■ EARTHQUAKE
Tremblor hits Ilan
An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale hit the east coast at 2:27pm yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau said, locating the epicenter at 34.6km south-southeast of Ilan City. The quake was located at a depth of 18.2km. The highest intensity was felt in Nan'ao Ilan County, at 6 on the Richter scale, followed by Hualien City and Ilan City at 4 and 3 respectively. No damage or deaths were reported.
■ LEGISLATION
Draft bill on discrimination
Governing and opposition lawmakers reached a consensus on Friday on a draft amendment to the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法) pertaining to discrimination. The amended bill stipulates that it would be against the law to discriminate against people on the basis of nationality, race, skin color, social rank or place of birth. Violators would face fines of up to NT$30,000 (US$900). After concluding inter-party negotiations on the proposed amendment, Democratic Progressive Party legislators Hsiao Bi-Khim (蕭美琴), Kao Chien-chih (高建智) and Huang Chu-ying (黃淑英) signed the agreement with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Shyu Jong-shyoung (徐中雄) and Joanna Lei (雷倩). Lawmakers who took part in the talks also agreed that existing laws banning foreigners from taking part in activities or doing work that does not match the reason for which their visa was granted should be abandoned.
■ DIPLOMACY
Chen to attend summit
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is scheduled to attend a summit in the Marshall Islands next month with leaders of the country's diplomatic allies in the Pacific. Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said Chen would embark on the four-day visit on Oct. 11 and return on Oct. 14. Details of the transfer stop are still being arranged. As Chen has expressed the hope of seeing New Zealand attend the event as an observer, the ministry is making efforts to make this possible, it said. The first summit was held in Palau in September last year, bringing Chen together with heads of the six Pacific island states holding diplomatic ties with Taipei -- the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati.
■ TRANSPORTATION
Free bus in Kaohsiung
Rides on Kaohsiung City buses will be free of charge until Friday, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) said yesterday. Ferry rides between Kaohsiung's Hsinkuang Wharf (新光碼頭) and Chijin (旗津) will also be free until Tuesday, she said. The measures are part of the city government's effort to promote use of mass transportation. The city government aims to build a more convenient mass transportation system combining the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit System, buses, ferries and bicycles, she said. "Everyone is responsible for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The city government should take the lead," Chen said while riding a bicycle on the city's car free day yesterday. "The utility rate of the Kaohsiung mass transportation system so far only amounts to 5 percent. We hope to increase that rate to 15 percent after the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit System begins operation [at the end of this year.]," she said.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
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