A fragile COP30 consensus reveals how little time is left

This year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil’s Belem ended without a major breakthrough. The text of the final agreement lacked a deal to shift away from fossil fuels, delayed crucial finance and the “mutirao” decision contained no roadmap to halt and reverse deforestation, but the multilateral system at COP30 held together at a point when its collapse felt close. This ought to be a warning: Next year’s conference must strike a better bargain between the rich and poor world.

Developing countries are far from united on some issues. Over rare earth minerals China sees any move as targeting its dominance, while Africa sees it as essential for governance. Elsewhere, petrostates did not support Colombia’s call for a fossil fuel phase-out. Yet the global south broadly coheres around a simple principle: Its nations must be equipped to survive a climate emergency they did not create. That means cash to build flood defenses, make agricultural systems resilient, protect coastlines and rebuild after disasters strike. They also demand front-loaded finance to transition to clean, green economic growth.

However, climate finance is a hard sell in the global north. Right-wing populists in the West rail against cash being spent on climate and foreigners. Any issue that fuses the two becomes a difficult political terrain. Then there is the broader geopolitics — one in which spiky confrontations have become the norm. For parts of the rich world, clean industrialization of the global south is not a priority — it is an economic threat.

US President Donald Trump did not send a team to Brazil, the first time since 1995 Washington was not officially represented at the annual climate summit. This might not have been entirely unwelcome. The US, which owes the largest climate debt in the world, has blocked meaningful finance deals for years — and its reshoring agenda is designed to keep key industries at home. This is not entirely without logic: Some analysts say China is the proof that the West has reason to fear too rapidly empowering poorer nations.

However, such a narrow worldview would only hinder progress. As Evans Njewa, chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group, stated bluntly after COP30 ended: Belem was missing ambition. For him, the world’s most vulnerable countries came seeking protection; they left with promises postponed. Yet the disappointment felt today is a spur for greater action tomorrow. The LDCs are looking to COP31 in Turkey and, ultimately, to COP32 in Ethiopia to change minds.

This year’s UN adaptation report could not be clearer: The scale of the task ahead is vast. Developing countries, it suggests, require more than US$310 billion per year by 2035 — yet they received only US$26 billion in 2023, down from US$28 billion the year before. Needs are rising faster than finance. The UN warns that without a dramatic course-correction the poorest countries would be left exposed to heatwaves, wildfires and floods.

The urgency of the crisis explains why African negotiators are so insistent that adaptation finance must be from the state, preferably in grant form. To imagine otherwise, they say, is delusional; private finance makes up only 5 percent of adaptation cash, and most of that is philanthropic. Private capital would not build sea walls, restore mangroves or protect subsistence farmers. COP30 underscored a simple reality: Only by moving beyond symbolism and self-interest can the world secure its future.


Chelsea defeat Barca, Man City lose

BLUES VICTORIOUS:  The prematch build-up centered on talk around the two team’s wonderkids, but it was Chelsea’s Estevao who stole the show over Barcelona’s Yamal

Chelsea on Tuesday romped to a dominant 3-0 win at home to 10-man Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, while Pep Guardiola’s much-changed Manchester City went down to their first defeat of the campaign against Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

In a battle between the second-placed sides in the English Premier League and Spanish La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead.

The visitors played just over half the encounter with a player down following captain Ronald Araujo’s dismissal for two bookable offenses on the stroke of half-time.

Chelsea’s Estevao, right, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during their UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona in London on Tuesday. Photo: PA via AP

After stalling last time out — Chelsea being held 2-2 by Qarabag and Barca drawing three-apiece with Club Brugge — both sides came into the match at Stamford Bridge in London looking to get their campaigns back on track.

Victory propelled Chelsea to fifth in the league phase standings on 10 points.

“It’s a big win, especially because the other team was Barcelona,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said.

After two Enzo Fernandez strikes were disallowed for offside, the hosts finally took the lead on 27 minutes.

A short-corner routine ended with Marc Cucurella firing the ball across the box. Pedro Neto’s attempted flick toward goal had the Barcelona defenders tying themselves in knots before France international Kounde inadvertently knocked it into his own net.

The game took a decisive turn in the 44th minute when Araujo received a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Cucurella.

Much of the prematch build-up centered on talk around the starlets on both sides, but it was Chelsea’s Estevao who stole the show over Barcelona’s Spain winger Lamine Yamal.

A moment of magic by the Brazilian teen put the game beyond the Spanish champions as he received the ball on the right before beating two defenders and lashing it into the roof of Joan Garcia’s net five minutes before the hour.

“I don’t really have any words to sum up how I’m feeling right now,” Estevao told Amazon Prime. “It really was the perfect night.”

Substitute Delap then put the game to bed in the 73rd minute.

A second defeat has the Catalans down in 15th spot, but Barcelona coach Hansi Flick insisted he was “really positive” about their chances of automatic qualification to the last 16.

“We’ve got players coming back now, and there are three games to play and nine points to win,” the German said.

Guardiola surprisingly rested the majority of his stars at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Gianluigi Donnarumma all left out of the starting lineup as Manchester City went down 2-0 to Leverkusen.

A first loss of the campaign for Man City, coming hot on the heels of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United in the Premier League, leaves the 2023 winners on 10 points.

“I take full responsibility, still I think the players that started were exceptional players, but we missed something needed at the highest level,” Guardiola said. “I think playing every two or three days we need to make changes, but seeing the result, maybe it’s too much.”

While defeat would likely not prove fatal to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, it was a chastening 100th European match in charge of City for Guardiola.

Slack defending allowed Alex Grimaldo the chance to put the away side in front in the 23rd minute, before Patrik Schick glanced in a second half an hour later.

In the south of France, Olympique de Marseille roared back from an early Ashley Barnes goal to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a second-half Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double.

Marseille’s Mason Greenwood — who left Manchester United following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault, the charges for which were dropped by prosecutors in February 2023 — was kept quiet by Newcastle in what was his first time facing English opposition since the allegations.

An injury-time goal by Jonathan David snatched a 3-2 win for Italian giants Juventus in the Arctic Circle against Norway’s Bodo/Glimt.

Sondre Brunstad Fet’s 87th-minute penalty had looked like it had secured a third draw for winless Champions League debutants Bodo until the Canadian bundled home in the 91st minute.

Serhou Guirassy netted a brace as Borussia Dortmund moved up to fourth with a 4-0 victory over 10-man Villarreal, despite the Germans missing two penalties at the Westfalenstadion.

Italian Serie A champions SSC Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0 at home, while Benfica won by the same scoreline at Ajax.

Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium won 1-0 away to Galatasaray, and Athletic Bilbao played out a goalless stalemate at Slavia Prague.


S Africa condemn India to biggest Test loss

Spinner Simon Harmer yesterday took six wickets as South Africa thrashed India by 408 runs in the second Test to sweep the series and condemn the hosts to a record loss.

It was South Africa’s first series win in India in 25 years, after bowling the home team out for a dismal 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati.

India suffered their biggest Test defeat by runs and a fifth loss in seven home Tests, having been whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand last year.

South African players celebrate with the trophy after winning their second Test cricket match against India at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, India, yesterday. Photo: AFP

Off-spinner Harmer, 36, returned figures of 6-37 as South Africa clinched a Test series in India for only the second time, the first in 2000 under Hansie Cronje.

“Winning a Test match and series in India is very special,” said left-arm quick Marco Jansen, who returned figures of 6-48 in India’s first innings after smashing a quickfire 93 with the bat.

Jansen, named Player of the Match, added: “Very well done to everyone for putting their hand up and making this happen.”

India lost the opening Test in Kolkata inside three days on a pitch with uneven bounce before South Africa once again beat the hosts in their own game of spin on a batting-friendly track.

Ravindra Jadeja resisted with 54 before Keshav Maharaj had him stumped, and the spinner soon got the final wicket of Mohammed Siraj, with Jansen pulling off a stunning catch in the deep.

The visitors had declared their second innings on 260-5 on day four to hand India a record chase, but the hosts’ batting once again failed, and they never threatened to get close.

“Whether you’re playing at home or away, cricket demands that determination and the extra effort,” India captain Rishabh Pant said. “As a batting unit you need to capitalize on certain moments. As a team we didn’t do that.”

India rode their luck early in the day when Jansen had Sai Sudharsan caught behind, but the delivery was declared a no-ball after the bowler overstepped. The batter was on four.

In the next over Kuldeep Yadav survived a reprieve on four when Aiden Markram dropped him at first slip off Harmer.

However, the relief was short-lived for India as a relentless Harmer bowled Kuldeep for five for the first wicket of the day.

Three balls later the spinner dismissed Dhruv Jurel for two and soon sent back Pant for 13 as India slumped to 58-5.

The batters fell like nine pins on a pitch where South Africa posted 489 after they elected to bat.

India were bundled out for 201 to concede a first-innings lead of 288, but South Africa did not enforce the follow-on and decided to bat again.

South African all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy led the batting charge in the first innings with 109, his maiden Test century.


Wizards snap 14-game NBA skid while Magic rout 76ers

Washington’s C.J. McCollum scored a season-high 46 points, and the NBA-worst Wizards snapped a 14-game losing streak on Tuesday by routing Atlanta 132-113 in an NBA Cup contest.

The Wizards improved to 2-15 with their first home victory of the season and first-ever triumph in the mid-season tournament, staying in Cup playoff contention.

“We did a good job,” McCollum said.

The Washington Wizards’ C.J. McCollum dribbles as the Atlanta Hawks’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker defends during their NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: Geoff Burke, Imagn Images/USA Today

“We lost some close games throughout the season, and we kind of let ourselves down in terms of execution and having lost,” he said. “But I think tonight we got off to a good start in the third quarter, we withstood their runs and did enough to get the win.”

McCollum hit 17-of-25 shots from the floor and 10-of-13 from three-point range, tying Trevor Ariza for the Wizards’ record for three-pointers in a game and one shy of his career high for threes in a game.

“I put a lot of time in. I sacrifice a lot of time away from my family to get in the gym at night,” McCollum said. “These results, they come from hard work in the dark, a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out how to master my craft and be more consistent with my jump shot.”

French center Alex Sarr added 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Corey Kispert had 19 points for Washington.

The Wizards seized a 45-23 lead after the first quarter, scoring their most points in any opening quarter since 1990 against Denver.

Washington took a 45-16 edge by hitting 15-of-20 shots from the floor and 8-of-8 from three-point range, Kispert and McCollum each starting 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Former Wizard Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points to lead the Hawks, who joined Washington at 1-2 in Cup Group A play.

NBA Cup group play concludes with games tomorrow with Toronto having taken the first of eight playoff spots by capturing East Group A.

Three group winners and a wildcard team from each conference are to advance to the knockout stage with point difference a tiebreaker.

Orlando set the stage for a Group B title showdown tomorrow at Detroit with a 144-103 romp at Philadelphia.

“It’s going to be a really good game,” Orlando’s Franz Wagner said. “It’s going to be physical. We have to be ready for that.”

The Magic set a club record for points in any half in taking a 86-60 halftime lead over the 76ers. The old mark was 83 in a 1990 second half against Denver.

Orlando added a 17-0 run in the third quarter and cruised to victory with a season-high points total.

“Just got into a rhythm. We got hot,” Wagner said. “A really good team win for us.”

Orlando reserve Anthony Black, who led the Magic with 31 points, had a career high in the first half alone with 27 points, 20 of them in the second quarter.

Orlando’s Jalen Suggs was ejected after a melee that began with 26.6 seconds remaining in the second quarter when Andre Drummond squared up to punch Orlando’s Wendell Carter.

Suggs shoved Drummond and Jabari Walker, and was issued two technical fouls, departing with four points, 11 assists and five rebounds.

The loss ended Philadelphia’s Cup playoff hopes while Orlando went to 3-0 atop Group B.


‘Just the beginning’: PSG shift focus to young talent

When academy forward Senny Mayulu scored the final goal in Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League final victory over Inter, it felt like more than completing the rout of the Italian side.

For the French club, it symbolized a strategic turn. After more than a decade of headline-grabbing signings, PSG are banking on their new 350 million euro (US$405 million) training campus to build future squads largely from within.

The facility on the outskirts of Paris brings together PSG’s men’s, women’s and youth teams under one structure, a move designed to reflect the club’s shift toward developing homegrown talent.

Paris Saint-Germain players participate in a training session in Poissy, on the outskirts of Paris, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

“There’s only one flight of stairs to climb,” sports director Luis Campos told reporters. “In the long term, it will be possible to build a squad without spending fortunes on the market and have a team with a French identity.”

That identity is already visible. This season, five academy players — Warren Zaire-Emery, Senny Mayulu, Noham Kamara, Ibrahim Mbaye and Quentin Ndjantou — have been integrated into the first team.

PSG also fielded the youngest starting XI in their history against Montpellier Herault in May, with an average age of 21 years and 251 days, and the team who lifted the Champions League were the second-youngest to win the competition, averaging 24 years and 110 days — just older than the 1994-1995 Ajax team.

Two of the club’s brightest prospects have broken records — Zaire-Emery started a match at 16 years, four months and 29 days, and Mbaye played aged only two months older.

The policy marks a departure from the approach taken after Qatar Sports Investments acquired the club in 2011, when PSG became one of Europe’s biggest spenders.

The French champions signed global stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, but failed to win the European cup for the first time with them.

The campus project, completed in January last year, is built on three pillars, sporting development, education and personal growth, academy director Yohan Cabaye said.

Cabaye confirmed last week’s visit from the French Labor Inspection, which is looking into alleged mismanagement at the academy.

“We have nothing to hide,” he said. “When you have ambition, you must accept the level of demands that comes with it. We have to keep moving forward and working. For me the most important thing, and where everyone’s focus should remain, is our core mission.”

The proximity of the academy players to the senior squad is intended to ease transitions.

“We want our youth teams to understand the principles of play used by the head coach,” Campos said. “When they step up, they must already know our pressing and possession game.”

To create room for them, PSG have deliberately trimmed the size of the senior squad.

“These are not gifts,” Campos added. “Our squad is built to have 14 or 15 versatile players, and space for six or seven academy talents to earn their place.”

The shift comes as French soccer faces economic pressure following a downturn in domestic broadcast revenues. For PSG, developing players in-house is becoming a sporting and financial necessity.

“This is just the beginning,” Cabaye said. “We’re celebrating 50 years, but this project is the start of something much bigger.”


Ex-Bayern player Rafinha meets fans in Taipei

Former Bayern Munich and Brazil rightback Rafinha on Tuesday encouraged young soccer players in Taiwan to balance education with athletic ambitions, during a youth soccer event in Taipei.

“The only way to succeed in football is to fully dedicate yourself and practice with 100 percent effort. At the same time, you should not stop studying, because not everyone can succeed in the sport,” said the seven-time German Bundesliga champion, who visited Taiwan at the invitation of Bayern sponsor Allianz’s local subsidiary.

Since 2012, Allianz Taiwan has selected promising young players to attend training programs at Bayern Munich’s youth academy in Germany.

Former Bayern Munich player Rafinha, accompanied by a mascot, looks on during a fan event in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: CNA

“It is my honor to participate in this event on behalf of Bayern Munich,” said the 40-year-old former defender, born Marcio Rafael Ferreira de Souza.

Rafinha said his lowest point as a player came in 2012, when Bayern finished runners-up in the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal to Borussia Dortmund and then lost the UEFA Champions League final to Chelsea on penalties at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

“But we had a very good coach who helped us bounce back to the top within a year,” he said, referring to the following season’s treble under manager Jupp Heynckes.

Born in Brazil, Rafinha obtained German citizenship in 2015.

Asked about next year’s FIFA World Cup, he said that he hoped Brazil and Germany would meet in the final and that he would be satisfied either way.

“As long as it is not Argentina again,” he added.


Ukrainian sumo wrestler Danylo Yavhusishyn, front row, center, known by his ring name Aonishiki, holds up a large sea bream — a symbol of good luck and celebration — after the ceremony announcing his promotion to “ozeki,” sumo’s second-highest rank, in Kurume, Japan, yesterday.

Time to celebrate


Hegseth to visit Dominican Republic

‘NO EXCUSE’:  Nicolas Maduro told a rally that Venezuela faces a ‘decisive juncture’ requiring national unity after Washington designated a cartel a terrorist group

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was to visit the Dominican Republic yesterday for talks on combating drug trafficking amid a standoff between Washington and Venezuela, officials said.

The Pentagon confirmed the visit, which comes as US President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accused by Washington of heading a drug cartel.

Hegseth’s office on Tuesday said that he would meet with Dominican President Luis Abinader, his defense minister and other Cabinet members “to strengthen defense relationships and reaffirm America’s commitment to defend the homeland, protect our regional partners and ensure stability and security across the Americas.”

US Attorney General Pam Bondi, left, and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth interact at a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AP

The announcement came a day after the US designated an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel, the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), as a foreign terrorist organization. The designation gives the Trump administration legal authority for more action against Venezuelan officials.

The Venezuelan government on Tuesday organized an anti-US march through the capital, Caracas, in protest of the designation.

Maduro gave a speech at the rally while holding Venezuelan independence hero Simon Bolivar’s “Sword of Peru,” telling the crowd that the country faces a “decisive juncture” requiring national unity.

