S Korea experts to test superconductor breakthrough claimBloombergSouth Korean experts have created a committee to verify claims about a potential breakthrough in superconductor technology that has been driving both excitement and controversy among markets and industry participants. The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics (KSSC) asked the Quantum Energy Research Centre to submit samples that are required in the verification process of room-temperature superconductors, the institution said in a statement on Wednesday. Excitement grew further after a video of a team of Chinese scientists replicating the South Korean team’s findings went viral. Research institutes of KSSC members are to conduct cross verification if the Quantum Energy Research Centre provides samples, the statement said. Meanwhile, investors continued to pile into some South Korean stocks seen as related to superconductors, even as the stock exchange warned of speculative bets and unfair trades.

The funds managed by the bureau, such as the Labor Pension Fund, the Labor Retirement Fund, the Labor Insurance Fund, the Employment Insurance Fund and the Arrear Wage Payment Fund, posted gains of NT$470.98 billion during the six-month period, for a rate of return of 8.59 percent. The new Labor Pension Fund, launched in July 2015, had NT$3.79 trillion in assets as of the end of June, the most of any of the labor funds, and reported a rate of return of 8.38 percent in the first half, the bureau said. Overall, the funds managed by the Bureau of Labor Funds had combined assets of NT$5.86 trillion as of the end of June and generated NT$178.08 billion in returns in June alone. Bureau of Labor Funds Deputy Director-General Liu Li-ju (劉麗茹) said the funds the agency manages have built positions in electronics stocks because the nation’s electronics industry, including TSMC, has stayed ahead of its peers in terms of global competition. From January 2013 to June this year, the funds have had an average 4.99 percent rate of return, she said.

Three strategies to stop phone fraudBy Chiueh Tzi-cker 闕志克Perpetrators carrying out transnational telecommunications fraud originally came from Taichung. As a result, failure to eradicate telecom fraud has consistently ranked very high on surveys of public complaints about the government. To curb telecom fraud, the National Communications Commission said it has urged telecoms to adopt the following two measures. The following are three ideas that could effectively stop telecom fraud. The first is to aggressively detect phone numbers that perpetrators use to carry out telecom fraud based on their specific usage patterns.

‘Brave, but mad’ Russian activist diesAFP, DAVYDKOVO, RussiaDuring his trial, Anatoly Berezikov repeatedly said that he was afraid of “disappearing.” Two weeks later, on June 14, he was found dead in his cell in southwest Russia. Rights advocate Tatiana Sporycheva during an interview in Tbilisi on Monday last week shows a video clip of Anatoly Berezikov, right. Photo: AFPHis friends and allies dismiss that account, saying they believe Berezikov was tortured in detention, possibly leading to his death. They can kidnap you, imprison you, search you, intimidate you, torture you and kill you,” said Tatiana Sporycheva, a rights advocate who supported Berezikov. He claimed to have put up posters from an Ukrainian campaign that offers Russian soldiers guidance on how to surrender.

Tunisian president Kais Saied sacks his prime ministerAFP, TUNISTunisian President Kais Saied on Tuesday sacked Najla Bouden as prime minister without explanation and replaced her with former central bank executive Ahmed Hachani, whom he tasked with overcoming the “colossal challenges” facing the cash-strapped north African country. No official explanation was given for Bouden’s dismissal, but several local media firms highlighted Saied’s displeasure over a number of shortages, particularly of bread in state-subsidized bakeries. New Tunisian Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani, right, and Tunisian President Kais Saied shake hands at the presidential palace of Carthage in Tunis on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFESaied immediately appointed in her place Hachani, who until then worked at the Tunisian central bank and studied law at the University of Tunis, where Saied taught. The new head of government, a figure unknown to the general public, was sworn in before the president, the presidency video said.

Ko has published two books, expounding his ideas to forge a new third political force in Taiwan, calling it “colorless,” or as a “white-color party,” and named them The White Power and The White Power II in English. Chang yesterday posted a message on social media saying Ko had written a book in 2014 that is on sale at online foreign platforms with the title The White Power, then followed up with a second book later that year, titled The White Power II. The TPP had to withdraw its slogan “Vote White, Vote Right,” due to the backlash from domestic media and Taiwan-based foreign journalists. The two books are still available online on international platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Wob with the title The White Power, Chang said. The TPP last week had to remove its slogan “Vote White, Vote Right” from its Web site following criticism about its resemblance to the language used by white supremacists.

From left, Brayden Sung, Audrey Sung and Jayden Sung pose for a photo before the Stars of Tomorrow Concerto Night at Eslite Performance Hall last Wednesday. Audrey Sung practices before the Stars of Tomorrow Concerto Night at Eslite Performance Hall last Wednesday. The three often do volunteer work together, such as helping at beach cleanups and playing for charity groups. Jayden Sung poses for a photo before the Stars of Tomorrow Concerto Night at Eslite Performance Hall last Wednesday. Brayden Sung poses for a photo before the Stars of Tomorrow Concerto Night at Eslite Performance Hall last Wednesday.

