ENVIRONMENT
Groups lobby for dolphin
Environmentalists yesterday called for a proposal to expand a liquefied natural gas terminal in the port of Taichung to be reconsidered, saying that the project would jeopardize the critically endangered Taiwanese humpback dolphin. The proposal, made by Taiwan International Ports Co and Taiwan Power Co, entered a second-phase environmental impact assessment (EIA) on July 20 and construction is to begin if it makes it through the EIA process. The Taiwanese humpback dolphin was listed as “endangered” in May by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a scientific agency, and fewer than 70 of the marine mammals still exist, a statement by local environmental groups said. “Taiwan should make rehabilitation plans to keep the Taiwanese humpback dolphin safe from extinction,” the Alliance for the Protection of Taiwanese Humpback Dolphin and Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Taiwan, said in the statement.
DIPLOMACY
AIT director lands in Taiwan
Brent Christensen, the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) new director, on Saturday arrived in Taipei to assume his post. Upon his arrival, Christensen said that he was very happy to be back in Taiwan, adding that he looks forward to continuing to develop the many areas of US-Taiwan cooperation. In a video posted on Facebook on Friday by the AIT, Christensen said that he was very glad to have been stationed in Taiwan twice before in his diplomatic career. His first overseas post was with the AIT and 20 years later he was again stationed at AIT as its deputy director from 2012 to 2015, Christensen said, describing his return as “fate.”
SPORTS
Taiwan claims 18 medals
Taiwan collected a total of 18 medals, including 10 golds, at the Gay Games, which concluded in Paris on Saturday. Veteran gay rights campaigner Chi Chia-wei (祁家威), the honorary team leader for Taiwan, said that the achievements, which also included five silver and three bronze medals, were better than expected. Taiwan has a chance to bid to host the Games in 2026, he said, with the vote to take place at the annual general meeting of the Federation of Gay Games in 2021. Chi said that he hopes another Asian country would have the chance to host the Games after Hong Kong hosts them in 2022. About 10,317 people from 91 countries took part in the 10th Gay Games this year. Athletes competed in 36 sports. Taiwan was represented by 25 people, including 18 athletes competing in seven disciplines.
CHARITY
Students take on learning gap
A non-profit founded by Taiwanese studying in the US has been trying to raise awareness about the education gap between Taiwan’s urban and rural areas, and to have more people teach children in rural areas. Twenty-year-old Ko Han-wen (柯涵文), cofounder of Students for Taiwanese Educational Progress (STEP), yesterday said that she noticed the education gap between cities and rural areas during high school. Working with the Boyo Social Welfare Foundation, STEP last year held a winter camp at Tong-Fu Elementary School in Nantou County’s Sinyi Township (信義) and last month held a summer camp at the same location. Ko said the group chose to hold the camps at the same location to show the emphasis that STEP places on continuity in education and to continue to support the same group of children.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese