By 2025-01-16T05:00:00+00:00 TAIWAN: Main construction works for the MRT Xizhi – Donghu metro line in New Taipei are set to get underway in March after the turnkey design and build contract was signed on December 19 The NT$32bn project will be undertaken a joint venture of Malaysian company Gamusa (75%) working with local partners MiTAC Information Technology Corp (15%) and Dong Pi (10%) The line will run 5·6 km from Donghu station on the Wenhu Line to Xizhi railway station in New Taipei and an interchange with the future Keelung Line Preliminary works began at the end of 2023 New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih said the main works are expected to be completed by 2032 TAIWAN: Alstom has delivered the first medium-capacity automated metro trainset for the 22·8 km Wanda Line also known as the Light Green Line and Line 7 which will provide a 30 min journey time between Taipei and New Taipei City TAIWAN: The Ministry of Transportation & Communications has approved plans to extend the Blue Line metro eastwards by 15·6 km from Nangang Exhibition Centre in Taipei to Badu main line station in Keelung of which the central government would provide .. TAIWAN: Mayor of New Taipei Hou Yu-ih attended the official opening of the Ankeng light rail line on February 10 a plant market and the sale of sets of three bottles of commemorative beer representing the Ankeng Site powered by Webvision Cloud please first agree to the privacy policy below.Work on the new metro line connecting Xizhi and Donghu in an area northeast of Taipei will start at the beginning of 2025 the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems said Tuesday (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.) © 2025 Gamuda Berhad 197601003632 (29579-T) Privacy Notice Terms and Conditions Notice Construction expected to start next year and finish by 2032 New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih and MRT Xizhi–Donghu Line’s contractors 3985TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) witnessed Thursday’s contract signing between the city’s Rapid Transit Systems Department Director Li Cheng-an (李政安) and contractors for the MRT Xizhi-Donghu Line Hou said the line will have six elevated stations stretching from Luzhou Village in Neihu District to the Xizhi District Office Station SB10 will connect to Wenhu Line's Donghu Station SB14 will link to the Taiwan Railway's Xike Station and SB15 will connect to the Keelung Metro Hou said New Taipei is leading the Xizhi-Donghu Line’s construction He added the city is also overseeing the Keelung Metro and the construction budget was submitted to the Cabinet on Dec Li said that preliminary work on the Xizhi-Donghu Line began at the end of last year to ensure smooth progress on next year’s main construction New Taipei mayor encourages participation in World Masters Games Taipei MRT Brown Line closes for 45 minutes due to abnormality Man chases woman on Taipei MRT over word 'China' Watch Taipei MRT train shake during Taiwan quake Phase 2 work on Taipei MRT Light Green Line begins Taiwan dollar hits NT$29 per US dollar triggering currency exchange rush Taipei MRT reminds passengers of drinking water ban Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes off east Taiwan Vietjet flight makes unscheduled landing in Taiwan Four Vietnamese residents found dead in northern Taiwan Central Bank steps in as Taiwan dollar posts strong single-day gain Rising Taiwan dollar over Trump tariffs has pros and cons Taiwan ranked 2nd most innovative country in world US tech earnings spark Taiwan stock market rally Taiwan ranks 1st in Asia on World Press Freedom Index In a world of competitive coders and software languages, Xizhi Tan, a doctoral student in Drexel’s College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) PhD in Computer Science program favors the simplicity of a pen or pencil over code.  Tan — a fourth-year PhD student and a member of Drexel Economics and Computation (EconCS) research group — spent this past summer at Google as part of a 13-week long hybrid summer internship based at their Mountain View California headquarters (also known as the Googleplex) Her internship allows her to work closely with Google’s Geo department which controls Google Maps “I work on recommending routing to different people,” Tan said “and we do back-end preprocessing of the maps Tan does not write any code: “I just use pen and pencil and write equations.” Tan says she’s excited about working with the other interns and full-time researchers and learning more about their research Tan’s successful summer did not end there; she was also a finalist for the highly competitive Meta Research PhD fellowship which recognizes PhD candidates conducting research on the cusp of emerging topics across computer science More than 3,000 applications from over 100 universities worldwide were received with only 21 fellows selected from 12 universities Tan was selected as a finalist in the “Economics and Computation” track due to her research knowledge in game theory and learning augmented mechanism design Tan received her bachelor's degree in mathematics from Drexel University. During their undergraduate years, she worked as assistant product manager in Comcast and Digital Quality Operations Analyst in JPMorgan Chase & Co. Working with CCI faculty advisor Vasilis Gkatzelis, PhD her research interests center around the intersection of economics and computer science Drexel CCI's PhD in Computer Science program designed for students to ensure core knowledge of the fundamental computer science areas and to conduct bleeding edge research at the forefront of a selected area The PhD in Computer Science is designed to prepare students for leadership careers in research and education in computer science and interdisciplinary work using computer science Stay informed on the latest updates from Drexel College of Computing & Informatics Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215.895.2000 please e-mail your queries to editor@metrorailtoday.com a leading engineering and construction group has announced the awarding of a significant design and build turnkey contract for the Xizhi Donghu Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project in Taiwan This marks Gamuda's seventh major project in Taiwan and its largest to date The New Taipei City Government has awarded this substantial project to an unincorporated Joint Venture consisting of three key partners: The scope of the project includes the construction of 5.78 kilometers of elevated viaducts and trackwork The comprehensive system works will incorporate critical components such as rolling stock the Joint Venture is also committed to undertake specified additional works upon instruction from the New Taipei City Government Contracts for these additional works are anticipated to be awarded before the completion of the main Xizhi Donghu MRT project The Xizhi Donghu MRT alignment will traverse the Taipei Neihu District and the New Taipei City Xizhi District significantly enhancing Taiwan's urban transportation network This initiative is part of a broader infrastructure strategy aimed at accommodating the rapidly growing transportation needs of the New Taipei urban populace which connects Xizhi and Donghu in the northeast area of Taipei as confirmed by the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems The line is designed as a medium-capacity rail system capable of carrying a minimum of 530 passengers per train the Xizhi Donghu MRT will connect with the existing Donghu Station on the Taipei Metro's Wenhu (Brown) Line future plans include integrating this line with the upcoming Keelung Line MRT and Minsheng Line MRT is home to approximately 4 million residents making it the most populous city in Taiwan and the second largest special municipality by area The development of the Xizhi Donghu MRT project is expected to play a crucial role in supporting the city's expanding infrastructure and transportation demands Metro Rail Today is an authentic and global news provider for the Rail & Metro industry from and around the world Copyright © 2015-2023 |Metro Rail Today Supported by: Urban Infra Group ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published This is part one of an investigation into a revolutionary money laundering system involving Chinese organized crime, Latin American drug cartels and Chinese officials, and how one major figure in the scheme managed to meet former President Donald Trump. Read part two: “The Globetrotting Con Man and Suspected Spy Who Met With President Trump.” Drug Enforcement Administration agents following the money from cocaine deals in Memphis identified a mysterious figure in Mexico entrusted by drug lords with their millions: a Chinese American gangster named Xizhi Li As the agents tracked Li’s activity across the Americas and Asia they realized he wasn’t just another money launderer Operating with the acumen of a financier and the tradecraft of a spy he had helped devise an innovative system that revolutionized the drug underworld and fortified the cartels Li hit on a better way to address a problem that has long bedeviled the world’s drug lords: how to turn the mountains of grimy twenties and hundreds amassed on U.S streets into legitimate fortunes they can spend on yachts technology and bribes to police and politicians took weeks or even months to complete and exposed the stockpiled cash to risks — damage federal antidrug agents in Chicago saw early signs of what would become a tectonic change They trailed cartel operatives transporting drug cash to a new destination: Chinatown an immigrant enclave in the flatlands about 2 miles south of the city’s