Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-17
By: CNA

The chair of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang, Eric Chu, reaffirmed Saturday that he

will not run for president in the January 2016 election as the deadline to collect a registration form for the party’s presidential primary expired.

“The decision not to run has subjected me to more pressure and criticism than if I had decided to run,” said Chu, who is widely considered as his party’s best chance of beating Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, in next year’s presidential elections. Chu said the decision not to compete does not mean he is “biding his time or fears defeat,” but rather that he is honoring his promise of serving out his second four-year term as mayor of New Taipei, as promised during the local election campaign last year.

As KMT chair, he said, he has been working to revive the party’s spirits since its crushing defeat in the local elections last November.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/17
By: Tang Pei-chun and Christie Chen

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) The Ministry of the Interior said Saturday that it will launch a program this year to help children of Southeast Asian immigrants in Taiwan learn the native language and culture of their parents.

Under the program that starts in July, a selected number of children of immigrants will travel to Southeast Asia for two weeks at a time, which will allow them to become immersed in the language, culture and family life of their parents, the ministry said.

In addition to sponsoring the trips for the children, the ministry will also arrange for some of them to be accompanied by their guardians, teachers and some school administrative personnel.     [FULL  STORY]

WELCOMED DEVELOPMENT:Ministry of National Defense spokesman David Lo said the military looked forward to opportunities to play a greater role in regional security

Taipei Times
Date: May 18, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA, Washington

The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the US military budget for next year, with an amendment that stipulates that if the US Department of Defense invites Beijing to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), a similar invitation must also be extended to Taiwan.

The amendment was proposed by Mark Walker.

The amendment said that the US secretary of defense “shall invite the military forces of Taiwan to participate in any maritime exercise known as the Rim of the Pacific Exercise” if the secretary has invited the military forces of the People’s Republic of China to participate.

The amendment specified that “this section takes effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.”     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/17
By: Wang Shu-fen and S.C. Chang

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) Three approaching weather fronts will begin affecting Taiwan from Sunday afternoon and are likely to bring torrential rain to parts of the country by Wednesday, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said.

The weather systems, approaching from the northeast, will bring scattered showers to the eastern, northeastern and mountainous regions of the country Sunday afternoon, the bureau said.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/17
By: Lee Hsien-feng and Christie Chen

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) A township chief in Hualien County said Sunday she wants to move on with her life, after a court recently granted her state compensation for a wrongful conviction.

The Taiwan High Court’s branch in Hualien ruled on May 7 that Chang Huai-wen (張懷文), head of Shoufeng Township, may seek NT$405,000 (US$13,313) in state compensation for the mental anguish and loss of reputation and freedom that she suffered as a result of a wrongful conviction and detention in a case of alleged bribery.

Chang was detained for 135 days, from September 2010 to January 2011, on charges of giving nine pearl necklaces to voters prior to an election.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/15
By: Huang Li-yun and Elaine Hou

Taipei, May 15 (CNA) The Taipei City government has issued a directive requiring all tea beverage shops in the city to stop using polystyrene cups beginning in June to reduce waste and protect the environment.

The city’s 2,882 tea shops will be subject to the new regulation, which will be enforced starting on June 1, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement on Friday.

The only tea shop chain in Taipei still using polystyrene cups, Chingshin Cold Drink Station, has been asked to abide by the new regulation, the department said.

The agency will conduct inspections of all tea shops under the city’s jurisdiction to ensure that the policy is effectively implemented, it said.    [FULL  STORY]

Victim was 3 – 6 feet from animal when gored

The Denver Channel
Date: May 16, 2015

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – A 16-year-old girl has been gored by a bison in Yellowstone National Park while posing for a picture near the animal.

The National Park Service says the unidentified girl’s injuries were serious but not life-threatening.

The agency described her as an exchange student from Taiwan who was visiting the park with her host family.

The incident occurred shortly after noon Friday on Geyser Trail near Old Faithful.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-16
By: CNA

Among the 24 Taiwanese nationals who were known to have been in Nepal

when a magnitude-7.3 earthquake shook the Himalayan country earlier this week, four remained unaccounted for as of 6pm Friday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The information was obtained from the ministry’s outposts at the request of the travelers’ families and friends, the ministry said in a statement.

Twenty Taiwanese nationals were confirmed safe, but there were still four people with whom the ministry had yet to make contact as of Friday evening. The ministry said it was trying to locate them through various channels.

Tuesday’s earthquake, which hit approximately 80 kilometers northeast of the capital Kathmandu, was the second major quake to hit Nepal in less than three weeks after a magnitude-7.8 earthquake on April 25 that devastated large swathes of the country.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/16
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) Former Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) took to the streets in Taipei on Saturday to raise money for Syrian refugees who have been displaced by a civil war.

Shih joined Wang Ching-feng (王清峰), chairwoman of the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and other members of the charity in a street fundraiser at the busy Jianguo Holiday Flower Market.

The former chairman contacted the Taiwan Red Cross after learning about the charity’s initiative to raise funds to help Syrian refugees, according to the charity. The initiative began in February and will end by the end of June.     [FULL  STORY]