■HEALTH
DOH to provide flu shots
The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday announced that it would provide free flu inoculations for people with high risks of infection beginning on Wednesday. The targeted groups are those aged 65 and over, children aged six months to three years, children enrolled in their first to fourth year of elementary school, healthcare and quarantine workers and workers in the poultry and livestock industries, said Shih Wen-yi (施文儀), deputy director-general of the Center for Disease Control. The center has prepared 2.865 million doses for adults and 355,000 doses for children. Those who have inquiries can call the bureau’s 24-hour toll free hotline: 1922.
■DIPLOMACY
US visa prices to increase
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) announced yesterday that because of the recent shift in the exchange rate between the US dollar and the New Taiwan dollar, and in keeping with the global US non-immigrant visa processing fee, AIT would increase its visa processing fee effective this Monday from NT$4,100 to NT$4,300. All applicants for the visas who pay the visa processing fee on or after Monday must show a receipt for NT$4,300. Applicants who paid the visa processing fee before Monday may still submit receipts for NT$4,100. The US non-immigrant visa processing fee remains at US$131. Applicants who paid the previous fee of US$100 prior to Jan. 1, must pay an additional NT$1,000.
■CRIME
Policeman kills himself
A police officer in Chiayi County jumped to his death from the 7th floor of his police precinct in an apparent suicide early yesterday morning, Chiayi police said later in the day. Police suspect the 56-year-old officer, surnamed Huang, committed suicide because of severe pressure in his personal life, said Wang Yu-chun (王育群), supervisor of the Chiayi County Police Department. Wang said that Huang had taken out around NT$1 million (US$31,000) in loans from three banks on behalf of a friend and that he was caring for a 28-year-old daughter who has been bedridden since a serious car accident four years ago. The suicide occurred at around 1:30am, Wang said, adding that Huang died at the scene. Investigators found a pair of shoes belonging to Huang and half a bottle of kaoliang liquor on the roof of the police precinct, Wang said. They also found a journal in the drawer of his desk detailing the loans.
■EDUCATION
MOE stresses the classics
The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced yesterday plans to increase the number of Chinese literature classes and the percentage of classical Chinese literary works in the nation’s high school curriculum. Vice Education Minister Wu Tsai-shun (吳財順) told reporters in the ministry that the number of Chinese literature classes offered in high school had been reduced to four sessions per week in the curriculum guidelines published in 2006 year. The amount of classical Chinese literature in high school Chinese literature textbooks has dropped to 45 percent, Wu said. “What we are certain now is that classical Chinese literary works will account for more than 45 percent of the content of high school Chinese literature textbooks,” Wu said. Wu said the ministry would also make Analects of Confucius (論語) and the Works of Mencius (孟子), both of which were optional under previous regulations, required reading for high school students.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
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