‘REDNECKS, PIRATES’: The controversial nature of Kuo Kuan-ying’s remarks require an explanation on why the Control Yuan didn’t impeach him, Lu Hsueh-chang said
By Flora Wang
A senior Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) official yesterday called on the Control Yuan to explain why it did not impeach a former Government Information Office (GIO) staffer who caused an uproar by writing a number of online articles ridiculing the nation and its people.

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TRIAL: Although the former president said he would not testify against Chen Chen-hui, the judge told him that he could only decline to answer certain questions
By Shelley Huang
Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday refused to testify against his co-defendant Chen Chen-hui (陳鎮慧), his former bookkeeper, who is accused of helping the former president embezzle money.

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By Shelley Shan
Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) said yesterday that regulations governing the operation of casinos would be in place by the end of the year.

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By Jenny W. Hsu
The government has not decided on a location for a representative office in Sapporo, Japan, even though the office is scheduled to open this summer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday, denying that the delay was related to elections in Japan.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that it would not comment on the Japanese government’s plan to move troops from Okinawa to Yonaguni Island off Taiwan’s east coast, but added that it was confident that the plan would not affect the operations of Taiwanese fishermen.

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‘UNFAIR’: Occupational injury compensation payments were deducted from a retired man’s pension payout, drawing the ire of labor representatives yesterday
By Shelley Huang
Dozens of labor representatives and family members of workers who suffered occupational injuries gathered outside the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) building yesterday to protest what they call the council’s inappropriate injury compensation policies.

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OPTIONS: Under current regulations, some prison terms can be swapped for fines. Soon misdemeanor offenders will be able to opt for community service
By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to allow short prison sentences for misdemeanors to be swapped for community service.

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FLOATING ORIOLES: The government has proposed red-light districts but critics say it should offer more job opportunities so women can avoid the sex trade
By Amber Wang
Sex workers have cautiously welcomed a government plan to legalize prostitution, but the scheme is being opposed by an alliance of women’s groups who fear it will breed crime and violence.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to the Shipping Act (船舶法) that would relax the cap on foreign capital invested in vessels registered in Taiwan and increase fines for overloading ships that carry passengers.

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By Shelley Shan
Mobile phones purchased overseas are not allowed to be sold in Taiwan, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday.

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By Shelley Shan
Taiwan and China have yet to agree on the date to launch regular cross-strait flights because Beijing insists on handling the issues under a special regulatory framework, Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) Director-General Lee Lung-wen (李龍文) said yesterday.

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By Flora Wang
A 15-year-old is protesting Chung Cheng Armed Force Preparatory School’s rejection of his application, saying he was rejected because he was born in China.

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By Mo Yan-chih
The first 24-hour unmanned public library in Taipei City will open to the public at Youth Park next year, the Taipei City Government said yesterday.

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■ CROSS-STRAIT

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