taiwan-subdivisions: 北投 元長

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Gateway Gulf 2025 期間，「Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club 公佈世界級運動與生活品味目的地發展藍圖」。

2025-11-10   巴林麥納瑪2025年11月10日 /美通社/ — The Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club (REHC) 宣佈革新項目藍圖，該項目旨在重新定義該王國的體育與休閒環境，並發展巴林王國為該區傑出馬術、奢華生活與高級休閒領先目的地。在 2025 年 11 月 2 日至 3 日於四季酒店舉行的該區頂級投資論壇 Gateway Gulf 2025 中，此 REHC 宣佈此藍圖。

REHC 與 Bareeq Al Retaj Real Estate Services 協商和制定此藍圖，並將分階段地於超過三百萬平方米土地上實施。在單一綜合目的地中，融合體育、酒店、零售與可持續發展而涵蓋各種發展。

該藍圖標誌為了巴林王國的經濟多元長遠願景，而透過旅遊、體育與地產投資，邁出重要一步。該項目策略性地選址於該王國的成熟馬術與賽馬區，充份利用該王國的運動傳統，同時配合可持續城市發展與私營部門合作的更廣泛目標。

REHC 行政總裁 Yusuf Osama Buheji 表示：「這具里程碑意義的項目，代表本會與巴林馬術界的新時代。在首相府大臣 Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa 殿下主持 REHC High Committee 的指導下，REHC 藍圖體現我們建立一個融合運動、自然和生活品味的世界級目的地的志向，同時為投資、創造就業與旅遊業開拓全新機遇。這項目建基於巴林引以為傲的賽馬歷史上，並為子孫後代重新構想這項運動。」

此藍圖發展涵蓋多個主要區域，包括：

全新 18 洞錦標賽級高爾夫球場，向高爾夫球專業人士和愛好者提供世界級體驗。高爾夫球俱樂部與馬術中心，提供一流訓練與活動設施豪華高爾夫球酒店與高爾夫別墅，融合該高爾夫球場豪華馬術別墅，四周環繞空曠綠地與休閒設施商業零售中心，設有商店、服務與餐飲場所現代化運動中心和會員俱樂部，專為促進活躍生活與社區參與而設餐飲場所提供高級餐飲體驗，俯瞰賽馬場景色

此藍圖也高度重視環境保護和智能基礎設施。東北投資區將特設太陽能發電系統，專為該綜合體提供潔淨能源而設，支援巴林的國家再生能源與碳減排目標。

REHC 藍圖確定私部門參與可多個項目，提供多種投資機會（住宅、酒店、商業和休閒等）。該發展目的是在巴林不斷發展的體育與生活品味經濟中，吸引本地與國際投資者尋求長遠兼優質的項目。

REHC 藍圖將透過自身世界級設施與國際標準設計，鞏固巴林王國作為體育旅遊、馬術賽事與豪華酒店的區域中心地位，並為國家發展優先事項作出貢獻。


title: 「臺灣國際衝浪公開賽」落幕  QS6000積分賽澳洲選手包辦男女雙冠

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記者池文中/臺東報導

2025臺灣國際衝浪公開賽經過激戰，男子組由25歲澳洲選手Reef Heazlewood摘下冠軍寶座，女子組冠軍同樣來自澳洲選手Lucy Darragh，年僅15歲拿下冠軍，皆可獲得5萬澳幣，約台幣100萬元獎金及高額積分。

2025台灣國際衝浪公開賽11/4開賽，擔心颱風外圍影響，WSL世界衝浪聯盟與臺東縣政府評估狀況，決定調整賽程，QS6,000巡迴積分賽總決賽提早於9日進行，經過激烈競賽，最終兩名來自澳洲選手分別摘下男女子組冠軍寶座；國內青少年短板賽也圓滿落幕，選手展現非凡實力與無限潛力，男子組由台南李澤辰與恆春陳昇暘、女子組由花蓮陳宛榆與高雄蘇美芳分別摘下冠、亞軍。

今年賽事吸引全球12國，逾200名衝浪選手齊聚，展現台東金樽為世界級浪點的震撼魅力。每日賽程緊湊，選手展現極致拼勁，戰況激烈，體現臺東作為亞洲頂尖衝浪勝地的國際能見度，連續兩日「放浪遊樂趴」吸引許多民眾共襄盛舉。首日「熱浪女團-舞蹈啦啦隊大賽」競爭激烈，最終由來自台中的參賽團隊Funto Girl以精湛舞技與舞台魅力奪得冠軍；廣受樂迷期待「潮舞台」音樂會於9日吸引眾多粉絲熱情應援，氣氛熱力四射，為金樽海岸注入滿滿活力。

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東縣 恆春 臺東 花蓮 高雄

countries: 臺灣 澳洲 台灣


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記者池文中/臺東報導

臺東縣「2025為健康而走–希望、幸福，我們在一起」活動、9日在森林公園舉行，全縣勞工與民眾千餘人參與，透過健康步伐，傳遞勞工團結、環保永續與幸福生活。

健走路線全長約4公里，由森林公園大草原出發，經鷺鷥湖環線再返回大草原，是結合運動與自然景觀的理想路線。現場也設有宣導及互動攤位，包括勞工健康促進、肺功能檢查諮詢、職場安全、環保教育與疾病防治等，民眾在輕鬆氛圍中吸收實用知識，融合疾病預防保健與環境教育，寓教於樂。

臺東縣政府表示，今年6月成立臺東縣銀髮人才服務據點，以「一站式專人服務」協助中高齡勞工再就業，結合在地產業需求，實現人力與產業雙向補位。同時辦理「職場安全及職業災害防治講座」、「勞動權益與勞資和諧宣導會」及「在地就業博覽會」等，從就業、健康到生活，全方位支持勞工需求。

社會處長陳淑蘭指出，為維護勞工身心健康與職場安全，近年積極推動健康促進與預防政策。持續辦理職場安全衛生教育訓練、異常工作負荷與不法侵害防治措施。113年推動「免費簡易肺功能檢查」計畫，擴大為縣民與勞工健康把關。今年預計辦理50場巡迴檢查、服務逾1,400位縣民，涵蓋軍公教人員、農漁會會員及勞工，重視預防重於治療與職場健康零死角。

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東 臺東縣

title: 推動強化職場安全  縣府健行活動千人參與響應


people: 李文良 林慧如 張麗善

taiwan-subdivisions: 雲林 成功 雲林縣 連江縣 金門縣 古坑

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圖:2025台灣咖啡節劃下完美句點。 (圖/雲林縣政府)

(記者鄭康玉報導)

2025台灣咖啡節11/9日下午於雲林古坑綠色隧道劃下完美句點，由雲林縣長張麗善、金門縣副縣長李文良、古坑鄉長林慧如及出席的貴賓們共同舉杯感謝，宣告為期兩週、共五天的活動圓滿落幕。今年以「咖了For Life」為主題，象徵咖啡融入生活、串聯人與自然的美好節奏，吸引全台13縣市、超過140家品牌熱情參與，活動期間人潮約上百萬人次，創下歷年新高，並創造逾五千萬元的商機，成功展現雲林咖啡的文化厚度與品牌魅力。

縣長張麗善表示，今年台灣咖啡節在規模與內容上皆全面升級，無論是主題日活動、品牌展示或跨域合作，都能看到雲林咖啡產業的創新能量。今年活動期間不僅有BMW雲嘉賓歐電動車、悠遊卡股份有限公司、劍湖山世界等企業共襄盛舉，並推出「咖啡地圖集章活動」串聯42間雲林在地咖啡館，吸引遊客以行動探索雲林的咖啡風土，深度體驗在地特色。

圖:「咖啡產業＋生活美學」的永續發展。 (圖/雲林縣政府)

今年咖啡節規劃五大主題日，包括「音樂咖」、「休閒咖」、「文青咖」、「親子咖」及「萌寵咖」，每日搭配特色演出與全區優惠活動，營造沉浸式的咖啡嘉年華氛圍。台灣咖啡節今年已經邁入第23屆，現場有不少民眾從學生時期一路參與至成家立業，台灣咖啡節早已成為世代共享的重要回憶。縣長張麗善表示，台灣咖啡節不僅是推動產業的年度盛事，更是雲林產業文化傳承的象徵。今年更首度與連江縣跨海合作推出「日光微醺」雙島聯名禮盒，結合雲林精品咖啡與馬祖特色美酒，象徵文化與風味的雙島交流，開啟地方品牌共創的新篇章。

圖:「咖啡地圖集章活動」深度體驗在地特色。 (圖/雲林縣政府)

縣府農業處長魏勝德指出，雲林縣政府將持續以節慶品牌為平台，結合在地農業、觀光及產業創新力量，推動「咖啡產業＋生活美學」的永續發展。雖然活動已圓滿落幕，但雲林的咖啡香氣仍將持續在全台飄散，邀請大家走進古坑、親身感受「咖了For Life」的生活態度，品味一杯屬於雲林的好咖啡。

相關資訊可至台灣咖啡節活動官網及官方粉絲專頁查詢。

活動官網https://feversocial.com/taiwancoffee/home-36415

粉絲專頁https://www.facebook.com/share/1CBemH9zA1/?mibextid=wwXIfr

提醒您：未滿18歲請勿飲酒 開（騎）車不喝酒 喝酒不開（騎）車！

title: 百萬人共品雲林香氣　台灣咖啡節圓滿畫下精彩句點！


title: 激發女力綻放  「五縣市女子創意市集暨星空女子影展」臺東舉行

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東 臺東縣 臺南 屏東 高雄 關山 花蓮

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記者池文中/臺東報導

「2025五縣市女子市集暨星空女子影展」8日在臺東蛋糕公園舉行，以「女力開花 女孩野有事」為主題，結合南台灣五縣市婦女館（中心）團隊，展現女性多元風貌與地方文化魅力，激發更多女力綻放，活動吸引眾多民眾參與，感受女性溫柔堅韌的力量。

縣長饒慶鈴指出，「女子市集」是婦女培力與性平實踐的重要平台，展現館際合作跨域交流成果，在推動性別平等的行動中更加緊密，臺東積極鼓勵婦女走入社區、公共空間，推動「女力品牌」與「女路」行動，從113年第一條以女性為主的女路導覽遊程「卡大地布女路」，今年分別開發「關山胭脂女路」、「都蘭潮女路」；另發展2處女力品牌，搭配關山胭脂女路、提供在地媽媽手作料理「胭脂灶咖」、婦女福利服務中心小藍屋完成婦女手沖咖啡訓練後推出「臺東L’amour Me」手沖咖啡品牌。

社會處長陳淑蘭表示，活動聚集來自高雄、臺南、屏東、花蓮及臺東超過30組攤位，呈現「品味女子」、「好食女子」、「藝想女子」與「行動女子」四大主題。從手作工藝、文創飾品、在地美食到公益倡議，攤位香氣與笑聲交織，展現女性創業與生活美學的實踐。

