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Taiwan Quick Take

■ AVIATION
Man forgets about girlfriend
A woman was too sleepy to realize that she was left behind in an empty cabin of a Northwest Airlines aircraft until her absent-minded boyfriend alerted authorities 30 minutes later, local news media reported yesterday. The unidentified woman boarded the Northwest Airlines flight along with her boyfriend to return to Taiwan from Osaka last week and fell asleep in the back-row seats of the plane, cable news network TVBS reported. The woman slept through the cabin broadcasts announcing the plane's arrival and the departure of the passengers and crew. Thirty minutes after leaving the plane, her boyfriend realized that his companion was missing, TVBS said. He sought help from ground service crew and found her on the plane, still sound asleep, TVBS said. TVBS said the airline was unhappy that the air steward had failed to check every row of seats and said it would punish him.

■ DIPLOMACY
Italian envoy to boost ties
The designated representative of the Italian Economic, Trade and Cultural Promotion Office in Taiwan, Mario Palma, said yesterday he would devote himself to boosting exchanges between Italy and Taiwan in the fields of trade, economy and culture after he assumes his post next month. Palma made the remarks in an interview in Rome, during which he recognized the contributions of the current Italian representative to Taiwan, Maria Assunta Accili Sabbatini, in establishing a solid foundation for the further development of bilateral ties. Accili assumed the post in September 2003. Palma said that although ties between Italy and Taiwan have improved in recent years, there were still things that needed to be done in "many fields" to further boost relations. Palma is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan next Saturday.

■ CULTURE
Ang Lee leaves for Tokyo
Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (李安) left for Tokyo yesterday after a brief visit to Taiwan to promote his latest film Lust, Caution (色,戒) which won the Golden Lion at this year's Venice Film Festival. "My heart is here in Taiwan," the New York-based director said at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Asked about her first visit to Taiwan, Chinese actress Tang Wei (湯唯), who plays the leading role in the film, said she liked Taiwan and hoped to come again. Lee and Tang, along with Wang Lee-hom (王力宏), a Chinese-American pop singer who also has a starring role, arrived in Taipei on Sunday to attend the premiere of Lust, Caution, a spy thriller adapted from a short story by Chinese writer Eileen Chang (張愛玲).

■ CRIME
Former councilor sentenced
Former People First Party Taipei City councilor Mike Wang (王育誠) was yesterday sentenced to one year in prison for attacking and harassing his ex-wife. The Taipei District Court reduced the sentence to six months in accordance with a sentence commutation statute, and his sentence could be commuted to a fine, the court said. Wang told reporters yesterday that he would appeal to the Taiwan High Court. The district court found Wang in violation of the Family Violence Prevention Act (家庭暴力防治法). The court said in its verdict that Wang on Jan. 28 violated a protection order prohibiting him from harassing his then wife. Wang attacked both the woman and her father, the court found.


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