ICRT

Posted on 2026-10-22 20:13:13

The Central Weather Administration says Typhoon Champi has weakened from a
strong typhoon to a moderate one ... but it still poses a threat to Taiwan
... and isn't ruling out the possibility of the storm making landfall.

The CWA's land warning covers pretty much the whole of Taiwan Proper ... as
well as Green Island and Orchid Island ...with a sea warning remaining in
effect for offshore areas around the main island.

The storm's outer circulation is expected to affect the entire island from
tomorrow morning until Saturday evening.

Forecasters say the eye of the typhoon could come within 80 kilometers of
Taiwan's coast, with its closest approach expected late tomorrow night into
early Saturday morning.

Heavy rain is forecast across northern and northeastern Taiwan on Friday,
with some mountainous areas facing the risk of extremely heavy rainfall.

Waves could also exceed 10 meters in some areas through Saturday morning,
while strong coastal winds are expected to intensify.

The weather agency says the storm's effects should gradually ease early hours
on Sunday.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-22 20:13:13

Micron's Taoyuan union has launched a 24-hour strike over a lack of progress
on profit-sharing, criticizing a separate agreement reached with the
company's Taichung union.

Eleven union officials began the action Thursday morning, accusing Micron and
government officials of excluding Taoyuan representatives from negotiations.

The union is demanding a long-term profit-sharing system that would
distribute 15 percent of the company's operating profits to employees,
arguing that its existing bonus plan lacks transparency.

Micron Taiwan Chairman Donghui Lu says the agreement with the Taichung union
introduces a new quarterly profit-sharing bonus, alongside salary
adjustments, higher shift allowances and additional paid leave.

The Taoyuan union says its four demands remain unchanged and warns that more
workers could join future industrial action.

Negotiations between Micron and the Taoyuan union were scheduled to resume
tomorrow ... with the Ministry of Labor saying it will continue helping both
sides reach an agreement.

Posted on 2026-10-22 20:13:13

The 2026 Citizens' Sports Games in Taoyuan wrapped up today ...

... with Keelung City taking home 12 medals, including seven golds.

All seven gold medals came in dragon and lion dance, where Keelung swept the
titles in seven events, including traditional routines, speed and obstacle
courses.

Keelung also secured two silver medals, one in powerlifting and another in
dancesport.

Powerlifter Yu Yao-wei (游曜維) took silver in the men's 59-to-66-kilogram
category, lifting a combined 640 kilograms.

The city's three bronze medals came in bodybuilding, ballroom dancing and
men's canoe polo.

The Games officially opened last Saturday, although some competitions began
earlier, with athletes from across Taiwan competing in 32 sports.

Posted on 2026-10-22 19:07:13

Traffic restrictions could affect the Suhua Highway, Danjiang Bridge and
other major routes as Typhoon Champi approaches.

The Highway Bureau says restrictions will depend on weather conditions and
conditions on the ground.

Other roads being monitored include the northern coastal highway, the
Northern Cross-Island Highway and mountain routes in Hualien.

Meanwhile, the Danjiang Bridge's pedestrian and bicycle paths have already
been closed as a precaution against strong winds.

The bureau urges motorists to avoid unnecessary mountain travel because heavy
rain can trigger landslides and falling rocks.

Drivers should check road conditions before leaving and allow for changes to
their plans.

(PB)

------

Parts of southern Taiwan have already called a typhoon day for tomorrow --

Those are:

Chiayi County, Kaohsiung, Tainan and Pingtung.

As for other parts of Taiwan, we're expecting more updates within the hour.

Posted on 2026-10-22 19:07:14

Taoyuan International Airport says it expects around 755-thousand passenger
trips during the five-day travel period for Taiwan's Retrocession Day long
weekend ... up 3.3 percent from last year.

The airport company says the period runs from October 23rd to 27th, with an
average of 151-thousand passengers a day.

Passenger traffic is expected to peak on Saturday (24), with around
157-thousand travelers, while another 155-thousand are expected on Monday
(26th).

The airport says passenger numbers passed 40 million on October 13th,
reaching the milestone 23 days earlier than last year.

It now expects annual passenger traffic to reach 50 million for the first
time, surpassing the previous record set in 2019.

However, with Strong Typhoon Champi approaching Taiwan, travelers are advised
to check their flight status for possible delays or cancellations.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-22 19:07:14

Government agencies, schools and businesses are being urged to update
software that powers their websites after two critical security flaws were
found.

