Read News 2021.01.22 — Global Focus and Trending Topics

A daily roundup of trending global news topics for January 22, 2021 (ROC year 110), covering technology, life, travel, transportation, industry and finance, business, companies, stocks, foreign exchange, investment, real estate, automobiles, breaking news, art, design, politics, society, Taiwan, mainland China, cross-strait affairs, weather, natural disasters, and current events.

The “Read News” section collects the headline events and brief summaries of the most important key news from around the world that deserve your attention in recent days, letting you see the threads of social trends through the flow of quickly listed news events.

Global Focus Topics for January 22, 2021

• International & Society
• Science & Technology
• Business & Investment
• Nature & Medicine
• Travel & Leisure

Trending keywords: Huang Jie, earthquake, Hi-Life, Pfizer, vaccine, Democratic Progressive Party, Tsai Ing-wen, Chen Shih-chung, Taoyuan City, Don Quixote

International & Society

Food-safety breach! Lab commissioned by the Kaohsiung City Government to test ractopamine pork shockingly caught fabricating test reports: Last year, in response to the opening of American pork imports, the Kaohsiung City Government signed a “Memorandum of Cooperation on Strengthening Inspection of Ractopamine Residue Tolerance in Imported Meat” with the Taiwan branch of the well-known German testing organization TÜV Rheinland, Tendemus Technical Consulting. Tendemus general manager Wei Chang-chih vowed to protect the greater Kaohsiung area, but unexpectedly Tendemus broke out in a scandal of suspected fabrication of food-safety test reports. General manager Wei Chang-chih was recently summoned by the Investigation Bureau, and after Tendemus received verification from Apple Daily News, it announced two days ago that it had applied to the FDA of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to revoke all certification items.

On his first day as president, Biden swiftly signs 17 executive orders! 100-day mask mandate, rejoining the Paris Agreement, halting withdrawal from the WHO: Biden was formally sworn in as the 46th U.S. president on the 20th, entering the White House as president. After completing various ceremonies, on his first day at work Biden sat down in the Oval Office, picked up a black pen, and began reviewing and signing document after document, swiftly passing as many as 17 executive orders, overturning many of the Trump era’s policies on the pandemic, social equity, and climate. The first three orders Biden signed were to require Americans to wear masks for the next 100 days, guarantee racial equality, and rejoin the Paris Agreement.

On Biden’s first day in office, China reiterates it is actively considering joining the CPTPP: New U.S. President Joe Biden was inaugurated on the 20th U.S. Eastern Time, and observers generally analyze that his short-term governance will focus on domestic affairs. China’s Ministry of Commerce today reiterated that China is willing to sign free trade agreements with more trading partners, including actively considering joining the CPTPP.

South Korean Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Hong Nam-ki: “Actively discussing joining the CPTPP”: The South Korean government has decided to actively study joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in which Japan, Australia, and others participate. As the possibility grows that the U.S. Biden administration will return to the agreement, South Korea has begun preparing for a new trade order.

Why is the DPP going all out to block the Huang Jie recall? Media figure reveals the inside story: President Tsai Ing-wen demanded at the DPP Central Standing Committee meeting on the 20th that the entire DPP “must hold the line” on the recall of Kaohsiung City Councilor Huang Jie. In response, a media figure analyzed that the DPP going all out to block the recall is very likely to affect whether former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu makes a comeback; if both the pro- and anti-recall votes surge, regardless of the result, Han Kuo-yu will undoubtedly use the recall result to decide the timing of his comeback, and the media figure “The Crow Flying Against the Wind” speculates the timing may fall after the Lunar New Year.

Wang Hao-yu sparks controversy again with a post after being recalled; netizens slam him as hopeless after reading it: After DPP Taoyuan City Councilor Wang Hao-yu was recalled, he still did not change his high-profile style of commenting on current affairs. Today he posted a “recall voting age comparison chart” made by a research assistant at the Election Study Center of National Chengchi University (ESC NCCU), shared the post, and asked, “Is it that I did a bad job, or that Han fans rallied?” sparking debate. Some netizens harshly criticized, “Recalled yet not reflecting, and dragging in Han fans again — truly hopeless.”

Teen paralyzed for 3 years after flu shot; vaccination injury compensation only NT$1.5 million: Taichung vocational high school student Yang Yu-cheng, three years ago while in junior high school, felt unwell after receiving a flu shot at school, and two months later his legs became weak and he has been paralyzed ever since. He has used a wheelchair for three years, and his mother quit her job to care for her beloved son at home. After reviewing the medical records, the Ministry of Health and Welfare approved compensation of NT$1.5 million, but after receiving the review result, the family considered the amount too small and will file an administrative appeal with the central government. The Taichung City Health Bureau stated it respects the family’s decision.

IOC president rules out the possibility of canceling or further postponing the Tokyo Olympics: International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach (67, German) said of the Tokyo Olympics, postponed one year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, “There is currently no reason to believe the Games will not open in July, so there is no Plan B (alternative),” ruling out the possibility of cancellation or further postponement.

Science & Technology

Sony’s successful counterattack! These are the kings of Japanese DSLR and mirrorless cameras: Japanese research firm BCN recently announced the 2020 full-year sales rankings of camera products in the Japanese market, and on that basis revealed the “BCN AWARD 2021” list. Among them, Sony defeated Canon and Panasonic in the two major fields of mirrorless cameras (also called compact system cameras) and digital camcorders, achieving a counterattack in both compared with 2019 and taking first place.

A new rival to the Corolla Cross, Hyundai releases a teaser for a brand-new SUV: Hyundai’s headquarters suddenly released a brand-new SUV model named Bayon, positioned as a global strategic new car in the B-Segment class. Its power is expected to follow the i20 architecture, with…