Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-08
By: Jocylin FC, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Eurasian tree sparrow is commonly seen in cities and towns of eastern Asia, thus its

conservation status falls in the least concern category. Many people do not pay attention to tree sparrow but the decreasing of tree sparrow’s population is sending an alarming message. Unfortunately, the decreasing in tree sparrow’s population does not concern the locals for they are also labeled as ‘pest animals’ to farmers. The students of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology Bird Ecology Research team found 381 dead wild birds in and around the red bean farmlands at Wandan, Pingtung County on October 7.

While the students were picking up the dead birds, the locals told them that the owner of the red bean farmland poisoned the birds. The owner has been poisoning the birds for days and there were more dead birds few days ago. There were 357 dead tree sparrows, 11 red collared doves, 11 spotted doves, and 2 common moorhens at the scene. The students said there were more dead birds in the field but they left to avoid distress encounter with the owner of the farmland. However, flocks of tree sparrows continue to fly into the field.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-08
By: CNA

Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, paid tribute to the late commander of the American

Volunteer Group, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, which flew missions for the ROC Air Force against Japanese forces during the Second Sino-Japanese War while receiving the group leader’s widow at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Wednesday.

The late major-general Claire Lee Chennault arrived in China in May 1937, two months before the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and served as an adviser to the Aeronautical Commission of the Republic of China, assisting with the development of the Republic of China Air Force, Ma said. Chennault died in 1958.

In recognition of Chennault’s contributions to the ROC, Ma presented a commemorative medal to the American aviator’s widow, Anna Chennault, whom he received at the Presidential Office.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chennault recruited American pilots to create the Flying Tigers, which played an important role in air defense and transportation, Ma said. The unit flew missions between December 1941 and July 1942 before it was folded into a regular US fighter unit with the American entry into the war against Japan.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 09, 2015
By: Peng Hsien-chun  /  Staff reporter

There was a time when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration could console themselves with at least one perceived advantage over the Democratic Progressive Party: their cross-strait policy.

That KMT presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) managed to squander even that advantage away explains why the KMT now appears it would stop at nothing to annul her candidacy.

The fundamental weakness of Hung’s campaign is her radical pro-unification ideology, which has prompted the top echelons of the Presidential Office, the KMT and “elders” with the pan-blue camp to unite in calls for her to withdraw from the presidential race.

If she were allowed to continue, Hung’s cross-strait platform — a mess for which Hung has only herself to blame — would doom not only her campaign, but also those of KMT legislative candidates.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/07
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) A local charity group announced in Taipei Wednesday the establishment of an Asian girls’ rights alliance, with the goal of improving the rights of young women across Asia.

The Garden of Hope Foundation (勵馨基金會) inaugurated the Asian Girls’ Rights Alliance at a conference in which representatives from 11 countries gathered to discuss such issues as gender stereotypes and girls’ rights to safety, health and education.

Over 300 organizations from 24 countries are members of the alliance, Chi Hui-jung (紀惠容), chief executive officer of the foundation, said on the sidelines of the conference.

“We hope to continue to improve girls’ rights through this alliance, because girls in Asia today still face problems of early marriage, sexual assault, human trafficking, abortion, and the lack of a right to education,” Chi said.

In addition to organizing more regional meetings and conferences on girls’ rights, she said her foundation will help the alliance members to find donors to fund their various girl empowerment programs.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-07
By: CNA

The number of dengue fever infections reported in Taiwan since May has reached

21,357, an increase of 385 cases from the previous day, the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, the southern city of Tainan had reported 18,096 cases, 277 more than the previous day, while neighboring Kaohsiung had reported 2,904 cases, the CDC said.

The two cities are in Taiwan’s tropical south, where the dengue fever outbreak has been concentrated.

The agency confirmed another 33 deaths caused by the mosquito-borne disease, bringing the total number of fatalities to 89 since May 1, the start of the dengue fever season.     [FULL  STORY]