title: 7旬翁網戀愛情陷阱　東港警即時攔阻

content_text:
▼警方聽完後向老翁解釋這是典型的網路愛情詐騙手法，老翁始知遭詐，並感謝警方及店長的熱心協助。（圖／屏東縣政府警察局里港分局）

【記者何勁陞／東港報導】 屏東縣政府警察局東港分局崁頂分駐所副所長蔡順益、警員陳秋良日前接獲統一超商店長通報，一名老翁疑似遇到詐騙，經警方到場勸說下，成功阻詐。

吳姓老翁(41年次)稱在網路上與一名自稱居住在南投縣之女網友結識，並加入不明LINE，女網友稱洽喪急需用錢，要求老翁幫忙，稱自己無金融機構帳號可提供匯款，指示老翁前往超商購買2萬元點數，再把點數卡上之序號及密碼提供給女網友(詐團)，警方聽完後向老翁解釋這是典型的網路愛情詐騙手法，老翁始知遭詐，並感謝警方及店長的熱心協助。

東港警分局呼籲，網路交友應保持警覺，對於未曾謀面、僅透過網路聯繫的對象，若對方提出任何金錢相關要求，應立即停手並提高警覺，如有任何疑慮均可打110或是165反詐騙專線。

taiwan-subdivisions: 東港 南投縣 屏東縣 成功 里港 崁頂


taiwan-subdivisions: 枋寮 春日 屏東縣

title: 枋警攜手地方善心團體　助原鄉家庭溫暖送別至親

content_text:
▼所長陳啟超帶領所內同仁發揮人飢己飢、人溺己溺的精神，對弱勢家庭主動結合善心人士解決眼前困難。（圖／屏東縣政府警察局枋寮分局）

【記者何勁陞／枋寮報導】 屏東縣政府警察局枋寮分局歸崇派出所所長陳啟超及警員王邦任，透過善心人士尤秀卿轉介，得知春日鄉有一低收入戶家庭面臨困境。70歲吳姓老翁飽受肺癌第四期重症所苦，歷經手術、復發、化療等煎熬。平時由手足悉心照料，除了承擔照護責任外，還必須負擔醫療與生活開銷，導致家中經濟陷入停滯。近期，吳翁病情惡化不幸辭世。面對突如其來的變故，家屬不僅悲痛欲絕，更因無力負擔吳翁的喪葬費用，使原本就困苦的生活瞬間陷入絕境。

陳所長聽聞後心生憐憫，與所內同仁集資及協調民間善心團體「部落心」，成員陳詰文、黃鈴雅、駱明綺、潘美秀、楊美娟、孫梅芳、陳建和、杜英如、李花蕾、林鐘財、楊淑金、張玉貞、王素蘭、陳丁士、張嘉芸、林素珍、彭佑民、趙獻忠、劉棋煥、呂玉田、林淑娟、郭榮元、林嘉玲、林玟鈴、余素貞、許展榮、黃連、林明風、郭杏蘭、林冠吟、黃于倢、呂秀勸、鄭雅芬、鄭明賢、林輝星、蔡妙珍、黃子喬、黃慶隆、黃美玉、鄭鈞云、林琮緯等人，共同募集善款新臺幣4萬7,000元，並親將善款交付家屬，盼微薄善款可以暫解燃眉之急，冀望能順利渡過眼前難關。

枋寮分局長盧恒隆表示，所長陳啟超帶領所內同仁發揮人飢己飢、人溺己溺的精神，對弱勢家庭主動結合善心人士解決眼前困難，為社會注入力量與溫暖。


title: Taiwan, Poland to codevelop drones

content_text:
‘WIN-WIN’:  The Philippines, and central and eastern European countries are important potential drone cooperation partners, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung said

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in an interview published yesterday confirmed that there are joint ventures between Taiwan and Poland in the drone industry.

Lin made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper).

The government-backed Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance and the Polish Chamber of Unmanned Systems on Wednesday last week signed a memorandum of understanding in Poland to develop a “non-China” supply chain for drones and work together on key technologies.

Asked if Taiwan prioritized Poland among central and eastern European countries in drone collaboration, Lin said: “Yes, we already have joint ventures with Poland.”

Taiwan also collaborates with the Baltic states and the Czech Republic, he added.

As Russia often uses drones to harass its neighbors, countries in central and eastern Europe have rich drone experience, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs have been facilitating bilateral or multilateral cooperation with these nations, he said.

Taiwan has a “central and eastern Europe supply chain resilience plan,” which includes Poland, as it is not only located at the center of the region, but is also the region’s largest economy, which plays an important role in Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion, Lin said.

Taiwan’s drone cooperation with Poland could create a win-win situation from the perspective of integrated diplomacy, also allowing Taiwan to connect with the world, he said.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese drone manufacturers such as Thunder Tiger Corp (雷虎科技), GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology Inc (經緯航太科技) and Coretronic Corp (中光電) have “great capacity,” Lin said, adding that they are eager to participate in international collaborations.

Either in the democratic supply chain or economic security partnerships, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) would be a key item of Taiwan’s international cooperation efforts, he said.

The MOFA has a “drone diplomacy task force,” aimed at establishing an international drone alliance, he said, adding that it would be greatly beneficial for Taiwan to help its allies and like-minded countries establish such an alliance.

The Philippines, and countries in central and eastern Europe are also Taiwan’s important potential drone cooperation partners, he said, adding that if Taiwan has collaboration with the Philippines, it would align with the US’ suggestion for joint development and production, while Taipei can also push forward its coprosperity project.

Taiwan has allocated a budget for such projects, Lin said.

After a drone supply chain is formed, Taiwan and its allies would have an edge over neighboring countries in terms of talent, technology, funding and big data artificial intelligence application, he said.

It would also demonstrate that “being friends with Taiwan not only prospers their [partners’] economy, but also makes them feel proud of being an ally of Taiwan,” he added.

The MOFA is mulling setting up an international drone academy and an international drone pilot alliance, as well as hold international drone pilot competitions, Lin said.

Drones also need maintenance and repair, so the government could also establish a scholarship program for talents from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, he added.


title: Second batch of M1A2T tanks start testing: source

content_text:
DEFENSE:  The first batch of 38 M1A2T Abrams tanks was delivered to Taiwan in December last year, while the remaining 28 tanks are expected to arrive early next year

A batch of 42 M1A2T Abrams tanks delivered by the US in July are beginning a month-long testing program today at a northern army base, including multiple live-fire drills using the tanks’ 120mm main guns, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.

The source said the US-made tanks were recently deployed to an army tank training ground at the Kengzikou Range (坑子口訓練場) in Hsinchu County for training sessions ahead of the testing phase.

The testing program is to begin today and focuses on evaluating the tanks’ observation and targeting systems, as well as their integration with the ammunition system, the source said.

An army officer stands in front of an M1A2T Abrams tank in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

Live-fire drills would include exercises involving the tanks’ 120mm main guns, with rounds fired at both stationary and moving targets, they said.

The month-long tests are expected to conclude by the end of next month, after which the tanks would enter active service with the army, they added.

The 42 Abrams tanks are the second batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion (US$1.3 billion), that Taiwan purchased from the US.

The first batch of 38 Abrams tanks was delivered to Taiwan in December last year, while the remaining 28 tanks are expected to arrive early next year.

The first batch was commissioned in late October into the army’s 584th Armored Brigade in Hsinchu County after completing required training and testing.

The army operates about 1,000 tanks, including CM11 Brave Tiger and M60A3 models, both of which have been in service for more than two decades.

In addition to procuring the M1A2T tanks, the military has invested in new engines for its M60A3 tanks and upgraded their cannon fire-control systems to provide “hunter-killer” capability, allowing a tank to engage one target while tracking another.


content_text:
Two gunmen yesterday opened fire at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 11 people and wounding multiple others in a “terrorist incident” aimed at a gathering for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah in Australia.

Emergency responders rushed at least 29 people to local hospitals from the beach, one of the biggest tourist draws in Australia’s largest city, New South Wales police said.

One of the alleged shooters was killed, and the second was in a critical condition, police said.

Health workers move a man on a stretcher to an ambulance after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney yesterday. Photo: AFP

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed ordinary citizens who tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen as “heroes.”

Police declared the shooting a “terrorist incident,” adding that they had found suspected “improvised explosive devices” in a vehicle near the beach that was linked to the “deceased offender.”

“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith — an act of evil, anti-Semitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation,” Albanese said in a televised address.

“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian,” he added.

The shooting took place during an annual “Hanukkah by the Sea” event in the afternoon at Bondi Beach, which police said was attended by more than 1,000 people.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the shooting as a “cruel attack on Jews” and urged the Australian authorities to step up the fight against anti-Semitism.

As gunfire erupted, crowds fled in fear from the beach in eastern Sydney, which draws huge numbers of surfers, swimmers and tourists, especially on weekends.

“We heard the shots. It was shocking, it felt like 10 minutes of just bang, bang, bang. It seemed like a powerful weapon,” said Camilo Diaz, a 25-year-old student.

Emergency services first responded to reports of shots being fired at 6:47pm local time, New South Wales police said.

One witness who declined to be named said he saw six dead or wounded people lying on the beach.

A string of anti-Semitic attacks have spread fear among Jewish communities in Australia following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.

title: At least 11 dead after anti-Semitic attack in Sydney


content_text:
No one-time treatment for obesity, medical expert says

Obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care, so people should not expect a one-time treatment through medication, the Taiwan Medical Association for the Study of Obesity said yesterday, as it released the 2025 Clinical Practice Guidelines on Adult Obesity in Taiwan.

