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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ NATURE

Yushan song sought

Yushan National Park Headquarters launched a songwriting contest yesterday to come up with an original theme song to represent Yushan (玉山) as part of the nation’s campaign to get its tallest peak chosen as one of the world’s natural wonders. Entries are being accepted until Sept. 30 via e-mail at dandelion50@ysnp.gov.tw, officials at the park headquarters said. A preliminary screening of the entries will be held from Oct. 1 to Oct. 14 to select 10 songs that will enter the final, the officials said. A jury will select the winner and two runners-up by Dec. 15, and an online poll will be held from Oct. 15 to Dec. 15 to allow the public to vote for their favorite song. The total prize money amounts to NT$250,000. For more details, visit www.ysnp.gov.tw. Yushan was on July 21 named as one of 28 finalists in a global online poll to select seven new natural wonders of the world. The voting, organized by the Swiss-based New7Wonders Foundation, will remain open until 2011.



■ CULTURE

Museum showcases jade

The National Museum of History in Taipei yesterday launched a series of exhibitions including displays of old jade and seal carvings and an exhibition on the impact of climate change on the birds that inhabit the Kenting National Park. Taiwanese antique collectors and jewelry creators Li Shau-min (黎少明) and Yin Yu (尹愚) yesterday opened a month-long gem and jewelry exhibition titled “Old Jades, New Inventions: An Exhibition of Min and Yu Creations.” The museum will also hold an exhibition titled “The Art of Seal Carving from Hung Mien Chen” from Aug. 14 to Sept. 27 and an historic document exhibition titled “The Birth of New Taiwan” from Aug. 26 to Sept. 27. A show entitled “Global Warming from the Artist’s Perspective: A Special Exhibition of the Birds of Kenting” will take place from Aug. 25 to Sept. 27, featuring a display of photographs, paintings, sculptures, drawings and books on the birds that live in the Kenting National Park.



■ WEATHER

Storm or typhoon possible

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday it was watching a low-pressure system building to the east of the Philippines to see whether the system develops into a tropical storm or typhoon. The depression was moving westward toward Taiwan at a speed of 20kph at 8am, the CWB said. As the system is expected to gradually increase in intensity, CWB meteorologists forecast that the low-­pressure system might develop into a tropical storm or typhoon over the next few days. Meanwhile, hot weather was persisting, with temperatures expected to reach 35˚C on the west coast and 33˚C in the east, with sporadic afternoon showers forecast for mountainous areas, the weather bureau said.



■ POLITICS

Presidential Office opened

The Presidential Office will be open to the public from 8am to 4pm tomorrow, the Presidential Office’s public affairs division said yesterday. The first, second and third floor of the Presidential Office, including the entrance hall, courtyard and presidential reception room, will be opened. Visitors will be allowed to take photographs inside the Presidential Office, the division said. People who are interested should line up at the north plaza in front of the Presidential Office for a security check, officials said. Video cameras and large bags will not be not allowed inside.
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