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
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
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
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
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
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
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
North Korea warns of ‘arms race’
North Korea warns of ‘arms race’AFP, SEOULThe North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said a new US alliance in the Indo-Pacific and Washington’s recent submarine contract with Australia could trigger a “nuclear arms race” in the region. A ballistic missile is launched from a train in an undisclosed location in North Korea on Wednesday. The spate of missile tests and bumper defense deals in the Pacific have highlighted a regional arms race that is intensifying as a China-US rivalry grows. His administration’s relationship with North Korea has marked a change in tone from his predecessor, former US president Donald Trump, who engaged in an extraordinary diplomatic bromance with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The official added that North Korea “will certainly take a corresponding counteraction in case it has even a little adverse impact on the security of our country.”
Source:Taipei Times
September 20, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Vouchers open for thousands of foreigners: NIA
COVID-19: Vouchers open for thousands of foreigners: NIAEXPANDED COVERAGE: APRC holders, foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens and foreign diplomats can apply for vouchers starting on Sunday, the agency saidStaff writer, with CNAMore than 155,000 foreign nationals, mainly Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC) holders and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens, would be eligible to obtain the government’s Quintuple Stimulus Vouchers next month, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday. Premier Su Tseng-chang holds and points to specimens of the Quintuple Stimulus Vouchers at a news conference in Taipei on Wednesday last week. Photo: Wu Chih-lun, Taipei TimesRegistration to obtain the digital version of the vouchers would open tomorrow for Taiwanese citizens of all ages and eligible foreign nationals, it said. Eligible foreigners who have not yet obtained an NHI card can take their residency certificate to a post office to collect a printed version of the vouchers, starting on Oct. 8, it said. Once informed, the NIA would register them in the system as spouses of Taiwanese citizens so they can claim their vouchers, it added.
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
COVID-19: Hundreds warned about COVID-19 case
COVID-19: Hundreds warned about COVID-19 caseON ALERT: A woman who tested positive for COVID-19 while abroad last year tested negative twice in Taiwan before showing a positive result on Sunday, the center saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported two locally transmitted COVID-19 infections, four imported cases and no deaths. The CECC meanwhile warned nearly 500 people to monitor their health after a woman tested postive. She took an out-of-pocket test on Sunday in preparation to travel abroad and tested positive with a high CT value, he added. Genome sequencing on the virus sample from a previous case — case No. Chen said that 397 people who have been in contact with the airport worker have tested negative for COVID-19.
Source:Taipei Times
September 20, 2021 15:56 UTC
Evergrande fears hit Hong Kong stocks
Evergrande fears hit Hong Kong stocksVERGE OF COLLAPSE: Evergrande shares yesterday plunged about 17 percent, as did those of other property firms, leaving the Hang Seng down 3.3 percentAFP, HONG KONGFears of a contagion from the potential collapse of battered Chinese real-estate giant China Evergrande Group (恆大集團) yesterday sent property shares plunging in Hong Kong, with the firm expected to default on upcoming interest payments this week. An electronic screen displays stock figures for companies including China Evergrande Group in Hong Kong yesterday. Attention is now on the company’s repayments, with interest due on bank loans yesterday and two bonds on Thursday. Experts say the firm has more than 1 million units pre-paid by customers yet to be built, adding to the sense of dread among Chinese investors, many of them first-time buyers. “To what extent Evergrande slows the growth momentum remains unclear,” Strickland added.
Source:Taipei Times
September 20, 2021 15:56 UTC
Rakuten bets on 2% fixed-term deposit accounts
Rakuten bets on 2% fixed-term deposit accountsBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterRakuten International Commercial Bank Co (樂天國際商銀) on Friday announced that it would offer a relatively high interest rate of 2 percent for its fixed-term deposit accounts if clients deposit more than NT$20,000 at the Web-only bank, in a bid to enhance its competitive position in the Internet banking market. The annual interest rate of 2 percent would apply to three categories of monthly fixed-term deposits — NT$20,000, NT$50,000 and NT$100,000 — but the deposit rate would only be calculated once, when the deposits mature after one month, so the annual rate would be equivalent to a monthly rate of 0.167 percent, the bank said in a statement. After the fixed-term deposits mature, they would automatically become demand deposits and clients could then decide how to deal with them themselves, Rakuten Bank said. The Rakuten International Commercial Bank logo is displayed at the company’s headquarters in Taipei on March 4 last year. The monthly fixed-term deposit program marked Rakuten Bank’s latest effort to attract clients after it provided an annual deposit interest rate of 1 percent for deposits with a one-year maturity.
Source:Taipei Times
September 20, 2021 15:56 UTC