Australia, NZ top group travel searches last year: Lion TravelBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNALion Travel Co yesterday released the top group tour search destinations for last year, with New Zealand and Australia rising to the top, Japan’s Shikoku region and China dropping to second, and Malaysia and Singapore dropping to third. Japan remains the top destination for groups and individuals alike, but data indicate that Taiwanese tourists' travel habits are shifting toward longer, slower-paced trips focused on deepening their experiences of local culture, the travel agency said in a news release. Passengers line up with their luggage at Taipei Railway Station on March 31, 2022. Photo: CNAFactors catapulting New Zealand and Australia to the top of the group tour search destinations for last year, increasing by 2.5 times, include increased flights to the area, shorter overall flight time of eight to nine hours and the natural scenery, which is in line with ideals of sustainable travel, it added. Outside the top three were Turkey in fourth, the northeastern region of Japan in fifth, the Kyushu region of Japan in sixth, Italy in seventh, Europe in general in eighth, Hokkaido in ninth and Okinawa in 10th, the travel agency said.

Taipei to provide free lunches at elementary, junior-high schoolsStaff writer, with CNATaipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday announced major policies to be implemented this year, including providing free lunches in all the city's elementary and junior-high schools. Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ko, back second right, dishes out school lunches at an elementary school in the county on Oct. 16, 2023. Photo: Huang Mei-chu, Taipei TimesIt is estimated the policy would reduce parents' expenses by NT$10,000 per year. Chiang also announced education reform measures, including cutting one class period for homeroom teachers in elementary, junior-high and senior-high schools, and raising their allowances, as well as increasing the number of dedicated administrative staff and boosting bonuses for teachers who hold concurrent administrative posts. Beginning in July, the monthly subsidy would be raised from 480 points to 600 points, he added.

Low of 8.4°C in New Taipei as cold surge continuesStaff writer, with CNAThe Central Weather Administration (CWA) recorded a temperature of 8.4°C in Shihding District (石碇), New Taipei City, early this morning, the lowest temperature on Taiwan proper. The CWA issued cold surge advisories for most parts of Taiwan, warning of lows below 10°C through tonight, as a strong continental cold air mass and radiational cooling continued to affect the country. Photo: Taipei TimesAn "orange" alert was issued for Kinmen County, New Taipei City, Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County and Yilan County, signaling sustained temperatures around or below 10°C, with some areas possibly dropping below 6°C. Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) citing the latest model simulations said that strong cold air would blanket Taiwan from tomorrow through Saturday morning. While the intensity of the cold air is comparable to the previous cold spell, clear and stable weather conditions are expected to enhance the effects of radiational cooling, Wu said.

All Taiwanese in Venezuela safe: ministryStaff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that all about 200 Taiwanese in Venezuela are safe following recent US military action in the South American country to seize and detain former president Nicolas Maduro. Asked whether any Taiwanese were harmed during the US military operations, the ministry said that Taiwan's representative office in Colombia, which handles Venezuela-related affairs, had contacted all Taiwanese nationals in Venezuela and confirmed they were safe and unharmed. The ministry on Monday issued its highest-level "red" travel alert for Venezuela due to the unstable political situation there. Also yesterday, the Overseas Community Affairs Council confirmed that all Taiwanese nationals in Venezuela remain safe, citing Anderson Yu (游鈞聿), a leader of the Taiwanese Business Chamber in the country. The council said it established an emergency assistance association for overseas Taiwanese in Venezuela in 2018, which has been activated in response to the latest crisis.

Search for F-16 pilot continues as air force cannot confirm ejectionStaff writer, with CNAThe air force this morning said that the pilot of a missing F-16V jet had indicated he would eject from the aircraft before it disappeared from radar, but could not confirm whether the ejection was successful. Coast guard officers search for a missing F-16V pilot off the coast of Hualien County this morning. The aircraft's last recorded location was over waters about 36 nautical miles (66.6km) south of the air force's Hualien Air Base, he added. Regarding reports that the aircraft's Modular Mission Computer malfunctioned, the air force said that no abnormalities were found in the No. The air force, navy and coast guard have dispatched vessels to conduct a search-and-rescue operation.

Hsinchu to ban claw machines near schoolsStaff writer, with CNAThe Hsinchu City Government yesterday said a new regulation to ban claw machine stores from operating within 100m of elementary or junior-high schools is to take effect early next year, following a one-year grace period. A Taichung City Government official inspects a claw machine in an undated photograph. The statement urged claw machine operators to quickly make any necessary changes to comply with the new rules, which it said would be strictly enforced. According to a United Daily News report, there were more than 10,000 claw machine stores in operation in Taiwan last year, with more than 1,600 in Taichung and 1,200 in Taoyuan alone. While the machines typically contain stuffed animals, toys or snacks, enticing children to try their luck for NT$10 a go, some also contain electronics, phone cases or even household goods such as laundry pods, tissue and toothpaste.

