taiwan-subdivisions: 坪林 宜蘭 礁溪 壯圍 宜蘭縣

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地方中心/宜蘭報導

宜蘭縣國道五號南下35K接近宜蘭交流道的地方，9月30日晚間 10點52分，宜蘭縣消防局接獲坪林行控中心電話報案，有車輛於行駛中冒煙遭國道警察攔下，才停靠路肩，56歲的女性駕駛剛下車，車輛隨即起火燃燒，宜蘭縣消防局立即出動第三大隊、礁溪、壯圍救災人車前往救援，並在晚間11點17分將火勢撲滅，所幸無人受傷、受困，內側車道也可正常通車。

title: 影音/國道五號南下35K深夜火燒車 56歲女駕駛逃過火劫


title: 影音/菲律賓宿霧規模6.7地震 知名老教堂倒塌

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綜合外電

菲律賓宿霧當地時間9月30日晚間9點59分發生規模6.7地震，震源深度10公里，震央位於博戈市東北方17公里處。這起淺層地震引起了居民的恐慌，紛紛跑到街上，據傳當地宿霧班塔延島上建於1580年的聖彼得保羅教堂(St. Peter and Paul)，在襲擊該省的地震中倒塌，該教堂是維薩亞斯群島最古老的教堂之一，而聖羅莎德利馬大主教聖殿的部分也因這起地震而倒塌。


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墨新聞｜記者朱小祿／綜合報導

台灣在地路跑運動品牌 ZEPRO 所舉辦的年度路跑盛事 —ZEPRO RUN 台南場，於2025年9月28日 在 台南觀夕平台盛大舉辦2025 ZEPRO RUN 全國半程馬拉松-台南場，本場活動參賽人數近八千人，來自世界各地20多個國家共襄盛舉，在風景優美的 台南安平觀夕平台 盛大登場。觀夕平台為台南著名的海濱景點，以壯麗的落日美景聞名，每到黃昏總吸引大批遊客駐足觀賞。遼闊的海岸線與舒適的步道，不僅適合休閒散步，更是結合運動與觀光的最佳場域。本次賽事將帶領跑者在海風相伴下奔馳，體驗台南最浪漫的運動氛圍，活動當天與會貴賓有台南市體育局參議陳勝楠、李啟維議員與林俊憲委員特助一同出席為選手加油打氣！

賽道沿途除了美麗的景色，補給點心更是錦上添花，種類既多樣口味又豐富，而賽道路線的交管及醫療救護更是為跑友做最周全的守護，主辦單位也用心佈置賽道上的「精神標語」，讓跑友在筋疲力竭之時，可以繼續充滿動力跑回終點。本場活動分為3.5公里健康組、10公里路跑組以及21公里半馬組，滿足所有愛好路跑活動的跑友，依照自己體能選擇適合自己的組別。

競賽結果出爐！10公里男子組由百傑選手古建宏以37分01秒成績拔得頭籌，第二名為洪品傑，第三名為江雨凝；10公里女子組冠軍為謝佳吟以47分41秒成功封后，第二名及第三名分別是黃若慈以及郭芷君。

半馬男子組榜首為百傑選手施育佐以1小時12分26秒順利封王，緊追在後的第二名是外國選手STEPHEN KIMEMIA NJOGU，第三名為外國選手James Drakedord；女子組則由第一名為台灣國手不死鳥之稱的謝千鶴以1小時26分32秒榮登后座，第二名為百傑選手游雅君，第三名為許詔程。

ZEPRO RUN 長期致力推動「運動生活化」，透過全台巡迴賽事串連地方特色與健康概念。今年台南場不僅是一場運動賽事，更是展現台南城市風采、推廣健康生活的重要平台。

此篇文章最開始出處為: ZEPRO RUN 台南場熱力開跑 各界貴賓齊聚共襄盛舉

title: ZEPRO RUN 台南場熱力開跑　各界貴賓齊聚共襄盛舉

taiwan-subdivisions: 安平 成功


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記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

十三行博物館與日本宮崎縣立西都原考古博物館攜手合作推出「靜土有聲：臺日古代文物對話特展」，即（30）日起至明年3月1日展出，揭開臺灣北部「十三行文化」與日本九州「古墳時代文化」的深度對話，集結海內外多座重量級館所的珍貴文物，包含首次在臺展出日本特色埴輪、11件新亮相的十三行遺址出土文物，並以永續理念融入策展，呈現跨越地域與時空的文化交流。

新北市政府副秘書長龔雅雯表示，新北市立十三行博物館自2013年與日本宮崎縣立西都原考古博物館締結姊妹館以來，雙館持續保持密切交流，此次展覽將八里在地文化融入策展，讓觀眾從在地出發，連結國際。透過墓葬文物，展現千年前人群的生活方式、信仰儀式與社會組織，引發對生命、社會與人生永續的深思。此外，展覽在策展、場域設計及活動規劃中全面融入永續理念，採用環境友善材料，並結合電子書、展場環景及語音解說，讓各年齡層及遠距觀眾都能共享學習資源，實現文化資產永續與教育平權。

▲十三行博物館與日本宮崎縣立西都原考古博物館攜手。(圖/新北市立十三行博物館 提供)

新北市立十三行博物館館長羅珮瑄指出，本次特展首次串聯海內外多個重量級單位共同參與，包括日本宮崎縣立西都原考古博物館、宮崎市及新富町教育委員會、中央研究院歷史語言研究所、國立臺灣大學人類學博物館等，集結各館珍貴館藏於同場展示。展覽亮點包括日本特色埴輪首次來臺展出，以及11件十三行遺址出土文物首度亮相，透過跨館、跨領域的緊密合作，為觀眾帶來前所未有的考古體驗。日本宮崎縣立西都原考古博物館長友由美子館長表示，透過文物的展示與對話，讓臺日兩地觀眾能感受跨越千年的文化連結與生命故事，期待未來雙館能持續深化合作，推動更多文化資產的共享與交流。

「靜土有聲：臺日古代文物對話特展」即日起至115年3月1日在十三行博物館第一特展廳展出。更多資訊請至十三行官網http://www.sshm.ntpc.gov.tw或粉絲專頁https://www.facebook.com/13hangmuseum查詢。

title: 不只看文物     更是深度對話     十三行博物館臺日特展登場     罕見日本埴輪在臺首展

countries: 日本 臺灣

taiwan-subdivisions: 八里 新北市 新北


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北京2025年9月30日 /美通社/ — 今年九月，北京大學光華管理學院迎來第六屆「未來領導者」國際本科項目的新生。該項目由光華於2019年首創，是一個旨在培養具有深厚中國洞察與全球視野領導者的雙學位項目。至今已建立包含15所全球頂尖商學院的合作網絡，吸引了來自35個國家和地區的235名優秀學子。

Peking University Guanghua School of Management’s “Future Leaders” Program students on campus during their two-year China study.

該項目采用獨特培養模式，匯聚各合作院校嚴格選拔的頂尖學生。他們在本校完成兩年學習後，將進入北大光華管理學院進行為期兩年的沉浸式學習。學生不僅修讀嚴謹的課程，還與領先企業開展合作，學習地點不僅涵蓋北京，還包括光華管理學院遍布中國各地的分校區。這一架構讓他們在全球化多元環境中，直接感受中國經濟的多樣脈動與創新精神，獲得對中國市場的實感認知。

在近期於北京舉行的未來領導者院長論壇上，該項目創新模式再獲關注。來自16所院校的院長齊聚一堂，共同簽署《商學教育發展共識》，強調數字化轉型、可持續發展、跨學科學習以及具備全球視野與道德擔當的領導力。

「商學教育正處在十字路口，」光華管理學院院長劉俏教授表示。「我們不僅要培養學生掌握技術技能，更要賦予他們想象力、價值觀和應對復雜社會問題的勇氣。」

該項目錄取標准嚴苛，通過兩階段嚴格評審，從各合作院校前20%的學生中擇優錄取，確保學員兼具學術卓越性與全球多元化。

畢業生在金融、咨詢、科技和社會創新等領域成就斐然，就業單位包括高盛(Goldman Sachs)、麥肯錫(McKinsey)、騰訊、聯合國等知名機構，亦有學員創辦企業或前往斯坦福(Stanford)、哈佛(Harvard)、牛津(Oxford)等名校深造。

首屆學員、現於斯坦福大學攻讀人工智能博士學位的Niklas Muennighoff表示：「未來領導者項目讓我真正理解了中國的商業文化，以及如何有效地進行跨國合作。畢業設計項目經歷對我職業觀的形成產生了變革性影響。」

隨著與英國、澳大利亞、墨西哥、印尼等地高校的對話持續深入，「未來領導者」項目正演進為一場更宏大的教育實驗，探索高校如何通過協作，共同培養學生應對全球挑戰頻發的時代。

title: 全球教育新范式：北京大學「未來領導者」項目迎來第六屆學子

countries: 墨西哥 印尼 中國 英國


title: 技嘉科技 MO27Q28G 電競螢幕上市 27 吋 QHD 280Hz WOLED 搭配四側無邊框打造沉浸視野

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台北2025年9月30日 /美通社/ — 全球電腦領導品牌技嘉科技宣布，旗下全新 27 吋 QHD 電競螢幕 GIGABYTE MO27Q28G 正式上市。MO27Q28G 搭載 LG Display 最新第 4 代 WOLED 面板與Primary RGB Tandem OLED 技術，為市場上最高亮度的 OLED 螢幕，除了呈現絕佳色彩表現，更比前一世代降低 20% 功耗。此機種以高達 280Hz 更新率與 0.03ms 極速反應時間，帶來流暢且細膩銳利的遊戲畫面。結合極簡外觀與四側無邊框設計實現 99% 的超高屏占比，讓玩家完全沉浸於每個畫面中。同時，也整合技嘉獨家戰術型功能、全方位護眼科技與 AI OLED Care 面板保護技術，帶來優質的視覺效果與使用體驗。

技嘉 MO27Q28G 採用的第 4 代 WOLED 面板在螢幕表現與效能上均有大幅提升，提供高達 1500 nits HDR 峰值亮度、99.5% DCI-P3 與 84% BT.2020 的廣色域，並可維持極致純黑表現至 500 lux，通過 VESA DisplayHDR™ True Black 500 認證，確保畫面擁有高度色彩對比與細節層次。此面板亦獲得無頻閃（Flicker-Free）、無不適眩光（Discomfort Glare Free）、低藍光（Low Blue Light）等多項護眼認證，為技嘉全方位護眼方案的一環，確保玩家長時間觀看依然舒適無負擔。

