________________________________

Hi there.

It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites.

I'm Nancy Sun.

And I'm Hope Ngo.

In today's news...

The new VP wants a better balance between men and women lawmakers, and
countries around the world choose new leaders.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit

If you want to hear something more quickly, get in the water!

Stay tuned for all that and more, coming up next!
________________________________

副總統希望立委女性比例達到50%
Vice President Hsiao Wants 50% Women in Legislature

Who are the women leading Taiwan?

There are lots of female (女性) mayors and lawmakers.

And don’t forget, for the past eight years, the president (總統) has been a
woman.

Tsai Ing-wen was the first woman to lead the country.

It was a big deal.

After all, many countries have never elected a female leader...

...even big countries like the United States and Japan.

甚至美國、日本等一些大國也從未選出女性領導人。

What about the new leader?

Tsai’s former Vice President Lai Ching-te is becoming the new president.

He’s a man, but his Vice President (副總統) Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) is a
woman.

That means Hsiao is now the top representative (代表) for women in Taiwan.

What are her goals?

Hsiao wants to increase the number of lawmakers who are women.

蕭美琴希望增加女性立法委員的數量。

She says her goal is to reach 50% female representation in the Legislative
Yuan (立法院).

That means she wants at least half of the lawmakers to be women.

There are 113 seats in the Legislative Yuan .

Let’s do the math... about half of 113 is 57...

So, her goal is to get that many women lawmakers.

Taiwan already has 47.

That’s more than 40% of lawmakers, which is the highest proportion in all of
Asia (全亞洲比例最高).

Still, Vice President Hsiao thinks we can do better.

Why is it important to have women in government?

One reason is equality (平等).

Men and women should have equal chances to be leaders and decision-makers.

Another reason is different perspectives (視角不同).

Women might have different ideas than men because of their unique experiences
(獨特的經歷).

So a government with more women will think about more viewpoints when it
makes new laws.

A third reason is to have role models (榜樣).

When girls see women with power, it shows them that they can achieve
anything.

These are three big reasons, but I’m sure you can think of some more.

Let’s hope the Vice President’s goal becomes a reality.
________________________________

2024全球大選年
2024 Big Election Year Worldwide

When is the big election (大選) this year?

That depends on where in the world you go.

Taiwan had elections in January, but other countries are voting (投票)
throughout the year.

Let’s check the calendar.

我們來檢查一下世界選舉年曆。

On January 13th, Taiwan elected (選了) President Lai and Vice President Hsiao.

The same month, Taiwan’s ally (邦交國家) Tuvalu chose a new leader.

The leader said he would keep a good relationship with Taiwan, which is great
for us.

In February, two of Asia’s most populous (人口最多) countries, Pakistan and
Indonesia, both chose new leaders.

Russia had elections in March, but people question if they were fair...

...as the winner, Vladimir Putin, has already been leader for 25 years.

There was also a vote in India.

It’s the biggest election in the world, with nearly a billion voters joining
in.

這是全世界最大的選舉，近十億選民參加。

Wow, it’s only spring and there have already been so many elections.

What about later this year?

Next month is the election in Mexico.

The two main candidates (候選人) are both women.

That’s Claudia Sheinbaum and Xochitl Galvez.

That means Mexico will likely get its first female president this year.

Then in November, there are big elections in the United States.

It’s Donald Trump versus Joe Biden again.

Some Americans are not happy with these two.

Both men are around eighty years old, but some want a younger leader.

許多美國人認為川普和拜登都太老了。

Plus, they are also going to choose a new leader in the UK.

When is that?

The government has not announced the election date, but it should be this
year.

Wow. Is that all?

Not even close.

There are also elections through the year in many other countries, such as
Iceland, South Africa, Mongolia, and...

Okay, that’s enough, we get it!

好吧，夠了，我們明白了！

2024 is an important year for voters around the world.

No matter where you go, people hope to use their vote to make a change.

________________________________

So, in today’s News Bites...

