Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/07/05
By: Chen Wei-ting and Ko Lin

Taipei, July 5 (CNA) Tropical Storm Maria, which was upgraded from a tropical depression a day earlier, is likely to be at its closest to Taiwan on July 10-11, the Central Weather Bureau forecast Thursday.

As of 8 a.m., Maria was centered 2,610 kilometers south-southeast off Eluanbi — Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour in a northwesterly direction, according to the weather bureau.

Maria continues to pick up strength and should increase in intensity later this evening, CWB forecaster Chang Hsin-hua (張心華) said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan Internationmal
Date: 2018-07-04

With Taiwan’s plans to develop offshore wind power, it is estimated that the industry could

employ 32,000 people in the future. This includes a need for over 2,000 engineers who understand the core technology of offshore wind farming.

On Wednesday, the Denmark-based Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) announced a training program in partnership with National Taiwan University and Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The program will take DTU’s course as its foundation to offer online, on-the-job training to wind farm technicians.

CIP also announced it will help National Taiwan University set up a master’s degree program in offshore wind power.

Chiang Mao-hsiung, director of National Taiwan University’s engineering department, said the development will be a massive help in developing local talent for the country’s future needs.    [FULL  STORY]

Your daily bulletin of Taiwan news, courtesy of ICRT.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/07/05
By: International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT)

The National Development Council (NDC) has established a new centralized office responsible for coordinating personal data protection issues between government agencies.

According to the council, the office will be in charge of personal data protection and it plans to seek an “adequacy decision” from the European Union based on the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, which became applicable in all EU member states in May.

That regulation outlines a strict personal data protection legal framework and regulates the processing by individuals, companies or an organizations of personal data relating to individuals within the EU.    [FULL  STORY]

Changhua County Government inadvertently creates ironic ‘Let’s Get High’ slogan for anti-drug campaign

Taiwan News
Dtew: 2018/07/04
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In a sincere attempt to provide a positive, structured outlet for teenagers over the summer vacation, the Changhua County government late last month announced a summer youth anti-drug/anti-vice program with the unintentionally ironic slogan “Let’s Get High,” leading some Westerners on social media to snicker.

The Changhua County Government on June 28 announced that in order to “give young people a healthy and happy growth experience it will launch the “Rock Youth – Let’s Get High” Summer Protection Youth Program. Deputy County Executive Lin Ming-yu (林明裕) said that in addition to inviting musicians to perform during the event, he would like to remind children to not smoke, drink alcohol, or do drugs to enable Changhua’s youth to study and grow up in a safe and secure environment.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/07/04
By: Kuo Hsing-yi, William Yen and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, July 4 (CNA) The first reactor at the No.2 nuclear power plant in New Taipei’s Wanli

District developed a mechanical failure Tuesday, with the alarm on its process radiation monitor (PRM)-19 sounding for 13 minutes, according to the Atomic Energy Council (AEC).

An initial investigation indicates the incident was caused by an internal leak at the safety relief valve linking the plant’s backwash receiving tank when the water purification system was transferring resin to the tank, the AEC said.

The plant’s management immediately switched off the filtered containment vent system and has launched an investigation into the malfunction, the AEC said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 05, 2018 
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

A rat sighting sent more than 100 Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system passengers

fleeing in panic yesterday, leaving a trail of shoes, bags and other personal belongings as they rushed for the exit.

The incident occurred on a train bound for MRT Xiangshan Station (象山站) on the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (淡水信義線), also known as the Red Line, at about 9am.

“Many people suddenly started screaming and running. It was like a scene from Train to Busan as people pushed each other and an elderly man fell down,” a witness said in a post on Professional Technology Temple — the nation’s largest online academic bulletin board system.

Train to Busan was a hit South Korean zombie action thriller that takes place on a train.

Many people thought it was another random attack targeting MRT passengers, the witness said.

Photographs and videos posted online showed the empty train with a few bags, more than a dozen shoes, spilled beverages and other items scattered on the floor of the train and station platform.

MRT operator Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) issued a news release saying that the incident occured at 9:04am near MRT Daan Forest Park Station (大安森林公園站), and that the control center had immediately informed the approximately 700 passengers on the train to disembark at the next station — Daan (大安站) — and wait for the next train as station staff tried to calm the passengers.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: July 03, 2018

President Tsai Ing-wen opened the National Scout Jamboree July 1 in Taichung City,

extending a warm welcome to members of the movement from 17 countries and territories attending the 11th edition of the event in central Taiwan.

It is a real honor to be here in the capacity of chief scout, Tsai said. The last national jamboree was held seven years ago, and to stage one of the biggest events of its kind in Taiwan at Cheng-kung Ling Camp—or Success Ridge as it is better known locally—is quite special, she added.

According to the president, the theme of the jamboree Scouting to Success, as well as the fact it is taking place at a military base where generations of Taiwan college students underwent training, augurs well for scouts from around the world to deepen friendships and expand exchanges.

Scouting activities are important for youth education and development, Tsai said, adding that she wants participants to keep three main ideas in mind during the five-day jamboree wrapping up July 5: Be brave when faced with new people and experiences; learn from teamwork and help each other; and make friends from other countries.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-07-03

A group of young volunteer English language teachers in Taiwan for a summer program

has won the praise of Vice President Chen Chien-jen. Chen spoke to the volunteers on Tuesday, telling them about the impact that volunteering brings.

These 600 young people come from a range of English-speaking countries. They are all here in Taiwan to spend a month teaching English to children in remote areas. The program they have come with has been bringing young English speakers of ethnic Chinese descent to Taiwan for 13 years.

The opening ceremony for this year’s program was held for the latest batch of volunteers on Tuesday. At the event, Vice President Chen Chien-jen spoke about his own experience as a volunteer and the positive impact volunteering can have.    [FULL  STORY]

Appeals are still possible

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/07/03
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Chang Shu-ching (張淑晶), dubbed the “evil landlady” by

Taiwanese media for swindling tenants over the years, was sentenced to eight years and two months in prison Tuesday.

Appeals were still possible against the sentence, of which seven years could not be replaced by paying a fine, the Central News Agency reported. A man surnamed Huang (黃), 55, who was also charged in the same case was found not guilty.

Since the end of 2013, Chang had presented false documents for tenants to sign at apartments in four districts of New Taipei City and sued 18 of them even though she knew they were not to be blamed for anything, the New Taipei District Court said.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/07/03
By: Lee Shu-hua, Lu Hsin-hui and William Yen

Taipei, July 3 (CNA) The official website of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)

was hacked Tuesday with the hackers posting phrases about President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in simplified Chinese characters on the homepage, a party spokesperson said.

DPP spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka said the party’s website is a frequent target for malicious attacks by hackers especially during and in the run up to elections.

The phrases included “Chinese netizens support the re-election of President Tsai Ing-wen” and “Tsai Ing-wen, we Chinese netizens love you.”

The website has since been taken down and was not back online at press time.    [FULL  STORY]