The Administration for Cyber Security says the flaws affect PHP, a
programming language used by platforms including WordPress.

They could allow attackers to run malicious code on affected servers without
logging in.

Both vulnerabilities have severity ratings of nine-point-two out of ten.

Emergency updates were released yesterday.

The agency says organizations should check all systems using PHP, including
software that may use it behind the scenes.

After installing updates, administrators should check system logs for
suspicious activity and review account security if anything unusual appears.

PHP's developers say updating is the only complete solution.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 19:07:14

Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) says salaries for school safety
personnel are too low ... and should be closer to 50-thousand NT a month.

Cheng made the remarks at the Legislative Yuan today, saying he willl discuss
possible pay increases with local governments.

The comments come as the government rolls out a three-year program to
increase the number of safety personnel at junior high schools from 620 to
2-thousand.

Cheng also says school safety personnel can receive overtime pay, as they
often work long hours and help with school activities on weekends.

Under the current plan, monthly salaries range from 36-thousand to
47-thousand NT, depending on experience.

The program aims to improve campus safety, strengthen drug prevention efforts
and allow teachers to focus on teaching.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-22 19:07:14

Women have taken to the streets in Poland to demand access to free and legal
abortion services, as the country maintains some of Europe's strictest
abortion laws.

Poland's parliament passed measures this week aimed at ensuring hospitals
provide abortions in the limited circumstances where the procedure is legal.

However, protest organizers have dismissed the measures as largely symbolic,
arguing that the country's conservative president is likely to veto them.

Abortions remain common in Poland, but most take place outside the formal
healthcare system, often using pills obtained from other countries.

Posted on 2026-10-22 18:14:13

The Central Weather Administration has further expanded its land warning for
Typhoon Champi to cover almost the entirety of Taiwan Proper ...

... with the exception northern areas of New Taipei City and Keelung.

The latest data from the CWA shows that Champi is located around 450
kilometers east of Cape Eluanbi ... moving north-northwest at 18 kilometers
per hour.

Champi is packing maximum sustained wints of 173 kilometers per hour near its
centre with gusts of 209 kilometers per hour ... with a radius of around 320
kilometers.

The storm is expected to bring torrential rain and strong winds across Taiwan
through Saturday as it gradually moves north.

Northern and northeastern Taiwan face the risk of red level torrential rain
with purple-level extremelly torrential rain possible in mountainous areas.

In fact, some mountain areas could receive up to 900 millimeters of rain over
the next three days.

The storm is expected to move away from Taiwan over the weekend, but
authorities are urging the public to stay away from beaches, creeks and
mountainous areas, even after the typhoon passes, due to the risk of flooding
and landslides.

Posted on 2026-10-22 18:14:13

The Ministry of Labor says employers who require staff to work during a
typhoon day must help cover their transportation costs ... including taxi
fares when necessary.

The reminder comes as Typhoon Champi approaches Taiwan, bringing the threat
of strong winds and heavy rain.

The ministry says workers can stay home when their local government announces
a work suspension ... and employers cannot treat their absence as
unauthorized leave or force them to use personal leave.

If employees are required to work and their usual way of commuting isn't
possible, employers should help arrange transportation and pay for necessary
taxi rides.

The ministry is also urging employers to suspend dangerous outdoor work and
take precautions at construction sites.

It warns that employers who fail to provide necessary safety measures could
face fines if workers are injured.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-22 18:14:13

Apple says customers who pre-ordered the iPhone Duo won't lose their chance
to collect their phones if Super Typhoon Champi forces stores to close
tomorrow.

The new smartphone is scheduled to go on sale tomorrow, but Apple's two
official stores in Taipei will close if the city declares a typhoon day.

Apple says customers with pickup appointments for Friday will be notified and
can collect their phones at any time after the stores reopen.

The two stores are located at Taipei 101 and the Xinyi A13 shopping mall.

The announcement comes as the storm continues to approach Taiwan ... with
local governments in northern Taiwan preparing to announce whether work and
classes will be suspended on Friday.

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih said that New Taipei, Taipei, Keelung and
Taoyuan will make a joint announcement by eight this evening.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-22 18:14:13

Taipower is warning that its accumulated losses could exceed 420-billion NT
by the end of this year ... unless it receives additional government funding.

The state-run power company says the Middle East war has driven up energy
costs, with its annual fuel bill projected to rise by more than 160-billion
NT if gas prices remain unchanged.

Taipower lost over 20-billion NT in the first eight months of this year,
while its accumulated losses stand at over 371-billion NT.

