NHRI finding could curb spread of prostate cancerStaff writer, with CNANational Health Research Institutes (NHRI) researchers have found that stimulating activity of a certain gene might suppress the ability of prostate cancer to spread to the bones, a finding they said could lead to new medicines. Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer among men globally and the sixth-most common cancer in Taiwan, Chuu said. Chuu Chih-pin, an associate researcher at the National Health Research Institutes’ Institute of Cellular and System Medicine, center, and colleagues present their prostate cancer metastasis research results at the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taipei on Friday. The NHRI team used in vitro and mouse-based experiments to study how prostate cancer spreads in bone marrow, which, along with the lymph nodes, is one of the most common sites of metastasis, Chuu said. The team first observed that ROR2 levels were significantly lower in metastatic tumors compared with the primary tumor in the prostate or in normal prostate tissue, he said.

This is not only blasphemous, but unsanitary.”Dragon dancers perform at the 2006 Baosheng Cultural Festival at Taipei’s Baoan Temple. Founded by settlers from Quanzhou, China, Dalongdong Baoan Temple is one of more than 200 shrines in Taiwan dedicated to Baoshengdadi (保生大帝), the Taoist god of medicine. According to the Dalongdong Baoan Temple, he was said to be a child genius with a photographic memory who was well-versed in traditional Chinese medicine as a teenager. LEGENDS ACROSS TAIWANThe earliest Baoshengdadi temple in Taiwan appeared in the Tainan area during the Dutch occupation. The Japanese limited Taiwanese religious activity after its arrival, and between 1896 and 1904, the Dalongdong Baoan Temple was used as an elementary school.

Temple decorates Matsu statue for rainmaking ritualBy Hsieh Chieh-yu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerTainan’s Orthodox Luermen Shengu Temple (正統鹿耳門聖母廟) decked out its Matsu statue in a new costume, with a litter and porter, for a rainmaking ritual at Nantou County’s Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) this weekend. Wang Ming-yi (王明義), head of the temple, on Thursday said that temple administrators were informed by the goddess via divination that a rainmaking ritual must be performed. A Matsu statue wearing a new costume and seated on a rattan throne is pictured in Nantou County’s Lugu Township on Wednesday. Photo: Hsieh Jieh-yu, Taipei Times, courtesy of the Lugu Township OfficeYesterday, a rainmaking ritual was held with the statue on the lakeshore, he said, adding that the statue is today scheduled to travel around the county’s Lugu Township (鹿谷) to bring rain. Last year, the temple’s Matsu statue traveled around Taiwan in a 21-day blessing ritual to protect the nation against COVID-19, Wang said.

Alishan firefly population plummetsLIGHTS OUT: Photographers and locals have said that while it is still worth seeing the fireflies, dry conditions in central and southern Taiwan have affected their numbersBy Tsai Tsun-hsun and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerEnthusiasts are reporting a massive decline in Alishan’s firefly population this year, as the nation’s Tourism Bureau prepares to open parks for the firefly watching festivals. The low and medium-altitude regions of the Alishan Range — which runs from Miaoli County to Chiayi County — are home to 42 kinds of fireflies or about two-thirds of all firefly species in Taiwan, the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration said. “The firefly population is less than one-third of the size it was last year; the lack of rain has been catastrophic to the ecology of fireflies,” photographer Chuang Hsin-jan (莊信然) said. People who want to see the fireflies should go to the Alishan National Scenic Area (阿里山國家風景區), rather than the higher-altitude Alishan National Forest Recreational Area (阿里山國家森林遊樂區), he said. The bureau offers three tours that combine daytime activities in the area with nighttime firefly viewing, the office said.

