■ SOCIETY
New national holiday touted
Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said yesterday that Children’s Day on April 4 would be reinstated as a national holiday in 2011, if a related provision was approved by the legislature. He said government agencies reached a consensus on the matter in November after holding several meetings over the previous months. While Taiwan observes Women and Children’s Day on April 4, it is not a national holiday. Jiang said it was decided at the November meeting to separate Women’s Day from Children’s Day because reinstating Women’s Day as a national holiday required more deliberation, given its potential impact on the economy. Children’s Day and Women’s Day were separate national holidays in Taiwan until 1993, when the government combined the two holidays into Women and Children’s Day on April 4. In 1998, when two-day weekends became the norm in Taiwan, the government said Women and Children’s Day would no longer be a national holiday.
■ ANIMALS
Neutering plan starts soon
Starting on Monday, the Kaohsiung City Government will begin accepting applications for subsidies for neutering cats and dogs, a city government official said yesterday. Chu Chia-te (朱家德), director of Kaohsiung Municipal Institute for Animal Health, said the stipend would be earmarked for 1,000 animals, with NT$1,000 per female and NT$500 per male. Only adults who have household registration in the city are entitled to the subsidy, Chu said, adding that each applicant can apply for a maximum of three pets. Animals receiving subsidized neutering will also have to receive a rabies shot and an ID chip, which will also be covered by the government, Chu said.
■ HEALTH
DOH monitors doctor-drain
The Department of Health (DOC) said yesterday it would closely monitor whether medical manpower in Taiwan will be affected by a decision to allow health personnel to practice in China. Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), director-general of the department’s Bureau of Medical Affairs, said qualified Taiwanese pharmacists and nurses will soon be permitted to practice in China without an additional license. The department will have to evaluate whether this measure will have an adverse impact on Taiwan’s supply of such personnel, he said. At present, medical doctors and dentists are allowed to practice in China once they obtain a certificate of good standing issued by the department to prove they have not violated healthcare laws, Shih said. To date, about 100 people have applied for the certificates, he said. Taiwan has 40,000 doctors and 120,000 nurses, while China has 40,000 doctors and 50,000 nurses to serve its population of about 1.3 billion.
■ OBITUARY
Hung Yi-feng dies at 82
Well-known local crooner Hung Yi-feng (洪一峰) passed away yesterday at Taipei Medical University Hospital, aged 82. In December, Hung, who was known for his Taiwanese songs and considered a national treasure, contracted a fever that developed into pneumonia and breathing difficulties. After being sent to hospital, Hung was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. With Hung in a coma, his family remained at his side day and night, constantly playing the song Love Always Joyful (愛常常喜樂). Hung wrote the song to the text of a prayer he often read when he was hospitalized two years ago after suffering a bad fall.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
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