The Cabinet has proposed allocating an additional 71-billion NT to help cover
the losses.

But Taipower says that would still leave a gap of more than 80-billion NT
against the projected rise in fuel costs.

The company says it has absorbed higher energy costs to help keep electricity
prices stable, while its debt has reached 1.85-trillion NT.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-22 18:14:13

Rescuers are searching for a man who went missing while swimming off
Xiaoliuqiu near noon today.

Police say the visitor, surnamed Lin, may have been swept offshore by a rip
current at Meiren Beach.

Lin, who is from New Taipei, was visiting the island with a female friend.

He went into the water alone, and his friend called for help after seeing him
in trouble from the shore.

Police, firefighters and Coast Guard personnel responded, and a search of the
surrounding waters is continuing.

According to the latest report, rescuers have yet to find him.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 17:08:13

The Central Weather Administration has expanded a land warning for Typhoon
Champi to include Taichung, Nantou, Kaohsiung, and all of Pingtung.

That's in addition to Taitung, Hualien, and Yilan, where a land warning was
issued this morning.

The land warning is expected to expand to cover the entire main island of
Taiwan as early as this evening.

A sea warning also remains in place around much of Taiwan.

As of this afternoon, the center of the storm was located 490 kilometers
east-southeast of Eluanbi, moving at 21 kilometers per hour.

（ＡＨ）

Posted on 2026-10-22 17:08:13

Kinmen Magistrate Chen Fu Hai says he is against the Taipei mayor's proposal
to relocate the Songshan Airport.

Chen, of the TPP, says that such a move would have huge implication for
residents of Taiwan's outlying islands.

The magistrate added that, from the perspective of Kinmen residents or those
of any other outlying island, moving the airport should certainly be opposed.

Chen made the comments after councilor Dong Sen Bao董森堡 raised concerns that a
move would have negative effects for outlying island residents seeking urgent
medical care in Taipei.

Chen went so far as to say that Chiang Wan-an's suggestion to move the
airport was "entirely lacking supporting measures."

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-22 17:08:13

investigation

A candidate running to represent Taoyuan's Highland Indigenous Peoples in the
city council has posted bail in a vote-buying investigation.

Zhang Cang Hao 張倉豪 is accused of courting voters with free meals by buying 3
banquet tables valued at 5000 NT each for constituents...

in what prosecutors believe to be a violation of the Public Officials
Election and Recall Act.

Zhang, of the KMT, also allegedly encouraged voters to support him while at
the dinner.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-22 17:08:13

Puma Shen's campaign team has put out a second round of their promotional
"Soon Daily..."

which is a pamphlet through which Shen aims to push his signature policy
proposals.

The second edition of the booklet, called Shun Bao in Mandarin, will focus on
issues pertaining to children.

Shen and campaign manager Wu Si Yao headed to the Nanjing Fuxing Station
today to hand out copies of the pamphlet...

with supporters lining up early to get their copies.

Shen says he was inspired by the Sharp Daily, a now-defunct free newspaper by
Apple Daily's Jimmy Lai that was distributed around transit hubs as well.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-22 17:08:13

Women in Poland are protesting in support of access to free and legal
abortion services.

Polish abortion laws are among the most conservative in Europe.

Lawmakers passed measures this week aimed at forcing hospitals to treat women
in the limited situations where abortions are legal.

But protest organizers dismiss the measures as token gestures, as the liberal
prime minister knows the measures will be vetoed by the conservative
president.

Abortions remain common in Poland, but most of them are carried out
illegally, by women at home, using pills bought outside Poland.

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:55:14

Land warnings for Typhoon Champi could expand to most of western Taiwan this
afternoon.

The Central Weather Administration says the warning could eventually cover
the entire main island, along with Penghu and Matsu.

For now, it covers Yilan, Hualien, Taitung and the Hengchun Peninsula.

Forecasters expect the storm's expanding wind field to reach eastern Taiwan
or the Hengchun Peninsula early tomorrow.

They also say landfall in Yilan or northern Hualien remains possible, and the
storm could slow or stall near Taiwan.

Rain will intensify tonight, with northern and Yilan mountain areas facing
particularly heavy rainfall tomorrow into early Saturday.

Coastal areas face powerful gusts and dangerous waves, with rain expected to
ease gradually from Saturday afternoon.

Hualien County's Fengbin Township (豐濱鄉) has suspended work and classes from
one this afternoon.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:55:14

Typhoon Champi is continuing to disrupt transportation across Taiwan, with
several ferry services canceled across the country.

