WEATHER
Typhoon to bring rain
Tropical Storm Bebinca is forecast to become a typhoon today and bring wet and windy weather across Taiwan in the coming days as it charts a northwesterly course in seas north of the country. Northern areas can expect brief showers today, while other regions would likely experience conditions similar to yesterday, with localized afternoon thunderstorms in mountainous areas in Miaoli County and areas south of the county, Central Weather Administration forecaster Chang Cheng-chuan (張承傳) said. Yunlin County, areas south of the county and Nantou County might experience localized heavy rain, Chang said. As Bebinca approaches Japan’s Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan is to experience further rain. On Sunday, northern areas would likely see brief showers, while afternoon thunderstorms are forecast in central and southern parts of the country. The storm is expected to be closest to Taiwan on Sunday and Monday, bringing further wet and stormy weather as it approaches China.
POLITICS
Journalist to fill Cabinet post
Journalist Michelle Lee (李慧芝) is to assume office as Cabinet spokesperson today, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) announced yesterday. Lee is to take over the post from acting spokesperson Julia Hsieh (謝子涵), the deputy spokesperson who temporarily replaced former spokesman Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱), after Chen was promoted to minister of transportation and communications at the end of last month. Lee, 44, has been employed in the media sector for 15 years. She worked as a reporter, news anchor and TV producer after graduating from Goldsmiths, University of London and National Chengchi University.
EVENTS
A-Mei to perform at Dome
Pop singer A-mei (張惠妹) yesterday announced she is to hold concerts at the Taipei Dome on Dec. 21, 22, 28, 29 and a special New Year’s Eve performance on Dec. 31, where she will ring in the new year with her fans. “Only a spectacular artist dares to close out the year,” Isaac Chen (陳鎮川), A-mei’s manager, wrote on Facebook. “With a venue this massive, the production would be nothing short of breathtaking.” A-mei’s world tour began in April 2022 at the Taipei Arena, where she set a personal record by selling out 12 shows. The tour continued in March last year at Kaohsiung Arena, where all 10 shows sold out. She also performed in the US, UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore and China.
SPORTS
Lai to support Paralympians
President William Lai (賴清德) on Wednesday pledged to provide more government resources to support Taiwanese athletes with disabilities so they can “shine on the international stage.” Lai said the resources poured into Paralympic athletes were at the “same standard” offered to the Olympics team, such as the provision of accommodation and meal services, a training facility and physical therapy. Support for disabled athletes and their coaches “would only get better,” Lai said, adding that the government hopes to provide “a broader space” for individuals to pursue their sporting dreams so they can “shine on the international stage.” The president lauded the athletes for their “bravery” and praised them for setting a good example for young Taiwanese. Thirteen Taiwanese took part in the Paralympics this year, competing in seven sports categories and bringing home three silver and two bronze medals, the best performance for the national team since 2004.
‘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
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
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