FOREIGN POLICY: A report filed by the Congressional Research Service probed what steps the US could take to prevent Taiwan losing its remaining diplomatic allies

By Charles Snyder
A US congressional report has expressed concern over China’s expanding efforts to isolate Taiwan internationally and suggested that Washington could, if needed, employ the US’ economic clout to bolster Taiwan’s efforts to retain or gain recognition.

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By Flora Wang
As the Lobbying Act (遊說法) took effect yesterday, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator and representatives of several civic groups urged the legislature to amend certain stipulations in the Act that could leave civic groups severely debilitated.

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FACT-FINDING TRIP: A 27-member group of a US House aviation subcommittee is seeking to learn more about Taiwan’s approach to aircraft maintenance and security
By Jenny W. Hsu [ FULL STORY ]

By Meggie Lu
Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said yesterday he still firmly believed that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was in possession of a valid US green card when he ran for president earlier this year.

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The government will offer residency to spouses and children of 125 Tibetans who are living in Taiwan, based on humanitarian concerns, the National Immigration Agency said in a statement on Thursday.

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NO FUN AND GAMES: The secretary-general of the Green Party urged the public to boycott all Olympic sponsors, including convenience store chain 7-Eleven
By Loa Iok-sin [ FULL STORY ]

GETTING FROM A TO B: Use of public transport for long-distance travel has increased dramatically as drivers opt to let the train, bus or plane take the strain
By Shelley Shan
Rising gas prices have persuaded some of the nation’s motorists to start riding motorcycles or bicycles instead of driving, a survey by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has revealed.

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By Flora Wang
Ho Chou-fei (何卓飛), the head of the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Department of Higher Education yesterday urged universities that failed to recruit as many students as they hoped this year to establish crisis management task forces.

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By Regina Hsu
Taipei’s Cathay General Hospital yesterday called on parents to be mindful of the skin disease staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome (SSSS), which is easily mistaken for other afflictions, such as allergic reactions.

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Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) expressed his excitement at attending the Olympics during a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) yesterday, CNA reported.

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By Wang Hsuan-Yi
Judging from this year’s college entrance examinations student list, the name Ya-ting (雅婷) is the most popular for girls, with 216 people of that name on the list.

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WEATHER TROUBLE: The number of visitors at the nation’s seven national parks was affected by a cold spell in February and March and heavy rains in June
Taroko Gorge National Park in eastern Taiwan saw the highest number of visitors among all of the nation’s national parks in the first half of this year, said the latest Ministry of the Interior tallies, released yesterday.

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To enhance the quality of the nation’s tourism and to cope with the influx of Chinese tourists, the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) yesterday launched a comprehensive NT$150 million (US$4.8 million) two-year training project for workers in the sector.

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The complete breeding process of an endemic bird subspecies has been documented on video, a researcher said yesterday.

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A man from Kaohsiung has been sentenced to four months in prison for sending a threatening letter and two goat testicles to Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), which the Taipei District Court on Thursday ruled was a crime.

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■SOCIETY

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