ICRT

Posted on 2025-07-02 15:06:13

The National Security Bureau says, Chinese social media app Xiao Hong Shu
poses a great security risk.

The NSB says the app, along with Weibo, Douyin, WeChat, and Baidu, collect
excessive amounts of user data, and overstep their authority.

Officials added that Xiao Hong Shu is the worst offender of any of these, and
they warn the public to be on alert, not downloading suspicious apps.

The NSB came to these conclusions after law enforcement authorities conducted
tests on the five apps, testing them on indicators of personal information
collection, exceeding usage permissions, data feedback and sharing, capturing
system information, and using biometrics.

In particular, officials say, the apps may be storing data of what user's
faces look like, and all five of the apps transmit package data to Chinese
servers, and the Chinese government could demand the information.

The NSB emphasizes that several countries around the world have warnings or
bans on certain Chinese-made apps for cybersecurity reasons.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-07-02 15:06:13

DPP Lawmaker Su Qiao Hui says the ongoing recall movement represents Taiwan's
staunch refusal to "tilt toward China".

Su emphasized that Taiwan's determination to fight for its own sovereignty
has been clear for years, manifesting in the Sunflower Movement and the
ongoing recall movement.

She made the comments when delivering a speech at Taiwan Presbyterian Church
in Washington D.C. where dozens of overseas Taiwanese people went to meet
with her.

During her trip there, she also plans to visit the United States House Select
Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist
Party, as well as the Senate Taiwan Caucus.

She says she'll tell US legislators that the recall aims in part to address
concerns over Taiwan's defense spending, concerns shared by some reps in the
US.

In an interview with CNA, Su emphasized that her trip will show the world
that Taiwan is determined to defend itself.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-07-02 15:06:13

And in the US...

a federal judge is blocking the Trump administration from ending temporary
legal status for more than 500,000 Haitians already in the US.

The judge ruled that moving up the expiration of the status by months is
unlawful.

Some of the recipients of the protected status have been in the US for more
than 10 years.

The Biden administration had extended their status through February 3rd next
year due to the domestic situation in Haiti...

which has seen gang violence and political unrest in recent years.

But last week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it was
terminating those legal protections as soon as September.

Posted on 2025-07-02 15:06:13

At least four people are dead following a ship's capsizing in the Gulf of
Suez.

That's according to Egyptian authorities.

Another four people are missing, and officials say there were 30 people on
board when the oil-drilling ship capsized.

Rescue teams were able to rescue 22 people who were taken to hospitals.

The capsizing was unlikely to cause disruption to vessels transiting through
the canal, which links the Gulf of Suez to the Mediterranean Sea.

Posted on 2025-07-02 14:10:14

wife

Chen Pei-qi (陳珮琪), former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-zhe's wife, arrived at the
Kaohsiung Funeral House this morning to mourn for former Deputy Mayor Peng
Zhen-sheng's (彭振聲) wife, who fell to her death yesterday.

Peng was overcome with grief, while Chen remained silent without answering
any questions.

Both Ko and Peng have been in detention for months over allegations of
corruption in connection with the Core Pacific City project.

Peng broke down in tears upon receiving news of his wife's apparent suicide
during a Taipei District Court session yesterday, saying the only reason he
admitted wrongdoing in January was trying to secure release on bail so he
could comfort his wife and that he was innocent.

The Court allowed him to go back to Kaohsiung to deal with the matter.

Ko also appeared in court yesterday, saying he was shocked by the news, while
hundreds of TPP supporters gathered outside the Taipei Prosecutors Office
accusing the judiciary of political persecution and coercing confessions.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-07-02 14:10:14

Taitung County is opting to release public arable land to eligible farmers,
some of whom have cultivated the land for 65 years.

The idea is based on a pilot plan by the central government to release public
agricultural land in Yilan's Da Nan Ao 大南澳 Farm to eligible tenants.

Although Taitung isn't part of the central government's plan, the county
government has decided to make the change.

County Magistrate Rao Qing Ling 饒慶鈴　emphasized that most of the land in
the county is public land, so there are many farmers that have toiled on the
land for three generations, but lack a title to the land.

The Land Administration Department stated that priority will be given to
tenants of county-owned farmland who had established lease agreements before
1976.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-07-02 14:10:14

Taiwan shares are slightly up today, with the benchmark Tai ex closing at
22,577 after gaining 24 points.

The turnover was 297.6 billion NT.

Posted on 2025-07-02 14:10:14

Now turning to intenrational news...

Authorities in Turkiye are detaining a former mayor and over 100 officials in
Izmir on corruption allegations.

State media reports that arrest warrants were issued for 157 officials over
accusations of tender rigging and fraud.

This is the latest in a string of arrests targeting opposition-controlled
municipalities, including Istanbul's mayor earlier this year.

His arrest drew huge street protests, the biggest that the country has seen
in more than a decade.

Many view these cases as politically motivated, but the government denies
interference.

Posted on 2025-07-02 14:10:14

And in Europe, much of the continent is undergoing the first major heatwave
of the summer.

Barcelona, Spain, recorded its hottest June is over a century, while the top
of the Eiffel Tower is currently closed to visitors.

Health warnings remain in effect in several countries in the region, and
schools are closed in France, with temperatures forecast to hit 40 degrees.

In Italy, many of the country's major cities were experiencing a heatwave
while some areas saw electricity blackouts following surges in demand.

One weather expert says, these temperatures are more typical for July and
August, while another points out that heat wave is obviously linked to
climate change.

Posted on 2025-07-02 13:35:13

The Central Weather Administration has put into place intense heat warnings
for dozens of areas across the country.

There's an orange level heat alert for certain districts of Hualien, greater
Taipei and Taoyuan, as well as central and southern Taiwan.

Those areas could either reach 38 degrees today or reach 36 degrees for three
consecutive days.

The CWA also issued a yellow level heat alert for districts in Kinmen,
Keelung, Hsinchu, Miaoli and Yi-lan, as those areas could get up to 36
degrees today.

Taoyuan's Luzhu has already recorded the highest temperature in the country
today, at 38.2 degrees, while New Taipei and Hsinchu also hit 37.

Officials encourage the public to stay hydrated and avoid strenuous exercise
outdoors.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-07-02 13:35:13

A pair of killer whales were spotted off the coast of Hua-lien yesterday,
marking the first sighting of such whales in Hualien waters in three years.

Whale-watching operator Lyu Shi-ming (呂世明) says the orcas were swimming
steadily in a fixed direction without stopping or changing course, and their
vessel maintained a safe distance and observed them at a low speed for 30
minutes.

He says the afternoon 4:00 p.m. whale-watching tour operated by Turu-moan set
sail from Hualien Port, and first encountered a pod of pantropical spotted
dolphins.

Crew members then saw dorsal fins of orcas in the distance, approximately 5
to 6 nautical miles east of the Hualien lighthouse—one fin tall and one
shorter.

Based on their characteristics, the pair was identified as a male killer
whale and a female.