Taiwan’s new Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim wants more women in government.

Her goal is to have 50% women lawmakers in the Legislative Yuan.
________________________________

And

Countries around the world are holding elections in 2024.

Taiwan voted in January, and India votes this month.

The US will vote in November.
________________________________

趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

In today's Tasty Tidbit...

Did you know that sound travels much faster through water than air?

In fact, it's about four times faster! But in water, it does take more
energy to get that sound going.

So, next time you're swimming, imagine a dolphin talking to its friend - the
message would zip right by you!

And that's it for today's episode of News Bites!

If you have a fun fact, a joke or an interesting news story you'd like to
share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to
newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode.

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!
 

________________________________

Hi there.

It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Brody Halverson.

In today's news: more no-smoking zones for Taipei, and an all-women rock band
from Saudi Arabia!

And if you could have any pet, what would it be?

Stay tuned for those stories, coming up next.
________________________________

台北信義區計畫六月起將禁菸場所擴大
Taipei's Xinyi District Planning to Expand Smoking-free Zones

We've got some bad news for smokers (抽菸者) but good news for everyone else:
Taipei health officials are planning to expand (擴大) smoking-free zones
(禁菸區) in the city.

Way back in April of this year, the Department of Health announced that
people were no longer allowed to smoke under covered walkways (騎樓) outside
of some convenience store and coffee shop chains.

台北市衛生局公告，有些連鎖便利商店和咖啡店一樓門市前面的騎樓中不許抽煙。

So customers of these places won't have to worry about passive smoke (二手菸)
wafting in (飄進來) from outside.

In fact, that's why we need these smoking bans.

Passive smoking, also known as secondhand smoke, can be harmful to
non-smokers, causing respiratory issues and other health problems.

被動吸菸（也稱為二手煙）對非吸菸者可能有害，會引起呼吸問題和其他健康問題。

Smoking bans create a safer and healthier environment for non-smokers.

Taipei health officials started clamping down (取締) on outdoor smoking as
far back as 2016.

They banned smoking in some parts of Xiangti Avenue Plaza (香堤廣場),
including Songshou Square Park (松壽廣場) and under some covered walkways
(騎樓).

Now, they're planning to ban smoking in other areas!

Woohoo!

Starting from June this year, it will also be illegal to smoke on No. 20,
Songgao Road (松高路２０巷人行道).

If you're caught smoking in banned areas, you could face a fine of up to 10
thousand NT.

The Health Bureau says they're listening to what citizens want.

If more folks want smoke-free spots, they'll make it happen.
________________________________

沙烏地阿拉伯的女子搖滾樂團
An All-Women Rock Band from Saudi Arabia

JAKE! Excuse me!

What's up?

What on Earth are you doing?

Sorry about that.

I was just practicing my singing.

我剛才只是練習一下唱歌而已。

Is that what you call singing?

I genuinely thought you were dying for a moment.

Say, have you heard of Seera?

Who's that?

It's an all-women rock band from Saudi Arabia!

This is what they sound like:

Sounds cool. 酷斃了！

Seera blends traditional Arabic melodies (阿拉伯式旋律) with dreamy-sounding
rock guitar riffs (搖滾吉他節奏).

Seera 將傳統的阿拉伯式旋律與迷幻般的搖滾吉他節奏融合在一起。

This would unthinkable just years earlier in the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia is traditionally very conservative.

For example, women weren't allowed to drive until 2018 ...

... and they had to abide by strict dress codes.

They also weren't allowed to work in certain professions, such as retail,
hospitality and engineering.

But Saudi Arabia has been liberalizing some aspects of its society.

沙烏地阿拉伯傳統上非常保守，但近期開始解放一些社會中的面向。

The rock band Seera is one example of the way women are finding their voice
and expressing themselves through the arts.

搖滾樂團 Seera 是女性通過藝術找到自己的聲音並表達自我的一個例子。

The band's name, Seera, can mean "life" or "biography" in Arabic.

Seera's music style revolves around the life experiences of the band members.

