CAUTION: While the parties said they would join ranks to win the legislative and presidential elections next year, the chairmen refrained from commenting on a merger
By Mo Yan-chih
Cooperation between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) increased yesterday as the chairmen of the two parties unveiled the four PFP legislator-at-large candidates nominated by the two parties and vowed to work closely together to win the elections next year.

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SAVING MONEY: The DPP says the 2004 elections, which used separate ballots, cost nearly NT$100 million, a sum that could be less if simultaneous ballots were adopted
By Flora Wang
With the Central Election Commission (CEC) scheduled to finalize tomorrow the procedures for January's legislative election and two referendums, the pan-green and the pan-blue camps yesterday resumed their battle over whether the legislative and referendum ballots should be issued separately.

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By Ko Shu-ling
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) pledged yesterday he would use the stolen assets reclaimed from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to finance education and not to buy weapons or finance foreign aid packages.

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By Jimmy Chuang
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Chao-hui (黃昭輝) yesterday turned down a proposal by Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislative caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) to hold a poll to decide who should stand in the legislative election on behalf of the pan-green camp.

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By Ko Shu-ling
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said yesterday that he and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) were on the same page, rejecting speculation they were in conflict over policies.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The Cabinet approved a bill yesterday entitling the nation's 13 Aboriginal tribes to autonomy through negotiations with county governments.

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By Ko Shu-ling
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday approved its legislator-at-large list of candidates as well as some district legislators amid questions over several controversial figures.

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BOYCOTT: Thailand, the Philippines and others say the higher room and board charges are unreasonable and they would not allow their nationals to work in Taiwan
By Angelica Oung
Some of the countries who send a large number of foreign laborers to Taiwan have balked at recent increases in the room and board charges that employers are allowed to deduct from employees' wages, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister newspaper) reported yesterday.

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By Amber Wang
On a moonlit beach at the Wanan islet off southwest Taiwan, a group of tourists gather patiently to watch a green turtle using her flippers to cover the eggs she has just laid in the sand.

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By Kuo Fang-chi
A new species of sea slug was discovered last month off the coast of Green Island by Taiwanese marine biologist Chen Ming-huei (陳明輝). It has been temporarily nicknamed "little strawberry" until an official name can be determined.

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FLIGHTS TOO CHEAP? NEW FARE DISCOUNTS FOR ISLAND RESIDENTS HAVE :
By Shelley Shan
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said yesterday that it is considering cutting or reducing its subsidies to domestic airlines with flights to outlaying islands.

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A retired military intelligence officer has been indicted on charges of collecting and leaking classified information that was published in his book, officials said yesterday.

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UNCERTAIN: The Chinese Nationalist Party said it would renominate Huang Chun-ying as its candidate if the court annuls Chen's victory, a decision that cannot be appealed
By Flora Wang and Mo Yan-chih
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) said yesterday that residents of the city are suffering from the uncertainty of a lawsuit that could see an annulment of her victory in last December's Kaohsiung mayoral election.

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By Shelley Shan
Foreign visitors to Taiwan hit more than 3.01 million for the year last month, marking 4.8 percent growth compared with the same time last year, the Tourism Bureau said yesterday.

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The widening wealth disparity in Taiwan is reflected in the welfare of the country's children, with children from poor families being at least 19 times less advantaged than those from rich families, a survey released yesterday by the Child Welfare League Foundation showed.

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■ENVIRONMENT

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