Dr. Jen-Her Lu presented findings on probiotic supplements for expectant mothers at the Taiwan Microbiome Congress

Taiwan News
Date; 2019/03/06
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – At the Global Engage Microbiome and Probotics Congress taking place March 6-7 in Taipei, a satellite meeting of the Taiwan Microbiome Congress showcased some important research on health science.

One presenter at Tuesday’s conference, Doctor Jen-Her Lu (陸振翮), discussed current research on prenatal probiotic supplements for expecting mothers.

Although there are still conflicting views on the manner and dosage of probiotics supplements during pregnancy, there is evidence that suggests limited use of probiotics can reduce the risk of premature birth, post-natal infection, and possibly lead to healthier immune systems in children.

Lu observed that in more than 30 percent of cases of premature births, the mother suffers from some manner of bacterial infection. From this premise, researchers suggest that pregnant women, especially those in late term, taking probiotc supplements may be beneficial for health of newborns. By reducing or eliminating bacterial infections, many premature births could be avoided.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/07
By: William Yen

Taipei, March 7 (CNA) A university in Miaoli has issued an apology to its Filipino students and put forth

offers of financial assistance, ranging from partial to full tuition scholarships with free room and board, after it was alleged that the students had been pushed into manual labor to meet their expenses.

In a press statement, Yu Da University of Science and Technology (YDUST) apologized Wednesday for not “taking full responsibility” with regard to the wellbeing of its Filipino students.

Statement courtesy of Yu Da University of Science and Technology

Statement courtesy of Yu Da University of Science and Technology

The school said it will refund the students the monthly fee of NT$2,000 (US$64.80) they had been paying to a recruitment agency, which reportedly was working in collaboration with YDUST to place Filipino students in factory jobs that exceeded the regulation of 20 hours per week for foreign student employment.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 08, 2019
By: Shelley Shan  /  Staff reporter

Chunghwa Post is offering NT$1 million (US$32,395) in total prize money in a competition that asks

entrants to create a service people can use to access data it collects.

The company is speeding up the provision of smart logistics services, said Liu Shi-biao (劉錫標), director of Chunghwa Post’s training institute.

In addition to “iPostboxes” — its unstaffed postal service terminals — staff use personal digital assistants to collect signatures when confirming receipt of registered mail, Liu said, adding that it is also implementing a six-digit postal code system to facilitate delivery services.

Data the company collected last year would be released for the competition, including tallies of registered mail, express mail and packages, as well as delivery routes and time required for delivery, Liu said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 06 March, 2019
By: Paula Chao

Taiwan pop band I Mean Us make “Austin 100” list (Photo by (I Mean Us)
Taiwanese pop band I Mean Us has been selected by the Austin-based South by Southwest music festival as one of this year’s “Austin 100.”

Each year, organizers of the world-famous festival select 100 independent or little-known bands for the list, giving them greater exposure. This is the first time that a Taiwanese band has made the list.

I Mean Us was formed in 2015. Its style combines indie pop, noise pop, dream pop, and shoegaze.

A delegation made up of six Taiwanese bands, including I Mean Us, will be attending the South by Southwest festival from March 8 to 17. Their goal is to introduce Taiwanese musicians to the rest of the world. The six bands are scheduled to perform at an event called “Taiwan Beats” next Wednesday.
[FULL  STORY]

Vietnamese massage parlor owner brandishes knife after cops arrest her Indonesian employee in New Taipei City

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/03/06
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Vietnamese owner of a spa in New Taipei City yesterday (March 5) angrily threatened police officers with a knife after she found out that her Indonesian employee was being arrested for overstaying her visa, reported UDN.

Yesterday afternoon at 2 p.m. officers from the Tamsui Precinct of the New Taipei City Police Department arrived at a massage parlor on Zhongshan North Road in the city’s Tamsui District for a routine inspection. Officer soon discovered that one of the masseuses was an unaccounted for Indonesian female worker who had overstayed her visa by three years.

Knowing that she faced arrest, the Indonesian woman pretended to go to a back room to collect her documents, but instead fled through the back door. Police caught up with her at the entrance of a nearby supermarket, but she tried to escape again.

Police were finally able to subdue her and escorted her back to the spa.

Upon hearing the news of the arrest, the spa’s 40-year-old Vietnamese female owner surnamed Bui (裴), who had obtained her Taiwanese citizenship, rushed back to her shop. Angry that the police were preparing to take her Indonesian employee to the police station, she pulled out a large watermelon knife from the counter, started to curse the officers, and waved the blade at them.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/06
By: Feng Shao-fu and Emerson Lim

Taipei, March 6 (CNA) The Lienchiang, Mainland-Lienchiang, Matsu Cross-Strait Matters Forum was held in Matsu on Tuesday to discuss issues of interest to both sides, particularly sea transportation.

Lienchiang, originally a county in Fujian Province, was split during the Chinese civil war (1927-1950), with the Republic of China retaining the Matsu archipelago, while the People’s Republic of China took control of the mainland area of the county.

At the forum, Liu Tseng-ying (劉增應), magistrate of the Matsu side of Lienchiang County, said convenient transportation is fundamental to economic and trade development.

Therefore, both sides should work to increase the ferry service between them from two trips to four daily with the goal of attracting 200,000 Chinese tourists per year to Matsu, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council responded to an earlier statement from China’s Taiwan Office

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/03/05
By: Ryan Drillsma, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) told Beijing to prioritize China’s own domestic issues in response to an earlier comment from a Taiwan Affairs Office representative.

The second meeting of China’s 19th National People’s Congress commenced on Tuesday, during which Premier Li Keqiang introduced this year’s “government work report.” The “Taiwan” section of the report reaffirms the Communist Party’s (CCP) support for the “One China Principle” and the “Xi Five Points” made in President Xi Jinping’s New Year message to Taiwan.

Director of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Liu Jieyi commented that “One Country, Two Systems” shows compassion and sympathy for Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said in response to this that the people of Taiwan do not accept such an absurdly patronizing gesture.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/05
By: Matt Yu, Chen Yi-wei and Ko Lin

Taipei, March 5 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) reassured the public Tuesday that the ROC military is closely monitoring Taiwan’s air space and territorial waters, after news broke on Monday of Beijing’s latest bomber deployment.

The military is monitoring the situation and there is no reason to panic, military spokesman Chen Chung-chi (陳中吉) said.

His comments came after ImageSat International (ISI), an Israeli-based satellite imaging service provider, tweeted a picture Monday of four Xi’an H-6 strategic bombers at Xingning Airbase in Guangdong Province, which is only 450 kilometers from Taiwan.

It was the first time in several years the bombers have been spotted at the base, ISI added.
[FULL  STORY]