■ POLITICS
KMT upgrades Web site
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday launched the latest version of its official Web site, while seeking to attract younger supporters by setting up a Web department. The party changed the design of its official Web site, www.kmt.org.tw, enhanced its search engine function and urged visitors to share their opinions by participating in online polls. KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) told a press conference that the party would host many online activities to increase its interaction with the younger generation.
■ IMMIGRATION
Rules revised for spouses
The Ministry of the Interior yesterday passed revisions to Regulations Governing Visiting, Residence and Permanent Residence of Aliens (外國人停留居留及永久居留辦法) to allow the Tibetan spouses of Taiwanese nationals and children holding an Identity Certificate — a travel document issued by the Indian government to Tibetans living in exile in India — to apply for residency. Under the current law, only foreign spouses holding valid passports may apply for residency. The revision will be sent to the Cabinet for final approval before taking effect.
■ DIPLOMACY
Speaker announces trip
Upon his return from the US yesterday after attending US President Barack Obama’s inauguration, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) announced he will depart for Europe next month, when he will deliver a speech to the European Parliament. The speech will focus on Taiwan’s democratic achievements and contributions to cross-strait peace, he added. Wang said the European trip would also take him to Belgium, Italy and to the Holy See.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
MEDICAL: The bills would also upgrade the status of the Ethical Guidelines Governing the Research of Human Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cell Research to law The Executive Yuan yesterday approved two bills to govern regenerative medicine that aim to boost development of the field. Taiwan would reach an important milestone in regenerative medicine development with passage of the regenerative medicine act and the regenerative medicine preparations ordinance, which would allow studies to proceed and treatments to be developed, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) told reporters at a news conference after a Cabinet meeting. Regenerative treatments have been used for several conditions, including cancer — by regenerating blood cells — and restoring joint function in soft tissue, Wang said. The draft legislation requires regenerative treatments
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese