Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (
In a ceremony held in a private school in Taichung County, Yu hailed the four, who come from the US and Germany, as "real Taiwanese" considering their long stays in Taiwan and their selfless devotion for many decades.
The four are James Vincent Buttind, 85, James Thomas Manning, 82, Mary Rose Hoffmann, 89, and Lilly Singer, 65.
Buttind arrived in Taiwan in 1953 and has been doing social and religious work in and around remote villages in Taichung County and Nantou County ever since..
Manning arrived in 1951 and, as part of his missionary activities, has established a free health clinic for in central Taiwan.
Hoffmann arrived in 1954. She was praised for her work in getting aid from various churches to the victims of the 921 earthquake.
Singer, who arrived in 1964, was recognized for her contributions to underprivileged children nationwide. At yesterday's ceremony, Singer urged the government to offer more help to blind and mentally challenged people.
Yu praised the four missionaries as the "messengers of God," as they usually chose the most remote areas to serve people who need the help most. "They are the best friends of Taiwan," he said.
China has reserved offshore airspace in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea from March 27 to May 6, issuing alerts usually used to warn of military exercises, although no such exercises have been announced, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported yesterday. Reserving such a large area for 40 days without explanation is an “unusual step,” as military exercises normally only last a few days, the paper said. These alerts, known as Notice to Air Missions (Notams), “are intended to inform pilots and aviation authorities of temporary airspace hazards or restrictions,” the article said. The airspace reserved in the alert is
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The first bluefin tuna of the season, brought to shore in Pingtung County and weighing 190kg, was yesterday auctioned for NT$10,600 (US$333.5) per kilogram, setting a record high for the local market. The auction was held at the fish market in Donggang Fishing Harbor, where the Siaoliouciou Island-registered fishing vessel Fu Yu Ching No. 2 delivered the “Pingtung First Tuna” it had caught for bidding. Bidding was intense, and the tuna was ultimately jointly purchased by a local restaurant and a local company for NT$10,600 per kilogram — NT$300 ,more than last year — for a total of NT$2.014 million. The 67-year-old skipper
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