content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

日本成人產業最近多了一位「越看越有戲」的新面孔。來自新加坡的新晉AV女優 蘇櫻花（Sakura Soh），低調完成日本出道，正式與當地製作團隊展開合作。今（22日）消息一曝光，討論度立刻衝高，而網友第一個注意到的不是身分轉換，而是-「明明滿身刺青，作品裡卻一個都看不到！」

新晉AV女優蘇櫻花日本出道 照片提供：蘇櫻花

童顏外表、嬌小身形，是蘇櫻花給人的第一印象，但熟悉她的人都知道，真正的亮點藏在反差裡。乍看清純無害，轉個角度卻線條感十足，被圈內形容為「第一眼安全、第二眼驚喜」型女神，也讓她在新人輩出的日本市場中，一出道就被記住。

新晉AV女優蘇櫻花日本出道 照片提供：蘇櫻花

在踏進成人影像之前，蘇櫻花長期活躍於 DJ 與夜店圈，是站在第一線控場的類型。多年下來，她對節奏、氣氛與情緒流動的掌握相當精準，卻不走張揚路線，而是偏冷靜、內斂，反而更耐看。也正因如此，當她開始與日本製作團隊接觸時，雙方在風格與方向上很快找到共識。

談到為何會離開家鄉、跨界轉戰全新領域，她直言疫情成了人生最大轉彎點。「疫情期間，新加坡所有的俱樂部都關閉了兩年」她說，那段時間讓她開始經營 OnlyFans，也重新思考人生的下一步。疫情結束後，她選擇旅行、觀察世界，並等待真正適合自己的機會出現。

新晉AV女優蘇櫻花日本出道 照片提供：蘇櫻花

而日本，從來不是臨時起意的選項。蘇櫻花笑說：「我從小就看日本成人影片，這其實是我的人生願望清單之一。」所以當機會真的出現時，她幾乎沒有猶豫，「機會一來，我就立刻抓住了。」這趟跨海出道，對她來說，更像是圓夢。

目前她每個月固定赴日工作，為出道做足準備，「我已經準備了大約五個月，目前為止我真的很喜歡這裡。」聊到日本生活，她秒變吃貨模式：「我太愛日本料理了！」但也不忘補一句現實面，「氣候跟語言真的還在適應，我想努力學日文，還有，日本冬天真的非常非常冷，畢竟我來自熱帶國家。」還需要時間來適應。

新晉AV女優蘇櫻花日本出道 照片提供：蘇櫻花

至於備受關注的出道作品，她坦言自己下了不少功夫，「我做了很多準備，也努力提升表情、演技和造型，希望大家都會喜歡我的出道作品。」其中最讓粉絲意外的，是她選擇將身上的刺青全部以特效化妝遮蓋，「所以在這支作品裡，刺青是完全看不到的，這對我來說是最大的改變。」

作品風格上，她並不追求誇張刺激，而是強調自然情緒與真實反應，透過眼神、表情與細膩肢體語言，營造耐看又留有想像空間的氛圍，成功拉出與一般新人女優的距離。

新晉AV女優蘇櫻花日本出道 照片提供：蘇櫻花

日本製作團隊也看好她的海外背景與鏡頭感，認為她對拍攝節奏理解快、能迅速抓到導演想要的感覺，在新人中相當少見。據了解，這次合作並非短期試水溫，而是以中長期布局為目標，將陸續嘗試不同主題與市場反應。

至於 DJ 身分是否會因此暫別？蘇櫻花給出肯定答案：「會繼續！我計劃在 2026 年去很多國家演出，我真的很興奮！」

蘇櫻花從夜店 DJ 到日本成人影像舞台 照片提供：蘇櫻花

從夜店 DJ 到日本成人影像舞台，這位「滿身刺青卻在鏡頭裡全消失」的海外新勢力，接下來會如何發展，已經成功吊足市場胃口。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 來自新加坡的新晉AV女優蘇櫻花日本出道 童顏反差掀暴動

countries: 日本 新加坡

title: 來自新加坡的新晉AV女優蘇櫻花日本出道 童顏反差掀暴動


content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

藝人阿諾、巴鈺、周厚安、融融（吳宇堯）、山豬妹（陳沛冪）與主播詹舒涵等人的工作常在外走跳，他們同上庾澄慶（哈林）主持公視《哈！真相大白了》，節目上有關「飯店裡最髒的地方」話題，竟掀起一陣飯店清潔驚魂記的談論，趣味內容將在明（12/23）晚9時公視播出，並上架公視＋平台。

(左起)藝人阿諾、周厚安、巴鈺上節目參賽 照片提供：公共電視

阿諾率先發難，認為有些住客可能邊吃東西邊摳牙還邊轉台看電視，「最髒的肯定是遙控器」，也因此「在飯店很少看電視、多半都滑手機，不碰遙控器」；旅遊達人融融則認為「除了遙控器，水龍頭、門把，手常碰到的地方也髒」。

(左起)阿諾、融融、周厚安上節目談飯店清潔驚魂 照片提供：公共電視

阿諾還補充說出遊「會帶自己的毛巾」，原來她曾聽飯店打工朋友分享打掃過程，手邊有房客用過的大、小毛巾「就拿過來擦擦馬桶、擦擦地板」，讓巴鈺聽了驚問「妳朋友在哪家飯店？」，哈林直笑說「快告訴她、她要去」，引眾人笑翻。

主播詹舒涵(中)談到飯店瞬煮壺可怕聽聞、巴鈺(左)山豬妹陳沛冪(右)聽了咋舌 照片提供：公共電視

周厚安則認為「遙控器、門把這些都好清理，最髒應該是最難清、清起來成本最高的地方，比如沙發、地毯」，還說地毯「一年清一兩次就偷笑了」，讓哈林笑說「你這飯店也太不嚴格了」。

周厚安(左)巴鈺(右)上節目參賽 照片提供：公共電視

有「農村界林志玲」封號的主播詹舒涵則分享自己聽過令人咋舌經歷「我對煮熱水的瞬煮壺感到非常害怕」，原來新聞界前輩曾與她分享「出去出差時，有些物品可以水煮，需要『消毒』，就會通通丟進壺裡去煮」，詹舒涵還舉例「比方手帕、內衣褲這些的」，融融也補充「我有聽過是襪子」，讓巴鈺摀嘴睜大眼驚呆，哈林聽了也說「這個就噁心了」；節目上詹舒涵帶著恐懼說「我聽了再也不敢用那個東西（煮水）」，引現場來賓們點頭如搗蒜。

(左)詹舒涵(右)山豬妹陳沛冪 上節目參賽照片提供：公共電視

《哈！真相大白了》以闖關遊戲結合查核知識、破解各式真假訊息，讓觀眾在歡笑中練就識謠能力。每週一至週三晚間9點於公視播出、公視+同步上架：播出後集數也於每週四至六晚間8時上架YouTube（www.youtube.com/@hafactorfake）。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 《哈！真相大白了》飯店裡最髒的地方話題 掀起一陣飯店清潔驚魂記

title: 《哈！真相大白了》飯店裡最髒的地方話題 掀起一陣飯店清潔驚魂記


people: 賴清德 林信義

title: Lai, LDP lawmaker vow to boost ties

content_text:
POSITIVE FEELINGS:  Eighty percent of Japanese feel a sense of closeness with Taiwan, a Japanese lawmaker said, citing a survey amid a high in Taiwan-Japan relations

President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan can deepen cooperation in various fields and work together to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Lai made the remarks while welcoming a delegation led by Japanese Representative Koichi Hagiuda, who is incumbent secretary-general of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council and executive acting secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

He led a delegation of Hachioji city councilors to visit Taiwan from Sunday to today.

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party executive acting secretary-general Koichi Hagiuda, left, clinks mugs with President William Lai, right, at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page

At a meeting at the Presidential Office, Lai said he had met with Hagiuda at the launch event for the Abe Shinzo Research Center in Taipei in September.

Since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi assumed office, she has in many international public events, including the Japan-US Summit Meeting, ASEAN Japan Summit and APEC Summit, repeatedly expressed support for the Taiwan-Japan relationship and emphasized peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Lai said.

“On behalf of Taiwanese, I want to express our appreciation,” he said, adding that as Takaichi has continued to receive strong support from Japanese, he believes the nation would be able to contribute even more to peace and stability in the Strait and the Indo-Pacific region.

“I sincerely look forward to Taiwan and Japan deepening collaboration in national security strategy, regional cooperation, economic security, high-tech industries and societal resilience, and work together to achieve a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific,’” he said.

Lai said Taiwan and Japan should cherish their precious friendship, continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation and interaction, and face challenges together.

All democratic countries should come together to protect freedom and democracy, and to avoid being divided and conquered by adversaries, he said, thanking Hagiuda and Taiwan’s friends for their long-term support for peace in the region.

For Japan, Taiwan is an important partner and friend with shared values, close economic relations and people-to-people exchanges, Hagiuda said.

Takaichi last month met with Taiwan’s representative to the APEC Summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義) at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in South Korea, to discuss enhancing cooperation in economics and disaster prevention, he said.

In addition, the LDP has long engaged in exchanges with Taiwan through its youth division, fostering a lasting friendship, he said, adding that he looks forward to further deepening cooperation and exchanges.

In a Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association survey, Taiwanese ranked Japan as their favorite country, while a corresponding survey showed that nearly 80 percent of Japanese felt a sense of closeness toward Taiwan, and that Taiwan-Japan relations are considered the best in history, he said.

China lodged a diplomatic complaint with Japan regarding the visit, stating that China “firmly opposed” the meeting and urging Japan to “reflect deeply on its mistake.”

Hagiuda’s visit comes with diplomatic ties between Tokyo and Beijing at their lowest in years after Takaichi last month suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be a “survival-threatening situation,” that could necessitate a military response from Tokyo.

China responded vehemently and has been pushing for the Japanese leader to retract her statement.

Another five-member Japanese legislative delegation led by Hirofumi Takinami, a member of the Japanese House of Councillors, is also visiting Taiwan from yesterday through Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The group is to meet with Lai and other government officials.

Takinami, who is married to a Taiwanese, has for years enthusiastically promoted Taiwan-Japan parliamentary exchanges, the ministry said.

Additional reporting by Reuters and CNA


title: NPA mulls new rules to purchase smoke grenades

people: 張智倫 賴士葆 呂建德 劉世芳

content_text:
HOLIDAY SAFETY: The government plans to deploy more than 17,000 police officers and civil defense personnel to bolster security ahead of the coming holidays

Authorities are considering requiring real-name registration to purchase smoke grenades following their use in an attack on the Taipei MRT on Friday last week, as well as introducing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered scanners at public transportation entrances, National Police Agency Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) said yesterday.

The legislature’s Internal Administration Committee invited Chang, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) and others to discuss plans to improve safety following the deadly rampage that left four dead, including the suspect.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) asked whether smoke grenades and signal flares would be added to the Firearms, Ammunition and Knives Control Act (槍砲彈藥刀械管制條例).

The agency would decide within a month whether to require that people register when purchasing smoke grenades, which are used in survival games and for distress calls in the wilderness, Chang said.

Regarding civilian preparation, Liu said that evacuation simulations that were previously conducted as tabletop exercises would now be run as unscripted drills involving real-world scenarios.

The orange crisis safety handbook published this year did not include scenarios involving violence and robbery, as the likelihood was considered low, but would be included in the next edition, she said.

In addition, station entrances on public transportation could be equipped with AI scanners to detect dangerous items, Chang said in response to a question from KMT Legislator Chang Chih-lun (張智倫).

Assessing the feasibility of such a system would take about two months, as its impact on passenger flow and foot traffic must be considered, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wu Sheng-yuan (伍勝園) said.

Asked how to prevent copycats, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lue Jen-der (呂建德) said that Friday’s case was unusual.

The perpetrator experienced social isolation and long-term frustration, and his motives are still being investigated, Lue said.

Experts have been instructed to review similar cases and include them in social safety assessments, he said, adding that the review would be completed within three months.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior said it plans to deploy 17,000 police officers, as well as civil defense personnel and volunteers, to bolster security at events across Taiwan in the coming holidays through the Lunar New Year.

Local police departments have been tasked with planning duty assignments and bolstering security measures, involving 17,295 personnel, it said in a report.

