A man arranges toy propellers to display the phrase: “Without evidence, release him,” referring to Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je, in front of the Taipei District Court in Zhongzheng District yesterday.Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times ‘BRIBERY, CORRUPTION’:Prosecutors accused the former Taipei mayor of unlawfully helping a corporation, as well as accumulating about NT$93.71 million illegally By Jason Pan / Staff reporter 請繼續往下閱讀... Prosecutors yesterday indicted Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on charges of corruption, embezzlement, breach of trust and other alleged offenses, requesting a combined 28-year, six-month prison term for the former Taipei mayor. Ten other defendants were also indicted by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, mainly for alleged bribery and abuse of public office for private benefit, while some face money laundering, forgery, fraudulent accounting and other similar charges. Investigators have gathered sufficient evidence and testimony from witnesses in four separate cases from when Ko served as Taipei mayor from 2018 to 2022, and during his campaign leading up to the presidential election in January, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kao I-shu (高一書) told a news conference in Taipei. The four cases relate to the former city administration’s dealings with the Core Pacific City (京華城購物中心) redevelopment project, use of political donations, use of a foundation and alleged bribery, prosecutors said. Officials have accused Ko and other defendants of granting unlawful financial benefits in the Core Pacific City case, embezzlement of political donations, breach of trust by illegally transferring funds from a foundation to pay presidential campaign expenses and false declarations of assets relating to political donations. When Ko was mayor, he allegedly helped Core Pacific Group (威京集團) and its subsidiary gain unlawful financial benefits of more than NT$12.105 billion (US$370.23 million), prosecutors said. Meanwhile, accounts controlled by Ko have accumulated about NT$93.71 million in alleged unlawful gains, Kao said. Ko has been accused of receiving NT$17.1 million in kickbacks and embezzling NT$68.35 million from his presidential campaign, Kao said. Ko allegedly arranged illegal transfers from his public affairs foundation totaling NT$8.27 million to pay for expenses and wages during his presidential campaign, prosecutors said. “Ko violated the declaration he made when he was sworn in as Taipei mayor that he would obey the nation’s laws not to take bribes or engage in corruption while serving in public office,” Kao said, reading from the indictment. Prosecutors obtained written instructions for other suspects to swiftly leave Taiwan and notes to check on the financial accounts of Muko Public Relations Co (木可公關), Kao said. Muko PR was contracted by the TPP to manage its presidential campaign funds. Investigators found shredded documents with the instructions, as well as torn notes at Ko’s office, indicating that he had tried to destroy evidence, Kao said. Moreover, his attitude was hostile during the investigation, he said. Based on the evidence and the other factors, prosecutors pressed charges and requested the nearly 30-year sentence, he said. They also requested Ko be deprived of his civil rights for 10 years and fined NT$50 million according to stipulations of the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), he said. Prominent figures among the other defendants include Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), chairman of Core Pacific Group; Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲), a former Taipei deputy mayor; Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇); Wu Shun-min (吳順民), Ying’s office assistant; Lee Wen-chung (李文宗), who was in charge of Ko’s presidential campaign finances; and Tuanmu Cheng (端木正), an accountant. Other defendants are Chu Yea-hu (朱亞虎), former head of Dingyue Development Corp (鼎越開發), a subsidiary of Core Pacific Group; Taipei Urban Planning Commission Executive Secretary Shao Hsiu-pei (邵琇珮); Huang Ching-mao (黃景茂), a former head of the Taipei Urban Development Department; and Chang Chih-cheng (張志澄), a Core Pacific Group supervisor. In the indictment, prosecutors requested that Sheen be handed a 12-year prison term and fined NT$30 million for charges of illegally obtaining financial benefits, and five years and NT$3 million for bribery. Ying received NT$52.5 million in bribes from Sheen to use her position as a councilor to shield the Core Pacific City project amid evaluations by Taipei regulatory and urban planning agencies, the indictment said. She pressed agencies to approve a higher floor area ratio through verbal abuse and scorn during meetings and telephone calls, putting mental and other stresses on city employees, the indictment said. Ying was accused of contravening her public duty by taking bribes to push for financial gains for a corporation and laundering the money abroad. She allegedly attempted to evade prosecution by fleeing to Hong Kong, but was stopped at the airport, prosecutors said, adding that she refused to cooperate during questioning. They sought a 13-year sentence and a fine of NT$30 million on bribery charges for Ying, while the money laundering charges and those related to her alleged receipt of NT$52.5 million in bribes warrant a three-and-a-half year sentence and a fine of NT$20 million, prosecutors said. 