Vine survives kangaroo to win in AdelaideAFP and AP, ADELAIDE, AustraliaBritish sprinter Matthew Brennan yesterday swept to victory in the final stage as Jay Vine survived a high-speed collision with a straying kangaroo to win his second Tour Down Under. Brennan, 20, coming off a breakthrough season with 14 wins for Team Visma-Lease a Bike last year, finished a misfiring week with a stage win from New Zealand’s Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) and Denmark’s Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CAM CGM). The peloton passes a kangaroo road sign during the Tour Down Under men’s cycling race in Adelaide, Australia, yesterday. UAE Team Emirates XRG’s Australian rider Jay Vine holds the winner’s trophy at the end of the Tour Down Under men’s cycling race in Adelaide, Australia, yesterday. Vine overcame an enormous amount of bad luck to win the race.

Ukrainian sumo wrestler wins 2nd straight titleAFP, TOKYOUkrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki yesterday won his second straight tournament to take his meteoric rise in the ancient Japanese sport to new heights. The 21-year-old, who fled the war in Ukraine three years ago, triumphed at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo for the second title of his fledgling career. Ukrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki, the ring name of Danylo Yavhusishyn, left, stands over Hoshoryu after winning the Emperor’s Cup during the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, Japan, on Nov. 23 last year. Aonishiki would have the chance to make it a hat-trick of titles when he competes in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka in March. He became the second Ukraine-born professional sumo wrestler when he made his debut, following in the footsteps of Serhii Sokolovskyi, better known as Shishi.

Iguana bounty raised for certified specialistsBy Esme Yeh / Staff reporterThe Ministry of Agriculture’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is raising the bounty for adult green iguanas to NT$300 apiece for certified iguana removers, after more than 260,000 iguanas were removed nationwide last year. Iguana removal operations used to be suspended toward the end of a year with the government financial cycle, said the agency, but iguana mating season usually occurs early each year. A green iguana is pictured in Tainan in an undated photograph. The more than 260,000 iguanas removed nationwide last year was triple the figure from the year before, it said. Pingtung County topped the list with 130,288 iguanas removed, followed by Kaohsiung’s 62,608 iguanas, it added.

MAC reacts to founding of new communist groupStaff writer, with CNAThe government issued a tepid response to the founding of a “revolutionary communist” organization, saying the group had not formally registered as a political party and appeared to be more of an intellectual society or “book club.”The group, known as the Revolutionary Communist Party of Taiwan, announced its formation on social media on Thursday last week, days after holding a “founding party congress” on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18. “Nearly 20” supporters attended the founding event in Taipei, the Revolutionary Communist International said in a separate article on its Web site. Members of the Revolutionary Communist International in Taiwan are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Screen grab from the Revolutionary Communist Party of Taiwan’s Facebook pageMainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said the group appear to be followers of the ideas of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky. The group is unlikely to become collaborators with the CCP, because such local collaborators “have been driven by self-interest, not ideology,” he said.

The proposed amendments disregard social fairness and justice, and serve only to protect specific individuals and interest groups, it said, adding that it would block the bills. The Legislative Yuan is pictured in Taipei on Friday. “The DPP caucus would continue to emphasize that these bills are designed to protect specific interests,” he said. As for proposed amendments decriminalizing misuse of assistant expense funds, these were clearly intended to relieve KMT Legislator Yen Kuan-heng (顏寬恒) of legal pressure, he said. KMT caucus secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) previously said that the draft amendments for which procedures have been completed remain on his caucus’ agenda and would be discussed at its meetings.

Gaethje dominates Pimblett to win 2nd interim titleReuters, LAS VEGASJustin Gaethje on Saturday night opened the Paramount era with a bang, dominating rising star Paddy Pimblett to win the interim UFC lightweight title by unanimous decision at UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Thirty-seven-year-old Gaethje (27-5-0) largely controlled the bout, landing 56 percent of his significant strikes while succeeding on all three of his takedown attempts. Justin Gaethje, right, punches Paddy Pimblett in an interim lightweight title fight during UFC 324 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday night. Photo: AP“You can’t have that mentality [Pimblett has] when you come in here,” Gaethje said. UFC CEO and President Dana White said that Pimblett was sent to a hospital, but that Gaethje refused to go.

Syria and Kurdish forces extend truce by 15 daysAFP, DAMASCUSThe Syrian government and Kurdish forces on Saturday extended their truce by 15 days, with Damascus saying it was to support the US transfer of Islamic State (IS) group detainees from Syria to Iraq. Several sources had earlier said the truce would be prolonged, with a Syrian official in Damascus citing the same reason. A convoy of the Syrian Democratic Forces heads toward the front line before the extension of a truce with the Syrian government in Hasakeh, Syria, on Saturday. Earlier this month, the Syrian army recaptured oil fields, including the country’s largest, while advancing against Kurdish forces. On Saturday, the central government freed at least 126 minors being held in a prison for IS detainees in Raqa province in northern Syria after taking over the facility from Kurdish forces.

