Building character in children through good worksVolunteering with children can instill confidence in youngsters, teach social and problem-solving skills and provide unique ways for families to bondBy Cathy Bussewitz / AP, NEW YORKWhen Cami Teacoach’s son turned three she set out to find volunteer opportunities they could do together. Photo: APCONFIDENCE BOOSTERVolunteering with children can instill confidence in youngsters, teach social and problem-solving skills and provide unique ways for families to bond. Finding volunteer work to do as a family with young children can be challenging, but there are opportunities, if you persist. She also turned half of her son’s graduation party into a volunteer project assembling kits of bean soup. You get quality time, you’re raising your children with what feels like good values, and people benefit,” she said.

Micron Memory granted NT$4.7bn subsidy: ministryBy Meryl Kao / Staff reporterMicron Memory Taiwan Co, a subsidiary of US memorychip maker Micron Technology Inc, has been granted a NT$4.7 billion (US$149.5 million) subsidy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs A+ Corporate Innovation and R&D Enhancement program, the ministry said yesterday. The US memorychip maker’s program aims to back the development of high-performance and high-bandwidth memory chips with a total budget of NT$11.75 billion, the ministry said. Aside from the government funding, Micron is to inject the remaining investment of NT$7.06 billion as the company applied to participate the government’s Global Innovation Partnership Program to deepen technology cooperation, a ministry official told the Taipei Times by telephone yesterday. The Micron Technology Inc offices in San Jose, California, are pictured on Dec. 16. The project is to run until October 2028 and the ministry hopes to strengthen Taiwan’s technological capabilities in advanced memory through large-scale research and development investment, the official said.

Game helps Filipinos prepare for worstAFP, MANILAIn a library in the Philippines, a dice rattled on the surface of a board before coming to a stop, putting one of its players straight into the path of a powerful typhoon. The teenagers huddled around the table leapt into action, shouting instructions and acting out the correct strategies for just one of the potential catastrophes laid out in the board game Master of Disaster. People play Master of Disaster, a board game about disaster preparedness in Valenzuela, Philippines, on Monday. More than 10,000 editions of the game, aimed at players as young as nine years old, have been distributed across the archipelago nation. While conceding the evidence was so far anecdotal, Macatulad said he believed the game was bringing a “significant” improvement in its players’ disaster preparedness knowledge.

MSI eyeing double-digit growthLOCAL ADVANTAGES: Micro-Star International Co is confident it would expand its share to 10 percent of Taiwan’s charging pile market next year from 7 to 8 percentBy Meryl Kao / Staff reporterMicro-Star International Co (MSI, 微星科技) yesterday said it is targeting a double-digit percentage revenue growth in its electric vehicle (EV) charging pile business next year, driven by the launch of new products and the rollout of its sales channel strategy over the past six months. The new product and the introduction of charging pile software developed by MSI and after-sales services are to be the main driving forces next year, Yeh said. The company entered the North American charging pile market in September with its previous wall-mounted EV charging pile model, the EV Premium, through Amazon.com Inc and Best Buy Co Inc sales channels, Yeh said. Aside from wall-mounted charging piles, MSI also launched a portable EV charger in April that is waterproof and dustproof, with the response proving positive, Yeh said. The wall-mounted and portable charging piles are expected to each account for about 50 percent of total charging pile revenue next year, she added.

Anthony Joshua ‘stable’ after fatal accident in NigeriaAFP, SAGAMU, NigeriaFormer world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was in a “stable condition” in hospital after a car accident in Nigeria that killed two close friends and associates, his promoter announced on Monday. Anthony Joshua celebrates winning his bout against Andy Ruiz Jr in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, on Dec. 7, 2019. Sharing a photograph of himself with Joshua on social media, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu wrote: “As a sportsman, you have always shown courage, discipline, and unwavering love for our country.”Tinubu later said on social media that he had spoken with “AJ” and the boxer’s mother. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident,” Paul said on social media. Former Olympic champion Joshua has since been linked with a fight against compatriot and fellow former world champion Tyson Fury.

Cumulative credit card spending reached NT$4.14 trillion (US$131.7 billion) in the first 10 months of the year, marking a 6.65 percent increase from the same period last year, Financial Supervisory Commission data showed. Photo: Lee Chin-hui, Taipei TimesCathay United Bank (國泰世華銀行) reported double-digit growth in overseas spending and transactions via online travel agencies, while Taishin International Bank (台新銀行) saw overseas card spending surge 22 percent year-on-year. Demographically, consumers aged 30 to 49 accounted for more than half of total spending at Cathay United Bank, while Taipei Fubon Bank said its core spending cohort was aged 40 to 49. Looking ahead, the banks expect credit card spending to post double-digit percentage growth next year, supported by sustained demand for overseas travel, experiential consumption and the continued expansion of digital payment ecosystems. These moves set the stage for an increasingly competitive credit card market, as issuers vie for consumers drawn to convenience, rewards and a seamless digital payment experience.