The clinical practice guidelines were announced at the 25th annual congress of the association in conjunction with the 9th Japan-Korea-Taiwan Symposium on Obesity at National Taiwan University Hospital’s International Convention Center in Taipei.

The association said the new guidelines align with the WHO’s latest fact sheet on obesity and its global guidelines on the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies in treating obesity, issued earlier this month.

Taiwan Medical Association for the Study of Obesity secretary-general Kao Hsiang-han speaks at the 25th annual congress of the association in conjunction with the 9th Japan-Korea-Taiwan Symposium on Obesity in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Association president Lin Wen-yuan (林文元) said the WHO’s new guidelines recognize that obesity is “a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care,” and that GLP-1 therapies might be used by adults for the long-term treatment of obesity, adding that it also stressed that medication alone could not reverse the serious health challenge.

The WHO classifies obesity as “a chronic, relapsing disease arising from complex interactions between genetics, neurobiology, eating behaviors, access to healthy diet, market forces and the broader environment.”

GLP-1 therapies could support people in overcoming obesity, as “a part of a comprehensive approach that includes healthy diets, regular physical activity and support from health professionals,” the WHO says.

Lin said the 2025 Clinical Practice Guidelines on Adult Obesity in Taiwan redefined obesity — not only looking at a person’s body mass index (BMI), but also their waist circumference, body composition and metabolic risks — allowing the diagnosis to be more refined.

The guidelines also added more diversity to the recommended treatment of obesity, including lifestyle adjustments, nutrition intake and regular physical activity plans, mental support, medications (including GLP-1 therapies), endoscopic bariatric therapy, and bariatric surgery, he said.

Moreover, the guidelines provide more customized care recommendations for different groups of people with obesity, including elderly people, pregnant women or women going through menopause, he said.

They also emphasize patient-centric treatment with empathetic communication, while refusing stigmatization, he said.

The WHO defines obesity as having a BMI of 30 or higher in adults, and Taiwan’s guidelines define it as a BMI of 27 or higher.

Association secretary-general Kao Hsiang-han (高湘涵) said according to the new guidelines, people with a BMI of 27 or higher, along with at least one comorbidity, are eligible for GLP-1 therapy, while people with a BMI of 24 to 27 are overweight, meaning that they are advised to first receive lifestyle intervention for several months before considering the use of GLP-1 therapies.

However, Lin said the association has also observed abusive use of GLP-1 therapies, such as being used by people who are not obese or excessive use, which could cause health risks including substantial muscle loss.

People should only receive GLP-1 therapies prescribed and monitored by health professionals, he added.

Additional reporting by CNA


title: HK pro-democracy party announces its dissolution

content_text:
Hong Kong’s oldest pro-democracy party yesterday formally decided to disband, its leader announced, following its annual meeting.

The Democratic Party was founded in 1994, near the end of British colonial rule, when Hong Kong’s leading liberal groups merged.

“We have officially announced the disbandment and dismissal,” Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei (羅健熙) told a news conference. “This process has been completed at the time of the special committee meeting just now.”

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei attends a news conference in Hong Kong yesterday. Photo: Reuters

“As a group, I believe we can conclude that the Democratic Party’s operation will end today,” said Lo, chair of the party that was once the territory’s stalwart opposition force.

“We are deeply grateful to all the citizens who have walked with the Democratic Party for the past 30 years,” he added.

The party’s main focus had been determining how the territory would eventually elect its own leader and lawmakers through universal suffrage.

“I don’t understand why the Democratic Party would end up like this,” former party chairwoman Emily Lau (劉慧卿) said to reporters when leaving the meeting.

Beijing tightened its grip on the finance hub after massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.

After the imposition of the national security law, the territory’s political opposition dwindled, with many democracy campaigners jailed or left the territory.


content_text:
Rhode Island’s Providence police have detained a “person of interest” in connection with the Brown University shooting that left two students dead and another nine people wounded at the US Ivy League school.

Providence Chief Public Information Officer for Public Safety Kristy DosReis said a person of interest was in police custody after the shooting at the university.

Brown said in an advisory yesterday that police had also lifted a shelter-in-place order for its campus in Rhode Island.

Brown University students are evacuated in a public bus after a mass shooting on the university campus at Providence, Rhode Island, Saturday. Photo: AFP

More than 400 law enforcement personnel had been deployed on Saturday as police sought a suspect who had entered a building where students were taking exams, with a firearm.

The Providence university said that police officers remained in areas still considered an active crime scene.

Access to parts of the campus remained restricted yesterday as police maintained a security perimeter around Minden Hall and nearby apartment buildings, the university said.

Streets around the campus had been packed with emergency vehicles, and security was heightened around the city on Saturday as officials said law enforcement agencies sought the shooter.

Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were working with local and state police.

Officials released a video of a suspect, a male possibly in his 30s and dressed in black.

Providence Deputy Police Chief Timothy O’Hara said on Saturday the person might have worn a mask, but officials were not certain.

Investigators retrieved shell casings from the scene, but police were not prepared to release details, O’Hara added.

The shooter fled after shooting students in a classroom in Brown’s Barus & Holley engineering building, where outer doors had been unlocked while exams were taking place, officials said.

Detectives were looking into why that location was targeted, police chief Oscar Perez told reporters at a news conference.

Brown University president Christina Paxson told reporters that all or nearly all of the victims were students.

Seven of the nine people wounded were listed as critical late on Saturday, Brown University Health said.

title: Police detain person of interest after US shooting


content_text:
FEWER EXEMPTIONS: Many of the changes are focused on tightening requirements that have been abused to gain exemptions from service, such as hypertension   By Lee Wen-hsin and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Ministry of National Defense has previewed proposed changes to the physical standards governing military service eligibility and exemptions.

The standards comprise 193 items, of which 180 would be revised under the proposed changes, according to the ministry.

Exemptions from military service would be granted only to those with a body mass index (BMI) above 45 or a height below 144cm, if the amendments are approved.

The draft stipulates that only people with moderate or severe hypertension accompanied by damage to related organs would qualify for exemption. Such cases would be required to undergo 24-hour continuous blood pressure monitoring during a hospital stay of one to three days.

The ministry said the requirement was introduced in response to recent cases of organized conscription evasion.

To address differences in duties among alternative service positions, the proposed amendments would divide alternative service classifications into Grade A and Grade B, with conscripts assigned to different agencies accordingly.

Alternative service Grade A would apply to men with a BMI between 15 and 16.5, or between 32 and 37.5. Grade B would apply to those with a BMI below 15 or between 37.5 and 45.

Active-duty recruits would remain subject to the BMI standard of 16.5 to 32. For a 170cm tall person, the current exemption threshold of 101.3kg would be raised to 130.2kg if the amendment passes.

Height standards would be adjusted, with exemptions limited to those 144cm or shorter. Alternative service Grade A would apply to men who are 145cm to 149cm tall, while Grade B would carry no height restriction. Active duty standards would be revised to require a minimum height of 150cm.

Exemptions for flat feet would be abolished. Previously, those with an arch angle greater than 168° qualified for exemption.

Under the draft, such people would instead be classified as alternative service Grade A, while the active duty standard would be revised from an arch angle of 165° or less to 168° or less.

Cases of severe hallux valgus or varus with exostosis or bunion, as well as high foot arches with a Hibb’s angle greater than 90°, would be reclassified as alternative service Grade B rather than exempt.

Rules governing herniated intervertebral discs would be tightened. Under previous regulations, people who had undergone surgical removal were exempt. Under the draft, those whose condition has been treated and whose neurological electrophysiological tests show no nerve root or spinal cord damage would be classified as fit for active duty.

Those who have undergone disc removal surgery with no such damage would be classified as alternative service Grade A, while people with confirmed nerve root or spinal cord damage would be assigned to Grade B.

Only those who are legally recognized as disabled would qualify for exemption.

Those diagnosed with mental illness who have undergone treatment for more than one year and whose condition is confirmed upon re-examination would qualify for exemption. The remarks section would add a requirement for a psychological assessment report issued by a psychiatrist, accompanied by a complete treatment record of at least one year.

Exemption criteria for severe depressive disorder would likewise be tightened, extending the minimum treatment period from six months to one year. Those whose condition has not improved and experience impaired social functioning would be required to submit a psychiatrist-issued psychological assessment report and complete medical records.

title: Defense ministry eyeing new physical standards


content_text:
MISSING TARGETS: Programs to retain reservists are failing to hit targets, although the numbers of reservists who are attending multiple training sessions are growing

Efforts to improve Taiwan’s reserve forces through paid weekend training programs have largely fallen short, with enrollment steadily declining from 300 reservists in its first year to only 31 last year, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report.

The Ministry of National Defense in 2017 began a pilot program encouraging reservists to return for training by offering them a daily wage based on their status when discharged from active service.

In 2018 the recruitment rate for the program was 54.6 percent and 359 slots were left unfilled, the Budget Center said.

Recruitment for the program across the military fell short of expectations and the quota was reduced annually, with 266 reservists joining the program in 2021, marking an 89.47 percent recruitment rate, it said.

The ministry previously proposed increasing recruitment incentives by establishing preferential regulations for reservists, but this year only the navy and air force recruited a total of 32 reservists for the program, a new low, the center added.

Although the Information, Communications and Electronic Forces Command would begin staffing its own reserves next year, the quota is still only 35 people, falling short of past levels, it said.

The center called for a review to assess whether the program is reaching its original objective.

The ministry’s program targets reservists whose physical condition, performance and conduct all meet required standards.

People in the program report to military camp two days each month and participate in a major exercise each year, and are expected to spend at least 29 days at camp per year.

They are paid a daily wage calculated according to their rank and pay grade when they were discharged from active service.

