The EU yesterday welcomed the Executive Yuan’s unveiling on Wednesday of draft act on same-sex marriage and said it hoped that LGBTI rights in Taiwan would continue to advance.
European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) Head Madeleine Majorenko said on Facebook that she “welcomes the draft act on same-sex marriage proposed by the Executive Yuan, and looks forward to the continuous advancement of LGBTI rights in Taiwan.”
“Though it is already one week after Valentine’s Day, Ms Majorenko would still like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s and that all shall be well, Jill shall have Jill,” a play of words on the English saying “all shall be well, Jack shall have Jill,” the EETO wrote.
Photo courtesy of the European Economic and Trade Office
Officially titled the “enforcement act of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748,” the bill is the first in Taiwan to be named after a constitutional interpretation to avoid causing disputes between supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage.
The bill was drafted in line with a ruling by the Council of Great Justices on May 24, 2017, in which the judges said that the prohibition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
Following the passage on Nov. 24 last year of a referendum that said that the the Civil Code should not be amended to allow marriages between people of the same sex, the Cabinet decided to create a special separate draft bill to legalize same-sex unions, which is expected to be enacted by May 24.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
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