriguez, whose 2016 documentary Arribenos explored the lives of Taiwanese immigrants in Buenos Aires, plans to shoot a sequel in Taiwan.

The Ministry of Culture is reviewing the storyboard — which is to follow immigrants to Argentina on their return to Taiwan — to determine if it qualifies for an international coproduction grant.

Rodriguez said his interest in Taiwanese culture and inspiration for making Arribenos grew out of his admiration for Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) and Taipei-based filmmaker Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮).

Rodriguez named the film after the main street that runs through Buenos Aires’ Barrio Chino, or Chinatown, which flourished as a center of Taiwanese culture during a surge in immigration during the 1980s.

Perhaps because of the era in which the immigration took place, the Barrio Chino has a nostalgic, stuck-in-time quality that brings to mind the atmosphere of some of Hou’s classic films, he said.

To prepare for the movie, Rodriguez said he studied Taiwanese culture for a year before spending another year filming in Barrio Chino, capturing holiday gatherings, religious ceremonies and karaoke parties.

Rodriguez said he discovered that a considerable number of Taiwanese immigrants left Argentina during the 2001 financial crisis.

Since then, he has become increasingly curious about what became of them after returning to Taiwan and what memories they had of their time in Argentina, he said.

In coming to Taiwan to make a sequel, Rodriguez hopes to complement the story told in the 2016 documentary, and give a fuller picture of the rich and varied experiences of Taiwanese immigrants, he said.

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title: Documentary maker Rodriguez planning to shoot in Taiwan


title: Chinese autocracy’s new disease

content_text:
An outbreak of a new coronavirus that began in Wuhan, China, has infected more than 14,000 people — mostly in China, but also in many other countries, from Thailand to Italy to the US — and killed more than 300. Given China’s history of disease outbreaks — including SARS and African swine fever — and officials’ apparent awareness of the need to strengthen their capacity to address “major risks,” how could this happen?

It should be no surprise that history is repeating itself in China. To maintain its authority, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) must keep the public convinced that everything is going according to plan. That means carrying out systemic cover-ups of scandals and deficiencies that might reflect poorly upon the CCP’s leadership, instead of doing what is necessary to respond.

This pathological secrecy hobbles the authorities’ capacity to respond quickly to epidemics. The SARS epidemic of 2002-2003 could have been contained much sooner had Chinese officials, including the health minister, not deliberately concealed information from the public. Once proper disease-control and prevention measures were implemented, SARS was contained within months.

Yet China seems not to have learned its lesson. Although there are important differences between today’s coronavirus epidemic and the SARS outbreak — including far greater technological capacity to monitor disease — they might have the CCP’s habit of cover-ups in common.

To be sure, at first glance, China’s government has appeared to be more forthcoming about the latest outbreak. Although the first case was reported on Dec. 8, the Wuhan municipal health commission did not issue an official notice until several weeks later. Since then, Wuhan officials have downplayed the seriousness of the disease and deliberately sought to suppress news coverage.

That notice maintained that there was no evidence that the new illness could be transmitted among humans, and claimed that no healthcare workers had been infected. The commission repeated these claims on Jan. 5, although 59 cases had been confirmed by then.

Even after the first death was reported on Jan. 11, the commission continued to insist that there was no evidence that it could be transmitted among humans or that healthcare workers had been affected.

Throughout this critical period, there was little news coverage of the outbreak. Chinese censors worked diligently to remove references to the outbreak from the public sphere, which is far easier today than it was during the SARS epidemic, thanks to the Chinese government’s dramatically tighter control over the Internet, media and civil society. Police have harassed people for “spreading rumors” about the disease.

According to one study, references to the outbreak on WeChat — a popular Chinese messaging, social media and mobile-payment app — spiked between Dec. 30 and Jan. 4, around the time when the Wuhan municipal health commission first acknowledged the outbreak. However, mentions of the disease subsequently plummeted.

References to the new coronavirus rose slightly on Jan. 11, when the first death was reported, but then quickly disappeared again. It was only after Jan. 20 — following reports of 136 new cases in Wuhan, as well as cases in Beijing and Guangdong Province — that the government rolled back its censorship efforts. Mentions of coronavirus exploded.

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SOCCER

Liverpool beat Southampton

Liverpool defeated Southampton 4-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, moving a scarcely believable 22 points clear at the top of the table, the biggest advantage any team have had at the end of a day in English top-flight history. Winning the league, for the first time in 30 years, is surely a given. With 13 games remaining. Juergen Klopp’s team need only one more win to secure Champions League qualification for next season. A maximum of seven more wins are required to clinch the league title. Elsewhere, Manchester United drew 0-0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United beat Crystal Palace 1-0, Chelsea and Leicester City drew 2-2, West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion drew 3-3, AFC Bournemouth won 2-1 against Aston Villa, Everton beat Watford 3-2 and Norwich City drew 0-0 with Newcastle United.

