Taipei Metro is partnering with Pokémon GO to celebrate the game's tenth
anniversary and the upcoming "Pokémon GO Fest 2026".

The transit operator has transformed Xinzhongshan Linear Park into a
Pokémon-themed attraction that is now open to visitors.

A warm-up event is scheduled for June 28th at Taipei Arena Plaza, while the
main celebration will take place at Xinzhongshan on July 11th and 12th.

Visitors can complete event challenges, pick up commemorative gifts and take
photos with a giant Mewtwo display.

Taipei Metro will also begin selling a Mewtwo-themed EasyCard on July 11th.

Additional promotions and prize giveaways are planned throughout the event.

(IG)

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are reporting a
sharp increase in Ebola cases, with 72 new infections recorded in a single
day.

That brings the total number of confirmed cases to 782, including 181 deaths.

The outbreak was declared a month ago and is being complicated by weak
contact tracing efforts and funding shortages.

The World Health Organization and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention are expanding support for the response.

Health officials say the outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the
Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine.

Ongoing conflict in Ituri Province is also hampering containment efforts as
large numbers of people continue to move around the region.

Kaohsiung City suspended work and classes in Taoyuan District this afternoon
due to ongoing heavy rain in the area.

Many districts have received over 120 millimeters of rainfall so far today.

Local officials say landslides and traffic disruptions have affected the
district's main access roads, raising concerns about public safety.

The Taoyuan District Office is warning that mountain roads remain at risk
from falling rocks, landslides and debris flows.

Residents are being urged to avoid hazardous roads, exercise caution while
traveling and monitor the latest disaster prevention information.

(IG)

Taipei police have arrested a man accused of organizing an illegal street
racing event on Yangmingshan.

Investigators say the gathering took place on the night of May 16th, when
dozens of modified motorcycles and vehicles met before heading into the
mountain area.

Police say officers later intercepted the group and identified more than 50
participants.

Authorities allege the 20-year-old suspect used social media to promote the
event and advertise a motorcycle modification business.

He has been referred to prosecutors on charges related to public endangerment.

Police say they will increase patrols and enforcement on roads around
Yangmingshan and other known gathering spots, particularly on Friday and
Saturday nights.

Capital Financial Group is expanding parental benefits for employees ... as
part of efforts to support families and address Taiwan's declining birth
rate.

The company says it is increasing paid maternity leave from eight weeks to 12
(weeks), with the change applying retroactively to employees whose children
were born on or after June 1.

Capital Financial is also extending childcare-related benefits to male
employees who take paternity leave or paternity checkup leave.

The company says the changes are intended to promote gender equality and
encourage fathers to take a more active role in raising children.

It says the expanded benefits are part of broader family-friendly workplace
policies that include flexible work arrangements and childcare support
programs.

(IG)

Israel's defense minister says Israeli forces will not withdraw from
territory seized in Lebanon.

The comments come as reports emerge that the United States and Iran have
reached a tentative peace deal aimed at ending their conflict and reopening
the Strait of Hormuz.

The deal, reportedly mediated by Pakistan, is expected to be signed in
Switzerland this Friday.

Reports say the deal includes measures to ensure shipping through the crucial
waterway and broader efforts to maintain a ceasefire in the region.

Iran has confirmed that an agreement has been reached, but says
implementation will not begin until the deal is formally signed.

The arrangement would also provide a 60-day window for further negotiations
on issues including Iran's nuclear program.

Some U-S lawmakers have already voiced concerns about the proposed agreement.

An HIV-positive man in Taichung has been indicted on charges including rape
resulting in serious bodily injury.

That's after he was linked to five women with HIV infetions.

The case came to light after a health bureau identified multiple HIV-positive
individuals linked to the same person during contact tracing.

Futher investigation uncovered suspected sexual offenses, prompting referrals
to authorities.

The man allegedly used religious rhetoric to deceive and exploit the women
involved.

Authorities note that concealing one's HIV-positive status and engaging in
unprotected sex resulting in the infection of others is punishable by up to
12 years in prison.

It's not clear if the suspect in this case knew he was HIV positive when he
allegedly assaulted the women.

The indicted man was indentified by local media as a school bus driver.

An Australian man won two events at the first ever Penghu Oceanman.

Thomas Gilbert won the 5 kilometer Half Oceanman race yesterday, after taking
the 10 kilometer win on Saturday as well.