專為競技玩家打造的 MO27Q28G，內建技嘉獨家戰術型功能，包含 Tactical Switch 2.0 可一鍵切換解析度與比例（如 4:3 或 5:4），靈活對應不同遊戲類型；Ultra Clear 強化動態清晰度、降低動態模糊，不僅適用於高速遊戲，亦能提升動態影片與多變內容的細節表現，不論是追劇或玩遊戲皆能有無與倫比的視覺饗宴；VRR Anti-Flicker 可在低幀數情境下動態調整更新率範圍，有效消除畫面閃爍；Game Assist 則提供準心、計時器等可自訂螢幕輔助工具，提升瞄準精準度與遊戲判讀力。多項功能的結合讓 MO27Q28G 成為跨類型遊戲皆能展現優勢的電競利器。

此外，AI OLED Care 面板保護技術可智慧記憶烙印風險區域，在背景自動進行像素清潔，長期維持面板品質與穩定性。搭配先進的靜音散熱設計，MO27Q28G 不僅性能卓越，更兼顧長效可靠性。MO27Q28G 即日起正式上市，更多資訊請參閱：https://bit.ly/MO27Q28G_Monitor_TW


title: Lin urges more European investment

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‘MUTUAL ENGAGEMENT’: The minister said he hoped Europe would introduce more pragmatic and forward-looking policies to welcome Taiwan’s dynamic enterprises

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Monday called on European nations to invest more in Taiwan, saying that a closer economic partnership between Europe and Taiwan would be mutually beneficial for shared prosperity and innovation.

In the first speech delivered by a Taiwanese foreign minister at the Warsaw Security Forum, Lin said Taiwan is a “reliable partner that plays a vital role in enhancing resilient and trusted global supply chains” and “the backbone of the global tech ecosystem,” because it produces more than 90 percent of the world’s most advanced semiconductors.

By partnering with Europe, Taiwan can help amplify Europe’s “industrial might and remarkable capacity for innovation,” he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung delivers a speech at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland on Monday. Photo: screen grab from Warsaw Security Forum YouTube channel

“I therefore sincerely encourage our European partners and businesses to further deepen their investment in Taiwan,” he added.

European investment in Taiwan was approximately US$1.3 billion last year, Lin said, adding that he believes there is greater potential for expansion.

Aside from his appeal for investment, Lin also said he hoped Europe would “introduce more pragmatic and forward-looking policies to welcome Taiwan’s vibrant and dynamic enterprises as they seek to expand into the European market.”

“Such mutual engagement will not only deepen our economic partnership, but also serve as a catalyst for our shared prosperity and innovation across both regions,” he said.

Through closer economic interaction, Taiwan and Europe can forge a “powerful synergy — one that fosters a resilient and diversified tech ecosystem and contributes to Europe’s strategic reindustrialization,” he added.

Turning his focus to geopolitics, Lin said authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea have formed an “axis of upheaval” to challenge the rules-based international order.

“As a result, democracies around the world must act in concert to counter the existential and systemic threat,” he said.

The minister said that democratic Taiwan with its economic strengths can broker “value-creation diplomacy.”

“Building on values-based diplomacy, Taiwan seeks to achieve value-creation diplomacy. Based on our shared ideals, we can work together to generate economic value and enduring prosperity for generations to come,” Lin said.

The 12th edition of the Warsaw Security Forum was held on Monday and yesterday in the Polish capital, bringing together nearly 2,500 delegates from 80 nations.


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NOT ‘SATISFIED’: A report said Xi Jinping believes he can persuade Donald Trump to formally oppose Taiwanese independence because he is eager to do an economic deal

The US would maintain its stance on Taiwan and oppose any unilateral move to alter the “status quo,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Monday after a Wall Street Journal report suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) plans to press US President Donald Trump to formally oppose Taiwanese independence.

“Our position on Taiwan has not changed,” the spokesperson said in response to media queries from Taiwan.

“We remain committed to our one China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three US-China Joint Communiques and the six assurances to Taiwan. The United States is committed to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.

Repeating the department’s viewpoint published in the article, the spokesperson said that “China’s actions continue to present the single greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

The Wall Street Journal on Saturday reported that “Xi is no longer satisfied with the US position adopted by the administration of [former US] president Joe Biden, in which Washington ‘does not support’ Taiwan independence,” and intends to urge Trump to formally declare that the US “opposes” Taiwanese independence.

The piece, written by Wei Lingling (魏玲靈), bases its claims on “people familiar with the matter.”

“For Xi, the difference between not supporting Taiwan’s independence and explicitly opposing it is more than semantics,” the article said. “It would signal a shift in US policy from a neutral position to one that actively aligns with Beijing against Taiwanese sovereignty — a change that could further cement Xi’s hold on power at home.”

The report said that Xi believes he can persuade Trump to alter the US’ policy because Beijing thinks the US president is eager to reach an economic accord with China.

The two leaders plan to meet at the upcoming APEC summit in South Korea and might hold additional meetings, including a Trump visit to Beijing early next year and a Xi visit to the US in December next year, the report said.

Whether Trump travels to China would depend on Beijing’s cooperation on trade and its efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl precursors, it said.

Xi is expected to “use every chance he gets with Trump to press the American leader to adopt a firm stance against Taiwanese independence,” it added.

title: US state department reiterates its stance on Taiwan


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By Lee Ching-huei and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Ministry of Labor yesterday rolled out subsidies for Taiwanese manufacturers to hire unemployed industrial workers amid concerns over the economic impact of US tariffs and currency fluctuations.

The government program is aimed at rewarding manufacturers to hire and retrain workers, and create jobs by creating new positions, the ministry said.

Citing employment insurance data collated in June, the ministry said Taiwan’s manufacturing sector employed 2.06 million people and measures should be taken to protect their livelihoods.

A teller counts NT$1,000 banknotes at a bank in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Tyrone Siu, Reuters

The program is to provide employers in the manufacturing sector with a monthly subsidy of NT$6,000 (US$196.92) for each worker they hire, if the worker possesses the appropriate vocational skills and has been unemployed for more than 30 days, the ministry said.

The employer would be eligible to receive the subsidy for up to six months, it said.

Employers who hired unemployed workers without the requisite skills for their new position and arranged for the latter’s retraining would receive a monthly subsidy of NT$12,000 per worker for up to three months, the ministry said.

The employer can ask for up to NT$1.8 million per year for hiring unemployed workers who need retraining, it said.

Additionally, Taiwanese businesses in the manufacturing sector would receive a subsidy of up to NT$100,000 for hiring middle-aged or older workers in cooperation with government employment agencies, it added.

Employment agencies are tasked with designing appropriate jobs for older workers and facilitating the removal of obstacles to older people in the workplace, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) said the ministry would also issue guidelines and assistance programs to protect migrant workers from forced labor, after the US sanctioned Giant Manufacturing Co (巨大) over alleged worker abuse.

US Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday last week issued an order to detain imports from the Taiwan-based bicycle manufacturer, citing information that “reasonably indicates forced labor use.”

Hung on Sunday said that the action against Giant is an “alarm bell” for Taiwanese manufacturers and that forced labor use constitutes “an undeniable operational risk” to the sector.

Taiwan employed more than 850,000 migrant workers as of late last month, he said.

Taiwanese enterprises’ failure to protect migrant workers’ rights often stemmed from being unequipped to enforce labor standards, not a deliberate intent to break the law, Hung said.

Labor brokers, habitually relied upon by the nation’s manufacturers to manage the foreign workforce they employ, are often responsible for labor abuses, he said.

The ministry is preparing guidelines and an assistance program to help Taiwanese businesses comply with global standards for labor protection, he said.

It believes that the US is highly likely to have planned additional sanctions against other Taiwanese companies that are yet to be unveiled, he added.

Taiwanese enterprises must take measures to ensure each link in their supply chain is in compliance with key human rights indices lest they incur further penalties, Hung said.

The US Bureau of International Labor Affairs defines forced labor as “work or service that is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the worker does not offer themselves voluntarily.”

Most accusations leveled against Taiwanese manufacturers are related to exploitative practices targeting migrant workers, including confiscation of visas, wage theft, coerced overtime, exploitative labor agency fees and poor living conditions, Hung said.

Foreign human rights groups typically directed their criticism at the Taiwanese textile, fishing and semiconductor industries, making the US move against Giant a shock to the manufacturing sector, he said.

The ministry will continue its efforts to protect the rights and working conditions of migrant workers, especially policies aimed at eliminating placement fees, Hung said.

However, the ministry’s commitment to preventing abusive labor practices is not limited to migrant workers, it applies to the nation’s entire workforce, he said.

title: Manufacturer hires to be subsidized


title: China leveraging CUPP against Taiwan: report

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Beijing is using gang members and the Chinese Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) to infiltrate Taiwan, the Washington Post reported on Monday, detailing cases of espionage, bribery, election interference and information warfare linked to the party and its founder, Chang An-le (張安樂), also known as the “White Wolf.”

A months-long investigation by the Washington Post drew upon court records, corporate filings, social media posts and interviews with Taiwanese security and intelligence officials, CUPP members, the Bamboo Union (竹聯幫) gang and Chang himself.

Chang, “a self-confessed gang member turned political party leader,” and the CUPP support Taiwan’s unification with China, the article said, adding that Chang once told a rally that “both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family ... only with peaceful unification will Taiwan definitely be safe.”

Chinese Unification Promotion Party founder Chang An-le is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Wang Ting-chuan, Taipei Times

Chang established the CUPP in 2004, which is estimated to have about 30,000 members, the article said, citing government data.

The report highlighted the party’s close ties to criminal activity and the Bamboo Union, and quoted experts as saying that it is involved in drug smuggling and online fraud, with Chang having previously served almost a decade in a US prison on drug-smuggling charges.

Authorities have seized nearly 200 firearms from CUPP and Bamboo Union members with ties to the party over the past five years, government data reportedly showed.

“To the government, their organization is a gang,” the article cited Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) as saying.

“CUPP members frequently meet officials from central and local governments in China, as well as from the United Front Work Department, the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] agency charged with expanding Beijing’s global influence,” the Washington Post said.

Multiple CCP spy networks involving CUPP members have been discovered, while National Security Bureau data showed that the number of people charged with espionage in Taiwan increased more than 500 percent between 2022 and last year, the article said.

