Rain kicks off week, skies to dry from Thursday

Rain kicks off week, skies to dry from Thursday

2023-12-04

Turning now to the weather. Umbrellas are out across Taiwan, especially along the East Coast and northern half of the island. Forecasters say conditions will start to dry up after Thursday, but the north and east could see rain all the way through the weekend.

Tseng Chao-cheng
CWA forecaster
Starting tomorrow, another wave of northeasterly winds will move down, affecting Taiwan. It will bring moisture to Taiwan before gradually drying up. After Thursday, conditions will be drier islandwide, and the weather will stabilize. From Thursday to the weekend, only windward parts of the east will see sporadic windward rainfall. Other regions will enjoy partly cloudy to fair weather.

In related news, the Central Weather Administration has released its list of the coldest places in Taiwan. Based on long-term temperature records for January, the coldest non-mountainous location is Tamsui District in New Taipei, with an average of 15.4 degrees Celsius. No. 2 is Hsinchu, at 15.7 degrees, followed by Keelung at 16.1 degrees.

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東北季風報到! 北台灣雨勢明顯 "前濕後乾"雨下到週四

2023-12-04

受到鋒面影響，週一(4日)全台各地有雨，尤其是中部以北、東北部降雨明顯，氣象署指出，週四水氣離開台灣，不過迎風面地區，北部和東半部都有降雨機會。

[[中央氣象署預報員曾昭誠]]
“明天開始又有一波東北季風，會南下到影響台灣，但這個東北季風影響台灣的時間，是先濕，後面就變乾了一些，所以在週四過後，全台灣的環境會變得比較乾燥一點，天氣也會變得比較穩定。禮拜四一直到週末這一段時間，台灣只有在東半部會有一些比較零星的迎風面降雨，其他地方大致上，都是一個多雲到晴的天氣。”

另外，氣象署公佈了根據長期觀測的1月平均氣溫排行，淡水第一名只有15.4度，第二名是新竹15.7度，基隆第三名16.1度。

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AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk gave her end-of-year policy speech at National Taiwan University on Monday. In her address, she reiterated that Washington’s support for Taiwan was rock solid. She also stressed that the U.S. would not interfere or pick sides in the January election, stressing that Taiwan voters should be the ones to decide their next leader.

AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk gave her end-of-year policy speech at National Taiwan University on Monday. She addressed issues such as cybersecurity and disinformation, as well as the deepening of Taiwan-U.S. cooperation. She emphasized democracy as a value shared by Taiwan and the U.S.

Sandra Oudkirk
AIT director
The United States enjoys a robust, unofficial relationship with Taiwan. We will continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the international community, and we will work to deepen our economic ties, all consistent with our "One China" policy.

The event was co-hosted by NTU and the AIT. Among the attendees were Digital Affairs Minister Audrey Tang and representatives from the DPP, KMT and Taiwan People’s Party. With the 2024 presidential election fast approaching, Oudkirk reiterated that the U.S. will not interfere in the elections or take sides.

Sandra Oudkirk
AIT director
I want to emphasize that the United States has deep confidence in Taiwan’s electoral processes and democratic system. We believe it is for the Taiwan voters to decide their next leader, free from outside interference. The United States is not taking sides in Taiwan’s election. We do not have a preferred candidate. U.S. policy on Taiwan will remain the same regardless of which party is in power.

Oudkirk stressed that the U.S.’ Taiwan policy would be unchanged regardless of who wins Taiwan’s presidential election. She also took questions from NTU students. One asked whether the U.S. would, quote, abandon Taiwan when its interests in China take precedence.

Sandra Oudkirk
AIT director
I would say the answer to that is no. So the U.S. policy toward Taiwan, the U.S. “one China” policy has persisted now for decades. The policy is not changing. U.S. support for Taiwan remains rock solid, principled, and bipartisan.

With Taiwan-U.S. ties at their warmest in years, the AIT director said that no matter what political changes take place, bilateral relations would remain rock solid.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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2023-12-04

Tsai inaugurates training facility for battle and natural disaster response

A state-of-the-art disaster response training center has launched, after six years of planning and construction. President Tsai Ing-wen and top defense officials attended the inauguration ceremony. The center can simulate combat situations and natural disasters using artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality technologies. Tsai said the center would improve the combat capabilities of Taiwan’s military, while educating the general public on disaster response.

Defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo, National Defense Medical Center President Chen Yuan-hao, and President Tsai Ing-wen launch a new disaster training center.

