Fri, Nov 22, 2024
‘AI SOVEREIGNTY’: TSMC would build a new plant in Taiwan every year over the next decade, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo said on Wednesday The government is to allocate about NT$30 billion (US$922 million) annually over three years for artificial intelligence (AI) development and seek to enhance cooperation with the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump, National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen
Taiwan and Lithuania are indispensable partners, as both are democracies at the front line against authoritarian threats, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said at a dinner ceremony in Lithuania on Wednesday.The dinner marked the third anniversary of the establishment of the Taiwanese
Ukraine has fired UK-made Storm Shadow missiles into Russia for the first time since the beginning of the conflict, multiple sources said. The decision to approve the strikes was made in response to the deployment of more than 10,000 North Korean troops on Russia’s border with Ukraine, which British
Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah traded deadly blows yesterday as their war raged on, despite signs of progress in US ceasefire efforts, with airstrikes pounding Beirut’s southern suburbs and rockets flying into northern Israel.US mediator Amos Hochstein was in Israel for talks with Israeli officials
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerit
HISTORICAL FICTION: The novel ‘Taiwan Travelogue’, first published in Chinese in 2020, tells the story of a Japanese writer on a culinary journey through Taiwan in the 1930s The English translation of Yang Shuang-zi’s (楊?子) Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄) made history after it became the latest winner of the US National Book Award for Translated Literature.The novel, translated from Chinese by Lin King (金翎), was recognized at an award ceremony on Wednesday in New York, making
The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU) yesterday released its annual sustainability report, while criticizing Taipei, New Taipei City and seven other regions for refusing to provide data.According to the report, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County were rated excellent this year.Taipei, N
The Ministry of Environment yesterday announced more stringent air pollution control zone criteria, meaning that five cities and counties would no longer meet the standard.Based on the higher standards, New Taipei City, Taichung and the counties of Changhua, Nantou and Chiayi are to be reclassified
CULTURE: The filmmaker praised the influence that Japanese cinema has had on his work after being presented with a medal by Princess Hitachi Filmmaker Ang Lee (李安) was honored as the first Taiwanese laureate of this year’s Praemium Imperiale, a global arts prize awarded annually by the Japan Art Association, for promoting “the cultures and arts of the world” at an awards ceremony in Tokyo on Tuesday.Lee, who has won two Oscars for best d
TOUGH CHOICE: China could either invade through the north, where most its defenses are, or through the south, which is easier, but Beijing would have to fight its way up Taiwan would have to fight off a Chinese blockade and invasion for about a month before the US could successfully airlift or sealift forces or munitions to support it, war games organized by a US congressional committee on Wednesday showed.The finding was from a defense industrial base simulation ca
SUICIDE? A labor official said she had poor emotional control and made excessive requests, but denied that her leadership style had anything to do with the death Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) offered to resign on Wednesday evening over her handling of a civil servant’s suicide earlier this month, but Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) did not make an immediate decision as to whether to accept her resignation.Cho intends to first consider the findings of an ong
Opposition lawmakers yesterday vowed to cut funding for the English-language TaiwanPlus television channel due to controversies over its news coverage, and demanded that the Ministry of Culture conduct a review.Minister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠) and Public Television Service chairman Hu Yuan-hui (胡元輝)
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday expressed support for a proposed amendment that would sanction retired military officers who participate in activities held by Chinese political agencies or organizations, and engage in “conduct that harms national dignity.”Article 9-3 of the Act Governin
Taiwan is not involved in military assistance for Ukraine, as it is “too sensitive,” but would like to establish a representative office in the country, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said on Wednesday during a visit to Berlin.Taiwan has offered strong moral support to Ukraine
BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS: An Adani statement denied all charges, while share prices plummet and Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called for the founder’s arrest India’s Adani Group yesterday called US charges that their billionaire tycoon founder Gautam Adani had paid more than US$250 million in bribes “baseless,” as the opposition leader demanded his arrest.The stiff denial came after shares in the industrialist’s conglomerate nosedived nearly 20 percent i