They sing in Arabic.
她們以阿拉伯語演唱。

They all have stage names (舞台名字).

The drummer's stage name is "Thing", the guitarist "Haya", the bassist
"Meesh" and her sister's "Nora", who sings and plays keyboard.

At a recent concert, youths in leather jackets and black rock T-shirts swayed
and danced to the band's music.

Meesh said they didn't know how people would react to their music.

Nora said she wanted the band to be "an inspiration for the younger
generation" to express themselves.

She added that it's OK to be yourself!
她又說道：「可以好好地做自己！」

Seera plans to release their debut album (首張專輯) later this year.

They've also booked a gig in Dubai, which will mark their first time
performing outside of Saudi Arabia.
________________________________

So in today's News Bites,

Taipei is making more places smoke-free.

They started by banning smoking in covered walkways near some stores and
cafes, then expanded it to No. 20, Songgao Road.

If you smoke in these areas, you might get fined up to 10,000 NT.

Authorities say they will listen to what people want and might make even more
places smoke-free in the future.
________________________________

And,

Seera is a rock band from Saudi Arabia with only women members.

They mix rock music with traditional Arabic melodies.

This is unusual in Saudi Arabia because it's usually very strict.

Seera wants to inspire people to be themselves.

They're planning to release their first album and perform in Dubai soon.
_______________________________

趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be? Kai, from Puli
Elementary School in Nantou, tells us his...

...

A dinosaur, eh? You'd have to have a pretty big house for that!
________________________________

And that's it for today's episode of News Bites!

If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share
with us, record your message and send us your Tasty tidbit to
newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode.

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!
 

________________________________

Hey there! Thanks for tuning in to today's New Bites!

I'm Paz Bueno.

And I'm Nancy Sun.

Today's stories...
Taiwan on the AI stage, Mexico's first woman president, and what animal would
you want to be?

Let's check it out.
________________________________

人工智慧科技成為焦點！
COMPUTEX 2024: AI Tech Takes the Spotlight!

COMPUTEX 2024 ended on June 7th and was a big success.

Over four days, more than 85,000 tech buyers (科技買家) and professionals
from countries like Japan, the USA, South Korea, and many others visited the
event.

This year's theme was "Connecting AI," and it brought a lot of attention to
Taiwan (讓台灣成為矚目的焦點).

Many companies showed off (展示) their newest AI products.

Acer and ASUS introduced new AI-powered laptops.
宏碁和華碩推出了新款 AI 驅動的筆記型電腦。

These laptops use AI to make them smarter (更聰明) and more efficient
(更有效率).

There were also many new smart cars (智慧汽車) on display.

Companies showed off new car technology, including smart cockpit solutions
(智慧駕駛艙解決方案).

In the communications area, Taiwan's role in advanced communications
(先進通訊) was highlighted.

ASUS and ASKEY worked together to create 5G network solutions.
華碩和亞旭合作創建了 5G 網路解決方案。

Another exciting area was the Metaverse, where a company showed eye-tracking
tech for augmented reality (擴增實境的眼球追蹤技術), and another demonstrated
a 3D recording system (3D 錄影系統).

Many famous tech leaders (科技領袖) spoke at COMPUTEX.

Dr. Lisa Su from AMD started the event.

Other speakers included Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon, Intel's Pat Gelsinger, and
NVIDIA's Jensen Huang.

They talked about how AI and other technologies are changing the world.

COMPUTEX also focused on sustainability.

Companies like BenQ won the gold award for sustainable design.

ASUS and Acer both won silver, and other companies received special awards
for their eco-friendly designs.

COMPUTEX 2025 will be held from May 20 to 23, 2025.
________________________________

墨西哥史上第一位女總統！
Mexico's First Female President!

Claudia Sheinbaum has made history by becoming Mexico's first female
president.

She won with a big lead, getting about 60% of the votes.

Her main opponent was a businesswoman who got around 30% of the votes.

