WEATHER
Rain forecast in north
Cool and wet conditions are expected across northern Taiwan from today through Wednesday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Strengthening seasonal northeasterly winds from today are expected to keep temperatures in northern Taiwan between 21°C and 25°C for the first half of the week, the CWA said. The wind is also likely to bring rain to Keelung, Yilan County and mountainous areas in and near Taipei today, with other regions in the nation’s north and east forecast to have occasional showers, it said. Temporary showers are forecast tomorrow across eastern Taiwan and areas north of Taoyuan, with sporadic afternoon thundershowers in mountainous regions, while other areas would have partly cloudy skies, it added. Showers are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday in Keelung, eastern Taiwan, the Hengchun Peninsula and mountainous regions in Taipei and its surrounding areas, while it would be partly cloudy to clear elsewhere, it said. On Thursday, the northeasterly winds are expected to weaken, bringing partly cloudy to sunny skies across Taiwan and daytime highs of 26°C to 27°C in the north and 29°C to 31°C elsewhere, it said.
Photo provided by the Central Weather Administration
SOCIETY
Stage designers win
Taiwan won four first-place prizes at the World Stage Design competition in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, which concluded yesterday, the International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT) said in a statement on Friday. The wins went to: Lee Kuo-han (李國漢) for Infinite Cycle in the Professional Section’s Video & Projection Design category; Lin Ying-chen (林映辰) for Embodying in the Emerging Section’s Lighting Design category; Chen Chih-lin (陳致霖) for One Way Two Gather (Emerging, Sound Design) and Chen Hsu-wen for The Symphony of Infinity (Emerging, Set Design). In May, Kuo Chun-hao (郭峻豪) won first prize at the organization’s Theatre Architecture Competition for The Dynamic Fold. The OISTAT, which organized the event with the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, said that it received 744 entries for this year’s World Stage Design event, with 100 works from 20 countries selected as finalists, including 30 from Taiwan. The theme this year was “Tomorrow’s Heritage,” with a focus on sustainable theater design. OISTAT executive director Wei Wan-jung (魏琬容) said that Taiwan excels in sound design. The Taipei-based organization is an international network of theater professionals in design, technology and architecture.
SOCIETY
Red Cross deal inked
Taiwan on Thursday signed an agreement with the Salvation Army of the Czech Republic to support a project helping young Ukrainian refugees rebuild their lives. The donation pledge to the Salvation Army’s “The Nest” project was inked by Representative to the Czech Republic Remus Chen (陳立國) and Jan Desensky, director of the Czech Salvation Army’s central Bohemian region. Klara Laurencikova, the Czech government commissioner for human rights, who witnessed the signing ceremony, said that the Nest project aims to create a safe space for young Ukrainians seeking refuge in the Czech Republic. Laurencikova said that the project highlights humanitarian social responsibility and said that it could be a bridge between international partners. The event was symbolic of Taiwan and the Czech Republic working together to support Ukraine, providing care to underprivileged people, Chen said. Taiwan’s donations would support community activities, housing and counseling services, he said, adding that the money would help young Ukrainian refugees rebuild their hope and a sense of belonging. Taiwan has been providing humanitarian support to Ukrainian refugees through Czech philanthropic organizations such as the Czech Red Cross and People in Need, Chen said, adding that the nation has also helped with rescue and reconstruction efforts in war-affected regions.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taiwanese officials are courting podcasters and influencers aligned with US President Donald Trump as they grow more worried the US leader could undermine Taiwanese interests in talks with China, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has said Taiwan would likely be on the agenda when he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) next week in a bid to resolve persistent trade tensions. China has asked the White House to officially declare it “opposes” Taiwanese independence, Bloomberg reported last month, a concession that would mark a major diplomatic win for Beijing. President William Lai (賴清德) and his top officials
The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of
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