■ POLITICS
Hsieh proposes write-off
Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said on Thursday that, if elected, he would consider writing off unpaid national health insurance premiums owed by low-income families. Quoting data compiled by the Bureau of National Health Insurance, Hsieh's campaign aides said about 11,000 low-income households owe a total of NT$220 million (US$6.8 million) in health insurance premiums. Another 6,000 people owe the government a total of NT$270 million in unpaid loans for health insurance premium payment. Hsieh's proposal would cost the government NT$490 million.
■ POLITICS
University plans debate
The College of Social Sciences at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) hopes to hold a debate this month between the country's two leading presidential candidates. NCKU faculty members said that Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) counterpart Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had tentatively agreed to the debate, although the date of the forum has not been finalized. The faculty members said the university has a tradition of not inviting political candidates to speak at its campus in the three-month period prior to an election. As a result, they predicted that the date of the debate will be no later than Dec. 22.
■ POLITICS
Chen honors Weng
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) awarded the Chung Cheng Medal to former Judicial Yuan president Weng Yueh-sheng (翁岳生) yesterday in recognition of Weng's contribution to judicial reform. The presentation of one of the country's top honors was made at the Presidential Office, with Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), Judicial Yuan President Lai In-jaw (賴英照) and Presidential Office Secretary-General Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) in attendance. The 75-year-old Weng, who was Chen's mentor when the president was studying law at National Taiwan University, devoted more than 35 years of his life to improving the country's judicial system. He promoted reform of court organization, the litigation system and judicial personnel recruitment. Weng retired on Oct. 2 as the head of the nation's top judicial body. He was succeeded by Lai.
■ EDUCATION
Science Olympiad opens
The Fourth International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) opens in Taipei tomorrow. The 10-day IJSO, which is being held for the first time in Taiwan, seeks to encourage students with an interest in science to compete in international competitions. In this way, it is hoped that some students will take up careers in science, a National Taiwan Normal University official said. Organized by the university and the Ministry of Education, the IJSO will bring together 220 students from 40 countries, including the UK, Germany, Russia, South Korea, Singapore and the Netherlands. The IJSO -- which is a competition for students aged 16 years and under -- consists of a theoretical test, a multiple choice test and an experimental examination, the official said. Contestants will have to draw on their knowledge and skills in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and earth science, the official said.
■ RESEARCH
Gambling research begins
The National Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taipei City has inaugurated the country's first lottery and gambling research center, gathering experts from different academic fields to contribute to the research, a spokesman said yesterday. William Eadington, a professor of economics and director of the Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gambling at the University of Nevada, delivered a speech on casino operation at the opening ceremony of the center. Ko Hsiu-chuan, an official of the National Treasury Agency, said the center would benefit Taiwan's gambling business, which is still in the early stages of development. Liu Day-yang (劉代洋), director-general of the research center, said it would integrate industry resources to promote the gambling business and hold international meetings and seminars.
■ AID
Rice reaches Nicaragua
Taiwan has donated 300 tonnes of rice to Nicaragua as part of a promised 5,300 tonnes to people who have suffered from recent natural disasters, the Spanish-language news agency EFE reported on Thursday. The report said Taiwan's Ambassador to Nicaragua Wu Chin-mu (吳進木) handed over the rice to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega at a ceremony in Managua on Wednesday. Nicaragua's Caribbean coast was hammered by Hurricane Felix in early September after flooding caused by heavy rain in August, killing about 300 people and leaving thousands homeless.
■ TOURISM
Tourists can drive in Japan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has received around 3,000 applications in the last two months from citizens intending to drive during trips to Japan, an official said yesterday. The applications came after Taiwan and Japan mutually recognized the validity of driver licenses issued by both governments from Sept. 21 this year, said Tsai Ming-yao (蔡明耀), deputy secretary-general of the ministry's Committee on Japanese Affairs. Tsai reminded the public that people in Japan drive on the left and that climate conditions are different.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by