Radio Taiwan International
Date: 26 August, 2020
By: Katherine Wei

Penguins court by placing a rock in front of their beloved.[/caption] Qixi or “Chinese Valentine’s Day” was this Tuesday, and this year, it wasn’t just people expressing their love. Apparently, many in the animal kingdom also showed romantic side on this special occasion, including the residents of Taiwan’s national aquarium in Pingtung. 

Penguins court by placing a rock in front of their beloved. It’s a bit like the way humans in some cultures propose with diamond rings. If the other penguin shows affection in return, the couple prepares to begin mating. That was what was going at the National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium on Tuesday, which coincidentally was also the holiday sometimes called “Chinese Valentine’s Day” in English.

The penguins will build love nests shaped like small volcanoes after they have finished mating, says their caretaker. 

It wasn’t just the penguins feeling love in the air either. Sea hares and puffins were also reportedly looking for romance, too.     [FULL  STORY]

The Navy just announced the 10th transit of the Taiwan Strait by a U.S. warship this year, the most since 2016.

The National Interest
Date: August 26, 2020
By: Caleb Larson

In a press release, the U.S. Navy announced that a hardy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the USS Mustin transited through the Taiwan Strait, which the Navy called “routine” and “in accordance with international law.”

It’s been a busy year for the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, and in the South China Sea in particular.

Concurrent to the USS Mustin’s transit, the United States is also hosting the Rim of the Pacific maritime exercise (RIMPAC). This year’s biennial exercise, which is the world’s largest international maritime exercise, is somewhat reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, it still includes “ten nations, 22 surface ships, one submarine, multiple aircraft, and approximately 5,300 personnel.” This year’s exercises forwent land maneuvers in favor of sea-only exercises in an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus amongst military personnel and the people of Hawaii.

The USS Mustin’s recent voyage marks the tenth time this year that an American warship has transited through the Taiwan Strait, the highest number since 2016 and coincidentally the last time that China participated in the RIMPAC exercises.    [FULL  STORY]

Decision based on analysis by CECC: Tourism Bureau

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/26
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As several parts of the world are experiencing a resurgence of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Tourism Bureau has decided to extend the ban on inbound and outbound tour groups indefinitely, reports said Wednesday (Aug. 26).

The Ministry of Transportation’s department said it was basing its decision on advice from the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) and on its analysis of the international situation, UDN reported. Several countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, have registered new outbreaks of the virus, dashing hopes for an imminent return of international mass tourism.    [FULL  STORY]

COMMUNITY IMPACT: As the virus comes with relatively less clear symptoms than SARS, preventing the spread of asymptomatic cases remains central to the nation’s efforts

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 27, 2020
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

Local governments can independently set mandatory mask-wearing rules for eight types of crowded or enclosed spaces, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it reported a case of a Philippine worker who tested positive after returning to the Philippines from Taiwan.

Since the center loosened mandatory COVID-19 prevention rules and started promoting the “new disease prevention lifestyle” on June 7, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who also heads the CECC, said he has increasingly seen people letting their guard down.

Chen said that the center encourages people to practice social distancing or wear a mask in eight types of crowded or enclosed spaces — healthcare and long-term care facilities, public transportation, marketplaces, education sites, show or competition venues, religious venues, recreational sites, and at large events.

Local governments can set mandatory mask-wearing rules at these sites if they deem it necessary, and set penalties for people who do not follow the rules, Chen said, adding that local governments are required to inform the CECC about their rules before implementing them.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/26/2020
By: Chen Chih-chung and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) The results of a large-scale testing program for COVID-19 antibodies in the central county of Changhua are expected to be made public on Thursday, two days after the scheduled announcement was postponed due to an "administrative" delay.

The research team in charge of the testing project involving more than 10,000 test subjects notified the media on Wednesday that the results of the antibody tests will be made public in Taipei early the following day.

In a statement, the team said it will announce the results of testing for positive rates and response intensity of COVID-19 nucleoprotein antibodies, spike protein antibodies and neutralizing antibodies, at the planned press event to be headed by Chan Chang-chuan (詹長權), a professor at the College of Public Health under National Taiwan University (NTU) and the leader of the mass-testing project.