For example, CUPP spokesman Chang Meng-chung (張孟崇) and his wife, Hung Wen-ting (洪文婷), were this year indicted for accepting NT$74 million (US$2.43 million) from China to make radio and digital media propaganda to promote the Chinese government’s political agenda and influence the outcome of Taiwan’s elections.

China targets gang members for recruitment as intelligence assets, because it is difficult for them to find legal work and “they ask for very little, yet end up handing over highly classified information,” which they often obtain from Taiwanese military personnel, Paula Yeh (葉麗卿), director of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau’s national security division, said in the article.

The Ministry of the Interior has launched criminal investigations into at least 134 CUPP members, the report said, adding that the ministry has also begun the process of dissolving the party through a petition to the Constitutional Court, on the grounds that it is engaged in organized crime and is contravening national security and anti-foreign-influence laws.

The article quoted Chang as saying that he would simply reconstitute the group.

“They cannot dissolve our belief ... dissolve one party today, and we will form another one the next day,” he said.

Beijing has called any action to dissolve the party an attempt to “wantonly suppress and persecute patriotic unification forces on the island,” the article said.


title: Hamas reviewing Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza

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Hamas yesterday was reviewing US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would stay in most of the territory after he gave the US president his backing.

The plan calls for a ceasefire, release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, disarmament of Hamas and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, followed by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump.

“Hamas has begun a series of consultations within its political and military leaderships, both inside Palestine and abroad,” a Palestinian source said on condition of anonymity. “The discussions could take several days due to the complexities.”

US President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on Monday. Photo: EPA

Qatar, which hosts Hamas’ exiled leadership, said the group had promised to study the proposal “responsibly,” and also said it would hold a meeting on the plan with Hamas and Turkey later yesterday.

“It is still too early to speak about responses, but we are truly optimistic that this plan, as we said, is a comprehensive one,” Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.

In Washington on Monday Trump described the announcement of the plan as a “beautiful day — potentially one of the greatest days ever in civilization.”

The deal would demand Hamas militants fully disarm and be excluded from future roles in the government, but those who agreed to “peaceful coexistence” would be given amnesty.

It would also see a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, after nearly two years of war sparked by Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

However, in a video statement posted on his Telegram channel after his joint news conference with Trump, Netanyahu said the military would stay in most of Gaza, and also said he did not agree to a Palestinian state during his talks in Washington.

“We will recover all our hostages, alive and well, while the [Israeli military] will remain in most of the Gaza Strip,” he said.

Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich criticized the plan as a “resounding diplomatic failure.”

“In my estimation, it will also end in tears. Our children will be forced to fight in Gaza again,” Smotrich said.

Trump’s plan includes the deployment of a “temporary international stabilization force” and the creation of a transitional authority headed by Trump himself and including former British prime minister Tony Blair.

Blair, still widely hated in the Middle East for his role in the 2003 Iraq war, hailed the “bold and intelligent” plan.

During his news conference with Trump, Netanyahu cast doubt on whether the Palestinian Authority, which nominally runs Palestinian population centers in the occupied West Bank, would be allowed a role in Gaza’s governance.

Trump said that during their meeting Netanyahu had strongly opposed any Palestinian statehood — something that the US plan leaves room for.

“I support your plan to end the war in Gaza which achieves our war aims,” Netanyahu said. “If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr President, or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.”

Trump said that Israel would have his “full backing” to do so if Hamas did not accept the deal.

In Gaza, people were skeptical.

“It’s clear that this plan is unrealistic,” 39-year-old Ibrahim Joudeh said from his shelter in the so-called humanitarian zone of al-Mawasi in southern Gaza.

“It’s drafted with conditions that the US and Israel know Hamas will never accept. For us, that means the war and the suffering will continue,” said the computer programmer, originally from the southern city of Rafah, devastated by a military offensive that began in May.


title: Indonesia school collapse kills at least three students

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Rescuers yesterday ran oxygen and water to students trapped in the unstable concrete rubble of a collapsed school building in Indonesia, as they desperately worked to free survivors a day after the structure fell. At least three students were killed, more than 100 were injured and dozens were presumed buried in the rubble.

Rescue workers, police and soldiers digging through the night pulled out eight weak and injured survivors more than eight hours after the collapse at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in the East Java town of Sidoarjo.

Rescuers saw additional bodies, indicating the death toll was likely to rise.

A relative of a victim of a collapsed building reacts, after a hall collapsed while students were praying at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Rescue efforts were temporarily suspended at 10:15am as the collapsed concrete shook suddenly. People immediately ran for their lives, fearing another collapse, as rescuers urged everyone in the area to avoid the building, including dozens of ambulances that parked near the scene. The work resumed at about 1:45pm.

The students are mostly boys aged 12 to 18.

Families anxiously awaited news at hospitals or near the collapsed building. A notice posted at the school complex yesterday morning listed 65 students as missing.

National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari revised the number of people presumed buried in the rubble to 38 by midday.

“Oh my God ... my son is still buried, oh my God please help,” a mother cried hysterically upon seeing her child’s name on the board, followed by the cries of other parents whose relatives had suffered a similar fate.

“Please, sir, please find my child immediately,” cried a father, holding the hand of one of the rescue team members.

Heavy slabs of concrete and other rubble and unstable parts of the building hampered search-and-rescue efforts, said Nanang Sigit, a search-and-rescue officer who was leading the effort.

Heavy equipment was available, but not being used due to concerns that it could cause further collapse.

“We have been running oxygen and water to those still trapped under the debris and keeping them alive while we work hard to get them out,” Sigit said.

He added that rescuers saw several bodies under the rubble, but were focused on saving those who were still alive.

Several hundred rescuers were involved in the effort, and had equipment for breathing, extrication, medical evacuation and other support tools.

The students had been performing afternoon prayers in a building that was undergoing an unauthorized expansion when it suddenly collapsed on top of them, provincial police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast said.

Residents, teachers and administrators assisted injured students, many with head injuries and broken bones. Female students were praying in another part of the building and managed to escape, survivors said.

One male student, a 13-year-old boy, was found dead on Monday, and 102 students and teachers were injured and taken to hospitals, some of them in critical condition. By yesterday, 75 students and two teachers were still hospitalized.

Two male students died yesterday from their injuries while being treated at Notopuro General Hospital, hospital director Atok Irawan said.


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FLOOD CLEANUP: Military personnel have finished clearing mud from civilian structures in Guangfu and were ahead of schedule elsewhere, the minister said   By Fang Wei-li,Chen Yu-fuand Jonathan Chin / Staff reporters, with staff writer

The armed forces expect to fully restore services to residential structures and main roads of areas in Hualien County ravaged by Super Typhoon Ragasa before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday.

The military has deployed 10,121 troops to assist reconstruction efforts in the county since Tuesday last week, when a barrier lake on the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) burst following torrential rainfall during the storm causing extensive flooding.

Troops have finished clearing mud from civilian structures in the hard-struck Guangfu Township (光復) and were ahead of schedule in other settlements, Koo said, adding that he is confident that President William Lai’s (賴清德) orders for restoring the area would be carried out before the deadline.

Soldiers assemble at a railway station to catch a charter train bound for Guangfu Railway Station in Hualien County yesterday. Photo courtesy of the military via CNA

Mid-Autumn Festival this year falls on Monday next week.

The Central Emergency Operation Center said that as of 6pm yesterday, 18 people had been killed, 125 people were injured and six people remained unaccounted for.

The disaster alert level for areas downstream of the barrier lake was “red,” as water continues to pour from the breach, the center said.

Other parts of the natural dam are also unstable, it added.

There were 5.95 million tonnes of water behind the dam at the most recent measurement, it said, adding that the volume was decreasing.

Starting today, flu vaccines would be available at health centers and clinics in the disaster zone to reduce the risk of an outbreak, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.

Residents in the affected area, as well as military personnel, volunteers and others involved in the relief efforts are eligible for government-funded vaccines, the health ministry said.

The Hualien County Government said that it plans to distribute NT$50,000 in relief aid to each household affected by the flooding, with the earliest distribution to be on Friday.

Taipei 101 was illuminated yesterday evening to express solidarity with residents of Hualien County and to thank “Shovel Superheroes” for assisting in cleanup efforts.

Additional reporting by CNA

title: Hualien services to be restored by Monday: Koo

people: 顧立雄 賴清德


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Starlux Airlines yesterday announced that it has expanded its codeshare partnership with Alaska Airlines, adding 12 US destinations to bring the total to the nation to 20.

The agreement offers travelers streamlined booking, coordinated check-ins, and smoother transfers through Alaska Airlines’ domestic network, and Starlux’s international gateways in San Francisco and Seattle, the carrier said in a statement.

The newly added codeshare cities are Newark, New Jersey, (through San Francisco), as well as destinations via Seattle — Minneapolis, Minnesota; Atlanta, Georgia; Tampa and Orlando, Florida; Anchorage, Alaska; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Dulles International Airport in Washington; Kansas City, Missouri; Philadelphia; Spokane, Washington; and Boise, Idaho, it said.

Starlux Airlines planes are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times

When Starlux and Alaska first launched their partnership late last year, it covered eight destinations in the US: Salt Lake City, Utah; San Diego, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Portland, Oregon; Las Vegas; Dallas; Denver, Colorado; and Austin, Texas.

“This new chapter in our partnership not only strengthens our North American network, but also gives travelers more flexibility and efficiency when flying to Taipei and beyond,” Starlux chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said.

“With seamless access through Seattle and San Francisco, this next phase strengthens our shared commitment to offering travelers more choice, convenience and premium service across the Pacific,” said Alex Judson, managing director of Partnerships and International at Alaska Airlines.

Starlux serves 29 destinations, including a regional network in Asia and long-haul service to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Ontario, California.

The carrier also codeshares with American Airlines and is to launch a Taipei-Phoenix route on Jan. 15 next year, enabling connections across the US through hub airports.

title: Starlux expands US codeshare deal


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A pet shop owner in New Taipei City has been indicted over the death of a golden retriever that died from heat stroke after being left inside a dryer box without water.

New Taipei City prosecutors on Monday last week said that the woman, surnamed Wu (吳), the owner of a pet grooming and boarding service, had been charged with contravening the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) following a year-long investigation.

The dog’s owner took the animal to the shop in Tucheng District (土城) in September last year to board it there.

The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

The dog was cared for by shop staff during the day, but was placed in the dryer box overnight each night, police said.

