Sat, Sep 21, 2024
The death penalty conforms with the Constitution, but should only be applied in “exceptional” cases, the Constitutional Court said yesterday.The judgement was issued in response to a petition by prisoners on death row who said that capital punishment was unconstitutional.“The death penalty is a capi
TECH LEADER: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines said it is unthinkable to exclude Taiwan from deliberations on the Pact for the Future and Global Digital Contract Nine of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies yesterday called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to include the nation in the deliberations about technology and sustainable development at the UN Summit for the Future.The 79th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday last week, with the high-
Authorities in Taiwan and Bulgaria yesterday denied involvement in the supply chain of thousands of pagers that detonated on Tuesday in Lebanon in a deadly blow to Hezbollah.Tuesday’s attack, and another on Wednesday involving exploding hand-held radios used by Hezbollah, together killed 37 people a
Moscow would defend its interests in the arctic in diplomatic and military terms, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published yesterday.Russian news agencies quoted Lavrov as saying in a series of documentaries that Russia was resolved to counter a drive by the U
A Hong Kong man was jailed yesterday for “seditious” posts on social media, becoming the third person to be imprisoned under a new National Security Law in the span of two days.Au Kin-wai (區健威), 58, was sentenced to 14 months behind bars after he pleaded guilty to publishing 239 seditious posts on F
The Constitutional Court this afternoon decided against abolishing the death penalty, but limited the scope in which it can be applied to only the "most serious crimes."The court heard oral arguments on the case on April 23 from attorneys representing 37 convicts on death row who have exhausted all
PRODUCTION PARTNERSHIPS: Although the technology might not use Taiwanese branding, the nation’s tech prowess can offer opportunities, Wellington Koo said Taiwan intends to focus on the research, development and implementation of drone systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies to fortify the nation’s defense, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said at a meeting with journalists on Wednesday.As part of this in
STATEMENTS: The DPP said Resolution 2758 does not involve Taiwan, the KMT said the ROC is a founding member of the UN and the TPP said cross-strait entanglements remain The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) caucuses have each proposed motions on UN Resolution 2758 in the new legislative session that began yesterday.The DPP caucus proposed a motion stating that “UN Resolution 2758 does not inv
Partisan strife was frequent and justice bills were few in the previous legislative session, civil groups said on Thursday, urging the governing and opposition parties to work together to pass what they described as the “10 priority policies and bills,” including a public interest act to protect whi
CASE: The alleged ringleaders, who were recruited by Chinese businessmen, wooed servicemen in debt and encouraged them to steal information, prosecutors said The Tainan branch of the High Prosecutors’ Office has indicted 23 people, including eight active servicemen, on charges of spying for China.Tainan prosecutors launched an investigation in April after the Political Warfare Bureau received a tip-off from a soldier in 2022, the branch said on Wednesday
US Republican senators on Thursday introduced a bill to set up the US for success in its competition against China, with provisions that included support for Taiwan.“The STRATEGIC Act comes at an important time as the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] continues its efforts to undermine security and stab
ALERTS: An earthquake drill and typhoon test were conducted to test the nation’s capabilities to mobilize, deploy and coordinate responders by air, sea and land Taiwan must use technology and public-private collaboration to enhance resilience to natural disasters, President William Lai (賴清德) said after inspecting an earthquake drill in Chiayi County yesterday.First responders, drones and robots, search-and-rescue teams, and diplomats from nine countries too
PESTICIDE: The results were consistent with the FDA’s findings of the presence of the hazardous chemical compound in eight people who had consumed dumplings The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday confirmed that eight people who fell ill due to suspected food poisoning in Taitung County had terbufos, a hazardous chemical compound found in some pesticides, in their systems.Terbufos, which can potentially kill humans, is used on various crops, inc
Foreign tourists who purchase a seven-day Taiwan Pass are to get a second one free of charge as part of a government bid to boost tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday.A pair of Taiwan Passes is priced at NT$5,000 (US$156.44), an agency staff member said, adding that the passes can be u
Taiwan’s cap and trade system, which the Ministry of Environment expects to be launched in four years, would start with a pilot program that involves companies with a good record in decarbonization, Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) said on Thursday.Peng, who had just returned from a trip
