NATURE
Flying fox rescue a first
The recent rescue of a young Formosan flying fox, the first such case in Taiwan, represents a significant milestone in megabat conservation in the country, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said on Wednesday. The agency’s Hualien branch said that a two-week-old male flying fox — considered an endangered species in Taiwan, with a report saying there could be as few as 200 in the country — was reported by an environmental volunteer in downtown Hualien City on Saturday last week. The animal was transferred to a wildlife aid station, it said, adding that initially, the team took the pup back to where it was found so its mother had an opportunity to take it back. However, none of the adult flying foxes approached the pup, it said. The branch then sent the pup to the WildOne Wildlife Conservation Association. Any further arrangements would depend on the pup’s health, it said.
TECHNOLOGY
Tsai praises video games
Video game consoles are more than just entertainment and provide huge business opportunities for Taiwan given their expanding technological applications, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday. Speaking at the 27th GTI Asia Taipei Expo opening, Tsai said consoles have rapidly become an indicator of technological innovation, and owing to their diverse applications, the gaming console industry provides the nation with immense business opportunities. She said the industry’s total output reached NT$30 billion (US$921 million) last year. The GTI Asia Taipei Expo is being held in Hall 1 at the Taipei World Trade Center and runs until Monday.
CRIME
Babysitter indicted
The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on Tuesday indicted a licensed babysitter for allegedly abusing a seven-month-old in her care. Footage taken in the residence from Feb. 19 to 21 showed 20 instances in which the babysitter, surnamed Yeh (葉), either pressed her feet against the baby’s face for more than 40 seconds, dragged and threw him on the floor or hit his head, prosecutors said. The issue came to light after the infant’s father found him drowsy and limp on Feb. 21. After initially being treated at a clinic, the baby developed a high fever and had seizures. The father took him to the intensive care unit of Mackay Memorial Hospital the next day. Doctors concluded that the baby had experienced severe physical trauma, resulting in intracranial and retinal hemorrhaging, as well as epileptic seizures. There was also evidence of brain atrophy, raising concerns about developmental delays, prosecutors said.
ART
NTNU exhibits Polaroid
An exhibition showcasing artworks created using Polaroid pictures, film and iconic instant cameras from the brand’s back catalog is being held at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), the school’s art museum said on Thursday. The Polaroid Project: At the Intersection of Art and Technology is hailed by the NTNU Art Museum as the largest-ever exhibition of its kind in the nation. The show, featuring more than 300 artworks by 120 international artists, is a collaborative effort between the museum, the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography in the US and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum. The exhibition offers a comprehensive insight into a marketing campaign launched by Polaroid in the mid-20th century, featuring such well-known artists and photographers as Andy Warhol and Andre Kertesz, the museum said.
Also showcased are landmark Polaroid models such as the SX-70, the first folding single-lens reflex camera, and the Polaroid Big Shot camera made famous by Warhol. Visitors will also be able to learn about the company’s history from the chronicle of major events at Polaroid.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first
MINOR DISRUPTION: The outage affected check-in and security screening, while passport control was done manually and runway operations continued unaffected The main departure hall and other parts of Terminal 2 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport lost power on Tuesday, causing confusion among passengers before electricity was fully restored more than an hour later. The outage, the cause of which is still being investigated, began at about midday and affected parts of Terminal 2, including the check-in gates, the security screening area and some duty-free shops. Parts of the terminal immediately activated backup power sources, while others remained dark until power was restored in some of the affected areas starting at 12:23pm. Power was fully restored at 1:13pm. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a
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