Transport safety board urged to join military accident probes
Transport safety board urged to join military accident probesBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterThe Taiwan Transportation Safety Board should be more actively involved in the investigation of accidents related to military aircraft after a second Black Hawk helicopter crash in January, a lawmaker said yesterday at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee. The Jan. 2 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash killed eight military personnel on board, including then-chief of the general staff General Shen Yi-ming (沈一鳴). Taiwan Transportation Safety Board Chairman Young Hong-tsu speaks at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday in Taipei. “People across the nation were pained to hear that high-ranking military officials died in the helicopter crash. How can anyone expect the truth behind the crash to surface if the air force was also responsible for conducting the investigation?
Source:Taipei Times
March 12, 2020 15:56 UTC
Central bank considers virus measures
Central bank considers virus measuresWATCH LIST FEARS: The central bank said that the US could put Taiwan on its watch list next month, as it meets two of the US’ three currency manipulator factorsBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterThe central bank is to consider pre-emptive measures at its policy meeting next week to handle repercussions from the COVID-19 outbreak, Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) told the legislature yesterday. Yang made the statement when asked by lawmakers if he would follow global central banks and lower borrowing costs to support economic growth. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-long yesterday speaks at a meeting at the Legislative Yuan. Taiwan’s GDP growth might slip below 2 percent if world governments fail to contain the outbreak by June, Yang said. A spot on the currency watch list suggests currency intervention on the part of the central bank and could lead to punitive measures from Washington.
Source:Taipei Times
March 12, 2020 15:56 UTC
Virus Outbreak: Pandemic designation too late: vice president
Virus Outbreak: Pandemic designation too late: vice presidentBy Chang Hsuan-che and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe WHO’s designation of COVID-19 as a global pandemic came too late, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said yesterday. Vice President Chen Chien-jen, left, helps plant a sapling yesterday in Taichung to mark Arbor Day. Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times“When you see the number of confirmed patients decreasing and the mortality rate increasing, you should pay attention to how that nation is conducting tests,” Chen said. The number of confirmed cases is related not only to the nation’s population, but also virus test coverage, he said. When fatality rates are included in the equation, nations that limit their calculations to confirmed patients with advanced symptoms will see a higher mortality rate, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 12, 2020 15:56 UTC
Domestic shares plunge 4.33% over COVID-19 scare
Domestic shares plunge 4.33% over COVID-19 scareStaff writer, with CNAThe TAIEX plunged again yesterday after the WHO upgraded the status of the COVID-19 outbreak to a pandemic, ending 471.43 points lower, or 4.33 percent, to close at 10,422.32. Turnover totaled NT$270.063 billion (US$8.96 billion), with 103.778 million shares changing hands. A man stands in front of an electronic display board at a brokerage firm in Taipei yesterday. With the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly worsening in the US and Europe, global stock markets have been overcome by a growing panic. As a result, the domestic market might continue to sink in the short-term, testing 10,000 points, analysts said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 12, 2020 15:56 UTC
Virus Outbreak: Coupons may be delinked from hotel stays: minister
The Ministry of Economic Affairs had budgeted NT$2 billion for the coupons, which was raised to NT$2.3 billion after the Ministry of Culture’s plans were included. Photo: CNAAsked by reporters whether the government plans to issue coupons that could be used without having to present proof of a hotel stay, as previous tourism-industry booster coupons linked to hotel and B&B stays did, Kung said that the possibility was under consideration. If additional coupons were to be introduced, the budget would exceed what has been earmarked, he said, although he declined to provide any specifics. Asked when the coupons would be distributed, Kung said when the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) deems it suitable for people to go shopping. Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Taipei TimesLater in the day, the Ministry of Culture said in a statement that its coupons, which would have a face value of NT$200, would not be bound to hotel stays.
Source:Taipei Times
March 12, 2020 15:56 UTC
Ministry plans for fallout from oil price row
Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin talks to reporters in Taipei yesterday about the economic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and government countermeasures. Photo: Lin Ching-hua, Taipei TimesThe ministry would seek opinions and suggestions across these industries to devise a plan to assist businesses facing challenges, he said. The ministry would closely monitor the effects of fluctuating oil prices on Taiwanese industries, he added. With oil prices falling, some hope the ministry would freeze electricity prices at the electricity price review committee meeting next week. Meanwhile, state-run oil refiner CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) might adjust downward its weekly prices for domestic gasoline and diesel products by between NT$3.6 and NT$3.8 next week, which would be the largest cut in history based on CPC's floating oil price formula.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
Team touts fruit fly brain imaging systems
Team touts fruit fly brain imaging systemsBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterA team of researchers yesterday touted novel imaging systems for observing the dynamics of single neurons in living fruit flies’ brains, hoping to apply the tools to understand human brains. To explore the profound mystery of the human brain, the team started with fruit fly (Drosophila) brains, Chu said. A 3D dynamic image of neuronal activity in the brain of a fruit fly is pictured in an undated photograph. The team also produced a long-wavelength three-photon microscopy enabling whole-brain imaging in a living fruit fly, after they found the penetration depth of conventional two-photon microscopy in fruit fly brain was much less than that in a mouse brain due to their different brain structures, he said. The techniques might improve understanding about neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, in fruit flies and in human brains, Chu added.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
Jkopay to expand in Japan despite COVID-19 crisis
Jkopay to expand in Japan despite COVID-19 crisisBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterJkopay Co Ltd (街口支付) plans to continue the expansion of its cross-border mobile payment service in Japan, despite the country’s COVID-19 outbreak, the company said on Tuesday. “We have already developed plans to expand into other Asian countries, but decided to put them on hold due to the virus crisis,” Hu said. Jkopay in January launched its cross-border payment service in Japan by collaborating with several Japanese banks and payment service providers. LINE Biz+ Taiwan Ltd (連加網路) said that it might postpone the launch of its cross-border payment service because of the coronavirus. Partnering with four regional peers in Japan, South Korea and Thailand, the company would soon complete all of the preparatory work, Jeong said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
