CDC urges the public to clean up waterBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterAs Typhoon Doksuri brought heavy rains and floods to eastern and southern Taiwan, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday urged people to remove any standing water on their property for dengue fever prevention, avoid cleaning up the environment while barefooted or wearing sandals, and disinfect the flooded homes to prevent illnesses. People should clean up their homes and the surrounding environment, especially in flood-affected areas, to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds, as the risk of local dengue outbreaks continues to grow with case numbers having exceeded the same periods in the past decade, the CDC said. A Tainan resident removes water from pots after rainfall in an undated photograph. If people experience dengue symptoms, including a fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle or joint soreness, and rashes, they should seek immediate medical attention and tell the medical staff about their recent activities to assist the diagnosis and faster reporting of dengue cases. The centers also urged people not to clean the environment while barefooted or wearing sandals, but instead wear rain boots or knee-high waterproof boots, as they might get injured by rusty objects and get infected with leptospirosis, Burkholderia pseudomallei or tetanus from contaminated water.

The White House’s announcement said the package would include defense, education and training for Taiwanese. Flags of Taiwan and the US are displayed on a table for a meeting in Taipei on March 27, 2018. Photo: Tyrone Siu, ReutersUS lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and the White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. It said that similar to arms sales, the Presidential Drawdown Authority is crucial to bolstering Taiwan’s self-defense. The package is in addition to nearly US$19 billion in military sales of F-16s and other major weapons systems that the US has approved for Taiwan.

Trade deepens links to TaiwanBy Hong Tsun-ming 康駿銘The US Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed legislation affirming its support for the initial trade agreement reached under the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade. It also aims to improve collaboration through annual trade talks, tackle barriers to trade and promote UK expertise, and in this way taking advantage of increasing commercial opportunities with the deepening of the UK-Taiwan relationship. Since the UK has become a member of the CPTPP, the trade talks between the two can also give Taiwan an edge in joining the CPTPP. The US’ and the UK’s increasing cooperation with Taiwan on trade is not only benefiting all parties economically, but, more importantly, it catalyzes Taiwan to establish closer ties with the global community. However, China, which continues to claim sovereignty over Taiwan, expressed anger about the initiatives that could bring Taiwan substantial benefits, stating that: “Under the disguise of trade cooperation, the so-called ‘Initiative’ is just a US tool to rip Taiwan off.

Manufacturing data contract for fourth consecutive monthStaff writer, with CNAThe local manufacturing sector stayed in contraction mode for the fourth consecutive month last month amid continued weakness in global demand, the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER, 台經院) said yesterday. Data compiled by TIER showed the composite index, which measures the fundamentals of the manufacturing sector, rose 0.36 points from a month earlier to 10.17 last month, but its business climate monitor remained “blue,” indicating contraction, because it was below the 10.5-point cutoff. Last month, the sub-indexes on costs and demand also moved lower by 0.02 and 0.01 from May, while the sub-index on the general business climate bucked the downturn, rising 0.47 from a month earlier. As inflationary pressure remained and interest rates stayed high in the US and European markets, the local manufacturing sector remained under pressure, showing no immediate signs of recovery, the think tank said. Due to weakening pricing power among steelmakers, the base metals industry remained “blue” for the 13th straight month last month, while solid demand for military products boosted prospects for the general business climate of the machinery industry, which was “green” for the third straight month last month.

TSP calls for more meaningful Wanan air defense drillsBy Huang Hao-chen and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Taiwan Statebuilding Party (TSP) yesterday slammed the annual Wanan air defense exercise as “just for show,” saying that only meaningful exercises would help increase the public’s survivability against the threat posed by China. A police officer keeps watch during a Wanan air defense exercise in Taipei on Monday. Photo: CNAThe government claims that there are more than 100,000 air raid shelters nationwide, but most of them are inaccessible, she said. How organizations with first aid, gas masks and other materials should mobilize, as well as civil defense groups, were also not touched upon, he added. Wang also cited civilian defense classes held by the Kuma Academy, a non-profit organization focused on civil defense topics such as first aid and media literacy, which have been fully booked with a significant waiting list.

A landslide blocks part of the Southern Cross-island Highway in Taitung County yesterday. The Siouguluan River swells to nearly the height of Yuli Bridge in Hualien County yesterday due to rain from Typhoon Doksuri. The storm yesterday brought 350mm of rain to Hualien, Taitung and Pingtung, bureau forecaster Chu Mei-lin (朱美霖) said. Winds would begin to die down in Taiwan proper with the departure of the typhoon today, Chu said. Meanwhile, bureau forecaster Huang En-hong (黃恩鴻) said that a tropical depression off Guam was expected to become Typhoon Khanun.

Thousands attend Comic ExhibitionStaff writer, with CNAThousands of manga and anime fans yesterday braved the rain brought by Typhoon Doksuri as they eagerly converged on this year’s Comic Exhibition at the World Trade Center in Taipei on the first day of the event. Cosplayers wait in line to enter the Comic Exhibition on its opening day at the World Trade Center in Taipei yesterday. Travis Japan from the well-known Japanese talent agency Jonny & Associates, Inc, performed at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. Anime and manga fans attend the opening day of the Comic Exhibition at the World Trade Center in Taipei yesterday. The Comic Exhibition runs until Monday next week at Exhibition Hall 1 of the World Trade Center.

