WEATHER
Mercury in north to drop
The sunshine and clear skies in northern Taiwan are likely to end tomorrow, with strong northeasterly winds bringing wet weather and temperatures dropping by several degrees, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday. It was mostly clear across Taiwan, with highs of 25°C to 26°C and lows of 16°C to 17°C in the north, and 18°C to 19°C degrees elsewhere, the bureau said. However, the sunny weather will only last for one more day, with the mercury forecast to drop to 19°C to 21°C in the daytime, it said. It forecast that Christmas Day on Tuesday would see warmer weather thanks to a weakening monsoon, with highs of up to 24°C, but the warmth would not last until Wednesday, when another cold air front could drop the mercury in the north to 14°C.
TOURISM
Taiwan on Airbnb list
Airbnb has selected Taiwan as one of 19 destinations worth visiting next year as more Airbnb users include the nation in their booking wish lists, the firm said on Thursday. The company selected 19 travel destinations based on a combination of internal search, booking and wish list data, and said that Taiwan ranked 19th. The inclusion of Taiwan on wish lists on the platform grew by more than 100 percent from November last year to last month. The platform has always been optimistic about Taiwan’s tourism potential and hopes that the list will help its tourism industry and increase its visibility in the international tourist community, Airbnb general manager for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan Mike Orgill said.
HEALTH
Cambodia tops dengue list
The number of imported dengue fever cases that originated in Cambodia has increased sharply to 66 this year, compared with eight last year, Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said yesterday. Cambodia was the largest source of imported dengue fever cases in Taiwan this year, he said. Chuang said the total number of imported cases registered this year until Thursday was 330, with the three main sources being Cambodia, Vietnam (62) and the Philippines (56). Last year, 104 cases originated in Vietnam and 39 in the Philippines, Chuang said. The big jump in infections from Cambodia was due to an increase in Taiwanese visitors to the country this year, he added.
DIPLOMACY
Diaoyutai claims restated
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday reiterated the nation’s claim over the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) in the East China Sea, known as the Senkakus in Japan, after the Japanese government issued a protest to the ministry over a record number of Taiwanese fishing vessels operating near the islands, which Taipei and Tokyo both claim. The Yomiuri Shimbun on Wednesday reported that the Japanese coast guard had registered a record number of Taiwanese fishing vessels “intruding” within 12 nautical miles (22km) of the Diaoyutais, the distance normally marking territorial waters. Ministry spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) reaffirmed that the Diaoyutais are territory of the Republic of China. The foreign ministry would engage in rational dialogue with Japan on the matter, he added. Despite the sovereignty dispute between Taiwan and Japan, fishers from both countries can operate in the overlapping areas of their exclusive economic zones in the East China Sea under the 2013 Taiwan-Japan Fisheries Agreement.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
BACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,
RSS