'GREATEST INSULT': Malawi's decision to establish diplomatic relations with Beijing did not come as a surprise. But the timing could not have been worse, MOFA said
By Jenny W. Hsu
Taiwan terminated its 42-year-long diplomatic relations with Malawi after the southeastern African country agreed to switch its allegiance to Beijing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced at an emergency press conference at 6:30pm yesterday, two hours after Lilongwe notified Taipei of its intentions.

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VOICES: Thanking voters for the lesson they taught the DPP in the legislative elections, Hsieh asked supporters to give the party a second chance
By Ko Shu-ling
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) took the party's helm yesterday, saying the DPP would listen to the voice of the public following its defeat in the legislative elections on Saturday.

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Israeli and Palestinian negotiators prepared yesterday to begin discussing the most contentious issues in their 100-year conflict as part of efforts backed by US President George W. Bush to iron out a final peace agreement by the end of this year.

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The US military chief said on Sunday that the "war on terror" detention center in Guantanamo Bay should be shut down because of the damage it has done to the US image in the world. But there are no plans to do so, he said.

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The top US military commander in the Asia-Pacific region met Chinese officials yesterday on his first visit since Beijing refused permission for a US aircraft carrier to make a holiday port call in Hong Kong.

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