SOCIETY
Abuse reports increasing
The number of suspected child abuse cases reported to authorities rose dramatically in the first half of this year compared with a year earlier, indicating increased awareness in society on the issue, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. A total of 13,130 cases were reported from January to June, 40.4 percent more than during the same period last year, and 9,039 of those cases, an increase of 39.77 percent, were confirmed, according to ministry statistics. Those aged six to 11 accounted for 3,305, or 36.56 percent, of the victims, and those aged one to five accounted for 2,262, or 25.03 percent. On the background of the abusers, 6,512, or 75.02 percent, were the victims’ parents or foster parents. The number of abusers who were live-in partners of one of the parents was up 49.3 percent from last year to 212, while the number of abusers who were relatives of the victims but not their parents jumped 42.11 percent to 459.
HISTORY
Sun family friend arrives
A descendant of a close friend of Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), the Republic of China’s founding father, will arrive in Taiwan today for a four-day visit, sources from the East Asia Relations Commission said. Sources said Ayano Kosaka, the great-granddaughter of Umeya Shokichi (1868-1934), who forged close relations with Sun and provided generous funding for the latter’s attempted revolts against the Qing Dynasty in the early 20th century, will visit historic places related to Sun. She will visit the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial House, the Presidential Office, the Taipei Guest House, the National Palace Museum and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
CRIME
Former medalist bailed
Tsai Pai-sheng (蔡白生), a former Asian Games shooting silver medalist, was released on bail on Friday night after being detained on suspicion of embezzling funds from the Taipei City Government’s Shooting Association. Tsai, currently a vice president of the Republic of China Shooting Association, is suspected of embezzling NT$60 million (US$2 million) during his term as director of the association. He was released on NT$100,000 bail, with his wife also released on the same bail amount on suspicion of involvement in the embezzlement allegations. Tsai, 75, won the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games shooting silver medal. Taipei prosecutors said they suspected that Tsai, during his stint at the city’s shooting association between 2003 and 2007, forged accounts and embezzled public funds. When Tsai left the city’s shooting association and established a private shooting association in 2007, he left only NT$9 in the account of the city association, prosecutors said.
ECONOMY
Graduates not finding work
Despite a recent drop in the unemployment rate, a high percentage of new graduates have not found their first full-time jobs, according to the results of a survey released yesterday by an online employment broker. The survey by 1111 Job Bank found that 33.8 percent of university graduates last summer remained jobless six month after graduation. The ratio was higher than the 23.5 percent recorded at the same time last year, but lower than the 45 percent in 2008 — when the global financial crisis erupted. This indicates that this year’s graduates have not benefited from the employment promotion measures launched by the government last year, the employment broker said.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
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