The animal was 1.4m long, but the box measured only 1m, they added.

Staff would take the dog out when they opened for business each day, they said.

The golden retriever was confined inside the poorly ventilated box without water for many hours. It was found dead on the morning of the fourth day of its stay, police said.

An autopsy at National Taiwan University’s School of Veterinary Medicine showed that the animal died from heat stroke, likely stemming from its confinement for sustained periods inside a space lacking proper ventilation, police said.

In the indictment, prosecutors said that the business offered pet boarding services, and should have delivered proper care and a suitable living environment for animals, but instead confined a 1.4m golden retriever inside a too-small box without providing water.

Wu was charged with contravening Article 25 of the act for causing injury or vital organ failure of an animal, which carries a maximum of two years in prison and a maximum fine of NT$2 million (US$65,640).

title: Pet shop owner indicted over the death of a dog


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Toyota Town Ace is the first motor vehicle type to receive a zero-star safety rating from the Taiwan New Car Assessment Program, the Vehicle Safety Certification Center said yesterday.

The government-funded center released its safety ratings for the third quarter, which reviewed Toyota Town Ace, Lexus RX and MG HS.

Lexus RX and MG HS secured five-star ratings, having high scores for protection for adult occupants, child occupants, pedestrians, as well as safety assistance.

A Toyota Town Ace is pictured during a test in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan New Car Assessment Program

However, Toyota Town Ace failed to obtain any stars, scoring only 15 percent in adult occupant protection, test results from the center showed.

Protection for the driver’s chest in offset deformable barrier frontal impact tests was rated as “poor” due to high seatbelt load, contact with the steering wheel, excessive A-pillar displacement and severe door frame deformation, the center said.

Protection for the driver’s left lower leg was rated “weak” due to deformation of the passenger compartment, while a rupture in the driver’s footwell also showed poor protection, it said.

Excessive pedal displacement led to a brake pedal malfunction, the results showed.

The vehicle scored no points in side impact mobile deformable barrier tests due to the potential of severe injury, with the head of a crash test dummy showing damage, the center said.

The vehicle is not equipped with a side head protection device, so it failed oblique pole side impact tests, it said.

The van’s front and rear seats were rated as offering poor protection, as the front and rear headrests are not high enough and there is a large gap between the head and the headrest, increasing the likelihood of whiplash in a rear-end collision, it said.

The rear middle seat is not fitted with a headrest at all, it added.

The center has rated 20 other models since 2023, with 12 given five-star ratings, four given four stars and four given three.

In the fourth quarter, the center is to release safety testing results for Hyundai Custin, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota Yaris Cross and Luxgen n7.

While the manufacturers of the Toyota Yaris Cross and the Luxgen n7 volunteered to pay for the testing, the center said that cars to be tested would be purchased through secret buyers in the market.

Models to be tested next year are the Tesla Model Y and the CMC Zinger in the first quarter; the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and the KIA Sportage in the second quarter; the Volvo XC40 and the MG ZS in the third quarter; and the Lexus UX, the Volkswagen Golf, the Luxgen n7 again and the Mazda CX-5 in the fourth quarter.

In other news, the center has secured cooperation agreements with Idiada Automotive Technology SA in Spain and Calspan LLC in the US, meaning they have more options to secure international safety ratings, it said.

title: Toyota Town Ace van given a zero-star safety rating


title: Taoyuan Airport ranked world’s friendliest: UK report

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Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport has been named the world’s friendliest airport, according to a report by the UK-based travel services company Airport Parking & Hotels (APH).

The report, released on Sept. 1., found that 73.6 percent of passenger reviews mentioning staff at Taoyuan were positive, placing it ahead of Cornwall Newquay Airport in the United Kingdom (73.3 percent) and Japan’s Narita International Airport (73.1 percent).

Other Asian airports in the top 10 included South Korea’s Jeju International (No. 8) and Dubai International (No. 9), according to the report.

People wait in line at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s departure hall on Jan. 24. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times

"With dedicated spaces for children to play and even a gym and e-sports area, passengers traveling through this airport won’t be short on ways to keep themselves entertained while waiting for their flight," the company described Taoyuan Airport in a press release.

The most commonly used words to describe positive staff experiences in Taoyuan include "friendly" (129 reviews), "helpful" (106 reviews) and "efficient" (42 reviews), according to APH.

The company said it analyzed more than 71,000 English- language Google reviews posted between May 20 and late August that mentioned staff at the world’s 100 busiest airports and 23 of the busiest in the UK.

It searched for 52 keywords linked to positive staff experiences, such as "friendly," "polite," "patient" and "professional."


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A tropical disturbance east of the Philippines is forecast to strengthen into a tropical depression tomorrow and may become a typhoon by Friday or Saturday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.

The storm is expected to cross the Philippines’ Luzon Island before heading toward Vietnam, according to CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜).

Lin said Taiwan will likely see the rainiest conditions of the week on Friday and Saturday, with thunderstorms expected in eastern and southern Taiwan, as well as mountainous areas.

A graphic shows expected rainfall around Taiwan from today until Monday next week. Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration

Taiwan will continue to be influenced by a high-pressure system over the Pacific Ocean through tomorrow, resulting in mostly sunny to cloudy skies, he said.

Lin added that southern Taiwan and mountainous areas will see short thundershowers in the afternoon today and tomorrow, and heavy rain is possible in mountainous areas in central and southern Taiwan.

On Friday and Saturday, Taiwan is expected to be affected by the tropical depression or the typhoon’s outer cloud bands, with rain showers or thunderstorms forecast for Hualien, Taitung and Pingtung counties.

Other areas will remain mostly sunny to cloudy, Lin said.

title: Tropical disturbance may strengthen into typhoon by Friday


content_text:
Taiwan ranked in top tier in combating trafficking for 16th consecutive year

MORE TO DO: While the US report said Taiwan convicted more traffickers, it also said that authorities investigated fewer cases and did not fully implement victim ID procedures

Taiwan has maintained its top-tier ranking for the 16th consecutive year in the latest US Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report, which said that Taiwanese authorities “continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts” to eliminate trafficking.

Taiwan joined 32 other countries in the top tier in the report released on Monday, including Canada, Finland, the Philippines, South Korea, the UK and the US.

The ranking means that Taiwan’s government met the minimum standards of the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, but that does not mean the problem is nonexistent in Taiwan or that it is doing enough to stop it, the report said.

The US Department of State logo is displayed on a screen in front of a US flag in an illustration photograph taken on April 23. Photo: Reuters

Taiwan convicted more traffickers, significantly increased the number of victims referred to services and investigated cases of suspected forced labor by commercial entities since the previous report, it said.

However, the report added taht Taiwanese authorities have investigated fewer cases, prosecuted fewer suspects and did not fully implement victim identification procedures, which complicated some victims’ access to justice and protective care.

The report also cited deficiencies in Taiwan’s regulation of migrant workers and the conditions they work in.

Insufficient inspection protocols and the “siloing of authorities and responsibilities within different ministries continued to impede efforts to identify, investigate and prosecute forced labor of migrant workers, including those on fishing vessels in Taiwan’s highly vulnerable distant water fishing fleet,” it said.

Restrictions on migrant workers’ rights to change jobs mid-contract and authorities’ lack of specific labor laws ensuring the rights of migrant domestic caregivers continued to leave thousands vulnerable to exploitation in forced labor, the report said.

The report defined human trafficking as a crime in which “traffickers exploit and profit at the expense of adults or children by compelling them to perform labor or engage in commercial sex.”

Taiwan-caught fish remains on the US Department of Labor’s biennial “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor,” having been added in 2021 and again in 2023.


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High-level officials from diplomatic allies Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis on Monday and Saturday spoke out on behalf of Taiwan at the UN General Debate, calling for Taiwan’s “meaningful inclusion” in the organization.

The General Debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly was held under the theme “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.” It began in New York on Tuesday last week, and ended on Monday.

The two island nations joined other diplomatic allies who last week called for Taiwan’s inclusion and participation in the UN, including Belize, Eswatini, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu.

Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Micheal Drew addresses the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday. Photo: AP

“Renewing our commitment to multilateralism also means that member states must take measures to reduce tensions and settle disputes in areas where, if not checked, conflict and war would prevail,” Saint Lucian Minister of External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs Alva Baptiste said on Monday.

“It is for this reason that Saint Lucia renews calls for the United Nations to allow Taiwan to meaningfully participate in the UN system,” he said.

“I state categorically, Madame President, that UN Resolution 2758 of 1971 does not preclude Taiwan’s inclusion and participation in the United Nations system,” he said, speaking to UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa.

Saint Lucian Minister of External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs Alva Baptiste speaks during the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday. Photo: Bloomberg

UN Resolution 2758 states that the UN recognizes “that the representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the United Nations,” and expels “forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek [蔣介石]” from the UN. It makes no mention of Taiwan.

Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew on Saturday told the UN General Debate that “excluding Taiwan from agencies where it can and must contribute — such as the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization — undermines global capacity for collective problem-solving.”

“Taiwan’s contributions in public health, technology and disaster response are not partisan; they are practical. To keep a door closed on cooperation in these domains is to take a risk the world cannot afford,” Drew said.

“The Taiwan Strait is not merely a lane on a map; it is a lifeline of commerce and human connection. We must urge calm, counsel conversation and choose the diplomacy of dialogue over the dramatics of discord,” he said. “Travel, trade and talks are how we protect the livelihoods of ordinary people — whether in Taipei or the twin islands of our federation.”

title: More diplomatic allies voice support for Taiwan at UN


content_text:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it is leading a familiarization trip to Eswatini, which started on Thursday last week and ends tomorrow.

Department of West Asian and African Affairs Deputy Director Chen Yung-po (陳詠博) said a group of Taiwanese tourism industry workers have joined the trip to Eswatini to explore its tourism resources and deepen people-to-people exchange between Taiwan and Eswatini, Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa.

The trip was organized by the ministry to promote “sustainable tourism” under the Co-Prosperity Project with Taiwan’s allies, and to boost Eswatini’s tourism market, he said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of West Asian and African Affairs Deputy Director Chen Yung-po speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Huang Chin-hsuan, Taipei Times

Seventeen people — composed of representatives of the Travel Agent Association of ROC, Taiwan and nine travel agencies — are visiting the southern African nation, Chen said, adding that they were to meet with Eswatini Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane.

