Follows company's recent expansion into Japan APAC data center firm Empyrion Digital is expanding into Taiwan The company has announced plans to develop a 7MW colocation facility in Neihu The facility - dubbed TW1 - will cater to both cloud and high-performance computing Construction is expected to commence in 2025 TW1 is expected to have a PUE of 1.33 or lower Further details of the project have not yet been disclosed Empyrion added it has already secured 10MW of power in the technology business district of Neihu “We are excited to expand into Taiwan and this investment is another step forward in the company’s ambition to grow in Asia where land and power are scarce With its robust semiconductor industry and tech-savvy talent pool Taiwan is a strategic location for us to build the next generation of AI-ready data centers Our presence here will ensure that businesses in Taiwan have access to the digital infrastructure necessary to stay competitive and foster deeper collaboration between Taiwan and global technology ecosystems,” said Mark Fong He added: “TW1 will add to our existing data center cluster in Singapore ensuring we are well-positioned to capture wholesale and Edge colocation demand and empower our customers with flexible deployment solutions across the four markets.” Empyrion was launched by Asian infrastructure investment fund Seraya Partners in 2021. The company currently operates a 7.7 MW data center in Singapore and is constructing a 29.4MW facility in Seoul In September Empyrion announced it would be expanding into Japan with plans for a five-story Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot Get the most important global markets news at your fingertips with a Bloomberg.com subscription 25 (CNA) A man in his 50s allegedly stabbed a woman who seemed to be his ex-girlfriend in the chest Monday morning in Taipei The police received a report at around 11 a.m that a woman had been stabbed outdoors on Ruiguang Road in Taipei's Neihu District and immediately dispatched personnel to the scene An initial investigation determined that a 52-year-old man surnamed Su (宿) was suspected of stabbing the woman surnamed Tsai (蔡) according to Taipei police and firefighters With injuries to the right side of her chest and left abdomen the 48-year-old woman suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest before being rushed to a nearby hospital; doctors were still trying to resuscitate her Su also suffered a stab wound to the left side of his chest He was taken to another hospital for treatment Economics minister says outage was not due to insufficient power supply Neihu Technology Park experiences noontime power outage 3413TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei’s Neihu Technology Park suffered a power outage at 11:18 a.m with emergency repairs leading to power being restored approximately one hour later at 12:26 p.m "We have found that power outages occur in areas that are densely populated or have seen a sudden spike in people The problem in many of these cases is that the equipment is relatively old," said Kuo Kuo explained that an electrical feeder line tripped affecting power to the Neihu Technology Park and causing a power outage to 655 households located on Jiangnan Street Kuo said Taipower rushed to make emergency repairs with more than 50% of the power restored in just three minutes According to an office worker at Neihu Technology Park It's not like we had any advance warning of a power outage Our instruments and equipment cannot operate without power so some experiments needed to wait for the power to return as we had to run the experiments again.” Another office worker at Neihu Technology Park expressed similar frustration: "It's impossible to work like this and the power was still not restored when we came back We relied upon our company's emergency power system Neihu Technology Park is one of the major IT centers in Taiwan with many companies having their R&D and technical service centers here Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) recently spoke of expanding the company’s investment in Taiwan but he was worried that AI supercomputers require lots of power Neihu Technology Park experienced a power outage drawing more scrutiny of the nation’s power grid Kuo reiterated the power outage at Neihu Technology Park was not due to insufficient power but most likely due to an underground cable connector Kuo has pledged more maintenance and routine inspections though electrical equipment remains influenced by factors such as weather and obsolescence.  Taiwan Cabinet to allocate NT$100 billion to prevent Taipower bankruptcy Over 3,000 households on Taiwan’s Xiaoliuqiu lose power twice Taiwan offshore wind farm achieves 90% operational efficiency Taipower warns AI demand could tax Taiwan’s grid Taiwan decommissions Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant reactor 20,000 Kaohsiung households suffer midday blackout Taipei MRT reminds passengers of drinking water ban Taiwan dollar hits NT$29 per US dollar triggering currency exchange rush Central Bank steps in as Taiwan dollar posts strong single-day gain Vietjet flight makes unscheduled landing in Taiwan Taiwan ranked 2nd most innovative country in world Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes off east Taiwan US tech earnings spark Taiwan stock market rally Four Vietnamese residents found dead in northern Taiwan US Congress members urge Somalia to reverse Taiwan passport ban Taiwan ranks 1st in Asia on World Press Freedom Index Well, turns out it isn't the only swish digs the S.H.E member owns in the Neihu district the 43-year-old splurged NT$230mil (S$9.45mil) on a high-floor unit in a luxury development in 2022 earning her the title "Queen of Neihu Luxury Residences" A check of the singer’s Instagram account shows she was still living in her first Neihu home in end 2023 Ella also owns two other properties — an apartment near Bihu Park worth NT$200mil (S$9.35mil) as well as a townhouse worth Nt$100mil (S$4.67mil) We’re not surprised by the boost in real estate portfolio – Ella has been raking in the big bucks over the last few years The endorsement darling landed 10 new endorsement deals in 2021 And we’re pretty sure she made even more bank after winning the fourth season of popular Chinese reality show, Sisters Who Make Waves in 2023 I consent to the use of my personal data by Mediacorp and the Mediacorp group of companies (collectively “Mediacorp”) to send me notices promotions and updates including marketing and advertising materials in relation to Mediacorp’s goods and services and those of third party organisations selected by Mediacorp We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with 8 Days to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us Ash and a putrid stench filled the air of eastern Taipei as the 53.86m high “Neihu Garbage Mountain” caught fire on July 13 Firefighters in gas masks battled the flames for days but the blaze only grew as the trash underneath soaked up the water and produced more bog gas as fuel trucks continued to haul in load after load of the city’s waste “Where else can we put it?” an official told a Chinese Television System (華視) reporter If we don’t collect garbage for even one day The landfill was to cease operation a month earlier but closure was delayed due to a snag in talks over the new site at Fudekeng (福德坑) The government started dumping trash at the Neihu site in 1970 where a layer of dirt was put over the trash and new trash was dumped on top of the dirt There was no sewage system or leakage prevention mechanism and the smell annoyed nearby residents and the runoff polluted the Keelung River Singer Lo Ta-yu (羅大佑) mocked the fire that year in his song Super Citizens (超級市民): “That year watching Taipei’s garbage drift past our eyes and the trash mountain was having a fireworks celebration living in the colorful city where there’s too much garbage to burn The government finally began cleaning the mountain in 2006 and after eight years of work it was transformed into a public park According to Documentation on the Removal of the Neihu Garbage Mountain (內湖垃圾山清除工程紀實報導) a book by the Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection the area across the river from the mountain was home to many brick and tile factories that peaked during the 1940s and 1950s The factories purchased earth from farmers across the river in Neihu and an owner even built a bridge to transport the material This soil mining eventually formed a large pit near Huzhou Village (葫州) and residents at some point began disposing their garbage there Taipei was searching for a new dumping ground when Neihu was incorporated into the city as a district in 1968 The original landfill was by the Songshan Airport the pit at Huzhou “conveniently” became the city’s official landfill The plan was to use the landfill for four years until the pit was filled up but the city’s population exploded and the government was unable to find a new site The trash the city produced jumped from 421,878 tonnes in 1970 to 755,565 tonnes in 1980 by which time the landfill had grown to 20m tall Former Environmental Protection Administration chief Ni Shih-piao (倪世標) says in the book that prior to the Neihu landfill the city simply dumped its garbage on the shores of the river The soil-and-garbage layered approach was adopted from Japan but it wasn’t set up properly and the amount of garbage was simply too much for the system to handle Since there was no garbage separation then all sorts of valuable items and artifacts could be found in the mountain Hundreds of scavengers regularly visited it to make a living and at night their headlamps could be seen flickering all over the hill Local borough warden Chen Ming-lin (陳明霖) recalls excitedly visiting as a child after the customs office dumped their confiscated items there packs of cigarettes and brand new VCR players Many of the scavengers were migrants to the city who fell on hard times The book details the life of a woman named Ying-hua (櫻花) who began working at the garbage mountain at age 7 after