After the setback of a disappointing performance in the legislative elections, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) is reorganizing and working on internal reforms.
According to TSU sources, TSU Chairman Huang Chu-wen (
The new line-up of senior officials will be announced on Monday after a meeting of the TSU central executive committee, TSU Secretary-General Lin Chih-chia (
"We will make public the new officials' names and elect new executive committee members next Monday. Hopefully it will increase the prospects of the TSU," Lin said.
Lin, who announced he would also step down to shoulder responsibility for the election failure, yesterday confirmed reports that Huang would quit and a new chairman installed on Feb. 1.
However, Lin declined to confirm if he and Huang met with former president Lee Teng-hui (
Favored candidates for TSU chairman are Taiwan Advocates vice president Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝), former National Security Council senior advisor and former TSU secretary-general Su Chin-chiang (蘇進強), national policy advisor to the president Chen Yung-hsing (陳永興) and Chen Po-chih (陳博志), chairman of Taiwan Thinktank. All declined to comment on the matter.
A number of unsuccessful TSU candidates who nonetheless garnered a strong vote are expected to serve as senior officials.
According to Lin, TSU Chiayi City legislative candidate Ling Tzu-chu (
Unsuccessful Taipei City candidate Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) and Tainan County candidate Chien Lin Hui-chien (錢林慧君) will serve as, respectively, director of the legislative caucus office and director of the department for women's development.
Rookie TSU candidate Chiu Teh-hung (
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
The age requirement for commercial pilots and airline transport pilots is to be lowered by two years, to 18 and 21 years respectively, to expand the pool of pilots in accordance with international standards, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced today. The changes are part of amendments to articles 93, 119 and 121 of the Regulations Governing Licenses and Ratings for Airmen (航空人員檢定給證管理規則). The amendments take into account age requirements for aviation personnel certification in the Convention on International Civil Aviation and EU’s aviation safety regulations, as well as the practical needs of managing aviation personnel licensing, the ministry said. The ministry