Writer receives honorable mention for a third timeBy Chien Hui-ju and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerWriter Lee Wang-tai (李旺台) received an honorable mention for the third time at yesterday’s Historical Novel Award ceremony, for his biographical stories about Japanese colonial-era Hakka physician Chhi Pong-hin (徐傍興). The biennial award ceremony, held by the New Taiwan Peace Foundation, was launched in 2017. That was when the historical foundation of Taiwanese culture was thoroughly altered,” he said. Competition judge Sung Tse-lai (宋澤萊) said Lee did an “outstanding job” of capturing the personality and legacy of the doctor. I hope that by sharing facts about the past, we can give Taiwanese new hope,” Koo said.

TSEC bags major deal, upbeat on turnaroundBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterSolar module supplier TSEC Corp (元晶太陽能) has secured a NT$2.3 billion to NT$2.5 billion (US$81.15 million to US$88.21 million) major supply contract for two new ground-mount solar farms in Taiwan, boding well for the company’s hopes of making a turnaround. The new orders would start to contribute to revenue from this month through February next year, TSEC said in a statement on Thursday. Photo: Chang Hui-wen, Taipei Times“With new orders on hand, the company has clear business visibility for this year,” TSEC said in the statement. Earlier this year, the company landed a major order to supply 120 megawatts of solar modules, it said. The investment would add between 350 megawatts and 400 megawatts solar module capacity a month, the company said.

US delegation wraps up three-day visit to TaipeiSEEKING CLARITY: Some members of the US delegation asked KMT legislators in a meeting to address their party’s position on the so-called ‘1992 consensus,’ sources saidBy Chen Yun / Staff reporter, with CNAA US delegation tasked by US President Joe Biden to reaffirm the country’s commitment to its partnership with Taiwan yesterday wrapped up a three-day visit to Taipei. The members of the delegation, all friends of Biden, arrived on Wednesday and met with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and other government officials. A plane carrying a US delegation tasked by US President Joe Biden to reaffirm the nation’s commitment to its partnership with Taiwan leaves Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) yesterday. During the meeting, members of the delegation asked about the KMT legislators’ interpretation of the so-called “1992 consensus,” sources said. In response to media queries, Chiang yesterday said that he responded by clarifying the “1992 consensus” from three aspects.

Tsai rebuts rumor of water delivery from FukushimaBy Lee Hsin-fang and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerPresident Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday warned Taiwanese about cognitive warfare against the nation and denied rumors that Taiwan was planning to receive water from Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The social media post is “a typical example of cognitive warfare,” Tsai said, without elaborating who might be behind the document. Threatening activities by military aircraft and ships, as well as spreading fake news to undermine the solidarity of society, are common cognitive warfare strategies, Tsai said, adding that cognitive warfare would likely become more sophisticated. Taiwanese should be aware that disinformation from unknown sources might serve a cognitive warfare agenda, Tsai said, adding that people should not further spread such social media posts. “Taiwan’s freedom is hard-won, and we will not allow cognitive warfare to tear apart our society,” Tsai said.

Staff at Citibank Taiwan Ltd’s branch in Taipei are pictured on June 30 last year. That did not suggest that it would be closing its consumer banking business in less than five months, they said. Citibank Taiwan actually planned to expand its local investment and recruit more talent at the beginning of this year, people familiar with the matter said. Meanwhile, DBS Bank Taiwan (星展銀行) yesterday said that it would not comment on market speculation that it would acquire Citibank Taiwan’s consumer banking operation. Citibank Taiwan reported a pretax profit of US$338 million for last year, ranking first among all foreign banks in the nation, company data showed.

Crane driver charged in TRA probeNARROWING DOWN: After searches at 23 locations and questioning 109 people, prosecutors say that mishandling at a construction site might have caused the crashBy Jason Pan / Staff ReporterProsecutors yesterday indicted seven people in connection to the Taroko Express No. 408 derailment in Hualien County on April 2, in which 49 people died and more than 200 were injured. Lee Chin-fu (李進福) a United Geotech construction superintendent, was charged with negligence in causing death and document forgery, she said. Tung Hsin director HuangPing-ho (黃平和) and Lin Chang-ching (林長清), a site supervisor, were charged with contravening the Government Procurement Act, she said. Prosecutors charged Tung Hsin with breaches of the Government Procurement Act, Chou said.