In both races, swimmers started in the Guanyiting Recreation Area in Magong,
swam into the bay, and returned, covering different numbers of laps for their
respective distances.

1450 competitiors particiated in five events yesterday, four of which were
qualifying events for the international Oceanman World Final Championship in
November.

The annual competition, originally known as the Cross Penghu Bay Swim, was
upgraded to the two-day 2026 Penghu Oceanman this year.

A total of around 2,550 athletes from 23 countries, including Japan, the
United States, India, and Malaysia, competed in the waters of Penghu Bay
during the two-day event.

Now turning to international news...

Officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are reporting that
confirmed Ebola cases have increased to 782, with 181 deaths.

But the actual number is believed to be much higher, as the outbreak was only
confirmed weeks after it is believed to have begun.

The latest outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no
approved vaccine or treatment.

The current fatality rate of the outbreak is 23%, with 56 people having
recovered.

The outbreak is concentrated in Congo’s eastern province of Ituri, which
accounts for more than 90% of the cases.

Cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, and
have spread across the border to Uganda.

Nearly a million people have been displaced by conflict in Ituri, making
contact tracing difficult as people flee attacks or move frequently in the
vast province with dense forests, poor roads and remote villages that can
take days to reach.

The Kennedy Center is running out of options to keep President Donald Trump's
name on its facade.

A judge rejected a request to pause a court-ordered deadline of Friday to
remove references to Trump from the building and other aspects of the Kennedy
Center's operations.

Scaffolding was erected around a section of the building that includes
Trump's name ... but the Kennedy Center sought one more brief delay because
of thunderstorms that swept through Washington yesterday.

AP_JvW

directive

AI giant Anthropic says it has taken its latest AI models, known as Fable 5
and Mythos 5, offline.

This is to comply with a directive from the Trump administration to prevent
their use by foreign nationals.

The export controls mark the US government's most significant step to date to
restrict access to the most advanced AI models.

Anthropic released Fable widely this past week.

That model is a limited version of the more advanced Mythos, to which the
company has tightly limited access due to cybersecurity fears.

Anthropic said in a statement that it disagrees with the government's
handling of the matter.

It said the government didn't specify what the national security concerns
were.

Anthropic called it a "misunderstanding" and said it hopes to restore access
to the models "as soon as possible."

AP_JvW

Shares of SpaceX soared 19% in their Wall Street debut, making the rocket
maker's founder and CEO Elon Musk the first-ever trillionaire.

The shares debuted at a target price of $135 a share, opened at $150 ... and
finished the day slightly below $161.

That price gives the company a market value of around $2.1 trillion.

Forbes estimates that Musk, who is also a major shareholder in Tesla, is now
worth $1.1 trillion.

Musk says SpaceX is going public because it needs money to fund its ambitions
of putting satellites and data centers in space and eventually establishing a
colony on Mars.

The $75 billion in proceeds from the IPO tops the previous high of $26
billion for Saudi Aramco's IPO in 2019.

AP_JvW

Team USA opened its first home World Cup in 32 years with a 4-1 victory over
Paraguay in Inglewood, California.

Folarin Balogun scored twice in the American team's three-goal first half.

The Americans raced to a 3-nil halftime lead .. and Gio Reyna ripped another
goal in the dying moments of second-half injury time ... to give the
Americans four goals in a World Cup match for the first time.

The US scored only three goals combined in Qatar four years ago.

Earlier yesterday, Canada hosted Bosnia Herzegovina in Toronto, with that
game ending in a 1-1 tie.

It was the first World Cup game played on Canadian soil and Canada's
first-ever point in a World Cup tournament.

AP_JvW

President Donald Trump says a QUOTE "swift and lethal kinetic" US strike has
killed Hector Guerrero Flores, whom he called "the infamous leader" of the
Tren de Aragua gang.

The gang has been labeled by the United States as a terrorist organization.

In December Guerrero Flores was charged in absentia in a New York federal
court with racketeering conspiracy and other crimes, including lending
support to terrorists in crimes that stretched back more than a decade.

The US State Department had offered rewards of up to $5 million for
information leading to his arrest.

AP_JvW

Chinese authorities say they have arrested an American scholar on suspicion
of espionage.

China's Foreign Ministry says Min Zin is suspected of activities that harmed
China's national security.

Min Zin, who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy, disappeared
earlier this month while attending a conference in China.

