Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/21
By: Claudia Liu and Kay Liu

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) Twelve foreign priests, nuns, missionaries and pastors were honored Monday at the Presidential Office for their decades of dedicated service to Taiwan.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon on each of the 12 religious workers, saying that their work had brought serenity and peace to Taiwan.

On behalf of the Taiwanese people, Ma expressed his deepest gratitude to the honorees for their service in the areas of education, charity and social service.

According to the Presidential Office, the 12 religious workers have each served for at least 40 years in Taiwan, and one of them, 102-year-old Canadian priest Etienne Georges Beauregard, has been in Taiwan for 68 years.   [FULL  STORY]

Source: Taiwan Today
Date: December 21, 2015

Taiwan welcomed its 10 millionth international visitor for the year Dec. 20 at

Christopher Manuele and his wife are welcomed to Taiwan by a pair of dancing lions Dec. 20 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. (CNA)

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, marking a milestone development in the country’s tourism industry.

Christopher Manuele, a 34-year-old software engineer who touched down with his Taiwan-American wife in tow, was greeted with a lion dance and other festivities as he entered the airport’s arrival hall.

“This is really a big surprise,” Manuele said, adding that he is deeply grateful for such privileged treatment. The California native plans to travel around Taiwan with his wife and visit her grandmother in Kaohsiung City during a two-week stay.

In a promotional ceremony held later the same day in Taipei City, President Ma Ying-jeou presented Manuele with 100 gifts worth NT$1 million (US$30,196). These comprised artworks, bicycles, consumer electronics and luxurious vacation packages, as well as an assortment souvenirs provided by local governments.     [FULL  STORY]

Trib Live News
Date: Dec. 20, 2015
By Franklin Lacava

program of Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve, but with a few less-than-

FRANKLIN LACAVA I FOR Trib Total Media
Ssu-Jun Wang, the new musical director at Trinity United Presbyterian Church, prepares for the church’s Christmas Eve presentation of Lessons and Carols.

traditional twists.

Rather than following the original liturgy of nine lessons first performed at Kings College in Cambridge, England, in the 19th century, this year’s rendition will be more loosely structured as a modern worship service.

According to interim pastor the Rev. Thomas Holslag, the lesson of the musical and narrative program is “based on the birth narrative of Christ as found in the Gospel Of Luke. This year’s presentation will be a series of hymns, anthems and carols, but we’re going to inject a children’s time which has never been done before,” Holslag said.

“In the past it’s been more of a production, this year it will be more interactive with the participation of the audience. Everything will be tied together with music. Lessons and Carols has a great emotional impact. It’s the message of Christ’s coming into the world that means men and women can be free from the evils of the world. What people take away with them — in the story and through the music — is what stays with them.”     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 21, 2015
By: Chen Wei-han  /  Staff reporter

Hundreds of activists yesterday staged a rally in Tainan, demanding that the

A protester taking part in an anti-pollution rally in Tainan yesterday holds a sign saying that burning ghost money is harmful to human health. Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Taipei Times

government address air pollution in southern Taiwan and revoke major development projects, while calling on presidential and legislative candidates to support their proposals.

Impersonating Star Wars characters, protesters performed a skit saying: “The people awaken. May the force be with Yoda,” satirizing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), whose portrait on the cover of Time magazine in June was juxtaposed with a picture of Star Wars character Yoda by netizens.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-20
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The nation’s food safety is a complex issue that cannot be solved simply by

Food safety must begin at grassroot level: Luis Ko.

inspections and laws that regulates it, I-Mei Foods Co. CEO Luis Ko said during a seminar held in Taipei on Sunday.

The root of the problem lies in our inability to combat environmental pollution, Ko said, adding that if no safeguards were given to protect the quality of the sunshine, air, water and earth, then real food safety would never be attained.

The afternoon event also saw the presence of Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je and independent legislative candidate Billy Pan, who is also a practicing psychiatrist, to exchange ideas and opinions regarding the nation’s food safety.

“There are over 800 additives and other unknown substances currently available on the market, and to rely solely on the results of large-scale scientific testing will not help guarantee food safety,” the CEO said.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/20
By: Hsu Chih-wei and Christie Chen

Taipei, Dec. 20 (CNA) High schools students on Sunday proposed the idea of a “No Cell Phone Day” to educational officials, saying mobile phones addictions could alienate students from society.

The proposal was made at a forum organized by the Ministry of Education’s Youth Development Administration. In the forum, 100 senior high school and vocational high school students gave suggestions to Education Minister Wu Se-hwa (吳思華) and other educational officials on topics including learning and career planning, civil awareness, international perspective, technology development and smart living.     [FULL  STORY]