Thu, Aug 04, 2022 page3

• Taiwan News Quick Take

  • Staff writer, with CNA
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  HEALTH

  CECC reports 23,718 cases

  The nation yesterday recorded 23,718 local COVID-19 cases and 32 deaths from the disease, the Central Epidemic Command Center said. Two of the newly reported deaths were men in their 40s, one of whom was unvaccinated and had a chronic liver condition, it said. The other man, who had no history of chronic illness and had received three COVID-19 vaccine shots, tested positive on July 24 and was found dead in his house three days later, it said. The man died of pneumonia and respiratory failure, it said, adding that the case was under investigation. Among 36 new severe COVID-19 cases reported yesterday were two one-year-old boys, who were diagnosed with encephalitis and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children respectively, but have since recovered and been discharged from hospital, the CECC said.

  YOUTH AFFAIRS

  Join working holidays: MOFA

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Tuesday encouraged young Taiwanese to join the working holiday programs in 12 European countries with which Taiwan has signed agreements, with about 2,300 slots still available this year. The programs were signed to encourage young Taiwanese to participate in international exchanges, Department of European Affairs Director-General Remus Chen (陳立國) said. The 12 are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and the UK. Each year, a total of 3,315 slots are opened for young Taiwanese to go on working holidays in these 12 countries, he said, adding that each person can only participate in the program once in a lifetime. Those who are interested in applying for the programs can go to the ministry’s Working Holiday Program Web site at www.youthtaiwan.net/WorkingHoliday or contact the target country’s office in Taiwan for more information, he said.

  WAGES

  Gender pay gap narrows

  Taiwanese men earned about 1.5 times more than Taiwanese women in 2020, the smallest gender income gap since 2009, the Ministry of Finance said. Based on the 2021 Yearbook of Gender Statistics published by the ministry on Monday, Taiwanese men earned an average income of NT$650,000 in 2020, compared with NT$420,000 on average for Taiwanese women. That translates into the men’s income being 1.547 times higher than that for women. It is the first time the gender wage gap has fallen to about 1.5, as Taiwanese men earned 1.6 to 1.7 times more income than women in 2006, when the ministry started to record the statistics, the yearbook showed. In 2019, the wage difference was 1.55.

  CULTURE

  Summer Jazz event starts

  An exhibition at the National Theater and Concert Hall (NTCH) in Taipei commemorating the 20th anniversary of its Summer Jazz event and the history of jazz in Taiwan opened on Monday. The monthlong free exhibition in the Concert Hall’s ground floor and basement was curated by musician Shawna Yang (楊曉恩), the NTCH said in a statement. In addition to photos tracing the history of jazz music and its impact on the local music industry, the exhibition features documentary films and 50 jazz records, it said. Meanwhile, two free Big Jazz Jam Sessions are to take place on Saturday afternoon, it said. A series of six concerts are also to be held at the Experimental Theater from Wednesday to Sunday next week, followed by a concert at the Concert Hall on Aug. 19 of music by US jazz musician Miles Davis.
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