■ DEFENSE
Classified data mishandled
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday confirmed that a member of Military Intelligence Agency had mishandled classified information, but denied that the ministry was investigating the incident as an espionage case. The ministry made the remarks in a statement issued yesterday in response to a story published by Next Magazine. The magazine reported yesterday that Military Intelligence Agency director-general Ker Kuang-ming (葛廣明) suspected his deputy, Liu Ben-shan (劉本善), of leaking information, “which ended up in the hand of Chinese intelligence.” The report also said that Liu was given an administrative demerit for bringing classified information from work back to his home. “The individual concerned in this case has been punished,” the statement said. Further inquiries were met by “no comments” from the ministry.
■ SPORTS
Premier lauds athletes
Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) presided over a banquet yesterday for the athletes and officials who represented Taiwan in the 25th World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia. Taiwanese athletes won seven gold, five silver and five bronze medals in the Games. During the banquet, which was hosted by the Sports Affairs Council and the Chinese Taipei University Sports Federation, Liu congratulated the athletes and expressed hope that the Taiwanese athletes competing in the Hong Kong East Asian Games in December and in the 2010 Asia Games in China would bring honor to the country. The World University Games, which is held every two years, took place from July 1 to July 12, attracting more than 9,000 competitors and referees from 165 nations.
■ CHARITY
Artists to join charity fast
The Taiwan chapter of the Christian charity World Vision said yesterday that a record number of artists and singers had signed up to support its “30-Hour Famine Hero Rally” next month to raise money to fight hunger. Artists from major record companies such as Sony, Universal, AsiaMuse, Linfair, Warner and Forward, are preparing to support the event, which is part of the group’s global movement to involve people, especially youngsters, to fast for 30 hours to raise money for people suffering from famine in poor countries, World Vision Taiwan said. Now in its 20th year, the rally in Taiwan is scheduled to take place this year on Aug. 15 and Aug. 16 at National Taiwan Sport University’s multipurpose gymnasium and is expected to draw 15,000 participants, the group said. Artists who have pledged to speak up for the world’s hungry and committed themselves to appearances at the rally include Wang Lee-hom (王力宏), Sylvia Chang (張艾嘉), Will Pan (潘瑋柏), Sodagreen, Da Mouth (大嘴巴) and Rachel Liang (梁文音), the organization said.
■ ENVIRONMENT
Recycling contest opens
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is offering NT$600,000 (US$18,300) in cash prizes in an artistic design competition to promote garbage recycling, an official said yesterday. EPA Minister Stephen Shen (沈世宏) invited the public to join the online competition by submitting comic strips or videos on garbage recycling. Working on the theme of “recycling to zero waste,” contestants have a choice of four subjects: recycling categories; where to store materials awaiting recycling; innovative ways of using recycled materials; and the value of recycled goods. Entries will be accepted until Oct. 15, Shen said.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
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