Radio Taiwan International
Date: 04 November, 2020
By: John Van Trieste

The government has decided to add a new portion to the test for a scooter license in an effort to make future scooter riders more aware of the dangers of the road.

Starting next year, the government says, people looking to get a scooter license will have to watch at least three safety films featuring common dangers before they can move on to the written and practical parts of the exam.

One of these safety videos was put on line in April last year, where it received 800,000 views. Now, the Directorate General of Highways has created 32 more of these films for would-be scooter riders to watch.    [FULL  STORY]

Experts expect sea trials in more challenging maritime situations

Global Times
Date: 2020/11/4
By Liu Xuanzun

China held a launch ceremony for its first Type 075 amphibious assault ship in Shanghai on September 25, 2019. Photo: 81.cn

The Chinese mainland's first Type 075 amphibious assault ship was recently spotted on the doorstep of the South China Sea, close to the island of Taiwan, Taiwan media reported, leading Chinese mainland military experts to say that the vessel could be conducting another sea trial session in the more challenging sea region of the South China Sea.

Recent photos circulating on the Chinese mainland's social media show a Type 075 amphibious assault ship appearing near a base of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, on the doorstep of the South China Sea, Taipei-based SET News Channel reported on Tuesday.

The location is very close to the island of Taiwan, the report said.    [FULL  STORY]

Parents of murdered Malaysian student received her honorary diploma from Chang Jung Christian University

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/11/057
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The parents of a Malaysian student who was raped and murdered near her college campus in southern Taiwan departed from the country on Wednesday (Nov. 4) carrying the ashes of their beloved daughter.

After a Malaysian national surnamed Chung (鍾) studying at Chang Jung Christian University (CJCU) in Tainan was strangled to death on Oct. 28, her parents arrived in Taiwan on Sunday (Nov. 1) to mourn her loss and bring her remains back to her home country. On Wednesday, Chung's father was seen at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport carrying her ashes in a black box with her mother at his side, still in tears over the tragic loss.

Chung's parents were seen by Taoyuan Airport immigration officials checking into an airport hotel on Tuesday evening (Nov. 3), reported CNA. After a night's rest, they packed their bags and were transported to the airport.

When they checked in via the Huan Yu VIP Terminal, they booked a seat on which to place their deceased daughter's ashes. Deputy Interior Minister Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), aviation police, and immigration officers then accompanied the couple to the departure lounge before the airline crew assisted them in boarding their flight.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 11/04/2020
By: Yang Ming-chu and Evelyn Kao

Tokyo, Nov. 4 (CNA) A bipartisan group in Japan's parliament passed a resolution Wednesday in support of Taiwan's bid to participate in the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA).

The resolution passed by the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council, comprising more than 280 parliamentarians across party lines, was immediately handed to Shigeki Takizaki, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau; and Masaaki Iuchi, senior assistant minister in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

The group's consistent position is that there should be no geographical gaps in international disease prevention efforts, and the global COVID-19 pandemic serves as an adequate justification for that view, the group said in the resolution.

Taiwan, which is separated from China by merely a strait, has successfully protected its people in the fight against COVID-19, as it took early action, according to the resolution, which was passed during a meeting convened by the group's chairman Keiji Furuya.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 05, 2020
By:: Chang Jui-chen and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A former convict-turned-artist who was imprisoned for 18 years on drugs charges said on Tuesday that rehabilitation gave him a second chance at life.

The Ministry of Justice and the Taichung Chapter of the Taiwan After-Care Association held an exhibition of works created by former prisoners, as well as a launch event for a book about prisoner rehabilitation, at Taichung’s Dadun Cultural Center.

Speaking at the event, 46-year-old sand painting artist Chu Kuo-fu (朱國富), who was released from prison nine years ago, said support from the association and his wife gave him a new purpose in life.

