■ Health
More dengue in Pingtung
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) of the Department of Health announced another case of dengue fever in Pingtung City yesterday. However, the new patient is affected by a different type of virus, indicating that another source of infection is yet to be identified. Health officials said that if it is not well monitored and contained, the disease could develop into fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever by cross-infection. The CDC says 44 cases of dengue fever have been linked to travelers returned from abroad; of these, 32 patients were identified during airport temperature checks. The agency called for people to seek medical advice if they suffer headaches, muscle aches and pain in the joints.
■ Weather
Cyclone risks continue
The Central Weather Bureau yesterday warned that the nation is still under threat of heavy rain, saying that on average, one out of five typhoons formed in the western Pacific will hit the island in August every year. The bureau cited reports the World Meteorological Organization issued on Tuesday highlighting Taiwan's susceptibility to tropical cyclones. According to this forecast, another 5 or 6 fronts will emerge this month in the western Pacific region, possibly bringing heavy rains and strong winds. The bureau called on residents of central mountainous areas to keep an eye on weather forecasts.
■ Budget
Anti-arms events planned
The Democratic Advancement Alliance yesterday urged the public to participate in a series of events to oppose legislative approval of a NT$610.8 billion special arms budget. An arms budget of such size should undergo widespread discussion and be given public approval before being passed, association spokesmen said at a press conference. In order to facilitate understanding of the budget, the alliance said it is holding a youth music composition contest and concert in Taipei's Da-an Park from 3pm to 6pm this afternoon. The alliance is compiling a list of legislators for and against the budget, which it will release prior to the next legislative session this fall. The alliance said it will hold a protest against the budget on Sept. 25.
■ Equality
Women vow to fight bias
An international conference in Taipei sponsored by the National Union of Taiwan Women Association ended yesterday with activists pledging to fight discrimination against women. Noted international and domestic feminist leaders at the two-day conference discussed the history and roles of women's issues NGOs in Taiwan as well as international women's rights developments. Speakers included association president Yu Mei-nu (尤美女), Ministry of Foreign Affairs NGOs deputy head Lu Ching-long (呂慶龍), and Women and Gender Institute leader Josefa Gigi Francisco from the Philippines.
■ Politics
Liao unveils protest plan
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Aboriginal Legislator Liao Kuo-tung (廖國棟) yesterday said another protest was being planned regarding Vice President Annette Lu's (呂秀蓮) comments on Aboriginal people. Lu sparked rallies after she said last month that Aborigines were not the country's first inhabitants, and Liao yesterday said that Aboriginal people would protest later this month to show their anger.
FAST TRACK? Chinese spouses must renounce their Chinese citizenship and pledge allegiance to Taiwan to gain citizenship, some demonstrators said Opponents and supporters of a bill that would allow Chinese spouses to obtain Taiwanese citizenship in four years instead of six staged protests near the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday morning. Those who oppose the bill proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) demanded that Chinese spouses be granted citizenship only after renouncing their Chinese citizenship, passing a citizenship test and pledging allegiance to Taiwan. The demonstrators, who were protesting at a side entrance to the Legislative Yuan on Jinan Road, were mostly members of the Taiwan Association of University Professors and other organizations advocating Taiwanese independence. Supporters of the bill, led
SILENT MAJORITY: Only 1 percent of Chinese rejected all options but war to annex Taiwan, while one-third viewed war as unacceptable, a university study showed Many Chinese are more concerned with developments inside their country than with seeking unification with Taiwan, al-Jazeera reported on Friday. Although China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to annex it, by force if necessary, 23-year-old Chinese Shao Hongtian was quoted by al-Jazeera as saying that “hostilities are not the way to bring China and Taiwan together.” “I want unification to happen peacefully,” Shao said. Al-Jazeera said it changed Shao’s name to respect his wish for anonymity. If peaceful unification is not possible, Shao said he would prefer “things to remain as they are,” adding that many of his friends feel
Taiwan has “absolute air superiority” over China in its own airspace, Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on Monday, amid concern over whether Taipei could defend itself against a military incursion by Beijing. Po made the remarks in response to a question from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) on whether Taiwan would have partial or complete air superiority if Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes were to enter Taiwan’s airspace. Po, a retired pilot, said that the Taiwanese military has “absolute air superiority” over PLA
A shipment of basil pesto imported by Costco Wholesale Taiwan from the US in the middle of last month was intercepted at the border after testing positive for excessive pesticide residue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. Samples taken from a shipment of the Kirkland Signature brand of basil pesto imported by Costco contained 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of ethylene oxide, exceeding the non-detectable limit. Ethylene oxide is a carcinogenic substance that can be used as a pesticide. The 674kg shipment of basil pesto would either be destroyed or returned to its country of origin, as is the procedure for all