Traffic jams beset travelers on second day of New Year
Traffic jams beset travelers on second day of New YearBy Liu Hsiao-hsin and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerPeople traveling southbound along the nation’s freeways were stuck in kilometers-long traffic jams in sections near central Taiwan, the National Highway Police Bureau said yesterday. The worst congestion was on the Sun Yat-sen Freeway (Freeway No. Vehicles drive along the southbound lanes of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway (Freeway No. A bottleneck occurred along the Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Freeway (Freeway No. Separately yesterday, the National Freeway Bureau said the 1986 Web site and mobile app, which aim to help travelers navigate traffic congestion, crashed due to a spike in user traffic.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Holiday food not fit for pets: veterinarian
Holiday food not fit for pets: veterinarianDANGEROUS DELICACIES: Food high in sodium is harmful for the kidneys of cats and dogs, while salty and oily food can cause diarrhea in animals, a veterinarian saidBy Chang Tsung-chiu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerA Changhua veterinarian urged pet owners not to give food not meant for animal consumption to their pets during the Lunar New Year holiday, citing a number of health issues that animals can develop if fed improperly. People who want to treat their pets during the holiday could give them canned meat-based pet food, Tung said. Pet owners must also intervene if others try to feed their pets, he added. Primo Animal Hospital president Chang Pan-chung (張泮崇) said that binge eating by pets could lead to post-holiday weight gain. Separately, Changhua County vet Lin Ming-yuan (林明源) said pet owners should dress their pets when the temperature drops below 10°C.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
FEATURE: Interest in coins from dynastic, early republican eras causes surge in prices
Five copper coins minted during the reigns of the Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong and Jiaqing emperors of the Qing Dynasty are displayed in Taipei on Jan. 24. The silver in each coin is worth NT$600 to NT$700, but with the imprinted design, the coin’s value increases to at least NT$800, Wang said. More than 10 years ago, most coins only cost about NT$800 to NT$1,200, making them a stable investment, he said. Compared with the dramatic price increase for the Guangxu and Yuan Shikai coins, silver coins issued by Japan have remained relatively stable, increasing by only about NT$1,000, Wang said. The run is not limited to silver coins — Qing Dynasty-era copper coins have also experienced a substantial boost in value.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Reminders on pets on public transit
Pet owners aboard a bus in Kaohsiung show carriers containing their pets in an undated photograph. Taipei Rapid Transit Corp follows similar rules on pet carrier sizes, and owners must ensure that the animal’s limbs, tail or wings do not protrude from the container, and that the pet does not stink. Riders with pets must keep their pets with them at all times, and should not obstruct walkways with their carrier or place it on a seat, the company said. Taipei eBus said that passengers taking public buses in New Taipei City and Taoyuan are also required to have their pets in sturdy containers measuring no more than 55x45x40cm. Each passenger is allowed to bring one pet carrier aboard, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
Feast in moderation, experts say
A selection of Lunar New Year dishes is pictured in Taipei in an undated photograph. People do not have to avoid certain types of foods altogether, Chiu said, adding that taking everything in moderation is key. In the week following the holiday, more than 280,000 people sought emergency care or outpatient services for gastrointestinal problems, the data showed. Preparing too much food and repeatedly heating the dishes allow room for bacteria to grow, resulting in food poisoning, he said. Food that is greasy could also stimulate one’s gall bladder, increasing the risk of inflammation of the bladder or pancreas, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 11, 2021 15:56 UTC
Single imported COVID-19 case confirmed: CECC
Single imported COVID-19 case confirmed: CECCStaff writer, with CNAThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday confirmed one new imported case of COVID-19, bringing the nation’s total to 936 casesThe new case is a Taiwanese man in his 20s who since September last year was studying in France and returned to Taiwan on Jan. 29, the center said. He provided a negative COVID-19 test result within three days of his flight, but while quarantining at home, he developed a cough, a runny nose, and nausea and vomiting, it said, adding that a test arranged by health authorities returned positive for COVID-19 yesterday. Higher Ct values — such as in the mid-to-high 30s — indicate a lower viral load, or likelihood of transmission. Taiwan has had 936 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 820 classified as imported. Nine people with COVID-19 have died, while 859 people have recovered and 68 remain in treatment, CECC data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
February 11, 2021 15:56 UTC
Avoid talking when dining in public places, CECC says