Chu had gotten caught up in gambling in Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華) when he was a teenager, and later turned to selling drugs.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 03 November, 2020
By: Shirley Lin

Premier Su Tseng-chang vows that the government will do all it can to improve public safety. Su was speaking on Tuesday after a murder of a Malaysian student in Tainan last week.

The victim was a student at Chang Jung Christian University. She  was abducted and murdered on Oct. 28 while walking on a road near the school close to a railway overpass.

Su said his office has not made public safety repoin a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But he emphasized that he will do all he can to improve public safety.     [FULL  STORY]

Asia One
Date: NoveMber 03, 2020

TAIPEI — Tattoos, commonly known as permanent inked art that people get on their bodies, so mistakes in the tattoos could see them getting ridiculed for the rest of their lives — or until the tattoos are removed.

A Caucasian man recently learnt this the hard way as his photo quickly made the rounds on the Internet in an “ink shaming forum” for bearing a tattoo on his left leg which read, “pork fried rice” in Chinese.

The picture was posted on Reddit by another confused foreigner who couldn’t read Chinese characters and asked why the man was shamed online over his tattoo.

Foreigners and Taiwanese alike swiftly gathered in the comment section to question the man’s choice of tattoo and share their own experience of witnessing horrifying Chinese character tattoos.    [FULL  STORY]

Health worker in southern Taiwan penalized for not wearing mask on duty

Taiwan News
Date: 52020/11/03
By: Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A medical worker in Kaohsiung was fined Monday (Nov. 2) for failing to wear a face mask during his shift at a medical facility, becoming the first health professional in Taiwan to be penalized for the violation.

The Kaohsiung City Health Bureau said Tuesday (Nov. 3) that it had confirmed a report of the worker's mask violation. It said the man was given a fine between NT$3,000 (US$105) and NT$15,000 (US$525) for violating the Communicable Disease Control Act.

The health bureau pointed out that a compulsory mask-wearing policy was introduced by the city government on Sept. 24 to minimize the spread of coronavirus on public transportation as well as at hospitals and nursing homes. It said the pandemic has worsened outside of Taiwan and it is important for the public to raise its awareness on coronavirus prevention and follow health regulations.

The health bureau also encouraged medical facilities and public transportation to enhance their promotion of the coronavirus measures by setting up related posters and broadcasting regulation reminders. It said the Taiwanese should get in the habit of wearing masks in indoor spaces and crowded areas, reported CNA.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 11/03/2020
By: Flor Wang and Wang Yang-yu

Taipei, Nov. 3 (CNA) New Power Party Chairwoman Kao Yu-ting (高鈺婷) has resigned from her post, the party announced in a statement on Tuesday.

On her Facebook page, Kao said she will not seek re-election given that she has completed her mission at the current stage.

As the party's reform is on track, Kao said that now is a good time to leave to allow the new chairperson to have enough time to prepare for the 2022 local government elections.

Kao said she will officially quit the post and step down as a decision-making committee member after a new chairperson has been elected and the time of his or her assuming office is settled.
[FULL  STO-RY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 04, 2020
By: Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

The National Communications Commission (NCC) should hold a second administrative hearing on whether to renew the operating license of CTi News after new evidence surfaced last week, the New Power Party (NPP) said yesterday.

Local media last week reported on leaked WeChat conversations between the news channel’s largest shareholder, Want Want China Times Media Group founder Tsai Eng-meng (蔡衍明), and group executives showing that he interfered in its daily operations, contradicting his testimony at the first hearing, NPP caucus whip Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) told a news conference in Taipei.

Chiu showed screenshots of the alleged WeChat conversations, saying that the NCC should have had the opportunity to consider the online chats at the administrative hearing on Monday last week.

“New evidence came out after the first hearing, and the NCC should ask CTi News to provide all conversations between Tsai and group executives that expose the lie Tsai told at the first hearing — that he did not interfere in the news channel’s operations. The commission should hold another administrative hearing to assess the renewal in light of the new evidence,” Chiu said.
[FULL  STORY]