Chinese spouse sentenced to 8 years for forming ‘united front’ groupsBy Pao Chien-hsin and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Kaohsiung branch of the High Court today sentenced a Chinese spouse to eight years in prison for creating immigrant associations sponsored by Chinese “united front” groups, overturning its previous acquittal after the Supreme Court remanded the case for a retrial. The court sentenced Zhou Manzhi (周滿芝) to eight years for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法). Photo: CNAAs chair of the Taiwan New Residents Care Association, Zhou was accused of acting under the direction of Chinese organizations — including the Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association — to develop organizations in Taiwan. She was a member of the Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association and the China Patriotic Volunteer Association, civilian groups commissioned by the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, the High Court said. Prosecutors then suspected Zhou of forming “united front” organizations and transferred the case to the Kaohsiung High Prosecutors’ Office, as it fell under second-instance jurisdiction.

NET recalls clothing line after copyright accusationBy Hollie Younger / Staff writerFast fashion retailer NET today said it has removed controversial items from its shelves, after a content creator accused the company of infringing copyright by using their design of a cartoon Taiwanese leopard cat without permission. NET has since apologized and said it has removed all clothing featuring the disputed image from its stores. Creator Hug Taiwan Leo (石虎抱抱) on Sunday said on Facebook that fans had contacted them to congratulate them on what they believed was a collaboration with NET. An image of a shirt sold by NET is pictured alongside a cartoon created by Hug Taiwan Leo. Images of Hug Taiwan Leo were first uploaded in 2014 and remain available as a sticker set on Line, they said.

Strong cold front triggers low-temperature alertsStaff writer, with CNACold air from China is moving south across Taiwan, prompting the Central Weather Administration (CWA) to issue a low-temperature alert for northern and outlying areas from today through Friday. Photo courtesy of the Central Weather AdministrationThe agency said an orange low-temperature alert has been issued for New Taipei City, Keelung, Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu County. An orange low-temperature alert is issued when the minimum temperature in low-lying areas falls below 6°C, or drops below 10°C while remaining under 12°C for 24 consecutive hours. Meanwhile, a yellow alert has been issued for Miaoli County and Kinmen County, the CWA said. A yellow alert indicates that the minimum temperature in low-lying areas is expected to fall below 10°C.

Trade deal to help firms expand footprint in US: vice premierBy Fion Khan / Staff writer, with agenciesThe “Taiwan model” trade agreement reached with Washington is not about relocating supply chains, but expanding industrial capabilities in the US, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said today. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesThe two sides are expected to sign a reciprocal trade agreement in the coming weeks, completing the “final mile” of the negotiations, she said. Taiwan has also secured preferential treatment for products including auto parts, wooden furniture and aviation components, she said, describing these as significant benefits for suppliers. The agreements cover tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers, trade facilitation, economic security, labor protections, environmental safeguards and business opportunities, as well as two-way investment, she said. "In the past we said: 'Taiwan can help,'" Cheng said, referring to Taiwan's efforts to help the international community during the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises.

Six TPP lawmakers to end term on Feb. 1By Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNASix Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) lawmakers including party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) are to step down from their legislative positions on Feb. 1 in accordance with party rules limiting legislators-at-large to two-year terms, the Legislative Yuan’s Personnel Department said today. Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang is pictured at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei in an undated photograph. This is in line with the TPP’s “two-year clause” requiring legislators-at-large to step down halfway through their four-year term to enable more TPP members to serve as lawmakers. All eight current TPP lawmakers are at-large legislators. Liu Shu-pin assumed office as a legislator on March 14 last year, so her term has not yet reached two years.

Taiwanese man wrongly detained in Abu Dhabi returns homeStaff writer, with CNAA Taiwanese man who was wrongly detained while transiting through Abu Dhabi International Airport on Nov. 24 last year returned to Taiwan on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Yunlin County resident surnamed Chen (陳) was traveling with his wife, surnamed Yang (楊), who reported the incident to Taiwan's representative office in Dubai the following day. A Taiwanese man surnamed Chen, left, who was detained while transiting Abu Dhabi, and his wife are pictured on Nov. 24 last year. Chen and his wife visited the Legislative Yuan today to thank Chang and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) for their assistance. Chen also expressed gratitude to Taiwan's representative office in Dubai for its support.

Solar activity could impact power grids, radios for 36 hoursStaff writer, with CNAA geomagnetic disturbance is expected to affect Earth for about 36 hours and could briefly reach the level of a severe geomagnetic storm, the Space Weather Operational Office said today. Aurora may be visible in regions around geomagnetic latitude 40° during the period of geomagnetic disturbance, the office said. Photo courtesy of the Space Weather Operational OfficeThe solar event passed through the near-Earth space environment early today, resulting in a marked increase in solar wind speed and density in interplanetary space. The disturbance is expected to last about 36 hours, and its maximum intensity could briefly reach the level of a severe geomagnetic storm, the office said. The geomagnetic disturbance could lead to abnormally increased line current, inability to use high-frequency radio communication, anomalies in low-frequency radio communication and satellite positioning errors, it said.

