MILITARY
Navy announces exercise
The navy yesterday announced that after upgrading its Chien Lung-class submarines, it would conduct a large-scale joint sea and air anti-submarine exercise late this month involving P-3C aircraft and S-70C(M) helicopters. The first of these submarines, the Sea Dragon (海龍), has completed sea trials, with its upgraded combat system performance meeting requirements, a military source said. The other Chien Lung-class submarine, the Sea Tiger (海虎), is still having its combat system upgraded, so the upcoming exercise off Kaohsiung’s Zuoying District (左營) and southwest Taiwan would primarily feature the Sea Dragon, the source said.
Photo: Ann wang, Reuters
DIPLOMACY
Tsai visiting Japan
Former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) office on Tuesday confirmed that she is visiting Japan on a personal trip, but it declined to provide any further details about the tour. “[This is a] personal trip ... with no official schedule planned,” therefore, no information would be disclosed, Tsai’s office said in a brief statement. It is Tsai’s third overseas visit since leaving office in May last year, following two trips to Europe. In October last year, she traveled to the Czech Republic, France and Belgium, and in May, she visited Lithuania, Denmark and the UK.
SOCIETY
Lottery prizes increased
Taiwan Lottery Co on Tuesday announced that it would increase the jackpots in several of its lotteries by a total of NT$450 million (US$14.85 million) to celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and attract buyers. Taiwan Lottery president Hsieh Chih-hong (謝志宏) said from Tuesday next week, 100 extra NT$1 million bonus prizes would be offered in Lotto 6/49. In the 6/49 draw, buyers pick six numbers from a total of 49. Those who match all six would win NT$1 million, or share the prize if there are multiple winners. If not all 100 prizes are claimed, draws would continue until all are awarded or until Oct. 31, Hsieh said. The Lotto 6/49 is drawn twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. From Sept. 27, Taiwan Lottery would also add prize money for Bingo Bingo over 16 consecutive days. During the promotion, payouts would rise from six times the bet to seven times, while “super number” winners would see prizes increased to NT$1,500 per bet, up from NT$1,200.
TOURISM
Kenting among top spots
Kenting National Park was ranked fifth among the “top eight destinations in Asia with a population under 50,000,” according to an Agoda survey released last week. The survey was based on search volumes from Feb. 15 to Aug. 15 across eight countries: Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, India and South Korea. The seaside destination in southern Pingtung County — famous for its beautiful sunsets, clean white beaches, coastal walks and lush forests — ranked fifth in the lineup, showing Taiwan’s rising popularity among international tourists. The tea plantation-spotted hills of the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia was ranked first, followed by Khao Yai Island in Thailand and mountainous Puncak in Java, Indonesia.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
RSS