■POLITICS
Ma to respect Yilan fine
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said he would respect an Yilan County Election Commission decision to fine him NT$500,000 for citing opinion polls within 10 days of the weekend’s local elections, and would pay the fine with his own money, the party said yesterday. “Chairman Ma said it was his personal negligence, and he should take full responsibility for it,” KMT Spokesman Lee Chien-jung (李建榮) said yesterday at KMT headquarters. Ma cited an opinion poll when addressing the KMT Central Standing Committee meeting in Yilan County on Nov. 25 as indicating that the race in Yilan would be tight and party members should step up campaign efforts. Article 53 of the Election and Recall Act (選舉罷免法) prohibits individuals and political parties from reporting, publishing, commenting on or quoting the results of opinion polls in the 10 days before an election.
■ENVIRONMENT
Littering fines increased
Motorists who throw waste or litter on the nation’s freeways will soon face tougher penalties under initiatives announced by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA). While fines for the illegal disposal of waste are set at between NT $1,200 and NT$6,000 under the Waste Disposal Act (廢棄物清理法), EPA officials said that because of increasing amounts of waste on freeways, offenders would now be charged under the Act Governing the Punishment of Violation of Road Traffic Regulation (道路交通管理處罰條例), which carries a minimum fine of NT$3,000. Both acts contain overlapping passages dealing with illegal waste disposed from moving vehicles. Officials said that most litter on freeways were return tickets and receipts from toll booths.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Taipei is to implement widespread road closures around Taipei 101 on Friday to make way for large crowds during the Double Ten National Day celebration, the Taipei Department of Transportation said. A four-minute fireworks display is to be launched from the skyscraper, along with a performance by 500 drones flying in formation above the nearby Nanshan A21 site, starting at 10pm. Vehicle restrictions would occur in phases, they said. From 5pm to 9pm, inner lanes of Songshou Road between Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101 are to be closed, with only the outer lanes remaining open. Between 9pm and 9:40pm, the section is
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday hosted a reception to celebrate Double Ten National Day. Conservative Canadian lawmaker Marc Dalton called Taiwan a “beacon of courage and resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism,” according to a post on the Taiwan in Vancouver Facebook page. Also in attendance were fellow conservative caucus members Tako Van Popta and Chak Au, who said that Taiwan plays an “indispensable role” in ensuring global peace, prosperity and stability due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper also recorded a message wishing Taiwan a
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