The outfits are said to be comfortable and practical and have been distributed to military units in disaster prone areas

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/07/23
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The first batch of disaster rescue outfits has been distributed to Taiwan’s military with the arrival of typhoon season, Liberty Times reported on Tuesday (July 23), adding military units will be deployed to areas at greater risk of a natural disaster.

MND logistics official Geng Guang-yi (耿廣義) said 6,000 disaster rescue outfits had already been distributed to military units designated for disaster relief. He said the materials used in the outfits provided excellent heat dissipation, quick sweat dissipation, anti-ultraviolet properties, and comfort.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/07/23
By: Wu Po-wei, Liang Pei-chi and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, July 23 (CNA) A maintenance worker plunged to his death from the sixth floor of Taiwan's iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper Tuesday while replacing LED lights on the building, police said that day.

The worker, surnamed Lee (李), fell to the second floor's roof at around 3 a.m. from a work platform outside the sixth floor of the building he was working, police said.

Lee, in his mid-30s, was found dead after rescuers arrived at the scene.

Lee's colleague, surnamed Pan (潘), who was working on the same platform during the incident, was found safe in a narrow runway outside the sixth floor, according to police.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 24, 2019
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff Reporter

The peak season for enterovirus infections is over, but three cases of serious complications from

enterovirus infection were confirmed last week, including a rare case, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.

Last week, 16,299 people had confirmed cases of enterovirus infections, a 5.4 percent decline from the week before, indicating that the peak infection season has passed, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Liu Ting-ping (劉定萍) said.

However, the epidemic season is not over yet, Liu added.

Twenty-two people have had serious complications of enterovirus infection this year, 15 of whom were infected with enterovirus 71 (EV71), two with enterovirus D68, and five with five other subtypes of enteroviruses.
[FULL  STORY]

Global Times
Date: 2019/7/23
By: Luo Yuan Source:

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at a ceremony commemorating the 40th anniversary of issuing Message to Compatriots in Taiwan at the start of 2019. In his speech, Xi proposed exploring the "two systems" formula for Taiwan island and enriching peaceful reunification.

The principle is centered on the idea that only a "two systems" can be explored. A "one country" solution is not included. 

The principle of "one country" concerns sovereignty, which is not negotiable. There is only one China in the world. Taiwan is part of it. Historical and legal facts cannot be changed by any person or force. The flexibility aspect involves the premise of how "one country" provides a platform for dialogue on a "two systems" plan that fits with Taiwan public opinion and provides benefits to the compatriots. 

In the past, some Taiwanese have challenged the principle of one country, two systems. Some of them have opposed the concept of "one country." Some are utilizing their opposition against one country, two systems principle as a tool to win more votes and shape Taiwan public opinion. Both are intolerable.    [FULL  STORY]

Ministry of Justice official Yan Cheng-yi reportedly claimed same-sex marriage ‘would bring AIDS to Taiwan’

Gay Star News
Date: 22 July 2019
By: Rik Glauert

Taiwan authorities are investigating a top official at the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) for allegedly spreading misinformation.

Yan Cheng-yi is accused of sharing incorrect information about the leader of parliament on social media, according to the Taipei Times.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) has called him in for questioning.

Earlier this month, Yan also circulated a Facebook post criticizing President Tsai Ing-wen and her government for legalizing same-sex marriage.

Taiwan in May this year became the first place in Asia to recognize same-sex unions.

But, Yan wrote, same-sex marriage would ‘bring AIDS to Taiwan and create big business opportunities for some companies.’    [FULL  STORY]

Huangshan pastries containing pork violate Taiwan customs regulations

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/07/22
By:  Taiwan News

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An unnamed woman traveling from China to Taiwan was fined NT$200,000 (US$6,400) for attempting to bring foreign pork products into the country on Sunday (July 21).

The woman in question, a Taiwanese national, was traveling from Lanqi in Fujian Province to the Matsu Islands' Nangan Township. After repeatedly denying having brought any contraband into Taiwan, her luggage was inspected at the quarantine station, where a box of Huangshan pastries containing pork was found, reports the Liberty Times.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/07/22
By: Wu Jui-chi and Chung Yu-chen

Taipei, July 22 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Monday after returning from a 12-day trip to

the United States and the Caribbean that her visit strengthened Taiwan's ties with the countries she visited.

Speaking after arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Tsai said her stops in the U.S. were longer than in the past, allowing her to exchange ideas with U.S. officials and scholars and members of think tanks, scientific research institutions and the business sector.

"Some say they have seen the U.S.-Taiwan relationship upgraded, but I think 'deepened' would be the right word to describe current bilateral relations," she said.

On her tour of Taiwan's four Caribbean allies, Tsai said that by visiting Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia in person, she gained a deeper understanding of the cooperation between Taiwan and the four countries.    [FULL  STORY]

Jumper misjudged point where man had entered water, landed on his head

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/07/21
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A New Taipei City resident surnamed Hsu (許) was rescued by the coast guard and transported to a local hospital for treatment on Saturday (July 20) after he was hit by a person who rock jumped right after him at Longdong Bay, Gongliao District, New Taipei City, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported.

The coast guard said it received a report from New Taipei City Fire Department’s Gongliao branch near 1 p.m. that a man was suspected to have suffered from a concussion at the Longdong rock-jumping platform (龍洞跳水平台), according to CNA. The coast gman's uard immediately directed its Longdong unit to come to the man’s rescue.

The coast guard said that due to the hot weather, Yingge District resident Hsu took his family to the Longdong platform for rock jumping. As there were many rock jumpers at the time, Hsu's jump from the platform into the sea was immediately followed by the person after him, CNA reported.

The person jumping after Hsu misjudged the point Hsu entered the sea, directly jumping onto Hsu’s head, causing him to feel dizzy and swallow water, according to the news outlet. His family immediately called for help, the coast guard said.    [FULL  STORY]