her family moved to Taipei from Changhua They lived near Songshan Airport and planned to scavenge at the dump there “We separated what we found into neat piles in clearings amid the garbage,” she says and people knew which items were already taken we went to look for buyers; if you scavenged all day you could make up to NT$3,000.” They usually descended the mountain to buy lunch but sometimes they ate fruit and other items they found on the mountain Occasionally people came looking for jewelry and other valuables that their family members had accidentally tossed out and offered rewards to whoever found them — although they rarely succeeded Ying-hua recalls that her most valuable find was a glass container full of gold rings the scavengers continued their work by using magnets attached to poles to collect metal cans Ying-hua spent 14 years on the mountain and married a city trash collector who wooed her by saving valuable items for her she continued to scavenge with the baby tied to her back She was operating a car wash nearby when the book was published in 2014 and she wished there was another trash mountain in Taipei for her to scavenge in — although she knew it would be impossible due to recycling The mountain caught fire several times in 1983 endangering the lives of those working there drawing criticism from nearby residents and politicians Garbage mountain was finally closed the following year with the opening of Fudekeng The city also began constructing incinerators It had completely swallowed up the original bridge built by the factory owners Work was done in the ensuing years to reduce leakage and pollution and the mountain sat silently for a decade while its surroundings changed with the straightening of the Keelung river and the opening of Huandong Boulevard (環東大道) When Typhoon Herb hit the city in the summer of 1996 authorities realized that the record-breaking floods in the area were caused in part by trash mountain occupying parts of the river’s watershed zones Several more typhoons and serious floods later and the city could no longer ignore the problem while locals launched a protest campaign Taipei’s waste burden was reduced significantly with the introduction of the trash bag system the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Water Resources Agency directed the city to remove the mountain as soon as possible taking eight years and much grief to complete from stone mills and bronze decorations to weapons such as swords and grenades a column about Taiwan’s history that is published every Sunday spotlights important or interesting events around the nation that either have anniversaries this week or are tied to current events Mayor says project connecting Xizhi to Donghu expected to finish in 2032 3510TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) said on Tuesday that work on an MRT line connecting Xizhi to the Donghu metro station will start this month Speaking at the New Taipei City Government’s Xizhi office, Hou told borough chiefs that the line is expected to be completed in 2032, per CNA He said the 5.56-km line will mostly be in New Taipei Hou said road-widening projects in Xizhi for the line will be finished next year while work to relocate underground pipes and drainage has been completed Hou also touted amendments to the Financial Planning Act currently progressing through the legislature that would increase local government funding relative to the central government He said that once the amendments are passed the increased funds would be used to “double infrastructure” for citizen welfare without providing specific details Hou told reporters that funding for an additional MRT project connecting Keelung to New Taipei has been submitted to the Cabinet for review He said bidding for the project would begin after the approval The Xizhi to the Brown Line Donghu station project will eventually form part of an MRT line connecting Keelung to Taipei’s Dadaocheng area The planned system is named the Minsheng MRT Line New Taipei promotes plan for Minsheng MRT Line This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page On the morning of June 12 at a dedication ceremony for the new American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) compound in Neihu President Tsai Ing-wen said she was pleased that through the combined efforts of so many people an important milestone in the Taiwan-US partnership had been completed She also thanked the AIT team for their trust in Taiwan and said she looks forward to working together as Taiwan and the US create an even brighter future A transcript of the president's remarks follows: because I know we have a tight schedule to keep Director Moy has reminded me that his Feng Shui experts cannot be kept waiting Today we are here to celebrate something new A new chapter in a story that has been decades in the making A story many of us gathered here have helped write This is a story that has extended from the first US Consulate-General on Zhongshan North Road (Taipei) to the old embassy building near Beimen; and from the current AIT compound the former site of the US Military Advisory Group to the new state-of-the-art building where we are gathered here today This is a story that has passed from Karl Rankin a great friend of ours who will unfortunately be leaving in a few weeks It has been continued by all the exceptional diplomats and their families who have called the AIT home and linkages that have guided Taiwan-US relations throughout the years It commemorates all that we have achieved and symbolizes those that are yet to come It is a reaffirmation of our shared values we also rededicate ourselves to our common sense of purpose we have an obligation to work with one another to defend our values and protect our joint interests For it is true: the friendship between Taiwan and the US has never been more promising The great story of Taiwan-US relations remains to be filled with the efforts of those that will one day occupy this building I trust that with the renewed presence of the AIT each better and more vibrant than the last who was the first Director of the AIT here He remarked: "we could solve all problems by having the right attitudes toward each other." For he knew I want to express my gratitude to Congressman Harper and everybody who made this event possible As the AIT directors who are here know better than anyone: this building has been a long time coming I'm pleased that through all of your efforts this milestone of the US-Taiwan relationship is now complete I want to particularly thank Chairman Moriarty and the team at the AIT for your trust in Taiwan and the promise of our longstanding friendship I look forward to working together for an even brighter future ahead President Tsai and the other distinguished guests on stage unveiled the new AIT compound's main entrance and then participated in a ceremony to seal a time capsule commemorating this historic moment in Taiwan-US relations the sudden realization that they were prepared for visitors—really It was around 1 o’clock in the afternoon when I arrived at the Neihu Incineration Plant (NIP) Taipei City Government had arranged my visit I was a little more prepared—I brought a Taiwanese friend to help me translate her mom was a professional Chinese-English translator I remember the air in the area suddenly becoming hazy A golden hue seemed to weigh down on the sky and press against the buildings; everything appeared to operate in slow motion The monster whose presence we could all feel—the incinerator We met with the top two managers of the plant, who, unlike the rest of the workers, did not dress in white lab coats. Everything operated with scientific precision, from regulations on fly-over ash to strict controls on air pollution and worker safety and health [@portabletext/react] Unknown block type "span" specify a component for it in the `components.types` prop after we had been ushered into a conference room aligned with graphs and watched an introductory film on the history of NIP and its current operations in English despite all their organized efforts in running Taiwan’s “first large-scale high-efficiency refuse incinerator,” there was one thing they couldn’t erase—the smell A colorless odor wafted down the halls and stuck to the walls; no amount of fresh air from the open windows could combat its thick The thought of the smell lodging itself into the workers’ clothing passed through my mind—it seemed to be only a matter of time until it permeated through their skin and seeped deep into their hair And yet, given all the inevitable environmental consequences of incineration I was surprised at the significant effort NIP staff were putting into their local community the plant’s management expanded its operations to include several recycling and community service initiatives: where only 20% of the island is inhabitable and the Taipei City's density of people per kilometer is 9,956 the incinerator is ultimately placed in someone’s neighborhood NIP stands tall as a marker of urbanization and an attempt at social reconciliation with its community facilities On the list of interesting things thrown away the manager recounted everything from massive fans completely jamming up his waste chutes and orange paper money used in Buddhist celebrations The Neihu Incineration plant is responsible for the collection and incineration of waste from Taipei’s six Northern districts known for Taipei’s largest and most famous night market are sent to the facility from thousands of people who flock to these allies to enjoy cheap fried food Plastics covered in food residuals cannot be recycled and therefore Even if a clean piece of plastic or paper with recycling potential were to be introduced into the waste stream once it’s tainted by the other food-residual plastics Additionally, most plastics from night markets are made of ‘melamine,’ which cannot be melted and used to create new products do not have recycling bins; all trash is thrown into large white plastic bags hung loosely on wooden racks at designated areas usually located at main alleyway