新聞來源: TAIPEI TIMES Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kao I-shu speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.Photo: CNA A Taipei District Court representative, right, yesterday draws lots to determine judges for trials related to corruption and bribery cases involving Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je.Photo: CNA Media workers photograph documents at the Taipei District Court yesterday from an investigations involving Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je.Photo: CNA 不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎 點我下載APP 按我看活動辦法The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling on a global scale, challenging teachers with a flood of unmanageable demands. These demands have persisted, resulting in an echo-pandemic of educator absences and attrition — educators leaving their jobs — that threatens the health of schools. We wrote about ways to support teachers during the pandemic based on our 2020 national survey of more than 1,300 Canadian teachers. Since then, we have followed more that 7,000 educators in their navigation and coping efforts during and after the pandemic. From these findings, we published more than 25 research articles , including 13 peer-reviewed articles, plus 12 articles for educators’ journals, reports to government and to the Canadian Mental Health Association, and one podcast. Since the pandemic, we’ve seen notable and important conversations about educators’ burnout and self-care in media and academic publications. An upside to this is increased awareness in the education sector around mental health needs and the importance of resources for both students and employees. A downside is these conversations reflect education systems that are out of balance in terms of resources and needs . In the United States, the National Center for Education Statistics reported a rise in teacher absenteeism after the pandemic . In Canada, research based on data collected from educators in Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador from September 2022 to August 2023 found “ a significant association between sick days and the prevalence and severity of high stress, low resilience, burnout, anxiety, and depression among educators .” This study, by psychiatry researcher Belinda Agyapong and colleagues, also noted “short-term sick leave can escalate into long-term absences without adequate support for teachers.” Rampant absenteeism has severe financial costs. In 2023, the cost of educator absences was $213 million in the Toronto District School Board alone . There are academic and social-emotional costs to students when their schooling is disrupted by educators’ frequent absences. Schools across Ontario face shortages of administrators, teachers, educational assistants and office staff on a daily basis. So, why is this happening? An important step in solving a problem is defining its nature. A framework called the job demands-resources model , developed by psychologists from the Netherlands, provides a useful lens for understanding why educators are missing so much time at work. It posits how personal and job characteristics foster employee well-being, suggesting workplaces can be understood as a teeter-totter with demands on one end and resources on the other. When employees have enough resources to meet demands, the system is in balance. Its workers function well, and the organization’s goals are more likely to be met. It is expected that resources in schools are supplied by employers, such as reasonable class sizes, adequate prep time and supports to meet complex student needs. It is important to note that resources are also supplied by employees, such as self-care practices and job skills. Educators, administrators in charge of available resources and provincial policymakers in charge of overall funding to education must work together to achieve and maintain the balance between demands and resources. So how have the demands experienced by educators changed since 2020? Our most recent research , a survey of 243 educators, showed 60 per cent of survey respondents have experienced large increases in students’ academic, social and behavioural needs. Survey data were collected in Manitoba during the first four months of 2024 at voluntary, school-based workshops provided by a national health organization. Alarmingly, over 30 per cent of respondents said they are rarely or never able to meet all these needs with their current resources. Within education systems across the country , the demands are of greater number and intensity than prior to the pandemic without adequate resources to keep up . Increased student needs are not being met within the current education system, and teachers’ workload and work-life balance are suffering . UNESCO’s predicted 2030 global teacher shortage of 44 million teachers provides an impetus to solve this issue quickly. Although there are calls for higher salaries for teachers in some countries, Canadian teachers are paid well and some have received recent salary increases . However, salary raises alone do not make a job sustainable. A lack of resources and supports to foster student success has resulted in significant dissatisfaction not only for teachers, but also for others across educator roles. In 2024, among the Manitoba educators we surveyed , 29 per cent of teachers, 25 per cent of principals, 33 per cent of clinicians and 20 per cent of educational assistants reported looking for new jobs in the past few months. The collective research indicates a system in crisis . So how can we remedy the situation to bring back not only the effectiveness of our educational settings but also the joy of schooling? Recognition of the current imbalance has resulted in some “bright lights” that show the way for other school systems to curb educator absences and attrition. Examples include: These initiatives suggest some governments and policymakers are aware of the imbalances and are working to address them. Importantly, attention to the needs of education sector employees beyond teachers like educational assistants, principals and clinicians (for example, psychologists) is necessary to re-establish balance. When educators are properly resourced to do their jobs and are allowed to see the results in positive learning and growth of their students, they will be more inclined to be at work. If, in time, the education system is adequately and proactively resourced to meet the demands, schools can become better places to work and learn. Reduced educator attrition and absences will be good indicators of a system regaining its balance. Laura Sokal has received funding from SSHRC and the Canadian Mental Health Association. Lesley Eblie Trudel has received funding from SSHRC and the Canadian Mental Health Association.Friday, December 27, 2024 In a significant development