(3) John J Tkacik Jr, White House Bickering and Taiwan’s F-16s. Washington Times, Sept 20, 2011
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/sep/20/white-house-bickering-and-taiwans-f-16s/
(The Pentagon has completed a congressionally mandated report on Taiwan’s air-power requirements, which, though still classified, says Taiwan’s air force "needs a new fleet of STOVL 'short take-off and vertical landing' jets that can use the island’s modern highways as runways. In short, Taiwan needs the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, a STOVL jet that is designed for export to America’s friends and allies.")
Note: abjure (vt; Latin abjurare, from ab- + jurare to swear): "to renounce upon oath"
(4) 中国官员:罕见秋汛造成严重灾情. BBC Chinese, Sept 21, 2011.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2011/09/110921_china_flood_river.shtml
(5) 民进党主席蔡英文结束访美返台. BBC Chinese, Sept 21, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2011/09/110921_taiwan_tsai.shtml
("她此行在美期间除了同国会议员与国务院官员会谈外,也传出罕见地进入了五角大楼同美国防部官员交流")
My comment: The report says, "美方对蔡英文的高规格接待还包括了在她访问国会山庄时,赠送其一面曾悬挂在国会的美国国旗." It is sort of misleading to use "美方." Usuall it is Congress members that give out flags that fly on top of Capitol. The same happened to Ms Tsai Ing-wen.
William Lowther, Tsai Holds Closed Meeting With Powerbrokers in US. Taipei Times, Sept 16, 2011
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/09/16/2003513403
(photo caption: "Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen is presented with a US flag during a congressional reception on Wednesday night in Washington")
(6) Craig Whitlock and Greg Miller, US Assembling Secret Drone Bases in Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Officials Say. Washington Post, Sept 20, 2011.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-building-secret-drone-bases-in-africa-arabian-peninsula-officials-say/2011/09/20/gIQAJ8rOjK_story.html
Note: Seychelles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seychelles
(named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV’s Minister of Finance)