“There is no excuse for anyone, whether civilian, politician, military or police officer. Failure is not an option. The nation demands our greatest effort and sacrifice,” he told supporters.

Washington has also ramped up military pressure on Caracas, deploying the world’s biggest aircraft carrier to the area, along with a raft of warships.

Caracas accuses Washington of using its war on drugs as a cover for an operation aimed at toppling Maduro.

“They always invent a scenario, like the scenario they invented with [former Iraqi president Saddam] Hussein, with [late Libyan leader Muammar] Gaddafi, to destroy these people, these countries,” said Candido Miquilarena, a 63-year-old community leader at the Caracas march.

US airstrikes on a string of alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific have killed dozens of people since September.

The Dominican Republic has been cooperating with the US operations.

Authorities in the country, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, earlier this month announced that they had seized about 500kg of cocaine from a boat intercepted during a joint operation with US forces.

“We continue working with the United States because this is a tough fight, especially in some countries, mainly in South America, that have seen an increase in drug production, particularly cocaine,” Abinader said on Tuesday.


‘SCARE TACTIC’: Four of the lawmakers said that ‘no amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our constitution’

Lawmakers who appeared in a social media video urging US troops to defy “illegal orders” said that the FBI has contacted them to begin scheduling interviews, signaling a possible inquiry into the matter.

It would mark the second investigation tied to the video, coming a day after the Pentagon said it was reviewing US Senator Mark Kelly over potential contraventions of US military law.

The FBI and the Pentagon actions come after US President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition and said it is “punishable by DEATH” in a social media post.

FBI Director Kash Patel, right, attends a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: Bloomberg

Lawmakers in the video urged troops to reject any illegal orders from their superiors.

“President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass members of congress,” a group of four US representatives said in a statement on Tuesday. “Yesterday, the FBI contacted the [US] House [of Representatives] and Senate sergeants at arms requesting interviews.”

US Senator Elissa Slotkin, one of the six Democratic lawmakers in the video, told reporters that “last night the counterterrorism division at the FBI sent a note to the members of Congress, saying they are opening what appears to be an inquiry against the six of us.”

Slotkin called it a “scare tactic by” Trump.

“Whether you agree with the video or don’t agree with the video, the question to me is: Is this the appropriate response for a president of the United States to go after and seek to weaponize the federal government against those he disagrees with?” Slotkin said.

The group of four representatives said in their statement that “no amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our constitution.”

All six of the Democratic lawmakers in the video have served in the military or intelligence community.

The FBI went through the top security officials for the House and Senate to request interviews with each of the six lawmakers.

The lawmakers said they had no further information.

The FBI declined to comment on Tuesday, but FBI Director Kash Patel, in an interview with journalist Catherine Herridge, described it as an “ongoing matter” in explaining why he could not discuss details.

Asked for his reaction to the video, Patel said: “What goes through my head is the same thing that goes through my head in any case: Is there a lawful predicate to open up an inquiry and investigation or is there not? And that decision will be made by the career agents and analysts here at the FBI.”

In the video, lawmakers said they needed troops to “stand up for our laws ... our constitution.”

Kelly, who was a fighter pilot before becoming an astronaut and then retiring at the rank of captain, told troops that “you can refuse illegal orders.”

After the Pentagon announced the investigation into Kelly on Monday, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth referred it to the US Navy on Tuesday and requested a briefing by Dec. 10.

The lawmakers did not mention specific circumstances in the video.

At an event in Michigan on Tuesday, Slotkin pointed to the Trump administration ordering the military to blow up small boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean accused of ferrying drugs, as well as attempts to deploy National Guard troops into US cities.

“It wasn’t that there was any one incident, it was the sheer number of people coming to us and saying: ‘I’m worried. I am being sent to Washington or I’m being sent to LA [Los Angeles] or Chicago, North Carolina now, and I’m concerned I’m going to be asked to do something that I don’t know if I should do,’” Slotkin said.

“So that’s where it came from,” she added.

FBI seeks interviews over lawmaker troop directions


AI helps with medieval Jewish texts

Researchers in Israel are hoping to make new discoveries about Jewish history by loading a digital database of manuscripts stretching back 1,000 years into a new transcription tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI).

The Cairo Geniza, the biggest collection of medieval Jewish documents in the world, has been the object of hours of study by academics for more than a century, but not a lot of its more than 400,000 documents have been thoroughly researched.

Although the entire collection has already been digitized and is available online in the form of images, most of its items have not been catalogued, and many are disordered fragments from longer documents.

Daniel Stoekl Ben Ezra, a principal researcher of the MiDRASH project dedicated to analyzing the National Library of Israel’s digital database of Hebrew manuscripts, holds a fragment of a Torah exegesis in Jerusalem on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Only about one-10th have transcriptions.

By training an AI model to read and transcribe the old texts, researchers would be able to access and analyze the whole collection far more quickly, cross referencing names or words and assembling fragments into fuller documents.

“We are constantly trying to improve the abilities of the machine to decipher ancient scripts,” said Daniel Stokl Ben Ezra of the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris, one of the principal researchers in the MiDRASH transcription project.

The project has already made significant progress and could open up the documents — which are written in Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic and Yiddish in a wide variety of handwritten scripts — to many researchers, Stokl Ben Ezra said.

Transcriptions from more difficult manuscripts are reviewed by researchers for accuracy, helping to improve the AI training.

“The modern translation possibilities are incredibly advanced now and interlacing all this becomes much more feasible, much more accessible to the normal and not scientific reader,” Stokl Ben Ezra said.

Funded by the European Research Council, the project is based on the National Library of Israel’s digital database of the Cairo Geniza documents and brings together researchers from several universities and other institutes.

One document transcribed by the project is a 16th-century letter in Yiddish from Rachel, a widow from Jerusalem, to her son in Egypt with his reply written in the margins telling of his efforts to survive a plague sweeping through Cairo.

A Geniza is a synagogue’s repository for significant documents that are ultimately intended for ritual burial. The one found in the Ben Ezra synagogue in historic Cairo had a dry atmosphere ideal for the preservation of old paper.

Cairo surpassed Damascus and Baghdad in the Middle Ages as the greatest city of the Middle East, a center of global trade, learning and science and home to a thriving Jewish community, later expanded by refugees fleeing Spain.

The great Jewish philosopher Maimonides, who was physician to the family of Saladin, the Muslim sultan who ousted the crusaders from Jerusalem, worshipped at the Ben Ezra synagogue while living in Cairo.

As dynasties and empires rose and fell, the community quietly went about its daily life, its religious authorities filling the Geniza with the rabbinical arguments, civic records and other detritus of administrative and intellectual business.

The Geniza’s haul of records and papers, including some written by Maimonides himself, was discovered by academics in the late 19th century, but although it has been studied ever since, its enormous size means that huge gaps remain.

“The possibility to reconstruct, to make a kind of Facebook of the Middle Ages, is just before our eyes,” Stokl Ben Ezra said.


India on Tuesday said that it had registered a strong protest with China over what it said was the arbitrary detention of an Indian citizen at Shanghai Airport.

Indian media reported that a UK-based woman holding an Indian passport was stopped by Chinese authorities during a layover in Shanghai on Friday last week and told that her Indian passport was invalid, as she was born in the eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Beijing says Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls Zangnan, is part of China, a claim that New Delhi has repeatedly dismissed.

An arrival board shows inbound flights to Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai on Tuesday last week. Photo: EPA

The woman, Prema Wangjom Thongdok, said she was not allowed to board her onward flight to Japan and was held for 18 hours, Indian media reported.

“Chinese authorities have still not been able to explain their actions, which are in violation of several conventions governing international air travel,” Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.

A Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said that the checks had been carried out in accordance with laws and regulations.

Jaiswal said that India had taken up the incident “very strongly” with China.

India and China share a 3,800km border that is poorly demarcated and has been disputed since the 1950s.

New Delhi slams China over detention of traveler


Belarusian politician Mikola Statkevich has been returned to prison after being freed, but refusing to leave his native country, rights advoates said on Tuesday.

The former presidential candidate had been missing since Sept. 11, when a group of political prisoners were pardoned by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the request of US President Donald Trump.

Statkevich was placed on a bus that day with other released prisoners and transported to the Belarusian-Lithuanian border.

Belarusian politician Mikalai Statkevich attends a protest in Minsk on Sept. 8, 2017. Photo: AP

However, the 69-year-old refused to leave Belarus in what he described as a “forced deportation,” instead kicking down the door of the bus and waiting for several hours in the no-man’s land between the two countries.

He was eventually escorted away by Belarusian police.

The Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs told Statkevich’s wife, Maryna Adamovich, that he had been returned to prison and “continues to serve his sentence,” she told reporters on Tuesday.

The politician was sentenced in 2021 on charges of organizing mass unrest in a case that human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have described as politically motivated.

Belarusian officials have not said where Statkevich is being held.

After his disappearance, Adamovich visited the penal colony where the politician was previously held, but authorities refused to confirm his presence there. She also received no information on his health.

“I used to at least know where he was, but now I don’t even know that,” Adamovich told reporters. “I’m very concerned for Mykola’s health; he suffered a heart attack in prison.”

Pavel Sapelka, a lawyer and representative for the Viasna human rights organization, told reporters that Statkevich was pardoned by presidential decree and therefore should have been a free man on his return to Belarus.

“We see legal chaos when political prisoners without passports are expelled from the country, arbitrarily thrown back into prison, and held incommunicado,” Sapelka said.

Statkevich was part of a group of 52 prisoners, most of them jailed on political grounds, freed weeks after Minsk held a phone call with Trump in August.

Statkevich has been imprisoned previously and has spent more than 12 years behind bars.

There are 1,246 political prisoners in Belarus, Viasna said, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski.

Politician Statkevich sent back to prison in Belarus


AUSTRALIA

Children challenge law

A constitutional challenge against a social media ban on children younger than 16 has been filed in the High Court, two weeks before the law is set to take effect. A campaign group called the Digital Freedom Project yesterday said that it launched proceedings in a bid to block the law, with two 15-year-olds, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, as plaintiffs in the case. More than 1 million accounts held by teenagers under 16 are set to be deactivated in the nation when the ban on platforms including YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat, as well as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, starts on Dec. 10. The Digital Freedom Project said the ban “robs” young people of their freedom of political communication.

INDONESIA

Floods, slides kill eight

Floods and landslides killed at least eight people and injured dozens after torrential rains struck Sumatra, a disaster official said yesterday. Extreme weather has lashed North Sumatra for several days, flooding parts of the Tapanuli Selatan district since Monday, the national disaster agency said. “In Tapanuli Selatan, the disaster of floods and landslides has resulted in eight people losing their lives, 58 being injured and 2,851 residents had to evacuate,” agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said in a statement.

ETHIOPIA

Volcanic activity subsides

Volcanic activity at Hayli Gubbi volcano subsided on Tuesday, days after an eruption that left a trail of destruction in nearby villages and caused flight cancelations after ash plumes disrupted flight paths. Villages in the district of Afdera in the Afar region were covered in ash, officials said residents were coughing, and livestock found their grass and water covered. Airlines canceled dozens of flights scheduled to fly over affected areas as the meteorological department said the ash clouds were expected to clear later in the day. Atalay Ayele, a geologist at Addis Ababa University, said that it was “the first recorded eruption of Hayli Gubbi in the last 10,000 years.”

ISRAEL

Hostage remains identified

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that the latest remains returned from Gaza had been identified as hostage Dror Or. That left the bodies of two hostages in Gaza as the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement nears a conclusion. Palestinian militants released Or’s remains on Tuesday. Dror Or was killed by militants who overran his home in Kibbutz Beeri on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s military said. His wife, Yonat Or, was also killed in the attack.

? BOLIVIA

Government outlines cuts

The new government on Tuesday said that it is targeting 30 percent reductions in spending and tax cuts to stabilize the economy when it proposes its budget in February. President Rodrigo Paz took office earlier this month, ending nearly 20 years of socialist government under former presidents Evo Morales and Luis Arce. “We will reduce fiscal spending by at least 30 percent by 2026. This involves an exhaustive process of reviewing public spending and reorganizing state institutions,” Minister of Economic Affairs Jose Gabriel Espinoza told a news conference alongside Paz. The new government’s proposal to Congress would be a “massive reduction” representing 4 percentage points of the country’s GDP, Espinoza said. The nation is in the grips of an economic crisis, with year-on-year inflation at 23 percent and a chronic shortage of fuel.

World News Quick Take


Emergency personnel work to extinguish flames engulfing bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong, yesterday. Four people were reported to have been killed by the fire, authorities said. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.

HK blaze


Donovan’s Deep Dives: Is the Taiwan People’s Party pan-blue?News outlets and pollsters lump the TPP in the pan-blue camp — though supporters view themselves as being outside of the blue/green divide

Many news outlets and pollsters lump the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) in the pan-blue camp, this column included.

Many TPP supporters bristle at the pan-blue designation and would prefer to be viewed as being outside of the blue/green divide. Are they right?

As explained in the previous column (“The origins of Taiwan’s blue-green politics,” Nov. 22, page 12), the terms came out of a specific time and place, with a specific meaning that later grew to encompass far more than they were originally intended to.

This chart of Formosa poll results shows that while within each party there is not a uniformity of opinion among supporters, the KMT and DPP remain far apart. TPP supporters are closer to the KMT on some questions, but to the DPP in others. Graphic: Courtney Donovan Smith, Taipei Times

Though in use months earlier by politicos, the transition to widespread common usage occurred roughly around the December 2021 legislative elections, when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lost their legislative majority and two blocs formed of parties allied with the KMT on one side, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on the other. The colors come from the primary colors used in the flags of the KMT (blue) and DPP (green).

The colors were used to identify the two camps, which were divided by what previously might have been termed “Taiwanese nationalists” and “Chinese nationalists.” The description soon not only applied to the alliances, but also to apply to the parties themselves and the ideologies they represented.

It is when it became applied to supporters of parties that the picture gets fuzzier, though broadly speaking, there remains a clear and distinct divide in opinions on issues related to Taiwanese identity and sovereignty, and opinions on China’s territorial claims on Taiwan and Chinese identity.

ENTER THE TPP

The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) is unique in that they were originally intended to be outside of the blue/green divide. Though both party founder Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and the current party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) were once considered to be close to — or even in — the pan-green camp, their opinions have shifted over time.

Ko considered running for Taipei mayor in 2014 as the DPP candidate, but instead opted to run as a DPP-backed independent and won. By the time of his successful re-election campaign in 2018, he had fallen out with the DPP administration, and the DPP ran their own candidate.

Huang co-founded the New Power Party (NPP), which largely voted with the DPP in the legislature (including Huang himself). He grew disenchanted with the NPP — and they with him — and he switched allegiance to the TPP in 2023, eventually becoming the TPP’s legislative caucus convener and party chair.

Ko founded the TPP in 2019. They promoted the party as “white” in contrast to blue/green, and briefly translated their slogan as “white power” into English, before realizing the horrendous implications of that term in English, and re-translated it as “white force.”

White does not make for a great flag color, so Ko specified a color midpoint between blue and green, which is commonly used to represent the party today visually.

The color he chose became famous as the color of the packaging used for luxury brand Tiffany & Co’s jewelry boxes. Confusingly, this color can be referred to as “Tiffany green” or “Tiffany blue” in both English and Chinese, though Tiffany themselves have settled on “Tiffany Blue hue.”

Ko himself initially used both Tiffany blue/green interchangeably, though later appears to have settled on Tiffany Blue, though if that is due to the company’s official designation or political messaging is unclear.

IS THE PARTY PAN-BLUE?

In the original sense of the term related to legislative caucus alliances, the answer is unambiguously yes. The TPP and KMT legislative caucuses almost always vote in lockstep, with negotiations on each party’s priorities handled beforehand, and when they vote differently, it is done in such a way that the KMT’s goals are still reached (such as the votes on the speaker and nominees for the Constitutional Court).

Is the party functionally pan-blue beyond the behavior of the legislative caucus? This year, the party has stood unambiguously behind the KMT in the recall votes, actively cooperated with the KMT on this year’s nuclear referendum, and shared stances and terminology when attacking the DPP administration. So in practice, the answer is also yes.

How about ideologically? Here, the picture starts to become less clear.

Since taking over as party chair, Huang has arguably shifted the tone and style of the TPP, but has not made any official changes to the party’s ideology. To do so so soon would be rightly seen as unseemly and disrespectful to Ko in a cultural context, and the party’s “core principles” section on the Web site has not changed since Ko’s presidential run last year.

This creates uncertainty as to where the TPP stands today on some of the key Taiwanese versus Chinese nationalist ideological viewpoints that the blue/green divide was intended to be shorthand for.

Huang’s caucus has backed pan-blue legislation to sharply curtail growth in defense spending, foreign affairs and so-called “desinification” efforts by the DPP in the cultural and educational sphere. However, unlike the KMT, he has outright rejected China’s offering of bounties that would lead to the arrest and conviction of “Taiwan separatists” such as DPP lawmaker Puma Shen (沈伯洋) and two online influencers.

