Halep earns injury comeback victory
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei returns to the US’ Coco Gauff in their Western & Southern Open women’s singles match in Mason, Ohio, on Tuesday. “It means a lot, I’m really happy to win. Romania’s Simona Halep reacts during her Western & Southern Open women’s singles match against Poland’s Magda Linette in Mason, Ohio, on Tuesday. Montreal champion Camila Giorgi fell 6-2, 6-2 in her opening match to Jessica Pegula in a re-run of the pair’s semi-final last Saturday in Canada. “I knew it would be tough, but I’m really happy — as much with the mindset as with the tennis,” Berrettini said.
Source:Taipei Times
August 18, 2021 15:56 UTC
Nissan debuts latest edition of Z sports car
Nissan debuts latest edition of Z sports carBloombergNissan Motor Co on Tuesday debuted the latest edition of its Z series coupe in New York, marking the seventh generation of a sports-car line that was introduced in 1969 as the Fairlady Z in Japan and the Datsun 240Z in the US. The new Z is the first refresh of the two-door platform in more than a decade and would be available for purchase next spring, Nissan said in a statement. Nissan Motor Co CEO Makoto Uchida poses for photographs at the company’s headquarters following a Bloomberg Television interview in Yokohama, Japan, on Aug. 3. Along with the Ariya and Z, updated iterations of Nissan’s Rogue, Pathfinder and Frontier are among the vehicles coming to market. The French company owns 43 percent of Nissan, while the Yokohama, Japan-based automaker has just 15 percent of Renault and no voting rights.
Source:Taipei Times
August 18, 2021 15:56 UTC
Agencies agree to retain day trading tax cut
Agencies agree to retain day trading tax cutStaff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of Finance, the Financial Supervisory Commission and the National Development Council on Tuesday night reached a consensus on extending the transaction tax cut for day trading for two or three years after it expires at the end of this year, local media reported yesterday. The three agencies will report the conclusion of their meeting to the Executive Yuan by the end of this month to finalize the extension plan, the reports said. The government cut the tax for day trading from 0.3 percent to 0.15 percent in 2017. The bellwether electronics sector yesterday also reversed earlier losses, giving an additional boost to the broader market, Huang said. Turnover was NT$417.49 billion (US$14.99 billion), with foreign institutional investors selling a net NT$2.24 billion of shares on the main board, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
August 18, 2021 15:56 UTC
Afghan turmoil shattering Paralympians’ dreams
Afghan turmoil shattering Paralympians’ dreamsReuters, TOKYOThe International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons yesterday said it was sad that Afghan athletes trapped in Kabul would not be able to compete in the Paralympic Games and heartbreaking to watch a female athlete’s video plea for help in reaching Tokyo. Amid the country’s ongoing turmoil, the Afghanistan Paralympic Committee on Monday said that two Afghan athletes would not be able to attend the Games, which start on Tuesday next week. By seeing what’s happening in Afghanistan and this is shattering the dreams of one of our athletes, it is really sad and it really breaks my heart,” Parsons said. Parsons added that the committee would work with the Afghan team to support her pursuing her dream again, including possibly competing at the games in Paris in 2024. “It’s something that goes way, way, way, way bigger than sports, and we are first concerned in Afghanistan as a nation and with the human beings, especially the female of that nation.
