HEALTH
Canes get canned
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection yesterday said that 80 percent of canes currently on the market do not meet product safety standards and will be ordered off the shelves. Ahead of the Chung Yeung Festival to honor the elderly, the bureau conducted inspections on walking sticks, which are used by an increasing number of the elderly. However, the bureau found that of the 10 types of canes inspected by bureau officials, only two were up to standard. Bureau deputy director-general Huang Lai-ho (黃來和) said that when shopping for a cane, it is important to choose one that is sturdy and fit for the user’s height. It is also important to try out the rubber tip to ensure the cane does not slip on the ground, he added.
HEALTH
CRO may face fines
A clinical research organization (CRO) that placed advertisements on online job placement company Web sites to solicit volunteers for human trials of new drugs might face fines for classifying the trials as “work opportunities,” according to the Department of Health (DOH). The CRO could face fines of up to NT$500,000 for advertising human trials as “work opportunities” and defining volunteers as “part-time student workers” in the ads, a DOH official said. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英) brought the ads to attention on Thursday, saying people who volunteer to undergo clinical trials for new drugs do so based on altruism, more like blood donors, and that such trials should not be described as “work opportunities.”
LABOR
Firm denies spying
AVTech Corp yesterday denied allegations that it invaded the privacy of a group of Filipina workers by watching them around the clock with surveillance cameras. Tien Cheng-ping (田正平) president of the manufacturer of digital surveillance video recorders, said that surveillance cameras had been installed at the workers’ dormitories for security reasons, adding that all the cameras were aimed at entrances, not at toilets or bathrooms. He denied worker allegations that company management had printed out images in which they were scantily dressed, circulated the photos at meetings and criticized their behavior or figures. The accusations were made a day earlier by 10 Filipina workers from AVTech’s plant in Taipei County’s Sanchung (三重).
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
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