Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
The legislature's Procedure Committee yesterday set the agenda and the schedule for reviewing and voting on President Chen Shui-bian's (
Lin, now the deputy auditor-general of the ministry, was named to replace the 80-year-old Su Chen-ping (蘇振平), who had served in the position for three six-year terms since 1989.
Lawmakers will have a plenary question-and-answer session with Lin tomorrow and a confirmation vote is scheduled for Friday.
In related developments, negotiations on a schedule for screening and voting on nominees for the Council of Grand Justices remained stalled because of objections from the People First Party (PFP).
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
The Democratic Progressive Party has claimed that the PFP was withholding its confirmation of grand justice nominees as a bargaining chip in separate negotiations over Chen's new nominees for Control Yuan members, an allegation that the PFP has denied.
It was rumored that the PFP had recommended two of its legislators -- Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) and Feng Ting-kuo (馮定國) -- as well as party Deputy Secretary-General Ma Chieh-ming (馬傑明) for inclusion in the president's Control Yuan nomination list.
Legislative Vice Speaker Chung Jung-chi (
Wang said that the legislature could handle confirmation hearings for Control Yuan members and for grand justices at the same time.
In response, Deputy Presidential Office Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (
As for the president's choice for Control Yuan members, Cho said that Chen would take different opinions into consideration and decide on the matter as soon as possible.
Chen has nominated incumbent Grand Justice Lai Ying-jaw (
Eight candidates have also been selected for grand justice positions. They are Yeh Sai-ying (
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
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