WEATHER
Two weather fronts coming
Two weather fronts are set to bring precipitation to the nation from today, but the rain would do little to relieve a drought in central and southern Taiwan, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said on Sunday. The first front would pass through Taiwan between today and tomorrow, CWB forecaster Lin Ting- yi (林定宜) said. Northeasterly seasonal winds would increase, driving down temperature highs from 28oC to 22oC, and lows to 19oC, he said, adding that sporadic showers are set to hit the north and northeast, as well as mountainous areas in central and southern Taiwan. A second front is to arrive between Saturday night and Sunday, Lin said. While the second front is likely to destabilize the weather in the north and northeast, its actual effect could only be gauged as it gets closer to the nation next week, he said.
HEALTH
Mpox vaccine filled
As of yesterday morning, the 30,000 slots for the second round of mpox vaccination had all been booked, so the online registration platform has been temporarily closed, Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said. The next batch of about 60,000 shots is expected to arrive in the middle of next month, and registration is expected to begin either late next month or in early June, he said. The first round of mpox vaccination registration began on March 21 and the 3,000 slots were filled within 10 minutes, while the second round of registration started in the afternoon of April 10 and the 30,000 slots were filled by 10:39am yesterday. As of yesterday, Taiwan had 40 mpox cases — 31 local and nine imported.
MILITARY
Military reshuffle announced
Navy Commander Mei Chia-shu (梅家樹) is to take over as chief of the general staff, the top commanding post in the military, on Monday next week, the Ministry of National Defense announced last week. Mei is to replace Chen Pao-yu (陳寶餘), who reached the retirement age for servicemen, 64, last year. However, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) extended his service last year, making Chen the first chief of the general staff to prolong his duty. Vice Chief of General Staff Tang Hua (唐華) is to be the new navy commander, the ministry said. Vice Minister of National Defense in charge of armaments Wang Hsin- lung (王信龍) is to serve as one of the military strategy advisers at the Presidential Office. His position is to be filled by army Commander Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞), while army Vice Commander Chung Shu- ming (鍾樹明) is to be promoted to take over Hsu’s post. All assignments are to take effect on Monday next week, it said.
HEALTH
Two noodle brands banned
Two types of instant noodles made by Southeast Asian brands have been found to contain a cancer-inducing substance, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday as it released the results of its inspection of instant noodles in the city. The department said it found a batch of “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles” from Malaysia and a batch of “Indomie: Special Chicken Flavour” noodles from Indonesia contained ethylene oxide, a chemical compound associated with lymphoma and leukemia. Ethylene oxide was detected in the noodles and flavor packet of the Malaysian product, and in the flavor packet of the Indonesian product. The unspecified retailer from which the samples were collected have been told to pull the two products from their shelves, and the products’ importers could be fined between NT$60,000 and NT$200 million (US$1,958 and US$6.5 million), it said.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said it is fully aware of the situation following reports that the son of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai (薄熙來) has arrived in Taiwan and is to marry a Taiwanese. Local media reported that Bo Guagua (薄瓜瓜), son of the former member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is to marry the granddaughter of Luodong Poh-Ai Hospital founder Hsu Wen-cheng (許文政). The pair met when studying abroad and arranged to get married this year, with the wedding breakfast to be held at The One holiday resort in Hsinchu
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon this morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan between Friday and Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The storm, which as of 8am was still 1,100km southeast of southern Taiwan, is currently expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, the CWA said. Because of its rapid speed — 28kph as of 8am — a sea warning for the storm could be issued tonight, rather than tomorrow, as previously forecast, the CWA said. In terms of its impact, Usagi is to bring scattered or
An orange gas cloud that leaked from a waste management plant yesterday morning in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) was likely caused by acidic waste, authorities said, adding that it posed no immediate harm. The leak occurred at a plant in the district’s Environmental Science and Technology Park at about 7am, the Taoyuan Fire Department said. Firefighters discovered a cloud of unidentified orange gas leaking from a waste tank when they arrived on the site, it said, adding that they put on Level A chemical protection before entering the building. After finding there was no continuous leak, the department worked with the city’s Department
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