SOCCER

PSG coach slams Neymar

Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel said that Neymar’s lavish birthday celebrations were a “distraction” at a key time in the season after the Brazilian helped the Ligue 1 leaders to a 5-0 win against Montpellier HSC on Saturday. Neymar, with his hair dyed pink, shook off an injury scare and raged with the match officials while Pablo Sarabia, Angel di Maria, Kylian Mbappe and Layvin Kurzawa scored along with a Daniel Congre own-goal. The Brazilian yesterday was to host a lavish party for his 28th birthday at a Parisian nightclub, despite a game scheduled for tomorrow. “It’s a distraction, that’s clear,” Tuchel said. “I always want to protect my players and if there are difficult things to talk about I prefer to say them internally.” Elsewhere, AS Monaco lost 3-1 to Nimes Olympique, Lille OSC a 2-1 victory against RC Strasbourg Alsace, Amiens and Toulouse drew 0-0, Stade de Reims beat Angers SCO 4-1 and Dijon defeated Stade Brestois 3-0.

SOCCER

Haaland adds to tally

Erling Braut Haaland said that he needs to get fitter, despite making it seven goals in three games for Borussia Dortmund with another double in Saturday’s 5-0 Bundesliga thrashing of Union Berlin. The 19-year-old Haaland scored either side of halftime. However, the Norwegian said he must still regain fitness after a knee injury last month restricted his training. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich beat Mainz 3-1, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim beat Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2-1, Fortuna Dusseldorf and Eintracht Frankfurt drew 1-1, Augsburg defeated Werder Bremen 2-1 and RB Leipzig drew with Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-2.

CRICKET

India sweep as NZ fold

India wrapped up their Twenty20 series against New Zealand 5-0 in Mount Maunganui yesterday as the hosts once again threw away a strong position, falling eight runs short of a consolation win. India made 163-3 batting first, with K.L. Rahul scoring 45 and Rohit Sharma making 60 before retiring hurt. New Zealand lost three wickets in the power play, but half centuries from Tim Seifert (50) and Ross Taylor (53) left them needing 51 runs with eight overs remaining. However, as they did in the previous two matches, they failed to finish the job, with six wickets falling for only 37 runs in the final stages. Jasprit Bumrah (3-12) was the pick of the bowlers for India.

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title: SPORTS BRIEFS


title: World’s health in China’s hands

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A good measure of a community’s strength is its ability to handle crises. This is particularly true for China, where hundreds of millions of citizens remain vulnerable to the highly contagious Wuhan coronavirus.

While some observers have criticized the international media for blowing the Wuhan outbreak out of proportion to the point of sensationalism, the rapidity and ferocity with which this deadly epidemic has spread has shocked the world.

As the Wuhan epidemic has come to the spotlight, there has been a frantic search for surgical masks and alcohol swabs by Chinese visitors in neighboring countries such as Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, and across North America and Europe.

The global spread of the coronavirus can be attributed to a number of circumstantial factors, including the speedy movement of disease by extensive high-speed rail and flight networks, the continued growth of Chinese international and domestic tourism during the holidays, and the lack of up-to-date public information and skills needed for handling an epidemic outbreak.

Striving to contain an already deteriorating situation, China has yet to overcome three hurdles at the organizational and operational levels:

First is the long history of imperial obsession with control, personified by the single-person rule of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and his efforts to centralize his absolute leadership.

The Wuhan outbreak exposes the pros and cons of such a highly centralized structure of governance. In times of peace and stability, this vertical structure guarantees an efficient control of bureaucratic decisionmaking and projects a strong image of commanding leadership.

However, at the horizontal level, when everything falls apart, this top-down mode of governance fails to ensure the steady flow of reliable information from a wide range of departmental agencies.

During the initial coronavirus outbreak in late November last year, healthcare professionals in Wuhan and nearby townships allegedly relied on confusing instructions from the municipal and provincial authorities. Focusing on the response stage of an emerging large-scale health risk, they had to minimize the political damage to the local province and the public’s fear that serious harm would befall them.

Only after Xi instructed central and provincial officials to correct initial missteps and take over the crisis management did cover-ups end. The Wuhan municipality immediately quarantined its 11 million people, and most cities across Hubei Province did likewise.

Today, provincial and municipal officials seem more willing to report cases of infections, even though there is still a discrepancy between the huge numbers of victims in Hong Kong and the much lower figures in areas surrounding Hubei.

The second systematic defect concerns the absence of an effective, intergovernmental agency capable of accessing the epidemic situation on the ground and coordinating immediate actions among fragmented bureaucratic units at all levels. The longstanding practice of addressing problems internally takes precedence over the need to notify the public and seek international assistance.

Although not unique to China, the bureaucratic secrecy has hindered the timely response of medical professionals and transparent reporting by domestic and foreign media.

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China plans US$173 trillion injection

CORONAVIRUS MEASURES:Banks were told not to withdraw loans from affected firms and were also asked to consider extending loans or cutting interest rates
China’s central bank and other regulators announced a slew of targeted measures aimed at helping companies, banks and individuals hurt by the coronavirus outbreak.

The central bank is today to supply 1.2 trillion yuan (US$172.99 billion) to money markets, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said in a statement yesterday.

The money would be supplied using reverse repurchase agreements to ensure liquidity is “reasonably ample” during the outbreak, it said, without sharing the tenor of the agreements.

That announcement follows a joint statement with other ministries and financial regulators on Saturday, which promised to use open market operations, the standing lending facility and other tools to ensure interbank liquidity is sufficient to keep money market rates stable.

The PBOC urged banks to increase lending to the whole economy, and said that it would give banks 300 billion yuan in relending to help them provide more money to a list of affected companies.

