■HEALTH
Kaohsiung fights dengue
The Kaohsiung City Government said yesterday it would complete plans by the end of next month to keep dengue fever outbreaks in the city under control. Deputy Kaohsiung Mayor Lee Yung-te (李永得) urged city government branches during a cross-departmental meeting to integrate their resources to stop the outbreaks from spreading. Lee made the call after the number of dengue fever cases in the city increased by 23 between Sunday and Tuesday, bringing the total cases in Kaohsiung this year to 377.
■SPORTS
Ma to help baseball
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said he would “revive the glory” of baseball in Taiwan, proposing to amend the Sports Lottery Issue Act (運動彩券發行條例) to toughen the penalty for match-fixing. Ma said the punishments, which would include fines or sentences, in the amended law would be double those at present. The Sports Lottery Issue Act states that those who defraud or use other illegal means to jeopardize the fairness of a sports competition are subject to a sentence of up to five years or a fine of up to NT$10 million (US$312,500).
■SOCIETY
TES holds X-mas bazaar
The Taipei European School (TES) is inviting the public to join its annual Christmas Bazaar, which will be held tomorrow at the Swire European Primary Campus in Shilin (士林), starting at 10am. Among other activities, a Christmas tree lighting, raffles, games and food will be offered, the school said, adding that part of the proceeds will go to help less fortunate children in Taipei. More information is available at (02)8145-9007.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
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