A: This year, many local governments are promoting centralized ghost money burning to mitigate the fire risk.
B: I think it is best not to burn ghost money at all.
A: I agree. People can just make offerings of fresh flowers, vegetables or fruit to their ancestors.
Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Liberty Times 照片：自由時報洪瑞琴
B: I heard that some local governments are promoting a “do a good deed instead of burning ghost money” campaign.
A: 這幾年各縣市推廣集中燒紙錢，希望減少火災。
B: 還是不燒最好。
A: 對啊，用鮮花素果祭拜嘛。
B: 聽說各縣市還推出「以功代金」的活動耶。
（Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
The content recommendation algorithm that powers the online short video platform TikTok has once again come under the spotlight after the app’s Chinese owner ByteDance signed binding agreements to form a joint venture that will hand control of operations of TikTok’s US app to American and global investors, including cloud computing company Oracle. Here is what we know so far about its fate, following the establishment of the joint venture. IS BYTEDANCE CEDING CONTROL? While the creation of this new entity marks a big step toward avoiding a US ban, as well as easing trade and tech-related tensions between Washington and Beijing, there
A: Happy New Year! I can’t believe it’s 2026 already. Where did you count down? B: I went to pop singer A-mei’s Taitung concert yesterday for the New Year’s countdown. How about you? A: I went to rock band Mayday’s Taichung concert yesterday. Going to their New Year’s shows has become a holiday tradition for me. B: Don’t forget, we’re also going to Jolin Tsai’s show tonight. It’s her first perfomance at the Taipei Dome. A: Yeah, that’s right. It’s great to start the year with good friends and good music. A: 新年快樂！我真不敢相信都已經2026年了。你昨天去哪跨年啦？ B: 我昨天去了流行天后張惠妹的台東演唱會，還和她一起跨年倒數。那你呢？ A:
Prompted by military threats from Russia, Denmark has recently passed a new conscription law, officially including women in its military draft for the first time. From July 1, 2025, Danish women, upon turning 18, will be entered into the draft lottery. If selected, they are to serve in the military for 11 months, just as men do. Not only has this decision attracted international attention, but it has also sparked discussions on gender, equality and national defense. Although Denmark’s reform appears to promote gender equality, it primarily responds to regional instability and the need to strengthen national defense. With
A: Apart from Taiwan’s A-mei, Mayday and Jolin Tsai, there are many foreign singers coming to Taiwan early this year. B: The South Korean girl group Babymonster are playing two shows at Taipei Arena starting from tonight. Who else is coming to Taiwan? A: Other artists include Australian band Air Supply, K-pop superstar Rain, boy group Super Junior, TXT, US singers Giveon and Josh Groban, and Irish boy group Westlife. B: Air Supply was the first foreign band to come to Taiwan in 1983, and they’re probably the most frequently visiting group too. A: As the year is beginning
RSS