■POLITICS
DPP to participate in rally
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said it would continue with a plan to hold a rally scheduled for Aug. 30 despite a suggestion by some party members that the party should not participate in light of a scandal over alleged money laundering by the former first lady. DPP Department of Culture and Information Director Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) told reporters that the decision was made during the party’s Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday. Committee members suggested the party continue with the rally to boost morale, Cheng said. The rally, which aims to protest against President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) pro-China policies, is organized by several pro-localization groups. It is scheduled to begin at 3pm on Aug. 30 and end in front of the Presidential Office. The date of the protest was chosen to coincide with the Ma administration’s 100th day in office.
■HEALTH
Enterovirus warning issued
Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) yesterday reminded county residents to be on the alert against a possible enterovirus resurgence following the start of the new school year on Sept. 1. A total of 346 serious enterovirus cases have been documented in Taiwan so far this year, including 39 cases in Kaohsiung County. Yang said that although the outbreak has been brought under control, with no new cases being reported in the county in the last six weeks, history shows that the start of the new school year often leads to a second wave of new enterovirus cases. Yang urged parents to encourage their children to frequently wash their hands to avoid infection, and to maintain a clean environment in and around their homes.
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
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