Banks were told they should not withdraw loans from firms affected by the virus, especially from smaller ones.

Banks should also consider rolling over loans or cutting interest rates to help affected companies, and regulators would allow those firms to delay reporting their results for last year and the first quarter of this year, the PBOC said.

The new measures follow the announcement last week that China’s biggest banks would lower interest rates for firms in Hubei Province, the center of the outbreak.

In Saturday’s statement, financial institutions were told to maintain the pace of overall credit expansion and continue to lower borrowing costs across China, especially to manufacturers, and to small and private firms.

The PBOC would “keep close contact with financial institutions and financial markets to stay fully on top of the liquidity situation and demand,” PBOC Deputy Governor Pan Gongsheng (潘功勝) said in an interview with the bank’s newspaper, Financial News, which was released at the same time as the announcement.

The PBOC would “release policy information in a timely manner and guide market expectations,” he said.

Pan also said that the central bank would temporarily waive the cap for foreign exchange settlement for companies in need, as long as it is for reasons related to the virus.

The central bank would be less strict in its checks on banks’ required reserves for the end of last month, and would facilitate companies’ use of foreign exchange to ensure that offshore borrowing is not affected and goods needed to battle the virus can be imported without problems.

Exchanges were asked to streamline corporate bond sales, including by allowing financial institutions to submit materials online, to reduce the spread of the virus.

Any private bonds or asset-backed securities sold to finance the fight against coronavirus would be approved using simplified procedures.

The effect of the outbreak would be temporary, the Chinese economy would maintain good momentum, and financial regulators have “full confidence” they can keep the economy stable in the long term, the statement said.

Investors should look at the long term and uphold the principle of value investing, and not be affected by “irrational sentiment.”

In a separate interview, China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission Vice Chairman Cao Yu (曹宇) also called for lower lending rates and fees and pledged to take steps to make sure firms’ financing demands were met, including by allowing banks to increase bond investment and set up more wealth-management companies.

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title: China plans US$173 trillion injection


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Taiwanese auto parts suppliers with facilities in Wuhan, China, said they are taking measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus to minimize negative effects on production.

Automotive interior parts supplier Hiroca Holdings Ltd (廣華控股) on Friday said that there had been no cases of coronavirus at the firm’s subsidiary, Wuhan Hiroyoshi Automotive Trim Co (武漢廣佳), adding that the unit only accounts for about 8 to 10 percent of the firm’s total output.

Wuhan is one of the important automobile hubs in China, making up an estimated 8 to 10 percent of total vehicle production in China, DBS Bank Ltd said.

“The outbreak has had a limited effect on the group’s business operations,” Hiroca said in a statement.

The company’s plant in Guanajuato, Mexico, which has been supplying parts for Nissan Motor Co’s Altima sedans since late 2018, is expected to see shipments increase steadily this year and make a positive contribution to the company, Hiroca said.

Automotive lighting module maker Laster Tech Co Ltd (麗清科技) said the coronavirus outbreak is not expected to have any material effect on its new factory in Wuhan, which contributes less than 1 percent to total sales, the company said in a separate statement.

Its operations in Wuhan would resume on Friday next week, while its plants in Shanghai and Dongguang would reopen on Monday next week, in accordance with local government policies, Laster said.

The firm said it would monitor the disease closely and that it hopes to resume shipping as soon as possible.

Tong Yang Industry Co (東陽實業), which manufactures bumpers and automotive sheet metal, said its plants in Hubei Province, of which Wuhan is the capital, have abided by local regulations and arranged different schedules for workers returning from the Lunar New Year holiday.

DBS said that the outbreak could last for several months and affect consumers’ willingness to purchase new vehicles.

Total vehicle sales in China this year are expected to decline by about 3 percent from last year or even by more than 5 percent if the situation drags on, the bank said.

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title: Auto parts suppliers on virus alert in Wuhan


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Global equities have slumped across markets as the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak fanned concerns about near-term risks and triggered worries of far-reaching implications on China’s economy and the potential impact on the global economy.

Unlike corporate earnings or economic data, the long-run effects of the virus are more difficult to measure for most investors and analysts, and they have added even greater volatility to markets and represent a higher degree of uncertainty not seen since the height of the US-China trade dispute.

The outbreak is expected to hit China’s economy as consumers are urged to stay home, businesses are shut and public transportation is curbed. More importantly, a marked slowdown in the Chinese economy would likely challenge the country’s policymaking capability and execution of national plans.

The million-dollar question is: When would businesses be allowed to resume work in China?

Allowing businesses to resume operations too early would put more people at risk of contracting the virus, while delaying for too long would threaten business health and weigh on economic growth in the long term.

Thus far, more than 14 provinces and cities in China have extended their Lunar New Year holidays to the middle of this month to curb the spread of the virus. The consequences will be huge, as output from those provinces and cities accounted for 78 percent of China’s exports and nearly 69 percent of its GDP last year, according to Bloomberg calculations.

Making things worse is that the WHO on Thursday declared the viral outbreak — which had as of Saturday sickened more than 14,000 people around the world and killed at least 300 — a public health emergency of international concern, confirming the severity of the disease and signaling a need for governments, businesses and the general public to reassess their plans related to China.

Even though the WHO stopped short of recommending restrictions on travel or trade, many countries have either suspended flights to China or advised their citizens not to travel there.

