CULTURE
Taichung to host Double Ten
The annual fireworks display on Double Ten National Day is to be held on Oct. 10 at Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港) in Taichung, Deputy Minister of the Interior Hua Ching-chun (花敬群) said yesterday. National Day and the fireworks display play an important role in unifying people and drawing international attention, Hua, secretary-general of the National Day Preparation Committee, said in a statement. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫?), who chairs the National Day committee, have expressed their support for having Taichung serve as the venue this year, Hua said. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said it was the good fortune of Taichung residents to be able to watch the fireworks in person this year rather than on television.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
St Kitts gets YouBikes
The Taipei City Government yesterday announced the donation of 50 retired first-generation YouBikes to Saint Christopher and Nevis. The donation symbolized the firm friendship between Taiwan and the Caribbean country, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. He added that the city government is scheduled to launch a program allowing YouBike users to ride for free for the first 30 minutes. St Christopher and Nevis Ambassador Donya Francis said he was “excited” about the donation, which was indicative of the “strong and admirable friendship” between the two nations. The bicycles would be used as part of a local initiative to create a healthy lifestyle centered on healthy eating practices, consistent physical activity, and regular health checks and screenings, he said. Thanking Chiang and his administration, he said he looks forward to collaboration opportunities between the Embassy of St Christopher and Nevis in Taipei and the Taipei City Government.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Envoy reshuffle approved
The Cabinet has approved proposed reshuffle of diplomatic personnel, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Douglas Hsu (徐佑典), who heads the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ North American Affairs Department, is to replace Elliott Charng (常以立) as the representative to Australia, while Sharon Wu (吳尚年), head of the ministry’s International Organizations Department, is to head Taiwan’s office in Poland, replacing Bob Chen (陳龍錦), who is to become the envoy to Bahrain, the source said. Deputy Representative to the US Wang Liang-yu (王良玉) is to take over Hsu’s post, while Jonathan Sun (孫儉元), the top envoy in Boston, is to replace Wu. No specific dates were given when the new postings are to take effect.
POLITICS
Lee quits Yonghe race
Political commentator Lee Cheng-hao (李正皓) on Thursday night announced on Facebook that he has dropped his bid for a legislative seat in New Taipei City’s Yonghe District (永和). The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on May 24 announced that it was working with Lee, an independent, to secure a seat in the constituency. The decision drew objections from some DPP staffers, who urged the party’s nomination committee to reconsider, citing previous sexual allegations against Lee. Lee has denied the allegations, adding that a court has cleared him of the accusations. The DPP has become mired in discussion over a wave of allegations of sexual harassment, and his withdrawal would give DPP Chairman William Lai (賴清德) breathing room to resolve gender issues within the party, Lee said. DPP Secretary-General Hsu Li-ming (許立明) yesterday said the party respects Lee’s decision.
The brilliant blue waters, thick foliage and bucolic atmosphere on this seemingly idyllic archipelago deep in the Pacific Ocean belie the key role it now plays in a titanic geopolitical struggle. Palau is again on the front line as China, and the US and its allies prepare their forces in an intensifying contest for control over the Asia-Pacific region. The democratic nation of just 17,000 people hosts US-controlled airstrips and soon-to-be-completed radar installations that the US military describes as “critical” to monitoring vast swathes of water and airspace. It is also a key piece of the second island chain, a string of
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck about 33km off the coast of Hualien City was the "main shock" in a series of quakes in the area, with aftershocks expected over the next three days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Prior to the magnitude 5.9 quake shaking most of Taiwan at 6:53pm yesterday, six other earthquakes stronger than a magnitude of 4, starting with a magnitude 5.5 quake at 6:09pm, occurred in the area. CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) confirmed that the quakes were all part of the same series and that the magnitude 5.5 temblor was
Taiwan will now have four additional national holidays after the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment today, which also made Labor Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their majority in the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment to the Act on Implementing Memorial Days and State Holidays (紀念日及節日實施辦法), which the parties jointly proposed, in its third and final reading today. The legislature passed the bill to amend the act, which is currently enforced administratively, raising it to the legal level. The new legislation recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the
The Central Weather Administration has issued a heat alert for southeastern Taiwan, warning of temperatures as high as 36°C today, while alerting some coastal areas of strong winds later in the day. Kaohsiung’s Neimen District (內門) and Pingtung County’s Neipu Township (內埔) are under an orange heat alert, which warns of temperatures as high as 36°C for three consecutive days, the CWA said, citing southwest winds. The heat would also extend to Tainan’s Nansi (楠西) and Yujing (玉井) districts, as well as Pingtung’s Gaoshu (高樹), Yanpu (鹽埔) and Majia (瑪家) townships, it said, forecasting highs of up to 36°C in those areas
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