Taiwan’s consumer price index stood at 103.89 in May, an increase of 0.14 percent on the previous month, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said June 5. May’s CPI was up 1.61 percent year on year, with average annual inflation for the first five months of the year at 1.14 percent. The agency attributed the price hikes to a 3.5 percent rise in the cost of eating out, the highest in 63 months.
Famous outdoor Mandopop extravaganza Spring Wave Music Festival will kick off June 7 in Singapore, with a full-day lineup including diva A-Mei, rocker Jam Hsiao, Della Ding Dang, Taiwan-South Korean singer Bii and otaku star Yao Yao. The outdoor concert, to be held at The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay, is modeled on the annual Spring Scream music festival which takes place at Taiwan’s Kenting beach.
Taiwan won seven gold medals at the International Young Inventors Awards June 5 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Li Hong-yi, an elementary student from Yilan County, was the youngest competitor to scoop a prize at 11 years old. The event’s organizers have recommended the device he created for breaking strengthened glass to their disaster prevention bodies. The Taiwan team also won three silvers, a bronze and four special awards, coming third overall. (SDH)