CRIME
NIA celebrates culture ahead of International Migrants Day
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) announced last Wednesday that it would hold a series of activities to introduce the cultures of new immigrants, paving the way for International Migrants Day next month. Under the five-week program titled “Immigration Service and Multi-cultural Feast,” which will be held at NIA headquarters, each of the top six home countries of new immigrants will take turns hosting exhibitions displaying their arts, food and lifestyles, NIA officials said. Performances featuring each country’s traditional culture will be staged every Wednesday, it said. “Apart from the NT$300 million [US$9.09 million] spent on counseling for immigrants every year, the government is making additional efforts to help new immigrants integrate into our society, “ NIA Deputy Director-General Hsieh Li-kung (謝立?aid. Vietnam will be the first country featured, followed by Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Myanmar, and ending with China on Dec. 17. Hsieh said a large-scale activity would be staged on Dec. 18, which is International Migrants Day. The agency said there were currently 270,000 Chinese spouses of Taiwanese living in Taiwan and 140,000 other foreign spouses, mostly from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia.
OPENING
European School plans annual Christmas Bazaar
The annual Taipei European School Christmas Bazaar will be held at the Shilin campus on Saturday from 11am to 5:30pm. The much-anticipated event will feature Christmas handicrafts and booths of delicious international food. Visitors can participate in raffles and other activities are planned such as the lighting of the Christmas tree. Part of the proceeds will be donated to local and international charities devoted to helping less fortunate children with their education. Parking is limited and all bazaar-goers are encouraged to take public transportation or taxi. The nearest MRT stop is Zhishan Station. For more information, check out www.taipeieuropeanschool.com.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
NO EXCUSES: Marcos said his administration was acting on voters’ demands, but an academic said the move was emotionally motivated after a poor midterm showing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday sought the resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, in a move seen as an attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term. The order came after the president’s allies failed to win a majority of Senate seats contested in the 12 polls on Monday last week, leaving Marcos facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028. “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s
A documentary whose main subject, 25-year-old photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza weeks before it premiered at Cannes stunned viewers into silence at the festival on Thursday. As the cinema lights came back on, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi held up an image of the young Palestinian woman killed with younger siblings on April 16, and encouraged the audience to stand up and clap to pay tribute. “To kill a child, to kill a photographer is unacceptable,” Farsi said. “There are still children to save. It must be done fast,” the exiled Iranian filmmaker added. With Israel
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