■Protests
Anti-war rally erupts
More than 100 anti-war and anti-US activists clashed yesterday with police in Taipei in what had originally been intended as a peaceful demonstration. Shouting slogans against the US-led invasion of Iraq, protesters hurled red paint at riot police deployed in front of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto of the US. Two students were arrested which triggered further unrest. The two, charged with disrupting social order and attacking the police, were released three hours after their arrest. Yesterday's demonstration was one of a series of small protests in reaction to Washington's attack on Iraq.
■ Diplomacy
US senators to visit Taipei
A group of eight US senators, led by Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, will arrive in Taipei on April 18 for a brief visit. Chen Chien-jen (程建人), representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, said on Friday that the senators are expected to exchange views with the government leaders in Taipei on such topics as anti-terrorism, public health, and other matters of mutual concern. The Senate mission will also visit Japan, South Korea and China during the trip to Asia.
■ United States
US association on track
A preparatory committee for the establishment of The Association for US-Taiwan Sisterly Relations was set to be inaugurated on Saturday at Little Rock, Arkansas. Michael Tsai (蔡明憲), deputy representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, will attend the inauguration ceremony. A spokesman for the preparatory committee said the association will help promote mutual understanding and friendship between the American and Taiwanese people by helping them increase their cultural exchanges and economic cooperation.
■ Crime
Woman cuts off penis
For the second time in a week, a woman cut off her lover's penis yesterday following a quarrel. Lin Hsiu-chan (林秀嬋), 52, severed the penis of her boyfriend Chiang Chin-sheng (江金生), 42, after he fell asleep at their rented apartment in Tucheng, outside Taipei. Police rushed Chiang to hospital. Doctors reattached his penis, but said they did not know if Chiang would retain full use of it. After the attack, Lin locked herself up in a room in the apartment and slashed her wrists attempting to commit suicide. Police broke into the room and rushed Lin, who was lying unconscious in a pool of blood, to hospital. Doctors said Lin is in a critical condition. Chiang told police he and Lin had lived together for many years and often quarrelled. Last Wednesday, a Filipino woman cut off the penis of her Filipino-Chinese husband while he was sleeping and flushed it down the toilet.
■ Iraq
Government donates rice
The government yesterday donated 5,000 tonnes of rice to Iraq and pledged to offer more aid and assist in post war reconstruction. Taiwan hopes to develop ties with a new Iraqi government and maybe open a trade representative office in Iraq. The China External Trade Development Council (CETRA) plans to send a delegation to the Middle East when the Iraq war has ended. "In the aftermath of the war, there will be a great demand in the Middle East for medical equipment, building materials, machinery, hardware, auto parts and other products," CETRA Secretary-General Chao Yung-chuan said.
Agencies
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
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HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
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