■SARS
AIDS expert says don't panic
A world renowned AIDS specialist said recently that the world has overreacted to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, according to a Web site report out of Hong Kong yesterday. Dr. David Ho (何大一), a pioneer of the so-called cocktail treatment for AIDS, reportedly called for people around the world not to panic over the SARS epidemic. He was quoted in the Web site report as saying that people have been overly frightened about SARS due in large part to the fact that they have little knowledge about the new viral disease and to the fact that the media has excessively played up the epidemic.
■ Diplomacy
Palau visitors arrive
Palau Vice President Sandra Pierantozzi is leading a four-member delegation that arrived in Taipei yesterday for a five-day visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Pierantozzi and his delegation will meet with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) and Department of Health Director-General Twu Shing-jer (涂醒哲), the ministry said in a press release. They will also visit Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center, Taroko National Park, Tzu-Chi Buddhist General Hospital, Taipei Floriculture Experiment Center and other cultural and economic establishments.The delegation is scheduled to leave on Saturday.
■ Culture
Three groups to visit US
Three cultural groups are scheduled to leave for the US tomorrow to perform in 15 cities as part of the Taiwanese American Heritage Week programs, Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission chief Chang Fu-mei (張富美) said yesterday. The three groups are the Taiwan Hakka Culture Delegation (台灣客家文化訪問團), Taipei Aboriginal Dance Art Club (台北山舞藝術團) and Jiangtzichuei Theater Group (江之翠劇場). The Formosan Association for Public Affairs, a Washington-based lobbyist for Taiwan, has sponsored the Taiwan American Heritage Week programs since 1999.
■ Aid
Rice going to Indonesia
The government said yesterday that it will donate 50,000 tonnes of rice to poverty-stricken people in Indonesia. "We will send the rice to Indonesia in five shipments. The first shipment -- 10,000 tonnes -- will be sent in early May," a Department of Health official said. The rice will be distributed to poor people on Java, Sumatra, Kilimantan and Sulawesi. "We hope our donation can help ease Indonesia's food shortage and strengthen the friendship between out two countries," the official said.
The government has said it will donate 100,000 tonnes of surplus rice to foreign countries each year.
■ Protest
Rally set to go ahead
A "Call Taiwan Taiwan" rally, slated to be held on May 11 in Taipei, will be held as scheduled, despite public fears over SARS, organizers announced yesterday. The Alliance to Campaign for Rectifying the Name of Taiwan issued a statement that said they decided to go ahead with the rally after having thoroughly studied the impact of the potentially deadly disease since its outbreak in the middle of last month. The alliance blames China for Taiwan's diplomatic isolation in the international community and for its industrial hollowing out and talent exodus.
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
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