CDC announces pill program for HIVStaff writer, with CNATwo groups of people considered at high risk of contracting HIV now have access to free preventive treatment, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Tuesday. The treatment, in the form of a pill, is being provided to partners of people with HIV and people under the age of 36, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said. Known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the medicine is recognized internationally as an effective prevention treatment against HIV, Lo said. Centers for Disease Control personnel at a news conference in Taipei on Tuesday hold signs with information about an HIV pill program. The program was launched on April 1, offering 30 PrEP pills per month to female partners of people with HIV, Lo said.

Investigators slow to act on illegal porn: legislatorBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterThe justice system has been slow in investigating pornography Web sites that allegedly contain videos of people filmed without their consent, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Mark Ho (何志偉) said yesterday. Prosecutors last month indicted Yu for contravening the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童級少年性剝削防治條例) among other offenses. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Mark Ho, left, speaks at a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesW said that he was seeking justice for a female friend who had been a victim in the case. Yu has posted messages online saying he has obtained Hong Kong and UK citizenship, and would move abroad, W said.

CSBC ends five quarters of lossesBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterCSBC Corp, Taiwan (台船) yesterday reported a pretax profit of NT$34 million (US$1.2 million) for last quarter, ending five consecutive quarters of losses. The turnaround could be attributed to cost improvements and lower foreign exchange volatility, a CSBC official told the Taipei Times by telephone. CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Cheng Wen-lung, sixth left, talks to company employees in Kaohsiung in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of CSBC Corp, TaiwanAs a result, its gross margin returned to positive territory last quarter, the official said. Last year, it reported a gross margin of minus-5.57 percent as its cost of goods sold exceeded total sales, company data showed.

NPA not doing enough on crime, KMT saysQUESTIONING FAIRNESS: Premier Su Tseng-chang has not held Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai to the same safety standards as ex-mayor Han, KMT lawmakers saidBy Shih Hsiao-kuang and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday accused the National Police Agency (NPA) of inefficient gun control and said that Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) was placing party considerations over those of the nation in addressing crime. Su dismissed the top-ranking police officers in Kaohsiung and Tainan last year, citing a lack of concrete action against crime, KMT Culture and Communications Committee director-general Alicia Wang (王育敏) said, adding that despite the move, crime rates have risen since Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) took office on Aug 24 last year. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Kaohsiung City Councilor Chiu Yu-hsuan, left, and KMT Culture and Communications Committee deputy director-general Huang Tzu-che, right, listen as KMT Culture and Communications Committee director-general Alicia Wang speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. KMT Kaohsiung City Councilor Chiu Yu-hsuang (邱于軒) called on Su to hold Chen to the same standards as he did Han in assessing Kaohsiung’s safety ratings. Su has tapped Hsu and NPA Director-General Chen Ja-chin (陳家欽) to oversee efforts to curb crime in New Taipei City and Kaohsiung, Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said.

Control Yuan censures staff at Taoyuan juvenile facilityBy Chen Yun and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Control Yuan yesterday censured two employees at a juvenile correctional facility in Taoyuan over bullying and fights at the center. The branch, which is an Agency of Corrections’ facility, has higher incident rates than other centers, they said, adding that in one incident, 12 people ganged up on one person, indicating that the facility is out of control. Control Yuan members Yeh Ta-hua, left, and Wang Mei-yu hold a news conference at the Control Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesThe branch dean Chiu Liang-yi (邱量一) and staff member Lin Wen-chih (林文志) are unsuitable to remain in their positions, the Control Yuan said. Chiu and Lin should be immediately reassigned and the Ministry of Justice should find a more suitable dean for the facility, the Control Yuan said.