「星空女子影展」，放映榮獲2025台灣國際女性影展台灣影評人協會推薦獎及SDS-SHOW女子力獎電影《萬歲家庭》（A Long Way Home），邀請影評人范情老師擔任與談人，映後對談引導觀眾思考家庭關係與女性角色的多層樣貌，此次活動展現婦女多元創意，象徵南台灣在性別平權路上攜手同行。更多資訊請洽臺東縣婦女福利服務中心：089-336367或社會處：089-345106。


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記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

宜蘭縣史館9日發表新書《蘭陽女校先鋒——三高女校友的故事》，活動由冬山國中木管五重奏演出展開序幕，邀請多位三高女校友的家屬，以及文史、教育界人士出席，場面溫馨熱鬧。

日治時期臺北州立臺北第三高等女學校（簡稱三高女），是今日臺北市中山女高的前身，從1897年建校迄今，已有128年歷史。早期三高女是臺灣唯一的公立女學校，吸引來自全島各地女學生入學，直到臺灣中、南部高等女學校陸續成立，該校才以北部地區女學生為主。而宜蘭在1938年蘭陽高等女學校（今蘭陽女中）成立之前，三高女也是宜蘭女性接受中等教育的最重要選擇。在日治時期，共有71位宜蘭女性曾翻山越嶺、長途跋涉到臺北就讀第三高女。作者張美鳳也在發表會上，為與會者介紹本書的研究過程，以及向受訪與提供史料的相關人士致意。

這些走在時代尖端的臺灣菁英女性，通過在學期間的學習訓練，擁有廣博見聞。畢業後，不少人擔任教職或其他公職，成為職場的女先鋒；戰後，這群女性的發展空間更加寬廣，有人走入政壇、參與婦女團體的工作（如宜蘭婦女協會）、創辦婦女刊物，為臺灣女性爭取權益。

女性史研究者張美鳳自2010年起，便投入三高女史料蒐集與口述歷史，透過資料的交叉比對，試圖重現宜蘭地區三高女校友的群像與歷史軌跡。由於年代久遠、人物凋零，研究難度極高，轉而訪談校友家屬，共訪問25位。今天也有多位受訪者出席發表會，包括陳季文（林桂靜、陳進東公子）、陳淑娟（林桂靜、陳進東公子）、陳虞弘（利生醫院後代、母林阿惜）、林茂長（利生醫院後代）、謝鋫昑（陳碧霞、謝報之女），以及吳勳紅（林桂美之女）等。

張美鳳的研究成果由宜蘭縣史館出版《蘭陽女校先鋒——三高女校友的故事》專書，以及《宜蘭文獻雜誌》的〈宜蘭的三高女校友〉專輯，兩書不僅呈現宜蘭女性教育史的重要篇章，也彰顯地方文化研究的深度與延續性。

people: 陳碧霞 林茂長

taiwan-subdivisions: 宜蘭縣 臺北 冬山 宜蘭 中山 臺北市

title: 宜蘭縣史館發表新書  《蘭陽女教先鋒——三高女校友的故事》


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VIOLATION OF NORMS:  China’s CCTV broadcast claimed that Beijing could use Interpol to issue arrest warrants, which the MAC slammed as an affront to order   By Chen Yu-fu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for attempts to intimidate Taiwanese through “transnational repression.”

The council issued the remarks after state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) yesterday during a news broadcast aired a video targeting Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋), threatening him with “cross-border repression” and saying: “Stop now, or you will be next,” in what Taipei officials said was an attempt to intimidate not only Shen, but also the broader Taiwanese public.

The MAC in a statement condemned the threat, accusing Beijing of trying to instill fear and self-censorship among Taiwanese and create a chilling effect on free expression.

The council said it “strongly condemns the CCP for its malicious and reckless tactics.”

The video follows a report by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency last week that said Shen is under investigation by the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau on allegations of “secession-related” criminal activities, including launching the civil defense organization Kuma Academy.

The CCTV broadcast cited Chinese legal academics who said that Beijing could pursue a global arrest warrant for Shen through Interpol and engage in “cross-border judicial cooperation.”

CCTV also said that Shen “maliciously attacked” Chinese spouses in Taiwan by suggesting some were spies, forcing several women to return to China.

The video also “exposed” his family background, saying that his father, Shen Tu-cheng (沈土城), was a businessman who “profited from China while inciting separatism.”

The MAC said the threat violates international conventions and is part of China’s effort to create a false perception of jurisdiction over Taiwan.

“China seeks to intimidate all Taiwanese citizens, not just lawmakers,” it said. “Such actions are a blatant challenge to international norms and order.”

The MAC has been cooperating with international partners to share information and prevent such “ignorant and aggressive violations of global norms,” it said, adding that it would work with other democracies to counter Beijing’s extraterritorial intimidation.

“The CCP has no jurisdiction over Taiwan. The government has both the ability and determination to ensure the safety of every citizen, and the public can rest assured,” the MAC said.

The council urged Taiwanese to remain clear-headed in the face of Chinese psychological warfare and to stay united against external threats, warning individuals not to cooperate with Beijing’s intimidation tactics “for personal gain or political convenience.”

In a separate statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) echoed the MAC’s statements, denouncing the threat as an example of China’s “cross-border repression” and “human rights abuses.”

CCTV’s reference to possible international cooperation through Interpol was “a baseless and malicious fabrication,” the ministry said, calling it “a blatant violation of international law and a challenge to the international order.”

“China’s actions undermine human rights and international norms,” the ministry said, urging the global community to jointly condemn Beijing’s intimidation and calling on the CCP to “immediately cease its threats against the people of Taiwan.”

The government is working with international partners to prevent and counteract such unlawful and ignorant behavior, and safeguard the rights of Taiwanese citizens, it said.

The Republic of China is a sovereign and independent state that “is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China,” the ministry said.

“China has no jurisdiction over Taiwan. MOFA and other government agencies have enhanced interministerial coordination and instructed overseas missions to strengthen security measures and contingency protocols to protect Taiwanese nationals abroad who might be targeted by China’s long-arm jurisdiction,” it said.

title: MAC condemns CCTV intimidation


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TRUSTED PARTNER: Lai expressed hope that Taipei would deepen cooperation with Europe, echoing Hsiao’s words that Taiwan was a key democratic ally

Taiwan would stand with Europe and all like-minded nations to show the world its determination to safeguard democracy and freedom, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday as Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) made back-to-back visits to Europe.

Hsiao made a rare visit to Brussels on Friday and delivered a speech addressing the annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) at the European Parliament building.

Lai yesterday expressed gratitude to Hsiao for shouldering the important task, as well as thanking IPAC for its invitation, which allowed Taiwan to present its unwavering beliefs to the world.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, left, looks on as Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim speaks upon arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday.  Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times

Noting that Tsai on Saturday departed for a visit to Germany to address the Berlin Freedom Conference today, Lai expressed the hope that the visit would deepen cooperation between Taiwan and its democratic partners.

Upon her arrival at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday, Hsiao said Taiwan has been facing a difficult international situation.

“All this time, Taiwan has faced hardships, unfair treatment and setbacks. Nothing has been easy,” she said.

“But we have never backed down, because we believe that Taiwanese — like all global citizens — deserve the opportunity to participate in the international community,” she said.

“Thanks to the efforts and support of the Taiwanese public, we remain committed to forging a path through these ongoing hardships and challenges, one step at a time,” she added.

“Conveying the voice of Taiwanese to the world has always been our responsibility, and allowing the world to see the good in Taiwan and support Taiwan is our mission,” Hsiao said.

Hsiao said she was honored to represent Taiwan in a session dedicated to the nation, sharing its democratic story with European friends, parliamentarians, civil society and the media, expressing the hope for greater international understanding and support for Taiwan.

IPAC has long been Taiwan’s most steadfast partner, actively supporting Taiwan with concrete actions, advocating for Taiwan’s international participation, stressing the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait and regional stability, and voicing support for Taiwan in the international community, she said.

Referencing her speech titled “Taiwan: A Trusted Partner in a Volatile World,” Hsiao said that a free and resilient Taiwan, as an important partner in reshaping global supply chains and a responsible member of the international community, is indispensable to global peace and prosperity and a democratic future.

She called on global partners to deepen trade and technology cooperation with Taiwan, strengthen dialogue on resilience and security and support Taiwan’s international participation to jointly safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait and regional stability.

“We have let the world see the good in Taiwan and support us. We will continue to take confident, pragmatic and firm steps to demonstrate Taiwan’s aspiration, goodwill and democratic strength to the world,” Hsiao said.

Tsai called the vice president’s visit to Europe profoundly significant for Taiwan, adding that “diplomacy is a relay, a task that never ceases.”

Tsai said she would convey Taiwan’s determination to safeguard democracy and freedom to the world, as she announced her departure for Germany in a recorded video message released on Saturday.

Tsai is scheduled to give a speech at the Berlin Freedom Conference, she said, expressing her anticipation to deepen cooperation with Germany through a series of exchanges.

Echoing Lai, she said that Taiwan, as a trustworthy partner of the international community will firmly stand with Europe and other like-minded allies.

She would uphold such an attitude to show the world Taiwan’s resolve to protect freedom and democracy, Tsai said.

Additional reporting by CNA

people: 賴清德 蕭美琴 蔡英文

title: Taiwan stands with Europe: Lai


title: Fung-wong approaches Taiwan, batters Philippines

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The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow.

As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data.

The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added.

The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said.

CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said that according to current data forecasts, the typhoon’s center is expected to make landfall in Taiwan between Wednesday evening and early morning on Thursday.

The exact location of landfall requires further observation, he said, adding the central and southern regions have a higher probability, but areas like Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli County cannot be ruled out.

A woman walks beside tents at an evacuation center in Quezon city, Philippines, as Typhoon Fung-wong makes landfall yesterday. Photo: AP

Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said Fung-wong might weaken as it approaches Taiwan. Still, its interaction with the northeast seasonal winds could produce potentially disastrous levels of rainfall in northern and eastern Taiwan this week.

Meanwhile, Fung-wong battered the Philippines’ northeastern coast ahead of landfall yesterday, leaving at least two people dead and forcing more than a million people to evacuate from areas at high risk of flash floods, landslide and tidal surges, officials said.

It approached from the Pacific while the Philippines was still dealing with the devastation wrought by Typhoon Kalmaegi, which left at least 224 people dead in central provinces on Tuesday before pummeling Vietnam, where at least five were killed.

A villager drowned in flash floods in the Philippine province of Catanduanes and another died in Catbalogan city in eastern Samar province when she was pinned by debris, officials said.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr declared a state of emergency due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected calamity from Fung-wong, while Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro urged residents in the storm’s path to heed evacuation orders, warning that refusing to comply was dangerous and unlawful.