Source:Taipei Times
August 18, 2021 15:56 UTC
Jakobsen earns stage win a year after horrific crash
Jakobsen earns stage win a year after horrific crashAP, MOLINA DE ARAGON, SpainAbout a year ago, Fabio Jakobsen was on a hospital bed fighting for his life in an induced coma after a horrific crash at the Tour of Poland. On Tuesday, he was a stage winner again at a Grand Tour race, taking the lead in the final stretch of the closing sprint to win the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Espana. “After the crash, it was a long way back, but I’m happy I’m here.”Fabio Jakobsen, right, celebrates as he wins the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Espana in Molina de Aragon, Spain, on Tuesday. Photo: AFPRein Taaramae held on at the top of the overall standings despite crashing with a couple of kilometers to go. “It took a lot of time and a lot of efforts by a lot of people,” Jakobsen said.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 17:15 UTC
Thousands out of range of air-raid sirens: report
Thousands out of range of air-raid sirens: reportEDUCATION KEY: The affected areas have been told to rectify the situation, but one lawmaker said that people do not know where to find safety during an emergencyBy Aaron Tu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerAbout 350,000 people live in areas out of audible range of air-raid sirens, a National Audit Office report has found. The alarms are crucial for ensuring public safety in the event of an air attack or major natural disaster, it added. Photo: Tsai Tseng-hien, Taipei TimesThe National Police Agency’s Civil Defense Office completed a survey on Nov. 20 last year that used QGIS, an open-source geographic information system, to analyze the reach of the country’s 1,435 air-raid sirens. The office found that in 38 communities across Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Taichung, Kaohsiung and Hsinchu County, people were unable to hear air-raid sirens due to their distance from the nearest siren or other geographical factors. Before more sirens are installed, communities could rely on police sirens, school public address systems and community offices to assist in alerting community members, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
US opens Tesla Autopilot investigation
US opens Tesla Autopilot investigationAFP, NEW YORKUS safety officials opened a preliminary investigation into Tesla Inc’s Autopilot after identifying 11 crashes involving the driver assistance system, officials said on Monday. The agency “is committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety on the nation’s roadways” and to “better understand the causes of certain Tesla crashes, NHTSA is opening a preliminary evaluation into Tesla Autopilot systems,” a spokesperson said. The interior of a Tesla vehicle is pictured at a showroom in New York City on July 5, 2016. Photo: AFPTesla founder Elon Musk has defended the Autopilot system and the electric automaker warns that it requires “active driver supervision” behind the wheel. The Center for Auto Safety, a non-profit group, has pressed US officials since 2018 to bar the name “Autopilot,” viewing the moniker as deceptive.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
IN FOCUS: Taiwan to team up with smaller EU nations
Taiwan and the Czech Republic cooperate on the material sciences, smart agriculture, biotechnology and information security, he said. On Friday last week, Representative to Hungary Liu Shih-Chung (劉世忠) led a delegation to visit the testing facility, which is the biggest testing ground in Europe for self-driving vehicles. In 2019, Taiwan established its first closed testing ground for self-driving vehicles — called the Taiwan CAR (connected, autonomous and road-test) Lab — in Tainan, which is operated by the National Applied Research Laboratories. This year’s conference is to be hosted by Taiwan, but whether it is in person or virtual depends on the virus situation, Lin said. Precision medicine, including brain science, and space technology are priorities for the ministry, which would announce the projects soon, Lin added.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
Scent or nature
Afghanistan not a parallel with Taiwan: academicsENTIRELY DIFFERENT: Holmes Liao, formerly of the National Defense University, said that Afghan leaders are corrupt, while Taiwan has a stable democracy It is impossible to compare Taiwan with Afghanistan, academics said yesterday in response to claims that the US’ withdrawal proves that Taiwan cannot rely on US military assistance. Nearly two decades after the US took control of Kabul, the Taliban on Sunday swiftly retook control of the Afghan capital, prompting the nation’s president to flee. Critics have been quick to compare the situation to the fall of Saigon after the withdrawal of US troops during the Vietnam War, with some suggesting that the US’ track record bodes poorly for Taiwan’s chances in the event of an invasion by China. “Taiwan is not Afghanistan,”By Chen Yu-fu, Jason Pan and Kayleigh Madjar
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
The Liberty Times Editorial: Passive Taiwan stance risky for US
