AGREE TO DISAGREE: The Cabinet's proposal for pension reform seemed likely to lead to total deadlock once more until legislators agreed to move it down the agenda
By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Mo Yan-chih
Yesterday's legislative session ground to a halt over a controversial bill regarding pensions for retired government employees, but lawmakers later agreed to temporarily set the bill aside and review less controversial legislation on Friday.

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PERSPECTIVE?: Foreign observers - and Beijing in particular - may have been surprised at Chen's speech, but local analysts said it contained the same old rhetoric
By Ko Shu-ling
Local analysts said that Beijing, opposition parties and US political commentators had overreacted to President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) New Year message, which contained "nothing new."

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The Chinese government said yesterday that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was trying to ruin bilateral ties, as it reacted angrily to his New Year message insisting the nation was not part of China, state media reported.

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RUMOR?: A newspaper reported that the KMT chairman was displeased with the new mayor's lack of cooperation, but Ma said this wasn't the case
By Mo Yan-chih
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday expressed the wish that the Taipei City Government would approve the rezoning of a property previously owned by the party, but Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said he would stay out of the matter.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan
Military Police Command yesterday came under fire from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers over its officers' actions against a woman who shouted "[President] Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), step down" during Monday's flag-raising ceremony.

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AT STREET LEVEL: Despite claims that the new National Immigration Agency will better reflect Taiwan's changing demographics, some were quick to portray a darker side
By Max Hirsch
It's either a corrupt agency that intimidates would-be immigrants, or a warm, welcoming gateway to citizenship.

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PITFALLS OF HISTORY: A documentary presenting a different perspective on the events leading to the 228 Incident and the White Terror is sparking a controversy
By Flora Wang
Family members of the victims of the 228 Incident yesterday charged Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of "twisting [the incident's] truth" with a newly released documentary.

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By Jewel Huang
In a bid to strengthen diplomatic relations with its allies in the South Pacific, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will hold a ministerial meeting this year to help these countries deal with environmental issues.

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By Shelley Shan
Yesterday the National Police Administration (NPA) reported that approximately 15,000 citations were issued on Monday -- the first day of a crackdown on traffic violations. This represented a 12-fold increase on tickets issued on normal days.

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■ MOFA mum on Chen
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