Avoid talking when dining in public places, CECC saysBy Lin Hui-chin and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday urged the public to avoid talking when eating out and to wear a mask at all times when not eating or drinking to prevent COVID-19 infection over the Lunar New Year holiday. People who are under self-health management after returning from abroad should also avoid chatting as much as possible when dining at home and opt for takeouts instead of eating out, the center said. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei TimesPeople who have finished quarantine but failed to observe self-health management regulations can be fined between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000 for breaching the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法). Those who are practicing self-health management or have just entered this phase after home isolation would be fined between NT$10,000 and NT$150,000 if they breached regulations, it added. If they must do so, they should wear a mask, periodically wash their hands and always cover their mouth when coughing, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 11, 2021 15:56 UTC
Moderna to supply 5m doses to Taiwan
Moderna to supply 5m doses to TaiwanMID-YEAR TARGET: The drugmaker said that although the vaccine has not yet been approved for use in Taiwan, it would work with local regulators to gain the approvalStaff writer, with CNAUS drugmaker Moderna Inc on Tuesday said that it has signed an agreement with the government to supply Taiwan with 5 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. Although the vaccine has not yet been approved for use in Taiwan, Moderna would work with regulators to pursue the necessary approval prior to distribution, the company said in a statement. Moderna also said that it has agreed to supply 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Colombia and that deliveries to the countries would begin in the middle of this year. Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times“We thank the governments of both Taiwan and Colombia for partnering with us to bring the COVID-19 vaccine Moderna to Taiwan and Colombia,” Moderna chief executive officer Stephane Bancel said in the statement. The Moderna vaccine has received emergency-use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration for the vaccination of individuals aged 18 or older, the report added.
Source:Taipei Times
February 10, 2021 15:56 UTC
Hota revenue up 17.95% amid market recovery
The increase in revenue reflects a steady recovery in the global auto market, which boosted the company’s shipments of machinery parts and gear transmission products last month, the company said on Tuesday. The logo of Hota Industrial Manufacturing Co is pictured at one of the company’s plants in the Chiayi Dapumei Precision Machinery Park on July 24, 2019. “We expect more EV revenue contribution to kick off from 2021 as some projects have been delayed in 2020 due to COVID-19,” Daiwa said in a note last month. The company aims to start production at the new plant in the second half of this year and supply components for EVs for US and European clients. It already operates two plants in the same industrial park.
Source:Taipei Times
February 10, 2021 15:56 UTC
Extra day of holiday to stay: MOTC
Extra day of holiday to stay: MOTCSMOOTHER TRAVELS: The ministry said it has adopted the measure as a standing policy after the extra day at the beginning of the holiday greatly reduced travel problemsBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNAThe addition of an extra day at the beginning of the Lunar New Year holiday — the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve — has successfully alleviated travel congestion, so the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has made the change permanent. A traffic jam is pictured on a highway in Changhua County on Feb. 7, 2019, the third day of the Lunar New Year holiday. The TRA has mobilized an additional 288 trains over the holiday, as well as discounted express trains that depart from Taipei, Yilan and Hualien stations, Chang said. The eastern line would feature midnight trains and trains with only registered seating, Chang added. From Monday to Tuesday next week, THSRC trains are only to offer registered seating, with all eating and drinking prohibited, Chen said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 10, 2021 15:56 UTC
AIT video for Year of the Ox focuses on Taiwan-US efforts against virus
AIT video for Year of the Ox focuses on Taiwan-US efforts against virusBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterThe American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday released a video to mark the Year of the Ox ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday and highlight Taiwan-US teamwork in fighting COVID-19. The US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan has the custom each Lunar New Year of releasing a themed video. The two-minute video posted on Facebook yesterday showed AIT Director Brent Christensen, Deputy Director Raymond Greene, spokeswoman Amanda Mansour and other institute officials writing Chinese characters. Some staff members of the American Institute in Taiwan are pictured in a video released by the institute yesterday to wish Taiwanese a happy Lunar New Year. “We hope the Year of the Ox brings us all health and happiness, prosperity and peace.”
