DIPLOMACY
Apostille agreement signed
An agreement to abolish the requirement to double-check public documents made with Nicaragua was signed on Wednesday last week to simplify document legalization procedures and promote bilateral exchanges, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. The agreement was signed by Ambassador to Nicaragua Wu Chin-mu (吳進木) and Nicaraguan Minister of Foreign Affairs Denis Moncada, the ministry said in a news release. However, it would not be implemented until both nations complete their internal procedures, it said. Once the agreement goes into effect, documents from Taiwan would only need to be verified at the Bureau of Consular Affairs or at ministry offices in Taiwan before they can be used in Nicaragua, it said, adding that documents from Nicaragua to be used in Taiwan would only need to be verified in Nicaragua.
CHARITY
Huge rummage sale at TAS
After 48 years, the Taipei American School (TAS) Orphanage Club is to host its final rummage sale tomorrow from 10am to 5pm. The school no longer has space for the club to store the items it collects for its twice-a-year rummage sale and annual book sale, so the club is transporting 10 truckloads of items from its temporary storage space for a combined rummage and book blowout. There are thousands of books for readers and learners of all ages, household items, clothes, shoes and art ranging from Japanese Washi dolls in glass cases to handicrafts from Russia, Mongolia and Central America. All of the proceeds are to go to the club’s funds for needy children and orphans in Taiwan and overseas, for whom it has raised more than US$2 million since 1970. The school is at No. 800 Zhongshan N Road Sec 6 in Tianmu (天母).
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although