DNA vaccine research is promising, NHRI saysBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) yesterday said that tests of its DNA vaccine against COVID-19 on hamsters was promising, with clinical trials likely to start later this year. The institute on July 1 chose the DNA vaccine among its four vaccine development platforms as its main focus and started animal testing, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology director Liao Ching-len (廖經倫) said. “The vaccine has shown the effect of significantly reducing the viral load and decreasing the damage that the virus caused to the lungs” of hamsters, he said. From left, National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) Bioproduction Plants Facility director Liu Shih-jen, Enimmune Corp director Lee Tsung-dao, NHRI Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology director Liao Ching-len and deputy director Chen Hsin-wei attend a news conference yesterday at the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taipei. Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times“With the DNA vaccine, we deliver genetic information [a plasmid containing the DNA sequence encoding the antigens against COVID-19] into the human body, and when it enters the cells, the cells produce spike proteins,” Liao said.

Sea turtles return safely to oceanRARE OCCURRENCE: Most sea turtles go to beaches in Siaoliouciou, Orchid Island or Penghu to lay their eggs, and do not often visit Dawan Beach, a veterinarian saidBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterTwenty-four baby sea turtles on Sunday night safely returned to the ocean at Kenting National Park’s Dawan Beach with help from government workers and National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium veterinarians. This was the second time since 2017 that baby sea turtles were found in Kenting National Park. Most turtles lay their eggs at beaches on Siaoliouciou Island (小琉球), Penghu and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), he said. “It is exciting to know that sea turtles have returned to the Hengchun Peninsula again to lay their eggs. “We will also speak with hotels about dimming their lights so that baby sea turtles would not go astray.”“Beach visitors should refill the sandpits before they take off and leave no items behind to facilitate the sea turtles’ trips to the beach,” Lee added.

Lee Teng-hui and independenceBy Michael Lin 林正二In late 2015, ahead of the January 2016 presidential and legislative elections, then-Tainan mayor William Lai (賴清德) announced that he supported Taiwanese independence. Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) — who passed away on July 30 — responded by saying that if Taiwan sought independence, China would probably send the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to attack Taiwan. Lee also emphasized that he had never said Taiwan should seek independence, because it is already independent. However, halfway through the chat, Herschensohn suddenly asked Lee about his Taiwanese independence strategy, which stupefied Lee. Perhaps that was why Lee was so displeased with having a foreign guest asking him about his Taiwan independence strategy.

Japanese delegation led by Yoshiro Mori visits Lee Teng-hui memorialBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterA Japanese delegation of parliamentarians from across party lines, led by former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori, yesterday paid their respects to the late former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) at a memorial at the Taipei Guest House. The Japanese delegation arrived at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) on a chartered plane at 2:35pm yesterday. Former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori speaks in front of the Taipei Guest House yesterday where a memorial to the late president Lee Teng-hui is being held. Lee Teng-hui made many contributions to international society, and while Japanese lacked confidence after World War II, he always encouraged them to be courageous and proud, Mori said. During his 12-year presidency and after he left office, Lee Teng-hui always promoted better understanding between Taiwan and Japan, building the friendship between the two nations, he said.

Azar’s flight landed at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) at 4:48pm, nearly one hour earlier than scheduled, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The apron where it landed is reserved for military aircraft, the Songshan Air Force Base Command said. A US government plane carrying US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and his delegation lands at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) yesterday. On Wednesday, he would visit the Taipei Guest House to pay respects to the late former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) before departing Taiwan, the source said. According to the US’ Presidential Succession Act, an HHS secretary is placed ahead of the US secretary of energy.

Former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) is to accompany Chen Chi-mai this week, Liao said. Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei TimesThe party’s Kaohsiung chapter has only one job ahead of the election: to canvas for votes, he added. Photo: CNAThey could include former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), a source said. The KMT believes pan-blue supporters would support Lee “for the sake of Kaohsiung’s development,” the source said. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Saturday and yesterday stumped for his Taiwan People’s Party’s (TPP) candidate Wu Yi-jheng (吳益政).

TaiMed returns to profit on Trogarzo salesFRIENDLY BOOST: TaiMed received a bump as the share price of Montreal-based Theratechnologies, of which TaiMed holds 2.3 million shares, surged last quarterBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterTaiMed Biologics Inc (中裕新藥) swung into profit in the second quarter on rising sales of its Trogarzo HIV treatment in the US, improving gross margin and recovering value of its financial assets, the company said on Friday. Net profit in the second quarter was NT$30.42 million (US$1.03 million), compared with a net loss of NT$83.57 million a year earlier, the company said in a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Trogarzo is a fourth-line treatment and is not often recommended to patients unless they have already tried the initial or second-line treatments, the company said. The company’s gross margin increased to 42 percent in the second quarter, from 17 percent a year earlier, as its contract manufacturer, China-based WuXi Biologics Co (無錫生物製藥), improved its production procedures, he said. The company would delay its plan to market Trogarzo in Germany later this quarter, depending on the situation of the outbreak, he added.

A slide is shown during a news conference hosted by the Professor Huang Kun-Huei Education Foundation in Taipei yesterday. Teenagers experiencing negative peer pressure in school, and frustration with coursework and teachers were seen as factors that could lead to teenage delinquency. Asked which preventive measure schools should take, 76.2 percent of the respondents said that schools should help develop students’ interest in learning. Nearly 72 percent said that schools should nurture positive attitudes, while 60.3 percent said schools should teach teenagers how to control their emotions. However, 76 percent still saw teenage delinquency as a serious issue, compared with 80 to 90 percent in the past, he said.