Investment, tourism and commerce are taking a hit on the outbreak, while manufacturing supply chains and logistics networks are bracing for an extended period of disruptions due to the holiday extensions and other measures. It is too soon to say whether 2019-nCoV would deal a more severe blow to China’s economy than the SARS outbreak in 2003, yet it is not impossible if the situation deteriorates further.

Concern over a viral outbreak would also deal a blow to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) leadership and China’s political situation.

The Economist magazine reported that in addition to the economic impact of the outbreak, it could trigger political repercussions in China, causing sustained damage to the reputation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and even Xi himself. The CCP has long claimed its governance is more effective than that of democratic countries, but its failure to contain the spread of the epidemic, despite the tough measures it has imposed, is at odds with the effective governance it has trumpeted.

The outbreak jeopardizes China’s global image, the morale of its citizens and the coherence of its society. Moreover, it will be painful for the CCP leadership and affect China’s engagement in the international community.

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title: EDITORIAL: Investors, beware outbreak effects


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US Senator Elizabeth Warren waves to supporters as she arrives to speak at a town hall in Davenport, Iowa, on Saturday.Photo: AFP
Scores of volunteers from across the US descended on icy Iowa ahead of today’s Democratic caucus with one goal: nominating a candidate who can defeat Republican US President Donald Trump in November.

Walking door-to-door to try to win over campaign-wary Iowans can be lonely and thankless work, but opinion polls showing a tight race and Democrats’ widespread aversion to Trump have kept volunteers coming to the rural state that hosts the US’ first nominating contest of the presidential election.

Maryland native Dylan Newberry, 27, moved to Iowa early last month to volunteer for US Senator Cory Booker. He then extended his stay and switched his support to former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg after Booker dropped out.

“Our leader [Trump] is very much trying to divide us with hate,” Newberry said as he carried a clipboard door-to-door in a quiet neighborhood in Des Moines, Iowa. “I really think we need to win this election.”

Newberry is one of thousands volunteering for Buttigieg, who is trailing US Senator Bernie Sanders and former US vice president Joe Biden in most opinion polls, and needs a strong showing in Iowa to remain in contention.

The Sanders campaign, which has seen a recent surge in support in Iowa, said volunteers from all over the country knocked on 130,000 doors during the final weekend of last month alone.

The campaigns declined to give exact numbers of volunteers working in the state.

The caucuses have no paper ballots and choose candidates entirely by turnout at 1,600 meetings, giving volunteers an outsize role in the process, Polk County Democrats executive director Judy Downs said.

“Whether that’s providing rides or childcare, the campaign that can turn out voters the best is going to win,” Downs said.

Opinion polls show Sanders and Biden in a dead heat, with Buttigieg and US Senator Elizabeth Warren close behind. US Senator Amy Klobuchar is fifth, the only other candidate within striking distance of the leaders.

Democratic presidential candidates on Saturday promised voters in Iowa that they would unify the party to take on Trump even as they kept up their criticism of each other and navigated the lingering divides from the 2016 campaign.

“I’m confident Americans, Republican voters, Democratic voters and independent voters want us to come together,” Biden said in North Liberty. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to make progress in the areas that matter most.”

About 32km away in Cedar Rapids, Massachusetts, Warren updated her stump speech to include a more explicit call for unity.

“We’re down to the final strokes here,” she said. “But we understand that, we will and we must come together as a party to beat Donald Trump and I’ve got a plan for that.”

Sanders said he would back the ultimate Democratic nominee even if it is not him.

“Let me say this so there’s no misunderstanding,” he said in Indianola, Iowa. “If we do not win, we will support the winner and I know that every other candidate will do the same.”

On the eve of today’s Iowa caucuses, the unity pledges marked an early — and urgent — effort to avoid the divides that some Democrats have said helped Trump win the presidency in 2016.

On Saturday, the final Des Moines Register poll — traditionally seen as the gold standard survey of the caucus electorate — was pulled from publication after questions about its methodology.

title: Democrats brace for Iowa caucuses


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After the excitement of the presidential and legislative elections, society is cooling down and people are mending damaged relations caused by political disagreement. More importantly, the hatred and opposition between young people and the older generation must be repaired.

Leaving aside politics, the most obvious sign of the generational conflict in Taiwan is the uneven distribution of wealth.

According to UBS and PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Billionaire Insights 2019, the number of billionaires in Taiwan has increased to 40, and their total wealth has grown by US$1.1 billion.

The average age of Taiwan’s billionaires — among whom 16 are over the age of 70 — is 69, which is higher than the global average of 64, the report said.

Large inheritances are the main cause of this extremely uneven distribution of wealth and the worsening gap between rich and poor.

The government should promptly levy a wealth transfer tax on high-income groups, by raising the inheritance tax and implementing a minimum tax on high-income earners, to prevent the further widening of the wealth gap and achieve generational equity.

Rising real-estate prices have also made it increasingly difficult for young people to own their own home. Coupled with the slowdown in wage growth and the cost of raising children, there is less left for savings.

Meanwhile, older generations were able to purchase properties earlier, at a more affordable price, and as real estate has appreciated, their personal wealth has increased.

In 2018, 77 percent of Taiwan’s 8.06 million landowners were over the age of 45, and the largest portion, 28 percent, were over 65, Ministry of Finance data showed.

In contrast, during the same period, there were 560,000 landowners under the age of 34, a decrease of 62,000, or 11.2 percent. The number of landowners in the 45 to 34 age group also decreased by 59,000.

It is clear that generational inequality in asset distribution has worsened, and this is one of the reasons young people are unable to improve their situation.

As most land in Taiwan is in the hands of the elderly, young people cannot afford to buy a place to live — no matter how hard they work. This gives rise to a feeling of deprivation, making it difficult to eliminate the conflict between generations.

To solve the housing problem for young people, the government should establish a long-term, stable mechanism to promote social housing and curb investment in non-owner-occupied residential properties using policy instruments, such as financing and house taxes, to decommodify housing and resolve the paradox of high housing prices and high vacancy rates.

In Taiwan today, most social resources are in the hands of the baby boomers, who are roughly between the ages of 60 and 75.

In addition to shifting resources into welfare for the elderly, the government must also implement reasonable tax reform to address wealth distribution.

Housing justice requires that the government offer clear guarantees that housing is used for residential purposes rather than as an investment object to curb real-estate speculation.

That could perhaps reduce generational conflict and promote generational reconciliation.

Wei Shih-chang is an engineer.

Translated by Lin Lee-kai

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title: Wealth gap between generations  detrimental


title: Downstream producers hit by virus outbreak

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The effects of the coronavirus outbreak on downstream electronics industries with operations in China are expected to continue for some time, as the Lunar New Year holiday has been extended and public transport restricted, analysts said.

For PC manufacturing, China’s extended holiday is increasing the effect of weak seasonality this quarter, while quarantine and travel restrictions would exacerbate labor shortage issues, Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co (元大投顧) said in a note last week.

“We expect the impact on [PC] sales to last for at least a quarter,” Yuanta analysts led by Calvin Wei (魏建發) said in the note.

Taiwanese printed circuit board (PCB) suppliers operating in China have also been adversely affected by measures to curb the spread of infection, as most PCB plants — including those making copper-clad laminates, substrates, rigid PCBs and flexible PCBs — are in areas severely affected by the outbreak, the analysts said.

In China, most PCB plants operated by Taiwanese firms are in Huangshi and Xiantao in Hubei Province, as well as Suzhou, Changshu and Kunshan in Jiangsu Province.

Supply chain disruptions could occur as most PCB suppliers’ Chinese production facilities would remain closed until Monday next week to comply with local government policies, the analysts said.

“Given the transit shutdown and extension of the Lunar New Year holiday in certain regions, we expect sales to be affected in the near term,” they said.

The outbreak has also caused delays in component deliveries, the analysts said, adding that alternative supply sources are unclear, leading to uncertainty regarding the sales outlooks of major smartphone vendors.

“Assuming the outbreak cools down toward the end of this quarter, we still expect some impact in the second quarter, as the disease has prevented some overseas employees from returning to China ... which will hinder product launches,” they said.

Market researcher Strategy Analytics forecast that the global market would ship 2 percent fewer smartphones than expected this year, as the effects of the virus outbreak would lead to reduced GDP growth and consumer spending.

It would also affect global smartphone supply and manufacturing, because China makes 70 percent of all smartphones sold in the world, it said.

“China smartphone shipments will be 5 percent less than expected in 2020. The biggest impact will hit China, but other connected economies will feel a ripple, like Japan or the US,” Strategy Analytics said in a note last week.

As a result, semiconductor makers, operators, and service and content providers, as well as related parties, should closely monitor their channels and plan ahead to avoid excess inventory, the consultancy firm said.

The viral outbreak has had a mixed effect on the networking and motherboard industries, Yuanta analysts said.

The lockdown in Wuhan and delayed operations at factories in Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shanghai should weigh on the production of networking products, while the effect on the motherboard supply chain seems to be limited, the analysts said.

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Virus Fears: Joseph Wu slams WHO for treating Taiwan as PRC

TRAVEL IMPACT:Italy and Vietnam’s moves to bar flights to and from Taiwan were due to the WHO listing the nation as a Chinese province, the minister said
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu speaks at a news conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei yesterday.Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday blasted the WHO for treating Taiwan as part of China in the fight against the new coronavirus, adding that some WHO officials live in a “parallel universe.”

Wu blamed a WHO report on the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) for the decisions made by Italy and Vietnam to ban flights to and from Taiwan as part of their efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, accusing it of providing “inaccurate information.”

Italy on Friday announced it would suspend all flights from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan from yesterday to April 28, after confirming two cases of the virus earlier that day.

Vietnam on Saturday afternoon announced a similar ban, for 90 days, but reversed the decision a few hours later.

In the WHO report dated Saturday, “Taipei” was included in a list of provinces, regions and cities of China with confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV. In the table of confirmed cases worldwide, it listed China with 11,821 cases, including cases in Hong Kong SAR (13), Macau SAR (7) and Taipei (10).

The way the figures were presented “led to the misconception that Taiwan is part of China and a seriously infected area,” Wu said.

Taiwan is not a member of the UN and is routinely listed as part of China by UN-affiliated organizations.

Wu said that he suspected the WHO report was a key factor in Italy’s decision, because the suspension of flights was made on the recommendation of Italian health authorities and the announcement used the term “Taipei” and other language similar to that found in the WHO report.

