Taiwan Today
Date: May 09, 2019

President Tsai Ing-wen addresses a gathering of Taiwan’s nursing professionals May 8 in

New Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)
President Tsai Ing-wen said May 8 that the government is leaving no stone unturned in strengthening working conditions for nurses and attracting talents to this vital occupation.

Nurses are crucial in delivering quality health care, Tsai said. To ensure they enjoy full rights and dignity in the workplace, a host of new measures have been enacted such as the addition of nurse-patient ratios to hospital evaluations, she added.

Other initiatives include the publication of these proportions each month and the awarding of bonus payments from the National Health Insurance program to hospitals that achieve designated ratios, the president said.

Tsai made the remarks at an event celebrating Taiwan’s nursing personnel held in the run-up to International Nurses Day May 12. Organized by Taipei City-based Taiwan Union of Nurses Association and Taiwan Nurses Association, the gathering also recognized participants for outstanding and long-term contributions to the vocation.
[FULL  STORY]

Latest turn of events in power struggle surrounding ousting of FTV Chairman George P. Kuo last March

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/05/09
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The power struggle at Formosa Television (FTV) took another turn Thursday (May 9) when board member Chen Ting-ting (陳廷鼎) accused new company chairwoman Wang Ming-yu (王明玉) of having embezzled NT$1.1 billion (US$35.5 million) over the past decade.

The rivalry within the company broke into the open in March when Chairman George P. Kuo (郭倍宏) was ousted over allegations of profligate spending on political talk shows and of using company funds to finance outside political activities.

In April, General Manager Wang was elected to succeed Kuo, but on Thursday, board member Chen held a news conference accusing her and at least seven of her relatives and confidants of having diverted NT$1.1 billion into the accounts of a company they ran. The events date back to the period from 2009 to 2017, Chen alleged.

The chairman of FTV at the time, Tien Tsai-ting (田再庭), was unaware of what had happened and had not heard about Wang’s relatives’ company until prosecutors questioned him, according to Chen. Tien accompanied the board member at his news conference, Storm Media reported.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/09
By: Chen Chun-hua and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, May 9 (CNA) A legislative committee review of the government’s proposed bill to amend the Referendum Act was adjourned Thursday, after the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) did everything it could to prevent the meeting going ahead.

Before the beginning of the Internal Administration Committee review meeting, KMT lawmakers sat on the convener’s podium at around 5 a.m, while the lock of another conference room was sealed with super glue to prevent a change of venue.

In addition, when Chen Chao-chien (陳朝建), acting chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), entered the meeting room at around 8:50 a.m., he was surrounded by KMT legislators and prevented from taking his seat.

Meanwhile, some KMT lawmakers brought cardboard cutouts of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) political figures into the meeting room.    [FULL  STORY]

TESTIMONY: Wu Hsuan said that Mayer had told him he wanted help to purchase machetes and a rope saw, among other items, because he feared for his safety

Taipei Times
Date: May 10, 2019
By: Jason Pan  /  Staff reporter

Taiwanese-Canadian Wu Hsuan (吳宣), an alleged accomplice in the murder of a

Canadian man in New Taipei City, said that Israeli-American Oren Shlomo Mayer had masterminded the killing, instructing others to buy weapons and tools, and also headed up an illegal drug ring, with other suspects working under him.

During the trial at the New Taipei City District Court on Wednesday, judges called on two of the defendants, Wu, 21, also known as Dan Wu, and Mayer, 37, for cross-examination.

According to the court transcript, Wu said that Mayer had planned the killing of Sanjay Ryan Ramgahan.

Prior to the killing on Aug. 22 last year, Mayer instructed him to go to a shop and showed him photographs of what to buy, including machetes, a rope saw, a grindstone, leather gloves as used by martial arts fighters and a truncheon, he said.

“Mayer said he was worried about personal safety after having a dispute with someone, so I was asked to help and buy these items for Mayer to protect himself,” Wu said, adding that he did not know Mayer was planning to kill Ramgahan.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 08 May, 2019
By: John Van Trieste

A Taiwanese naval squadron has arrived in the Solomon Islands on a friendly visit. The Solomon Islands is one of Taiwan’s Pacific allies.