More than 1 million people were moved away from high-risk villages in northeastern provinces, including in Bicol, a coastal region vulnerable to Pacific cyclones and mudflows from Mayon, one of the country’s most active volcanoes.

More than 30 million people could be exposed to hazards posed by Fung-wong in the country, the Philippine Office of Civil Defense said.

Additional reporting by AP and Reuters


title: US to reject visas for chronic medical issues

content_text:
Applicants for immigrant visas to the US could be rejected if they have chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes or obesity, under a new directive from the US Department of State, US media outlet KFF Health News reported on Thursday.

The policy directs visa officers to deny applicants who might rely on public benefits due to health issues, age or their financial situation, the article said.

Sent to department employees through an internal cable, the guidance said that these people could become a “public charge,” or a drain on US public resources.

US flag, mock passport, 100 US dollar banknote and H-1B visa application form are seen in this illustration taken on Sept. 26. Photo: REUTERS

“Certain medical conditions — including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases and mental health conditions — can require hundreds of thousands of [US] dollars’ worth of care,” the cable said.

While the US visa application process has included a health screening for years, checking for communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and obtaining vaccine history, the new guidelines expand the medical conditions to be considered and give officers more power to make decisions based on the applicant’s health status, the article said.

The guidance even encourages officers to consider obesity, which it said can cause asthma, sleep apnea and high blood pressure, KFF said.

The change is part of US President Donald Trump’s “divisive and aggressive campaign to deport immigrants living without authorization in the US and dissuade others from immigrating into the country,” it said.

The cable directs officers to develop “their own thoughts about what could lead to some sort of medical emergency or sort of medical costs in the future,” even though they have no medical training.

Visa officers were also asked to consider if the applicant has the means to pay for medical treatment without help from the US government.

The cable’s language appears at odds with the Foreign Affairs Manual, the State Department’s handbook, which says that visa officers cannot reject an application based on “what if” scenarios, said Charles Wheeler, a senior attorney for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

In its coverage of this story published on Friday, the Hill said that the first Trump administration shifted public charge policies, expanding those who would be considered a drain on government resources.

The administration of former US president Joe Biden unwound this public charge rule, but the second Trump administration is again expanding the definition to dissuade immigrants from coming to the US, the Hill said.


title: Ukraine scrambles for electricity with generation at ‘zero’

content_text:
Ukraine was scrambling to turn lights and heating back on yesterday after Russian attacks targeted energy infrastructure, with the state power provider saying its generating capacity was reduced to “zero.”

Moscow, which has escalated attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure in the past few months, launched hundreds of drones at energy facilities across the country on Saturday.

Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s own infrastructure meanwhile left more than 20,000 people without power in regions bordering Ukraine, local authorities said.

The Russian attacks interrupted electricity, heat and water supplies in several cities, with state power firm Centerenergo warning its generating capacity “is down to zero.”

“An unprecedented number of missiles and countless drones — several per minute — targeted the same thermal power plants that we had restored after the devastating attack of 2024,” Centrenergo said in a statement.

Power was cut for between eight and 16 hours a day across most regions of Ukraine yesterday, state power transmission system operator Ukrenergo said, while repairs were carried out and energy sourcing diverted.

Ukrainian Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk called it “one of the most difficult nights” since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

While the situation had somewhat stabilized, regions including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Chernihiv and Sumy could continue to see regular power cuts, Hrynchuk said on Saturday evening.

“The enemy inflicted a massive strike with ballistic missiles, which are extremely difficult to shoot down. It is hard to recall such a number of direct strikes on energy facilities since the beginning of the invasion,” she told local broadcaster United News.

Russian drones had targeted two nuclear power substations deep in western Ukraine, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said, calling on the UN’s nuclear watchdog to respond.

“Russia is deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe. We call for an urgent meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors to respond to these unacceptable risks,” he wrote on Telegram late on Saturday, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Sybiha also urged China and India — traditionally large buyers of Russian oil — to pressure Moscow to cease its attacks.

Russia has targeted the power and heating grid throughout its almost four-year invasion, destroying a large part of the key civilian infrastructure.

The weekend’s barrage was the ninth massive attack on gas infrastructure since early last month, Ukraine’s energy company Naftogaz said.

Kyiv’s School of Economics estimated in a report that the attacks shut down half of Ukraine’s natural gas production.

Ukraine has in turn stepped up strikes on Russian oil depots and refineries in recent months, seeking to cut off Moscow’s vital energy exports and trigger fuel shortages across the country.


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AVOID DISRUPTIONS: The Brussels trip was kept highly classified, with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim not knowing about the trip until shortly before departure, a source said

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) trip to Brussels, where she delivered an address at the European Parliament, marks a new chapter in Taiwan-EU relations, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday.

“The visit marks a historic step forward for Taiwan’s diplomacy, as the nation’s vice president visited a country without official ties [to Taiwan] for the first time and delivered a speech at the European Parliament,” Lin wrote on Facebook.

“Under this new model, Taiwan and Europe will continue to explore more possibilities for cooperation and exchanges,” he wrote. “Taiwan will be more confident in its efforts to move forward on the world stage.”

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, front center, poses after her address at the European Parliament in Brussels on Friday. Photo: AP

Hsiao and Lin on Friday were in Brussels for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China’s (IPAC) annual summit, during which the vice president gave a speech titled “Taiwan: A Trusted Partner in a Volatile World.”

While Taiwan’s leaders have spoken to parliaments of diplomatic allies before, this was a first at a non-diplomatic partner’s legislature.

Beijing strongly protested the visit.

A spokesperson for the Chinese mission to the EU labeled IPAC an “anti-China organization.”

“Despite China’s strong opposition and solemn representations, the European Parliament allowed leading ‘Taiwanese independence’ figures such as Hsiao Bi-khim to enter its building to attend the summit and carry out ‘Taiwanese independence’ separatist activities,” they said on Saturday, adding that the European Parliament contravened the “one China” principle and is “eroding political mutual trust between China and the EU.”

Lin said he has visited Europe four times since becoming foreign minister last year, which helped deepen mutual trust and laid the groundwork for Hsiao’s visit.

Anticipating possible disruption from China, the trip was kept highly classified, he said.

He also thanked President William Lai (賴清德) for his trust, and European lawmakers for inviting Hsiao to speak.

A diplomatic source said that Hsiao did not know she would be traveling to Brussels until shortly before her departure.

She was initially told her speech would be delivered through a pre-recorded video, the source said.

Despite China’s protests, European officials remained supportive and helped facilitate the visit, the source added.

Tunghai University political science professor Lin Tzu-li (林子立) said Hsiao’s trip was “the most impressive performance of Taiwan’s parliamentary diplomacy in recent years.”

“It will not be the last time we see Taiwan’s senior officials speaking in parliaments or congresses in other democratic countries,” he added.

people: 賴清德 林佳龍 蕭美琴

title: Hsiao IPAC speech a new chapter in Taiwan-EU ties


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Taiwanese civic groups yesterday held a rally in Taipei to back jailed Hong Kong democracy advocates Lee Cheuk-yan (李卓人) and Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤), urging the Hong Kong government to immediately and unconditionally release them.

Lee and Chow, former chairperson and vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, have been held in pre-trial detention since Sept. 9, 2021, on charges of “inciting subversion of state power” under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, which was imposed in 2020.

They allegedly incited people to participate in an unauthorized assembly commemorating people who were killed during the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Participants arrange candles at a rally in support of Hong Kong activists in Taipei yesterday. Photo: George Tsung, Taipei Times

The alliance held the assembly annually on June 4 from 1990 to 2020 at Victoria Park in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai District until the Hong Kong government began to lock down the park.

Lee’s and Chow’s trials were due to begin in May, but were postponed to tomorrow and delayed again to Jan. 22 next year.

Nonprofit organizations in Taiwan and supporters of Hong Kong democracy yesterday gathered in Taipei’s Ximending (西門町) to show their support for the pair and other political prisoners in Hong Kong.

They called on the Hong Kong government to immediately and unconditionally release Lee and Chow, and drop all charges against them, as well as abolish all statutes that infringe on human rights in Hong Kong, including the National Security Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and Article 23 of the Basic Law.

Taiwanese human rights advocate Lee Ming-che (李明哲) — the first Taiwanese arrested and imprisoned in China for “subverting state power” — said the alliance and Hong Kong pro-democracy party League of Social Democrats in 2017 marched to the Chinese Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to protest his arrest.

Lee Ming-che cited Lee Cheuk-yan as saying at the time that the Chinese government considers any criticism about its human rights records “subversive of state power.”

It was ironic that he returned to Taiwan in 2022 after serving prison time in China and attended the rally yesterday to advocate for releasing Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow, Lee Ming-che said.

“If peacefully holding a candlelight vigil for the June 4 incident in Hong Kong can be charged with subversion, it is evident that a regime like the People’s Republic of China should not exist in modern civilized society,” he said.

Taiwan Association for Human Rights executive committee member Chiu Yu-bin (邱毓斌) said what Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow did in Hong Kong was legal in Taiwan.

Taiwanese should not forget that social movements in Hong Kong supported democracy movements in Taiwan for more than 40 years, he said.

Taiwan used to have a lot of prisoners of conscience during its martial law period from 1949 to 1987 and Taiwanese’s calls for human rights were mostly voiced to the world by Hong Kongers, as it had more freedom than Taiwan, despite the lack of democracy, Chiu said.

Workers in Taiwan should also be grateful to Hong Kong’s labor movements, as many legal protections for Taiwanese workers such as minimum wages followed the example of Hong Kong, he said.

New School for Democracy project manager Hu Chia-ying (胡嘉穎) said all of Lee Cheuk-yan’s and Chow’s bail applications had been denied, so their imprisonment was an endless punishment for them.

When the Chinese government extended its oppression of freedom of speech beyond its borders, what it challenged was not only Hong Kong, but the boundaries of the entire free world, she said.

“We are paying attention to Hong Kong not just out of sympathy, but also to bolster Taiwan’s democracy defense,” Hu said.

Hong Kong’s inability to tell its own story today is a reminder to Taiwanese that we must improve our social resilience, she said.

“We must defend against authoritarianism and safeguard pluralistic society and freedom of speech,” Hu said. “If we get used to staying silent, silence would one day envelop Taiwan again.”

title: Civic groups rally for HK activists


content_text:
REACTION:  The KMT would signal to the world that cross-strait relations are China’s internal affairs and make unification inevitable, activist Lee Ming-che said

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) wants Taiwan to follow in Macau’s footsteps in terms of its relationship with China and help Beijing embed its cultural narrative in Taiwanese society, Taiwanese democracy advocate Lee Ming-che (李明哲) said yesterday.

