WEATHER
Taipei temperature peaks
The temperature in Taipei climbed to 36.3oC yesterday afternoon, the highest in the city so far this year and on par with the temperature recorded on March 18 in Taitung, weather forecasters said. The Central Weather Bureau said Taipei’s 36.3oC was the highest temperature recorded in Taiwan yesterday, followed by 35.6oC in Banciao, 34.5oC in Tamsui, 33.7oC in Taichung and 33.4oC in Chiayi. However, forecasters said that a weather front was expected to reach the nation last night, bringing rainfall and possible cooler weather to northern Taiwan, with highs expected in the low 30s. The chances of rain would increase throughout the week and temperatures are likely to drop, they said.
CULTURE
Malraux Seminar to open
French government and company officials are to attend a seminar in Taipei to share their experiences regarding the development of the film, TV, radio and publishing sectors in France, Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture said recently. The 11th Malraux Seminar, to be held from today to Wednesday, is to cover topics including film-rights trading, international film co-production, e-publishing challenges, French TV and radio production trends, and government subsidies and policies, the ministry said. Jointly conducted by the ministry and the French Office in Taipei, the seminar has invited speakers from the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, the national film agency Centre national du cinema et de l’image animee, electronic media regulator Conseil superieur de l’audiovisuel, film company Gaumont and publishing group Editis, according to the ministry.
COMMUNITY
Mangoes help victims
Organizers of a mango festival held in Taipei yesterday invited the public to buy mango products to raise funds for victims of domestic violence. The festival was the first of its kind held at the Yongkang International Marketplace in downtown Taipei, a popular tourist spot famous for its mango shaved ice. Mango ices were available for sale at the Yongkang Park, with proceeds going to The Garden of Hope Foundation to help domestic-violence victims. Twenty boxes of high-quality mangoes were also auctioned at the festival with the base bidding prices of NT$20,000 (US$668) per box. Auction prices topped NT$200,000 per box several times, organizers said. A total of NT$1.2 million was raised from the festival yesterday and 30 shops in the marketplace have agreed to place donation boxes in their shops to raise funds for abused woman and children, the foundation said.
AGRICULTURE
Residents start farming
Residents of Kinmen County began work as leisure farmers on Saturday in a local government program that promotes the farming of organic produce. Launched last year, the “Happy Farm” program operated by the county’s agricultural research institute allows residents to lease land made available by the institute, which has set aside 60 plots totaling two hectares for the farmers. Those who joined the program last year harvested their crop at the end of last month and have decided to continue farming their 30 or so plots, while some new faces appeared on Saturday to take over the remaining plots. Each plot measures 10m long and 2m wide. At an event held on Saturday, some leisure farmers showed the strawberries and water spinach they grew to county officials visiting the farm.
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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