The TPP also does not endorse the “1992 consensus” that the KMT uses as their basis for outreach to Beijing. This decision was made by Ko, but not because he did not want to endorse it per se, but because he said there was “no market for it” among Taiwanese voters. His efforts to formulate a new “consensus” to replace it — such as both sides are “one family” — have failed to gain traction.

On balance, the TPP ideologically comes across as light blue. Like the KMT, they support cross-Strait dialogue to promote peace, but without explicit support of the “1992 consensus” or the “one-China principle” embedded in it, it will not happen. Beijing refuses to enter talks without Taiwan first lowering itself to the status of “Taiwan province” within China.

TPP SUPPORTERS

What about TPP supporters? On cross-Strait ideological issues that define blue/green, TPP supporters are generally — but not uniformly — pan-blue.

The above chart demonstrates how, within the DPP and KMT, opinions are far from uniform, but there is an unmistakable gap between the two. Notice that as the questions get more political, TPP supporters move from closer to the KMT to closer to the DPP.

The same poll asked: “Some people say that if the long-accumulated political disputes between Taiwan and China are to be resolved, a military war between the two sides is ultimately inevitable. Do you agree or disagree?”

On this question, TPP supporters agreeing to the statement were closer to the DPP (38.7% to 42.2%) than the KMT (22.6%). However, the percentage disagreeing was in the middle (KMT 73.4%, TPP 61%, DPP 50.2%).

They also asked: “Some people say that to protect Taiwan’s sovereignty and prevent unification by the Chinese Communist Party, each of us should pay any price, and if necessary, sacrifice our lives.” On this, the TPP was very close to the KMT, (agree: DPP 69.7%, TPP 30%, KMT 24.4%, disagree: DPP 27.6%, TPP 69%, KMT 73.4%).

On “Which approach do you think better maintains Taiwan’s security and avoids cross-strait war?” both KMT and TPP supporters chose “governments on both sides to resume negotiations and relax civilian exchanges,” with 89.9 and 84.4 percent, respectively, while only 27.8 percent of DPP supporters chose that option.

DPP supporters were more likely to support “increase the annual budget to purchase weapons and strengthen national defense” at 58.7 percent, with the KMT at only six percent and the TPP at 9.1 percent.

Broadly speaking, it is accurate to describe the TPP and its supporters as pan-blue, but with caveats and exceptions.

Donovan’s Deep Dives is a regular column by Courtney Donovan Smith (石東文) who writes in-depth analysis on everything about Taiwan’s political scene and geopolitics. Donovan is also the central Taiwan correspondent at ICRT FM100 Radio News, co-publisher of Compass Magazine, co-founder Taiwan Report (report.tw) and former chair of the Taichung American Chamber of Commerce. Follow him on X: @donovan_smith.


Notes from Central Taiwan: PRC Spouses as Dual Citizens: the Deng case and its consequencesThe existence of PRC citizens in local government positions signals a slow-motion security and constitutional crisis, something the pro-Taiwan parties failed to change when they had control of the legislature

As longtime residents and would-be immigrants, many foreigners are watching the developments around the cases of citizens of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) holding office in Taiwan with great interest and equally great resentment. At present PRC citizens are the only foreigners who can hold office in Taiwan. The rest of us have to give up our nationality, attain Taiwan nationality and wait 10 years before we can run for office. This makes the PRC officeholders a double issue. While the public discussion has focused on their nationality, it has ignored discussion of the 10-year rule (Deng in any case satisfied that requirement). Yet that rule means that foreigners who give up their nationality to become Taiwanese acquire a second-class citizenship.

SLAP IN THE FACE

The debate was triggered back in August. PRC spouse Deng Wanhua (鄧萬華), then warden of Syuetian Village (學田) in Hualien County’s Fuli Township (富里), was removed from her post on Aug. 1 after she could not produce evidence that she had renounced her Chinese nationality. The Hualien County Government ruled in her favor after she appealed the ruling. Local media said she was the first PRC citizen to lose an office because of her failure to carry out the paperwork demanded of every foreign national who naturalizes. Further, Taiwanese citizens who are dual nationals have given up their foreign citizenship to run for and hold office in Taiwan. The Hualien government ruling is a slap in their face as well.

Long-established global PRC policy is to use local governments to subvert central government policy.

PRC law also requires its citizens to perform espionage and other activities on Beijing’s behalf. This law automatically defines every PRC citizen as an agent of the PRC government.

The issue here is not just that Deng illegally holds office. The Hualien County government then subverted Taiwan’s national policies on who can hold office to install a PRC citizen in its own local government. Hualien County is headed by the wife of legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), the “king of Hualien,” who runs the county as his own fiefdom. He frequently travels to the PRC and meets with officials there (raising the question of why a legislator is permitted to have his own foreign policy). An opinion piece in the Liberty Times last week thundered that “creating such chaos in the legal order is a crucial part of the ‘united front’ strategy to ‘divide’ Taiwan.”

ADVANCING PRC INTERESTS

Strangely, Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) also said last week that Hualien county had not forwarded any official documents from its Oct. 29 decision on Deng’s successful appeal, to the Ministry of the Interior. Hence, it cannot verify the information. Again, though the focus of the public debate has been on Deng’s failure to obey regulations, questions should be asked about how a local government (a township!) can overrule national government policy on a topic as critical as citizenship and public office holding. What does that suggest about other national policies that local governments headed by pro-PRC officials would like to ignore?

In response to the controversy, the pro-China parties in the legislature immediately moved to advance PRC interests in Taiwan, as usual. Both the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) said they would offer amendments to exempt PRC spouses married to Taiwanese from the restrictions of Article 20 of the Nationality Act (國籍法). Minister Liu, noting that the Nationality Act requires allegiance to a single country, said: “If someone were to amend the law to carve out one particular country or region, that would essentially be a form of labeling,” Liu said.

The KMT also seeks to change the naturalization period for PRC spouses to 4 years from the current six.

Since PRC citizenship cannot be given up, PRC spouses simply renounce their household registration. The government accepts this in lieu of renouncing citizenship. The government’s real but never-stated goal in doing that is to prevent the emergence of some form of dual citizenship for naturalizing foreigners that could become a legal precedent.

This position has backfired by creating an effective dual citizenship for citizens of a state dedicated to the elimination of the Republic of China (ROC). Meanwhile, for citizens of states committed to helping Taiwan in a PRC invasion, the government’s position is that they are good enough to die for Taiwan, but not to be dual citizens.

CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

The pro-KMT papers immediately published arguments from pro-China scholars to rebut the central government’s legal position, an example of the chaos engendered by PRC “united front” operations. United Daily News (UDN) wrote up a Facebook post by Luo Shih-hung (羅世宏) of Chengchung University contending that Article 20 of the Nationality Act does not apply to the PRC because it is not a foreign country under the law.

The act that governs relations between Taiwan and China is a special act that takes precedence over general government laws, Luo said, adding that PRC citizens are from a country that is not defined as a “foreign” country under the constitution. Luo’s argument hinges on the old KMT True Believer claim that the ROC Constitution defines Taiwan and the PRC as one country, though it has not since 1993. At present, because the pro-China parties in the legislature have systematically gutted governmental oversight bodies, Taiwan’s highest court cannot muster a quorum to hear constitutional cases.

Make no mistake: the existence of PRC citizens in local government positions signals a slow-motion security and constitutional crisis, created, in part, by the central government’s desperate dodges to prevent the emergence of dual citizenship. The pro-Taiwan parties, who controlled the legislature for eight years during the previous administration, have failed the nation in this regard. If Taiwan possessed a simple path to dual citizenship for all long-term foreign residents also governing applications from PRC citizens, this issue would not have arisen. PRC spouses could hold Taiwan passports, but would be barred from holding office since they retain citizenship in a foreign state.

Moreover, if the issue of PRC spouses were removed from the special law governing relations with the PRC — or that law and the exceptions it creates were all eliminated — it would strengthen the appearance that the ROC is an independent state in its own right. It is a bruise on ROC sovereignty that there are special rules governing the nation’s relation with a particular, hostile foreign state.

From that perspective, Deng and other officials still holding PRC citizenship should be seen for what they truly are: “gray zone” operations, chipping away at Taiwan’s sovereignty and territory.

Notes from Central Taiwan is a column written by long-term resident Michael Turton, who provides incisive commentary informed by three decades of living in and writing about his adoptive country. The views expressed here are his own.


Book review: A man for all seasons: The extraordinary odyssey of Huang Chin-taoThis rip-roaring yarn provides meticulously detailed snapshots of key events from twentieth century Taiwanese history

Speaking at the launch for this book in London last month, Anna Beth Keim described an almost 10-year process from writing to publication, which included many fruitless attempts to find a literary agent for the work.

“It was actually rejected by every single agent that I contacted,” she told an audience at the School of Oriental and African Studies. “And, just as a kind of Hail Mary, I reached out directly to Hirst.”

The small, independent UK publisher showed immediate interest and was not confined purely by commercial considerations. “I’ve never asked why they took a chance,” Keim says. “They’re one of the few left who can make these decisions to publish quirky books, not just thinking about the algorithm and selling to maximum number of people.”

Prior to the fateful pitch to Hearst, some of the “big deal” agents that showed a passing interest advised Keim to refocus the book as a more generalized history of Taiwan, while others pushed for a change of protagonist.

Both of these suggestions completely miss what makes this book special. As an “insider’s story,” it is perhaps unique in depicting key periods of Taiwan’s history over roughly a century through the life of a single person. This approach is not only much more interesting than a formulaic macrohistory — and there have been enough of these, of late — but extremely effective.

Through the figure of Huang Chin-tao (黃金島), we come to understand the complexity, confusion and anguish of Taiwanese identity, “the bumps and warts: the moral compromises of the colonized.”

No mistake: This is not a work that simply emphasizes Taiwan’s victimhood and perennial status as a hapless pawn in great power struggles. For, as Keim observes in her prologue, “stories like Huang’s offer a Taiwanese history that is not just about suffering or fragmented identity under various regimes, but stubborn resistance.”

And few figures exemplify this dogged determination better than Huang, who emerged unbroken from a series of seemingly catastrophic circumstances, over more than half a century, standing tall and unbowed. (Recounting her first meeting with Huang in his hometown of Taichung in 2016, when the 90-year-old showed up on motorbike, Keim recalls his “military bearing … firm handshake and a “spine [that] was ramrod straight.”)

But, more obviously, while commercial concerns over a limited audience for such a work are understandable, the request for a change of hero makes no sense. The “big deal agent” who had asked for this, explains Keim, had handled several authors whose books were later adapted into successful films.

“I was very excited talking to her,” says Keim. “And she wrote back and said, ‘I’ll take you on, but you have to find a different person — think about it like we’re watching a movie of his life.”

CONSISTENT REINVENTION

In fact, as Keim pointed out in her talk, that’s exactly what Huang’s life reads like, featuring, as it does, several episodes straight out of an “adventure story.” Apart from him being an unknown, the demand for someone else to lead this tale is baffling. Aside from being an excellent short history of Taiwan, it’s quite simply a hell of a story.

We’re thrown right in with a snippet from an astonishing episode — Huang’s escape by boat during a typhoon from a Republic of China-administered detention camp on China’s Hainan Island, where he had served as a mechanic in the Special Naval Landing Forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Born Huang Zhen-tao (黃圳島) in modern-day Taichung in 1926, as a Japanese schoolboy and soldier, he was known as Hiroshima Takeo, taking this surname because of the proximity of the traditional kanji character for hiro to the Chinese character for Huang, which, Keim writes, “allowed him to keep a bit of himself.”

This from a man who seemed to consistently reinvent himself throughout his life — to such an extent that one grasps to find a motivation or credo. It is interesting that, in reflecting on Taiwanese soldiers who defected to or even simply sympathized with their Chinese enemies, Huang accuses his compatriots of “having no center and no core.”

EXISTENTIAL INDIFFERENCE

As we learn when Keim pans out from the opening snapshot, Huang had enlisted as a 16-year-old in 1943, not from patriotic zeal but almost through a go-with-the-flow existential indifference.

Keim’s reflections on this during her presentation in London and in the text bring to mind Meursault, the antihero of Albert Camus’ classic novel The Stranger, who — with his refrain of cela m’est egal (it’s all the same to me), displays apathy toward societal norms and a disposition to go where the winds takes him. Another incident from Hainan involved the beheading of Chinese soldiers. In an interview with Huang, Keim asked about his feelings on witnessing this atrocity in “the land of [his] ancestors” She felt the habitually unflappable nonagenarian might reveal some compunction by association. “But he didn’t offer a reflection,” she said. “Number one, he didn’t have strong feelings of connection to China; I think also he was not one to philosophize or reflect.”

Instead, Huang was “a man of action,” charting his course based on a revulsion for injustice, irrespective of who was inflicting it.

In this regard, he can be considered a natural successor the Japanese-era activists of the Taiwan Cultural Association who, as Chris Horton observes in his — rightly accoladed book Ghost Nation — did not so much advocate for independence as demand decency and dignity.

SPITEFUL SPAT

Finding these qualities in short supply under Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rule, Huang took the mountains with the 27 Brigade (二 七部隊) guerrilla force — here referred to as Troop 27.

The descriptions of his participation in the Battle of Wuniulan (烏牛欄) are, as far as I’m aware, the only in-depth, firsthand English-language accounts of these events and Keim does a brilliant job of communicating them.

Later, Huang would butt heads with fellow 27 Brigadier Chung Yi-jen (鍾逸人) about the specifics, with Keim observing that the pair “if left to their own devices would have been cursing each other in public.”

Much more could be added here: Huang’s flight in wake of the 228 Incident crackdown, evasion of authority through enlistment in the Republic of China military — “the most dangerous place is the safest place” — and decades-long incarceration, mostly on Green Island; finally, his transition to democracy activist.

In this last incarnation, Huang confounded people with gestures such as a convivial meeting with newly elected President Ma Ying-jeou in 2008. Those of the younger activists who knew of him were irked.

Quoting Chou Fu-yi (周馥儀), a prominent activist in the 2014 Sunflower movement, Keim emphasizes “the courage to act.” She concludes with reflections on Huang’s “irrepressible spirit” — a fitting hat tip to an impressive man and the country his life so aptly reflects.


Gen Z protests across the world stood up to authorities in 2025, even toppling two governments

From Nepal to Peru, Morocco and Madagascar, brandishing the symbol of a skull and crossbones in a straw hat, Gen Z protests across the world stood up to authorities in 2025, even toppling two governments.

More typically used to refer to a generation born between the late 1990s and late 2000s, the term Gen Z this year became associated with rebellions led by youth frustrated with issues like unemployment, poverty and inequality.

Young people took to the streets and rattled governments across three continents: Latin America, Asia and Africa, where 60 percent of the population is aged under 25, according to UN figures.

A demonstrator shouts slogans during a protest outside the Parliament in Kathmandu on Sept. 8, condemning social media prohibitions and corruption by the government. Photo: AFP

The pirate-like emblem, taken from the wildly popular Japanese manga series One Piece, was seen at protests in more than a dozen countries. In two of them — Madagascar and Nepal — the governments fell. “I grew up with One Piece, like the vast majority of Gen Z, so it became a symbol for us,” said a 26-year-old protester in Madagascar who would give their name only as Kai.

It had come to mean resistance against “oppressive governments,” Kai said.

There have been other youth-led protests such as the anti-austerity Indignados Movement that kicked off in Spain in 2011 and the Arab Spring uprisings launched in 2010.

Members of the Malagasy Gendarmerie on Oct. 9 drag a motionless injured protester who was severely beaten during clashes amid a strike calling for constitutional reforms and the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina in Antananarivo. Photo: AFP

But the Gen Z movement was different in its use of social media such as Discord, Instagram and TikTok to mobilize in real-time ever-connected youngsters who then brought in other sectors of society, said University of Montreal sociologist Cecile Van de Velde.

It also transcended local issues in an aspiration to become “the new face of a global and generational revolt,” said the professor, who specializes in issues related to youth.

LOCAL TO GLOBAL

The Gen Z uprising in Madagascar followed shortly after similar protests in Nepal in September.

“Nepal paved the way. We saw what happened, the flag raised, the links made with One Piece,” said Elliot Randriamandrato, a spokesman for the Madagascar movement.

“And we said to ourselves: that’s it, enough is enough,” he said.

In all of the countries, the spark was local. In Indonesia it was low wages, unemployment and police violence; in Nepal, corruption among the elite and social media bans.

Madagascar’s youth first rallied against persistent and chronic water and electricity cuts; in Morocco, it was inequalities in education and health; in Kenya — where the name Gen Z was already attached to protests last year — it was new taxes.

“In the triggers of the protests, there is first the will of young people to stand up for the essential needs of their communities, their refusal to be dispossessed of the basics for survival: health, security, political representation,” said Van de Velde. “These local demands show the common stand against the plundering and abuses of governments and the economic and political oligarchy that governs them,” she said.

MIXED RESULTS

As the rebellions calmed towards the end of the year, the aftermath has been mixed for the young people who inspired them.

In Madagascar, the army took power after the president fled. It appointed a government heavily composed of political insiders, to the dismay of the Gen Z groups.

But in Nepal, an interim prime minister was appointed after a vote on Discord and has set up a commission to shed light on the deaths of dozens of young people during the violence.