Jaw Shau-kong given suspended sentence for displaying ballotStaff writer, with CNAMedia personality and politician Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康) has been given a suspended sentence on charges related to his display of a marked ballot during a recall vote in July last year. Broadcasting Corp of China chairman Jaw Shaw-kong shows his recall ballot to reporters at a polling location in Taipei on July 26. The court has yet to release the full ruling explaining how it determined Jaw's guilt and decided on a sentence. Jaw, a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker and government minister, was indicted by Taipei prosecutors in November for displaying his marked ballot to reporters at a polling station in Taipei's Daan District (大安). He was casting a ballot in one of several votes on July 26 last year that sought to recall various KMT lawmakers and one city mayor.

TPP’s Huang accused of confidentiality rule breachBy Huang Ching-hsuan and Jason Pan / Staff reportersDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday condemned Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), saying he breached the rules by leaving a legislative committee meeting with classified materials on the military budget. The Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee held a confidential meeting yesterday morning, during which Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) reported on the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.57 billion) special defense budget. “It was fortunate that we realized what was happening and were able to get Huang to return the documents,” DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said. Huang said that after leaving the meeting, he realized he had accidentally mixed in confidential materials with other documents. Huang has been a legislator for some years, so his claim that he had accidentally taken classified materials out of a secret meeting is hard to believe, she said.

Six-year-old flood survivor thanks rescuersBy Lo Hsin-chen and Jason Pan / Staff reportersA six-year-old girl pulled from a flooded home during last year’s devastating Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) flood yesterday thanked the search-and-rescue team who saved her. At a Firefighter’s Day ceremony in Pingtung County, the girl, nicknamed Hsiao-yi (小沂), told her rescuers she wanted to become a firefighter when she grows up. Hsiao-yi, center, holding a teddy bear over her face, poses with firefighters Lin Kai-cheng, right, and Hung Po-hsuan at an event in Pingtung County yesterday. Photo: Lo Hsin-chen, Taipei TimesPingtung’s special search-and-rescue team from the county’s Bureau of Fire Emergency Services were among the first outside of Hualien to respond, rescuing 64 people, including Hsiao-yi. Video of the scene, which went viral online, showed the rescuers breaking through the roof to pull the girl out of the house.

Man arrested as suspect in killing of parentsBy Lu Yun-feng / Staff reporterA man surnamed Liao (廖) was arrested in New Taipei City last night on suspicion of killing his elderly parents on Saturday. Witnesses said that the suspect was seen leaving his parents’ house in a hurry shortly after 9am on Saturday, police said. A man surnamed Liao, center, is escorted by police in New Taipei City last night for questioning after his parents were found dead in their home on Sunday. Photo: Lu Yun-feng, Taipei TimesThe father, 67, was stabbed 24 times, with the most severe injuries to his neck and hands, and each wound deep enough to reach the bone, police said. At about 6pm yesterday, Liao was arrested by patrolling officers in Sinjhuang District (新莊).

Taiwan helping immigrants with writing systemStaff writer, with CNAThe government understands the need for educational support for “new immigrants,” Minister of Education Cheng Ying- yao (鄭英耀) said yesterday, following media reports about a complaint on having to use traditional Chinese characters. “New immigrants” is a legal term that refers to foreign, including Chinese, nationals approved for long-term residence in Taiwan, whether through marriage or other residency categories. A woman from China married to a Taiwanese posted online that writing traditional Chinese characters was “bothersome,” local media outlets reported. Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei TimesThe woman expressed hope that Taiwan’s “reunification” with China would allow the use of simplified Chinese characters, they reported. Traditional Chinese characters are Taiwan’s official writing system, and the Ministry of Education has long worked with local government education bureaus to help children of immigrants and foreign students adapt to learning and daily life in Taiwan, he said.

KMT asks Cabinet to submit impact reportQUESTIONS: The Cabinet must also answer where funding would come from, and how it plans to deal with the impacts and safeguard the competitiveness of the chip industryBy Lin Hsin-han / Staff reporterThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday demanded that the Executive Yuan submit a comprehensive industry impact assessment regarding a US$500 billion investment plan in the US. The KMT caucus also demanded that the Executive Yuan answer three questions, and submit the full details of the negotiations to the Legislative Yuan for formal review and oversight. Third is to explain how the deal would impact SMEs, traditional industries and domestic job opportunities, as well as how it plans to deal with the impacts. KMT Deputy Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said the US$500 billion investment by Taiwan in the US semiconductor industry is equivalent to more than 60 percent of the nation’s annual GDP. KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) urged the government to address the impact of the massive investment, as it should not crowd out domestic investment.

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

Holiday hotel booking highest in ChiayiSPEND LOCAL: Domestic travel spending reached NT$515.8 billion in 2024, a more than 30 percent increase from 2019, and is expected to continue growing this yearBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterChiayi City, Miaoli County and Tainan have higher average hotel booking rates during the Lunar New Year holiday than other administrative regions, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The average hotel booking rate nationwide is 38.33 percent. Photo courtesy of the Alishan HotelAll three regions usually have higher booking rates during the holiday, with Chiayi also receiving tourists visiting Alishan Forest Railway and other areas, the agency said. The average rates also exceeded the national average in New Taipei City, Taichung, and Nantou, Chiayi and Taitung counties. Hotel booking rates in most cities and counties are higher from Feb. 17 to Feb. 19, agency data showed.