AVIATION BOOM: CAL is to renew its passenger and cargo fleets starting next year on record profits as aviation continues to return to pre-pandemic levels China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空) yesterday said it is optimistic about next year’s business outlook, as the airline continues to renew its fleet on expectations that global passenger traffic would maintain steady growth and air cargo demand would remain strong.From next year to 2028, the airline is to
Standard Chartered Bank announced a significant upgrade to its wealth management digital tool — myRM — introducing the latest capabilities for offshore structured notes trading. This enhancement follows last year’s upgrade of myRM STP (Straight-Through-Transaction) capability for bonds, equities, an
US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Saturday last week held a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Lima. Their dialogue has been widely interpreted as an effort by Xi to lay out China’s positions ahead of US president-elect Donald Trump taking offi
The legislature’s Education and Culture Committee is reviewing a report on thawing a frozen budget for Academia Sinica. During the review session, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yeh Yuan-chih (葉元之) bemoaned an increase in travel expenses for research trips abroad that seemed to not inclu
It has been nearly a month since Donald Trump’s decisive victory of in the US presidential election, but the result is still sending shockwaves around the world.States and industries are bracing for Trump’s promised redoubling of protectionist policies.Cryptocurrency markets were invigorated by the
TWO-NIL LOSS: Taiwan’s best chance to score came at the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and one out, but Venezuela’s Liarvis Breto got out of the jam Taiwan yesterday suffered a shutout 2-0 loss to Venezuela in the opening game of the WBSC Premier12 Super Round at the Tokyo Dome.Taiwan had seven hits, one more than Venezuela’s six, but catcher Carlos Perez’s two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning delivered the only runs sc
Baseball fans pose with a Taiwanese flag outside the Tokyo Dome yesterday, where Taiwan played Venezuela in the opening game of the WBSC Premier12 Super Round. Taiwan lost 2-0, despite having seven hits to Venezuela’s six.
Ty Jerome on Wednesday scored 29 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from their first defeat of the season with a 128-100 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans.The Cavs saw their 15-game unbeaten streak brought to an abrupt end by the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, but dominated New Orleans with a
Formula One drivers were surprised by the sudden departure of race director Niels Wittich and are “a bit fed up” with the leadership of the governing FIA, Mercedes’ George Russell said on Wednesday.The drivers were already at loggerheads with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on a number of issues,
COMMISSION: Von der Leyen has promised to set out a clean industry strategy, release a white paper on defense and get the bloc ready for enlargement in her first 100 days European Parliament leaders have reached a deal to approve Ursula von der Leyen’s top team, paving the way for the new European Commission to take office on Dec. 1.Leaders of the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), the Socialists and the centrist Renew group — who between them have 56 percen
BELT-TIGHTENING: Chinese investments in Cambodia are projected to drop to US$35 million in 2026 from more than US$420 million in 2021 At a ceremony in August, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet knelt to receive blessings from saffron-robed monks as fireworks and balloons heralded the breaking of ground for a canal he hoped would transform his country’s economic fortunes.Addressing hundreds of people waving the Cambodian flag, Hun
The governor of the Northern Mariana Islands said a US$800m US military upgrade plan that includes a new airfield in the Pacific territory “has to happen” amid concern over China’s recent missile tests in the region.Tinian, home to about 3,500 people, is one of the three main islands of the Commonwe
Anyone who has been to Alishan (阿里山) is familiar with the railroad there: one line comes up from Chiayi City past the sacred tree site, while another line goes up to the sunrise viewing platform at Zhushan (祝山). Of course, as a center of logging operations for over 60 years, Alishan did have more ra
The rhythms of bustling, working-class Mumbai are brought to vivid life in All We Imagine as Light. The stunning narrative debut of filmmaker Payal Kapadia explores the lives of three women in the city whose existence is mostly transit and work. Even that isn’t always enough to get by and pay the re
In the new horror movie, Heretic, Hugh Grant plays a diabolical religious skeptic who traps two scared missionaries in his house and tries to violently shake their faith.What starts more as a religious studies lecture slowly morphs into a gory escape room for the two door-knocking members of The Chu
