■ SOCIETY
Chinese gets extended stay
The Mainland Affairs Council agreed yesterday to extend the period of stay for a Chinese national who requested political asylum in Taiwan two days ago. During a news conference on Monday, Wu Yalin (吳亞林), who arrived in Taiwan with a group of Chinese tourists on Dec. 27, asked the government to grant him asylum. Wu said he was wanted by Chinese authorities for his alleged role in the distribution of a Falun Gong book titled Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party (九評共產黨). Council officials said the council had granted Wu "a longer period" of stay on special humanitarian considerations. As to his request for political asylum, they said no decision would be made until all government agencies involved in the matter had met.
■ DIPLOMACY
MOFA praises Solomons
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement yesterday to congratulate the Solomon Islands for its peaceful transfer of power, saying that Taiwan would continue to work with the new government under the principles of reciprocity and mutual benefit. The statement said relations between Taipei and Honiara were expected to remain steady as Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua has been friendly toward Taiwan, while his deputy, Fred Fono, and his foreign affairs and trade minister, William Haomae, have been on good terms with Taipei. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) telephoned Sikua on Thursday to congratulate him on his victory. The ministry said Taiwan would cooperate with Australia and New Zealand to support political and economic development and social stability in the Solomon Islands.
■ ENVIRONMENT
Tainan tackles idling cars
Tainan City became the nation's first city on Tuesday to ban idling vehicles, threatening fines of as much as NT$2,000 for drivers leaving their engine running for more than three minutes when their vehicle is not in use. The anti-idling policy includes fines of NT$500 for motorcycles, NT$1,000 for small automobiles and NT$2,000 for large automobiles. Drivers who try to evade, interfere with or refuse inspections will face a fine ranging from NT$500 to NT$2,000. Inspectors said that Tainan residents were mostly aware of the policy, but drivers from other cities and counties visiting the city seemed unaware that they had to shut down their engine when making a stop lasting more than three minutes.
■ ENVIRONMENT
COA wants more trees
The Council of Agriculture said yesterday that it would promote a tree-planting campaign to help increase the ratio of green land. Council Chairman Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) made the announcement at a year-end news conference and expressed the hope that each person in the country would plant at least one tree during his or her lifetime. Su said that if 10 million people answered the call within five years, the amount of green land could increase by 20,000 hectares, bringing the green land coverage ratio up 0.5 percent to reach 59.09 percent. The tree-planting campaign was seen as a symbol of people's commitment to the earth and the development of a relationship with the land, he said. Su said the council would coordinate with the National Property Administration and Taiwan Sugar Co, as well as with local governments, for land contributions for the project.
■ SOCIETY
Party organizer questioned
A police officer confirmed yesterday that the organizer of a New Year's Eve party at which male dancers in police uniform stripped on stage had been summoned for questioning over the incident. The officer, from the Xinyi precinct of the Taipei Police Department, said civilians who don police uniforms in public might be committing the crime of wearing official ranks and emblems, which is punishable with a fine of up to NT$500, according to the Criminal Code (刑法). The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said his office has asked Jason Tang (唐志中), organizer of the party, to report to the branch for questioning. Videotapes allegedly taken at the party show six male dancers wearing police uniforms dancing with scantily clad female dancers and removing their clothes down to a G-string.
■ SOCIETY
Lotto winner gives NT$26m
A lottery jackpot winner in Taichung City has become the biggest donor in the country's lottery history after donating NT$26 million (US$801,500) to two charitable organizations. Taiwan Lottery Co, a subsidiary of Chinatrust Financial Holding Co, said the anonymous winner, a 23-year-old office worker, bought 10 sets of numbers on Dec. 18 from a lottery store in Taichung and hit a jackpot of NT$320 million. The lucky man asked Taiwan Lottery president Joy Huang (黃瓊儀) to donate NT$25 million to the "Light Up the Fire of Life" fundraising campaign and NT$1 million to the Children Charity Association on his behalf. He also asked Huang to give NT$60,000 to the owner of the lottery stand that sold him the winning ticket.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
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