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.
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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