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Taiwan Quick Take

■ Crime
Ransom topples motorcyclist
A passing motorcyclist was knocked off his bike when he was struck by more than NT$20 million (US$603,320) in ransom money tossed by a kidnap-victim's relatives from a highway overpass on Tuesday evening. The ransom, packed into two nylon bags, landed on 57-year-old Lu Fang-nan (呂芳男) when he rode under the overpass just as the relatives were meeting the kidnappers' demands, Chinese-language media reported yesterday. "What does this have to do with me? Why did I get hit? I'm certainly unlucky enough," one newspaper quoted him as saying. Lu, who later sought medical attention for swelling and bruising of his left leg, said he rode off not realizing he had hit by a small fortune. The victim, a Taipei electronics businessman surnamed Lin, was kidnapped last Friday night and released on Tuesday after payment of the ransom.

■ Crime
Drug seizures soar
The amount of contraband drugs seized by law enforcement authorities last year surged 200 percent compared with the year before, the National Police Administration (NPA) reported yesterday. According to police tallies, 2,339.86kg of drugs were seized last year, marking an increase of 1,559.98kg from the 779.88kg found in 2002. Officials attributed the sharp rise mainly to the increase in seized second- and third-grade drugs. The amount of confiscated first-grade drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, opium and morphine, declined from 442.65kg in 2002 to 262.37kg last year. Heroin seizures alone decreased 176.14kg. Seizures of second-grade drugs, such as amphetamines, zoomed from 288.16kg in 2002 to 1,647.9kg last year, while third-grade drug seizures also jumped from 75.98kg to 429.59kg because of a substantial rise in ketamine seizures.

■ Health
Research deal signed
Tzu-Chi Buddhist General Hospital in Hualien signed a contract with a US firm yesterday to cooperate on the development of cancer-fighting drugs based on a plant extract. Han Hung-chi (韓鴻志), director of Tzu-Chi Hospital's cancer research laboratory, said his research team has discovered a substance in the Chinese thorowax root (Dupleurum Scorzonerifolium) that can stem growth of cancerous cells. Han said his team will cooperate with Seattle-based Phenogenomics Co in using root extracts to develop cancer-fighting drugs.

■ Overseas Chinese
Tzu Chi urged to recruit
Taiwan's representative to the Philippines has urged the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation to encourage retired elementary and high-school teachers to teach abroad. Wu Hsin-hsing (吳新興) made the appeal during a courtesy call at the Tzu Chi's branch office in Manila on Wednesday. Wu said he understood that many retired teachers are Tzu Chi members. "As many Chinese schools in Southeast Asian countries face a shortage of teaching staff, I hope Tzu Chi can help recruit retired schoolteachers to teach in overseas Chinese schools," Wu said. "I believe it's an effective way to help disseminate Chinese cultural legacies and values." Wu said the Chinese community in the Philippines has traditionally attached great importance to Chinese-language education and has offered much support to Chinese schools in various parts of the country. "There are now more than 140 Chinese schools in the Philippines, with over 100,000 teachers and students," Wu said.

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