The Chiayi District Court has ordered a mother to pay NT$5,000 in damages after she threw out her son’s collection of 32 Attack on Titan (進擊的巨人) comic books.The fine can be commuted to labor and the ruling can be appealed, the court said.The woman, surnamed Chien (簡), lives with her 20-year-old son,
Regulator: CTBC’s decision came after the Financial Supervisory Commission on Monday said it had reservations about the buyout being undertaken via share swaps CTBC Financial Holding Co (中信金控) yesterday officially aborted its bid to acquire Shin Kong Financial Holding Co (新光金空) after financial regulators made clear their objections to the takeover.The nation’s third-largest financial conglomerate announced the pullback in a stock exchange filing, nixing a
Formosa International Hotels Corp (FIH, 晶華國際酒店集團) is upbeat about revenue growth next quarter, thanks to the soft opening of a new facility and the comeback of a flagship property in scenic, but quake-hit Hualien County.The group, which operates hotels under the brands of Regent Taipei (台北晶華酒店), Sil
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) yesterday kept its monetary policy unchanged, avoiding a repetition of the market meltdown that followed its July rate hike while keeping the path open for continuing to raise borrowing costs in the coming months.The immediate market reaction was muted, with stocks maintainin
The Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, which is to hold its first meeting on Thursday, marks an important step in developing the national conversation about enhancing the nation’s resilience and constructing a more informed defense policy in the face of increasing threats in a more dange
I was a member of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) when I was in Hong Kong. Although I was not a journalist, my income from doing media work exceeded that from my job at school. That was why I was able to join.I was oppressed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) before Hong Kong’s handov
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to participate today in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue leaders’ summit hosted by US President Joe Biden in Delaware. The meeting of the four major maritime powers in the Indo-Pacific region — the US, Australia, Japan and India — is taking place again
‘SOURCE OF PRIDE’: Newspapers rushed out special editions and the government sent their congratulations as Shohei Ohtani became the first player to enter the 50-50 club Japan reacted with incredulity and pride yesterday after Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.The Los Angeles Dodgers star from Japan made history with a seventh-inning homer in a 20-4 victory over the Marlins in
TIGHTLY MATCHED: Barcelona started the season with a perfect record in La Liga, but after going a man down in the 11th minute, fell to a 2-1 defeat on the French Riviera French club Monaco upset 10-man Barcelona by grinding out a 2-1 victory on Thursday in the UEFA Champions League, while a stunning David Raya double-save ensured Arsenal a goalless draw away to last season’s UEFA Europa League winners Atalanta.Barca have started the season with a perfect record afte
Real Madrid needed a 96th-minute winner from Melanie Leupolz on her European debut to secure a 2-1 win at Sporting Lisbon on Thursday in the first leg of round two of qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League.Madrid looked set to host the second leg with the tie finely poised at one goal apie
Lewis Hamilton on Thursday said there was a “racial element” to International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed ben Sulayem’s recent comments regarding drivers swearing during Formula 1 races. In an interview with motorsport.com, Ben Sulayem said: “We have to differentiate between our s
CARTEL ARRESTS: The president said that a US government operation to arrest two cartel members made it jointly responsible for the unrest in the state’s capital Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday blamed the US in part for a surge in cartel violence in the northern state of Sinaloa that has left at least 30 people dead in the past week.Two warring factions of the Sinaloa cartel have clashed in the state capital of Culiacan in what appe
‘CICADA VOTERS’: A Fairfax County elections official said about one-third of local voters came to the polls on election day in 2020, while the rest voted by mail or early The Democratic and Republican national conventions are just a memory, the first and perhaps only debate between US Vice President Kamala Harris and former US president Donald Trump is in the bag and election offices are beginning to send out absentee ballots.Now come the voters.Yesterday was the sta
Peruvian authorities on Thursday scrambled to roll out a plan to fight fires raging out of control across the nation, razing crops, damaging archeological treasures and leaving several regions in a state of disaster.Firefighters said battling the blazes has grown increasingly difficult.“We’re tired,
This is a film about two “fools,” according to the official synopsis. But admirable ones. In his late thirties, A-jen quits his high-paying tech job and buys a plot of land in the countryside, hoping to use municipal trash to revitalize the soil that has been contaminated by decades of pesticide and
Andu Schiodt Pikilak has dark dashes on her forehead descending into a deep “V” like geese flying in formation, an Inuit tattoo she sees as a rebirth for both her and Greenlandic culture.“We’re going back to our roots,” said the reserved 61-year-old psychologist who took the plunge seven years ago,