After six years of planning and construction, the center was completed in July. Using artificial intelligence, the facility can produce simulations for training in combat scenarios, vehicle care, severe disasters, hazardous environments and material rescue. The center is also equipped with simulators of Black Hawk helicopters, AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles and Humvee ambulances to provide enhanced rescue operation training to soldiers.

Tsai Ing-wen
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The building we’re inaugurating today has a multifunctional rescue operation training environment that uses technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality to create realistic battlefield scenarios. We believe that in the future, the center will help improve the capabilities of rescuers responding to battlefield casualties and emergency rescue operations. This will afford greater protection to our military.

Tsai said the facility would enhance the care and protection of soldiers in battle and improve the combat effectiveness of Taiwan’s military. She said that through joint projects with the private sector, the training center would also improve society’s response to battle scenarios and major natural disasters.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
This year, the Medical Service Training Center started a team rescue course and trained almost 3,800 people. Besides strengthening the rescue capabilities of our military, it is a way to maintain their overall combat capabilities. The Medical Service Training Center does outreach events at schools and different groups to raise awareness about emergency rescue operations. Over the past few years, several NGOs have been formed to train the general public in tending to war casualties. All these efforts have helped raise awareness about the importance of civil defense.

In the future, the new facility will join forces with the National Police Agency, the National Fire Agency and various medical institutions. It will also reach out into the community to integrate military and civilian rescue procedures and educate the general public on civil defense concepts.

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Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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2023-12-04

Study finds decline in ‘media and aesthetic literacy’ among young people

A new study on the internet habits of under-18s has found a decline in “media and aesthetic literacy” among young people. The research looked at students from third grade to the end of high school. It found that young people spend on average 26 hours a week online on their phone. But their capacity to navigate with agency through the minefield of online data has declined. The study was conducted by National Central University researchers, together with Cyber Angel’s Pick, an advocate for children’s safety online. Lawmakers and broadcasting regulators say that more should be done to create accountability for the producers of online media.

Head down, endlessly scrolling: It’s a bad habit for many people. And it’s no longer just adults. Young people are using electronics more and more, and the age of users keeps dropping.

Huang Wei-wei
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The information they receive is short videos. We did a study on aesthetic literacy, and we found a significant decline in young people’s ability to search about, and to understand, information on local Taiwanese culture and art.

Scholars have seen a sharp rise in the length of time students spend on their phones each week. But media literacy has not risen in tandem. The study results show that, on average, young people engage in physical exercise for seven hours a week, watch TV for six hours a week, and spent 26.2 hours a week online on their phones.

Chen Yi-mei
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Offshore enterprises get more than NT$40 billion in digital advertising revenue from Taiwan – tens of billions. But do they shoulder the costs of labor? Do they cultivate an ecosystem? That’s before we get onto all the piracy.

Short videos became a big phenomenon in recent years. Transnational video platforms have made a big impact in Taiwan. Often with no age restrictions, attention-grabbing videos full of sexual or violent images and scams are everywhere. They earn a lot of ad revenue, without accepting social responsibility.

Chiu Chih-wei
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I think this is something executive departments need to work hard on. In terms of policy, we can guide and support industry to have more motivation and capacity to produce more material on aesthetic education.

The internet throws up fresh novelties every day. Lawmakers are calling on public bodies to do more to regulate the internet in a fair way, to ensure it doesn’t become a threat to public safety.

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The Liver Disease Prevention & Treatment Research Foundation offered free health exams last Sunday at cafe in Hsinchu. The health checks targeted the liver, spleen, and kidneys, using blood tests and ultrasound scans to assess cancer risk. The cafe was once home to a famed hospital. It was also the childhood home of Sung Juei-low, known as the “father of liver disease research.”

The needle goes in for a quick blood draw.

The blood test process is smooth and simple at this unique clinical setting. It’s not a hospital, but a cafe with warm lighting and a cozy atmosphere.

Clinic patient
It’s very comfortable, very vintage. It feels like going back in time.

Clinic patient
I’m here to get myself checked out, to see what my physical condition is. This chance came up so I thought I would participate.

The Liver Disease Prevention & Treatment Research Foundation held a free clinic last Sunday at a cafe in Zhudong, Hsinchu. The health check targeted organs like the liver, pancreas, and kidneys, offering blood tests and ultrasound scans to assess their function and cancer risk.

Sung Wen-pin
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The rate of liver disease has not declined significantly. That’s because many people don’t do ultrasounds and rely only on blood draws. That’s not enough. Professor Hsu Ching-chuan strongly promotes liver examinations across Taiwan.

The cafe was once the site of Chang Chun Hospital, and it’s where liver disease pioneer Sung Juei-low spent his childhood years. Sung’s father and uncle founded Chang Chun in 1908, as the first and only hospital in the area.