It is relatively uncommon for Beijing to publicly accuse a U.S. citizen of
national security offenses.

The arrest comes just a month after U-S President Donald Trump met Chinese
President Xi Jinping as the two countries seek to improve relations.

Blood supplies across Taiwan have fallen to critical levels after days of
heavy rain reduced donations.

The Taiwan Blood Services Foundation says national blood reserves stood at
just 3.7 days as of this afternoon, below the four-day threshold for an
emergency shortage.

The most urgent need is for Type A and Type O blood, with supplies down to
3.3 days and 2.6 days respectively.

Blood centers in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung are all reporting critical
shortages.

Foundation officials say hot weather has further reduced donor turnout,
putting additional pressure on blood supplies nationwide.

With World Blood Donor Day coming up on Saturday, the foundation is urging
all those eligible to donate blood.

The foundation says Taiwan requires more than 6 thousand units of blood each
day to maintain adequate supplies.

(IG)

Business leaders are urging the government to take a broader approach to
forecasting Taiwan's future electricity needs ...

... as artificial intelligence drives rapid growth in demand for computing
power.

The issue was a key topic at the Ministry of Economic Affairs' first economic
and industrial development consultation meeting today.

Participants said future power planning needs to account for rising demand
from AI and other emerging technologies.

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin says the government has taken
note of the recommendations and will consider follow-up strategies.

The meeting also focused on ways to help traditional industries benefit from
growth in sectors such as semiconductors, AI, drones, defense and robotics.

In addition, business representatives called for stronger support for small
and medium-sized enterprises ...

... while raising concerns about shortages of research talent and proposed
changes to air pollution regulations.

(IG)

Taoyuan International Airport says its inter-terminal Skytrain service in the
public area will be suspended beginning July 1st.

Passengers traveling between Terminals 1 and 2 will instead need to use the
Taoyuan Airport MRT or a 24-hour shuttle bus service.

Airport officials say the suspension is needed to accommodate construction
work connecting the new Terminal 3 to existing facilities.

The change only affects the Skytrain operating before security.

The Skytrain operating after security will continue running as normal.

The airport says the work is part of preparations for the future opening of
Terminal 3.

(IG)

Costco Taiwan says its Kaohsiung store will relocate next month after nearly
three decades at its current site.

The retailer says the Zhonghua Fifth Road location, which opened in 1997 as
Costco's first store in Taiwan, will remain open until 6 PM on July 2nd.

... with operations resuming the following day at a new site in Cianjhen (前鎮)
District.

Costco says the new outlet will be its largest store in Taiwan and will offer
expanded parking and shopping space ... and ease in-store crowding during
peak periods.

However, some shoppers have raised concerns about traffic around the new
location ...

... questioning whether nearby roads will be able to handle increased
congestion, particularly on weekends.

(IG)

The DPP says, further Chinese intrusions on Taiwan's maritime waters are sure
to make Taiwanese people more opposed to China.

That's as 2 Chinese official boats have invaded the waters near Taiping
Island for the first time.

DPP Legislative Caucus Whip Cai Qi Chang says that, not only will these
actions fail to bring Taiwan closer to China...

they will actually make cross-strait relations drift further and further
apart.

The Coast Guard Administration yesterday issued a strong condemnation of the
Chinese boats' activities, saying that it's another form of China's gray-zone
warfare targeting Taiwan.

They added that the actions represent a clear violation of international law.

(AH)

The DPP is slamming the Taipei mayor over comments he made, in which he
stated that he supported abolishing the Control Yuan.

Chiang stated today that he would suggest that KMT and TPP lawmakers reject
all 2 dozen names put forward by the presidential office to fill spaces in
the Control Yuan...

saying that this would paralyze the government watchdog.

DPP Legislative Caucus Whip Cai Qi Chang says that Chiang's suggestion
clearly demonstrates that he doesn't want to change the Control Yuan through
the law...

and demonstrates that the mayor simply wants to oppose something for the sake
of opposing it.

Cai added that, as the KMT currently holds more seats than any other party in
the legislature, it if wishes to abolish the Control Yuan, it may do so
through proposing amendments to the Constitution.

But he said that the party is talking a big talk, while failing to put into
place legal measures aimed at making those adjustments.

Meanwhile the DPP's pick to replace Chiang, Puma Shen hit out at the mayor
for saying he wants to focus on city issues while making statements on things
that would concern someone running for president.