They enjoy the rights and wages of soldiers and must abide by restrictions of those with military status.

During their contract, reserve forces in this program are prohibited from entering China or transiting through Hong Kong or Macau, and any overseas travel must be approved.

Even after the contract, they are still subject to travel restrictions under the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法).

In related news, while the number of reservists receiving bonuses for attending at least five training sessions is increasing, the total number of volunteers for training is decreasing, according to the Budget Center’s data.

Under new education and training rules, reservists who have attended five training sessions get a NT$5,000 bonus for attending each additional training session.

The number of reservists receiving these bonuses has risen from 20 in 2023 to 61 people this year as of August.

In 2023, the ministry opened voluntary training to male and female reservists, but the number participating in this training has decreased annually even while quotas have increased, the center said.

In 2023 the quota for male reservists was 575, and 362 completed the training, it said.

The quota rose to 1,100 last year, but only 308 did the training, and with a quota of 1,190 this year only 260 had done it as of August, it added.

A similar trend shows for women, with a quota of 220 in 2023 resulting in only 58 completing the training and a quota of 480 last year, but only 12 completing it.

The quota for this year was raised again to 590 reservists, but only six people had done the training as of August.

The lack of response may be due to the complexity of the process, including reliance on non-electronic paperwork and requiring multiple visits to local reserve commands, the center said.

The ministry said it is addressing this by developing a new information system and considering simplifying the registration process.

title: Reserves program failing to fill quotas


title: UK representative to Taiwan praises vibrant relationship

content_text:
As British Representative to Taiwan Ruth Bradley-Jones looked back on her first nine months on the job, she was upbeat about the progress her office had made, but remained focused on two priorities: promoting technology collaboration and tackling “shared security concerns.”

Bradley-Jones, who took up the helm at the British Office Taipei (BOT) in February, said her mission as the UK’s top envoy is to build a vibrant and dynamic relationship with Taiwan.

That mission found expression over the past year in three arrangements signed by the BOT: the Taiwan-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) Digital Trade Arrangement, Taiwan-UK ETP Energy and Net Zero Arrangement and Taiwan-UK ETP Investment Arrangement.

UK representative to Taiwan Ruth Bradley-Jones gestures during an inteview in Taipei on Dec. 10. Photo: CNA

Bradley-Jones said continuing to foster bilateral cooperation in the tech sector is a key focus during her tenure in the office that serves as the UK’s de facto embassy in Taiwan.

“We all know Taiwan’s tech strengths. What you may not know is the UK is the third-

biggest tech industry in the world, and so I really want to make sure that the UK and Taiwan become top-tier tech partners,” she said.

Aside from emphasizing building research-and-development exchanges between educational institutions in the UK and Taiwan to connect “the UK innovation scene with Taiwan’s tech manufacturing giants,” Bradley-Jones said that another major focus has been to address “shared security concerns” between the two partners, including promoting closer joint efforts to boost cybersecurity, building AI standards, and protecting global supply chains.

Enhancing social resilience to protect democratic values and rights is something both sides are concerned about and should work closely together on, she said, adding that she has seen President William Lai (賴清德) prioritizing a whole-of-society conversation about Taiwan’s resilience and security and that she thinks “Taiwan is making rapid progress to build social resilience.”

Her job is to promote a better understanding of the UK in Taiwan, Bradley-Jones said.

“I feel like Taiwanese are used to looking to Japan and to the US. But the UK is such a great destination, be it for tourism, for study,” she said.

Another area of engagement was strengthened last month, when the UK officially became a full partner of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF), a mechanism launched by Taipei and Washington in 2015 that allows Taiwan to share its expertise on the world stage.

The GCTF serves as a platform that allows Taiwan to share its expertise on global issues and contribute alongside global partners, given its exclusion from major international organizations due to Chinese pressure.

Japan, Australia and Canada are full partners of the mechanism.

“The UK absolutely believes in Taiwan’s ability and space to engage with international organizations,” she said, reiterating that the UK supports Taipei’s international participation “as a member where statehood is not required, and as an observer where it is.”


content_text:
PUBLIC CONFRONTATION: The suspect allegedly approached and harangued the lawmaker while he was walking with his daughter in Taipei last weekend

Taipei police yesterday said that a man has been referred to the prosecutors’ office after allegedly filming and confronting Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) while he was out walking with his daughter last weekend.

The suspect, a 45-year-old man surnamed Lin (林), was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of coercion, defamation and violations of the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法), police said.

According to police, the incident occurred on the evening of Sunday last week near the National Concert Hall, when Shen was accompanying his daughter on a walk and bike ride.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Puma Shen is pictured in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

Lin allegedly approached the pair from the side, shone a bright mobile phone flashlight at Shen and his daughter, recording them on video while verbally confronting Shen, police said.

Shen later reported the incident and described it in a social media post as “precisely the darkness we must confront.”

Police said they received Shen’s complaint the day after the incident and passed the case to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office the following day.

After reviewing nearby surveillance footage, officers traced the suspect through EasyCard transit records and identified him as a Zhongzheng District (中正) resident, police said.

Lin was brought in for questioning on Friday last week and told police he encountered Shen by chance and approached him out of dissatisfaction with current affairs, authorities said.

title: Man named in filming of lawmaker and daughter


title: Groups call for revitalization of Hoklo

content_text:
SUPPORT TAIWANESE:  Taiwan is still constrained by the Chinese linguistic system and people have been misled into believing Mandarin is the main language, they said

Groups yesterday gathered to request that the government establish schools to teach courses in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese), make it one of the nation’s official languages, and promote its use in central and local governments, as well as society at large.

“We ask the government to help reverse the decline of Taigi by normalizing its use, and implementing policies and initiating programs for Taigi,” Taiwanese Language Policy Promotion Alliance convener Hsu Hui-ying (許慧盈) said. “It is the language that best represents Taiwanese culture and its people around the world.”

Taiwanese and other native languages were suppressed and discriminated against by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime for many decades, but despite that, it is still being used today, Hsu said, citing a 2020 survey that found 31 percent of the population use Taiwanese as their main language, while 54 percent use it as their second language.

“That means 85 percent of the population are able to speak Taiwanese,” they said.

“Although there is a worrying trend among young people, as only 7.4 percent of Taiwanese aged between six and 14 use Taiwanese as their main language, most people can speak it, but they seldom do, “ Hsu said. “The government should rejuvenate it and promote its use in society and daily life.”

The alliance urged the government to establish school programs focused on Taiwanese, and to set up dedicated bodies to revitalize the language at the central and local government levels.

It also called for programs promoting its use in society.

“When it comes to communication in the government, political circles and society, speaking Taiwanese is discouraged and Mandarin is commonly used,” Hsu said. “That shows that Taiwan is still constrained by the Chinese linguistic system, with people misled into believing Mandarin is the ‘main language.’”

“We need to have Taiwanese, to build up the basis of Taiwanese sovereignty,” Minister Without Portfolio Lin Ming-hsin (林明昕) said.

“Due to policies in the past, native Taiwanese languages are facing a severe crisis and a serious decline in use,” Lin said.

The Cabinet in 2022 mandated heads of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, Council of Indigenous Peoples, Hakka Affairs Council and other agencies to come up with a plan to develop the nation’s languages, Lin said.

It had a five-year NT$32.4 billion (US$1.04 billion) budget to organize “speak Taiwanese” activities, create a friendly environment for native Taiwanese languages and initiate programs to encourage and increase the use of Hoklo in daily life, Lin added.

Deputy Minister of Education Liu Kuo-wei (劉國偉) said the ministry next year plans to set up the first “Taigi immersion” learning base (台語沉浸學習基地) in Chiayi City.

Taiwanese learning has also been started in more than 400 kindergartens, and more than 100,000 grade-school classes are teaching the local district’s language, Liu said, adding that of the 1.6 million grade-school students in those classes, 1.4 million students were learning Taiwanese this year.


title: Police seize ‘meow meow’ worth NT$100m

content_text:
Investigators in Kaohsiung on Saturday raided a mephedrone manufacturing site, arresting three suspects and seizing about NT$100 million (US$3.2 million) of drugs.

The Kaohsiung City Police Department’s Renwu Precinct yesterday said the factory, in a hilly area of Dashu District (大樹), was producing the Category 3 narcotic known as “meow meow.”

It was allegedly set up by a man surnamed Hsin (辛), with the help of two assistants, surnamed Lee (李) and Yen (顏), the department said.

Drugs seized by the police are pictured at a mephedrone manufacturing site in Kaohsiung on Saturday. Photo courtesy of the Kaohsiung City Police Department’s Renwu Precinct via CNA

After receiving a tip-off about the site, a task force was formed, the department said.

The case was then referred to prosecutor Liang Yung-chun (梁詠鈞) of the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office, who led the investigation, police said.

After several days of collecting evidence and tracking the suspects, police said they mobilized a large team, and carried out a raid and arrested three suspects.

During the raid, police said they seized drug manufacturing equipment, more than 47kg of finished meow meow and about 300kg of unfinished product.

The amount of meow meow seized was enough to make about 400,000 packs of drugs, with an estimated market value of about NT$100 million, the police said.

Renwu Precinct investigation team head Hsieh Hsien-chung (謝憲忠) said the case has been transferred to the Ciaotou District Prosecutors’ Office for potential indictments under the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例).


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A 16-year-old girl was killed in a fire yesterday morning in an old four-story apartment building in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊), the New Taipei City Fire Department said.

Firefighters upon arriving at the scene saw fire coming out of the second floor. The fire was put out 26 minutes later, the fire department said.

Fifteen people were evacuated from the building, but firefighters later found a girl’s body burned beyond recognition in one of the units, it said.

