■ JUDICIARY
Court finds Hu not guilty
The Taipei District Court yesterday found political commentator Hu Chung-hsin (胡忠信) not guilty in a libel lawsuit filed by President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) daughter Chen Hsin-yu (陳幸妤) in 2005. Chen Hsin-yu filed the suit against Hu after the commentator alleged during a TV talk show in October 2005 that she had used a professional meeting in the US as a pretext to travel there to open a bank account to help her father conceal his assets. The court said that while Hu's allegations were not completely factual, he had nevertheless given his sources. The court ruling also said that as Hu's comments were on a public matter, he had not committed libel.
■ SOCIETY
Taipei pushes moon cake
The Taipei City Government yesterday urged residents and businesses to support groups for the disabled by purchasing moon cakes made by several shelters for disabled people. Showcasing various moon cakes and other snacks -- including egg rolls and pineapple cakes -- at Taipei City Hall yesterday, nine civic groups joined forces to promote the products and encourage disabled people. Addressing the event, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said working at the shelters helped give disabled people a sense of confidence and a sense of accomplishment. "Supporting their products helps take care of disabled people's finances and ease the burden on their families," Hau said. The products can be purchased at shelters sponsored by the Children Are Us Foundation, the Taipei City Disabled Group Association, the Taipei Parents Association of Autism, and the Renai and Songteh branches of the Taipei City Hospital.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter of the temblor was at sea, about 69.9km south of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 30.9km, it said. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County’s Changbin Township (長濱), where it measured 5 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 4 in Hualien, Nantou, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua and Miaoli counties, as well as
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
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