Opposition to ractopamine should be based on scientific evidence: experts
The debate over ractopamine has ceased to be a scientific discussion, but has become complicated by politics and international trade concerns, National Taiwan University Hospital toxicology professor Chiang Chih-kang (姜至剛) said. “For Taiwan, we have an even tougher standard for ractopamine. “The ractopamine issue is not an issue about food safety, because no pork containing ractopamine residue has been imported, so people have not eaten such pork,” TMA deputy secretary-general Lo Chun-hsuan (羅浚晅) said. The Dec. 18 referendums also touch on the issue of nuclear power versus other sources of energy, Wu said. “The government has implemented policies to protect the health and safety of our citizens, while keeping in mind the nation’s future development.
Source:Taipei Times
November 15, 2021 16:37 UTC
Intel to reward employees who bring female talent
Intel to reward employees who bring female talentStaff writer, with CNAIntel Taiwan is to reward employees who recommend female semiconductor talent as part of a global effort by the US-based company to diversify its workforce. Intel Taiwan’s “Rise 2030” project aims to double the number of female workers and those coming from multicultural backgrounds in ranking managerial positions, Wang said. Photo: Vanessa Cho, Taipei TimesThe company also aims to raise the percentage of female professionals to 40 percent during the 10-year project, she said. Worldwide, the percentage of female workers at Intel Corp rose by 0.4 percentage points over the past year to 27.8 percent, while that of ranking female managers grew by 0.8 percentage points to 21.1 percent, she said, adding that female technicians would account for 26 percent by the end of this year, up from 25.2 percent a year ago. Intel Taiwan has also been seeking to hire talent on university campuses across the nation, she said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 15, 2021 15:39 UTC
Slovenia’s Slokar wins first parallel slalom title
Slovenia’s Slokar wins first parallel slalom titleAP, LECH-ZURS, AustriaSlovenian skier Andreja Slokar on Saturday won the only women’s World Cup parallel slalom of the season, edging Thea Louise Stjernesund of Norway in the final of the floodlit event. It was the first career win for Slokar, whose previous best result was eighth in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, in March — the final slalom of last year. Slovenia’s Andreja Slokar competes in the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup women’s parallel slalom in Lech, Austria, on Saturday. Photo: AFP“For sure, it’s not the same as winning slalom or giant slalom, but I enjoyed it. The race had a knockout format as two competitors raced side by side on identical, shortened giant slalom courses.
Source:Taipei Times
November 15, 2021 05:35 UTC
Japanese-Korean-Turkish language group traced to farmers in ancient China
The findings detailed on Wednesday document a shared genetic ancestry for the hundreds of millions of people who speak what the researchers call Transeurasian languages across an area stretching more than 8,000km. The findings illustrate how humankind’s embrace of agriculture following the Ice Age powered the dispersal of some of the world’s major language families. Photo: ReutersThere are 98 Transeurasian languages. This language family’s beginnings were traced to Neolithic millet farmers in the Liao River valley, an area encompassing parts of the Chinese provinces of Liaoning and Jilin and the region of Inner Mongolia. “It is surprising to see that ancient Koreans reflect Jomon ancestry, which so far had only been detected in Japan,” Robbeets said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 15, 2021 04:15 UTC
India said to take forward-looking steps on crypto
India said to take forward-looking steps on cryptoBloombergIndia is planning progressive and forward-looking measures on issues related to cryptocurrencies, a move that could be a departure from its earlier attempts to restrict the use of virtual coins, people familiar with the matter have said. India has had a hot-and-cold relationship with digital currencies in the past few years. The Reserve Bank of India remains a critic, but is now working on a digital currency. It was highlighted that India should seek global partnerships and collective strategies on the issue, they said. India’s parliamentary panel on finance is scheduled to meet industry experts and associations on challenges and opportunities in cryptofinance today.
Source:Taipei Times
November 14, 2021 22:01 UTC
Notes from Central Taiwan: Taiwan: Not with a bang, but with a pamper
For the first time in its history, the working age population between 15 and 64 fell from census to census, declining 169,000 to 16.54 million. The number of people over 65 in Taiwan is now at 3.67 million, nearly 16 percent of the population. AGING IN TAIWANArticles on aging tend to focus on its effects on the health care system, but our growing elderly are going to transform every aspect of society. In Taiwan a decade ago, the proportion of children living with elderly parents was higher than in China, South Korea or Japan. In addition to the medical and social costs, the growing population of the elderly will affect defense arrangements.
Source:Taipei Times
November 14, 2021 16:27 UTC
Taiwan in Time: The dawn of Taiwan’s nuclear age
Taiwan’s first nuclear power plant. The First Nuclear Power Plant under construction. Then-president Chiang Kai-shek in 1970 visits the construction site of the First Nuclear Power Plant. When the Chernobyl accident happened in 1986, fears over the dangers of nuclear power reached a fever pitch. As for the First Nuclear Power Plant, both of its reactors were shut down after their 40-year operating license expired in 2018 and 2019.
Source:Taipei Times
November 14, 2021 02:28 UTC
Asian shares advance as inflation shock tapers off
Asian shares advance as inflation shock tapers offReutersAsian share prices advanced on Friday as a shock from a surprisingly strong US inflation reading ebbed, with investors hopeful that the worst price hikes could be soon over. The Hang Seng Index rose 0.3 percent to 25,327.97, while the China Enterprises Index gained 0.7 percent to 9,114.37. The Hang Seng Tech Index climbed 1.6 percent, with tech giants Meituan (美團) and Tencent Holdings Ltd (騰訊) up 2.6 percent and 1.6 percent respectively. Index heavyweights Meituan and Tencent shored up the Hang Seng Index, while Alibaba Group finished down 0.5 percent. The US consumer price index rose 6.2 percent year-on-year last month, the strongest advance since November 1990.