Lyu says whale activity off the coast of Hualien has been lively recently.

According to Turu-moan’s data, 25 out of 140 whale-watching trips have
sighted sperm whales between mid-June and now, and several of those trips
even recorded the whales' underwater sounds.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-07-02 13:35:13

North Koreans are swimming and enjoying other water activities at a new
mammoth beach resort that the country is touting as a boost for tourism.

State media reported the resort on the eastern coast opened to domestic
visitors Tuesday.

But prospects for the resort and North Korean tourism are unclear.

The country hasn't fully reopened its borders since the COVID-19 pandemic,
and analysts say it's unlikely to embrace Western tourists anytime soon.

A Russian tour group is expected to visit the resort next week, but Chinese
tourism to North Korea is stalled.

Leader Kim Jong Un has called the resort key to developing the tourism
industry.

But experts say resuming international tourism will be key to reaching that
goal.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-07-02 08:08:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning ...

Former Deputy Taipei Mayor Peng Cheng-sheng has retracted his confession in
the Core Pacific City corruption case.

It came hours after the death of his wife in Kaohsiung.

Peng was informed of his wife's death while waiting to appear at hearing at
the Taipei District Court.

The court had been scheduled to review Peng's interrogation recording, but
canceled the session due to the sudden news of his wife's death.

Peng confessed when questioned by prosecutors last year.

He was indicted last December, along with former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je and
Core Pacific Group Chairman Shen Ching-jing as part of the investigaiton.

The officials are accused of accepting bribes from the company to illegally
increase the permissible floor area ratio of a redevelopment project, thereby
raising the property's value because more space could be built and sold.

Posted on 2025-07-02 08:08:13

The Ministry of National Defense says amendments to the Pay Act of the Armed
Forces will cost an estimated 30-billion N-T in additional annual personnel
expenditure.

The statement comes after amendments to the Act passed a third reading in the
Legislative Yuan on June 10 and were formally promulgated by the Office of
the President on June 27.

The amendments raise compensation for both volunteer and conscripted service
personnel.

Under the revised law, monthly allowances for volunteer military personnel
will increase from the current range of between 13,000 and 15,000 N-T to
30,000 N-T.

While total monthly compensation for conscripted personnel must now meet or
exceed the minimum wage as defined under the Minimum Wage Act.

The defense ministry's Department of Resource Planning says it is now working
with the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics to finalize
the changes and include them in upcoming budget plans.

Posted on 2025-07-02 08:08:13

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
says decisions by Thailand, the Philippines and Brunei to grant Taiwan
passport holders visa-free entry over the past year are the result of
years-long consultations.

Taiwan granted visa-free entry to the three countries to facilitate two-way
travel for business and tourism purposes in August of 2016.

And according to department head Peter Lan, the government had been pushing
the the ASEAN countries to make the program a reciprocal one since then.

Thailand announced in July of 2024 that it would give visa-free entry to
Taiwanese, while the Philippines extended the same courtesy on June 23 and
Brunei from July 1.

Lan says along with consultations, the foreign ministry's implementation of
an Integrated Diplomacy and Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project also played
an important role in the result.

Posted on 2025-07-02 08:08:13

The Ministry of Labor says nearly one in four employers failed to comply with
labor regulations for student and part-time workers during recent
inspections.

The statement comes after the ministry conducted 1,800 labor inspections
focusing on the labor rights of those groups last year.

Officials say they uncovered violations in 448 cases including several
well-known companies and state-owned enterprises.

According to the labor ministry, total fines issued stood at 12.8-million
N-T, while three employers were referred to prosecutors for assigning
underage workers to night shifts - which is illegal.

The ministry says most common violation was the failure to pay correct wages
for work performed on designated rest days.

This was followed by failure to provide double pay for work on national
holidays and requiring employees to work more than six consecutive days.

The restaurant industry was the worst offender, accounting for 48-per cent of
all violations.

Posted on 2025-07-02 08:08:13

The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office has detained a 30-year-old former
private ambulance driver for allegedly hacking into emergency response
systems and selling dispatch information to funeral businesses.

The man was detained following raids on several locations last month.

Four funeral businesses, their sales staff and cooperating I-T engineers are
also under investigation and have been released on bail ranging from 30,000
to 500,000 N-T.

According to prosecutors, the suspect accessed the Kaohsiung City Fire
Department's mobile dispatch system and emergency medical system over a
period of more than four years.

The funeral companies were able to monitored emergency cases using the
intercepted information provided by the main suspect and sent staff to the
scenes.

Prosecutors say each company gained an estimated five to 10 additional
funeral services per month by responding quickly to emergency cases and in
some instances, staff reportedly arrived at the scenes before ambulances and
handed out business cards.

All of those under investigation are facing possible charges of the Criminal
Code.

Posted on 2025-07-02 08:08:13

And finally, in news from the Chinese Professional Baseball League ..

.. where the Uni-President Lions will be hosting games under a special
"Ultraman" theme at the Taipei Dome later this month.

The themed games will be taking place as the Lions are scheduled to play the
C-T-B-C Brothers during a three-game series in Taipei.

According to the team, the three game series will be featuring eight
superheroes from the long-running Japanese TV show that centers on a
fictional alien race of superheroes who battle other aliens.

Organizers say a different villain will feature at each game and the
live-action performances will take place both before and after the games.

The Lions won the C-P-B-L first half-season this past Sunday after beating
the Rakuten Monkeys 4-1 at the Rakuten Taoyuan Stadium.

The second half-season begins this Friday.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

President Lai Ching-te is urging public to support government efforts to
bolster the military's capabilities.

During a speech before members of the Lions Clubs International in Taipei,
Lai touted measures taken by the DPP since 2016...

These steps included improving the working environment for active service
personnel, reforming the military and enhancing Taiwan's overall defense
capabilities.

Lai said defense investment was not just a security imperative... it also
presents economic opportunity, since the development of drones,
telecommunications systems and weaponry also spurs innovation, create jobs,
and strengthen domestic industries.

The president said his administration is not merely purchasing arms, it was
also ensuring that Taiwan can also manufacturing them, even as it
co-develops, designs and produces them with the United States ..

And these are moves Lai said will make Taiwan both safer and economically
stronger.

The statements came during the fourth in a series of planned speeches.

The talks are set to focus on topics including cross-strait relations,
democracy, peace, prosperity, and the equal development of the country.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

The remarks were made as the Ministry of National Defense prepares to hold a
series of urban resilience drills from July 15 to 18 in conjunction with the
annual Han Kuang exercises.

The All-out Defense Mobilization Office says the drills will be conducted
regionally and feature air raid sirens, public evacuation procedures, traffic
controls, and mobile alert notifications.

The first of the drills are scheduled for Miaoli, Taichung, Nantou, Changhua,
Yunlin and Chiayi on July 15.

Drills will then be held in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung on July 16.

They take place in Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Yilan on
July 17.

And they will conclude on July 18 in Hualien, Taitung, Kinmen, Matsu and
Penghu.

