Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-05-29

The health ministry says it will stand firm on the government’s ban on the use of a

leanness-enhancing drug called ractopamine in pork.

In a written report, the ministry says the ban imposed by the Council of Agriculture in 2012 applies to local and imported pork products.

In recent years, Taiwan has been under pressure from the United States to lift the ban. However, the government has made it clear that it will not allow US pork imports with traces of ractopamine to enter Taiwan before a science-based risk assessment is carried out. The government has also promised to ensure food safety and protect pig farmers’ rights when discussing the issue in the future.

Deputy Agricultural Minister Chen Chi-chung on Monday reiterated the government’s stance.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/05/29
By: George Liao,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwanese magician Will Tsai (蔡威澤) stunned the full house and received a standing ovation from the judges and audience after performing an Incredible
Taiwanese magician Will Tsai (蔡威澤) stunned the full house and received a standing ovation from the judges and audience after performing an Incredible
TAIPEI (Taiwan News)–Taiwanese magician Will Tsai (蔡威澤) stunned a full house and received a standing ovation from the judges and audience after performing an Incredible illusion live on “America’s Got Talent” (AGT) a couple days ago.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/29
By: Elizabeth Hsu and S.C. Chang

Taipei, May 29 (CNA) Two suspects were detained Monday evening on charges of vandalizing a pair of lion-like stone statues in front of a Taipei elementary school that they said were “guarding the souls of dead Japanese soldiers.”

Shilin District prosecutors initially decided to release former Taipei City Councilor Lee Cheng-lung (李承龍) and accomplice Chiu Chin-wei (邱晉芛) on NT$50,000 (US$1,658) bail each.

But the two refused bail even though their friends came up with the money to secure their release, according to the prosecutors, who then requested and received the court’s permission to detain them on the grounds that they might flee.
[FULL  STORY]

ASSETS:Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee spokeswoman Shih Chin-fang said discussions have been held on whether there is enough evidence to assume a link

Taipei Times
Date: May 30, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

The Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee might recognize the National

Women’s League as affiliated with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) before any further hearing, meaning the discussion of the disposal of the league’s assets could begin with such recognition.

League representatives attended a meeting held by the committee on April 27 to determine if the league had been controlled by the KMT, and if it had collected illicit gains through its connection with the party.

The committee has been verifying data and statements presented at the hearing, and discussions have been held over whether there is enough evidence to assume the alleged affiliation between the league and the KMT to be true before a planned further hearing, committee spokeswoman Shih Chin-fang (施錦芳) said yesterday.

Asked if such a formal recognition being made before a second hearing would be premature and against procedure, Shih said the committee has met its obligation in carrying out its investigation.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: May 29, 2017
By: CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A home-made bamboo raft returned to Hualien Fishing Port on

Sunday, completing a round trip to Yonaguni Island in Japan in five days.

Escorted by two yachts, 10 people in their 60s and 70s took turns paddling the raft on the 220-kilometer voyage, which started last Tuesday.

Rotating in pairs, the travelers paddled the six-meter long raft from Hualien in eastern Taiwan to Yonaguni, the westernmost island of Japan.

They were escorted by two yachts, which also carried the raftsmen when they were not paddling.

The three vessels, carrying a total of 15 people, arrived in Yonaguni last Wednesday evening and embarked on the return leg Saturday morning.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2017/05/28
By: TNL 編輯

Good Eye Taipei’s recommendations for stationery brands and stores to

check out in Taipei.

There is more than an unhealthy amount of folks in Taiwan who suffer from varying degrees of stationery fanaticism. Their symptoms include a thorough knowledge of Japanese and Western stationery, constant failures to suppress the urge to buy washi tape, and starting blogs, such as ” Stationeria,” that are dedicated to stationery. Some even devote themselves to stationery manufacturing and opening up stationery stores.

“Good Eye Taipei,” a new bilingual Taipei city guide, shares six of the best stationery brands and select shops in the city.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/05/29
By: Jose Kalathil, Taiwan News, Contributing Writer

NEW DELHI (Taiwan News) — Leading Indian newspapers like The

Times of India and The Hindustan Times and other vernacular dailies prominently published in their foreign pages Taiwan constitutional court’s declaration on Wednesday that same-sex couples have the right to legally marry, the first such ruling in Asia.

The Times of India used the Reuters agency report headlined “Taiwan court backs same-sex marriage” and the Hindustan Times used Agence France-Presse report headlined “Taiwan will become the first country in Asia to legalize gay marriage.”    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/28
By: Chiu Chun-chin and S.C. Chang

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) A worker at a chemical plant in Taoyuan City was

hospitalized and some residents nearby were evacuated Sunday after a leak of nitrous gases developed at the facility, according to firefighters.

Taoyuan City fire department said an ambulance and seven fire trucks were dispatched to the area at 8:30 a.m. in response to reports that a yellow-colored gas was leaking from a factory owned by T.N.C. Industrial Co. in Luzhu District.

A 60-year-old worker at the factory was taken to hospital after he complained of feeling ill, while residents of the surrounding area were evacuated to ensure their safety, firefighters said.    [FULL  STORY]

PUSHING AND SHOVING:In Pingtung, where Tsai was attending a concert,

Taipei Times
Date: May 29, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

A demonstration by former highway toll collectors confronted President

Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday as she attended the Taipei Dragon Boat Festival, while later in the day in Pingtung, she was met by a protest against the government’s pension reform proposals.

In the morning, Tsai briefly visited the Dajia Riverside Park in Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) to cheer for a dragon boat crew representing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but her visit was marred by the demonstration by former toll collectors, who police kept at a distance from the president.

Protesters demanded that Tsai honor an agreement between the government and the former toll collectors made on Aug. 16 last year, which promised them NT$580 million (US$19.26 million at the current exchange rate) in unemployment compensation by Jan. 15 this year.
[FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: May 28, 2017
By: The China Post

Amendments to the Urban Renewal Act finally rolled out on May 4. That,

along with a law passed at the end of April to expedite the reconstruction of old and dangerous urban buildings, mean that President Tsai Ing-wen administration’s “social housing, rental and urban renewal” housing policies have already made huge strides before she has completed a full year in office. With the full support of the central government, can urban renewal — which had previously ground to a halt — be able to open new doors?

“I can’t really bear to let my mother have a life of such hardship,” said an octogenarian surnamed Tsui.    [FULL  STORY]