Taipei- Twelve men from mainland China were arrested in Taiwan posing as Buddhist monks for the purposes of swindling money, police said Tuesday.

The 12, with shaven heads and wearing monks' yellow gowns and yellow cloth bags, were arrested Sunday as they were about to board a flight for China from Taoyuan International Airport outside Taipei. They were paraded before reporters at a news conference on Tuesday.

According to the National Immigration Agency (NIA), the 12 men from Shenzhen, south China, entered Taiwan as company managers to attend a furniture exhibition.

Taipei - Taiwan said Monday that China has invited the leaders of Taipei's 23 diplomatic allies to attend next month's Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing, but these leaders have refused to attend.

"China has invited the heads of all countries, including our allies, to the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. So far, none of the heads of state or deputy heads of state of our allies will attend," Ko Shen-yeaw, director of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Central American Affairs, told reporters.

Taipei -

Taipei  - A Taiwanese woman jumped from a building's rooftop alledgedly to commit suicide on Saturday, but landed on and killed a passer-by, a newspaper said on Sunday.

Kuo Mei-hui, 64, lept from the rooftop of a five-storey apartment building in Chungho City near Taipei at about two pm Saturday, but landed on 53-year-old Lee Mei-yun who was returning home with her husband, the Liberty Times reported.

Kuo and Lee both fell to the ground and were seriously injured. Lee suffered from brain hemorrhage and died in hospital.

Taipei - Taiwan issued a land warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong (Phoenix) early Sunday morning, as the storm was approaching the island from the Pacific Ocean.

From Saturday noon until early Sunday morning, Fung-Wong has moved closer towards Taiwan by 100 kilometres and the edge of the typhoon circle is expected to reach Taiwan on Monday, the Central Weather Bureau said.

By 2:30 am Sunday (1830 GMT Saturday), the centre of Fung-Wong was 490 kilometres south-east of Taiwan's southern tip at Erlunpi.

Taipei - Taiwan on Saturday issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong (Phoenix), which has formed over the Pacific Ocean in the past two days.

By 11 am (0300 GMT) Saturday, the centre of Fung-Wong was 680 kilometres southeast of Taiwan's southern tip at Erlunpi, the Central Weather Bureau said.

Moving in a westerly direction at 16 kilometres per hour (kmph), Fung-Wong packs centre winds of 101 kmph and gusts of 126 kmph.