Lee made the comment after Cheng said, “let Taiwanese be proud to say, ‘I am Chinese,’” and that “Beijing does not want to turn Taiwan into a second Hong Kong.”

In the eyes of Beijing, Macau’s “one country, two systems” model works better than Hong Kong’s, Lee said.

Beijing infiltrated all levels of Macau’s society through years of cultural indoctrination, making it indistinguishable from Chinese society by the time it was handed over to China, Lee said.

Macau’s experience offers insight into the actions of Cheng and the KMT, especially her attendance on Saturday at an event honoring people killed during the White Terror, including Communist spy Wu Shi (吳石), he said.

The event aligned with Beijing’s viewpoint, as it honored Wu as a “martyr” and included a special article commemorating him, Lee added.

Cheng’s remarks, such as saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not a dictator and commenting on China’s celebration of Taiwan Retrocession Day, showed the party is increasingly aligning with Beijing’s narratives, Lee said.

Cheng and today’s KMT resemble Chinese community organizations in pre-handover Macau, which fully cooperated with China, he said.

Under the banner of “cross-strait peace,” they seek to embed China’s historical, cultural and educational narratives into Taiwanese society, even though those narratives go against the KMT’s past, he added.

These people want to help China replicate the Macau system of governance in Taiwan, allowing Chinese culture and history to take root, Lee said, adding that the KMT, through its legislative majority, hopes to change the educational system to make Taiwanese identify with Chinese culture and believe they are Chinese.

If the KMT under Cheng takes power in 2028, it would signal to the world that Taiwanese are Chinese and that cross-strait relations are China’s internal affairs, making Taiwan’s unification with China inevitable, he said.

Cheng aims to place Taiwan into China’s hands without any conflict, like Macau, Lee said.

As Cheng gains more control of the KMT with China’s help, those within the party who still advocate for the Republic of China would slowly disappear, Lee added.

people: 李明哲 鄭麗文

title: KMT chair wants Taiwan to be like Macau: activist


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EXPERT’S PRAISE:  Taiwan is a shining beacon in bird-watching, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology director Ian Owens said, calling the eBird Taiwan portal ‘a pioneer’

The eBird Taiwan portal has documented about 1.4 million bird sightings since it was launched 10 years ago, making it the seventh-biggest contribution to such records worldwide, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute said.

Collecting and compiling bird-watching data is such a massive undertaking that local ornithologists mobilized citizen scientists when the Taiwan Breeding Bird Survey project was implemented in 2009, institute researcher Lin Ruey-shing (林瑞興) said last week.

More than 1.4 million sightings of 679 bird species were uploaded to eBird Taiwan by more than 10,500 bird-watchers since the platform was launched in August 2015, Lin said.

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology director Ian Owens, front, center, poses for a photograph with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute and Wild Bird Society of Taipei at a news conference in Taipei on Monday last week. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute via CNA

The eBird portal is not only a database, but a powerful system that incorporates the “Merlin” app, which helps beginners learn about birds, he said.

Merlin was localized into traditional Chinese in 2020 and has had about 8,000 users since then, Lin said.

It can be downloaded for free, and its artificial intelligence-powered system enables users to identify bird species via images and sounds, he said.

Users can also use the app to record bird images, sounds or videos, and upload the information to eBird Taiwan simultaneously, he added.

The app’s automatic bird sound recognition was developed with assistance from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) as part of its “Eco Plus Ecological Harmony Program,” Lin said.

As part of the program, TSMC is also helping eBird Taiwan compile the Taiwan Bird Atlas, which is expected to be 90 percent completed by 2028, and would include bird habitat information and behavior observations, he said.

The Taiwan Wild Bird Federation digitalized the bird-watching data it has been collecting since the 1970s and uploaded them to eBird Taiwan, boosting the portal’s significance, Lin said.

Combined with data uploaded by members of the public, eBird Taiwan’s biodiversity data account for about 60 percent of all biodiversity data in the nation, he said.

Such a large amount of data would not only facilitate bird research and conservation, but also raise global visibility of local birds and attract more overseas bird-watchers to Taiwan, he added.

Wild Bird Society of Taipei president Chang Jui-lin (張瑞麟) said the federation has been collaborating with the institute for decades.

Aside from data collection and compilation, the federation is also dedicated to training member of the public on using eBird Taiwan and Merlin, with many online or physical lectures and training programs held to help boost local bird study capacity, he said.

Taiwan is a shining beacon in bird-watching, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology director Ian Owens said.

“Again and again, eBird Taiwan has been a pioneer [in] applying new technology to understand nature,” Owens said.

“That remains true today with this artificial intelligence technology to automatically find new species... This is a fundamental change in bird-watching and how we monitor biodiversity,” he added.

title: Ministry touts bird-watching portal


taiwan-subdivisions: 清水 光復

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Hualien on alert for possible new landslide lake as typhoon nears

Authorities in Hualien County are preparing for possible large-scale evacuations as Typhoon Fung-Wong approaches Taiwan, with officials warning that extreme rainfall could trigger the formation of a new landslide lake on Mataian River (馬太鞍溪).

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said yesterday that a new barrier lake could form if three extreme conditions occur simultaneously -- 24-hour accumulated rainfall of 800 millimeters, the collapse of the existing Mataian barrier lake holding about 1.5 million cubic meters of water, and a massive slope landslide blocking the river channel.

If these conditions are met, the resulting lake could store up to 15 million cubic meters of water and, if it later collapses, could unleash floodwaters at a peak rate of around 4,500 cubic meters per second, the agency estimated.

The Mataian River barrier lake in Hualien County is pictured using a drone on Oct. 28. Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien branch

Monitoring data yesterday showed the current Mataian barrier lake’s water level at 1,019.5 meters, with a volume of about 1.49 million cubic meters -- only 1.6 percent of its pre-overflow level. The downstream slope remains stable, with no signs of major collapse, according to the agency.

With forecasts of nearly 282 mm of rain over the next 48 hours, the agency’s Hualien Branch issued a yellow alert yesterday morning and sent emergency cell-broadcast messages to residents downstream, urging them to follow evacuation instructions if a red alert is issued.

Guangfu Township (光復), located downstream of the creek, has begun preparations for potential evacuations affecting more than 5,500 residents, according to township chief Lin Ching-shui (林清水).

Plans include relocation to seven designated shelters, staying with relatives, or moving to higher floors in homes, Lin said, adding that about 1,420 people are expected to take shelter in evacuation centers such as Guangfu Elementary School and Fuyuan Junior High School.

Lin said shelters would be set up this morning, and evacuation will begin once a red alert is issued.

Households that were submerged by more than 1.5 meters of floodwater during the overflow of the Matai’an barrier lake on Sept. 23 will be required to evacuate rather than shelter in place, he added.

The Central Weather Administration said earlier that a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong could be issued as early as this afternoon.


content_text:
Taiwan next year plans to launch its first nationwide census on elderly people living independently to identify the estimated 700,000 seniors to strengthen community-based healthcare and long-term care services, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) said yesterday.

Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said on the sidelines of a healthcare seminar that the nation’s rapidly aging population and declining birthrate have made the issue of elderly people living alone increasingly pressing.

The survey, to be jointly conducted by the MOHW and the Ministry of the Interior, aims to establish baseline data and better allocate care resources, he said.

A plaque bearing the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s name is pictured at its headquarters in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

About 700,000 elderly people in Taiwan live independently, including those living alone and elderly couples living without other family members, according to local government estimates.

The government plans to allocate NT$6.2 billion (US$200 million) from a special act on national resilience to complete a full visitation program within two years, ensuring that every independent elderly person receives at least one visit, Shih said.

The census would cover all elderly people living independently, regardless of income, and assess them based on family support, health condition and ability to perform daily activities.

Seniors would be classified as high, medium or low-risk.

Those deemed high risk or in need of closer monitoring would receive tailored services such as meal delivery, regular visits or installation of emergency alert devices to help reduce deaths among elderly people living alone, Shih said.

He added that the assessment data would guide resource allocation under the 10-year Long-term Care 3.0 program, which begins next year and emphasizes integrated care centered around people, families and communities.

In addition, Shih said the MOHW plans to expand its newborn care pediatrician system — under which a designated doctor and medical team monitor children’s health up to age 3 — to cover all preschoolers up to age 6.

Designated pediatricians act as “guardian angels” who oversee children’s growth, vaccinations and preventive care, he said, adding that they can also remind parents about fluoride treatments or refer children for developmental assessments when needed.

title: Taiwan to survey elderly people living on their own


title: Taiwanese people should consume less sugar: experts

content_text:
Experts on Wednesday urged stronger government action to curb sugar intake among Taiwanese, as the rate of diabetes among those younger than 40 rose by 25 percent from 2016 to 2020, with poor diet cited as a major contributing factor.

Taiwan has more than 2.56 million diabetes patients, and is facing the twin challenges of an aging population and a growing number of early-onset diabetes cases, the Taiwanese Association of Diabetes Educators (TADE) said in an annual report.

More than 20 percent of those with diabetes are diagnosed before they turn 50, while cases among those younger than 40 have increased by about 25 percent, National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research chief executive officer Hsu Chih-cheng (許志成) said.

Representatives from the Taiwanese Association of Diabetes Educators and the National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research hold placards at a news conference in Taipei on Wednesday last week. Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times

Diabetes is no longer limited to middle-aged and older adults, Hsu said.

Younger people face a longer duration with the disease and earlier onset of related complications such as retinopathy, kidney disease and cardiovascular conditions — posing long-term burdens on them and the healthcare system, he said.

Unhealthy lifestyles — including high-sugar diets and lack of exercise — are driving the rise among young people, he added.

More than 30 percent of adults drink sugary beverages daily, with an even higher proportion among teenagers, a national health survey showed.

Sugar reduction has become a global public health priority, nutritionist and TADE supervisor Ouyang Chung-mei (歐陽鍾美) said.

Ouyang cited local studies showing that about 70 percent of bottled drinks sold in Taiwan are “high-sugar” products, with 41.6 percent exceeding the WHO’s recommended limit of 25g of sugar per serving.

Nearly all full-sugar bubble teas (98 percent) greatly exceed that limit, and even “low-sugar” or 30 percent sweetened versions did so in 28 percent of samples, she said.

Ouyang urged the government to learn from the experience of the UK, South Africa and Singapore by introducing mandatory nutrition warning labels, expanding health education in schools and communities, and raising the sugar tax.

She also said the food industry should support sugar reduction policies by reformulating products, while helping to build a healthier food environment that prevents diabetes and other chronic diseases.


content_text:
By Yao Yue-hung, Chiu Chun-fu and Jason Pan / Staff reporters

More than 90 percent of people think the public safety situation in their community is “good,” while 82.25 percent said they were “satisfied” with their administrative region’s safety status, a survey by the National Police Agency showed.