Control Yuan probing fishery abuse complaintsGREENPEACE REPORT: A December 2019 report raised questions about the actions, or lack of them, by local agencies, two Control Yuan members have saidStaff writer, with CNATwo Control Yuan members have announced an investigation into government agencies for alleged leniency toward two Taiwanese-owned fishing boats accused of abusive labor practices toward migrant fishermen. The entrance to the Control Yuan in Taipei is pictured on June 17. Greenpeace Southeast Asia said the companies and individuals linked to the vessels named in the complaints had denied inhumane treatment of crews. It “does not tolerate the occurrence of violence and physical abuse aboard fishing vessels, and in the event any abuse or violence involving human trafficking is reported, the Fisheries Agency of Taiwan will forward such cases to the prosecutors’ office with jurisdiction. They said they had been treated inhumanely while at sea, echoing the situation described in the December report.

KMT wants point person for issues over constitutionBy Shih Hsiao-kuang / Staff reporterThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has reportedly tapped caucus secretary-general Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) to serve as its spokesperson for issues related to constitutional amendments. While Lin and some other KMT lawmakers have expressed support for abolishing the Control Yuan and the Examination Yuan, most KMT members oppose the move, the sources said. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Cheng Li-wun speaks at the legislature in Taipei on March 27. KMT hardliners have doubts about abolishing the branches, as they were established in accordance with Sun Yat-sen’s (孫逸仙) “five branches” ideal, they added. The KMT’s draft constitutional amendments would be unveiled after the legislature officially forms a “constitutional amendment committee” in the next legislative session, they said.

Taiwan in Time: The ‘no problem’ doctorChanghua physician Hsu Tsai-chih got his nickname from his willingness to treat people who couldn’t pay for his servicesBy Han Cheung / Staff reporterAug. 10 to Aug. 16They called him the “No Problem Doctor” (沒關係醫生) because that’s what he always told his patients when they couldn’t pay up. Photo: Chen Kuan-pei, Taipei TimesSometimes, patients who received Hsu’s help for free felt too ashamed to go see him again, and their conditions worsened. Photo: Chen Kuan-pei, Taipei TimesThere are no biographies on Hsu, except for a picture book published by the Pusin Township Office in 2017. Photo: Chen Kuan-pei, Taipei TimesIn response to his children asking him to retire, Hsu said, “It makes me happy to cure other people. An illustrated cutout of Hsu Tsai-chih sits outside his former clinic in Changhua County.

Court reverses Chao bail decisionBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterIn a reversal of an earlier court decision, independent Legislator Chao Cheng-yu (趙正宇) was yesterday detained with restricted communications, becoming the fourth lawmaker to be detained for alleged involvement in a department store bribery case. The three other lawmakers are Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Chen Chao-ming (陳超明) and Sufin Siluko (廖國棟), and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Su Chen-ching (蘇震清). Chao was released after posting bail of NT$1 million (US$33,882) on Sunday last week, but Taipei prosecutors applied again on Thursday to detain him. Independent Legislator Chao Cheng-yu leaves the Taipei District Court to be transported to the Taipei Detention Center in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District yesterday. Chao was transported to the Taipei Detention Center in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District (土城) yesterday afternoon.

However, the Lions could not sustain their super-charged offense for the whole week, as they were shut out 4-0 by the Guardians in New Taipei City. The Fubon Guardians’ Chang Chin-te, right, celebrates a home run against the Uni-President Lions during their CPBL game at the Sinjhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City yesterday. CTBC Brothers shortstop Chiang Kun-yu connects during an at-bat against the Rakuten Monkeys at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium yesterday. The Uni-President Lions’ Lin An-ko warms up at the Sinjhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City on Friday. Lin took a fastball offering and drilled a shot into the right-field stands for his 22nd home run of the season.

Groups hold Taichung clear air paradeCARBON NEUTRAL: While the organizers urged the government to do more to reduce pollution, the EPA said its efforts had reduced the number of ‘red’ air alerts in TaichungStaff writer, with CNAEnvironmental groups yesterday held a parade in Taichung, calling on the government to work harder to cut air pollution and coal use, and outline plans to achieve a carbon-neutral society. The annual parade was headed by Air Clean Taiwan chairman Yeh Guang-perng (葉光芃) and Changhua Mayor Lin Shih-hsien (林世賢) of the Democratic Progressive Party, who dressed as “tree men” to draw attention to climate issues. Members of healthcare and environmental groups form the words “Net 0 carbon” as part of an environmental event in Taichung yesterday. Members of environmental and healthcare groups hold signs with pro-environmental slogans at a news conference in Taichung yesterday before a parade calling on the government to cut air pollution and coal use. Photo: Su Chin-feng, Taipei TimesThe Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday said in a statement that the government agrees with the groups on reducing pollution.

Megaport Music Festival’s return delights fans, artistsBy Hsu Li-chuan, Yang Yi-han and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writerAn announcement that the Megaport Music Festival has been rescheduled for some time next year has been met with great enthusiasm from fans, musicians and the Kaohsiung Bureau of Cultural Affairs. Metal band Chthonic perform at the Megaport Festival in Kaohsiung on March 24, 2018. “However, over the past year, we were truly touched by the fans’ support of the event and we have decided to return,” the committee said. The bureau said that it is always supportive of pop music, and always happy to see music events of every style held in Kaohsiung. Taiwanese rapper Dwagie (大支) said he was “moved” by the decision and said he hopes the organizers would invite him to the event.