SOCIETY
New Taipei City approved
The Ministry of the Interior yesterday officially approved the New Taipei City (新北市, the upgraded Taipei County) Government’s application to translate the city’s name literally as “New Taipei City,” instead of translating it phonetically as most other cities do. “Although, according to the Standardized Place Names Translation Act (標準地名譯寫準則), place names are to be translated phonetically, place names can also be translated literally based on the reason of history, language, customs, religious belief, common international practices or other reasons,” the ministry said in a press release last night. “The best known example of literal translation is ‘Sun Moon Lake.’” The ministry said the results of polls conducted by the city government showed that most of the people in the city support translating the city name as “New Taipei City,” therefore it will respect New Taipei City Government’s opinion on the issue.
SOCIETY
Ticket buyers to enter draw
A prize worth NT$50,000 will be awarded to one of the 1,100 visitors who purchase a Taipei International Flora Expo entry ticket before or after the 3 million ticket mark. The expo organizers said that with more than 50,000 people visiting the expo each day since it opened nearly two months ago, the 3 millionth visitor is expected on Monday. Holders of the 550 tickets issued before and after the 3 millionth ticket will be entered in a draw for prizes, including two vouchers for upmarket hotels at Sun Moon Lake and in Taipei worth NT$50,000. Other prizes will include gift packs and coupons for coffee. Ting Hsi-yung (丁錫鏞), director of the expo’s organizing committee, said a number of new exhibitions will be staged to welcome the 100th year of the founding of the Republic of China this year, including an agricultural technology show featuring cloned sheep.
POLITICS
NCC reversal order blocked
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday blocked a Democratic Progressive Party caucus proposal to demand that the Executive Yuan order the National Communications Commission (NCC) withdraw its decision to revoke the license for Era TV’s variety channel. The NCC’s decision on Wednesday drew widespread criticism from lawmakers from both parties. NCC Chairwoman Su Herng (蘇蘅) said on Monday that the variety channel’s license was officially invalidated on Wednesday because the channel had repeatedly failed to distinguish between programs and commercials, one of the conditions set when the commission renewed the license in February last year. The channel was taken off the air at 12am yesterday.
TRANSPORTATION
Traffic plan unveiled
The National Freeway Bureau has unveiled its plan to facilitate the traffic during the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays. The first day of the Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 3. The bureau said it plans to execute the High Occupancy Control Policy, which requires a motor vehicle to carry at least three passengers, on Feb. 2, Feb. 5 and Feb. 6. Toll booths will be closed between 12am and 7am from Feb. 2 to Feb. 7, it added. The proposed traffic measure for the Lunar New Year holidays is now pending final approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the bureau said.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
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
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
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