Kaohsiung library hosts a lecture with dogs allowed
Kaohsiung library hosts a lecture with dogs allowedBy Huang Hsu-lei and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerPet dogs on Sunday were permitted into the Kaohsiung Public Library for the first time, marking what the organizers called an important step toward a more animal-friendly society. Illustrator Lee Chin-lun speaks at an event at the Kaohsiung Public Library on Sunday last week to promote “reading therapy dogs.” Photo: Huang Hsu-lei, Taipei TimesSince 2016, the Mitaka City Library in Tokyo has offered reading therapy dogs, a service inspired by efforts in the US, Kaohsiung Public Library director Lin Yi-cheng (林奕成) said. It was the first time pets were allowed into the Kaohsiung library, offering readers a novel experience and representing an important step toward realizing a society more friendly to animals, Lin said. However, the library said that it does not mark a change in policy, as animals are generally still not allowed in the building. Hearing Lee Chin-lun speak helped them better understand the deep connection between dogs and humans, they said, adding that hopefully the library would admit dogs again.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Five imported cases reported
COVID-19: Five imported cases reportedSTUDENTS SAY YES: Surveys showed that more than 94 percent of high-school students in Taipei and New Taipei City intend to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccineBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported five imported cases of COVID-19 and no new locally transmitted cases or deaths. “We are happy to see zero new local cases today, but we also observed the daily case counts for the whole month of August,” Chen said. “Aside from a few days in which about eight or nine local cases were reported in a cluster of infections, the daily case count of local infections remained below five,” he said. “We will need to collect more data to determine whether actions such as these have affected the local COVID-19 situation,” he added. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesperson, said surveys show that COVID-19 vaccination intention rates among high-school students are above 94 percent.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Pilot shortage looms as next challenge for airlines
Pilot shortage looms as next challenge for airlinesBloombergAfter being thrust into crisis by COVID-19, the aviation industry faces yet more trouble as the world emerges from the worst of the pandemic to find there is likely to be a shortage of pilots after thousands were laid off or decided to retire. Alpha Aviation has trained more than 2,500 pilots for carriers including Philippine Airlines, AirAsia Group, Cebu Pacific Air Inc and Air Arabia. Modern, longer-distance narrow-body aircraft such as Airbus SE’s A321 XLR jets — due to be delivered from 2023 — are to require more pilots than earlier models, compounding the shortage, Choudhrie said from London. “Airlines are going to continue to buy, modernize their fleets, and as they do that, they are going to require pilots,” he said. Airlines typically order aircraft years in advance given the limited production capacity of plane manufacturers.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
MediaTek maintains its No. 4 worldwide ranking
MediaTek maintains its No. Sales of MediaTek chips for mobile devices soared 143 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, while its products for other gadgets saw a double-digit percentage growth in sales, Trendforce said. MediaTek Inc’s logo is pictured at its headquarters in the Hsinchu Science Park in an undated photograph. Global sales of driver ICs for flat panels jumped 81 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, TrendForce said. Taiwan-based computer network IC designer Realtek Semiconductor Corp (瑞昱) ranked ninth globally, with sales of US$834 million, up 44.0 percent from a year earlier, TrendForce said.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Memories stirred by quake data
Photo courtesy of the New Taipei City Public Works DepartmentEven after 22 years, the quake remains a horrifying memory for many Taiwanese, the bureau said. The quake was later identified to have been triggered by the movement of the Chelungpu Fault (車籠埔斷層), leaving a 105km-long surface rupture in central Taiwan, the bureau said. “We started developing the earthquake early warning system in the 1990s. By 1999, the system was able to locate an epicenter about 102 seconds after a quake occurred,” the bureau said. “After the 921 Earthquake, we further upgraded the system by installing more quake detectors across the nation and off the coast, and applying cutting-edge computing technology.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Robinhood testing crypto features wanted by users
Robinhood testing crypto features wanted by usersBloombergRobinhood Markets Inc is testing a new cryptowallet and cryptocurrency transfer features for its app, a long-awaited move that will make it easier for customers to send and receive digital currencies like bitcoin. Evidence of the company’s work on such features has appeared in a beta version of its iPhone app. Robinhood customers would also have the ability to set up two-factor authentication to use the feature. Users will need to activate crypto sending and receiving, and the enrollment page will require an identity check. Code hidden in beta versions of the Robinhood app has previously been a harbinger of new features.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
French senators planning to visit Taiwan: ministry
French senators planning to visit Taiwan: ministryStaff writer, with CNAA delegation of French senators is planning to visit Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday, without providing any further details. The ministry was responding to a report in French media that the delegation, to be led by French Senator Alain Richard, head of the French Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, would visit Taiwan from Oct. 4 to 11. Other members of the delegation would include French senators Max Brisson and Andre Vallini, both vice presidents of the friendship group, as well as French Senator Olivier Cadic, the group’s secretary, French online media outlet La Lettre A reported. French Senator Alain Richard is pictured in an undated photograph. Richard had wanted to visit Taiwan as early as March.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
China must be kept out of CPTPP
