■WEATHER
Sleet falls on Yushan
Sleet fell on Yushan (玉山), the nation’s highest peak yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau said. Sleet is not unusual for Yushan in April, with snow falling on the mountain an average of four days each April, meteorologists said. There are also snowy days on Yushan in May and even into July, they said, adding that it snowed there on July 25, 1974. As of 11am that day, 5.5cm had accumulated on flat ground around the CWB weather station on the 3,952m summit, the forecasters said.
■EDUCATION
Schools to provide G-TELP
Seven universities around the country announced yesterday that they would provide General Test of English Language Proficiency (G-TELP) testing. The universities, including the National University of Tainan and Chinese Culture University, said they would promote the US-based G-TELP system throughout this year. University officials said tests would offer opportunities for students to secure English language proficiency certificates, which would enhance students’ international competitiveness. The G-TELP system originates from a language center at the San Diego State University in California and is aimed at helping non-English speakers obtain a reliable English language evaluation and eliminate possible learning obstacles to improve their language skills, the officials said.
■CRIME
Taiwan, China arrest 1,600
Cooperation between Taiwanese police and their Chinese counterparts has led to the arrest of more than 1,600 alleged swindlers in less than a year, Taiwanese officials said yesterday. A total of 1,663 suspects were arrested between last June and last month as the two sides joined hands in cracking down on Internet and telephone fraud involving criminals on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said. In one of the latest cases, 13 suspects were caught in Taiwan and 19 in China for allegedly obtaining NT$500 million (US$16 million ) through telephone scams, the bureau said. The suspects allegedly obtained bank account details by posing on the phone as Chinese police officers and employees at Chinese telecoms firms or prosecutor’s offices. They told the victims their accounts were being used for money laundering or their phone bills were overdue, later using the details to empty bank accounts, the bureau said.
■SOCIETY
Vendor makes ‘Time’ list
A vegetable vendor from Taitung has made this year’s US Time magazine list of the 100 most influential persons in the world based on her philanthropy. Chen Shu-chu (陳樹菊) was ranked eighth in the “heroes” category of this year’s TIME 100 list. “Out of her modest living, Chen, 59, has managed to donate nearly NT$10 million [that’s US$320,000] to various causes, including US$32,000 for a children’s fund, US$144,000 to help build a library at a school she attended and another US$32,000 for the local orphanage, where she also gives financial support to three children,” the magazine states. Chen, who did not complete elementary school because of poverty, was quoted as having told local press that “money serves its purpose only when it is used for those who need it.” Last month, Chen was selected by Forbes magazine of the US as one of 48 heroes of philanthropy from Asia.
‘JOINT SWORD’: Whatever President Lai says in his Double Ten speech, China would use it as a pretext to launch ‘punishment’ drills for his ‘separatist’ views, an official said China is likely to launch military drills this week near Taiwan, using President William Lai’s (賴清德) upcoming national day speech as a pretext to pressure the nation to accept its sovereignty claims, Taiwanese officials said. China in May launched “punishment” drills around Taiwan shortly after Lai’s inauguration, in what Beijing said was a response to “separatist acts,” sending heavily armed warplanes and staging mock attacks as state media denounced newly inaugurated Lai. The May drills were dubbed “Joint Sword — 2024A” and drew concerns from capitals, including Washington. Lai is to deliver a key speech on Thursday in front of the Presidential Office
An aviation jacket patch showing a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh has become popular overseas, including at an aviation festival held by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at the Ashiya Airbase yesterday. The patch was designed last year by Taiwanese designer Hsu Fu-yu (徐福佑), who said that it was inspired by Taiwan’s countermeasures against frequent Chinese military aircraft incursions. The badge shows a Formosan black bear holding a Republic of China flag as it punches Winnie the Pooh — a reference to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) — who is dressed in red and is holding a honey pot with
Taiwan was listed in 14th place among the world's wealthiest country in terms of GDP per capita, in the latest rankings released on Monday by Forbes magazine. Taiwan's GDP per capita was US$76,860, which put it at No. 14 on the list of the World's 100 Richest Countries this year, one spot above Hong Kong with US$75,130. The magazine's list of the richest countries in the world is compiled based on GDP per capita data, as estimated by the IMF. However, for a more precise measure of a nation's wealth, the magazine also considers purchasing power parity, which is a metric used to
NINTH MONTH: There were 11,792 births in Taiwan last month and 15,563 deaths, or a mortality rate of 8.11 per 1,000 people, household registration data showed Taiwan’s population was 23,404,138 as of last month, down 2,470 from August, the ninth consecutive month this year that the nation has reported a drop, the Ministry of the Interior said on Wednesday. The population last month was 162 fewer than the same month last year, a decline of 0.44 per day, the ministry said, citing household registration data. Taiwan reported 11,792 births last month, or 3.7 births per day, up 149 from August, it said, adding that the monthly birthrate was 6.15 per 1,000 people. The jurisdictions with the highest birthrates were Yunlin County at 14.62 per 1,000 people, Penghu County (8.61