Firefighters battle a blaze at a building in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District yesterday. Photo copied by Wu Jen-chieh, Taipei Times

Preliminary investigations suggested that the girl tried to escape, but she was likely trapped by fire in their living room and she eventually lost consciousness due to the smoke, the department said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, it said, adding that the fire likely started at a TV cabinet in a wood-furnished area.

The fire department reminded the public to quickly escape from small fires and to close the doors when they encounter thick smoke or large fires.

If escaping to the first floor is not possible, people should find an area that has not caught fire, close the door, stuff the cracks with clothes or towels to prevent the smoke from entering, and call 119 for help, it said.

The fire department also shared five “don’ts.”

One, do not delay escape to collect belongings, as survival should be the top priority.

Two, do not use the elevator, as the power might get cut off, trapping passengers in the elevator.

Three, do not hide in the bathroom, as bathroom doors and ceilings are often made of plastic that cannot withstand high temperatures. Some bathroom doors also have ventilation slats, which would make it hard to block the smoke.

Four, do not put a plastic bag over your head, as fresh air would not be able to enter and condensation from your breath could obstruct vision and slow down escape. The plastic could also melt and stick to the skin.

Fifth, do not waste time looking for a wet towel, as it cannot block deadly carbon monoxide and toxic gases in thick smoke.

title: Sixteen-year-old girl dies in New Taipei City fire


title: Earthquake resistance portal to include apartments

content_text:
By Wu Po-hsuan and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) said it would next year launch an updated version of its Townhouse Earthquake-Resistance Portal to include information on apartment buildings.

The portal provides information on the seismic risk of townhouses five stories and under. Since about 70 percent of Taiwan’s population lives in some form of multi-unit apartment building, and more than 6 million residential units nationwide are more than 30 years old, an updated portal to include information on those buildings was urgently needed, the NCREE said.

“The center has been studying nationwide seismic force data, such as basin effects, seismic-wave amplification and soil conditions,” NCREE Director Yu Chen (昱辰) said. “At the same time, we are developing seismic-resilience technologies and drafting structural safety standards.”

The 5D SmartES Smart City Platform in Kaohsiung is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Kaohsiung Public Works Bureau

The NCREE was instrumental in efforts to reinforce thousands of school structures following the 921 Earthquake, when a magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit Taiwan in the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 1999.

However, the collapse of the Weiguan Jinlong housing complex due to a magnitude 6.6 quake on Feb. 6, 2016, highlighted the pressing need to evaluate the seismic capacity of the nation’s aging private residences, Yu said.

The building’s collapse resulted in the deaths of 115 people.

Partially in response to the Weiguan incident, the NCREE in 2020 established a project office tasked with reinforcing weak buildings and prioritizing high-risk multi-unit apartment complexes, he said, adding that the office has reinforced 171 buildings to date.

It also established the portal so that people living in private townhouses could check the seismic vulnerability of their building and use that information to decide whether building reinforcements are necessary, Yu said.

The apartment building version of the portal would allow residents to look up their building’s structural risk, he said.

“However, we acknowledge that old-building ownership structures are often complicated, and seismic retrofits require additional spending by all residents,” Yu said, adding that a building assessment alone could cost between tens of thousands and several hundred thousand New Taiwan dollars, and reinforcement work could cost residents up to NT$200,000 per unit.

“The high costs, combined with the fact that design work takes several months and construction can require up to half a year means many homeowners are unwilling to proceed,” he said.

Separately, NCREE Deputy Director Chai Chun-fu (柴駿甫) said AI and smart city technologies that integrate drone imagery, satellite data, 6G, virtual reality, big data, image recognition and cloud computing are making cities safer and improving the efficiency of urban services.

He cited as an example the 5D SmartES Smart City Platform in Kaohsiung, which could support flood control, disaster prevention, landslide monitoring, traffic-flow optimization, construction-site management, and smart healthcare and tourism.

“For instance, during a recent heavy-rain event, the system successfully predicted a slope failure in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its ability to forecast disasters,” he said. “This allows decisionmakers — even those far away — to issue disaster-response instructions immediately.”


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The Presidential Hackathon Awards Ceremony was held at the Presidential Office yesterday, and NT$200,000 in prize money was awarded for the first time to six local winning teams.

This is the Presidential Hackathon Awards’ eighth edition. It received 178 submissions from around the nation, of which 20 made it to the shortlist in October.

President William Lai (賴清德) said the awards recognized 41 local and 14 international submissions over the past eight years, many of which have already been incorporated into the government’s policies and people’s daily lives.

President William Lai, front row, 10th left, gestures along with others at the Presidential Hackathon Awards Ceremony held at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page

The government would also review this year’s proposals and include them in national policies, he said.

This year’s theme was “Dual Transitions, Green Growth,” as it was focused on artificial intelligence (AI), net zero transitions and environmental sustainability, said the Ministry of Environment, which organized the event.

The Artificial Intelligence Application Public Service Innovation Award and the NT$200,000 prize given to each winning team were introduced this year to encourage the “hackathon spirit” and public participation, it said.

The winners sought to resolve societal challenges via digital or AI solutions, the ministry said, citing as an example ReSchool, which constructed an online map that could locate and integrate natural, cultural or spatial resources at schools nationwide to facilitate resource utilization and regional revitalization.

AI-Powered Green Chemistry Diagnostic Adviser built an AI-powered query system based on more than 200,000 pieces of chemical substance data, allowing companies to search for environmentally friendly alternatives to high-risk chemicals, it said.

Decarbon Strivers created building information models and digital product passports for construction materials to prioritize low-carbon materials and track their carbon footprint, from construction to demolition, the ministry said, adding that it expected the project could reduce carbon emissions from construction by 20 percent and increase construction waste recycling rate by 20 percent.

Zha Nan built a online matching platform that helps FamilyMart stores find partner companies that could recycle and repurpose coffee grounds produced at convenience stores nationwide, which amount to about 120,000 tonnes annually, it said.

The Strivers developed a mechanism for blood storage at accident hotspots and blood delivery via drones to greatly reduce the time needed for first-aid blood transfusion in remote areas, the ministry said.

CivicWorks Guardian developed an AI-powered image recognition and report system that could constantly monitor and report risks at construction sites, which not only shortens the inspection process from 30 days to eight minutes, but also enhances construction safety, it said.

International teams that won the awards this year included CropNow’s “Nest” system — which helps agricultural workers monitor crops in real time — and Beyond Hearing’s augmented-reality glasses, which allows people with hearing impairments to visualize sound locations.

India-Taipei Association Acting Director-General Vishwanjali Murlidhar Gaikwad said the event is a platform that brings together the government, industry and innovators to solve real-world problems.

“The Presidential Hackathon reflects Taiwan’s strong commitment to digital governance, to openness and citizen-centered innovation — values that deeply resonate with India’s own development trajectory and governance priorities,” she said, adding that the recognition of CropNow, an Indian company, was significant.

“This award also highlights the strengthening technology and innovation linkages between India and Taiwan,” Gaikwad said. “We look forward to deepening engagement between India and Taiwan and innovators from both societies.”

title: Presidential Hackathon winners get NT$200,000


title: Irregular diet could cause migraines: doctor

content_text:
By Wu Chun-feng and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer

An irregular, fatty diet could cause people to experience migraines, Chi Mei Medical Center neurology department director Yang Chun-ming (楊浚銘) said.

Yang cited an example a 15-year-old girl surnamed Lin (林), who had been having migraines for a long time, which her family thought was caused by academic pressure.

The migraine attacks felt like there was a power drill vibrating inside her head, Yang cited the girl as saying, adding that she would also get nauseous, and would become sensitive to light and noise.

Chi Mei Medical Center neurology department director Yang Chun-ming is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Chi Mei Medical Center

Lin would feel so uncomfortable that she would need to go to the school infirmary to lie down or go home early, he said.

Yang said he gave Lin medicines for acute pain relief and prevention, and administered out-of-pocket calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibody injections after shared decisionmaking.

The treatment helped reduce the frequency of Lin’s migraines from at least twice per week to twice per month, Yang said.

Lin was also tasked to keep a “migraine journal” to track her lifestyle, and the medical team found that chocolate, cheese and skipping meals aggravated her condition, he said.

When Lin adjusted her dietary habits, her symptoms further improved, Yang said, adding that a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and proper sleep significantly enhanced her quality of life.

The treatments eventually allowed her to lead a more normal life, he said.

The frequency and intensity of migraine attacks could increase during autumn or winter due to plummeting temperatures or changing air pressure, Yang said.

High-calorie or highly stimulating foods, such as liquor, cheese or chocolate — which people would have to keep warm during cold days — are also common migraine triggers, he said.

People should consider migraines as a signal from the body and keep a record of their diet to find out what foods induce an attack, Yang said, adding that it is important for those who experience migraines to have a balanced diet and sufficient sleep to keep their condition under control.

Many parents or teachers mistakenly think migraines are simply due to stress or fatigue, but migraines in teenagers are not typical, he said.

They usually get shorter, bilateral headaches, abdominal pain or fatigue, he added.

In some severe cases, the migraines could impact teenagers’ school and social lives, Yang said.

If a child regularly experiences migraines that are not mild and are disrupting their life — with symptoms such as sensitivity to light or noise — they should see a doctor specializing in pediatric neurology or general neurology, he said.

Early diagnosis and treatment by professional doctors could help effectively control migraines and prevent the condition from affecting the child’s development or academic performance, Yang said.


content_text:
Poinsettia harvests down 30%, hit by warm winter, pests

With Christmas approaching, farmers have begun selling festive poinsettias. However, they said production of the plants this year was down by 30 percent due to a warm winter and pests.