(AH)

Now turning to international news...

Thousands of Puetro Ricans are struggling with water shortages so severe that
the governor has activated the National Guard.

Officials have not communicated what is causing the water shortages.

They mostly affect some of the island's most populated cities, including San
Juan.

Residents are forced to buy potable water, go to laundromats, and carry heavy
buckets of water up several flights of stairs to wash dishes, flush toilets,
and take showers.

The elderly and disabled struggle the most.

Advocates accuse the government of "playing with people's health and lives."

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney heads into this week's G7 summit in
France in a very different position than earlier this year.

Back in January, Carney's speech at Davos condemned coercion by great powers
and declared the global rules-based order over, which won him international
recognition by upstaging his US counterpart.

But with a critical review of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement
scheduled for July 1, analysts say Carney is dialing back his criticism of US
President Trump to protect Canada's economic interests.

More than 70% of Canada's exports go to the U.S., and Trump this week
suggested he may not renew the trade deal at all.

Carney will meet French President Macron in Paris ahead of the summit and
will also travel to Ireland this weekend to explore ways to reduce Canada's
dependence on trade with the US.

Japan's troubled H3 rocket is back...

but this time, it stuck the landing.

The H3 lifted off earlier today from the Tanegashima Space Center in
southwestern Japan, successfully reaching its target orbit and deploying six
small satellites.

It's the debut of the rocket's new low-cost "30 configuration".

A triple-engine, booster-free variant, it's designed to make Japan more
competitive in a global launch market dominated by SpaceX.

The success is a major relief for the Japanese Space Agency.

The H3 had failed on its debut in 2023 and again in December, when it
couldn't put a navigation satellite into the correct orbit.

A third failure would have seriously jeopardized Japan's future space
ambitions, including a Mars mission planned for 2028.

The Japanese space agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries say they eventually
hope to launch the H3 six to eight times a year.

Premier Zhuo Rong-tai is reiterating his call for the Ministry of Justice to
review penalties for drug-impaired driving offenses.

He wants those who cause injury to or kill others while driving on drugs to
face heavier sentences, regardless of the drug's classification.

Zhuo said, the same should go for repeat offenders.

That's as yet another drugged-driving case occurred in Taichung last night.

A car crashed into a parked vehicle and roadside trees in Wuqi District,
killing two people and injuring a third.

Police found white powder in the vehicle that tested positive for ketamine,
and a surviving passenger also tested positive in a saliva screening.

Whether the 29-year-old driver was under the influence is still under
investigation.

Surveillance footage also suggests the car may have been street racing before
the crash.

Recent accidents have also killed three in New Taipei and Changhua.

(MW/AH)

Taiwan's food and beverage industry is warning that a planned ban on using
food waste as pig feed could lead to higher operating costs - costs that may
be passed down to consumers.

Industry representatives said that last year over 98 percent of restaurant
food waste went to pig farms ... raising concerns about whether alternative
treatment systems will be ready when the ban takes effect in 2027.

They point out that food disposal costs have risen sharply in recent years,
in some cases doubling or even tripling ...

Operators also warn that costs in northern Taiwan could rise even further ...
because many treatment facilities are located further away...

some in central and southern Taiwan, adding to transportation expenses.

Ministry of Environment officials say that higher costs should be temporary
and will ease once enough treatment capacity is available ...

Though no timeline was given.

(IG)

Now turning to internaitonalnews...

The European Union is set to implement a new set of rules on dealing with
irregular migration and asylum seekers.

The pact is the culmination of years of grueling negotiations that overhauled
the previous system, which was widely considered a failure and gave far-right
parties an opportunity to win votes.

All EU members were meant to be prepared for the implementation by adapting
laws, training staff, and beefing up border infrastructure.

The European Commission, however, says no member is completely ready.

Human rights advocates warn that the pact could add to the difficulties
asylum seekers face while trying to find safety in the EU.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to 30 years in
prison.

Yoon is accused of ordered drone flights over Pyongyang in order to
intentionally heighten tensions with North Korea and justify his martial law
declaration.

Yoon was already sentenced to life in prison for a rebellion conviction over
his short-lived impostition of martial law back in 2024.

North Korea accused Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang to drop propaganda
leaflets in 2024.

Tensions rose sharply but no clashes occurred.