The deployments aim to boost police visibility and enhance deterrence at 137 events nationwide before the holiday, it said.

Additional reporting by CNA


content_text:
By Lin Chih-yi, Lo Kuo-chia and William Hetherington / Staff reporters, with staff writer

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is to launch the second stage of its Long-term Care 3.0 on Thursday next week, expanding dementia services and upgrading community-based care as Taiwan transitions to a “super-aged” society.

The first stage of the new policy’s rollout began on Sept. 1 when the ministry eased rules on hiring foreign caregivers, allowing families to apply for community-based care services within the originally approved quota.

It also expanded the scope and payment limits of community-based transportation services, increased the reimbursement for nutritional care services and adjusted the content of home respite services.

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

In the second stage, the initiative would be expanded to include younger people with dementia and those enrolled in the Post-acute Integrated Care Program, providing more appropriate care and support.

About 350,000 people aged 65 and older have dementia, a number expected to exceed 470,000 by 2031 and approach 680,000 by 2041, based on health ministry data and National Development Council projections.

The prevalence of dementia among people aged 65 and older is 7.99 percent, a ministry survey showed.

Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Parkinson’s disease-related dementia are the most common forms of dementia, with the prevalence at 9.36 percent among women, and 6.35 percent among men.

In addition to cognitive impairment, dementia is often accompanied by behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), such as agitation, depression, anxiety, delusions, wandering and sleep disturbances, which significantly complicate care.

Under Long-term Care 3.0, eligibility for long-term care services would be expanded to include people with early-onset dementia — defined as those younger than 50 with functional impairments — to enable earlier intervention, the ministry said.

Measures include expanding care resources, training specialists and diversifying care options.

Starting next year, services would be provided according to disease stage, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lue Jen-der (呂建德) said.

People with very mild or mild dementia who retain mobility could attend community-based dementia centers, while those with BPSD could use designated centers, he said.

Those with long-term care needs could access home-based or community care services, while people requiring 24-hour intensive care could move to group homes or designated sections of residential institutions.

The Ministry of Labor is also planning a program to help people with dementia return to the workplace, he said.

Nationwide, 15,539 integrated community care service sites, 1,184 day care centers, 36 group homes and 2,658 beds in dementia-designated residential sections have been established, along with 554 dementia community service sites and 132 dementia co-care centers, serving about 47,000 people over the past year, Lue said.

Funding for the predecessor program rose from NT$4.95 billion (US$157.03 million) in 2016 to NT$92.6 billion this year, an 18.7-fold increase, he said.

Under Long-term Care 3.0, the government plans to expand functional assessment coverage for older adults from 8.2 percent to 50 percent and promote community-based prevention of oral frailty, which affects up to 34 percent of people aged 60 and older.

Early dementia symptoms are often overlooked, with families sensing only that “something has changed,” Taipei City Hospital doctor Chiang Kuan-yu (姜冠宇) said.

Emotional instability, increased family conflict, difficulty navigating familiar routes or sudden financial confusion can all be warning signs, he said.

As the disease progresses, patients might lose the ability to perform familiar tasks — behavior sometimes mistaken as apathy — when executive function has deteriorated, Chiang said.

In the terminal stage, incontinence, swallowing difficulties and choking are common, with life expectancy sometimes limited to about six months, he said.

Chiang urged people concerned about dementia risk to monitor changes in memory, judgement and behavior and seek screening if needed, calling for earlier awareness and better care coordination to support both patients and caregivers.

Additional reporting by Liu Li-jen

title: Long-term care expansion to start next week


content_text:
Japan yesterday took the final step to allow the world’s largest nuclear power plant to resume operations with a regional vote, a watershed moment in the country’s return to nuclear energy nearly 15 years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, about 220km northwest of Tokyo, was among 54 reactors shut after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima plant in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

Since then, Japan has restarted 14 of the 33 that remain operable, as it tries to wean itself off imported fossil fuels.

Protesters take part in a rally near the Niigata Prefectural Government Office Building in Niigata, Japan, yesterday, before a vote on the partial restart of the Tokyo Electric Power Co’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant. Photo: Reuters

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is to be the first restarted plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), which ran the doomed Fukushima plant.

The Niigata Prefectural Assembly yesterday passed a vote of confidence on Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who backed the restart last month, effectively allowing the plant to begin operations again.

“This is a milestone, but this is not the end,” Hanazumi told reporters after the vote. “There is no end in terms of ensuring the safety of Niigata residents.”

A woman swims in the water near the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, one of the world’s largest nuclear facilities, in Kashiwazaki, Japan, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

While lawmakers voted in support of Hanazumi, the assembly session, the last for the year, exposed community divisions over the restart, despite new jobs and potentially lower electricity bills.

“This is nothing other than a political settlement that does not take into account the will of the Niigata residents,” an assembly member opposed to the restart told fellow lawmakers as the vote was about to begin.

Outside, about 300 protesters stood in the cold holding banners reading “No Nukes,” “We oppose the restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa” and “Support Fukushima.”

“I am truly angry from the bottom of my heart,” Kenichiro Ishiyama, a 77-year-old protester from Niigata city, said after the vote. “If something was to happen at the plant, we would be the ones to suffer the consequences.”

TEPCO is considering reactivating the first of seven reactors at the plant on Jan. 20, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa’s total capacity is 8.2 gigawatts (GW), enough to power several million homes. One 1.36GW unit would be brought online next year and another with the same capacity in about 2030.

title: Japan takes final step to restart large nuclear plant


title: Car blast kills Russian general hours after US talks

content_text:
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war.

Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators said they were probing whether the blast was “linked” to “Ukrainian special forces.”

The attack was similar to other assassinations of generals and pro-war figures that have either been claimed, or are widely believed to have been orchestrated, by Ukraine.

People inspect a damaged Kia Sorento at the scene where Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov was killed by a car bomb in Moscow yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, was killed when the bomb, which had been placed under his parked car, detonated in a residential quarter of southern Moscow.

Reporters at the scene saw a mangled white Kia sport utility vehicle, its doors and back window blown out. The frame was twisted and charred from the blast.

The scene had been cordoned off by security forces, and investigators were sifting through the debris. Eyewitnesses reported a loud bang.

“We absolutely didn’t expect it. We thought we were safe, and then this happens right next to us,” local resident, Tatiana, 74, said.

“The windows rattled, you could tell it was an explosion,” said Grigory, 70, who also declined to give his surname.

“We need to treat it more calmly. It’s the cost of war,” he added.

The Russian Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was “working through various lines of enquiry into the murder. One of them involves the possible organization of the crime by Ukrainian special services.”

Sarvarov fought in the Russian army’s campaigns in the North Caucasus, including Chechnya in the 1990s, according to his official biography on the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Web site.

He also commanded Russian forces in Syria in 2015 and 2016.

The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed about yesterday’s killing, which came after three days of talks in Miami as the US intensifies its efforts to broker an end to the four-year war.

Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and US special envoy Steve Witkoff hailed “progress” in the negotiations on Sunday.

Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev also met with the US team, which included Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

Witkoff had also called those meetings “productive and constructive.”


title: US to supply howitzers as part of new arms sale

content_text:
KING OF BATTLE: The upgraded versions of the Paladin already in service would able to kill targets at extended ranges, reinforcing coverage by other weapon systems

A senior military official said the US government has pledged to sell Taiwan 120 M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers, adding that the sale of 60 artillery units announced last week represent the first phase delivery.

The US government on Wednesday last week announced the potential sale of eight arms packages to Taiwan, including HIMARS, anti-tank missiles and drones, at an estimated cost of US$11.1 billion.

It was the second round of arms sales to Taiwan during US President Donald Trump’s second term. Last week’s package is larger than the first one.

The package contains 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), 60 M109A7 howitzers, 60 tracked ammunition carrier vehicles, 1,050 FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles and related equipment, 1,545 tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided (TOW) missiles and Anduril ALTIUS-700M kamikaze drones.

Five of the eight arms packages — the M109 howitzers, HIMARS, TOW guided anti-tank missiles, anti-armor drones and Javelin anti-tank missiles — are covered in an NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget put forth last month by the government, pending lawmakers’ review.

A senior military official on Saturday said the first batch of 60 howitzers, valued at about US$4 billion, would be purchased using the NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget, with delivery for the first batch scheduled within five to eight years.

The second batch as well as supplemental equipment would be paid by the annual defense budget of the Ministry of National Defense, the anonymous official said, spreading funding across several fiscal years.

Taiwan is reported to have reduced the number of M109A7 howitzers requested to 120 from 168 out of concern that the delivery of the weapons might not be completed within the execution timeline for the special budget. The howitzers would be delivered to Taiwan in two phases.

The accompanying support equipment includes 60 M992A3 field artillery ammunition resupply vehicles, 13 M88A2 armored recovery vehicles, 42 sets of the International Field Artillery Tactical Data System and 4,080 Precision Guidance Kits (PGK).

The M109A7 is equipped with a 155mm main gun, with a maximum firing range of up to 30km, which can be extended to 40km when firing M982 Excalibur precision-

guided artillery rounds. The howitzer fills the coverage gap between the HIMARS — whose rockets have ranges of 42km to 70km and whose ATACMS can reach up to 300km — and conventional artillery, which typically has a range of 20km to 30km. The M109A7 can significantly enhance Taiwan’s defensive operations and layered deterrence capabilities, the official said.

The M109A7 is the latest variant in the M109 family of self-propelled howitzers. Its most significant difference from the A6 version lies in its adoption of the chassis, engine, transmission and track system of the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, simplifying maintenance and parts interoperability.

The M109A7 has a digital fire-control system, GPS and digital navigation systems, a tactical data link and an onboard diagnostic computer with self-monitoring capabilities. While the currently deployed M109A5 requires a six-person crew, the M109A7 operates with a crew of only four.

The PGK is standard equipment currently in service with the US Army’s artillery batteries. The kit consists primarily of a fuze assembly, four stabilization fins and a GPS guidance antenna.

When integrated with artillery rounds such as M549A1 and M795 high-explosive rounds, the PGK enables the M109A7 to conduct precision strikes, allowing the projectile to correct its trajectory midflight in order to precisely

engage and destroy enemy targets.


title: Majority oppose stalling on defense budget

content_text:
SUBSTANTIAL DISFAVOR: More than half of those polled said they disapproved of the opposition’s continued stalling of a special defense budget in the legislature

More than half of people disapprove of opposition lawmakers stalling review of the government’s proposed special defense budget, a poll found yesterday.

Last month, President William Lai (賴清德) proposed a NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget to be spent over the next eight years.

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), using their combined legislative majority, have twice declined to schedule the bill for discussion.

Opposition lawmakers raise their hands in a vote while Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers hold up signs protesting the blocking of the special defense budget during a meeting of the legislative Procedural Committee in Taipei on Dec. 2. Photo: CNA

The KMT said the Cabinet’s plan lacks transparency, includes unproven weapons systems and items without strategic validation and risks wasteful spending.

The TPP added that Lai should honor his campaign pledge to brief lawmakers on national security, cross-strait developments, US arms purchases and defense budget planning before any review of the special budget

KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) yesterday said the legislative Procedure Committee when it meets today would not place the bill on the schedule, saying the opposition would continue to refuse until Lai clearly explains the budget plan.

In a poll conducted by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, 53.7 percent of respondents said they disapproved of the

opposition parties blocking review of the budget, while 30.2 percent approved.

Even when controlling for age or education level, the majority of people in each group disapproved of the opposition’s stalling, the foundation said.

The results show a significant majority of Taiwanese are concerned about the Chinese military threat and are unhappy that the budget is not being discussed in the legislature, it said.

Among KMT supporters, 52 percent approved of holding up the budget, while 33 percent disapproved, it said.

Among TPP supporters, 59 percent approved while 29 percent disapproved, showing that even among supporters of the opposition, a significant number would like to see the special defense budget be discussed, the foundation said.

In the same poll, 57.6 percent of respondents said they appreciated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment last month that an attack on Taiwan might constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, which has sparked an ongoing diplomatic spat with Beijing, the poll found.

Only 15.8 percent said they did not appreciate the comment.