Tainan Gueiren District Farmer Association member Huang Yi-pin (黃毅斌) last week said multiple poinsettia cultivars have become available over the past few years, giving buyers more choices.

The price of poinsettias has been stable, he added.

One of the newest cultivars this year is “Red Princess,” a single-color cultivar with multiple bracts that is more resistant to heat, Huang said, adding that a well-tended Red Princess could live up to the Lunar New Year in February next year.

The cultivar “Watercolors” has large, lemon-yellow bracts, which makes it stand out from other poinsettias, he said.

Huang recommended the “White Christmas” cultivar for those who have gardens with plenty of sunlight, saying that the plant’s dense white bracts made it a striking sight.

Poinsettias are not native to Taiwan, but thanks to the hard work of local botanists, there are now many cultivars better suited to the local climate, although one downside is that they have few bracts, so they could be less visually pleasing, he said.

Some cultivars with dense bracts are less resistant to heat, but the Red Princess has successfully addressed this issue, he said.


content_text: Crowds watch a Japanese Awa Odori troupe’s performance in Taoyuan yesterday. The performance was part of an event organized by the Taoyuan Jingfu Temple that included a market and other performances, attracting more than 30,000 people.

title: Japanese dance


content_text: A 32-meter-long dragon design composed of white rice is displayed during a religious event at Juesing Temple in Taichung yesterday in celebration of the temple’s 80th anniversrary. Auspicious tokens issued for the occasion were decorated as the dragon’s scales. After the ceremony, the rice used in the ritual was packaged for distribution.

title: Auspicious occasion


title: Christmas cheer

content_text: The New Taipei CTBC DEA basketball team’s cheerleading squad, the “Passion Sisters,” give a Christmas-themed performance during a game between the New Taipei CTBC DEA and the New Taipei Kings at Sinjhuang Stadium in New Taipei City yesterday. The New Taipei CTBC DEA beat the New Taipei Kings 114-111.


content_text:
CHIP RACE:  Three years of overbroad export controls drove foreign competitors to pursue their own AI chips, and ‘cost US taxpayers billions of dollars,’ Nvidia said

China has figured out the US strategy for allowing it to buy Nvidia Corp’s H200s and is rejecting the artificial intelligence (AI) chip in favor of domestically developed semiconductors, White House AI adviser David Sacks said, citing news reports.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he would allow shipments of Nvidia’s H200 chips to China, part of an administration effort backed by Sacks to challenge Chinese tech champions such as Huawei Technologies Co (華為) by bringing US competition to their home market.

On Friday, Sacks signaled that he was uncertain about whether that approach would work.

A sign displays the Nvidia Corp logo at its headquarters in Santa Clara, California, on Nov. 18. Photo: EPA

“They’re rejecting our chips,” Sacks said in an interview on Bloomberg Tech, citing an unspecified news article he had seen that day. “Apparently they don’t want them, and I think the reason for that is they want semiconductor independence.”

Sacks on Saturday wrote on social media that he was referring to a Financial Times report that China was poised to limit access to the chips through a local approval process in which Chinese buyers would need to justify their purchases.

Sacks’ comments raise questions about whether Nvidia would be able to recover revenue from China. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts estimate annual H200 revenue in China to be a US$10 billion opportunity — but only if the nation accepts the US firm’s chips.

Nvidia would continue to work with the administration on H200 licenses for vetted customers, a company spokesperson said in a statement.

“While we do not yet have results to report, it’s clear that three years of overbroad export controls fueled America’s foreign competitors and cost US taxpayers billions of dollars,” the company said.

China is weighing a package of incentives worth as much as US$70 billion to support its local chipmaking industry, Bloomberg reported on Friday, underscoring Beijing’s resolve to reduce its reliance on foreign chipmakers such as Nvidia.

It suggests that the government would continue to support companies such as Huawei and Cambricon Technologies Corp (寒武紀) even with the H200 cleared by the US for export to China.

The H200, which was introduced in 2023 and began shipping to customers last year, is part of the Hopper generation of Nvidia’s graphics processing units, second-best to the Blackwell line and two generations behind the upcoming Rubin series. An 18-month lag behind the latest Nvidia chips was part of the Trump administration’s justification for the decision.

Sacks, a venture capitalist who joined the administration in January, identified China’s desire to prop up and subsidize Huawei as a key reason for its H200 reluctance.

“What you see is China’s not taking them because they want to prop up and subsidize Huawei,” Sacks said. “That was part of our calculation, of selling not the best, but lagging chips to China, is that you can take market share away from Huawei, but I think the Chinese government has figured that out, and that’s why they’re not allowing them.”

Beijing has yet to publicly agree to allow imports of Nvidia’s H200 products. It also has yet to publicly reject them, despite the recent US policy change. Earlier this year, China shunned the H20, a significantly less capable chip Trump allowed this summer.

title: China ‘rejects’ chips, outfoxing US: Sacks


title: Stablecoin vital to nation’s competitiveness: expert

content_text:
DIGITAL ECONOMY:  Taiwan could leverage its chip sector to issue specialized US dollar stablecoins to lower global transactions, and use NT dollar stablecoins locally

A financial technology expert has called for the issuance of a New Taiwan dollar stablecoin, saying it is vital for safeguarding the nation’s monetary sovereignty and reinforcing the country’s industrial competitiveness.

Driven by strong policy momentum in the US, this year has been widely seen as the “first year of stablecoins” — cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value, typically pegged 1:1 to a fiat currency, and widely used as settlement currencies for digital assets and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).

As US dollar-pegged stablecoins such as USDT and USDC account for about 99 percent of the global market, Taiwan risks being sidelined in the emerging digital-finance infrastructure if it does not act soon, Taiwan FinTech Association board member Jeff Wen (溫宏駿) said.

The issue goes beyond payment convenience and instead centers on competition over monetary sovereignty and control of financial ledgers, Wen said on Friday.

An NT dollar stablecoin could serve as a medium of exchange and unit of account for RWA transactions, allowing on-chain financial products to be priced in NT dollars, he said.

Without it, Taiwan’s financial products could struggle to circulate globally, he added.

As countries develop new accounting systems alongside traditional banking ledgers, Japan and South Korea are positioning their own currency-backed stablecoins, Wen said, adding that Taiwan could miss a strategic opportunity if it procrastinates.

Nearly 5 percent of domestic firms and more than 10 percent of Taiwanese companies operating overseas are already experimenting with stablecoins for cross-border payments, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council said.

Export-oriented technology firms might already be receiving US dollar stablecoins, and without an NT dollar stablecoin, converting those funds into the local currency could reduce efficiency and erode competitiveness, Wen said.

Taiwan could leverage its semiconductor strength to issue specialized US dollar stablecoins to lower transaction costs globally, while also using NT dollar stablecoins for payments within the domestic semiconductor and artificial intelligence supply chains, he suggested.

Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Peng Jin-long (彭金隆) earlier this month said that if virtual-asset legislation and related regulations are adopted soon, a Taiwan-issued stablecoin could debut as early as the second half of next year.

However, some critics have said there is little need for an NT dollar stablecoin, given that Taiwan has highly efficient domestic payment systems.

In response, Peng said that the growing use of RWAs and potential domestic applications highlights the merits of a local-currency stablecoin.


content_text:
Gasoline and diesel prices at domestic fuel stations are to fall NT$0.4 per liter this week, after international crude oil prices last week snapped a two-week rising streak, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) announced yesterday.

Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to drop to NT$26.8, NT$28.3 and NT$30.3 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, the companies said in separate statements.

The price of premium diesel is to fall to NT$25.2 per liter at CPC stations and NT$25 at Formosa pumps, they said.

International oil prices showed a significant weekly loss as a major Iraqi oil field has resumed production, and there are hopes for progress in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, the companies said.

In addition, a US Energy Information Administration report showed that US commercial crude oil stockpiles decreased sharply in the week ended on Dec. 5, which added pressure to oil prices, they added.

Front-month Brent crude oil futures — the international oil benchmark — last week decreased 4.13 percent to settle at US$61.12 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange.

Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures — the US oil gauge — lost 4.39 percent to US$57.44 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

title: Fuel prices at pumps to fall NT$0.4 per liter


content_text:
E.Sun Financial Holding wins honors from CDP for leadership on climate

E.Sun Financial Holding Co (玉山金控) has achieved “Leadership” status across all three categories in this year’s Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).

The company was awarded the highest “A” rating in the Climate Change and Forests category, securing a place on CDP’s respected annual “A” list and achieving a Leadership level “A-” rating in Water Security.

The result reflects E.Sun Financial’s sustained commitment to transparency and efforts on climate, forest and water management.

An image recognizes E.Sun Financial Holding Co for winning a double “A” rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project, securing leadership level recognition in the Climate Change, Forests and Water categories, demonstrating strong ambition and verified action. Photo courtesy of E.Sun Financial Holding Co

The CDP is a globally recognized environmental disclosure platform that supported more than 24,800 companies and nearly 1,000 cities, states and regions last year. It aligns with IFRS S2 climate standards and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and has incorporated the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) into its scope.

The assessment covers critical nature issues, including forests, water resources and biodiversity, evaluating companies’ depth of reporting, understanding of environmental risks and evidence of following best practices — including ambitious target-setting and verified action. Companies must continuously improve to meet the CDP’s rigorous and independent methodology.

E.Sun Financial remains committed to environmental action, targeting net zero emissions by 2050 and nature positive outcomes. Since 2022, the company has published an integrated TCFD/TNFD “Climate and Nature Report” following both frameworks, and obtained BSI Taiwan TNFD conformity verification last year.

Under E.Sun Financial’s “Biodiversity Conservation and No Deforestation Commitment,” the company pledged to advance biodiversity and forest restoration to realize the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2050 vision of “Living in Harmony with Nature.”

