`ONE CHINA' POLICY: Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told a House committee that such visits might give the wrong impression about US policy
By Charles Snyder
US President George W. Bush's administration on Tuesday threw cold water on the possibility that it could accept visits by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and other high-level Taiwanese officials to Washington, as 16 members of the House of Representatives introduced legislation urging the administration to allow such visits and condemning the long-time ban.

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By Jewel Huang
Chinese tourists might not be able to visit Taiwan in the immediate future, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) chief said yesterday, because of the deadlock in negotiations caused by China's political manipulation.

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KRTC SCANDAL: The magazine claims a prosecutor wants to indict former Kaohsiung mayor Frank Hsieh for taking illegal donations from several people linked to the scandal
By Flora Wang
Former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday dismissed a magazine story alleging he received illegal donations from a Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) board member and others when he was mayor of Kaohsiung.

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By Flora Wang and Ko Shu-ling
The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Central Standing Committee yesterday ruled against a proposal to change the party's presidential primary poll mechanism ahead of the party member vote this Sunday.

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By Max Hirsch
The nation's membership in the International Olympics Commit-tee (IOC) will not be revoked as a result of rejected the route for the Olympic torch relay, the chairman of the National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports said yesterday.

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HUMAN RIGHTS: Officials said there was no place in the justice system for cruel punishment and they preferred to monitor offenders electronically
The Ministry of Justice voiced its opposition on Tuesday to a proposal to bring caning and chemical castration into the judicial system to punish sex offenders, saying that such measures violate human rights.

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GET IT RIGHT: Eddy Tsai, an official from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, said Taiwan has been wrongly accused of provoking China
Staff Writer, with CNA, Washington

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan
Veterans Affairs Commission Minister Hu Chen-pu (胡鎮埔) yesterday rebutted criticism that a planned pension system grants veterans twice as much as farmers, Aborigines and other citizens per month.

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FLYING SUCCESS: A Smithsonian museum is exhibiting the work of a Taiwanese photographer known as `Mr Butterfly,' showing the nation's unique natural heritage
By Angelica Oung
Tsai Bae-chun (蔡百峻) fell in love with butterflies on his first trip to Hualien almost 30 years ago.

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By Mo Yan-chih and Jimmy Chuang
The Government Information Office (GIO) yesterday unveiled a new advertisement to promote the nation's bid to participate in the WHO.

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FINE PRINT: Chiang Hui-ming said qualifying death row prisoners could have their sentences commuted to life in prison, but no death row prisoners qualified
By Jimmy Chuang
The Cabinet yesterday approved a commutation proposal for approximately 9,000 inmates to be freed on June 30. However, the proposal needs the approval of the legislature before the end of the legislative session on May 31.

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The Legislative Yuan yesterday rejected a notice submitted by Taiwan Post Co informing the legislature of its name-change from Chunghwa Post in February.

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By Loa Iok-sin
A group of NGOs yesterday welcomed the decision by the Taiwan High Court to invite US forensic expert Henry Lee (李昌鈺) to testify as part of the highly controversial Hsichih Trio case.

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