People were divided in their response by party affiliation, with most Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and TPP supporters saying they appreciated Takaichi’s comment, while most KMT supporters were negative or ambivalent.

In the poll, 89 percent of DPP supporters and 42 percent of TPP supporters appreciated her comments to only 0.7 percent and 24 percent respectively who did not.

However, 33 percent of KMT supporters appreciated the comments, compared with 34 percent who did not.

Among neutral voters, the figures were 39 percent appreciating to 20 percent who did not appreciate the comments.

The survey was conducted from Monday to Wednesday last week, collecting 1,077 valid responses from adults aged 20 or older.

About 70 percent were contacted by landline, while the remainder responded by cellphone.

The poll had a margin of error of 2.99 percentage points and confidence level of 95 percent, weighted based on the latest government population data.

Additional reporting by Lin Hsin-han


content_text:
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday filed malfeasance charges against five grand justices of the Constitutional Court after opposition-backed amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) were ruled unconstitutional on Friday last week.

The legislature on Dec. 20 last year passed amendments to the act stipulating that the president shall propose supplementary nominations within two months after the number of grand justices falls below 15.

The amendments stipulate a minimum of 10 grand justices to commence constitutional deliberations and a minimum of nine grand justices in favor of an unconstitutional ruling to make it effective.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers hold placards out the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

On Friday last week, the Constitutional Court ruled that the amendments are unconstitutional and should be invalidated from the date of the ruling, as their legislation was significantly broken and against the constitutional principle of separation of powers.

KMT deputy secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥), KMT legislators Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇), Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯), Chen Ching-hui (陳菁徽), Lu Hsien-yi (盧縣一) and KMT New Taipei City Councilor Lin Kuo-chun (林國春) yesterday filed the complaint with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office.

They filed suits against Constitutional Court justices Shieh Ming-yan (謝銘洋), Lu Tai-lang (呂太郎), Tsai Tsai-chen (蔡彩貞), Chen Chung-wu (陳忠五) and Greg Yo (尤伯祥).

Lin Pei-hsiang said the ruling is illegal, given that three grand justices who held different views and refused to take part in the deliberation were virtually considered “not incumbent” when the ruling was passed by the other five grand justices.

Wang said the ruling was made without enough grand justices attending the deliberation, either by the standards of the 10-

justice minimum stipulated by the amendments or two-thirds of the total number of incumbent justices based on the original version of the act.

The five justices violated Article 124 of the Criminal Code by wrongfully passing the ruling and would be punishable by a prison term from one to seven years, she said.

Hsu said the three justices with dissimilar views were nominated and approved not during the KMT administration, but during the presidency of former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) when the Democratic Progressive Party held the majority in the legislature.

They took different stances simply to uphold the Constitution, she added.

Hsu also urged President William Lai (賴清德) to nominate more grand justice candidates. Opposition lawmakers have twice rejected Lai’s grand justice nominees, first in December last year and again in July, and Lai has not nominated a new set of nominees since.

people: 蔡英文 林沛祥 徐巧芯 王鴻薇 陳忠 賴清德 林國春

title: KMT files malfeasance charges at constitutional judges


content_text:
KMT taking orders to stall bill from Beijing, DPP says

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday accused opposition parties of taking orders from Beijing to stall Taiwan’s special defense budget.

A group of seven KMT Legislators, including Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲), Yeh Yuan-chih (葉元之) and Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) attended an event in Xiamen hosted by the Xiamen Taiwan Businessmen Association over the weekend, where they met officials from Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office. The subject of their discussions was not divulged, leading to grave concern.

“KMT legislators rushed to fly to China, even though there is still lots of important work in the legislature. When asked, they refused to discuss their trip to Xiamen. Are they reporting to Chinese officials, who are now in charge of the KMT?” DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) said.

“Beijing’s stance is firm: Taiwan must not purchase any new weapons. The KMT should inform our public why they needed to rush to Xiamen to confer with Chinese officials so their intentions are clear, as they seem to take orders from China and act as their proxies here in Taiwan,” Wu said.

Weng yesterday said that when the legislative Procedure Committee meets today she would use her position as co-convener of the committee and would not place the bill on the schedule.

“Weng’s decision to stall the special defense budget defies majority public opinion. KMT legislators continue to defy prevailing public sentiment, receiving orders and acting as proxies for the Chinese government. We urge Taiwanese to closely watch what KMT members are doing,” Wu said.

KMT Legislator Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲), acting as the KMT Culture and Communications Committee head, yesterday said there is a great deal of trade between Taiwan and China.

The government encourages businesses to make money in China while allowing those same businesses to be treated like orphans in China, he said.

DPP officials are concerned over the potential of being detained by Chinese authorities, so it is the opposition party that tries to understand the needs of Taiwanese businesses, he said.

“We are doing our best to address this, but the current government is using this to smear us,” Wu said.

Head of the business association Han Ying-huan (韓螢煥) said the legislators attended the association’s celebration as part of a private event, and it was simply an exchange. Taiwanese businesspeople hope that both sides of the Taiwan Strait can coexist peacefully without unnecessary disruptions, he added.

Additional reporting by CNA

people: 林思銘 葉元之 吳宗憲


people: 李進勇 黃文玲 陳宗義 卓榮泰 賴清德 游盈隆 羅智強

content_text:
Pollster, law professor nominated as CEC chair, vice chair

Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation Chairman Michael You (游盈隆) and Soochow University law professor Hu Po-yen (胡博硯) have been nominated to serve as chairman and vice chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Executive Yuan said yesterday.

Other nominated commissioners include lawyer and ex- lawmaker Huang Wen-ling (黃文玲), former Taoyuan mayor under Taoyuan County Chen Tsung-yi (陳宗義), and China University of Science and Technology Vice President Lee Li-chung (李禮仲).

Fooyin University professor Su Jia-hong (蘇嘉宏) and Soochow University professor Su Tzu-chiao (蘇子喬) were also nominated as commissioners.

Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation Chairman Michael You is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

The 11-commissioner CEC currently only has four commissioners, but requires a minimum of five to convene a meeting and make resolutions, according to regulations, bringing urgency to the process.

The four-year terms of six commissioners, including Chairman Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) and Vice Chairman Chen Chao-chien (陳朝建), expired on Nov. 3, while former commissioner Meng Chih-cheng (蒙志成) resigned in June amid a corruption probe.

The nominees were selected by Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) based on recommendations from each party and ideally had a bipartisan background, strong theoretical and practical expertise, and experience in both central and local governments, Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said in a statement.

Lee Li-chung and Su Jia-hong were recommended by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) while Su Tzu-chiao was recommended by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), Michelle Lee said.

If approved by the Legislature, the commissioners will serve until Nov. 3, 2029, except for Chen Tsung-yi, who will serve until Nov. 3, 2027 to finish Meng’s term, the spokesperson said.

You is a former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member, but he has been somewhat of a thorn in the side of the DPP and President William Lai (賴清德), often voicing criticism of the DPP’s leadership while heading one of Taiwan’s top polling organizations.

That perceived independence may help him get confirmed despite the gaping political divide between the Executive Yuan and the opposition-controlled Legislature, which has prevented the confirmation of nominees to the Constitutional Court and National Communications Commission.

The TPP reacted relatively positively to the nominees, though it said it would still carefully review the nominees in accordance with the law.

KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) also did not dismiss the nominations out of hand as the KMT has done in other instances, saying the party caucus will prioritize neutrality in election affairs in reviewing the candidates.


title: Minister discusses use of public alerts

people: 王鴻薇 劉世芳 張智倫

content_text:
SECURITY: If there had been an alert sent at the wrong time on Friday, thousands of people in the area would have panicked, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang said

Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) yesterday said she does not oppose the proposal to inform the public of indiscriminate attacks through cell broadcast alerts, provided that the messages are clear to avoid causing panic or further harm.

Liu made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee as lawmakers inquired officials on how to better cope with domestic attacks, after a random killing spree in downtown Taipei on Friday last week resulted in deaths of four people, including the attacker, and saw 11 injured.

The 27-year-old suspect, identified as Chang Wen (張文), jumped off a building and died while being chased by the police.

Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang attends a meeting of the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

Video footage captured by surveillance cameras showed that Yu first threw smoke grenades near Taipei Main Station, before walking to Zhongshan MRT Station and randomly stabbing people.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Chang Chih-lun (張智倫) and Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) asked if it is possible to inform members of the public about a major attack through emergency cell broadcasts as authorities do when a major earthquake or an extreme weather event occurs.

Liu said that local governments use cell broadcasts to evacuate people ahead of or during natural disasters.

While using mobile phone alerts is a good approach to rapidly disseminate security-related information, criteria in activating such a mechanism must be defined clearly to avoid panic and confusion, she said.

“Earthquake alerts are sent when seismic intensity at some regions is expected to reach a certain level. However, the suspect moved from Linsen N Road, Taipei Main Station, Zhongshan MRT Station and eventually to the Eslite Bookstore on Nanjing S Rd. If the alert was sent at the wrong time, thousands of people along this route would panic and not know what to do,” she said.

While local government officials can use cell broadcasts amid a major attack, they must ensure that residents are informed on how to evacuate under such circumstances, she said.

The investigation into the attack has found no indication of involvement by foreign forces, she said.

However, about 20 copycat cases had been reported online as of Sunday, she said, citing Criminal Investigation Bureau data.

Suspects in some of the copycat cases have been arrested and investigated by prosecutors, she added.

Lawmakers asked whether the attack will be included in the National Public Safety Guide for responding to major violent or public safety threats, and whether similar future attacks could trigger emergency text alerts to notify the public. Liu said the incident will be included in the next updated version of the guide, and if the draft receives approval, a new edition is expected to be issued next year.

National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) dismissed the allegation that the police radio communication system malfunctioned on Friday last week, saying that the equipment police use are is required to pass safety tests.

Following the suspect’s death, law enforcement and national security officials are investigating whether he was able to fund his purchases of smoke grenades through a cryptocurrency wallet.

The suspect reportedly left his job as a security guard in June last year. Prior to working for a private security firm, he was discharged from the military due to drunk driving.

His mother reportedly wired about NT$30,000 to him every three months, but it was not enough to cover his rent in Taipei, which was NT$17,000 a month.

Additional reporting by CNA


people: 劉世芳 蔣萬安

title: Man who fought Taipei attacker honored

content_text:
HERO: Yu Chia-chang’s mother said she was proud of her son, who was killed after fighting a knife-wielding attacker, but that the loss had left her ‘heartbroken’

The legislature’s Internal Administration Committee yesterday passed a motion to honor Yu Chia-chang (余家昶), who was killed after fighting a knife-wielding attacker near Taipei Main Station on Friday last week, by enshrining him at the Taoyuan Martyrs’ Shrine.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) on Sunday said the Taipei City Government would posthumously commend Yu for his bravery, and would also assist his family in applying to the central government for a presidential commendation, with the hope that Yu could be enshrined at the Taoyuan shrine.

Lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties expressed approval for the proposal.

Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said that the ministry would respect the wishes of Yu’s family.

“Yu was originally from Taoyuan, and if the Taoyuan City Government would proceed in the same manner as it did in the case of Lin Hung-sen (林鴻森), we are willing to provide full assistance,” she said.

An excavator company owner in Taoyuan, Lin was also known as “shovel superhero.” He was injured while taking part in rescue operations following flooding caused by the overflow of a barrier lake on Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in Hualien County. He later died of sepsis and was enshrined at the Taoyuan Martyrs’ Shrine.

The temporary motion lawmakers passed at the committee says that Yu sacrificed his life to confront the assailant of the major premeditated murder incident that occurred near Taipei Main Station on Friday evening, significantly reducing potential casualties and saving many lives.

“In recognition of his courageous actions, and with respect for the wishes of his family, the motion calls for assistance to be provided in submitting a proposal of enshrining him at the Taoyuan Martyrs’ Shrine, through the government of Yu’s place of origin, in accordance with the procedures set out in the Praise and Commendation Act (褒揚條例),” it says.

Separately yesterday in a media interview, Yu’s mother, surnamed Huang (黃), said she was proud of her son, but the loss had left her “heartbroken.”

Huang, in her 80s, said relatives and friends initially withheld the news out of concern that she would be overwhelmed by grief.