Senegal stun Morocco to win AFCONMARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.

Drugmakers take hit from the US’ anti-vax changesSweeping policy changes under US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr are having a chilling effect on vaccine makers as anti-vaccine rhetoric has turned into concrete changes in inoculation schedules and recommendations, investors and executives said. The administration of US President Donald Trump has in the past year upended vaccine recommendations, with the country last month ending its longstanding guidance that all children receive inoculations against flu, hepatitis A and other diseases. The unprecedented changes have led to diminished vaccine usage, hurt the investment case for some biotechs, and created a drag that would likely dent revenues andBy Bhanvi Satija

Environmentalists allege meddling in erosion investigationBy Esme Yeh / Staff reporterThe heavy cargo pier of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should be torn down to halt beach erosion caused by the groin effect in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮), environmental advocates said on Thursday, adding that Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) concealed monitoring data from supervision committee members. Photo: Taipei TimesThe coastal erosion has raised serious concerns for local residents and environmentalists. Yang Mu-huo said the ministry published a report last month on the investigation in the name of the National Taiwan University, adding the report was sent by Taipower to committee members. Civil engineering professor Han Jen-yu (韓仁毓), head of the third-party investigation team in cooperation with the supervision committee, never received the report, Yang Mu-huo said, quoting Han as saying the report cannot be published under the university’s name without authorization. Much of the information included in the report was incorrect, Yang Mu-huo said, urging the ministry to publish a correction within a week of receiving notice of the alleged interference.

China’s economic policy too cautious? Likewise, the tension between balance and dynamism could define Chinese economic policy in the year ahead. However, resilience is not the same as momentum, and China remains beset by acute imbalances that are constraining economic growth. China’s leaders are well aware of these dynamics. China’s leaders also recognize the deeper structural constraints on the economy, although these would be more difficult to address.

The health ministry in November last year launched a UCC program for providing urgent medical care over weekends and onholiday, aimed to bleed off emergency room overpressure. Shih said emergency room visits during the Lunar New Year holiday were typically 1.5 to 1.7 times regular levels, with the majority being non-critically ill patients. To encourage hospitals to set up extra beds during the Lunar New Year holiday, the ministry allocated NT$1.6 billion (US$5.1 million) for a bonus plan that increases consultation fees, pharmaceutical service fees and nursing fees during the holidays, he said. Cho said that the Executive Yuan would increase the funding if the allocated NT$1.6 billion budget is not enough. The emergency room and inpatient consultation fees, pharmaceutical service fees and nursing fees are going to be doubled during the holiday, she said.

In the 1980s, the realist academic Stephen Walt, nowadays at the Harvard Kennedy School, formulated the “balance of threat” hypothesis of world affairs. Illustration: YushaIt said that states tend to form alliances to counter countries that are simultaneously mighty and hostile. At the time, Walt’s insight addressed a shortcoming in conventional wisdom, which stipulated that a balance of power was the default tendency in world politics. To countries from Canada to Denmark and South Korea, the US looked powerful, but protective, rather than threatening. The world, after trying in vain to placate its predatory hegemon, now seems to have started the hard work of rebalancing.

EU and Hanoi to elevate ties amid tariff problemReuters, HANOIThe EU and Vietnam are to elevate ties during a visit to Hanoi by European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday, an EU official said, as both sides seek to expand international partnerships amid disruptions from US tariffs. The elevation of ties to Vietnam’s highest level has been planned for months and was delayed largely because of schedule complications, the official said. The upgrade of EU ties is expected to generate more cooperation in multiple fields, including research, technology, energy and critical minerals, the official cited a draft joint statement as saying. It has a string of free-trade agreements with multiple partners, including the EU. EU officials accused Hanoi of hampering EU imports with multiple non-tariff barriers, but Brussels has so far taken limited action to address the situation.

‘Hai Kun’ to undergo submerged testingBEHIND SCHEDULE: Testing is not expected to finish until at least the middle of the year, with three phases remaining, despite delivery scheduled for November last yearBy Hung Ting-hung, Wu Che-yu and Fion Khan / Staff reporters, with staff writerThe Hai Kun (海鯤), Taiwan’s first locally built submarine, is said to be departing for its first submerged trials as early as this morning. The Hai Kun, which underwent a dry-docking on Dec. 5 last year for calibration and maintenance, was undocked and returned to pier No. 91 at Kaohsiung Harbor for surface trials on Wednesday last week. The indigenous submarine Hai Kun undergoes tests in Kaohsiung in an undated photograph. On June 14 last year, the Hai Kun left the pier and conducted its first self-powered maneuvering within Kaohsiung Harbor, which was followed by initial sea acceptance tests three days later.