TOURISM
New incentives start today
The government’s second round of incentives to encourage domestic travel during the fall-winter period begin today. The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Central Region Office earlier this month announced that independent tourists who stay at the hotels participating in the program are to receive a NT$1,000 (US$32) voucher for accommodation and up to four coupons per room, each worth NT$50, for shopping at night markets. The night markets must be legally registered with the local government and near the hotels where the visitors are staying, the office said. Coupons issued in one region cannot be used in another, except for those issued in the east coast counties of Yilan, Hualien and Taitung or the offshore counties, it said. The subsidies will be offered until Dec. 31, it said.
ENTERTAINMENT
Argentine film wins praise
An Argentine comedy shot mostly in Taiwan has been receiving largely positive reviews from critics since it opened in the South American country on Aug. 29, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Buenos Aires said. Shalom Taiwan was directed by Walter Tejblum and stars Fabian Rosenthal, who plays Rabbi Aaron, whose Jewish community in a small neighborhood in Buenos Aires is facing serious financial problems because of their generosity to the needy. As a last resort, the rabbi embarks on a trip to Taiwan to seek donations. Argentine film critics have said it is a simple, positive and heartwarming story, the office said. More than 60 percent of the scenes were shot in Taipei, New Taipei City and other locations, the office said. Tejblum began considering Taiwan as the main location when he learned of its beautiful scenery and the hospitality of the Taiwanese, it said. It quoted Tejblum as saying he would consider filming another movie in Taiwan if he had the opportunity. The movie’s producer is considering releasing it in Taiwan soon, the office added.
DIPLOMACY
EU’s new envoy arrives
Filip Grzegorzewski, the new head of the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) in Taipei, said in a Facebook video on Friday that he was eager to start working to promote ties between the two sides. Grzegorzewski officially assumed the post on Sept. 1, replacing Madeleine Majorenko, who returned to Brussels last month after four years in Taipei, but he did not arrive until last week, as he had to be in Brussels for the EU Ambassadors Conference. Grzegorzewski, 43, speaks fluent Mandarin, French and English in addition to Polish. Speaking in Mandarin in the video, he said Taiwan is an open, vibrant and democratic society, and he is looking forward to working with the Taiwanese to promote EU-Taiwan relations. He has held key posts in the EU as well as at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EETO said.
SOCIETY
Operator helps save life
An emergency operator at the Duty Command Center of Tainan Fire Bureau yesterday helped save a man from choking to death by giving first-aid instructions to his family over the telephone. Lee Chia-wei (李家瑋) received a call at 7:34pm about a middle-aged man who had choked on noodles during dinner and lost conciousness, the center said. Lee gave directions on cardiopulmonary resuscitation while dispatching medical emergency technicians (EMT), the bureau said. The EMTs were able to revive the man and then transported him to Tainan Municipal Hospital.
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
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
MEDICAL: The bills would also upgrade the status of the Ethical Guidelines Governing the Research of Human Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cell Research to law The Executive Yuan yesterday approved two bills to govern regenerative medicine that aim to boost development of the field. Taiwan would reach an important milestone in regenerative medicine development with passage of the regenerative medicine act and the regenerative medicine preparations ordinance, which would allow studies to proceed and treatments to be developed, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) told reporters at a news conference after a Cabinet meeting. Regenerative treatments have been used for several conditions, including cancer — by regenerating blood cells — and restoring joint function in soft tissue, Wang said. The draft legislation requires regenerative treatments
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