MILITARY
Navy goes on publicity tour
After its annual two-month overseas mission, the Republic of China Navy Fleet of Friendship will sail around the country next month as part of a program to assist the public in learning more about the armed forces, military officials said on Sunday. The fleet, which left Kaohsiung early last month and visited Indonesia, the Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands, is scheduled to return home at the end of this month, the officials said. Comprised this year of two frigates and one fast combat support ship, the fleet has been assembled annually since 1966 as part of a navy cadets’ pre-graduation training mission. Next month the fleet will call at ports including Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Keelung, Yilan, Hualien and Penghu, with one-day public events planned at each stop, officials said. Visitors will be able to board the ships and view their weapons, along with a performance by a cadet marching band, the navy band and honor guard unit, as well as view the marines’ combat skills.
HEALTH
Mental health now online
An online assessment for gauging mental health has been provided on the Web site of the Taipei City Government’s Department of Health, providing members of the public with an understanding of their mental health at the click of a mouse. After completing the assessment, users will be given details of their mental state and information on the nearest mental health institutions, the department said. It also plans to launch a mental health assessment app in July. In addition, a toll-free line, (02) 3393-7885, is available for anyone seeking help, the department said. The online mental health assessment service can be accessed at http://mental.health.gov.tw.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
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