Italy’s flight ban against Taiwan has negatively affected thousands of travelers, and they are not likely to get compensation from airlines or from the WHO, the minister said.

“I would like to publicly call upon the WHO to recognize the simple fact that Taiwan is Taiwan and it is not part of the People’s Republic of China,” Wu said.

Healthcare in Taiwan and China are administered by separate authorities, as are their flight information regions, he said.

Those WHO officials who have praised Beijing for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak appear to be living in a “parallel universe,” Wu said.

Vietnam’s no-fly order on Saturday afternoon forced a StarLux Airlines flight to Da Nang to return to the terminal at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport even though it was preparing to take off, while an EVA Airways flight en route to Hanoi was forced to turn around and head back to Taiwan.

The airlines then postponed the departures to 11pm on Saturday.

Although the Vietnamese ban was only in effect for three hours on Saturday, Kaohsiung International Airport data showed that Vietnam Airlines canceled two flights scheduled for yesterday morning, VN581 to Ho Chi Minh City and VN587 to Hanoi.

Flight VN583 to Ho Chi Minh City, which was scheduled to depart at 2:50pm yesterday, was delayed, while flight VN580D from Ho Chi Minh City to Kaohsiung, scheduled to arrive at 3:05pm, was canceled and another flight scheduled to arrive at 12am this morning was delayed.

Additional reporting by Shelley Shan

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Banks’ exposure to China drops to NT$1.71 trillion

CALCULATED MOVE:The Banking Bureau deputy director said that local banks restricted their lending policies, as China had faced downside risks
Local banks’ exposure to China fell in the first 11 months of last year as the Chinese economy showed signs of slowing, the Financial Supervisory Commission said.

Data compiled by the commission showed that the exposure of local banks to China fell to NT$1.71 trillion (US$56.53 billion) as of the end of November last year, down NT$62 billion from the end of 2018.

The decline consisted of a drop of NT$53.1 billion in bank loans, a decline of NT$5.1 billion in investments and a fall of NT$7.1 billion in interbank loans, government data showed.

Banking Bureau Deputy Director Sherri Chuang (莊琇媛) said that China had faced downside risks, prompting local banks to tighten their lending policies.

China also encountered many international disputes, such as a trade spat with the US, she added.

China’s GDP grew 6.1 percent last year, slowing from 6.6 percent growth in 2018 and the lowest level since 1990.

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences economist Zhang Ming (張明) has forecast that China’s GDP growth for the first quarter of this year could slow to 5 percent or even lower because of the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan.

Exposure to China accounted for 48 percent of the banking sector’s net worth in the fourth quarter last year, down from 48.7 percent in the third quarter, 49.9 percent in the second quarter and 51.2 percent in the first quarter, Chuang said.

Despite the decline in the banking sector, local securities firms saw their exposure to China rise NT$4.27 billion last year to NT$15.43 billion, the Securities and Futures Bureau said, without offering an explanation for the increase.

Local insurance companies’ exposure totaled NT$264.8 billion as of the end of last year, up NT$32.7 billion from a year earlier as firms increased their investments in China, the Insurance Bureau said.

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title: Fire threatening Canberra downgraded

content_text:
Two firefighters battle a blaze near Bredbo, south of the Australian capital Canberra, yesterday.Photo: AP
A fire that threatened Canberra’s southern suburbs was downgraded early yesterday, allowing firefighters to strengthen containment lines and protect residents.

Firefighters battling a large blaze on the Australian capital’s southern flank said that it was no longer at emergency level, as temperatures fell back from heat-wave highs and rain was forecast.

Australian Capital Territory Rural Fire Service Chief Officer Joe Murphy said that crews had worked through the night to contain the fire.

At one point, the fire service warned residents to “please remain alert, not alarmed,” as they would see flames on the horizon while controlled burns were carried out.

The city last week declared its first state of emergency in nearly two decades in anticipation of a heat wave and predictions that fires could hit the southern suburbs.

Temperatures in Canberra on Saturday passed 41°C, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported.

The state of emergency declared on Thursday last week was the first in the Australian Capital Territory, which includes Canberra and some surrounding townships, since 2003, when fires destroyed almost 500 homes.

The main threat came from the Orroral Valley fire, which had burned about 52,000 hectares of mostly remote bushland and linked up with a blaze in New South Wales.

“Crews have worked tirelessly overnight to protect homes and slow the spread of fire, which they will continue to do today with favorable weather,” the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said.

More than 80 fires were still burning across New South Wales and Victoria states.

Storms were forecast to follow the heat wave, bringing rain that could help dampen fires, but also the potential for wild weather, including flash floods.

Extreme weather has battered parts of Australia so far this year, bringing giant hail, flash floods and landslides.

Sydney yesterday was again shrouded in a toxic smoke haze, now an almost daily problem in what had been one of world’s least polluted major cities.

At least 33 people have died and vast swaths of the nation have burned since September last year.

The months-long crisis has sparked renewed calls for the government to take immediate action on climate change, with street protests urging Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to reduce the nation’s reliance on coal.

The bushfire disaster was likely exacerbated by climate change, coming on the back of a crippling drought that turned forests into tinderboxes and allowed blazes to spread out of control, scientists say.