The Liberty Times Editorial: Passive Taiwan stance risky for USOn Aug. 5, the US Department of State approved the sale of US$750 million in weapons and equipment to Taiwan, including 40 155mm Paladin M109A6 self-propelled howitzers. In April, Biden sent an unofficial delegation to Taiwan, led by his close friend, former US senator Chris Dodd. At the same time that the Dodd delegation was visiting Taiwan, Washington was engaging with Beijing. The Biden administration seeks to reinforce interactions with democratic nations around the world and has emphasized the importance of mutual alliances, while also trying to maintain a balance. Taiwan’s security interests must not be affected by a US-China conflict.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Vaccines free of pig cells, CECC says
COVID-19: Vaccines free of pig cells, CECC saysTOO EARLY: The health minister said that a COVID-19 vaccination passport would not be introduced yet, because the nation’s vaccination rate is not high enoughBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterNone of the COVID-19 vaccines that have received emergency use authorization in Taiwan contain pig cells, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it reported four local and 14 imported COVID-19 cases, and zero deaths. “The COVID-19 vaccines being administered now and those that are about to be imported into Taiwan, including the AstraZeneca, Moderna, Medigen and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, all do not contain cells from pigs,” he said. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, who heads the Central Epidemic Command Center, reports four new local COVID-19 cases yesterday. On Monday, 49,152 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered, bringing the nation’s vaccination coverage to 39.21 percent, he said. Taipei and New Taipei City each reported two of the local cases, Chen said.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
TPP urges president to fulfill campaign pledge for youth
TPP urges president to fulfill campaign pledge for youthBy Wu Su-wei and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan People’s Party (TPP) lawmakers yesterday called on President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to fulfill her campaign pledge of giving young Taiwanese hope for a better future. TPP Legislator Andy Chiu (邱臣遠) said that none of Tsai’s campaign promises for young people, such as education, housing, employment and entrepreneurship support, have been realized. From 2016 to this year, the Youth Development Administration’s budget allocated NT$21.6 per young person per year on average, Chiu said. Taiwan People’s Party legislators Tsai Pi-ru, left, and Andy Chiu hold placards during a news conference at the Legislative Yuan yesterday, demanding that the government do more for young people. TPP Legislator Tsai Pi-ru (蔡壁如) said that salaries are not keeping up with the housing market and people are unable to sustain mortgage payments or save money.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
US soccer great Lloyd announces retirement
US soccer great Lloyd announces retirementReutersTwo-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Carli Lloyd, one of the greatest female soccer players ever to grace the game, has announced her retirement, US Soccer said on Monday. The 39-year-old Lloyd, who was twice named FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, became the second-most capped player in world soccer history (312) during a career that has also included two Olympic gold medals. “When I first started out with the national team in 2005, my two main goals were to be the most complete soccer player I could be and to help the team win championships,” Lloyd said. Photo: AFP“Every single day I stepped out onto the field, I played as if it was my last game,” Lloyd said. Lloyd is also to play the remainder of the National Women’s Soccer League 2021-2022 season with the NJ/NY Gotham club before calling time on her professional club career, which has spanned 12 years and six teams.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
Astros settle with girl hurt by foul ball
Astros settle with girl hurt by foul ballAP, HOUSTON, TexasThe Houston Astros have agreed to a settlement with the family of a two-year-old girl struck by a foul ball during a 2019 Astros game at Minute Maid Park, the family’s attorney said on Monday. Attorney Richard Mithoff said that the settlement terms with parents Jonathan David Scott and Alexandra Colchado were confidential. The girl, who is now four years old, sustained a skull fracture and brain injury, and has been on anti-seizure medication since the incident, Mithoff said. Her prognosis has been difficult to define, but her parents are hopeful about her chances for a normal life, he said. The girl’s injury was among the foul ball incidents that prompted all Major League Baseball teams to extend protective netting farther down the foul lines to protect fans.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC
Oil industry sues in the US over pause of drilling auctions
Oil industry sues in the US over pause of drilling auctionsReutersMajor US oil industry groups on Monday sued the administration of US President Joe Biden for halting drilling auctions on federal lands and waters this year, arguing that the government is required by law to hold regular sales. The American Petroleum Institute (API) and 11 other groups filed the lawsuit in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana. His administration in January paused drilling auctions pending a review of the program. Since then, the administration has been sued by oil-producing states and industry groups who say the pause is costing them jobs and revenue. At the time, Biden administration officials said that they would comply with the ruling, but have not moved to resume auctions.
Source:Taipei Times
August 17, 2021 15:56 UTC