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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ CULTURE

Calling amateur cartoonists

In cooperation with several social groups and businesses, Asia Manga is calling on amateur cartoonists in Taiwan to take part in the group’s second annual manga contest by sending in their works via e-mail before Oct. 5. As the Animal Protection Association and the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy are co-hosts of the event, the two themes of this year’s contest are “animals” and “energy-saving.” While there is no limit on age or nationality of contestants, all dialogue in the cartoons must be in traditional Chinese. For more information visit 3cc.cc/2008scc.



■ JUSTICE

New twist in ‘murder’ case

A man who drove a nail and a screw into his forehead is recovering from the wounds, but faces charges of defamation for accusing his Chinese wife of attempting to murder him, local media reported on Saturday. On Aug. 15, the 71-year-old man, surnamed Lin, was rushed to a hospital with a 6cm nail and a 5cm screw lodged in his forehead. Lin told police that his wife, surnamed Chen, drugged him with sleeping pills and drove the nail and screw into his head to try to kill him. Chen, 45, denied the charge. On Friday, Lin admitted to police that he injured himself after police had found out that Chen arrived in Taiwan seven years ago and planned to deport her to China. Over the past seven years, Chen had been paying him NT$5,000 per month as arranged by a human-smuggling ring. If Chen was deported, Lin would no longer get the money. Lin said his despair led him to commit suicide. After drinking liquor, he used a brick to drive the nail and a screw into his forehead.



■ POLITICS

Group calls for rally today

A pro-Taiwan independence group yesterday called on the public to join a “nation-building” campaign in front of the Presidential Office today to protest President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) pro-China polices. Peter Wang (王獻極), the convener of “the 908 Taiwan Nation Movement,” said the event’s highlight would be a flag-raising ceremony and a chorus of the Republic of China’s national anthem at 2:28pm — chosen to mark the massacre that began on Feb. 27, 1947 when Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) troops suppressed a Taiwanese uprising, leaving tens of thousands dead, missing or imprisoned. Instead of the national flag, the campaign today will present the crowd with a flag with a white background and the shape of Taiwan in green in the center, symbolizing Taiwan as a peaceful and friendly “maritime state.” Wang said he hoped the flags would be raised around the country and that one day the flag would fly in front of UN buildings among the flags of other UN members.



■ SPORT

Ilan boy wins bike race

A 19-year-old boy from Ilan emerged the winner yesterday from more than 4,000 cyclists in a 55km road race spanning a high school in Nantou County to Wuling (武陵) — the highest point on Taiwan’s road system. Lin Huan-tser (林寰澤), who began to ride on highways a year ago, cycled up the winding mountain road in 2 hours, 56 minutes, 7 seconds. Lin said this was the first time that he took part in the Wuling challenge, part of the “2008 never stop” series for Taiwan’s cyclists. Wuling, a ridge of Hohuanshan (合歡山), is located on the New Cross-Island Highway — 3,275m above sea level. The bicycle challenge, sponsored by the Nantou County Government, started at 5:30am, with the 4,167 competitors setting off from Puli Industrial Vocational Senior High School.


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