The drills are scheduled for between 1:30 to 2PM in most areas, while the
July 18 drills will be held between 10 and 10:30AM.

During the exercises, operations at public and private venues will be
temporarily suspended to carry out evacuation and emergency response
procedures.

Airports, seaports, conventional rail, high-speed rail, metro systems,
intercity buses and bus terminals must also suspend all services during the
drill and alighting passengers are required to cooperate with evacuation
measures.

However, passengers waiting for transportation services will not be subject
to controls, and metro and train services already in motion will not be
affected.

All levels of government agencies, as well as retail outlets, hotels,
exhibition centers, markets, and pharmacies are also required to suspend
operations during the designated time.

While mobile phone users will receive alerts... they will warn of incoming
attacks and signal the end of the drills as a way of beginning and ending the
exercise.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

Two Taiwanese nationals are among a group of suspects indicted in Boston in
connection with an alleged scheme to generate revenue for North Korea's
weapons of mass destruction programs,

The office of the U-S Attorney has identified them as Liu Meng-ting and Liu
En-chia.

The office says they were among nine suspects indicted in the scheme that
raised at least 5-million U-S dollars in revenue for North Korea.

The other suspects include six Chinese nationals and one American national.

Court documents show Pyongyang sent thousands of skilled I-T workers around
the world in response to U-S and United Nations sanctions to steal identities
and pose as American workers to obtain remote I-T jobs and generate revenue.

Those indicted in connection with the scheme transmitted fake and misleading
information to dozens of U-S companies, financial institutions and government
agencies from between 2021 and October of last year.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

The Centers for Disease Control says 35 domestic whooping cough cases were
recored in the first half of this year - that's the highest for the same
period in a decade.

17 new cases were recorded in June alone - including one school cluster
linked to a household and three separate household clusters.

The school cluster involved five infected students, also making it the
largest such outbreak in 12 years.

While the three household clusters included two cases in central Taiwan,
three in the north, and two in the south.

Contact tracing and health monitoring in all of the cases are set to take
place from the middle to the latter parts of this month.

C-D-C spokesman Philip Luo says the spike involving 17 cases in one month and
nine in a single cluster is highly unusual.

Of the 35 cases so far this year, 37-per cent were in the 11 to 18 age group,
followed by 23-per cent who were infants under six months old.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

Police say an unlicensed ambulance driver ran a red light and crashed into a
scooter in Taipei while transporting a patient to a hospital - killing the
scooter rider.

The scooter rider was traveling along Fujin Street in the city's Songshan
District when he was run over by a private ambulance coming from Sanmin Road.

Emergency service personnel found the scooter rider trapped underneath the
ambulance.

The 60-year-old man was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital after
efforts to resuscitate failed.

Police say the 23-year-old ambulance driver did not have a valid driver's
license, but was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

He was not injured, but the patient in the ambulance sustained minor injuries.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

And,

The Central Weather Administration says temperatures in parts of the north
oday are expected to reach 37-degrees.

According to the administration's forecast center, highs of around 36-degrees
are likely in other areas.

Heat alerts has been issued for much of the island today.

"Orange" alerts are in effect for Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Changhua,
Yunlin, Chiayi County, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Hualien -- where the
daily maximum temperature is forecast to reaches 36-degrees for three
consecutive days.

While "Yellow" alerts have been issued for Hsinchu County, Miaoli and Kinmen
County - where the daily maximum temperature is forecast to reaches
36-degrees today.

All of the alerts will remain in effect through this afternoon.

The weather administration says a strong Pacific high-pressure system is
forecast to continue hovering over the island until Friday - bringing
widespread hot and sunny conditions.

The high-pressure system is expected to weaken on Saturday - when daytime
highs will drop slightly.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

Officials say a Ukrainian drone has struck an industrial plant deep inside
Russia, injuring several people and causing a fire.

Ukrainian officials say the plant produces drones and air defense systems.

The attack Tuesday came as Ukraine prioritizes drone development to counter
Russia's expanded drone attacks.

Both nations are ramping up drone capabilities, turning the war into a
testing ground for advanced unmanned weaponry.

In June, Russia launched a record 5,438 drones at Ukraine, according to data
collated by The Associated Press.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

The French city of Cannes wants to ban cruise ships carrying over 1,300
passengers from its harbor from 2030.

The decision is part of a wider backlash against overtourism.

City officials also cited concerns about pollution, since larger ships must
use smaller boats to transfer visitors to the port.

The new rules limit daily disembarkations to 6,000 passengers.

Cannes is seeking to balance tourism’s economic benefits while managing
growing crowds.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

Hurricane Flossie has strengthened to a Category 2 storm off Mexico's Pacific
coast and could become a major hurricane before weakening later this week.

The National Hurricane Center reports the storm has maximum sustained winds
of 110 mph.

It was located Tuesday about 180 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.

Flossie is expected to continue strengthening and become a major hurricane
later today.

It is then expected to rapidly weaken starting late Wednesday.

Posted on 2025-07-02 07:05:13

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra.

The move is pending an ethics investigation over accusations that she was too
deferential to a senior Cambodian leader when the two discussed a recent
border dispute in a phone call that was leaked.

It involved an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier
was killed.
P
aetongtarn attempted to defuse tensions in a call with Cambodian Senate
President Hun Sen.

But she instead set off a string of complaints and public protests by critics
who accused her of being too fawning.

Paetongtarn’s suspension on Tuesday raises the possibility of renewed
instability in Thailand.

Posted on 2025-07-01 20:08:13

Taiwan has recorded its highest number of whooping cough (pertussis) cases in
a decade for the first half of the year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as of mid-June, 35 cases
have been reported, including 17 in June alone.

The surge includes Taiwan's largest school-based outbreak in 12 years, traced
to a household cluster that spread to five students.

The index case—a teenager who had been vaccinated—began showing symptoms in
May but was initially misdiagnosed.

He later tested positive for whooping cough.

Four family members and four classmates were also infected.

Most infections occurred among young people aged 11 to 18 (37%) and infants
under six months (23%)—the two groups most at risk due to either waning
immunity or incomplete vaccination.

The CDC recommends teenagers receive a Tdap booster shot, as vaccine immunity
can wane.

Taiwan offers five free childhood doses of the pertussis vaccine, but the
Tdap booster for teens requires out-of-pocket payment.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-07-01 16:07:13

The National Defense Ministry is getting ready to implement the newly-passed
amendments to the Military Personnel Compensation Act, which increases the
pay for both volunteer and conscripted soldiers.

The Ministry of National Defense estimates that the new measure will cost an
additional $30 billion NT a year from the national coffers, and benefit some
215-thousand troops.

Under the revised bill, monthly allowances for volunteer soldiers will
increase to $30,000 NT, up from the current $13,000 to $15,000 NT.

For conscripted soldiers on active duty, their monthly pay must not be lower
than the minimum wage set by the Minimum Wage Act.

Currently a private second class soldier earns $22,000 NT per month, while
the minimum wage this year stands at 28,590 NT.