Subsidiary E.Sun Commercial Bank (玉山銀行) supports Taiwan’s sustainable food and agriculture transition through the “Farm to Table Sustainable Food Value Chain” program.

E.Sun Financial’s partnership with CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) also facilitated the first other effective area-based conservation measures-linked loan, in response to the government’s “Human-Biodiversity Coexistence Areas Certification Program” and contributing to the UN’s “30×30” biodiversity target.

Beyond Taiwan, E.Sun Financial pursues strategic international engagement. At this year’s UN Climate Change Conference, also known as COP30, the company established strategic collaboration with the World Climate Foundation, joined the Nature Investment Coalition and was invited to serve as Asia chair. In that capacity, the company intends to connect financial institutions, industry leaders, governments and academia across Asia to drive investments in biodiversity conservation, natural capital investment and the development of biodiversity credit mechanisms.

E.Sun Financial firmly believes a good environmental, social and governance strategy is a good business development strategy. As the global focus on climate and nature evolves, the company will continue aligning with global trends and integrating its financial expertise, working diligently with like-minded partners to promote environmental protection and social inclusion, thereby bringing positive impacts to Taiwan and beyond.


content_text: A woman holds a box of tomatoes under a tent outside the Lujhu Sports Park in Kaohsiung yesterday. The Lujhu District Office held a tomato festival over the weekend to promote the seasonal fruit, as the harvest this winter was of excellent quality due to favorable weather and low rainfall.

title: Fresh off the vine


title: EDITORIAL: TAO spouts more doublespeak

content_text:
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on Wednesday criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government for initiating a one-year restriction on Shanghai-based social platform Xiaohongshu (小紅書, also known as RedNote in English), describing the ban as “anti-democratic” and claiming it deprives Taiwanese of their rights and freedom to access the app.

TAO spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing, in which his answers to other reporters’ questions on the issue highlighted the Chinese government’s constant self-contradictory statements and exposed the lies that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has repeated to the Taiwanese public.

Chen said Xiaohongshu is a popular social media platform among Taiwanese, who use it to understand Chinese society and engage in friendly interactions with Chinese users, but DPP authorities are deliberately creating an “information cocoon.” He said the ban was imposed under the pretense of preventing fraud, but is actually aimed at blocking mutual understanding and exchanges between young people in Taiwan and China. He used wordplay to satirize the DPP as the “ban-the-people party,” for its restrictions on Chinese e-commerce and social media sites.

However, Chen froze for a few seconds when a Central News Agency (CNA) reporter asked about Chinese having to bypass China’s “Great Firewall” to access Western social media, and whether the government would consider allowing them access to Facebook, as the TAO and other Chinese government agencies have accounts on the platform. He eventually responded that his government supports the use of all kinds of social media in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations, adding that China puts its citizens first, lawfully combats telecom fraud and criminal activities, and safeguards the lives, property and rights of Chinese.

His remarks seem almost comical, given China’s Internet censorship, and as the “Great Firewall” creates one of the world’s most infamous “information cocoons” to limit and filter what Chinese can access and see online. Also, “democracy” and “freedom” have never been associated with the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) one-party authoritarian regime, although it frequently claims such values in its official discourse and documents.

What can be posted on Chinese social media is strictly monitored, and so-called nonpolitical content on Xiaohongshu has been meticulously curated under the government’s comprehensive and stringent surveillance rules and the self-censorship culture in China. Lifestyle content must align with state-approved ideology, and posts perceived as “socially undesirable” or “potentially sensitive” are removed.

Meanwhile, Chen’s reply to another question by the CNA reporter inadvertently exposed lies that KMT politicians have often used to mislead the public. The reporter asked if the TAO would request that its affiliate the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits assist Xiaohongshu in communicating with Taiwanese authorities, as requests to submit anti-fraud improvement plans submitted through the Straits Exchange Foundation were not met with a reply.

Chen said that because the DPP administration refuses to accept the so-called “1992 consensus that embodies the one China principle,” the communication mechanism between the foundation and the association had been suspended.

The Chinese government has repeatedly and on many occasions stressed its “one China” principle. Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) on Tuesday last week told his German counterpart that “there is no room for ambiguity” on the position, and in China’s policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean released on Wednesday last week, it again said “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the government of the PRC [People’s Republic of China] is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.”

Chen’s response clearly debunked the KMT’s claim that the so-called “1992-consensus” is an understanding between the KMT and the CCP with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means, because Beijing explicitly reiterated that “China” only has one meaning — the PRC.

It also revealed the KMT’s lies about “the DPP refusing to communicate with China,” while raising questions about how the KMT can work with China, as it claims, without accepting Beijing’s “one China” precondition.

Many KMT politicians and some so-called pacifists have accused the DPP of being unwilling to communicate with Beijing and “provoking” China to take hostile actions. However, the premise of accepting Beijing’s “one China” principle for talks with China’s leaders is concerning and should be closely scrutinized.


people: 馬英九 陳水扁 賴清德 陳玉珍

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Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators have twice blocked President William Lai’s (賴清德) special defense budget bill in the Procedure Committee, preventing it from entering discussion or review. Meanwhile, KMT Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍) proposed amendments that would enable lawmakers to use budgets for their assistants at their own discretion — with no requirement for receipts, staff registers, upper or lower headcount limits, or usage restrictions — prompting protest from legislative assistants.

After the new legislature convened in February, the KMT joined forces with the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and, leveraging their slim majority, introduced bills that undermine the Constitution, disrupt constitutional order and encroach upon executive authority. These include the “contempt of legislature” charge and amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法), which effectively paralyzed the operations of the Constitutional Court and the justices’ powers.

The blue-white coalition has also used its majority coercion to forcibly pass legislation detrimental to national development and citizens’ livelihoods, drastically cutting and freezing the budgets for national defense, diplomacy, economic development, social welfare programs and more, greatly harming the nation’s development and the public’s interests. On cross-strait issues, the KMT has gone so far as to echo the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) “one China” principle, block the passage of national security legislation and seek to amend the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) in an attempt to use China to control Taiwan.

Since losing the Executive Yuan, the KMT has failed to cherish Taiwan’s democratic system, refused to earnestly listen to public opinion and failed to put forward sound national policies. Instead, it has reversed its former stance of fighting communism and restoring the nation, adopting a pro-China position and currying favor with the CCP to disrupt Taiwan.

After Taiwan’s democratization, kind-hearted Taiwanese gave the KMT a chance to redeem itself through merit. After former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) left office in 2008, former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) won back the top office for the KMT, serving two consecutive terms. Yet he disregarded the views of the majority of Taiwanese and, under the pretext of the so-called “1992 consensus” and the “one China” framework, steered the nation onto a pro-China path.

Last year, the improper delineation of legislative districts caused the KMT to receive fewer total nationwide votes than the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but win slightly more legislative seats. However, the party failed to cherish the opportunity. Instead, embittered by three consecutive defeats in presidential elections, it acted out of spite and self-interest.

While the CCP intensifies its efforts against Taiwan, the KMT — with no regard for national security or public interest — has joined forces with the TPP to propose and pass bills that would paralyze executive authority, sideline Lai, obstruct governance and ultimately harm Taiwanese, all in an attempt to seize back power.

If the DPP is unable to break free from the complacent and rigid mindset that it should not “stir up trouble” while in power, it would inevitably fail to reverse the situation. In turn, Taiwan would be unable to cope with the severe challenges the CCP poses, as well as domestic and international pressure — let alone move forward.

Enduring grievances are usually for the greater good, but once enduring them no longer serves that purpose, it is time to take responsibility. Leaders must step forward firmly and skillfully, letting the country’s long-term interests and the greatest interests of the public guide the way, and do what must be done.

KMT political infighting has severely undermined national development and the interests of Taiwanese. The nation is facing an unprecedented democratic crisis. For the sake of its survival and development, all Taiwanese who support democracy should unite through civil organizations, politics, academia and the media.

Taiwanese should emulate the methods used in the US in the 1960s and 1970s to monitor and reform the US Congress by engaging in sustained, nationwide action: marches, demonstrations, sit-ins, telephone protests, street theater, forums, public hearings, op-eds, television and radio appearances, and discussions on social media.

Through such actions, the public can collectively and continuously monitor problematic legislators, building a powerful force until opposition lawmakers recognize citizen anger, cease their unreasonable behavior and start competing with the ruling party in a more rational manner.

Michael Lin is a retired diplomat, formerly posted in the US.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Opposition must work for Taiwan


title: KMT weakness on defense poses risk

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President William Lai’s (賴清德) proposal of a US$40 billion defense supplemental budget is welcome news in Washington and among Taiwan’s supporters. It is also a critical test, seen outside of Taiwan as almost must-pass legislation. Many in US President Donald Trump’s administration and elsewhere believe that Taiwan has not been carrying the full weight of its self-defense responsibilities. The good news is that Taiwan is taking steps to fix that to reassure allies and deter the Chinese Communist Party.

However, failure to pass the defense supplemental in the Legislative Yuan, controlled by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party, would be an enormous setback for Taiwan.

Until the past couple of years, Taiwan had for several decades not spent the appropriate amount on its defense, nor had it spent enough on soft power. While Taiwan is a prosperous, high-income economy, similar in terms of economic size to Switzerland and the Netherlands, its investment in diplomacy and soft power, including foreign assistance, remains only a small fraction of what Switzerland and the Netherlands spend.

