Taiwan Today
Date: January 10, 2017

President Tsai Ing-wen commenced her nine-day trip to four Republic of China (Taiwan) diplomatic allies

in Honduras Jan. 8, receiving a warm welcome from the country’s Vice President Ricardo Antonio Alvarez Arias at Soto Cano Air Base.

The aim of Tsai’s trip to Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador in that order is to boost diplomatic ties while strengthening bilateral economic and trade collaboration, according to the Office of the President.

It is a great honor to be invited to visit by Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado, Tsai said, adding that the two countries enjoy close and friendly relations across a spectrum of areas dating back to the establishment of official ties 75 years ago.

Tsai is scheduled to hold talks with Hernandez at which they will discuss ways to bolster bilateral ties and exchange ideas on issues of mutual concern. Afterward, she will inspect cooperation programs like the One Town, One Product initiative aimed at spurring grassroots business activity.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/01/10
By: Maggie Huang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taoyuan Airport MRT Line said Tuesday that they are starting recruiting volunteers for the coming opening during the Lunar New Year. Twelve one-way coupons will be offered for each volunteer with 30 hours service.

The Airport MRT decided to start accepting application of working class after receiving numerous requiring calls although they have already recruited 190 students last year, according to the company.

The volunteering jobs will include traffic guidance, environmental maintenance, station guidance, briefing guide, and foreign language services.

Chen Chien-che, the HR manager of the Taoyuan Airport MRT, said that volunteers will receive an eight-hours training and assigned to different shifts from three to eight hours each day. Volunteers who serve over 90 hours during the trial run will be granted a six-month unlimited ride or 36 one way free coupons.

Those who are interested in volunteering, please visit www.tymetro.com.tw and fill out the volunteering form or call at (03)283-8888 ext. 88635    [SOURCE]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/01/10
By Yeh Tzu-kang and Y.F. Low

Taipei, Jan. 10 (CNA) Since late December, avian influenza has been discovered at four chicken farms in

Yunlin County, central Taiwan, the county government said on Tuesday.

The farms are located in Cihtong, Dounan, Mailiao and Taixi townships, but there is no indication of a major epidemic, according to the county’s Animal Disease Control Center.

In the latest case, more than 100 dead chickens found in a river on the border of Taixi and Mailiao last week were traced to a farm in Taixi. Tests on the dead chickens and those on the farm confirmed they were infected with the H5N2 bird flu virus on Monday, the center said.

All the remaining chickens on the farm were culled on Tuesday, the center said.    [FULL  STORY]

NO ESCAPE:Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming said that Ma will pay for his abuses of power after his death as a disgraced political figure

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 11, 2017
By:. Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker

Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday attended a court hearing at the Taipei District Court over a 2013 wiretapping case, while Taiwanese independence groups protested outside, demanding that Ma be imprisoned over alleged abuses of power and illegal activities.

It was Ma’s second appearance as a defendant in the case since leaving office in May last year.

Ker, who filed the case, accused Ma of contravening the Criminal Code, the Communication Security and Surveillance Act (通訊監察保護法) and the Personal Information Protection Act (個人資料保護法) in connection with alleged wiretapping of telephone conversations between Ker and then-legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平).

Ma smiled but did not answer reporters’ questions when heading into the courtroom yesterday afternoon, escorted by security personnel.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: January 11, 2017
By: AFP

This photo taken on Dec. 24, 2016 shows the Liaoning, China’s only aircraft carrier, sailing during military drills in the Pacific. Local media reported that the aircraft carrier will pass through the Taiwan Strait early Jan. 11 in its return to base after a training exercise in the South China Sea and that Taiwan’s fighter jets were monitoring the vessel. The Presidential Office said that the military was watching the movements of the Liaoning closely and would keep President Tsai Ing-wen, who was in Central America on a state trip, abreast of the situation.    [SOURCE]

The News Lens
Date: 2017/01/09

Award-winning screenwriter and author Neil Peng (馮光遠) said on Sunday via a video uploaded on Facebook that he would leave the New Power Party (NPP). NPP, Taiwan’s third largest political party, was founded by civil activists in 2015. Peng said that he is not satisfied with the current party leader Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) and the NPP’s original purpose has shifted under the influence of Huang, who Peng says holds all power. Peng also said in the video that he does not wish his hard work and contributions to the party be “reaped by specific people,” thus his decision to leave the party. Peng has been on the NPP leadership team since September 2015.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/01/09
By: Maggie Huang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The 2017 Taipei Lantern Festival will take place from February 4 to 17 and will be held in the West District of Taipei City for the first time, featuring old-time favorites such as lantern riddle event, Student Lantern Display Area, Blessing Lantern Display Area, and Landscape Creativity Area.

Contemporary artists are also invited to create the Main Display Area, Universiade Interactive Zone, and Light Sculpture Area. Visitors can look forward to seeing traditional lantern displays amidst the latest projection and illumination technology during the festival.

As a major event attracting international visitors, the Taipei Lantern Festival also seeks to promote the diversity of local customs and cultures to visitors through this event. Major temples including Taipei Tianhou Temple and Taiwan Provincial City God Temple will be taking part at the main venue.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/01/09
By: Wu Hsin-yun and Ko Lin

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) Vehicles failing to pass their emission tests will face heftier fines beginning later this

year, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced Monday.

The bigger fines are guided by the government’s amended “Vehicular Air Pollutant Emission Standards,” which stipulate that motorcycles and cars that fail their first mandatory air pollution emissions test will be fined NT$12,000 (US$374.2) and NT$24,000, respectively.

Vehicle owners can be fined double or triple that amount if their cars fail to pass second and third inspection tests within a year, the EPA said.

Prior to the amended standard, motorcycle and car owners were only subject to a maximum “one-time” fine of NT$6,000 and NT$12,000, respectively, if their vehicles failed to pass the emissions test.    [FULL  STORY]