junctions or in the middle of long walkways (Night markets (known in Chinese as 夜市, ye shi) for those of you who have never experienced one, are generally found in bustling, brightly-lit narrow alleyways tucked away from the main road. Some are simply one long alley filled with stands selling food, clothing or arcade games. Others, like Shilin, crisscross through multiple street blocks. There are 31 night markets operating every evening across Taipei If you compound all the waste generated nightly Reduce is the first “R” of Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration's (EPA) Zero Waste Policy, a shift in focus from "end-of-pipe treatment to source reduction and resource re-utilization." (In case you're curious While current government efforts focus on “reducing at the source,” a policy aimed at reducing food waste by encouraging people to buy what they need and no more NIP staff see “reduce” in a slightly different way—not use recycling is a post-consumption last measure; the secret is just not to buy it But of course, with urbanization comes increased convenience, and with single-use goods comes the underlying linear philosophy of take-make-dispose How did incineration come to be the main method of Taiwan’s garbage disposal To effectively manage the disposal of waste the federal government formulated the "Municipal Waste Disposal Plan" in 1984 that focused on landfills and local people led numerous protests against the harmful health effects of living near the makeshift trash dumps The government turned to incineration to solve the waste issue more than 96 percent of the trash is treated by incineration according to the EPA’s Department of Waste Management A reduction in overall waste consumption has also led to the "powering off" of one of Taipei's 3 incinerators every month The Neihu Incineration Plant's current chemical levels on the day of my visit I was left with the impression that these people genuinely care about the environment and their community They were the last line of defense in a process of unconscious consumptive destructiveness and attentiveness to the upkeep of the public facilities were all indicators that they too were 環保人 (huánbǎo rén) people who cared about and protected the environment Given the pollution effects from burning and the dumping of ash post-incineration into landfill it’s easy to believe that people who work in the incineration industry don’t care about the environment You run the risk of the spread of more illness and bacteria millions of people are using and disposing using and disposing; industry is creating and disposing The massive amount of waste generated from market exchanges does not stop The people who work in this industry are the last line of defense—the forgotten warriors of our consumptive habits Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Taipei City Government for arranging my visit to the Neihu Incineration Plant (NIP) and the NIP managers and staff for their gracious hospitality I greatly appreciated the amount of time they spent with me and their willingness to answer all of my questions While I recognize that working in waste management and incineration is inherently a ‘dirty industry’ due to the nature of trash I was amazed at how everything operated with scientific precision and fine attention to detail; the seriousness and thoughtful intention behind how every action affected the immediate environment and the staff’s quality of life was very apparent and much appreciated About The National Geographic SocietyThe National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration investing in bold people and transformative ideas providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036 A four-year-old girl was yesterday decapitated in an apparently random attack in Taipei in full view of her mother has been detained in connection with the gruesome killing The attack occurred at about 11am when the girl and her mother were on their way to an MRT rail station in northern Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) to meet the girl’s grandfather and two of her siblings for lunch Liu was riding a bicycle on Huanshan Road Sec 1 Taipei City Police Department Neihu Precinct investigation unit head Yang Kun-ming (楊坤明) said adding that the attacker grabbed the girl from behind and decapitated her with a cleaver Passersby and area residents subdued the attacker and called the police who arrested the suspect upon arriving at the scene adding that police were still trying to determine the motive Liu’s mother told reporters that her daughter was riding a bicycle about a meter ahead of her when the bicycle got stuck and could not climb onto a sidewalk her mother said she thought he was going to help her pick up her bicycle She said she was still closing the distance between her and her daughter when the man started attacking Liu and she was unable to pull him away from her daughter due to his strength The girl’s mother said that when area residents who heard her screams for help rushed to the scene she saw that her daughter had been decapitated “I never thought this society was so dangerous,” the mother said expressing the hope that her daughter would be the last victim of a random attack “Xiao Deng Pao told me that she missed her brother and sister so she wanted to pick them up,” her tearful mother said and she will never see her brother and sister again.” The girl’s mother called on the government for measures to guarantee the nation’s working mothers’ peace of mind saying: “The government said it is focusing on families and education The girl’s parents and grandparents were later seen kneeling next to her body An angry mob attempted to assault Wang yesterday afternoon when he was escorted by police out of the Neihu Precinct to board a vehicle to take him for further questioning with some in the mob shouting: “Do you have no conscience?” Curses and yells of “Kill him” from the mob descended into scuffles and police were eventually forced to return him to the station Wang had previously been treated at a psychiatric hospital in the city Wang was quoted by police as saying that he did not know the victim and that he had purchased the knife earlier in the morning had sought treatment at Taipei City Hospital’s Songde Branch but he does not have a government-issued disability card The hospital confirmed that Wang had sought treatment there once in 2014 but said that does not prove he has a mental illness Further investigation would be required to discern whether Wang had sought psychiatric treatment elsewhere Wang has convictions for drug offenses and is unemployed earlier media reports that Wang allegedly attempted to scale the walls of Taipei Municipal Xihu Elementary School near the scene of the attack appeared to be erroneous but said that military instructors from the school’s safety center and local police have tightened security and stepped up patrols around the campus The girl’s murder was the third apparently random killing of a child in Taiwan in four years an intruder entered a bathroom at an elementary school in Taipei and slashed the throat of an eight-year-old girl a man cut the throat of a 10-year-old boy in a bathroom at a video game arcade in Tainan National Police Agency Deputy Director-General Chen Chia-chang (陳嘉昌) said at a legislative session that yesterday’s killing was an isolated case Police would set up additional patrols to prevent similar incidents Market to remain open non-stop from Jan 24 to noon on Jan 28 2856TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taipei Flower Market in Neihu District will extend its operations for 108 continuous hours from Jan. 24 to noon on Jan. 28, CNA reported on Wednesday The market is expected to close for a holiday break after noon on Jan The Agriculture and Food Agency said from Jan approximately 70,000 bundles of flowers were supplied daily nationwide the daily supply is expected to increase to around 190,000 bundles The agency said that lily flowers are expected to be in high demand during the Lunar New Year accounting for approximately 30% of the flower supply the lily harvest has decreased by 20% to 30% compared to the same period last year A bundle of five lilies costs around NT$210 (US$6.50) prices are expected to rise to NT$300 per bundle next week.  The agency added that eustoma and chrysanthemums are popular during the Spring Festival while chrysanthemums are available for NT$100 to NT$120 per 10 stems remaining consistent with last year's prices According to Taipei Flowers Auction Company, the market is set to partner with the Nantou County Government again this year the market will sell agricultural products from Nantou.  