CULTURE
AMPAS invites Taiwanese
The US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the group that hands out the Oscars, has invited three Taiwanese — actress-director Sylvia Chang (張艾嘉), screenwriter Wang Hui-ling (王蕙玲) and art director Hwarng Wern-ying (黃文英) — to join. Hwarng was listed in the designers category for Silence, a film directed by Martin Scorsese that was largely filmed in Taiwan, and Three Times (最好的時光), a film that she produced and was directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢). Chang, who was invited to join the actors category, was cited for Love Education (相愛相 親) and 20 30 40. Wang was named in the writers category for Fleeing by Night (夜奔) and Ang Lee’s (李安) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (臥虎藏龍). AMPAS on Monday issued 928 invitations to artists and executives who have made distinguished contributions to motion pictures. Those who accept the invitations would become members of the academy in autumn, the organization said.
TOURISM
Alishan train back on track
The Alishan Forest Railway in Chiayi County on Wednesday resumed normal operations, more than three months after part of the line was closed due to a series of derailments. Maintenance, safety inspections and improvements were completed on Monday on the section of the rail between Chiayi and Shizihlu (十字路) stations, the Taiwan Railways Administration said. The section was closed on March 12 following four accidents between Jan. 18 and Feb. 25. The railway, which runs through a scenic area to an elevation of 2,216m on Alishan, is popular among local and foreign travelers. It was built during the Japanese colonial period to transport timber and began operating in 1912.
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