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Taiwan News Quick Take

■SOCIETY

Ma’s mom leaves hospital

President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) mother was discharged from hospital on Sunday after being treated for complications from high blood pressure, the Presidential Office said yesterday. Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) thanked the public for its concern about the health of Ma’s mother, Chin Ho-hsiu (秦厚修). Chin was admitted to Taipei Medical University-Wan Fang Hospital on Aug. 3 after complaining of dizziness. Hospital authorities said on Sunday that the blood clot in her brain was cleared before it did any damage.



■AGRICULTURE

Fruit giveaways banned

The Ministry of Justice yesterday told the Council of Agriculture to drop its plan to promote Taiwanese fruit through giveaways to avoid accusations of bribery. Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) said the council was planning to give away fruit baskets to government heads in hopes the officials would use them to introduce local fruit to more people. The ministry decided to intervene because of a rule which stipulates that gifts between government agencies cannot exceed NT$500 each. The baskets the council was planning to present were valued at NT$700 each. The ministry is not considering lifting the ban, Wang said.



■SOCIETY

Hair for the record

A high school student in Pingtung who was planning to apply for a Guinness World Record after he found that he had a very long strand of leg hair may now have to call off his bid after he accidentally pulled the hair out. Lin Kuan-wei (林冠維), a high school senior, told reporters yesterday that he decided to pursue the record after he found that one of his leg hairs, measuring 13.4cm, was longer than the one listed in the world record book. Guinness World Records lists Wesley Pemberton, of Texas, as having the world’s longest leg hair measuring 12.7cm as of Aug 10 last year. Lin said he was not sure if he still qualified to apply for the record since he pulled the hair out while measuring it.



■DIPLOMACYAX

Taipei aids El Salvador

The Taiwanese government has donated US$600,000 to El Salvador for the construction of small-scale irrigation systems, the Salvadoran daily La Prensa reported on Sunday. The new irrigation systems, which will be built in 250 areas in eastern El Salvador, are aimed at helping small and medium-size fruit and vegetable growers in the region to boost productivity as well as ensure a stable source of water for the crops, the report said. Since 1972, Taiwan has continually supported a program to develop El Salvador’s agriculture and livestock industries, including assistance in setting up vital infrastructure. To date, irrigation systems have been built in more than 800 farming areas around the country, while 15 large-scale drainage systems have been constructed. Ambassador Carlos Liao (廖世傑) recently presented the third installment of the donation on behalf of the Taiwanese government to Salvadoran Agricultural Minister Mario Ernesto Salaverria, the report said. Salaverria said that the assistance under bilateral technological cooperation programs had not only helped boost the productivity of local farmers, but also reduced El Salvador’s reliance on agricultural imports. It had also helped Salvadoran farmers develop agricultural marketing and processing techniques, he said, adding that he hoped it could contribute to turning the country’s “farmers into agricultural entrepreneurs.”


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