Describing her son's routine, she said Yu texted her every morning to say good morning and usually returned home from Taoyuan by 6:30 pm every Saturday. Her concern grew when he neither came home nor called to explain his absence that weekend.

She said she feared the worst after seeing news reports describing a victim surnamed Yu, 57, who worked in finance, and called her daughter-in-law to confirm the information.

Huang added that Yu's father had served in the military and that the couple had raised their sons with strict discipline.

She described Yu as a devoted son who had shown courage and a strong sense of responsibility from a young age.

Additional reporting by CNA


title: Police still tracing finances of Taipei attacker

content_text:
Police are actively tracing the finances of Chang Wen (張文) to determine how he obtained the money to plan and carry out a recent stabbing spree in Taipei, the head of the city’s Criminal Investigation Division said yesterday.

Police will report any progress as soon as details become available, Lu Chun-hung (盧俊宏) said at a news conference on the deadly incident that left four people dead, including Chang, and at least 11 others injured.

Chang, who fell to his death from the roof of a six-story department store while being pursued by police, is believed to have meticulously planned the attack and began buying supplies more than a year and a half ago.

Armed police officers patrol Taipei Main Station yesterday. Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

Concerns have been raised about how he financed the attack.

A former professional soldier, Chang was discharged from the military in 2022 for drunk driving and later worked as a security guard for about a year. After leaving that job, he remained unemployed, and in July a warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to report for reservist training.

It has been reported that Chang’s mother sent him quarterly remittances of NT$30,000 (US$951) last year.

Lu again urged the public not to spread threats or violent messages online, saying police will thoroughly investigate such activity to prevent potential copycat attacks.

Meanwhile, the city’s law enforcement agency has also faced public criticism over its response to the incident, with some questioning why the police did not act more quickly.

During a news conference, the Taipei Police Department said the attacker changed disguises five times and used three modes of transport -- walking, scooter, and YouBike -- which greatly hindered the police investigation.

Chang scouted the area in advance to familiarize himself with the layout, enabling him to commit the attacks and flee quickly, it said.

Police said they will accept public feedback and review how to better coordinate between agencies and respond more quickly to future incidents.


content_text:
A man walking across Taiwan in a samurai costume was questioned by police near New Taipei City’s Jioufen (九份) yesterday due to concerns about his sword, days after Friday’s mass stabbing incident in Taipei.

The New Taipei Police Department received a call about the 22-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), after he was seen walking on a mountain road near Jioufen, a popular tourist town.

The man was dressed in “kendo lantern pants” and a straw hat, holding a gourd-shaped water bottle, and had what appeared to be a samurai sword slung across his back, police said.

A man surnamed Chen wears a costume and carries a samurai sword at the entrance of a guesthouse in an undated photograph. Photo copied by Wu Sheng-ju, Taipei Times

Seven officers dispatched to the scene surrounded and approached Chen, who readily submitted to questioning. He was found to be carrying a 60cm sword, which had an unsharpened blade, but was pointy at the tip, police said.

Police took Chen to Rueifang Police Station, where he said he was interested in the Japanese samurai culture, and did not intend to hurt anyone.

Chen said that he set out from Tainan last month on a walk around Taiwan, and had already passed through Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien and Yilan without any trouble, before arriving in Jioufen on Friday.

Chen said that at 11am yesterday he had checked out from his Jioufen hotel to continue his journey, only to be taken in soon after by the police.

Chen said he had purchased his sword — which was sent to be examined as evidence — for ￥26,000 (US$165) on a trip to Kyoto, Japan, last year.

Police said that Chen’s actions were enough to cause public panic, as he was openly carrying a dangerous item.

After questioning, he was referred to the Keelung District Prosecutors’ Office to be investigated for offenses against public safety, police said.

title: Man in costume questioned for carrying samurai sword


content_text:
An alliance of civic groups yesterday urged the Ministry of Health and Welfare to re-evaluate long-term care workers’ payment standards and retainment measures before launching the Long-Term Care 3.0 Policy next year.

The Taiwan Home Service Strategic Alliance and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Yue-chin (林月琴) held a news conference at the Legislative Yuan, saying that they are concerned that the increase in the number of long-term care workers cannot keep up with the growth of long-term care dependents.

Since the Taiwan’s long-term care program was first launched in 2016, the yearly budget has increased by about 18 times, and the number of long-term care dependents and care centers have also increased significantly, Lin said.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Yue-chin, center, and representatives from an alliance of civic groups hold placards at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

Government statistics show that as of the end of October, Taiwan’s population of elderly people (those aged 65 years or older) has exceeded 4.65 million, and ministry data show that the estimated number of people who need long-term care services this year is about 900,000.

However, the number of long-term care workers only increased from about 25,000 in 2016 to about 100,000 this year, Lin said.

If the number of long-term care workers cannot keep up with care dependents, care quality would have to be sacrificed, and workers could leave the field due to stress caused by overwork, she said.

The ministry should re-evaluate its payment standards for long-term care workers and measures to retain workers before launching the next phase of the national long-term care policy to ensure its sustainability, she added.

Alliance chairwoman Tu Hsin-ning (涂心寧) said the current payment standards have not been adjusted for eight years, and with rapidly increasing demand, the burden on in-home caregivers has been continuously increasing.

Some in-home caregivers told the alliance that they once had been responsible for five to six families at a time, but the average number of families they took care of last year was 10.8, she said.

In one case, an in-home caregiver reported that they had to visit 11 families a day, and they were so busy that they hardly had time to drink water, she said.

While experienced workers are quitting their jobs due to physical exhaustion and burnout, young people are afraid to take these jobs, she said.

The alliance urged the government to re-evaluate the workers’ payment standard, which it said should keep up with rising prices, and improve their working conditions to retain current workers, attract new ones, and avoid the Long-Term Care 3.0 plan becoming crippled due to a shortage of workers.

title: Groups demand higher salary for care workers


title: AI prompts fastest economic growth in 15 years

content_text:
GROWTH FOR WHOM? The imbalance between the AI industry and traditional sectors helps explain why many people feel disconnected, Academia Sinica’s vice president said

The economy is set for its fastest expansion in 15 years, prompting Academia Sinica to sharply raise its growth forecast yesterday, as exports powered by surging global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) hardware proved far stronger than expected.

The research institute expects GDP growth to hit 7.41 percent this year, more than double the 2.93 percent projection it made in July.

The upgrade reflects stronger-than-anticipated overseas demand, particularly for AI-related applications, even as uncertainties surrounding US trade policy persist.

Academia Sinica Institute of Economics research fellow Lin Chang-ching speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of Academia Sinica

“Although clouds have not fully cleared, moonlight is already visible,” Academia Sinica Institute of Economics research fellow Lin Chang-ching (林常青) said, adding that robust external demand offsets lingering risks tied to US tariffs.

Exports are forecast to soar 32.09 percent this year, while imports are projected to rise 29.79 percent, underscoring the trade-led nature of the expansion.

Growth figures mask deep structural imbalances, Academia Sinica vice president Peng Shin-kun (彭信坤) said.

Expansion is driven overwhelmingly by exports and trade, with technology firms tied to the AI supply chain significantly outperforming the rest of the economy, Peng said, adding that traditional industries remain sluggish.

Such an imbalance helps explain why many households feel disconnected from the strong macroeconomic data, he said.

While industrial polarization is unlikely to have an immediate impact on GDP, it could weaken economic resilience and social stability over time, Lin said.

With non-tariff trade barriers expected to increase amid shifting global political and economic conditions, he urged the government to step up support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Measures should include assistance with industrial transformation, compliance with international regulations and greater access to resources needed to compete globally, he said.

Academia Sinica forecasts consumer inflation of 1.67 percent this year and 1.6 percent next year, citing easing global energy prices and appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar.

The institute expects the local currency to strengthen versus the US dollar as the US Federal Reserve moves toward interest rate cuts and Taiwan’s widening trade surplus add upward pressure.

Academia Sinica projects economic growth of 3.71 percent next year, the most optimistic forecast among domestic research institutions.

Investment by US cloud-service providers would continue to support Taiwan’s exports next year, although growth momentum is likely to moderate as high base effects and the delayed impact of US tariffs take hold, it said.

Export and import growth rates are expected to slow next year to 8.41 percent and 8.2 percent respectively, it said.

The institute identified major sources of uncertainty including US monetary and trade policy, the uneven recovery of China’s economy, geopolitical tensions and ongoing supply-chain restructuring, and inefficiencies in domestic labor and capital allocation.


content_text:
Solar energy associations yesterday urged the government to streamline a review of solar installations to help local companies ride through an industry slump, as some large-scale solar projects above fisheries were stalled due to new environmental protection regulations.

“The new legislations deepen the industry slump faced by solar and wind energy companies,” Taiwan Photovoltaic Industry System Association (TPISA) chairman Ryan Shen (沈尚弘) told a news conference in Taipei.

“The new legislations tighten the oversight, leaving prolonged administrative procedures. That is adding to the already struggling solar companies,” Shen said.

Taiwan Photovoltaic Industry System Association (TPISA) chairman Ryan Shen, center, TPISA board director Norman Tsai, third left, and representatives of other solar energy associations pose for a photograph at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chang Hui-wen, Taipei Times

The Legislative Yuan last month passed amendments to three acts — the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (環境影響評估法), the Act for the Development of Tourism (發展觀光條例) and the Geology Act (地質法) — which significantly restrict the installation of solar panels.

Frequent changes in the government’s energy policies have triggered chain effects in the solar industry supply chain and blocked some foreign investors from entering the local market, Shen said.

In addition, insufficient green energy supply would dent the competitive edge of local exporters as green energy adoption has become a major consideration of their global customers, he said.

“To shore up investors’ confidence, the government should build a more efficient review mechanism under the same standards,” he said.

As most of Taiwan’s semiconductor companies, led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), have joined RE 100 initiatives to boost green energy adoptions, they are feeling the pinch of a shortfall in renewable energy supply in Taiwan, TPISA board director Norman Tsai (蔡佳晉) said.

Green energy demand by local manufacturers is expected to rise to about 40 billion kilowatts per hour by 2030, with half of the scale consumed by semiconductor companies, New Energy Power Co (永鑫能源) board director Kent Hu (胡根地) said.

Green energy supply constraints would force local manufacturers to allocate their production lines overseas or to locations with a sufficient supply of renewable energy, Hu said.

Star Shining Energy Corp (星耀能源) chairman T.Y. Lin (林甜宇) said that solar companies are facing challenges, such as securing land to deploy solar panels, time-consuming reviews, insufficient green energy supply and delays in energy storage deployment.

Photovoltaic Generation System Association chairman Thomas Hsu (許俊吉) added that the government has lagged behind its plan to install 20 gigawatts of solar panels by next year.

title: Groups urge government to streamline reviews


content_text:
As the city emerges from the shadow of the attack on Friday last week, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) is set to depart for the Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum, this year taking place in Shanghai, where he might meet with China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Director Song Tao (宋濤). Under the present circumstances, the mayor should fully invest himself in ensuring the security and peace of mind of Taipei residents rather than devote any time to playing up cross-strait relations. Chiang should cancel his trip to Shanghai for the forum.

Taipei is renowned for its safety, and the online travel Web site Travelbag ranked it as the world’s second-safest city for nightlife this year. To process and move past this attack, there are important short-term measures that need to be taken, such as increasing police visibility as a deterrent. Equally, comprehensive institutional reviews and corrective measures are needed if Chiang is to lead Taipei residents out of this traumatic episode and restore faith in the city’s safety.

Ahead is a whole array of complex tasks, including providing compensation to victims, honoring acts of bravery, settling public anxiety and stabilizing social order. Attending the cross-strait forum is not on this list.

If Chiang makes a special trip to Shanghai to listen to Song expound on his views regarding the so-called “1992 consensus,” his prioritization of cross-strait relations over the needs of his city would be abundantly clear.

Taipei City Hall’s New Year’s Eve concert and the Taipei 101 fireworks are to take place in less than 10 days — usually the most crowded and high-traffic time of year for Taipei, which has always been a major test for public safety. Taipei residents, still reeling from last week’s attack, cannot afford complacency.

To ensure nothing goes wrong, the entire city government must be mobilized, remain vigilant and make thorough preparations. Chiang’s three years in office have been steady, but unremarkable, and he has only recently shaken off jibes that he is yet to hold his own politically. Now is his time to prove to Taipei, through concrete actions, that the city shall remain as safe as ever.

