NOT ACCEPTED: In response to news that Chen Shui-bian is preparing a NT$10 million slander suit, Chen Chao-min said that he would respect the former president’s decision
By Jimmy Chuang
Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) apologized yesterday for comments he made last week suggesting the March 19, 2004 election eve shooting of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) was staged.

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EMBEZZLED: The KMT may have difficulty retrieving the US$240 million as it is only payable to Lee Teng-hui, who quit the KMT after the presidential election of 2000
By Flora Wang
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said yesterday that reclaiming the NT$240 million (US$7.87 million) in the Chung Hsing Bills Finance scandal involving People First Party Chairman (PFP) James Soong (宋楚瑜) from the Taipei District Court may help the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Soong bury their disagreements.

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By Meggie Lu
Taiwan will likely rely more heavily on nuclear energy in future as it is an “environmentally friendly option” and would help deliver President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) election promise to reduce carbon emission levels, the Atomic Energy Council (AEC) said yesterday at a press conference.

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COOL: Ma also promised to draw up an energy-saving and emission-reduction plan and demand that companies meet energy regulations
By Ko Shu-ling and Shih Hsiu-chuan
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is considering a policy that would require male staff at the Presidential Office to stop wearing suits and ties to cut down on air conditioning costs.

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By Ko Shu-ling
The Presidential Office yesterday said that they would have no way of knowing whether former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had concealed any documents from President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) during the transfer of power unless a law was passed to regulate the hand-over procedure.

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SHARING EXPERTISE: Research showed that in Puli one-quarter of the survivors of the 921 Earthquake were diagnosed with mental health problems up to four months later
By Shelley Shan
A group of Taiwanese psychiatrists and social workers with extensive experience in taking care of earthquake victims are preparing to go to China’s Sichuan Province to pass on their experience and provide counseling training to local volunteers.

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By Loa Iok-sin
It came as a surprise to many when Chen Jou-an (陳柔安) — a 10-year-old fourth-grader born and raised in Taipei — passed the medium-high level Hakka proficiency exam this month.

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ALL THE FRUIT IN CHINA: Two DPP legislators said that the total value of fruit in China that is incorrectly branded as Taiwanese amounted to NT$20 million
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators yesterday urged President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to push China to implement and enforce a comprehensive system to protect Taiwanese fruit product brand names and intellectual property rights.

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By Rich Chang
Former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), will testify in a slander case today that Chen filed against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅).

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An enterovirus epidemic control center has opened on the island of Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, off the southeast coast of Taiwan, after a fatal case was reported there, local officials said yesterday.

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BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: The Alliance for Surveillance of the National Health Insurance said that Taiwan took 30 months longer to approve drugs than other countries
By Loa Iok-sin
The Alliance for Surveillance of the National Health Insurance said yesterday that it suspected financial problems of the National Insurance System were a result of illegal practices decided on in closed-door Department of Health (DOH) meetings and urged more transparency.

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In line with the international Global Battle Against Tobacco (G-BAT) campaign, a Taipei-based anti-tobacco organization launched a drive yesterday calling on young people in Taiwan to sign a petition to show their determination to stay off cigarettes.

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