■ Medical
Chen's son-in-law promoted
President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) son-in-law Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘) will be promoted to doctor-in-charge in the Taipei Hospital's Department of Orthopedics, a senior doctor at National Taiwan University Hospital said yesterday. Chao's training at the university hospital terminated yesterday and he has formally started his career at Taipei Hospital. Han I-hsiung (韓毅雄), a professor of orthopedics at the university hospital and matchmaker for Chao and the president's daughter, said Chao, having received sound training in the university hospital, is ready to see outpatients independently.
■ Foreign labor
MECO registers voters
All qualified Filipinos are encouraged to register with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) by Sept. 30 for absentee ballots for next May's elections. MECO's headquarters in Taipei as well as its extension offices in Taichung and Kaohsiung began accepting applications yesterday. Edgardo Espinosa, resident representative and managing director of MECO, was the first to register at the MECO in Taipei, the office said. Inquiries about voting applications can be made by calling (02) 2778-6511 in Taipei, (04) 2205-1306 in Taichung or (07) 331-7752 in Kaohsiung, MECO said.
■ Politics
PFP urges action on islands
Legislators yesterday urged the government to adopt measures to protect the rights of Taiwanese fishermen operating around the Tungsha (Pratas) islands. PFP Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) said that the waters around Tungsha are rich in marine resources and are the traditional fishing grounds of Taiwanese fishermen. He suggested that the government demarcate its economic territory and claim sovereignty over Tungsha to ensure the rights of Taiwanese fishermen. Lu said that the natural beauty of the coral atoll of Tungsha has yet to be tapped and it could be a great contribution to tourism. He suggested the government plan a national "marine park" for Tungsha.
■ National Security
Council hires more staff
The National Security Council has recruited 19 new research fellows, including 10 doctoral-degree holders and nine master's degree holders, a spokesman said yesterday. Spokesman Su Chin-chiang (蘇進強) said the new recruits were selected from more than 200 hopefuls. They will begin pre-job training next week. This is the first time that the council has recruited research staffers since the Legislative Yuan passed revisions allowing for recruitment of more staff members to enhance the council's functions.
■ Diplomacy
US denies reports about Lu
Not only did the US not deny Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) a transit visa to New York, it was unaware that Lu was even making a trip, a Department of State official said yesterday. The official, who requested anonymity, said it is Washington's long-standing policy to allow Taiwanese leaders to make transit stopovers in the US and afford them safety, comfort, convenience and treat them with dignity. This policy will continue, he said. The official made the comment after State Department spokesman Richard Boucher brushed aside journalists' questions regarding Lu's trip at a regular news briefing. Boucher referred journalists to the Taipei authorities for the itinerary of Lu's Latin America trip, saying his department was unaware of it.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
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