A: And which films are nominated for the Golden Horse Awards’ Best Narrative Feature?B: The nominees are: “All Shall Be Well,” ”Stranger Eyes,” “Dead Talents Society,” “An Unfinished Film” and “Bel Ami.”A: I heard that “Bel Ami” is a great gay-themed comedy from China.B: Yeah, and as many as 276
A: Who are nominated for Best Leading Actor at the Golden Horse Awards?B: The nominees are: Jason King, Chang Chen, Neo Yau, Wanlop Rungkumjad and Zhang Zhiyong.A: How about Best Leading Actress?B: The nominees are: Patra Au, Kimi Hsia, Chung Suet-ying, Sylvia Chang and Sandra Ng.A: What are yo
In Cape Town, South Africa, a fresh influx of inhabitants is causing a stir. Known as “digital nomads,” these individuals are transforming the city’s environment and sparking debates around urban growth and the welfare of local communities.By definition, digital nomads are professionals who exploit
It’s certainly been a pleasure watching the presidential campaign launch of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜) lurch painfully about like a wounded pachyderm in search of an elephant graveyard. Hou’s fall to third place in some polls last week appears early, and it might still be recoverable. But grumbling in his party about replacing him has already begun. Indeed, all indications are that the party that twice gave us Lien Chan (連戰), the most despised politician in Taiwan, as a presidential candidate and later offered voters Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), is arcing along its normal descending trajectory, the North Korean missile test of electoral politics. A KIND OF POLICY PLATFORM Last week the KMT doubled down on this path with Hou’s calls for nuclear power and more death penalty executions, standard KMT fare for decades (the latter is unnecessary since so many potential criminals are likely to die in traffic accidents long before they harm anyone). Apparently KMT policy institutions are not echo chambers so much as mausoleums where dead ideas are embalmed and then periodically put on display. The lack of public policy imagination is obvious. A less obvious facet of KMT ineptitude: with years of speculation that Hou would be their man in 2024, neither Hou nor the party insisted on interesting or experimental public policies to showcase Hou’s greatness in preparation for the showdown. Of course, that is even more true of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Hou’s slide and the media buzz surrounding it are obscuring the truly urgent problem the pro-Taiwan side faces: DPP presidential candidate William Lai (賴清德) has not expanded his voter support beyond the party base. In most polls he remains below 40 percent. Independent voters are staying away in droves, and for the moment the young are turning to
July 17 to July 23 When Yeh Ken-chuang (葉根壯) came of age, the traditional skills of architecture and carpentry that had been in his family for four generations were disappearing. After helping his uncle Yeh Teh-ling (葉得令) construct ships, residences and temples for more than a decade, Yeh struck out on his own at the age of 28 in 1960 as a damusi (大木司, chief carpenter), earning his lifelong title “Chief Chuang” (壯司). Around this time, builders in his homeland of Penghu were increasingly using reinforced concrete instead of wood, due to the humid climate. The period also saw a frenzy in temple construction as the economy improved, meaning there was plenty of work for Yeh. Adept in non-structural techniques such as doors, windows and furniture, as well as the intricate carvings and detailed decorations that adorned the structures, Yeh was able to adapt his skills, leading the reconstruction of the historic Hsiliao Daitian Temple (西寮代天宮) on Penghu’s main island in 1963. According to the book Crossing Traditions in Yeh Ken-chuang’s Large-scale Carpentry Skills (宮廟巧藝 :跨越傳統的葉根壯大木作技術), it was Penghu’s first temple that used a purely reinforced concrete structure. Before his life was cut short, Yeh created more than 70 temples and related structures across the various islands of Penghu and left behind more than 230 building plans. Although Yeh could have built temples and other structures on Taiwan proper, he only worked on a handful of projects outside of Penghu because he wanted to be close to his family. CLAN OF CARPENTERS The Yeh family’s woodworking tradition began with Yeh Ma-li (葉媽利), who learned the architecture and carpentry trade from an unknown master on Kinmen. The Yehs trace their roots to Kinmen, although this branch had been living in Penghu since the early 1600s. Yeh Ma-li was Penghu’s chief temple builder between 1860 and
| New Taipei City | 14-23 | 10% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 14-22 | 10% | |
| Hsinchu City | 14-22 | 10% | |
| Taipei City | 14-22 | 10% | |
| Miaoli County | 12-22 | 10% | |
| Taoyuan City | 14-22 | 10% | |
| Keelung City | 15-21 | 10% | |
| Yunlin County | 14-24 | 0% | |
| Taichung City | 14-24 | 0% | |
| Nantou County | 14-24 | 0% | |
| Changhua County | 14-23 | 0% | |
| Chiayi County | 13-24 | 0% | |
| Chiayi City | 14-25 | 0% | |
| Tainan City | 15-22 | 0% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 17-23 | 0% | |
| Pingtung County | 16-25 | 0% | |
| Yilan County | 14-22 | 10% | |
| Hualien County | 16-22 | 10% | |
| Taitung County | 17-23 | 10% | |
| Kinmen County | 11-18 | 0% | |
| Penghu County | 17-20 | 0% | |
| Lienchiang County | 10-13 | 10% | |
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