Taiwan Airport MRT to run from 5 am during Lunar New Year Taiwan's labor ministry checks construction site safety ahead of holiday Taiwan High Speed Rail Lunar New Year tickets go on sale Taiwan Railway to add 302 extra trains for Lunar New Year Taiwan's November unemployment drops to 2-year low of 3.36% Taiwan High Speed Rail on track to break yearly passenger record DBS Bank Taiwan (星展台灣) yesterday announced a three-year adoption plan for Dagangqian Park in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) The bank plans to invest NT$20 million (US$618,410) and collaborate with ecosystem partners to promote diverse sustainable practices DBS Taiwan is also partnering with the Taipei City Government and the Singapore Trade Office to host the five-day DBS Singapore Festival in Dagangqian Park The event aims to showcase Singapore’s charm and diverse culture and features a variety of landmark attractions and experiential activities In hopes of introducing Taiwanese to Singapore’s unique multiculturalism the DBS Singapore Festival has recreated famous Singaporean landmarks such as the Merlion Visitors would also have a chance to participate in unique experiences such as wearing traditional Singaporean attire and getting henna prints The festival would also showcase well-known Singaporean brands such as the Singapore Tourism Board Jumbo Seafood Restaurant and the natural wine bar RVLT “This year marks not only DBS’ 40th anniversary in the Taiwanese market but also a year of becoming the largest foreign bank in Taiwan,” DBS Taiwan CEO Ng Sier Han (黃思翰) said “As we celebrate this meaningful milestone we also want to ramp up our efforts to cultivate the local market and give back to society Neihu Dagangqian Park is surrounded by three DBS main office buildings and a branch we will join hands with employee volunteers social enterprises and our sustainability ecosystem partners to actively create a park that embodies sustainability provides engaging environmental education experiences and meets the citizens’ recreational needs.” These latest initiatives build on DBS Taiwan’s other efforts to give back to society DBS Taiwan will be intensifying its longstanding support for social enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprise partners (including Hidekara Soybean Factory 1982 De Glacee Ice Cream and Pley School) by also sharing their high-quality products and their business philosophies with the community This will enable people to gain a deeper understanding of them and drive support for these local enterprises with sustainable visions DBS Taiwan is also committed to supporting the “Zero Food Waste” initiative and continues to invite the public to participate in this journey by designing interactive activities such as cycling DBS Taiwan will donate 1kg of imperfect fruits and vegetables The festival would also feature an exhibition for people to learn about sustainable actions they can easily incorporate into their daily lives Participants of the “Zero Food Waste” challenge gives attendees the chance to receive an e-book reader made from recycled ocean waste as a prize people can further enhance their understanding and implementation of sustainability “As a leading bank deeply rooted in the Asian market DBS is committed to pursuing business growth while continuously allocating corporate resources to address the sustainability challenges faced by society,” DBS Taiwan chairman Andrew Ng (伍維洪) said “To bolster our existing community support initiatives and make a more profound impact DBS commits to investing S$1 billion [US$730.2 million] over the next 10 years to foster a more inclusive society with the aim of becoming the ‘Best Bank for a Better World.’” DBS has a longstanding commitment to advancing the sustainability agenda Beyond embedding responsible business practices in its operations and promoting responsible banking the bank is also dedicated to creating impact beyond banking by empowering businesses for impact and preparing communities for the future with social issues increasingly coming to the forefront DBS recently announced that it is intensifying its community efforts by committing up to S$1 billion over the next 10 years to improve lives and livelihoods of low-income and underprivileged people the bank’s 36,000-strong workforce will commit more than 1.5 million volunteer hours over the next decade to give back to society The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) officially began operations at its new US$250 million compound in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) yesterday morning after a 40-year run at a site on Xinyi Road a private entity managing US relations with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties was formed in 1979 after Washington switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing the AIT signed a 99-year lease with the Taipei City Government for the site in Neihu The office compound sits on a 6.5-hectare site within walking distance of the Neihu MRT Station A dedication ceremony was held on June 12 last year to unveil the then-nearly finished 14,934m2 but the move was not completed until the weekend The institute’s four facilities — the main office and consular section on Xinyi Road; the commercial section and American Center at the International Trade Center; and the Agricultural Trade Office on Anhe Road — are now housed under one roof The compound was constructed with Taiwanese and US materials to “reflect American democratic values and show respect to Taiwan,” the AIT said previously 9434TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The 2023 Lohas Cherry Blossom Festival will open along a trail beside the Neigou River in Neihu, Taipei at 7 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 3) and run through Feb. 28, according to a press release issued by the Parks and Street Lights Office on Monday (Jan The cherry tree blossoms along the trail have bloomed earlier this year than in the past and are almost in full bloom This year light themed art installations will be displayed at the venue as a complement to the cherry blossoms a borough chief and volunteers planted around 300 cherry trees along the trail The cherry blossoms are especially beautiful when they are lit up at night It urged the public to take in the beauty of the cherry blossoms at night during the Lohas Cherry Blossom Festival The venue is at Lane 61, Kangle Street (Lohas Park), Neihu District, Taipei City. For more information, check out the Flowers in Taipei website Lohas Park is roughly 10 minutes away on foot Bus: The park is a two-minute walk from the Donghu Community bus stop It is a five-minute walk from the Donghu Elementary School bus stop A promotion video for 2022 Lohas Cherry Blossom Festival Taipei Parks and Street Lights Office video) Cherry blossoms along the Neigou River Trail in Neihu 2862TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A five-vehicle crash occurred at the 14.8-kilometer marker on National Highway 3 on the northbound side in New Taipei’s Xizhi on Wednesday morning (Oct 11) Both police and the fire department were immediately notified of the multi-car accident and immediately responded. One individual was trapped in a vehicle and needed rescuing, per CTS six people were injured and sent to nearby hospitals The accident also caused a traffic jam as cars were backed up for a total of six kilometers The National Highway Police Bureau said the cause of the crash is still being investigated Many sent to New Taipei hospitals after highway crash The New Taipei City Fire Department 6th Battalion said it received a report at about 9 a.m 11) that a five-vehicle collision occurred on the Xizhi section of National Highway 3 it dispatched 7 vehicles and 17 people to aid in the rescue Police responding to the incident said that a total of five men and one woman were injured One was trapped due to damage to the car body requiring special equipment to aid in the rescue this person was quickly freed and sent to Neihu’s Tri-Service General Hospital for treatment with a broken foot The remaining five people were sent to Cathay General Hospital Xizhi Branch and Taipei City Hospital Zhonghsiao Branch The National Highway Police Bureau said the multi-vehicle car accident occurred in the middle lane and spread to the outer lanes causing traffic to back up for approximately six kilometers Police officers have been dispatched to the scene to divert traffic as the crash continues to be investigated The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has purchased apartments in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) and Tianmu (天母) area for an estimated NT$1.4 billion (US$45.54 million) to house staff and their families Ministry of the Interior Department of Land Administration data showed The AIT in October last year purchased two units on the 20th floor of a high-end apartment complex on Jinhu Road a two-minute walk from its new Neihu compound One unit is 107.81 ping (356m2) with three parking spaces Land registration records show that both properties were transferred to the AIT in November last year Data on the department’s Web site showed that in May last year a three-parking-spot unit of 139.19 ping in the same apartment complex was sold for nearly NT$125 million while a three-parking-space unit of 107.81 ping was sold for more than NT$83 million the two units were estimated to have cost the AIT more than NT$200 million The AIT in November last year confirmed that it had purchased a 1,000m2 plot of land in Tianmu and reached an agreement with real-estate developer Jean Co (新美齊) to build a residential complex there to house its staff which reportedly is to cost the institute NT$1.16 billion is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of next year The total cost for the Neihu apartments and the Tianmu complex are estimated at nearly NT$1.4 billion and the AIT is reported to have paid for both in cash It most likely purchased the Neihu apartments for high-level officials and the Tianmu complex for employees with children adding that the complex is close to the Taipei American School New office design reflects "Open & Limitless" core concept of a comprehensive ecological Internet enterprise (hereafter referred to as "Gamania Group") announced its official "logout" of Zhonghe headquarters and "login" to its new location in Neihu "We chose to relocate to the tech-thriving Neihu Science Park as the community here would closely connect with our continually expanding services as a comprehensive ecological Internet business," said Gamania Group CEO Albert Liu we will be compiling affiliate resources with our open and limitless working space Liu's digital empire began in 1995 as an online games content provider and gradually developed other areas of business such as online payment spanning across transnational markets in China Bringing a fresh breath of air to Neihu with innovative startup services Always daring to be disruptively innovative Gamania Group started as a digital entertainment content provider and further expanded its scope into a new era of digital lifestyle new media Coture and crowdfunding platform WeBackers Gamania Group also recently soft-launched a new third-party payment service called "Gama Pay" becoming the first-ever company in Taiwan to exclusively provide online payment services the service opened its doors to the employees of Gamania Group and attracted nearly 80% of the employees to download the service in only two weeks' time