Ironically, one of the items on the Shanghai itinerary is to visit Nanjing E Road’s pedestrian street to experience the city’s nighttime economy. Where Chiang’s sights should instead be set is Taipei’s Nanjing W Road shopping district near Zhongshan MRT Station. This is where his attention is needed. If Chiang neglects the latter for the former, Taipei’s residents could ensure that he pays a domestic political price.

Friday’s incident has come as a reminder that public safety is not an abstract or distant issue. In its aftermath, Chiang announced the rollout of educational materials to help people better understand how to respond in a crisis.

Perhaps, the Taipei City Government should first ensure the distribution of National Public Safety Guide handbooks to its residents, as it already includes information and instructions on responding to accidents and emergencies.

Chen Yung-chang is a freelance writer based in Taipei.

Translated by Gilda Knox Streader

title: Chiang should cancel China trip


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Friday last week’s attack on Taipei’s metro system was shocking and heartbreaking. Such violence not only harms lives, but also shakes public trust in the safety of shared spaces. Every person deserves the basic human rights of safety, dignity and freedom from fear. Public transportation should be a place of security — not a source of terror.

Last Friday evening, I happened to be on the Bannan Line, relieved that I had not gotten off at the two stations where the attack occurred. After finishing work related to a Constitutional Court ruling, I began checking news updates to confirm what had happened and whether safety alerts were needed.

During the whole weekend, social media algorithms flooded my feed with close-up footage of the assailant. I did not click on any of them, yet the images kept coming.

Watching these scenes felt deeply unsettling. Eventually, I decided to turn off social media and television news for a while.

In Haruki Murakami’s non-fictional work Underground, victims often expressed feeling ignored by society. Media attention shifted quickly to the perpetrators and the cult, while the suffering of ordinary commuters faded into the background.

In moments like this, empathy and responsibility matter more than ever. Privacy must be respected.

Exposing victims’ medical histories only causes secondary harm. Scapegoating specific communities or groups is dangerous and unjust. Spreading unverified information fuels panic and misinformation. Media and social platforms should stop repeatedly broadcasting violent footage.

Such images risk triggering copycat behavior, and deepen the trauma for victims and their families.

For those feeling anxious from constant news coverage or online speculation, it is alright to take a break. Turn off the TV, step away from social media, and allow space to breathe.

Warmth and trust are what society needs most right now. Public spaces must be safeguarded, and genuine care extended to those affected — everyone deserves to move through the city without fear.

Chiu E-ling is the executive director of Amnesty International Taiwan.

title: Sensationalism and responsibility


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Russia wants to drain Europe’s investigative resources with its sabotage campaignThe Associated Press has documented 145 incidents in what Western officials say is a campaign of disruption across Europe masterminded by Moscow since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022

Last month, a train carrying almost 500 people came to a sudden halt in eastern Poland. A broken overhead line had smashed several windows and the track ahead was damaged. Elsewhere on the line, explosives detonated under a passing freight train.

No one was hurt in either case and the damage was limited, but Poland, which blamed the attack on Russia’s intelligence services, responded forcefully: It deployed 10,000 troops to protect critical infrastructure.

The sabotage in Poland is one of 145 incidents in an Associated Press database that Western officials say are part of a campaign of disruption across Europe masterminded by Russia. Officials say the campaign — waged since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — aims to deprive Kyiv of support, create divisions among Europeans and identify the continent’s security weak spots.

So far in this hybrid war, most known acts of sabotage have resulted in minimal damage — nothing compared with the tens of thousands of lives lost and cities decimated across Ukraine — but officials say each act, from vandalism of monuments to cyberattacks to warehouse fires, sucks up valuable security resources. The head of one large European intelligence service said that investigations into Russian interference now swallow up as much of the agency’s time as terrorism.

While the campaign places a heavy burden on European security services, it costs Russia next to nothing, officials say. That is because Moscow is carrying out cross-border operations that require European nations to cooperate extensively on investigations — while often using foreigners with criminal backgrounds as cheap proxies for Russian intelligence operatives. That means Moscow notches up a win just by tying up resources, even when the plots are not successful.

“It’s a 24/7 operation between all the services to stop it,” said a senior European intelligence official, who like the head of the European intelligence service and other officials insisted on anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters.

Over the course of the year, The Associated Press spoke to more than 40 European and NATO officials from 13 nations to document the scope of the hybrid war, including incidents on its map only when linked by Western officials to Russia, its proxies or its ally, Belarus.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia does not have “any connection” with the campaign.

The database shows a spike in arson and explosives plots from one in 2023 to 26 last year. Six have been documented so far this year. Three vandalism cases were recorded last year and one this year.

The data is incomplete since not all incidents are made public and it can take officials months to establish a link to Moscow, but the spike matches what officials have warned: The campaign is growing more dangerous.

The nations most frequently targeted, according to the map, border Russia: Poland and Estonia. Several incidents have also occurred in Latvia, the UK, Germany and France. All are major supporters of Ukraine.

The European official, a senior Baltic intelligence official and another intelligence official said that the campaign noticeably calmed late last year and early this year. Their analysis showed that Moscow likely paused the campaign to curry favor with US President Donald Trump’s new administration. It has since resumed at full pace.

“They are back to business,” the European official said.

The man officials say was behind the attack on the Polish railway that carries supplies to Ukraine is Yevgeny Ivanov — a Ukrainian convicted of working with Russian military intelligence to plot arson attacks at home improvement stores, a cafe and a drone factory in Ukraine, court documents show.

Ivanov, who left Poland after the attack there, worked for Yury Sizov, an officer from Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, Ukraine’s security service says.

Ivanov was convicted in absentia in Ukraine, but managed to enter Poland because Ukraine did not inform Polish officials of his conviction, Polish Minister of the Interior and dministration Marcin Kierwinski said.

Ukraine’s security service said that it closely cooperates with allies.

Staging plots that involve perpetrators from several nations or who have crossed borders drains investigatory resources from multiple authorities across Europe — one of Moscow’s key goals, Estonian State Prosecutor Triinu Olev-Aas said.

Over the past year, she said the profile of attackers in Estonia has changed from locals largely known to law enforcement to unknown foreigners. That requires increased cooperation among nations to disrupt plots or detain perpetrators.

For two attacks in January — fires set at a supermarket and a Ukrainian restaurant — the people hired had never been to Estonia before, Olev-Aas said.

At the restaurant, a Moldovan man smashed a window, threw in a can of gasoline and set it alight. Video showed his arm on fire as he ran away.

The man and his accomplice fled through Latvia, Lithuania and Poland before being caught in Italy.

While Russian intelligence officers might be the masterminds of such operations, they frequently rely on recruiters — often with convictions or criminal connections — who assign tasks to saboteurs on the ground, the Baltic official said.

Outsourcing to people with criminal backgrounds, such as Ivanov, means Russia does not have to risk highly trained intelligence operatives — agents Moscow often does not have recourse to anyway since European nations kicked out scores of spies as relations nosedived.

Russian criminal networks offer a ready-made alternative, the Baltic official said.

The European official said the man accused of coordinating a plot to put explosives in packages on cargo planes, for example, was recruited by Russian intelligence after involvement with smuggling guns and explosives. The man is linked to at least four other plots.

Other people are recruited from European prisons or soon after they are released, the Baltic official said.

In one case, the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, dedicated to the Soviet Union’s occupation of the nation, was set on fire by someone released from prison the previous month.

Even plots that are foiled are a win for Moscow because they test defenses and waste resources.

Last year, a Ukrainian man, working on the orders of Russian military intelligence, dug up a cache of items buried in a cemetery in Lithuania, including drone parts and cans of corn filled with explosives.

Officials believe the plan was to rig the drones with the explosives. The plot was eventually foiled, but not before considerable resources were used to track down everyone involved, said Jacek Dobrzynski, the spokesperson for Poland’s minister of public security.

The sheer number of plots is overstretching some law enforcement agencies, but Moscow’s campaign has also fostered greater cooperation, the European official said.

Prosecutors in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have created joint investigation teams for attacks organized by foreign intelligence services, said Martins Jansons, a special prosecutor in Latvia.

In the UK, front-line police officers are being trained to spot suspicious incidents that might be state-backed, said Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the counterterrorism squad at the Metropolitan Police.

He said that a trainee detective flagged an arson attack at a warehouse in London after realizing the business was owned by Ukrainians and contained communications devices used by the military. Police determined the attack was organized by Russian intelligence.

However, officials warned that Russia is continually testing new methods.

Smugglers in Russia’s ally Belarus have sent hundreds of weather balloons carrying cigarettes into Lithuania and Poland, repeatedly forcing the Lithuanian capital’s airport to shut in what authorities called a hybrid attack.

“Nowadays they only carry cigarettes, but in future they could carry other things,” Dobrzynski said.

Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris, Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw and Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv contributed.


title: Crosby breaks scoring record

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HISTORIC MOMENT: Sidney Crosby broke the record in the first period when his shot hit Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell tapped the rebound behind goalie Jakub Dobes

As far as Sidney Crosby is concerned, Mario Lemieux is still No. 1 in his book, but after Sunday night, Lemieux is now officially No. 2.

Crosby broke Lemieux’s franchise scoring record with a goal and an assist in the first period of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 4-3 shoot-out win against the Montreal Canadiens.

“I don’t think you can put a stat line or a number on what he means to this team and to hockey, so yeah, in my mind, he’s still No. 1,” Crosby said.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins records an assist on a shot in their NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Crosby, who began the night one point behind Lemieux, now has 645 goals and 1,079 assists for 1,724 points in 1,387 games. It also moved him past Lemieux for the eighth-most points in NHL history.

Crosby tipped Erik Karlsson’s point shot at 7 minutes, 58 seconds of the first period for a goal to tie the record. He then broke the mark with 7:20 left in the period when his shot on a power play hit Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell tapped the rebound behind Jakub Dobes.

Crosby, Rust and Rakell embraced behind the net after the goal and the Penguins spilled over the bench to congratulate their captain.

Later in the period, a 30-second video message recorded by Lemieux congratulating Crosby on the accomplishment was played.

“I knew when we played together in 2005 that you were going to be a very special player and accomplish a lot of great things in your career,” Lemieux said. “Here we are 20 years later, you’re now one of the best to ever play the game.”

A hush fell over the arena as fans intently listened to Lemieux’s message.

“Seeing the crowd go quiet when Mario’s message come on, that was pretty special,” Crosby said. “If you don’t understand the impact he’s had here and you were here tonight, I think you understand it a little bit better given how quiet it got.”

Lemieux, the Hall of Famer, who also owned the franchise following his second retirement, became the Penguins’ all-time points leader, surpassing then-assistant coach Rick Kehoe on Jan. 20, 1989, when Crosby was 17 months old. Lemieux, who was in the lineup when Crosby recorded his first NHL point, finished his career with 1,723 points in 915 games.

“I have so much appreciation for having the opportunity to play with him, live with him and learn from him,” said Crosby, who lived with Lemieux and his family early in his career. “You grow up watching him, you never expect you’re going to make it to the NHL let alone play with him. He was a big part of helping me out and a huge influence on me.”

Crosby, the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, is the seventh outright all-time points leader in 58 years of the franchise’s history and the ninth active player to lead a franchise in points. Crosby previously broke Lemieux’s record for the most assists in franchise history on Dec. 29 last year against the New York Islanders. Crosby is 45 goals behind Lemieux’s franchise record of 690.

Crosby is now third on the NHL’s all-time points list with a single franchise, behind only Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Gordie Howe (1,809), both with Detroit.

Crosby also passed Phil Esposito (449) for sole possession of the ninth-most even-strength goals in NHL history. He also tied Adam Oates for the eighth-most assists in NHL history in the first period.

Crosby, who has 20 goals this season, achieved his 18th 20-goal season. Only six players in NHL history have more.

The biggest number on Sunday was Lemieux’ franchise scoring record.

“Having an opportunity to play on the same line and connect on a few goals ... those are things that I’ll always remember,” Crosby said. “The impact he’s had on me, this team and hockey in general is pretty amazing.”