21 receipts win NT$10 million in May-June invoice lotteryStaff writer, with CNAA total of 21 receipts with the NT $10 million (US$317,460) special prize-winning number 29268886 were issued in May and June as part of Taiwan’s invoice lottery, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said yesterday. There were 16 receipts issued with the number 12912565 that won the invoice lottery’s NT$2 million grand prize, the MOF saidThe MOF released the winning invoice lottery numbers for the May-June period on July 25. The MOF releases the winning invoice lottery numbers for the May-June period on July 25. FamilyMart said it issued two receipts with the winning special prize number and one with the winning grand prize number. Hi-Life said it issued one receipt each with the special prize number and grand prize number, with the special prize receipt issued in Hukou Township in Hsinchu County for a purchase of NT$15.

Biden set to order curb on tech investment in ChinaEXECUTIVE ORDER: The investment controls are part of a broader effort by the White House to limit China’s capabilities to develop next-generation technologies US President Joe Biden is planning to sign an executive order to limit critical US technology investments in China by the middle of next month, according to people familiar with the internal deliberations. The order focuses on semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. It would not affect any existing investments and would only prohibit certain transactions. Other deals would have to be disclosed to the government. The timing for the order, slated for the second week of next month, has slipped many times before, and there is no guarantee it would not be delayed again, but internal discussions have already shifted from

The Liberty Times Editorial: Why Hou You-yi is losing supportAt the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) National Congress on Monday last week, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) was unanimously approved as the party’s candidate for next year’s presidential election. Hou and Han were elected as mayors in 2018, but the following year, Han set his sights on the presidency, while Hou kept out of it. All along, many nonaligned voters gave Hou the thumbs-up for his centrist approach. The attitude of those swing voters was bad for Han and Chu, but good for Hou, whose popularity kept climbing. At the time, at least one other politician took a cool view of the surging tide of support for Han.

Boosting Taiwan-UK economic tiesBy Huynh Tam SangDespite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, Taiwan and the UK have maintained long-standing and substantial trade ties, with London ranking as Taiwan’s 21st-largest trading partner globally and third-largest trading partner in Europe. For Taiwan and the UK, concrete steps toward making the ETP a reality demonstrates the shared vision of enhancing economic ties. There are vast opportunities for Taiwan and the UK to strengthen economic ties. Taiwan is Britain’s largest offshore wind market in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 30 British offshore wind firms establishing operations there. In post-EU Britain, London should align its Indo-Pacific engagement with economic tradecraft, and strengthening economic ties with Taiwan, notably through an ETP, should be a crucial part of Britain’s grand strategy.

TPP drops controversial sloganStaff writer, with CNAThe Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday decided to remove a controversial slogan — “Vote White, Vote Right” — from its Web site after the wording was criticized as being similar to that used by US white supremacist groups. TPP spokeswoman Lin Tzu-yu (林子宇) told a news conference that the slogan had referred to the color white that the TPP brands itself with. A screen grab from the Taiwan People’s Party’s English-language Web site is pictured on Sunday. Hale said the slogan is the same as that used by a now long-defunct US white supremacist party. Founded in 1958 by Edward Reed Fields in Knoxville, Tennessee, the party was built on antisemitism, racism and opposition to integration, and was known for its “Vote Right — Vote White” slogan before its dissolution in 1987.

EDITORIAL: Ko and his tone-deaf ‘white’ partyJust when you thought that former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and his Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) could not be any more tone deaf, they leave everyone dumbstruck with another inexplicable exploit. As the commenters pointed out, the phrase would immediately be understood as supportive of far-right white supremacist politics, which is not what the party intended. As some commenters said, not even Trump would dare mouth such a blatantly white supremacist slogan. In its defense, it said Taiwan does not have the concept of white supremacy, and that the implication was unintended. Putting aside that the tendrils of white supremacy reach everywhere, manifesting most commonly in Taiwan as white privilege, this incident reflects extremely poorly on the TPP for multiple reasons.

US act: Taiwan belongs to the worldBy Su Wei-cheng 蘇緯政On Tuesday last week, the US House of Representatives passed the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which is to proceed to the US Senate for a review. The law is of great significance to Taiwan’s international participation. Taiwan belongs to the world, not exclusively to China. Even if China continues to threaten and oppress Taiwan, this would not shake our determination to walk toward the world. Meanwhile, with the international community’s firm support for the country, Taiwan is to definitely become a key force for peace, prosperity and sustainable development in the region and the world.

EDITORIAL: Taiwan economy growing confidentlyThe Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DBGAS) on Friday lowered its GDP growth estimate for the April-to-June quarter to 1.48 percent on an annual basis, down from the 1.82 percent expansion it predicted in May, as two major GDP components — net exports and gross capital formation — continued to contract. Moreover, the latest data indicated the economy also rebounded from a technical recession in the previous two quarters, underlining recovering growth momentum in the economy, albeit weaker than expected. The central bank last month trimmed its projection for Taiwan’s GDP growth for this year from 2.21 percent to 1.72 percent. The stronger-than-expected domestic demand came as the economy continued to add jobs, services demand recovered further and the tourism sector remained vibrant. It is unusual that domestic demand in Taiwan could help offset the negative effects of slowing external demand so strongly, as seen in the second quarter.