Print

Mail

wiki links

Taiwan News Quick Take

■ SOCIETY
Bullies number 20,000
The Children Welfare League Foundation estimates that at least 20,000 middle and primary-school students bully fellow pupils. The estimation came after a survey among approximately 2,000 students in Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung and Hualien counties between June 21 and June 29. Seven percent of students reported that they "often" bully other students. Of these self-professed bullies, more than 70 percent said they snub and verbally abuse children they dislike. Thirty percent said they physically attack others. The survey found that boys were more likely to assault their peers than girls and that some boys even seek assist from gangsters in settling school disputes. Meanwhile, 68 percent of the bullies said seeking revenge was justifiable behavior. Forty-two percent said those who "discipline" others are heroes.

■ EDUCATION
Tu to lead delegation
Education Minister Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝), who is currently visiting Europe, is leading a delegation to the annual conference of the European Association for International Education (EAIE), which began yesterday and ends on Saturday in Trondheim, Norway. A seminar on Taiwan's higher education will be the focus on the last day of an education fair affiliated with the EAIE conference, a ministry official said. The delegation of 41 members includes representatives from 19 colleges and universities, as well as personnel from the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan. At the seminar, Tu and delegation members will discuss Taiwan's higher education system, present teaching methods for Mandarin lessons, and explain educational policies affecting foreign students in Taiwan.

■ CULTURE
Hakka run announced
The Council for Hakka Affairs is organizing a run on Oct. 20 in Pingtung County to promote Hakka culture, Council Minister Lee Yung-te (李永得) said yesterday. Lee invited the public to take part in the run, which is scheduled to start at 6:30am at the Liu Tuei Hakka Cultural Park. Liu Tuei (六堆), an important Hakka cultural area, comprises 12 townships in Pingtung and Kaohsiung counties. The run will span Pingtung County's Neipu (內埔), Linluo (麟洛) and Changchih (長治) townships, passing through beautiful natural scenery, farmland and a variety of Hakka cultural heritage sites, Lee said. The winner of the 21km run will receive NT$25,000, while the 10km run has a prize of NT$6,000. The winners in the 10km team category will receive NT$100,000.

■ HEALTH
Hospital reports research
Mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow have proven helpful in restoring damaged blood vessels, paving the way for a new treatment for strokes, heart attacks and avascular necrosis, doctors at Taipei Veterans General Hospital reported yesterday. Hung Shih-chieh (洪士杰), the project leader and a doctor at the orthopedics and traumatology department, said mesenchymal stem cells could survive oxygen deprivation by emitting anti-cell death and new blood vessel formation factors and that the results inspired them to explore whether the effects can also work on endothelial cell regeneration. Hung said they proved these factors could inhibit cell death and stimulate the growth of new vessels. The project is a collaboration between the hospital and Tulane University, Louisiana.
■ CRIME
Two fugitives repatriated
The National Police Agency (NPA), working with Japanese police, succeeded in having two wanted Taiwanese fugitives repatriated from Japan on Tuesday. A spokesman for the NPA's Criminal Investigation Bureau said that agents from the bureau's international division brought back Cheng Lien-dah (鄭連達), wanted on charges of drug-trafficking, and Liu Chun-min (劉俊敏), a fraud suspect, aboard a China Airlines flight from Tokyo to Taipei. The spokesman said that Cheng fled abroad after police discovered that he was the mastermind behind a smuggling operation. The spokesman said that Liu was wanted by the Taichung District Court for setting up a bank account in 2003 which was used by a crime ring for fraudulent activities.

■ ENVIRONMENT
Taipei plans car-free day
To raise environmental awareness and join in the international campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Taipei City and County will host a Taipei Car Free Day on Saturday. Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said yesterday it will give a 20 percent discount to passengers who take the MRT carrying their bicycles on Saturday to encourage more people to cycle. In addition to the 15 MRT stations that already allow passengers to board with their bicycles, the company will also allow passengers to board with bicycles at MRT Taipei City Hall Station and MRT Banciao Station between 6am and 8am on Saturday. To highlight the campaign, government officials will cycle from Taipei County Civic Plaza to Taipei City Civic Plaza on Saturday morning, and the Dinghao Business District will be sectioned off and become a pedestrian only area from 10am to 4pm.

This story has been viewed 1658 times.