Some of those canceled services include the Keelung to Mazu service, as well
as between Nangan and Beigan to China's Fujian have been cancelled for the
day.

Other affected services are Kinmen to Japan's Ishii, Gaoxiong to Mazu,
Japan's Fukuoka to Green and Orchid Islands.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications reminds the public to be
aware of the latest developments before heading to the port.

Meanwhile Kinmen officials have announced that services to several Chinese
cities have been canceled today as well.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:55:14

The National Security Bureau says, it has gathered information on gang
members suspected to be part of a Beijing-facilitated attack on a comedian.

NSB Chair Tsai Ming-yan says, the attack was coordinated by the CCP in an act
of transnational repression.

Tsai adds that the attack on comedian Huang Yi Hao, who has been critical of
Chinese President Xi Jinping, is a grave invasion of Taiwan's democracy and
civil society.

The NSB chair pointed out that the five suspects all likely have ties to gang
activity, and their names have been turned over to law enforcement
authorities.

Tsai also says that law enforcement will be more stringent in dealing with
the relevant gangs in the future.

The suspects are believed to have accepted 450,000 NT to injure Huang so
grotesquely that he would not be able to perform.

Proescutors are seeking a heavy sentence.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:55:14

Taiwan shares are sharply down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 846
points to close the session at 46041.

The turnover was 879.2 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:55:14

In related news,

Russian banking, e-commerce, geolocation, and ride-hailing services have
suffered disruptions due to Ukrainian drone attacks on data centers.

This month alone, Ukraine hit three main data centers belonging to a tech
giant, one belonging to Russia's biggest bank, and one for a social media
platform.

The businesses have not been particularly transparent about the extent of
damage to their facilities, but people across Russia have reported widespread
interruptions to cloud services.

The fallout even affected Russia's judicial system, reportedly forcing
arbitration courts to cancel or postpone sessions, and cutting database
access.

Experts say, repairing the damage could take months, if not years...

while others say Moscow's aim to become a leader in AI development could be
significantly impacted.

Russia has also previously attacked Ukrainian power grids and other key
infrastructure as a means of weakening morale and resistance.

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:49:14

Premier Cho Jung-tai is urging local governments to complete precautionary
evacuations before nightfall as Typhoon Champi approaches.

The Central Emergency Operation Center has raised its activation to Level One
following this morning's sea and land warnings.

Cho says priority areas include communities at risk of landslides, isolation
or flooding near the Wanli River barrier lake.

He has directed officials to prepare supplies and shelter arrangements before
strong winds and heavy rain make evacuations more dangerous.

Authorities are also being asked to tighten coastal safety controls.

With a three-day holiday approaching, organizers of outdoor events, concerts
and campaign rallies are being urged to consider postponements or
cancellations.

Transport officials have been told to prepare alternative travel arrangements
and promptly announce disruptions.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:49:14

Tomorrow's Golden Bell Awards ceremony for television programs could be
postponed to Sunday because of Typhoon Champi.

Organizer Sanlih (三立) Entertainment Television announced yesterday that the
change would take effect if Taipei suspends work and classes tomorrow.

The drama awards remain scheduled for Saturday, also subject to the city's
closure decision.

Both ceremonies are set to take place at the Taipei Music Center.

If they go ahead, the red-carpet events will move inside the performance hall
and be closed to public spectators.

Organizers say the measures are intended to protect nominees, staff and the
public from strong winds and rain.

People without ceremony tickets are being asked not to visit the venue.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:49:14

Moody's has raised TSMC's credit rating, citing its lead in advanced
chipmaking, strong finances and demand for artificial intelligence chips.

The agency assesses how likely companies and governments are to repay their
debts.

It upgraded TSMC one notch, from Aa3 to Aa2, and changed its outlook from
positive to stable.

The new rating is the third highest that Moody's can give.

Moody's expects TSMC to maintain its market leadership and strong financial
position over the next two to three years.

It forecasts annual revenue growth of 30 to 45 percent over the next 12 to 18
months.

However, Moody's says another upgrade is unlikely soon, given the company's
heavy investment needs and the concentration of its manufacturing in Taiwan.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:49:14

NATO says it will send more patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the
Black Sea following deadly attacks on commercial ships.

The attacks near Romania and Bulgaria, both NATO members, have raised fears
that the war in Ukraine could spread.

Allied countries are also sending specialists to examine explosives used in
the attacks.

