Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/03
By: Bernie Chiu, Huang Ya-chuan and S.C. Chang

Taipei, May 3 (CNA) The government is drafting an amendment to the Company Act

that would require businesses to “internalize” good governance and social responsibility, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said Wednesday.

At an award ceremony for businesses that have shown excellent corporate social responsibility, Chen said that as enterprises pursue profits, they should also take responsibility for the wellbeing of their employees, local communities and the environment.

“This is a good approach to achieving sustainable development of the environment, society and economy,” he said.

The government is proactively promoting a plan to revise the Company Act to create a legal basis for social responsibility among businesses, Chen said.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: May 02, 2017

Winners of the local edition of the NASA Space Apps Challenge, which this year is

themed “Earth,” were announced April 30 in Taipei City, with two Taiwan teams nominated to vie against competitors from around the world in the finals of the largest international hackathon.

Organized by the American Institute in Taiwan in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taipei City Government and National Taiwan University, this event marked the first time Taipei joined the global competition alongside 186 other locations. The main stage of this year’s edition was in Sydney, Australia.

During the local event’s two-day run at NTU, team Space Bar, comprising students from NTU and National Chiao Tung University in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu City, outperformed 56 other rivals to claim the top honor and NT$80,000 (US$2,642) in prize money for Landslide Victory, a landslide prediction, reporting and monitoring app.    [FULL  STORY]

Many of the tragedies were preventable, the agency said…

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/05/02
By: Wendy Lee , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – According to the National Fire Agency (NFA) under the

Ministry of the Interior, more than 40 percent of drowning victims lost their lives in rivers and streams last year.

Contrary to popular perceptions, the NFA data showed that a total of 315 people drowned in rivers and streams in 2016, accounting for as much as 42.6 percent of the drowning deaths in the nation, as opposed to 21.8 percent that occurred in the sea.

While Taiwan is known for having various water sports hot spots, the agency urged the public to exercise caution when engaging in watersports activities with summer just around the corner.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/02
By: Elaine Hou

Taipei, May 2 (CNA) American pop singer Britney Spears, who rose to international

stardom in the late 1990s and has sold about 100 million records worldwide, is scheduled to hold her first ever concert in Taiwan in June, according to the promoters.

The concert “Britney Live in Taipei 2017” will take place at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center on June 13, and tickets will go on sale on May 13, IMEtw announced Tuesday.

Ticket prices will range from NT$2,680 (US$90) to NT$7,680 for seated fans and cost NT$1,680 for standing areas, the promoter said.

Tickets for people with disabilities will cost NT$1,840, it added.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-05-01

Nearly 10,000 people from labor unions and civic groups took to the streets in Taipei

on Monday, which is labor day. They were calling for labor protections and speaking out against exploitation.

Protestors said President Tsai Ing-wen’s performance is disappointing because she has not only failed to keep her campaign promises but has also made things more difficult for laborers. They accused the government of bowing to pressure from employers, slashing seven national holidays, passing a revised labor law, and even cutting laborers’ pensions.

An organizer of the rally, Chuang Juei-an explained their demands, “Today we have two demands. Combatting exploitation is to improve Taiwanese laborers’ working conditions and to ensure laborers’ basic needs,” he said. “Another demand is to seek a reasonable pension reform that is able to guarantee pensioners’ income so that the elderly won’t sink into poverty. We are looking for comprehensive improvements when it comes to the issues of labor, employment and [retirement].”

Protestors also demanded a higher minimum wage and shorter working hours, among other things.    [SOURCE]

A look behind the scenes of the making of the independent kung fu film ‘Sweet and Sour’

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/05/01
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Rolling… and ACTION! Arms flail and feet fly in a frenzied

blur, punctuated by the smacking sound of flesh when the blows reach their designed mark, followed by the grunting of the latest baddie to get a beat down (the author) by the film’s kung fu heroine.

The scene is a one of the final fight sequences before the final climatic battle between “Lily,” the protagonist, and “Samsara,” an evil gangster, in the independent kung fu film “Sweet and Sour” currently being shot in Taipei. The film tells the story about a Taiwanese woman’s quest for justice and revenge against Samsara, an English drug lord and human trafficker, who murdered her parents when she was seven years old.
Still from film with “Bagua fighter,” played by the author, squaring off with “Lily,” played by Ashley Tso.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/01
By: Wen Kui-hsiang and S.C. Chang

Taipei, May 1 (CNA) A legislative committee approved a draft amendment on Monday

that would allow security providers to hire people up to 70 years of age, a move seen as potentially increasing employment opportunities but also leading to exploitation.

The proposal passed by the Legislature’s Internal Administration Committee also retained a clause requiring private security guards and other security personnel to be at least 20 years of age.

The existing law does not allow private security guards to work beyond the age of 65.   [FULL  STORY]