rampart of lakefront skyscrapers Agents on stakeout watched as cartel operatives delivered suitcases full of cash to Chinese couriers directed by Li Furtive exchanges took place in motels and parking lots The couriers didn’t have criminal records or carry guns; they were students so they used a prearranged signal: a photo of a serial number on a dollar bill the couriers alerted their Chinese bosses in Mexico who quickly sent pesos to the bank accounts or safe houses of Mexican drug lords Li then executed a chain of transactions through China the United States and Latin America to launder the dollars His powerful international connections made his service cheap fast and efficient; he even guaranteed free replacement of cartel cash lost in transit Li and his fellow Chinese money launderers married market forces: drug lords wanting to get rid of dollars and a Chinese elite desperate to acquire dollars “At no time in the history of organized crime is there an example where a revenue stream has been taken over like this and without a shot being fired,” said retired DEA agent Thomas Cindric a veteran of the elite Special Operations Division “This has enriched the Mexican cartels beyond their wildest dreams.” in testimony to a Canadian commission of inquiry Adm. Craig Faller, a senior U.S. military leader, told Congress last year that Chinese launderers had emerged as the “No. 1 underwriter” of drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere The Chinese government is “at least tacitly supporting” the laundering activity which oversees military activity in Latin America the now-retired Faller elaborated on his little-noticed testimony He said China has “the world’s largest and most sophisticated state security apparatus So there’s no doubt that they have the ability to stop things if they want to There’s a lot of theories as to why they don’t But it is certainly aided and abetted by the attitude and way that the People’s Republic of China views the globe.” arguing that Chinese authorities have decided as a matter of policy to foster the drug trade in the Americas in order to destabilize the region and spread corruption “We suspected a Chinese ideological and strategic motivation behind the drug and money activity,” said former senior FBI official Frank Montoya Jr. who served as a top counterintelligence official at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence The Chinese have seen the advantages of the drug trade If fentanyl helps them and hurts this country More than half a dozen national security veterans interviewed by ProPublica expressed similar views most of them speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive subject But they acknowledged that the alleged state complicity is difficult to prove Beijing rejects such accusations. And the question of whether China actively supports money laundering and the flow of fentanyl and other drugs to the U.S “There is so much corruption today in mainland China it becomes hard to distinguish a policy or campaign from generalized criminality,” said an Asian American former intelligence official with long experience on Chinese crime and espionage The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a detailed request for comment for this story The takeover of drug-related money laundering by Chinese organized crime has drawn global attention. In Australia, authorities are investigating a Chinese syndicate that allegedly moved hundreds of millions of dollars around the world for clients including a cousin of Chinese President Xi Jinping (Xi’s cousin has not been charged with a crime and the Chinese foreign ministry has dismissed reports about inquiries into his activities as “gossip.”) Europol has warned that Chinese money laundering groups “present a growing threat to Europe.” The U.S State Department estimates that $154 billion in illicit funds a year passes through China “We used to have a regular dialogue with the Chinese specifically on things like money laundering counternarcotics policies,” Assistant Secretary Todd Robinson who leads the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs we’ve not really been able to get a handle on how much of this is criminal organizations and how much of it is criminal organizations connected to or suborning Chinese government officials.” Xi has led a well-publicized crusade against corruption, but it has been mainly a purge of rivals national security officials and Chinese dissidents Chinese intelligence services have quietly expanded their ties with Chinese mafias “There is no question there is interconnectivity between Chinese organized crime and the Chinese state,” said Montoya “The party operates in organized crime-type fashion where organized crime has been co-opted by the Russian government and Putin’s security services.” suspecting he had ties to Chinese spy agencies They wanted to know how and why a wanted Chinese criminal had gained access to the president of the United States Although authorities convicted Li and Liu of money laundering and other crimes the political and diplomatic aspects of the groundbreaking investigations of them are still largely secret the DEA declined to discuss the case or even the general issue of how Chinese organized crime launders profits for the cartels The Justice Department and FBI declined requests for comment Lawyers who represented Li rejected requests for interviews with them or their client To explore the full dimensions of the case ProPublica interviewed more than two dozen current and former national security officials either because they were not authorized to talk publicly or because of concerns about their security Many details — about the suspected role of Chinese officials politics — are being reported for the first time Rigo Polanco met a cocaine trafficker who called himself Juan Lee It was one of 17 aliases that Xizhi Li accumulated in a criminal career that was just getting started who was looking for a high-volume supplier he agreed to meet Polanco at a Denny’s by the Pomona Freeway in the suburban sprawl of the San Gabriel Valley Polanco’s Los Angeles County task force deployed surveillance around the diner a corrupt Customs and Border Protection officer with access to cocaine Li’s 25-year-old Mexican American wife and her brother Li stood 5-foot-7 and weighed about 135 pounds “The aura of Juan Lee among the people around him was ‘Don’t cross this guy,’” Polanco recalled in an interview “There was some sense of fear of him among his associates.” Li grew up in a unique subculture where crime spoke many languages and crossed borders with ease He was born in a rural area of Guangdong province in 1973 a Mexican city on the California border that is home to a large Chinese community an underground tunnel complex was a refuge from the desert heat — and a site for gambling and cross-border crime schemes Li attended school and worked long shifts in a family restaurant But one of his close relatives smuggled migrants and contraband into the United States his family migrated to Southern California He slid into crime in the 1990s and with help from relatives became an associate of the 14K triad according to law enforcement documents and former investigators citizenship and had four children with a Chinese-born woman he opened the Lucky City Restaurant in the suburb of Monterey Park in Los Angeles County The restaurant quickly became a den of drug trafficking and human smuggling according to an affidavit written by a DEA investigator and sources familiar with the case Li’s triad and family connections had helped him cultivate relationships with Chinese officials with diplomatic status in the United States Li’s hectic life bridged the Latino and Asian communities He had two children with his Mexican American wife whose family had useful cartel connections according to interviews and court documents he took Chinese relatives to Guangdong for the Qingming Festival when families clean the tombs of their ancestors Basking in the role of benevolent immigrant transforming the muddy land into streets,” his sister wrote to a federal judge years later his prolific criminal activity drew investigations by the DEA and FBI But Polanco’s team of Los Angeles County officers didn’t know about those open cases when they went after him in 2008 During a second meeting at a seafood restaurant Li told Polanco that he was smuggling 30-kilogram loads of cocaine through Mexico to Hong Kong And he had a sideline smuggling Chinese migrants through Cuba Canada and Hong Kong were hotbeds of Chinese organized crime You needed well-placed allies to navigate among those cultures and countries “It all added up to this picture of a very shrewd and cautious and sophisticated operator,” Polanco said “There was a lot of sophistication in what he was doing After negotiations with the undercover agent Li agreed to buy an initial 20 kilograms of cocaine he sent a young Asian man in a Mercedes to a supermarket parking lot to deliver $200,000 Polanco’s team captured the bagman and other accomplices The bagman and Li’s brother-in-law pleaded guilty to drug trafficking offenses while charges against the wife were dropped He soon proved Polanco’s instincts correct Qiyun Chen was from his hometown and worked in her family’s retail business she became his romantic and criminal partner according to court documents and former investigators Her charm and intelligence impressed gangsters and cops alike Chen introduced Li to her own network in the Chinese Mexican community including a formidable trafficker known as the Iron Lady The alias fused the words China and Sinaloa the state that has spawned many drug lords It baptized her as a player in a