CULTURE
Minnan festival to be held
The nation’s largest-ever Minnan culture festival will be held from Saturday to May 4 to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Fujian Province, according to the General Association of Chinese Culture. The week-long festival will feature the adventurous culture of the region, long a major hub of immigration, said former premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄), president of the organization. The festival will be held in Taoyuan County, Greater Tainan and on Kinmen — which have been the main gateways for Minnan immigrants to Taiwan since the 17th century. Academics and immigrant community leaders from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan will also be invited to the festival to share their views on Minnan cultural heritage, Liu said. Kinmen County Commissioner Li Wo-shi (李沃士) added the event will also include a city god festival that will reach its climax early next month. More than 1,200 people from 37 city god temples in Taiwan and China will hold a parade to pray for good fortune, Li said.
CULTURE
Taiwan studies forum begins
An international conference on Taiwan-related research will open today at the Academia Sinica. The World Congress of Taiwan Studies is aimed at facilitating exchanges among academics doing research on Taiwan, which will lay the groundwork for future collaboration and raise the profile of Taiwan-related studies, the director of the Academia Sinica’s Institute of Sociology Michael Hsiao(蕭新煌) said. Taiwan studies programs have been established throughout Taiwan, Academia Sinica Vice President Wang Fan-sen (王汎森) said. About 170 researchers from 11 countries are expected to participate in the conference, which will run through Saturday.
SOCIETY
Student, 14, gives birth
A junior-high school student in New Taipei City (新北市) yesterday gave birth inside a school restroom, prompting intervention from social workers and a police investigation. The school said it was difficult to recognize the student’s pregnancy because of her physical size and thus it did not know of her status. After complaining of a stomach ache, the 14-year-old rested in the school’s infirmary and gave birth to a girl at about 8:40am after going to the restroom, the school said. The nurse rushed in after hearing the cries of both the mother and infant and sent them to a hospital where a doctor removed the placenta. While the identity of the father is not yet confirmed, police have opened an investigation as the girl is a minor and it is an indictable offense to impregnate minors. The baby was nearly full term and healthy, the doctor said, adding that whether the baby would be put up for adoption would be discussed with the mother after she recovers.
POLITICS
‘General response’ nixed
The Presidential Office rejected a media report yesterday that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is assessing the possibility of giving a “general response” to legislators’ questions following a “state of the nation” report. Presidential Office spokesman Fan Chiang Tai-chi (范姜泰基) reiterated said it would violate the Constitution if the president accepted questions from lawmakers, whether in the form of an alternating question-and-answer format or as a “general response.” Fan Chiang said that according to the Constitution, the Cabinet, not the president, is responsible to the legislature. If legislators were allowed to question the president, it would confuse the constitutional roles and duties of the president and premier, he said.
WILDLIFE
Hualien has 30 bat species
A bat research project commissioned by the Hualien Forest District Office found that Hualien County is home to 30 bat species, which is the most of any county, according to a statement released by the office. The one-year project to investigate the diversity of bat species in Hualien was conducted by the Bat Association of Taiwan, it said. The association identified 20 bat species in the project, but, after considering previous research results, it settled on a figure of 30, which accounted for 91 percent of all bat species found in Taiwan, the statement said. In addition, two endangered bat species were found to be living in the county, the Formosan flying fox and the Formosan tailless leaf-nosed bat. First-time sightings of East Asian free-tailed bats in the county were also reported. The natural environment in Hualien, which contains dense forests, rivers, plains and caves, make the county an ideal habitat for bats, the statement quoted association standing director Fang Ying-pin (方引平) as saying.
POLITICS
Chai to stay in DPP race
Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) yesterday refuted media reports that said his candidacy for the DPP chairperson position could be in jeopardy after being found guilty in a defamation suit filed by former National Security Council secretary-general Su Chi (蘇起). Chai said his candidacy for the May 27 vote would not be affected because the case was not related to the DPP’s corruption clause and he had registered his candidacy before the verdict was handed down by the Taiwan High Court on Tuesday. The senior added he plans to file for a retrial or an appeal.
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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