CRIME
HK pair repatriated
Two young women from Hong Kong who trashed their hotel rooms earlier this year were repatriated after completing their jail sentences. The 20-year-old and 19-year-old made headlines earlier this year after leaving a trail of trashed rooms, false identities and graffiti — including “Taiwan is China” — and stealing a television from one hotel. The pair were arrested in March at a budget hotel in Greater Tainan. They were sentenced in May to five-month terms after trials at the Tainan District Court and the Taipei District Court for theft, embezzlement and forgery. One was also handed a combined penal detention — a sentence for lighter crimes — of 120 days, while the other received 130 days. They entered Yilan Prison on June 17 before being transferred to the immigrant holding center in the middle of last month. By law, they will not be allowed to re-enter the country within five years.
TRAVEL
Thai visa offer popular
More than 200 people lined up before noon on Monday at the Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei to take advantage of a free-visa offer that ends on Friday. The crowd was drawn by the chance to save the NT$1,200 that Taiwanese have to pay for a tourist visa to the kingdom. Bangkok launched the free visa as part of its efforts to attract tourists after months of political turmoil in the kingdom ended earlier this year. The trade office said it had received about 1,300 applications per day since the program began on Aug. 9, an 85 percent increase over the number of applications received in July. Tourism Authority of Thailand statistics show 187,662 Taiwanese visiting the kingdom during the first six months of this year.
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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