Taipei  - China's senior envoy to Taiwan, Zheng Lizhong, led a group of negotiators to the island Friday for preparatory talks to set the stage for the third cross-strait summit planned later this month.

Zheng, vice chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and his 20-member delegation were whisked to Taipei from Taoyuan International Airport amid a protest by a small group of pro-independence activists.

Taipei - China's senior envoy to Taiwan, Zheng Lizhong, led a group of negotiators to the island Friday for preparatory talks to set the stage for the third cross-strait summit planned later this month.

Zheng, vice chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and his 20-member delegation were whisked to Taipei from Taoyuan International Airport amid a protest by a small group of pro-independence activists.

Taipei - Taiwan prosecutors Friday arrested five prison guards and three brokers for allegedly smuggling in forbidden items in return for payments by inmates.

"We are seeking the district court's approval for the detention of the eight for alleged corruption," said district prosecutor Chen Hsin-hung.

Taipei - Taiwan stocks plunged more than 4 per cent Friday due to profit-taki

Taipei- A Taiwan woman, angry that her husband was unfaithful, killed him Friday in front of their 10-year-old grandson and then dismembered his body, police said.

Wu Ah-yin, 57, and her husband Chiang Tien-tsai, 55, were both pork sellers in Tucheng, near Taipei. The couple often quarrelled because Wu had a mistress and often stayed out late, Wang Jen-hong, spokesman for the Tucheng Police Bureau, told reporters.

Taipei - Taiwan stocks rose 2.07 per cent on Thursday, fuelled by Wall Street's overnight rally and bullish sentiment over a government plan to sign a financial memorandum of understanding with China, dealers said.

The main TAIEX index opened sharply higher, surging past the 6,000-point level in mid-session, and easing somewhat on profit taking before closing at 5,997.17, up
121.98 points or 2.07 per cent from Wednesday's trading.