which will kick off after the relocation of the group's headquarters Gama Pay plans to ultimately provide customers with a safe and convenient online payment experience "It's a very important year for us," Liu remarked "The soft launch of Gama Pay has kicked off with its second phase aiming to make our services available to more businesses we will continue to offer innovative services bringing passion and life to Neihu Science Park We also hope for opportunities to partner with other companies in the community work together to bring Internet technology industry in Taiwan to a new level." With the concept of "Open and Limitless" in mind the new Gamania Group Neihu headquarters was planned by L&L Interiors Inc. the same studio that helped the interior fit-out office space of well-known enterprises such as Google open style of modern-day technology companies to fashion a well-lighted and spacious working environment Communal space -- from the first floor lobby the "Gamania Brand Museum" to the co-working space on each floor -- all share the same "open plan" ambience limitless working spaces for the employees of Gamania Group to unleash their creativity and ideas To respect the personal privacy of its employees the new headquarters also features nursing rooms and phone booths for working mothers and those who have the need for private conversing spaces the employee restaurant "Gama Island" and fitness center that already existed at Gamania Group's old headquarters in Zhonghe encouraging employees to maintain a healthy diet and attain work-life balance With support and assistance from New Taipei City and Taipei City Governments to improve working environments for local businesses the employee child care center "Gama Garden" and U-bike station will also be relocated to Neihu implementing the enterprise's promise to let all employees enjoy their work and personal lives Gamanians ride 25-KM biking challenge from Zhonghe to Neihu On the day before its official move to Neihu nearly one hundred Gamania employees mounted on their bikes and rode 25-KM from the old headquarters in Zhonghe to the new headquarters in Neihu celebrating the relocating and displaying their passion and anticipation of a brand new working space in a healthy self-surpassing way -- riding together into a new and good life is a major PC online game and digital entertainment corporation headquartered in Taipei It is the very first Taiwan online game brand expanding globally now with subsidiaries publishing and developing in Hong Kong Gamania is a veteran in the digital entertainment market in Asia To reach the goal of building the biggest internet company in Taiwan Gamania extended services to emerging trend opportunities It launched online payment service with GASH streaming media with Coture and crowdfounding with Webackers With its resource and support from partners globally Gamania keeps working on providing services users really need The core value Dare the Challenge calls for more partners to join us to create a better future tw.gamania.com One-For-All Public Relations Consultants Co. Email: [email protected]  Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160606/375648 Email: mark@oneforall.com  Email: peipei@oneforall.com Email: eddiewang@gamania.com Email: jenniferfeng@gamania.com Do not sell or share my personal information: A proposed expansion to the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) compound in Taipei aims to reinforce the US’ “rock-solid commitment to Taiwan,” the AIT said on Wednesday “Due to the United States and Taiwan’s strong relationship AIT plans to increase its staff to further support commercial and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan,” an AIT spokesperson said in an e-mailed statement “The vacant land adjacent to AIT presents an extraordinary opportunity to provide for AIT’s long-term future growth in a single and secure location and reinforces America’s rock-solid commitment to Taiwan,” they said was responding to a media report that some of the local residents living near the AIT’s compound in Neihu District (內湖) were unhappy about the expansion plan saying the land should be used to benefit the local community The AIT spokesperson said the land would be used for additional office and warehouse space a recreational center for AIT employees and a parking facility Qingbai Borough (清白) Warden Chen Tung-yuan (陳東源) told the Chinese-language United Daily News that local residents had thought the land would be used to build a junior high school the Taipei City Government recently notified his office that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the AIT would hold a public hearing on Wednesday next week to explain the AIT’s proposal Chen said local residents were worried that the expansion would affect their quality of life and also wondered why they were not informed about the expansion project before The residents accused the central government of paying more attention to the needs of the US government than to those of Taiwanese The ministry in a statement said that it has been offering assistance to the AIT on its expansion proposal but added that it would follow urban planning laws in doing so but has a main office in Taipei and a branch office in Kaohsiung After operating for 40 years at its old offices on Xinyi Road in downtown Taipei the AIT moved to the US$250 million compound in May 2019 a work by renowned landscape artist Wang Wen-chih (王文志) who spent one-and-a-half months finishing the installation with 4,000 pieces of bamboo is to open to the public on Saturday at Bihu Park in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) who studied arts in France for four years and has also frequently participated in international exhibitions said the woven house is a collaboration with Neihu Community College and Neihu residents The outline of the airy construction is based on a castle because he hopes to build “everyone’s dream castle,” he said a meandering corridor leads to a square copper platform — the “Clear Mind Platform” — rising to a round skylight “Visitors can achieve a perfect harmony with the universe by lying down and meditating on the copper boards,” he said adding that the building’s foundation is made of steel sunlight trickles down from the gaps formed by the bamboo stems colorful LED bulbs flash in various patterns Neihu Community College president Lin Ching-ming (林金銘) said the materials for the building structure cost several hundred thousand New Taiwan dollars Wang offered a generous deal when he agreed to embark on the piece Lin added that he hopes to work with an artist every year to boost Neihu’s image as an artistic community The woven house can accommodate 60 to 70 people and is guarded by 24-hour security It is to be open to the public from Saturday until the end of the year Visitors can also expect cultural and artistic performances on the Clear Mind Platform every Saturday The authorities are investigating an alleged murder-and-suicide that resulted in the death of three brothers members of a prominent Taipei family which owns the Miramar Shopping Mall (美麗華百樂園) in the capital’s Neihu District (內湖) Police said shots were fired during a corporate meeting at the offices of Mayfull Food Corp (美福食集) in Neihu yesterday morning Huang Ming-huang (黃明煌) and Huang Ming-jen (黃明仁) were killed by bullet wounds to the head police officers arrived to find Huang Ming-te standing on the building’s seventh floor balcony holding a handgun Despite the officers’ attempts to talk him down fell to the ground and was later pronounced dead at the Tri-Service General Hospital which reportedly owns numerous plots of land and real estate in the Dazhi area worth more than NT$100 billion (US$3.06 billion) one of the nation’s major meat importers and distributors took an Italian-made Tanfoglio pistol to the business meeting yesterday morning After a dispute broke out over dividing up the business Huang Ming-te allegedly took out the pistol and fired several shots at his two elder brothers before he later committed suicide with a single shot to his own head was also at the meeting when the shooting began He quickly ran from the scene and locked himself in another suite and now I must help the families with the funerals and the other arrangements,” Huang Ming-tang said when interviewed by reporters “It was due to a family dispute among brothers and has nothing to do with the business operations of the companies.” Media reports said Huang Jung-tu had been married twice and had seven sons while he had another two sons from a relationship outside of marriage There have been a number of lawsuits between the families of the two wives over their shares of the business empire Bring your earplugs and face protectors and join the fray as Neihu District’s Fude Temple (福德祠) will be honoring its patron deity by parading him around the area while lighting firecrackers draped over his sedan chair dressed in new clothes and returned to his seat in the temple Residents will try to sweep up as much firecracker residue for further good luck Spectators are also advised to wear helmets gloves and flame resistant clothing that covers the entire body ■ Tomorrow 6pm to 10pm at Fude Temple (福德祠) visit www.travel.taipei/en/event-calendar/details/9328 Ever Rich worked with the Taiwanese government to create an extra bus stop on tourist city tour Ever Rich Duty Free and the Taipei City Government have collaborated to promote downtown duty free shopping at the Taiwanese travel retailer’s Neihu store location Ever Rich has decorated a double-decker city tour bus with its latest advertising campaign and the company has revealed how it worked with the local government to include an extra tourist bus stop at its Ever Rich Downtown Shop location The Ever Rich decorated bus tour takes in the tourist hotspots of Taipei five times a day seven days a week and features an open-top upper deck with air conditioned lower deck the other sightseeing tour stops include the 101 International Shopping Centre Xinyi District Songshou Road and the Government MRT Station The