EDUCATION
Curriculum draws criticism
The Ministry of Education yesterday defended changes it made to school curriculum guidelines in 2019 that have resulted in some well-known authors being excluded from English textbooks in favor of more domestic content. In a recent article that was widely shared online, a person identifying themselves as a high-school English teacher said that classic texts by Ernest Hemingway, Martin Luther King Jr and William Shakespeare were removed from student textbooks under the updated guidelines. Publishers replaced them with lessons on Taiwan-related topics such as “roadside banquets,” Matsu pilgrimages, flying fish season on Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) and 7-Eleven, the teacher said. The ministry yesterday said that the changes emphasized the practical use of foreign languages, as well as their “immediacy” and relevance to daily life. The ministry said its guidelines had asked publishers to select content that “proceeds from issues related to daily life,” and gradually expands to focus on broader social issues.
SOCIETY
Ship runs aground
A Cameroon-registered freighter that began drifting after losing power near Jibei Islet (吉貝) in Penghu County has run aground in waters north of Baisha Township (白沙), but all nine sailors aboard the vessel are accounted for, Taiwanese authorities said yesterday. The Maritime and Port Bureau said it received a report early yesterday that the 499-tonne Hai Shou freighter was drifting in waters off Jibei, the biggest island north of Penghu’s main island, after losing power due to a mechanical failure. The vessel had originally set sail from Taichung without cargo on board and was heading for Kaohsiung, but it lost power soon after leaving the central Taiwan port, the agency said. In an update later, the port agency said that despite dropping anchor, the vessel had continued drifting, buffeted by strong winds and had run aground in waters 0.4 nautical miles (741m) north of Penghu’s Baisha Township. The vessel’s nine crew members, all nationals of Myanmar, were rescued by a National Airborne Service Corps helicopter yesterday afternoon after the captain gave the order to abandon the ship. They are all in good condition and being put up at the Sheng Kuo Hotel in Magong City, the agency said.
POLITICS
MOFA conveys condolences
The government yesterday expressed its condolences over the death of Kuwaiti monarch, Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al Sabah, who passed away on Saturday aged 86. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it has instructed representative to Kuwait Tan Kou-ting (譚國定) to convey condolences from the government and Taiwanese to the Kuwaiti authorities over the monarch’s passing. Although Taiwan does not have official diplomatic relations with the Middle Eastern country, it has operated the Taipei Commercial Representative Office in Jabriah, in the Kuwaiti province of Hawally, since 1986. Kuwait University has provided annual scholarships to an undisclosed number of Taiwanese students from National Taiwan University and Nation Chengchi University to study Arabic. Currently, nine Taiwanese students are studying Arabic at Kuwait University. Meanwhile, one Kuwaiti student has been studying for a master’s degree at Ming Chuan University under a Ministry of Education scholarship since 2019.
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had
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