MND officials say the new expenditure will be included in the Ministry's
budget next year.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-07-01 16:07:13

The Food and Drug Administration has flagged over 160 kilograms of the
popular “Dubai Chocolate” for containing illegal levels of preservatives.

The product — labeled VIGO KUNAFA CHOCOLATE — was found to contain
preservative well above the legal limit.

Officials say the issue came from its unsalted butter ingredient, which had
more than three times the allowed amount of the preservative.

As a result, the importer now faces tighter scrutiny, with up to 50 percent
of future shipments subject to random inspections.

The tainted chocolate has been either returned or destroyed, along with the
other problematic imports listed in the FDA's latest report.

Those include French mustard, Chinese herbs, dried chili peppers from
Nigeria, and frozen fish from Indonesia.

Most of the other items were flagged for excessive pesticide residues.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-07-01 16:07:13

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra from office pending an investigation over a leaked phone call with
a senior Cambodian leader.

The judges voted unanimously Tuesday to take the petition accusing her of a
breach of ethics, and voted 7 to 2 to suspend her from duty.

Paetongtarn has faced growing dissatisfaction over her handling of the latest
border dispute with Cambodia in which a Cambodian soldier was killed.

The leaked phone call while she engaged in diplomacy over the dispute set off
a string of complaints and public protests.

Paetongtarn said she would accept the process and would do her best to defend
herself.

Posted on 2025-07-01 16:07:13

Greenland's tourism industry is expected to see a boom this year following
the launch of a new flight route between the island’s capital and Newark
airport.

The Arctic island offers whale-watching tours, excursions to an iconic puffin
island and guided charters.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants to take over the strategic
island, possibly by force.

The comments have boosted Greenland's global profile, with some businesses
saying the resulting diplomatic tensions have helped their trade.

Posted on 2025-07-01 13:09:13

The Ministry of National Defense says, civilians will get notifications on
their phones in this year's urban resilience drills.

The staggered drills, from July 15th to 18th, will involve issuing an alarm,
and conducting evacuation and traffic controls... in addition to mobile phone
alerts through the "air threat warning system."

The drills will involve several counties and cities across Taiwan; on the
15th, the drills will take place in the center, including in Miaoli,
Taichung, Nantou, Changhua, Yunlin, and Chiayi city and county.

On the 16th, affected regions will be Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung, and
the 17th will affect the north, from Yilan over to Hsinchu.

Finally, the 18th will involve Hualien, Taitung, and the outlying islands.

The drills will take place from 1:30-2pm for most of the areas, except for
the east and outlying islands, which will be from 10-10:30.

The drills in Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan in particular will involve drills
aimed at protecting critical infrastructure and defense mobilization.

Officials remind the public to remain calm if they are driving when the air
raid sirens sound, and encourage cooperation with the police and civil
defense personnel.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-07-01 13:09:13

President Lai Ching-te has disclosed his assets in the latest issue of the
Control Yuan's Property-Declaration by Public Servants, the first time since
taking office.

It shows that he owns one plot of land and one building in Tainan City, with
total savings of $11 million 254-thousand NT, that's an increase of some $9
million compared to his previous declaration in November, 2023.

The President also has a mortgage of $12,460,000, and holds U.S. Treasury
bonds worth around $12 million NT.

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Lin Jia-long declared ownership of three plots of
land and seven buildings across greater Taipei , Taichung and Tainan as of
November 1, 2024.

He has significantly more savings and investments than Lai, with $118 million
in total savings and $267 million NT in securities.

National Security Council Secretary-general Joseph Wu owned three plots of
land and three buildings in Zhang-hua city, and 12 million NT as well.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-07-01 13:09:13

Off the coast of Mexico, Flossie has strengthened into a hurricane.

The US National Hurricane Center says, Flossie became a Category 1 hurricane
Monday night local time, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per
hour.

Officials say, the hurricane is moving west off the Mexican coast, about 280
kilometers south of Manzanillo.

The storm is expected to stay near the coast for a few days, dropping rain on
several Mexican states, including Oaxaca, Guerrero, MichoacAn, Colima, and
Jalisco.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-07-01 13:09:13

The result of the New York City mayoral election democratic primaries that
stunned the country is likely to be finalized today.

Progressive Zohran Mamdani declared victory on election night last week, with
a commanding lead, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo conceded.

But more results are needed to establish the victor, due to the city's ranked
choice voting model.

Ranked choice voting allows voters' second, third, fourth, and even fifth
preferences to be counted if their top candidate falls out of the running.

33 year old Mamdani’s campaign claims it has found a new blueprint for
Democrats who have at times appeared rudderless during President Donald
Trump's climb back to power.

Posted on 2025-07-01 08:13:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Taiwan and the U-K have signed three agreements aimed at enhancing bilateral
exchanges and cooperation in investments, digital trade, energy and net zero.

The three pacts are officially named "Three Pillar Arrangements of the
UK-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership" and cover cooperation on investment,
digital trade, and energy/net-zero.

The pacts were signed by Taiwan's top envoy to the U-K, Vincent Yao, and his
British counterpart Ruth Bradley-Jones here in Taipei.

The signing ceremony was attended by visiting U-K Trade Minister Douglas
Alexander and Taiwan's top trade negotiator Yang Jen-ni.

Speaking at the ceremony, Alexander said each of the three pillars represents
an opportunity.

The Cabinet's Office of Trade Negotiations says the pacts will pave the way
for an open, secure, and fair digital trade environment for both sides.

Alexander visited Taipei to co-chair the annual Taiwan-UK trade talks with
Taiwan's Deputy Economics Minister Cynthia Jiang.

Posted on 2025-07-01 08:13:13

Several amended national regulations are gradually taking effect this month.

They include the Central Weather Administration's wind strength forecast for
coastal townships during typhoon season.

The administration will be providing wind strength forecasts for coastal
townships ..

... and will also hold video conferences with the mayors and magistrates of
coastal locations to address the difference in wind strength observed inland
and around the coast ..

.. as part of efforts to provide local leaders with more information when
contemplating work and school suspensions.

-

The Ministry of Health is launching a 60-million N-T plan to shorten
post-operative hospital stays for those undergoing knee or hip replacement
surgery.

The ministry says the aim is to incentivize healthcare providers to
consolidate caretaking personnel and resources, improve preoperative
preparations, enhance quality of surgery care, better control health care
expenses, provide better care to surgery patients ...

... and discharge them earlier.

The current plan will apply to patients aged 70 and older.

-

The Ministry of Agriculture is scrapping the need for rabies vaccination for
indoor cats.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency has indicated that pet cats who
are kept indoors will no longer require mandatory rabies vaccinations
starting from this month.

The new policy includes indoor cats who are transported in containers such as
pet strollers and baskets when taken outside.

However, pet cats who are allowed to freely go between indoors and outdoors
will still need to get the shots.

-

While the Ministry of the Interior will be carrying out inspections of air
raid shelters beginning this month ...

