ENTERTAINMENT
Pixar concert set for Taipei
A concert in Taipei next month featuring music and imagery from Pixar films will present an audio-visual feast, event organizers said. Taiwan’s Evergreen Symphony Orchestra will perform songs and music scores from 13 Pixar films, including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars, Up, The Incredibles and Monsters, Inc, Management of New Arts said, adding that scenes from the films will be shown in sync with the music on a large screen. “Pixar in Concert,” to be conducted by Nicholas Buc from Australia, will take place at the National Concert Hall on Sept. 28. The concert premiered in the US in July last year and a similar concert was held at the Tainan Arts Festival in April.
WEATHER
Storm could bring showers
A tropical storm that formed over the Philippines yesterday could bring showers to Taiwan this week as it moves toward the Bashi Channel, the Central Weather Bureau said. As of 8am, Tropical Storm Utor was centered 1,400km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) on the southernmost tip of Taiwan, moving west-northwest at 18kph, the weather bureau said. It was packing sustained winds of 83kph, with gusts reaching 108kph. Utor could be closest to Taiwan between tomorrow and Tuesday, bringing rains to the south and east of the nation, forecasters said. The rainy weather could cause temperatures nationwide to drop significantly beginning on Wednesday, the bureau said. Taiwan has been experiencing scorching weather over the past week because of a high pressure system. Taipei saw a record-high temperature of 39.3oC on Thursday.
RABIES
Rabies cases rise to 76
Tests have confirmed rabies in 13 more Formosan ferret-badgers, bringing the number of confirmed infections in wild animals to 76 since the deadly disease resurfaced in Taiwan last month, authorities said yesterday. The newly discovered infections come from Taichung and Nantou County in the center of the country; Yunlin and Chiayi counties, Greater Tainan and Greater Kaohsiung in the south; and Taitung County in the east, the Central Epidemic Command Center for Rabies said. Aside from one Asian house shrew, the rest of the 75 confirmed cases have all been wild Formosan ferret-badgers, the center said. A total of 224 wild carnivorous animals had been tested for the disease as of Friday. The outbreak has been found across 38 districts of eight counties and cities in central, southern and eastern parts of the nation. To date, there have been no confirmed human cases of the disease, which is nearly always fatal after symptoms first appear.
NATIONAL DEFENSE
General named vice minister
Army General Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發), an executive deputy chief of the General Staff, has been named Vice Minister of National Defense for Armaments, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). A graduate of the Military Academy’s 1975 class, Yen later attended the National Defense University’s War College and served as chief of staff and deputy commander of the army. Yen took over the post vacated by Admiral Kao Kuang-chi (高廣圻), who assumed office as chief of general staff on Thursday as part of a reshuffle of senior defense officials triggered by the resignation of former minister of national defense Kao Hua-chu (高華柱) on Aug. 1. Kao’s successor, former deputy minister of national defense Andrew Yang (楊念祖), resigned after only six days on the job and was replaced by former chief of general staff Yen Ming (嚴明).
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,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS