Taipei  - Three decades after expelling Taiwan, the World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed to accept Taipei into its global health alert mechanism while still denying observer status to Taipei, an official said Thursday.

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said it has been notified by WHO that WHO will include Taiwan in the International Health Regulations (IHR), and deal with Taipei directly regarding global health alerts, instead of going through China.

Taipei  - A dozen Taiwan companies are seeking 700 million Taiwan dollars (21 million US dollars) from China for losses caused by China's tainted milk products, a newspaper said Saturday.

The companies, including the King Car Group, a leading food and beverage group, are jointly seeking the compensation from China, the Liberty Times said.

Taipei  - Taiwan on Sunday began to ban indoor smoking, becoming the 17th in the world and the second country in Asia to take the move to protect people's health.

The ban is a victory for anti-smoking campaigners and health workers, but is a nightmare for die-hard smokers who now can only smoke at home or in the open.

Taipei - A Taiwan coffee chain is enjoying sweet results after launching "salt coffee" which produces a unique, but not entirely salty taste.

Since launching Salt Coffee on December 11, the 85 Degree Bakery Cafe, Taiwan's largest coffee chain, has changed coffee drinkers' habits and more and more customers are ordering Salt Coffee rather than black or sugared coffee.

Taipei - A Taiwan woman on Thursday sought 3 million Taiwan dollars (90,000 US dollars) in damages from Taiwan's Starbucks Coffee Company after she was served a cup of coffee with detergent in it.

The customer, who identified herself only as Wawa, filed a complaint with the Consumer's Foundation and plans to sue the company if it refuses to pay the compensation.

Taipei  - Madan Kataria, the Indian founder of the laughter yoga movement that has spread all over the world, will visit Taiwan next month to promote it, his Taiwan sponsor said Monday.