six-storey downtown store has a total floor space of 36,000sq m featuring duty free shopping for categories including cosmetics Ever Rich uses the fifth floor as an art gallery and restaurant and to enhance the duty free shopping experience the extra duty free shopping sightseeing stop was a result of the government wishing to promote its downtown retail opportunity “There are increasing numbers of outbound Taiwanese travellers; they are choosing to visit our store early to either shop in plenty of time ahead of their flight or they pre-order items for collection at the airport,” said the representative Tagged with: Sign up for email newsletters for up-to-date news By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy After closing down its 23-year-old Dunbei store, IKEA Taiwan has officially opened for a trial run of its Neihu branch and will launch a light LOHAS menu with unique ice cream flavors in the coming weeks IKEA Neihu’s restaurant and gourmet station feature a variety of foods such as “Garlic Butter Mussels” “White Shrimp Roasted Vegetable Noodles” and “Roasted Duck Breast in Sauce with Cherries” please first agree to the privacy policy below.American membership-only wholesale club Costco and Swedish furniture supplier IKEA closed their stores in (Full text of the story is now in CNA English news archive. To view the full story, you will need to be a subscribed member of the CNA archive. To subscribe, please read here.) Taipei City’s Neihu-Muzha MRT Line was shut down for four hours yesterday after its network system malfunctioned again It was the second system breakdown since the Neihu stretch of the line began operations on July 4 The line experienced the first shutdown on July 10 after a power outage in the afternoon and service did not resume until the following day Taipei City Secretariat Deputy Director Tan Gwa-guang (譚國光) director of the Neihu-Muzha Line emergency response team said yesterday that the network system at Donghu Station malfunctioned at 11:53am and was unable to send signals to the operation center Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) suspended the line’s operation immediately and staff manually drove five of 26 trains that stopped between stations to the nearest platforms Tan said at the Nangang Exhibition Center Station one stopped between Dazhi and Songshan Airport stations two between Zhongshan Junior High School and Songshan Airport stations one between Wende and Gangqian stations and one between Xihu and Gangqian stations A total of 1,683 passengers were aboard the 26 trains and all were evacuated by 12:55pm No passengers were forced to walk along the rails to get back to the stations The air conditioning and lights inside the cars were not affected All affected passengers would receive a refund in the form of a free ticket from the TRTC The system’s computer network returned to normal at 12:58pm and service was resumed at 4:20pm after authorities restarted the system and conducted a trial run Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) apologized for the latest disruption to services blaming the frequent malfunctions on the Neihu stretch on an overly sensitive system “I am very sorry that the shutdown caused so much inconvenience for the residents .. An overly sensitive system has been the main problem and we will ask Bombardier to fix it as soon as possible,” Hau said The city has no plans to suspend operations of the Neihu portion of the line to conduct a thorough inspection of the system “Suspending operations would be a big decision to make and we are focusing our efforts now on stabilizing the system,” he said has sent a vice president and about 130 engineers to work on the system The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation yesterday announced that it would retract its proposed development plan to set up a logistics center and workshops for disaster relief in a geologically sensitive protected area in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) while saying that it would make public all records about donations by its followers and how the money is spent Tzu Chi deputy chief executive Wang Tuan-cheng (王端正) told a news conference in Hualien that the foundation is “deeply unnerved” by the controversy sparked by the development plan and would retract its proposal to rezone a 4.4 hectare plot until society could reach a consensus on the issue Environmentalists say that the proposed site is located on a former pond which the foundation illegally reclaimed increasing the chances of flooding in nearby farmland potential dip slopes are present in the area Tzu Chi would cooperate with the Taipei City Government and seek advice on how to care for the protected area Tzu Chi would restructure itself by inviting reputable individuals to serve as members of its board of directors to monitor and improve the foundation’s operations Foundation deputy chief executive Lin Pi-yu (林碧玉) said Tzu Chi would make information about donations available online from Friday while expenditure would be made public starting from Wednesday next week Lin made the announcement after media personalities Clara Chou (周玉蔻) and Jimmy Wang (汪潔民) last week accused Tzu Chi of pocketing donations including a NT$1.5 billion (US$47.1 million) sum from its emergency reserve to purchase real estate Stock analyst Huang Shih-tsung (黃世聰) alleged that the foundation misappropriated funds it acquired for disaster relief to purchase bonds and stock Environmental activists criticized Tzu Chi’s announcement Taiwan secretary-general Lin Tzu-lin (林子淩) said Tzu Chi is trying to buy time to gather the opinions of those who are in favor of the project and that it still intends to develop the protected area “What is the point in vowing to publish its accounts when there is so much confusion about its past dealings it failed to respond to accusations it bought stock using donations,” Lin said Taipei Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) expressed his thanks to Tzu Chi for proactively resolving years of controversy surrounding the development proposal He said the city government would send the withdrawal documents to the Taipei Urban Planning Commission as soon as they were received expressing his hope that the land could become part of a gradual restoration of the ecology of Dahu (大湖) By 2009-06-30T09:47:00+01:00 Read the full story in the September 2009 issue of Metro Report International TAIWAN: Taipei’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems has awarded an integrated turnkey contract worth €334m for the first phase of the city's Circular Line automated metro TAIPEI City Government's metro construction subsidiary Department of Rapid Transit Systems has awarded contracts for construction of the 14·8 km automated Neihu line The US$1bn design-and-build contract has been awarded to Kung Sing Engineering Corp which has in turn subcontracted the E&M works valued .. are transforming Mobility as a Service from a failed experiment into a more pragmatic and sustainable real-time travel companion Site powered by Webvision Cloud Amid concern that dogs are being trained to hunt and kill stray cats in Taipei the Taipei City Government yesterday said that it has received 85 such reports this year Officials said they are checking the reports to see if any of them overlap Animal protection volunteers said people have been spotted taking dogs into lanes and alleys in Taipei on rainy nights and when a cat is targeted The volunteers said that after the cats were killed The dogs did not bark throughout the attacks making the volunteers suspect that the animals have had their vocal cords removed and have been trained to kill Police said that when they were investigating one case in Xinyi District (信義) in September Chen said that he was a cleaner and that the cat was chased because it came too close when he was feeding the stray dogs He denied purposely setting the dogs on the cat The police sent the case to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for investigation while the Animal Protection Office rounded up six dog “suspects” and sent them to an animal shelter “They will be examined by veterinarians to determine whether they have been trained to hunt which could help shed some light on the reported abuses,” the Animal Protection Office said Zhongshan (中山) and Xinyi districts in the past two months The office said that due to limited government staff and resources the authorities have to rely on the public to solve a lot of cases It urged the public to report any evidence they have to the 1999 Citizen Hotline Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan director Chen Yu-min (陳玉敏) said that the government should not treat the reports lightly adding that if the dogs were to start attacking people Chen Yu-min said that people who unleash dogs to kill cats are in violation of the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) and if found guilty they can be jailed for up to one year and fined NT$100,000 to NT$1 million (US$3,178 to US$31,778) The Taipei City MRT’s Neihu and Muzha lines were suspended yesterday afternoon after a sudden power outage forcing about 700 passengers to walk down the elevated rail lines to return to station platforms after trains stopped between stations The lines are scheduled to resume operating at 6am today The suspension of services yesterday was the first serious system failure on the Neihu Line since it began operations last Saturday A total of 21 trains running on the two lines came to a halt at 3:27pm after the control center detected a warning signal indicating a malfunction in the power supply Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) general manager Tsay Huei-sheng (蔡輝昇) said The malfunction caused power to be cut off and the whole Brown Line was shut down The company began evacuating passengers according to emergency procedures at 3:44pm after it failed to restore power TRTC said only three trains stopped between stations — one between Neihu District’s Gangqian and Wende stations; one between Zhongshan District’s Dazhi and Jiannan stations; and one