At the age of 25, I became a pitcher to win a game in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. I played for nine seasons in the MLB and won 68 games, but many people might find it hard to believe that when I was 14 years old, the pitches I threw were always soft. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t pitch well. I couldn’t make it into the top few pitchers on the team. I just had to watch my classmate at the time Kuo Hong-chih perform exceptionally while I barely had any opportunities to step onto the field.

According to a study in Taiwan, children from richer families are six times more likely to enter National Taiwan University (NTU), which many consider the top university in Taiwan, than children from poorer families. The government also invests more money on NTU students than on students of private schools, resulting in the children of the rich receiving relatively more government resources. What are the hidden problems of higher education in Taiwan? Could university education turn one’s life around? Or does it limit one’s opportunities?

Recently, there have been several cases of sexual harassment in the highest political and educational circles in Taiwan. These cases have sparked a massive backlash in what some are calling Taiwan's #MeToo movement. While #MeToo is now gaining prominence in Taiwan, it has been a major movement in many parts of the world for the last six years. In 2017 a number of news reports were published telling the stories of women, including many prominent Hollywood actresses, who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by the film producer Harvey Weinstein. This was followed by a vast number of other women coming forward with their stories about sexual harassment in the workplace, school, and in everyday life. Victims from all walks of life came forward with their stories of sexual harassment using the hashtag #MeToo, shining a light on how many women face these uncomfortable and even traumatic experiences. Many victims describe how after surviving assault, they are no longer able to have intimate interactions with others, creating a huge impact on their lives. The #MeToo movement has highlighted how important it is for people to feel that their bodies are respected and that they can interact with others while feeling safe. But it is not only adults in the workplace who deal with unwanted physical touch, it can also happen on school campuses, including elementary and middle schools, where students should feel protected.

Taiwanese Wang Liqing (王立慶) who is 33-years-old this year (2022) went to Osaka, Japan to start a business in 2015. In 2017, he successfully opened his own boba milk tea shop. The following year, he opened a second shop in Shinsaibashi, Osaka’s liveliest business district. As Japan entered the peak of the third wave of the boba milk tea craze, the total annual revenue of the boba milk tea business exceeded 200 million yen (approximately NT$45 million), and so a third store was also set up in the Umeda business district. In order to safeguard his businesses from being affected once the boba milk tea craze subsided, Wang Liqing also opened a coffee shop and a Taiwanese breakfast shop in order to cope with future changes.

The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine, which is effective in preventing cervical cancer in women, was first approved in 2006. By 2022, around 126 countries had introduced the vaccine, offering access to one in three girls aged 9 to 14 worldwide. In Taiwan, girls in the first year of junior high school have been vaccinated for free. In 2023, Chiayi City became the first municipality to offer free HPV shots to junior high school boys. HPV infection in boys may lead to anogenital warts, anal cancer, penile cancer and other diseases. The Taipei City government is also directing efforts to provide junior high school boys vaccinations.

Taiwan  ranked second in the most Muslim-friendly country worldwide in both 2021 and 2022 according to the Global Muslim Travel Index. Now, it is quite easy to find restaurants serving halal food in Taiwan. To be certified as a “halal restaurant,” these restaurants need to comply with many standards and requirements, including slaughtering animals rapidly to minimize their pain. 

The Reporter for Kids spoke with two couples running halal restaurants in Taiwan about the Muslim community’s halal food culture, as well as how the restaurants juggle business during the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims observe a strict daily fast from sunrise to sunset.