Deaths not caused by flu vaccination: CDC experts
Deaths not caused by flu vaccination: CDC expertsUNDERLYING CONDITIONS: Adverse events caused by the flu vaccine have been sporadic, and were not caused by a single batch of immunizations, a CDC physician saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterFour deaths have been reported to the vaccine adverse event reporting system this year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, but added that its advisory specialist panel considered the causes to be associated with underlying health conditions, so the government’s flu vaccination program would continue. The meeting also discussed several serious adverse events in people who received flu shots in Taiwan, after the government-funded flu vaccination program began on Oct. 5, he said. Chuang said the specialists at the meeting also suggested that the CDC continue with the flu vaccination program, while closely following up on reported vaccine adverse events. South Korean authorities have said the deaths there were not linked to flu vaccination and the nation’s vaccination program would continue, he said. While Singapore has temporarily halted the use of two types of flu vaccines as a precaution, other countries have continued with their flu vaccination programs.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
Pingtung residents fume over graffiti in historical street
Pingtung residents fume over graffiti in historical streetBy Chiu Chih-jou and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerPingtung County residents on Monday condemned people who spray-painted brick walls at Moru Lane (摸乳巷), a tourist attraction in Chaojhou Township (潮州). The bricks on the walls of Moru Lane, also known as “the breast touching lane,” belong to a house with a history of more than 100 years. Graffiti covers the walls of Moru Lane in Pingtung County’s Chaojhou Township on Monday. Street graffiti can be beautiful and artistic, but it should only be applied where the law permits, he said. The Chaojhou Township Office urged locals to help protect the image of the township by showing respect for the lane’s status as private property.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
Poll shows over half back license for CTi News
Poll shows over half back license for CTi NewsBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterNearly 53 percent of people would not want to see CTi News’ license revoked, a survey released yesterday by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation found. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei TimesAnother 15 percent either had “no opinion,” did not know or declined to answer, the foundation said. The Taiwan People’s Party and the New Power Party each had 5.8 percent, while the Taiwan Statebuilding Party had 4.4 percent, the survey showed. The survey, which was conducted on Monday and Tuesday last week, collected 1,080 valid responses from adults in Taiwan aged 20 or older. It has a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of 2.98 percentage points.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
Electrified South Link Line to open Dec. 23
Electrified South Link Line to open Dec. 23TRANSFORMATION: The rail operator is planning to reduce the number of diesel-powered trains on the line from 57 to 28 and upgrade Fangliao Station to tier 2By Shelley Shan / Staff reporterAn electrified South Link Line is to officially begin operations on Dec. 23, which would reduce the estimated travel time between Kaohsiung and Taitung County by about 27 minutes, the Taiwan Railways Administration said yesterday. The 123.4km-long line connecting Pingtung and Taitung counties was the last stretch of the nation’s railway system that had yet to be electrified. Photo: Chen Hsien-yi, Taipei TimesSix Puyuma Express services and four Tzuchiang Express services would be added to the line once it is fully electrified, raising transport capacity by 7 percent during weekdays and 13 percent on weekends. Once the South Link Line is completely electrified, travel time between Kaohsiung and Hualien could be shortened by 39 minutes, the agency said. Schedules along the line would be changed once the electrified services begin on Dec. 23, with the number of diesel-powered trains to be reduced from 57 to 28, the TRA said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
Experts tout the benefits of US missile system
Experts tout the benefits of US missile systemLAND-BASED: The Block II Harpoons can hit targets even in high waves, a perfect choice for the nation’s coastal defense needs, Sung Yu-ning saidStaff writer, with CNAThe proposed sale of a coastal defense missile system that the US approved on Monday would complement Taiwan’s anti-ship missile system and boost its asymmetrical warfare capabilities, local military experts said yesterday. Washington on Monday said that it approved a possible sale to Taipei of up to 100 Harpoon coastal defense systems and related equipment for about US$2.37 billion. Institute for National Defense and Security Research research fellow Su Tzu-yun attends an international relations forum in Taipei on Sept. 27. The Harpoon missiles approved for sale on Monday are for ground-based launchers in coastal areas, similar to Taiwan’s Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile system produced by the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, Sung said. Compared with their predecessors, Harpoon Block II missiles have enhanced resistance to electronic countermeasures and improved targeting, making them more deadly to enemy vessels, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
