SPORTS
Surfing contest in Taitung
Taiwan will host its first international competition sanctioned by the Asian Surfing Championship (ASC) later this month, Taitung County Commissioner Justin Huang (黃健庭) said yesterday. The Taitung County International Surf Challenge, which will be held on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27, will boost Taiwan’s image as a tourist destination and put the beautiful east coast on the global surfing map, Huang said. The ASC-sanctioned event also means recognition of Taitung as one of the best places to surf in Asia, after Malaysia, Bali in Indonesia and Thailand, he said. The competition will include Men’s Open Shortboard and Longboard divisions, and Groms (under 18). The total prize money is NT$300,000 (US$9,930). Online registration for the competition will remain open until Tuesday, the organizers said.
HEALTH
Smoking costing NT$20bn
Smoking-related diseases cost the country NT$20 billion a year, the Bureau of Health Promotion said, urging smokers to seek professional help to kick the habit. According to the WHO, 64 million people around the world were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2004, and predicted that it would become the world’s No. 3 killer by 2030. The main causes of COPD are smoking and air pollution. Department of Health statistics show that about 5,000 people in Taiwan die from COPD every year, which is the seventh leading cause of death. Of that total, 3,800 are men. It added that 90 percent of COPD cases were caused by smoking or second-hand smoke, with one in four smokers getting the disease sooner or later.
SOCIETY
Japan groups thank Taiwan
Members of two Japanese civic associations visited Taipei yesterday to express gratitude for Taiwan’s generous aid following the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11. Forty-five people from the Yamaguchi International Exchange Association and the Aichi International Association chanted “Thank you, Taiwan!” in Chinese after passing through customs upon their arrival at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Delegation leader Takekatsu Shigetomi said they appreciated the help from the government and people of Taiwan, which prompted them to visit the country in person to express their thanks. Aside from Taipei, the associations will also visit Greater Kaohsiung during their four-day trip.
EMPLOYMENT
New grads’ pay levels drop
Both the nominal and actual monthly salary for fresh college graduates have dropped in the past decade (2000 to 2010), according to a report published on Tuesday. The nominal monthly salary for college graduates fell 5.6 percent from NT$28,016 (US$920) in 2000 to NT$26,455 last year, the report published on taiwancharts.com said, citing government data. The actual monthly salary level declined 14.8 percent during that period, the report said. Meanwhile, rising college tuition added to the pressure on students and parents, with nominal tuition fees rising 8.2 percent in the decade, according to the report. It said the actual salary level for all workers in the country shrunk 3.3 percent in the 10-year period. The report was compiled by Pixnet.net, Swarchy Ltd and Ecotw Co, based on data published by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, the Council of Labor Affairs and the Ministry of Education.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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