multilingual subculture that she and Li created Their text messages combined Chinese and Spanish Li used the online handles JL 007 and Organización Diplomática (Diplomatic Organization) The couple divided their time among luxurious homes in Mexico City making good money smuggling drugs and migrants But they saw a new opportunity in money laundering it had a ’90s-era decor that didn’t exactly conjure images of James Bond in Monte Carlo Li struck an all-inclusive deal with the owner fugitive became a Guatemalan gambling entrepreneur Li had developed a complementary racket: selling fraudulent documents Li himself had five passports from three countries Li infiltrated corrupt Latin American bureaucracies that sell real passports He also had a government-connected source for passports in Hong Kong a cafe owner in Mexico City introduced him to a wealthy Chinese expatriate who wanted a Guatemalan passport Li took his client in a private helicopter to the southernmost Mexican state of Chiapas They landed in the jungle and trudged across the border into Guatemala “Bodyguards with weapons and vehicles were waiting on the other side,” said Liu’s lawyer “They take them to Li’s mansion in Guatemala Li leaves him there and goes to get the passports Tao spent time in that mansion waiting with other Chinese clients for Li to bring back the documents He got to know the other people there pretty well.” Liu met a senior Chinese military officer who also bought a fraudulent document from Li Liu identified the officer in a photo shown to him by U.S Investigators say that episode contributed to evidence that Li provided fake papers where China is an economic and diplomatic power Foreign passports and multiple identities enable Chinese operatives overseas to engage in covert activity launder money or take refuge from their government if accused of corruption The national security threat posed by Li’s passport racket later caused the DEA to bring in the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service to conduct its own investigation They gambled at the casino and took women to the Bahamas Although Liu had access to money and power Sometimes his dubious immigration status forced him to enter Mexico by car or bus and he bragged about bluffing or bribing border officers The two men did not seem like kindred spirits It is hard to find photos of Li; Liu bombarded social media with scenes of his extravagant lifestyle And Liu played a crucial early role in building Li’s empire according to current and former law enforcement officials and other sources indictment later alleged: “TAO [Liu] worked with LI to begin money laundering in locations including Mexico and Guatemala.” In later conversations recorded by the DEA Liu described himself as an influential mentor who taught Li how to launder money according to court documents and interviews Liu’s lawyer argued that his client’s admissions were exaggerations But the investigators tended to believe Liu’s account “The DEA thought that they were partners in the money laundering,” a former national security official said “And they were definitely working closely together.” Investigators believe Liu used his connections in China and the diaspora to recruit rich people who needed U.S A sign of Liu’s access to that underworld: he had another associate in Hong Kong known as “the queen of underground banking,” who provided black market money services to the Chinese elite according to Chinese court documents and press reports Li’s Guatemalan casino became a base of his emerging venture He started bringing Chinese nationals to the casino: some of them politically connected They mingled with Latin American drug traffickers the second essential element in his scheme The casino was a showcase to demonstrate to both sides that Li could deliver The wealthy Chinese “had a need,” Simms said Many ethnic diasporas have developed informal systems for moving money and funneling cash — earned honestly or illegally — into the legitimate international economy underground banking systems served the elite of the Chinese Communist Party especially after the totalitarian regime opened its command economy to global capitalism Xi’s anti-corruption crusade pushed the elite to spirit more money overseas A yearly limit of $50,000 on capital flight increased a demand for U.S “The underground banking system in China was pretty much self-sufficient just dealing with Chinese criminal organizations and the Chinese diaspora,” said John Tobon, the Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge in Honolulu, who has written on the topic “And it was then when all of these restrictions came in when the CCP members could no longer count on doing it the easy way .. that the supply of dollars became an issue.” Li and other enterprising criminals identified a seemingly limitless source of dollars: the Latin American drug trade Li offered the cartels unheard-of money laundering deals it had been an 18% to 13% commission,” said Cindric “The Chinese are doing it for 1 to 2% on average And the speed at which they do it is unbelievable Li deployed dozens of couriers from Los Angeles to Atlanta Just two couriers in Chicago picked up more than $10 million from cartel operatives in a seven-month period between 2016 and 2017 “We saw the Chinese enter the market,” said Daniel Morro Nebraska state troopers stopped a rental car on a desolate highway They confiscated $340,000 and released the two couriers who were driving from Chicago to Los Angeles who called a cartel representative in Mexico and sent a bank transfer to replace the lost load The courier and his relatives rapidly reimbursed Li by depositing money in U.S “He was a hard-ass,” said Michael Ciesliga Li’s system generally worked like this: Cartel operatives in the United States would arrange a “contract” with him a quantity of cash that fit into a suitcase Cartel transporters handed over the dollar loads to Li’s couriers who sent Li or his lieutenants a photo confirming the handoff Li then delivered the sums in Mexican pesos to drug lords from safe houses in Mexico stocked with that currency Li’s profits came from other players in the scheme: rich Chinese willing to lose money in order to obtain dollars outside China and Latin American import/export firms needing Chinese currency to do business in China Li’s couriers often drove loads of cash to New York or Los Angeles which have large Chinese immigrant populations Li “sold” the currency to wealthy Chinese clients or their expatriate relatives or representatives Li himself would sometimes turn the dollars into deposits in bank accounts or use front companies to issue cashier’s checks But the Chinese clients often had their own options such as small businesses that handled cash without questions In testimony to a Canadian commission of inquiry in 2020 described the frequency of laundering in the U.S “Almost 60% of purchases by international clients are made in cash,” Cassara said citing a report by the National Association of Realtors “Chinese buyers have been the top foreign buyers in the United States both in units and dollar volume of residential housing for six years straight there is little if any customer due diligence by real estate agents.” The next step in Li’s system took place beyond the sight and reach of U.S He directed his wealthy clients to transfer equivalent sums from their Chinese bank accounts to accounts he controlled in China Known as “mirror transactions,” these transfers enabled Li to “sell” the same money again — this time as Chinese currency to the Latin American exporters How Xizhi Li Used “Mirror Transactions” to Launder Millions of Dollars Across the World The transactions allowed Li to move millions among Mexico the United States and China while evading law enforcement and charging steep commissions A Mexican cartel operative hands over a load of $350,000 in cash to a courier working for Li on the streets of a U.S The exchanges often take place in parking lots Li’s organization in Mexico delivers an equivalent sum in pesos to the cartel within a day and Li takes a 2% commission The process is much faster and cheaper than traditional money laundering methods Now that the dollars have been converted into pesos it’s easier for Mexican drug lords to use the cash Wealthy Chinese who want to get around limits on moving money out of China “buy” the $350,000 from Li’s couriers in the U.S The wealthy Chinese complete the trade by transferring $350,000 in Chinese currency from their bank account in China to a bank account controlled by Li in China Li sells the $350,000 in Chinese currency to a foreign company that needs Chinese currency to buy goods in China This makes it easier to evade customs duties and taxes on goods shipped to Mexico because the company obtained the Chinese currency on the black market Now the drug money has been introduced into the legal economy in three different countries Wealthy Chinese who wanto get around limits on moving money out of China “buy” the $350,000 from Li’s couriers in the U.S Li sometimes washed funds through companies owned by confederates in the United States and Latin America who sold seafood and other goods to China Taking advantage of the $80 billion in trade between Mexico and China launderers also sent goods from China to Mexican front companies connected to drug lords Those companies would sell the products for pesos creating a legitimate paper trail for money initially earned from the sale of drugs Li’s network used Chinese banks including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Agricultural Bank of China Those state institutions were among the banks that moved millions around the world with little