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After the death of Professor Sung Juei-low, I succeed him as chair of the foundation. At the time I was quite daunted by the role, because eradicating liver disease in Taiwan is such a tremendous responsibility.

Sung Wen-pin
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Professor Sung Juei-low’s most treasured protege was always Professor Hsu Ching-chuan, who has inherited his mentor’s mission of eradicating liver disease.

Hsu Ching-chuan says he’s committed to promoting ultrasound scans, and to achieving his mentor’s goal of eradicating liver disease in Taiwan.

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NTU professor and microbe expert Roland Kirschner shares love for traditional arts

There’s a German professor at NTU whose love for classical Chinese culture makes him really stand out. Professor Roland Kirschner is an expert on microbial ecology and fungi. Taiwan’s rich ecosystem was part of what led him to settle here. But perhaps even more than that, it was his love of calligraphy and painting, and the warmth of Taiwanese people. Students say he always comes to class at NTU wearing traditional Chinese clothing. We caught up with Kirschner to hear how this “new immigrant” has made Taiwan his home.

Wearing a Tang suit and speaking fluent Chinese, Roland Kirschner answers his student’s questions. The NTU forestry school professor was born in southern Germany. His interest in Chinese culture led him to start studying Mandarin at university. He first visited Taiwan more than 20 years ago, and soon fell in love with the country.

Roland Kirschner
NTU School of Forestry and Resource Conservation
I spent half the day learning Chinese at National Taiwan Normal University Mandarin Training Center. Then in the afternoon I would come and do research at the botanical department of NTU. After a year of that, I was meant to go home, and I felt so sad, because I already loved this place.

Kirschner eventually moved to Taiwan to work here. He teaches in Mandarin and practises calligraphy. His research lab is covered in spring couplets that he wrote himself, as well as his own Chinese-style paintings.

Roland Kirschner
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I paint when I have time. I found a teacher for calligraphy, because I think it’s a very advanced art. I go to my calligraphy class every week, and I’m gradually learning.

When his research and teaching duties are fulfilled, he spends his free time practicing with the brush. He’s won many prizes in calligraphy competitions.

A ceramic cup is adorned with paintings of lingzhi and umbrella mushrooms, reflecting Kirschner’s research expertise. As for what led him to settle in Taiwan, he cites the rich and diverse ecosystems here as well as the friendliness of Taiwanese people.

Roland Kirschner
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People are very warm towards Westerners. If I’m standing on the street and obviously looking for something, people will come up and ask, “Can I help you?” That doesn’t happen so often in Germany.

After 12 years here, Kirschner calls himself a “new immigrant.” In the future, he wants to continue exploring Taiwan’s beautiful natural landscapes and classical Chinese arts.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Second-generation immigrant spreads Burmese culture through tea

Burmese people love to drink milk tea, and it’s usually prepared hot. Second-generation immigrant Ted Yu has found a way to integrate the tradition with Taiwan’s popular drink culture to create a unique iced version. By opening a shop in the tea battleground of New Taipei City’s Yonghe District, Yu hopes to introduce more people to Burmese milk tea.

Authentic Burmese milk tea is made from strong Yangon tea, mixed with the perfect ratio of condensed milk and milk.

Ted Yu
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The biggest difference between Burmese and Taiwanese milk tea is the strength of the tea. You can taste the slightly astringent flavor of the leaves.

Ted Yu was born in a multicultural household to a Burmese-Chinese father and a Burmese-Indian mother. Growing up, this background made him the target of bullies.

Ted Yu
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One day at an event on Myanmar Street in Jhonghe District, Yu was deeply moved by an older man struggling to recite something in Burmese. As he had recently been let go by a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic, he took his familiarity with the industry as an opportunity.

Ted Yu
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Burmese milk tea is so delicious, I thought it should branch out from Myanmar Street so more people could try it. In the end I had to open here, but my shop is in a style familiar to Taiwanese so it’s more approachable.

From a drink that’s traditionally served hot, Yu makes it iced and adds sago, jelly, pudding or falooda. Although a familiar dessert to Burmese, it stands out amid the tea shop battleground of Yonghe.

Ted Yu
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I hope that Burmese milk tea can one day become as common in Taiwan as Thai milk tea.

Although his shop is small, Yu has filled the walls with items from Myanmar. Every day he puts a new Burmese fact or word on the blackboard. Today’s word, “working hard,” reflects Yu’s aspiration for sharing his culture while inching closer to his dream of being an entrepreneur.

This story was provided by the program "We Are Family"
Funded by New Immigrant Development Fund

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2023-12-04