Youth mixing traditional medicine with cocktails
Youth mixing traditional medicine with cocktailsAFP, SHANGHAIIn a softly lit Shanghai bar, graduate student Helen Zhao stretched out both wrists to have her pulse taken — the first step to ordering the house special, a bespoke “health” cocktail based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Niang Qing bar owner Wu Siyuan, left, prepares a drink with a bartender at the traditional Chinese medicine-themed cocktail bar in Shanghai on Tuesday last week. “The combination of Chinese medicine and alcohol has a long history in TCM — it was traditionally called medicinal wine,” he said, adding that the bar targeted health awareness rather than treatment. Niang Qing was founded by students from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine only last year, but has already expanded to five locations across the country. TCM bars “draw people from online to offline, and the social experience it creates delivers emotional value,” Shanghai Jiao Tong University professor Hua Hui said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 14, 2026 03:46 UTC
Atletico rout Barcelona in Copa
Atletico rout Barcelona in CopaADVANTAGE ATLETICO: Well off the pace in La Liga, the Copa del Rey represents Atletico Madrid’s best chance of silverware this seasonAFP, MADRIDAtletico Madrid on Thursday hammered Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final. Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez scores against Barcelona in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg at the Metropolitano in Madrid on Thursday. Photo: ReutersBoth sides missed good chances in the second half, with Barca’s Pau Cubarsi having a goal disallowed before Garcia was sent off in the final stages. Former Barcelona striker Griezmann slid home the second as Atletico breached the Catalans’ high defensive line repeatedly, leaning on the pace of Giuliano Simeone and Lookman. Barcelona thought they had pulled one back in the second half when Pau Cubarsi netted, but it was controversially disallowed after a long video assistant referee review for offside.
Source:Taipei Times
February 14, 2026 03:45 UTC
Taiwan-US trade agreement: Quotas on US car imports to be lifted, but automakers unconcerned
Taiwan-US trade agreement: Quotas on US car imports to be lifted, but automakers unconcernedStaff writer, with CNATaiwan would lift its quotas on vehicles manufactured in accordance with US regulations and would eliminate tariffs on sedans imported from the US, under the terms of a bilateral trade deal signed in Washington on Thursday. Vehicles conforming to the US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards would be exempt from import quotas, the Cabinet said yesterday. This “gives imported vehicles little edge” compared with mainstream models produced by domestic carmakers, which are mostly priced at NT$800,000 to NT$1.1 million, Wu said. While local consumers would appreciate having more options, in the long run, the share of imported vehicles could expand from 50 percent to about 60 percent, he said. The market share for domestically produced vehicles has steadily declined, dropping from 63.2 percent in 2015 to 51.3 percent last year, the data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 21:47 UTC
Social media companies are being sued for harming users
Social media companies are being sued for harming usersExperts say the term ‘addiction’ is overused and, for mental health and social media use, could be difficult to proveBy Hannah Harris Green / The GuardianForthcoming legal proceedings against Meta Platforms Inc and YouTube are frequently referred to as the “social media addiction trials,” but whether these platforms are truly addictive is still the subject of scientific debate. POISON PILLSThe relationship between social media and mental health is complex and possibly “bidirectional,” meaning that poor mental health might drive social media use in addition to social media use driving poor mental health, so it was important not to simply conclude that social media is “the singular driver of the youth mental health crisis,” she said. Social media companies have been known to exploit the same “intermittent reinforcement” mechanism that makes gambling so compelling. The risks of jail time, psychosis or overdose are severe compared with the typical compulsive social media users’ risks, like less engagement with hobbies and friends. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the term “problematic use” when it comes to social media for these reasons, and also because social media provides benefits like information sharing and connection as well as harms.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
South Korean teen Choi stuns Kim to claim gold
South Korean teen Choi stuns Kim to claim goldAFP, LIVIGNO, ItalySouth Korean teenager Choi Gaon on Thursday recovered from a brutal fall to shock US snowboard superstar Chloe Kim in the Olympic women’s halfpipe final as the American missed out on a historic hat-trick. Choi Gaon of South Korea celebrates on the podium after winning the women’s snowboard halfpipe at the Milano Cortina Olympics in Livigno, Italy, on Thursday. Photo: ReutersWorld Cup leader Choi recovered from a dramatic fall on her first outing, which resulted in a score of just 10.00. Kim, skiing last, gathered her thoughts at the top of the halfpipe, adjusting her equipment, but crashed early, confirming Choi as the champion. It’s so funny because she won her first Olympic gold medal at the same age as I did.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
Migrant crackdown impasse set to lead to partial shutdown
“For weeks, we’ve been pushing commonsense reforms,” US Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said ahead of a partial shutdown that was to go into effect after midnight yesterday. Photo: BloombergIn particular, they demand curtailed roaming patrols, a ban on ICE agents wearing facemasks during operations and the use of a judicial warrant to enter private property. Democrats’ opposition to ICE and its heavy-handed tactics swelled after federal agents in Minneapolis killed two US citizens protesting anti-immigration operations. The lawmakers are seeking greater accountability for ICE agents, including upholding reasonable use-of-force standards already on the books. ICE would be able to maintain operations during a partial shutdown, because of funds already approved by the US Congress last year.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
TPP’s Li ‘authorizes’ MAC to handle China processes
TPP’s Li ‘authorizes’ MAC to handle China processesNOT OUR JOB: MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh said that individuals must handle nationality processes themselves, which is the same regardless of the countryBy Lee Wen-hsin and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNATaiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Li Zhengxiu (李貞秀) yesterday said she would authorize the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) to handle all matters related to renouncing her Chinese nationality, while expressing hope that all disputes would end there. Li said she came to Taiwan in 1993 through marriage and obtained her Taiwanese ID card and household registration in 1999, while also officially canceling her household registration in China’s Hunan Province. Later yesterday, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said Li married in Taiwan on April 26, 1993, and obtained permanent residency in 1999. However, in 1999, the cross-strait regulations did not yet require a single household registration, he said. As for Li authorizing the council to handle her renunciation of Chinese nationality, Liang said that individuals wishing to renounce their original nationality must handle the process themselves, regardless of the country.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
