■ SARS
Nation to sponsor meeting
Taiwan is slated to sponsor an international seminar on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) late this month, with about 400 foreign and local experts expected to take part, officials of the Department of Health said yesterday. Participants from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines and the US will discuss SARS-related issues at the international meeting slated for April 20 to April 21, the officials said, noting that they have not sent invitations to any academics or specialists in China.
■ Health
Enterovirus alert issued
With the advent of summer, the Department of Health has heightened its alert for a possible enterovirus outbreak, officials said yesterday. The department's Center for Disease Control has reported 54 enterovirus cases nationwide, with three deaths and 25 cases listed as "serious." In comparison, 33 serious cases were reported during the same period last year, six of which proved fatal. Health officials said central Taiwan has the largest number of reported cases so far. Enterovirus Type 71 was to blame for all three of this year's deaths, the officials said. Nearly all of the enterovirus patients are young children, including 17 who are aged between one and four years old.
■ Diplomacy
MOFA favors Washington
The US capital has been listed as the most favored transit site for President Chen Shui-bian's upcoming trip to Central and South America, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau (高英茂) said yesterday. The foreign ministry's blueprint is to endeavor to push for Chen's transit in Washington, Kau told a legislative subcommittee yesterday in response to a question from PFP Legislator Sun Ta-chian (孫大千). Kau declined to reveal details of Chen's trip, dubbing it "politically sensitive." The US has banned the nation's top leaders from visiting Washington, including the president, vice president, foreign minister and defense minister.
■ Environment
Chen reassures islanders
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said problems pertaining to radioactive waste stored on Orchid Island would be solved by the end of this year. Steven Chang (張海嶼), a minister, and Hsieh Ching-kuang (謝慶廣), a representative of islanders, met with Chen yesterday and told him that residents demanded a clear timeframe for the removal of the radioactive material, a project has been delayed for four months. Currently, 97,672 barrels of low-level radioactive waste are stored at the site. Chen said that he felt sorry for the delay of the removal project, which was designed and carried out by Taiwan Power Company (Taipower). "However, the final repository for radioactive waste will never be established on Orchid Island," Chen said.
■ Earthquake
No damage from temblor
A mild earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.9 on the Richter scale rattled eastern and central Taiwan yesterday. No damage was reported. Central Weather Bureau officials said that the epicenter of the quake was located 38km southeast of the Nanao seismic station in Ilan County and was 47.6km below the surface of the earth. The quake, which occurred at 6:19am, had an intensity of 3 in Ilan County's Nanao and 2 in Ilan County's Suao Harbor, Hualien County's Hoping township and Taichung County's Techi.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
There are 77 incidents of Taiwanese travelers going missing in China between January last year and last month, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said. More than 40 remain unreachable, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said on Friday. Most of the reachable people in the more than 30 other incidents were allegedly involved in fraud, while some had disappeared for personal reasons, Luo said. One of these people is Kuo Yu-hsuan (郭宇軒), a 22-year-old Taiwanese man from Kaohsiung who went missing while visiting China in August. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office last month said in a news statement that he was under investigation
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
An aviation jacket patch showing a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh has become popular overseas, including at an aviation festival held by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at the Ashiya Airbase yesterday. The patch was designed last year by Taiwanese designer Hsu Fu-yu (徐福佑), who said that it was inspired by Taiwan’s countermeasures against frequent Chinese military aircraft incursions. The badge shows a Formosan black bear holding a Republic of China flag as it punches Winnie the Pooh — a reference to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) — who is dressed in red and is holding a honey pot with
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