Source:Taipei Times
February 09, 2021 15:56 UTC
KMT’s Chiang urges Strait dialogue
KMT’s Chiang urges Strait dialogue‘DIFFICULT’ DIPLOMACY: Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang said the party hopes for substantial breakthroughs in the global spaceBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) yesterday urged Taipei and Beijing to seek opportunities to resume official dialogue and normal people-to-people exchanges. “We have also noticed that President Tsai has in recent speeches tried her best to show goodwill to the other side” of the Taiwan Strait, Chiang wrote on Facebook. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang, center, accompanied by KMT Secretary-General Lee Chien-lung, talks to reporters in Taipei on Monday. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times“The KMT continues to welcome remarks that would help melt the ice for cross-strait reconciliation,” he added. Commenting on Tsai’s remark that Taiwan-US relations remained stable, Chiang wrote that the KMT hopes Tsai can maintain stability in the relationship.
Source:Taipei Times
February 09, 2021 15:56 UTC
Innolux, AUO revenues soar over 65%
Innolux yesterday said its consolidated revenue surged 65.9 percent to NT$27.51 billion (US$969 million), the highest monthly revenue in about three-and-a-half years. Innolux said changes to its product portfolios and key component supply constraints affected its shipments last month. Compared with December last year’s NT$28.86 billion, revenue slipped 7.8 percent, as the first quarter is generally a slow season for flat-panel makers. Total shipments also fell at a monthly pace of 7.8 percent last month, the company said. That was a monthly decline of 3.5 percent from NT$2.57 billion in December last year, the company said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 09, 2021 15:56 UTC
Notes from central Taiwan: Taiwan’s water scarcity crisis
Notes from central Taiwan: Taiwan’s water scarcity crisisThe water situation has powerful international implications for Taiwan’s securityBy Michael Turton / Contributing reporterIn discussing Taiwan’s development, it is conventional to present the country as a place with few natural resources, that became rich through hard work, good policy and a little luck. For example, according to a 2018 report from the International Water Association, Taiwan’s water price to income ratio is the second lowest in the world. Since Taiwan gets the bulk of its water from typhoons, this can only mean an increasingly dire water situation over time. Like a sixty-car pile up on a foggy freeway, Taiwan’s water crises are all happening at the same time. Everyone was conscious of the nation’s water scarcity, and every house had a catchment system to store rainwater.
Source:Taipei Times
February 07, 2021 15:56 UTC
Magnitude 6 earthquake strikes off the east coast
Magnitude 6 earthquake strikes off the east coastSTAYING ALERT: Some people reported receiving as many as a dozen earthquake warning messages, which the Central Weather Bureau said was due to an errorBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterA magnitude 6.1 earthquake yesterday struck off Taiwan’s east coast at 1:36am, the Central Weather Bureau said, adding that aftershocks of magnitude 4 or higher could occur in the next three days. However, the center has already recorded five magnitude 5 or larger earthquakes since last month, including yesterday’s, he said. Last year, there were 25 magnitude 5 to 6 earthquakes, whereas there were only four earthquakes larger than magnitude 6, Chen said. “The earthquake’s epicenter was far from Taiwan’s northeast coast and was more than 110km deep, which presented a challenge to the early warning system,” he said. To prevent the system from repeating the same warning message, the bureau has begun to improve the automatic detection modules in the earthquake early warning system, Cheng said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 07, 2021 15:56 UTC