INVESTMENT: Ambassador Lydia Ngirablosch said legislators from her country had recently visited China and Macau, but had not made a formal proposal to shift ties
Some lawmakers in the tiny South Pacific nation of Palau are suggesting it break links with Taiwan and recognize China instead, the archipelago's ambassador to Taiwan said.

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Taiwan has defended a rice donation to Nauru as humanitarian aid even though Taipei sold the rice on the market, triggering an Australian protest to the WTO, press reports said yesterday.

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MASQUERADES? : KMT caucus whip Kuo Su-chun said two state-run banks had 'disguised' their intention to stump for the DPP with the dinner parties
By Flora Wang and Loa Lok-sin
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus yesterday accused two state-run banks of violating administrative impartiality by holding thanksgiving dinners to campaign for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

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Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday that he will not negotiate with China on unification if elected president.

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INCENTIVES: The Cabinet proposed expanding a job scheme through measures such as higher subsidies to encourage hiring of economically disadvantaged people
By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal designed to encourage employers to hire people from disadvantaged groups and create 300,000 new job opportunities next year, an official said.

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By Flora Wang
Legislators across party lines yesterday agreed to push an amendment that will allow anyone who inherited debt as a minor not to pay off the rest of the debt.

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By Loa Iok-sin
The legislature yesterday gave its initial approval to a draft law promising better protection of the intellectual property rights of traditional Aboriginal arts.

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CONFLICT: The Taipei City Government slammed the decision and vowed to take action if changes were made to the National Democracy Memorial Hall
By Loa Iok-sin and Mo Yan-chih
The Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA) has approved an application by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to change the inscription on the entry arch to the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, drawing fire again from the Taipei City Government.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The Cabinet yesterday approved an amendment to the Animal Protection Law (動物保護法) that will allow animal-protection officials to publicize the names and pictures of people found abusing animals.

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By Ko Shu-ling
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday dismissed allegations in a report by the Chinese-language China Times that it had offered public appointments in exchange for other parties' candidates dropping out of the legislative elections in January.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan
Brazil's representative to Taiwan, Sergio Abi-Sad, yesterday refused to comment on a report that people applying for Brazilian visas were being asked to wait for the arrival of special paper from Brazil.

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`COLD CASES': The forensic expert said that he hoped the new center would be able to give a `ray of hope' to the families of victims of high-profile crimes
Chinese-American forensics expert Henry Lee (李昌鈺) said yesterday that his foundation will establish a "cold case" center in Taipei to revisit unresolved, high-profile criminal cases.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan
Beijing's recent move to ban a travel guidebook over its depiction of Taiwan as a country separate from China is irrational and inconceivable, Taiwanese officials said yesterday.

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■ SHIPPING
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