Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 20 February, 2019
By: John Van Trieste

For many in Taiwan, the Lantern Festival is a time for enjoying illuminated displays and eating sweet rice balls. But one town in the north of Taiwan has a way of celebrating that really gets the adrenaline pumping.

For over 100 years, this is how it’s been done: with a running start and a wild leap into the sea. In the seaside town of Yehliu on Taiwan’s north coast, the Lantern Festival just isn’t the Lantern Festival without a plunge into the local harbor.

It’s not just people jumping: the jumpers carry a god from a local temple in a palanquin. This event is called the Yehliu Harbor Purification Festival. It’s thought to expel bad spirits and bring good fortune.

While the plunge is still a religious event, jumpers these days tend to have fun with it. This year, one group came dressed in pig costumes.    [FULL  STORY]

Han Kuo-yu demurred on Wednesday saying his priority is economic development in Kaohsiung

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/02/20
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Kuomintang (KMT) Party Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), speaking on a radio

program, Feb. 20, said that the field for KMT presidential candidates for 2020 is still open, ant that recently elected Kaohsiung Mayor, Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), is welcome to throw his hat in the ring.

On Feb. 17, Wu announced that the KMT party would be following a new procedure for selecting its candidate for the 2020 election, which will put the selection process firmly in the hands of party leadership.

The move has led many to suspect that Wu is angling to make himself the KMT candidate for the January 2020 presidential election, where a KMT challenger will face an incumbent Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who confirmed this week she will run for re-election.

Discussing the field of KMT candidates on Feb. 20, Wu said that there is new strict process for entry. When asked about the potential of Han as a candidate, Wu replied the party will not prohibit anyone from putting their name forward, reports UDN.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/02/20
By: Emerson Lim and Elizabeth Hsu

Manila, Feb. 20 (CNA) Fifty-eight Taiwanese were arrested during a raid earlier this week on a network

technology company in the Philippines on suspicion of working illegally, Taiwan’s representative office in Manila confirmed Wednesday.

The 30 men and 28 women are being held at the headquarters of the Bureau of Immigration, along with a number of Chinese nationals who were also arrested during the raid, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) said.

The 58 Taiwanese were among 276 foreign nationals arrested on suspicion of working illegally at the company in Makati, which runs an online gambling business, according to a local media report.

Citing Intelligence Division Chief at the immigration bureau, Fortunato Manahan Jr., the report said the 276 foreign nationals were arrested, pending verification of their travel documents and immigration status.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 21, 2019
By: Shelley Shan  /  Staff Reporter

The Freeway Bureau yesterday said that it is formulating a pricing scheme for towing away supercars

from the nation’s freeways.

The bureau is obligated to remove any motor vehicle blocking traffic on freeways and works with 1, 500 certified towing firms to move vehicles that have broken down or were involved in traffic accidents to the shoulder or to auto repair shops, bureau Deputy Director-General Wu Mu-fu (吳木富) said.

“However, supercar owners sometimes refuse to have their cars towed by the firms working with the bureau for fear that the cars’ chassis or other parts might be damaged during the towing process, and insist that their cars be handled directly by the dealers,” Wu said.

“This has prevented the bureau from quickly moving the cars, which worsens congestion. The cars are also at risk of being rear-ended by other vehicles” as they wait for specialized tow trucks, he said.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan English News
Date: February 19, 2019 
By: Phillip Charlier 

A man is suspected of having forcefully tied his wife up with adhesive tape and drugging his children before lighting charcoal, leading to the deaths of the family of four in Taichung City, yesterday, February 18.

Mr Wu, 32, his 34-year-old wife, nine-year-old son, and six-year-old daughter were found dead in a taxi parked in a mountainous area of Taiping District Monday morning.

Ms Wu had taken her two children to meet with her estranged husband to discuss her request for a divorce, and was reported missing by her family after failing to return by late evening, Sunday.

Ms Wu with her children left home yesterday to meet her estranged husband.
Members of the public reported seeing four people, apparently unconscious, in a taxi parked in a remote area on Beitian Road at around 8:00am Monday morning.    [FULL  STORY]

The 46 year old woman fled because of her emotional state, she was discovered in a library reading a book

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/02/20
By: Duncan DeAeth,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A 46 year old woman in Taichung city, who went missing on Friday, Feb. 15, was discovered safe in Miaoli County on Tuesday evening.

According to her statements, the woman was severely stressed and suffering anxiety in her personal and professional life. She made the snap decision that morning to simply run away and be alone for a while.

The 46 year old female teacher, surnamed Wu (吳) left her home on a scooter on the morning of Feb. 15, but she never arrived at her place of work, the Taichung Municipal Beishi Junior High School.

Initially, authorities used outdoor surveillance camera to trace her movements to a forested area several kilometers from her home, where the trail went cold.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 18 February, 2019
By: Paula Chao

The water level on Sun Moon Lake in central Nantou County has dropped considerably due to a warm winter with little rain. Visitors are able to see part of its famous underwater landmark “Nine Stacked Frogs”. Seven of the nine frogs are visible above water now.

Sun Moon Lake is one of Taiwan’s most famous destinations. It features spectacular scenery with beautiful turquoise waters. But water levels are so low that people can see the underwater landmark frog statue.  The frogs are supposed to be under water!

One tourist said this unusual scene happened a long time ago. This is the second time she has seen it.

Sun Moon Lake’s water level is now 746.8 meters. Though that’s still below the standard low level of 743 meters, there has been a decrease in the water held in reservoirs in central Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

Canadian sniper made a kill shot from a distance of 2.43 kilometers in 2002.

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/02/18
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – One of the world’s longest-range sniper shooters is set to visit Taiwan next

month to share his knowledge as a professional sniper and his story of shooting a Taliban fighter at 2,430 meters through a long-range sniper rifle in 2002.

Rob Furlong, a Canadian sniper who held the longest distance confirmed kill from 2002 through 2009, is said to have recently accepted the invitation from a Taiwanese firearms dealer to help promote Canadian firearms products while reportedly scheduled to attend a workshop during his stay in the country, where he will share with Taiwanese military and police department officers his knowledge as a professional long-range sniper.

Furlong’s record was broken by British sniper Craig Harrison, who shot two Taliban fighters from a distance of 2,475 meters during a mission in Afghanistan in 2009.

Furlong is currently working as a coach for a Canadian training center    [FULL  STORY]