They were also to visit African tribes, an open range zoo, local arts and handicrafts, and the world’s second-largest rock, as well as meet with members of local tour agencies, to learn about the potential of tourism collaboration between the two countries, he added.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hopes to draw on the tourism industry workers’ professional knowledge and experience, and through the on-site inspection of local [Eswatini] tourism resources and capacity evaluate the potential of developing focused tours, such as trips that include the Buganu Festival, the Reed Dance ceremony, Incwala Day or the ‘Big Five’ animals,” Chen said.

Eswatini and Taiwan have maintained a close cooperative ties in the 57 years since they became diplomatic allies, a relationship the ministry would continue to grow through the Co-Prosperity Project under the “integrated diplomacy” framework, and deeper cooperation in various fields, he said.

In other news, Chen said that Taiwan was still in talks with South Africa regarding negotiations over Pretoria’s demand that Taiwan move its representative office to Johannesburg and the country’s attempts to downgrade the status of the office.

The talks with South Africa are focused on protecting national interests and upholding the principles of mutual equality and dignity, and the ministry would comprehensively consider all possible measures and approaches to defend the nation’s sovereignty and dignity, he said.

The negotiations follow the Ministry of Economic Affairs announcement last week that it would implement new export controls for South Africa-bound goods, requiring prior approval for 47 products, including advanced semiconductors.

However, MOFA later in the week said it had asked the economics ministry to halt the implementation of the restrictions as the South African government had asked to discuss the matter.

The South African government initially set a deadline of October last year for Taiwan to move its representative office out of Pretoria, the administrative capital, to Johannesburg, the commercial capital. It extended it to March, while also unilaterally renaming Taiwan’s two offices in the country.

title: MOFA trip aims to boost Taiwan-Eswatini tourism


people: 梁文傑 柯文哲 吳思瑤 黃國昌

title: Huang confirms his group worked with media outlets

content_text:
By Lin Che-yuan, Hsieh Chun-lin and Shelley Shan / Staff reporters

A whistle-blower organization Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) cofounded worked with news organizations to investigate several cases, the legislator said yesterday, responding to allegations that he formed a group to track Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials and lawmakers.

The Chinese-language Mirror Daily on Friday last week reported that Huang formed a team of reporters and photojournalists in 2022 to follow DPP politicians.

After a weekend of silence on the matter, Huang responded to the allegations on a live-stream on Monday night before saying that his Taiwan Anti-corruption and Whistleblower Protection Association had worked with Taiwan People News and RW News to investigate several cases.

Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, center, speaks at a news conference at the party’s caucus office in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Lin Che-yuan, Taipei Times

Hsieh Hsin-en (謝幸恩), who covered the judicial beat for the state-funded Central News Agency (CNA), resigned on Monday after being accused of recruiting reporters for Huang’s alleged “paparazzi team” and writing about political scandals in a column on Taiwan People News under the pen name Hsiao Yi-yi (蕭依依).

The Chinese-language RW News yesterday confirmed that effective today, it would cease publication, with all staff to be dismissed as the company prepares to dissolve by the end of October.

That announcement comes after Taiwan Steel Group, its largest shareholder, pulled its investment following the Mirror Daily report.

Huang said he stopped working with the Taiwan People News after it was pressured to take down a photograph of then-Taipei city councilor Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) of the DPP and one of his staff members.

The staff member was at the time being investigated for their alleged involvement in loan shark operations.

“The association looked at different cases and partnered with news media outlets who showed interest in covering some of them... It would of course first ascertain if news media outlets dared to report the cases truthfully. The partnerships would be terminated once news media outlets were found to give in to pressure from the authorities,” Huang told a news conference in Taipei, adding that the association had worked with other news organizations.

Commenting on Hsieh’s resignation, Huang said it was the CNA’s loss, adding that she is now free to conduct investigative reporting.

A Mirror Media report published yesterday said that Huang’s “paparazzi team” was funded by Kai Si International Co, headed by Lee Li-chuan (李麗娟), Huang’s relative by marriage.

The report said that Kai Si paid an estimated NT$10 million (US$328,202) over the past three years to maintain the “paparazzi team,” adding that the group could have received funding from China as there is also a company named Kai Si in Hong Kong.

Huang called the report absurd.

“I would have never guessed that a news reporter would write about such a ludicrous fantasy,” he said.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs said that information on Kai Si International Co showed it does not have foreign capital, adding that it would need more details before it could comment further.

Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川), who was among the politicians the team allegedly targeted, demanded answers from Huang.

He said Huang should clarify if he was involved in all of the alleged cases of DPP politicians being followed by the “paparazzi team,” and whether Huang knew the four reporters named in the report and had discussed details of their reporting with them.

Huang should also explain his connection, if any, with Kai Si International, whether he had collaborated with the media to shadow or track his political rivals, and whether he had known in advance about videos and photographs of former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) before they were released by the media, Wang said.

DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said that Huang’s rhetoric was still aimed at portraying himself as a champion of justice, but in reality, his definition of justice “keeps shifting.”


content_text: Members of the Meiho Mountain Hawk-Eagles, the honor guard of Meiho University in Pingtung County, perform at a news conference in Taipei yesterday hosted by the National Day Preparation Committee on Double Ten National Day preparations.

title: Cheer crew


title: Keelung carnival

content_text: Keelung Deputy Mayor Chiu Pei-lin, fifth right, poses with guests at a news conference in the city yesterday to promote the Keelung Ocean Eagle Carnival, which is to run from 2pm to 8pm on Saturday at Guomen Square and elsewhere in the city. A street parade and performances are the main draws.


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STOCK GAINS:  The headline consumer confidence index rose 1.38 points from August, driven almost entirely by a surge in the stock investment subindex

Taiwan’s consumer confidence index (CCI) climbed to a four-month high of 64.69 last month, buoyed by stock market gains fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) demand, even as sentiment toward jobs, household finances and housing weakened, National Central University (NCU) said yesterday.

The headline index rose 1.38 points from August, driven almost entirely by a surge in the stock investment subindex, which jumped 20.48 points to 51.68 — the steepest monthly gain among the six CCI components. The other five subindexes all declined.

“The AI boom has sparked strong demand for Taiwan’s electronics and pushed the local bourse to record highs,” NCU Research Center for Taiwan Economic Development director Dachrahn Wu (吳大任) said.

Wu cited how shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest supplier of advanced chips, recently topped NT$1,300, helping propel the TAIEX to a record peak of 26,394 points.

However, overheating risks and external uncertainties remain, Wu said, citing a US proposal for a “50-50” split in Taiwan-US chipmaking capacity.

Such a move could be Taiwan’s biggest economic challenge over the next decade, potentially dampening private investment, overall economic momentum and local stock market performance, he said.

Eventually, “more tech firms could shift their manufacturing capacity to the US,” Wu said.

Wu also flagged a separate US trade investigation into semiconductors and information and communications technology (ICT) products, which could trigger higher tariffs or other headwinds.

The latest CCI survey showed a sharp deterioration in housing-related sentiment. The durable goods subindex fell 3.83 points to 90.7, while the real-estate subindex dropped 3.79 points to 88.94 — both at their lowest levels in more than five years

Broader expectations also softened, with the six-month economic outlook index down 2.99 points to 76.18, despite stronger-than-expected GDP growth this year, driven by AI-fueled exports, the survey showed.

Confidence in household finances fell 2.61 points to 72.54, while expectations for job opportunities dropped 2.05 points to 67.07, weighed down by unpaid leave programs at non-tech firms after Washington imposed a 20 percent tariff on Taiwanese goods in August.

Consumer price expectations showed the smallest decline, edging down 0.77 points to 29.95, reflecting a moderation in inflationary pressures, Wu said.

The CCI survey was conducted by telephone on Sept. 18 and Sept. 19, polling 3,125 adults aged 20 and older, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

title: Confidence index hits four-month high


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Yageo Corp (國巨), the world’s third-largest supplier of multilayer ceramic capacitors, yesterday said it has solicited shareholders of Anpec Electronics Corp (茂達) to tender 4.16 million shares, surpassing the regulatory threshold before the expiration date today.

The company on Sept. 11 said it planned to acquire 3.73 million Anpec shares — or a 5 percent stake in the power semiconductor maker — through a public tender offer from Sept. 12 to today. At the time, it set a maximum purchase target of 21.28 million shares, or 28.5 percent of Anpec’s equity.

Anpec produces power semiconductors and driver integrated circuits for fan motors, which are widely used in notebook computers, DDR memory, TVs, displays and automotive electronics, Yageo said.

Yageo Corp’s logo is displayed at the entrance of a factory in Kaohsiung on June 6. Photo: Lee Wen-yee, Reuters

Yageo offered NT$229.8 per share, a 20 percent premium to Anpec’s closing price of NT$191.5 on Sept. 11, valuing the deal at NT$4.89 billion (US$160.5 million).

However, Anpec last week said that the offer undervalued the company, citing an accounting firm’s assessment that placed its value between NT$244.5 and NT$256.64 per share.

Anpec considered Yageo’s bid as a hostile takeover, as no negotiation was arranged in advance, it added.

Yageo said the bid was aimed at long-term financial investment, with the expectation of stable returns, adding that potential collaboration with Anpec could further enhance its long-term competitiveness

Anpec reported earnings per share of NT$5.3 in the first half of this year, compared with NT$4.81 a year ago.

title: Yageo bids for stake in Anpec


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EXPANSION:  The company aims to outpace industry growth over the next five years through broadening its customer base and expanding into new sectors

Artificial intelligence (AI) collaborative robot (cobot) maker Techman Robot Inc (達明機器人) expects revenue to grow 20 to 30 percent next year, driven by potential wider adoption of its cobots and a low comparison base this year, vice president William Wang (王偉霖) told the Taipei Times by telephone yesterday.

The company, a subsidiary of Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦), aims to outpace industry growth over the next five years by expanding use among existing customers and extending its applications to other sectors, such as logistics, Wang said.

Techman supplies its cobots mainly to semiconductor, food and medical manufacturers, with visual inspection as the largest application, he said.

People visit an artificial intelligence cobot demonstration operation by Techman Robot during the Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robot Show at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center on Aug. 20. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP

Visual inspection enables cobots to identify and assess products, components or processes, he added.

The company is a robotic arm partner of Nvidia Corp. Its main production base is in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), with after-sales sites set up in the US, South Korea, China, Japan, Thailand and the Netherlands.