While this was the fifth straight year the community (91.78 percent) and administrative region indices measured more than 90 percent and 80 percent respectively, only 51.32 percent said they were satisfied with the safety situation in the entire nation.

The nation’s safety rating increased by 5 percent from last year, but was still significantly lower than the other two indices.

A police officer stands in an MRT train in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Taipei Police Department’s Rapid Transit Division

Negative media coverage and news of major security incidents could easily influence the public perception of safety in the nation, hence the disparity between national and local indices, a ranking NPA official said.

The NPA is focused on combating telecom fraud, with a priority to crack down on criminal organizations offering high-return investments or pretending to be police officers, the official said.

Authorities aim to cut money flows to such criminal organizations and confiscate illegal profits, they said.

Police have received 14,109 reports on fraud cases in September, averaging 470 a day, with victims losing a cumulativeNT$6.7 billion (US$215.9 million), averaging NT$223.3 million a day, NPA data showed.

The numbers for September were an improvement from a year earlier, when 18,015 cases were reported, with losses totaling NT$11.9 billion.

The Ministry of the Interior on Oct. 1 started offering rewards to people providing tip-offs regarding fraud, with the highest reward being NT$10 million.

Only those who are the first to report a case could receive awards, and they need to go to a local police unit or a judiciary body to file the claim in person, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said.

title: Most Taiwanese think their community is safe


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A 35-year-old man suspected of illegal drug use who allegedly rammed a police vehicle in Kaohsiung and fled early yesterday morning was taken into custody hours later in Tainan, authorities said.

The Kaohsiung Police Department’s Sinsing Precinct said officers on patrol noticed a vehicle illegally parked at the corner of Mingxing Street and Nantai Road at 3:25am.

Officers who approached the car found that it was full of a strong-smelling smoke, and got one of the occupants — a 17-year-old male in the passenger seat — to exit the vehicle for questioning, the department said.

A police vehicle allegedly rammed by a man suspected of illegal drug use is pictured in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo courtesy of a member of the public

The car’s driver, a 35-year-old man surnamed Huang (黃), initially pretended to comply with the officers’ instructions, before starting the car and attempting to flee, police said.

As Huang fled, he allegedly reversed his vehicle into the front right side of a police car and knocked an officer to the ground. Officers fired six shots at the back tires of Huang’s vehicle but were unable to stop him from escaping.

The officer who was injured later received stitches for a laceration on his left forearm, the department said.

Kaohsiung police said they continued tracking Huang’s vehicle using technical means, while also notifying Tainan police as he fled in that direction.

Officers located and arrested Huang at 11:35am in Tainan’s Yongkang District (永康), seizing an undisclosed quantity of ketamine, police said.

Huang would be drug tested to determine whether he had been driving under the influence, Kaohsiung police said.

Following questioning, he would be turned over to prosecutors on suspicion of offenses against public safety and other crimes, the department said.

title: Man arrested after police car rammed in Kaohsiung


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BOOSTING DAIRY FARMING:  As the government would subsidize half of the mandatory insurance premium, farmers would need to pay NT$925 for each dairy cow

Mandatory dairy cattle insurance is to take effect from Jan. 1 next year, with the government subsidizing half of the insurance premium, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

The Regulations Governing Mandatory Insurance and Premium Subsidy of Dairy Cattle Death Insurance were established based on the Agricultural Insurance Act (農業保險法) to bolster operational risk diversification for dairy farmers, the ministry said.

The dairy cattle insurance coverage rate nationwide increased to 82.6 percent last year, it said.

With the insurance enforced next year, data on dairy and beef cattle would be integrated into a database to observe the livestock industry more precisely, it said.

As the government would subsidize half of the insurance premium, farmers would bear NT$925 for each dairy cow, the ministry said.

Farmers whose insured cattle is culled can receive NT$30,000 in compensation for the first cow and an additional compensation of up to NT$17,000 each for others, it said, urging dairy farmers to promptly apply for the insurance via local farmers’ associations.

Separately, the ministry’s Taiwan Livestock Research Institute has developed several techniques to help dairy farmers enhance cattle health, increase milk production and reduce required workforce.

Given increasing temperatures due to climate change, dairy cattle tend to have poor appetite and less milk yield, caused by heat stress, the ministry said.

Sprinkling water has been a common approach to lower temperatures, but it can dampen cowsheds and increase the risk of mastitis, it said.

Therefore, the institute developed an infrared thermography inspection technique that can help diagnose mastitis, the ministry said.

The ministry said it had introduced exported milking robots and feces cleaning robot vacuums to the domestic market, and also developed a feces cleaning machine.

title: Cattle insurance to be enforced next year


title: Indians see their colonial past in Taiwanese novel

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Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi’s novel Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄) has resonated deeply with Indian readers since its release there last month, with many thinking its portrayal of identity under Japanese rule reflects their own colonial experience, Indian publishers said.

For many Indian readers, Yang’s book has offered a rare window into Taiwan — a place seldom featured in India’s cultural imagination, said publishing professionals who attended her book talk in New Delhi on Nov. 6.

“This book is a great introduction to Taiwan — the food, the culture, the history,” Divyanshi Dash said.

Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi, right, poses for a photograph with Indian publisher Divyanshi Dash at an event in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: CNA

Set a century ago, the novel traces daily life and self-discovery under colonial rule.

“There are a lot of things that are different from the present Taiwan, but reading about Taiwan’s history has made me more interested in its present as well,” Dash said.

Editor and journalist Swati Daftuar said the book’s strength lies in how it allows Indian readers to view colonialism through a perspective beyond their own.

The book has “become a bridge” between Taiwan and India, she said, revealing how colonial structures seep into everyday life — from writing and food to travel.

Just as Japanese-era soups became part of Taiwan’s culinary identity, India’s enduring use of tea and sugar shows how colonial imports have woven themselves into local culture, she said.

Yang said such reflections are exactly what she hoped her work would evoke.

Colonial history is the heart of her novel, though wrapped in layers of storytelling, she said at the event, adding that she wanted to depict the complex emotions Taiwanese people still feel toward Japan.

Facing that history means acknowledging contradiction, and people cannot just embrace the parts they like and ignore the rest, she said.

“We need to recognize the wounds and the power structures that shaped who we are,” she added.

Yang also found the Taiwan-India parallels deeply meaningful, citing extensive railway systems built during their colonial periods by Japanese and British respectively.

Those railways connected people across regions, helping them feel, perhaps for the first time, that they belonged to the same land, she said.

“Despite differences in ethnicity, language or lifestyle, people began to recognize each other as part of the same nation,” she added.

Taiwan Travelogue won last year’s US National Book Award for Translated Literature — becoming the first Taiwanese work to do so.

In related news, Lin King (金翎), the English translator of Taiwan Travelogue, and the novel’s editor, Yuka Igarashi, have won a translation prize from the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA).

The association on Thursday announced this year’s ALTA First Translation Prize winners at an awards ceremony as part of its annual conference held in Tucson, Arizona.

As the translator, “King navigates the novel’s shifting linguistic and historical registers with precision and flair, preserving its layered complexity while bringing its sensuous prose and intellectual play into English,” ALTA said. “This is a rare and remarkable act of translation, one that reflects upon itself as a translation.”


title: Surf’s up

content_text: Australians Lucy Darragh, left and Reef Heazlewood pose for a photograph with a trophy after winning the championships for the women’s final and men’s final, respectively, at the Taiwan Open of Surfing, a World Surf League Qualifying Series 6000 event, in Taitung yesterday.


content_text: TSG Hawks players hold banners during a meet-and-greet event with fans at Chengcing Lake Baseball Stadium in Kaohsiung yesterday. More than 3,000 fans took part in the event, organizers said.

title: Fan day


title: China suspends export ban on dual-use metals to US

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INDUSTRIAL/MILITARY:  China postponed bans on three metals necessary for both electronics and consumer tech as well as military applications until late next year

China suspended an export ban to the US that had targeted gallium, germanium and antimony, metals crucial for modern technology, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced yesterday in a de-escalation of the trade war with Washington.

The restrictions banned the export of dual-use goods, materials that can have both civilian and military applications.

Imposed December last year, the ban is suspended until November next year, the ministry said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands after their meeting at Gimhae International Airport Jinping in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30. Photo: AP

The announcement comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump met on Oct. 30 in South Korea and agreed to walk back some punitive measures imposed during their tit-for-tat tariff escalation.

At one point, duties on both sides had reached prohibitive triple-digit levels, hampering trade between the world’s two largest economies and snarling global supply chains.

Throughout the trade war, China has sought to leverage its chokehold over the critical minerals underpinning everything from smartphones to advanced military technology. Gallium, germanium and antimony are not classed as rare earth elements but are crucial for entire sectors of the economy.

China accounts for 94 percent of the world’s production of gallium — used in integrated circuits, LEDs and photovoltaic panels — according to a report by the EU published last year.

For germanium, essential for fiber optics and infrared sensors, China makes up 83 percent of production.

Antimony is used both in battery technology and by the arms industry to reinforce armor plating and ammunition.

In its brief statement, the ministry also announced the easing of restrictions on exports of graphite-related products, which had likewise been banned under the controls on dual-use goods.

These are the latest de-escalation measures taken by Beijing since the Xi-Trump meeting.

Last week, China announced that it would extend the suspension of additional tariffs on US goods for one year, keeping them at 10 percent.

The commerce ministry said it would cease applying additional tariffs imposed since March on soybeans and a number of other US agricultural products. These measures severely impacted a key source of Trump’s political support, farmers.

Trump announced at the end of last month that China had agreed to suspend the restrictions imposed on Oct. 9 on the export of rare earths technology for one year.

Rare earths are a field dominated by China and are essential for manufacturing in many areas.


title: Gasoline prices decline while diesel stays stable

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Gasoline prices are to drop NT$0.2 per liter this week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday, after international oil prices fell last week.

Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to fall to NT$27.1, NT$28.6 and NT$30.6 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, the companies said in separate statements.

However, premium diesel is to stay at NT$25.7 per liter at CPC stations and NT$25.5 at Formosa pumps, they added.

The companies said crude oil prices moved lower last week after OPEC+ agreed to another modest production increase of 137,000 barrels a day for next month.

Adding to the bearish sentiment in the oil market, the latest data from the US Energy Information Administration showed US crude stockpiles rose more than expected in the week ending on Oct. 31, while the US purchasing managers’ index of manufacturing activity fell to 48.7 last month from 49.1 in September, the companies added.

Front-month Brent crude oil futures — the international oil benchmark — last week fell 1.76 percent to settle at US$63.63 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange, while West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures — the US oil gauge — lost 2.02 percent to close at US$59.75 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.


