■HEALTH
DOH to provide flu shots
The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday announced that it would provide free flu inoculations for people with high risks of infection beginning on Wednesday. The targeted groups are those aged 65 and over, children aged six months to three years, children enrolled in their first to fourth year of elementary school, healthcare and quarantine workers and workers in the poultry and livestock industries, said Shih Wen-yi (施文儀), deputy director-general of the Center for Disease Control. The center has prepared 2.865 million doses for adults and 355,000 doses for children. Those who have inquiries can call the bureau’s 24-hour toll free hotline: 1922.
■DIPLOMACY
US visa prices to increase
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) announced yesterday that because of the recent shift in the exchange rate between the US dollar and the New Taiwan dollar, and in keeping with the global US non-immigrant visa processing fee, AIT would increase its visa processing fee effective this Monday from NT$4,100 to NT$4,300. All applicants for the visas who pay the visa processing fee on or after Monday must show a receipt for NT$4,300. Applicants who paid the visa processing fee before Monday may still submit receipts for NT$4,100. The US non-immigrant visa processing fee remains at US$131. Applicants who paid the previous fee of US$100 prior to Jan. 1, must pay an additional NT$1,000.
■CRIME
Policeman kills himself
A police officer in Chiayi County jumped to his death from the 7th floor of his police precinct in an apparent suicide early yesterday morning, Chiayi police said later in the day. Police suspect the 56-year-old officer, surnamed Huang, committed suicide because of severe pressure in his personal life, said Wang Yu-chun (王育群), supervisor of the Chiayi County Police Department. Wang said that Huang had taken out around NT$1 million (US$31,000) in loans from three banks on behalf of a friend and that he was caring for a 28-year-old daughter who has been bedridden since a serious car accident four years ago. The suicide occurred at around 1:30am, Wang said, adding that Huang died at the scene. Investigators found a pair of shoes belonging to Huang and half a bottle of kaoliang liquor on the roof of the police precinct, Wang said. They also found a journal in the drawer of his desk detailing the loans.
■EDUCATION
MOE stresses the classics
The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced yesterday plans to increase the number of Chinese literature classes and the percentage of classical Chinese literary works in the nation’s high school curriculum. Vice Education Minister Wu Tsai-shun (吳財順) told reporters in the ministry that the number of Chinese literature classes offered in high school had been reduced to four sessions per week in the curriculum guidelines published in 2006 year. The amount of classical Chinese literature in high school Chinese literature textbooks has dropped to 45 percent, Wu said. “What we are certain now is that classical Chinese literary works will account for more than 45 percent of the content of high school Chinese literature textbooks,” Wu said. Wu said the ministry would also make Analects of Confucius (論語) and the Works of Mencius (孟子), both of which were optional under previous regulations, required reading for high school students.
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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