■ Economics
Employment expected to rise
Benefiting from a strong economic recovery, Taiwan's unemployment rate has continued to decline over the past several months, with the monthly figure expected to drop to 4.8 percent last month from September's 4.9 percent, Lehman Brothers said yesterday. Lehman Brothers senior analyst Rob Subbaraman in his latest report continued to forecast healthy growth for the nation's economy, with the stock market continuing to expand throughout early next year. Subbaraman attributed the optimistic prospects to strong growth in Taiwan's export trade and the nation's rising level of foreign exchange reserves, which are now the "most competitive" of their kind since the 1970s. Subbaraman said Taiwan's stock market will be one of the markets offering the greatest potential in the Asia-Pacific region in the upcoming several months in terms of market growth.
■ Health
Symposium on dengue opens
An international symposium on cross-border cooperation in preventing and controlling dengue fever among APEC members opened in Kaohsiung yesterday. Nearly 200 epidemiologists, medical professionals and government officials from APEC member countries including the host, Taiwan, are taking part in the three-day symposium being held at the Ambassador Hotel. The participants are expected to exchange views on policies and measures on dengue fever control and prevention in APEC member countries, as well as on the dengue fever situation in individual countries.
■ Transportation
Flights to islands sought
In response to Mandarin Airlines' decision to cancel flights to offshore islands next year, government officials are working on legal revisions that would open the door to several investors willing to provide exclusive service to the islands. Civil Aeronautics Administration General Director Billy Chang (張國政) confirmed yesterday that the new amendments would aim to solve the chronic problem of needing to find an airline company willing to fly to the islands. The revisions would allow for the establishment of an airline that would fly only to the offshore islands. Unlike Mandarin Airlines, the new provider would not be subsidized by the government. Chang also said laws would reconsider allowing private jets to fly the offshore island routes. The revisions should take effect in two years' time. Mandarin Airlines is currently the only airline company providing service to the offshore islands, including Green Island (綠島), Lanyu (蘭嶼), Chimei (七美), and Wangan (望安).
■ Social activities
Singles event planned
Two female legislators of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said yesterday that they will host a reception on Dec. 7 in Hsinchu for unmarried employees of companies in the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park. Legislators Chang Tsai-mei (張蔡美) and Hsu Sao-ping (徐少萍) said at a press conference that unmarried young men and young women are welcome to attend the social gathering. The two legislators are members of the "Ching Kuo Hui," or the Women's Association, which is an active subgroup of the KMT. Chang said most unmarried young men in the industrial park may prove to be good husbands. She said that, according to a recent survey, 48 percent of these young men have never fallen in love with a woman because they are too busy with their jobs to make friends with people they like.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
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