■ 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.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
When Paraguayan opposition lawmaker Leidy Galeano returned from an all-expenses-paid tour of six Chinese cities late last year, she was convinced Paraguay risked missing out on major economic gains by sticking with longtime ally Taipei over Beijing — a message that participants on the trip heard repeatedly from Chinese officials. “Everything I saw there, I wanted for my country,” said Galeano, a member of the newly-formed Yo Creo party whose senior figures have spoken favorably about China. This trip and others like it — which people familiar with the visits said were at the invitation of the Chinese consulate in Sao Paulo
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