Ghoulish gaffe: 'Headless' customer spotted dining at McDonald's in Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/07/10
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Although Taiwan's ghost month does not start until Aug. 19 more than 6,000 Taiwanese netizens were spooked by the sight of what appears to be a "headless" customer at a McDonald's.

On Thursday (July 9), a member of the Facebook group Baofei Commune (爆廢公社) reported seeing the previous evening what appeared to be a female customer slumped over a table. He was perplexed to notice she appeared to be missing her head.

He said he wanted to go up and ask her, "How can you eat at McDonald's without a head?" After further thought, the netizen then wrote that if her head had been severed, there should have been blood spurting or blood stains.

When he took a closer look, he finally realized the woman's head was tucked underneath the table and she was apparently sleeping, despite the awkward position. He then wrote that he was impressed with the flexibility of her neck, but he worried that she might injure herself.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 07/10/2020
By: Yu Hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, July 10 (CNA) The Legislature on Friday confirmed five nominees to serve on the National Communications Commission (NCC), Taiwan's top telecommunications and broadcasting regulator.

Acting NCC Chairman Chen Yaw-shyang (陳耀祥) was confirmed as chairman in a session attended by 99 of the body's 113 lawmakers.

Other approved nominees include Wong Po-tsong (翁柏宗), a former NCC vice chairman, who was nominated to return to the post.

NCC Chief Secretary Hsiao Chi-hung (蕭祈宏), National Taiwan University Graduate Institute of Journalism professor Lin Lihyun (林麗雲) and National Taiwan Normal University Graduate Institute of Mass Communications professor Wang Wei-ching (王維菁) were also confirmed as members of the regulatory body.    [FULL  STORY]

As tensions simmer between New Delhi and Beijing, some have called for India to focus on developing stronger relations with Taiwan.

The Diplomat
Date: July 09, 2020
By: Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

Amid the continuing border standoff, there is increasing public antagonism toward China in India. This matches growing anger among Indian elites toward China and India’s current China policy, which I wrote about last week. This is leading to more public discussion about possible asymmetric diplomatic strategies to challenge China, such as altering India’s “one China policy” to enhance India’s relations with Taiwan. 

For example, a prominent Indian national newspaper, Indian Express, editorialized in May that India should be pragmatic in considering the question of Taiwan’s observer status in the World Health Assembly: the decision “should not be made either out of peevishness or fear.” The editorial argued that New Delhi should judge the issue on “apolitical appreciation of the specific technical issues involved.” Thus, though the paper did not call for changing India’s general policy on China and Taiwan, it was a reflection of the growing debate about the general unhappiness with India’s ultra-cautious policy when it comes to China. 

Other opinions have been much more insistent. The Times of India, editorializing on the same issue, asked the government to “not shy away from supporting Taiwan.” The editorial went one step further than the Indian Express by saying that this should remain an important aspect of the reform of the World Health Organization (WHO). It also argued that India should stop being “overly deferential to Beijing” when China has routinely worked against Indian interests in the UN and other multilateral organizations. The Times of India concluded that “if Delhi is to get itself taken seriously, it must demonstrate that it can stand up and be counted.”  

It should be noted that this is not the first time that the Times of India has taken such a stand on Taiwan. In 2019, in the wake of Chinese threats to Taiwan, the paper put out an editorial arguing that India should step up its cooperation with Taiwan. It also made reference to a 2018 Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee report on India-China relations, which called for stronger partnership between India and Taiwan, adding that it was strange that India has shied away from cooperating with Taiwan, whereas Taipei and Beijing had active trade and investment ties despite their political disagreements.     [FULL  STORY]

Incumbent Taiwan Representative to India Tien Chung-kwang will become deputy foreign minister

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/07/09
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — East Asian and Pacific Affairs Director-General Baushuan Ger (葛葆萱) will become Taiwan’s representative to India in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), according to the latest personnel announcement made on Thursday (July 9).

Incumbent Taiwan Representative to India Tien Chung-kwang (田中光), who has been in the post for more than seven years, will replace Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) as deputy foreign minister, per Up Media. Hsu was appointed as deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC).    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 07/09/2020
By: Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, July 9 (CNA) Astronomical buffs may want to get up early in the morning to catch an extremely bright comet named C/2020 F3 NEOWISE in the next few days, the Taipei Astronomical Museum said Thursday.

"Every three to four years or so we can expect a comet which is bright enough to be caught by binoculars. It is very rare for us to see a comet as bright as Comet NEOWISE as it is visible to the naked eye," said museum researcher Lee Chin (李瑾).

The comet, named after the space telescope that discovered it in March, will be the brightest comet visible in Taiwan in the last 20 years, according to the museum.

The best way to get a glimpse of NEOWISE is to look to the northeastern sky near the horizon before dawn, Lee said.    [FULL  STORY]

MORAL COURAGE: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the global community to face China’s intention to subdue Taiwan and reject such irrational requests

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 09, 2020
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday strongly condemned the Chinese government for meddling with US officials’ interactions with Taiwan after FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed China’s efforts to discourage US officials from visiting Taiwan.

The greatest long-term threat to the US’ information security and intellectual property, as well as its economic vitality, is China’s counterintelligence and economic espionage operations, Wray told a video event at the Hudson Institute in Washington.

Beijing is engaged in a highly sophisticated and maligning foreign influence campaign, with methods that include bribery, blackmail and covert deals, he said.

Giving an example, Wray said that when a US official plans to visit Taiwan, China would hit back at a company from the official’s home state by withholding licenses to manufacture products in China.     [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 08 July, 2020
By: Katherine Wei

People returning to Taiwan from Wuhan will no longer be required to go into group quarantine at government-appointed sites. That was the word from Health Minister Chen Shih-chung on Wednesday.

Since Wuhan is the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has been cautious about passengers and crew members flying back from the city. All have been put into group quarantine until now. But since none of the Wuhan returnees have tested positive for COVID-19, Chen says that people flying in from Wuhan will now be able to self-quarantine at home instead.    [FULL  STORY]

Montsame
Date: 2020-07-08
By: Batchimeg.B

Attendees had a discussion under the topic “Preparedness during the COVID-19 infection and Responsive Measures” and issues including preventing from the spread of the novel coronavirus in hospital environment and distribution of human resources who work in directions of fighting against the infectious diseases and shared experiences.

Representative of Taiwan to Mongolia Greys J.R.Luo noted that Taiwan is gradually reviving its economy and foreign relations and cooperation with other countries. And the country has already included Mongolia among the countries with low risk of novel coronavirus infection. The Government of Taiwan has allowed business passengers and graduate students who have resident permit to cross its border so far. And business passengers will be isolated for 5 days after their entrance. I believe that the discussion could make certain contribution in ensuring preparedness of the two hospitals and deepening ties and cooperation of the sides.

Director of the State Central Third Hospital Ts.Tumur-Ochir said "Our hospital has been cooperating with the NTUH for many years. Due to the pandemic, activities between the two hospitals such as reciprocal visits and joint training, have been interrupted for a certain period this year. As Taiwanese earned abundant experience in combating with the novel coronavirus, we have a lot of to learn from them. I am confident that the two countries would overcome the pandemic as joining our power and our cooperation will revive in the near future."
[FULL  STORY]