ODD OCCURRENCES: Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega failed to show up at the airport to greet Ma, snubbed him at a dinner banquet and left him waiting in a car
By Mo Yan-chih
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) finally met Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on Friday at Nicaragua’s Presidential Office, where Ortega denied that he had purposely canceled a meeting with Ma last month.

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US NATIONAL DAY: Experts say ailing North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is making a show of force to aid the succession of his son to the top spot in the nation
North Korea test-fired seven ballistic missiles yesterday, on US Independence Day celebrations, South Korean officials said, further fueling regional tensions amid its nuclear standoff.

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By Lee Ying and Lin Hsiu-tzu
Taiwan’s travel industry is being forced to deal with many negative consequences — from damaged hotel equipment to delayed payments — coming from the influx of Chinese tourists, hotel operators and travel agencies said.

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Sarah Palin, who sought the US vice presidency last year, has announced she is stepping down as Alaska governor, fueling swift speculation yesterday of a possible 2012 White House bid.

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Russia said it would allow the US to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, a long-sought move that bolsters US military operations, but potentially gives the Kremlin leverage over critical US supplies.

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