Many Taiwanese have a favorable opinion of Japan, in part because Taiwan’s former colonial master is seen as having contributed a great deal to the development of local industries, transportation networks and institutions of education. Of course, the island’s people were never asked if they wanted t
Located in the picturesque mountains of eastern Spain, the small town of Bunol might appear to be just another idyllic place in the Spanish countryside. However, it is home to one of the world’s most popular food fights. Each August, tens of thousands of people from all around the globe swarm into B
A: Apart from “Atom Boyz 2,” reality boy band competition show “SCOOL” is another eye-catcher.B: What’s so special about it?A: Hosted by South Korean boyband Super Junior’s Lee-teuk, the show’s coaches include Taiwanese singers Show Lo, Shou, and several K-pop stars.B: That sounds exciting.A: A
A: Reality music competition shows have been really popular lately.B: Have you watched “Atom Boyz 2?”A: Of course. Some of the trainees are both good-looking and talented.B: The first season produced several hit boy bands.A: Hopefully, the second season will reveal more young stars.A: 最近實境男團選秀
It’s certainly been a pleasure watching the presidential campaign launch of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜) lurch painfully about like a wounded pachyderm in search of an elephant graveyard. Hou’s fall to third place in some polls last week appears early, and it might still be recoverable. But grumbling in his party about replacing him has already begun. Indeed, all indications are that the party that twice gave us Lien Chan (連戰), the most despised politician in Taiwan, as a presidential candidate and later offered voters Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), is arcing along its normal descending trajectory, the North Korean missile test of electoral politics. A KIND OF POLICY PLATFORM Last week the KMT doubled down on this path with Hou’s calls for nuclear power and more death penalty executions, standard KMT fare for decades (the latter is unnecessary since so many potential criminals are likely to die in traffic accidents long before they harm anyone). Apparently KMT policy institutions are not echo chambers so much as mausoleums where dead ideas are embalmed and then periodically put on display. The lack of public policy imagination is obvious. A less obvious facet of KMT ineptitude: with years of speculation that Hou would be their man in 2024, neither Hou nor the party insisted on interesting or experimental public policies to showcase Hou’s greatness in preparation for the showdown. Of course, that is even more true of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Hou’s slide and the media buzz surrounding it are obscuring the truly urgent problem the pro-Taiwan side faces: DPP presidential candidate William Lai (賴清德) has not expanded his voter support beyond the party base. In most polls he remains below 40 percent. Independent voters are staying away in droves, and for the moment the young are turning to
July 17 to July 23 When Yeh Ken-chuang (葉根壯) came of age, the traditional skills of architecture and carpentry that had been in his family for four generations were disappearing. After helping his uncle Yeh Teh-ling (葉得令) construct ships, residences and temples for more than a decade, Yeh struck out on his own at the age of 28 in 1960 as a damusi (大木司, chief carpenter), earning his lifelong title “Chief Chuang” (壯司). Around this time, builders in his homeland of Penghu were increasingly using reinforced concrete instead of wood, due to the humid climate. The period also saw a frenzy in temple construction as the economy improved, meaning there was plenty of work for Yeh. Adept in non-structural techniques such as doors, windows and furniture, as well as the intricate carvings and detailed decorations that adorned the structures, Yeh was able to adapt his skills, leading the reconstruction of the historic Hsiliao Daitian Temple (西寮代天宮) on Penghu’s main island in 1963. According to the book Crossing Traditions in Yeh Ken-chuang’s Large-scale Carpentry Skills (宮廟巧藝 :跨越傳統的葉根壯大木作技術), it was Penghu’s first temple that used a purely reinforced concrete structure. Before his life was cut short, Yeh created more than 70 temples and related structures across the various islands of Penghu and left behind more than 230 building plans. Although Yeh could have built temples and other structures on Taiwan proper, he only worked on a handful of projects outside of Penghu because he wanted to be close to his family. CLAN OF CARPENTERS The Yeh family’s woodworking tradition began with Yeh Ma-li (葉媽利), who learned the architecture and carpentry trade from an unknown master on Kinmen. The Yehs trace their roots to Kinmen, although this branch had been living in Penghu since the early 1600s. Yeh Ma-li was Penghu’s chief temple builder between 1860 and
New Taipei City | 14-23 | 10% | |
Hsinchu County | 14-22 | 10% | |
Hsinchu City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Taipei City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Miaoli County | 12-22 | 10% | |
Taoyuan City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Keelung City | 15-21 | 10% |
Yunlin County | 14-24 | 0% | |
Taichung City | 14-24 | 0% | |
Nantou County | 14-24 | 0% | |
Changhua County | 14-23 | 0% |
Chiayi County | 13-24 | 0% | |
Chiayi City | 14-25 | 0% | |
Tainan City | 15-22 | 0% | |
Kaohsiung City | 17-23 | 0% | |
Pingtung County | 16-25 | 0% |
Yilan County | 14-22 | 10% | |
Hualien County | 16-22 | 10% | |
Taitung County | 17-23 | 10% |
Kinmen County | 11-18 | 0% | |
Penghu County | 17-20 | 0% | |
Lienchiang County | 10-13 | 10% |