Voice of America
Date: April 26, 2019
By: Ralph Jennings

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Taiwan’s anticipated rejection from observing a third consecutive World Health Assembly will slow its access to world health information including disease outbreaks. But the government used to those rejections has found a series of backdoors to get the health alerts and other updates that it needs.

The 193-country World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual assembly May 20-28 in Geneva is likely to exclude Taiwan, political observers on the island say. China, backed by more than 170 diplomatic allies, normally bars Taiwan from international bodies such as this one because it sees the self-ruled island as Chinese territory rather than a state with diplomatic rights to join.

Taiwan, known for inexpensive universal health care coverage, gets the information it needs from diplomatic allies in the WHO and from members of private medical associations that are allowed to observe the assemblies. Though late sometimes, that intelligence keeps Taiwan up to speed on major issues, such as infectious disease outbreaks.

“Taiwan has been pressured by China for an extremely long time,” said Brian Chang, deputy secretary general with the 50,000-member Taiwan Medical Association.
[FULL  STORY]

Report cites lack of skilled manpower and internal leadership changes as reasons for schedule change

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/04/26
By: Ryan Drillsma, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The local upgrade program for Taiwan’s F-16 fighter jet fleet is going slower than expected, according to industry insiders.

A representative from the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) said a lack of manpower is hindering progress, according to ET today. The company chairman and director reportedly resigned over the matter.

Taiwan began efforts to modernize its F-16 fleet last year under the project name “Phoenix Rising.” The Air Force received its first modernized model in October.

The remaining 141 F-16 units were originally set to be upgraded at a rate of 24 per year. Following news of delays, the prospective completion rate is now uncertain.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/04/26
By: Flor Wang 

Taipei, April 26 (CNA) Taiwan is to grant visa-free treatment for eSwatini nationals, effective June 1, in an effort to boost bilateral tourism and trade exchanges, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced Friday.

Nationals of the African diplomatic ally who hold a passport with a validity of at least six months, coupled with accommodation reservations, financial statements and emergency contact information will be able to enter Taiwan for stays of up to 90 days, from the start of June, MOFA said.    [FULL  STORY]

INDUSTRIAL SOURCES: The National Health Research Institutes, which analyzed the data collected, said that the government should tighten air pollution regulations

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 27, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan  /  Staff reporter

Residents in Kaohsiung’s Dalinpu Village (大林蒲) have a higher risk of contracting

cancer due to their exposure to carcinogenic pollutants, a survey by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) showed yesterday.

The EPA released the report at a meeting with Dalinpu residents and environmental groups at Fenglin Junior High School in the city’s Siaogang District (小港).

The village is surrounded by more than 800 industrial exhaust stacks owned by China Steel Corp, Taiwan Power Co and CPC Corp, Taiwan, as well as other firms.

After taking samples of air, water, soil, fishery products and vegetables, and testing emissions at plants, the EPA found that 70-year-old residents, for example, have a cancer risk 1.5 to 5.5 times higher than the “acceptable” risk range of 10-6 to 10-4 suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 25 April, 2019
By: Paula Chao

The 2019 Taipei International Automobile Electronics Show, or Autotronics Taipei, is under way. The four-day event kicked off Thursday. It features the first Taiwan-made self-driving car and other smart vehicle-related devices.

The first Taiwan-made self-driving car can do more than just operate automatically. It is also able to go to a designated location to pick up passengers.

Economics Ministry official Lo Ta-sheng says Taiwan is ready for self-driving vehicles, with the necessary technology, rules, and regulations all in place.

The Taiwan Automotive Research Consortium introduced 23 vehicle-related research projects at the event. These include a smart road monitoring system. Among other things, this system helps drivers find available parking spaces. The system is already in place on a trial basis in six municipalities across Taiwan.

Another device on display is able to monitor drivers’ behavior. Engineer Huang Kai-yu says it monitors drivers’ face to judge whether they are tired. The purpose of the device is to reduce the number of road accidents.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan English News
Date: April 23, 2019
By: Phillip Charlier

Three people suffered non life-threatening injuries after a truck crashed into the back of a bus, pushing it into another truck, in Taichung City, today, April 23.

Fortunately, the bus was not carrying any passengers at the time.

The electric bus was on Xiang-shang Road at the intersection of Baoning Road in Shalu District when a cargo truck crashed into the rear at around 9:30am. The impact of the crash caused the bus to then crash into the back of a semi-trailer, causing extensive damage to the front of the bus, and injuring the driver.

The bus driver, Mr Lin, 50, the driver of the truck that caused the accident, Mr Huang, 45, and Mr Huang’s passenger, Ms Zhu, 43, were all taken to hospital suffering cuts and bruises.    [FULL  STORY]

The school did little to ensure his protection, said relatives

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/04/25
By: Ryan Drillsma, Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Reporter

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A male student in Taichung jumped from a fourth floor classroom in his school building on Monday (April 22) after months of bullying, breaking both legs.

Although the boy remains in hospital following surgery, doctors confirmed he did not sustain life-threatening injuries and ought to fully recover.

A family member of the boy explained the situation in a post on the Baoliao Commune (爆料公社) Facebook group. She said despite numerous appeals to teachers and the student council unit at Shuangshi Junior High School, little was done to contain the verbal harassment he experienced every day.

The boy’s aunt told Taiwan News that a group of students had been tormenting him for his stature and appearance, had accused him of being homosexual and had accused he and his parents of “having AIDS.”    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/04/25
By: Chen Wei-ting and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 25 (CNA) The draft amendment Article 301-1, also called the “Uber

Article,” which is to be added to existing rental car regulations, will not come into effect on Friday, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC).

April 26 is the last day of a 60-day consultation period for the controversial draft amendment, which prohibits drivers of vehicles from rental car companies driving around looking for passengers or scheduling shifts to accommodate customers calling for rides.

It also requires that fares are charged by the hour or the day.

Fearing the article will take effect soon after Friday, Uber drivers staged a protest at the MOTC Thursday asking the ministry not to implement the new regulations.
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 26, 2019
By: Thomson Reuters Foundation, LONDON

Some of the world’s largest companies on Wednesday said that plans to grant equal

marriage to LGBT couples in Taiwan would boost the country’s economy.

The Legislative Yuan is expected to vote on bills concerning same-sex marriage by May 24, a deadline set by the Council of Grand Justices when it ruled in 2017 that same-sex couples could legally wed.

Google, Airbnb, Deutsche Bank, Ernst & Young, Mastercard and Microsoft have joined forces with nine other companies, including Taiwan-based O-Bank, to laud the benefits of same-sex weddings.

“We value diversity, inclusivity, respect, equality and non-discrimination, as well as seek to protect these values within our company and while working with our business partners,” Microsoft Taiwan enterprise public lead Patrick Pan (潘先國) said.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 24 April, 2019
By: Paula Chao

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says the mechanism and timetable for

the party’s 2020 presidential primary must remain as it is.

The DPP has already pushed back its original primary schedule over a month. The move is intended to allow more time for mediation between two rival candidates, President Tsai Ing-wen and former Premier William Lai. Tsai is seeking reelection, but Lai has launched a challenge to her incumbency.
[FULL  STORY]