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Novak Djokovic beats Thiem in thriller

COMEBACK WIN:Djokovic went 2-1 down and was seeking medical attention as Thiem won six games in a row, but he regained control to take the final two sets
Novak Djokovic returns to Dominic Thiem during the men’s singles final at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park yesterday.Photo: Reuters

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Novak Djokovic battled through intense pressure from Dominic Thiem to reassert his dominance at the Australian Open yesterday, claiming a record eighth title and returning to world No. 1 in the process.

The indomitable Serb stretched his unbeaten streak this season to 13 by rallying from 2-1 down and beating the courageous fifth-seeded Austrian 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a near four-hour ordeal.

It was his 17th Grand Slam title, moving him within two of Rafael Nadal and three of Roger Federer on the all-time list.

Victory put him alongside his fellow legends as only the third man in history to win eight or more titles at the same Slam after Nadal (12 at the French Open) and Federer (eight at Wimbledon).

It also ensured he will once again be world No. 1, with the new rankings to be released today, usurping Nadal. Federer was to remain third, with Thiem moving up a place to a career-high fourth.

However, it was not easy, with the Serb looking lethargic and out for the count in sets 2 and 3 before regaining his mojo after a medical timeout to grind down the talented Thiem.

Djokovic had never before won a Slam final in seven previous attempts when finding himself 2-1 down.

The Serb was the overwhelming favorite, but the supremely fit and fast Thiem always had the weapons to trouble him, which he deployed successfully for much of the match, taming his serve and unleashing some explosive groundstrokes.

It was a nerveless start from Djokovic, who comfortably held then put big pressure on the Thiem serve, with a forehand into the net giving him an immediate break and a psychological edge after some monster rallies.

Thiem is as strong mentally as he is physically and he finally got on the scoreboard after another tough service game.

Against the run of play, with Djokovic seemingly in control, he broke back, unleashing pinpoint groundstrokes to make the most of some loose Djokovic shots.

However, the world No. 2 was unrelenting, breaking again as Thiem served to stay in the set, with the Austrian sending down his first double fault of the match at the crucial moment.

Remarkably, a rare Djokovic double fault handed Thiem a break to go 2-1 up in set 2 with the courageous Austrian refusing to go away.

The Serb was getting frustrated, looking at his coaching box and pointing at his head.

He refocused and once again began attacking the Thiem serve, breaking back for 4-4, pumping his fists when the fifth seed sent a backhand wide.

Two time warnings on his serve in the next game rattled Djokovic and he was broken again, with the Serb losing his cool by patting the umpire’s foot at the changeover.

He had words with the official before Thiem served out the set — the first the Serb had dropped in an Australian Open final since 2015.

Djokovic looked dejected and was immediately broken twice in set three as Thiem raced to a 4-0 lead, having won six games in a row with Djokovic imploding.

The Serb was heard telling a trainer that he was tired and after losing the set, he went for a medical timeout.

He came back and the fourth set went with serve until a Thiem double fault handed the Serb two break points and he converted to regain control, serving out the set with an ace.

Djokovic drew on all his experience to force another break in the deciding fifth set to take a 2-1 lead and kept his foot on the gas to claim an eighth crown from the past 13 Australian Opens.

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title: Novak Djokovic beats Thiem in thriller


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Mike Moore, former NZ PM and chief of WTO, dies aged 71

Former New Zealand prime minister Mike Moore, who overcame cancer and a lack of formal education to become prime minister and director-general of the WTO, died yesterday aged 71, his wife said.

Moore was WTO director-general from 1999 to 2002 and oversaw China’s entry into the global rules-based trading system.

Moore in 2001 launched the Doha Development Round, aimed at lowering trade barriers globally, and was New Zealand ambassador to the US from 2010 to 2015.

Moore was New Zealand prime minister for 59 days before the October 1990 general election, then leader of the opposition for three years following the Labour Party’s defeat.

He survived three bouts of cancer as a young man, but had been in declining health following a stroke in 2015.

Moore was at his at his home in Auckland when he died, his wife, Yvonne Moore, said.

He grew up in New Zealand’s Northland region and wanted to spend his final months there, but had to return to Auckland last month because of his health.

“Northland made him the battler and fighter for ordinary Kiwis he was throughout his life and career, and that was what drove him to become a member of the New Zealand Labour Party at 16 years old. He was stubborn, optimistic, generous and kind,” Yvonne Moore said. “Having left school at 15 for a job in the freezing works, Mike always believed that his love of reading and hard work would overcome his lack of formal education. Mike was always a good reminder to the Labour Party of its working class roots and will probably be its last blue collar prime minister.”

Mike Moore was first elected to the New Zealand parliament as a 23-year-old in 1972.

One of his portfolios during the Labour Party government from 1984 to 1990 was overseas trade minister, where he came to believe in the power of a rules-based global trading system and how that, more than international aid, could lift nations out of poverty.

Mike Moore in 1999 was awarded the Order of New Zealand, the nation’s highest honor, and in 2012 was made an honorary office of the Order of Australia.

He also had five honorary doctorates in commerce, economics and law.

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James goes to the basket against the Sacramento Kings during their NBA game in Sacramento, California, on Saturday.Photo: AP
The Los Angeles Lakers say they are fully prepared for the steady stream of tributes to Kobe Bryant that they will surely see the rest of the season.

LeBron James welcomes it, calling it a therapeutic and needed part of the Lakers’ healing process.