And the means buildings constructed with air raid shelters will need to be
reported to the government and be subjected to safety inspections.

The ministry says the safety checks are aimed at ensuring that the buildings
will be up to standard for use by members of the general public during
emergencies and drills.

Posted on 2025-07-01 08:13:13

The owner of a Taipei-based technology company has been indicted for fatally
stabbing one of his employees.

According to the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office, Tseng Zhi-hsin was
charged for murdering the firm's chief technology officer in front of
multiple witnesses on March 7.

The incident occurred during a meeting in which Tseng and the company's human
resources chief had been discussing victim's resignation.

Prosecutors says Tseng stabbed the technology officer multiple times the neck
and then attempted to take his own life.

His attempted suicide was stopped by several of the company's employees.

The case will be heard by the Taipei District Court, with citizen judges
taking part in the ruling.

Posted on 2025-07-01 08:13:13

The Taipei District Court has sentenced three people to prison terms of up to
two years for receiving over 8,000 U-S dollars from Beijing to hold political
campaigns and promote pro-China united front activities in Taiwan.

All three had been charged with violating the Anti-Infiltration Act.

The court sentenced Gong He Party Chairman Zhou Ke-qi to two years in prison.

While Chu Chun-yuan and Pan Jin-dong received sentences of one year and 18
months in prison, respectively.

Chu and Pan were board members of the Taipei Putian Association and
prosecutors have said the Association had close ties to the Gong He Party.

According to prosecutors, the three received funding from China for their
party's campaign Taipei mayoral and city council campaign activities in 2022
and were also paid by China to protest outside the venue of the World
Movement for Democracy ..

.. which held its meeting in Taipei in October of that same year.

Posted on 2025-07-01 08:13:13

The National Railway Museum is set to partially open its doors to the public
on July 31.

The opening comes after nine years of restoration work at the historical site
formerly known as the Taipei Railway Workshop.

According to the Ministry of Culture, the areas to be opened to the public
include a diesel workshop, a technician training institute, a materials
testing institute, an assembly hall, a bathhouse, and a children's area with
trains built using toy blocks.

A 335-meter passageway that bisects the complex in Taipei's Songshan District
will also be available for public use, acting as a footpath linking Civic
Boulevard and Keelung Road.

And the culture ministry says the passageway will improve pedestrian access,
enhance neighborhood connectivity, and offer visitors a close-up view of the
site's historic architecture and skyline of industrial rooftops.

The Cabinet approved a plan to transform the workshop into a museum in
December of 2016 and restoration work began in 2019.

The museum will be open every Tuesday through Sunday.

Posted on 2025-07-01 08:13:13

And finally,

Former N-B-A player Jeremy Lin says winning the Taiwan Professional
Basketball League championship title with the New Taipei Kings this past
weekend was the "toughest" one he's ever won and the one "that challenged"
him the most.

The Kings beat the Kaohsiung Aquas 108-89 in Game 7 at the at the Xinzhuang
Gymnasium in New Taipei to win the league's inaugural season.

Lin was named the Finals M-V-P by averaging 22.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, six
assists, and 1.9 steals in the series - that after securing the league's
regular season M-V-P in mid-June.

It's Lin's second consecutive title with the Kings following last season's
T-1 League victory.

Posted on 2025-07-01 07:01:13

The Ministry of Digital Affairs has fined Meta Platforms 15-million N-T for
its inadequate transparency on information related to advertisers.

Facebook's parent company was penalised for 23 recently reported cases in
violation of the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act.

The law requires online advertising platform operators to disclose
information related to those who commissioned an ad or put up the money for
it.

It's Meta Platforms' second fine in 40 days in Taiwan.

The previous fine was for 1-million N-T and issued on May 22.

Meta has issued a statement saying it has revamped its verification process
across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram... which means users
are now unable to place ads without completing the process.

The company also says it will continue working to improve transparency and
will cooperate with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Criminal
Investigation Bureau to ensure platform security.

Posted on 2025-07-01 07:01:13

The Ministry of National Defense is reportedly slated to screen selected
scenes from the Taiwan TV drama "Island Nation 2" to boost troop morale ahead
of the live-fire phase of the Han Kuang military exercises later this month.

The TV drama portrays the 1995-1996 Third Taiwan Strait Crisis.

"Island Nation 2" producer Isaac Wang says a version of the series had been
edited for the screenings and it comprises primarily of scenes depicting the
experiences of soldiers stationed on Gaodeng Island during the crisis.

The selected scenes will be screened for military officers and troops set to
take part in exercises as part of this year's "Morale and Psychological
Readiness Education Program" - which runs through Thursday of this week.

The program was launched in 2005 and is held annually ahead of the live-fire
phase of the Han Kuang drills.

The Ministry of National Defense has said the program is aimed at
strengthening service members' patriotism and mental resilience by instilling
the purpose of the military and the importance of combat preparedness.

The live-fire phase of the Han Kuang military exercises will be taking place
from July 9 to 18.

Posted on 2025-07-01 07:01:13

The Taipei District Court has sentenced a diabolo instructor to 10 1/2 years
in prison for developing a Chinese-funded espionage organization in Taiwan.

Lu Ji-hsien was indicted in November of 2023.

The court found him guilty of violating the National Security Act.

Three people who had helped run the spy operations were found guilty as
accessories, and they received sentences of 46 months, 44 months, and three
years in prison.

A retired Army staff sergeant and her younger sister a retired Air Force
staff sergeant - were sentenced to six years, while a Coast Guard officer and
a retired soldier both received four year sentences.

The district court also sentenced a Chinese national to eight years in prison
in connection with the case.

She had previously been found guilty of violating the Banking Act in 2020.

The verdicts come 13 months after the High Court sent the case back to the
district court over jurisdiction.

The district court had initially sought to transfer the case to the High
Court due to it involving espionage and the collecting confidential
information.

The district court's verdicts can be appealed.

Posted on 2025-07-01 07:01:13

The Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange has signed a memorandum of understanding
with the European Energy Exchange.

Exchange C-E-O Joshua Tien called the M-O-U a new milestone in Taiwan's
efforts toward establishing its own cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme.

Tien says the agreement is aimed at helping the exchange build a transparent,
robust and trustworthy emissions trading system market in Taiwan by
leveraging the success of the European Union.

The E-U emissions trading system was launched in 2005 and is seen as one of
the world's leading carbon pricing mechanism since its launch in 2005, while
the European Energy Exchange plays a key role in carbon emission trading
operations.

The Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange says it's now planning to pilot Taiwan's
emissions trading system mechanism next year in line with the Ministry of
Environment's policy roadmap.

And the Exchange is stressing that M-O-U will enable Taiwan to draw on the
European Energy Exchange's extensive experience in market operations to
support that move.

Posted on 2025-07-01 07:01:13

And,

Around 200 people with a Taiwanese background took part in San Francisco
Pride as part of Team Taiwan...

the group showcasing LGBTQ imagery in ways that contained elements unique to
the island.

