MIXED RESPONSE: Some criticized the decision to change the plaza's name to `Liberty Square,' but others hailed the move as a break from the past
By Jenny W. Hsu and Flora Wang
National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (台灣民主紀念館) attracted hordes of tourists and curious onlookers at its opening yesterday morning. While the name change to "Liberty Square" (自由廣場) drew a handful of protests, most visitors had positive comments about the government's decision to change the hall's name from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念堂).

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By Jenny W. Hsu
The president of National Taiwan Normal University yesterday rebuffed the Taiwan Association of University Professors' call to remove a statue of dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) from the campus. Guo Yih-shun (郭義雄) told the group to mind its own business.

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By Ko Shu-ling
The Presidential Office yesterday urged the family of dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) to relocate their mausoleums by the end of this month or the funds allocated for the move could be returned to the treasury.

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CONSUMPTION: The Executive Yuan said that it needed to assess the impact that changing the way the tax is determined would have on consumers and the economy
By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The Cabinet yesterday upset Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers pushing for a change in the way the vehicle fuel tax is imposed to encourage the use of public transportation.

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By Rich Chang and Flora Wang
A national security official said yesterday he had received information that "radical elements" have threatened to assassinate presidential candidates, including Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), and that the bureau would make every effort to prevent an incident.

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By Meggie Lu
The International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) wound up yesterday with host country Taiwan the biggest winner.

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ALL IN THE NAME: In the 1950s the KMT regime changed the names of three Aboriginal townships to make them sound more 'Chinese.' One has now adopted a new name
By Loa Iok-sin
Fifty years after it was renamed to conform to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) political ideology, local councilors in Sanmin Township (三民), Kaohsiung County, yesterday unanimously voted for a new Aboriginal name for the township, effective Jan. 1.

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By Loa Iok-sin
Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Icyang Parod said yesterday that the site for the headquarters of the Austronesian Forum in Palau has been selected, and that the international organization could start operations next year.

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By Rich Chang
A survey released yesterday by the Taiwan chapter of Transparency International (TI) showed the public had little faith in the government's ability to fight corruption.

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BOOM: A county official said that the number of visitors surged 50 percent to 1.3 million a year after the Hsuehshan Tunnel opened in June last year
By Shelley Shan
Major hotel chains are investing in Ilan County after witnessing the sharp jump in visitors following the opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel last year, the county government said yesterday.

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In yesterday's issue, an item in the "Quick Take" section said former president Lee Teng-hui urged voters not to support the Democratic Progressive Party in upcoming elections ("Lee Teng-hui turns on Chen," page 3). Lee only urged his audience to make good use of the party ticket vote in the legislative elections. The material was sourced from Agence France-Presse, and the Taipei Times regrets the error. [ FULL STORY ]

RULES: Anyone who has served in the legislature for 20 years and is over 50 years of age can retire and receive a retirement fund in one payment or in monthly installments
By Chen Shi-ting
As a complementary measure to the halving of the number of legislative seats, the legislature on Friday passed 11 amendments to internal regulations.

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By Meggie Lu
Two German scientists, Peter Jonas and Klaus Ploog, last Tuesday became the first recipients of the Tsungming Tu Award, the nation's highest academic honor.

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By Angelica Oung
A new interactive, multimedia Web site will demystify the world of medicine for patients and caretakers, the site creators said.

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■ CRIME

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