Chen pushes human rights training for civil servants
Chen pushes human rights training for civil servantsBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNAPrevious Judicial Yuan cases related to human rights would be incorporated into civil servant training courses to help them better understand that human rights transcend political differences, Control Yuan President Chen Chu (陳菊) told a news conference yesterday. The project is a collaborative effort between the Control Yuan’s National Human Rights Committee and the Examination Yuan’s National Academy of Civil Service. Civil servants should be above partisan politics and should dedicate themselves to the advancement of society, similar to some other countries in which civil servants, no matter which political party they belong to, always work for the people, Chen said. Examination Yuan President Huang Jong-tsun (黃榮村) told the news conference that civil servants are the core that makes the government stable. Hao said she hoped that all civil servants would continue to reflect on the greater meaning of these materials.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
Taiwan thanks US for new arms sales
Taiwan thanks US for new arms salesSTRIKING A BALANCE: The US$2.37 billion weapons package would further modernize Taiwan’s defense capabilities in the face of Chinese provocation, the government saidBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterThe government yesterday thanked Washington for another proposed arms sales package to strengthen the nation’s defense capabilities. “Taiwan’s government thanks the US government for once again providing important defensive weapons in the wake of last week’s announcement of a three-part arms sales package,” Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said in a statement yesterday. Washington yesterday announced more arms sales to Taipei. The US has normalized its arms sales to Taiwan and reviewed Taiwan’s purchase proposals upon request, rather than holding and approving accumulated proposals all at once, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) wrote on Facebook. Following Washington’s announcement last week, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) on Monday said that Beijing would impose sanctions on Lockheed Martin Corp, a Boeing Co defense unit, Raytheon Technologies Corp and other US companies involved in the US’ arms sales to Taiwan.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
William Lai calls for big data projects
Lai made the remark in Taipei yesterday at an NHIA conference, which showcased the work by 12 research teams that used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze National Health Insurance data. Vice President William Lai speaks at a forum in Taipei yesterday to mark the 25th anniversary of the National Health Insurance program. Fifteen research teams — nine from the medical field and six from academia, with 10 involving industry-academia partnerships — were approved for the project, he said. However, what solved this social problem was the establishment of the NHIA in 1995 and cooperation from the medical field, he said. With research teams from the medical field and academia having joined the pilot project, many outstanding preliminary results have already been achieved, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
An LGBT bike ride!
Cyclists take a photo on Taipei's pride flag in the Ximending area before departing on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Asia Rainbow Ride)Today's Hear in Taiwan kicks off with a look at a bike ride that took place over the weekend to promote LGBT visibility: Rainbow Ride Asia! Visit their website: https://www.asiarainbowride.com/ and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asiarainbowrideAlso in today's show:
Source:Taipei Times
October 26, 2020 17:15 UTC
Microsoft to build Taiwan data center
Microsoft to build Taiwan data centerVISION: The US firm said it picked Taiwan as it has a complete hardware supply chain, abundant talent, a supportive government and shared sustainability goalsBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterMicrosoft Corp yesterday announced that it would build an Azure data center in Taiwan, and create a new team focused on the research and development of artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. The US company also pledged to help Taiwan train more than 200,000 “digital talents” to serve its ventures, Microsoft Taiwan Corp general manager Ken Sun (孫基康) told a news conference at Taipei 101. Describing it as the tech behemoth’s “biggest investment in Taiwan yet,” Sun said that Microsoft is “doubling down” on Taiwan due to the strength of local partners, a supportive government and conditions that align with its sustainability goals. Photo: CNA“We have been increasing our investment in Taiwan every year for the last five years,” Sun said. An additional factor in Microsoft’s investment in Taiwan is the company’s commitment to the environment, Sun said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 26, 2020 16:00 UTC
Macronix profit surges 22% on stay-at-home trend
Net profit expanded to NT$1.62 billion (US$56.05 million), from NT$1.33 billion in the second quarter. On an annual basis, net profit slumped 13 percent from NT$1.85 billion, or NT$1.01 a share, due to a higher tax payment, the company said. Macronix International Co chairman Miin Wu is pictured at the company’s headquarters in Hsinchu on May 27. “Prices for NOR [flash memory chips] are quite stable. Macronix is evaluating expanding its 12-inch wafer capacity to cope with rising customer demand for its first 3D NAND flash memory chips, but no plan has been finalized, the company said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 26, 2020 15:56 UTC
Chiang urges Su not to end free press
Chiang urges Su not to end free press‘SHAMEFUL’: While a pro-independence group said that CTi News was broadcasting Chinese propaganda, the KMT chair said the government was threatening democracyBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) yesterday urged Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) not to be the “executioner” of press freedom and democracy in Taiwan. “If you can shut down news channel A today, then will you shut down news channel B tomorrow?” Chiang asked. “Our media can dig out inside stories and related issues.”People hold placards at a demonstration outside the National Communications Commission in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA“This is also the most important meaning of democracy, which is freedom of speech and freedom of the press. “More importantly, what you are threatening is people’s freedom, as well as Taiwan’s democracy.”Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councillor Lo Chih-chiang, left, and KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang speak to reporters in Taipei yesterday.
Source:Taipei Times
October 26, 2020 15:56 UTC
Lawmaker says progress needed on memorial hall
Lawmaker says progress needed on memorial hallBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterA lawmaker yesterday called for progress on plans to transform the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall into a public space, suggesting that it be converted into a “dictator history park” (獨裁者時代公園). Transitional Justice Commission Chairwoman Yang Tsui attends a meeting at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei TimesTransitional Justice Commission Chairwoman Yang Tsui (楊翠) said that a cross-agency task force has been set up to deal with the matter and the commission would continue to discuss the matter with the Ministry of Culture. “The letter was addressed to ‘Party Comrade’ Hsieh Kuan-sheng, Convenor of Political Affairs Unit at Judicial Yuan. It was not addressed to Hsieh as Judicial Yuan president.
Source:Taipei Times
October 26, 2020 15:56 UTC
Intraday odd-lot trading begins slow
Odd-lot traders yesterday bought a total of 4.31 million shares, or 94 shares per transaction on average, the data showed. Odd-lot trading during regular trading hours became available yesterday. TSMC was followed by E.Sun Financial Holding Co (玉山金控) with 208,322 shares traded, FocalTech Systems Co (敦泰電子) with 170,140 shares traded and Evergreen Marine Corp (長榮海運) with 163,028 shares traded, the data showed. “It was no surprise that TSMC was popular among odd-lot traders,” TWSE trading division director Ben Chen (陳正斌) told the Taipei Times by telephone. TSMC’s 266,041 shares traded in the odd-lot trading mechanism were still much lower than the 14,958 units, or 14.95 million shares, that changed hands in regular trading yesterday, the data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
October 26, 2020 15:56 UTC
Most employers plan to hire new staff in Q4: poll
Most employers plan to hire new staff in Q4: pollStaff writer, with CNAAbout 70 percent of employers in the nation intend to recruit new employees in the fourth quarter of this year, as the local economy seems to be stabilizing amid efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan, the online 1111 Job Bank (1111人力銀行) said last week. Local employment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the second and third quarters, and hiring was postponed to the fourth quarter, the job bank’s media center head Henry Ho (何啟聖) said. Of the employers who are planning to hire new personnel in the fourth quarter, those in the construction and property sectors seemed the most eager, as the housing market has been showing signs of improving, the survey said. Employers in the information and communications technology industry are looking to hire new workers given the advent of 5G technology in Taiwan, Ho said. However, while demand for new personnel is increasing, 73 percent of employers are worried about finding the right workers for their businesses, the poll said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 26, 2020 15:56 UTC