Dalai Lama to Visit Taiwan

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»

Leader plotting to hold games 'hostage,' says Beijing

(NEWSER) - Beijing is charging that the Dalai Lama incited recent protests in Tibet as part of a "terror" plot to ruin the Olympic games, Reuters reports. "The Dalai Lama is scheming to take the Beijing Olympics hostage to force the Chinese government to make concessions to Tibet independence," writes China's official newspaper. The Dalai Lama has condemned the violence. 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»

Obama taking harder line after outreach fails

(NEWSER) - The White House has sent Beijing a clear message that making nice isn't working, and it's time to push back against increasing Chinese belligerence. President Obama's decision to sell $6 billion in arms to Taiwan is likely to be only the first of several run-ins the administration has with China this year, Helene Cooper notes in the New York Times. He's also made plans to meet the Dalai Lama soon and pledged to double American exports. More»

(NEWSER) - Flooding and mudslides caused by Typhoon Morakot killed over 500 people in Taiwan, President Ma Ying-jeou said today in the country's first firm estimate of casualty figures. Some 400 people are believed to have been buried alive in a single village, the BBC reports. The military has now reopened a road into the worst-hit district, but officials believe nobody trapped since Monday's mudslides has survived. More»