■Petroleum
Crude prices rise in outage
Crude oil rose as much as 1.2 percent in New York after power failures in the US and Canada forced at least four refiners to shut down at a time when they need to boost processing to meet rising gasoline demand. Refiners in Ohio, Michigan and Ontario shut at least 451,000 barrels a day of processing, sending gasoline futures to a five-month high. Thursday, New York crude oil gained 1 percent in floor trading before the blackouts on speculation US gasoline demand will boost crude oil processing by refiners. They had been ramping up gasoline production as demand from motorists climbed in the final weeks of the US summer vacation season. "The refinery outages caused by the power failure will probably kill gasoline supplies," said Katsunori Watanabe, director of research at oil futures trading company, Nihon Unicom Corp in Tokyo.
■ Computers
China to buy local software
The Chinese government is buying only made-in-China software instead of Microsoft Corp's Word and other programs to install in all ministries and commissions, Chinese Central Government Purchasing Center Vice Director Ren Xinhui said. Beijing has set rules banning government bureaus to buy and install foreign software applications, Ren said. "We cracked down earlier on pirated Windows operating systems installed on government computers," Ren said in an interview. "But the ministries which use legit-imate versions of Windows OS can keep them.." Ren said the purchasing center is still in the process of going through bids for software to install in the central government's 28 ministries and commissions. Microsoft spokespersons could not be reached for comment.
Agencies
QUIET START: Nearly a week after applications opened, agencies did not announce or promote the program, nor did they explain how it differed from other visitor visas Taiwan has launched a six-month “digital nomad visitor visa” program for foreign nationals from its list of visa-exempt countries who meet financial eligibility criteria and provide proof of work contracts. To apply, foreign nationals must either provide proof that they have obtained a digital nomad visa issued by another country or demonstrate earnings based on age brackets, the Bureau of Consular Affairs said. Applicants aged 20 to 29 must show they earned an annual salary of at least US$20,000 or its equivalent in one of the past two years, while those aged 30 or older must provide proof they earned US$40,000 in
AIR DEFENSE: The Norwegian missile system has proved highly effective in Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the US has recommended it for Taiwan, an expert said The Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) Taiwan ordered from the US would be installed in strategically important positions in Taipei and New Taipei City to guard the region, the Ministry of National Defense said in statement yesterday. The air defense system would be deployed in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山) and New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), the ministry said, adding that the systems could be delivered as soon as the end of this year. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has previously said that three NASAMS would be sold to Taiwan. The weapons are part of the 17th US arms sale to
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: The suspects formed spy networks and paramilitary groups to kill government officials during a possible Chinese invasion, prosecutors said Prosecutors have indicted seven retired military officers, members of the Rehabilitation Alliance Party, for allegedly obtaining funds from China, and forming paramilitary groups and assassination squads in Taiwan to collaborate with Chinese troops in a possible war. The suspects contravened the National Security Act (國家安全法) by taking photos and drawing maps of key radar stations, missile installations and the American Institute in Taiwan’s headquarters in Taipei, prosecutors said. They allegedly prepared to collaborate with China during a possible invasion of Taiwan, prosecutors said. Retired military officer Chu Hung-i (屈宏義), 62, a Republic of China Army Academy graduate, went to China
UNITY MESSAGE: Rather than focusing on what Trump said on the campaign trail about Taiwan, Taipei should be willing to engage with the US, Pompeo said Taiwan plays a key role in Washington’s model of deterrence against China, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said in a speech in Taipei yesterday. During US president-elect Donald Trump’s first term, “we had developed what we believe was a pretty effective model of deterrence against adversaries who wanted to undermine the set of rules and values that the people of Taiwan and the people of the US hold dear,” Pompeo said at a forum organized by the Formosa Republican Association. “Succeeding in continuing to build this model will not solely rest at the feet of president Trump and his team,
RSS