ARTS
Performing arts threatened
Lin Hwai-min (林懷民), choreographer and founder of the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, yesterday said performing arts in Taiwan are at risk. Lin was invited to speak at a panel discussion on the topic of “Investing in the Arts” with Tony Hall, who heads Britain’s Royal Opera House. Lin said government support for the arts in Taiwan is not as strong as it is in the UK, so many independent groups are struggling. Moreover, as relations with China have improved, the latter has attracted both Taiwan’s capital and talent, he said. Without the prospect of a future, Taiwan would lose its experienced theater people, Lin said. He also touched on the importance of finding and cultivating a new generation of choreographers, saying that budget cuts in the arts would result in fewer quality productions.
TRANSPORtATION
New Singapore route starts
TransAsia Airways launched regular flights between Taipei and Singapore yesterday, becoming the third Taiwanese carrier to fly to the city-state after China Airlines and EVA Airways. TransAsia chairman Lin Ming-sheng (林明昇) said the airline planned to offer flights to all major cities in Asia within five years and to New Zealand, Australia and the Middle East in the future. The Taipei-Singapore service is aimed at attracting sightseers and business travelers from Singapore, he said. To meet rising demand, TransAsia has ordered 20 new passenger planes last year and this year. Delivery of the eight aircraft ordered last year, including two Airbus A330-300s with a capacity of 313 passengers each, will begin in the fourth quarter of next year, Lin said.
HEALTH
Child botulism case found
The nation’s first case of botulism poisoning in a child in 10 years is being treated at the intensive care unit of a Kaohsiung City medical center, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director General Chou Chih-hao (周志浩) said the type A botulinum toxin was found in a four-year-old boy from Pingtung County. It was the third case this year. The CDC said the boy was taken to Pingtung City hospital at about midnight on July 22 with symptoms of vomiting, stomach pain and disorientation. He was later sent to a medical center in Kaohsiung when his condition deteriorated. Officials said it was still unclear what had caused the botulism poisoning, but it ruled out bean products.
ART
Kids uninterested in art
Elementary and junior high school students seem to be shunning the country’s art museums and galleries. A recent poll conducted by the Ministry of Education released yesterday showed that up to 80 percent of elementary and junior high school students rarely take time to view art. According to the report, less than 20 percent of junior high school students regularly visit museums and fine art galleries and less than 30 percent of elementary school students do so. Despite this, the report shows that students are still able to evaluate art. For example, 66.6 percent of elementary students were able to offer a competent evaluation on the aesthetics of art. However, few could create artwork themselves. The evaluation was conducted on the basis of answers provided by 3,503 elementary school students and 3,503 junior high school students randomly chosen by the ministry.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it