Taipei- Taiwan's former vice president Lien Chan Monday headed to Peru for the November 22 leaders' summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, becoming the highest-ranking envoy from the island to attend the annual event.

Leading a 13-member delegation of foreign and economic affairs experts and officials, Lien was to stop at New York for three days before flying to Lima on November 20.

Taipei - The lawyer for Taiwan's ex-president Chen Shui-bian applied for Chen's release from detention Monday as the former leader's hunger strike is threatening his life.

Attorney Cheng Wen-lung made the request after visiting Chen at the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, where Chen was admitted Sunday evening after having fasted for five days, since he was detained at the Taipei Detention Centre last Wednesday.

Taipei  - Officials of the detention centre holding Taiwan's ex-president Chen Shui-bian said they would resort to force feeding if he does not end his hunger strike, according to press reports.

Chen began his fast Wednesday morning after he was after he was taken to the Taipei Penitentiary on charges of embezzlement, and his health has begun to suffer, cable TV channel CTI reported.

Taipei - Taiwan prosecutors on Saturday questioned former first lady Wu Shu-chen, wife of ex-president Chen Shui-bian, over money laundering allegations.

A team of prosecutors qinterrogated wheelchair-bound Wu at her Taipei home for three-and-a-half hours.

Taipei  - Chunghwa Telecom Ltd and Apple Inc plan to jointly launch the third-generation Apple iPhone in Taiwan before the end of the year, the Taiwan firm said Saturday.

A Chunghwa Telecom official said Taiwan would be among the third wave of countries to launch the iPhone 3G since Apple released the device on July 11 in 22 countries in the first wave of marketing.

Chunghwa Telecom has yet to set service charges for the operation of the iPhone 3G, said the company official who asked not to be named.

Taipei  - A Taiwan newspaper on Saturday launched a search for the Word of the Year for 2008, offering 48 Chinese characters for the public to choose from.

The search was launched by the United Daily News and a private foundation in the hope that one Chinese character could summarize the situation of Taiwan in 2008 or reflect Taiwan's people's feelings about the year.