FOOD
Fish prices rise: FTC
The prices of abalone, dried scallops and mullet roe have increased ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said yesterday. However, the prices of other traditional New Year treats, such as pistachios, peanuts and dried melon seeds, have remained stable, the commission said after checking pre-holiday prices. The price of abalone has risen 26 percent, dried scallops 15 percent and mullet roe 12 percent compared with the last Lunar New Year, the commission said. It attributed the price hikes to climate change and environmental factors, which it said have affected the three products, whether locally produced or imported from Mexico and Chile.
SOCIETY
Record donations received
A charity’s branch in Chiayi County yesterday said it has received more than NT$7.42 million (US$247,828) in New Year donations, the largest amount in its 44-year history. The Chiayi unit of the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families said the money would be used to help local disadvantaged families buy supplies for the Lunar New Year holiday, with each family receiving NT$7,000. In addition, the foundation said, it has distributed NT$500,000 worth of commodities donated by 4,320 people. One of the donors, surnamed Chen (陳), said she had contributed three boxes of goods to encourage a boy with scoliosis whom she was sponsoring.
TRAVEL
VWP application progresses
The government hopes US officials will visit Taiwan soon to help expedite the country’s formal inclusion in the US’ visa-waiver program (VWP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman James Chang (章計平) said yesterday. Taiwan was named a candidate in the program late last year and it is now awaiting a team of officials from the US Department of Homeland Security to inspect the country’s border and airport security systems. That inspection and other evaluations will determine whether the department and the US Congress grant the nation approval as a member of the program, according to the application procedure. Chang’s remarks came after US President Barack Obama signed into effect an administrative order for Taiwan to be listed as a candidate for visa-waiver program membership a day earlier. Progress reports will be filed on a semi-annual basis, according to the order.
CRIME
Fishermen face investigation
Four Indonesian fishermen allegedly involved in the death of a Taiwanese fishing boat skipper arrived in Taiwan on Thursday night under the escort of police officers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the four would face a judicial investigation into the death of Wang Yao-chung (王耀彰), the captain of the Pingtung-registered Chin Hai Hsiang No. 3. Two other Indonesian fishermen, also crew members on the boat, were brought to Taiwan earlier this year to be questioned in connection with Wang’s death, the ministry said. The vessel reportedly lost contact with its owners on Dec. 6 while fishing in the Indian Ocean. After the ministry reported the case to the Indian government, the boat was intercepted by Indian naval ships on Dec. 9 and escorted to Port Blair in the Andaman Islands between India and Myanmar. Some of the six crew members admitted to having killed Wang and throwing his body into the sea, according to Indian authorities.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first
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