Fifth wave of plum rains to bring heavy rains over weekend

Fifth wave of plum rains to bring heavy rains over weekend

2023-06-08

Another plum rain front is on its way. It will close in starting this Friday, bringing rains that intensify over the weekend. All parts of Taiwan could be in for extremely heavy rain. Although the front will head eastward next week, it will be followed by a low-pressure zone that ushers in another wave of rain. Let’s hear from a forecaster.

Chao Hung
CWB forecaster
As the front makes a gradual approach, humidity levels are also gradually rising, causing weather conditions islandwide to become increasingly unstable. Rainfall is expected nationwide, especially in the north and northeast. By June 10 and 11, which is the weekend, the front will be closest to Taiwan. After June 12, the front in the north of Taiwan will gradually weaken as Typhoon Guchol tracks north. After June 12, Taiwan will mainly be under the influence of a low-pressure zone, with greater humidity brought by a cloud system from southern China. Toward the end this will likely lead to rains, including heavy rains.

Forecasters say a low-pressure zone will approach starting Sunday, bringing abundant moisture. If that’s combined with strong southwesterly winds, there could be consecutive days of rainfall – enough to replenish many dry reservoirs. But the forecaster warns that the heavy rains could also cause natural disasters in the south and western half of the island.

第五波梅雨鋒面週五接近全台雨神同行

2023-06-08

梅雨鋒面又要來了。週五開始接近，全台天氣趨於不穩定，加上週末兩天鋒面最靠近，雨區擴大，雨勢也加大，各地都得嚴防豪雨。下週雖然鋒面東移，但隨之而來的是，今年的第三號颱風谷超，雖然對台灣沒有直接衝擊，但受到低壓帶影響，和台灣南方水氣增加，又將帶來一波雨勢。

[[中央氣象局預報員趙竑]]
“鋒面逐漸在靠近台灣附近，水氣也慢慢變多，各地天氣會變得越來越不穩定，各地都有降雨的狀況，尤其是北部和東北部地區，到了10號，11號，也就是周末兩天，鋒面是離我們台灣最近的，到12號之後，鋒面因為受到谷超颱風慢慢北移的影響，在台灣附近北方的這個鋒面是有逐漸在減弱的狀況，12號之後主要是以低壓帶的影響機會是比較大一點點的，到後期南方水氣都是比較多，可能後面比較容易有強降雨或是降雨情況出現”

氣象專家彭啟明也在粉專分析，周日開始西南季風環境下的低壓帶接近，水氣多，如配合旺盛西南風，將有持續性的數日連續降雨，雨量足以把好幾個月的缺水一周內補完，對南部或西半部都會是相當大的降雨壓力，也是容易致災的天氣類型。

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Chimei Museum is bustling early in the morning. Staff try to maintain order as a group of special guests arrives.

Visiting Tainan is AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger, accompanied by Vice President Lai Ching-te. As the former mayor of the city, Lai led Rosenberger on a tour. The AIT chair is visiting Taiwan for the second time in two months, amid speculation that the U.S. hopes to “screen” the presidential candidates.

The night before meeting Lai, Rosenberger sat with the KMT’s candidate Hou Yu-ih. The two met at New Taipei City Hall and took a train together to Pingxi, where they had dinner and released a sky lantern. On the lantern, Hou wrote a wish for more Taiwan-U.S. exchanges and a lasting friendship. Rosenberger wrote: A hearts T, U.S.-Taiwan exchange.” And with that, the only candidate left to see is Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party.

Ko Wen-je
TPP chair
After I go back to Taiwan tonight, I’ll be spending two days in Kaohsiung. If she wants to meet, I think we’ll have to ask her to travel to Kaohsiung. All the matters to be discussed were already discussed when I met her in Washington last month. The U.S. Department of State and the National Security Council have been very clear that this upcoming election, they will remain neutral. They only hope that no matter who is elected, there are no surprises. I said there’d be no problem. At the time I assured her that Taiwan-U.S. relations would not change, no matter who the ruling party is.

Ko had visited the U.S. for 21 days in April. Sources indicate Lai may transit in the U.S. in August, and that Hou may visit in September. In the 2024 election, each candidate’s relationship with Washington is looming as a central issue.