Of gray rhinos and black swansBy Roger Wu 吳哲文Next month, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) is scheduled to visit Paraguay to attend the inauguration of its president-elect Santiago Pena. China, when seen through such speech and behavior, is the gray rhino in the world. If China’s moves would not lead the international community to consider it as one, who would it consider the gray rhino to be? China is not merely a gray rhino. China’s economic recession is a black swan that would influence the world, and we do not know when the black swan would come crashing to the ground.

Europe trip ‘successful,’ Minister of Justice saysBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterTaiwan opened the door to more international cooperation with European nations as Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥) visited Germany and the Netherlands earlier this month to discuss enhanced mutual legal assistance and reciprocal visits. “It was a very successful trip with meetings held with top justice officials of the hosting countries, and mutual judicial cooperation and further partnership with Taiwan were discussed,” Tsai said at a news conference on Wednesday at the Ministry of Justice in Taipei. It was very significant to have a personal meeting in Berlin on July 4 with German Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann, Tsai said, adding that he invited Buschmann to Taiwan. Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang, right, shakes hands with German Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann in Berlin on July 5. “Buschmann said he would be happy to arrange a visit, so I really believe it was a very successful trip to European countries,” he said.

Taiwan, Britain to start trade talksBy Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporterTaiwan and the UK are to begin official-level talks on an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) in three key areas with the aim of signing a memorandum of understanding. Photo courtesy of the Office of Trade NegotiationsThe UK and Taiwan will begin engaging businesses on the ETP in due course, it said. Taiwan would coordinate trade policies and rules on trade issues of common concern with the UK under the ETP framework to establish a long-term trade partnership, it said. Deng said that having signed its first agreement with the US, called the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, Taiwan could ink similar agreements with other countries. The UK and Taiwan have been holding annual ministerial trade talks since 1991.

President Tsai touts need for Taiwan, EU investment agreementStaff writer, with CNAPresident Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) touted the need for a bilateral investment agreement (BIA) between Taiwan and the European Union during a meeting with members of a European Parliament delegation yesterday in Taipei. Tsai made the comments while receiving the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) led by Estonian MEP Urmas Paet. She said that such a deal would “strengthen our partnership” and consolidate the unity of democracies, without elaborating. President Tsai ing-wen, right, receives the Members of the European Parliament led by the vice chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) Urmas Paet, standing in the centre. The 15-member delegation includes seven other MEPs, namely Reinhard Butikofer, Michael Gahler, Tonino Picula, Nathalie Loiseau, Dominik Tarczy?ski, Jakop G. Dalunde and Susanna Ceccardi.

Drugs, not nanny, to blame for baby’s death: prosecutorsSUSPICIOUS: An autopsy found traces of ketamine in the 11-month-old girl’s body, and prosecutors later found ketamine in the hair of her fatherStaff writer, with CNAFollowing an investigation into the death of an 11-month-old girl at the home of a nanny in 2021, the Ciaotou District Prosecutors’ Office has decided not to file charges against the nanny and her husband, local media reported yesterday. Evidence indicated the girl’s death was not caused by the nanny, surnamed Tsai (蔡), who did everything she could to help when the girl fell at her home, local media quoted prosecutors as saying. Video footage showed the girl standing with her hand holding the edge of a table before falling, prosecutors said. Prosecutors later found ketamine in the hair of the girl’s father, while tests on Tsai and her husband produced no such results. As a result, the girl’s father, who has a record of involvement with drug dealers, is being investigated for negligent homicide and facilitating the consumption of drugs by a minor, local media reported.

This trip was not something that ordinary Chinese students had a fair chance of joining. He said that when he led a delegation to China in March and April, his initiative was enthusiastically received by several Chinese universities, so he decided to promote similar exchanges. In this sense, student “exchanges” have all been in one direction. If Ma thinks the policy of promoting cross-strait student exchanges is his baby, he could have said more about this more substantial aspect. If cross-strait exchanges cannot serve Taiwan’s interests, at least they should not serve those of the CCP.

US, Japan make fast World Cup startsLEFT WANTING: Vlatko Andonovski said he wanted more scoring in the US’ 3-0 romp over Vietnam, in which veteran soon-to-retire star Megan Rapinoe came off the bench England yesterday squeezed past Haiti 1-0 as they began their FIFA Women’s World Cup title bid in unconvincing fashion, but holders the US and former champions Japan were far more comfortable, while Denmark outplayed China 1-0 in the late game. European champions England have been touted as the prime challengers to a US team chasing an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup crown. They would have to do far better than the display they put on in front of nearly 45,000 spectators in Brisbane, where a Haiti side making their World Cup debut could have snatched a point at the end. A Georgia Stanway

IMF lifts global economic outlook, but inflation a dragAP, WASHINGTONGlobal growth would see a slight improvement compared with previous IMF projections, but “many challenges still cloud the horizon, and it is too early to celebrate,” the organization’s chief economist said on Tuesday. IMF economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas gave his assessment as the organization projected that global economic growth would slow to 3 percent this year and next year, down from 3.5 percent last year. IMF research director Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas speaks at a news conference during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings at the IMF headquarters in Washington on April 11. The IMF lifted its outlook for US growth this year to 1.8 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from April, but expects it to slip to 1 percent next year. The IMF’s growth forecast for China was unchanged at 5.2 percent this year, while India’s growth prospects would rise to 6.1 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from April.