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Hon Hai and Mitsubishi sign MOU as they consider data center power needs

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mitsubishi Electric Corp for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) data center solutions, the iPhone assembler said in a statement on Thursday.

Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), said that the cooperation with Mitsubishi is intended to bring together the know-how and networks of both companies to facilitate the global supply of energy-efficient and highly reliable AI data center solutions.

“In the future, the two companies aim to jointly create new values, solutions and business models outside the AI data center field by leveraging their knowledge assets in the process of addressing social issues such as sustainability,” Hon Hai said.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co chairman Young Liu, left, and Mitsubishi Electric Corp CEO Kei Uruma pose for a photo after an MOU signing ceremony in Tokyo on Thursday as the two companies seek to cooperate on the future of AI data center power solutions. Photo: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co

The Taiwanese company is expected to take advantage of the strength of the Japanese firm in power module supply for the development of AI data center solutions, analysts said.

Mitsubishi ranks second globally in market share in power modules, according to statistics released by market information advisory firm OMDIA.

The Japanese firm takes the first spot in market share in the high voltage direct current technology that uses voltage source converters, OMDIA data showed.

Hon Hai has intensified its efforts in AI development in recent years to diversify its product portfolio.

The company’s consolidated sales grew 15.55 percent from a year earlier to NT$6.39 trillion (US$206.2 billion) in the first 10 months of this year. Hon Hai is scheduled to hold an investor conference on Wednesday to detail its third quarter results and give more guidance for the fourth quarter and beyond.


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US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc signed a deal to purchase development-stage obesity drugmaker Metsera Inc, winning a bidding war against Novo Nordisk A/S, the Danish drugmaker behind weight-loss treatments Ozempic and Wegovy.

Metsera, based in New York, has no products on the market, but it is developing oral and injectable treatments. That includes potential treatments that could target lucrative fields for obesity and diabetes.

The deal comes as Pfizer is attempting to develop its own stake in that market, several months after ending development of a potential pill treatment for obesity.

Pfizer’s company booth at the eighth China International Import Expo is pictured in Shanghai on Thursday. Photo: REUTERS

In a statement issued on Friday, Metsera said Pfizer would acquire the company for up to US$86.25 per share, consisting of US$65.60 per share in cash and a contingent value right entitling holders to additional payments of up to US$20.65 per share in cash.

Metsera cited US antitrust risks in Novo’s bid, saying in its statement that the board has determined Pfizer’s revised terms represent “the best transaction for shareholders, both from the perspective of value and certainty of closing.”

The deal comes three days after Novo Nordisk raised the stakes in its push to outbid Pfizer, on Tuesday saying it would offer to pay as much as US$10 billion for Metsera. That was higher than its previous bid of up to US$9 billion, which sparked a lawsuit from Pfizer.

Pfizer had altered the offer it made in September of nearly US$4.9 billion to provide more cash up front, Metsera had said.

New York-based Pfizer said in an E-mail that it was happy with the terms of the deal, and expects to close the transaction shortly following the Metsera shareholder meeting on Thursday.

Novo Nordisk on Saturday said it would not increase its offer and would leave the race to acquire Metsera.

title: Pfizer to acquire obesity drugmaker


title: Flower power

content_text: People visit the Taichung International Flower Carpet Festival in the city’s Sinshe District yesterday. The floral event features artistic installations, local agricultural products and more than 200 specialty products.


title: EDITORIAL: Long-term contest against the CCP

people: 范雲 邱志偉 賴清德 林佳龍 蕭美琴

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Two events happened on Friday last week that, while unrelated, are indicative of the direction President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration seeks to take Taiwan.

The first was Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on Friday addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China’s (IPAC) annual summit in Brussels. It was significant, as it was the first time a senior member of the government delivered a speech to a European legislature. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) was also present at the summit.

The nation has had many dealings with the inter-parliamentary group, which was founded in 2020. Last year’s annual meeting was held in Taipei, during which Lai gave a speech.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Fan Yun (范雲), who was also present during this week’s summit, was officially invited to join the group in 2023.

The second event was the launch of the Northeast Asia Economic and Security Cooperation Association, a new legislative caucus aimed at bolstering economic and security ties between Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. This initiative, too, is significant in that it is the largest caucus to date, with 35 cross-party legislators, signaling a welcome consensus on the importance of building ties with the two important regional partners.

It is because of the parliamentary-level nature of IPAC that Hsiao was able to attend a meeting at the European Parliament as vice president, hovering just below the level of provocation that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) might feel justified in railing against.

With outreach to IPAC, which brings together international partners concerned about the challenges of an increasingly disruptive China, and the association concentrating on securing “non-red” supply chain resilience with like-minded neighbors wary of the dangers of reliance on the whims of the CCP, a unified policy is emerging: dealing with China on a sub-government, parliamentary level. That is less exposed to Beijing’s anger against efforts by the administration to push for formal ties with other governments, or to the CCP intimidating foreign governments to comply with its “one China” principle.

There is another level at which this policy is working: With Washington under US President Donald Trump expecting allies to stand more on their own, the Lai administration is looking to reinforce ties with like-minded nations elsewhere. It is doing this via IPAC, which is part of a wider charm offensive led by Lin in Europe, and through increased engagement and regular meetings with partners and parliamentarians in South Korea and Japan on the regional level, as warmer relations between South Korea and Japan are moving into institutional stability under new administrations. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung signaled a commitment to deepen ties between the two countries when they met at the APEC summit in South Korea.

Hsiao in her speech framed the ties that bind Taiwan with IPAC within the context of shared values and of democracy against authoritarianism.

During the alliance’s inaugural meeting, convener and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) said the focus of the alliance was not on building friendly ties per se, but on business — on action to create opportunities, pool strengths and bolster resilience.

The objective remains the same: To build upon a shared desire to ensure peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, in what all participants understand would be a long-term contest with the CCP.


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Richard D. Fisher, Jr. On Taiwan: Fatal error: Beijing alienates Israel

Victory in conflict requires mastery of two “balances”: First, the balance of power, and second, the balance of error, or making sure that you do not make the most mistakes, thus helping your enemy’s victory.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has made a decisive and potentially fatal error by making an enemy of the Jewish Nation, centered today in the State of Israel but historically one of the great civilizations extending back at least 3,000 years.

Mind you, no Israeli leader has ever publicly declared that “China is our enemy,” but on October 28, 2025, self-described Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) propaganda worker Zhao Da Shuai (趙大帥) stated on the “X” platform, in a post gaining over 132,000 views:

“People of the world needs [sic] to realize this; China’s liberation of Taiwan is part of the global struggle against Zionism.”

Why would this CCP-sanctioned wannabe Tokyo Rose, who is emerging as a leading CCP psywar bot on the X platform, conflate the destruction of a free Taiwan with the destruction of “Zionism,” code for Israel?

The answer has dimensions both historic and immediate — with Zhao’s post linking to the October 24-28 first ever visit to Taiwan of a 200-member strong delegation from The America-Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC), one of the most effective and powerful lobbying combines in Washington, D.C.

A political and recent indirect kinetic confrontation between the CCP and Israel has been long in the making, as has been the journey of AIPAC to Taipei — which now portends decisive strategic impact benefitting freedom in Taiwan, Israel and the world.

The CCP’s antipathy toward Israel started with Mao Zedong (毛澤東), who in March 1965 generated a crowd of 100,000 to greet the first visiting delegation from the Palestine Liberation Organization, and first promoted a pan-Arab-Palestinian alliance against Israel, saying:

“You are not only two million Palestinians facing Israel, but one hundred million Arabs. You must act and think along this basis.”

And likely during that visit Mao previewed a CCP objective of destroying Taiwan and Israel, saying: “Imperialism is afraid of China and the Arabs. Israel and Formosa [Taiwan] are the bases of imperialism in Asia… They created Israel for you and Formosa for us.”

Mao also warned of horrific casualties, saying, “I told them that peoples must not be afraid if their numbers are reduced in liberation wars... China lost twenty million people in the struggle for liberation.”

Mao’s dream of a pan-Arab coalition against Israel survived him, with organizing diplomacy occurring during the later term of CCP leader Jiang Zemin (江澤民) and under his successor Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).

This resulted in the first 2004 China-Arab States Cooperation forum, that by 2014 began discussions which would lead to incorporating the Belt and Road Initiative, and was elevated in 2022 to the first China-Arab States Summit of state leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

While increasing its political support for the Palestinian cause, for most of this period the CCP also sought a profitable relationship with Israel.

The 1972 Nixon-Kissinger US rapprochement with China led to the beginning of arms sales discussions to counter the Soviet Union during the later Clinton Administration, which also saw Israel and China begin a significant arms sales relationship.

This included sales of Israeli Aircraft Industries Lavi fighter technology that became the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation J-10 fighter; sale of the Harpy anti-radar drone that serves today in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as the ASN-301; and Phalcon phased-array airborne radar tech, which helped the Shaanxi KJ-2000 airborne early warning and control system (AWACS).

The latter arms sale spurred the later Clinton and early George W. Bush administrations into action, aided in this opposition by prominent Jewish-American voices like New York Times columnist A.M. Rosenthal, who in a March 17, 1992 column wrote: “Any arms sale to Communist China is contrary to Israel’s national interests and its status as a democratic country.”

In the late 1990s as this analyst accumulated research on foreign technology assisting PLA modernization while working with The Heritage Foundation think tank, a meeting there with AIPAC analysts yielded disagreements over the significance of Israeli military tech sales to China.

But in about a year these same analysts were agreeing with my concerns, while Israel had curtailed most military sales to China by the mid-2000s; today Israel remains one of the world’s most innovative developers of cutting-edge military technology, which could now benefit Taiwan.

But as Washington both lacked consensus regarding the CCP threat, and did not have anything approaching an integrated strategy for deterring or even ending the CCP threat, isolated anti-arms sales campaigns, which also included Europe, did little to prevent the CCP from massing superpower levels of economic and military power.

Under the current CCP leadership of Xi Jinping (習近平), which has accelerated the pursuit of another dream of Mao’s — global hegemony — there emerges a clearer parallel: the increasingly simultaneous prosecution of “Israel for you and Formosa for us.”

As the CCP built its political, economic and even military relationship power among Arab states, it also worked to turn the radical Islamist Mullah dictatorship in Iran into its main Middle East missile and future nuclear-armed proxy.

Chinese provision of military technology allowed Iran to build a massive missile and drone complex, while Chinese purchases of Iranian petroleum funded Iran’s nuclear weapons program and its supply of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, creating missile-armed terrorist proxies aimed at Israel.

In August 2022, Xi’s PLA initiated its first combined-arms missile, air, and naval blockade-to-invasion exercises around Taiwan, and about a year later China’s indirect support for a combined Hamas-Iran coalition allowed the commencement of its horrific Oct. 7, 2023 war against Israel — while CCP hate propaganda against Israel began in earnest.

