Activists race for signatures before tighter recall rules enter effect

Activists race for signatures before tighter recall rules enter effect

2025-02-19

President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday promulgated an amendment put forward by opposition parties that tightens rules for recalls. Under the new legislation, individuals initiating petitions and petitions signatories must provide photocopies of their IDs. The stricter requirements prompted many recall campaign activists to try and reach their targets before the new legislation comes into effect on Thursday.

Over in Kinmen, however, it was a disappointment for the leaders of a campaign to recall KMT lawmaker Chen Yu-chen, which did not amass enough signatures on Wednesday. Though the activists decided to call off the recall, they say they will keep a close watch on Chen’s actions and statements. There are currently 51 active recall campaigns against lawmakers of several parties in Taiwan. Those that submitted the first batch of signatures before the new law enters into force will continue to be ruled by the old legislation.

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加嚴版選罷法週四生效罷免陳玉珍一階未達標

2025-02-19

立法院日前三讀通過"加嚴版選罷法"修正案，也就是「應付身分證影本」，總統府18號公告，20日即將生效，再添罷免難度，因此罷團把握最後衝刺，力拼第一階達標。

不過很可惜，罷免金門立委陳玉珍的罷團發言人，宣布第一階未達標。雖然宣布退出罷免戰場，但強調會繼續監督，要陳玉珍節制言行。截至目前，有51位立委的罷免案已經送件，接下來新法上路後，已經送件的罷免案，第二階段連署將適用舊法。

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Taiwan government trials new cancer screening scheme

Stomach cancer is one of Taiwan’s Top 10 most common cancers, with one of the highest mortality rates. What’s more concerning is that more than half of new diagnoses were made in the later stages. To promote early diagnosis of stomach cancer, the government is now trialing a new subsidized screening plan in 17 municipalities, which will be expanded to the entire country next year. Let’s find out more.

Taiwan adds around 4,000 new stomach cancer diagnoses every year, 67% of which were already in the later stages. Over the past 20 years, survival rates for patients with stomach cancer only increased 3 percentage points, trailing behind the progress made by Japan and South Korea. As such, early diagnosis is key to treatment.

Chen Jen-shi
Taiwan Oncology Society
The first thing is that we must increase early diagnosis rates. There must not be so many Stage Fours, that’s the first. Second, we must have more targeted drug treatments and supportive therapies, in order to increase the median survival rate of patients. It could be one year, a year and a half, two years… the longer the better. That’s what we wish for. We must not only rely on a single drug, but improve on both prevention and treatment, so we can approach this problem in a more holistic manner.

Under a new government scheme, people aged between 45 and 74 will be eligible for a free Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test. Meanwhile, doctors are also calling for more precise target therapy.

Shan Yan-shen
Taiwan Surgical Society of Gastroenterology
Everyone’s genes are different, and the reason for developing cancer differs. Of course the mutation of oncogenes, the driver oncogene differs. So the most important thing about genetic tests is that they allow us to target the different symptoms and pathogens that induce stomach cancer, so that we can fight and suppress the oncogene that progresses cancer.

With more widespread screening and better treatment, the government aims to reduce the morbidity rate of stomach cancer by a third before 2030.

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City awards US-bound pitcher ‘Pride of Hualien’ honor

18-year-old pitcher from Hualien, Yang Nien-hsi, was signed by the San Francisco Giants last December and plans to move to the US at the end of the month. He recently visited the Hualien City Office with his family to receive a "Pride of Hualien" banner. The baseball star will likely start in the minor league and said he hopes to make the major leagues within five years.

Standing with confidence on the mound, you can tell he’s a good pitcher as soon as the ball leaves his hand. This is Yang Nien-hsi, who was signed by the San Francisco Giants in the US last December, becoming the sixth Taiwanese player to ever join the team.

Yang Nien-hsi
Pitcher
I’m excited. I hope I can go there soon to play. This has been my dream since I was a kid. I’ve achieved my goal, but I still need to work hard. I hope to make the major leagues in five years.

Born to a baseball family, Yang began training in athletics in elementary school. He started running track in fifth grade, then switched to baseball, which he’s been playing now for 10 years. At an advantageous 187cm tall, he can pitch up to 150kph. He was the starting pitcher in last year’s U18 Asian Baseball Championship, striking out a batter in the first frame. His career performance drew interest from US scouts. Most recently, he went to the Hualien City Office to receive a “Pride of Hualien” banner.

Wu Hsin-i
Yang’s mother
It’s been a wonderful journey. He never gave up, even through all the blood, sweat, and tears. Even as a teenager in high school, a time when kids like to have fun, he sacrificed a lot of holidays to perfect his baseball.