In addition to traditional LGBTQ elements, those representing Taiwan also
presented the country's own twist as the first nation in Asia to legalize
same-sex marriage.

Team Taiwan was made up of expats and members of Taiwanese American
organizations such as Taiwanese Americans for Equality.

Participants also designed signs that highlighted diversity and tolerance in
Taiwan.

Team Taiwan convener Alice Lu says the design motifs for those representing
Taiwan included pebbles from the island, which conveyed the inclusiveness of
the country and its ongoing work to build a tolerant nation one stone at a
time.

Posted on 2025-06-30 20:14:13

CPC Corporation announced it will keep natural gas prices unchanged in July.

This is despite tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty in U-S trade
policies.

The state-owned company noted that global oil and gas prices remain highly
volatile, and holding prices steady supports the government's efforts to
stabilize inflation and protect consumers.

Although user prices remain below cost, the CPC said it will absorb the
difference.

Since 2021, the company has covered over $430 billion NT in price gaps, with
an additional $9.2 billion NT absorbed through May of this year alone.

The CPC said it will continue monitoring international market conditions and
review pricing as needed.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-06-30 20:13:13

A top U-S general says the likelihood of China invading Taiwan without
resistance is "very, very small", due to constant surveillance and strong
international cooperation in the region.

General Ronald Clark, head of the U-S Army Pacific Command, recently
explained that a cross-strait invasion would require China's forces to cross
a 130-kilometer stretch of ocean under the watchful eyes of multiple
countries.

He emphasized that the Taiwan Strait is under constant observation and that
the U-S and its allies are working to make any invasion attempt by China more
difficult through military preparedness and regional partnerships.

The U-S, along with countries like Japan, the U-K, France, and Canada,
conducts regular freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait.

Most recently, the British Royal Navy's H-M-S Spey sailed through the strait
on June 18th.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2025-06-30 20:13:13

Mandopop superstar Jay Chou concluded his three-night "Carnival World Tour"
in Hong Kong with a spectacular and unexpected reunion!

The famed singer and actor Aaron Kwok joined Chou on stage for a high-energy
finale that thrilled nearly 120-thousand fans at the Kai Tak Sports Park.

The two stars, sharing a stage for the first time in 18 years, kicked off
their joint performance with a playful, synchronized dance to the children's
hit "Baby Shark".

They then performed "Never Ending Love", a song Chou originally wrote for
Kwok.

Kwok also treated fans to his classic hit, "Crazy City".

Chou described the reunion as "historic".

While Kwok expressed his happiness at the reunion, noting that despite not
seeing each other in over a decade, they had always followed each other's
careers and cared for one another.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-06-30 17:07:13

Annual Spending

Young credit card users in Taiwan are leading the nation in high spending.

According to a new report from the National Credit Card Center, users under
30 topped all age groups in average annual spending per card last
year—hitting just over 2 million NT.

These so-called "elite spenders" represent the top 1 percent of cardholders
and were responsible for 21.5 percent of all credit card spending last year.

Last year on average, top-tier users spent $1.47 million NT—that's 27 times
more than the typical cardholder.

The three major sectors that attracted their funds included department
stores, insurance, and general retail.

The report also found female top spenders had higher average purchase values
than men, favoring fashion, while men spent more on dining.

Older users aged 60 and beyond made fewer purchases but had the highest
per-swipe average at nearly 11-thousand NT.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-06-30 17:07:13

The Civil Aeronautics Administration is investigating a China Airlines flight
that reportedly failed to turn in time while landing in Busan, South Korea.

A former pilot alleged on social media that on June 25th, C-A-L flight
C-I-186 did not turn in time before its landing, allegedly causing the plane
to cross the boundary of a nearby expressway and nearly hit a mountain.

This comes after the same flight landed on the wrong runway just two weeks
earlier.

China Airlines has responded to the report, saying that as the plane was
preparing to land on June 25th, the aircraft did not meet conditions for a
stable approach, and the crew aborted the landing and circled around for
another attempt.

The CAA says it has ordered China Airlines to review the matter and implement
measures including additional training.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-06-30 17:07:13

The Tourism Adminsitration has completed its first carbon footpring
calculation for a sailing race, aiming to reduce emissions annually.

The "2025 Dapeng Bay Marine Festival" was held in April this year, and is nwo
the first aquatic sports event in Taiwan to conduct a carbon footprint
assessment.

The administration says the two-day event's total carbon emissions were just
over 1-thousand-900 kilograms of carbon dioxide, averaging 7.6-kilograms per
participant.

Officials say the assessment was conducted under international standards, and
covered aspects including raw materials used for supplies, venue set up, and
on-site electricity.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-06-30 17:07:13

Germany's Foreign Minister is in Kyiv to show support for Ukraine against
Russia's invasion.

He's pledging continued aid, including modern air defense, weapons, and
economic support for Ukraine.

Germany remains Ukraine's second-largest military backer, but has refused to
provide certain long-range missiles, for fear of provoking Russia.

Germany instead plans to help Ukraine develop its own missile systems...

as Russia’s invasion shows no sign of letting up, killing thousands of
troops and civilians.

The Russian effort to capture more Ukrainian territory has been costly in
terms of casualties and damaged armor.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected a ceasefire and
hasn’t budged from his war goals.

Posted on 2025-06-30 16:06:13

Two sisters who were found to have abused the child Kai Kai to death are
appealing the ruling that sentenced them to prison time.

The sisters' legal team joins prosecutors in requesting that appeal to the
sentence handed down by the Taipei District Court.

The two sisters, surnamed Liu, received life in prison for the older sister
and 18 years for the younger one.

The case is expected to be transferred to the Taiwan High Court tomorrow.

The two sisters are believed to have abused a one year old, named Kai Kai, to
death in 2023.

The court points out that the ruling took into consideration that the sisters
appeared to have killed Kai Kai out of malice...

but prosecutors believe the ruling was too light, while the sisters' legal
defense didn't offer a reason for the appeal.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-06-30 16:06:13

Animal rights groups are calling for an end to live pig auctions.

Several animal welfare organizations demonstrated at the Ministry of
Agriculture today, claiming that Taiwan ignores the inhuman treatment of pigs
under the current "live auction" system.

They are demanding a transition to a pig carcass grading system, like in the
US, Japan, South Korea and Europe, stressing that this spares the pig the
auction process as well as several stages of transportation.

The groups are urging the ministry to modernize pork production and sales,
propose a timeline for transitioning to carcass transactions, abolish the
live auction system, ensure animal welfare, and improve meat safety and
quality.

The ministry has accepted the groups' petition, and promised to look into the
issue.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-06-30 16:06:13

Taiwanese communities in Los Angeles are commeorating the late activist and
politician Stella Chen.

Also known as Chen Wan Zhen 陳婉真, she passed away in Thailand earlier this
month, at the age of 75.

Chen lived in LA in the 80s, writing books, opening a bookstore, and
supporting Taiwan's nascent democracy from overseas.