In Morocco, protesters won some pledges for social reforms, including improvement to health care and education, but by the end of last month, more than 2,400 people — including over 1,400 in detention — faced prosecution.

And while the activist core of the various Gen Z movements are organized, their spontaneous, loose structure and lack of leadership have not translated into the creation of political projects beyond the initial demands. Many of the movements have also faced a massive and often-violent police repression.

In Nepal, “we are in the second phase of the movement” leading up to the elections scheduled for March next year, said one of the protesters, Yujan Rajbhandari.

Still targeting corruption, the new vision encompasses a drive to raise awareness about voter registration, he said, adding: “We won’t stop.”

Gen Z, a youth rebellion across the globe


SPEAK UP: Taiwan’s TOEIC scores hit new high, while Mandarin learning becomes global trend (1/2) 台灣多益進步、 全球中文熱直追英文（上）

A: According to the 2024 TOEIC score statistics, Taiwanese scored an average of 315 points in listening and 265 points in reading. So the total average score rose by 13 points to a new high of 581 points.

B: Taiwan’s total was slightly higher than Japan’s 564 and China’s 561, but much lower than South Korea’s 678. India actually scored the highest in Asia at 772.

A: Since Taiwan’s universities cut English courses to save money, university students’ average of 585 was even lower than high school senior students’ average of 661.

B: Cram school English teacher Avery Tsou shared some tips for test-taking. For listening: stay focused on the opening of each question, since the crucial information in English questions usually appears at the beginning. For reading: scan for the main structure of each sentence, so you can grasp the overall idea of a passage more quickly.

A: Plus, don’t forget to read the Taipei Times, Taiwan’s only English newspaper, every day.

A: 多益測驗2024年統計︰台灣聽力315分、閱讀265分、總分581分進步13分再創新高。

B: 台灣小贏日本（564分）、中國（561分），大輸南韓（678分），而亞洲英文最強的則是印度（772分）。

A: 但近年來許多大學大砍英文課來省錢，大學生585分比高三生661分還差耶。

B: 英語補教名師鄒政威近日分享考多益的秘訣：考聽力要專注聆聽每題的開頭，因為英文疑問句重點在一開始。考閱讀要先掃描整句的主結構，快速掌握全文主旨和文章脈絡。

A: 別忘了還要多看台灣唯一的英文報紙：《台北時報》！

（By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）

For your information LANGUAGE TIP 語文小提示 TOEIC = Test of English for International Communication 多益（中國：托業）Aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the TOEIC tests provide a standardized measure of English proficiency for the communication skill and level of English. (Listening 495 points + Reading 495 points = Total 990 points)


記者趙蔡州／綜合報導

香港大埔宏福苑26日下午發生重大火警，火勢在短時間內快速失控，並蔓延至周圍其它棟大樓，造成至少13死16傷，港府為此動員120多輛消防車、超過700名消防及救護人員到場搶救，但由於現場風力較大助長火勢，火災直到晚間10點仍未控制，深圳消防車隊26日晚間10點多已在蓮塘口岸集結，若港府要求支援，將立刻趕赴現場協助救災。

綜合港媒報導，火警在26日下午2時51分自宏昌閣外棚架首先竄燒，強風加上鷹架助燃，使火勢快速擴散至宏泰閣、宏道閣等共7棟大樓，涉及住戶超過1900戶，居民驚慌逃生。火勢直到入夜後仍未控制，且警方仍持續接獲居民求助，指稱被困在房子內或天台需要救援，也有人通報指跟家人失聯。

▲香港消防處指出，由於現場風力較大，火勢仍未控制。（圖／路透）

針對這次火警，港府動員120多輛消防車、超過700名消防及救護人員到場搶救，警方也派出400多名警力協助附近大樓進行疏散和外圍封鎖行動，並建立傷者查詢熱線，幫助民眾查詢死傷者。火警目前已造成13死16傷，包含1名消防員殉職，1名消防員熱衰竭及1名消防員左腳受傷送醫。

香港民政處人員表示，目前開放了5個社區會堂，並借用周邊社會福利機構及過渡性房屋作為臨時庇護中心，給有需要的災民入住，民政處還派出巴士接送，事發地宏福苑附近一家中學亦作為臨時疏散中心，目前庇護中心使用人數已超700人。

香港消防處也指出，由於現場風力較大，失火的部分建築材料被吹到周邊7棟大樓，導致附近的大樓也燃起大火，火勢目前仍未控制，救災行動仍在持續進行中。此外，深圳消防車隊26日晚間10點多已在蓮塘口岸集結，若港府要求支援，將立刻趕赴現場協助救災。

香港惡火「現場風太強」深夜仍在狂燒　深圳消防隊跨境支援


▲川普。（圖／路透，下同）

記者閔文昱／綜合報導

美國總統川普26日再度在社群平台開砲，痛批《紐約時報》散布不實訊息，指控他「健康亮紅燈、精力下滑」。79歲的川普怒嗆《紐時》是「人民公敵」，並點名報導記者羅傑斯（Katie Rogers）是「專寫他壞話的三流記者」。

《紐約時報》稍早以〈日程減少、體重下降：川普的衰老與健康疑雲〉為題，指出川普近來公開行程減少、國內出行驟降，且多次被拍到在活動中疑似打瞌睡，加深外界對其健康狀況的疑慮。報導也提到，川普的官方行程多集中在中午至傍晚，與第一任期相比大幅縮短。

川普則在「真實社群」（Truth Social）上反擊，先列出他自豪的政績，包括2024年總統大選「壓倒性勝利」、經濟表現亮眼、股市刷新多項新高等，強調這些工作量需要極高精力，他「這輩子從沒這麼拼命過」。他怒批《紐時》刻意抹黑，把所有與他相關的內容都寫成負面，並再次稱其為「廉價爛報」。

對於健康問題，川普強調自己「剛做完完整體檢與認知測驗，而且全部滿分」，駁斥外界謠言。他也透露醫生認證自己「身心狀態極佳」，體重從2020年的244磅降至今年的224磅。

《紐時》報導中也指出，川普雖頻繁使用社群媒體、與外國領袖會晤，但官方公開露面較第一任期減少近四成；此外，他右手淤青與腳踝腫脹也曾在網路引發外界揣測。白宮方面則表示，川普行程透明、健康狀態良好，並批評拜登時期才是「刻意隱瞞總統健康」。

川普最後自信表示，自己的支持率創新高，即使未來某一天體力真的下降，也不是現在。

不爽被說健康亮紅燈！川普怒轟《紐時》：人民公敵、三流醜記者


▲藝術家曹松清分享創作作品。（圖／元智提供）

記者楊淑媛／桃園報導

元智大學藝術中心26日於三館藝術中心，舉行《煦色韶光──曹松清個展》開幕與導覽活動，吸引校內外藝術愛好者出席。元智大學表示，展覽呈現藝術家曹松清多年創作的心路歷程，展出 17 幅油畫作品，並結合多項跨域科技成果，為觀眾帶來融合美學、記憶與科技的當代視覺體驗。

曹松清出生於馬祖，成長於海島特殊的自然與人文環境，潮聲、石屋與流動光影深深烙印在他的創作記憶中。這些生命經驗轉化為作品中的精神意象，使光線在畫布上不僅是自然風景，更象徵時間、情感與生命的延續，也為本次展覽奠定溫暖而富敘事性的基調。

▲《煦色韶光》曹松清個展即起元智登場。（圖／元智提供）

除了油畫創作，該展亦跨足科技藝術，呈現三件與中央大學合作的跨域作品，包括虛擬實境《我的虛擬美術館》、互動裝置《剪刀石頭布》以及《手機桌布免費贈送計畫》。觀者可藉由VR走入藝術家構築的光影空間，透過互動遊戲成為作品的一部分，並將創作延伸至日常生活。這些嘗試突破傳統展場形式，展現藝術與科技交會的更多可能。

▲除了油畫創作，亦跨足科技藝術，觀者體驗互動裝置。（圖／元智提供）

曹松清表示，他的創作核心在於光與時間的交織，光既是視覺元素，更承載文化記憶與生命情感。他期望觀者透過作品重新體會自然中的細膩與人心中的安穩。

元智大學藝術中心表示，此次個展即日起至 12 月18 日，延續中心推動跨域藝術的精神。藝術中心近年積極策劃多元展覽與藝術教育活動，從引進新銳與國際藝術家，到推動校內創作成果展，都深獲校內外肯定。

《煦色韶光》曹松清個展即起元智登場　油彩與科技交織光影美學


抗通膨！在家煮成新風潮　知名品牌廚具疫後業績成長逾3成

▲舒曼Cleanup品牌廚具桃園旗艦店開幕。（圖／記者楊淑媛攝）

記者楊淑媛／桃園報導

廚房不只是烹飪的場所，更是家人互動、共享時光的空間；經營廚具業逾25年的桃園市舒曼廚飾總經理劉中正，26日於舒曼Cleanup品牌廚具桃園旗艦店開幕活動表示，隨著時間及生活型態的轉變，現在的廚房，更是守護健康、食品安全及抗通膨的場域‧

劉中正指出，新冠疫情期間消費者減少外食回歸在家煮，當時不少家庭就透過預約方式參觀選購廚具打造新式廚房，而這樣的趨勢在疫情結束後依舊持續，假日預約客群呈倍數成長，加上近年來物價上漲、食安問題事件帶來的影響，以及近年來民眾健身風氣的興起，在在都讓「走進廚房自己煮」成為一種新健康趨勢。

▲舒曼Cleanup品牌廚具最獨特之處，在於收納系統的強化。（圖／業者提供）

受到這股趨勢影響，消費者對於廚房的投資明顯增加，根據舒曼廚飾的統計，從疫情期間至近日，廚具業績成長介於3成至4成之間，對現在民眾而言，自己在家煮不但可打造安全、健康的飲食，更可抵抗通膨省荷包。

劉中正說，日本名牌Cleanup廚具最獨特之處，就在於收納系統的強化，如廚具抽屜深度相較於台廚深，且有善用空間的足元底抽，加上口袋收納盒、滑動抽屜、電動昇降吊櫃機能，取物順手又輕鬆，水槽採導流水設計、抗污塗層；無縫或最少接縫設計有助於清潔與衛生。不但在設計上兼顧實用與方便，更是一種自我生活型態的展現。

▲樂天女孩彭彭、溫妮（左一、右一）現身分享使用全不鏽鋼、收納功能強的Cleanup廚具，處理食物烹調安心又開心。（圖／業者提供）

舒曼Cleanup品牌廚具桃園旗艦店位於桃園區小檜溪市地重劃區內，開幕當天亦邀請樂天女孩彭彭、溫妮現身分享使用全不鏽鋼、收納功能強的Cleanup廚具，處理食物烹調安心又開心。劉中正表示，桃園區小檜溪市地重劃區交通、生活機能皆佳，新建案多、家庭裝修需求旺，高質機能廚具有市場。

因此，將原位於桃園區經國路上的公司，遷移至桃園小檜溪擴大服務成立旗艦店，旗艦店的營業面績與門面，講究質感與舒適的空間，更能展示Cleanup廚具原廠的設計理念，同時具備新款式與不同造型搭配。同時提供專業服務，有專人到府丈量、3D規劃設計、施工監工到售後保養一條龍，讓消費者輕鬆「住進夢想廚房」。


▲桃園捷運綠線施工前線參訪，11/28開放報名。（圖／市府提供）

記者楊淑媛／桃園報導

桃園市首條自辦興建的捷運綠線工程，目前正全力趕工中，為了讓市民朋友一起見証捷運綠線工程的艱鉅，市長張善政26日於市政會議，宣布「捷運綠線114年工程成果參訪活動」，自11月28日開放報名，名額有限，籲請民眾把握難得的機會，走入捷運綠線的施工前線，親身見證桃園每一段軌道背後的技術與心力。

張善政表示，此次特別開放車站工區與潛盾隧道，目的在於讓市民深入瞭解捷運綠線的最新施工進展，也讓大家看見大型地下工程的複雜性與高難度，包括深層開挖、地下水控制與跨國技術協作等關鍵挑戰。

▲桃園捷運綠線列車。（圖／市府提供）

又，捷運綠線由韓國、日本、德國及國內多支團隊共同投入，從無到有，以一磚一鏟持續推進捷運建設。捷運一旦完工通車，隧道即不再對外開放，也看不到潛盾機，感謝捷運工程局在緊湊工期中仍用心規劃導覽動線、整理工地並強化安全維護工作，積極籌辦此次參訪活動。

▲潛盾隧道。（圖／市府提供）

此次參訪活動對市民及學生而言，不僅是城市建設的最佳學習現場，更是千載難逢的見證機會。捷運工程局局長劉慶豐表示，此次以「跟著綠線走、捷運成真中」為主題，採親身體驗的方式，將工地化為教室，邀請大朋友與小朋友們走入工地第一線，理解捷運從規劃、施工到成形的完整歷程。

活動規劃3條路線，由專業工程師親自帶領，參訪內容包括全國最深的G07地下車站、桃園段地下隧道、G13高架車站與潛盾作業區等關鍵工點，打造一趟兼具知識性與參與感的城市建設探索之旅。本次活動將於11月28日上午10時起開放網路報名，更多資訊請至「桃園軌道願景館」Facebook粉絲專頁（網址：https://reurl.cc/XaLojE）查詢。

想看潛盾隧道？！　參訪桃園捷運綠線施工線開放報名


桃園軌道願景館榮獲國家建築金獎　張善政：讓桃園軌道願景持續發光

▲桃園軌道願景館榮獲國家建築金獎。（圖／市府提供）

記者楊淑媛／桃園報導

桃園市長張善政26日於市政會議，接受捷運工程局呈獻榮獲「台灣永續關懷協會第26屆國家建築金獎—公共建設優質獎」中，感謝捷工局同仁的努力與用心，勉勵團隊持續精進桃園軌道願景館展示與教育內容，讓市民透過願景館感受軌道建設的魅力，讓桃園軌道願景持續發光發熱。

捷工局指出，桃園軌道願景館前身為「桃園車站舊倉庫」，市府於105年公告登錄為本市歷史建築後完成活化再利用，於107年9月25日正式開幕營運，並曾榮獲「2019國家卓越建設獎—最佳環境文化類金質獎」及「2022建築園冶獎—桃園市公共建築景觀獎」。

▲桃園軌道願景館。（圖／市府提供）

館內以桃園軌道發展為主軸，規劃軌道歷史區、軌道技術區、軌道願景區、軌道玩城市、軌道交通圖書室及戶外廣場等6大主題區，透過展板、互動體驗與語音導覽，呈現桃園軌道建設從過去、現在到未來的完整脈絡，同時兼具導覽、教育及觀光功能。

捷工局表示，市府也透過多元推廣活動深化民眾與軌道文化的連結，包含自108年起舉辦的「小小軌道推廣員認證」，每場次皆獲家庭與學校熱烈迴響。館方亦配合年節規劃春節、兒童節、館慶與聖誕節等主題行銷活動，以寓教於樂方式吸引更多親子走入願景館認識軌道文化。

捷工局補充，願景館除深受親子族群喜愛外，也積極與產官學界交流，邀請營建學會、工程法學會、大地工程技師公會、地工技術基金會、中原大學等團體參訪研討，分享捷運綠線工程執行成果，促進軌道技術專業對話與合作。未來市府將持續強化館內展示內容，並結合軌道建設成果，打造更完整的教育推廣平台，讓願景館成為市民了解城市發展脈動的重要場域。


記者閔文昱／綜合報導

香港新界大埔宏福苑26日下午發生五級大火，外牆維修棚架疑似先起火，加上強風助燃，火勢在短時間內延燒至至少7棟大樓，涉及逾1900戶居民。整起事故已造成13死16傷，傷者分送多間醫院救治。由於現場濃煙密布、爆裂聲不斷，警方緊急擴大封鎖並疏散大批居民；港府同時動員超過120輛消防車、700名消防與救護人員到場。因夜間火勢仍未受控，深圳消防隊已在深夜跨境馳援。

在強風與高溫夾擊下，救災行動出現重大傷亡。一名37歲、入職9年的消防員何偉豪，於下午3時01分抵達現場進入地下層協助滅火，卻在3時30分失聯，約於一小時後在宏昌閣電梯前空地被尋獲，當時已昏迷、臉部嚴重燒傷。儘管送往威爾斯親王醫院急救，仍於4時45分宣告不治。另有一名消防員因熱衰竭送醫、一名總隊目左腳受傷。

▲香港大埔宏福苑大火。（圖／視覺中國）

港府高層對重大死傷深表震驚與哀悼。香港特首李家超火速召開跨部門會議，要求全面投入救災並協助受影響住戶；保安局長及消防處長也向殉職者家屬致上最深慰問，消防處福利與心理服務組已介入支援。何偉豪的同袍稍晚在社交平台貼出合照悼念，寫下「落更喇（收工了），好好休息 bro，我們永遠不會忘記你」，引發許多網友鼻酸。

▲救援人員正在搜尋罹難者遺體。（圖／路透）

目前宏福苑周邊仍被濃煙籠罩，消防人員持續接獲民眾通報求援。民政處已開放5個社區會堂及臨時庇護中心供災民入住，安置人數突破700人。火警詳細原因仍待調查，而燒不停的惡火也成為香港近年傷亡最慘重的一場住宅大火。