apparent scrutiny in this case and others Prosecutors did not accuse any bankers of wrongdoing But investigators suspect that some bankers looked the other way (The banks did not respond to requests for comment.) “They had to know it was illegal,” Ciesliga said and the volume and consistency and frequency there’s no legitimate businesses that are moving that kind of money Any alert anti-money laundering investigator would have detected this kind of activity.” turf wars and rip-offs were rare among the money laundering crews gunmen ambushed Li near his casino in Guatemala City shredding his armored Range Rover with more than 20 rounds according to former investigators and others familiar with the case Li’s empire had grown to span four continents voracious investigator who had only been with the DEA a few years (Maher declined an interview request.) He teamed up with Ciesliga a Tennessee state agent assigned to a federal task force As they traced drugs on the streets of Memphis back to their source they discovered that the Sinaloa cartel of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was supplying cocaine to a major Memphis drug crew Markings on cocaine packets pointed at Marisela Flores-Torruco a Mexican drug lord known as the Iron Lady her organization was known as “Los Chinos,” or the Chinese she imported tons of cocaine from Colombia for the Sinaloa cartel (Flores could not be reached for comment.) the agents identified a woman in Mexico who was one of the Iron Lady’s “principal coordinators of illicit money laundering operations,” court documents say The agents figured out that Chen had introduced Li to Flores who encouraged other traffickers to launder their money with his organization who was laundering for the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels agents picked off loads across the country agents arrested one of Li’s trusted money managers a Brooklyn-based mail carrier and Chinese immigrant who had lived in Belize He recorded about $2 million in illicit transactions in a ledger and sometimes received cash deliveries in his U.S The mail carrier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money and got a 60-month sentence The Memphis agents toggled between leads in the U.S and Mexico as the Iron Lady’s ferocity kept them on alert When Flores ordered her enforcers to kidnap the family of a man who owed her money she threatened to kill rivals with a bombing at a racetrack DEA agents hurriedly obtained an Interpol warrant and police arrested Flores in Colombia in July 2017 the agents captured Chen during a visit to Los Angeles along with airline tickets to visit accomplices in Portland who oversaw more than 251 Chinese bank accounts Maher and Ciesliga drove to the Santa Monica Pier Sitting in their rental car by the Pacific worried that an accomplice could remotely erase the contents at any moment the agents were able for the first time to read the suspects’ most sensitive conversations on WeChat WeChat is ubiquitous in China and the Chinese diaspora and impenetrable to U.S Because it uses a form of partial encryption allowing the company access to content WeChat is closely monitored by the Chinese state officials view the brazen use of WeChat for money laundering as another suggestive piece of evidence that authorities in Beijing know what is going on “It is all happening on WeChat,” Cindric said “The Chinese government is clearly aware of it The launderers are not concealing themselves on WeChat.” Chen’s arrest was a devastating blow to Li Agents mapped out the structure of his organization and sifted through a global labyrinth of transactions “It made us realize how big Li really was,” Ciesliga said We were talking to 40 different agents around the country and around the world and for them it was a new thing what he was doing.” The investigation gathered momentum as the DEA launched Project Sleeping Giant, a campaign against China-connected drug activity The agents dug through phone data and old cases to find Li’s ties to the 14K triad That all-important discovery helped explain his “sprawling spider web of connections” in Asia and the Americas described him as “an ambassador of organized crime.” Wan and a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson have denied the U.S gangsters assist the Communist Party’s overseas intelligence and influence arm The party “uses organized crime-linked money laundering networks to get money to United Front actors and to help them fund their activities,” said Matthew Pottinger deputy national security adviser from 2019 to 2021 triads gain “a sense of political security,” he said agents learned that clients for his money-moving services included powerful figures in the party according to Ciesliga and other former law enforcement officials and people familiar with the case But it was hard to gather evidence because obtains assistance from Chinese officials in criminal investigations.” Chinese authorities permit criminals like Li to operate because dark money benefits the elite strengthens China’s economy and weakens the West “There is a strategy; it’s not individuals acting on their own,” Tobon “The amount of money coming out of China via the underground banking system is so significant that it would be virtually impossible for a government that has as much control of their people as the government of China to not be aware of how it's happening.” Some critics of Beijing say that analysis applies to another threat: fentanyl China is the top producer of the lethal drug that has killed tens of thousands of Americans Although pressure by the Trump administration caused Beijing to reduce the direct flow of the drug to the U.S China’s pharmaceutical sector still sells fentanyl precursors and analogues that reach Mexico where cartels produce opioids — and work with Chinese money launderers Making him think he would meet an associate Mexican federal police captured him and delivered him to DEA agents at the Houston airport He spent four and a half hours answering questions in English admitting to “financial transactions involving ‘bad money,’” prosecution documents say Prosecutors charged him with leading a conspiracy that washed at least $30 million The full amount was likely in the hundreds of millions according to law enforcement documents and interviews Li pleaded guilty and received a 15-year sentence Chen and half a dozen others also pleaded guilty and went to prison Li’s high-powered connections put him at risk because Li “was involved in Chinese organized crime in activity in China that goes to higher levels of the power structure.” the fall of the boss was not the end of the story Are you down to be a background source on a story about your community Jeff Kao and Cezary Podkul contributed reporting Sebastian Rotella is a reporter at ProPublica An award-winning foreign correspondent and investigative reporter I cover the federal government and related national and international issues I’m interested in tips about records across federal agencies I take confidentiality seriously and welcome ideas via secure email ProPublica will focus on the areas most in need of scrutiny Here are some of the issues our reporters will be watching — and how to get in touch with them securely Learn more about our reporting team. 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Email Address: Arrow Right Sign Up ProPublica Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest © Copyright 2025 Pro Publica Inc Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) Thank you for your interest in republishing this story You are free to republish it so long as you do the following: Mayor says project connecting Xizhi to Donghu expected to finish in 2032 3511TAIPEI (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 Worker was repairing service elevator at Cathay General Hospital in Xizhi District 4018TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A workplace death occurred at Cathay General Hospital in Xizhi District A 53-year-old man surnamed Li (李) was repairing a service elevator with his wife on the B2 level of the parking area beneath the hospital. At approximately 9 a.m., a damaged elevator cable snapped causing the carriage to fall, pinning and partially crushing Li as it fell, reported UDN.  The New Taipei Fire Department received a report from the hospital at 9:37 a.m Li was removed from the elevator shaft after part of his right arm was amputated and he was then rushed to the hospital’s emergency room for treatment.  likely as a result of blood loss or a fatal skull fracture Authorities and hospital management are investigating the incident to determine if any regulations regarding elevator maintenance were violated Outdoor elevator accident injures 2 in New Taipei 3 workers killed and 1 injured after aerial platform falls in south Taiwan Malaysian and Taiwanese companies awarded contracts for line to be completed in 2032 (New Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems photo) 6353TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Contracts were awarded to construct a new MRT line to connect Taipei's Donghu Station to New Taipei’s Xizhi Station New Taipei’s MRT bureau said on Tuesday (Oct. 22) that the contracts were given to Malaysia’s Gamud Berhad and Taiwan’s Dongpi Construction Company and MiTAC Information Technology, per CNA The bureau said construction will begin in 2025 and finish seven years later Bureau director Li Cheng-an (李政安) said the new route will depart MRT Donghu Station and follow the path of National Freeway 1 until it heads south through central Xizhi towards National Freeway 3 Li said the 5.56-kilometer-long line will be split between Taipei (0.81 km) and New Taipei (4.75 km) and feature six elevated stations Li said preparatory work began in late 2023 and is progressing according to schedule A project to relocate water pipes along the route has reached 90% completion and planning is underway to widen Xizhi’s Jilin Road The bureau’s deputy director Cheng Chih-ming (鄭智銘) said an approximately 200-meter transfer will be required between MRT Donghu Station and the beginning of the new line Cheng said an air bridge and escalators will be installed for convenience The new line will eventually become part of the planned Xizhi-Minsheng Line connecting Keelung to Taipei’s Dadaocheng in Datong District and Minsheng sections appear to be three different projects they will be built to the same specifications and regarded as one line Cheng said the lines will be built according to the transport ministry’s standards for light rail rapid transit (LRRT) and each train on the line will carry at least 530 passengers LRRT systems are expected to carry between 2,000 to 25,000 passengers per hour in each direction Taiwan's Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant to undergo maintenance 9 electric buses burn in suspected lithium battery fire in Taichung Taichung vocational student in coma after parkour jump Spanish scam suspect deported from Taiwan to Germany Taoyuan turns to drones and AI to solve stray dog problem Line will allow passengers to travel between Keelung and Dadaocheng New Taipei promotes the plan for a Minsheng MRT Line between Donghu and Dadaocheng 7915TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – New Taipei has submitted a plan to the central government for the Minsheng Mass Rapid Transit Line allowing direct trains between Keelung and Taipei’s Dadaocheng area The Minsheng Line would allow passengers to travel all the way between Keelung by way of Xizhi and Taipei’s Nangang District to the Dadaocheng neighborhood on the western side of the capital The system would also include a depot in Keelung’s Badu area The New Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems said it already submitted a general plan for the project to the Ministry of Transportation in April Following a review and consultations by the ministry the New Taipei City Government again proposed the idea to the central government on Friday Work on the Xidong MRT Line was expected to start in 2025 with earlier reports mentioning 2032 as the possible completion date Taiwan’s Keelung plans archaeology education center on Heping Island Keelung to embrace New Year with fireworks Keelung to fine pedestrians for jaywalking Taiwan Coast Guard mounts rescue action near northern islet KMT and TPP renew calls for recall petition reforms Mayor of Taiwan's Keelung survives recall election which will run within Taipei Neihu District and New Taipei City Xizhi District is expected to contribute significantly to Taiwan's urban transportation network KUALA LUMPUR: Gamuda Bhd has secured a RM4.3bil (NTD31.96bil) contract for the Xizhi Donghu Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Taiwan Gamuda has a 75% stake in the partnership while two Taiwan-based companies - MiTAC Information Technology Corp and Dong Pi Co Limited - have the remaining 15% and 10% stakes respectively Gamuda's share of the contract value is RM3.2bil Gamuda said the design and build project is estimated to be completed within seven years The scope of works include 5.78km of elevated viaducts and trackwork auto fare collection system and depot maintenance equipment upon instruction by the New Taipei City government already determined works with a value of RM10.8bil comprising Xizhi Donghu Line Maintenance Depot and two extension lines’ System and Trackworks - the Keelung Line MRT and Minsheng Line MRT are expected to be awarded before the end of the Xizhi Donghu MRT contract Gamuda’s share of the additional works' contract value will be about RM8.1bil The additional works would bring the total project value to about RM15.1bil The group said the project is its biggest win since entering the Taiwanese market two decades ago "This win showcases the group’s consistent ability to secure high-value projects in competitive international markets "It reflects our strong track record and the trust that Taiwanese authorities have placed in our expertise and delivery capabilities," it said in a statement We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion By 2023-01-23T05:00:00 TAIWAN: The cabinet has backed plans to build the Xizhi – Donghu metro line in Taipei with Premier Su Tseng-chang approving an initial budget of NT$27·9bn for design and construction Already have an account? LOG IN You’ve reached your limit of content for the month Register for free now BURSASGXHomeHighlightBy KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) and its joint-venture (JV) partners have been awarded a RM4.3 billion main design and build contract by the Department of Rapid Transit Systems to deliver the Xizhi Donghu Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Taiwan "With a significant 75% share within the JV Gamuda’s share of the contract value is RM3.2 billion," said the group in a statement on Tuesday when instructed by the New Taipei City Government an already determined additional works contract worth RM10.8 billion Gamuda’s 75% share of the contract value is worth approximately RM8.1 billion are expected to be awarded before the end of the Xizhi Donghu MRT contract,” it said Combined with the main design and build contract the overall project value will be RM15.1 billion Gamuda shares rose to a record high of RM8.37 on Tuesday morning ahead of the announcement with a market capitalisation of RM23.58 billion "The latest project is Gamuda’s biggest win since we entered the Taiwanese market two decades ago This win showcases the group’s consistent ability to secure high-value projects in competitive international markets,” the group said “It reflects our strong track record and the trust that Taiwanese authorities have placed in our expertise and delivery capabilities,” it added The design-and-build project is estimated to be completed within seven years Works include 5.78km elevated viaducts and trackwork as well as system works — including rolling stock The project is part of an infrastructure initiative currently underway in New Taipei City to meet the growing demands of the city’s urban populace Gamuda’s JV partners include Taiwan-based companies MiTAC Information Technology Corp (with a 15% stake) and Dong Pi Co Ltd (10%) Gamuda had delivered the Kaohsiung MRT Orange Line in 2008 in Taiwan the company has undertaken other projects there including the RM2.13 billion Taoyuan City Underground Railway project in 2022 and the RM3.45 billion Kaohsiung MRT Metropolitan Yellow Line in 2023 the current tight labour market poses a risk to the project To receive CEO Morning Brief please click here Medievalists.net The handheld fan has been used as a means to keep cool since time immemorial It is said that one summer day in the 300s one of the all-time legends in the art of calligraphy whose style has been used as a model to the present day was taking a leisurely stroll in the local mountains Already a calligraphic rockstar in his own time on this outing he had so far managed to go unrecognized But the sunny day had turned out to be hotter than he had counted on As he tried to think of a way to stay cool he spotted an old lady by the roadside who happened to have six fans laid out before her for sale—perfect timing Wang Xizhi picked up one of her handmade fans for himself and apparently feeling a bit generous on account of this fortuitous encounter whipped out his writing brush and dashed off some random quotes on the other five She glowered at him—who would buy the fans now that some random hiker had defaced them with his scrawl But before she had a chance to protest—or maybe smack him with one of the fans—he spoke up “Just by telling people these words were written by Wang Xizhi,” he told her “You’ll be able to make one-hundred coins per fan.” And off he went prospective buyers were falling over each other to get their hands on a Wang Xizhi original This is a scene that continues to replicate itself in the present day: in 2010 a fragment of calligraphy thought to be by Wang Xizhi sold at auction for $46 million Wang Xizhi’s action of writing on the fan was not as random and eccentric as it might feel to some readers for decorating fans with calligraphy was a well-established practice Their first role was as an object of use with the ability to conjure up a breeze and offer shade from the sun waiting to be adorned with painting or calligraphy the six fans encountered by Wang at the start of the story had been sent off towards two separate destinies Five of them were sold by the old lady to an appreciative crowd of calligraphy aficionados and the sixth was carried off by Wang Xizhi and earned him some (also much-appreciated) breeze among the six fans in the story we find representatives for both functions The “what happened next” for these six fans is easy to guess The sixth fan would have provided Wang Xizhi with several summers of service involving repeated exposure to heat and humidity It would have passed between sweaty hands before the general wear and tear meant it was time to get a new one or perhaps being passed on to one of his servants As that scenario played out in the Wang household the calligraphic pedigree of the other five fans had meanwhile granted them a more privileged lifestyle such fans were to be found stored safely inside not being flapped around frantically by the window a huge number of decorated fans have survived in excellent condition for their