DEFENSE: The head of the National Security Council said that Taiwan and the US had to collaborate on the details of the refurbishment of maritime patrol aircraft
By Rich Chang and Ko Shu-ling
The Ministry of National Defense should take the US military's advice into account when choosing a contractor to refurbish the P-3C maritime patrol aircraft which the ministry plans to purchase from the US, officials said yesterday.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Flora Wang
The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday gave the cold shoulder to the idea of entrusting former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) to form a "pan-green alliance," under which pro-localization groups would establish a long-term cooperative relationship.

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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: The Taiwan Society's chairman said that the president had not proposed a 'pan-green alliance,' but does favor cooperation with Lee Teng-hui
By Ko Shu-ling
Presidential Office Secretary-General Mark Chen (陳唐山) yesterday said that he knew nothing about a "pan-green alliance" to be led by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), but acknowledged that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) does have great expectations for Lee.

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Yesterday the Million Voices Against Corruption campaign led by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) announced that it was changing the emphasis of the campaign from deposing President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to pursuing the stolen assets of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).

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By Jimmy Chuang
Cabinet officials yesterday defended themselves yesterday in the face of complaints from pan-blue lawmakers that the Cabinet has ignored and disrespected them.

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By Jewel Huang
The government will abide by its commitment to constitutional reform, but would steer clear of sensitive issues, Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳) said yesterday.

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BREACH OF CONTRACT: The lawmakers charged that THSRC has violated the terms of its BOT contract by twice postponing the launch of the high-speed rail
By Shelley Shan
The delayed launch of the nation's first bullet train has aroused the ire of lawmakers serving on the legislature's Transportation Committee, with some asking the Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday to either revoke the construction permit of Taiwan High Speed Rail Co (THSRC) or to terminate the build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract immediately.

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By Flora Wang
The Taiwan Society said yesterday that it is going to hold an indoor rally in Kaohsiung tomorrow to expand the "local culture movement" to southern Taiwan.

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By Angelica Oung
The Department of Health has approved the sale of Lanthanum carbonate, a drug that controls blood phosphate levels.

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By Flora Wang
Abortion advocates held a press conference yesterday to voice their opposition to the Cabinet's proposal to amend the Genetics Health Law (優生保健法) and counter attacks by a religious alliance of anti-abortion groups.

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By Angelica Oung
Deputy Director-General of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Chou Chih-hao (周志浩) said yesterday that no more flu vaccines from the French firm Sanofi-Aventis would be administered until the CDC feels confident that the vaccines are not connected to four recent deaths in Israel.

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National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) came under fire yesterday for earmarking NT$3.5 million (US$109,375) for the purchase of a new Lexus in next year's budget, but a legislative committee slashed the funding by NT$1 million. Chou said that the Lexus seemed a better option than a Cadillac -- the only two choices offered by the Central Trust of China. Chiou said that the council had spent more than NT$500,000 on a Cadillac in maintenance fees over the past three years. The committee also slashed a special presidential fund from NT$50 million to NT$20 million. The fund is at the heart of allegations of impropriety by the first family. Also, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said that Chiou's official apartment on Tai-an Street is a 131-ping apartment with a market value of NT$65.5 million, much bigger and more expensive than other officials' residences. Chiou said that he had not requested the apartment but took what the National Property Bureau offered.
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Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday that a controversial "garbage mountain" in Neihu Dsitrict is expected to be cleaned up by 2011. Ma made the remarks at a ceremony to mark the start of the cleanup process. He said that the task, costing some NT$1.4 billion (US$42.2 million), will accelerate the development of neighboring areas such as Nankang. The garbage mountain in Neihu -- actually a landfill that was first used in 1970 but was closed in 1985 -- covers 15 hectares, with five hectares occupying one-third of the part of the Keelung river that passes through Neihu. Because of flooding fears and with an aim of boosting the development of nearby areas, the city government has asked for budget from the central government to expedite the removal of the garbage mountain, a city official said.
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Cambodian police have arrested two Taiwanese caught while allegedly trying to smuggle 2.1kg of heroin out of the kingdom, police in Phnom Penh said yesterday. Yeh Chuan-hsueh, 48, and Chitsung Lieh, 58, were arrested on Sunday as they were about to board a flight to Hong Kong, airport police chief Chhuor Kimny said. Police found 1.4kg of heroin in Yeh's shoes and strapped to his thighs, while the other man had 0.7kg of the drug in his shoes, the policeman said. The two men passed through X-ray machines undetected, but were caught because of new measures requiring security staff to check every Taiwanese person passing through the airport. "We are focusing on Taiwanese nationals the most. Whether or not the X-ray machines sound the alarm, our police search them directly," Chhuor Kimny said.
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The Department of Health unveiled a new Web site yesterday to help consumers cut through misinformation and make more informed choices. The site, designed to be user-friendly with a multimedia area and cute cartoon graphics, will deal with health-related topics from weight loss to Chinese traditional medicine, with a search function that enables consumers to look up the approval status of proprietary medicines, make-up and health products. There will also be a weekly e-newsletter and RSS feed of the site, consumer.doh.gov.tw.
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