Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-05
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Encouraged by the success of two regional Taiwan Pass cards, the Tourism Bureau along with several local governments launched the “Central Taiwan Pass” and the “Taitung Pass” limited-edition cards on Tuesday.

The two passes, the “Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Penghu Pass” and “Yilan Pass,”have been available since last year, but this year they are enriched with new interests, activities and fun.

The regional Taiwan Pass card is an electronic ticket loaded with tourism resources planned and recommended by local governments, including unlimited public transportation in designated areas during designated time, package trips of one to several days, admissions to fun destinations and events, discounts for products and services. It is designed to give the card holder the convenience of a guided tour while keeping individual freedom. It is available online, as well as at specific local stores.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/05
By Chen Wei-ting and Christie Chen

Taipei, July 5 (CNA) Typhoon Nepartak is expected to come closest to Taiwan on Thursday and

Friday, the Central Weather Bureau forecast Tuesday.

As of 8 a.m., Nepartak was centered 1,810 kilometers southeast of Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving at a speed of 28 km per hour in a west-northwesterly direction, bureau data showed.

It is packing maximum sustained winds of 118 kph, with gusts reaching 154 kph, according to the bureau.

Having grown in intensity from a tropical storm into a typhoon overnight, Nepartak continues to pick up strength because it has a small vertical wind shear — the change in wind direction with height in the atmosphere — and is passing over a warm body of water, the bureau said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: July 5, 2016

Taipei City-headquartered International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) marked

its 20th anniversary with the launch July 4 of “Thinking Big to Enhance the World,” a book highlighting the country’s achievements as provider of foreign assistance.

Held simultaneously with the opening of a special exhibition on the contributions of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs-affiliated organization, the event was attended by MOFA Deputy Ministers Javier Ching-shan Hou and Wu Chih-chung, MOFA Vice Minister Leo Chen-jan Lee, former MOFA Ministers Chen Chien-jen, Frederick Chien, James Huang and Tien Hung-mao, as well as members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries.

“Once a recipient of foreign aid, Taiwan began giving back to the global community in the 1960s,” Hou said. “Despite challenging conditions at home and abroad when TaiwanICDF was created, the ROC government remained unwavering in its foreign assistance commitment.”    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 06, 2016
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

Following the Executive Yuan’s latest propsed amendment to the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法),

which would allow employers to ask employees to work on days off, the New Power Party (NPP) yesterday reiterated its stance that a five-day work week should be implemented with two mandatory days off.

The party’s proposed draft amendment would introduce a five-day work week in which employees cannot be asked to work on their two weekly days off.

The proposal came after the Executive Yuan introduced the yili yixiu (一例一休) leave policy last week, which would enforce a five-day work week with one fixed day off and one flexible “rest day,” and which would give employers the ability to request that employees work on their rest day.

The yili yixiu policy might not reduce work hours or increase wages, as workers might end up receiving the same pay, even though they would be entitled to greater additional pay when working on rest days, because employers could lower their base salaries, NPP Executive Director Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: July 5, 2016
By: Stephanie Chao

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Academia Sinica head James Liao (廖俊智) refused to comment Tuesday on a push at the body’s biennial convocation to allow members to directly elect their president.

The proposal came up for discussion during the afternoon session on the second day of Academia Sinica’s 32nd biennial convocation.

“The president is not in the role to provide any opinions before official discussions,” Liao, referring to himself, said before the session.

He said that only “one or two” types of opinions from Academia Sinica researchers had been circulating in the media recently, and that the discussion would provide a clearer picture of the different perspectives on the issue.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-04
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu announced the official opening of the Kaohsiung Light Rail Transit (KLRT) from C1 Station to C8 Station on Monday after taking a ride of the light rail.

After the announcement, the trial operation of stations C1-C8 will be changed to the operational mode, while the interval between trains will be shortened from 30 minutes to 10 – 15 minutes and the opening hours will be increased from 9:00 – 19:00 to 7:00 to 21:00.

Stations C1-C8 include Lizihnei, Kaisyuan Rueitian, Star of Cianjhen, Kaisyuan Jhonghua, Dream Mall, Commerce and Trade Park, Software Technology Park, and Kaohsiung Exhibition Center.

Chen boarded the light rail at C5 (Dream Mall) and got off at C8 (Kaohsiung Exhibition Center). She said she hopes the first phase of the KLRT, which provides service from stations C1-C14, can be opened at the end of the year.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: July 5, 2016
By: Chanda JL

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Tropical storm Nepartak is approaching fast and could affect Taiwan as

early as Wednesday, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) reported on Monday.

Nepartak is currently moving toward Taiwan in a northwesterly direction. If the subtropical high-pressure system north of Taiwan weakens, there is a chance that the tropical storm will turn north.

The tropical storm might be closer to the island when it turns northwards, creating a larger impact on Taiwan, reports say.

Lin Chih-hui from the CWB said that the tropical storm would be nearest to Taiwan on Thursday. There is a possibility that the CWB would issue a sea warning as Typhoon Nepartak is currently gaining strength, Lin said.     [FULL  STORY]