Murdered Canadian English teacher reportedly had set up a massive ‘marijuana farm’ in Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/09/02
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As detectives unravel the multiple, twisted layers of the

gruesome case of the murder and dismemberment of a Canadian English teacher in New Taipei City, it has been revealed that the deceased teacher had become a major supplier of cannabis in the city, thanks in large part to his “marijuana farm,” reports ETtoday.

Though police initially suspected 43-year-old Canadian English teacher-turned drug dealer Sanjay Ryan Ramgahan (顏柏萊) was murdered by 30-year-old African-American male Ewart Odane Bent and 37-year-old Israeli-American tattoo artist Oren Shlomo Mayer, also known as “Oz Diamond” because they believed Ramgahan was working as an informant for the police, they now believe another motivation for the murder was the possession of his massive “marijuana farm.” Police do not rule out the possibility that rather than fleeing to the Philippines with his accomplice Mayer, Bent opted to stay behind in hopes that he could take over Ramgahan’s marijuana fields.

As the investigation into Ramgahan’s murder enters its second week, they have revealed that he was a major supplier of marijuana in northern Taiwan. Members of the investigation team disclosed that Ramgahan had a relatively large-scale marijuana growing operation which enabled him to maintain a steady stream of the illicit drug he was providing to his buyers.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/09/02
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Shih Hsiu-chuan

Taipei, Sept. 2 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) visited Chin Liang-feng (秦良丰)

Sunday in hospital, where the paratrooper is recovering from critical injuries he sustained in a May 17 drill rehearsal.

Tsai posted to her Instagram account photos of her visit to Chin in Taipei’s Tri-Service General Hospital, on the eve of Armed Forces Day.

In her post, Tsai said that Chin, who has been well looked after by the medical team and accompanied by his family, has come a long way toward recovering and is in good spirits.

Tsai expressed hope that the 26-year-old will continue to keep up with his rehabilitation and make use of his recovery period to enrich himself.    [FULL  STORY]

SALARY CALCULATIONS: A party assets committee member said that the NT$30 million earmarked for salaries did not mean each of its 25 members would be paid NT$1 million

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 03, 2018
By: Chen Yu-fu and William Hetherington  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Transitional Justice Commission has submitted its fiscal 2019 budget for legislative

review, with items including overseas travel expenses to research transitional justice.

Budgets for all departments were submitted last week, with the Legislative Yuan scheduled to discuss them when it convenes this month.

The commission’s proposed budget of NT$160 million (US$5.21 million) includes NT$24.32 million for work related to the reconstruction of historical facts, NT$15.19 million for the elimination of authoritarian symbols, NT$23.17 million for reparations for judicial abuses and NT$18.95 million to rebuild public trust.

A budget of NT$3.65 million was proposed for travel expenses related to the commission’s work, it said, adding that visits are planned to South Africa, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Argentina, among others.    [FULL  STORY]

A marketing license from the US government will allow the procurement of overseas supplies

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/09/01
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The construction of Taiwan’s first-ever domestic submarine should be completed by 2025 following the spending of NT$49.3 billion (US$1.6 billion) beginning next year, reports said Saturday.

Due to pressure from China, Taiwan has been unable to buy submarines overseas since procuring two from the Netherlands 30 years ago. Under President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), plans to start building submarines in Taiwan have been gaining impetus.

As Taiwan has acquired a “marketing license” from the United States Department of State, it means it will have access to parts and technology from U.S. suppliers, including so-called “red area” components, the Central News Agency reported.

Supplies for the construction of submarines are labeled red, yellow or green, with the red area including technology such as the main diesel engine, torpedoes and missile systems which Taiwan is unable to develop on its own.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/09/01
By: Chen Shih- chung (陳時中)

Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has pledged to support Taiwan’s efforts to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA), Taiwan’s health minister said Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih- chung (陳時中) said he met with Azar in Washington, D.C. earlier this week to exchange opinions on diseases and disaster prevention, as well as other issues related to public health.

Chen said the U.S. looks forward to working with Taiwan and that the country is pleased to continue its support for Taiwan’s WHA efforts.