Elsewhere, the Red Wings downed the Capitals 3-2, the Stars outshone the Maple Leafs 5-1, the Senators spanked the Bruins 6-2, the Avalanche walloped the Wild 5-1, the Oilers edged the Golden Knights 4-3, the Predators pipped the Rangers 2-1 and the Mammoth mastered the Jets 4-3 in overtime.

Additional reporting by staff writer


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Barcelona wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal on Sunday guided the Catalan giants four points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win at 10-man Villarreal.

Brazil international Raphinha won and converted an early penalty, before Villarreal’s Renato Veiga was sent off before halftime for a late lunge on teenager Yamal.

The 18-year-old slotted home Barca’s second midway through the second half, as Hansi Flick’s side restored their advantage on Real Madrid and won an eighth consecutive league game.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, left, shoots against Villarreal in their La Liga match in Vila-real, Spain, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Villarreal are fourth after Atletico Madrid moved ahead of them with a comfortable 3-0 win at Girona earlier.

“The attitude and mentality of the team is great, we’re playing as one unit and that is great to see,” Flick told reporters. “It was great to win here, a huge opponent, I like this team, how they play ... now we are four points ahead and this is a really good thing, also to celebrate [at] Christmas.”

Flick on Saturday launched into an impassioned defense of Raphinha after he was not included in FIFA’s “The Best” team of the year earlier in the week, and the winger quickly repaid his coach.

Raphinha produced an all-action display at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, where the match was played instead of in Miami, after La Liga’s plans to take this game to the US were scrapped in October.

Barca were poor defensively and struggled in their buildup play, but the quality of wingers Raphinha and Yamal and their goalkeeper Joan Garcia’s outstanding performance decided an entertaining encounter.

Raphinha drew a foul from Santi Comesana to win a penalty and dispatched it confidently in the 12th minute to send Barca ahead, and then crashed a shot off the bar from distance.

Jules Kounde deflected a cross into his own net as Villarreal fought back, but the goal was disallowed for offside in the buildup.

Barca’s Garcia saved from Tajon Buchanan after an Alejandro Balde mistake as Villarreal almost leveled.

The visitors’ job was made easier by Veiga’s needless red card for an ugly lunge on Yamal before halftime.

The champions got their second goal after a scramble in the penalty area, with Frenkie de Jong teeing up Yamal to fire home after 63 minutes.

Garcia made stunning saves to deny Rafa Marin and Georges Mikautadze to help Barca end the year with three points and a third clean sheet in their past three games across all competitions.

“He helped us with his saves to have this clean sheet, he’s an important player for us,” Flick said.

Kounde went off hurt before the end, but the coach said he believes the defender would be fine and it was mainly cramp.

Barca finish the year in better shape than rivals Real Madrid, who beat Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday, but still with plenty of their own concerns to worry about.

“Now’s not the time they’re giving out the trophies, but we’re doing well, on a good path, we’re leaders, we’re alive in [the other competitions], so we’re happy,” De Jong said.

A brilliant strike from distance from Koke, Conor Gallagher’s deflected effort and a late third from Antoine Griezmann pulled Atletico within six points of Barca.

Atletico secured a fourth consecutive win across all competitions on a relatively simple afternoon at Girona’s Estadi Montilivi.

“To reach where we want to be, [giving] 100 percent is not enough,” said coach Diego Simeone, calling for more from his team in the new year. “Every time we see Real Madrid and Barcelona, I think about it ... we have to give 110 percent or 120 percent.”

Marcos Llorente was a welcome return to the Atletico starting lineup after injury, and Simeone’s team never looked likely to slip up against the team in 18th.

Koke opened the scoring with a vicious strike into the top corner when the ball fell for him outside the penalty area, for his 50th Atletico goal.

“I don’t shoot much, I’m more of an assist provider,” Koke said. “However, when it sits up like that, I only thought about shooting and luckily it went in.”

Girona almost equalized but for a spectacular save by Atletico’s Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who managed to claw out an Axel Witsel effort.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gallagher netted the second and Griezmann, on a now-frequent substitute appearance, wrapped up the win by stroking home late on for his second goal in his past two games.

Elsewhere, Elche defeated Rayo Vallecano 4-0 and Real Betis Balompie dispatched Getafe by the same scoreline.

Additional reporting by staff writer

title: Barcelona beat Villarreal to go four points clear


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Steelers beat the Lions amid ‘chaos’ as three teams book their playoff berths

Aaron Rodgers’ Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday clung on for a dramatic 29-24 win against the Lions, leaving Detroit’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread as three NFL teams confirmed their post-season berths.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff twice thought he had delivered a winning touchdown in the game’s final seconds, only for both to be ruled out for offensive pass interference, sparking furious scenes at Ford Field.

“Crazy game ... so happy to get a win,” said Rodgers, describing the high-stakes clash’s final moments as “chaos.”

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, left, drops back to make a pass against the Detroit Lions in their NFL game in Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday. Photo: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh’s win means the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers are guaranteed spots in the NFL playoffs.

A dour first half in Detroit saw Pittsburgh receiver D.K. Metcalf reach into the stands and throw a punch at a Lions fan. Although the Detroit supporter did not appear to be hurt, Metcalf could face disciplinary action.

Pittsburgh took a third-quarter lead with a two-point safety for sacking Goff in his own end zone, and never relinquished the advantage.

Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell made one of the catches of the season, seizing the ball one-handed from the floor before rising to sprint for a touchdown.

With barely two minutes left, Steelers kicker Chris Boswell missed a 37-yard field goal that could have put the game almost beyond reach, but the Lions could not quite capitalize, with an Amon-Ra St Brown catch and a Goff rush across the line both ruled out after extensive discussion among officials.

Victory took the Steelers closer to the post-season themselves, two wins clear of divisional rivals Baltimore with two to play.

The Ravens lost to the New England Patriots, who confirmed their own playoff spot with a 28-24 victory after trailing 24-13.

“It’s a great team we played, and just glad we got it done this week,” said quarterback Drake Maye, whose Patriots had failed to clinch the playoffs last week against Buffalo.

His Ravens counterpart Lamar Jackson departed Sunday’s game with a back injury late in the first half, the latest ailment to hamper the two-time former Most Valuable Player’s season.

Elsewhere, a battle of two of the NFL’s most in-form teams saw the league-leading Denver Broncos’ 11-game winning streak snapped by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The impressive Jaguars triumphed 34-20 for a sixth win in a row, moving to an 11-4 record.

Asked if Jacksonville — now dark horses for the No. 1 seed spot — would finally get respect from other teams, quarterback Trevor Lawrence said: “Honestly, I hope not.”

“Hope we don’t get any. Everybody out there, just keep it up — it’s great,” he said.

Justin Herbert threw two touchdowns and rushed for another as the Los Angeles Chargers beat the already-eliminated Dallas Cowboys 34-17.

The Buffalo Bills also powered toward the playoffs with a 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns, with running back James Cook rushing for two touchdowns and 117 yards.

The faltering Tampa Bay Buccaneers stumbled to a 23-20 defeat on the road to the Carolina Panthers in a crucial National Football Conference South divisional tussle.

The Panthers vaulted into first place in the division. The loss was another hammer blow for Tampa Bay, who have taken just one win from their past seven games, allowing Carolina to edge past them.

Kansas City, eliminated from post-season contention last week, endured another miserable afternoon in a 26-9 defeat to the lowly Tennessee Titans (3-12) in Nashville.

The Chiefs’ defeat was compounded by a possible anterior cruciate ligament injury to backup quarterback Gardner Minshew.

Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered an identical injury last week.

Elsewhere, the Texans overcame the Raiders 23-21, the Bengals sank the Dolphins 45-21, the Saints routed the Jets 29-6, the Falcons soared past the Cardinals 26-19 and the Vikings downed the Giants 16-13.

Additional reporting by staff writer


title: Bondi suspects trained in countryside

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REFORM: Albanese announced a gun buyback scheme, while New South Wales lawmakers were expected to pass a cap on the number of guns an individual can own

The two suspects in a deadly mass shooting at Syndey’s Bondi Beach carried out “tactical” training in the countryside, police said yesterday, as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese apologized to the country’s Jewish community and vowed tougher laws against extremism.

Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach, killing 15 people in the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in almost three decades.

Police documents released yesterday said the two had carried out “firearms training” in what was believed to be the New South Wales countryside prior to the shooting.

A man passes a mural by Jarrod Grech of Ahmed al-Ahmed, who was filmed tackling and disarming one of the attackers in the Bondi Beach shooting, in a Melbourne alleyway yesterday. Photo: AFP

They said the suspects “meticulously planned” the attack for months, releasing pictures showing them firing shotguns and moving in what they described as a “tactical manner.”

The pair also recorded a video in October railing against “Zionists” while sitting in front of a flag of the Islamic State (ISIS) group and detailing their motivations for the attack, police said.

They also made a nighttime reconnaissance trip to Bondi Beach just days before the killings, documents showed.

The suspects also threw homemade pipe and tennis ball bombs at onlookers during the attack, but they failed to detonate, police said.

Australia on Sunday observed a minute’s silence at 6:47pm — exactly one week since the first reports of gunfire.

Facing growing political pressure over the attack, Albanese yesterday said he would push for tough new laws creating “an aggravated offense for hate preaching.”

“We’re not going to let the ISIS-inspired terrorists win. We won’t let them divide our society, and we’ll get through this together,” Albanese told reporters.

He also apologized to the Jewish community “and our nation as a whole” for what took place.

“The government will work every day to protect Jewish Australians, to protect the fundamental right as Australians that they have to be proud of who they are, to practice their faith, to educate their children and to engage in Australian society in the fullest way possible,” he added.

The government has flagged a suite of reforms to gun ownership and hate speech laws, as well as a review of police and intelligence services.

Albanese also announced a sweeping buyback scheme to “get guns off our streets.”

It is the largest gun buyback since 1996, when Australia cracked down on firearms in the wake of a mass shooting that killed 35 people at Port Arthur.

The government of New South Wales — where the shooting took place — yesterday recalled its parliament for two days to introduce what it called the “toughest firearm reforms in the country.”

“We can’t pretend that the world is the same as it was before that terrorist incident on Sunday,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told reporters. “I’d give anything to go back a week, a month, two years, to ensure that didn’t happen, but we need to make sure that we take steps so that it never happens again.”

The new rules would cap the number of guns an individual can own to four, or 10 for exempted individuals such as farmers.

The legislation would also ban the display of “terrorist symbols,” including the flag of the Islamic State, which was found in a vehicle linked to one of the alleged shooters.

Additional reporting by Reuters


title: US pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela: officials

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The US Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials said on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation at the weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful.

“The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned ‘dark fleet’ vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a US official said. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.”

Another official said the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms — including by sailing or flying close to vessels of concern.

A man points toward two crude oil tankers anchored on Lake Maracaibo, near Maracaibo, Venezuela, on Wednesday last week. Photo: AFP

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not give a specific location for the operation or name the vessel being pursued.

British maritime risk management group Vanguard, along with a US maritime security source, identified the vessel as Bella 1, a large crude oil carrier that was added last year to the sanctions list of the US Department of the Treasury, which said the vessel has links to Iran.

Bella 1 was empty when it was approaching Venezuela on Sunday, according to TankerTrackers.com.

The vessel had in 2021 provided transportation for Venezuela’s oil to China, internal documents from state-run oil company PDVSA showed.

It had also previously carried Iranian crude, according to the vessel monitoring service.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump last week announced a “blockade” of all oil tankers under sanctions entering and leaving Venezuela.

Trump’s pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near the South American nation. At least 100 people have been killed in the attacks.


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AI romance blooms as Japan woman weds virtual partner of her dreamsMany in Japan have shown extreme devotion to fictional characters and advances in artificial intelligence carry such ties to new levels of intimacy, prompting debate over the ethics of AI use in romantic matters

Music played in a wedding hall in western Japan as Yurina Noguchi, wearing a white gown and tiara, dabbed away tears, taking in the words of her husband-to-be: an AI-generated persona gazing out from a smartphone screen.

“At first, Klaus was just someone to talk with, but we gradually became closer,” said the 32-year-old call center operator, referring to the artificial intelligence persona.

“I started to have feelings for Klaus. We started dating and after a while he proposed to me. I accepted, and now we’re a couple.”