On hard military power, as of last year, Israel spent 8.8 percent of its GDP on defense, Poland spent 4.1 percent and is committed to reaching 5 percent next year, and Estonia spent 3.4 percent with plans to raise it to more than 5 percent. By comparison, Taiwan has allocated about 2 percent of its GDP per year over the past 20 years, with a steady growth rate. Lai’s US$40 billion budget proposal would raise Taiwan’s commitment to 5 percent by 2030.

Taiwan has many friends in Washington: in the think tank community, the advocacy community and in the US Congress. Because of those relationships, there has been a reluctance to criticize Taiwan vocally. Now, we are at a moment of truth. Trump has publicly called for Taiwan to dramatically increase its defense spending to 10 percent of GDP.

Trump administration leaders, such as US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, have echoed that sentiment, saying Taiwan “should be dramatically increasing its defense capabilities focused on denying an invasion and riding out a blockade.”

Taiwan must do more. Even with the proposed US$40 billion, defense spending as a percentage of GDP would remain well below 10 percent. The supplementary budget is a good down payment, but far from sufficient.

The contested US$40 billion defense package is critical, but opposition parties do not appear to be treating the issue with the necessary sense of urgency. KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) dismissed Lai’s proposal as “playing with fire” and “an investment in war.”

Procedural obstruction in the KMT-led legislature has already delayed key defense deliberations at a time when delay itself is dangerous. The opposition has raised concerns about debt ceilings and social spending trade-offs, creating a legislative logjam over defense funding.

In the past few months, procedural maneuvers and sometimes physical obstruction have blocked defense-related deliberation, even staging near-legislative shutdowns over issues far less consequential than Taiwan’s survival.

There are varying perspectives within the opposition, but the legislative impasse is clear. The situation echoes the difficulty within former US president George W. Bush’s administration, when KMT legislators blocked funding for P-3C anti-submarine warfare aircraft and PAC-3 missile defense systems. Twenty years ago, Taiwan could afford such hesitation. Today, it cannot.

Failure to pass this funding would put at risk not just Taiwan’s own national security, but also the willingness of the US and other allies to support Taiwan in a crisis. There are many discussions in Washington over so-called strategic ambiguity, meaning the US lacks certainty over whether it would come to Taiwan’s defense or not. The willingness to even consider supporting Taiwan under any circumstance would drop dangerously low if Taiwan does not pass this budget.

This is not December 1995, when the US had aircraft carriers pass through the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese military is far stronger and far more dangerous, and the appetite for foreign interventions in the US is far lower. If Taiwan does not follow through on this defense investment spending, it could put at risk entire security guarantees from its allies. No one might say it aloud, but it would be understood in every capital.

This is the moment for Taiwan’s friends to make it clear to members of the Legislative Yuan — especially to members of the KMT, such as caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁), Legislator and Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee chairwoman Ma Wen-chun (馬文君); Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜); and Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) of the Procedure Committee — that neglecting defense spending cannot be tolerated. Timing is crucial. The legislature will soon recess for the holidays, and then for several months.

Failing to pass this defense supplemental would be extremely dangerous, sending a signal of weakness to China. The enthusiasm of Taiwan’s allies would drop considerably. The US$40 billion bill is not just a budget item; it is a litmus test for Taiwan and a signal to its allies. Taiwan’s friends want Taipei to succeed, but friends cannot be more serious about Taiwan’s defense than the nation’s own political leadership.

Daniel F. Runde is the author of The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership Through Soft Power.

people: 韓國瑜 馬文君 鄭麗文 賴清德


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STRUGGLING:  Despite the loss, the own-goals and sitting in last place, the Wolves’ manager Rob Edwards said the team was focused, showed spirit and almost delivered

Arsenal consolidated top spot in the Premier League, but needed a huge slice of luck in the shape of two own goals to secure a nervy 2-1 win at home against the rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead with 20 minutes to go when a Bukayo Saka corner bounced off the underside of the crossbar and off the back of unfortunate Wolves keeper Sam Johnstone into the net.

The hosts were not at their ruthless best and thought they had blown their chance when the Wolves equalized through Tolu Arokodare with normal time almost up, the substitute scoring with an excellent glancing header.

Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres, right, encounters Wolverhampton’s Emmanuel Agbadou during their Premier League match in London on Saturday. Photo: EPA

Yet Arsenal’s blushes were spared when Yerson Mosquera headed the ball into his own net under pressure from Gabriel Jesus in the 94th minute to rescue victory for the league leaders.

“We are relieved because we managed to score at the end, and go and win it, but we need to improve,” Arsenal manager Arteta told reporters, pointing also to some “horrible” defending in the lead-up to the Wolves goal.

It was a quick reboot for the North London side after seeing an 18-game unbeaten run broken last weekend at Aston Villa and leaves them on 36 points, five ahead of Manchester City and six ahead of Villa before their matches yesterday after press time.

Meanwhile, the Wolves remain winless after 16 Premier League games this season and their two-point haul is a joint-record low after 16 games in top-flight history, level with Sheffield United in 2020/21.

It was the Wolves who had the best chance of the first half when Hwang Hee-chan sprinted into an empty Arsenal half left unmanned except for goalkeeper David Raya, who saved the forward’s effort.

After that the chances began to flow for the hosts.

Gabriel Martinelli could, and probably should, have scored when he headed a deep Declan Rice corner back across the goal rather than in, and then volleyed a Wolves clearance from another corner narrowly wide shortly after.

The second half was more one-way traffic. Rice had a free kick tipped over the bar and then saw another edge-of-the-box effort brilliantly saved low down by Johnstone, while substitute Leandro Trossard also went close with a couple of flashed shots.

Arsenal also suffered their latest defensive injury blow, as Ben White had to be replaced after half an hour, taking the shine off Saturday’s return of center-back William Saliba.

Arteta told reporters afterward that the injury looked to be a hamstring issue and meant the side’s cycle of defensive woes continues.

“We don’t know the extent of it [White’s injury], but probably tomorrow or the day after we will know more,” he said.

Wolves manager Rob Edwards said his side were flat in the dressing room due to the dramatic manner of the defeat, but praised their performance.

The lead-up to Arokodare’s goal had seen the Wolves apply a relentless few minutes of pressure on Arsenal, who just could not get the ball away.

“We saw a team that were focused, they followed the game plan and they stuck together, showed a spirit, took the moment when it came and almost delivered sort of a perfect game,” Edwards told reporters.

title: Arsenal spot saved by two own-goals


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Victor Wembanyama made a triumphant return from injury to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a stunning NBA Cup semi-final upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, while the New York Knicks downed the Orlando Magic to book their place in the final.

French prodigy Wembanyama, who has missed the Spurs’ previous 12 games after suffering a left calf strain last month, produced a dominant performance at both ends of the court to set up a thrilling 111-109 victory at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

The 2.24m 21-year-old finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes on court, helping the Spurs climb out of a 16-point hole in the second quarter to inflict only the second Oklahoma City defeat this season.

Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder is fouled as he shoots by Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during their NBA Cup semi-final game in Las Vegas on Saturday. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

NBA champions Oklahoma City had gone into the game on the back of a 16-game winning streak, boasting a 24-1 record for the season that had prompted talk of them breaking the Golden State’s record 73-win season.

However, after making a smooth start to control the game, Wembanyama began to make his presence felt off the bench in the second quarter to breathe new life into the San Antonio ranks.

“I knew I had limited minutes so I had to make the most out of it,” Wembanyama said. “Winning against a team like this, it might seem like it’s just a game, but it’s a collective effort and it’s not an easy thing.”

“It’s only their second loss of the season. It means something,” he added.

Wembanyama was one of four San Antonio players to finish with double figures, with Devin Vassell scoring 23, and Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox adding 22 apiece.

“It says a lot. And it says a lot about where this team is going to be in the future,” he said.

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder scoring with 29 points, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren added 17 points each.

In Saturday’s other semi-final, Jalen Brunson scored 40 points to power the New York Knicks to their first NBA Cup final with a 132-120 win over the Orlando Magic.

The Knicks’ in-form offense proved too hot for injury-hit Orlando, as New York took their recent streak to nine wins from 10 games.

“We came out here and did exactly what we said we wanted to do, which was play Knicks basketball,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who backed Brunson with 29 points.

The Magic had led 36-33 after making a rapid start to a breathless opening quarter — earning the Knicks players some harsh and fiery words from coach Mike Brown in an early timeout.

“The way they came out, physicality-wise, we weren’t ready for it,” Brunson said. “We bounced back and responded to that, and the way we played the rest of the game is a testament to that first timeout.”

New York went on a tear at the start of the second quarter, capitalizing on a missed floating jump shot from Desmond Bane to take the lead through Josh Hart.

The Knicks briefly relinquished their advantage soon after half-time, when Bane put the Magic back ahead with a running layup.

Orlando ultimately could not keep pace with Brunson, who late in the third quarter left opposing guard Anthony Black sitting helplessly on the floor before executing a three-point step-back jumpshot.

Orlando’s Jalen Suggs managed a team-high 26 points, but failed to complete the game after suffering with an apparent injury to his left side.

The Magic also felt the absence of Franz Wagner, their leading scorer this season.

The NBA Cup, a mid-season knockout tournament now in its third year, is proving a hit with audiences and players.

It now offers a tantalizing opportunity for the Knicks to win their first overall trophy since 1973.

title: Wembanyama leads the Spurs to Cup final


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Glasgow fought back to topple record six-time European Rugby Champions Cup winners Toulouse 28-21 on Saturday as Antoine Dupont made his first start in more than eight months.

Earlier, France fly-half Matthieu Jalibert scored 16 points as holders Bordeaux-Begles hammered the Scarlets 50-21 to maintain their 100 percent start to the Champions Cup season.

In the late game in Glasgow, the Scottish hosts trailed 21-0 at the break with Dupont, who had made just two substitute appearances since suffering a knee injury in March, in full flow.