age perishable materials; the fact that so many have come down to us is precisely because they were so often prized for the calligraphy and/or paintings they bore The difference between random scrawl and the handiwork of a master could not only reverse the family fortunes of a lowly fan-seller but also destine a given fan to survive into modern times we are accustomed to viewing them as circular or arched images which have been detached from any original handle or ribs that may have existed Then what of the objects of use—those “sixth fans” examples of well-used fans are exceedingly rare there is a huge disconnect between what we see displayed in museums and art galleries and what was actually keeping the likes of Wang Xizhi cool in the heat in this case the written record can step in to fill the gap Synonymous with summer days and relaxation time fans make a frequent appearance in the diaries and poems of the Southern Song period We hear the most about the palmetto—or pukui—fan a round fan woven from the dried leaves of a palm tree and feathers were also common materials for handheld fans The Song was a big time for fans: this was also when the game-changing folding fan held together with ribs of wood or bone became more widespread 1189–1208) of the Jin empire to the north once wrote an ode to extol what he called a “congregation of bones” (jugu shan) due to how the ribs (=bones) that gave the folding fan its structure would disperse when the fan was spread out only to be pulled back into a single union when the fan was snapped closed he took solace in knowing the spindly fan was tucked up in his sleeve the sensory change of scene brought about by the feel of its spring-like breeze and the sight that burst into view when the fan opened to reveal its flowery pattern was a moment of escape from his immediate surroundings a chance to reset and refocus before getting back to the never-ending flurry of imperial responsibilities But it was the humble palmetto fan that seems to have accompanied most writers through the sweltering heat of the summer The palms used to make them were native to the southern regions One resident of this area was Yang Wanli (1127–1206) Yang seems to have been particularly sensitive to the heat; his repertoire contains multiple poems recounting elaborate attempts to outmaneuver it One autumn saw the unlucky Yang caught by some unseasonably hot weather This prompted him to compose a set of three poems which read a little like the diary of a stranded desert island castaway as he slowly loses his sanity: Extreme Heat on an Autumn Night: Three Poems How terrible that the autumn breeze is still keeping us waiting The Moon Goddess has been flapping her fan all night long; when morning comes you know it’s gonna be as hot as noon That airhead Autumn God is back from his annual vacation but there’s been some kind of mix-up at the baggage claim he’s gone and picked up the Flame God’s Umbrella of Fire I’ve been flapping the palmetto fan for so long that my arm’s gone numb yet lying on this “cooling” bamboo bed there’s been no change in temperature whatsoever but I can feel the sweat start to form at the roots of my mustache Looks like I’ve managed to fetch the morning well-water without so much as opening the trapdoor Dr. Elizabeth Smithrosser holds a PhD in Chinese history from the University of Oxford. She is currently a Fellow at the International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden. Click here to see her Institute page Click here to read more articles by Elizabeth Smithrosser Note: The poems (in order of mention) are Die lian hua: Jugu shan  (蝶戀花·聚骨扇) by Emperor Zhangzong of Jin (金章宗); and Yang Wanli (楊萬里) We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast and remove the advertising on our platforms This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce Member Login The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission Science of the Total EnvironmentCitation Excerpt :Manganese is a necessary micronutrient required for flora as well as human beings and it can be incorporated into the waterways through weathering process of rocks (Zhuang and Zhou Third PC showed strong loading of Cu (67.32%) and Cr (27.56%) with sources from electrical industries tanneries and textile industries (Gao et al. Fourth PC loaded for Ni (58.49%) and As (39.86%) and resulted in industrial waste materials influence trace element content in bottom sediments (Zhang et al. trace elements are bound in the structure of minerals oxides) or in forms absorbed by clay minerals the important role of aggregated particles with a size below 0.01 mm (Rzetala et al. All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. PETALING JAYA: Gamuda Bhd has secured its biggest win to date with a RM4.3 billion (NT$31.96 billion) deal for Xizhi Donghu Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Taiwan marking the Malaysian engineering and construction group’s seventh major infrastructure project there awarded the project in an unincorporated joint venture involving three parties – Gamuda (75%) and two Taiwan-based companies – MiTAC Information Technology Corp (15%) and Dong Pi Co Ltd (10%) With a significant 75% interest in the joint venture Gamuda’s share of the contract value is RM3.2 billion (NT$23.97 billion) with the scope of the contract covering works on 5.78km elevated viaducts and trackwork and six stations (above ground) auto fare collection and depot maintenance The joint venture is obligated to undertake an already determined additional works valued at RM10.8 billion (NT$80 billion) comprising Xizhi Donghu Line Maintenance Depot and two extension line’ systems and trackworks – the Keelung Line MRT and the Minsheng Line MRT Gamuda’s 75% share of the additional works’ contract value will be about RM8.1 billion (NT$6 billion) The total combined project value with the additional works would be approximately RM15.1 billion “This latest project is Gamuda’s biggest win since we entered the Taiwanese market two decades ago This win showcases the group’s consistent ability to secure high-value projects in competitive international markets It reflects our strong track record and the trust that Taiwanese authorities have placed in our expertise and delivery capabilities.” Tel: +603-7784 6688      Fax: +603-7785 2625 A Hong Kong businessman who helped launder cartel drug money flew to Guam in October to pick up fake U.S What he got instead was a private jet escort to Virginia flanked by federal agents a venture capitalist who dressed up as Santa Claus for disadvantaged youth in New York now awaits sentencing for trying to bribe a public official to get the passports and for laundering money for drug traffickers — including Mexico's infamous Sinaloa Cartel Liu was part of an extensive network of Chinese nationals blamed for hiding the true origin of more than $30 million who asked not to be named to protect the sensitivity of his work said Chinese businessmen have long assisted Mexican cartels in a variety of lucrative money laundering schemes playing a key role in the deadliest drug crisis in American history.  Recently, the numbers of such partnerships designed to move and launder drug profits have been rising, according to the DEA's 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment The wide-sweeping case involving Liu illustrates how agents increasingly are targeting the money laundering networks trying to cripple drug rings by cutting off their cash supply Liu was stunned when special agents with the DEA arrested him in Guam in October "It’s startling to know the government is willing to come get you overseas," said Liu's attorney Jonathan Simms. "I've never had someone put on a private jet It made it convenient for them to interrogate him on the way over here." discussed the case with agents on the plane ride and ultimately pleaded guilty in April to bribery for offering $150,000 per fake passport from someone he thought was a corrupt State Department official but who actually was an undercover DEA agent He was going to pay the bribe with wire transfers and cryptocurrency. Liu lived in Hong Kong but frequently traveled to the U.S Other Chinese businessmen relocated to the United States Guatemala and Mexico to set up elaborate networks to carry out several sophisticated money laundering schemes More: Mexican drug cartels use exploding drones to attack police, soldiers Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Special Operations Division issued a statement in April after three of the defendants pleaded guilty, blaming the money laundering ring for routing "millions of dollars in drug proceeds back to the cartels allowing the criminal organizations to further their activities flooding our communities with dangerous drugs causing devastating addictions and death." The network also is accused of hiding drug money in casinos Guatemala front companies solely used to conceal the money Members of the money-laundering network often would drive or fly bulk cash typically in increments of $300,000 to $350,000 across America to avoid depositing too much in the L.A according to attorneys familiar with the case They kept an emergency bag of cash hidden in Mexico in case they lost a shipment in the U.S through a police sting or a double-crossing employee because they didn't want to owe the cartels.  