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TPP’s Ko Wen-je sets up campaign base in Japan

Over in Japan, Taiwan People’s Party Chair Ko Wen-je has set up his first overseas campaign base. He’s also addressed the delicate issue of who holds sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands.

Here in an alley in Tokyo, Taiwan People’s Party Chair Ko Wen-je unveiled a plaque marking his party’s first overseas office.

Ko Wen-je
TPP chair
I am very thankful to all my passionate supporters here for establishing this preparatory office for my friendship group, and for expanding my overseas support network.

Pi Hsiang
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On his last day in Japan, Ko Wen-je attended the founding ceremony of a preparatory office for his friendship group. It’s a significant event for the party, as it is the TPP’s first overseas headquarters.

Hsieh Ming-chu
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There will be Ko Wen-je friendship groups everywhere in the future, and support groups will bloom everywhere. This is just the start.

One day before the ceremony, Ko was interviewed by NHK. He was asked the delicate question of which country has sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands. Ko replied that Taiwanese fishers did not want to claim the islands for Taiwan. They only want to fish near them, he said.

Issuing a statement in response, Hou Yu-ih’s campaign office said that heads of state should do all they can to protect their territory and defend their nation’s sovereignty, without making concessions. The KMT campaign office said that, amid the unresolved territorial dispute, the fisheries agreement that the Ma administration had signed with Japan should be implemented more proactively, to prevent disruption to the activities of Taiwanese fishermen.

Ko Wen-je
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First we should resolve the problems of our fishermen. As for the controversial dispute, that can be dealt with gradually. It’s as simple as that. You’ve all been solving the problems of Su’ao fishermen for so many years now. And suddenly it all becomes a whole thing about national sovereignty. So what have you been doing all this time?

Ko pushed back at Hou’s criticism. With his party’s expanding overseas, the presidential election is heating up.

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Frame drum masters take the stage, performing "Elements." Each percussionist represents a different element: land, water, air, and fire.

A frame drum is a term for any drum with a drumhead that’s wider than it is deep. It’s one of the first musical instruments ever invented. Murat Coskun from Germany, Glen Velez from the U.S., Andrea Piccioni from Italy, and Zohar Izhak Fresco from Israel will perform in Taiwan on June 9 and June 11.

Glen Velez
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The frame drum goes back to the ancient Biblical lands of the Middle East. That is the earliest representations of the frame drums. There are pictures of women playing frame drums in groups and people playing the frame drum with with harps and with flutes.

Murat Coskun
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Everyone should imagine their own which was which element. We don’t want to say Andrea is the fire or whatever. It is up to you, the listener that they have their own fantasy.

Zohar Izhak Fresco
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The heartbeat and the musical beat is always with us. Was with us and will be with us. That is the meaning of "Chai Peimot.”

Andrea Piccioni
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In Italy, this instrument exists since 4,000. This is for example, made out of the olive tree. The language of music is really connecting everybody very easily.

In addition, the National Chinese Orchestra of Taiwan and Taiwanese frame drummer Huang Hsin-hui will perform a piece by Taiwanese composer Chang Yung-chin. It combines the styles of samba, Muqam, and traditional Peking opera.

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We invited four frame drum masters from around the world. The National Chinese Orchestra helped them rewrite different jazz, modern, and traditional songs to showcase the fusion of frame drums and Chinese orchestra.

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Western music and Chinese music have different structures, so their sounds also achieve different effects.

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Commuters head to the office for their nine-to-five. Earlier this year, a petition with more than 5,700 signatures called for Taiwan to become the first in Asia to have a three-day weekend. The labor ministry convened labor unions, business groups, academics, and several other ministries for a review of the proposal. All parties agreed that the idea was promising, but that Taiwan’s severe labor shortage meant it would be impossible to implement.

Member of public
It should be possible to get all your work done in four days. An extra day off shouldn’t make much of a difference. Other countries can do it and Taiwan should be able to as well.

Member of public
You have to work to have production. If Taiwan’s service industry were more dominant than other industries, then it would be doable.

Member of public
It’s not quite feasible. If workers had three days off, then nearby businesses wouldn’t need to open, and their operating costs would go up. If wages don’t go up to compensate for that, it would lead indirectly to inflation.