Source:Taipei Times
November 13, 2021 21:54 UTC
Couple’s dropped spying charges spark criticism
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday said that it would not indict the couple, citing a lack of evidence. Prosecutors said that the records did not show sufficient evidence of collaboration with Chinese intelligence, and that requests made to Chinese authorities for more information went unanswered. Lo said that prosecutors demonstrated a lack of professional judgement in requesting information from China on a case related to Chinese intelligence activity. “I would like to see the Ministry of Justice and the Judicial Yuan improve the way national security cases are handled,” Wang said. The judiciary should improve investigation processes for cases involving national security, science and technology, he added.
Source:Taipei Times
November 13, 2021 18:59 UTC
A taper tantrum could follow US inflation spike
Indeed, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said after the CPI report that it is “premature” to change the calculation about raising interest rates. Powell has made it clear that the central bank would not raise interest rates while it is still buying bonds. However, there is good reason to believe that such a move would unnerve people, potentially causing a taper tantrum. POLICYMAKERS SPLITRight now, policymakers are split between raising interest rates or leaving them unchanged next year. If that happens, look out for “Taper Tantrum 2.0.”Brian Chappatta is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering debt markets.
Source:Taipei Times
November 13, 2021 18:59 UTC
Brazil victory qualifies them for Qatar
Neymar on Thursday set up Lucas Paqueta in the 72nd minute to give Brazil a 1-0 win against Colombia in Sao Paulo. Photo: APThe top four teams in South America earn direct entry to the World Cup. Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta controls the ball during their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Colombia at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Thursday. Brazil replacement Matheus Cunha, left, and Colombia defender Davinson Sanchez at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Thursday vie for the ball during their South American qualification match for next year’s FIFA World Cup. Asked about the team’s future now that the spot in Qatar is sealed, Brazil coach Tite said he would seek “solidity, creativity, goals and victories” until the World Cup begins.
Source:Taipei Times
November 13, 2021 02:42 UTC
Alliance to boost Taiwan’s space industry profile
Alliance to boost Taiwan’s space industry profileBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterLawmakers yesterday established a Trans-Pacific Aerospace Parliamentary Alliance to deepen relations with Japan and other Asia-Pacific countries to consolidate the nation’s role in the global space economy. The alliance is chaired by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱), with New Power Party Legislator Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) and Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Ann Kao (高虹安) serving as deputy chairs. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chung Chia-pin, center front, other lawmakers and guests pose for a photo at the establishment of a Trans-Pacific Aerospace Parliamentary Alliance at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei TimesThe alliance aims to foster ties with countries having advanced space technology — such as Japan, South Korea and New Zealand — or emerging space economies such as Indonesia and Malaysia, he said. While the US did not want Taiwan to develop launch rockets a few decades ago, the trend has “changed somewhat,” as the global space industry has become increasingly commercialized, Chung said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 13, 2021 02:41 UTC
Badosa scores upset; Taiwan’s Hsieh wins
Badosa scores upset; Taiwan’s Hsieh winsAP, GUADALAJARA, MexicoTaiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and partner Elise Mertens on Thursday won their opening match in the doubles at the WTA Finals, while in the singles, Paula Badosa started off slowly, but won 10 games in a row to upset top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0. Paula Badosa of Spain returns against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their match at the WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFESabalenka, who won titles in Abu Dhabi and Madrid this season, is the first seed in Mexico because world No. Hsieh and Mertens won 68 of the 120 points — with 41 winners on their own serve — and saved two of the three break points they played. “First group win in the pocket,” Hsieh wrote on Facebook shortly after the match.
Source:Taipei Times
November 12, 2021 21:57 UTC
Evidence lacking to charge China executives
Evidence lacking to charge China executivesStaff writer, with CNATwo executives from a Hong Kong company believed to have conspired with Chinese intelligence agents will not be charged with breaching the National Security Act (國家安全法) due to a lack of evidence, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday. Although Xiang and Kung were released days after their arrest, they have since been barred from leaving Taiwan pending further investigation into the allegations. In the course of the investigation into Guotai, the indictment said, Chinese police interviewed Xiang in Hong Kong on Aug. 9, 2016. Ten days later, Xiang and Kung traveled to Taiwan, where they each opened personal bank accounts. After returning to Hong Kong, Xiang and Kung transferred HK$203 million from company accounts into their joint accounts at two Hong Kong banks, prosecutors said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 12, 2021 19:00 UTC
Investors leaving stock market amid uncertainty
Investors leaving stock market amid uncertaintyBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterThe number of local stock investors last month declined for the third consecutive month to 2.94 million, attributable to a plunge in local stock prices and uncertainty over the US’ monetary policy, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed. The number of investors peaked at 3.86 million in May, but fell to 3.34 million in June following a local outbreak of COVID-19, the data showed. With fewer investors, stock market turnover has more than halved from NT$12.38 trillion (US$444.75 billion) in July to NT$5.9 trillion last month, the data showed. As the US Federal Reserve might update its monetary policy, investors have started acting more conservatively on the local stock market, which is susceptible to the volatility of the US financial market, a stock exchange official said. Some investors might have held back due to the plunge in the TAIEX in the middle of last month, the official added.
Source:Taipei Times
November 12, 2021 19:00 UTC