■ Computer
Work hours to be extended
Fujitsu-Siemens, Europe's leading maker of personal computers, wants to extend working hours for its employees without any corresponding increase in pay, chairman Bernd Bischoff said in a newspaper interview yesterday. "It's the only way we'll be able to keep 5,000 jobs in Germany," Bischoff told the daily Die Welt, pointing to increased competition in the PC sector. Currently, Fujitsu-Siemens' German workforce work a 35-hour week in line with sector agreements. However, a number of big German companies have recently negotiated longer hours for their employees, both with and without extra pay.
■ Cellphones
DoCoMo eyes Silicon Valley
Japan's top mobile telephone operator NTT DoCoMo, a pioneer in third-generation services, said yesterday it will set up an investment subsidiary in Silicon Valley in hopes of developing innovative technologies. NTT DoCoMo will open DoCoMo Capital Inc on July 1 in San Jose, California to "take stakes in venture companies, mainly in the United States," it said in a statement. "Through these investments, DoCoMo intends to shorten development time, lower its research and development costs, and expand its opportunities for developing mobile services and technologies," it said.
■ Revenue
Philippines moves on taxes
Philippine legislators are set to pass a crucial tax package that would keep, for the time being, value-added tax at 10 percent and raise corporate income tax to 35 percent, officials said yesterday. A select group of the House of Representatives and Senate members are to meet today to pass a compromise version of the tax measure so it could finally be signed into law by President Gloria Arroyo, Senate President Franklin Drilon said. The tax bill aims to raise about 60 billion pesos (US$1.1 billion) every year, a crucial part of a package of tax reforms sought by Arroyo, who has warned that the Philippines faces a potential debt default because of its narrow revenue base.
■ Cellphones
S Korea fines operators
South Korean regulators yesterday fined SK Telecom, the country's largest mobile phone operator, and two other firms 26.9 billion won (US$26.8 million) for offering illegal handset subsidies. The regulators said they hope the latest measure will keep firms from engaging in unfair competition. They plan to step up surveys and inspections on the mobile operators as part of a bid to prevent illegal practices, the Korea Communications Commission said in a statement. The commission noted SK Telecom Co continued to provide subsidies and did not make efforts to stabilize the market, penalizing it with a fine of 23.1 billion won (US$23 million).
■ Economics
China's growth to slow
China's economic growth may slow to 9.1 percent this quarter, from 9.5 percent in the previous three months, as the government maintains macroeconomic controls, the China Business Post reported, citing forecasts by the State Information Center. Fixed-asset investment growth is expected to slow to 20 percent from 22.8 percent and inflation will probably accelerate to 3.1 percent from 2.8 percent, the paper said. Export growth will probably ease to 30 percent from 35 percent in the first quarter and import growth is likely to accelerate to 20 percent from 12 percent, the paper said.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique