Local holiday travel more than doubled this yearNATURE VIEWS: Many people visited mountain trails, seaside landscapes and old streets, with destinations such as Alishan and Sun Moon Lake seeing strong crowdsBy Huang Yi-ching and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNADomestic travel during the Lunar New Year holiday more than doubled from last year, thanks to favorable weather and a strong economy, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) said. He also thanked staff for their efforts in managing holiday transportation operations, adding that public satisfaction was high. On the final day of the holiday, about 300,000 people were still traveling, reflecting increasingly flexible travel patterns, it added. “With Taiwan’s economy performing well, both international and domestic travel were brisk over the holiday,” Chen said, adding that rail services handled a total of 9 million passenger trips during the period. Traffic felt heavier than usual due to the extended holiday and heavy travel demand, but congestion did not last long and remained within acceptable limits, he said.

Lai made the remarks at a Lunar New Year tea gathering with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and the heads of the four other branches of government. Premier Cho Jung-tai speaks at a tea reception hosted by the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. Cho said separately yesterday that Taiwan aims to safeguard the most favored nation terms of a trade deal it signed with the US amid changes in its tariff policy announced on Friday last week. Even while the US Supreme Court decision was pending, Taiwan and the US signed the trade deal on Feb. 12, but it has not yet been ratified by the Legislative Yuan. “If law A does not work, it will switch to Laws B, C, D or E,” he said.

KMT plans to name its key candidates, start TPP talksStaff writer, with CNAThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is to announce its mayoral nominees for New Taipei City, Yilan County and Chiayi City on March 11, then begin talks with the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) to field joint opposition candidates, a party official said yesterday. In New Taipei City, the KMT largely supports Deputy Taipei Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川), who yesterday said he had submitted his resignation to prepare for a mayoral run. Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday, after tendering his resignation in anticipation of running for New Taipei City mayor for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Speaking on a radio program yesterday, Huang said his stance on cooperation with the KMT had not changed, adding that the TPP would work with “the greatest sincerity and goodwill” to form a strong alliance. In Chiayi City, the KMT has tapped physician Weng Shou-liang (翁壽良), while the TPP has selected former legislator Chang Chi-kai (張啟楷).

Chiayi man indicted over online train station attack threatStaff Writer, with CNAAn unemployed man surnamed Hung (洪) in Chiayi City has been indicted after allegedly posting online that he would attack people at Chiayi High Speed Rail Station, the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office said yesterdayProsecutors charged Hung on suspicion of the offense of endangering public safety by putting the public in fear of injury to life, body, or property. According to the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office, Hung used his smartphone at his residence in Chiayi City on the afternoon of Jan. 24 to publicly post in a Facebook group: “I am the next Chang Wen (張文).”The Chiayi District Prosecutors Office is pictured in this undated photo. “I will bring Molotov cocktails and a machete to Chiayi High Speed Rail Station tomorrow and wipe out everyone there,” Hung said. Prosecutors believed there was significant suspicion of a crime and grounds for detention, which was approved by the Chiayi District Court. The Chiayi District Court subsequently released Hung on bail of NT$20,000.

Phillipines envoy to Taiwan talks tourism, workersStaff Writer, with CNAManila Eonomic and Cultural Office (MECO) Chairwoman and Resident Representative Corazon Padiernos said her priorities are safeguarding the well-being of Filipino workers in Taiwan and deepening economic ties between the two nations. Another top priority assigned by Marcos, is to “strengthen the economic ties with Taiwan,” Padiernos said. Padiernos, who joined MECO’s board of directors to oversee tourism in 2023, said she intends to continue promoting tourism to the Philippines in her new role. With 130 flights per week between Taiwan and the Philippines, Padiernos said her office is looking to boost tourism by increasing flight connectivity, adding that connections can help attract investment. She said that she is “looking forward to more people-to-people connection[s] between Taiwan and the Philippines.”

WWII-era landing ship reaches well-earned retirementStaff Writer, with CNAThe Kaohsiung (LCC-1), a US-built tank landing ship, is being decommissioned after just shy of seven decades in service with Taiwan’s navy, a military source said yesterday. A retirement ceremony is being held tomorrow for the Kaohsiung, first commissioned as the USS Dukes County (LST-735) in April 1944, in Kaohsiung, the source said. The Kaohsiung (LCC-1) is pictured in an undated photograph. Screen grab from Mr. Huoli’s YouTube channelIn 1957, the Republic of China Navy took ownership of the ship and renamed it Chung Hsi (中熙, LST-219). It was renamed the Kaohsiung after it was outfitted as an amphibious command ship in 1962.

Czech author speaks of shared past with TaiwanStaff Writer, with CNAWhen best-selling Czech author Katerina Tuckova was in Taiwan earlier this month to promote the Chinese version of her novel The Last Goddess, she said the novel might resonate with Taiwanese readers because of a similar authoritarian past. Czech writer Katerina Tuckova poses for a photograph in Prague on Feb.1. Beyond similarities between the histories of Taiwan and the Czech Republic, Tuckova drew parallels between the “goddesses” and shamanic women among some of Taiwan’s indigenous groups, including the Amis and Kavalan people. She praised Taiwan for recognizing the importance of preserving cultural traditions before they disappear, which did not happen in the Czech Republic, because there was little left to save by the time people started to appreciate the culture. Such was the persecution of the “goddesses” in Czechoslovakia that bias against them was built into the language, including the phrase “you lie like a goddess,” Tuckova said.