While the US tariff rates on cobots are uncertain, pending a Section 232 investigation under the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the company is still considering setting up a production center in the US or Mexico if needed, Wang said.

Any potential plant would likely be limited to assembly and after-sales service, leveraging Quanta’s facilities in Fremont, California; La Vergne, Tennessee; and a site in Mexico, he said.

Techman said it has partnered with medical device maker Advantech Technologies Japan since 2018 to cobrand its cobots and develop next-generation models compatible with mobile platforms.

Several chipmakers, particularly in Taiwan and China, have been steadily integrating Techman’s cobots with autonomous mobile robots in their production lines, Wang said.

Techman is in talks with a Taiwanese logistics firm to deploy its cobots in material carrying and picking, he said.

Techman reported revenue of NT$1.17 billion (US$38.4 million) in the first eight months of the year, up 22.2 percent from a year earlier.

China accounted for about 30 percent of sales, followed by Europe at 20 percent, Taiwan and Japan at 10 percent each, Southeast Asia at less than 10 percent, and the US at less than 5 percent, Wang said.

Fourth-quarter sales are expected to exceed those of the third quarter and top last year’s levels, supported by steady demand from existing customers, he said, without offering an exact growth figure.

title: Techman expects solid revenue growth ahead


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Kioxia Holdings Corp anticipates demand for NAND storage would grow by about 20 percent each year as artificial intelligence (AI) data center operators keep scaling up.

The Tokyo-based memory maker is confident that the market would sustain that rapid clip of expansion and is making investment decisions on a monthly basis to ensure its new plant is up to the task of filling the demand, Kioxia executive vice president Tomoharu Watanabe told Bloomberg News.

Kioxia’s specialty is in NAND flash memory, which is used everywhere from smartphones and laptops to the fast-access sections of data center operations.

The logo of Kioxia Holdings Corp is pictured on a building in Kitakami, Japan, on Nov. 5 last year. Photo: Reuters

“Demand is strong, especially from hyperscalers who need chips for generative AI purposes,” Watanabe said yesterday.

“We’re also hearing from customers who need to replace data center servers they installed five to six years ago, as well as some saying they cannot get enough hard drives,” he added.

Alongside South Korean memory makers Samsung Electronics Co and SK Hynix Inc, Kioxia has this year surged in value as investors look to find more beneficiaries of the AI infrastructure boom. Its shares have more than tripled since its public debut in Tokyo in December last year.

The company this week began operations at the second fabrication facility of its Kitakami flash memory plant in Japan’s Iwate prefecture, where it plans to ship cutting-edge memory chips starting from the first half of next year.

Kioxia has been aggressively investing in its main chip factories in Kitakami and Mie prefecture’s Yokkaichi as it aims to close the gap with Samsung and SK Hynix.

The company plans to double the amount of memory it can produce at these factories within five years of its fiscal year 2024, which ended in March this year.

Memory prices are expected to bounce back gradually from a post-COVID-19 pandemic funk, as data center construction accelerates around the world.

The NAND market, in particular, which has long seen slowing demand for smartphones and PCs as well as excessive inventories, is showing signs of recovery.

NAND flash prices in the October to December quarter are expected to rise 5 to 10 percent from the previous quarter, Taiwan-based research firm TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said.

title: Kioxia sees AI driving strong memory growth for years


title: Crab season

content_text: Miaoli County Commissioner Chung Tung-chin, fourth left, holds a local hairy crab, also known as dazha crab, and other county government officials gesture at a news conference in Miaoli City yesterday to mark the arrival of the peak season for the prized crustaceans. The county government said it has implemented stricter inspections to ensure food safety.


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A Ministry of Economic Affairs forecast that electricity demand growth would slow over the next decade might be overly optimistic, experts have said, given that Nvidia Corp’s artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and advanced chip manufacturing facilities are set to come online in the coming years. If projections prove unrealistic, they could undermine grid resilience and disrupt industrial growth.

Industrial users accounted for 55.2 percent of total power demand last year, the ministry’s annual report released on Friday showed. The report projects electricity consumption to grow at an annual rate of 1.7 percent from last year to 2034, down sharply from the 2.8 percent annual growth rate it estimated for 2023 to 2033.

Taiwan’s consumption outlook would be in line with Japan’s 0.6 percent and South Korea’s 1.8 percent, the ministry said, without citing its sources.

However, Japan recently revised up its electricity-use outlook and stepped up energy generation efforts to meet new demand from data centers and chip fabs, reversing its previous forecast of shrinking demand due to a declining population and stagnant economy, Reuters reported. The country’s electricity demand is projected to rise 2 to 25 percent by 2040 from 2019, and by 8 to 42 percent by 2050, based on scenarios provided by the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs said it factored in potential jumps in electricity demand from AI and other emerging technologies over the next few years, but it did not provide a detailed forecast. The growth would be offset by declines in power demand from sluggish traditional sectors such as cement, steel and petrochemicals, and the government’s years-long efforts to curb power consumption growth through power conservation initiatives, it added.

The ministry has asked heavy industrial users to cut electricity consumption by 1 percent annually and subsidizes purchases of energy-efficient equipment to help them meet that goal.

Major changes in the nation’s industrial landscape — the decline of traditional sectors and the rise of semiconductors — would offset the increased demand by about 10 percent, state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) said.

The ministry also cited US tariff policy as a factor behind its lower forecast, but declined to clarify whether Taiwanese tech firms’ decision to expand new capacity overseas to avoid tariff risks was a key driver of the slower electricity demand.

Power supply would be tight over the next five years, with the ministry projecting Taipower’s reserve margin during peak hours would fall to between 11.3 and 14.2 percent from this year to 2029 — below the regulatory requirement of 15 percent — due to a surge in demand from AI.

The forecast also assumes the timely deployment of new generation units, it said. The reserve margin is forecast to recover to 19.6 percent in 2030 and reach 23.8 percent by 2034, the report said, adding that the power supply would be stable, citing Taipower’s plan to add a net 12.22 gigawatts of gas-fired capacity by then, not including renewable energy growth.

The ministry’s rosy outlook does not seem to account for risks, such as malfunctions at several power generation units in Kaohsiung and New Taipei City’s Linkuo District (林口) that reduced the power reserve margin sharply to as low as 4 percent early last month, from an estimate of 14 percent.

The sudden shortfall showed that the ministry had underestimated the importance of the supply-demand balance, which left it vulnerable to unexpected outages.

title: EDITORIAL: Ministry’s energy forecast too rosy


title: Taiwan, India at climate crossroads

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Taipei’s fourth SDG Asia Expo, held from Sept. 11 to 13 under the theme “Charge Towards Change,” was more than just a showcase of green technology. With more than 100 exhibitors at the Taipei World Trade Center, the event was a testing ground for policies that Taiwan hopes would transform climate ambitions into real action.

As the focus moves to the COP30 UN climate change summit in Belem, Brazil, next month, what happens in Taipei and New Delhi would help determine whether Asia’s climate efforts lead to actual emissions cuts or remain symbolic.

The challenges and opportunities at the SDG Asia Expo reflected Taiwan’s broader policy context. It has set stricter climate targets through its Comprehensive Carbon Reduction Action Plan and the Climate Change Response Act (氣候變遷因應法), aiming for bigger cuts by 2030, 2032 and 2035. They are concrete policy commitments, supported by laws and clear plans. As Taiwan is not part of the UN, it does not have an official role in global climate negotiations.

Still, the SDG Asia Expo allowed Taiwan to show how it manages climate policy outside traditional international settings, highlighting its emissions tracking, regulations and corporate reporting.

Similarly, India is at its own critical climate juncture. It has been moving forward with its own climate architecture, establishing a carbon credit trading scheme and greenhouse-gas intensity rules for industrial entities, while promoting renewable energy. However, its rapid industrial expansion and continued dependence on coal raise the stakes.

India must ensure its policies are not only ambitious on paper, but resilient in practice, building institutional capacity, protecting vulnerable sectors and resisting the temptation to delay standards when faced with industry pressure. As Taiwan strives to prevent its new laws from being undermined by poor enforcement, India must also equip its intensity targets and emerging carbon market with real institutional strength.

Beyond their individual approaches, Taiwan and India have much to gain from mutual learning. Taiwan’s strong corporate culture around transparency, environmental, social and governance practices, and independent reporting could help sharpen India’s carbon accounting and build investor confidence. India’s experience with large-scale renewable deployment, green hydrogen pilots and decentralized clean technology offers lessons in driving down costs and making clean solutions accessible across diverse geographies.

Supply chains are already powerful vectors of influence: If Taiwanese companies insist on low-carbon sourcing or if international buyers demand carbon reductions, those ripple effects would extend across Asia. Conversely, a well-structured Indian carbon market could create tradable credits and investment opportunities attractive to Taiwanese capital seeking responsible offsets.

Pledges matter, but unless they translate into measurable, enforceable action, they remain empty. That is the test for Taipei and New Delhi. Regulations need teeth. Pilot projects must feed into standards. Reporting, measurement and verification systems have to be transparent, consistent and internationally intelligible. Transitions must also be fair. Workers, communities and small producers cannot be left behind; public financing, social safety nets and just-transition planning are not optional, but central to legitimacy.

The SDG Asia Expo must demand more than claps and slogans — real, measurable commitments backed by timelines that can be enforced. For India, the event’s lesson is clear: Speed up market mechanisms now, protect vulnerable sectors with targeted support and do not defer standards in the face of political or industrial pressure.

COP30 offers New Delhi a chance to emerge not only as a nation with big pledges, but one with delivered outcomes. Similarly, Taiwan’s role is to wait for no formal recognition to hold itself to high standards and to make governance, not diplomatic status, the proof point of credibility.

If both economies press ahead with strong laws, transparent systems and honest reporting, the Asia-Pacific region can provide the model many developing nations need, showing that climate ambition and economic development can move hand in hand.

The residue of the SDG Asia Expo should be regulatory frameworks, funding flows and enforced standards — not just case studies. The real test of leadership is not what is promised in international forums, but what is delivered in factories, farms, financial markets and everyday lives. Asia’s climate moment is not merely looming; it has begun. The world will be watching whether Taipei and New Delhi rise to their full weight.

Sutandra Singha is an independent researcher with a doctorate in international studies, specializing in climate change, from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.


title: EDITORIAL CARTOON

content_text:
Ryan Hass On Taiwan: Are US-Taiwan relations off track?

