The centers said on Friday that China confirmed a fourth case of the plague. A person living in Inner Mongolia ate raw wild rabbit and was infected with bubonic plague, one of three types of the plague. The first case was confirmed in September after a person living in Gansu Province died of septicemic plague, followed by two cases of pneumonic plague contracted by a married couple in Inner Mongolia on Nov. 12, the CDC said. In response to the rumor that fleas or insect eggs with plague bacterium might be brought into Taiwan from clothes purchased online from China, the CDC yesterday said that the plague cannot be transmitted in this way. To lower the risk of infection, the CDC urged people not to approach rodents, eat raw meat or touch dead animals when visiting Inner Mongolia or areas where the plague might be spreading.

ReutersWall Street rose on Friday with help from positive comments from Washington and Beijing about progress on efforts to reach a US-China trade deal, and from upbeat domestic economic data. US President Donald Trump told Fox News that a trade deal was “potentially very close” following remarks by President Xi Jinping (習近平) that Beijing wanted to work out an initial agreement. “It’s tied back to the on-again, off-again narrative that’s been the consistent theme regarding a potential trade deal with China. However, benchmark S&P 500 index snapped its six-week winning streak, while the tech-heavy NASDAQ saw its first weekly drop in eight weeks. The S&P 500 posted 17 new 52-week highs and two new lows; the NASDAQ Composite recorded 49 new highs and 73 new lows.

Staff writer, with CNARoyal Brunei Airlines flew its inaugural chartered flight to the outlying island of Kinmen yesterday. The flight touched down at Kinmen Airport at 7:10am, carrying almost 50 passengers from Brunei, who received a warm welcome from Kinmen Deputy Commissioner Huang I-kai (黃怡凱). Thanks to efforts by the tourism industries of Kinmen and Brunei, Taiwanese expatriates in Brunei and Taiwan representative to Brunei Andrew Lee (李憲章), the Kinmen County Government announced in September the start of the Brunei Airlines charter service. Lin Yung-piao (林永標), head of the Travel Agency Association of Kinmen, said the chartered flights are expected to increase exchanges between Kinmen and Brunei. Royal Brunei Airlines restarted direct flights to Taiwan in December in 2018 after a 15-year hiatus.

Staff writer, with CNAFamilyMart, one of Taiwan’s leading convenience store chains, has begun selling the world’s first plant-based burger patty called the Beyond Burger, which is produced by California-headquartered Beyond Meat. Upbeat about strong demand for plant-based meat, which could hit US$85 billion worldwide by 2030, FamilyMart said it has decided to introduce Beyond Meat products to consumers in Taiwan. In addition to its physical stores, FamilyMart is selling Beyond Meat’s burger patties online. In addition to burger patties, Beyond Meat also makes plant-based sausages and plant-based ground beef. Beyond Meat has also teamed up with Burger King to develop a meatless “Impossible Whopper” to be launched this year.

Tsai pledged that she would protect Taiwan’s future, ensuring that people can continue to raise their young in safety here. Yesterday, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said that the KMT is cautiously optimistic about the child subsidy policy. However, the DPP has stooped to the wholesale copying of KMT policies to salvage its campaign, KMT deputy spokesperson Hung Yu-chien (洪于茜) added. However, the Tsai administration was only copying half of the policy, Huang said, adding that Han would unveil his child subsidy policy next week. Tsai’s policies on daycare and child subsidies were long in the planning and the announcement was simply an extension of existing policies, DPP spokesperson Lee Yen-jong (李晏榕) said.

By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterTwo US representatives arrived in Taiwan on Friday for a five-day visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, but declined to comment on the non-publicized visit of a Pentagon official. After US Senator Ted Cruz attended the Double Ten National Day celebrations last month, the visit by US representatives Bill Flores and Guy Reschenthaler shows the joint support Taiwan enjoys in the US Congress, the ministry said in a statement. Flores and Reschenthaler are adamant friends of Taiwan, and have signed many bills or joint letters in support of the nation, the ministry said. Reschenthaler has signed the US’ Taiwan Reassurance Act, and Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative, and voted in favor of a resolution reaffirming the US’ commitment to Taiwan and to carrying out its Taiwan Relations Act, the ministry said. In the past three years, seven diplomatic allies have switched recognition to China, leaving 15 allies that recognize Taiwan diplomatically.

AFP, BOGOTAProtesters picketed the home of Colombian President Ivan Duque on Friday, defying a curfew and his promises of a “national conversation” on social policies following massive anti-government demonstrations that have left three dead and dozens wounded. I will use electronic media and participatory mechanisms ... so that we can all build a meaningful path of reform,” he said. Penalosa said 76 bus stations were attacked during the violence in Bogota, some of which were totally destroyed, and 79 buses were vandalized. Trujillo announced late on Friday that vandalism had been brought under control in Bogota and the curfew was mostly successful. “There is no vandalism at present, the curfew is 90 percent respected,” he told reporters.

