NEW FACE: Democratic Progressive Party sources said that Tsai Ing-wen already had the backing of middle-class voters. Now the party hopes to broaden that support
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is planning a grassroots tour of the nation for new Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to help reinvigorate the party’s image, DPP sources said yesterday.

[ FULL STORY ]

By Rich Chang
Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday filed a lawsuit against Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) for his comments implying the assassination attempt on the eve of the 2004 presidential election was staged.

[ FULL STORY ]

By Jimmy Chuang
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) said yesterday he would propose a law to combat government officials who refuse to brief the legislature.

[ FULL STORY ]

PREPARATIONS: Travel agencies in Guangdong said they were already taking reservations for the first direct tourist flights to Taiwan, reportedly in July
By Jenny W. Hsu
Direct chartered cargo flights will be one of the items on the agenda in the upcoming talks with Beijing, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) confirmed yesterday after Monday's confusion over which issues were included in a document authorizing negotiations with China received by the foundation from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).

[ FULL STORY ]

By Jenny W. Hsu
There was no apparent hostility between China and Taiwan at this year's annual World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, adding that the relatively dispute-free atmosphere at the Paris-based conference could be representative of future interaction between the two governments on matters regarding Taiwan’s international space.

[ FULL STORY ]

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: The EPA has chosen the polar bear and the Formosan black bear to highlight the plight of wild animals affected by the Earth's warming
By Meggie Lu
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) launched a series of activities yesterday to mark World Environment Day next Thursday by unveiling its two newest anti-global warming "campaigners" — a polar bear and a Formosan black bear — and called on the public to start living low carbon lifestyles.

[ FULL STORY ]

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) promised yesterday to rigorously monitor and curb the carbon emissions of five production complexes run by state-owned enterprises.

[ FULL STORY ]

By Rich Chang
Nantou prosecutors yesterday searched the Nantou County Government building and the residence of county commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) as part of a corruption investigation.

[ FULL STORY ]

By Mo Yan-chih
Taipei City Zoo yesterday laid claim to a two-month old Formosan black bear born in Kaohsiung's Shoushan Zoo after several Kaohsiung City councilors launched a campaign to keep the cub in their city.

[ FULL STORY ]

FRAUD ALLEGATIONS: The Taipei Sports Office director said it expected to complete the probe into the operator's accounts in two months
By Mo Yan-chih
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors yesterday accused the operator of Taipei Zhongzheng Sports Center of defrauding the city treasury and urged the city government to conduct an investigation.

[ FULL STORY ]

RADIOACTIVE: As some of the 97,672 barrels of nuclear waste on Lanyu are rusting away, the atomic agency is looking for alternative locations to dispose of its waste
Atomic Energy Council (AEC) Chairman Tsai Chuen-horng (蔡春鴻) said on Monday that Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) had delayed naming its final potential disposal sites for low-level radioactive waste by five months beyond a legally mandated deadline.

[ FULL STORY ]

By Ko Shu-ling
Taiwan is likely to become a member of an international audit organization for publication circulation next week, a decision pending the final approval of the organization's General Assembly in November, a board member of the organization told the Taipei Times in an exclusive interview yesterday.

[ FULL STORY ]

■ POLITICS