CHARITY
Khieng T-shirt to help kids
Internationally renowned fashion designer Khieng Puong, now living and working in Taiwan, has designed a T-shirt for a charity drive for Aboriginal children, the non-profit Canlove Social Service Association, which organized the drive, said yesterday. Khieng, owner of the Taipei-based haute couture company Khieng Atelier, has designed a T-shirt especially for the charity that is seeking to provide better social services in Aboriginal communities, it said, adding that the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirt, 1,000 of which will be produced, would go toward programs for Aboriginal children. Khieng, who was born in Cambodia and married Wang Jui-jung (王瑞容), the daughter of late tycoon Wang Yung-ching (王永慶), said the T-shirt design integrates fashion elements and the unique totemic images of Taiwan’s Aborigines. The T-shirts will be sold online on the association’s Web site and on Yam Taiwan.
DIPLOMACY
Aid arrives in Thailand
The first batch of relief supplies donated by Taiwan to help flood victims in Thailand has arrived in the country, an official said yesterday. The supplies, which weigh 5,000kg, include surgical masks, food, sanitizers and first-aid kits. Thailand has been hit by its worst flooding in 50 years, said James Tien (田中光), director-general of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The flooding in the world’s top exporter of rice broke out in late July and it has affected half of the nation’s population. On Oct. 18, the government donated US$100,000 to the Thai government. As the flooding in the country continued to worsen, Taiwan offered another US$100,000.
ENVIRONMENT
‘Green’ forums to be held
The German Institute in Taipei and a local environmental non-governmental organization are set to co-host forums on environmental issues throughout Taiwan starting from Monday, in an effort to promote a sustainable low-carbon environment, organizers said yesterday. The first forum is to be held in Yilan, followed by Greater Taichung and New Taipei City (新北市), before concluding in Greater Tainan, said Eugene Chien (簡又新), president of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy. Attending the forums will be two German experts — Christian Maass, former state secretary for environment and urban planning in Hamburg, will share his experiences about making his city this year’s European Green Capital, while Rudiger Schweer, director of the Ministry of the Environment in Hessen, will focus on business structure and opportunity.
CULTURE
Eight to receive awards
Eight people, including a crosstalk performer and two Aborigine nose-flute players, will receive the human national treasure award this year, according to the Council of Cultural Affairs. Lai Pie-hsia (賴碧霞), who is also known as the “Queen of Hakka folk songs,” has been awarded for her achievements in preserving Hakka mountain music. Wu Chao-nan (吳兆南), 80, a renowned crosstalk performer, and Paiwan nose-flute players Hsu Kun-chung (許坤仲) and Hsieh Shui-neng (謝水能) are among those honored. The others are master tinsmith Chen Wan-neng (陳萬能), Buddhist sculptor Shih Chih-hui (施至輝), traditional wood sculptor Shih Chen-yang (施鎮洋) and traditional glove puppet artist Huang Chun-hsiung (黃俊雄). This year’s award ceremony is scheduled to be held tomorrow at the Taichung Cultural Creative Industrial Park.
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
Passengers on Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be required to use headphones and make phone calls in gangways under new “quiet travel” rules starting Sept. 22. THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) told media that THSR will run a three-month promotional campaign to ensure widespread adoption of the new rules. Those repeatedly ignoring the guidance face the potential termination of their transport contract, which can result in them getting escorted off the train, according to THSR. Shih shared his hope to cultivate an environment conducive to rest and reading for the train’s passengers, stating that these changes aim to “promote self-discipline” among passengers
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