FINAL COUNTDOWN: Ma Ying-jeou spoke of the weight of responsibility, while Frank Hsieh made a `five noes' pledge and questioned his rival's loyalty to the nation
By Flora Wang and Mo Yan-chih
Accompanied by throngs of supporters and party officials, the nation's presidential candidates registered their candidacies with the Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday.

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Japan is to boost its defenses against cruise missiles as China increases its air strike capabilities, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported yesterday.

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TRUE COLORS: Barack Obama handily defeated Hillary Clinton in a Democratic southern contest in which each side accused the other of playing the `race card'
Overwhelming support from black voters fueled Senator Barack Obama to a decisive win over Senator Hillary Clinton in South Carolina's primary, a boost to his campaign just 10 days before a coast-to-coast presidential nomination competition in which nearly half the US states will vote.

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RESPECT FOR THE DEAD: The Philippine president remembered Suharto's role in founding ASEAN, while the Australian president spoke of APEC
Asia-Pacific leaders recalled former Indonesian president Suharto's strengths, praising him after his death in Jakarta yesterday for modernizing his country and promoting regional unity -- despite a "less than desirable" human rights record.

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A large US spy satellite has lost power and could hit the Earth late next month or in early March, government officials said on Saturday.

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