Alleged cannabis grower released after posting bail
Alleged cannabis grower released after posting bail‘PERSONAL USE’: The suspect said he learned to cultivate cannabis from online sources and purchased equipment online to grow the plants for his personal consumptionBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterA New Taipei City man who was last week detained on allegations of growing cannabis plants and producing dried cannabis products was yesterday released after posting bail of NT$100,000 (US$3,323), officials said. Police found 19 cannabis plants, 400g of dried cannabis leaves and flowers, and a set of equipment and machines for the cultivation, drying and packaging of cannabis products, New Taipei City orosecutor Lee Ping-chi (李秉錡) said. Cannabis plants are pictured yesterday after being seized from an apartment in New Taipei City’s Sindian District. Since last year, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines have opened up for medical marijuana use. Some Green Party members and independent legislative candidates in the Jan. 11 elections had advocated the decriminalization and legalization of medical marijuana.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
Virus Outbreak: Command center issues travel alerts for 26 countries
Virus Outbreak: Command center issues travel alerts for 26 countriesBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday issued a level 2 “alert” travel notice for eight European and two Middle Eastern countries, as well as a level 1 “watch” notice for 16 other European countries as it confirmed a new case of COVID-19 infection in a Taiwanese woman who on Sunday returned from the UK. The coronavirus outbreak in Europe is getting worse, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center. The CECC had already issued a level 3 “warning” travel notice — avoid all nonessential travel — for Italy and a level 2 “alert” notice — practice enhanced precautions — for France, Germany and Spain, he said. Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times“We are issuing a level 2 ‘alert’ travel notice for Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Austria, effective as of today,” he added. “Also, a level 2 travel notice has been issued for Bahrain and Kuwait in the Middle East, as they have the same level of risk,” he said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
The hunter’s tale
Photo: Noah Buchan, Taipei TimesThat’s hilarious. TREK TO KUCAPUNGANETwo of the three remaining residents of Kucapungane, Shikieyan and his wife Kuan Kuei-yin. Photo: Noah Buchan, Taipei TimesBut first, the trek in. Photo: Noah Buchan, Taipei Times“It’s clean,” he says. The only visible hint that this is a Rukai village are the symbols on the side of the homes.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
Virus Outbreak: National athletes can only travel for Olympic qualifiers
Virus Outbreak: National athletes can only travel for Olympic qualifiersBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterAthletes on national teams would be allowed to compete in international events in other countries amid the COVID-19 outbreak only if the events are qualifiers for the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Sports Administration Director General Kao Chin-hsung (高俊雄) said yesterday. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei TimesThe national gymnastics team is to compete in qualifiers in Japan and Singapore, which have level 2 advisories. “We would first consider sending athletes who have not yet qualified to compete in the Olympic Games to go to qualifiers,” Kao said. “If the games are not Olympic qualifiers, then none of our national team athletes should go.”Thirty-one national athletes in nine sports categories have so far qualified to compete in the Games, the Sports Administration said. The Asian qualifier is the final opportunity for Taiwan’s national baseball team to gain a berth in the Olympics.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
FSC orders six banks to repay excessive card fees
FSC orders six banks to repay excessive card feesBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterThe Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) yesterday said that it has told six local banks to quickly return a total of NT$6.98 million (US$231,932) to their credit card clients for interest rate overcharges on revolving credit. He did not name the banks, although Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) urged him to do so, telling lawmakers only that several were privately owned banks. Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Wellington Koo gestures while reporting to the Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei TimesDPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said the banks should be penalized by the commission for taking advantage of their clients. The six banks would be asked to assign a non-credit card division — such as compliance or information technology division — to set up a new mechanism to confirm that their credit card divisions are doing the calculation correctly, a commission official told the Taipei Times by telephone.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
TPP expels culture foundation vice chief
TPP expels culture foundation vice chief‘STRICTLY BUSINESS’: Responding to reports that he was seen at a motel with another party member, the Taipei Culture Foundation official said he was there to ‘discuss work’Staff writer, with CNAThe Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday expelled Taipei Culture Foundation deputy chief executive Chang Yi-san (張益贍) from the party following a magazine report alleging an extramarital affair with another party member. Taipei Culture Foundation deputy chief executive Chang Yi-san talks to reporters in Taipei on Aug. 6 last year after being elected to the Taiwan People’s Party Central Committee. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei TimesAfter a meeting of the TPP Central Review Committee in the afternoon, the party decided to expel Chang, it added. The Chinese-language Want Weekly reported that Chang and Tsai were spotted together three times between Feb. 27 and Tuesday last week. The magazine cited her as saying that she knew Chang is married, and that she and Chang did not have a personal relationship.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC
Virus Outbreak: Quarantine breaker fined NT$1m
Virus Outbreak: Quarantine breaker fined NT$1mBy Shen Pei-yao, Yao Chieh-hsiu and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writerTaipei officials have fined a person NT$1 million (US$33,228) for breaking quarantine, Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) said yesterday. Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang yesterday says that the city government has fined a person NT$1 million for contravening disease-prevention regulations. Over the past two weeks, the Taipei City Government has fined 70 people — 63 of whom were fined NT$10,000, four were fined NT$70,000, and three were fined NT$50,000, NT$60,000 and NT$1 million respectively. People arriving from Hong Kong must not use public transportation and must quarantine themselves at home for 14 days, according to regulations. Her family offered to pay for the taxi when she arrived home, but the woman refused, police said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 11, 2020 15:56 UTC