More: El Paso County sheriff creates unit to de-escalate mental health crisis situations The money launderers also used drug profits to buy American and Chinese goods which they could send to cartels in Mexico Many court documents in the case remain sealed But those available describe an elaborate black market peso scheme that used a series of steps to eventually send the drug profits back to Mexican cartels in their own currency Business transactions were discussed on the encrypted cell phone applications WhatsApp and WeChat where one of the user names was "SUPERKING99." Simms said Liu was on the fringes of the money laundering network "I don't think he understood the danger or the extent of the narcotic activity" or which cartels were involved "He needed access to American cash and they needed renminbi," Chinese currency known as RMB. So Liu went along with the scheme but felt safer not asking questions about who was calling the shots Prosecutors allege in court motions that Xizhi Li the notorious former head of the Sinaloa Cartel Li also "forged close ties" with drug organizations in Colombia and Guatemala who went by "Z," maintains his innocence on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to traffic more than 5 kilograms of cocaine which prosecutors argue was used to launder drug money in Guatemala City Investigators targeting a large drug ring in Memphis stumbled onto a connection to the Sinaloa Cartel which supplied the cocaine — and to Xizhi Li who allegedly helped launder profits from its sale investigators in Miami seized more than $617,000 from a bank account they claim belonged to Xizhi Li using the name "Franco Ley Tan," one of his 13 aliases according to an affidavit by a DEA task force officer DEA agents in Memphis took control of the money as part of their investigation so a federal judge issued a default judgment last year to release the money to the government Prosecutors and defense attorney John Kiyonaga More: Ecuadorian girls dropped from border wall, then abandoned, transferred to federal shelter While Li ran his restaurant in Los Angeles he befriended California businessman Eric Yong Woo whom he allegedly lured into the conspiracy Woo pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges and both are scheduled to go on trial in August.  told The Courier Journal his client moved from China to America's West Coast and ran a legitimate business importing and exporting goods from his homeland Woo had no knowledge of any drug activities," Jenkins said Li claimed his restaurant was headed for bankruptcy so Woo agreed to let his friend set up a bank account in his name to protect business assets from creditors Prosecutors say the account was actually used to funnel drug money and they have "overwhelming evidence" against Woo according to their motion persuading a judge that Woo is a flight risk and should remain jailed until his trial They say they found a draft of an application for a passport with Woo's photo but another name.  Prosecutors also cited concerns about Woo's history of international travel to Mexico; Suriname in South America; China and elsewhere Woo had asked to stay with a parent in the Los Angeles area pending trial and offered to wear an ankle monitor prosecutors argued that Woo's parents are in their 70s do not speak English and would be unable to stop their son from escaping More: The rise and fall of a father-son drug ring linked to 4 deaths and the Sinaloa Cartel California; admitted to conspiring to launder money during guilty pleas in April Each faces up to 20 years in a federal prison when they are sentenced in July in U.S 49, admitted he organized bulk cash shipments of drug profits within the U.S He also used a California-based seafood import-export business which were shipped to China and Hong Kong for sale The profits were sent to Mexico to repay the cartels often spent time in Mexico and San Gabriel Agents haven't been able to find the third defendant who is charged with money laundering but remains a fugitive He was born in China and has been living in Belize Prosecutors allege in the indictment he traveled to New York Guatemala City and elsewhere to help launder money and had a business interest in Li's casino Simms called the scope of this network "massive probably the biggest and most complex money laundering case I’ve seen.  Reporter Beth Warren: bwarren@courier-journal.com; 502-582-7164; Twitter @BethWarrenCJ.  By 2024-03-05T05:00:00 TAIWAN: The Ministry of Transportation & Communications has approved plans to extend the Blue Line metro eastwards by 15·6 km from Nangang Exhibition Centre in Taipei to Badu main line station in Keelung please first agree to the privacy policy below.A mass rapid transit (MRT) line linking Xizhi District in New Taipei and Donghu in Taipei moved one step closer to realization Tuesday after the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) approved the route Cao Siqi co-leads the Global Times China desk Photo: a screenshot from Samantha Cristoforetti's Twitter account Part of the Preface to Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion an ancient Chinese calligraphy masterpiece by famous Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi (303-361) from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) The third live class from China's space station was held Wednesday afternoon delivered by Shenzhou-14 crew members Chen .. the final section of the basic structure of the China Space Station China's Shenzhou 14 crew spent the Mid-Autumn Festival in space for the first time 3421TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A landslide on Tuesday morning (Nov 1) has caused officials to block off the Xizhi interchange on National Freeway No At 11:15 a.m. the New Taipei City Fire Department received notice that a landslide had occurred at the 10.1-kilometer mark of National Freeway No. 1, blocking off traffic in that lane, reported CNA The slope that subsided onto the freeway was about 30 meters high and 100 meters long The two southbound lanes in that section have been blocked off to traffic The fire department said two outer lanes are closed leaving only the inner lanes open to traffic Traffic heading south on National Freeway No 1 from Keelung is now blocked off from the Xizhi interchange and the entrance to National Freeway 3 (New Taipei City Government Fire Department photo) motorists are advised to take a detour around the affected area instead In a text message sent by the National Highway Police Bureau it said that due to the landslide and slippery conditions on the road travel in the area is still dangerous and sections of road closed to traffic will be extended The bureau advised motorists of the possibility of skidding and to pay attention to safety Damaged Taipei viaduct to take 2 months to repair Steel beam from truck blocks traffic into Taipei on Zhongxiao Bridge Taiwan approves continued Suhua Highway improvements Taiwan Railways Corporation criticized for slow reaction to landslide that caused derailment North Taiwan highway cleared of landslide ahead of schedule 6876TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first wave of cherry blossoms can now be seen in New Taipei’s Pinglin area as well as in Xizhi’s Kanggaokeng River The Japanese cherry (prunus serrulata) is the first to bloom. This cherry tree is known for its short trunk, height under 11 meters, and dense crown of branches that come alive with both white and pink flowers, per UDN According to the New Taipei City Government Landscaping Department those who wish to get a glimpse of blossoms can travel to the Ministry of Justice Agency Against Corruption office in Pinglin District (Dalin Village 49) and walk along a path leading to the top of a mountain one can see lots of pink dots off in the distance ushering in the first burst of color to welcome the upcoming Lunar New Year The New Taipei City Government’s Landscape Department says cherry blossoms traditionally symbolize the arrival of spring the first cherry blossoms are typically Japanese cherry followed by three-color cherry blossoms (三色櫻) cherry blossoms are on view from February to March each year in many areas throughout New Taipei City the most popular districts for viewing cherry blossoms in New Taipei include Xizhi Taipei launches WMG2025 FunPass ahead of World Masters Games Fireworks display caps off Tamsui Summer Festival New Taipei’s Tamsui to host fireworks on August 11 New Taipei’s Hohaiyan Rock Festival takes place this weekend Vietnamese worker dies at construction site in New Taipei The Executive Yuan on Friday approved a plan to build a new line on the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) announced yesterday Su made the announcement during an inspection tour in the city The Kaohsiung City Government said construction of the new line would begin by the end of this year and it would open by the end of 2028 The project has been allocated a budget of NT$144.2 billion (US$5.08 billion) with the central government covering NT$83.38 billion and the city government paying for the rest The proposed Yellow Line would connect Kaohsiung’s Red and Orange MRT lines as well as a light-rail system and a railway station the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit Bureau said The line would extend 22.91km — 1.08km above ground and 21.83km below ground — with 23 stations and a maintenance depot or about 41.8 percent of the city’s population It would pass through neighborhoods home to three universities and seven junior-high schools the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on Tuesday approved the route for a proposed MRT line that would connect New Taipei City’s Xizhi District (汐止) and Taipei’s Donghu (東湖) area The plan needs approval by the Executive Yuan The elevated line would take nine years to build and would meet long-standing calls by Xizhi residents to improve public transport links in the area the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems said The planned line would stretch eastward from