Huang Wei-chen
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A three-day weekend would affect people’s routines in many different domains of life.

Officials said a three-day weekend would force adjustments to school curriculums and vacation schedules. It would also raise the labor costs of medical facilities and affect supply chains and agricultural logistics. The Financial Supervisory Commission estimates that, with stock turnover averaging NT$200 billion a day, one fewer trading day a week would cause a NT$30 billion annual loss in transaction taxes.

Huang Wei-chen
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If there’s the opportunity to do so, employees and employers themselves can negotiate over scheduling – that’s a way to go about it. Do it on a case-by-case basis. At present, the Labor Standards Act has room for labor and employer to negotiate this.

The committee’s decision against the three-day weekend will be formally announced on June 26. Officials stressed that according to existing laws, a company can offer a three-day weekend to staff, so long as both parties agree.

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Coastlines, seascapes and the ocean floor. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the documentary “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above.” The Chi Po-lin Foundation held a press conference on Thursday to announce a third installment to the series. Entertainer Mickey Huang is a spokesperson for the film.

Mickey Huang
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My greatest regret in life is not having had an in-depth interview with Director Chi. But I won’t let this regret weigh me down. I’ll take action to support all the events related to the film series.

Ten years ago, the original “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above” hit the silver screen to widespread acclaim. Just a few years later, its director Chi Po-lin died in a helicopter crash during the filming, putting a sequel project on hold. To realize Chi’s dream and keep his spirit alive, the Chi Po-lin Foundation is collaborating with veteran film director Mai Chueh-ming to create a third film. The documentary will show the changes Taiwan underwent over the past decade, both due to direct human action and climate change. Mai says the new work will pay homage to the original film with shots of Yushan and Xueshan.

Mai Chueh-ming
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It starts from Yushan, where a group of Bunun children are. Then we go to the second-tallest peak, Xueshan, with a group of Atayal children singing on top of the mountain.

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I’m believe that there are many other Chi Po-lins in Taiwan who can carry on his mission, to continue moving forward and documenting the stories of Taiwan’s land.

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A guide to the many different dolphins off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan

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April to October is the season for whale and dolphin watching. Dolphins normally hang around three to five kilometers from the shore, while larger whales are 10 kilometers out. So most of the time, the star of the show is the more visible dolphin.

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You can see more than 30 different species of whales and dolphins on the sea off Hualien. That’s a third of all the species we can name in the whole world.

Taiwan’s East Coast is a spectacular mountainous terrain, and the seafloor here is also covered in ups and downs. The Kuroshio Current flows yearlong. Its fast-flowing waters carry migratory fish down the coast, and stir up nutritious salts from the seabed. All that vibrant marine life attracts dolphins and whales to come hunting.

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Taking our company as an example, we have about 30,000 customers a year. Going by the average price, which is NT$600-700 per person, our turnover is about NT$30 million.

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Oil painter Kung Ming-ying walks among the students offering support.

She comes to Taoyuan’s Heartlight Disabled Education Center once a week to teach this art class. Her own son lived at this center for many years. When she and her son had trouble talking, they used drawing as a new way to communicate. And now, she’s back at the center to teach.

Kung Ming-ying
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The students really have their own personalities. You can tell them to do something, but they won’t necessarily do it. But if you guide them, then gradually they will make progress by themselves.

The students may not be keen to take orders, but Kung is happy to simply walk alongside them as they discover art in their own way. Over time, the class has become very popular, and students call her “Teacher Mom.” She says that students find emotional balance through painting, enjoy concentrating on their work, and develop their capacity for self-expression. They’ve even held an art exhibition.

The themes of the work are natural landscapes, strange ships, and magical creatures. They feature bold color palettes and lively shapes. Students love to show off their creations.

Kung Ming-ying
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Painting takes patience. It develops their maturity and their patience. They are more willing to gradually study what you teach.

Huang Yu-chih
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They tell their own stories and share them. So, they grow a lot, and make great progress, in terms of their physical coordination, their cognitive skills and their capacity for self-expression.

With Kung’s support, these students can find new ways to express their inner worlds, and tell their stories in beautiful ways on paper.

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