■ ENVIRONMENT
Island phases out gasoline
Travelers to Siaoliouciou (小琉球) can soon expect the air quality to match the pristine marine attractions under an initiative to replace gasoline-powered vehicles with electric ones. Over the coming three years, Pingtung County plans to spend between NT$300 million (US$9.3 million) and NT$500 million to phase out gasoline-powered scooters, cars and buses on Siaoliouciou, county officials said yesterday. Electric scooters will be available to the roughly 300,000 tourists who visit the island every year, and county leaders have already arranged 400 electric-powered scooters and offered subsidies for the 12,000 local residents to buy them. County officials hope eventually to extend the ban on gasoline-powered vehicles to other parts of sometimes smoggy Pingtung.
■ DIPLOMACY
Sapporo office to open
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday the government would set up a liaison office in Sapporo, Japan, next month to promote exchanges. The Sapporo office will provide services to 280,000 Taiwanese tourists who visit the city each year, Ma said yesterday while meeting Miss Kimono 2009, Matsumoto Ran, at the Presidential Office. Ma said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) would also establish a cultural center in Tokyo to promote cultural exchanges. The liaison office in Sapporo is scheduled to open on Dec. 1 and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) will lead a delegation to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony. MOFA had expected to open the liaison office last month, but the project was delayed. Sapporo will be the third branch office in Tokyo after Naha and Yokohama. Taiwan also has a representative office in Osaka.
■ TRANSPORT
Shipping stays extended
The Ministry of the Interior on Thursday revised an immigration regulation to extend the length of stay for foreign shipping crews to 30 days from one week. “The revision, made in line with international trends, is to allow foreign crew members to have a longer stay to facilitate their vessel maintenance, supply and cargo loading and unloading work,” the ministry said in a statement. The revision still needs to be approved by the Cabinet. The current seven-day restriction has drawn complaints from many foreign shipping crews, who need more time to complete maintenance work.
■ CHARITY
St Anne's to hold bazaar
St Anne’s Home (聖安娜之家), a local charity organization in Tianmu for children with mental and physical disabilities, will hold its annual bazaar today from 10am to 3pm. The bazaar will be held at 171 Chungshan N Road Sec 7. St Anne’s was established in 1972 by Catholic priests and nuns from the Netherlands. It currently cares for several dozen children and young people.
■ ENVIRONMENT
EPA monitors dust storms
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said yesterday it had begun monitoring dust storms in China to alert the public before it affects Taiwan. China's dust storms typically affect Taiwan's air quality two to three days per season, which lasts from November to May, the EPA said. Data from the US Geological Survey show that China's dust storms have become a rising concern as rates of desertification have increased, along with chemicals and other toxic pollutants from its nearby industrial zones. The EPA said the public could view real-time data at dust.epa.gov.tw/dust/zh-tw.
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