for trans-Atlantic travel, German carrier Condor Airlines has announced the cancellation of multiple routes between Frankfurt and North America for 2025. The decision follows a ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice, which overturned a longstanding arrangement requiring Lufthansa to provide feeder flights to Condor’s network. The ruling has disrupted connectivity for travelers across several U.S. and Canadian cities, including San Antonio’s only trans-Atlantic flight. The German Federal Court’s decision has reverberated through the travel industry, effectively severing an operational link that allowed Condor passengers to seamlessly connect to Lufthansa flights. Under the previous arrangement, passengers from North American cities could fly on Condor to Frankfurt and continue on Lufthansa flights with a single ticket and baggage checked through to their final destination. This operational synergy has been crucial for Condor’s ability to serve North American markets. Condor’s revised schedule for 2025 includes the discontinuation of service from Frankfurt to several North American destinations: United States: Canada: The cancellation of these routes marks a significant loss of connectivity for travelers and communities in these regions. For San Antonio, this is particularly impactful as the city’s first-ever nonstop trans-Atlantic service to Europe has been a milestone achievement. Jens Boyd, Condor’s commercial director, expressed regret over the decision, emphasizing the airline’s strong ties with the affected communities. “This is not a decision we take lightly,” Boyd stated. “We deeply regret the loss of connectivity and service this will cause. However, we remain committed to exploring all avenues for fair competition.” Despite these assurances, the legal processes required to address the ruling are expected to take time. The cancellation of Condor’s San Antonio route comes as a setback for the city’s burgeoning trans-Atlantic travel ambitions. Introduced in 2024, the service marked the region’s first direct flight to Europe, connecting San Antonio with Frankfurt and beyond. The route served an estimated 450 passengers daily in each direction, contributing to a 30% increase in passenger flights between San Antonio and Europe during the summer season. Local leaders and airport officials have expressed disappointment while reaffirming their commitment to restoring trans-Atlantic service. “This summer, the San Antonio region demonstrated its strong support for trans-Atlantic travel,” said Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, CEO of the greater:SATX regional economic partnership. “We remain deeply grateful for Condor’s investment and will continue working to connect SAT to the world.” Jesus Saenz, Jr., director of airports for the city of San Antonio, highlighted ongoing efforts to expand nonstop service. “Ties between our region and Europe continue to grow, and reconnecting SAT and Europe will remain a top priority,” Saenz stated. Community partners and airport officials are exploring alternative avenues to re-establish trans-Atlantic connectivity, underscoring the sustained demand for such services. The loss of Condor’s routes has implications beyond San Antonio. Cities like Baltimore, Phoenix, and Minneapolis-St. Paul have also lost vital connections to Europe, affecting tourism and business travel. In Canada, Edmonton and Halifax are similarly impacted, with local officials expressing concerns over reduced international travel options. Despite these setbacks, data suggests robust demand for trans-Atlantic travel from North American cities. San Antonio’s record-breaking summer numbers highlight a market capable of sustaining nonstop service. However, industry experts caution that airlines must navigate complex regulatory and operational challenges to meet this demand. While the current cancellations are a blow to Condor’s North American operations, the airline remains committed to its long-term growth strategy. Jens Boyd reiterated Condor’s focus on fair competition and exploring legal remedies to the challenges posed by the German court ruling. Meanwhile, the airline continues to operate other routes across its network, maintaining its presence in key markets. The cancellation of Condor’s routes to North America underscores the interconnected nature of the global aviation industry and the far-reaching impact of regulatory decisions. For affected cities like San Antonio, the loss of trans-Atlantic service is a setback, but local leaders remain optimistic about restoring connectivity. As the industry adapts to new challenges, collaboration between airlines, regulators, and communities will be essential to ensuring the continued growth and accessibility of global travel. Discover everything and anything about travel , tourism , trade shows at the Travel And Tour World , including breaking travel news and weekly travel updates for travel trade , airlines , cruise , railways , technology , travel association , DMCs, and video interviews and promotional videos .
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli aircraft struck a sprawling tent camp housing displaced Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people, according to a local health official, setting off fires in the coastal tent city that Israel has designated a humanitarian zone but which has been repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strikes were the latest deadly assault in the war-wracked Gaza Strip , where Israel's offensive against Hamas is nearly 14 months old and showing no end in sight, despite international efforts to revive negotiations toward a ceasefire. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push to get a ceasefire for Gaza after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to end more than a year of cross-border fighting. And President-elect Donald Trump demanded in a social media post this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. The strike Wednesday in Muwasi, a desolate area with few public services that holds hundreds of thousands of displaced people , also wounded at least 28 people, according to Atif Al-Hout, the director of Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. An Associated Press journalist at the hospital counted at least 15 bodies, but he said reaching a precise number was difficult because many of the dead were dismembered, some without heads or badly burned. Videos and photos shared widely on social media showed flames and a column of black smoke rising into the night sky, as well as twisted metal tent frames and shredded fabric. Palestinian men searched through the still-burning wreckage, shouting “Over here guys!” Further away, civilians stood at a distance, observing the destruction. The military said the strikes had set off secondary explosions, indicating explosives present in the area had detonated. It was not possible to independently confirm the Israeli claims, and the strikes could also have ignited fuel, cooking gas canisters or other materials in the camp. The strikes followed earlier Israeli attacks on other parts of the Gaza Strip that killed eight people, four of them children, according to Palestinian medics. The military said it had struck “terrorist targets” in a series of strikes. On Wednesday, Israel said its forces recovered the body of one hostage who was captured alive during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war, yet who Israel believes was killed by his captors. Israel believes about a third of the remaining 100 hostages are dead. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,500 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants often operate in residential areas and are known to position tunnels, rocket launchers and other infrastructure near homes, schools and mosques. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent much of the past year trying to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages, but those efforts stalled as Israel rejected Hamas’ demand for a complete withdrawal from the territory . Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/mideast-warsBoxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.
Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere - or even there?KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza , launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine . The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. Wednesday's strike in Muwasi — a desolate area with few public services that holds hundreds of thousands of displaced people — wounded at least 28 people, according to Atif al-Hout, the director of Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. An Associated Press journalist at the hospital counted at least 15 bodies, but said reaching a precise number was difficult because many of the dead were dismembered, some without heads or badly burned. In the morgue, an infant's blackened hand and face peeked out from beneath a heavy blanket used to transport bodies to the hospital. “It was like doomsday,” said a wounded woman, Iman Jumaa, who held back tears as she described how the strike killed her father, her brothers and her brothers' children. Videos and photos of the strike shared widely on social media showed flames and a column of black smoke rising into the night sky, as well as twisted metal tent frames and shredded fabric. Palestinian men searched through the still-burning wreckage, shouting, “Over here guys!” Further away, civilians stood at a distance, observing the destruction. The military said the strikes had set off secondary blasts, indicating explosives present in the area had detonated. It was not possible to independently confirm the Israeli claims, and the strikes could also have ignited fuel, cooking gas canisters or other materials in the camp. Shortly after the strike, Al-Awda Hospital said two people had been killed and 38 wounded in an attack on a residential block in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The military had no immediate comment on the strike, but said earlier strikes in central Gaza had hit “terrorist targets." Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths, saying the militants often operate in residential areas and are known to position tunnels, rocket launchers and other infrastructure near homes, schools and mosques. Previous Israeli strikes on tent camps in Gaza have drawn widespread international outrage, such as when a wounded student’s last moments were caught on video as he burned to death in a tent outside a hospital. In northern Gaza, dozens of Palestinian families said Israel's expanding offensive had forcibly displaced them from schools-turned-shelters. Associated Press footage showed people on the road Wednesday leaving Beit Lahia, many crowded onto donkey carts with their belongings in their arms. Others walked on foot. “This morning a quadcopter (drone) detonated four bombs at the school. There were people injured, human remains — we left with nothing,” said Sadeia al-Rahel. The 57-year-old said her family has been eating grass, leaves, and animal feed for two months due to the lack of food aid in the north. The amount of aid entering Gaza plunged in October, and hunger is widespread across the territory, even in central Gaza where aid groups have more access. Humanitarian organizations say Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of law and order make it difficult to deliver assistance. Israel has said it is working to increase the flow of aid. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,500 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 250 people were abducted. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. On Wednesday, Israel said its forces recovered the body of a hostage who was captured alive during the Oct. 7 attack. Israel believes Itay Svirsky was killed by his captors. The families of hostages held in Gaza have grown increasingly concerned that their loved ones are at risk so long as the war continues. Israel’s military released on Wednesday the findings of a probe into the circumstances behind the deaths of six hostages whose bodies were recovered in August, determining they were probably shot by their captors after a nearby Israeli strike in February. Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/mideast-wars