■AVIATION
Plane blows tires on landing
An Eva Airways flight from Shanghai to Taiwan blew three tires on Thursday after landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, a spokesman for the carrier said yesterday, adding that there were no injuries. Flight BR701, carrying 284 passengers and crew, took off from Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport at 8:05pm on Thursday and landed in Taiwan at 9:40pm, 20 minutes ahead of schedule, according to the spokesman. The plane blew three of its eight main tires on its left-hand side when it skidded on a taxiway near a terminal after making a safe landing. The Civil Aeronautics Administration’s Aviation Safety Council immediately launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.
■AGRICULTURE
Taiwan to sell eggs to HK
The Council of Agriculture (COA) said yesterday Taiwan is planning to sell eggs to Hong Kong in an attempt to alleviate excess domestic supply. Hsu Kuei-sen (許桂森), head of the council’s Department of Animal Industry, said high summer temperatures have boosted egg production to 18 million per day and caused supply to outstrip local demand of 17 million eggs per day. This has caused egg prices to fall to about NT$28 (US$0.87) per kilogram from an April peak of NT$42. Hsu said the current price does not even cover the cost of production. He said Hong Kong is willing to buy the eggs at no more than NT$30 per kilo — which is still lower than cost — but the exports will help reduce the glut on the domestic market.
■INDUSTRY
Mailiao to sign MOU
Residents of Mailiao Township (麥寮) in Yunlin County agreed on Thursday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Formosa Plastics Group, agreeing to accept a compensation offer of NT$252 million (US$7.81 million) in the first year for damage caused by two recent fires at its petrochemical complex. Township chief Lin Sung-li (林松利), presented the MOU proposal endorsed by township representatives to company officials to be signed by the group. Under its terms, The company will subsidize the electricity bills and medical fees of residents who suffered as a result of the fires at the company’s naphtha cracking plant in Mailiao. Company officials said they hoped signing the MOU, which will be witnessed by the Environmental Protection Administration, would end the dispute and help maintain an amicable partnership with residents. Two separate fires that broke out on July 7 and July 25 sent choking black smoke belching into the air for several days, polluting the air and causing panic among people living nearby.
■HEALTH
Man dies of A(H1N1)
A 50-year-old man from southern Taiwan died of influenza A (H1N1) three days ago, bringing the number of H1N1 deaths in Taiwan to 50 since the outbreak of the flu strain early last year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. CDC Deputy Director-General Chou Jih-haw (周志浩) said the latest victim had chronic high blood pressure and cirrhosis of the liver. He went to the doctor on Aug. 23 with a fever, cough and sore throat, Chou said. The man was rushed to hospital in Kaohsiung last Saturday as he was having difficulty breathing. He was confirmed to be H1N1 positive on Monday and died the next day, Chou said. Of the 50 H1N1 deaths to date, 49 were people who had not been vaccinated against the virus, Chou said, again urging the public to get the vaccine.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
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