By William Yang 楊惟任The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) have announced their respective legislator-at-large nominee lists. As a result, the two parties’ lists are often either manipulated by internal party factionalism or are controlled by a few influential individuals. With the open and free list systems, the order in which the candidates are elected is not set in advance. The open list format allows voters to circle the names of the provided candidates to indicate a preferred order in which they would be elected. In addition, with the free list proportional representation system, each voter is allowed multiple votes.

Bloomberg and CNA, with staff writerAsia stocks were mixed on Friday amid muted volumes, as investors awaited further details on US-China trade discussions. Stocks climbed in South Korea and Hong Kong, and slipped in China. It has been a mixed picture on the trade front this week. Meanwhile, Hong Kong stocks rebounded on Friday as the Asian financial hub took a breather from political unrest ahead of key local elections today. At the close of trade, the Hang Seng index was up 0.48 percent at 26,595.08, posting a weekly gain of 1.02 percent.

ReutersEuropean shares logged their best day in three weeks on Friday, as upbeat data out of major eurozone economies, as well as positive rhetoric on a US-China trade deal, ended a dour week on a positive note. The trade sensitive European miners jumped nearly 2 percent, erasing nearly all losses from earlier this week. 33percent, after two days of selling, as investors turned cautiously optimistic about a US-China trade deal and exporter stocks rose after the pound weakened on downbeat UK purchasing managers’ indices data. Hochschild shares endured their worst day since Aug. 2017, while Coats’ shares hit their lowest level in two-and-a-half years. A Conservative victory is seen as more likely to see through Brexit and it was this view that led the FTSE 250 to a more than one-year high earlier this week.

AP, ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANEPope Francis yesterday managed an airborne diplomatic dance by sending telegrams of greetings to the leaders of Taiwan, China and Hong Kong as he flew through their airspace on his way from Thailand to Japan. The first greeting went out to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) as Francis’ charter flight flew near Hainan Island. “I send cordial greetings to your excellency as I fly over China on my way to Japan,” Francis wrote. “I assure you of my prayers for the nation and its people, invoking upon all of you abundant blessings of peace and joy.”Francis followed up with a telegram to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥). “As I fly over your territory I extend my best wishes to your excellency and your fellow citizens,” he wrote.

By Anastasia Moloney / Thomson Reuters Foundation, BOGOTAHit with ever-more-frequent torrential rain that triggers worsening flooding and mudslides most years, Rio de Janeiro is looking to an unusual gathering for answers: a hackathon. RISING URBANIZATIONAround Latin America, tens of millions of people are at risk from worsening flooding linked to climate change, many of them living in urban slums often built along rivers or on mountain slopes prone to landslides. Flooding is clearly seen as one of the most severe threats. Extreme heat came next, at 61 percent, followed by drought at 36 percent, said the study, which was published last month. The city has also installed cameras to monitor street flooding and set up social media alert systems.

Reuters, HONG KONGA Hong Kong university campus under siege for more than a week was a deserted wasteland yesterday, with a handful of protesters holed up in hidden refuges across the trashed grounds, as the territory’s focus turned to local elections. The tunnel links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon area. The repairs began as a record 1,104 people geared up to run for 452 district council seats in elections today. A record 4.1 million Hong Kongers, from a population of 7.4 million, have enrolled to vote, spurred in part by registration campaigns during months of protests. “If it weren’t for me Hong Kong would have been obliterated in 14 minutes,” Trump said, without offering any evidence.

By Lizette Chapman / BloombergUber Technologies Inc is adding video and audio recording for more trips — a move designed to make the service safer and help settle disputes, but which has triggered privacy concerns about the personal information the ride-hailing giant collects. Both early stage experiments are part of Uber’s push to better protect riders and drivers following reports of sexual assault, physical assault and robbery. According to information on Nauto’s Web site, the audio and video footage is deleted on a regular basis. An Uber spokesman said that the video and audio recording programs are experiments, and the company is gathering feedback before deciding whether to expand them to additional markets. If a rider or driver wanted Uber to review the tape, they would send the recording to Uber, which would decrypt it with a key.

The incident has been a reference point for protesters during the unrest in Hong Kong. Using a South Korean passport, Wang said he meddled in last year’s local elections in Taiwan and claimed there were plans to disrupt the Jan. 11 presidential and legislative elections. He would be the first Chinese intelligence operative to blow his cover. In Hong Kong, calls to the China Innovation Investment Ltd (中國創新投資有限) office went unanswered. It has investments in several companies in Hong Kong and China that are involved in energy storage products, lighting products, energy saving and media terminals.