OUTSIDER: Former president Chen Shui-bian’s daughter, Chen Hsing-yu, was indicted, a first for the one family member thought to be least involved in alleged crimes
By Shelley Huang
Prosecutors yesterday issued indictments against 22 people, including former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), for money laundering, taking bribes or helping the former first family hide and launder money.

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DONATIONS: ARATS said that it received NT$450 million in donations from people in China, NT$300 million of which it will turn over to the SEF next week
By Mo Yan-chih
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) yesterday visited a village in Nantou County that was hard-hit by Typhoon Morakot, but no victims were invited to share their experience with him, while protesters were blocked by police.

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CHRISTMAS GIFT: US President Barack Obama received an early gift the morning before Christmas Day, when the Senate passed a bill to extend health care coverage
Senators gave US President Barack Obama a huge political boost yesterday by passing a sweeping remake of the US health care system that aims to extend coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans.

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Four people were killed and 23 were missing yesterday after two boats collided in darkness near Manila during the Christmas holiday rush, the latest disaster to hit the Philippines in a year of tragedy.

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By William Lowther
The US defense company Raytheon has been given a US$1.1 billion contract to supply a new Patriot Air and Missile Defense System to Taiwan.

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