命喪宏福苑惡火！37歲消防員「燒到焦黑」同袍淚悼：收工了兄弟


Google「挑戰輝達」搶走客戶大訂單　1公司反成最大贏家

▲Google傳正在Meta協商晶片交易，這項交易若順利完成，將對輝達的市場影響力帶來挑戰。（圖／路透）

記者趙蔡州／綜合報導

Google母公司Alphabet近期股價再創新高，推動人工智慧（AI）市場重新洗牌，甚至傳出Google將從輝達手上搶走Meta訂單。分析師指出，一旦Google跟Meta交易達成，博通將成為最大贏家，原因是博通既是Google的晶片合作夥伴，也是Meta的重要供應商。

綜合外媒報導，Google傳出目前正在跟Meta協商晶片交易，Meta計畫斥資數十億美元，在旗下資料中心全面部署Google自研的AI晶片TPU（張量處理單元），預計最快於2027年完成。值得注意的是，Meta也是輝達的主要客戶之一，這項交易若順利完成，將對輝達的市場影響力帶來挑戰。

研究機構伯恩斯坦（Bernstein）分析師指出，隨著Google和Meta在晶片交易上達成協議，博通有望從中顯著受益，作為Google首選的定制晶片合作夥伴以及Meta的供應商，將成為最大的贏家。

Alphabet和博通的股價近期也分別創下歷史新高，Alphabet近一個月大漲超過24%，市值逼近4兆美元，至於博通今年股價累計上漲近70%，成為標普500指數中今年表現最佳的股票之一，相較之下，輝達、超微等熱門AI公司近期股價則表現疲軟，顯示AI晶片市場的格局正悄然改變。


蔣萬安不加碼發現金總預算遭擱置　民進黨團：溝通之門隨時敞開

▲台北市議員何孟樺。（圖／記者李毓康攝）

記者陳家祥／台北報導

中央的普發現金1萬元已入帳，台北市議會民進黨團日前要求蔣市府同樣普發現金，但市府不願加碼，引發綠營議員不滿，26日針對總預算提出暫擱案。民進黨議員何孟樺在臉書表示，蔣萬安不願發現金，也不交待財劃法新增財源將如何運用，民進黨團才對總預算案提暫擱；但她強調，議員們的溝通之門隨時敞開，總預算案是否可以付委審議，關鍵在於市府是否能夠拿出誠意，好好說明普發現金與才劃法新增財源規劃。

何孟樺今表示，由於蔣市長不願普發現金，也不交待財劃法新增財源將如何運用，民進黨團對於總預算案提出暫擱。很可惜，在暫擱期間，市府依舊故我。迄今仍以開議時的舊資料搪塞，不願普發，也不願意說明多出的400多億統籌分配稅款，究竟要做何用途，甚至推說院版財劃法可能會造成北市分得款項減少，卻不顧事實上，藍白立委們早就打算封殺院版草案。

何孟樺請問蔣市長，為什麼你身為一市的首長，卻無法落實自己的政治主張普發現金；甚至連明年的市府財政規劃，都沒有辦法清楚地向市民交待？

何孟樺指出，雖然暫擱預算，但民進黨團也清楚《地方制度法》第40條明定，直轄市總預算案，直轄市議會應於會計年度開始1個月前審議完成，黨團有必須為市民提出的質疑，市議會也有依法審議預算的責任，因此她在26日大會時建請議長，將總預算案交付黨團協商。

何孟樺提到，台北市議會有一個不成文的慣例，一讀議案如果擱置3次，就會以政黨協商來討論如何處理。民進黨團提出的總預算暫擱案，到上一次大會已經是第3次一讀，當時秦慧珠議員便提出是否送入政黨協商的建議，這次再提出相同的建議，希望議會各黨一同討論市府搪塞與議會責任之間的衝突如何處置。

何孟樺說，議長仍堅持僅有付委或擱置兩個選項，想要為蔣市長迴避財政課責問題。既然如此，民進黨團也決定繼續暫擱總預算案。

但何孟樺強調，議員們的溝通之門隨時敞開，總預算案是否可以付委審議，關鍵在於市府是否能夠拿出誠意，好好說明普發現金與才劃法新增財源規劃，而非一再推託、搪塞議會、敷衍市民。


曹寶兒嫁圈外男友1年「宣布懷孕」！　經紀公司發聲證實

記者郭以柔／綜合報導

韓國女星曹寶兒去年10月嫁給圈外男友，最近傳出懷孕喜訊，預計在明年迎接寶寶的誕生，消息一出立刻掀起熱烈討論。為此，所屬公司XYZ Studio也發聲證實此事。

▲曹寶兒懷孕，預計在明年迎接新生命。（圖／翻攝自Instagram／xxadoraa）

綜合韓媒報導，曹寶兒去年10月在首爾舉行非公開婚禮，只邀請親友到場，婚訊的消息曝光後不久，立刻喜獲一票祝福。如今，她所屬經紀公司XYZ Studio再度發聲報喜，宣布曹寶兒懷孕，同時也不忘向一路支持她的粉絲們致謝，霸氣承諾，曹寶兒的演藝生涯絕不會因懷孕而中斷，並預告她將在復出後，帶來更好的作品回饋大家。

▲曹寶兒去年10月低調舉行婚禮。（圖／翻攝自Instagram／xxadoraa）

此前，曹寶兒與金秀賢主演新劇《山寨人生》，該劇原定4月播出，但由於受到男方感情風波的影響，官方宣布延期播出，而曹寶兒也被部分人士視為「金秀賢爭議的最大受害者」，去年10月她與圈外男友舉行非公開婚禮，為了《山寨人生》的演出，還推遲了蜜月旅行，如今宣布懷孕，再度引發熱議。


▲資深媒體人周玉蔻。（圖／記者屠惠剛攝）

記者趙蔡州／綜合報導

資深媒體人周玉蔻2022年在民視節目《辣新聞152》上，爆料前中國小姐張淑娟是總統府前秘書長蔣孝嚴1999年「晶華緋聞案」女主角，還公開對方姓名、肖像等私領域資訊。國家通訊傳播委員會（NCC）調查後，認定節目違反個資法，裁罰民視公司負責人王明玉5萬元，王明玉不服提告請求撤銷，一審敗訴後提出上訴，但26日遭高等法院駁回，全案確定。

周玉蔻2022年9月在民視《辣新聞152》及臉書指稱，1988年中國小姐后冠得主張淑娟就是「晶華緋聞案」與蔣孝嚴滾床單的女主角，並揭露張的姓名、婚姻、職業、社會活動及照片等個資，還說張淑娟嘗試攀附權貴，及擔任華航空服員時有工作態度不佳、利用特權等情事，遭張淑娟提告加重誹謗罪、非公務機關非法利用個人資料2罪，最終被法院判處1年6個月徒刑。

國家通訊傳播委員會（NCC）調查後，認為王明玉身為民視負責人，旗下節目在未經張淑娟同意的情況下，就公開張淑娟的婚姻、職業、經歷及私領域生活等個資，且公開的內容與公共利益無關，也無增進公共利益的必要，依違反個資法裁罰王明玉5萬元。

王明玉不服提告請求撤銷，一審敗訴後提出上訴，並主張一審判決未釐清NCC諮詢會議遴選和召開程序瑕疵，也未說明理由，認為判決理由不備。台北高等法院審理認為，節目內容公開張女個資，明顯非非增進公共利益之所需，不屬個資法可免責範圍，認定原處分無違誤，駁回王明玉上訴、維持原判，全案確定。

周玉蔻亂爆張淑娟、蔣孝嚴「滾床單」　民視董事長確定要罰5萬


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記者蔡琛儀／專訪

曾以洗腦旋律爆紅的〈麻辣糖葫蘆〉，來自今年才13歲的南韓女孩Seo EVE。她近期與李玉璽合作推出新版〈麻辣糖葫蘆Ver.2〉，兩人雖語言不同，但默契十足。李玉璽笑說EVE超有活力，總能把現場逗得哈哈大笑；EVE則童言童語回敬：「每次看到玉璽哥哥，我眼睛都很幸福，因為他很帥、又很親切。」

▲李玉璽和Seo EVE合作歌曲〈麻辣糖葫蘆Ver.2〉。（圖／記者林敬旻攝）

李玉璽透露，第一次接觸這首歌，是滑短影音時被洗腦到，「聽一遍就記住，它像病毒一樣擴散」。自嘲是「舞蹈白痴」的他，為合作特地跟老師練了兩小時，反觀EVE只花五分鐘就跳得超到位，讓他傻眼直喊：「我真的沒有天份！」

談到與EVE相似的經歷，李玉璽回想自己國二就開始創作音樂，他觀察到EVE雖然年紀小、行程滿檔，卻有驚人的抗壓性，EVE坦言，遇到酸民反而會正向解讀：「如果有人說『你怎麼又出現、煩死了』，我會想『原來大家都有注意到我』。」這份單純而強大的力量，讓李玉璽很佩服：「她看事情很正面，也很耐操，我反而要跟她學習。」

▲▼李玉璽和Seo EVE合作，直誇對方有活力又正向。（圖／記者林敬旻攝）

談到自己這幾年的心境轉變，他坦言年輕時一直想證明自己，尤其背負「星二代」光環時格外敏感，如果在剛出道時就面對現在這種網路環境，「可能會更痛苦」。但隨著生活價值觀重新調整，如今他已能坦然面對負評：「酸你的人永遠找得到理由，只要照顧好自己就好。」

這段時間他音樂作品較少，也曾一度對創作感到迷惘，「現在的音樂跟以前不一樣了，不能只是寫歌，還會想到要配合短影音，但我不喜歡那樣。」幸好女友許允樂始終鼓勵他，「她說，歌要不要發都沒關係，最重要是我一直做下去。」

▲▼李玉璽目前和許允樂穩定交往中，感謝對方一直在旁支持。（圖／記者林敬旻攝、翻攝自Instagram／byleway）

32歲的李玉璽目前和許允樂感情穩定，他過去對戀情非常低調，如今雖不刻意放閃，但比起以往更能自在分享生活，「身邊很多朋友成家了，我也更了解自己，所以變得更誠實地生活、分享生活。以前會覺得藝人就應該多講工作。」

談到許允樂，他一臉幸福地形容對方「非常善良」，兩人價值觀契合，「她很知道自己想要什麼，也非常勇敢。我常瞻前顧後，但她在我低潮時一直鼓勵我。」加上與活力滿滿的EVE合作，給他帶來許多正能量。如今他對音樂創作靈感看得很開，更進軍綜藝，繼續開拓事業版圖。

李玉璽陷低潮...甜放閃許允樂：一直鼓勵我　佩服13歲糖葫蘆妹妹超抗壓


不爽被說健康亮紅燈！川普怒轟《紐時》：人民公敵、三流醜記者


記者王靖淳／綜合報導

資深媒體人呂文婉今（26）日在臉書，發布了一篇關於「人性」的深刻感悟，貼文曝光後，立刻掀起大批網友熱烈討論。

▲呂文婉。（圖／翻攝自Facebook／呂文婉get in TOUCH）

呂文婉以「人性就是長這樣」為題發文，並在文中感嘆：「這世界總讓溫暖善性的人承擔更多」，並以日常生活中常見的例子，來佐證自己的觀點。她指出，「天天做飯的，偶爾一頓沒煮就被雜雜唸」，反觀，「幾百年不做飯的，心血來潮難得做一次卻被大誇特誇。」

▲呂文婉發文感嘆人性。（圖／翻攝自Facebook／呂文婉get in TOUCH）

接著，呂文婉也點出在人際關係中，另一種現象。她表示，「體貼懂事的，一旦不配合就被數落沒良心」，但那些，「恣意妄為的，稍微乖巧一點就被捧掌心。」她也在文末向大家呼籲，對於他人的付出，千萬「別習以為常，當作理所當然」，因為她認為每一份善意，都是值得被珍惜的。

呂文婉突PO文嘆「人性就是長這樣」　現實對比引網共鳴


吉普「品牌首款電動越野休旅車」正式發表！北美市場搶先開賣

圖文／7Car 小七車觀點

Jeep 日前宣布推出品牌首款純電、並具備 Trail Rated 認證的 2026 年式 Jeep Recon，以電能驅動詮釋越野基因。新車採用專屬電動平台打造，目標是在維持越野能力的前提下，提供更直接的動力反應與更安靜的駕乘體驗。Jeep 也指出，Recon 將率先於北美市場上市，起價為 6.5 萬美元，後續會擴大至其他市場。

Recon 延續 Jeep 經典元素，包括直立式車頭、七槽式水箱護罩（採用發光外框處理）與強調視野的大片玻璃面積。車身線條較過往更具未來感，但仍保留戶外生活導向的細節，如可拆卸式車門、後側玻璃與尾門玻璃等，不需工具即可完成拆卸。車頂則提供雙片式天窗或 Sky One-Touch 電動全景軟篷。燈組全面採用 LED，車尾則以類 Wrangler 風格的方形尾燈強化辨識度。首波 Moab 車型另具備防刮輪拱、側踏與消光黑車體飾件等更明顯的越野風格設定。

車室採水平布局，中控台上方設置模組化附件導軌，可安裝相機、導航或其他小物。大量耐磨材質與可拆卸式束帶儲物配置，強化空間的戶外實用性。中央扶手採上下雙層通道設計，便於放置大件物品，行李廂在第二排放倒後可提供 65.9 立方英尺的容積，另具備 3 立方英尺的前行李廂。座椅、門板與部分飾材採用非真皮合成材 Capri，並加入回收材質，顯示品牌對永續性的著墨。Recon 也標配 Alpine 音響，為便於拆門後仍保持音效品質，喇叭改配置在座椅下方。

Recon 採用 Jeep 最新的人機介面配置，整合 12.3 吋數位儀表與 14.5 吋橫式中控螢幕，並導入 Uconnect 5 多媒體系統。空調介面改以數位操作為主，同時保留旋鈕以維持使用直覺性。車載系統提供越野專屬 Trails Offroad 應用程式，可顯示路線資訊、傾角與車身姿態。電動車專用介面則呈現電量狀態與行程規劃，並整合由 TomTom 提供的動態續航計算。車主 app 也具備維修排程、道路救援與即時警示等服務。

Recon 採前後 EDM（電驅馬達組）構成四驅系統，綜效輸出達 650 匹馬力與 620 lb-ft 扭力，0–60 mph 最快 3.6 秒。車型預估最大純電續航為 250 英里（視車型而異）。底盤搭載前 SLA、後多連桿懸吊，Moab 車型標配 33 吋胎，可提供 9.1 吋離地高度。接近角、離去角與跨越角分別為 33.8、33.1、23.3 度。車輛具備電子後鎖定差速器、Selec-Terrain 五模式（Moab 車型含 Rock Mode）與低速巡航控制，並以鋼製底護板保護電池組。整體配置顯示 Recon 仍以越野機能為核心。

2026 Jeep Recon 以純電架構重新詮釋品牌傳統越野定位，在維持四驅能力與耐用性的同時，加入更多科技與空間機能，顯示 Jeep 在電動化轉型中的產品方向。隨著北美市場率先導入，後續表現將成為觀察電動越野車需求的重要指標，也反映未來同級車款在性能、續航與使用體驗上的競爭基準。


周玉蔻亂爆張淑娟、蔣孝嚴「滾床單」　民視董事長確定要罰5萬


吉普「品牌首款電動越野休旅車」正式發表！北美市場搶先開賣


曹寶兒嫁圈外男友1年「宣布懷孕」！　經紀公司發聲證實


李玉璽陷低潮...甜放閃許允樂：一直鼓勵我　佩服13歲糖葫蘆妹妹超抗壓


呂文婉突PO文嘆「人性就是長這樣」　現實對比引網共鳴


〔中央社〕投資人對美國聯邦準備理事會（Fed）12月將降息的預期升溫，歐洲主要股市今天收高。

倫敦FTSE 100指數上漲82.05點或0.85%，收報9691.58點。

法蘭克福DAX指數揚升261.59點或1.11%，收在23726.22點。

巴黎CAC 40指數上揚70.63點或0.88%，收8096.43點。（編譯：陳正健）1141127

一手掌握經濟脈動 點我訂閱自由財經Youtube頻道

免費訂閱《自由體育》電子報熱門賽事、球星動態不漏接

聯準會降息預期升溫　歐股收高


川普怒斥紐時報導　堅稱自己精力充沛

美國總統川普今天對紐約時報（The New York Times）一則針對他年齡和漸顯疲態的報導表示憤怒，堅稱自己精力充沛；他並批評此則報導的女記者「長相難看」。

79歲的川普在自家社群網站「真實社群」（Truth Social）表示：「我這輩子從沒這麼努力過，儘管如此，『即將倒閉的紐約時報』的激進左派瘋子們，還是寫了一篇攻擊我的文章，說我可能正在失去活力，而實際上正好相反。」