Grok sexualized images spark global backlashAFP, WASHINGTONElon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) tool Grok on Monday faced a growing international backlash for generating sexualized deepfakes of women and minors, with the EU joining the condemnation and Britain warning of an investigation. Screens display the logo of Grok, developed by xAI, and xAI founder Elon Musk in Toulouse, France, on Jan. 13 last year. “Grok is now offering a ‘spicy mode’ showing explicit sexual content with some output generated with childlike images. “We’ve identified lapses in safeguards and are urgently fixing them,” Grok said on X. Indian authorities on Friday last week directed X to remove the sexualized content, clamp down on offending users and submit an “Action Taken Report” within 72 hours, or face legal consequences, local media reported.

Notably, her argument does not actually identify a need for re-evaluation; it simply uses the US’ action in Venezuela to reinforce the KMT’s longstanding position. That view suggests that it was a show of strength not just to China, but for the countries that choose to rely on China. A third perspective places the strategic position on dealing with “non-hemispheric competitors” front and center of the Venezuela action. That view is explained by Tzou Jiing-wen (鄒景雯), editor-in-chief of the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper), on this page (“Maduro’s capture is a dilemma for Beijing”). It was a show of US military strength, with precision and resolve that Beijing should not ignore.

Cambodia violated 10-day-old truce, Thailand saysACCIDENT? The Thai military said it warned Cambodian forces to exercise caution, stressing that if a similar incident occurred, Thailand might need to retaliate. “Cambodia has violated the ceasefire,” the Thai army said in a statement, accusing Cambodian forces of firing mortar rounds into Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani Province. He added that Thailand had the “capability to respond” to Cambodia, which is vastly outgunned by its neighbor. Under the truce, Cambodia and Thailand pledged to cease fire, freeze troop movements and cooperate on demining efforts along the border.

Ali Hossain, 40, was collecting firewood early last year when a blast shattered his life. It is crossed daily by villagers, as their families have done for generations, for collecting firewood or trading. Needing 300 takas (US$2.46) a day for medicine, his two young sons now take on his former dangerous task, collecting firewood after school. A Bangladesh border guard was killed in November last year when a landmine tore off both his legs. “This cruelty cannot be legitimized,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kafil Uddin Kayes, a local Border Guard Bangladesh commander.

At least 35 people killed in protests in Iran: activistsAP, DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesThe death toll in violence surrounding protests in Iran has risen to at least 35 people, activists said yesterday, as the demonstrations showed no signs of stopping. Photo: ReutersThe group, which relies on an activist network inside Iran for its reporting, has been accurate in past unrest. The protests have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. As sanctions tightened and Iran struggled after a 12-day war with Israel, its currency collapsed last month and the protests began soon after. Journalists in Iran also face limits on reporting in general, such as requiring permission to travel around the nation.

Once powerful states begin treating international law as optional, the rules-based order begins to erode. Before World War II, repeated violations of international law were justified as necessary responses to ideological or security threats. By the time the world recognized that the “cure” was as destructive as the disease, the international system had already collapsed. In that world, legal norms, democratic values and moral arguments matter less than geography and strategic bargaining. Supporting the erosion of international norms today — even when politically tempting — weakens the very system Taiwan depends on tomorrow.

Israel strikes villages, towns in LebanonHEZBOLLAH, HAMAS TARGETS: The house targeted in al-Manara belonged to Sharhabil Sayed, a Hamas leader who was killed by Israel in 2024, the NNA reportedAFP, BEIRUTThe Israeli military on Monday launched strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon, Lebanese state media reported, after warning it would hit what it called Hezbollah and Hamas targets in four villages. It later reported a new series of strikes near the southern towns of Saksakiyeh and Sarafand, without prior warning. Despite a year-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel carries out regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is bombing Hezbollah sites and operatives, and occasionally Hamas targets. All four of Monday’s targeted villages are located north of the river. Lebanon’s Cabinet is to meet tomorrow to discuss the army’s progress, while the ceasefire monitoring committee — comprising Lebanon, Israel, the US, France and UN peacekeepers — is also set to meet this week.

Singer’s music disappears from China-based sitesBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNAThe Internet is abuzz over the sudden and unexplained removal of most of Taiwanese Hakka singer-songwriter Lin Sheng-hsiang’s (林生祥) works from China-based Web sites over the past three days. On China’s major music streaming service, NetEase Cloud Music, Lin’s recent work has been removed, leaving only work dating to the early 2000s, when Lin was with other bands. Hakka singer-songwriter Lin Sheng-hsiang poses for pictures at a news conference in Taipei on Dec. 22, 2021. People online expressed confusion about why Lin’s music — based on his observations of farming villages, the relationship between the city and the countryside, and environmental issues — have been taken down. Lin’s work has won multiple Golden Melody Awards and Golden Indie Music Awards.

Air Force lauches search for F-16 pilot ejected off Hualien coastStaff writer, with CNAA captain surnamed Hsin (辛) is believed to have ejected from an F-16V (Block 20) single-seat jet about 10 nautical miles (18.5km) east of Fongbin Township (豐濱) in Hualien County during a routine training mission at 7:29pm yesterday, the air force said. The air force said that it had established an emergency response center and launched a search-and-rescue operation. The fighter took off from Hualien Air Base at 6:17pm for a routine training mission, the air force said. A technician works on an F-16 plane at an air force base in Hualien, Taiwan April 8, 2023. Vessels from the Sixth (Hualien) Coast Guard Corps were expected to be among the first to reach the site, sources said.