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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ IMMIGRATION

Book for foreign spouses

The National Immigration Agency (NIA) has published a reference book in seven languages to help foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens adapt to local customs and lifestyles. “The book has been printed in Mandarin, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Filipino, Thai, Burmese and Cambodian for distribution to foreign spouses of local citizens,” NIA Director-General Hsieh Li-kung (謝立功) said. “The book contains all sorts of practical information and useful tips for living.” For these marriages to succeed, foreign spouses need the full support of their Taiwanese family members, Hsieh said. The agency has set up a databank of 394 translators who speak Vietnamese, Indonesian, Philippine, Thai, Burmese and Cambodian, Hsieh said. It has installed hotlines for foreign spouses and foreign expats to offer them counseling and guidelines for living in Taiwan, he said.



■ HEALTH

Swine flu cases reported

Four more clusters of A(H1N1) influenza infections were confirmed yesterday, bringing the number of clusters in the country to 24, a health official said. Lin Ting (林頂), deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control, said that the four confirmed clusters involved nearly 50 people, mainly children and juveniles. This brings to 600 the number of affected patients in A(H1N1) cluster infections, Lin said. Most of the 24 confirmed cluster infections occurred at schools at all levels, kindergartens and children's homes throughout the country, Lin said. The CDC yesterday also reported three more suspected cases of severe A(H1N1) influenza. If these cases are confirmed, the number of severe A(H1N1) infections will rise to 12. With the number of A(H1N1) cases in the country increasing steadily, Lin reminded the public to wash their hands frequently and to cover their mouths when they cough.



■ TOURISM

Liouciou offers free rides

To attract more tourists to Liouciou, also popularly known as Siaoliouciou (小琉球), an isle off the west coast of Pingtung, the township office is offering free round-trip ferry rides to the island. “The offer is for matchmaking party guests and the first 30 newlywed couples who choose to have their wedding photos taken on the island,” the official said. For the third consecutive year, the township office is promoting Siaoliouciou as a “love island” for newly wed couples, focusing on its advantages as a location for wedding photography. One of the promotional events, a matchmaking party, will be held on Aug. 15, targeting tourists between the ages of 22 and 39. The township office is also offering free personal photos as gifts to those who are “matched” during the event. The free ferry service ends on Sept. 12, the official said.



■ EDUCATION

MOU to promote Nepal ties

Academia Sinica said yesterday it would sign a memorandum of understanding with the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) early next month to promote academic collaboration and exchanges between the two countries. Academia Sinica told a press conference it would help NAST with developments in agricultural biotechnology, plant and microbial biology, biodiversity and biotechnology experimentation. Meanwhile, NAST will help Academia Sinica in its Taiwan International Graduate Program, which trains young researchers in a number of fields, including chemical biology, molecular science and technology, bioinformatics and earth system science.
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