Yoon's legal team claims he never ordered the alleged drone flights...

and they've argued that a guilty verdict would undermine South Korea's
security interests but did not immediately say whether they would appeal.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An is coming out in favor of abolishing the Control
Yuan...

saying it's not a question of nominees it's a question of if the Control Yuan
should continue to exist.

Chiang said that the public has not seen the benefits of having the Control
Yuan.

That's after Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim announced the president's nominees
to serve in the Control Yuan before turning over those nomiantions to the
Legislative Yuan for approval.

Chiang claims today that the Control Yuan has become a tool of the Executive
Yuan...

suggesting that opposition lawmakers reject all 29 nominees to the Control
Yuan in order to halt its operations.

He further said that he supports amending the constitution to abolish the
watchdog.

(AH)

The Hualien Deputy Magistrate has been released from detention following his
detainment over an investigation into a county school lunch program.

But prosecutors say, they're continuing investigations into the issue, and do
not rule out heading higher up the food chain.

Yan Xin Zhang was released on bail of 1 million NT, with restrictions on his
movement and residence.

Hualien prosecutors believe that the bidding process for the county school
lunch program was biased in favor of certain companies.

Searches last month led to the arrest of former officials and company
representatives.

Prosecutors then launched a second round of searches yesterday, summoning Yan
and another official for questioning.

Prosecutors believe that he violated the Anti-Corruption Act.

In 2023, Hualien's Education Department set aside 270 million NT for school
lunches.

7 companies submitted bids to take on the case, with one being disqualified.

The bidding process was then repeated, with the rules changed to allow the
disqualified company to bid.

(AH)

Also in India,

the viral Cockroach Janta Party has launched a nationwide protest campaign.

Hundreds of students and other young people gathered in Pune.

The rally followed the group's first major street protest in New Delhi last
week.

Protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra
Pradhan over alleged exam irregularities and paper leaks.

The CJP founder announced plans for protests in other cities too.

The movement emerged in May, following remarks by a Supreme Court judge in
which he called some unemployed young people "cockroaches."

The group has since exanded its message to include concerns over
unemployment, rising cost of living, and government accountability.

The CJP mixes self-deprecating humor with political criticism, calling
themselves unemployed and chronically online, all the while mocking
corruption and political dysfunciton.

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has announced that former Taiwan Association for
Human Rights president, Chen Yung-hsing will be nominated to head the Control
Yuan.

Chen headed the Taiwan Association for Human Rights in the late 1980s before
entering politics in the 1990s.

He later served as a lawmaker from 1996 to 1999.

He is a longtime advocate of Taiwan independence.

According to Hsiao, incumbent Control Yuan member Wang Jung-chang has been
selected to serve as the government watchdog's vice president.

Hsiao says President Lai Ching-te is also slated to name 27 other nominees
and hopes to establish a people-oriented Control Yuan that ensures broad
expertise across different fields to fully exercise the agency's oversight
capabilities.

The vice president also says Lai hopes the Control Yuan will protect human
rights with compassion, safeguard the interests of vulnerable groups,
strengthen local connections, and listen to the public's needs.

The nominees will have to be approved by the Legislature.

The tenure of the incumbent Control Yuan members will expire on July 31, and
their successors are expected to take office on August 1.

The Cabinet has proposed legal revisions aimed at increasing penalties for
people who drive under the influence of illegal drugs.

The move follows a recent spate of traffic accidents linked to so-called
"zombie vapes," which contain a Category 2 narcotic.

Premier Cho Jung-tai approved the proposals during a Cabinet meeting.

The proposed revisions to the Criminal Code seek to increase the maximum
prison term for people convicted of driving a motor vehicle while under the
influence of illegal drugs from three years to five years.

The proposals raise the maximum potential fine to 500,000 N-T.

Drivers under the influence of illegal drugs who cause serious injury would
face prison terms of three to 10 years, as well as potential fines of up to
2-million N-T.

The revisions also seek to impose harsher penalties on repeat offenders.

The proposals must be approved by the Legislative Yuan before they can take
effect.

The Water Resources Agency says public water supplies are expected to remain
stable for the coming three months.

According to agency Director-General Lin Yuan-peng, water-saving measures and
interregional water transfer projects have preserved about 1.1-billion metric
tons of water ..

.. and combined with recent plum rains, the measures are expected to keep
water resources stable through the end of September.

