Former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) secretary said yesterday that Chen had taken off the cast on his right foot, but was still hobbling when he walks.
Chiang Chih-ming (江志銘) said the former president no longer needed the cast for tendonitis in the foot, and did not need a wheelchair.
However, Chen still walks with a bit of a limp, so he may not be able to get much exercise at the detention center, Chiang said.
Last week Chen was diagnosed by Taipei Detention Center physicians with tendonitis in his right foot, caused by abnormal bone growth.
He wore a cast and used a wheelchair when he appeared at Taipei District Court last week for his corruption trial.
The former president, who has been held at the detention center since December, received visits from former college classmates yesterday.
Chen was glad to see his old friends, but said that because he had difficulty walking and exercising, he asked friends and family to refrain from giving him too much food, otherwise he might put on too much weight, Chiang said.
The former president’s daughter, Chen Hsing-yu (陳幸妤), son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) and son-in-law Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘), as well as former Taipei Financial Center Corp chairwoman Diana Chen (陳敏薰) were charged with perjury on Friday.
On the same day, former first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) was indicted for perjury after allegedly instructing her children to lie during a probe into the embezzlement charges against her and her husband.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not