The notification came several hours after NTU public health professor Chen Hsiu-hsi (陳秀熙), a member of the research team, told the press Wednesday that the test results will be made public as soon as possible "as a public service."    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 25 August, 2020
By: Shirley Lin

Taiwan is inventing life vests suitable for fishermen and hopes to have them by year end. That was the word from Fisheries Agency’s Director-General Chang Chih-sheng in an RTI interview on Monday.

Chang said the current life vests are bulky and interfere with fishermen’s mobility at work so they often choose not to wear them at sea. In recent years, several fishermen have lost their lives when they fell overboard with no vests on.     [FULL  STORY]

Defense News August 2020 Global Security army industry

Army Recognition
Dste: 25 August 2020 

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense on August 25 said it is placing an additional order of 21 CM-34 "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicles, to be deployed to the country's Military Police Command, Chen Chun-hua and Ko Lin report on Focus Taiwan.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The new order comes on top of 284 units already ordered for the nation's military, said Yu Yu-tang of the Armaments Bureau, which developed the Clouded Leopard and is an affiliated authority of the MoD. Mass production of the 284 vehicles, which began in 2019, is expected to be completed by 2023. 32 were delivered in 2019, of which 6 have so far entered service.

The CM-34 is armed with the Orbital ATK 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II cannon, which has an effective firing range of over 2,000 meters. It also comes with a forward looking infrared sensor, a low-light television camera and a laser rangefinder, according to the ministry. Roughly 88% of the vehicle parts are sourced and produced in Taiwan, except for the engine, the MK44 cannon, transmission and toxic gas detection system, which need to be procured from overseas.
[SOURCE]

Taiwanese photographer investigated after claiming nude woman was cop

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/25
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A New Taipei police officer is facing disciplinary action after it was found that he took part in sex parties organized by famed Taiwanese photographer Tsai Che-kai (蔡哲凱).

On July 8, Tsai, who goes by the internet alias Mu Chuan- Shen (穆川申), posted photos on his Twitter account (@mustation2) of a police ID card and a nude photo of a woman who he alleged was a police officer. In the post, he alleged that a policewoman purchased sex toys from him, leading the public into believing that a female police officer was potentially involved in his infamous sex parties.

However, an investigation by the Taipei District Prosecutor's Office found that the ID belonged to a male police officer who had allegedly sent the image to Tsai to enable him to take part in his erotic events. Tsai has since been indicted for violating the Act on Offenses Against Sexual Morality (妨害風化罪).

In 2017, under the guise of "art" Tsai posted a series of photos showing seven nude men and six nude women engaging in sexual acts. After carrying out an investigation, prosecutors later found that Tsai had organized six such gatherings.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/25/2020
By: William Yen

Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA) Any employers who make illegal deductions from the salaries of migrant workers will face a fine of up to NT$300,000 (NT$10,206), the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Tuesday.

The current law demands that employers must not withhold wages. Workers who believe their wages are being garnished or that they are being overcharged by their brokers should report any issues to 1955, a 24-hour consultation and protection hotline for foreign workers, the ministry's Workforce Development Agency (WDA) said.

Each case will be investigated by the local labor department and any violations handled strictly in accordance with the law, the WDA said.

Some common illegal deductions by employers on behalf of brokers include service fees, foreign loans, residence permit fees and medical examination fees, the WDA said.
[FULL  STORY]

TRACING SOURCE: The woman had been in Shanghai for a few days before the onset of her symptoms, so she probably did not infect others in Taiwan, the CECC said

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 26, 2020
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported a case of a Taiwanese who tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Shanghai.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is also the CECC spokesman, said that the case is a woman in her 70s who lives alone in southern Taiwan and had been in Taiwan since November last year.

After arriving in Shanghai on Aug. 15 and testing negative for COVID-19, the woman was quarantined in a hotel, Chuang said.

On Friday last week, she developed a sore throat, so she was tested again, he said, adding that after the results came out positive on Saturday, she was isolated for treatment.   
[FULL  STORY]