Sat, Mar 17, 2012 page2

• Taiwan News Quick Take

  • Staff Writer, with CNA
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  SOCIETY

  Francophone festival begins

  A week-long festival of free activities starts in both Taipei and Greater Kaohsiung today to celebrate the annual Francophone festival, the Alliance Francaise de Taiwan, the organizer of the event, said yesterday. The series of 13 events includes a short film contest, a singing competition, a French spelling bee, book fairs and various workshops, cultural seminars and live concerts, the organizer said. The alliance expects about 2,000 participants and encouraged the public to take the opportunity to learn more about French culture. International Francophonie Day falls on March 20 each year and is aimed at promoting the French language and its values, including cultural diversity, democracy and human rights, Bureau Francais de Taipei Director Olivier Richard said.

  FOOD

  Tainted tea rejected

  Ginseng teabags and powder from Canada that were recently found to be tainted with pesticides have not entered the local market, one of the largest tea companies in Taiwan said yesterday. A Ten Ren Tea spokesman said customs officials found a shipment of ginseng teabags and another shipment of ginseng powder imported from Canada contained excessive amounts of pesticide residues. The company rejected the shipments, which meant that the products did not reach the local market, the spokesman said, adding that the company also removed similar products from its shelves nationwide last month.

  ENVIRONMENT

  Water supplies abundant

  Above-average precipitation since the beginning of the year means current water supplies should see the nation through until the end of May, a Water Resources Agency (WRA) official said yesterday. The water supply is expected to be sufficient to meet household and industrial demand in the coming two months, because reservoirs in northern and central areas are filled almost to capacity and those in the south are 50 to 60 percent full, WRA Deputy Director-General Wu Yueh-hsi (吳約西) said. Although water levels in reservoirs in the south were lower than those in other parts of the country, they were higher than they have been at the same time in the past, Wu said, adding that the water levels of most of the nation’s rivers were also higher than usual because of the relatively high precipitation so far this year. Though water supplies appear to be sufficient into the near future, Wu said the agency would continue to promote water conservation efforts, especially in the agricultural sector where water consumption is particularly high.

  ENVIRONMENT

  Greenpeace ship to visit

  The Greenpeace ship Esperanza will arrive in Taiwan on Friday to spread the message of ocean conservation, the campaign’s organizers said yesterday. Greenpeace Taipei said the ship’s visit is aimed at raising environmental awareness ahead of a meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, where Taiwan will be discussing fishery development and marine conservation with member countries. The organization said that since Taiwan has one of the world’s largest and least regulated fishing fleets, it should take the lead in pushing for sustainable fishing at the March 25 to March 30 meeting in Guam. The Esperanza, visiting Taiwan for the first time, will be open for public visits when it docks in Kaohsiung Harbor and Keelung Harbor, the group said, adding it will be in Taiwan until April 8.
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