Smackdown: Scuffle breaks out in Taiwan legislature over selection of CEC chairman

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/04/24
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A brawl broke out today in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan as lawmakers clashed over a vote for the selection of a new chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC).

A meeting was held this morning by the Legislative Yuan’s Internal Administration Committee to vote on the selection of Former Yunlin County Magistrate Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) to serve as chairman of the CEC. Although Lee had pledged to step down from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to maintain administrative neutrality in his handling of election-related matters in February, Kuomintang legislators expressed fierce opposition to his appointment due to his ties to the party.

Both parties gathered in full force at 6:30 a.m. this morning and at 9 a.m., this contentious meeting began with DPP Legislator Chang Hung-lu (張宏陸) serving as the committee chair, reported CNA. KMT legislators soon mobbed Chang’s desk and shouted slogans such as “Send back Lee Chi-yung, protect the CEC.”

As is the normal procedure, Chang attempted to open the meeting up to questions, but before any questions could be posed, the proceedings were derailed by a chaotic clash between the rival political parties. At 9:09 p.m., Chang announced that due to the ruckus, the question and answer session would end.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date 2019/04/24
By: Flor Wang and Hsiao Po-wen

Taipei, April 24 (CNA) An Indonesian caregiver hired to look after an elderly woman in

Taiwan more than seven years ago was convicted of abandonment Wednesday and will be expelled after serving a six-month jail term or paying a NT$180,000 (US$5,830) fine, according to the Taiwan Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court made the ruling after rejecting an appeal filed by the caregiver, identified as Wen Wen, against a High Court verdict that found her guilty of abandonment.

According to the High Court’s indictment, Wen Wen was found guilty after being accused by her employer, surnamed Kao, of maltreating his mother when serving as her caregiver.

Wen Wen was hired by Kao to take care of his mother, then aged more than 90 years old, at his home from Nov.18, 2011 to Feb. 3 2013.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: April 23, 2019

TIAC Chairman Wang Ming-teh (fourth left) is joined by company staff in spotlighting recent recognition of TTIA’s carbon reduction efforts April 22 in northern Taiwan. (Courtesy of TIAC)
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport earned an award and certificate from Montreal-based Airports Council International for wide-ranging efforts to lower its carbon footprint, according to facility operator Taoyuan International Airport Corp. April 22.

In the ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition program, the country’s main gateway picked up the top-ranked platinum prize in the category for facilities serving 10-45 million passengers per year. It was recognized for a project to optimize the energy supply chain of existing boarding bridges, which lowered carbon emissions by 32,200 tons year on year in 2018, TIAC said.

The airport was also presented with a third-level optimization certificate—the second-highest of four grades—under ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation system for such efforts as replacing gas-powered vehicles with electric alternatives and switching out traditional bulbs for light-emitting diodes.

According to TIAC Chairman Wang Ming-teh, the airport slashed its carbon footprint and electricity consumption per passenger by 21.7 percent and 27.1 percent, respectively, between 2013 and 2017. TTIA is committed to further bolstering such environmental initiatives going forward, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

WPRO News
Date: April 23, 2019

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission has voted unanimously to launch an investigation into Lt. Governor Dan McKee and his failure to disclose a trip to Taiwan in 2017. The complaint was filed earlier this month by the Rhode Island GOP.

Executive Director of the Ethics Commission Jason Gramitt tells WPRO News that since McKee has already admitted to making a mistake on his filings, “all that’s left to do is just decide whether the Lt Governor is going to take responsibility for that omission, which it sounds like he is, and the commission may issue a small fine.”

McKee’s failure to disclose the trip was first reported by WPRI-TV’s Ted Nesi just days before McKee left with his wife for another trip to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

On-site or telephone bookings can be made starting Tuesday

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/04/23
By: Teng Pei-ju,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei City Government announced on Tuesday (April 23) that it would allow gay couples to “book” their marriage registration starting today, one month before the deadline set by Taiwan’s Constitutional Court for the government to legalize same-sex marriage in the country.

To assist same-sex couples planning their marriages for May 24, the first day of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan, the city government decided to take on-site and telephone bookings for marriage registration starting Tuesday, said the city’s Department of Civil Affairs via a press statement.

The staff at house registration offices across the city will do whatever they can to help couples complete necessary marriage registration procedures on May 24, and to update their ID cards and household certificates, said the department.

On May 24, 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled that the articles in the Civil Code which exclude same-sex couples from establishing marriage were unconstitutional.
[FULL  STORY]

OVERDUE: The EV71 epidemic cycle is usually two to four years, but as the nation’s last outbreak was in 2012, the CDC is paying extra attention to enterovirus infections

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 24, 2019
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

Three new measles infections and one case of serious complications caused by an

enterovirus infection were confirmed last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.

The sources of the new measles infections are still under investigation, Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said.

A total of 74 measles cases have been confirmed in Taiwan this year, including 28 people who were infected overseas, and the majority (76 percent) are aged between 20 and 39, Guo said, adding that 3,056 people are being monitored for symptoms.

Seven measles cases confirmed earlier this month were associated with three clusters of infections: one started by a person infected in Hong Kong and two clusters initiated by two people infected in Thailand, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 22 April, 2019
By: Natalie Tso

Taichung’s new electric street sweepers (picture from Taichung City Government)
Taichung now has electric cars to sweep the streets. They will be making their rounds on the streets, alleys and plazas of Taichung.

The new green cars are an effort to help reduce air pollution in central Taiwan. They will also reduce noise pollution as the cars are quiet. The city bought the 5 electric street-sweeping vehicles for NT$20 million (nearly US$7 million).

Taichung’s electric street-sweeping cars can be charged by an ordinary household electrical outlet. One charge can let them run for up to 8 hours.    [SOURCE]