James had another triple-double, despite an off-night shooting, while Anthony Davis scored 21 points as Los Angeles thumped the Sacramento Kings 129-113 on Saturday, their first win since Bryant’s death.

“It’s never going to feel normal. It’s never going to feel the same, but we got our first win since this happened,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “There’s going to be a lot of important steps for us along the way and this was definitely one.”

James had 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds while helping Los Angeles end a two-game skid. James shot 6 of 15 and missed three of four three-pointers, but made up for it with his 11th triple-double of the season and the 92nd of his career.

Meanwhile, Bryant’s stolen high-school jersey has been returned.

The jersey spent more time in China of late than it did hanging on the wall of the gym named in honor of Lower Merion High School’s career leading scorer.

Bryant’s retired No. 33 jersey was stolen in 2017 from the school’s campus and eventually bought by a collector in China.

Suspicious that the jersey was stolen, the Kobe collector contacted the school and helped return the keepsake to suburban Philadelphia, a process already under way before Bryant was killed on Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash.

The uniform was at last back where it belonged on Saturday at Bryant Gymnasium.

“Good timing,” Lower Merion coach Gregg Downer said. “That was kind of an iconic moment when the spotlight went on that jersey. It was just tremendous. It was major irony, almost, how we’ve been waiting for that jersey for a long time. For a long time we didn’t know where it was. To have it back, it’s a fitting ending to a tough week.”

In other games, it was:

‧ Trail Blazers 124, Jazz 107

‧ Celtics 116, 76ers 95

‧ Clippers 118, T’wolves 106

‧ Heat 102, Magic 89

‧ Mavericks 123, Hawks 100

‧ Wizards 113, Nets 107

‧ Spurs 114, Hornets 90

‧ Knicks 92, Pacers 85

‧ Warriors 131, Cavaliers 112

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title: James triple-double leads LA Lakers over Sacremento


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Coronavirus threat to tourism in Japan, LDP’s Kishida says

The coronavirus outbreak is expected to affect Japan’s economy by hurting tourism to the nation, said Fumio Kishida, the chairperson of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) Policy Research Council.

“There will definitely be an impact on the economy,” Kishida told national broadcaster NHK yesterday.

He said that the outbreak “has already been prompting cancelations one after another, affecting the tourism industry.”

The virus is posing a challenge to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s target of increasing the number of foreign visitors to 40 million this year, when Tokyo hosts the Olympic games.

Chinese tourists accounted for 40 percent of spending by foreign tourists in Japan last year, Bloomberg lead economist Yuki Masujima said.

Abe said on Friday that Japan would bar entry to people with symptoms of the coronavirus effective Feb. 1.

China banned all outgoing overseas group tours starting on Jan. 27.

In addition to the virus outbreak, there are downside risks to Japan’s economy, including the UK’s departure from the EU and tensions in the Middle East, Kishida said.

That makes it important to implement the stimulus package compiled late last year, he added.

In December last year, Abe announced a stimulus package totaling around ￥26 trillion (US$239.86 billion) to support growth in an economy contending with an export slump, natural disasters and the fallout from a recent sales tax increase.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to loom large in the minds of economists in the coming days as the number of global cases soars and the effect on commerce spreads.

While the WHO did not recommend any restrictions on travel or trade when it declared the outbreak a global health emergency, more than two-thirds of China’s economy will remain closed as a result of the virus this week, and disruption could spread further.

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Guaido rallies Venezuelans in Miami at end of tour

‘UNDER THE TABLE’:Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said he has a plan to oust the Venezuelan president, but did not explain how he would achieve that
Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaido on Saturday told a large crowd of cheering expatriates in Miami that he would soon make his return to Caracas from an international tour, bringing with him the “world’s backing” to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

“We have a plan. We have a strategy,” Guaido said. “We’re not alone, and we’re going to restore democracy.”

However, the opposition leader bent on unseating Maduro presented few details for executing this plan upon returning, referring to additional sanctions as a major strategy available.

Guaido’s visit to Miami rounded out a two-week world tour that took him first to Colombia, then across Europe and Canada, where he held meetings with a list of world leaders.

He delivered a message that Venezuelans are pressing for freedom from a “dictator,” but they need help.

A key meeting absent from Guaido’s trip was with his most important ally, US President Donald Trump, who earlier in the day tweeted a picture of himself golfing at his Florida Mar-a-Lago club, saying he was “Getting a little exercise.”

When asked about a possible meeting with Trump, Guaido said: “Stay tuned,” but he also said he was already preparing his return to Venezuela.

An estimated 3,500 people crowded into a Miami convention center to hear Guaido, the most promising opposition political figure to surface in years with the chance of ending two decades of rule launched by the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

Guaido urged the crowd to remain unified and to resist, despite living away from Venezuela. “All options are on the table, but also under the table,” Guaido said. “There are things that are not talked about. All necessary actions will be used to finally liberate Venezuela.”

Before the rally, Guaido met with James Story, charge d’ affaires for the Venezuela Affairs Unit of the US Embassy in Bogota.

He also mingled with Venezuelans who have fled their homeland for the US over the past two decades.

US Senator Rick Scott was among those on stage with Guaido as well as several Venezuelan lawmakers living in exile.

US Senator Marco Rubio said on Twitter that he would be meeting with Guaido.

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