SOCIETY
Student sues over mockery
A student at Lanyang Girls’ High School has filed a lawsuit against people who mocked her online after she took a selfie with President William Lai (賴清德). Lai on Friday attended a “National Disaster Prevention Day” drill at the school in Yilan County. During the visit, students asked to take selfies with him. However, people online derided the students on social media, with some commenting: “Training to be the [Democratic Progressive] Party’s defenders since high school.” One of the students responded on Sunday by filing a police report against people online for alleged defamation. She said she was excited to see the president, not because of his party affiliation, but because he is the head of state. The school said it fully supports the student and would provide all necessary assistance.
Photo courtesy of a member of the public
POLITICS
No opt-out for handout
The Executive Yuan yesterday said it would not provide a “do not receive” option for the upcoming universal cash handout, citing concerns over identity verification and potential delays. Earlier this month, the Cabinet approved a special budget for economic and societal resilience that includes a NT$10,000 payment to all citizens and permanent residents, with distribution expected to begin next month at the earliest. Civic groups had proposed allowing people to opt out of the handout via the online registration system, sparking public debate. Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said the Cabinet reviewed the proposal, but decided against it, as adding an opt-out function would require additional identity verification measures to prevent misuse of personal data, which would increase costs and risk delaying distribution.
MILITARY
Conscript stable after injury
A conscript from Taichung who sustained a severe facial injury during marksmanship training on Monday afternoon was in a stable condition after undergoing 11 hours of surgery. The man, surnamed Shao (邵), sustained an open fracture on the left side of his face and a serious injury to his left eye. Doctors at Wuri Lin Shin Hospital also discovered multiple metal fragments lodged in his brain. Hospital superintendent Lin Ming-hui (林明輝) said at a news conference yesterday that Shao arrived in a coma and was bleeding heavily. A medical team of plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons and specialists from Taichung Armed Forces General Hospital began surgery at about 6pm, transfusing 80 units of blood. Although Shao’s vital signs were stable “for the time being,” he had not regained consciousness and remained in the intensive care unit, the hospital said.
ANIMALS
Woman jailed for cruelty
A Thai woman was sentenced to 60 days in prison and fined NT$200,000 for flushing 10 hamsters down a toilet and posting a video of it online, the Taichung District Court said yesterday. On Sept. 19, the court ruled that Promin Wannapon, 27, had contravened the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法), saying her actions caused “unnecessary suffering to the animals” and “a negative influence on society.” Wannapon carried out the act on Aug. 27 at her Taichung residence, flushing the hamsters down the toilet in batches, causing their deaths from impact, stress or drownings, prosecutors said. She uploaded four video clips of the incident to Instagram, and users reported the posts to the Taichung City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office, which alerted local police. She was indicted for the animals’ deaths on Sept. 11. The verdict can be appealed.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
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
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
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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