Copyright (c) 2007 The China Post All rights reserved. http://www.chinapost.com.tw Taiwan's leading English-language newspaper since 1952. The China Post Online is the leading online provider of news and business and entertainment information on Taiwan. Tue, 7 Feb 2012 14:50:00 +0800 zh-TW http://www.chinapost.com.tw/rss/images/china_post.gif http://www.chinapost.com.tw http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/middle-east/2012/02/07/330890/Obama-imposes.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - US President Barack Obama unveiled new sanctions on Iran's central bank Monday, tightening an economic choke hold with speculation rampant over a possible Israeli strike on Tehran's nuclear program. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/middle-east/2012/02/07/330890/Obama-imposes.htm Tue, 7 Feb 2012 14:42:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/middle-east/2012/02/07/330889/US-closes.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - The United States closed its embassy in Damascus on Monday and vowed "greater action" aimed at ousting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as it weighed a dwindling set of diplomatic options after a stinging setback at the United Nations. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/middle-east/2012/02/07/330889/US-closes.htm Tue, 7 Feb 2012 14:39:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2012/02/07/330857/Lantern-Festival.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - The long-anticipated 2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival kicked off yesterday for a 14-day run in Lukang Township in the central county of Changhua after President Ma Ying-jeou lit up the main theme lantern at around 7:00 p.m., with at least 600,000 visitors swarming the town to enjoy various performances and colorful, brilliant lanterns. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2012/02/07/330857/Lantern-Festival.htm Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:25:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2012/02/07/330858/Govt-to.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday voiced expectations for the newly sworn-in Cabinet members, asking them to provide the public with a sense of security and comfort and to issue the happiness index of the public yearly. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2012/02/07/330858/Govt-to.htm Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:25:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/europe/2012/02/07/330859/Germanys-Merkel.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - Greece let yet another deadline slip on Monday for responding to painful terms for a new EU/IMF bailout, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel made clear Europe's patience is wearing thin over drawn-out negotiations among its feuding political leaders. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/europe/2012/02/07/330859/Germanys-Merkel.htm Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:25:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/business/2012/02/07/330860/China-may.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - The EU ambassador to China said Monday the Asian powerhouse could become Europe's biggest export market this year, overtaking the United States, as Beijing boosts domestic demand. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/business/2012/02/07/330860/China-may.htm Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:25:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/europe/2012/02/06/330783/Conservative-wins.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - A former finance minister won Finland's presidential election Sunday and will become the country's first conservative head of state in five decades. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/europe/2012/02/06/330783/Conservative-wins.htm Mon, 6 Feb 2012 14:05:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2012/02/06/330782/17-dead.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - Rescuers scouring the white-capped waters off the Dominican Republic's coast have found 17 bodies and 13 survivors from a boat overloaded with migrants that capsized almost two days ago, officials said. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2012/02/06/330782/17-dead.htm Mon, 6 Feb 2012 13:54:00 +0800 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/philippines/2012/02/06/330781/One-dead.htm (ChinaPost.com.tw) - One child died and a local tsunami alert was issued after a magnitude 6.7 earthquake followed by two aftershocks struck off the Philippines island of Negros on Monday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and a local monitoring service. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/philippines/2012/02/06/330781/One-dead.htm Mon, 6 Feb 2012 13:52:00 +0800