■ SOCIETY
Brothers to realize dream
Two brothers who have long suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare disease, will leave for New York to see the Statue of Liberty today. Teenagers Tseng Yi-kai (曾奕凱) and Tseng Yi-chi (曾奕棋) suffer from the inherited fatal disorder, which leads to a rapid loss of muscle strength and atrophy of muscular tissue. The brothers have long wished to visit the famous New York City landmark, which for them symbolizes freedom -- the thing they long for the most as they are confined to a wheelchair and are entirely dependent on other people. Paragon Investment Managers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China Airlines and the New York City branch of the Buddhist Compassionate Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation have worked together to help the brothers realize their long-held dream.
■ EXHIBITIONS
Costume show opens
Fans of Peking Opera have an opportunity to see costumes and designs at an exhibition held at the Taipei Costume Cultural Center that opened yesterday and ends on Oct. 4. The exhibition features the works of actor-turned-designer Lee Chih-chi (李志奇) and a collection of props and costumes made by Lee's late father, Lee Huan-chun (李環春), a well-known actor in the field. Through the exhibition, Lee Chih-chi wants to share the charm of the ancient Chinese tradition and honor his father. The exhibition also displays a collection of costumes by the elder Lee, of which many items are more than half a century old and survived the Cultural Revolution. Headdresses and accessories used by Peking Opera actors are also on display, the Taipei City Cultural Affairs Department said.
■ DIPLOMACY
Chen Chu visits Hachioji
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) visited a Japanese electronics firm yesterday in Hachioji, a satellite of Tokyo, and was "deeply impressed" by its high-tech development. Chen, who arrived in Japan on Friday, was there to boost relations with the city of Hachioji, which established sisterhood ties with Kaohsiung in November last year. Chen hailed Hachioji's transformation from a city of contract manufacturers to one now focused on research and development, expressing hope that Kaohsiung could follow suit. Chen, who was heading a 39-member delegation of city government officials, said Kaohsiung hoped to strengthen exchanges with Hachioji -- the 23rd city to establish sisterhood ties with Kaohsiung.
■ CRIME
Cosmetics scam uncovered
The Taichung branch of the Ministry of Justice on Friday busted MOTIF, a cosmetics company that pretended it was an Australian firm. Having opened a number of stores nationwide, the company also claimed it was importing its products from Australia. The bureau determined that the products were in reality being produced at an underground factory in Taichung Country. It also found that the products contained banned ingredients such as the antibiotic Lincomycin and Dexamethasone, a steroid. One of its products, which the company claimed could cure acne, retailed for NT$1,800 (US$54) while costing less than US$1 to produce, the bureau said. The bureau said company employees would be charged with violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (藥事法) and fraud. The bureau has also contacted health authorities to ensure that the products are removed from the shelves.
■ GOVERNMENT
EPA asks for computers
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is again calling for donations of second-hand computers that can be given to children living in the country's remote areas. Cheng Chi-pu (鄭啟璞), an EPA section chief, said that to narrow the digital gap between the rural and urban areas, the administration has been running the donation program since 2005. In the last two years, the EPA has distributed 1,500 and 3,800 computers respectively, Cheng said, adding that this year's goal is to send out another 3,800 second-hand computers. Those who want to donate computers can get more information on the Web at recycle.cier.edu.tw.
■ GOVERNMENT
Ministry to focus on parks
Lin Chin-rong (林欽榮), the new head of the Ministry of the Interior's Construction and Planning Agency, said that he will raise the profile of national parks and focus on national land-use planning. Speaking after assuming his new post, Lin said that the country has beautiful national parks and the first national ocean park will soon be established on the outlying Taiwan-held island of Tungsha (東沙). The agency will increase its publicity for national parks as part of its efforts to attract more local and foreign tourists, he said. Stressing the importance of land resources, Lin said that much greater attention will be paid to national land-use planning in the future. Existing policies on urban redevelopment are heading in the right direction, he said, adding that he would focus on implementing the policies and looking for areas where the agency's regulations could be improved, he added.
An alleged US government plan to encourage Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to form a joint venture with Intel to boost US chipmaking would place the Taiwanese foundry giant in a more disadvantageous position than proposed tariffs on imported chips, a semiconductor expert said yesterday. If TSMC forms a joint venture with its US rival, it faces the risk of technology outflow, said Liu Pei-chen (劉佩真), a researcher at the Taiwan Industry Economics Database of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research. A report by international financial services firm Baird said that Asia semiconductor supply chain talks suggest that the US government would
Starlux Airlines on Tuesday announced it is to launch new direct flights from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Ontario, California, on June 2. The carrier said it plans to deploy the new-generation Airbus A350 on the Taipei-Ontario route. The Airbus A350 features a total of 306 seats, including four in first class, 26 in business class, 36 in premium economy and 240 in economy. According to Starlux’s initial schedule, four flights would run between Taoyuan and Ontario per week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Flights are to depart from Taoyuan at 8:05pm and arrive in California at 5:05pm (local time), while return flights
Nearly 800 Indian tourists are to arrive this week on an incentive tour organized by Indian company Asian Painted Ltd, making it the largest tour group from the South Asian nation to visit since the COVID-19 pandemic. The travelers are scheduled to arrive in six batches from Sunday to Feb. 25 for five-day tours, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The tour would take the travelers, most of whom are visiting Taiwan for the first time, to several tourist sites in Taipei and Yilan County, including tea houses in Taipei’s Maokong (貓空), Dadaocheng (大稻埕) and Ximending (西門町) areas. They would also visit
HOSPITAL VISITS: Shin Kong Mitsukoshi pledged to give the families of the four people who died NT$11m each and provide support for staff working at the time The central government would assist local governments to enhance public safety, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday as he visited people in hospital who were injured in an explosion at a department store in Taichung on Thursday. A suspected gas explosion occurred on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Zhonggang department store in Taichung at 11:33am on Thursday, killing four people and injuring 36. Of the 40 casualties, 39 were hospitalized, Ministry of Health and Welfare data showed. Three died after out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the data showed. As of 6am yesterday, 25 of those injured had been discharged from hospital, leaving 11
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