法新社報導，川普是美國史上年紀最大的在位總統，自從今年1月展開第2任期以來，總統職責顯然對他造成不小壓力。

然而，川普在這篇充斥大寫字母及錯字的貼文裡說， 紐約時報昨天刊出的報導，選擇性忽略他的工作成果。

他列舉了自己所謂的許多成就，從去年選舉勝利，到美國股市表現強勁，又解決了國外戰爭等。

他稱最近接受了「完美的體檢和綜合認知測試，全數通過」，他強調這些都是「最近才做的」。

紐約時報這篇備受關注的報導說，川普與第一任期相比，如今是大幅減少公開活動與國內行程，通常僅在中午到下午5時之間才公開露面。

本月稍早一場白宮橢圓形辦公室電視直播中，川普似乎一度短暫打瞌睡。

針對川普的發文，紐約時報回應表示，自家「報導嚴謹，採訪文章都是基於第一手事實」。

紐時說：「人身攻擊及謾罵無法改變這一點，在面對這樣的恐嚇手段，我們的記者絕不猶豫繼續報導本屆政府。」（編譯：紀錦玲）1141127


〔中央社〕美國科技新聞網站The Information今天引述兩名公司員工報導，中國監管機關已禁止TikTok母公司字節跳動（ByteDance）在新數據中心使用輝達晶片。

根據The Information報導，字節跳動因擔心美方可能縮減晶片供應，為滿足逾十億用戶的運算需求，2025年採購的美國半導體大廠輝達（Nvidia）晶片量多過任何中國企業。

這次禁令凸顯中國試圖降低對美國的科技依賴，隨著華府收緊對中國的先進半導體出口管制，中方行動也同步加劇。

彭博（Bloomberg News）曾引述消息人士報導，中國監管機關今年8月要求本土企業停止採購輝達人工智慧（AI）晶片，並推動本土企業採用國產處理器。（編譯：陳正健）1141127

一手掌握經濟脈動 點我訂閱自由財經Youtube頻道

免費訂閱《自由體育》電子報熱門賽事、球星動態不漏接

美媒：中國監管機關禁止字節跳動使用輝達晶片


台灣追加國防預算 美國務院表歡迎：支持獲取關鍵防衛能力

總統賴清德宣布追加國防預算，預計未來8年投入1.25兆台幣經費。美國國務院26日說，樂見台灣宣布新的國防特別預算，美國支持台灣依其面臨的威脅，獲取關鍵防衛能力。

美國國務院1名發言人以背景方式回應中央社說，美國樂見台灣宣布新的國防特別預算，「與台灣關係法及歷經45年以上、多屆美國政府的承諾相符，美國支持台灣依其所面臨的威脅，獲取關鍵防衛能力」。

發言人說，美方也樂見賴政府近期承諾在2026年前，將國防支出提高到至少國內生產毛額（GDP）的3％，在2030年前提高到GDP的5％，此舉「展現了強化台灣自我防衛能力的決心」。

賴總統26日宣布，國防部已完成「強化防衛韌性及不對稱戰力計畫採購特別條例」及預算規劃，預計2026年至2033年共投入1.25兆經費，籌建因應未來戰爭型態的關鍵戰力，包括打造台灣之盾、建構分層防禦、高度感知且有效攔截的先進防空系統，並引進高科技及人工智慧、建構高效決策、精準打擊的強韌防衛作戰體系，以及提升國防自主及壯大國防產業。

對此，美國在台協會（AIT）處長谷立言（Raymond Greene）也透過AIT官方臉書發文指出，台灣加入歐洲各國、日本、南韓等夥伴的行列，在國防領域投入至關重要的投資，以因應全球和平與繁榮所面臨的空前挑戰。

谷立言強調，美國支持台灣快速取得強化嚇阻所需的關鍵不對稱戰力，此舉符合「台灣關係法」以及數十年來多屆美國政府的一貫承諾。


尷尬！傳黃國昌訪日想見麻生太郎、野田佳彥等親台派 全被拒絕

民眾黨主席黃國昌25日起率領白營青年團訪問日本，有媒體26日揭露，訪團本來想約見自民黨副總裁麻生太郎、立憲民主黨主席野田佳彥、東京都知事小池百合子、日本維新會高層等親台派政治人物，卻遭拒絕，引發熱議。

黃國昌率團訪日，先是受日華議員懇談會會長、自民黨眾議員古屋圭司邀請，進入日本首相兼自民黨總裁高市早苗的辦公室參觀，與高市早苗的辦公桌合影，接著又拜會了會日本立憲民主黨、國民民主黨、參政黨、日本維新會等參、眾議員。

不過根據《今日新聞NOWNEWS》26日報導，先前民眾黨前主席柯文哲宣布參選總統時，也曾訪問日本，拜會了麻生太郎、野田佳彥等人，已表態投入明年新北市長選舉的黃國昌本來也想學柯文哲，安排拜會麻生太郎、野田佳彥、小池百合子日本維新會高層等親台派，但都被婉拒。

知情人士指稱，黃國昌是台灣第三大黨黨魁，日本在野黨主席若時間允許，通常洽約都會安排會面，但這次他是率領青年團，訪團成員只有2人有公職，難免讓日方覺得由黨主席層級接見不恰當。

政治工作者周軒26日晚間分享該消息，引發網友一片嘲諷，「日本人也知道要避蔥毒」、「講話那麼大聲日本人也不喜歡」、「真的不是個咖」、「不是有見到桌子嗎？」、「有見到高市早苗的桌子，收穫頗豐了啦」、「日本政黨高層也不是都不挑的」、「超市裡的蔥還比較有價值」。


香港大樓大火迄今13死30傷　焚燒9小時未撲滅

香港新界大埔一個屋苑今天下午3時左右發生大火，8幢大樓之中有7幢大樓起火，許多住房遭焚；截至晚上11時，大火已焚燒了約9個小時，仍未被撲滅，迄今造成13人死亡和30人受傷，其中6人危殆。

發生火災的屋苑為大埔宏福苑，已有42年歷史，屋苑有8幢樓合計1984個住宅單位；火警發生前，該屋苑正進行外牆維修，所有大樓外牆因此搭上了竹棚（鷹架），方便工人維修。

下午3時左右，有人看到某幢大樓的竹棚起火，由於風大，大火很快蔓延其他大樓的竹棚，並觸發大量住房內部起火；也有居民表示，看到某幢大樓內的一個垃圾房首先起火。

消防處表示，要等待大火撲滅後，才能評估遭焚燒的住房數量。

大火發生後，行政長官李家超已啓動緊急事故監察及支援中心，聽取保安局和消防處匯報，並指示相關部門全力做好滅火和救援救治工作。

目前已有700名居民入住政府臨時設立的庇護中心，李家超晚上到了其中一個庇護中心視察，稍後再到醫院探訪傷者。

香港火警分為一至五級，五級為最嚴重。

香港上一次的五級大火發生於2008年，當年旺角嘉禾大廈起火，造成4人死亡；另一場造成嚴重嚴重死傷的五級大火，是1996年11月20日油麻地嘉利大廈大火，造成41人死亡，80人受傷。（編輯：陳正健）1141127


山上 玉井區 南化 左鎮

南化場至豐德配水池的複線工程接近完成，左鎮台20線、台20乙線交接處的幹管封板要打開，必須暫時停水。（記者吳俊鋒攝）

自來水公司在台南辦理南化場至豐德配水池複線送水幹管工程，全市18區12月2日起停水、降壓39小時，南化水庫台南供水戶超過半數受影響，總計逾32戶。水公司南工處說，主要是全新複線管徑2.4米的幹管埋設已完成，有3處封板需要切開，以利銜接，基於施工需要，必須暫時停水。

南工處指出，南化水庫系統的南化給水廠原送水幹管管徑為2米，路線由台3線經南化市區，從台20乙線接台20線，到山上的風德配水池，由於使用已久，影響輸水效率，且2016年的「0206大地震」，管線毀損，維修期間，嚴重停水，因此2019年起，展開複線工程，完工後新舊可以相互備援。

新幹管採明挖覆蓋方式，由台3線經玉井區接台20線，經左鎮到山上豐德，未來每天輸水量可達80萬噸，南工處說，沿線有3處接點的封板必須拆開，因此暫時停水，未來還要洗管、試通水，預計明年正式啟用；籲請停水或降壓的受影響戶，在12月2日前記得儲水備用。

相關新聞：台南18區12/2起停水、降壓39小時 32萬多戶受影響

台南12/2日逾32萬戶停水、降壓39小時 水公司：銜接新幹管


半導體分析師：中國灌輸仇日情緒 只有傻瓜才放棄軍備

日本與中國因日本首相高市早苗「台灣有事」言論爆發摩擦之際，知名半導體產業分析師奈斯泰德（Dan Nystedt）25日打破沉默，在X平台上發文說，當中國政府致力灌輸人民仇日情結，大舉擴武，只有傻瓜才會不要增強軍備，日本有權自衛，其所選擇的並非對峙，而是生存。

奈斯泰德發長文說，日本完全有權利捍衛自我，也完全有理由感到恐懼，因為數十年來，北京透過無止盡的「殺光日本鬼子」電視節目與電影、「愛國教育運動」，以及官方媒體，助長仇日情結。其結果是：數百萬人真心相信日本是永遠的敵人，仍背負二戰血債。「這不是教育，這是煽動仇恨」。

他列出一連串證據，證明論點：2025年11月，中國駐大阪總領事薛劍在X上對高市首相發出死亡威脅，矢言「斬斷你們那骯髒的脖子」，以報復她的台灣立場。

2024年深圳持刀殺人事件：一名10歲日本男童被殺害，而中國民族主義人士在網路上歡呼「少了一個鬼子」。2012年尖閣諸島危機：在中國100多座城市的暴動中，日本汽車與商店被焚毀、砸毀。

奈斯泰德說，「這些就是中國共產黨的宣傳機器結出的致命果實」。

他指出，台灣淪陷，下一個就是日本，台灣距離沖繩只有110公里，中國在台灣舉行勝利閱兵，將對日本民眾爆發相同的民族主義憤怒，而日本民眾在網路上早被稱為「鬼子」，「血債血還」不會只停留在微博上，它將蔓延至街頭。

他說，日本因此選擇理智：在琉球群島有飛彈基地、與盟友聯合軍演、迅速擴充軍備，這些並非挑釁，而是為了生存。民調顯示，在軍事疑慮的助長下，超過89％日本人現在對中國持負面看法。他們終於醒悟了。

奈斯泰德說，「當你的鄰國對14億人灌輸你的平民因「歷史罪行」應遭屠殺的思想，然後打造全球陣容最大的海軍，只有傻瓜才會選擇解除武裝，日本不是選擇對抗，而是選擇生存」。


他申請房貸竟因分期買iPhone被銀行砍掉100萬？！  專家曝真相...

有民眾宣稱分期購買iPhone手機，後續申辦房貸時竟因這筆分期紀錄，導致核貸金額被銀行減少了整整100萬。示意圖。（法新社）

先前某媒體報導有民眾分期購買iPhone手機，後續申辦房貸時竟因這筆分期紀錄，導致核貸金額被銀行減少了整整100萬。有投資專家26日直言，這位民眾申請房貸之所以被銀行砍掉100萬核貸金額，是因為其「財務數據」亮紅燈，不會是因為分期買iPhone。

投資部落客「喬王的投資理財筆記」26日在臉書粉專發文，「最近看到一則新聞說，有人刷卡分期買手機，結果房貸額度被銀行直接縮水，少了100萬。很多人看完嚇到，很怕刷卡分期會影響自己的信用分數，或者貸款額度……。先別急著完全相信這件事，因為銀行並不在意你買什麼手機、用什麼信用卡，銀行真正關心的只有一件事：你是不是能『穩定、準時』還錢的人。」

他接著說：「很多人以為『分期』都一樣，但在銀行眼中，風險是完全不同等級的。第一種是單筆消費分期（像是買手機、家電的12/24期），正常消費，正常繳款，代表風險低，銀行通常把它當一般分期消費，不會直接扣分。第二種是帳單分期，不是針對『單一商品金額』分期，而是針對『整筆帳單金額』拆分成好幾期繳款，這類行為等同於風險較高的借貸，有可能會影響到你的信用分數。第三種是 預借現金/預借現金分期，這是銀行最不喜歡的訊號之一，因為它顯示你手上的現金不足到需要把信用卡當提款卡，對聯徵中心及銀行來說，這是屬於高風險行為。」

「喬王」繼續說道：「那為什麼有人說分期會害房貸被砍？因為真正影響房貸的不是那支手機，而是你的『財務數據』亮紅燈。銀行真正會看的有兩個重點，其一為月負債比（DSR）是不是太高？計算方式是每月固定要還的金額÷每月收入，如果你有多筆分期、車貸、卡費，每月支出占收入太高，房貸自然會被縮額；其二為信用紀錄中有沒有高風險行為？包括遲繳、循環利息、預借現金、帳單分期，任何一項都可能降低你的信任分數。」

最後「喬王」表示，「買iPhone分期消費不是問題，問題是你的其他財務行為會不會讓銀行覺得『你可能還不出錢』。只要你不遲繳、沒有帳單分期、沒有預借現金、每月負債比在健康範圍，銀行根本不會因為你買手機，就亂砍你的房貸。」


淡水 新北市 中山 士林

新北市淡水一間無照茶室被取締，從陪酒生意轉型賭場，吸引大批賭客參賭「十八豆仔」，警方深夜搜索攻堅，逮捕2名賭場主嫌及8名賭客，查扣賭資、抽頭金達150萬元，賭客中不乏剛領取普發1萬元、甚至車禍摔斷手，都賭性堅強到場賭一把，輸錢還被抓。

淡水警分局日前接獲情資，淡水中山路巷內無市招茶室出入複雜、門禁森嚴，只有熟客能進入，以俗稱「十八骰仔」聚賭。警方多日蒐證、確認，向士林地檢聲請搜索票獲准，23日深夜11點左右出動優勢警力搜索。

員警衝入賭場時，77歲陳姓婦人與53歲曾姓女子正在做莊，賭客們見警上門嚇得逃竄，但所有出口都被控制住，警方當場查扣骰子77顆、1個賭具碗公、監視器主機及鏡頭，賭資150萬餘元（抽頭金14萬餘元）。

警方清點、盤查過程中，發現8名賭客中有兩人特別引人注意，65歲楊姓男子當天剛領普發1萬，直奔賭場「試手氣」；62歲林姓男子車禍摔斷左手，傷勢仍未癒合，照樣右手擲骰賭博，兩人「賭性堅強」讓警方看了也搖頭。

初步調查，茶室無照營業，仍設置視聽設備、販售酒類；為躲避查緝，特別在前後門架設監視器，監控外部動靜、管制人員出入，仍被警方掌握一網打盡。2名負責人依賭博罪移送士檢署偵辦，8名賭客依社會秩序維護法裁罰。

淡水警分局統計，今年迄今已取締14家無照茶室，累計裁罰66萬元，其中2家更被新北市政府執行斷水斷電。無照茶室易成治安死角，衍生各類違法風險，警方將持續結合第三方警政，加強查察可疑營業場所，絕不容許非法行為危害社區治安。

剛領普發1萬、車禍斷手都衝來賭 淡水無照茶室賭場被抄了


西非國家幾內亞比索在23日舉行總統及國會選舉後，局勢急轉直下。26日，軍方宣布「全面接管國家」，暫停選舉程序並封閉邊境，首都比索總統府周邊更傳出激烈槍聲，政變疑雲四起。

根據法新社記者現場觀察，總統衛隊與精銳憲兵部隊的士兵已封鎖通往總統府的主要道路，當地一度陷入混亂，數百名民眾徒步或駕車逃離尋求庇護。中午時分，現任總統恩巴羅（Umaro Sissoco Embalo）的行蹤仍不明。恩巴羅原本被普遍看好可望順利連任，若成功將成為該國自1994年實行多黨制以來首位連任的總統。

本次選舉共有12名候選人參與角逐，但最大在野黨「幾內亞和維德角非洲獨立黨」（PAIGC）及其領袖白瑞拉（Domingos Simoes Pereira），因被最高法院裁定逾期提交參選文件而遭取消資格，選舉公正性因此備受質疑。反對陣營批評此舉是政府刻意操弄選舉，並強調恩巴羅的任期應於2月27日屆滿。

雖然投票過程大致平穩，但選後恩巴羅與獲PAIGC支持的狄亞斯（Fernando Dias）皆在缺乏確鑿證據下自行宣布勝選。原定27日公布的初步計票結果，因軍方介入而中斷。

幾內亞比索自1974年脫離葡萄牙獨立以來，已歷經四次政變及多次未遂政變，長期政治動盪使其成為全球最貧窮國家之一，近四成人口生活在極度貧困中。同時，該國因治理薄弱，淪為拉丁美洲至歐洲毒品走私的重要中轉站。

在本次選舉前，西非國家經濟共同體（ECOWAS）曾部署逾6780名安全部隊協助維安，但仍未能阻止危機爆發。一名逃離現場的市民向法新社表示：「在比索，我們早就習慣這種事了。」

