■ Health
SARS precautions started
To prevent a possible SARS outbreak during the peak flu season, the Department of Health yesterday raised the SARS alarm from a prepara-tive level to an initial zero level, which means that all passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong and Macao must take their tem-peratures for 10 consecutive days. All incoming passen-gers must also fill out a survey form before arriving in the country, the Center for Disease Control said. If any SARS syndromes -- fever, muscle ache, leth-argy, sore throat -- are identified, a person should report to a hospital. The center also reminded all travelers to China, Hong Kong, and Macau to refrain from eating poultry in those places.
■ Transportation
MOTC wants to keep CAL
Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Ling-san (林陵三) yesterday said he hoped the govern-ment would remain the major shareholder of China Airlines (CAL), the nation's largest carrier. The state-backed China Aviation Development Foundation, which holds about 71 per-cent of the airline's shares, has been trying to sell part of its stake since 1998. The foundation, which Lin chairs, has proposed a two-stage share-release plan and hopes to conclude the sale by the end of next year. For the first time, however, Lin said he though that "there is a need to have state-own airlines." He said the government needs to be CAL's biggest shareholder. While noting that CAL will continue to sell its shares in order to lower the ratio of shares held by the foundation, Lin said that he hopes the ministry could hold onto enough shares to keep control over CAL so that "there will be one com-pany able to implement the government's aviation policy."
■ Society
Computer, Web use rising
About 73 percent of people in this country have at least one computer at home and 53 percent of them are Internet surfers, according to the results of a recent government survey. Some 43 percent of the respon-dents said that they knew of an e-government plan being promoted by the administration, while 57 percent said that they had searched for information on Web sites run by govern-ment agencies, with 53 per-cent of them saying that they did so to purchase train tickets. Around 45 percent used the Web to make hospital appointments, while 42 percent used it to file their taxes. The sur-vey of people over the age of 20 was carried out Oct. 26 by the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission. There were 1,094 valid questionnaires and the poll had a margin of error of 3 percent.
■ Cross-strait ties
Lee says talks are best
Academia Sinica chief Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) said yesterday that the most direct way to resolve cross-strait problems would be for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Chinese Presi-dent Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) to meet for discussions. Lee made the remark while answering questions during a legislative committee meet-ing about his representing Chen at the APEC summit in Chile on Nov. 20. Lee said he didn't know if he would have an opportunity to contact Hu during the meeting. He said that without careful arrange-ments, it might not be easy to have talks on cross-strait issues, but he hoped that one day there will be an chance for Chen and Hu to talk. Asked if he would be willing to serve as a convener of cross-strait negotiations, Lee said "this is not what I do."
■ Aviation
CAL opens museum
The China Airlines (CAL) Museum was inaugurated in Taipei yesterday, according to an announcement by CAL officials. The purposes of the museum are to mark the company's upcoming 45th anniversary in December and to present its rich flight history. The museum is divided into five display sections, including plane models, plane maintenance facilities, documents about the staff and a device that is supposed to signify that the company will reach a new peak. Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Ling-san (林陵三) and CAL Chairman Chiang Yao-tsung (江耀宗) jointly cut a ribbon to mark the inauguration of the museum. CAL has a fleet of 62 jets and destinations in 47 cities in 21 countries.
■ Justice
DNA test points to Fung
The Shihlin District Prosecutors' Office yesterday accused former New Party legislator Elmer Fung (馮滬祥) of raping his Filipino maid after a DNA test proved Fung guilty of the sexual offense. In March, Fung, summoned to the prosecutors' office for questioning, denied any misconduct against his maid, who was identified as Rose. Fung told prosecutors at that time Rose had complicated relationships with men and that he was talking to friends over the phone around the time when he allegedly raped her. However, prosecutors said yesterday that the DNA of the semen collected from Rose's underwear matched Fung's. "According to the maid's testimony, Fung sexually assaulted her when his wife and daughter were not at home," prosecutors said. Fung is currently in China and it was not immediately clear whether the government will request the Chinese authorities to repatriate Fung.
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
‘ANGRY’: Forgetting the humiliations and sacrifices of ‘the people of the Republic of China’ experienced disqualified Lai from being president, Ma Ying-jeou said Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday criticized President William Lai (賴清德) over what he called “phrasing that downplayed Japan’s atrocities” against China during World War II. Ma made the remarks in a post on Facebook on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Ma said he was “angry and disappointed” that Lai described the anniversary as the end of World War II instead of a “victory in the war of resistance” — a reference to the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). The eight-year war was a part of World War II, in which Japan and the other Axis
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