Society

Same-Sex Marriage Rights Guaranteed by Constitution: Highest Court Rules

gay people celebrate a ruling that a ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional under the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of China
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taiwan’s highest court, the Judicial Yuan, today declared that denial of same-sex marriage rights were a violation of rights guaranteed by the constitution of the Republic of China, and ordered the government to amend the civil code within a period of 2 years. According to the ruling, if the civil code remains unamended after the expiration of 2 years, the provisions of the civil code that specify that marriage is between “husband and wife” will become null and void, and

Read more

Taiwan’s Shortest Taxi Driver Dedicated to Helping Disabled

Taiwan's shortest taxe driver
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

[Cover picture: Mirror Media] Known as Taiwan’s shortest taxi driver, Cheng Jianzhi (程健智) quit his job in veterinary research to fulfill his high-school dream of driving a ‘barrier-free’ taxi. Just 123cm tall, Cheng was born with Osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. Cheng was forced to drop out of high school due to injuries, but enrolled in veterinary studies at the age of 27. After graduation Cheng worked for the Council of Agriculture. Now 44 years-old, as a

Read more

Coast Guard Intercepts Boatload of Illegal Immigrants

A Chinese fishing vessel intercepted by Taiwan coastguard suspected of carrying illegal immigrants from Vietnam
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

[Cover Picture: Liberty Times Network] A Chinese fishing boat carrying 19 illegal immigrants from Vietnam was intercepted by Kaohsiung Coastguard officers yesterday evening, April 9, 2017. According to a Liberty Times Network report, 10 females and 9 males had paid people smugglers around US$6,000 (NT$180,000), to be transported to Taiwan. The Vietnamese had traveled to the coast of China, where they boarded the fishing vessel. Coastguard officers arrested the 19, along with 3 boat crew around 12 nautical miles off

Read more

Taiwan Police Uniform Design 30 Years Old: Time for Change

police uniforms in Taiwan are about to be redesigned after a 30 year hiatus
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

[Cover Picture from NPA Facebook page. Chinese reads: “New era, new police service”] Taiwan’s National Police Administration (NPA) has invited boots on the ground police officers, textile and clothing designers, and experts and scholars in related fields to participate in designing new uniforms for the nation’s police officers. The NPA convened a meeting on March 31 to instigate the research phase of a plan to update uniforms that were designed 30 years ago. A post on the NPA Facebook page

Read more

Anti-Terror Drills Held in Taipei Ahead of Summer Universiade

simulated anti-terror exercise bus with hostages
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

[Cover Picture: United Daily News] An anti-terror exercise held in Taipei this afternoon, March 27, saw civilian and military police co-ordinate against a simulated terror attack involving explosives hidden in a sports stadium, and a hostage situation on a bus. The exercise was a rehearsal, or dummy run for an anti-terror drill to be held at 2:30pm, March 30, which will be attended by President Tsai Ing-wen. The exercises are being held in preparation for the 2017 Summer Universiade to

Read more

Search for Missing Firefighter Called Off after 20 Days

search party in Hualian County
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

[Picture: United Daily News] The search for a Taipei firefighter who went missing while on a hiking trip in Hualian County has been suspended after search and rescue teams failed to find a trace of the man after 20 days. Firefighter Li Ying-xun (李盈勳) lost contact with his two hiking partners when he went searching for water at around 4:00pm March 1. Due to the remoteness of the location it was more than 24 hours until the men were able

Read more

Suspected IS Member Deported from Taiwan

Dian Yulia Novi was arrested in December on the eve of a bomb attack in Jakarta
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

[Picture is of Dian Yulia Novi arrested in December, see below. Photo credit: The Australian] An Indonesian woman working in Taiwan was arrested February 21 and deported on suspicion of being a member of the Islamic State (IS, ISIS). An Indonesian immigration official told Central News Agency Jakarta that the 34 year-old woman was put on a China Airlines plane, under escort, on February 22, and was arrested by an anti-terrorist police unit on arrival at Jakarta International Airport. The

Read more

Gas Hot Water System Installed Indoors: 2 Dead 4 Hospitalized

gas hot water system installed on enclosed balcony
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

A 34 year-old mother and 7 year-old son were found dead, and 4 family members suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in Taichung this morning. A gas hot water system was installed on the 8th floor apartment’s balcony, and the windows were closed. A teenage boy made an emergency call after waking up feeling dizzy and finding his mother and younger brother unconscious. Emergency workers were unable to revive the two, and they were declared dead at the hospital. A total of

Read more

Brunch Restaurant Fined for Not Hiring Men

Yummy Brunch restaurant Banciao District New Taipei City
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A brunch restaurant in Banciao District was fined NT$150,000 today after being found guilty of discriminatory hiring practices that violated gender equality provisions under Article 7 of the Employment Act. Yummy Brunch was accused of refusing to interview a male job seeker when he applied for an advertised position for a server at the well-known restaurant. Management told the man that they do not accept males for interviews, and that the servers were required to wear a dress as a

Read more

Taiwan Freedom Level Rises: Surpasses USA

deomonstration in front of Presidential Palace, Taipei
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

[Picture: CNA] The 2017 Freedom Report compiled by NGO Freedom House saw Taiwan’s rating rise from level 2 to level 1 due to improvements in freedom of the press and academia. With an overall score of 91 out of 100, Taiwan surpassed the United States which finished 2016 with a score of 89. Freedom House reported that “Taiwan’s civil liberties rating improved from 2 to 1 due to demonstrations of media independence and academic freedom in recent years, including in

Read more

Abandoned New Born Spends Night Out of Doors

Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A new born baby with umbilical cord still attached survived the night in an alley in Tainan City on the coldest night so far this winter. A resident of Anping District heard the baby crying in the early hours of the morning, but ignored the cries, thinking it was just a stray cat. Hearing the cries again after waking up, the middle-aged man surnamed Liu went out to investigate. Mr Liu found a new-born baby boy wrapped in a green

Read more