POSITIVE VIEW: NCC spokesman Howard Shyr praised the legislature's decision, saying current members are ready to hand over their duties to the next commission
By Flora Wang
The legislature approved an amendment yesterday that transfers the authority to appoint National Communications Commission (NCC) members from the legislature to the premier.

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One of three British residents newly returned from the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay was scheduled to appear before a court yesterday to face possible extradition to Spain for alleged terrorism offenses, police said.

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As Japan takes a more active role in military affairs, the defense minister has more on his mind than just threats here on Earth.

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By Lisa Wang
The central bank yesterday decided to hike its benchmark interest rates for the 14th straight quarter to curb rising inflationary risks caused by rising energy and raw material costs.

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NORTH KOREA: Washington and Tokyo voiced hope that Seoul's president-elect would be tough on the North, unlike his predecessor who emphasized reconciliation
The US and Japan yesterday welcomed conservative Lee Myung-bak's election as president of South Korea, expressing hope that the new leader would be firmer on North Korea after a decade of liberal rule in Seoul.

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US soldiers found mass graves north of Baghdad next to a torture center where chains were attached to blood-spattered walls and a metal bed frame was still connected to an electrical shock system, the military said yesterday.

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