A controversial draft bill that would enhance the powers of the National Security Bureau’s Special Service Center (SSC) appears unlikely to clear the legislature before it goes into recess on Wednesday.
The recess date would also informally mark the end of the seventh legislature, with the statutory end date set for Dec. 31, because the legislature will only convene after lawmakers for the eighth term are elected in the Jan. 14 polls.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday called an inter-party negotiation to determine the agenda for the last plenary session from Monday through Wednesday. The security bill was not on the agenda.
Since the Democratic Progressive Party and Non-Partisan Solidarity Union’s caucus whips have said they would not endorse the bill, the proposal would have to be put to a vote for it to proceed to its second and third reading on the floor.
If passed, the bill — initiated and supported by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus — would grant the SSC the power to direct the military and civilian police and the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau in judicial investigations.
The Taiwan Association for Human Rights has opposed the bill, which it says violates civil rights and would represent a step in the wrong direction for human rights.
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
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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