Lin says irrigation water has been supplied for the first crop season in
Kaohsiung and the Chiayi-Tainan area, while irrigation deliveries for central
and northern parts of the island are expected to be completed by the end of
this month.

The Water Resources Agency has said it will continue to manage water
resources flexibly and coordinate closely with suppliers and users to ensure
adequate supplies for domestic, industrial and agricultural use.

There have been concerns about water supplies, as Taiwan recorded its lowest
winter rainfall on record.

The government is forecasting that the recent plum rains are expected to
bring about 390-million metric tons of water, helping ease supply concerns in
the south.

A-S-E Technology Holdings Chairman Jason Chang and company Vice Chair Richard
Chang top Forbes' list of Taiwan's 50 richest tycoons for the first time.

According to Forbes, they jumped six places to reach the top spot after
adding 459.5-billion N-T from last year, to push their combined wealth to
709.9-billion N-T.

Yageo Electronics founder Pierre Chen was in second place in the top 50 list,
with a net worth of 576.8-billion N-T.

Fubon Financial Holdings' Daniel Tsai and Richard Tsai were third, with a
combined wealth of 529.2-billion N-T.

The Tsai brother's topped last year's list.

Meanwhile, Hon Hai founder Terry Gou ranked fourth with 491.2-billion N-T ..

.... while Cathay Financial Holdings' brothers Tsai Hong-tu and Tsai
Cheng-ta, along with their half-brother Tsai Cheng-Chiu were fifth, with a
net wealth of 473-billion N-T.

And finally,

Taoyuan Taiwan Beer Leopards point guard Gao Jin-wei has won the 2025-2026
Taiwan Professional Basketball League regular season MVP award.

Gao played all 36 regular-season games and averaged 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds
and 4.9 assists per game.

The point guard was also the league's most prolific three-point shooter,
making 103 three-pointers while shooting 39.5 percent from beyond the arc.

According to a T-P-B-L press release, Gao received 118 of 130 media points
and 14,826 fan votes, earning 47.7-per cent of the combined vote.

The 2025-2026 T-P-B-L season concluded this past Saturday when the Formosa
Dreamers beat the New Taipei Kings 90-78 in Taichung to win the Finals series
4-3.

It was the Dreamers first professional championship title.

Two Chinese official vessels briefly entered restricted waters near Taiping
Island in the South China Sea... triggering action by the Coast Guard
Administration.

It was the first time the Chinese vessels have been reported in the area.

The Coast Guard said it issued its "strongest condemnation" of China after a
patrol vessel and a supply ship were detected entering restricted waters
around Taiping Island twice on Thursday morning.

The administration says both vessels made two abrupt, sharp turns that could
have jeopardized the safety of its patrol boats, which tracked and monitored
the Chinese vessels while ordering them to leave the area.

The two Chinese vessels were later forced out of the area, which extends
4,000 to 6,000 meters from the coast.

The latest incident follows a series of similar incursions by Chinese coast
guard vessels into waters east of Taiwan and around Dongsha Island in recent
weeks.

The U-S House Appropriations Committee has released its fiscal year 2027
defense appropriations bill, which includes 2-billion U-S dollars earmarked
to boost Taiwan's defense.

1-billion U-S dollars will be allocated to the Taiwan Security Cooperation
Initiative, with the funds remaining available through September 30, 2028.

The bill also earmarks another 1-billion U-S dollars for the replacement and
reimbursement of defense articles and services provided to Taiwan.

Under the bill, the secretary of defense, with the concurrence of the
secretary of state, would be authorized to draw on the Taiwan Security
Cooperation Initiative, funds to provide assistance to Taiwan.

The assistance includes the procurement of defense articles and services, as
well as military education and training.

The proposed funding follows action earlier this month by the House Armed
Services Committee.

That committee approved its version of the fiscal 2027 National Defense
Authorization Act, which authorized up to 1-billion U-S dollars for the
Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative to help Taiwan bolster its
self-defense capabilities.

Both the appropriations bill and the National Defense Authorization Act,
within which it is included, must pass the House and Senate before being sent
to the president for signature.

Taiwan ranks 42nd in terms of peacefulness in the 2026 Global Peace Index.

Taiwan fell from 37th place in last year's report.

The overall score measures a country's level of peacefulness, using 23
quantitative and qualitative indicators across three domains: ongoing
domestic and international conflict, societal safety and security, and
militarization.