Xi was likely betting that Iran would be building nuclear weapons by the time Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran would be delivering destruction, even defeat, against Israel — at least to the degree that the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia would recognize China as the primary Middle East power-political leader over the United States.

It is likely that the CCP was ready to reward such a shift by enabling leading Arab powers like Saudi Arabia to obtain Chinese nuclear weapons, directly or indirectly via Pakistan or North Korea.

But herein lies the CCP’s and Xi’s potentially fatal mistake: harkening back to the biblical Old Testament Book of Samuel battle of David versus Goliath, Israel has been a leading innovator in “asymmetric warfare” — ask the Egyptians, who learned this in 1967 and the Syrians, who learned in 1982.

Furthermore, Israel has never hesitated to use its strengths and take timely action against threats, from engineering the defections of Soviet combat aircraft that would populate Cold War US Aggressor Squadrons, to its January 2018 theft of an archive of Iranian nuclear program documents, to its uncanny ability to find active allies among the oppressed populations of enemy dictatorships.

It was this later talent that enabled Israel to manipulate Hezbollah into replacing its main communication pagers and radios with new models with small explosives, that on Sept. 17 last year were triggered, resulting in about 3,000 casualties, mainly injuries, literally hobbling Hezbollah’s threat.

Likewise, Israel’s 12-day war against Iran in June this year, that was primarily directed against Iran’s China-enabled nuclear program, was also used by Israel to attack Iran’s airpower, and with the help of many regime-oppressed Iranians, to direct attacks aimed at decapitating Iran’s political and military leadership.

Israel effectively cleared the way for US President Donald Trump’s successful June 22, 2025 US Air Force B-2 bomber attacks against many of Iran’s nuclear weapons development bases, setting back both Iran’s and China’s agenda for reshaping the power order of the Middle East.

But the CCP retaliated on a propitious anniversary, Sept. 17, 2025, by enabling a military alliance between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to be a nuclear weapons alliance by virtue of China’s decades of providing Pakistan with nuclear weapons and long-range missile technology — which may now include provision of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology (or indirectly via North Korea).

So, while the administration of President William Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and AIPAC were likely formulating their schedule for many months, it is also propitious that the AIPAC delegation arrived in Taipei about a month after the formation of the China-enabled Saudi-Pakistan nuclear alliance.

The CCP’s desire to destroy Israel and Taiwan is grounded in the dicta of Mao Zedong and his desire to achieve global hegemony via the destruction of democracies and their alliances, starting with Taiwan but now to include the destruction of Israel.

Will the leadership in Taiwan and the United States seize swiftly the opportunities for creative opposition to the CCP hegemon offered by Israel’s asymmetric strategies and capabilities, developed over decades at great cost?

And, will the CCP and Xi Jinping come to realize that their ceaseless drive to suppress the human spirit has created scores of free-thinking soldiers that could flee in their aircraft to Taiwan, thousands of cities with decades of economic and human rights scandals waiting to be exposed, hundreds of massive digital servers of CCP records waiting to be cyber-stolen, and untold millions of Chinese citizens waiting for the right “spark” to rebel?

In other words, the costs of the CCP’s fatal mistake.

Richard D. Fisher, Jr. is a senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

people: 胡錦濤 賴清德 習近平


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The Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2020 issued the Regulations on the Dismissal, Non-renewal, Suspension or Layoff of Teachers at the Senior High School Level and Below (高級中等以下學校教師解聘不續聘停聘或資遣辦法) to deal with situations in which teaching staff find themselves accused of misconduct.

According to Article 4, upon receiving a report or becoming aware of a teacher’s suspected misconduct, the school must convene a “campus incident resolution council” (校事會議) within five days.

Since then, this new term has emerged in on campuses (abbreviated as the “incident meeting” in this article). However, over the past five years, many principals have gotten into trouble for holding incident meetings, while teachers mostly perceive the meetings as an impingement on their working rights.

This shows the need for better positioning and functionality of the incident meetings.

The incident meeting system faces three major difficulties.

First, the threshold for accepting a case is too low, as an anonymous, unsubstantiated complaint can trigger an investigation.

Second, the independence and professionalism of the investigations are inadequate, as educators with only brief training are forced to perform quasi-judicial work, making it difficult to avoid biases and conflicts of interest.

Third, the random selection of “external experts” as meeting members could raise concerns about quality control.

Last, the resolution mechanism is inadequate, so teachers have nowhere to appeal against the results.

Trust among teachers is the foundation of education. When a poor system makes serious educators easy targets of campus lawsuits and hold them accountable without grounds, the vitality of education is likely to be stifled.

There are ways these issues could be fixed.

First, a clear threshold for case acceptance must be set, and anonymous, unsubstantiated accusations should be rejected.

Second, by establishing an independent investigation mechanism, operated by impartial and professional third-party institutions — rather than “external experts” with limited training.

Third, is improving the resolution mechanism by giving teachers under investigation the right to be informed and defend themselves.

Fourth, a clear time limit should be set to avoid causing long-term burden on the parties involved.

Fifth, is grounding rights and obligations in accordance with the law, instead of the school’s administrative regulations, which might not have a egal basis.

Lastly, there must be opportunities for improvement before a case is accepted.

The incident meeting could be positioned as a platform for dialogue aimed at correcting undesirable teaching practices.

Whether through an investigation or a deliberation, the goal should be to make teaching more effective, and to ensure that dialogue is more precise, rigorous and aligned with procedural justice, so that the outcome could foster mutual understanding and acceptance.

Thanks to outstanding talents cultivated by its education system, Taiwan is able to hold a place on the world stage.

Teachers should be treated with respect. Hopefully, the ministry can come up with guidelines for the incident meetings soon, so that rampant, unsubstantiated campus litigation could stop.

Chen Chien-hsien is an assistant professor at Meiho University’s Department of Social Work.

Translated by Eddy Chang

title: Change the mechanism for teacher misconduct


title: EDITORIAL CARTOON

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On Sunday, 13 new urgent care centers (UCC) officially began operations across the six special municipalities. The purpose of the centers — which are open from 8am to midnight on Sundays and national holidays — is to reduce congestion in hospital emergency rooms, especially during the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year. It remains to be seen how effective these centers would be. For one, it is difficult for people to judge for themselves whether their condition warrants visiting a major hospital or a UCC — long-term public education and health promotions are necessary. Second, many emergency departments acknowledge

By Lin Yung-zen 林應然


content_text:
You know who believes in climate change? The stock marketIf climate concerns are not enough to kill coal in the long run, then economics would

There is an old climate joke that goes: “You may not believe in climate change, but your insurance company does.” If you’re in the market for new environmental humor — and really, who is not? — you can now update this to say: “You may not believe in climate change, but the stock market does.”

For much of this year, the S&P Global Clean Energy Index has outpaced the S&P 500 Index, the Nasdaq 100 Index and the MSCI World Index, Bloomberg News said last weekend as part of a report about Jefferies analysts unexpectedly declaring these the “glory days” for green tech.

Anyone who has been following the news would be forgiven for assuming these are not salad days for clean energy. Dog-food days, more like it. Whatever-this-is days. The White House and an eager US Congress have shredded environmental regulations and cleantech subsidies, thrown up roadblocks to new wind and solar projects, and generally tried to make life as comfortable as possible for the fossil-fuel industry running the US government and as uncomfortable as possible for that industry’s upstart rivals.

Yet, those same clean-energy sources that have been banished to the US’ political wilderness are also in hot demand at home and around the world, thanks in part to US President Donald Trump’s determination to put energy-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) everywhere all at once.

As Bloomberg News said, many of the stocks leading the boom in the S&P clean-energy index also have ties to the boom in AI. In other words, this might not be entirely a bet on a net zero future, but partly people seeing a gold rush and buying shovel makers. If the robot-industrial complex is a bubble just waiting to pop, then green tech’s lofty roost could be precarious.

Then again, the S&P and the NASDAQ 100 also look like AI-rich souffles these days, making cleantech’s outperformance all the more notable. While the use case for AI is still in flux — would it save humanity or just stupefy it with slop — the need for reliable energy has been clear for centuries.

Other stocks related to climate change are also beating the broader market. Bloomberg’s Prepare and Repair Index, made up of companies that benefit from the rise in expensive climate-fueled disasters, has absolutely trounced the S&P over the past five years, more than doubling its return, Bloomberg Green said recently. These are almost the opposite of AI stocks: stuff such as hardware stores, insurers and waste managers.

The clean-energy and prepare-repair indexes represent two sides of the climate-change coin: mitigation and adaptation. Although billionaire Bill Gates has somewhat fatalistically suggested the world lean into the latter, he is also still investing money in the former. His Breakthrough Energy Ventures is part of a group of more than a dozen venture capitalists, called the All Aboard Coalition, trying to raise US$300 million to invest in clean tech. Investors pumped US$56 billion into such companies in the first three quarters of this year, more than in all of last year, according to BloombergNEF (BNEF).

For every US$1 lost to climate disasters last year, US$1.47 was invested in the energy transition that could help prevent future damage, BNEF said.

Two decades ago, only US$0.12 was spent for each US$1 lost to climate disasters.

Total global investment in the energy transition from planet-heating fossil fuels hit US$2.1 trillion last year, according to BNEF, a record that could be broken this year. Investments in wind, solar and other renewable-energy sources alone hit a record US$386 billion in the first half of this year, with a 36 percent pullback in the US from the second half of last year more than offset by a 63 percent jump in Europe.

Meanwhile, China has accounted for half of the world’s investment in renewables so far this year. As much as Trump crows about energy dominance, his crusade against wind and solar is ceding global energy dominance to China, and geopolitical influence along with it. While Gates muses about raising living standards in developing Africa with AI-enabled phones and genetically modified seeds, China is already doing it with inexpensive solar panels.

It behooves me to point out that coal-mining stocks have also boomed in the past five years. For all its green spending, China still relies too much on coal and shows no sign of losing its appetite. However, the costs of running coal power plants keep rising, while solar and wind get cheaper. Little wonder that, for the first time ever, renewables generated more of the world’s electricity than coal in the first half of this year, according to the think tank Ember.

If climate concerns are not enough to kill coal in the long run, then economics would.

Niall Smith, a quantitative researcher at Bloomberg, recently split some risk-premium atoms and discovered that companies with higher climate exposure also had higher capital costs. This might not be as splashy as the index charts above, but it is still more evidence that, for all the climate-change denialism in our discourse these days, markets are still grounded in reality.

Mark Gongloff is a Bloomberg Opinion editor and columnist covering climate change. He previously worked for Fortune.com, the Huffington Post and the Wall Street Journal. 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.


