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Labor groups: current national holiday overtime pay unreasonable

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/03/07
By: George Liao,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)–Taiwan’s labor groups and scholars on Tuesday said they think the overtime pay for the ninth to 12th hours should be double pay times 1 1/3 or 1 2/3 (NT$150x2x1 1/3 based on the salary of NT$36,000 ) instead of regular pay times 1 1/3 (NT$150×1 1/3).

The calculation of the overtime pay after eight hours is based on Clause 24 of the Labor Standards Law, which is regular hourly pay times 1 1/3, said Huang Wei-chen (黃維琛), deputy director of Labor Ministry’s Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment.

However, labor groups and some scholars don’t agree. Taiwan Higher Education Union researcher Chen Poh-chien (陳柏謙) said that national holiday overtime pay from the ninth hour on should be based on double pay, so the ninth hour work should be paid NT$150x2x1 1/3 based on NT$36,000 salary.

Chinese Culture University law professor Chiu Chun-yen(邱駿彥) also thinks the ninth hour overtime pay on a national holiday should be calculated on the basis of double pay.
[SOURCE]

FDA orders recall of all batches of Crestor tablets

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/03/07
By: Wen Kuei-hsiang and Y.F. Low

Taipei, March 7 (CNA) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday ordered a recall of all batches of the lipid-lowering drug Crestor from hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, after a second batch of the medication was found to have been mixed with counterfeit drugs.

The FDA has requested Crestor’s manufacturer, AstraZeneca, to help replace the counterfeits, and the company will also conduct a comprehensive examination in regional hospitals and medical centers, said FDA Director-General Wu Shou-mei (吳秀梅).

The administration first confirmed on March 4 that batch number MV503 of Crestor 10 mg tablets had been mixed with counterfeits containing atorvastatin, a cheaper lipid-lowering ingredient, instead of rosuvastatin.    [FULL  STORY]

Apply for WHO membership: groups

INACTION:If Taiwan waits to be invited to the WHA as an observer, the international community might believe it has submitted to the ‘one China’ policy, Michael Tsai said

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 08, 2017
By: Chung Li-hua and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan should apply for WHO membership instead of waiting to be invited to the executive board’s follow-up to the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May, Taiwan Medical Professionals Alliance chairman Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民) said yesterday.

Taiwan is unlikely to be granted observer status at the assembly, the highest decisionmaking body of the WHO, Wu said, citing the nation’s exclusion from the International Civil Aviation Organization last year.

“Attending the assembly under the humiliating terms of the ‘one China’ principle would be worse than not participating at all. We should consider the failure to invite Taiwan a blessing, which gives us the focus to join the WHO under the name ‘Taiwan,’” he said.

Taiwan can be invited to the assembly by a member state, which requires ratification by the WHO; at the invitation of the organization’s director-general; or by becoming a full member following a successful application.    [FULL  STORY]

Premier seeks goodwill after Chinese warnings on independence

The China Post
Date: March 8, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

Premier Lin Chuan (林全) called for goodwill in cross-strait relations on Tuesday, a day

A general view shows the opening session of the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature, in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Sunday, March 5. China’s rubber-stamp congress opened Sunday in an annual pageant of Communist-controlled democracy. (AFP)

after Chinese officials issued strong warnings to Taiwan against pursuing independence.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (李克強) said in a policy report to China’s National People’s Congress meeting on Monday that Beijing would absolutely not accept anyone separating Taiwan from China in any way, shape or form.

Li’s remarks were sterner than those in his report last year, in which he described China and Taiwan as a family.

Monday’s plea for goodwill from Lin came in response to remarks by Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), director of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei to start enforcing sidewalk cycling laws

It is illegal to bike on sidewalks unless there is a designated bike lane

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/03/07
By: Matthew Lubin,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei will begin cracking down on cyclists who violate traffic

Taipei City Public Works Department Commissioner Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲)(left) and Dept. of Transportation Director Chang Jer-yang (張哲揚) (right)(By Central News Agency)

laws, particularly riding on sidewalks without a bike lane, the city government said in a notice posted today.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is urging the public to abide by traffic regulations when cycling on sidewalks to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.

According to the DOT, bicycles are classified as slow-moving vehicles, and Article 124 of the “Rules on Road Traffic Safety” stipulates that cyclists should keep to the right at all times.