Claudia will take over (接替) from President Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador on
October 1st.

She promised to continue the good work of President L?pez Obrador.

She wants to keep helping people through welfare programs (福利計劃).

In her victory speech, she said this win is not just for her, but for all
women.

Claudia also thanked her opponent, who admitted defeat (承認敗選).

Claudia Sheinbaum has a background (背景) in science.

She studied physics and energy engineering.
她學習物理和能源工程。

Before politics, she worked as a scientist and studied energy use in Mexico.

Her grandparents came from Bulgaria and Lithuania, fleeing from the Nazis.
她的祖父母為了躲避納粹的迫害，從保加利亞和立陶宛來到墨西哥。

Before running for president, Claudia was the mayor (市長) of Mexico City.

She was the first woman to hold this position.

An 87-year-old woman named Edelmira Montiel said she was happy to see a woman
become president.

In the past, women in Mexico couldn't vote or had to vote as their husbands
told them.

Claudia Sheinbaum will face many challenges as president.

She plans to tackle violence by addressing its causes and investing in
welfare programs.
她打算從根本處理暴力事件，並且投資各種社會福利，來解決墨西哥的暴力問題。

She also wants to have a good relationship with the United States and protect
Mexicans living there.

Claudia had strong support (支持) from the outgoing president, L?pez Obrador,
who is very popular.

Many people voted for her because they wanted to continue his programs to
reduce poverty (減貧計劃).
________________________________

So, in today's News Bites...

COMPUTEX 2024 ended on June 7th and was a big success.

Over four days, more than 85,000 tech buyers and professionals from countries
like Japan, the USA, South Korea, and many others visited the event.

This year's theme was "Connecting AI," and it brought a lot of attention to
Taiwan.
________________________________

And,

Claudia Sheinbaum has made history by becoming Mexico's first female
president.

Claudia will take over from President Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador on October
1st.

She will face many challenges as president.

She plans to tackle violence by addressing its causes and investing in
welfare programs.
________________________________

趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

What animal would you be?

Where would you live, and what would you look like?

I think if I were an animal, I would be a panda.

I could eat bamboo leaves all day, and sleep as much as I want in the bamboo
forest.

I would have a round body, and black and white fur!

Lin Pin-yen (林*諺) from Jiufenzi Elementary and Junior High School in Tainan
City shared what his life would be like…if he were a fish!

"If I were a fish, I'd swim in the sea with shiny scales and a wavy tail.
I'd find hidden caves underwater.
I'd feel the ocean's waves gently carrying me to new places.
In the sea, I'd see big whales and tiny seahorses.
And I'd learn the language of the sea.
As a fish, I would live peacefully in the sea, loving its beauty and secrets.
If I were a fish, it would be amazing."

If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with
us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to
newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!
 

________________________________

Hey there! Thanks for tuning in to today's New Bites!

I'm Paz Bueno.

And I'm Brody Halverson.

Today's stories...
A transgender man wins a landmark court case, dolphins are returning to
India, and…if you could have a secret passage out of your room, where would
it lead?

Let's check it out.
________________________________

無需手術更改性別證件
Nemo's Big Win: Changing ID Without Surgery!

Sex (生理性別) is the biological difference between males and females.

It's about our bodies and physical features.
它是關於我們的身體和外觀特徵。

Gender (社會學的性別), on the other hand, is about how we identify ourselves
(如何辨識自己).

It's about how we feel inside and how we express ourselves.
它是關於我們內心的感受和表達方式。

Understanding the difference between sex and gender is very important for
gender equity (性別平等).

Gender equity means that everyone, no matter if they are male, female, or
transgender (跨性別者), has the same rights and opportunities.

Nemo, a transgender person, has won a landmark court case in Taiwan.
跨性別者Nemo在台灣贏得了一場重大的法律案件。

Nemo is the first person in Taiwan to change the gender on their ID card
without having surgery.
Nemo是台灣第一個在沒有接受手術的情況下，成功更改身份證上性別的人。

Normally, transgender people must have surgery (手術) and get a doctor's
approval (獲得醫生的批准) to change their gender on their ID cards.

But Nemo had some health problems and couldn't have the surgery.

When he asked to change his gender on his ID card without surgery, the
household registration office (戶政事務所) said no.

So, Nemo took the case to court.

And the court agreed with Nemo!

They said making transgender people have surgery to change their gender is
unfair (不公平).

It can hurt their health and rights.

The court said people should be able to decide their gender without having
surgery.

This is a big win for Nemo and other transgender people in Taiwan.

Now, Nemo can proudly say he is a man without hiding anything.

The court told the household registration office to change Nemo's gender on
his ID card to male.

The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, a group that helps
people like Nemo, is very happy about this decision.

They hope this will help more transgender people in the future.

They also hope the government will change the rules so that surgery is not
needed to change gender on ID cards.

Nemo's case is important because it shows that everyone should have the right
to choose their gender.

It also shows that the law can protect people's rights and dignity
(法律可以保護人們的權利和尊嚴).
________________________________

河中更多的恒河豚！
More Gangetic Dolphins in the River!

A recent report by the Wildlife Institute of India says there are now more
than 4,000 Gangetic dolphins in the Gangetic River basin.
根據印度野生動物研究所最近的一份報告，恒河流域現在有超過4000隻恒河豚。

Over 2,000 of these dolphins are found in Uttar Pradesh, mainly in the
Chambal River (北方邦，在昌巴爾河).

This is good news because it means the river's pollution levels are going
down (污染水平正在下降)…

…and the government's efforts to save these dolphins are working!

The Ganges river dolphin (恒河豚), also called the blind dolphin or Ganges
susu, has the scientific name Platanista gangetica.

These dolphins live in rivers in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
這些豚生活在印度、尼泊爾和孟加拉的河流中。

They are blind (盲的) and live only in freshwater (淡水).

They hunt using sound waves (聲波) to find their prey.

Gangetic dolphins are usually alone or in small groups.

They need to come to the surface to breathe every 30 to 120 seconds, making a
'susu' sound when they exhale.
牠們每30到120秒需要浮出水面呼吸一次，呼氣時會發出"susu"的聲音。

The number of Gangetic dolphins has gone down because of several threats.

Sometimes, they get caught in fishing nets by accident.

Some people hunt them for oil used in traditional medicine.

Their homes are also being destroyed by development, pollution, and noise
from boats.

The Indian government is doing many things to protect these dolphins.

They are listed under the Wildlife Protection Act, which gives them strong
legal protection (法律保護).

They were also declared the National Aquatic Animal of India in 2010.
牠們還在2010年被宣佈為印度的國家水生動物。

The government has set up dolphin sanctuaries (保護區), like the Vikramshila
Dolphin Sanctuary in Bihar and the Dolphin Sanctuary in the Chambal River.

They also started Project Dolphin in 2019 to help double the dolphin
population by 2030.

The Wildlife Institute of India, established in 1982, plays a big role in
training people, doing research, and giving advice on wildlife conservation
(野生動物保護).

Let's hope the dolphin population in the Gangetic River basin continues to go
up!
________________________________

So, in today's News Bites...

Nemo, a transgender person, has won a big court case.

Nemo is the first person in Taiwan to change the gender on their ID card
without having surgery.

The court told the household registration office to change Nemo's gender on
his ID card to male.

Now, Nemo can proudly say he is a man without hiding anything.
________________________________

And,

A recent report by the Wildlife Institute of India says there are now more
than 4,000 Gangetic dolphins in the Gangetic River basin.

This is good news because it means the river's pollution levels are going
down…

…and the government's efforts to save these dolphins are working!
________________________________

趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

So, Brody, if you could have a secret passage out of your room, where would
it lead?

If I had a secret passage out of my house, it would lead to the moon!

Because it's a place I've never been before.

13-year-old Betty from Jiufenzi Junior High School in Tainan also has a fun
idea!

….

If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with
us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to
newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!
 

________________________________

Hello and welcome back to another episode of News Bites!

I'm Paz Bueno.

And I'm Brody Halverson.

Today's stories...
Taiwan's gender income gap, and the European Union uses more renewable
energy.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit…a world record for counting.

Let's find out!
________________________________

男女平均所得差距1.6倍 創11年來新高
Gender Income Gap Reaches 1.6 Times, Highest in 11 Years

Have you ever wondered if men and women earn the same amount of money?

Well, in Taiwan, there is quite a big difference between what men and women
earn.

This difference is called the "gender income gap (性別收入差距)."

Recently, the Ministry of Finance (財政部) shared some interesting numbers
showing how much money men and women make in Taiwan.

In 2022, men made an average of (平均賺到) NT$752,530 each, while women made
NT$470,569 each.

This means men made 1.6 times more money than women, which is the biggest gap
in 11 years!

Let's look at different kinds of income…

In wages (工資), men earned NT$819,331 on average, while women earned
NT$571,775.

The gap here is 1.43 times.

In profit income (利潤收入), men earned NT$72,036, and women earned
NT$46,100, with a gap of 1.56 times.

And in dividend income (股利收入), men earned NT$214,178, while women earned
NT$131,063.

The gap is 1.63 times.

When it comes to retirement income (退休收入), women actually do better.

Men made NT$525,159 on average, but women made NT$607,793.

This is the only category where women earn more than men.
________________________________

風能和太陽能在歐洲超越化石燃料
Wind and Sun Power Beat Fossil Fuels in Europe

Renewable energy (再生能源) is energy that comes from sources that can be
used again and again, like the sun, wind, and water.

Unlike fossil fuels (化石燃料), which are limited and create pollution,
renewable energy is clean and sustainable (永續的).

A report by the climate group (氣候組織) Ember says that in the first half of
this year (今年上半年), wind and solar energy produced 30% of the electricity
in the European Union (歐盟).

This is more than the electricity made from burning coal, oil, and gas.
這比燃燒煤、石油和天然氣產生的電力還要多。

In the EU, burning coal, oil, and gas dropped by 17% in the first six months
of 2024 compared to the same time last year.
2024年前六個月，歐盟國家燃燒煤、石油和天然氣比去年同時期減少了17%。

This is good news because it means less pollution.

Even though electricity demand went up a bit (電力需求上升), this change
still happened.

If EU countries keep building more wind turbines and solar panels
(風力發電機和太陽能板), they can stop using fossil fuels.

Solar power is growing fast, but the wind industry faces challenges like high
costs and political opposition (高成本和政治反對).

The report says 13 EU countries made more electricity from wind and solar
than from fossil fuels in the first half of the year.

For the first time, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands joined
this group.
德國、比利時、匈牙利和荷蘭首次加入這個行列。

Scientists believes the EU can meet its renewable energy goals with the right
policies (政策).
________________________________

So, in today's News Bites...

The Ministry of Finance recently shared numbers showing how much money men
and women make in Taiwan in 2022.

Men made 1.6 times more money than women, which is the biggest gap in 11
years!

The only category where women earn more than men is retirement income.
________________________________

And,

A report by the climate group Ember says that wind and solar energy produced
30% of the electricity in the European Union in the first half of this year.

If EU countries keep building more wind turbines and solar panels, they can
stop using fossil fuels.
________________________________

趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

In our first story today, we mentioned a lot of numbers.

It can take a long time to say big numbers out loud…

So have you ever wondered how long it would take to count from 1 to
1,000,000?

Well, a man named Jeremy Harper knows!

Jeremy set a Guinness World Record by counting aloud to 1,000,000.

He started on June 18, 2007, and finished 89 days later, on September 14.

Every day, he spent 16 hours counting, and people could watch him live
online.

He stayed in his home the entire time and didn't shave.

Jeremy's counting also helped raise over $10,000 US dollars for a charity!

If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with
us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to
newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!