A NEW LOW: On a scale of zero to 100, the president scored 49.4, a drop of 3.2 percentage points from last month. The premier scored 46.6 and the KMT 43.2
By Ko Shu-ling
President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) approval rating sank to a new low this month as economic confidence indices continue to drop, a poll released yesterday by Global Views (遠見雜誌) magazine showed.

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DIFFERENT SECTION: If Wang Ren-bing, a career civil servant, is not found guilty of espionage, he could be allowed to work at the Presidential Office once again
By Ko Shu-ling
An employee at the Presidential Office involved in an espionage case has applied to be allowed to resume work, the Presidential Office said yesterday.

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By Shelley Huang
Former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) court-appointed attorney yesterday said the former president was hoping for a speedy response from the Council of Grand Justices to a request for a constitutional interpretation on the transfer of his case to Presiding Judge Tsai Shou-hsun (蔡守訓).

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By Ko Shu-ling
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said the government was not ready to engage in political negotiations with Beijing.

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By Ko Shu-ling
The Presidential Office yesterday dismissed speculation that the country’s diplomatic ties with Honduras were shaky as President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) prepares to visit the country one day later than scheduled.

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By Flora Wang
Vice Legislative Speaker Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), who heads President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) campaign office for chairmanship of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said yesterday the president had garnered about 100,000 signatures to qualify him to run in the election.

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NOT GOOD ENOUGH: Activists gave the government a 'B minus' grade and said progress needed to be made on verbal abuse and sexual and ethnic tolerance
By Loa Iok-sin
Five years after the Gender Equality Education Act (性別平等教育法) took effect, gender equality groups and activists yesterday gave the government a “B minus” grade on promoting gender equality in schools.

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PASSING THE BUCK?: A statement from the Council of Indigenous Peoples said it sympathized with the Pingpu, but making up for injustices was not its responsibility
By Loa Iok-sin
It would be illegitimate to grant Aboriginal recognition to the nation’s Pingpu Aborigines, as they chose to be separated from other Aborigines throughout history, the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) said yesterday.

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There is no timetable for the opening of Taiwan’s market to US beef, Department of Health Minister Yeh Ching-chuan (葉金川) said yesterday, although he added that the government was considering its options.

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SHORT-TERM VISITS: Republic of China citizens will be able to enter Ireland visa-free for 90 days beginning next Wednesday, however students will still need visas
By Jenny W. Hsu
Starting on July 1, Republic of China (ROC) passport holders are eligible for a 90-day visa-waiver privilege when traveling to Ireland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced yesterday.

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The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters has invited the public to watch captive-bred Formosan landlocked salmon parr being released into the endangered fish’s natural habitat tomorrow and Saturday.

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By Shelley Shan
Those who tremble at the sight of a needle may one day be able to receive immunizations via a DNA vaccine patch.

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The winner of the biggest undivided jackpot in Taiwan Super Lotto history has donated nearly a quarter of his winnings to charity but also took some cash for himself, to get a taste of how the super wealthy live.

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■ TRANSPORT

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