幾內亞比索大選後疑爆發軍事政變 總統行蹤成謎

幾內亞比索 葡萄牙 維德角


星座專家Amanda老師提醒，11月最後這一週別忘了好好布局，才能為12月開啟好運兆頭。（Amanda提供）

〔娛樂頻道／綜合報導〕進入11月最後一週，喻意2025年的尾聲也即將到來，星座專家Amanda老師表示，以占星學的角度而言，當太陽進入射手座的位置（即太陽走到黃道240度），對比前幾週，星友們可以感覺到整體氛圍逐漸變得明朗化，尋求「突破」的企圖心也會被點燃。Amanda老師提醒12星座的朋友，若想提早布局12月的運勢，掌握「開運」關鍵很重要！

♈牡羊座

．宜：展開新的投資計畫。但要記得謹慎為之，不要衝動。

．忌：騎車、開車走路時搶線貪快。注意交通安全，是回家唯一的路。

♉金牛座

．宜：與好友相聚，獲得友情的滋養，還能夠獲得許多寶貴訊息。

．忌：不爽老闆而拍桌子走人。深呼吸之後，提醒自己退一步海闊天空。

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♊雙子座

．宜：享受SPA或按摩，放鬆身體的同時，心靈也得到休憩。

．忌：沒有計劃的出遊。萬一沒有住宿或航班機位，可是會壞了好心情。

♋巨蟹座

．宜：修剪頭髮。新的造型讓心情及運勢都有新氣象。

．忌：恣意刷卡消費。一時的愉快，忘記繳交帳單時的痛苦。

♌獅子座

．宜：更換舒適的寢具。改善睡眠品質，更有活力打拚人生。

．忌：戴上粉紅色眼鏡看待伴侶。過多的自我感動，被對方騙了都不知道。

♍處女座

．宜：居家附近便利商店多走走。掌握有趣的生活用品新資訊，創造閒談話題。

．忌：工作上粗心大意。在不該犯錯的小地方出現失誤，壞了原有專業形象。

♎天秤座

．宜：參與信仰活動。安頓好內心，面對一切事務都能夠從從容容，游刃有餘。

．忌：在社群網站上公開自己行程。避免有心人士做不好的利用。

♏天蠍座

．宜：提早規劃未來的旅遊行程。可以找到優惠的價格，得到更高規格享受。

．忌：忽略家中管線老舊的問題。嚴防漏水或漏電，危害居家環境安全。

♐射手座

．宜：理性選擇投資的進出場時間。過於衝動的豪賭，小心判斷失準損失慘重。

．忌：拿捏好開玩笑的尺度。無心的玩笑話，若得罪了小人，將會帶來不必要麻煩。

♑摩羯座

．宜：學習新的外語。默默累積實力，在不經意的時刻，驚艷身邊所有人。

．忌：私下批評老闆或公司。以為可信任的同事，卻在背後擺了一道。

♒水瓶座

．宜：早睡勿熬夜。規律作息提升免疫力，健康的身體是一切打拼的基石。

．忌：吃東西時生冷不忌、暴飲暴食。輕則腸胃不適，嚴重時還有食物中毒的可能。

♓雙魚座

．宜：自己下廚料理三餐。吃的健康也更省錢。

．忌：仗著義氣隨意相挺他人。先問清楚事件的來龍去脈，以免公親變事主，惹得一身麻煩。

【星座達人．Amanda老師】

．專長：星座占星學、塔羅占卜

．經歷：命運好好玩節目專任老師、國際占星研究院專任老師、財團法人中華全球占星教育學會理事長、台灣最前線命理專家

☆民俗說法僅供參考☆

11月最後一週「逆轉勝」！12星座「迎新局」宜忌必懂


美國前總統甘迺迪的外孫女史洛斯柏格自曝自己的癌症，醫師稱只剩1年壽命，台大癌醫血液腫瘤科醫師劉家豪說，仍不需那麼悲觀，在台灣成功案例是很多的。（資料照，美聯社）

〔健康頻道／綜合報導〕美國前總統甘迺迪的外孫女史洛斯柏格（Tatiana Schlossberg）自曝自己罹患罕見預後極差的急性骨髓性白血病，美國醫師指她壽命只剩一年。台大癌醫血液腫瘤部劉家豪醫師說，多數白血病病患仍不須那麼悲觀，醫學上成功案例仍是很多的。

外媒報導，史洛斯柏格22日投書紐約客 （The New Yorker），自述在2024年5月被診斷出罹患急性骨髓性白血病。當時她34歲，在生下第二胎後，醫生注意到她的白血球數值高達13萬 （正常4千到1萬），而進一步骨髓檢查診斷。後來染色體檢查結果顯示其白血病有第3對染色體倒位 （Inversion 3）。這是一種預後極差的染色體變化。果真她經過幾次化療，及在斯隆-凱特琳紀念癌症中心（Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center）進行由配對全合的姊姊（full-matched sibling） 捐贈的周邊血液幹細胞移植後，雖再接受移植後化療，仍不到幾個月就復發了。

史洛斯柏格的移植醫生說，攜帶這種基因突變的白血病「很容易復發」，並告訴她只能再活1年。她於今年1月進行了實驗性的針對急性骨髓性白血病的CAR-T實驗 （一種針對CD371的CAR-T），在經過CAR-T引發的細胞激素風暴 （cytokine storm）後，骨髓又再度緩解了。她4月又進行了第2次骨髓移植，這次由一位非親屬捐者捐贈。她移植後又很快復發，又加入另一個白血病的臨床試驗，期間發生了移植物抗宿主疾病（graft-versus-host disease）和EB病毒。最近，她又加入了另一個臨床試驗，仍舊和病魔在奮鬥中。

劉家豪指出，急性骨髓性白血病（Acute Myeloid Leukemia，AML），是台灣最常見的成人白血病。發病時常有發燒、瘀青、疲倦等症狀。急性骨髓性白血病要規劃治療、預測預後及復發風險，可採用2022年世界衛生組織分類與國際共識分類，依細胞型態、染色體變化、基因異常及相關病史分類。就史洛斯柏格得到的第三對染色體倒位 （Inversion 3），就是屬於一種少見卻極為惡性、預後極差的染色體變化。有此染色體的病患化療後復發率極高，甚至骨髓移植後仍舊有很高的復發率。

除了急性骨髓性白血病FAB第三型的治療以標靶與砒霜等特殊治療方式外，其餘亞型在年輕且無嚴重共病狀況下，就可以考慮誘導性化療，治療效果可達約50至70%的完全緩解率。在疾病緩解後，仍須接受「鞏固性」化學治療約4次，以增加治療深度與防止疾病復發。若有特別基因突變如FLT3突變，健保給付可以在誘導治療與鞏固治療期併用標靶藥物以增加治療成功率。針對年長或合併共病症的體弱病人，健保也給付標靶治療搭配減低劑量的化學藥物或去甲基化藥物治療，同樣也可以達到5至7成完全緩解率。若前期治療效果不佳、有持續微量癌細胞殘留、或如史洛斯柏格癌細胞上帶有預後不良的染色體或基因突變，則必須在血癌緩解後，盡快進行異體造血幹細胞移植以增加治癒率。若能在完全緩解時進行移植，則治癒率可達約6至7成。

關於異體造血幹細胞移植，首先須找尋配對較合的捐贈者，此過程較耗時，會先配對兄弟姊妹是否全合為優先選擇，若不合則會再搜尋非親屬骨髓庫的志願捐贈者（在台灣為慈濟骨髓庫）。若病情不允許等待或沒有全合的捐者，也可以進行親屬或非親屬配對不合的移植。移植過程需先接受骨髓清除化學治療或放射線治療，清除病患原有骨髓和減少體內癌細胞，再輸注捐贈者的造血幹細胞重建骨髓，移植後體內的捐贈者即會發揮捐贈者抗癌效果。

現階段對於70歲至80歲年紀大的病患，仍可以進行迷你移植。現在台大醫院及台大癌醫一年可進行約240例骨髓移植，4年可完成近千餘例，其中異體移植約佔6成，自體移植佔4成。異體移植中，配對不合的移植已佔3-4成，配對相合已非骨髓移植必要的條件。

劉家豪指出，急性白血病有不少人仍能夠治癒，回到社會工作崗位，如知名幾米畫家、職棒主播潘忠韋、前新光婦產科主任林禹宏醫師、名主持人楊月娥的女兒等人，台大現今也有許多如史洛斯柏格帶有第三對染色體倒位，或相似不好預後的染色體或基因的急性骨髓性白血病病患，在第一時間進行骨髓移植，而治癒長期存活的。所以罹患急性白血病的病患，仍應積極治療，不應放棄希望。

☆健康新聞不漏接，按讚追蹤粉絲頁。

☆更多重要醫藥新聞訊息，請上自由健康網。

免費訂閱《自由體育》電子報熱門賽事、球星動態不漏接

健康網》甘迺迪外孫女自曝罹罕見血癌 壽命剩1年 醫：多數仍不須悲觀


糕餅、點心變身宴席佳餚 台南食品業辦桌推廣烘焙

台南食品產業共推在地食材，邀請知名總鋪師駱進漢掌杓，與各大廚一起端出創意料理，透過辦桌形式，讓點心、糕餅、麵包，巧妙結合肉類、海鮮，變身宴席佳餚，美味行銷特色烘焙手藝。

食品廠與餐飲企業共同辦桌的英雄聯盟年度創新發表活動，今天在台南仁德區百城機械舉行，中華美食交流協會理事長駱進漢應邀擔任總策劃主廚，共有10道料理，開胃菜的巧達酥餅，接著港式荔枝球、起司紅蘿蔔、椒麻魚蛋、龍蝦捲的四喜綜合拼盤合拼盤，以及米糕可頌、咖哩麵包、貝柱獅子頭等。

接著是魚漿玫瑰花、菠蘿叉燒包，加上以烘焙技術融合辦桌台式口味的素食創意小點「熔岩玉米酥派」，還有精緻甜品「雪霰薯燒」，用台灣地瓜製成的甘藷內餡，搭配巧妙雕花裝飾，完美呈現。

台南市糕餅商業同業公會理事長蔡承諺說，以「從原料到上桌」為主軸，將自動化生產的食材，變身宴席佳餚，全流程藉由創新展演形式，表現烘焙的無限可能。

蔡承諺說，台灣傳統「辦桌文化」再次深受年輕世代青睞，甚至演變為餐飲新風格，活動呼應潮流趨勢，讓精湛廚藝與特色烘焙相結合，帶來不同的感官享受，達到美味行銷，也透過自動化設備的導入，提出現今缺工窘境的解決之道。

駱進漢指出，今年的創新佳餚，涵蓋港式點心、創意烘焙與造型甜品，並巧妙運用冷凍餡料，從菜色搭配、風味設定到羹湯調理與裝盤細節等，都精心規劃，注入靈魂，大廚們的手藝，令人讚賞。

台南知名的「聯盈發」董事長林志聯也現場製作最受歡迎的港式點心，透過百城包餡機設備，示範如何快速量產與精緻上菜，讓賓客直觀感受料理手藝與自動化生產的完美結合。


香港新界大埔區住宅大樓「宏福苑」26日發生大火，現場已達香港火警最高級別的「五級火警」，火勢仍持續延燒，波及附近數棟大樓，已知有13死15傷。中國國家主席習近平週三深夜發聲，指示全力撲滅火災。

綜合港媒報導，香港大埔宏福苑大樓外部搭建的竹棚26日下午2點多突然起火，火勢藉助強風迅速沿鷹架竄升，整棟大樓瞬間被火舌吞噬，入夜後甚至蔓延到旁邊其他住宅大樓，並傳出多次爆炸聲，近2000戶人家受到波及。

目前已知有13人罹難（9人當場死亡，4人送醫宣告不治），當中包括一名殉職的37歲消防人員。另有15人受傷，其中6人傷勢嚴重。香港消防處行動副處長陳慶勇表示，現場有2、3棟大樓情況較為嚴峻，有受困住戶住在高樓層，但火場溫度實在太高，消防員尚未能與之接觸，目前正與求助人保持聯絡。

習近平晚間透過中官媒《央視》發聲，向事故遇難人員和殉職消防員表示哀悼，對罹難者家屬和受災人員表達慰問，並要求全力以赴撲滅火災，盡力將傷亡損失降到最低。

相關新聞：香港惡火「升至五級」 7棟大樓陷火海頻傳爆炸聲 增至13死15傷！

狂燒逾9小時未滅！香港惡火已釀13死 習近平深夜說話了


聯準會降息預期升溫　歐股收高


美媒：中國監管機關禁止字節跳動使用輝達晶片


11月最後一週「逆轉勝」！12星座「迎新局」宜忌必懂


玉井區 山上 左鎮 南化

台南12/2日逾32萬戶停水、降壓39小時 水公司：銜接新幹管


他申請房貸竟因分期買iPhone被銀行砍掉100萬？！  專家曝真相...


糕餅、點心變身宴席佳餚 台南食品業辦桌推廣烘焙


台南12/2日逾32萬戶停水、降壓39小時 水公司：銜接新幹管

山上 玉井區 南化 左鎮


淡水 新北市 中山 士林

剛領普發1萬、車禍斷手都衝來賭 淡水無照茶室賭場被抄了


尷尬！傳黃國昌訪日想見麻生太郎、野田佳彥等親台派 全被拒絕


香港大樓大火迄今13死30傷　焚燒9小時未撲滅


淡水 中山 新北市 士林

剛領普發1萬、車禍斷手都衝來賭 淡水無照茶室賭場被抄了


川普怒斥紐時報導　堅稱自己精力充沛


台灣追加國防預算 美國務院表歡迎：支持獲取關鍵防衛能力


半導體分析師：中國灌輸仇日情緒 只有傻瓜才放棄軍備


西非國家幾內亞比索3天前剛舉行國會和總統大選，但該國軍官今天宣布「完全掌控」國家，並暫停選舉程序、關閉邊界。

法新社記者在現場目擊，軍方人員於首都比索（Bissau）的軍事總部宣讀上述聲明。

今天稍早，幾內亞比索總統府附近傳出槍響，身穿軍服的人員接管了通往總統府的主要道路。

官方初步選舉結果原定明天公布，現任總統恩巴羅（Umaro Sissoco Embalo）被看好能夠連任，目前還不清楚他的去向。

幾內亞比索局勢長期動盪，獨立以後已經歷4次政變，還有多次未遂政變。

幾內亞比索是全球最貧窮國家之一，也因長期政局不穩，成為拉丁美洲與歐洲之間毒品販運的重要中轉站。（編譯：楊昭彥）1141126

幾內亞比索軍官宣布掌控國家　暫停選舉程序、關邊界


幾內亞比索大選後疑爆發軍事政變 總統行蹤成謎

幾內亞比索 葡萄牙 維德角


狂燒逾9小時未滅！香港惡火已釀13死 習近平深夜說話了


埃及5國「美杜莎」聯合軍演  主階段劍指東地中海

埃及武裝部隊今天與周邊4國共同進行「美杜莎- 14 」聯合軍演主階段。主階段以「東地中海」戰場環境為主要情境設計，除練兵外，也隱含由希臘主導，向土耳其展示地區聯合力量的政治意味。

埃及媒體「金字塔報」（ Al Ahram ）報導，埃及國防部長兼三軍總司令薩克爾（ Abdel Mageed Saqr ）和三軍總參謀長哈利法（ Ahmed Khalifa ）今天出席「美杜莎- 14 」聯合軍演主階段。

埃及武裝部隊目前與希臘、塞浦路斯、沙烏地阿拉伯和法國的軍隊，共同進行「美杜莎- 14 」（ MEDUSA 14 ）聯合軍演，另有 12 國以觀察員身分參加。此次演習自 19 日拉開序幕，演習地點涵蓋地中海沿岸戰區、穆罕默德·納吉布（ Mohamed Naguib ）軍事基地，以及其他多個埃及空軍基地。

主階段為演習的核心環節，強調區域防禦和聯盟作戰，因此可從中檢驗並改進部隊在模擬真實作戰環境下的協同作戰能力和戰術水準。

「美杜莎」演習主階段不同於其他太平洋或歐洲平原的演習，主要聚焦於奪島和守島，以及兩棲登陸和反登陸作戰，向來以「東地中海」戰場環境為主要情境設計。

本次主階段演習由參演部隊對一艘可疑船隻進行「登船、檢查、搜查和扣押」（ visit 、 board 、 search 、 seizure ， VBSS ）行動，還有執行搜救任務，並進行水面威脅防禦演練，包括使用不同口徑的艦炮實彈射擊。

埃及武裝部隊訓練局局長阿拉伊什（ Sherif Al-Araishi ）表示，這次演習目的為取得國際交流經驗，並可掌握現代軍事戰術，進而加強國際間合作，和提升聯合作戰能力。

阿拉伊什進一步解釋，演習課程還包括一系列理論和操練課程，使參演部隊可貫徹作戰理念，並就海上任務進行聯合規劃，以增強國與國之間的互通性，並提升集體訓練能力。

在本次演習中，不同參演國也派出傘兵部隊攜帶國旗飛越吉薩金字塔，並進行自由落體跳傘，以訓練各部隊間的協調性和凝聚力。

「美杜莎」演習由希臘和塞浦路斯主導，參演國通常與土耳其維持複雜或緊張的關係。去年的「 MEDUSA 13 」演習即在希臘進行。

「美杜莎」演習不僅是一個定期聯合軍事演練，更具有政治性象徵意味。聯合參演國作為一個區域聯盟，共同支持希臘來制衡土耳其。因此，「美杜莎」演習主階段的一切活動都以圍繞著在「東地中海」這個特定戰場上為主。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）

埃及 沙烏地阿拉伯 法國 希臘 土耳其


一對老夫妻今天在基隆市信二停車場啟動車輛時，儀表板顯示鑰匙無法使用，頓時車門上鎖無法開啟，消防獲報到場破窗救人，所幸這對夫妻平安無恙。

信二消防分隊下午4時許獲報到場，透過電話與車內 78 歲王姓男子溝通，取得王男同意破窗後，先將副駕駛座貼滿膠帶，再以撬棒刺穿玻璃下方角落，接著以手鋸割除玻璃將整片玻璃卸下，小心翼翼協助這對夫妻從副駕駛座車窗爬出。

王男說，上午與妻子到基隆港拍攝魚鷹，下午至信二停車場8樓取車，開啟車門後先將物品放入車內接著去上廁所，沒想到車輛點火時，儀表板顯示「鑰匙無法使用，請聯繫原廠」，車門頓時上鎖無法開啟。

王男表示，這輛轎車是表弟借他使用，他試圖爬到後方開啟後車廂，但找不到從車內開啟的位置而作罷，受困在車內約1小時，只能通報消防局請求救援。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）

儀表板跳警示車門上鎖受困　基隆消防破窗救老夫妻


黃偉哲參訪AMD研發據點　盼助台南提升產業競爭力

晶片大廠超微（ AMD ）今年進駐台南歸仁區，在國科會資安暨智慧科技研發大樓設立研發據點，台南市長黃偉哲今天前往參訪，盼 AMD 研發能量協助提升台南智慧科技產業競爭力。

黃偉哲與市府團隊受邀於今日前往參訪，了解 AMD 在台南的營運規劃、科普教育推動及風災援助情形，並聽取算力實驗室配置簡報，揭示 AMD 研發能量在南台灣全面展開。

黃偉哲表示，行政院啟動「大南方新矽谷」計畫，將台南沙崙智慧綠能科學城定位為全國 AI 產業專區核心，且台南在綠電供應、運算資源及科技人才培育方面具備領先條件，使沙崙成為 AI 產業布局最佳基地。

他說，市府持續打造優質投資環境，成功吸引 AMD 落腳沙崙建立研發中心，進一步加速 AI 技術與產業發展，並結合在地學校推動多元科普教育，為城市智慧產業布局開啟新篇章，同時， AMD 也響應經濟部媒合的丹娜絲風災安心助學計畫，捐助受災學生助學金與學用品。

台南市政府經濟發展局長張婷媛表示，沙崙智慧綠能科學城是台南產業發展重要核心，區內已匯聚中研院、工研院及國研院等關鍵研發機構；周邊有綠能住宅、全國首座公立 K12 沙崙國際高中、商業設施及規劃中的醫療與科研園區，形成兼具工作、居住、教育與休閒完整生活圈。

張婷媛表示，完善的環境不僅吸引 AI 相關企業集聚， AMD 落腳沙崙設立研發中心，更將帶動高階研發投資、創造就業機會，強化在地科技人才培育，進一步推動台南 AI 產業鏈與智慧產業發展，提升城市經濟與全球科技競爭力。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）


臉遭槍傷仍可重建顏面。三軍總醫院日前接獲遭槍傷導致臉骨粉碎、腦部直接暴露的患者，醫療團隊透過 3D 列印模型輔助手術規劃，成功讓患者重獲自然五官比例，如今已可重回社會。

三總整形外科主治醫師徐國峰今天在治療成果發表記者會上分享，這名 25 歲男性患者被轉送進三軍總醫院燒燙傷中心時，臉骨粉碎、呼吸道阻塞，腦部甚至直接暴露於空氣中，顏面嚴重受創，讓他也深感震撼「這種傷勢只在教科書上看過」。

徐國峰回憶，當時男子生命徵象已穩定，不過因其額、鼻骨等組織嚴重受損，且多重軟組織缺損，醫療團隊立即召集整合神經外科、口腔外科、耳鼻喉科、胸腔外科與整形外科等啟動跨科部治療會議，分階段進行清創、顱骨重建及皮瓣修復，展開一場結合科技與人性的「重建之戰」。

其中，整形外科以「股前外側游離皮瓣」重建鼻中隔與硬顎缺損；神經外科則負責顱骨清創與人工腦膜覆蓋，最終達成外觀與功能的雙重修復。

考量傳統顱顏重建手術需仰賴醫師經驗反覆修整骨骼角度，耗時且密合度受限，三總整形外科團隊運用 3D 列印模型輔助手術規劃，在術前以虛擬重建技術模擬下顎、額鼻骨等結構，術中依模板精準切割骨骼，大幅縮短手術時間並提升重建準確性。

徐國峰指出，雖然 3D 列印模擬技術都已成熟，但過往國際案例中，較少見用於大面積創傷中。針對此個案，醫療團隊更首次運用 3D 虛擬模型，以虛擬成年男性頭骨為重建模板，模擬患者缺損的額鼻骨，並依面部黃金比例設計支撐性植入物的角度與長度，結合手雕肋骨重建與結構式隆鼻技術，讓患者重獲自然立體的五官。

徐國峰指出，患者術後皮瓣存活良好，歷經多次皮瓣整形與內視鏡追蹤，順利恢復呼吸與進食功能；後續更接受鼻重建手術，恢復良好外觀。在接受約 10 次大小手術後，現在重建滿1年，已經順利重回社會，除因鼻神經受損失去嗅覺，及因沾黏較容易鼻塞外，恢復狀況穩定。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）

槍傷粉碎臉骨　三總3D列印模擬虛擬頭骨助重獲五官


新園 褒忠 水上 楠梓 高雄 新市 中埔 仁武 前鎮 潭子 屏東

經部9處新園區　估創造逾千億產業產值、3萬就業機會

為協助廠商根留台灣，經濟部產業園區管理局今天表示，目前已啟動 9 處新園區，包括中埔、水上、新市、北高雄、褒忠等 5 大產業園區，以及高軟二期、屏東科技產業園區擴區、楠三與仁武等 4 大科技園區，總開發面積逾 560 公頃，預估可帶來超過新台幣 1000 億元產業產值、帶來 3 萬個就業機會。

配合行政院延長「投資台灣三大方案」至 2028 年，打造具全球競爭力的「台灣製造基地」，園管局今天舉辦記者會揭示園區「開發」與「更新」雙引擎成果。

圓管局表示，目前啟動的 9 處新園區包括中埔、水上、新市、北高雄、褒忠等 5 大產業園區，以及高雄軟體園區二期、屏東科技產業園區擴區、楠梓科技產業園區第三園區、仁武科技產業園區等 4 大科技園區，多數已進入開發或招商階段。

園管局表示，水上與新市園區出租率達 100 %，北高雄園區超過 9 成，顯示產業界對優質空間需求強勁。

在既有園區更新上，園管局以高雄前鎮、楠梓及台中潭子科技產業園區為主軸，推動建物翻新及用地重整。

其中「科技產業園區風華再現計畫」投入 19 . 91 億元，用於低度使用廠房收購與再利用，將釋出 13 .5 萬平方公尺樓地板面積，並創造近 2000 個就業機會，為地方產業升級注入新動能。

圓管局說明，為確保土地資源永續利用，多數新園區皆採「只租不售」模式，強化土地使用效率、避免資源外流，也利於形成長期產業聚落。

園管局局長楊志清表示，土地供給是園管局最重要的任務，不只是為台灣產業經濟布局，更是未來產業發展與升級的重要環節。

園管局也公布最新的招商成果，今年度已促成 166 件投資案，總投資金額達 1745 億元，涵蓋半導體、 AI 、智慧製造等關鍵領域，進一步形塑園區成為高端製造與創新研發的核心樞紐。投資企業包括日月光、鴻海（雲高）及湧盛電機等指標廠商，顯示園區已成國內外企業擴張布局的重要選擇。

業者也在記者會上分享實際感受。日月光副總經理李叔霞表示，政府在用地釋出與行政協調上具高度效率，讓企業能專注技術研發與產線升級；東陽實業副總經理陳金錫指出，園管局提供完善硬體與便利區位，有助傳統產業轉型與招募人才，且選址過程獲得快速回應，企業感受明顯。

園管局強調，未來將持續強化土地整備與招商效率，結合政策誘因與區位優勢，帶動產業升級、人才回流及投資加碼，協助台商與國際企業深化在地供應鏈布局，展現政府推動產業根留台灣的決心。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）


亞洲技能競賽開幕　總統：技能人才為產業創新引擎

2025 亞洲技能競賽今天開幕，總統賴清德說，促進台灣經濟發展不只護國神山，還有扎實技職體系，台灣年輕人擁有一流實作能力與創新思維，技能人才是推動產業創新關鍵引擎。

2025 亞洲技能競賽今天起至 30 日在台北南港展覽館舉行，勞動部勞動力發展署今天舉行 2025 亞洲技能競賽開幕典禮，賴總統出席並致詞。

賴總統表示，這是台灣睽違 32 年再次舉辦國際級技能賽事，這 30 多年來台灣從勞力密集的代工製造轉型為全球半導體科技的重要樞紐，這場盛會不僅象徵國際社會對台灣技術實力的高度肯定，更是台灣向世界展現職業訓練成果的重要里程碑。

賴總統也說，在這個全球產業鏈快速重組、 AI 人工智慧與數位轉型加速的時代，各國都在積極提升競爭力，而他始終相信國家競爭力的核心就是人才、人才根基在技能，技能人才就是推動產業創新的關鍵引擎。

賴總統說，全世界都知道台灣是全球半導體供應鏈的核心，擁有先進的晶片製造技術，但促進台灣經濟發展的不只是半導體產業的「護國神山」，還有背後扎實技職體系，從台中的精密機械聚落，到南台灣的螺絲王國、從航太零組件的極致工藝，到紡織機能布料的創新研發，台灣在百工百業中擁有無數的「隱形冠軍」。

賴總統表示，這些企業之所以能夠在全球市占率名列前茅，靠的就是一代又一代，專注細節、追求卓越的技職人才，是這股職人精神，讓台灣的產品成為全球供應鏈中不可或缺的關鍵拼圖。

賴總統也回顧上一屆的亞洲技能競賽說，台灣團隊以 93 %的獲獎率拿下總冠軍，這證明台灣的年輕人擁有一流的實作能力與創新思維。

賴總統強調，政府非常重視技職教育，積極推動產學訓用合一、技能扎根計畫及青年百億海外圓夢基金，希望讓青年從學校到職場無縫接軌，也致力培育具備「綠色技能」與「跨域整合」能力的新世代人才。

賴總統說，在 AI 快速發展的今日，溫度與手感是無可取代的，「只有你們的雙手，才能夠創造出具有靈魂的作品」，期待各位發揮「勇於挑戰、敢於創新」的職人精神，享受這場高水準的競技，也特別感謝國際技能競賽組織、亞洲國際技能組織、勞動部、以及所有參與夥伴的共同努力，讓世界看見亞洲青年的力量。

賴總統最後也邀請各國選手到台灣各地走走，「台灣不僅是科技之島，也是美食之島」，希望大家在切磋技藝的同時，也能品味台灣、愛上台灣，將這份美好的回憶帶回自己的國家。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）


亞洲技能競賽登場 49名國手將展台灣技能實力

2025 亞洲技能競賽今天開幕，這是台灣暌違 32 年再度獲得國際性技能賽事的主辦權，台灣將有 49 名國手在 44 個職項出賽，向國際展現台灣技能實力。

2025 亞洲技能競賽將於 26 日至 30 日在台北南港展覽館舉行，這次競賽共有來自 31 國共 321 名的選手參賽，競賽項目共有 44 個職項，其中台灣共有 49 名國手會在 44 個職類展現技藝。

勞動部長洪申翰今天表示，台灣再度取得國際競能賽事的主辦權，代表台灣的技能實力受到國際肯定，勞動部也利用這次賽會，從籌備、選手準備等，盼進一步提升產業技術能力人才的質跟量。

洪申翰也向國手喊話，能用自己最擅長的能力在自己故鄉發光發熱是一件讓人非常興奮、幸福的事情，「好好把握、享受比賽」，不管最後結果如何，在技能競賽裡面不會有輸家，因為能累積自己實力然後能夠為未來的產業累積人才，一定都是贏家。

勞動部表示，這次競賽全程免費開放民眾參觀，所有 44 個技能職類的競賽將分布於南港展覽館一館 1 樓及二館 1 樓、4 樓。

其中，一館主要聚焦「資訊與通訊技術、營建技術、運輸與物流」等類群；二館則匯集「製造工程技術」以及「社會與個人服務、藝術與時尚」等類群。

勞動部也說，為了讓民眾從「做中學」感受技能魅力，現場也特別規劃兩大互動展區，包含「 FORMOSA 科技之島」及「 Try a Skill 技能體驗站」，展區中有豐富多元的體驗活動，民眾不僅能體驗 AI 科技、挑戰趣味闖關，還有機會帶回亞洲賽限定紀念品與多項精美好禮。

另外，為了促進更深度的技能交流，勞動部也將於 11 月 27 日競賽首日舉辦「 2025 國際技能教育研討會」，邀集國內外產官學界專家，共同探討未來技能發展趨勢與新興挑戰。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）


營造業職災頻傳，勞動部長洪申翰今天指出，將提出減災行動計劃，包含加強營造業主、廠商責任、強化跨部會合作，也將打造營造廠履歷平台，清楚呈現職災、裁罰紀錄。

勞動部職業安全衛生署今天舉行 2025 第 19 屆優良工程金安獎頒獎典禮，洪申翰會後接受媒體聯訪指出，今年截至 11 月統計數字顯示，營造業職災死亡為 94 人，相較去年同期減少 29 人，至於墜落死亡則有 63 件、相較去年少 13 件，從數字來看確實有些進展。

為了減少職災，洪申翰表示，勞動部將提出減災行動計劃，計畫會進一步落實職業安全衛生法要求的業主責任，尤其從前端的工程規劃設計開始至整個工程，業主責任非常重要，也會要求營造廠要負擔一定的管理責任。

洪申翰提到，將建立營造廠職安衛履歷平台，將把營造廠商過去職災紀錄、裁罰紀錄清楚呈現，盼讓業主選商的時候能更了解營造廠，也讓公眾有進一步監督的機會。

洪申翰最後表示，減災計畫會強化跨部會合作，包含跟地方政府合作，前兩週才跟國土署討論，國土署也支持，包括進一步把工程安全放入相關勘驗工作內。

洪申翰說，金安獎一直是優良工程的最高榮譽，待職安法修法完成，也會將職安法要求重要原則列為金安獎評分重要指標。

勞動部今年「優良工程金安獎」共吸引 78 件工程與 70 位優秀人員報名，參選件數創歷年新高，經過兩個月嚴謹的實地評審，最終選出特優2件、優等 16 件、佳作 27 件工程，以及 21 位優良人員。

其中「淡江大橋及其連絡道路 5K + 000 ~7 K+ 035 新建工程」及「台 74 線大里一交流道增設北出匝道改善工程」獲得特優。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）

啟動減災行動  洪申翰：打造營造廠履歷平台


台灣提兆元國防特別預算　美議員：展現自我防衛決心

因應中國威脅，總統賴清德今天宣布追加國防預算，預計未來 8 年投入新台幣 1 兆 2500 億元經費。美國重量級議員韋克爾表示，這展現了台灣在自我防衛方面的決心，他也向台灣立法委員喊話，迅速完成這項特別預算的立法。

賴總統宣布，為籌建因應未來戰爭型態的關鍵戰力，國防部已完成「強化防衛韌性及不對稱戰力計劃採購特別條例」及預算規劃，預計未來8年，也就是 2026 年至 2033 年，共投入 1 兆 2500 億元經費。

總統表示，這將用於打造台灣之盾、建構分層防禦、高度感知且有效攔截的先進防空系統，並引進高科技及人工智慧、建構高效決策、精準打擊的強韌防衛作戰體系，以及提升國防自主及壯大國防產業。

對於台灣宣布這項特別預算，美國聯邦參議院軍委會主席韋克爾（ Roger Wicker ）透過聲明表示，這再次展現了台灣在自我防衛方面的決心與承諾，「這項增加國防支出的提案顯示台灣是意志堅定的夥伴，具備能力且願意分擔在其區域內嚇阻侵略的重擔」。

曾於今年8月底訪台的韋克爾也說，鼓勵台灣的國會議員與賴政府進行跨黨派合作，迅速完成特別預算的立法。「這樣一來，將能展現面對和台灣防衛急迫需求相關的事務時，合理的政治分歧可以被擱置」。

另外，參院軍委會海權小組主席史考特（ Rick Scott ）在 X 平台發文表示，「很高興看到我們的親密盟友台灣今天宣布特別國防預算」。

被視為美國總統川普（ Donald Trump ）盟友的史考特寫道，這項特別預算清楚傳達台灣對履行自身責任、投資自我防衛的承諾，並與美國在該區域持續深化夥伴關係。

（新聞資料來源 : 中央社）