DEAL WITH THE DEVIL: Officials and Burmese activists said TAITRA’s signing of an MOU with a trade group in Myanmar would support the country’s military junta
By Loa Iok-sin
Lawmakers and Free Burma activists yesterday condemned the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) for signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) to increase investment in the military junta-controlled country.

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Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi spent her 64th birthday in detention yesterday as supporters worldwide condemned her trial and called for tougher sanctions against the country’s military regime.

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IN WRITING: A Democratic Progressive Party legislator said the president was lying when he said that he only wanted to encourage use of traditional Chinese in China
By Jenny W. hsu
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) told a Chinese-language education conference yesterday that his comments last week — that people should be able to read traditional Chinese characters but write in the simplified version — were strictly aimed at the people of China, not Taiwan.

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GALE FORCE:: The weather bureau issued a sea alert last night and may issue a land alert for Penghu as early as today if the storm stays on its current trajectory
By Shelley Shan
The Central Weather Bureau issued a sea alert for Tropical Storm Linfa at 8:30pm as it approached Bashi Channel and southern Taiwan, the bureau said yesterday.

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By Jimmy Chuang
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday declined to respond to a local media report that Taiwan had completed the design of its own third-generation fighter jet with Russian expertise, saying only that Taiwan has never stopped research and development for new weapons.

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Iran’s supreme leader said yesterday that Iran’s disputed presidential vote had not been rigged, sternly warning protesters to halt massive demonstrations demanding a new election or be held responsible for creating chaos.

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