SPORT
Wang joins Cincinnati Reds
Wang Chien-ming (王建民) clinched a deal this week with the Cincinnati Reds that will see him play in the US minor leagues with an invitation to the spring training session for the major leagues, his agent said yesterday. Octagon, the firm representing Wang, said in a news release that the 33-year-old right-hander agreed to the deal with the hope of returning to the majors. Under the contract, Wang will receive a monthly salary of US$15,000, which would increase to an annual US$1.25 million if he is called up to the majors. His total pay could hit US$3 million if he meets the conditions for bonuses. Major league spring training usually begins in the middle of February. Octagon media relations Taiwan representative Chris Chang (張家銘) said Wang was not very concerned about his salary or on which team he would play. “What counts most [to him] is a chance to return to the major leagues,” Chang said.
ENTERTAINMENT
A-mei throws free concert
Taiwanese pop superstar Chang Hui-mei (張惠妹), also known as A-mei, will hold a concert in Taipei on Sunday to show her support for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan. “No slogans, no posters that night. I want to use music to give people who are pursuing respect and true love the courage to continue,” A-mei wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. “I want to cheer for every single heart that is defending true love.” The concert is scheduled to start at 6pm at Huashan 1914 Creative Park. “No tickets needed. Free admission with love,” the pop diva said. Internet users have responded enthusiastically to the news of the concert.
TRAVEL
China travel still normal
Local travel agents yesterday said that travel to China did not seem to have been affected by reports confirming the world’s first case of human infection of the H10N8 avian flu strain earlier this week. Travel Agent Association of Taiwan secretary-general Roget Hsu (許高慶) said travel agents have not had significant inquiries about health risks associated with travel to China. However, Hsu added that he did not know whether the flu might have a long-term impact on travel across the Taiwan Strait, because the situation was still developing. The nation’s Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday issued a Level 2 travel alert for the Chinese province of Jiangxi after a 73-year-old woman died from H10N8 infection on Dec. 6. The Mainland Affairs Council also issued a yellow travel alert for the province.
TRAVEL
Work agreement expected
Taiwan and Hungary are expected to sign a working holiday agreement in the near future, said Zhang Ming-zhong (張銘忠), director-general of European affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two nations are planning to allow 100 young adults from the other nation to visit and work in the countries every year, he said. Citizens aged 18 to 35 who are proficient in English will be eligible to participate in the working holiday program once the reciprocal agreement is signed, he added. Once Hungary finishes its final administrative procedure on reviewing the agreement, the two sides can sign the agreement, Zhang said, adding that the agreement could be concluded early next year. Taiwan has working holiday agreements with four European countries — Germany, Ireland, Belgium and the UK — as well as similar arrangements with Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.
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
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
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