Chen was barred from Taiwan while she lived in the US, but later returned to
serve as a lawmaker in the 90s.

Leaders in LA's Taiwanese community remember Chen for her steadfast support
for Taiwanese identity and the dangwai movement.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-06-30 16:06:14

Danish women who turn 18 after Tuesday will be entered into the draft lottery
system for military service.

It will place them on equal footing with their male compatriots.

The change comes against a backdrop of Russian aggression and growing
military investment across NATO countries.

Denmark is a nation of 6 million people and has about 9,000 professional
troops.

The new arrangement is expected to bring up to 6-thousand 500 annual
conscripts by 2033, that's up from 4-thousand 700 last year.

Denmark’s gender-parity reforms were originally outlined in 2024 as part of
a major defense agreement.

The program was originally expected to be implemented by early 2027, but has
been brought forward to this summer.

Posted on 2025-06-30 15:13:13

Cathay Century Insurance reports that young adults are the most prone to
unsafe electrical habits at home—a major contributor to residential fire
risks.

The insurance company's data shows that last year, nearly 10 percent of its
fire insurance claims were due to electrical issues.

A survey of 9 thousand people revealed three common risky behaviors...

Those are leaving chargers plugged in after devices are fully charged,
running dehumidifiers while away, and allowing dust to build up on plugs.

Cathay's survey shows that young adults were over 10 percent more likely to
leave chargers plugged in, and 17% admitted to leaving dehumidifiers on
unattended.

In addition, National Fire Agency data shows over 40 percent of 2023
residential fires were electrical.

Cathay urges everyone to unplug devices, power off appliances when leaving,
use certified products, and clean outlets regularly.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-06-30 15:13:13

China has reopened its market to seafood from Japan after a nearly two-year
ban over the discharge of slightly radioactive wastewater from a nuclear
power plant.

The nuclear plant at Fukushima was heavily damaged by a deadly tsunami that
followed a massive offshore earthquake in 2011.

Now, a notice from China's customs agency said the ban had been lifted Sunday
and that imports from most of Japan would be resumed.

China was the biggest overseas market for Japanese seafood, accounting for
more than one-fifth of its exports.

Posted on 2025-06-30 13:30:14

A recent survey in the U.S. found that a majority of respondents support the
US militarily defending Taiwan, in the case that Taiwan faces an invasion or
blockade by China.

The survey, conducted by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and
Institute, showed 75% of those surveyed in the U.S. believed that a war
between China and Taiwan would affect US security and 70% of those surveyed
supported the U.S. taking military action to defend Taiwan if necessary.

Support for military action is bipartisan, with 75% of Democrats and 70% of
Republicans supporting such action.

The survey reveals that voters are showing increased support for a stronger
U.S. role in global affairs and a commitment to U.S. allies.

That's a 24% increase since 2022.

(AH-CNA)

Posted on 2025-06-30 13:30:14

The National Immigration Agency says it is doing all it can to track down
Chinese spouses who have not submitted proof that they renounced their
Chinese household registration.

The agency says around 2,000 such people have yet to submit documentation,
with today being the deadline

The NIA is using various methods, including cross-referencing health
insurance data, to find these individuals.

Officials say they are conducting visits to those who have had their current
residences identified, in order to help them apply for the necessary
paperwork.

The agency says the missing spouses might be elderly, or vulnerable
individuals without children in Taiwan, and emphasizes that authorities will
not directly revoke household registrations for those who haven't been
contacted.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-06-30 13:30:14

Doctors are warning the public to stay hydrated during hot weather, after a
woman developed rhabdomyolysis due to the intense heat.

The 70-year-old Taichung woman is a seasoned cyclist, but a few days ago
during her daily bike ride, she felt unusally hot and went to a doctor.

She was diagnosed with acute renal failure and rhabdomyolysis, a disorder
which causes damaged skeletal muscle to break down rapidly, and which can be
caused by heat stroke or dehydration during exercise.

She later recovered following treatment.

Doctors say during these extremely hot periods, it's especially important to
stay hydrated, and to avoid exercising in particularly hot conditions.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-06-30 13:30:14

The world’s nations are gathering in Spain for a high-level conference to
tackle the growing gap between rich and poor countries and drum up the
trillions of dollars needed to close it.

The United States, previously a major contributor, has pulled its
participation, so finding funding will be tough.

The four-day Financing for Development meeting starting today in Seville is
taking place as many countries face escalating debt burdens, declining
investments, decreasing international aid, and increasing trade barriers.

Co-hosts, the United Nations and Spain, believe the conference is an
opportunity to reverse the downward spiral, close the staggering $4 trillion
US dollar annual financing gap to promote development, and bring millions of
people out of poverty.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-06-30 13:30:14

Chilean Communist Jeannette Jara, the country's former labor minister, has
won the primary election for left-wing parties with surprising ease, beating
out a more moderate rival to clinch over 60% of the vote.

The decisive upset Sunday makes Jara the candidate representing Chile's
beleaguered incumbent government in November elections, set to face off
against center-right and far-right contenders who have surged in the polls.

Because of term limits, the current leftist president, Gabriel Boric, cannot
run for a second consecutive term.

Jara, a lawyer, secured 60.5% of the vote.

But she faces a tough climb to the top job.

Recent opinion polls show the left-wing government declining in popularity at
a moment of sluggish economic growth and rising fears over organized crime
and migration in what has long been regarded as one of the region's most
stable and prosperous democracies.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-06-30 08:15:14

In news from and about Taiwan this morning ....

Annual trade talks between Taiwan and the U-K are underway in Taipei.

The U-K delegation is being led by Minister for Trade Policy and Economic
Security Douglas Alexander.

According to the British Office, Alexander is visiting Taiwan for two days,
during which time he will meet with President Lai Ching-te and co-chair the
trade talks with Taiwan's Deputy Economics Minister Cynthia Jiang.

Alexander is also slated to witness the in-person signing of three Enhanced
Trade Partnership pillars between U-K Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones and
Taiwan's top envoy to the U-K Vincent Yao.

The Enhanced Trade Partnership was established in 2023.

Posted on 2025-06-30 08:15:14

The Control Yuan has issued a formal reprimand to the Food and Drug
Administration for lapses in border inspection procedures that allowed chili
powder contaminated with "Sudan dyes" into the country in recent years.

The case that triggered the food safety issue involved Sudan dyes detected by
Yunlin County officials in a chili powder product made by Chiseng Hong at its
plant in Yunlin County's Douliu City.

The Control Yuan says although the F-D-A received international alerts about
Sudan dyes before 2023, most of the contaminated shipments were not
adequately inspected.

The F-D-A has responded to the reprimand by announcing a series of measures
it says will prevent such inspection failures from reoccurring.

Posted on 2025-06-30 08:15:14

Meteorologist Wu Der-rong says atmospheric moisture will decrease from
tomorrow through next Monday - meaning we can expect sunny weather islandwide
...

.. but with the chances of brief and localized afternoon showers or
thundershowers.