Wei Chia-yen
Hualien Mayor
I’m thrilled that Hualien has produced such an excellent player. I need to thank his mother and father, and the upbringing of his family. I think Taiwanese players in recent years have seen incredible results both in Taiwan and abroad.

Yang is a testament to the saying, if you try hard, you’ll succeed. He is expected to go to San Francisco at the end of this month to join the Giants. After accumulating experience at the lower levels, he hopes that in five years, he can bring his talents to the major leagues.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Kaohsiungstation cat Mikan to feature on Japanese trains

Mikan, the Kaohsiung Metro’s famous station cat, has earned the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp. millions over the past year. Lovingly called the "most powerful lucky cat," Mikan’s charm has now spilled over to Japan. The KRTC has teamed up with the Enoshima Electric Railway and Randen tram network to bring Mikan to Japan for a "work study" of sorts. The opportunity would see Mikan’s likeness displayed on trains in Kamakura and Kyoto, hopefully encouraging more Japanese to visit Taiwan.

Just arriving for work, Mikan climbs through a ticket window to greet his fans. The Kaohsiung Metro’s most famous employee is surrounded by his admirers, with one kid even wearing a Mikan T-shirt while shouting that he wants to see his idol.

Mikan fan
We have a cat at home, so we bring him here to see the cat, then go outside to get some buns.

Mikan fan
I came today just to see him on duty. This is my doll bag where I put my Chiikawa and Mikan.

Adults and children alike can’t resist his charm. Now the Mikan craze has even made it to Japan.

Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp has teamed up with the Randen tram and Kamakura’s Enoshima Electric Railway to dress Mikan in the two Japanese networks’ uniforms.

Previously, the Kaohsiung Metro and Enoshima railway worked with a ramen snack brand to create colorful designs for their trains and stations. This time, Randen is joining in, and Mikan will be the star of the show. The Mikan-themed trains will hit the rails in late May, joined by a pop-up store.

Wang Po-yen
KRTC public relations director
The main goal is to attract more Japanese tourists to Taiwan. If people on these two famous railways in Kanto and Kansai see Mikan, it will create a surge of tourism to Taiwan and to Kaohsiung.

Mikan fan
There’s a store for Mikan near Zuoying Station. I heard some foreign travelers saying they wanted to go visit the store.

Conquering both Taiwan and Japan with cuteness, Mikan is Kaohsiung’s best tourism ambassador. Now officials hope to harness his power to draw more Japanese tourists to Taiwan and get more Taiwanese to learn about Japan.

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Hakka museum boasts unique walkway made of military waste

The Hakka museum in the village of Baoli in Pingtung has a very unusual sight to welcome visitors. Residents of this coastal community used to collect used ammunition cases from the nearby military base. Thousands of such cases have been made into a unique walkway inside the museum. It’s a testament to the military history of Checheng Township and the resilience of the local community, who found lots of uses for the military waste that accumulated in their town.

Walking into the Hakka museum in Baoli, you’re greeted by this unusual walkway on the floor.

Look closer, and you see it’s made of ammunition cases from .50 caliber machine guns. Lying four abreast, the lines stretch more than 100 meters. There are 1000 cases here, at least.

Tseng Li-ching
Baoli Community Development Association
Years ago, the village inhabitants would go out and pick up empty ammunition cases from .50 caliber machine guns. People were enthusiastic about collecting them. When the museum was first founded, our secretary-general encouraged everyone to place them into a walkway. It may be the only one of its kind in the world.

The village of Baoli, in Checheng Township, Pingtung, is the Southernmost Hakka village in Taiwan. Its claim to fame is a military Joint Operations Training Base which opened here in 1967. Troops have come here to conduct drills with live ammunition every year since, leaving behind empty cases from artillery shells and machine guns. Collecting and selling cases became a side income for village residents. The .50 caliber machine gun cases have also been remodeled into useful items by locals.

Chen Mei-hui
Baoli Community Development Association
They would put betel nuts inside, and grind like this until they were broken up. Then bring it up close to the mouth. Grandma didn’t have any teeth to chew with, so it was a way to enjoy betel nut.

Chen Cheng-hsiung
Checheng Township mayor
People in Checheng and Hengchun love betel nut, so the more intact cases could serve as betel nut mortars. Others were kept as samples, to look nice.

Life in this rural area in the mid-20th-century was tough, and many people in Baoli collected ammunition cases for extra money, although tragic deaths occasionally occurred when unexploded bombs were uncovered. In recent years, the practice has declined as safety is given more priority.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2025-02-19