The China Post
Date: July 11, 2016
By: Christine Chou

TAIPEI, Taiwan — New life has been breathed into cities as old, deteriorating buildings are fixed up

and reworked to house chic cafes, restaurants and hotels. Most see the trend as a turn for the better, especially when it boosts tourism, inspires entrepreneurship and preserves cultural heritage all at once.

Others are a bit overwhelmed by the hype. The devastating earthquake that shook the nation in February begs the question: Are older buildings safe?

With no regulatory framework in place to ensure the safety of older houses — unlike recent construction projects that are forced to follow strict standards established after the violent 921 Earthquake in 1999 — who is to tell whether a bed-and-breakfast owner had placed safety concerns above aesthetics?

“There is simply no way everyday customers can know whether old houses are dangerous, apart from two ways — trusting their instincts or paying a visit to the local Civil Affairs Bureau,” said Kevin Chien (簡榮秋), head of real estate agency Century 21’s Chongshan branch in Tainan.

People are still buying, despite a sluggish realty market seen over the past two years, remarked Chien.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-10
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taitung County Magistrate Justin Huang said Sunday he would try to get subsidies from the central government to help custard apple farmers in the county, who endure heavy losses due to Typhoon Nepartak, get through the hardship.

According to Taitung County Government, the typhoon has seriously affected the livelihood of custard apple farmers in the county as they will have to plant new trees, and it takes four years for the custard apple tree to produce fruit normally.

Having inspected three custard apple farming families in Taimali Township, Huang said he felt sorry for them as the roofs of their houses were lifted by the typhoon, which forced them to live with relatives or friends or in a shelter, and their custard apple trees were uprooted and fruit swept to the ground.

Huang promised to strive for getting subsidies from the central government to make up for the farmers’ losses and help them get through the hardship.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/10
By: Wang Shu-feng and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, July 10 (CNA) Security measures were tightened Sunday as thousands of Muslims and Taipei citizens gathered at Taipei Main Station Sunday for celebrations to mark Eid al-Fitr, or the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.

Rail security has been stepped up around Taiwan since July 7 after a homemade pipe bomb exploded on a commuter train at Songshan Station in Taipei, injuring 25 passengers, according to the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA).

About 20,000 Muslim workers gathered at Taipei Main Station Sunday morning for a prayer session to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, and the number was expected to rise to around 50,000 in the afternoon when a series of performances were scheduled, the TRA said.

Taipei Main Station Master Huang Jung-hua (黃榮華) said that nine special police officers were deployed at the station to beef up security, while 25 TRA workers and 60 volunteer workers from migrant workers’ groups were on hand to help maintain order.      [SOURCE]

DEFENSIVE CAPABILITY:The official said that Taiwan’s defenses on the island are outgunned by weaponry that Vietnam and China have sent to nearby islands they hold

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 11, 2016
By: Lo Tien-pin / Staff reporter

Ahead of the ruling by an international tribunal on a dispute between the Philippines and China over

sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, a senior government official expressed concerns that Taiwan does not having sufficient defense capacity on Itu Aba (Taiping Island, 太平島), which might make it “a piece of meat amid a pack of wolves” as surrounding nations have been strengthening their military capacities.

Itu Aba is the biggest feature in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) and is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC). The Spratlys are claimed whole or in part by Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam Malaysia and Brunei.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that at the moment, Taiping is guarded by Coast Guard Administration (CGA) personnel, and while these personnel were trained by ROC Marines before being deployed, the main mission for them is “law enforcement,” which is different from what the marines do.

The most powerful weapon on the island are the Bofors 40mm guns lent by the armed forces, which have a maximum firing range of 7,100m if fired into the air and 10,000m if fired horizontally, the official said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-10
By George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) provides a free round trip travel by express train from Banciao to Taitung, the hardest hit region by Typhoon Nepartak, on Sunday and Monday, respectively, for transporting volunteers and medical personnel participating in rescue efforts.

The first free rescue train (train code 5242) leaves Banciao at 12:19 p.m., stopping over at Taipei, Songshan and Hualien and arriving at Taitung 14:50 p.m.

The return train (train code 8717) leaves Taitung at 6:04 p.m., stopping over at Hualien, Songshan, and Taipei and arriving at Banciao at 9:58 p.m.

The schedule of Monday’s free rescue trains to and from Taitung is exactly the same as Sunday.

The TRA said rescue volunteers can come to the Banciao Station (02-89691036), Taipei Station (02-23713558), Hualien Station（03- 835594）and Taitung Station（089-229685）to register for the free trains.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/10
By: Wang Shu-feng and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, July 10 (CNA) Security measures were tightened Sunday as thousands of Muslims and Taipei citizens gathered at Taipei Main Station Sunday for celebrations to mark Eid al-Fitr, or the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.

Rail security has been stepped up around Taiwan since July 7 after a homemade pipe bomb exploded on a commuter train at Songshan Station in Taipei, injuring 25 passengers, according to the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA).

About 20,000 Muslim workers gathered at Taipei Main Station Sunday morning for a prayer session to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, and the number was expected to rise to around 50,000 in the afternoon when a series of performances were scheduled, the TRA said.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: July 10, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The suspect involved in the commuter train explosion that injured 25 people on

Thursday night is suspected of considering injecting poison into consumer drinks to trigger public panic, an investigation task force said on Saturday.

Investigators found that the 55-year-old male suspect, Lin Ying-chang (林英昌) — among the 25 victims wounded after Thursday night’s blast — allegedly borrowed NT$500 from the boss of a breakfast stand in Nantou County, Central Taiwan, and then purchased a bottle of Paraquat, a highly toxic weed killer, before heading north to Taipei on a commuter train.

Investigators originally thought Lin intended to commit suicide by drinking the toxic herbicide after perpetrating the criminal act of detonating an explosive device on the commuter train approaching the Taipei Songshan railway station.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-09
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je was traveling to Singapore Saturday to attend the World Cities Summit and a Mayors Forum and meet President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

The outspoken mayor’s first official visit to the Southeast Asian city state will last a total of 50 hours, the city government said Saturday.

Ko will arrive in Singapore by the end of the day, address the forum on Sunday and a banquet in the evening where Tan will be present. The mayor will be back in Taipei by the end of Monday, officials said.

The Singapore trip is Ko’s third overseas voyage this year following visits to the United States and Japan. His delegation will consist of seven people and not include a single department commissioner, reports said, while only reporters from two media outlets will be accompanying him.     [FULL  STORY]