Subjugation of religion to politics in China
Subjugation of religion to politics in ChinaBy Shen Yan 沈言A few years ago, China’s approach to handling religious affairs underwent a transformation. Representing more than just a name change, the shift is a reframing of religion and its social practices as objects of state governance. After the realignment of the religious affairs body, religious exchanges and spaces are subject to an entirely different kind of political machinery. In China, religion, charity and community services are all fair game as government resources, with political functions that are by no means dictated by their original intent. The agency and decisionmaking authority of religious institutions has already been plucked out and transferred into the hands of the party.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
May Chin released on NT$1 million bail amid multiple probes
May Chin released on NT$1 million bail amid multiple probesStaff writer, with CNAIndependent Legislator May Chin (高金素梅) was released on NT$1 million (US $31,805) bail yesterday after being questioned by Taipei prosecutors over her suspected misappropriation of salary payments to her aides and other cases. Independent Legislator May Chin speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. After a preliminary interrogation, Chin was transferred to Taipei prosecutors in the early hours of Wednesday. Taipei prosecutors successfully petitioned the court to take Chang into custody. Speaking to reporters after posting bail, Chin apologized to her constituents, supporters and legislative colleagues for causing them concern.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
The new nuclear challenge
The new nuclear challengeThe US’ lack of commitment to nuclear arms treaties ushers in a shakier worldBy Richard Haass / NEW YORKThe countries and people of the world have lived with nuclear weapons for eight decades. For the most part, nuclear weapons largely remained in the background during the Cold War. Limiting the vertical proliferation of nuclear-weapons countries — the expansion of arsenals — might not be the biggest challenge in the nuclear realm. The prospect of the world’s least stable region bristling with nuclear weapons is chilling. Russia invaded Ukraine and has talked menacingly about using nuclear weapons and altering the political map of Europe.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
Taiwan-US trade agreement: Lai praises outcomes of US trade deal
Lai made the remarks at a news conference after Taiwan and the US signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade in Washington on Thursday. Lai highlighted the six key outcomes of the negotiations. The fourth key achievement was accelerating the alignment of Taiwan’s trade and economic systems with international standards, based on the “Taiwan-US 21st Century Trade Initiative,” said Lai. This includes intellectual property, labor standards, environmental regulations, trade facilitation, regulatory transparency and the digital trade environment. “This collaboration will help establish a reliable and resilient supply chain between Taiwan and the US, independent of China,” Lai said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
Agency hosts forestry history exhibition
Agency hosts forestry history exhibitionCONNECTIONS: Forests are not only about trees and timber, but also about wildlife and human communities, the agency’s director-general said of forests’ importanceBy Esme Yeh / Staff reporterThe Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is hosting a special exhibition titled “100Y Forest Rhythms” to demonstrate the century-old history of forestry development in Taiwan, with interactive installations and free audio guide provided to enrich visitor experience. It then reaches the turning point of 1975, when forestry development shifted from a focus on economic growth to forest conservation. Forestry policies became more focused on biodiversity, conservation and sustainable development of forest resources after the bureau was restructured as the agency in 2023, it shows. Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said Taiwan’s forestry policies varied with contemporary needs under different governments, leading to significant changes in forest landscapes and ecosystems over the past century. The exhibition showcases now rarely seen devices like a hand-cranked telephone, as well as other tools often used in forestry, including wood-marking hammers and small timber scribes.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
China ends press freedom in HK
To understand why Beijing’s account collapses under scrutiny, one must begin with Hong Kong’s origins. This inheritance shaped Hong Kong’s political instincts long before the world heard the name Jimmy Lai. Apple Daily (苹果日報) was not the origin of Hong Kong’s culture of dissent; it was the mirror in which that dissent recognized itself. He is the scapegoat required to sustain a fiction — that the people of Hong Kong have nothing against China. With these sentences, Beijing has done more than silence a newspaper — it has ended press freedom in Hong Kong.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
EDITORIAL: Reflecting on the Year of the Snake
EDITORIAL: Reflecting on the Year of the SnakeWith the Year of the Snake reaching its conclusion on Monday next week, now is an opportune moment to reflect on the past year — a year marked by institutional strain and national resilience. For Taiwan, the Year of the Snake was a composite of political friction, economic momentum, social unease and strategic consolidation. Most notable is the ongoing impasse over the government’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.65 billion) special defense budget, widely seen as essential amid intensifying pressure from China. The year also saw strides in whole-of-society defense resilience. The task now is not merely to celebrate national resilience, but to build upon it — with steadiness, foresight and a renewed sense of a shared purpose.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC
Ministry releases booklets on proper AI use in school
Ministry releases booklets on proper AI use in schoolBy Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNATaiwan has launched two manuals on the proper uses and pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI) for young students, as part of the government’s push to integrate technology in education. The Ministry of Education published two booklets, one for pupils between third and sixth grade at elementary schools, and another for students at junior-high schools. Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words “Artificial Intelligence AI” in this illustration taken in February 2024. Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words “Artificial Intelligence AI” in this illustration taken in February 2024. The manuals also suggest asking algorithms to critique students’ work from the perspective of teachers, readers and editors.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 18:13 UTC