Fri, Jun 26, 2009 page4

• Taiwan News Quick Take

  • STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA AND AGENCIES
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  ■DEFENSE

  Ministry defends purchases

  The military yesterday defended its plans to spend NT$480 million (US$14 million) on 15,000 TV sets and and video games for soldiers’ entertainment. “We did not waste any money,” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General Yu Sy-tue (虞思祖) said in response to an article in yesterday’s Chinese-language Apple Daily. Yu said that regulations stated there should be one 29-inch TV for every 31-bed dorm. As the military is planning to reduce the total number of personnel in a room from 31 to six or eight people, there was a need to purchase more TVs and video equipment, he said.

  ■SPORTS

  Hau to promote Deaflympics

  Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) is scheduled to depart for Hong Kong today to promote the 21st Deaflympics. Hau is scheduled to meet with Donald Tsang, chief executive of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and will hold an international news conference on the Taipei Deaflympics the following day, Taipei Deaflympics Organizing Committee chief executive Emile Sheng (盛治仁) said. The Sept. 5 to Sept. 15 Deaflympics, which are being held in Asia for the first time, will be preceded by a grand opening of the main stadium on July 23 and an invitational track and field warm-up meet on July 24 and July 25, Sheng said. A series of large-scale promotional performances will also be staged during the run-up to the Games.

  ■WEATHER

  Nangka to bring more rain

  Whether Tropical Storm Nangka will approach Taiwan depends on a region of high pressure over the Pacific Ocean, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday. This year’s fourth tropical storm formed on Tuesday. Statistics from the CWB showed that the storm’s center was located 350km northwest of Manila. At press time, it was moving northwesterly at a speed of 20kph per hour, with maximum wind speeds topping 72kph. The radius of the storm had reached 100km. If the region of high pressure gets stronger, it will force the storm to go west toward China, the bureau said. If the high pressure weakens, the storm will move closer to Taiwan through the Taiwan Strait, it added. Nonetheless, the CWB warned that the storm would bring rain or thunderstorms to central, south and southeastern Taiwan, as well as to Penghu and Kinmen today.

  ■EARTHQUAKES

  Quake strikes east coast

  An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 struck off the east coast early yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau reported, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The undersea tremor hit at 5:09am, 82km east of Hualien City at a depth of 18km, the bureau said. It was followed by a magnitude 5.0 aftershock an hour later, 70km east of Hualien at a depth of 31km.

  ■DIPLOMACY

  Ministry evaluting projects

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday it was evaluating the possibility of starting new projects with two of the nation’s allies, in line with President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) policy of “economic and trade diplomacy.” Diego Chou (周麟), deputy director-general of the Department of Central and South American Affairs, said the ministry is considering the possibility of launching a cooperation project with Belize on tilapia fish farming. Taiwan and St Christopher and Nevis might also cooperate in the future to explore the Caribbean nation’s rich geothermal resources, Chou added.

  ■TOURISM

  Kaohsiung 60% booked

  More than 60 percent of the hotel rooms that normally cater to foreign tourists in Kaohsiung City have been booked ahead of the World Games to be held in ­Kaohsiung City next month, a business source said yesterday. Lin Chun-liang (林俊良), CEO of the Kaohsiung Tourist Hotel Association, said the occupancy rates at eight local tourism hotels are averaging nearly 70 percent over the period from July 13 to July 29, which overlaps with the period when the Games will be held from July 16 to July 26. Meanwhile, the occupancy rate at other hotels in the city also hit approximately 60 percent, Lin said. To support the games, 29 hotels affiliated with the association are offering their rooms at a preferential rate of NT$2,000 per night on average, Lin said, adding that the association is keen to promote tourism in Kaohsiung as the World Games also falls during the peak season for domestic travel.

  ■TRAVEL

  Bikes on trains half price

  Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) announced yesterday that it would give a 50 percent discount to travelers who would like to carry their bikes on trains starting on July 1. At present, train passengers who take their bikes with them must pay the price of a full-fare ticket to transport the bikes. Groups of 10 passengers or more can transport their bikes at a 20 percent discount. In view of the growing popularity of cycling, the TRA will provide the 50 percent discount to promote travel by train as well as biking activities. If a group of more than 10 are taking bikes with them on the trains, the passengers will also enjoy a 20 percent discount on their train ticket fares, the TRA said.
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