between Zhongshan District’s Zhongshan Junion High School and Songshan Airport stations Taipei Times reporters saw another train stopped between Gangqian and Wende stations and trains stopped in both directions north of Zhongshan Junior High School Station The TRTC declined to comment on the discrepancy including those on the trains that stopped between stations and the company provided free shuttle buses along the lines to take them to their destinations adding that the TRTC had sent staff to evacuate passengers as soon as possible slammed the TRTC for failing to respond to the incident promptly leaving some waiting inside the cars for more than half an hour without air conditioning or any explanation “Nobody told us what happened and we were stuck inside the cars without air conditioning Their emergency response ability is a joke,” a female passenger complained after walking back to Zhongshan Junior High School Station who was in the stranded train near Gangqian Station said that passengers arriving at the station prior to the power shutdown were not able to board or alight because the doors did not open The train then moved off and stopped a few seconds later well beyond the station An announcement came over the loudspeaker that there had been an incident and that passengers should wait Several announcements were made over the next 20 minutes requesting that passengers wait “patiently.” At 25 minutes the power and air conditioning suddenly went off There was no announcement as to how long passengers would be expected to wait and after receiving no instructions from MRT staff three male passengers pried open the doors and stepped outside A female MRT employee ran up to the carriage from Gangqian Station The men asked if the passengers should get off and walk to the station despite the fact that the last instruction to be issued was “wait patiently” on their own The staffer disappeared and no one else came to assist before walking slowly between the two tracks back to the station The sheer number of passengers meant that it took at least 20 minutes for them to reach Gangqian Station Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) apologized for the inconvenience the incident had caused the public and demanded that Taipei city’s Department of Rapid Transit System solve the false alarms and malfunctions that have hindered the Neihu Line since its operation began less than a week ago “We are prioritizing our efforts on fixing the system’s false alarms and stabilizing it in the shortest time,” Hau said Hau acknowledged the problematic system integration of the Neihu and Muzha lines could be the reason behind the frequent malfunctions and the shutdown of the lines yesterday but said the city government did not plan to halt the operation of the two lines to fix the problem was designed to be compatible with the Muzha Line’s Matra system sent software engineers to inspect the computer systems and improve the detection of false alarms last month Hau said the city government would ask Bombardier for compensation according to contract if the company fails to solve the system malfunctions Department Commissioner Tom Chang (常歧德) said his department and Bombardier were working to fix the problems and seeking to have the lines resume operation as soon as possible the firm gave free one-day MRT passes and bus tickets to passengers who had to walk along the tracks to get back to the stations The Taipei City’s Transportation Department will continue to provide free shuttle buses along the lines today This page requires JavaScript to function correctly please enable JavaScript in your browser settings first Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee today said that plans by American Institute in Taiwan to station Marines to guard its new compound in Neihu District Taipei City was legal under international diplomatic conventions The Minister was responding to a question raised by DPP legislator Tsai Tsai asked whether it would be legal for the AIT to station American troops in its compound would it be legal for those troops to carry their service sidearms The question comes after former AIT Director Stephen Young said in Washington last Wednesday that the new AIT compound had been designed to include a Marine House and that marines would be posted there when it opens later this year Minister Lee said that under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations the AIT compound can be considered an extension of US territory and as such US military personnel can carry service pistols Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. this site is affected by big-tech/social media censorship Get Instant notification of latest news by email Taiwan English News is published by Phillip Charlier who is based in New Taipei City, Taiwan. If you have news tips or issues you want covered: Let me know Morung Express NewsDimapur | March 22  a correspondent for The Morung Express was awarded the 2023 REACH Media Awards for Excellence in Reporting on TB in English category She received the award during the TB Conclave held at The LaLiT In her story “Poor access driving crisis of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Nagaland,” published in The Morung Express in February 2023 Ketholeno underscores the challenges faced by people in accessing timely treatment for MDR-TB in the remote areas of Nagaland The story highlights issues such as lack of awareness and the need for improved healthcare infrastructure in the state.  REACH or Resource Group for Education and Advocacy for Community Health is a non-profit organisation based in India and working on Tuberculosis for over two decades Its mandate include engaging the private sector providing care and support for people with TB promoting multi-sectoral coordination for TB building evidence based innovative approaches and improving public understanding of TB.  The REACH Media Awards have been instituted to recognise outstanding and effective reporting on TB by journalists in India  These awards highlight the vital role played by the media in informing the public and decision-makers about TB prevention and care Other recipients of the Awards include Saumya Kalia from The Hindu and Varsha Singh an independent journalist in the English category and Shailaja Tiwale an independent journalist and Sanjay Kumar from the Hindustan Times in the Local language category.  Do you think social media platforms are strengthening or weakening journalism in Nagaland The Morung Express is a people-oriented alternative newspaper based in Nagaland that was conceived from the Naga people’s historical realities and is guided by their voices and experiences It emerged from the well-recognized concept that the core of a free press is based on “qualitative and investigative” journalism Ensuring this is essential for contributing to an informed Naga public that makes sound decisions on issues that affect all spheres of life The COVID-19 resurgence in Taiwan continues to be bad news for F&B businesses is reportedly experiencing a steep decline in business In addition to his successful — and very lucrative — career as a singer the 40-year-old is also a keen entrepreneur and opened two branches of Miracle Coffee in the prime Neihu and East Districts of Taipei Unfortunately, tightened restrictions under the nationwide Level 3 alert and the public’s unwillingness to go out and spend money hasn’t boded well for the stores, especially the one located in the East District JJ’s manager shared that since the cafe in the Neihu District has always primarily offered takeaway it hasn’t really been that severely affected by the no dine-in rule which also houses a boutique selling merchandise from JJ’s lifestyle label SMG This prompted the cafe to apply for a government bailout as its circumstances meet the conditions to do so The manager later clarified that JJ usually only participates in menu discussions and attends cafe events and that he is not directly involved in restaurant operations It was only after the press enquiries started coming in that he learned that his business partners had applied for financial relief there are no plans for layoffs or paycuts for the cafe's staff More flexible working arrangements will also be made so that employees can reduce contact with one another as much as possible The cafe has also launched meal delivery services and introduced a wider variety of products But while these have helped to boost business a little it’s been difficult to maintain the same level of sales as last time Todayonline.com and Today Online domains and apps are now part of 'Channelnewsasia.com' domain We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with TODAY to be fast 6432TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Students across Taiwan will head back to classes on Tuesday (Aug 30) as the new school year officially begins Under the new guidelines from the Ministry of Education (MOE) morning study periods at high schools will be optional starting this year meaning that no high school student should be required to arrive at school earlier than 8:10 a.m The new regulations have come as a relief to many students and parents who feel that the later start times will give high school students more time to rest Neihu High School in Taipei has reportedly angered some students and parents after a notice was issued expressing the hope that students would still arrive at school before 7:30 a.m The notice led many parents to voice concerns and complaints with the school and the local government The school issued a response to the complaints which emphasized that it is not mandatory for students to arrive at school before 8:10 a.m. They clarified that homeroom teachers may still organize early morning study sessions and classes have the freedom to organize activities before the school day’s official start time, reports UDN Neihu High School also clarified that any activities scheduled prior to the official start time will not affect a student’s grade for any class The initial statement and subsequent explanation led many to question whether