■ Health
Needled patient sues doctor
A Hsinchu County woman is suing a surgeon for leaving a broken needle in her spine in an operation five years ago, the Broadcasting Corp of China (BCC) reported yesterday. The woman, surnamed Liu, underwent the operation in a hospital five years ago on a spinal deformity, which caused pain in her back and legs. The surgery was carried out by Dr. Pan, a neurologist, said. Liu continued to suffer pain in her back and legs and was given pain killers by the doctor. She recently went to a Taipei hospital for a check-up and an X-ray showed that a broken needle was lodged between the fourth and fifth vertebrae in her spine, the BCC said. She plans to sue the doctor for NT$3.5 million (US$110,000) to cover her medical costs and NT$1 million in compensation, the report said.
■ Society
Model hurt in China
Top model Lin Chih-ling (林志玲) fell from a horse and broke her breastbone yesterday during the filming of a commercial in northern China, her agent said. Lin was rushed to a hospital in Shenyang in the northeastern province of Liaoning, agent Fan Ching-mei said on CTI Cable News. "The horse galloped fast on a prairie and she fell," Fan said. "But her mind remains clear and she can speak in a weak voice." Fan said it was unclear if Lin will be treated further in China or Taiwan.
■ Society
MOI gives population figures
There were 459,578 Aborigines as of the end of last month, accounting for 2.02 percent of the nation's total population, according to statistics released by the Ministry of the Interior on Thursday. Compared with the year-earlier level, the number of indigenous people had increased by 9,823. Hualien County boasted the largest Aboriginal population, accounting for 19.29 percent of the total, followed by Taitung County with 17.13 percent and Pingtung County with 11.84 percent. Taiwan's population stood at 22,722,559 at the end of last month, a 0.364 percent rise from a year ago. The figure translates into a daily increase of 226 people. Last month, 15,920 babies were born, equivalent to one every 2.7 minutes, while 11,063 people died, or one death every 3.9 minutes.
■ Society
AIT to raise visa fees
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) announced on Thursday that it would be increasing the fees to process nonimmigrant visas. Beginning July 15, the processing fee will increase from NT$3,200 to NT$3,300, the AIT said in a statement. The increase was being implemented "due to the recent shift in the exchange rate" between the US dollar and the NT dollar, the statement said. Applicants for visas who pay the processing fee before July 15 will still be allowed to show a receipt for NT$3,200, the statement said.
■ Security
Chen: Taiwan can fight terror
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday the nation is willing to join the global fight against terrorism to maintain peace in the region and offered his condolences to the families of those killed in Thursday's terror attacks in London. "On behalf of the government and the Taiwanese people, I offer my condolences to those killed and injured in the attacks in London, and condemn international terrorism," said Chen. He said that Taiwan hopes to "join the international community to fight international terrorists and the crimes committed by them."
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai