■ Transportation
PFP levels charges
The People First Party (PFP) legislative caucus yesterday said that Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Ling-san (林陵三) might be assisting Canada's Bombardier in winning the contract for the airport mass rapid transit (MRT) system. PFP Legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) said that Lin visited Canada during his holiday to examine Bombardier's track and train designs, and Lin approved initiating bidding activities including bidding for the general consultant position for the airport MRT immediately after his return while Bombardier had just won the bidding for the Neihu MRT system and was striving to win the airport MRT contract. The ministry denied the PFP's allegations, and said that Lin did not get in touch with Bombardier employees nor test the MRT system built by Bombardier while he was in Canada.
■ Government
Legislators urge regulations
Legislators are urging the legislature to pass a law regulating the planning and usage of the national territory after Tropical Storm Mindulle devastated central Taiwan. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chuang-chin (邱創進), also the convener of the legislature's Sci-Tech and Information Committee, proposed passing such a law as soon as possible. Chiu said that Taiwan only had laws regulating regional planning and city planning, and the nation was lacking a law regulating the national territory comprehensively. In fact the Executive Yuan has passed a draft for such a law, dividing the national territory into three main areas: nature-preserve areas, agricultural areas and city and country development areas. The draft also imposes harsh punishments on those who attempt to develop the land without permission in the hope of preventing the land from being over-developed.
■ Government
Corruption hotline set up
Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) yesterday announced that a new anti-corruption effort by the ministry's Inspection Department will come into service starting Oct. 1. Chen nicknamed the service "I'll tell." It is a hotline for the public to report tips on bribery involving government officials. The minister said that in addition to vote-buying cases, other types of potential government corruption will be a focus for prosecutorial crackdown this year. Information from the public will help prosecutors, he said. The number of the hotline is (02) 2316-7516. During office hours, prosecutors will answer the phone in person. Outside office hours, callers are welcome to leave voicemail messages and a prosecutor will return calls within 24 hours. When a case is confirmed, prosecutors will visit the tipster to gain more details within 72 hours.
■ Health
Dengue fever strikes
The Department of Health yesterday announced the nation's 36th case of dengue fever this year. Since the 39-year-old male patient lives in Pingtung County's Chang-an Township and has never been abroad, the department judged this to be a domestic case. Thirty-four of the other 35 reported cases this year were infection cases from abroad. Starting yesterday, the department adopted stringent measures to monitor the state of dengue fever in Chang-an Township, asking residents to exterminate mosquitoes and clean water containers. The department also called for residents to go to hospitals once they catch a fever or feel soreness in their bones.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost