DIPLOMACY
France’s Olivier Cadic lands
French Senator Olivier Cadic has arrived on his third visit to Taiwan and is to meet with high-level government officials over the next four days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. Cadic, the vice president of the French Senate’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces, is to be the guest of honor at banquets hosted by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roy Lee (李淳) and Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應), chairperson of the Taiwan-France Interparliamentary Amity Association, the ministry said. The senator is also scheduled to meet with French business representatives and expatriates in Taiwan and visit Penghu County, it said. Cadic’s visit is the fourth by a French parliamentary delegation this year.
CULTURE
Ministry obtains Paris booth
Taiwan has secured a display area in Paris for the Cultural Olympiad next year, Minister of Culture Shih Che (史哲) said on Saturday. With the Paris Olympics scheduled for July 26 to Aug. 11 next year and the Summer Paralympics for Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 next year, a Cultural Olympiad is taking place across France to celebrate the upcoming athletic competitions. The Cultural Olympiad is to conclude at the end of the Paralympics. Shih, who is visiting Europe, said that Taiwan would attend the cultural celebration to showcase the nation. As next year is also the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Cultural Center in Paris, Shih said: “We have already rented an area for Taiwan’s booth. Taiwan will not miss out.” The booth would focus on Taiwan’s freedom, democracy, human rights and cross-strait relations, he said. These issues would be addressed using a wide range of medis, including literature, film and fine art depicted using technology, he said.
DEFENSE
More corporals to be trained
The Ministry of National Defense has allocated funding to train more corporals after the government last year announced that the length of compulsory military service would be extended from four months to one year from January next year. The budget for next year, released on Aug. 31, showed that the ministry would promote 1,000 corporals from its pool of one-year draftees. Next year, Taiwan would have about 9,127 one-year draftees and 69,523 four-month conscripts, the ministry said. The new budget means that one in nine one-year draftees could be recruited as corporals. The number of one-year draftees is forecast to climb to about 35,050 in 2027, while that of four-month conscripts would drop to about 32,731.
CRIME
Doctor’s sentence upheld
The Supreme Court on Sept. 12 upheld a four-year sentence handed to a Taichung-based doctor charged with negligent homicide after he was found guilty of giving illegal injections that caused three heroin addicts seeking to treat their withdrawal symptoms to die of shock. The doctor, surnamed Lin (林), was convicted of illegally administering the jabs, which contained propofol, an anesthetic, mixed with anticholinergics, which are restricted substances. Taichung prosecutors found that the three addicts all died of shock at Lin’s clinic shortly after receiving the injections between June 2015 and April 2016. The Taichung District Court sentenced Lin to six years in jail on the grounds that he ignored the potential risks when administering the injections. The High Court’s Taichung branch reduced the sentence to four years after Lin reached settlements with all three families. The Supreme Court’s verdict is final and cannot be appealed.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
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