This so-called “friendship fleet” includes the Panshi Fast Combat Support Ship, the largest ship in Taiwan’s navy.    [FULL  STORY]

Notices will be posted at Taichung High Speed Rail Station to inform foreign visitors

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/05/08
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Central Taiwan, including the city of Taichung and Penghu, will conduct an air raid drill from 1:30 to 2 p.m. on May 30.

The drill, which has been titled Wan-An No.42, is one of regular annual tests held in various parts of the country. Residents were advised to stay inside, close windows and doors, and turn lights off.

“Once the air raid sirens go off, all moving vehicles and pedestrians should follow the instructions of police officers, military police and civil defense staff, evacuating to the nearest shelter,” the announcement on Wednesday (May 8) said.

Violators could be subject to fines from NT$30,000 (US$969) to NT$150,000, the Liberty Times reported.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/08
By: Su Mu-chun and William Yen

Taipei, May 8 (CNA) Former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has

obtained approval from Taichung Prison to attend an annual banquet Thursday hosted by the Ketagalan Foundation, prison authorities said Wednesday.

Tai Ming-wei (戴明瑋), deputy warden of the prison, said the approval was based on a medical evaluation that suggested it would benefit Chen’s health if he attended the think tank’s banquet.

Chen, who suffers neurological problems, has been on medical parole since Jan. 5, 2015 and obtained his 18th extension last Friday for another three months.

In accordance with the regulations that require the permission of Taichung Prison for him to attend outside activities, Chen submitted an application recently to attend the Ketagalan Foundation banquet, and approval was granted based the medical evaluation, Tai said.    [FULL  STORY]

GOLDEN PLAN: The program is designed to provide intensive customized training to 27 promising athletes to help the nation achieve its goal in Tokyo next year

Taipei Times
Date: May 09, 2019
By: Shelley Shan  /  Staff reporter

Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) yesterday said that he is

willing to buy 1,000 cups of pearl milk tea as a treat to match a legislator’s pledge to buy 1,000 fried chicken cutlets if the nation wins at least four gold medals at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo next year.

Pan made the remarks at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee to brief lawmakers about the nation’s preparations for the Olympics.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-shu said that the national team’s morale is at an all-time high as lawmakers passed an amendment to the National Sports Act (國民體育法) in 2017 and the national team achieved its best performance at the Asian Games last year.

Asking Pan if the Sports Administration has set a target for the number of gold medals that the team could win at the Olympics, Huang said that he thinks the nation has a very high chance of winning gold in women’s badminton, men’s gymnastics, women’s weightlifting and men’s javelin throw.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 07 May, 2019
By: John Van Trieste

Former Premier William Lai has spoken against the idea of polling cell phone users as part of his party’s upcoming presidential primary.

Lai is set to face off against President Tsai Ing-wen in a contest for the Democratic Progressive Party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Rather than holding a vote, the party settles its primary contests based on the results of telephone polling.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: May 07, 2019

Wu Ming-yi is set to feature in the PEN World Voices Festival May 6-12 in New York, marking the first time a Taiwan writer has been invited to share their insights and works at one of the largest international literary events in the U.S.

Participating with support from the Ministry of Culture, Wu is speaking at a forum co-sponsored by U.K. newspaper The Guardian and taking part in a book reading and salon. His talks will mainly focus on his acclaimed 2015 novel “The Stolen Bicycle,” the MOC said.

Longlisted for last year’s Man Booker International Prize, the work centers on a writer’s search for a bike belonging to his father who disappeared some 20 years before. Chance encounters with a colorful cast of characters interlaced with historical events offer readers a page-turning look into Taiwan’s culture and development, as well as military conflicts in Southeast Asia during World War II.

In the May 7 forum titled Meditation on War, Wu will join French novelist Laurent Gaude and Iraqi writer Sinan Antoon in discussing how individuals process memories of conflict and the role literature plays in illuminating humankind’s struggle against its darkest instincts.    [FULL  STORY]