EXPLORATION PROJECT: Chinese Petroleum Corp expects to invest a total of NT$1.27 billion over a three-year period and plans to drill three oil wells in Libya
State-owned Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC, 中油) plans to sign a contract with Libya next month after it was awarded a license for an oil exploration project, the company said yesterday.

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SUCCESSION STRUGGLE?: The deputy prime minister has been named acting president, even though by law the parliamentary speaker is next in line
Turkmenistan's President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov died yesterday after 21 years of iron rule in which he crushed all dissent and made his Central Asian state one of the world's most isolated countries. He was 66.

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As Christmas approaches, a virgin mother is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her offspring. She's Flora, the Komodo dragon.

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By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Mo Yan-chih
After hinting that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) might be challenged for his party's presidential nomination in 2008, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday remained tight-lipped.

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A Taiwanese woman who arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday was the 100 millionth passenger of the year at the region's three major airports.

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By Angelica Oung, Ko Shu-ling and Jimmy Chuang
First lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) will not appear in court today, after her lawyer filed for a leave of absence, citing health reasons, the Presidential Office said yesterday.

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