Coreweave Inc’s Michael Intrator also touched on the “physicality” of the AI boom at a panel later yesterday, with the data center firm’s CEO describing the need for growing numbers of plumbers, electricians and carpenters. The company is on track to generate almost US$200 billion in data center chip sales for last year, according to an average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. To date, the bulk of its revenue comes from the biggest data center builders — Microsoft Corp, Meta Platforms Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc — but it’s striking deals with a growing number of smaller data center operators. Tech firms have committed to spend a combined US$500 billion in data center leases in the coming years. Anthropic PBC CEO Dario Amodei has warned about a “white-collar bloodbath” that could wipe out 50 percent of entry-level jobs.

Firm indicted for soaking intestines in industrial chemicalsStaff writer, with CNAProsecutors yesterday said Pai Wei Foods Co, its owner and two employees have been indicted for allegedly soaking spoiled pork intestines in industrial-grade hydrogen peroxide before selling them on the market. A Pingtung County health official seals off a cold storage warehouse owned by Pai Wei Foods last year. The employees reportedly mixed 200ml of industrial hydrogen peroxide with water to soak and stir intestines deemed visually unappealing, packaging them for sale once the odor was eliminated. Prosecutors said the defendants knowingly used industrial chemicals not approved for food processing, posing a potential risk to public health. Pai Wei Foods was also indicted and faces a criminal fine.

Shorter trips popular as travel surpasses pre-pandemic levels: tour agencyBy Tsai Yun-jung and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNATaiwanese travelers are favoring shorter, more frequent trips that emphasize personally meaningful experiences, the Sunday Tours travel agency said yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Tourism AdministrationTotal travel spending for last year is expected to surpass NT$1 trillion (US$31.6 billion), Chen said. The number of trips abroad would continue to grow, as shorter, more frequent trips become more common, averaging about two-and-a-half trips per person annually, he said. Sunday Tours has already reached 70 percent of its sales goal for this year, with short trips being particularly popular, Chen said. Japan continues to be a popular travel destination among Taiwanese tourists, he added.

US House committee approves US$1.15bn for Taiwan defenseStaff writer, with CNAA US House of Representative committee on Monday released its version of this year's Consolidated Appropriations Act that included US$1.15 billion to support security cooperation with Taiwan. The omnibus act, covering a total of US$1.2 trillion in spending, allocates US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative (TSCI) and US$150 million for the replacement of defense articles and reimbursement of defense services provided to Taiwan. The flags of Taiwan and the US are displayed in Taipei on March 27, 2018. Photo: Tyrone Siu, ReutersThose fund allocations were based on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 that was passed by Congress last month and authorized up to US$1 billion to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency in support of the TSCI. Whether this funding actually gets released would depend on how the Consolidated Appropriations Act proceeds through Congress.

Ministry launches app to map stray dogsBy Yang Yuan-ting and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Ministry of Agriculture today released an app for the public to help track stray dog sightings, allowing users to take photographs of stray dogs and geo-tag their location, assisted by artificial intelligence (AI). The data would be used in the future to identify stray dog hotspots, increase management of stray dogs and build a nationwide risk assessment map, the Department of Animal Welfare said. It would further work toward the goal of stabilizing and reducing the stray dog population, it added. Hotspots for issues between stray dogs and humans or ecological conflicts were previously handled by local governments according to their respective management needs, it said. The app would overcome these limitations and encourage citizen participation to accumulate data on stray dog groups, it added.

Cold air mass to blanket Taiwan through FridayStaff writer, with CNAThe Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued low-temperature alerts for 10 cities and counties across Taiwan amid a strong continental cold air mass that is to grip much of Taiwan through Friday. Northern Taiwan would remain cold and damp today and tomorrow, with occasional rain, while snowfall is possible in mountainous areas above 2,000m, Wu said. Conditions in northern Taiwan are expected to turn mostly cloudy starting on Friday, while eastern Taiwan may still see sporadic showers, Wu said. Looking ahead, Wu said models indicate generally stable weather from Saturday to Tuesday next week, with temperatures gradually rising. Weaker northeasterly winds would then move south from Tuesday to Friday, bringing cooler temperatures and rain to northern and eastern Taiwan, Wu said.

Money mules ordered to repay fraud gains in mother-daughter suicide caseBy Liu Yung-yun and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Shilin District Court has ordered two money mules to pay NT$2 million and NT$160,000 (US$63,211 and US$5,057) respectively in connection to a fraud case from 2024 that allegedly led a mother and daughter from Taipei’s Neihu District (内湖) to take their own lives. After the mother, surnamed Ning (甯), 55, and daughter, surnamed Tseng (曾), 29, took their own lives in December 2024, police identified 10 suspects in the case. The plaintiff said that Cheng, Yen and several other money mules had collected a total of NT$4.61 million. As his mother’s heir, he said he assumed her right to claim damages, arguing that the money mules should bear joint and several liability. The court found that Cheng joined the fraud ring in June 2024 and was responsible for collecting money.

Tropical storm forming, cold air mass expectedBACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,By Lin Chih-yi

Harris leads Pistons past Celtics in thrillerAFP, LOS ANGELESTobias Harris on Monday scored 25 points as the Detroit Pistons held off the Boston Celtics to score a 104-103 victory in their top-of-the-table Eastern Conference showdown. Harris was one of four Detroit players to finish in double figures, with Jalen Duren adding 18 points and point guard Cade Cunningham scoring 16 points with 14 assists. The Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren dunks the ball during their NBA match against the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday. Photo: Rick Osentoski / Imagn ImagesJaylen Brown led the Celtics scoring with 32 points and almost snatched victory in the final seconds, his attempted buzzer-beater bouncing off the rim as Detroit clung on for a one-point victory. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 19 points while four Cavs players — Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson and De’Andre Hunter — all finished with 16 points apiece.

The breakthrough has galvanized China’s AI scene, despite hurdles posed by rivalry with the US, and fears of a global market bubble. Photo: AFP“It gave a lot of people confidence” that China’s AI community previously lacked, Wu said. Shi, the fund’s vice-president, described a “clear surge” in enthusiasm around Chinese AI and competition among investors since the DeepSeek shock. The logo of Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek is displayed in January last year over its mobile application in Beijing. Photo: AFPENGINEER DIVIDENDShares in two leading Chinese AI startups, Zhipu AI and MiniMax, soared on their market debuts in Hong Kong this month.

Man jailed for attempted bribery in bid to get information for ChinaStaff writer, with CNAA former employee of a Taiwanese airline was sentenced to six months in prison for attempting to bribe a Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) official to obtain classified information on behalf of Chinese intelligence, the Taiwan High Court ruled yesterday. The high court ruled that the man, surnamed Chiao (喬), was guilty of attempted bribery under the Anti-Corruption Act and sentenced him to six months in prison and ordered the confiscation of illicit gains totaling Chinese yuan 30,000 (about NT$136,339). Chiao declined to comment when approached by reporters after the ruling, saying only that he respected the court’s decision. The outlets also said the MAC research dealt with cross- strait flights or defense-related topics. In response to the verdict, the MAC said many of its research projects involve classified information and are frequently targeted by people seeking to obtain such material.

Library seeks reading photosBy Lee Jung-ping, Chang Tsung-chiu and William Hetherington / Staff reporters, with staff writerThe Taoyuan Public Library is holding a Lunar New Year-themed event to promote reading, inviting families to share photographs of “reading memories,” with the winning entries awarded limited-edition red envelopes. “Participants are invited to submit a photograph of their family reading together, along with a recommendation of a book suitable for family reading,” Shih said, adding that entries can be submitted on the Taoyuan Public Library Web site. Limited-edition Year of the Horse red envelopes designed by paper art creator Hung Hsin-fu are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Taipei TimesThe winners will get one of three styles of limited-edition Year of the Horse red envelope sets, he said. The top photos would earn a limited-edition notebook, and would be featured on the library’s Web site and video wall, he said.

Taiwan Lottery launches LNY scratch-offs with NT$20M top prizesStaff writer, with CNATaiwan Lottery Co yesterday launched five new scratch-off games to mark the Lunar New Year, featuring a top prize of NT$20 million (US $632,483). Total prize money exceeds NT$17.2 billion, with more than 7.97 million winning tickets, Taiwan Lottery President Hsieh Chih-hung (謝志宏) said. Photo: CNAThe company also unveiled four Year of the Horse- themed tickets for its 2026 lineup: "Golden Horse Jackpot (金馬獎)," "Golden Fortune Diamond (金好鑽)," "Golden Horse Brings Joy (金馬報喜)" and "Rolling Wealth (財源 滾滾)." Three additional new games "Golden Fortune Diamond," "Golden Horse Brings Joy" and "Rolling Wealth" also went on sale Tuesday, priced between NT$100 and NT$200. Taiwan Lottery has launched 10 new scratch-off games so far this year, with a total of 18 prizes of NT$10 million or more.

CAA hails air passenger resurgenceBEATING 2019 LEVELS: Demand in the Asia-Pacific region, new aircraft deliveries and new features at Taoyuan airport are expected to boost the air transport marketBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterTaiwan’s international air passenger volume is forecast to reach 62.34 million this year, which would surpass pre-COVID 19 pandemic levels, as airlines have expanded their fleets and the number of long weekends has increased, the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The number exceeds the 2,857 weekly international flights on the summer schedule last year and the 2,957 weekly flights in 2019, Ho said. People walk in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Taoyuan International Airport CorpTaiwan’s international air passenger volume was 58.33 million last year, while it was 59.92 million in 2019, CAA data showed. China Airlines and Starlux Airlines have launched direct flights between Taipei and Phoenix, Arizona, the CAA said.

Ex-Czech official calls for democratic resilienceCOUNTERING AUTOCRACY: Europe can learn from Taiwan’s wisdom in investing in resilience and building alliances, a former Czech lower house president saidBy Huang Ching-hsuang and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerFormer Czech Chamber of Deputies president Marketa Pekarova Adamova yesterday called for democratic resilience to counter sustained stress from autocratic regimes. President William Lai, right, and former Czech Chamber of Deputies president Marketa Pekarova Adamova pose for a photograph at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Presidential OfficeHighlighting the importance of resilience, Adamova said that building resilience depends on long-term vision and the courage of citizens. Separately yesterday, President William Lai (賴清德) bestowed one of Taiwan’s highest honors on Adamova in recognition of her contributions to deepening bilateral relations. Lai awarded Pekarova Adamova the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon at the Presidential Office in Taipei.