THERAPY:One advocate said the fundraiser would allow the former president to have social interactions, which could be beneficial to his health condition

Taipei Times
Date: May 19, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) should be allowed to attend and speak at a

fundraising event in Taipei tonight, pro-independence groups said yesterday, following a report that a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) heavyweight had sought to prevent Chen from making a public appearance.

Taiwan Society chairman Chang Yeh-sen (張葉森) told an impromptu news conference in Taipei that DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) visited Chen at the former president’s residence in Kaohsiung on Wednesday night to convince him not to attend the event and instead make a video address.

Chen, who served more than six years of a 20-year prison term on several convictions for corruption before his release on medical parole in 2015, planned to attend a Ketagalan Foundation dinner.    [FULL  STORY]

This pimped up ride was created for Chao Tien-lin’s run for mayor of Kaohsiung

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/05/17
By: Rana Yeh, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Breaking News Commune (爆料公社) member Jeff Su posted an image of a car designed to look like the Marvel Comics superhero Iron Man driving on the road in Kaohsiung City on May 16.

The whimsical looking car is the campaign vehicle from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟), who is using the car to drum up support for the Kaohsiung mayoral primary election. However, many people wonder how legal it is to drive such car without a license plate.

Forum members criticized the post:    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/17
By: Sophia Yeh, Y.F. Low and Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) The World Health Organization (WHO) has violated its own principles by excluding Taiwan from the upcoming meeting of its decision-making body, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said Wednesday.

That decision is contrary to the WHO Constitution, which states that “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition,” Chen said during an interview with a news site.

The WHO’s decision not to invite Taiwan to the World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting this year was made because of Beijing’s intervention and contravened the Taiwanese people’s right to health, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: May 17, 2017
By: The China Post

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-05-16

Lee Ching-yu, the wife of a Taiwanese NGO worker detained in China, departed for

the United States on Sunday. She is set to attend a House committee meeting in an attempt to bring pressure to bear to free her husband.

Her husband, Lee Ming-che, has been held in China since the middle of March on suspicion of “endangering national security”. Chinese authorities have refused to clarify the exact charges against him or other details of his detention. It is believed that Lee’s detention is related to his human rights advocacy and reflects a tougher stance from Beijing on the activities of NGOs.

Lee Ching-yu was invited to attend the House hearing together with other partners of individuals detained by Chinese authorities.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2017/05/16
By: Rosemary Chen

Vietnamese authorities are cracking down on protest leaders and officials one year

after a toxic spill in central Vietnam devastated the fishing and tourism industry.

A Vietnamese activist was arrested on May 15 for protesting an environmental disaster in central Vietnam caused by a Taiwanese company in 2016.

Hoang Duc Binh, 34, organized protests in April 2016 following the release of toxic waste by Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation in the Vung Ang Economic Zone, which lead to massive numbers of dead fish found along the coast of central Vietnam, including the provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Quang Binh and Hue.

He was arrested in the central province of Nghe An, accused of having abused democracy rights to infringe state interests, reports Reuters.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/16
By: Chu Tze-wei, Chen Wei-ting and Ko Lin

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) The annual Wan An air raid drill for northern Taiwan will take

place on Thursday, and streets will be evacuated to allow for disaster prevention drills, air-raid siren tests and traffic control.

The drill, codenamed Wan An No. 40, will be held between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Yilan, Hsinchu and Keelung.

During the half-hour period, pedestrians and vehicles will have to stay off the roads as ordered by the military, police and civil defense workers, according to the Taipei City Police Department.

Those who violate traffic and evacuation instructions by authorities will be subject to a fine of between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000 (US$4,980) under Article 25 of the Civil Defense Act, the police said.    [FULL  STORY]