TRANSPORT
Record numbers use MRT
About 1.74 million people used the Taipei MRT on average each day last year, setting a record high in the rapid transit system’s 18-year history, according to the latest ridership statistics. The daily number — a quarter of the total population of Taipei and neighboring New Taipei City — represents a ridership increase of 5.7 percent from 2012, thanks in part to the opening of the new east-west Xinyi (red) line in November, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said. The MRT began operations in March 1996 with the opening of the Wenshan, or Muzha, (brown) line. Currently, the system operates seven lines stretching across the greater Taipei area. Government statistics indicate that average daily ridership on all rail transport nationwide rose 5.4 percent last year to 2.659 million passengers.
SOCIETY
Blood stock dangerously low
The Taipei Blood Bank called for blood donation as it said on Friday that it had less than 5 days worth of blood in storage, primarily in shortage of Type-O blood. The center said it saw a 30 percent decrease in blood donors after the Lunar New Year holidays. Donation division head Huang Ku-ying (黃谷鶯) said a “safe” amount of reserves was typically between seven to 12 days, Huang said, adding that as Type-O blood held the majority, it was also the type that was running low. However, Huang said people with colds should not donate, and people should assess their physical condition before going to donate blood. Call (02) 2897-1600 or visit www.tp.blood.org.tw for more information.
DIPLOMACY
Library system donated
Taiwan on Friday donated an automated library system to the Mapua Institute of Technology in the Philippines, saying it hopes to step up exchanges with the neighboring country. At the handover ceremony at the institute in Manila, Taiwan’s Deputy Representative to the Philippines Chang Tai-lai (張泰來) said the system uses high-tech equipment to trace book loans and returns and conduct inventory. The system is designed to reduce the workload of librarians and the time spent checking books in and out. Reynaldo Vea, president of the Mapua Institute of Technology, thanked Taiwan for the donation and said he hopes that with the assistance of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, his institute will be able to engage more with higher learning institutions in Taiwan.
TRAVEL
Ecuador still on gray alert
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained its gray travel advisory to Ecuador after the country’s Tungurahua volcano erupted at least three times over the previous weekend. One of the most active volcanoes in Ecuador, Tungurahua is about 140km south of the capital, Quito. The volcano erupted three times on Feb. 1, spewing ash about 8km into the air that spread over the five neighboring provinces of Azuay, Bolivar, Tungurahua, Chimborazo and Canar. The ministry said that because the volcanic eruptions did not affect Quito or Quayaquil, the largest city, it decided to maintain a gray travel alert for the country. However it advised Tungurahua and Chimborazo should be avoided. The ministry has a four-color travel alert system, with red the highest level of alert, followed by orange, yellow and gray. Gray is a reminder to tourists to pay extra attention to safety issues.
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was questioned by prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating an attack on a taxi driver after he was allegedly driven on a longer than necessary route in a car he disliked. The questioning at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office was ongoing as of press time last night. Police have recommended charges of attempted murder. The legally embattled actor — known for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代) — is under a separate investigation for allegedly using fake medical documents to evade mandatory military service. According to local media reports, police said Wang earlier last year ordered a
Taiwan is planning to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based X-ray imaging to customs clearance points over the next four years to curb the smuggling of contraband, a Customs Administration official said. The official on condition of anonymity said the plan would cover meat products, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, large bundles of banknotes and certain agricultural produce. Taiwan began using AI image recognition systems in July 2021. This year, generative AI — a subset of AI which uses generative models to produce data — would be used to train AI models to produce realistic X-ray images of contraband, the official
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