■POLITICS
DPP-Wu talks continue
Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday the party and its former secretary-general Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) have not reached a conclusion in ongoing talks to have him return to the party as secretary-general. After considering Wu’s seniority in the party and his rich experience in handling party affairs and organizing election campaigns, Tsai yesterday said she would like to ask for Wu’s help in the local government election at the end of the year. Tsai said she would make a formal announcement as soon as an agreement is reached.
■POLITICS
Ma mum on anniversary
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) yesterday said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had no “plan” to speak on Saturday, the fourth anniversary of the enactment of China’s “Anti-Secession” Law. The Presidential Office would make its position known on that day, adding it would do so under the principle that “the sovereignty of the Republic of China is protected” and “Taiwan’s dignity is maintained,” Wang said. Wang made the remarks in response to a media inquiry about speculation that Ma would keep a low profile on this year’s anniversary. The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) reported yesterday that Ma, who was vocal on the piece of legislation during his term as Taipei mayor and during his election campaign, would keep quiet on Saturday and have the Presidential Office issue a press release instead.
■POLITICS
NSB head ‘quits’ over health
The Presidential Office yesterday dismissed speculation that the recent resignation of National Security Bureau (NSB) director-general Tsai Chao-ming (蔡朝明) resulted from a power struggle within the government’s intelligence branch. Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had approved Tsai’s resignation for health reasons and that Ma accepted the resignation with reluctance. To express his gratitude for Tsai’s contributions, Wang said Ma decided to confer Tsai a medal in the near future. Wang dismissed the theory that political infighting was behind Tsai’s resignation, saying that it was groundless and pure speculation. Wang said since Tsai had been hospitalized several times, their understanding was that Tsai tendered his resignation for health reasons. Wang said Tsai had offered to resign on several occasions, but Ma had refused to let him go. Regarding Tsai’s successor, Wang said Ma had not reached a decision.
■TRAVEL
Shoe check in effect
Flight passengers heading to the US from Taiwan are now required to take off their shoes and coats for safety inspections, effective at 9:30pm yesterday. Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said the Transportation Security Administration of the US Department of Homeland Security issued an emergency amendment on Monday requiring all passengers leaving for the US to start following the same safety inspection practice within 72 hours of the amendment being announced. In the past, the practice was only enforced when passengers were about to leave the US, not before they entered the US. Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport early to avoid delays, the CAA said. Electronic devices must be taken out of baggage for inspections as well.
■ENVIRONMENT
Twelve factories fined
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) last week used helicopters to capture photographic proof of air and water pollution by 12 factories in the Greater Taipei area, the agency told a press conference yesterday. From the air, EPA inspectors were able to shoot images of several factories along the Tahan River (大漢溪), the Taliaokeng River (塔寮坑溪) and in Wugu Township (五股), emitting air pollutants and dumping wastewater and solid wastes into the river. The violators received fines of NT$100,000 to NT$149,200, the EPA said.
■WEATHER
Cold front coming
A continental cold air mass is expected to move into the country, bringing showers to most parts of the island and sending temperatures down, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday. The bureau predicted that temperatures in northern, northeastern and central Taiwan could drop to as low as 11°C on Saturday and Sunday, with the daytime highs varying between 16°C and 21°C. Southern and southeastern Taiwan would see slightly warmer weather on those two days, with lows of 14°C to 15°C and highs of 20°C to 25°C.
■GOVERNMENT
No decision on postal bank
Chunghwa Post chairman Wu Min-yu (吳民佑) said the government had not reached a decision on Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Sean Chen’s (陳冲) proposal to turn the post office’s savings department into an independent postal bank. If the government does decide to set up a postal bank, it would only handle low-risk bank business, Wu said. He added that should Taiwan follow the examples of Japan and Germany, Chunghwa Post would remain the largest shareholder of the postal bank.
An undersea cable to Penghu County has been severed, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said today, with a Chinese-funded ship suspected of being responsible. It comes just a month after a Chinese ship was suspected of severing an undersea cable north of Keelung Harbor. The National Communications and Cyber Security Center received a report at 3:03am today from Chunghwa Telecom that the No. 3 cable from Taiwan to Penghu was severed 14.7km off the coast of Tainan, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) upon receiving a report from Chunghwa Telecom began to monitor the Togolese-flagged Hong Tai (宏泰)
EVA Air is prohibiting the use of portable chargers on board all flights starting from Saturday, while China Airlines is advising passengers not to use them, following the lead of South Korean airlines. Current regulations prohibit portable chargers and lithium batteries from check-in luggage and require them to be properly packed in carry-on baggage, EVA Air said. To improve onboard safety, portable chargers and spare lithium batteries would be prohibited from use on all fights starting on Saturday, it said. Passengers are advised to fully charge electronic devices before boarding and use the AC and USB charging outlets at their seat, it said. South
WAR SIMULATION: The developers of the board game ‘2045’ consulted experts and analysts, and made maps based on real-life Chinese People’s Liberation Army exercises To stop invading Chinese forces seizing Taiwan, board gamer Ruth Zhong chooses the nuclear option: Dropping an atomic bomb on Taipei to secure the nation’s freedom and her victory. The Taiwanese board game 2045 is a zero-sum contest of military strategy and individual self-interest that puts players on the front lines of a simulated Chinese attack. Their battlefield game tactics would determine the theoretical future of Taiwan, which in the real world faces the constant threat of a Chinese invasion. “The most interesting part of this game is that you have to make continuous decisions based on the evolving situation,
Actor Lee Wei (李威) was released on bail on Monday after being named as a suspect in the death of a woman whose body was found in the meeting place of a Buddhist group in Taipei’s Daan District (大安) last year, prosecutors said. Lee, 44, was released on NT$300,000 (US$9,148) bail, while his wife, surnamed Chien (簡), was released on NT$150,000 bail after both were summoned to give statements regarding the woman’s death. The home of Lee, who has retreated from the entertainment business in the past few years, was also searched by prosecutors and police earlier on Monday. Lee was questioned three
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