CULTURE
Hugh Lee to receive citation
The Executive Yuan has approved a proposal to present theater director and actor Hugh Lee (李國修) with a presidential citation. Lee, founder of the Ping-Fong Acting Troupe (屏風表演班), died in Greater Taichung on July 2 at the age of 57 after a three-year battle with cancer. Born in Taipei in 1955, Lee set up Ping-Fong in 1986 and was the group’s main actor, director and writer until 2011. His works, such as Can Three Make It (三人行不行), are known for satirizing contemporary political and social events and for using a few actors to play many different characters. He was the first recipient of the National Award for Arts in the drama category when the award was established in 1997.
POLITICS
‘Dreamers’ brings censure
The Control Yuan yesterday censured the Executive Yuan and the Ministry of Culture over their lack of decision-making accountability in connection with the musical Dreamers (夢想家). The NT$215 million (then US$7.1 million) musical was performed just twice as part of celebrations for the Republic of China’s (ROC) centennial in 2011. Control Yuan members Ma Hsiu-ju (馬秀如) and Chou Yang-shan (周陽山) said then-Council for Cultural Affairs minister Emile Sheng (盛治仁) made all the decisions regarding the musical. Although Sheng’s role as chief executive of the ROC Centenary Foundation helped cut through red tape and expedite the decision-making, it meant a government agency was following the orders of a civilian organization, which was inappropriate, the reprimand said. A lack of foresight and budget control, along with sharp changes to the scheduling, had caused a major budget overrun, it added.
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
Passengers on Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be required to use headphones and make phone calls in gangways under new “quiet travel” rules starting Sept. 22. THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) told media that THSR will run a three-month promotional campaign to ensure widespread adoption of the new rules. Those repeatedly ignoring the guidance face the potential termination of their transport contract, which can result in them getting escorted off the train, according to THSR. Shih shared his hope to cultivate an environment conducive to rest and reading for the train’s passengers, stating that these changes aim to “promote self-discipline” among passengers
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