POLITICS
Chen’s detention extended
The Taiwan High Court ruled yesterday to extend former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) detention for two more months to Dec. 18 on the grounds that he might flee if he were to be released. Chen has been held since Dec. 30, 2008. He and his wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), were found guilty of corruption, forgery and money-laundering in September last year.
WEATHER
CWB downplays cold fears
Taiwan is likely to experience typical winter temperatures this year and will not be directly affected by a cooling climate system in Europe, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday. While Polish climatologists have predicted that Europe will face “its coldest winter in 1,000 years,” sparking wide debate over the past few days, the bureau said the chances of Taiwan being affected are slim. However, CWB Forecast Center director Cheng Ming-dean (鄭明典) said Taiwan needs to keep an eye on whether Europe does take a hit of severe cold this winter, as it could lead to sudden rises in oil prices.
TRAVEL
Airport to launch foodfest
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will launch a food festival today as part of efforts to change its reputation for poor food. The two-week event features what organizers called “a showdown” of delicacies, with gourmets and celebrities invited to rate food served at the airport. Today and tomorrow travelers will be able to try free samples from participating vendors in Terminal 1. The fair is the latest effort to boost the airport’s image. In a poll conducted in August, foreign travelers gave the airport low ratings for facilities, food prices and staff conduct.
TRAVEL
MOFA issues travel alert
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday issued a low-level travel alert for Sweden over concerns of possible terrorist attacks. The gray alert — the lowest on the ministry’s four-color system — came after the Swedish Security Service changed its five-scale terrorist attack threat from the second grade of “low threat” to the third level of “elevated threat.” A gray level alert advises tourists to “travel with caution.” Meanwhile, the ministry added that the travel alert for Thailand remained at the second-lowest yellow level, which advises tourists to travel with caution and reconsider their itinerary. According to the ministry, four Thai provinces — Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Prathum Thani — were still in a state of emergency and the possibility of an extremist attack in the Southeast Asian country remains high.
EMPLOYMENT
Monkey-chasing job offered
Chasing monkeys has been added to the jobs on offer under a government--sponsored program to boost employment, according to an official from the Kaohsiung City Government. The city government is offering NT$17,600 (US$550) a month for staff charged with keeping the primates from developing disturbing behavioral patterns, said the official at the city’s labor bureau. “The ‘monkey chasers’ will tell people not to feed wild monkeys, as that will lead them to develop abnormal behavior such as grabbing people’s food or invading homes,” he said. Many people have inquired about the positions, he said, adding that only those aged 45 years or older will be eligible under the scheme.
AVIATION
CAA mulls return of FAT
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) on Wednesday requested that Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) provide more details about its plans to fund its operation before it is allowed to resume services. The CAA suspended all FAT flight services in 2008 after the airline experienced serious financial difficulties. On May 30, the Taipei District Court approved FAT’s application to restructure its finances. As its air operator certificate expires on Nov. 30, FAT has applied to resume full operations before the end of next month, with reports that it could do so as early as Nov. 15. Sources at the CAA said more information was needed on whether FAT would be able to continue operations if it were at its absolute worst financially, a question the air operator had yet to fully answer
CONSTRUCTION
Workers to receive payout
The six Indonesian laborers who died in the Freeway No. 6 construction accident last week could each receive about NT$3 million (US$96,700), the National Expressway Engineering Bureau said yesterday. Bureau’s Director-General Tseng Da-jen (曾大仁) said the contractor — Kuo Teng Constructions Co (國登營造) — had purchased insurance for any accident at the construction site. While the insurance company still needs time to calculate all the relevant costs, Tseng said rough estimates indicate that each laborer could receive up to NT$3 million. Earlier, local media reported that the six foreign laborers were illegal workers and not eligible for compensation. The Taiwanese worker Chuang Yung-ho (莊永和), who also died in an accident last week, is also covered by the insurance. Tseng said the bureau has suspended all work on the site as instructed by the Council of Labor Affairs, adding that it is cooperating with the Nantou Prosecutors’ Office to determine the cause of the accident.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
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