■WEATHER
Sleet falls on Yushan
Sleet fell on Yushan (玉山), the nation’s highest peak yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau said. Sleet is not unusual for Yushan in April, with snow falling on the mountain an average of four days each April, meteorologists said. There are also snowy days on Yushan in May and even into July, they said, adding that it snowed there on July 25, 1974. As of 11am that day, 5.5cm had accumulated on flat ground around the CWB weather station on the 3,952m summit, the forecasters said.
■EDUCATION
Schools to provide G-TELP
Seven universities around the country announced yesterday that they would provide General Test of English Language Proficiency (G-TELP) testing. The universities, including the National University of Tainan and Chinese Culture University, said they would promote the US-based G-TELP system throughout this year. University officials said tests would offer opportunities for students to secure English language proficiency certificates, which would enhance students’ international competitiveness. The G-TELP system originates from a language center at the San Diego State University in California and is aimed at helping non-English speakers obtain a reliable English language evaluation and eliminate possible learning obstacles to improve their language skills, the officials said.
■CRIME
Taiwan, China arrest 1,600
Cooperation between Taiwanese police and their Chinese counterparts has led to the arrest of more than 1,600 alleged swindlers in less than a year, Taiwanese officials said yesterday. A total of 1,663 suspects were arrested between last June and last month as the two sides joined hands in cracking down on Internet and telephone fraud involving criminals on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said. In one of the latest cases, 13 suspects were caught in Taiwan and 19 in China for allegedly obtaining NT$500 million (US$16 million ) through telephone scams, the bureau said. The suspects allegedly obtained bank account details by posing on the phone as Chinese police officers and employees at Chinese telecoms firms or prosecutor’s offices. They told the victims their accounts were being used for money laundering or their phone bills were overdue, later using the details to empty bank accounts, the bureau said.
■SOCIETY
Vendor makes ‘Time’ list
A vegetable vendor from Taitung has made this year’s US Time magazine list of the 100 most influential persons in the world based on her philanthropy. Chen Shu-chu (陳樹菊) was ranked eighth in the “heroes” category of this year’s TIME 100 list. “Out of her modest living, Chen, 59, has managed to donate nearly NT$10 million [that’s US$320,000] to various causes, including US$32,000 for a children’s fund, US$144,000 to help build a library at a school she attended and another US$32,000 for the local orphanage, where she also gives financial support to three children,” the magazine states. Chen, who did not complete elementary school because of poverty, was quoted as having told local press that “money serves its purpose only when it is used for those who need it.” Last month, Chen was selected by Forbes magazine of the US as one of 48 heroes of philanthropy from Asia.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
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