Typhoon Toll Hits 500 as Taiwanese Are Buried Alive

(AP) - Taiwan has agreed to let the Dalai Lama visit the island to comfort survivors of a devastating typhoon, a decision that could anger China. Beijing considers the Buddhist spiritual leader a "splittist" for promoting autonomy in the Chinese region of Tibet. Allowing him to visit Taiwan could undermine the rapidly improving relations between Beijing and Taipei, which have been developing close business ties after decades of enmity. More»

(NEWSER) - Some 700 people feared dead in Taiwan's mudslides have been found alive and rescued from the disaster zone, the BBC reports. Military helicopters have been evacuating people from rural areas in southern Taiwan, where mudslides caused by Typhoon Morakot engulfed several mountain villages. Hundreds of other people are still missing and feared dead or trapped in their buried homes. More»

Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, China hit; at least 35 dead

(AP) - A typhoon-spawned mudslide engulfed a mountain village in southern Taiwan, burying up to 600 people, a police official and a rescued villager said today. Earlier, Typhoon Morakot had struck the Philippines, leaving at least 22 dead. Another typhoon slammed into Japan's west coast today, bringing heavy rain that triggered floods and landslides that left at least 13 people dead and another 10 reported missing. More»

(NEWSER) - Typhoon Morakot shredded homes, sent water gushing over banks, and uprooted trees in southeast China yesterday, leaving thousands of people stranded. The storm left a trail of destruction in the Philippines and Taiwan, killing dozens, before striking China's coast. The storm's eye turned the sky black and torrential rains washed fish from mudflat fish farms, reports CNN. A separate typhoon hit Japan today, killing 12. More»

Ma Ying-jeou promises 'sovereignty,' more economic ties with mainland

(NEWSER) - Taiwan has re-elected President Ma Ying-jeou, in a move that might make China smile, but not so fast: Ma says he's more interested in building economic ties with the mainland than re-unifying, reports Bloomberg . Ma won a second term in yesterday's elections, beating the pro-independence opposition candidate 51.6% to 45.6%. Ma's Kuomintang Party also maintained majority control of Taiwan's parliament, although it lost 17 seats overall. More»