the school’s policy towards morning activities will effectively circumvent the new guidelines issued by the MOE the Department of Education in Taipei has contacted high schools throughout the city to reiterate the newly implemented guidelines and expectations for the new school year While students and teachers are free to arrange learning activities before the first period class schools may not force students to attend or participate in such activities.Note: The information concerning an 8:10 a.m start time for classes in this article pertains only to high school students Damaged Taiwan schools switch to remote learning after earthquake 2819TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) wants to expand its offices in Taipei City to add staff and strengthen relations The office complex opened for business in 2019 in the capital’s Neihu District. Due to the intensifying and deepening of relations between the two countries, AIT wants to recruit more staff to provide business and cultural services, per CNA AIT reportedly wants to use the green space it has already disposed of to build extra offices An adjacent empty lot offered the opportunity to increase the organization’s future role in one safe area in the city center The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it would help the relevant institutions to provide assistance within the framework of urban development laws and regulations A local Kuomintang (KMT) Taipei City councilor said AIT should receive the necessary assistance but also demanded an explanation for why its current 6.5 hectares were not enough and whether the expansion would serve military purposes Taiwan seeks expanded hydrogen energy partnership with Chile US envoy in Taiwan does not exclude joint weapons production Foreign minister calls on UN to include Taiwan Taiwan rebukes Beijing's 'bullying' of Philippine ships in South China Sea Taiwan and Pacific allies committed to ensuring regional peace and prosperity Taiwan slams Chinese military expansion after Sullivan-Wang talks Neihu's Miramar Shopping Complex boasts the world's second largest Ferris wheel At 110m at its highest point and 70m in diameter the wheel takes about 17 minutes to do a single circuit With a capacity of 288 passengers -- six people to each of its 48 cars -- it has already proven to be a crowd puller despite being open for just over two months avoid the weekends unless you have the patience of a saint You'll have to wait at least an hour in line then and on public holidays and in fact the amusement park rivaled Taipei 101 as the best place to see in the new year it's possible to see the National Palace Museum all the way out in Waishuangxi and the Taipei 101 building to the south Probably the best time of day to enjoy the view when the sky turns into a deep blue backdrop to the scenery spread out before you you'll be kicking yourself if you forget to take your camera along to capture the city lights from on high The wheel itself is lit up with the help of 624 sets of neon lights in three parts: the "Melody from Heaven," the "Colors on the Ground" and the "Dances of the Winds." If you want a ride in the world's biggest Ferris wheel you'll have have to fork out money for a trip to London home of the 135m-tall London Eye on the South Bank of the Thames one of the public projects built to commemorate the turn of the millennium four years ago is still one of the city's biggest tourist draws The London Eye takes around 30 minutes to make one circuit and each car comes with a guide to make sure you don't miss anything From the top you can see the whole of London In the distance you will even be able to see Windsor Castle if you want to see London's architecture at its best A trip to Japan will also get you to a Ferris wheel of note has what is perhaps the most romantic Ferris wheel to be found anywhere on the globe It has provided the backdrop to many movie scenes including scenes in Bayside Shakedown with Yuji Oda It's also become one of the top choices for Romeos who plan to pop the big question sitting on the side of Tokyo Bay with Rainbow Bridge and the Ferris wheel as landmarks the wheel takes 15 minutes to go around once with the Rainbow Bridge lit up in seven colors there are still a number of choices open to you if you want that Ferris wheel experience nearer to home In Taichung there is the 28m-high wheel in Yamay Resort's Discovery World which offers a comprehensive view of the entire park It takes a quarter of an hour to make the journey round once On the east coast there is the Hualien Ocean Park On one side you can get a glimpse of the lush green hills that are the foothills of the central mountain and on the other you can see the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean Janfusun Fancy World in Yunlin used to lay claim to owning the largest Ferris wheel in Taiwan before the one in the Miramar Complex came along It's still nothing to sniff at: at 30 storeys high Fifty passenger cars each fit eight people 6713TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new camping area will officially open to the public on April 1 at Bishan Campground in Taipei’s Neihu District, according to the city’s Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) not far from Bishan Temple and Baishihu Suspension Bridge The nearly completed “Forest Camping Area” was created among forest trails in order to solve the problem of insufficient campsites GEO Forest Recreation Section chief Pan Hsin-yuan (潘信元) said and an 80-meter elevated corridor that connects the southern and northern campgrounds Bishan Campground currently boasts 37 campsites, which can accommodate 200 campers at the same time, according to the GEO's online camping application website The shower facilities can provide hot water for 23 campers simultaneously As there is little light pollution at the campground it is well-suited for stargazing and overlooking the nighttime cityscape Camping is free. Those interested can apply via the TaipeiPASS app seven to 30 days ahead of time. For information related to Bishan Campground and applying to camp there, visit the campground's website Public transportation:Get off at MRT Neihu Station and walk to Bishan Road or Neihu Precinct and take Bus S2 Get off at Bishan Temple (碧山巖) then walk 1.8 kilometers to the campground High speed rail plans free tickets to attract visitors to central and south Taiwan Taipei and Taoyuan MRT to launch joint ticket with Japan’s Keisei railway Taiwan sees 5 million international visitors as of August Tainan plans cable car project in Hu Tou Pei Scenic Area Tourists visit Daylily Mountain in eastern Taiwan Taiwan Taoyuan airport passengers reach 90% of pre-COVID levels 18802TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Metro Taipei has unveiled a new map highlighting 25 night markets accessible by the city's public transport system offering a rich tapestry of gastronomic delights that extend late into the night In a Wednesday (Feb. 21) press release the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) introduced five selected night markets Linjiang Night Market (Red Line) - A mere 10-minute stroll from Exit 4 of the MRT Xinyi-Anhe Station Linjiang Night Market sits adjacent to Taipei 101 This market is renowned for its barbecue dishes Huaxi Street Night Market (Blue Line) - Located just a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of the MRT Longshan Temple Station Huaxi Street Night Market in western Taipei beckons tourists with its offerings of braised pork rice Raohe Street Night Market (Green Line) - Situated near Exit 1 Raohe Street Night Market is adjacent to the Songshan Ciyou Temple including Michelin-recommended pepper buns stewed pork ribs with medicinal herbs soup Yansan Night Market (Orange Line) - Located around Exit 1A of the MRT Daqiaotou Station Yansan Night Market is also praised by Michelin guides for its diverse street food options Must-try dishes include pig's trotter rice Neihu 737 Lane Food Street (Brown Line) - Just a short 10-minute walk from the MRT Gangqian Station Neihu 737 Lane Food Street transforms into a culinary paradise after sunset and signature dishes offered by various eateries visitors are invited to take a stroll in the flower-strewn LOHAS Park Visitors to these 25 night markets can enjoy special offers by using the Taipei Metro Go (台北捷運GO) mobile app This app provides a convenient way to explore the diverse and delicious world of Taipei's night markets A map highlighting 25 night markets accessible by Metro Taipei Taipei launches WMG2025 FunPass ahead of World Masters Games China Airlines offering discounted Taipei MRT passes Taipei-Hsinchu ranks 25th in top 100 tech clusters Taipei MRT to accept credit cards and Apple Pay next year By Luke Barras-hill | Tuesday Ever Rich Duty Free downtown shop in Neihu Travellers in downtown Taipei now have an added incentive to shop at one of the city’s leading duty free stores before departure Ever Rich Duty Free has struck a partnership with the government to enable travellers to be dropped via open-top double-decker sightseeing bus to the travel retailer’s downtown shop Customers can be picked up and dropped off at the Ever Rich shop on a route that also includes famous tourist spots such as the Taipei 101 international shopping centre Xinyi District Songshou Road and MRT station exit 4 Travellers can purchase at the Ever Rich downtown Shop 24 hours to 45 days prior to departure The move is designed to increase shopping opportunities in light of rising outbound Taiwanese travel volumes who either opt to shop instore or pre-order items for collection at the airport Ever Rich’s downtown pre-order shopping facility caters predominantly to local Taiwanese and Chinese customers The six-storey building shaped in a butterfly wing style has a total floor space of 36,000sq m Four floors are dedicated to commercial services featuring duty free cosmetics The fifth floor is used as an art gallery and restaurant TRBusiness Magazine is free to access. Read the latest issue now The fifth floor is used as an art gallery and restaurant.