With students returning to school, the risk of clustered norovirus or enterovirus infections is expected to increase, CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng (林明誠) said. People should continue practicing good personal hygiene to reduce the risk of infection, especially hand hygiene, as it protects against norovirus, enterovirus and influenza, he said. CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng speaks at a news conference in Taipei on Jan. 20. While cluster infections were mostly among families during the holiday, they could occur in workplaces, schools or other facilities after schools and business resume operations. Meanwhile, data on flu activity showed that the number of influenza A cases were declining, while the number of influenza B cases was rising.

Starlux launches direct flights to BusanBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNAStarlux Airlines is to open direct flights from Taipei and Taichung to Busan, South Korea, starting on June 1, with ticket sales to begin tomorrow, the airline said yesterday. Starlux would be the first airline in Taiwan to offer direct flights from Taichung to Busan. Of the 18.944 million outbound trips from Taiwan last year, South Korea was the third-most-visited country, following Japan and China, Tourism Administration data showed. A Starlux Airlines plane is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Starlux AirlinesThe routes are the airline’s first to South Korea, adding to its growing network across Asia and North America, Starlux CEO Glenn Chai (翟健華) said.

Sentence for 2023 murder upheldSENTENCE UNCHANGED A Filipino migrant worker’s appeal to the Supreme Court for a 2023 murder charge has reached its end as the court finalized the decisionStaff Writer, with CNAThe Supreme Court has upheld a 15-year sentence for a Filipino migrant worker convicted of murdering another Filipino worker and endangering the lives of others in Changhua County in 2023. The Supreme Court in Taipei is pictured on Feb. 10. The victim and his roommate eventually opened the door, but Agustin attacked his victim with the sickle, court documents said. Agustin appealed his case, but the Taichung branch of the High Court upheld the verdict. With the Supreme Court upholding the original ruling on Feb. 11, Agustin’s sentencing is deemed final.

Duplantis shakes off illness to extend pole vault streakAFP, CLERMONT-FERRAND, FranceArmand Duplantis on Sunday fought off a bout of food poisoning to stretch his near three-year pole vault winning run at the All Star Perche, but was unable to better his world record. Duplantis won his 37th consecutive meet dating back to the summer of 2023. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis competes in the men’s pole vault event during the All Stars Perche international indoor athletics pole vaulting meeting in Clermont-Ferrand, France, on Sunday. You know, gravity doesn’t like weight, so that’s, that’s an advantage,” Duplantis said. I felt like I definitely could have jumped really, really high if it wasn’t for the night before last, throwing up the whole night,” he said.

Arsenal’s Eze sinks Tottenham Hotspur againAFP and Reuters, LONDONEberechi Eze was the scourge of Tottenham Hotspur again as his double on Sunday restored Arsenal’s five-point lead at the top of the English Premier League in a 4-1 win, while Liverpool needed Alexis Mac Allister’s 97th-minute goal to beat Nottingham Forest 1-0. Arsenal players celebrate after winning their English Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur in London on Sunday. Photo: APMikel Arteta’s men rose to the challenge to inflict more pain on their local rivals in Igor Tudor’s first match as interim Tottenham boss. Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres, left, scores his side’s fourth goal during their English Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur in London on Sunday. Viktor Gyokeres restored Arsenal’s lead early in the second half with his most significant goal so far for the Gunners.

Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics close‘HEARTWARMING’: Cross-country skier Sophia Velicer said she was very honored to be Taiwan’s flag bearer and to highlight the hard work of the other team membersCNA and AFP, MILAN, ItalyTaiwanese athletes on Sunday took part in the Winter Olympics closing ceremony in Italy, with cross-country skier Sophia Velicer serving as the team’s flag bearer. Photo: ReutersThe Taiwan team, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, made other notable achievements, apart from Velicer’s standing as Asia’s top cross-country skier at the Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry lauded Milan-Cortina Games as a “new kind of Winter Games” as she declared them closed. Photo: APEarlier, the Olympic flag was handed over to the leaders of the two regions that are to host the next Winter Olympics in the French Alps in 2030. Klaebo made history by winning all six races in which he was entered — and his 11 career golds are a Winter Olympics record.

Lagarde has not decided on term end, ECB saysEuropean Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde is expected to step down from her role before her eight-year term ends in October next year, the Financial Times reported. Lagarde wants to leave before the French presidential election in April next year, which would allow French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to find her replacement together, the report said, citing an unidentified person familiar with her thoughts on the matter. It is not clear yet when she might exit, the report said. “President Lagarde is totally focused on her mission and has not taken any decision regarding the end of

SK Hynix pledges to boost output of AI memory chipsBloombergSK Group chairman Chey Tae-won pledged to grow production of artificial intelligence (AI) memory chips to meet a surge in demand from the global data center buildout. During conference in Washington on Friday last week, he also called high-bandwidth memory (HBM) a “monster chip” that is generating enormous profits for SK Hynix Inc. SK Hynix’s 12-layer HBM3E memory chip and an Nvidia Blackwell Ultra GPU are displayed at the SK AI Summit in Seoul on Nov. 3 last year. That record spending is causing a global shortage of memory chips, a market that is dominated by SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics Co and Micron Technology Inc.SK Hynix has sold out its entire slate of memory chips this year, while Micron has done similarly with its HBM offerings. However, Chey cautioned losses are still a possibility in the future due to potential changes in the competitive landscape caused by rapid technological shifts.