In accordance with Article 90 of the “Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act,” bicycles are not allowed on sidewalks, except when there is a designated bike lane on the sidewalk as set up by authorities.    [FULL  STORY]

Editorial: United Together

Taiwan Today
Date: March 01, 2017
By: TAIWAN REVIEW

The New Year is traditionally a time of rejuvenation and renewal. For the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), this spirit of fresh thinking and new approaches will characterize policies aimed at revitalizing the nation in 2017. It will also spill over to efforts in leading all segments of society in standing united together to face the challenges of tomorrow.

In an address delivered Dec. 31, 2016, at the Office of the President in Taipei City, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) laid out the government’s four-pronged plan for the coming 12 months, with the first and foremost task boosting the economy through restructuring and attracting across-the-board infrastructure investment.

The New Model for Economic Development remains the cornerstone of this process. In addition, strong supporting roles will be played by the five-plus-two innovative industries initiative and programs spanning child care, long-term care, residential building refurbishment and social housing construction.

Meeting the needs of future generations through regionally balanced and managed infrastructure development is also key to this undertaking. A wide variety of projects are in the pipeline, including a green rail transport system; networks for broadband and super-broadband cloud communications; engineering projects to combat flooding and droughts brought about by climate change; and facilities for generating low-carbon and non-nuclear sources of energy.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei man caught taking upskirt photos: ‘work is very stressful’

Taipei IT worker caught taking photos up the skirt of a student in Ximending blames pressure from work

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/03/06
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 33-year-old IT company worker surnamed Lee was caught

Poster on Taipei Metro admonishing male passengers against taking upskirt photos. (By Taiwan News)

taking photos under the skirt of a student while she shopped at a supermarket in Ximending on Saturday and offered an odd explanation for his actions, reported UDN.

While a young female student wearing a short skirt was perusing goods at a supermarket, Lee allegedly hovered behind her and then squatted and pretended to pick up an item on the bottom shelf to take photos under her skirt with his cell phone. Another customer noticed his behavior was suspicious and alerted the girl that the man seemed to be trying to surreptitiously take photos up her skirt.

Shocked, the young woman immediately ran to a clerk, who along with another customer chased down the perverted photographer and nabbed him to hand over to the police.
[FULL  STORY]

Longshan Temple to limit incense burning starting May 5

Focus Taiwan
Date: 17/03/06 23:05:44
By: Liang Pei-chi and Lilian Wu

Taipei, March 6 (CNA) Longshan Temple (龍山寺), one of Taipei’s most popular temples

(CNA file photo)

with worshippers, has decided to limit the number of incense sticks worshippers can burn to one stick starting May 5 in an effort to curb PM2.5 particulates.

The burning of incense releases PM2.5 pollutants and other possibly carcinogenic materials into the air, and temple authorities have decided to limit the number of incense sticks that an individual can burn to one, temple vice chairman Huang Shu-wei (黃書瑋) said Monday.

Huang said the temple will inform worshippers of the new policy and encourage them to go around the temple and worship all gods and goddesses before placing their incense stick in an incense burner at the end of their tour of worship.   [FULL  STORY]

Exchange student rules mulled

PLEDGEIf universities have agreed not to discuss the ‘one China’ principle, they should also agree not to discuss unification or the ‘1992 consensus,’ a legislator said

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 07, 2017
By: Staff Writer, with CNA

The Ministry of Education is to draft guidelines for universities when engaging in student exchanges with Chinese universities to ensure academic freedom, equality and reciprocity, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said yesterday.

Taiwanese universities were discovered to have signed letters for Chinese universities saying that they would not teach subjects that criticize or reject the “one China” policy. In some Chinese provinces, students are required to obtain the letter before their plans to study in Taiwan could be approved.

Shih Hsin University reportedly admitted 11 students from China for the February to June semester.

Pan said the ministry would talk with authorities to establish principles by which cross-strait educational exchanges can continue without concerns over sovereignty or academic freedom.    [FULL  STORY]

Model murder case takes new turn as key suspect released

The China Post
Date: March 7, 2017
By: By James Lo

The murder of a young model in Taipei has taken yet another dramatic turn, with a key suspect released from custody Monday due to lack of evidence.

Liang Sz-hui, a friend of the victim, surnamed Chen, was arrested along with her boyfriend Cheng Yu on Friday in Taichung.

Prosecutors said they had found no evidence pointing to Liang at the scene of the crime and that surveillance camera footage at her residence as well as online chat records indicated that she was at home when the murder took place. Liang’s mother also provided an alibi for her daughter.

Cheng, who remains in custody, has allegedly attempted to pin the blame for the murder on Liang since the two were arrested last week.    [FULL  STORY]