■HEALTH
A(H1N1) cases decline
While the number of cases of A(H1N1) influenza has continued to decline, cases of seasonal influenza B have increased, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday. Shih Wen-yi (施文儀), deputy director-general of the DOH’s Centers for Disease Control, said the swine flu virus has not been active recently, with only two or three newly hospitalized A(H1N1) cases. A 28-year-old pregnant woman was affected with A(H1N1) recently, but the mother and child were not in danger, Shih said. He said that DOH-contracted laboratories had found 88 percent of new flu cases to be a type of H1N1, with the remaining 12 percent tested as being B-type. Between 1,000 and 2,000 people receive A(H1N1) vaccinations daily, he said.
■DIPLOMACY
Captain to be released
The captain of a Taiwanese fishing boat detained in Japan since Feb. 3 is expected to be released once his court case ends and he pays the required fine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday. Ke Ching-kuo (柯清國), captain of the Yilan-registered fishing vessel the Chuansheng No. 36, was taken to Yokahama for questioning after being seized by the Japanese coast guard for allegedly crossing a temporary marine boundary in waters near Iwo Jima, 1,200km south of Tokyo. Charges include evading investigation and fishing illegally. He is facing a fine of up to ¥1 million (NT$359,000), said Charles Chen (陳調和), secretary-general of the Association of East Asian Relations, which handles exchanges with Japan. “Ke has admitted to Japanese prosecutors that his boat illegally entered Japan waters,” Chen said. A verdict is expected on Friday. If Ke pays the fine immediately, he should be able to fly out the next day, Chen said.
■HEALTH
Ministry promotes ‘331’
The Ministry of Education yesterday encouraged adults to make a New Year’s resolution to exercise more, learn more and be more compassionate toward others. Minister of Education Wu Ching-chi (吳清基) urged people to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, to study for at least 30 minutes a day and to do a good deed each day. Wu coined his campaign the “331” movement. Meanwhile, Vice Minister of Education Lin Tsung-ming (林聰明) called on people to eat vegetarian food at least one day a week to help “save Taiwan and the world.” He said that 36kg of carbon dioxide is emitted in the production of each kilogram of beef.
■CULTURE
Film subsidies increase
Taiwan will increase its subsidies for foreign movie producers who film all or part of their pictures in the country, according to newly revised regulations announced by the Government Information Office (GIO) on Monday. The newly revised regulations will raise personnel subsidies to 30 percent of the cost of hiring Taiwanese actors and production staff, from the original 20 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Foreign producers will also be eligible for subsidies for 25 percent of their production expenses and 15 percent of their transportation, accommodation and insurance expenses. Producers whose films have won best picture awards in the competition category at four major film festivals — Cannes, Venice, Berlin and the Oscars — or productions co-produced by directors who have won a best director award at the festivals, will be granted more generous subsidies.
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Costa Rica sent a group of intelligence officials to Taiwan for a short-term training program, the first time the Central American country has done so since the countries ended official diplomatic relations in 2007, a Costa Rican media outlet reported last week. Five officials from the Costa Rican Directorate of Intelligence and Security last month spent 23 days in Taipei undergoing a series of training sessions focused on national security, La Nacion reported on Friday, quoting unnamed sources. The Costa Rican government has not confirmed the report. The Chinese embassy in Costa Rica protested the news, saying in a statement issued the same
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
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