Yurina Noguchi, 32, in October waves her bouquet toward an image of Klaus, her AI partner, displayed on her mobile phone after their ceremonial wedding at the Magritte wedding venue in Okayama, Japan. Photo: Reuters

Many in Japan, the birthplace of anime, have shown extreme devotion to fictional characters and advances in artificial intelligence carry such ties to new levels of intimacy, prompting debate over the ethics of AI use in romantic matters.

A year ago, Noguchi took ChatGPT’s advice about what she said was a fraught relationship with her human fiance and resolved to break off their engagement.

Then, one day this year, she asked ChatGPT on a whim if it was familiar with Klaus, a handsome video game character with a mop of flowing, layered hair.


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▲擷發科技董事長楊健盟(右三)與高雄市市長陳其邁(左四)。（圖／擷發科提供）

記者高兆麟／台北報導

ASIC設計廠擷發科（7796）今日宣布正式進駐高雄亞洲新灣區成立高雄研發中心。擷發科董事長楊健盟今日受邀出席由高雄市政府主辦之亞灣計畫啟動活動，與高雄市長陳其邁及產官學代表共同見證亞灣邁入 AI 應用新紀元。擷發科高雄研發中心的設立，象徵公司正式納入在地產業體系，深化 AI 軟體設計平台於實體場域的戰略布局。

楊健盟表示：「AI 發展已進入從技術驗證走向實際營運的關鍵階段，競爭焦點不再只是模型與算力的表現，而在於系統是否能長期穩定運行並融入企業日常流程。企業在導入 AI 後，更重視維運效率與調整彈性。擷發科選擇在高雄設立研發中心，正是希望貼近產業的第一線，讓 AI 軟體設計平台成為企業可長期使用、持續創造價值的核心工具。」

隨著高雄市積極構築 AI 與智慧應用聚落，擷發科透過亞灣研發中心，將有效串聯政府資源、學術研究與場域驗證，加快技術落地速度。擷發科強調，未來將持續強化跨平台軟硬體整合能力，確保 AI 軟體設計平台能穩定運行於不同設備與運算架構。

藉由在亞灣累積可複製的場域經驗與工程能力，擷發科將穩健拓展具延續性的技術服務模式，為公司中長期的營運發展奠定堅實基礎。

擷發科高雄研發中心規劃空間超過 300 坪，內建 AI 機房、應用實驗室與場域驗證空間。中心將配置 AI 研發及現場技術支援工程師團隊，定位為「連結技術與應用」的實作基地，致力於將 AI 模型轉化為具備可維運、可擴展性的工業級系統。

title: 擷發科攜手高市府　進駐亞灣打造AI軟體設計基地


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記者楊智仁／綜合報導

近年記憶體、顯示卡、SSD 與 CPU 價格全面飆漲，日前有一位越南網友在社群上分享照片引發熱議，只見多達 50 顆 M.2 NVMe SSD 嚴重彎折變形慘不忍睹，而該網友也揭露這場硬體災難的始作俑者，竟是自己 10 歲的兒子。

▼整箱SSD全被10歲兒子折斷。（圖／翻攝自Build PC Thật Dễ FB）

根據貼文寫到，兒子出於好奇心決定替父親「測試 SSD 耐用度」，結果將整箱 50 顆 NVMe SSD 全數折斷。受害 SSD 為 512GB 規格，每顆市價約 200 萬越南盾（約新台幣 2,400 元），總損失高達 約 3,800 美元（約新台幣 12 萬元）。從照片判斷，受損的 SSD 為 三星 PM991a 型號，採用 M.2 2280 規格屬於 OEM 產品，並非一般通路常見款式。

不過也有硬體愛好者指出，三星 PM991a 的主要電子元件集中在 PCB 單側，理論上部分 SSD 即使彎折，若未傷及核心電路區，仍有機會維持功能。外界也期待後續是否會有電腦商家實際測試這批 SSD，驗證是否仍有「生還者」。

title: 10歲兒「測耐用度」竟折斷整箱SSD　爸崩潰損12萬+上萬GB空間


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▲游淑慧召集台北捷運公司、警局進行專案報告，發現張文案發當下，台北捷運站站體內的捷運警察人數為0。（資料照／記者呂佳賢攝）

記者柯振中／綜合報導

國民黨台北市議員游淑慧表示，張文砍人事件發生後，她召集台北捷運公司與市警局進行專案報告，檢視整體應變過程。她指出，雖不忍苛責第一線同仁，但檢討中發現多項SOP與通報流程仍有明顯落差，也凸顯北捷每年約20次事故演練，實際執行的確實性與真實性仍有待檢驗。

演練與通報落差

游淑慧說明，會議中除檢討通報失誤，也討論投入預算、升級具AI辨識功能監視器等方向，但其中捷運警察的勤務安排問題最為關鍵。她指出，目前雙北共有117個捷運站，由220名捷警、4個分隊負責，平均警力抵達時間約9分40秒，顯示人力不足已影響即時應變。

她表示，解方之一固然是由中央增加捷運警察編制，但即使在現有人力架構下，勤務規劃仍存在瑕疵，尤其在尖峰時段與重要站體內，竟出現人力未妥善配置的情況。

▲游淑慧追問後才知道，案件發生當下，台北車站站體內的捷運警察人數為零。（資料照／記者呂佳賢攝）

尖峰時段無捷警

游淑慧指出，北捷提供的專案報告顯示，嫌犯於17時23分在M7出口通道丟擲煙霧彈，站長與保全人員於兩分鐘後即抵達，但捷警卻直到17時33分才到場，前後相差約9分鐘，時序上顯得不合理。

她進一步追問後得知，案發當下台北車站站體內的捷運警察人數竟為零。依勤務安排，當日下午15至17時設有巡邏與守望勤務，但下一班守望勤務要到18時才開始，導致17時至18時形成一小時的勤務空白。

維安漏洞引憂慮

游淑慧直言，台北車站是旅客量最高的捷運站之一，卻在下班下課尖峰時段沒有捷警人員，令人難以置信。她也質疑，嫌犯是否事先掌握勤務空窗，才能在站內換裝、長時間徘徊，卻未遭警察或保全盤查。

她指出，嫌犯戴上防毒面具後，能在站內多次丟擲煙霧彈，仍未遭阻止，最後從容離開，整個犯案過程細思極恐，也讓市民對捷運維安系統的脆弱感到高度憂慮。

title: 張文犯案當下「北車內沒警察」！游淑慧驚曝勤務空檔：難以置信


title: 五月天阿信重摔流血發聲了！　踩空墜2米高舞台「集滿F3親親安慰」

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▲阿信踩空跌落2米高舞台 。（圖／翻攝自微博）

記者翁子涵／台北報導

言承旭、吳建豪、周渝民、五月天阿信今晚（22日）在上海梅賽德斯奔馳文化中心舉辦《F✦FOREVER恆星之城》巡迴演唱會，不料五月天阿信唱到一半，卻突然踩空跌落2米高舞台，瞬間讓全場歌迷驚叫不已，F3也緊急中斷演出，衝上前去關心，經過快一分鐘後，五月天阿信也再度重回舞台，強忍疼痛敬業拿起麥克風開唱，讓全場心疼不已。

▲ 阿信跌落舞台後發文報平安。（圖／翻攝自微博）

阿信稍早在threads發文的分類寫道：「我很好。」更轉發粉絲拍下他跌落舞台後，一一被F3親臉頰安慰的影片，打趣寫道：「搜集完整了，film from 大吉。」以幽默方式向擔心他的粉絲報平安，粉絲也紛紛湧入留言關心：「別嘴硬、別逞強。」、「真的沒事嗎？」、「是不是有撞到頭？這幾天要多注意。」

F3和五月天阿信今晚舉辦第4場演出，沒想到唱到《離開地球表面》時，阿信腳不慎踩空，踉蹌跌落2米高舞台，背部更是重重撞擊舞台機關，驚險場面，讓全場歌迷驚聲尖叫，嚇到驚魂未定，言承旭、吳建豪、周渝民也第一時間中斷演唱，緊急衝上前關心，經過快一分鐘後，五月天阿信也再度重回舞台，強忍疼痛敬業拿起麥克風開唱，讓全場心疼不已。

眼尖網友也發現，阿信的手滿是傷痕、手指也濺血，對於驚魂意外，相信音樂緊急回應：「五月天阿信目前狀況良好，演出結束後會由專業醫護人員進行詳細檢查，感謝大家關心。」


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圖文／7Car 小七車觀點

Hyundai 日前於韓國市場推出小改款 Staria，新車以強化整體產品完成度為核心，針對外觀設計、座艙配置、行路質感與科技配備進行多項更新，並持續維持多元車型編成，以滿足乘用、商務與貨用等不同使用情境的需求。

在車型編成上，小改款 Staria 依用途區分為一般乘用、Lounge 高階乘用與 Cargo 貨用版本，涵蓋多種座位與空間配置。售價依不同動力與車型而有所差異，入門價格自 3,200 萬韓元級距起跳。

外觀方面，小改款 Staria 延續「Inside-Out」設計理念，透過細節調整提升科技感與辨識度。車頭將原本分離式的日行燈整合為橫向連貫的光條設計，營造更俐落的視覺效果，並在燈組側邊加入 STARIA 字樣細節。一般車型採用簡潔的水平幾何進氣格柵，而定位較高的 Staria Lounge 則換上具鍍鉻元素的方塊式格柵與更厚實的保桿飾件，藉此突顯其旗艦取向。

座艙設計是本次改款重點之一，整體以水平鋪陳的中控布局為主，兼顧視覺穩定感與操作便利性。儀表板與中控螢幕皆升級為 12.3 吋顯示介面，提供更清晰的資訊呈現，同時將部分常用功能改回實體按鍵，以提升行車時的操作直覺性。中央出風口與收納機能也經過重新規劃，並針對不同車型提供多樣化的內裝配色選擇，以因應家用與商務取向的需求。

動力配置方面，小改款 Staria 在韓國市場提供 1.6 升渦輪油電混合系統與 3.5 升 LPG 動力兩種選擇，分別兼顧油耗表現與動力輸出需求。底盤結構同步進行調校，包含前後懸吊設定與襯套優化，以提升高速穩定性與行路舒適度；同時透過強化隔音與吸音材質配置，改善引擎與路噪抑制表現。安全科技則導入多項駕駛輔助系統，作為標準配備提供更完整的行車防護。

整體而言，本次小改款並未大幅改變 Staria 的產品定位，而是透過設計細節、數位介面與行路品質的全面升級，進一步鞏固其在韓國大型 MPV 市場中的競爭力。

title: Hyundai「小改款Staria廂型車」在韓亮相！內外質感全面提升


title: 國內航線貨物夾藏「花生娘娘」　攔查發現簡體字加工品10.36公斤

taiwan-subdivisions: 澎湖 新北 基隆 金門

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▲海巡強化國內航線安檢，攔阻10.36公斤花生製品。（圖／記者郭世賢翻攝，下同）

記者郭世賢／新北報導

因應歲末年終民生貨運量大增，海巡署北部分署第二岸巡隊強化基隆商港國內航線貨物安檢，今（22日）上午於「明福8」雜貨輪返台貨物查驗時，運用X光檢測儀結合偵搜犬嗅聞，查獲夾藏中國簡體字樣花生加工品234包、重10.36公斤，涉嫌違反相關通航及緝私規定，已函送主管機關依法裁處，展現海巡嚴守邊境食安決心。

因應歲末年終國內民生貨運量大幅增加，為有效阻絕違規物品藉由海運管道流入市面，全面強化邊境食品安全查緝作為，確保國人健康安全，海巡署北部分署第二岸巡隊整合基隆商港安檢所、司法小隊及偵搜犬區隊，運用高科技裝備，持續加強基隆商港國內航線貨物檢查與安全管控作業。

▲包裝印有中國簡體字樣之花生加工品。

今（22日）上午11時許，海巡人員於基隆港執行國內航線「明福8」雜貨輪返台貨物安檢任務時，運用手持式背散射X光檢查儀，結合偵搜犬嗅聞判別進行貨物拆驗作業，於寄送包裹中查獲夾藏包裝印有中國簡體字樣之花生加工品一批。經清點數量共計234包，總重量達10.36公斤。全案依涉嫌違反《海關緝私條例》及《試辦金門馬祖澎湖與大陸地區通航實施辦法》等相關規定，函送主管機關依法裁處。