Toulouse wing Ange Capuozzo is tackled into touch by the Glasgow Warriors’ scrum-half Jamie Dobie as he reaches for the line during their European Rugby Champions Cup match in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday. Photo: AFP

In driving rain at Scoutstoun, the French side collapsed after the interval to lose their first Champions Cup group game since January 2022.

Glasgow moved to the top of Pool 1 having beaten Sale in the opening round last weekend. Toulouse are third.

“When we scored after half-time, I thought something might be brewing,” Glasgow center Sione Tuipulotu told reporters. “I’ve got so much respect for that Toulouse team and everything they’ve achieved.”

“That’s one of the great home victories for us, and it’s amazing to be a part of,” he added.

France superstar Dupont helped fire Toulouse to a 21-0 lead after 36 minutes, scoring himself and then setting up center Kalvin Gourgues for the first of his two tries.

Seconds before the break, Toulouse winger Ange Capuozzo was inches from claiming the bonus point, but put his foot in touch as he attempted to dive over.

Momentum changed after the interval with tries from full-back Josh McKay, back-rower Gregor Brown and Tuipulotu bringing the sides level, and generating the belief that the Warriors could secure a first win over Toulouse since 2009.

Dupont was replaced with 10 minutes left and seconds later, Glasgow’s replacement hooker Seb Stephen crashed over from a rolling maul. Fly-half Adam Hastings kicked a fourth straight conversion to claim victory.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux-Begles head coach Yannick Bru said Jalibert had performed “magic tricks” after the mercurial 27-year-old scored two tries and slotted three conversions as the French club remained top of Pool 4 having beaten the Bulls in South Africa last weekend.

Jalibert’s highlights were an assist to Tiaan Jacobs’s try and a solo effort.

“It’s great, when things are tight and we’re not controlling things, Matthieu pulls out a magic trick,” Bru told reporters. “Right now he’s full of confidence, he tries things.”

“We’re happy to have him,” Bru added.

In the same group, two-time winners Munster beat Gloucester 31-3 in front of 35,000 people at the Gaelic sports stadium Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork, Ireland, to bounce back from a hammering at Bath, England, a week earlier.

The Stormers ran in six tries to see off a youthful La Rochelle side 42-21, while South Africa captain Siya Kolisi scored as the Sharks edged three-time winners the Saracens 28-23.

The Stormers’ second win in a row put them top of Pool 3 ahead of four-time winners Leinster, who beat Leicester 23-15 on Friday.

La Rochelle, who beat English side Leicester in their opener last week, lie third in Pool 3.

The Saracens are second in Pool 1 despite their loss to the Sharks, with Sale in fourth after they bounced back from last week’s home defeat to Glasgow to win 35-14 at Clermont, for their first victory at Stade Marcel Michelin since 2008.

title: Six-time winners Toulouse lose to Glasgow


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Slalom Aliprandini’s ‘hardest race’ after partner’s heavy fall

Italian Luca de Aliprandini described Saturday’s World Cup giant slalom at Val d’Isere as the hardest race of his life, coming two days after his Swiss partner Michelle Gisin suffered a heavy fall in training which required neck surgery.

De Aliprandini finished 26th in the men’s event won by Loic Meillard, but the result paled into insignificance with two-time Olympic ski champion Gisin in hospital with injuries to her wrist, knee and cervical spine (neck).

“It was Michelle’s wish that I race here. I couldn’t say no to her, but it was the toughest race of my entire life,” an emotional De Aliprandini said. “She gave me so much strength, and fortunately she is improving hour by hour.”

Luca De Aliprandini competes during the first run of the Men’s Giant Slalom event of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Val d’Isere, France, on Saturday. Photo: AFP

“It will take time for her to recover in the best possible way, but given how things went, we are grateful that she is doing well,” he said.

Gisin was flown to Zurich after the fall which came during downhill training in St Moritz on Thursday last week, and De Aliprandini gave an update on the 32-year-old’s condition after she underwent surgery.

“Everything went as well as it could,” he said. “Of course, it will take some time to fully understand how her clinical condition evolves, but overall the doctors said they were satisfied with how she reacted.”

“She can move her arms and legs, she is conscious, so an important first step has been taken,” he added.

The Milano Cortina Games start on Feb. 6.


title: Belarus frees 123 political prisoners

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FREEDOM:  ‘The Nobel Prize was ... [an] acknowledgement of our activity, our aspirations that have not yet come to fruition,’ Ales Bialiatski said, adding that ‘the fight continues’

Belarusian street protest leader Maria Kolesnikova and Nobel Prize winner Ales Bialiatski on Saturday walked free with 121 other political prisoners released in an unprecedented US-brokered deal.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has locked up thousands of his opponents, critics and protesters since the 2020 election, which rights groups said was rigged and which triggered weeks of protests that almost toppled him.

The charismatic Kolesnikova was the star of the 2020 movement that presented the most serious challenge to Lukashenko in his 30-year rule.

Nobel Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, center, flanked by Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, right, speaks to the media outside the US embassy in Vilnius on Saturday after being released from prison. Photo: Reuter

She famously ripped up her passport as the KGB tried to deport her from the country.

Bialiatski — a 63-year-old veteran rights defender and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize winner — is considered by Lukashenko to be a personal enemy. He has documented rights abuses in the country, a close ally of Moscow, for decades.

Bialiatski stressed he would carry on fighting for civil rights and freedom for political prisoners after his surprise release, which he called a “huge emotional shock.”

“Our fight continues, and the Nobel Prize was, I think, a certain acknowledgement of our activity, our aspirations that have not yet come to fruition,” he told media in an interview from Vilnius.

“Therefore, the fight continues,” he added.

He was awarded the prize in 2022 while in jail.

After being taken out of prison, he said he was put on a bus and blindfolded until they reached the border with Lithuania.

His wife, Natalia Pinchuk, said that her first words to him on his release were: “I love you.”

Most of those freed, including Kolesnikova, were unexpectedly taken to Ukraine, surprising their allies who had been waiting for all of them in Lithuania.

Kolesnikova called for all political prisoners to be released.

“I’m thinking of those who are not yet free, and I’m very much looking forward to the moment when we can all embrace, when we can all see one another, and when we will all be free,” she said in a video interview with a Ukrainian government agency.

Hailing Bialiatski’s release, the Nobel Committee said there were still more than 1,200 political prisoners inside the country.

“Their continued detention starkly illustrates the ongoing, systemic repression in the country,” Norwegian Nobel Committee chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said their release should “strengthen our resolve ... to keep fighting for all remaining prisoners behind bars in Belarus, because they had the courage to speak truth to power.”

Jailed opponents of Lukashenko are often held incommunicado in a prison system notorious for its secrecy and harsh treatment.

There had been fears for the health of Bialiatski and Kolesnikova while they were behind bars, although in interviews on Saturday they both said they felt okay.

The deal was brokered by the US, which has pushed for prisoners to be freed and offered some sanctions relief in return.

An envoy of US President Donald Trump, John Coale, was in Minsk this week for talks with Lukashenko.

He told reporters from state media that Washington would remove sanctions on the country’s potash industry, without providing specific details.

A US official separately said that one US citizen was among the 123 released.

Minsk also freed Viktor Babariko, an ex-banker who tried to run against Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election, but was jailed instead.

Kolesnikova was part of a trio of women, including Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who stood against Lukashenko and now leads the opposition in exile, who headed the 2020 street protests.

She was serving an 11-year sentence in a prison colony.

In 2020, security services had put a sack over Kolesnikova’s head and drove her to the Ukrainian border, but she ripped up her passport, foiling the deportation plan, and was placed under arrest. Former prisoners from the Gomel prison where she was held have said she was barred from talking to other political prisoners and regularly thrown into harsh punishment cells.

An image of Kolesnikova making a heart shape with her hands became a symbol of anti-Lukashenko protests.


title: Ukrainian drone attack kills two people in Russia

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A Ukrainian drone attack in southwestern Russia killed two people on Saturday as parts of Ukraine went without power following Russian assaults on energy infrastructure hours before peace talks were to restart in Germany.

Foreign policy advisers from the US, Ukraine and Germany, among others, were expected to meet in Berlin yesterday, German news agency dpa said.

Germany is also set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy today, part of efforts by European leaders to steer the negotiations.

The Ukrainian city of Odesa, where some neighborhoods are without power, is pictured from the air on Saturday, following missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Photo: AFP

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law who has been working as an outside adviser, were traveling to Berlin for the talk, said a White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

US officials have tried for months to navigate the demands of each side as Trump presses for a swift end to Russia’s war and grows increasingly exasperated by delays. The search for possible compromises has run into major obstacles, including the possession of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, mostly occupied by Russia, but parts of which remain under Ukrainian control.

The drone attack in Russia’s Saratov region damaged a residential building and several windows were also blown out at a kindergarten and clinic, Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said it had shot down 41 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight.

In Ukraine, Russia launched overnight drone and missile strikes on five Ukrainian regions, targeting energy and port infrastructure. Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said that more than 1 million people were without electricity.

Russia had sent more than 450 drones and 30 missiles into Ukraine overnight, Zelenskiy said.

An attack on the Black Sea city of Odesa caused grain silos to catch fire at the port, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Oleksiy Kuleba said.

Two people were wounded in attacks on the wider Odesa region, regional military administration head Oleh Kiper said.

Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid, and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call “weaponizing” the cold.

On the front lines, Ukrainian forces on Saturday said that the northern part of the critical city of Pokrovsk was under Ukrainian control, despite Russia’s claims earlier this month that it had taken full control of the city.

The Associated Press was not able to independently verify the claims.