According to Wu, there is a likelihood that we could see the highest
temperatures so far this year tomorrow and Wednesday.

Wu says there's the chance that a tropical disturbance could form east of the
Philippines and that could potentially directly impact Taiwan.

Wu is saying Tropical Storms could form above the waters of the Pacific Ocean
north of Guam and south of Okinawa in the later half of this week ...

... and the trajectory of those fronts has been predicted to move in a
northeasterly direction with a low chance of affecting Taiwan.

Posted on 2025-06-30 08:15:14

And finally,

The New Taipei Kings have won the Taiwan Professional Basketball League
championship title after beating Kaohsiung Aquas 108-89 in Game 7 at the
Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei.

The Kings came out strong in the first quarter, dominating to build a 35-18
lead.

By halftime, they had stretched their advantage to 61-38.

The Aquas narrowed the deficit to 12 points in the third quarter, but Jeremy
Lin stepped up, sinking several tough three-pointers to extend the lead.

The Kings pushed the advantage past 20 points in the final quarter to sealing
the championship victory in the league's inaugural season.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

President Lai Ching-te is warning against what he says is legislative
overreach.

He made the comment in the third of his "10 Talks on the Country" in Hsinchu
- where his criticized recent efforts by the opposition-controlled
Legislative Yuan to expand its oversight powers.

Lai claims the passage of an amendment to the Law Governing the Legislative
Yuan's Power represents a serious violation of constitutional principles...
some of those provisions were ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional
Court last year.

Lai said he has never seen a bill passed by the Legislative Yuan declared
unconstitutional and infringing on so many branches of government... he's
calling it "a first in Taiwan's history."

.. and he said the constitutional structure is built on a five-branch system,
while legislative overreach undermines the separation of powers and weakens
democratic governance.

Lai praised civic movements - including the 2024 Bluebird protests and the
ongoing 2025 recall campaign - saying the citizen-led actions aim to restore
constitutional order and defend Taiwan from authoritarian threats.

He also claimed the movements were spontaneous and not driven by any
political party.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

In response...

The K-M-T is accusing President Lai Ching-te of reversing course on reforms
once championed by his own party ... it also claimed the talking points he
made in his latest "Talks on the Country" speech were hypocritical.

The opposition party caucus says many of the amendments Lai criticized in his
speech had long been part of the D-P-P's platform... but once it came into
power, the KMT claims the DPP reversed course by challenging or veoting the
changes.

The K-M-T further claims their reforms strengthen government oversight,
empower local authorities and enhance civil rights -- which in turn weakens
the D-P-P's control.

The K-M-T also questioned Lai's portrayal of the recall campaigns as
spontaneous - as proof, it presented reports that D-P-P officials and even
the president himself have been meeting with recall campaign leaders.

The K-M-T added that the public does not want a government that divides
society and abuses state resources... to wage political recalls under the
guise of civic action.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun says tariff negotiations with the U-S are making
progress and are expected to result in a mutually beneficial outcome.

The statement comes after Cheng and Office of Trade Negotiations head Yang
Jen-ni attended the second round of in-person trade negotiations in
Washington last week.

The Cabinet has said they met with U-S Trade Representative Jamieson Greer
and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick during the two day talks.

The sides reached consensus on several issues at last week's talks including
tariffs, supply chain resilience, the promotion of balanced trade and to
expand bilateral investment.

The government says representatives from both sides held several rounds of
virtual talks between the first in-person talks on May 1 and last week's
meeting in the U-S capital.

The tariff grace period expires early next week.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim says she will not be intimidated by Beijing -
her comments coming after reports that Chinese agents planned to ram her car
during a 2024 visit to the Czech Republic.

Hsiao said via social media that she had "great visit to Prague" and thanked
"Czech authorities for their hospitality and ensuring her safety.

She added Beijing's unlawful activities will not intimidate her from voicing
Taiwan's interests in the international community.

Hsiao's comments come after the Czech intelligence service last week
confirmed that Chinese agents tailed the vice president during her visit to
Prague in March 2024... they even planned a collision with her car as part of
an "unprecedented" provocation by Beijing in Europe.

The Czech Military Intelligence agency said it learned that Chinese agents
had attempted to create conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident
involving Hsiao, but it "did not go beyond the preparation stage."

China put Hsiao on a public list of 10 "Taiwan independence diehards" on the
website of its Taiwan Affairs Office in August of 2022.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

Heavy rain on Sunday forced temporary suspensions of operations at Kaohsiung
International Airport and Tainan Airport - disrupting multiple flights.

The Civil Aviation Administration said Kaohsiung International Airport halted
ground operations at 3:15PM and resumed service some 45-minutes later,
affecting 12 flights.

While Tainan Airport suspended ground operations from 4:41PM to 5:37PM, when
two flights were impacted.

The administration says flight delays could also affect other airports with
connections to Tainan and has instructed terminals to notify passengers via
bulletin boards, scrolling displays and public announcements.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

And,

The Golden Bough Theatre put on a special performance of "She is So Lovely"
in Taipei this past weekend to thank those who supported its 16-year
islandwide tour.

The performance was staged next to the Liberty Square Archway.

Golden Bough began its mammoth tour in Kaohsiung's Niaosong in June of 2009,
and concluded with four performances in Kinmen from June 6-11 of this year.

The theatre troupe logged a total to 329 shows during that time.

Golden Bough says aore than 210,000 people attended the show during the tour.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

Thousands of people in Serbia have set up street blockades, demanding the
release of anti-government demonstrators arrested during clashes with police.

The blockades were set up Sunday in Belgrade and other cities, following a
massive rally the day before calling for early elections.

Protesters accuse the government of inciting violence and label it
illegitimate.

Police reported 48 officers injured and 77 arrests, with 38 still in custody.

President Aleksandar Vucic condemned the unrest, accusing protesters of
attempting to destabilize the state.

The demonstrations began months ago after a deadly infrastructure collapse,
with critics accusing Vucic of authoritarianism and corruption.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

Media reports cite medical sources as saying fresh Israeli attacks across
Gaza today have killed at least 68 people.

The dead include several aid seekers and children.

Meanwhile, over in Iran, dozens of staff members, two inmates and a bystander
were the casualties of Israel’s attack on Tehran’s Evin prison.

The strike took place last week at the notorious facility where many
political prisoners and dissidents have been held... but the death toll of
the strike was released Sunday by Iran’s judiciary and confirmed by human
rights groups.

Rights groups criticized the attack, calling it a violation of international
principles. The prison was hit just before a ceasefire between Israel and
Iran.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has joined demonstrators in Sao
Paulo to protest his ongoing Supreme Court trial.

Bolsonaro and 33 allies face trial over an alleged plot to overturn the 2022
election results.

They are charged with five counts related to the plan. Bolsonaro denies the
allegations and has called them political persecution.

He could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.

Bolsonaro is already barred from running for office until 2030 following a
prior ruling on election misconduct.

Posted on 2025-06-30 07:01:13

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