According to the health minister, Azar also told him that he had recently called on the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to seriously consider allowing Taiwan to participate in the WHA.    [FULL  STORY]

INTELLIGENCE: The Ministry of National Defense said drones can supply accurate information, which would help ensure enemy deployments could be annihilated

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 02, 2018
By: Lo Tien-pin and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Uncrewed tactical reconnaissance and combat-capable drones are to be prioritized to

ensure the annihilation of enemy forces on beachheads and coastal zones, Ministry of National Defense plans submitted for legislative review alongside the fiscal 2019 defense budget showed on Friday.

Tengyun long-range drones developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, as well as anti-radiation attack drones being developed as part of Project Jiansiang, are being considered, the ministry said.

The Tengyun drones have four weapons pylons compatible with Hellfire missiles or similar air-to-surface missiles, the ministry said, adding that the anti-radiation drones would be able to find and target enemy radar systems, or the platforms on which they are installed.

The development of drones is part of the ministry’s goal to ensure the annihilation of enemy deployments on beaches.    [FULL  STORY]

POWER OF WORDS:The DPP’s support of limitations, such as the definition of sovereign territory in the Constitution, robs Taiwanese of their rights, the Formosa Alliance said

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 01, 2018
By: Su Fun-her and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Formosa Alliance plans to hold a rally in Taipei on Oct. 20 to protest against Chinese

bullying and promote Taiwan’s right of self-determination.

The group yesterday also called for the public to support its proposed Taiwanese independence referendum.

The Referendum Act (公民投票法), amended in December last year, lowered the support threshold for referendum proposals and signature drives to pass, but limitations on constitutional amendments and the definition of a sovereign territory were left untouched, alliance convener Kuo Pei-hung (郭倍宏) said yesterday.

The problem with the definition of sovereign territory stems from the language used in the Constitution — “Sovereign territory of the Republic of China will comply with its inherent boundaries.”
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-08-30

The Taipei City Government has just launched a new way to get rid of garbage – intelligent trash disposal machines.

Taking out the trash can be troublesome especially since garbage trucks only come at a certain time of the day in Taiwan. The Taipei City Government has just launched a new way to get rid of garbage – intelligent trash disposal machines.

Taipei now has a new way of dealing with garbage. Just put in your Easycard and the door opens. Then you put in your trash. This intelligent trash disposal machine is available 24 hours a day for a small fee.

“It costs NT$2 for trash under 200 grams and NT$4 for half a kilogram.”    [FULL  STORY]

Premier William Lai wants Taiwan to make English its second official language. Will it actually help Taiwan’s language learners?

The News Lens
Date: 2018/08/30
By: Stellina Chen

Taibei chezhan … Taibei zong tai … Thoi-pet … Taipei Main Station…

First-time visitors to Taipei are often perplexed by the linguistic cacophony that is the Taipei MRT. As any regular passenger will tell you, station names are broadcast in four languages – and earlier this month, passengers at Taipei 101/World Trade Center started to hear five, with Japanese being added to the mix.

This charming custom has legal binding: per Article 6 of the Mass Transit Broadcast Language Equality Law and “the trend towards internationalization in Taipei,” according to the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, “all broadcasts will be made in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka and English.”

If Premier William Lai (賴清德) gets his way, Taiwan’s official language laws will soon be amended to include English along with Chinese. Executive Yuan spokesperson Kolas Yotaka said on Monday that Lai will present clear-cut goals next year for a government plan to make English into Taiwan’s second official language.    [FULL  STORY]

Proposal is expected to meet resistance due to national security concerns

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/08/30
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – In order to stop an expected fall in the number of tourists visiting

Taiwan this year, Minister without Portfolio Chang Jing-sen (張景森) is expected to propose giving a visa waiver to visitors from Vietnam and Indonesia, the Apple Daily reported Thursday.

As part of its New Southbound Policy, the government has already given visa waivers to citizens of other Southeast Asian countries, but the measures came under fire when Thailand briefly announced earlier this week it was raising visa fees for some visitors from Taiwan. It abandoned the move after a backlash which includes boycott threats from travel agencies.

On Friday, Chang is to attend a closed-door meeting with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior and the National Immigration Agency where he will propose the expansion of the visa waiver, according to the Apple Daily.

The expected suggestion comes amid fears that in contrast to recent years, the total number of foreign visitors to Taiwan for 2018 will not reach 10 million, the Apple Daily reported.    [FULL  STORY]