Nvidia reaches tech deal with GroqAI TALENT: No financial details were released about the deal, in which top Groq executives, including its CEO, would join Nvidia to help advance the technology Nvidia Corp has agreed to a licensing deal with artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Groq, furthering its investments in companies connected to the AI boom and gaining the right to add a new type of technology to its products. The world’s largest publicly traded company has paid for the right to use Groq’s technology and is to integrate its chip design into future products. Some of the start-up’s executives are leaving to join Nvidia to help with that effort, the companies said. Groq would continue as an independent company with a new chief executive, it said on Wednesday in a post on its Web

TSMC officially begins 2nm chip volume production in Q4 2025Staff Writer, with CNATaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s leading advanced chipmaker, officially began volume production of its 2- nanometer chips in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a recent update on the company’s website. The low-key announcement confirms that TSMC met its original roadmap for the next-generation technology. Production is currently centered at Fab 22 in Kaohsiung, utilizing the company’s first-generation nanosheet transistor technology. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s logo is pictured at a company site in Tainan on Dec. 29, 2022. Looking ahead, TSMC is already developing the N2P manufacturing process, an enhanced version of the 2nm node, which is slated for mass production in the second half of 2026.

Science still made incredible breakthroughs while under attackButterfly loss, ancient human intelligence and hereditary fitness are among the findings that might be more significant than some people realizeBy F.D. Thousands of research grants, including more than 3,800 from the US National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation alone, were frozen or canceled. After several false starts, a group of paddlers completed the journey in 44 hours and 10 minutes, publishing their findings in Science Advances in June. In one study, published in October in Nature Communications, scientists infected mice with a virus similar to SARS-CoV-2, then let them mate. However, a study published in August, based on more than 21,000 volunteers, found that women with extra weight around the hips and thighs had healthier hearts than slimmer women.

National language act is not honoredBy Huang Li-fen 黃麗芬In 2009, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) made a welcome move to offer in-house contracts to all outsourced employees. Every day across Taiwan, local language teachers are traveling between schools to classes, promoting culture and mother tongue development. The government has repeatedly made noises about wanting to “protect language rights” and “cultivate language talent,” but local language teachers continue to be left out in the cold. The driving force of this practice is, of course, those educators who quietly travel from school to school as local language teachers. Reforms must begin with respect for local language teachers, just as linguistic equality begins with addressing systemic injustices.

Japan-China relations next yearBy Gurjit SinghWith the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in a period of enforced dormancy and India-Japan-Australia not attempting a trilateral engagement, the fortunes of each of the three nations have a bearing on the others. Officials cited the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communique, recognizing the People’s Republic of China as China’s sole legal government and “understanding and respecting” Beijing’s Taiwan position. The National Security Strategy report of US President Donald Trump’s administration prioritizes the western hemisphere and domestic security, while still invoking deterrence in Asia. If brinkmanship grows, Washington, Tokyo and Beijing risk being pushed into reactive postures, increasing accidents and self-fulfilling escalation. Next year, Japan-China relations are likely to remain tense, competitive and fragile, but not necessarily uncontrollable.

EDITORIAL: Behind the military messagingThe Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) provided several reasons for military drills it conducted in five zones around Taiwan on Monday and yesterday. The second was that the drills were aimed at “deterrence” of outside military intervention. The drills were not simply about operational readiness; they were about messaging: to Taiwan, to regional players and to the US. Although “the PLA currently fields the most advanced military hardware in its history ... the quality and stability of its leadership remain dubious,” Zi wrote. China and the PLA were not the only ones leveraging the messaging potential of the drills.

The housing market is moving in favor of Gen ZBy Conor Sen / Bloomberg OpinionThe “American dream” of owning a home has never seemed further out of reach for young people. The housing market is in transition and despite the current lack of affordability, there is compelling evidence that we are grinding back toward more normal levels. Longer-term, Gen Z will benefit from a coming demographic shift, too. By then, members of Gen Z, along with younger millennials, will be in their prime first-time-homebuying years. The outlook for Gen Z over the next 10 to 15 years is even better.

Taiwan-Indonesia relations this yearBy Muhammad Zulfikar RakhmatThis year, Taiwan-Indonesia relations continued their steady upward trajectory, driven by expanding economic cooperation, cultural and educational exchanges, and growing people-to-people ties — despite the enduring constraints imposed by Jakarta’s adherence to its “one China” policy. Technology and innovation further symbolized deepening economic ties. Taiwan-Indonesia relations this year demonstrated how pragmatism, economic interests and societal engagement can sustain meaningful cooperation without formal diplomatic recognition. While Jakarta’s “one China” policy remains unchanged, the expanding scope of unofficial ties signals a resilient and multifaceted relationship. As Indonesia navigates intensifying Asia-Pacific dynamics, its engagement with Taiwan is likely to remain a carefully calibrated blend of opportunity and caution.

Lai urges unity on day two of PLA drillsMIND GAMES: The defense ministry urged people not to be taken in by China’s cognitive warfare attempts, calling Chinese reports that a PLA drone flew near Taipei 101 falseBy Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with agenciesPresident William Lai (賴清德) yesterday urged unity as China’s latest large-scale military drills around Taiwan entered their second day, accusing Beijing of escalating regional tensions. A man stands near televisions showing news of China’s most recent round of military drills around Taiwan in Taipei’s Wanhua District yesterday. President William Lai, center, attends a meeting on China’s most recent round of military drills around Taiwan in Taipei yesterday. Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that China’s highly provocative military drills not only undermine regional peace and stability, but also threaten cargo ships, trade activities and flight routes. For example, the ministry yesterday denied on social media Chinese reports that a PLA drone had taken photographs of Taipei 101, calling it a classic case of cognitive warfare.