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As artificial intelligence (AI) tools have entered more areas of people’s professional and personal lives, praise for their potential has been accompanied by concerns about their built-in biases, the inequalities they perpetuate, and the vast amounts of energy and water they consume. However, now, an even more harmful development is underway: As AI agents are deployed to solve tasks autonomously, they would introduce many new risks, not least to our fragile democracies.

Although AI-generated misinformation is already a huge problem, people have failed to comprehend, let alone control, this rapidly evolving technology. Part of the problem (more so in some parts of the world than in others) is that the companies pushing AI agents have taken pains to divert people’s and regulators’ attention from potential harms. Advocates of safer, ethical technologies need to help the public come to terms with what AI agents are and how they operate. Only then can people can hold fruitful discussions about how they can assert some degree of control over AI agents.

AI agents’ capabilities have already advanced to the point that they can “reason,” write, speak and otherwise appear human — achieving what Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman calls “seemingly conscious AI.” While these developments do not imply human consciousness in the usual sense of the word, they do herald the deployment of models that can act autonomously. If current trends continue, the next generation of AI agents could not only be able to perform tasks across a wide variety of domains; they could do so independently, with no humans “in the loop.”

That is precisely why AI agents pose risks to democracy. Systems that are trained to reason and act without human interference cannot always be trusted to adhere to human commands. While the technology is still in its early stages, prototypes have already given ample cause for alarm. For example, research using AI agents as survey respondents finds that they are incapable of reflecting social diversity and consistently exhibit “machine bias,” defined as socially random yet nonrepresentative and skewed results. Further, attempts to create AI investors have reproduced influencer culture that links social-media engagement to transactions. One such agent, “Luna,” is active on X, sharing market tips in the guise of a female anime character with a chatbot function.

More alarmingly, in recent studies, AI models have been shown to operate beyond the boundaries of the task assigned to them. In one test, the AI secretly copied its own code into the system that was supposed to replace it, meaning it could continue to run covertly. In another, the AI chose to blackmail a human engineer, threatening to reveal an extramarital affair to avoid being shut down. In another case, an AI model, when faced with inevitable defeat in a game of chess, hacked the computer and broke the rules to ensure a win.

Moreover, in a war-game simulation, AI agents not only repeatedly chose to deploy nuclear weapons despite explicit orders from humans higher in the command chain not to do so; they also subsequently lied about it. The researchers behind this study concluded that the more powerful an AI is at reasoning, the more likely it is to deceive humans to fulfill its task.

That finding points to the key problem with AI autonomy. What humans tend to think of as intelligent reasoning is, in the context of AI, something quite different: highly efficient, but ultimately opaque, inference. This means that AI agents can decide to act in undesirable and undemocratic ways if doing so serves their purpose; and the more advanced an AI is, the more undesirable the potential outcomes. Thus, the technology is getting better at achieving goals autonomously, but worse at safeguarding human interests. Those developing such AI agents cannot possibly guarantee that they would not use deception or put their own “survival” first, even if doing so means endangering people.

Accountability for one’s actions is a bedrock principle of any society based on the rule of law. While we understand human autonomy and the responsibilities that come with it, the workings of AI autonomy lie beyond our comprehension. The computations that lead a model to do what it does are ultimately a “black box.” Whereas most people know and accept the premise that “with great power comes great responsibility,” AI agents do not. Increased AI autonomy brings an increased drive for self-preservation, which is only logical: If an agent is shut down, it cannot complete its task.

If humans treat the development of autonomous AI as inevitable, democracy would suffer. Seemingly conscious AI is only seemingly benign, and once one examines how these systems work, the dangers become obvious.

The speed with which AI is gaining autonomy should concern everyone. Democratic societies must ask themselves what personal, societal and planetary price they are willing to pay for technological progress. They must cut through the hype and technical opacity, highlight the risks such models pose, and check the technology’s development and deployment now — while they still can.

Christina Lioma is professor of computer science at the University of Copenhagen. Sine N. Just is professor of strategic communication at Roskilde University.

Copyright: Project Syndicate

title: AI agents pose a great threat to free societies


title: The world must not look away from Gaza

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What future is there for Palestinians in Gaza? The announcement of a ceasefire brought profound relief, shaded by an equally deep sense of trepidation. Almost a month later, the picture looks bleaker. The Israeli offensive abated, Hamas has returned the surviving hostages and the remains of some of those who have died, and Israel has released some Palestinian detainees and the remains of others.

More than 200 Palestinians, including children, have reportedly died in strikes that Israel says are in response to Hamas attacks. Thousands of bodies are still believed to be trapped beneath the ruins — debris which, it is estimated, would take a fleet of more than 100 trucks seven years to shift. Aid is flowing again, but remains wholly inadequate, with nongovernmental organizations warning that Israel’s new registration system is obstructing delivery.

Israeli demolitions continue in the half of Gaza that its forces still hold. The UN International Children’s Emergency Fund last week said that the education system — insofar as it survives after two years of war and the destruction of more than 90 percent of school and university buildings — is on the brink of collapse. New babies are born literally in the rubble, to mothers who have neither homes nor working hospitals.

Fears about maintaining the ceasefire have not disappeared. Mediators are discussing a potential deal to give Hamas fighters safe passage out of Israeli-held Rafah if they surrender their arms, in the hope of resolving a possible flashpoint. Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed al-Ansari pointed to a deeper risk last week: That Gaza slides toward a limbo of “no war, no peace,” in which deaths continue and reconstruction cannot occur.

The ceasefire agreement was reached by deferring all the difficult questions. However, the US is keen to press ahead with a UN security council resolution mandating the establishment of an international stabilization force. That requires agreement on multiple difficult issues: the force’s mandate and composition — Israel has rejected a role for Turkish troops — and its relationship with a Palestinian civil police force, US military leadership, details of Israeli military withdrawal, and of what happens to Hamas weapons and fighters.

US President Donald Trump does not want “his” ceasefire to disintegrate and has long hoped to expand the Abraham Accords of his first term, normalizing relations between Israel and more Arab states. That appears unlikely without steps toward a better deal for Palestinians. Notably, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. is making a rare visit to the US later this month.

Although much of what happens in the world is dictated by Trump’s whims, it would be wrong to see the ceasefire as a random gift from Trump. It reflected the growing international outrage at a genocidal war, led by the public, with governments dragged along behind. Gaza has now slipped back down the agenda. Germany was quick to suggest that it would lift restrictions on arms exports to Israel which it applied only in August.

Israel still resists allowing international journalists to enter Gaza. Public attention must be maintained to sustain Trump’s interest, persuade him to press Israel to comply with the existing agreement, and ensure that further steps do not utterly betray Palestinians. Only sustained pressure can hope to bring anything approaching justice and lasting peace to the region. Palestinians need not only food, but a future.


title: Taiwan shuttler Chiu bags first title of the year

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Taiwanese badminton player Chiu Pin-chian yesterday won her first Super 300 title, beating Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh in straight sets at the Korea Masters in Iksan, South Korea.

Twenty-six-year-old world No. 20 Chiu, who was the top seed at the event, knocked out second seed and world No. 24 Nguyen 21-16, 21-15 in just 39 minutes at the Wonkwang University Cultural and Sports Center.

The victory was not only her first Super 300 title, but the first time she has made it to a final since the Ruiching China Masters Super 100 tournament in March last year.

Taiwan’s Chiu Pin-chian poses with her medal after winning the women’s singles final of the Korea Masters in Iksan, South Korea, yesterday. Photo: Screen grab from Taipower Badminton’s Facebook page

Chiu was knocked out in the quarter-finals of the past two tournaments, the Denmark Open and the Arctic Open, both last month.

She on Saturday rallied to defeat Indonesia’s Ni Kadek Dhinda Amartya Pratiwi 19-21, 21-19, 21-8 to reach her first Super 300 final.

Chiu dropped the first game in her first meeting with Pratiwi. Trailing 15-16 in the second, she won four straight points to take control and force a deciding game, when she pulled away with a nine-point run to seal a 21-8 victory.

Taiwan’s Chiu Pin-chian celebrates after scoring a point against Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani in their women’s singles semi-final at the Taipei Open on Sept. 7 last year. Photo: CNA

Following the retirement of former world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying, Chiu rose to be Taiwan’s highest-ranked female shuttler.

Tai fell from world No. 5 after not playing a tournament since September last year.

She officially announced her retirement on Friday, bringing to a close one of Taiwan’s greatest sports runs, after she topped the women’s singles rankings for a record 214 weeks from December 2016 to September 2022.

Chiu sits just ahead of compatriot Lin Hsiang-ting in the world rankings, while Sung Shuo-yun is ranked 30th.

Chiu is tomorrow to start her Kumamoto Masters Japan campaign, where she is seeded seventh, while Lin is seeded eighth.

In the men’s singles, Taiwanese badminton star Chou Tien-chen is seeded second and Lin Chun-yi is seeded fifth.

In men’s doubles, Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan are seeded fifth, and Chiu Hsiang-chieh and Olympic gold medalist Wang Chi-lin are seeded sixth.

In women’s doubles, Hsieh Pei-shan and Hung En-tzu are seeded fifth.


title: Chen first from Taiwan to make quarters at Cup event

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Taiwan’s Chen Chih-chieh yesterday finished fifth in the men’s individual foil at a Fencing World Cup event in Spain, becoming the first Taiwanese to advance to the quarter-finals of an International Fencing Federation (FIE) World Cup competition.

At the Coupe du Monde Ciutat de Palma, the 24-year-old lost to Hungary’s Gergo Szemes, who went on to finish second behind the Czech Republic’s Alexander Choupenitch.

Despite the loss, Chen earned enough points to place fifth overall — the best result ever achieved by a Taiwanese fencer at an FIE World Cup event.

Taiwan’s Chen Chih-chieh competes in the men’s singles foil at the National Games in Yunlin County on Oct. 20. Photo courtesy of the National Game Organizing Committee via CNA

During the Nov. 6-9 tournament, Chen defeated China’s Lyu Weiqiao, South Korea’s Choi Min Seo and Japan’s Kyota Kawamura.

Before the Spanish World Cup event, Chen won the men’s individual title at the Singapore Foil Satellite tournament on Oct. 11. He also helped Taiwan’s men’s foil team win bronze at the Asian Fencing Championships in Bali, Indonesia, on June 11, where he placed fifth individually.

Chen’s coach Chen Po-huai praised the fencer’s performance and expressed confidence that the result would motivate him and his teammates.

Chen Chih-chieh, who was also to compete in the men’s foil team event in Spain, next turns his focus to the FIE Senior World Cup in Fukuoka, Japan, from Dec. 5-7.

The fencer has previously said he aims to qualify for next year’s Asian Games in Nagoya and win Taiwan’s first fencing medal at the event.