LABOR
Sleeping area rule revised
Taiwan is next year to adopt an International Labor Organization (ILO) standard that requires at least 3.6m2 of floor space per person in migrant workers’ sleeping areas, the Ministry of Labor said yesterday. The existing rule requires a minimum of 3.2m2 per person, meaning that the change would mean slightly more room for laborers, the ministry said. The new requirement, which only applies to industrial workers, was announced and included in the Guidelines for Foreign Workers’ Care Service Plan (外國人生活照顧服務計畫書裁量基準), it said, adding that employers have enough time to make the improvements before Jan. 1 next year. After an initial warning, companies failing to make the upgrades would face fines of NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 (US$2,028 to US$10,140), it said. The ILO’s Web site shows that rooms accommodating two workers should have at least 7.5m2 of floor area, while those housing more than four workers should have at least 3.6m2 per person.
SPORTS
Basketball tourney canceled
Basketball authorities on Thursday announced their decision to cancel this year’s William Jones Cup international basketball tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was made after consulting with the government, the national basketball association said, adding that both sides agreed that containing the spread of the coronavirus should be the nation’s priority. The 42nd edition of the tourney was scheduled to be held later next month. It marks the third time since the tournament’s founding in 1977 that it has been canceled, following cancelations after a fire in 1989 damaged the main stadium used for the event and during the 2003 SARS outbreak.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Police to get stun guns
All police officers are to be issued stun guns by the end of the year as part of their standard equipment, Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said on Tuesday. Stun guns can be an effective way for on-duty officers to incapacitate criminals or dangerous suspects, Hsu said. The new policy is being implemented under a NT$480 million budget announced last month by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to help improve benefits and equipment issued to police. The equipment upgrades would include the purchase of virtual reality training simulators, as well as new batons and walkie-talkies, Tsai said. Hsu said that the stun guns would be procured by September and issued to the police — including officers in the Railway Police Bureau and Aviation Police Bureau — by the end of the year. Standard equipment for on-duty police officers now consists of a sidearm, a body camera, a bulletproof vest, handcuffs, pepper spray and a flashlight.
CRIME
Ker Chun-yao out on bail
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Ker Chien-ming’s (柯建銘) son, Ker Chun-yao (柯鈞耀), was yesterday released on NT$100,000 bail for an alleged breach of the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例). The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office took up the case after the Maritime Affairs Division’s Keelung branch intercepted a package of cannabis extracts addressed to him. Ker Chun-yao, who had studied in the US, reportedly denied knowing the package’s contents, trafficking narcotics or using any illegal substances in Taiwan. Samples of his hair were sent to a lab for analysis, prosecutors said, adding that his telephone records would be pulled to corroborate his statement.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
BACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,
RSS