IMBALANCE: Participants at a forum agreed that progressive tax reform was needed to fund the social welfare system and promote more equitable wealth distribution
By Loa Iok-sin
Academics yesterday called for comprehensive tax reforms to promote social welfare, saying President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) policies could do irreparable damage to the public welfare system.

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The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) will stage a demonstration next month to protest against the government’s policy of increased opening to China.

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High-tech companies are introducing new products to meet the demand for clean water as consumers struggle with undrinkable water contaminated by bad pipes and dirty water tanks.

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The Taiwan Heart Foundation warned yesterday that consuming too much red yeast rice — a popular additive in local diets or supplements that is believed to reduce cholesterol levels naturally — could be harmful to the health.

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NAME GAME: Although the China News Service is now using ‘Zhonghua Taibei,’ the Minister for Sports Affairs said contingency plans include the possibility of a withdrawal
By Mo Yan-chih AND Shih Hsiu-chuan
The government yesterday reacted favorably to the “goodwill” shown by China a day earlier over the controversy surrounding the nation’s designation at next month’s Beijing Olympics.

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By Jenny W. Hsu
The country’s new envoy to Washington, Jason Yuan (袁健生), expressed confidence yesterday that Taiwan would soon begin receiving arms from the US, saying that eight major weapons systems pending congressional approval are “almost a done deal.”

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SOLICITING SUPPORT: The legislative speaker was to host a banquet for the UN ambassadors of the nation’s allies to ask for help with Taiwan’s bid this year
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said on Thursday that the new administration would push forward with the nation’s bid to join the UN.

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By Jimmy Chuang AND Su Yong-yao
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said yesterday that the administration would do its best to uphold reporters’ rights, including during President’s Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) transit stops in the US next month.

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By Jimmy Chuang
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters and its legislative caucus yesterday said that the use of the nation’s official Olympic title Zhonghua Taibei (Chinese Taipei) should be the bottom line for the nation’s team at the Olympics and that the government should take the issue more seriously.

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HOT MARKET: While global tourism has been falling, Taiwan enjoyed a slight increase. South Korean tourists made up the largest portion of the growth, officials said
By Meggie Lu
The Tourism Bureau yesterday unveiled boy band Fahrenheit as its latest spokespersons, saying that it hoped the band would help boost the under-35 tourist market and increase the number of tourists visiting this year by 7 percent.

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WAILING SIRENS: The Life Caring and Animal Rescue Organization Taiwan offers free assistance to stray dogs and cats as well as ambulance service for animals
By Regina Hsu
While everyone knows the emergency services telephone number 119, very few people know the number for the animal rescue hotline, Taipei City Councilor Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) said yesterday.

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By Chen Chi-chang AND Chen Wen-cheng
Citing air pollution, the Taoyuan County Government’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) posted a notice sealing a Land God Temple’s (土地公廟) furnace that was used for burning “ghost money” on Wednesday, shocking many locals.

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By Lin Yi-chang AND Lo Cheng-ming
While politicians often like to use the term “the will of Taiwan’s 23 million people” in their speeches, the nation’s 23 millionth person was not born until last Thursday.

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“Community Compass,” the Taipei Times’ new weekly community page, will debut on Aug. 5.
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