Taipei Times
Date: Jul 10, 2016
By: William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

The Taiwan Strait might become more dangerous than ever if Republican presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump is elected to the White House in November, a prominent Washington academic said.

Senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution Michael O’Hanlon wrote that Trump’s policy ideas could push Taipei into secretly working on a nuclear weapon.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, O’Hanlon said that Trump wants to withdraw US forces from Asia and let its allies Japan and South Korea defend themselves.

“He suggests that these two Asian powers might best develop their own nuclear weapons,” O’Hanlon wrote.     [FULL  STORY]

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

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Premier Lin Chuan Saturday promised initial relief of NT$300 million for

Taitung after seeing for himself the severe impact of Typhoon Nepartak on the eastern county.

Taitung, which bore the brunt of the strong typhoon, has estimated agricultural losses alone at about NT$650 million. Streets in many parts of the county were still littered with fallen trees and signboards on Sunday.

Agricultural losses nationwide are estimated at N$776.93 million (US$24.1 million), the Council of Agriculture (COA) said Saturday.

“The situation must return to normal as soon as possible,” Lin said, referring to power and water cuts as well as other damage in the eastern county.

The military said 1,200 troops had been dispatched to the worst-hit parts of the county, including Taitung City and Beinan Township, to help with clean-up work.

After visiting Taitung, Lin went on to inspect Pingtung County, which also suffered considerable damage during Nepartak.     [FULL  STORY]

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

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Train explosion suspect Lin Ying-chang regained consciousness and

can be questioned three days from now, the Taipei Medical University Hospital said Saturday.
A total of 25 people, including Lin, were injured when a crude home-made device exploded on a train approaching Taipei Songshan station Thursday evening.

Analysis of the 55-year-old man’s DNA, surveillance camera footage and statements by witnesses focused attention on Lin, a troubled man with a history of mental illness and petty crimes. He reportedly wanted to commit suicide with a wagon full of passengers by exploding the device.

Due to his handling the explosive, his injuries were among the worst, but they also left marks which helped investigators identify him as the suspect.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/09
By: Christie Chen and Hsiao Po-yang

Taipei, July 9 (CNA) A 55-year-old man who allegedly detonated an explosive device on a

commuter train in Taipei earlier this week appears to have led a troubled life as more details emerged after he was identified by the police on Friday.

Lin Ying-chang (林英昌), who was among the most severely injured passengers in the explosion, has been treated for mental illness and tonsil cancer, and has been facing financial difficulties in recent years, investigators said Friday.

They found hospital records of Lin’s treatment for mental illness and cancer.

Lin’s son told police on Friday that his parents are divorced and that his father used to work as a painter for buildings and structures, but left home many years ago and has been listed as a missing person.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-08
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A young man was fighting for his life in hospital Friday after sustaining severe injuries in the previous evening’s train explosion, while police were looking for a man in black who might have been injured.

A total of 25 people were injured when an explosion occurred on a train from Hsinchu City just before entering Taipei City’s Songshan station after 10 p.m. Thursday.

While the authorities ruled out terrorist action, a steel tube was found inside the train carriage, and witnesses reportedly told police they had seen a man wearing a black T-shirt and black trousers carrying the backpack which might have contained the explosive. The suspect might be among the injured, police said, adding the likelihood was that the explosion was an isolated criminal incident.

The 25 injured ranged in age from five to 64, and had been spread out over six hospitals in Taipei City. By Friday morning, ten had been allowed to leave hospital, reports said.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/08
By: Hsiao Po-yang and Frances Huang

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) The suspect in an explosion on a commuter train in Taipei committed the crime alone without any accomplice, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said Friday.

Based on evidence collected, an investigation group formed specially to probe into the case said the suspect, identified as Lin Ying-chang (林英昌), 55, had written a will to his family before he committed the crime and had expected he would be killed in the attack.

According to the CIB, the suspect had been diagnosed with cancer and mental disorder. He had been bothered by his illness and had wanted to die, the CIB said.

In addition, the investigation group also found a red canvas bag which was identical to a bag he was seen on CCTV cameras carrying onto the commuter train.     [FULL  STORY]

DEBT CEILING:The National Civil Servant Association said that civil servants, military personnel and teachers were blamed whenever government debt becomes an issue

Taipei Times
Date:  Jul 09, 2016
By: Tseng Wei-chen, Cheng Chi-fang and Chen Mei-ying  /  Staff reporters

Unfunded liabilities of the pension system for military personnel, public-school teachers and civil servants are estimated at NT$8.137 trillion (US$$251.9 billion), while the government allocates about NT$310 billion per year to the groups, or about NT$850 million per day, reports by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) and the Ministry of Finance said.

The DGBAS and the ministry briefed a meeting of the National Pension Reform Committee on Thursday regarding the nation’s financial status.

The agencies said that of the NT$310 million allocated this year for military personnel, civil servants and public-school teachers, NT$77.8 billion is to cover the 18 percent preferential interest rate on savings held by those who began their service before 1995.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: July 9, 2016
By: Stephanie Chao

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The police announced Friday that they had identified a chief suspect — one

of dozens wounded — over the commuter train explosion that injured dozens in Taipei on Thursday night.

The 55-year-old male suspect, Lin Ying-chang (林英昌), was one of the 25 victims wounded after Thursday night’s blast, police told local media, saying forensic evidence, fingerprints and surveillance footage pointed to him.

However, the police stressed that the investigation was not over as they have not been able to interview Lin, who remains in critical condition and in intensive care.

The motives behind the explosion are also not yet clear as police could not complete questioning of the suspect as of press time.

An explosion rocked commuter Train 1258’s sixth carriage, operated by Taiwan Railways Administration on Thursday night, two minutes before it was due to arrive at Songshan Station. Over 20 people were in the carriage at the time.     [FULL  STORY]