CHANGE OF MIND? : The Marshalls president, who had talked of switching diplomatic recognition to China before the islands' poll last year, has since kept mum on the issue
By Shih Hsiu-chuan
Newly elected Marshall Islands President Litokwa Tomeing has accepted President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) invitation to make a state visit to Taiwan, suggesting a departure from his previous intention to switch diplomatic recognition to China.

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2009 TIMETABLE: The US president's first visit to the Palestinian West Bank generated little excitement among Palestinians largely skeptical at his promises
US President George W. Bush yesterday predicted that a Middle East peace treaty would be completed by the time he leaves office, but acknowledged the deadline would be difficult to meet because of Hamas militants' control of part of the land that would form an eventual independent Palestine.

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A suicide bomber blew himself up among police deployed outside a court in eastern Pakistan ahead of a planned anti-government protest yesterday, killing at least 22 people and wounding more than 70.

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HOT-BUTTON ISSUE: Nicolas Sarkozy also repeated his controversial proposal to end the 35-hour work week, which he argued was clearly linked to spending power
French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed on Wednesday that a third of company profits should go to employees, with the same amount reserved for shareholders and investment.

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