AIRLINES
Starlux to add Jakarta route
Starlux Airlines is to begin operating flights between Taoyuan and Jakarta in September, the carrier said on Wednesday. Starlux confirmed the news after speculation from Indonesia-based Taiwanese businesspeople and aviation enthusiasts about the new route. The route connecting Taiwan and the Indonesian capital is to operate five weekly flights using A321neo aircraft, with tickets set to go on sale soon, the airline said. EVA Air and China Airlines currently fly seven and 10 weekly flights respectively between the destinations.
AIRLINES
Airbus to upgrade cabins
Airbus on Wednesday said it had signed a letter of intent with China Airlines to upgrade the carrier’s A350 cabins with a new layout and amenities. Under the agreement, Airbus Services would oversee the installation of China Airlines’ latest Premium Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class seats on its fleet of 15 A350-900s, the company said in a statement. The retrofit is expected to cost about US$400 million, the airline said in a statement on March 8. However, the timing of the modification would depend on when the contract with Airbus is signed, the airline said. Airbus said that the upgrades would cover seating in all classes, in-flight infotainment systems and the cabin environment.
LABOR
Care program to resume
The Ministry of Labor is mapping out a plan to resume the suspended dispatched migrant caregiver program, which is set to be launched on a trial basis later this year, in one or two cities or counties, an official said on Wednesday. The program was suspended mainly because people eligible for the service were subject to the same criteria as those eligible to hire long-term migrant caregivers, which removed incentives for dispatched caregivers, Cross-Border Workforce Management Division head Paul Su (蘇裕國) said. However, this time the eligibility of users could be expanded to include families requiring urgent care services. In the early iteration of the program, only families with crucial care needs or individuals with severe mental or physical disabilities could apply for dispatched migrant caregivers, Su said. The plan is to be finalized after it has been discussed with the public, he said.
ENVIRONMENT
Bullfrogs euthanized
Taijiang National Park in Tainan has euthanized more than 4,000 banded bullfrogs since 2020 in an effort to prevent the non-indigenous species from reproducing, a park service staffer said on Wednesday. The non-native species makes a “loud noise” and is capable of adapting to different environments and laying more than 5,000 eggs at a time, making it necessary to control the population, the staffer said. The park began monitoring the frog species after it was first spotted in 2018 and one year later the population reached about 1,000. As a result, from 2020 to last year the park euthanized 4,212 frogs, the staffer said. The frogs are mainly found in southern Taiwan, especially Chengxi Windbreak Forest in the park. However, they have recently been sighted in central and northern areas, including Miaoli County. To raise public awareness of the species’ impact on local ecosystems, the park headquarters has held an annual educational gathering since 2020 to introduce people to the species and instruct people on how to catch them. This year’s event is to take place on June 29.
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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