Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/02
By: Tzeng Yi-shiuan and Ko Lin, CNA staff writers

Many people use their talent to raise awareness of important issues in society, and the field of photography is no exception, because as the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Jimmy Beunardeau did just that.

His aim — to help raise awareness about the plight of Taiwan’s endangered wildlife, in particularly the Formosan black bear which is endemic to the island.

Based out of the French region of Normandy, the freelance photographer has always had a soft spot for nature and wildlife, even at a young age.    [FULL  STORY]

FREEZER CONTENTS: Courses for drunk-driving offenders in spaces in funeral parlors are more likely to help them understand that drunk driving can be fatal, the DGH said

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 03, 2019
By: Cheng Wei-chi  /  Staff reporter

Amid calls for harsher penalties for drunk drivers, the Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) yesterday

said that it plans to have repeat offenders take life education courses at funeral parlors.

Each year, there are more than 100,000 cases of driving under the influence (DUI), 40,000 of which involve repeat offenders, government statistics showed.

Current laws require people caught driving intoxicated for the first time to take a six-hour course, while repeat offenders must take a 12-hour course over two days.

Last year, 76,142 first-time DUI offenders and 4,211 repeat offenders took the courses. From 2015 to last year, 330,462 offenders attended 5,969 courses, DGH statistics showed.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 01 March, 2019
By: Andrew Ryan

There’s a tiny island just half a kilometer from the southern Chinese coast, which has a big name: Dadan (or Courage) Island. Even though it’s close to China, it’s part of Taiwan’s Kinmen Island chain. It has the nickname “the frontline island of all frontline islands.” That’s a nod to the island’s past as an important outpost for Taiwan’s military.

For years, Taiwan’s soldiers have stood watch against a possible attack from China. In fact, the Chinese military shelled the island back in the late 1950s. But this year, beginning on March 1, the island will open for the first time to tourists from Taiwan, shedding a little more light on its cold war past.

Fifty years ago, these men were stationed on Dadan Island. They may have grown older, but they still remember their moves like it was yesterday.

These former soldiers are helping welcome tourists, a new phase in the island’s history. There’s a daily limit of 150 visitors and you have to register in advance. Tours leave from Lieyu, also known as Little Kinmen. Tickets cost NT$1,500 (or about US$50), and they’re half price for residents of Kinmen.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/01
By: Yeh Su-ping and Chung Yu-chen

Taipei, March 1 (CNA) Taiwan remains committed to regional stability, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Friday in reaction to the collapse of a high-stakes summit in Hanoi between American President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

In a Facebook post, Tsai said Taiwan will continue to work with the international community and commit to regional stability and peace through enhanced communication and dialogue with countries in the region.

The White House acknowledged in a statement on Thursday the failure to reach an agreement during the two-day summit.

“The two leaders discussed various ways to advance denuclearization and economic driven concepts,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in the statement.    [FULL  STORY]

Opposition KMT split over loyalty to Beijing and whether they really want to oppose a Constitutional Court ruling

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/03/01
By: David Spencer, Taiwan News, Contributing Writer

It’s been a long time coming, but finally, the Taiwanese government has revealed how it plans to implement equal marriage reforms.

The catchily-titled bill is officially known as ‘The Enforcement Act of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748,’ but to most people, it has already become known as the ‘Same-Sex Marriage Bill.’

It is slated to enter the Legislative Yuan agenda on March 5th and should become law ahead of the deadline of May 24th that the Constitutional Court set for same-sex marriages have to been legalized.

But there could be a few bumps in the road before it makes it onto the statute book depending on the stance that the opposition KMT chooses to take.    [FULL  STORY]

Reuters
Date: February 26, 2019
By: Ben Blanchard and Gao Liangping
Editing by Paul Tait and Darren Schuettler 

BEIJING (Reuters) – China can talk to Taiwan as long as it helps promote peaceful development and

“reunification”, Beijing said on Wednesday, after the island’s main opposition party said it could sign a peace treaty if it wins a presidential election next year.

(KMT), arrives at a news conference in Taipei, Taiwan May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
China claims self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as its own and has vowed to bring the island, which it regards as sacred territory, under Chinese control, by force if necessary.

While China has not broached the idea of a peace deal in years, the chairman of the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang, Wu Den-yih, said earlier this month the party could sign a peace deal with China if it won the hotly contested election.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said the island will not accept any deal that destroys its sovereignty and democracy.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 28 February, 2019
By: Natalie Tso

A special envoy of Pope Francis, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, is visiting Taiwan through March 3. He will attend the 2019 Eucharistic Congress of Taiwan, which is the national meeting of Taiwan’s Catholic churches.

The foreign ministry welcomed the cardinal’s visit, saying it shows that the Vatican values its relations with Taiwan.

During his visit, Cardinal Filoni is meeting President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President Chen Chien-jen, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The pope’s envoy will also visit charities and churches throughout Taiwan.
[FULL  STORY]

22 unaccounted for Vietnamese migrant workers, tourists arrested in poultry slaughterhouse in Taipei’s Wanhua District

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/02/27
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Last night (Feb. 26), 22 unaccounted for Vietnamese migrant workers and tourists were arrested at a poultry slaughterhouse in Taipei, according to the National Immigration Agency (NIA).

The NIA recently received a tipoff that there was a large number of foreign nationals suspected of working illegally in a slaughterhouse in Taipei’s Wanhua District. It was suspected that they were a large group of Vietnamese migrant workers, some whom had ostensibly come to Taiwan for “sightseeing” via the “Kuan Hung Pilot Project” (觀宏專案) e-visa program.

In the facility, the workers were allegedly involved in slaughtering, cleaning, and handling chickens and ducks. Late last night, after several days of investigation, over 100 officers from various units arrested 18 unaccounted for migrant workers and four tourists who had overstayed their visas.

The slaughterhouse had been closed for two days during the Lantern Festival, and faced with the coming 228 Peace Memorial Day holiday, there was a large market demand for poultry. As a result, the slaughterhouse took a risk and hired illegal migrant workers, both male and female, and employed them during the night shift from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to try to avoid detection.    [FULL  STORY]