Although Taiwan ranks 42nd worldwide, it's listed in 9th place among the 19
Asian-Pacific countries in the report.

Iceland remained the most peaceful country in the world for the 19th
consecutive year, followed by New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, and
Ireland.

The report is published by the Australia-based Institute for Economics and
Peace and covers 163 countries.

K-M-T Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun has held talks with several U-S senators and
representatives in Washington.

Cheng is said to have met with Republican Senator Steve Daines, Republican
Representatives John Rose and Chuck Fleischmann, and Democratic
Representative Thomas Suozzi.

The K-M-T says they discussed Taiwan's defense budget, arms purchases and
energy policy, among other issues.

Cheng said one reason for her visit to the U-S was to explain the K-M-T's
position on Taiwan's defense budget and arms purchases to lawmakers there, as
they have expressed concerns about those issues.

Cheng has insisted that K-M-T is not opposed to purchasing arms from the
United States, but the party wants defense spending to follow due process,
maintain fiscal discipline, and avoid potential corruption.

The K-M-T has also said during her visit to the U-S, that lawmakers have
raised questions about Taiwan's energy policy and nuclear power, with some of
them expressing "frustration" over the D-P-P's anti-nuclear stance and
"welcoming" the K-M-T's support for nuclear energy.

The Ministry of Agriculture says Taiwan has now resumed pork exports after
regaining self-certification as free of three major swine diseases.

The first shipment of processed pork products is bound for Singapore later
this month.

Processed meat producer Taiwan Farm Industry held a container-sealing
ceremony in PingtungThursday to mark the occasion.

The shipment consists of 500 cartons, or 10,000 packs, of the company's
original-flavor Taiwanese pork sausages, which are scheduled to arrive in
Singapore on June 25.

Chairman Chang Hua-hsin says the company will initially focus on exporting
sausages before expanding to products such as braised pork belly and pork
meatballs, with fresh pork exports remaining a longer-term goal.

The resumption of pork shipments to Singapore comes after Taiwan regained
self-certification in April as free of foot-and-mouth disease, African swine
fever and classical swine fever, following authorities' containment of an
A-S-F outbreak reported last October.

Agriculture officials say the achievement is rare globally, as both Singapore
and the Philippines accepted Taiwan's export applications without dispatching
inspection teams, a sign of confidence in Taiwan's disease-control and food
safety systems.

The New Taipei Transportation Department has launched four new bus routes
that cross that Danjiang Bridge.

The new routes provide 80 daily services between Banqiao and Tamsui, Tamsui
and Taoyuan International Airport, and Tamsui and Bali.

The new routes are designated 988, 989, 990 and 115.

Route 988 connects Banqiao Bus Station and Danhai New Town with 20 services
each way on weekdays and 18 each way on weekends.

Airport routes 989 and 990, provide limited daily services between Taoyuan
Airport and Danhai New Town, and Tamsui Metro Station.

The city's transport department says those airport routes take about 60
minutes, cost 120 N-T each trip and are covered by the TPass commuter
initiative and participating senior citizen cards.

The 115 route will operate as a commuter service between Tamsui and Bali on
weekdays and as a tourism-focused route on weekends and public holidays.

And,

South Korean boy band Bigbang says it is bringing its 20th anniversary world
tour to Taiwan.

Bigbang is scheduled to perform at Taipei Dome on October 10-11, while
additional Taiwan shows are planned for February 27 and 28 next year at the
Kaohsiung National Stadium.

Ticket prices and sales information have not yet been announced.

Bigbang now join a growing lineup of South Korean entertainers set to visit
Taiwan over the coming months.

Jaehyun of N-C-T is scheduled to perform at the Taipei Music Center on July
4-5.

Actor Byeon Woo-seok will be performing at the National Taiwan University
Sports Center on September 25.

While K-Pop boyband, B-T-S will be performing at the Kaohsiung National
Stadium on November 19, 20 and 21.

to Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory ​message to Russian
President Vladimir Putin on Russia’s ‌National Day, voicing full support for
Moscow’s domestic and foreign policies.

Pyongyang state media quoted Kim as saying ties ​between North Korea and
Russia were strengthening into ​an alliance based on a comprehensive
strategic partnership treaty.

Kim also pledged to stand by Russia.

Ties between the two countries ​have been deepening amid North Korea’s
deployment of thousands of troops ‌to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.