NO BIG DEAL: After a report that China was mulling a plan to remove missiles aimed at Taiwan, a ministry spokeswoman said that such a move would be purely symbolic
By Rich Chang
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday it would not cut back on the nation’s defense despite a media report that said China could gradually decrease the number of missiles targeting Taiwan.

[ FULL STORY ]

DETERMINED: When Hsu Chia-hua planned her trip to Iraq to meet a Kurdish social worker, her friends tried to talk her out of it, but Hsu was undeterred
A woman has become the envy of many lonely hearts after media reported that she flew halfway around the world to Iraq to meet a man she met on the Internet.

[ FULL STORY ]

Russian natural gas deliveries fell substantially in downstream markets yesterday, drawing a sharp EU demand that the Kremlin and Ukraine end a row over energy.

[ FULL STORY ]

US president-elect Barack Obama said yesterday the struggling US economy could face more challenges and urged lawmakers to act quickly on recovery proposals even as some Republicans expressed concerns about plans for a huge stimulus package.

[ FULL STORY ]

Israeli forces bombed the Gaza Strip from the air and sea yesterday, killing a senior Hamas commander, while desperate residents of the Palestinian enclave sheltered in their homes as the offensive entered a second week.

[ FULL STORY ]