President William Lai (賴清德) has been handed a trifecta of setbacks in recent months. Taiwan’s trade negotiations with the United States proved inconclusive. Lai was not permitted to transit New York City as part of a broader trip. And the Democratic Progressive Party failed in its attempts to recall Kuomintang legislators. On top of this, there is concern in Taiwan that a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping (習近平) this fall could generate disadvantageous outcomes for Taiwan, such as revisions to America’s longstanding cross-Strait policies to more closely align with Beijing’s preferred framing of issues.These are challenging times for

Before the break of dawn, the streets are full of countless teens rushing to class with backpacks in hand — a scene that has long been part of Taiwan’s educational landscape. Recently, a citizen-initiated petition signed by more than 10,000 people calling for delaying junior-high and high-school class starting times to 10am and ending at 4pm has once again drawn society’s attention to students’ health and daily routines, triggering debate over topics from sleep and biological clocks to the pressures of the academic system.Supporters and opponents of the petition have their own perspectives, but what is truly worth reflecting on

By Chang Ruay-shiung 張瑞雄

The Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) barrier lake burst into Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) on Tuesday, causing floodwaters to pour onto Dunhou Road, Fozu Street and other areas of the town, resulting in a major tragedy.Before the disaster struck, the central government had issued several alerts for Hualien County — four “red” landslide alerts, 102 “yellow” landslide alerts and four “yellow” alerts for large-scale collapses — through the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, the Central Weather Administration and the Water Resources Agency. Data from the Central Emergency Operations Center showed an abnormal rise in water levels at the Mataian River barrier

By Shih Wen-yi 施文儀

people: 習近平 賴清德


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It is unlikely that the UN Security Council, its most important organ,would be designed in a way that resembles its current iteration

Five years ago, I wrote a commentary about the UN as it turned 75. The title, “The UN’s unhappy birthday,” said it all. The UN is now 80, but my critique back then remains all too valid today. Its slide into near-irrelevance continues unabated.

The annual September gathering of world leaders in New York is less important for what the UN does (which is little in the realm of preventing or ending wars) than for what it provides, namely a venue for all sorts of bilateral and multilateral meetings among the high-level visitors. Think of it as Davos for diplomats.

However, the UN itself is a victim of chronic malaise, owing above all to the resurgence of great-power rivalry. The state of international affairs today is a far cry from what it was in 1990 when the world came together through the UN in the aftermath of Iraq’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

Back then, the Soviet Union and China worked with the US; today, Russia and China prevent the UN from playing a role in ending the war in Ukraine, in which Russia is the protagonist and the cause. Major divisions within the UN Security Council prevent the organization from constructively addressing most major issues, from North Korea’s expanding nuclear arsenal and Iran’s nuclear ambitions to the war in Gaza and other conflicts around the world.

The UN has failed to evolve. I doubt anyone would design the Security Council, the most important UN organ, in a way that resembles its current iteration. Yes, most would agree that China and the US should retain their veto-wielding permanent seats, but some might question why Russia, with an economy smaller than that of Brazil or Canada, and which acts in ways inconsistent with the UN charter, deserves one.

Many would also challenge the case for continuing to include the UK and France. And there would be advocates for Japan, Germany (or the EU), India and several others. All that said, any change would be opposed by at least one of the five current permanent members, which is why no meaningful change is ever likely to materialize.

Beyond the Security Council, the organization rarely does itself any favors. It puts countries that are abusers of human rights on bodies meant to protect them. It failed to stand up to Beijing when the Chinese government refused to cooperate and allow a serious investigation into the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. And the organization’s bureaucracy too often runs on the basis of a global spoils system rather than merit. Accountability is rare.

And now the US, the driving force behind the UN’s creation, its host and biggest funder throughout its existence, has distanced itself from the organization. Under US President Donald Trump, Washington no longer supports multilateral efforts to deal with issues ranging from global health and trade to climate change and human rights — and indeed questions the value of the very international order it did so much to build.

The Middle East is a special case of UN shortcomings. There is a long-term bias against Israel, one that far predates Israeli actions in Gaza and limits the UN’s ability to play a central role in efforts to resolve Middle East conflicts. Events this month did not help matters, as several states, including France, the UK, Canada and Australia, used the annual UN opening as an opportunity to recognize a Palestinian state.

Behind this move is deep and understandable frustration with what Israel is doing in Gaza and the West Bank, with their own inability to influence Israeli actions, and with what is seen as US passivity and unwillingness to rein in Israel.

Hence, the recognition of Palestine is the best (or least) these governments felt they could do.

However, understandable does not necessarily mean wise. One problem is that the decision to recognize a Palestinian state is just a rhetorical shift; it does nothing to improve the prospect of ending the war in Gaza or actually creating a viable Palestinian state.

The bigger problem, though, is that recognition risks making a bad situation worse by reinforcing the feeling among Palestinians that they do not have to earn a state through constructive actions and statements, not to mention negotiation with Israel.

Moreover, further recognition of Palestinian statehood will likely lead this Israeli government to respond in ways that will prove decidedly unhelpful to long-term peace.

Trump’s rambling address to the UN was not well received, owing to his attacks on Europe over immigration and his denial of climate change, but some of his other criticisms of the organization were well-founded.

He was not wrong when he said: “It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential. For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up.”

Until the UN is prepared to do more, it will continue to be sidelined, and the gap between the world’s challenges and its capacity to meet them is likely to widen.

I concluded my commentary five years ago with: “The case for multilateralism and global governance is stronger than ever. But, for better or worse, it will have to take place largely outside the UN.”

Unfortunately, I see no reason to revise that conclusion now.

Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, is a senior counselor at Centerview Partners, distinguished university scholar at New York University, and the author of the weekly Substack newsletter Home & Away.

Copyright: Project Syndicate

title: The UN has become a Davos for diplomats


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Given the long history of cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, it is tempting to dismiss their announcement last month of a mutual security pact as mere paperwork, formalizing a relationship that already exists.

However, it is much more than that.

This is the first concrete indication of what a post-American world might look like — one that is far more insecure, unstable and unhappy.

The two nations were indeed close for decades. In 1967 — two months after Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War — they signed a security agreement in which Pakistan’s battle-hardened military promised training and support to the kingdom. Two years later, their pilots flew for Saudi Arabia in its war against communist south Yemen.

By the 1980s, the generals in Rawalpindi had sent their ally 15,000 soldiers to help protect a regime unnerved by the siege of Mecca in 1979. There were even Pakistani tanks stationed at Tabuk near the kingdom’s northwest border, a short drive from Israel’s Red Sea port of Eilat.

However, such closeness seemed consigned to the history books in 2015 after Pakistan’s National Assembly unexpectedly defied Riyadh — and perhaps its own military — by refusing to send soldiers to fight the Houthis.

Saudi Arabia was outraged, especially as it had long been bankrolling its increasingly improvident friend: It had sent a “gift” of US$1.5 billion the previous year.

Chinese money had begun to flow as well and the petrodollar was no longer the only game in town. The civilian politicians in Islamabad felt that they could take a few risks and reclaim a bit of sovereignty.

In the decade that followed, Saudi Arabia instead developed an ever-closer relationship with India. Its grants to Pakistan became loans that have to be paid back or rolled over. Meanwhile, China is focused on buying Russia’s loyalty.

Pakistan’s leaders know that they have not been able to fix the fundamental reason their country constantly teeters on the edge of bankruptcy: It buys more from the world than it has to sell. All they have invested in for decades is the military — and so, today, they have nothing else to offer a partner.

However, that is an attractive enough offer for a Riyadh that is as uncertain today as it was in the 1970s. For decades, the Gulf monarchies have relied on the US for protection, support and weapons. They have gone out of their way to woo the current US president, as well. Qatar famously gave him a US$400 million jet to use as Air Force One.

That did not stop the emirate, home to the largest US base in the Middle East as well as a hotel housing Hamas leaders, from being bombed last month by Israeli jets. The Qataris insisted that any US warnings about the attack came 10 minutes after the strikes had already begun.

This was the second time that Qatar has been attacked this year; in June, Iran launched missiles at the US’ al-Udeid airbase. In other words, it was successively bombed by a US adversary and an ally, while Washington itself did nothing in either case.

Countries naturally think that an apathetic US might be more trouble than it is worth and look for help elsewhere. That has led Saudi Arabia back to Pakistan, which can offer worried former US satellites something few others will: a nuclear umbrella.

Riyadh’s other partners are not too pleased. New Delhi, in particular, has rejoiced in recent years at Pakistan’s “isolation” from its old friends in the Gulf. Policymakers in India will have been informed of the Saudi Arabian decision in advance and understand the reasoning behind it, but it still stings, especially as India’s own choices have led it to this situation. It has grown as close to Israel in the past decade as it has to Saudi Arabia, perhaps closer. That reduces its usefulness to either. The limits of this hedging strategy have become painfully clear. It tried to enhance its relationship with Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia simultaneously — and so, in the current crisis, none of them feel they can rely on New Delhi. A friend to all, it turns out, is a friend to none.

That once applied to Pakistan as well, which has tried to embrace the Taliban, China, the US and the Gulf, but it is now at odds with Kabul, while the US has turned away from the region. Paradoxically, that has made Islamabad’s strategic choices much easier.

Nobody is entirely happy. Saudi Arabia is tired, like all Pakistan’s patrons, of a military establishment that over-promises and under-delivers. Israel recognizes that its “normalization” with Saudi Arabia will be further delayed. Pakistan has had to give up the autonomy it achieved in 2015; India worries that Islamabad is no longer shunned; and Iran feels encircled.

When sense returns to Washington, policymakers will regret allowing a fresh alliance between the Middle East’s richest country and Beijing’s most loyal client.

That is what the post-American world will look like. Without the US, others will make whatever makeshift security arrangements they can. Some might be unpalatable, even destabilizing. Nobody will feel better off — including Washington.

Mihir Sharma is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

title: The post-US order starts in Riyadh and Islamabad


title: Robert Redford a prime example of leadership the US has lost

content_text:
In the US, which is splintered by culture wars and, increasingly, by targeted violence, Robert Redford somehow belonged to everyone. Might his life and career offer lessons for powerful figures who prize access and short-term self-interest over the long-term common good?

A quintessential movie star whose life was a paragon of public and private virtue, Redford turned advantage outward. Not only did he give us enduring films, but he founded the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, which has consistently discovered talent and created jobs. He made environmental conservation a mainstream cause before it was fashionable. He converted private capital into public goods.