China must be kept out of CPTPPBy Liu Ming-te 劉明德On Thursday, China applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — a regional economic organization whose 11 member countries have a combined GDP of US$11 trillion. China says there are two main reasons: To consolidate its foreign trade and foreign investment base, and to fast-track economic and trade relations between China and member countries of the CPTPP free-trade area. If China joins the CPTPP, it would gain another chain with which to bind these countries and consolidate its initiative. If China joined the CPTPP, the other member countries’ systematic economic dependence on China would deepen, and even Australia would be unable to resist. Joining the CPTPP is another step in China’s strategic expansion, so Japan and Australia must find a way to stop it.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Universal Music shares climb in IPO
A family walks past the Universal Music Group headquarters building in Santa Monica, California, on Feb. 9. Although Vivendi retained a chunk of Universal Music, it is looking to focus more on TV, advertising and publishing. Universal Music, like its rivals Warner Music Group Corp and Sony Music Entertainment, was once threatened by music piracy, but profits have soared in the age of streaming. It is home to many of the world’s biggest music stars, from Lady Gaga to Kanye West to Metallica. A prospectus for the IPO said UMG’s three main operating businesses are recorded music, music publishing and advertising, but that it is also expanding into areas such as live events, livestreaming, film, television and podcasts.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Tsai in meeting with Takaichi touts closer cooperation
Tsai in meeting with Takaichi touts closer cooperationStaff writer, with CNAPresidential Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has expressed the hope that Taiwan and Japan could cooperate more closely in a conversation with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker and former Japanese minister of internal affairs and communications Sanae Takaichi, who is vying to become her nation’s first female prime minister. Japanese lawmaker Sanae Takaichi, a candidate in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, is pictured on a videoconference with President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday. Takaichi wrote on Twitter that she had a virtual dialogue with “Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen” on Monday evening, which proceeded smoothly with the help of translators. The Japanese lawmaker said that she was eager to hold the meeting to discuss how to deepen security ties and expand pragmatic exchanges between Japan and Taiwan. Takaichi on Twitter posted a picture of the Japanese and Taiwanese national flags hanging on the wall of the venue where she held the online meeting with Tsai.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
Environmental Impact Assessment: Could energy from tides and ocean currents power Taiwan?
Environmental Impact Assessment: Could energy from tides and ocean currents power Taiwan? In recent decades, scientists and engineers have been devising and testing hardware that can convert tidal and ocean-current energy into electricity. Unfortunately, Taiwan has very few bays or fjords suitable for tidal power plants, and weather patterns rule out the construction of Rance-type barrages across estuaries. Researchers say the waters around Yilan have potential for ocean-current energy. “In these places, tidal power systems may not therefore survive if a typhoon hits,” Kehr says.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
EDITORIAL: Disability rights during a pandemic
EDITORIAL: Disability rights during a pandemicThe National Human Rights Commission last week released its second report on Taiwan’s implementation of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting a number of issues that need work. It is crucial to address these issues while the pandemic lingers, instead of just hoping that things will soon return to normal. For example, less than 3 percent have made use of the community disability services provided by the government. These are all issues that need to be tackled comprehensively across various departments; otherwise, more people will fall through the cracks as the pandemic rages on. Greater effort must be made to allow people with disabilities to voice their needs so that real change can be made.
Source:Taipei Times
September 21, 2021 15:56 UTC
CNA must stop using ‘mainland’
China’s “one China” says that “Taiwan is part of China.” This is a false statement aimed at legitimizing China’s idea of annexing Taiwan. The KMT’s “one China” says that “the Republic of China (ROC) is China.” That is nothing but a daydream. Unfortunately, this kind of “one China” statement is having a huge negative impact on the international community, including my home country, Japan. For this reason, I have for many years requested that the Japanese media stop using “mainland” to refer to Taiwan. However, one media outlet still insists on using the phrase “the Chinese mainland,” and that is the Central News Agency’s (CNA) Japanese news service.
Source:Taipei Times
September 20, 2021 16:02 UTC
Jackson outduels Mahomes as Ravens edge Chiefs
Jackson outduels Mahomes as Ravens edge ChiefsAFP, LOS ANGELESLamar Jackson on Sunday rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens edged Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs 36-35 in a clash of former NFL Most Valuable Players. The Ravens also rebounded from a frustrating season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Nevada on Monday last week. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens flips into the end zone for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in their NFL game in Baltimore, Maryland, on Sunday. Mahomes passed for 343 yards and three touchdowns, but threw the first September interception of his career. Elsewhere, Tom Brady tossed five touchdown passes and Mike Edwards returned two fourth-quarter interceptions for scores as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 48-25.
Source:Taipei Times
September 20, 2021 15:56 UTC
Prince Charles met with Taiwanese fugitive: report
Prince Charles met with Taiwanese fugitive: reportThe Guardian, with staff writerBritish newspaper The Mail on Sunday reported that Prince Charles met with Bruno Wang (汪家興), a Taiwanese fugitive who describes himself as a Chinese philanthropist and donated ￡500,000 (US$683,522) to the prince’s charity, the Prince’s Foundation. Photo: Chien Li-chung, Taipei TimesLeus was likewise accused of money laundering and made a donation of ￡500,000 to the foundation. The Russian banker reportedly received two invitations to private events at Charles’ royal residences in Scotland, allegedly secured by Bortrick. In the summer last year, Charles, 72, and Bortrick, 48, met at the Castle of Mey, the late queen mother’s former home in Caithness, the newspaper reported. Weeks before the meeting, Bortrick had brokered a six-figure donation to the charity from Leus in exchange for a meeting with the prince, the newspaper reported.
Source:Taipei Times
September 20, 2021 15:56 UTC