Donghu MRT Station where passengers would be able to transfer to Xizhi Railway Station operated by the Taiwan Railways Administration The line would have four stations and would also connect to a planned MRT line connecting Keelung and Taipei 4.75km of which is to run through New Taipei City which is responsible for the line’s construction There is a separate plan to extend the proposed line westward from Donghu to Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area running roughly parallel to the Songshan MRT Line The Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems is responsible for its planning The entire proposed line stretching 17.4km from Xizhi to Dadaocheng would further integrate transport links in Taipei and New Taipei City by connecting Taipei’s Datong (大同) Songshan (松山) and Neihu (內湖) districts with Xizhi 3298TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An accident occurred at the Xizhi Train Station in New Taipei that resulted in the death of a 52-year-old man The incident happened 11:07 p.m. Thursday evening when Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) train No. 1276, bound for Keelung, was pulling into the station. The train derailed slightly after it struck Lai, who was on the tracks, reported UDN.According to witnesses Lai fell on to the tracks from Platform Number Two as the train First responders found that Lai was killed instantly after being hit Railway police are investigating the incident to try and determine the reason Lai fell on to the tracks Some reports suggest that Lai intentionally jumped on to the tracks into the path of the train Those considering suicide should immediately call the Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center at 1925 or Taiwan Lifeline International at 1995 Foreign residents can call the Community Services Center's emergency hotline at 0932-594-578 Foreign minister says revisions to Taiwan Relations Act unnecessary Scholar recommends changes to Taiwan Relations Act to enhance US security commitment Taiwan express train derails after hitting fallen rock amid aftershocks President praises Taiwan Relations Act on 45th anniversary after the driver of an Audi R8 “supercar” lost control of the vehicle in wet and rainy conditions in New Taipei City yesterday to have dinner in Taipei City when he lost control of the 602 horsepower performance coupe and crashed into a utility pole at the intersection of Kangning Street and Cuifeng Street in Xizhi District Witnesses described hearing the engine roar before the car began to skid and go sideways on the rain-soaked road Dashcam footage from another vehicle caught the dramatic moment the engine caught fire and quickly spread along a stream of leaking fuel just moments after the accident Huang is seen crawling out of the passenger-side door before dragging the limp Passersby quickly came to the couple’s assistance One person dragged Weng further away from the rapidly intensifying fire while another attacked the flames with a fire extinguisher By the time fire department paramedics arrived Weng was rushed to Xizhi Cathay General Hospital the hospital but was declared dead at around 5:00 pm Huang was treated for a laceration to his ear Police from the traffic branch are still investigating the cause of the accident Huang was tested and found not to be affected by alcohol 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 please first agree to the privacy policy below.The Executive Yuan has approved the Xizhi-Donghu Line to be run by Metro Taipei that will link Neihu District in Taipei to Xizhi District in New Taipei and eventually connect to the planned Keelung Metro 2864TAIPEI (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 Today's print edition Home Delivery In this exhibition that celebrates the evolution of Japanese writing the ancient Chinese aristocrat and calligraphy master Wang Xizhi (303-361) is credited for refining handwriting styles — in particular the use of cursive and semi-cursive scripts — and establishing the basis of modern Japanese calligraphy.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); His influence on and the history of Japanese manuscripts are explored through the presentation of textual and artistic works many of which are designated National Treasures Cultural Properties or Important Cultural Properties Highlights include "Soranjo" and "Kojichujo," 7th to 8th-century copies of two of Wang Xizhi's most acclaimed writings Kyushu National Museum; 4-7-2 Ishizaka, Dazaifu, Fukuoka. Dazaifu Stn. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (Fri., Sat. till 8 p.m.). ¥1,600. Closed Mon. 050-5542-8600; www.kyuhaku.jp In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division 1450TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After ten days of repairing work the landslide-damaged Xizhi interchange on National Freeway No 1 in New Taipei City will reopen on Sunday (Nov In a press release the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Freeway Bureau wrote that as of 2:30 p.m construction for the H-shaped steel beams used to stabilize roadside hills has been completed Nearby road surfaces were also nearly finished The bureau estimated that traffic in the Xizhi interchange area will return to normal by 6 a.m who visited the construction site accompanied by Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) thanked the Freeway Bureau and construction workers for their tireless efforts and non-stop work since the landslide occurred on Nov He credited them for helping restore traffic in the shortest amount of time Wang also thanked residents living in the Xizhi and Keelung areas for their patience According to an earlier report the slope that subsided onto the freeway on Nov 1 was about 30 meters high and 100 meters long The disaster occurred after northern Taiwan saw days of torrential rain Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (in white helmet) visits the construction site Government rejects calls for heavy motorcycles to use Taiwan’s highways Former Taiwan Visitors Association chair to head Grand Hotel Taiwan manufacturing and construction industries saw decline in July Hundreds of fish dead in Keelung river in northern Taiwan 7362TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — This sprawling scrapyard of abandoned scooters was spotted in Taipei last week While cycling by the riverside on Wednesday (April 12) Phillip Mathew Charlier spotted this heap of abandoned scooters under an overpass located in Taipei City's Nangang District and near the border with New Taipei City's Xizhi District With over 14 million scooters, Taiwan has the highest density of scooters in the world. While battery-powered scooters such as Gogoro are growing in popularity, gasoline is still king. E-scooters still only account for about 10% of new scooter sales, according to DigiTimes Asia The exact location of the scooters can be found on the map below CPC’s swappable battery stations debut in Tainan 965TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A landslide brought on by heavy rains over the weekend hemmed in residents of a community in New Taipei City this morning (June 24) At 8 a.m. this morning as the Central Weather Bureau had issued a heavy rain advisory for 16 counties and cities in Taiwan a landslide rushed across Xiushan Road before smashing into a nearby apartment building Xiushan Road immediately became cut off from traffic in both directions A resident of the community, Chang Chin-hao (張錦豪), immediately alerted authorities, and the Xizhi District Office also dispatched crews and equipment to clear the road as soon as possible, reported UDN told UDN that the machinery had been urgently dispatched to the scene to clear the road of dirt and rocks residents of the "European Federation" (歐洲聯邦) apartment complex were trapped in their building Because earth and rocks were still falling as crews worked to clear debris The office has asked contractors to clear the road for traffic as soon as possible The New Taipei City Department of Public Works said that the district office is dealing with the situation Director of the New Taipei City Department of Public Works and Feng Chao-lin (馮兆麟) Director of the New Taipei City Maintenance Department along with engineers were on the scene assessing the stability of the upper slope the Maintenance Department will take immediate measures to stabilize it Landslide causes road collapse in mountains of northern Taiwan Taiwan issues heavy rain alert for 12 counties Heavy rain and landslides disrupt traffic on Taiwan's east coast 8146TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —The first phase of the Keelung MRT line will see 13 stations built from Badu to Nangang according to a route map announced by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on Thursday (Nov The 13 stations include ones at Badu, Qidu, Liudu, Baifu the Xizhi District Office, Xike, Zhangshuwan Nanyang Bridge, Nangang Exhibition Center and Nangang, CNA reported.  The total budget for the construction of the 16.05-km first-phase Keelung MRT project is NT$42.5 billion (US$1.5 billion) The MOTC said the Keelung MRT line is adopting a light rail rapid transit (LRRT) system Part of the route (from the Xizhi District Office to Zhangshuwan) will integrate with the Xizhi-Donghu line for which construction has not yet begun.  there will be nine elevated stations (from Qidu to Zhangshuwan) two subway stations (Nangang Exhibition and Nangang) and two ground stations (Badu and Nanyang Bridge) Taiwan pedestrian traffic deaths rise 15.5% Taiwan mobilizes ships to supply east coast cut off by quake rockfalls Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker