WEATHER
Taipei warns of mudslides
The Taipei Disaster Prevention and Rescue Office yesterday urged people to avoid mountainous areas and areas near bodies of water over the weekend. After heavy rains in the past week, the soil on Yangmingshan (陽明山) is saturated, which could cause mudslides, the office said, adding that two small mudslides had been recorded in Nangang District’s (南港) Jioujhuang (舊庄) area. The office said that Tropical Depression 26 is forecast to cross the Bashi Channel, potentially affecting the weather in Taipei today and tomorrow. The office said Taipei City Government workers are inspecting disaster prevention facilities.
POLITICS
Probe of candidate urged
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators yesterday filed a request with the Control Yuan to investigate a personal assets declaration submitted by independent Miaoli County commissioner candidate Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦). Chung, who is Miaoli County Council speaker, had his membership in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) revoked after registering independently last month. The request, filed by DPP lawmakers Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) and Shen Fa-hui (沈發惠), says that Chung might have concealed some of his investments and falsified information in contravention of the Act on Property Declaration by Public Servants (公職人員財產申報法). “Chung holds many properties... How much more has he kept in the dark?” Hung said. DPP officials have presented documents that they say show that Chung owns 159 properties.
POLITICS
Plagiarism claims dismissed
Chung Hua University on Thursday dismissed a plagiarism allegation against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Hsinchu mayoral candidate Lin Ken-jeng (林耕仁). A review committee concluded that Lin did not plagiarize his 2005 master’s thesis, but found “flaws” in the thesis, the university said in a statement. Lin was last month accused by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers of copying the work of a man surnamed Tai (戴), who submitted his thesis at the university in 2004. The committee crossed-checked the two theses, concluding that the “allegation was not substantiated,” it said. However, it found that some subtitles in Lin’s thesis were identical to those in Tai’s thesis, it said. These were “flaws” that could have been avoided if Lin had had a serious attitude toward his academic work, it added. Lin was also accused of plagiarizing his second master’s thesis from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. The university established a committee to review the 2011 thesis early last month and said a result was expected within 120 days.
DIPLOMACY
German delegation to arrive
Members of the German Bundestag’s Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid are to visit Taiwan from tomorrow to Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. The six-member delegation led by German lawmaker Peter Heidt would be the second group of Bundestag members to visit Taiwan this month, it said. They are scheduled to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and ministers without portfolio Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) and Huang Chih-ta (黃致達), it said. They would also meet with National Human Rights Commission Chairwoman Chen Chu (陳菊) and visit the National Human Rights Museum, it said.
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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