WEATHER
Cooler weather coming
Hot and mostly sunny weather is forecast across the nation until tomorrow, when an approaching weather system is to bring cooler temperatures and rain to northern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. It forecast daytime highs of 28°C to 33°C today, with much lower temperatures at night. An incoming cold air mass tomorrow would break the warm spell, bringing cooler, cloudy weather to much of Taiwan and rain to the north. Temperatures over the weekend are to remain on the cool side, with highs below 20°C and chances of rain in the north, and highs in the low 20s°C in other regions, the CWA’s seven-day forecast showed. Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said that the cold front is expected to weaken in the early part of next week. As a result, temperatures would gradually rebound from Monday to Wednesday next week, although conditions in northern Taiwan would remain cool and wet, Wu said. Based on current forecasting models, the weather is expected to be stable, clear and warm over the Children’s Day and Tomb Sweeping Day holidays on Thursday and Friday next week, he said. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment said that northern Taiwan continued to be affected by smog yesterday, with the air quality index (AQI) rising above 150 in some areas, indicating unhealthy conditions for all groups.The ministry said that prevailing southwesterly winds were funneling pollutants into the north.
CRIME
Hualien officials out on bail
Hualien County Civil Affairs Department Director Ming Liang-chen (明良臻) and six other officials were yesterday released on bail over allegations that the county government illegally sent representatives to people’s homes to verify their?? identity on a recall petition. Ming, department deputy director Wu Chun-yi (吳俊毅) and five other county officials, who were brought in for questioning on Tuesday evening, are accused of contravening the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) and Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) by verifying recall petitioners’ household information in person. Ming was released on bail of NT$500,000 (US$15,107) and prohibited from communicating with other suspects and witnesses in the case. Wu, who is also the secretary-general of the Hualien County Election Commission, and the Hualien City Household Registration Office director, surnamed Chung (鍾), were freed on bail of NT$300,000 and NT$200,000 respectively. Four other officials were released on bail of NT$20,000 to NT$30,000. A Hualien resident reported that an official claiming to be from the household registration office went to their home to verify their signature on a petition to recall Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). Prosecutors yesterday also searched the county’s Civil Affairs Department and household registration office, bringing back 12 suspects and witnesses.
TRADE
Drone MOU signed
Taiwanese and Japanese drone makers have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) supply chain, with the collaboration primarily focused on disaster relief efforts. The Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance and the Japan Drone Consortium (JDC), which have more than 200 and 293 member companies respectively signed the pact in Taipei on Tuesday, witnessed by Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝), the alliance said in a statement. Coretronic Corp chairwoman Wu Hsiu-hui (吳秀惠) said the alliance has arranged a series of site visits for the Japanese delegation to showcase Taiwan’s end-to-end research and manufacturing capabilities. They also discussed integrating the Taiwan-Japan supply chain to strengthen bilateral ties, she said. JDC president Kenzo Nonami said the Japanese government has allocated a budget of over ￥100 billion (US$666.2 million) for drone development, describing the MOU as a significant turning point for Taiwan-Japan cooperation in the industry. Nonami said Taiwan’s manufacturing expertise and comprehensive supply chains for electronics and communications technology make it an ideal partner. He expressed hope that Taiwan will establish a presence in Japan, fostering complementary strengths in system integration and key technologies. As both Taiwan and Japan are prone to earthquakes, Nonami said he looks forward to the two sides supporting each other with drone technology in times of natural disasters. The partnership will also focus on autonomous flight testing, the statement said. Citing an international report, Kuo said the global drone market would reach US$50 billion by 2030. He expressed confidence that Taiwan and Japan would capitalize on this opportunity and set an example for industry cooperation through their partnership.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
New Taipei City prosecutors have indicted a cram school teacher in Sinjhuang District (新莊) for allegedly soliciting sexual acts from female students under the age of 18 three times in exchange for cash payments. The man, surnamed Su (蘇), committed two offenses in 2023 and one last year, the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said. The office in recent days indicted Su for contraventions of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童及少年性剝削防制條例), which prohibits "engaging in sexual intercourse or lewd acts with a minor over the age of 16, but under the age of 18 in exchange for
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
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