POLITICS
TPP to hold rally today
On the eve of the presidential inauguration, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) is to hold a rally today in front of the Democratic Progressive Party headquarters in Taipei, calling for legislative, judicial, media and constitutional reform. The rally would be held between 2pm and 4pm on Beiping E Road, and the party said that it invites people of all political affiliations who want to see real reforms in Taiwan. TPP caucus whip Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said that outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) made many empty promises in her 2016 inauguration address — from the four reforms, to livelihood and economic issues that most ordinary people care about — and the young generations are facing low salaries, rising commodity and housing prices, and increasing inequality. The TPP said it hoped president-elect William Lai (賴清德) would not go back on his promises like Tsai did, and that the rally is to demonstrate grassroot members of the public’s determination to launch “a third wave of democratic reforms in Taiwan.” When asked if he was concerned about triggering clashes at the rally, TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said he has confidence in Taiwan’s democracy, so as long as no one intentionally provokes a conflict, he is not worried.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
WEATHER
Plum rain to come tomorrow
A plum rain front is expected to approach tomorrow, with warmer weather forecast over the weekend and intermittent rainfall predicted in parts of Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Daytime highs of more than 30°C are anticipated in western Taiwan during the weekend, with highs of 28°C to 30°C forecast for eastern regions it said. Northern and eastern Taiwan are expected to experience cloudy weather over the weekend, with intermittent rainfall in some areas, it added. Starting next week, the weather is to become unstable and humid. Eastern Taiwan can expect intermittent rain or thunderstorms in some areas tomorrow, while western areas might see rainfall at night due to the impact of weather fronts. The CWA forecast an increased chance of rain from Tuesday to Friday, with rainfall predicted to ease after Friday.
WHITE TERROR
Memorial to be held today
Civic groups would join victims of political persecution to mark the first White Terror Memorial Day today with a ceremony and special exhibits, the New Taiwan Peace Foundation said.The inaugural event this afternoon is to take place in Jingmei White Terror Memorial Park in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店), the site of a former military court and prison controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime during the nation’s authoritarian era. Before launching the event, organizers worked with civic groups and the nation’s human rights commission held a series of activites, including the White Terror Films of Remembrance last month, Human Rights Film Festival this month, music concerts and exhibitions of photos and documents relating to victims and their families, along with workshops and photo exhibits on Green Island (綠島), the other prominent Martial Law era prison, with former political prisoners visiting. After many years of lobbying and deliberation by government agencies, outgoing Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) last month announced that May 19 would be observed as Taiwan’s White Terror Memorial Day, to commemorate the deaths and suffering of victims of political persecution and their families.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said it is fully aware of the situation following reports that the son of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai (薄熙來) has arrived in Taiwan and is to marry a Taiwanese. Local media reported that Bo Guagua (薄瓜瓜), son of the former member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is to marry the granddaughter of Luodong Poh-Ai Hospital founder Hsu Wen-cheng (許文政). The pair met when studying abroad and arranged to get married this year, with the wedding breakfast to be held at The One holiday resort in Hsinchu
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon this morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan between Friday and Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The storm, which as of 8am was still 1,100km southeast of southern Taiwan, is currently expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, the CWA said. Because of its rapid speed — 28kph as of 8am — a sea warning for the storm could be issued tonight, rather than tomorrow, as previously forecast, the CWA said. In terms of its impact, Usagi is to bring scattered or
An orange gas cloud that leaked from a waste management plant yesterday morning in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) was likely caused by acidic waste, authorities said, adding that it posed no immediate harm. The leak occurred at a plant in the district’s Environmental Science and Technology Park at about 7am, the Taoyuan Fire Department said. Firefighters discovered a cloud of unidentified orange gas leaking from a waste tank when they arrived on the site, it said, adding that they put on Level A chemical protection before entering the building. After finding there was no continuous leak, the department worked with the city’s Department
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