The remembrances following his death on Sept. 16 captured the breadth of his pursuits, and, notably, they were as bipartisan as they were sincere. By tirelessly leveraging his charisma and talents to advance a unifying vision of the US and what it could be, he was an exception in an age of cynicism and polarization.

I was fortunate to see Redford and what he represented firsthand. When I was growing up, the Sundance Kid himself came to my New York City school and Redford made his way over to dance with me. Unimaginably handsome with a gentle yet piercing gaze, he was a living legend, giving his time freely to children.

No wonder the mourning has been so personal. Jane Fonda, his longtime friend, said she could not stop crying.

“One of the lions has passed. Rest in peace, my lovely friend,” Meryl Streep said.

Although Redford criticized US President Donald Trump (no fan of Hollywood liberals), he did not swing back. Even he acknowledged Redford’s star power.

“There was a period when he was the hottest. I thought he was great,” Trump said.

Across the board, right-leaning celebrities, such as Rob Lowe and Sylvester Stallone, have been as respectful and admiring as those on the left.

Bob Woodward, whom Redford played in All the President’s Men, put it well.

“He used any platform he had to help make the world better, fairer, brighter for others,” Woodward said.

While Leonardo DiCaprio underscored Redford’s “unwavering commitment to protecting our planet and inspiring change,” former Utah governor Gary Herbert, a Republican, hailed him for turning 0.8 hectares of land “into a beautiful resort, a financially booming retail enterprise and an industry-disrupting, world-changing film showcase” that employed thousands and has brought roughly US$1 billion to Utah’s economy.

Filmmaker Ron Howard said that it was Sundance that “supercharged America’s independent film movement.”

Together, these voices illustrate the breadth of constituencies Redford’s work touched. The films, of course, explain his reach. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid reinvented the quintessentially American myth of the Old West without sneering at it. All the President’s Men made diligence thrilling and accountability heroic, reshaping how Americans viewed journalism and democracy itself.

Ordinary People, Redford’s directing debut, used a sense of quiet grief to carry the frame, bringing character-driven portraits of personal struggle into the mainstream at a time when the mainstream was dominated by spectacle.

Because his stardom lasted for decades — and his pursuits ranged from films and festivals to conservation — there was a different Redford for everyone. His projects were popular without pandering, serious without scolding. They assumed that sophisticated stories could still go mainstream if they were told well.

Moreover, Redford treated stardom like capital. He invested it, he allowed the returns to compound and he shared them with the public.

The Sundance festival made this public spiritedness visible. What began as a mountain refuge became a platform and then an economy. For filmmakers, it presented opportunities to hold premieres, find buyers and build careers. For Utah, it meant jobs, tourism and pride. For audiences, it reimagined what movies could be. The same institution pleased progressives for raising up new voices, reassured moderates for its entrepreneurship, and appealed to conservatives through its respect for work and local prestige.

Even as Sundance later faced criticism for becoming commercialized, Redford’s vision endured, because the festival still produced access, jobs and opportunities for entire communities. These outcomes proved that he had built an institution resilient enough to outlast him.

Redford gave back while still pursuing his own interests. Sundance advanced a vision of cinema that he loved. His conservation efforts protected landscapes he cherished and reflected a Western identity he wore with pride. His projects served him and the public at once, becoming institutions sustained by multiple constituencies.

Not everyone can run that play. Redford’s innate abilities mattered. His global fame supplied leverage when patience and money were required, but what defined him was not only his unique talent — it was his choice of how to use it.

Redford took what was singularly his — talent, beauty and fame — and transformed it into institutions that served everyone else. Just as he built Sundance and advanced conservation, he used his public standing to speak out for democracy, raising alarms about threats to truth, free speech, the press and the rule of law.

How many other privileged, famous, powerful Americans today will be remembered for doing the same? Redford showed that true American greatness lies not in what you possess, but in what you provide.

Carla Norrlof is a professor of political science at the University of Toronto.

Copyright: Project Syndicate


title: Denver Broncos win 28-3 over Bengals

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‘DISAPPOINTING’:  It was another aggravating loss on Monday for the Cincinnati Bengals who were dominated in a 48-10 shellacking at Minnesota the week before

Jake Browning and the Cincinnati offense marched right down the field with relative ease for a field goal on the opening drive on Monday night.

They would not run a play on the other side of midfield again.

A smothering defense led by Nik Bonitto and Pat Surtain helped the Denver Broncos to a 28-3 win over the Bengals. Cincinnati had four first downs on the first possession and just five the rest of the game.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr, front right, catches a pass against Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Marco Wilson during their NFL game in Denver, Colorado, on Monday. Photo: AP

“We make it hard on the opposing offense,” said Surtain, whose defense limited the Bengals to 102 total yards after the first drive went for 57. “That’s the standard that we’ve got to keep on upholding ourselves to in order to win those big-time games.”

For Browning and the Bengals (2-2), it is another aggravating loss. They were dominated in a 48-10 shellacking at Minnesota the week before, but in that game, they turned the ball over five times.

This time, the Bengals hung onto the football.

“Yeah, we played clean,” Browning said. “But we didn’t move the ball, so who cares?”

The Bengals also committed 11 penalties for 65 yards. Browning, who was filling in for the injured Joe Burrow, was sacked three times for a second straight game.

“It is frustration. It’s disappointment,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “It’s just about creating momentum.”

They almost caught a spark in the second quarter when Browning completed a long pass to Tee Higgins that went for 37 yards and had the ball down to the Denver 14, but it was called back due to an illegal formation.

Cincinnati did not have a completion that went for more than 22 yards or a run longer than 6 yards.

After converting two third-down plays on the opening drive, the Bengals would not convert another the rest of the way. They had eight straight punts, not including the kneel-down to run out the first half.

Surtain kept close tabs on Bengals standout receiver Ja’Marr Chase all night. Chase was targeted eight times, catching five passes for 23 yards.

“I know Joe was out, but we always pride in ourselves to make sure that we eliminate explosives,” Surtain said.

The Bengals even won the turnover margin with Demetrius Knight’s interception of a Bo Nix pass in the end zone late in the first half.

Taylor was hoping it would provide the lift they needed.

It did not.

The Bengals had the ball for 49 seconds before punting it back to Denver. The Broncos (2-2) scored on Nix’s 20-yard TD pass to Courtland Sutton with eight seconds left before halftime to make it 21-3.

“The last two weeks just feels like we never really had momentum, haven’t really been explosive,” Browning said. “You’re fighting a hard battle with one arm behind your back when you end up in longer situations — second-and-long, first-and-long, leading to third-and-long. Good offenses don’t do that, so we need to clean it up.”

It is back to the drawing board for the Bengals, who host Detroit on Sunday.

“When you play that poorly on offense for this two-game stretch, everybody’s playing a role in it,” Browning said. “Everybody’s got to play a role in the solution.”

The Broncos had the football for more than 15 minutes longer than the Bengals as they amassed 512 yards and converted 8 of 14 third-down plays. It let Surtain, Bonitto and the defense get some valuable rest.

“I was sitting there watching like a fan, watching the offense go to work,” Surtain said. “We keep on doing that week in and week out, we’re going to be a dangerous team.”


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INCREASING THREAT:  The abandonment of agriculture in the mountains and increased availability of prey such as boar and deer have seen the wolf population rebound

Hunters and farmers in Greece are demanding the right to cull wolves after one attacked a child on a beach last month, warning that the protected species is multiplying in the wild.

The animal “grabbed” the five-year-old girl by the waist as she played on a beach in the Halkidiki Peninsula, northern Greece, her mother told Skai TV.

A bystander drove the wolf off by throwing stones, but it later followed the girl and her mother to their apartment yard, she said.

Greek hunters have long maintained that the wolf population in Greece is much greater than estimated, increasing the threat to hunting dogs and livestock.

“Where I go hunting, there are wolf sightings almost every day,” said Stelios Thomas, a 60-year-old from Thessaloniki who ventures out about 50km east of the city.

“I am now afraid to go to the mountain. They have eaten many dogs and livestock lately. There are attacks almost every day,” he said.

Local officials said they were laying traps in the area, but that if the animal could not be captured, it would be killed.

Yorgos Iliopoulos, a biologist and wolf expert with the environmental non-governmental organization Callisto, said the wolf involved appeared to be unusually accustomed to humans.

“This animal evidently either found food in this area, or was erroneously fed by a human as a cub,” Iliopoulos said. “Its behavior cannot be reversed and it is better to remove it, preferably through capture.”

The Thessaloniki-based organization aims to study, protect and manage the populations and habitats of large carnivores such as bears and wolves, and other endangered species.

Callisto last year helped remove a young wolf from the Greek police academy in Amygdaleza, near Athens.

The young male was collared and released in the foothills of Mount Parnitha, where wolves have returned after a six-decade absence.

From his studies on the Parnitha wolves, Iliopoulos said that the packs in the area “are attracted by the dead bodies of farm animals or dogs.”

According to a six-year study by Callisto, the wolf population in Greece is estimated at 2,075.

Their range is also spreading, Iliopoulos said.

“Wolves are now in Attica,” the region surrounding Athens, and in the southern mainland “there has been a resurgence in the Peloponnese over the past two or three years,” he said.

“Some individuals crossed the Isthmus at Corinth and dispersed into the Peloponnese. Last winter, we confirmed the presence of a breeding wolf pack in the Taygetos [mountain] region,” he added.

The abandonment of agriculture in the mountains and increased availability of prey such as wild boar and deer have help the wolf population rebound, he said.

“Similar trends are seen with all large mammals in Greece and Europe,” he said.

Sightings of bears in inhabited areas have also increased in the Greek countryside.

An 80-year-old man in Zagori, northwestern Greece, last week was injured by a brown bear that entered his garden looking for food.

Wildlife group Arcturos estimates there are between 550 and 900 bears in Greece, an increase over the past two decades, but still not high enough to lift hunting restrictions.

Bears commenced approaching inhabited areas in Greece about a decade ago, but authorities have long neglected to set up rapid response teams, the group said in a July statement.

“The Greek countryside is not what it was 20 years ago, and so it would be impossible for bears to be the same, too,” Arcturos general director Alexandros Karamanlidis said.

Callisto spokesperson Iason Bantios called the bear sightings “a manageable phenomenon that should not cause panic.”

“It requires adequate operational organization, proper planning and targeted action protocols,” Bantios said.

title: Greece wolf attack leads to calls for hunting rights