Taiwan police probe China hacking claims

Taiwan's police said Thursday they were investigating claims by the main opposition party that hackers backed by the Chinese state were stealing information related to its presidential campaign.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau said in a statement that it would also offer necessary assistance to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to protect its information.

The DPP, which favours Taiwan's independence from China, said that in the past four months, it had traced more than a dozen cyber attacks every day to Chinese Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

It said that hackers mainly targeted its presidential campaign planning as the party gears up for the January 2012 elections against the incumbent Ma Ying-jeou of the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party.

Observers say China would prefer Ma to win instead of DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen.

The accusation comes after the California-based computer security firm McAfee said last week that 72 targets across 14 countries were victims of a massive global cyber-spying campaign, with China seen as the likely culprit.

Chinese state media decried that allegation as "irresponsible".

Taiwan and China have spied on each other ever since they split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Beijing still regards the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

Taiwan's government websites have frequently faced cyber attacks, usually during disputes between the island and the mainland.

2 Yemeni leaders leave Saudi hospital

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Mujawar left a hospital in Saudi Arabia Saturday, a Saudi official said.

"The Yemeni president left the military hospital this evening at 9 p.m. after receiving the necessary treatment and was taken to a temporary residence for a recovery period," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Yemen Online.

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Mujawar had left the hospital earlier in the day.

However, both men will remain in Ridyah as they recuperate from injuries suffered in a bomb attack at Saleh's residence in Sanaa two months ago, Yemen Online and RIA Novosti said.

It was not known how long they would stay in Ridyah.

Yemeni Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has assumed control of the government while Saleh convalesces.

Opposition groups have been calling for Saleh to step down since January and want an interim council created to prevent his return. Saleh has ruled Yemen since 1978.