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Taiwan Quick Take

■ HEALTH
Three poisoned by whelks
Three Chinese fishermen working in Penghu (澎湖) were hospitalized after eating sea whelks that are suspected to have been poisonous. The Chinese-language United Daily News reported that the men were fishing for eels when they unexpectedly found some whelks along with the catch. After eating the whelks stir-fried, the three victims suffered limb paralysis. Two of the three are no longer in danger, but the most seriously affected fisherman might be left with permanent paralysis, the paper said. Whelk poisoning is not widespread but there were two fatalities in 2004 and one in 2002, the Fisheries Agency said.

■ TRANSPORT
EasyCard celebration held
To celebrate the sale of 10 million EasyCards, Taipei Smart Card Corp is inviting the public to have their photo taken either today or tomorrow at an MRT station, with the possibility their shot may be on the cover of its new special edition EasyCard. The special edition card will feature 1,000 of the photos taken, which will be put together and form the logo on the card, company spokesperson Wang Chia-ling (王嘉陵) said. The events will be held this afternoon from 2pm to 4pm at MRT Zhongshan Station and MRT East Metro Mall, and tomorrow from 2pm to 4pm at Gate South 2 of Taipei Railway Station and MRT Shilin Station, with participants required to bring their own EasyCards in order to take part. Participants will also receive a free EasyCard after having their photo taken, Wang said. For more information online visit www.tscc.com.tw or call 0800-02-8800.

■ ARTS
AIT to hold exhibition
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is organizing a photo exhibition and an American Indian Film Series to honor the legacy of the North American natives. "The Sacred Legacy" American Indian photo exhibition opened in Taipei on Wednesday and will run through to Oct. 21 at the National Taiwan Museum. The exhibition features 60 photographs celebrating the history and culture of Native Americans at the beginning of the 20th century. The exhibit pays tribute to photographer and ethnographer Edward Curtis (1868-1952) and will travel to museums in Taichung, Taitung and Kaohsiung from October to January. AIT's American Culture Center will also hold an American Indian Film Series featuring four US movies with Native American themes, including Last of the Mohicans, Thunderheart, Pocahontas and Windtalkers. The film series is open to the general public and will take place every Friday at 6:30pm at the American Culture Center from next Friday through Oct. 19.

■ POLITICS
Vincent Siew to visit US
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) will depart for the US early next month to increase the US government's understanding of the party's policies on cross-strait trade and diplomacy. Siew is expected to meet with senior economic and trade officials, congressional leaders and think tank academics in Washington from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5, aides said. He will also visit Taiwanese expatriates in San Francisco from Oct. 6 to Oct. 8 prior to his taking part in a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate Taiwan's National Day, which will be organized by overseas Taiwanese in Vancouver, Canada, on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10. During his trip to the US, Siew will be treated as "no less than a presidential candidate," the aides said.

■ SOCIETY
Police try to shape up
The National Police Agency (NPA) will launch a Web site providing health and sports information for police reference with the aim of encouraging officers to exercise more in order to improve the image of the force. The Web site launch is one of a series of efforts to alter the public's perception that the police are unfit, a NPA officer said. The public has long thought of Taiwanese police officers as overweight men in poor physical condition, the officer said. He added that heavy duty schedules had reduced officers' leisure time and left them with little opportunity to exercise. Snacking during long night shifts had also led to weight problems, he said. In order to improve the image of the police, the NPA has designed several activities, including a contest to select the 12 most energetic and athletic policemen and policewomen to serve as models for their fellows. The NPA also invited Taiwan Police College student Wu Yu-chen, an award-winning model, to act as the face of the campaign.

■ ENVIRONMENT
Schools of fish die at Pali
A massive die-off of fish has been discovered along the coast near Pali Township (八里), Taipei County, with a preliminary investigation ascribing the mortality to too much mud and silt in the waters after recent heavy rains, the county's Environmental Protection Bureau official said yesterday. The bureau and Pali Township office had cleared the coast of nearly 3.3 tonnes of dead fish, the official said. The fishes' dark-red color, muddy gills and open mouths suggested they had asphyxiated, the official added. The official said a preliminary investigation by Taipei County's Animal Disease Control Center had excluded the possibility that improper handling of material at the Pali Sewage Treatment Plant and Taipei Harbor were responsible for the die-off. Instead, it was thought the heavy rains brought by Typhoon Wipha, which swept through northern and northeastern Taiwan earlier this week, were responsible. The dead fish, mostly mullet, included at least three fish species, the official said, adding that the Animal Disease Control Center would investigate further.


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