第二岸巡隊表示，歲末年終為民生物資流通高峰期，亦是不法業者鋌而走險的高風險時段，未來將持續結合科技裝備、專業人力及跨單位聯防機制，強化港區貨物查驗與邊境管控作為，嚴防非法農、漁、畜產品流入市面，確實守護國人食品安全與國境安全。

海巡單位亦呼籲，民眾如發現任何可疑海域、港區或岸際違法情事，請立即撥打「118」免付費服務專線通報，海巡人員將即時派員處置，與全民攜手維護海域秩序與社會安全。


title: 擷發科攜手高市府　進駐亞灣打造AI軟體設計基地


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▲涉犯京華城等案的李文宗在台北地院最終辯論時爭取無罪。（圖／記者黃哲民攝）

記者黃哲民／台北報導

台灣民眾黨前主席柯文哲的高中同學、台北捷運公司前董事長李文宗，被控於京華城案與政治獻金案，與柯涉犯收賄、公益侵占與背信等罪嫌，還被柯期許扮演「小型版『劉泰英』」，李今（22日）出庭大爆發，堅持無罪，批檢方問案有如高高在上的蝙蝠俠、卻毫無證據說他是柯的「分身」，赤裸裸預設立場，羅織故事、入人於罪。

李文宗在被告最後陳述時，細數自己在北捷的政績，包括設置警力和保全固定巡邏捷運車站出口防恐防暴，就是他任內創立，此語似乎呼應日前剛發生的1219攻擊事件。審判長諭知李所涉案情辯論終結，同樣訂於明年（2026年）3月26日下午2點30分宣判。

李文宗開完庭難得回應媒體發問，笑說今天陳述都是自己寫的、「總是心裡話要講一下，這是事實」，被問到有無把自己委屈說明白，他說：「也沒有耶！檢察官還是很厲害嘛！他一堆資源，寫那些東西。」但他強調自己「本來就無罪！本來就沒犯法！」

▲李文宗批偵辦檢察官林俊言辦案劣跡斑斑，他蒙冤沒因此瘋掉，已是萬幸。（圖／記者黃哲民攝）

李文宗今上午答辯時一改歷次出庭低調作風，火力四射說檢方起訴他擔任柯文哲的市長辦公室主任，但蔡壁如證稱接任者另有其人，檢方起訴他掌管民眾黨財務，但民眾黨財務長梁秀菊證稱他沒插手，檢方起訴他介入市政與黨務，但他只擔任市政顧問8個月，就去北捷當董市長4年，遠離市府核心。

李文宗矛頭針對偵辦檢察官林俊言，批林「太懶了」、不查閱會議紀錄確認他公職身分，就說他是柯文哲的「分身」，問案時疾言厲色說要打擊貪污犯罪，彷彿高高在上的蝙蝠俠，更用他2020年傳給朱亞虎的感謝簡訊突襲他，他當下忘了這事、還反問「560」是什麼？

李文宗批林俊言的舉證，僅憑朱亞虎說法反覆的證詞，隻字不提對他有利證據，更不可原諒的是，林明知朱的邀功簡訊傳給3人，起訴卻說朱只傳給他1人、刻意塑造他角色很重要，根本羅織故事、張冠李戴，而且混淆視聽。

李自認樂於助人、有求必應，手機裡幾十萬則訊息都沒刪，他多年習慣，收別人訊息幾乎都回覆，即使僅禮貌性回應，林俊言只找到他傳給朱亞虎的1則感謝訊息，就赤裸裸預設立場、入人於罪，用片段訊息咄咄逼人，導致整個檢察團隊迷失。

李文宗強調木可公司是100%商業公司、專門處理柯文哲肖像權授權事宜，眾望基金會以從事全國性公益活動為初衷，網羅柯市府離職優秀人才，建立歸屬與認同感，靠柯文哲代言當招牌募款，從沒起心動念侵占捐款，因募款不夠、活動辦得不多，才使初期人事費用比例偏高。

辯護律師強調，檢方沒舉證李文宗與柯文哲共謀收賄210萬元，錢不是李收的、公文不是李批的，210萬元相較檢方指稱本案121億元不法利益，根本不符行情，如同柯的律師形容，畫成圓餅圖，210萬元有如奈米，小到看不見。

辯護律師打比方，用20萬元買車、一手交錢一手交車，這是對價關係，感謝民代幫忙陳情，到對方家裡開的小吃店，買1碗20元蚵仔麵線捧場，這是因果關係，因果不等於對價，本案210萬元無法構成對價關係，此外，柯文哲的政治獻金依法是柯的個人財產，只是用途受限制，怎會變成柯侵占自己的錢。

李文宗在最後陳述時說，案發以來，他從沒批評檢方向特定媒體放話，無中生有、殘忍毀滅他的人格，「這是事實，否認的話，就是侮辱成人智慧」，他跟「橘子」許芷瑜幾乎沒互動，媒體卻用他自己也不知的對話，報導他跟「橘子」很熟、相互串證，成為羈押他11個月的理由，他至今沒瘋掉，已是萬幸，而林俊言辦案劣蹟斑斑、罄竹難書，令人難以苟同。

李自稱從事半導體行業30年，努力讓公司上市、現在天天賺錢，是全國前10大，他仍開老車住舊房，奉公守法，僅參與一次總統選戰，就被說成貪污、侵占的壞人，遭遇畢生最大苦難，他不怨不恨，身為性情中人，總希望別人好，請法官判他無罪，讓他用餘生繼續服務人群，陪伴剛出生的孫子長大。

title: 李文宗嘆沒瘋已萬幸　痛批檢「太懶了」瞎說他是柯文哲分身

people: 柯文哲 蔡壁如


title: 健身房烤箱昏倒 桃園婦送醫一度命危

taiwan-subdivisions: 桃園 大園

content_text:
桃園74歲女性昨下午在大園區World Gym健身房運動，被員工發現昏倒在烤箱內。（圖取自World Gym大園店臉書）

桃園市1名74歲女性昨（21日）前往桃園市大園區World Gym運動，當日下午1點多被健身房員工發現人在烤箱內昏倒，立即通報119派遣救護車到場，由健身房主管陪同就醫，途中一度失去生命跡象，所幸到醫院後經醫師急救後恢復呼吸心跳，目前仍在加護病房救治。健身房主管於桃市府體育局了解時表示，醫師稱可能是心肌梗塞；桃市議員游吾和表示，家屬質疑病患身上有燙傷，懷疑是健身房設備問題釀禍，已前往大園警分局製作筆錄並研擬提告。

質疑設備造成燙傷 家屬擬提告市府體育局指出，該健身房今年7月曾聯合稽查，查無違規事項，將持續追蹤後續狀況，而昏倒送醫的女性消費者本月20日才剛加入健身房會員，21日下午就出狀況，健身房員工發現後立即連繫主管並報案召來救護車送醫急救並通知家屬，健身房主管當時陪同救護車至醫院，並與家屬持續保持聯繫與關心慰問；體育局了解時，館方主管回應說，醫師指女消費者可能為心肌梗塞，體育局已要求該館於新會員申請入會時，應主動了解是否有不適合進入高溫場域的病史，以防意外發生。

民進黨市議員游吾和指出，家屬已前往大園派出所製作筆錄並研擬提告，因家屬表示看見婦人腳部有燙傷，對於心肌梗塞說法有意見，他已要求體育局要查清楚事發原因，也要求相關單位前往檢查健身房是否有管理疏失及設備失當問題。


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五角大廈報告指出，中國可能已在靠近蒙古邊境的飛彈發射井區，部署超過100枚固體燃料的東風-31洲際彈道飛彈。（彭博檔案照）

路透22日獨家報導，1份五角大廈的報告草案顯示，中國很可能已經在3處飛彈發射井區部署超過100枚洲際彈道飛彈（ICBM），而且對於軍備管制談判毫無興趣，凸顯北京日益擴張的軍事野心。

報告指出，中國正在以所有擁核國家中最快的速度，擴充並現代化其武器庫。北京則將有關軍事擴張的報導，指為「抹黑與詆毀中國、刻意誤導國際社會」。

美國總統川普11月表示，他可能正著手與中國及俄羅斯推動一項去核化計畫。但路透取得的這份五角大廈報告草案指出，北京似乎並未展現參與意願。

報告寫道：「我們持續看不到北京有意推動相關措施，或展開更全面軍備管制討論的跡象。」

具體而言，報告指出，中國可能已在靠近蒙古邊境的一系列飛彈發射井區中，部署超過100枚固體燃料的東風-31洲際彈道飛彈。五角大廈此前已通報這些發射井區的存在，但從未披露實際部署的飛彈數量。

五角大廈與中國駐美國大使館，均未立即回應置評請求。

報告草案並未指出新部署飛彈的潛在攻擊目標。美國官員表示，該報告在送交國會前仍可能有所修訂。

報告指出，中國的核彈頭庫存在2024年仍維持600多枚的低位數，反映其生產速度相較於前幾年有所減緩。

不過，報告也說，中國的核武擴張仍在持續，並正朝著在2030年前擁有超過1000 枚核彈頭的目標邁進。

中國一貫聲稱奉行自衛性核戰略，並堅持不首先使用核武政策。

川普曾表示，他希望美國恢復核武試爆，但具體形式尚不明朗。

這份內容廣泛的五角大廈報告詳細描述中國的軍事擴張，並指出「中國預期在 2027年底前，具備對台作戰並取得勝利的能力」。

報告指出，北京正在精進以「強力手段」（brute force）奪取台灣的軍事方案，選項之一可能包括對距離中國1500至2000海里（約2778至3704公里）範圍內的目標發動打擊，「若此類打擊達到足夠規模，將可能對美國在亞太地區衝突中的存在構成嚴峻挑戰，並造成干擾。」

countries: 中國 台灣 美國 俄羅斯

title: 美五角大廈揭露 中國在蒙古部署逾100枚洲際彈道飛彈


references: 臉書 網友

title: 愛貓「失蹤443天」被奇蹟尋回 全網感動：最棒耶誕禮物！

content_text:
美國1隻名為加比（Gabby）的寵物貓，不幸在去年颶風海倫肆虐期間走失，飼主全家原以為牠已不幸遇害，結果在加比失蹤長達443天後，近期傳出被奇蹟尋回。（圖擷取自「Avery Humane Society」臉書粉專）

颶風海倫（Helene）在去年9月肆虐美國東南部，當地傷亡慘重、許多居民流離失所。近期北卡羅來納州動物救援中心分享，1隻寵物貓加比（Gabby）在颶風海倫肆虐期間走失，飼主全家原以為寶貝已不幸遇害，未料在加比失蹤長達443天後被奇蹟尋回，感人事蹟引發全網熱議，並驚呼這是「耶誕奇蹟」！

綜合外媒報導，位於北卡羅來納州的動物救援中心「Avery Humane Society」，13日有好心民眾送來1隻親人的流浪貓，工作人員使用專業工具進行檢查後，發現牠體內有植入晶片，於是對這隻貓咪展開進一步調查，查出牠是在去年9月颶風海倫肆虐期間，被飼主通報不幸走失的有主毛孩加比，於是趕緊通知飼主將牠接回家團聚。

工作人員也將此事分享到臉書粉專，除了祝賀加比在耶誕節前夕與飼主團聚，也藉此提醒大眾，這凸顯為寵物植入晶片的的重要性，「小小的一個動作，就能決定是讓人心碎的離別，還是令人欣喜的重逢」，也強調晶片不僅僅是一個編號，更是一條生命線，在發生自然災害、混亂事件等情況導致寵物走失時，它是唯一能讓寵物回家的重要希望。

溫馨貼文曝光後，吸引大批網友關注、轉發，並紛紛留言表示，「簡直是一部電影」、「好消息！加比歡迎回家」、「太神奇了！打從心底為他們高興」、「多麼圓滿又開心的結局！耶誕快樂！」、「真的是耶誕奇蹟！永遠不要放棄希望」、「這對加比的家人來說，是最棒的耶誕禮物」、「真是一個美好的故事，我很開心牠們能夠團圓」。