■ POLITICS
Airport plan criticized
The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) proposal to turn Taoyuan International Airport into an “airport city” was criticized by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday, who said it would infringe on Taiwan’s sovereignty. “To me, the act seems to be about making Taiwan a part of China,” DPP Legislator Chang Hwa-kuan (張花冠) told a press conference yesterday morning. “That is why we decided to hold further discussions when the legislature reviewed the proposal a few days ago.” Chang said the articles in the proposal that irked the DPP were the ones that would allow Chinese migrant labor, provide Chinese visitors with visas upon arrival and allow foreign physicians to practice at the airport. DPP Legislator Twu Shiing-jer (�?�) said that it would be difficult to maintain the quality of medical treatment if foreign physicians are allowed to work at the airport. “I think all local physicians will oppose the idea,” Twu said.
■ EDUCATION
Betel-nut teens worrying
The Ministry of Education will try to learn why junior high school students are chewing betel nuts, Vice Minister of Education Chou Tsan-der (周燦德) told lawmakers yesterday. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) asked Chou about the number of junior-high students who chew betel nuts. Yang cited a Bureau of Health Promotion survey that said 7.5 percent of junior high students said they usually chewed betel nuts, while 2.5 percent of female junior high students said they had chewed betel nut before. The number of student users rose in southern Taiwan, Yang said, to 11.2 percent. “The incidence is too high,” Chou said, adding that the ministry would ask schools to increase their public awareness campaigns on the health risks associated with chewing betel nuts.
■ DIPLOMACY
Navy visits Nicaragua
A naval contingent of 742 officers and sailors began a goodwill visit to Nicaragua on Wednesday as part of their tour of Latin America. Three navy ships arrived late on Tuesday in the western Nicaraguan port of Puerto Corinto, where they were met by Army chief General Omar Halleslevens, Mayor Ernesto Mendez and Ambassador Wu Chin-Mu (吳進木). Nicaraguan army spokesman General Adolfo Zepeda said the Taiwanese ships were visiting several countries in Central America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific to help build closer relationships with countries in those areas.
■ SOCIETY
Angler hit by lightning
A man fishing on a rock near a sea wall on Green Island suffered serious burns to his abdomen, groin and thighs when he was struck by lightening on Wednesday. Firemen rushed the 57-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), to the Taitung branch of Mackay Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for second-degree burns to 20 percent of his body. Fishing experts said Chen’s carbon fiber fishing rod, which was touching his stomach, served as a conductor for the lightening bolt. Doctors said that although Chen was lucky to be alive, it was not clear yet whether his sexual functions were impaired.
■ SOCIETY
Ma aide to join charity
Steve Chan (詹啟賢), who served as campaign manager for president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), said yesterday that he will not be part of Ma’s administration and will instead join the Buddhist Tzu Chi Compassionate Relief Foundation after May 20.
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
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
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
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