■ DrugsCouple caught with heroin
A couple concealing heroin in their bodies were nabbed by agents from the Investigation Bureau at the Hsiaokang International Airport in Kaohsiung Friday. The couple, identified only by their family name of Chen, were returning from Thailand on a China Airlines flight late Friday. Investigators, acting on a tip-off, stopped them at the airport. They searched the couple's luggage and found nothing unusual but a body search of the woman found 168 grams of heroin in condoms concealed in her vagina and bowels. The husband refused to be body-searched and tried to flee but was overpowered by investigators. They took him to a nearby hospital where an X-ray showed three condoms full of heroin inside his body. The two were remanded to prosecutors for further investigation yesterday morning.
■ Think Tank
US should help Taiwan more
The US should help enhance Taiwan's security and continue to support Taiwan on the international stage, John J. Tkacik, Jr., research fellow in the Asian Studies Center of The Heritage Foundation, said in his recent report. When addressing Asian security, Tkacik said that the US should maintain strategic clarity by reiterating its determination to help Taiwan defend itself against military and economic coercion, including assistance in developing a credible deterrent against invasion. He said the US should continue to support Taiwan's involvement in international organizations that accept its membership, such as the WTO. The US should also firmly support opportunities for Taiwan's voice be heard in organizations where its membership is not possible, such as in specialized agencies of the UN, he added.
■ Drunk driving
Forum launches campaign
The Taiwan Beverage Alcohol Forum (TBAF), an organization aiming to promote responsible driving, launched a public-service campaign against drunk-driving yesterday. TBAF has produced a 30-second television commercial, posters and bus panels to promote sobriety behind the wheel. According to statistics released by the National Police Administration (NPA), Taiwan's drunk-driving violations fell by 44,000 cases last year compared to 2001. According to the NPA, drunk driving has been the major cause of fatal traffic accidents in Taiwan this year. Last year, drunk-driving cases account for 15 percent of fatal traffic accidents in Taiwan, the NPA said.
■ Technology
Virus cripples Internet
A computer virus attacked Taiwan's Internet portals yesterday, leaving millions of users unable to browse the Internet. Hardest hit was the state-run Chunghwa Telecom which controls most of the Internet portals. "Clients phoned us in the afternoon that they could not connect to the Internet. We checked and found that we had been attacked by an unknown virus," Chunghwa, Telecom Deputy Manager Lee Yen-song told reporters. "After repairs, some portals are functioning but others are still paralyzed," he said. "We expect all our portals to be back to normal this evening. But for some portals whose anti-virus software is not strong enough, the damage is more serious and will take more time to repair," he said. Lee said the same virus had also attacked and paralyzed some portals in China. The state-run Chunghwa Telecom is the largest telecommunications company in Taiwan. Most of Taiwan's Internet users subscribe to Chunghwa Telecom for their Internet connection.Staff writer, with agencies
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