Russia is suspected of involvement, but NATO has not formally identified who
was responsible. Moscow denies involvement.

The attacks threaten an important shipping route for Ukraine's grain exports.

Romania's defense ministry also says its fighter jets shot down two attack
drones over Romanian waters last Saturday.

The incidents are increasing pressure on NATO to protect shipping and
strengthen defenses along its eastern flank.

Posted on 2026-10-22 14:49:14

French President Emmanuel Macron has called claims blaming Muslim migrants
for France's recent riots "unacceptable" and "stupid."

His criticism included U.S. President Donald Trump, who has blamed migrants
without providing evidence and urged France to close its borders.

Macron accused foreign leaders of using the unrest for political gain.

He also said images generated by artificial intelligence were spreading false
accounts of events in France.

The violence followed protests over rising living costs and students'
concerns about conditions in schools.

More demonstrations are planned for today and Saturday.

Paris police have banned today's planned protest in the capital, citing
public safety concerns.

The government says a major security operation will be in place Saturday to
prevent further violence.

Posted on 2026-10-22 13:35:13

Typhoon Champi has already begun interrupting transportation services in
Penghu, with flights between the Penghu Islands and the Taiwan main island
called off since 11 today.

That's as passengers crowded the airport, attempting to make it back to
Taiwan ahead of Champi's arrival...

Parts of Penghu are seeing wind gusts reaching force 11 on the Beaufort
Scale.

Local officials say, those waiting for a flight will be assigned a seat as
soon as possible once flights resume.

A total of 33 flights from Penghu were cancelled today.

Meanwhile maritime services are also suspended.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-22 13:35:13

The Ministry of Education says etomidate has become the second most common
drug encountered by students, behind ketamine.

The drug is found in vape cartridges commonly known as "zombie vapes."

Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) says it overtook cannabis and
amphetamines in 2024.

He warns that some products feature cartoon designs or resemble USB devices
and bubble tea, making the risks harder to recognize.

The ministry says drug-prevention lessons reached more than 50-thousand
classes last year, and over 48-thousand through September this year.

The lessons focus on recognizing suspicious products and refusing drugs.

The ministry is also considering saliva tests to help schools identify
possible drug use earlier.

Cheng says it is working with police on joint procurement, with
implementation awaiting legislative changes.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 13:35:13

More than 1.4 billion N.T. in income tax refunds are scheduled for October 30.

The second round of refunds for the 2025 tax year covers nearly 83-thousand
cases, and about 96 percent will be paid directly into designated bank
accounts.

The Central Area taxation bureau says taxpayers who left out their bank
details have been sent direct-deposit consent forms.

Recipients should sign or stamp the forms and return them by the deadline
listed.

Without account details, refunds cannot be deposited directly.

A third round of refunds is scheduled for January 20 next year.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-22 13:35:13

Oil prices rose this morning after the United States ordered nonessential
diplomats and family members to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks.

Brent crude climbed about one percent to just over 110 U.S. dollars a barrel
in early trading.

U.S. crude also gained about one percent, reaching just over 98 dollars.

The departure order follows a series of attacks involving Yemen's Iran-backed
Houthi rebels.

Reports say that an airport attack in Dammam killed one person and wounded
eight, while a drone attack on a Saudi oilfield killed two.

The violence has raised concerns about regional oil supplies and shipping.

A larger-than-expected drop in U.S. crude inventories also supported prices.

Posted on 2026-10-22 13:35:13

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to
resume peace talks with Ukraine and the United States next month.

The announcement followed his meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in St.
Petersburg yesterday.

Witkoff said there was a basis for a ceasefire and urged Putin to restart
three-way negotiations.

Putin thanked President Donald Trump for his efforts to end the war and
expressed interest in restoring economic ties with Washington.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he supports renewed talks and
hopes they begin as soon as possible.

The proposed negotiations would be the first since February.

Posted on 2026-10-22 13:35:13

Nigeria has become the fifth country to record a case linked to the Ebola
outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The World Health Organization says a woman with recent travel to Uganda
tested positive in Abuja on Tuesday.

The outbreak has killed more than 4-thousand-600 people in Congo, where over
9-thousand-600 cases have been confirmed.

Kenya has reported nine cases.

Uganda and France also recorded infections earlier in the outbreak, but
neither currently has active cases.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved
vaccine or specific treatment.

The WHO is urging countries across the region to strengthen surveillance and
prepare to respond quickly.

Posted on 2026-10-22 08:26:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The Central Weather Administration has issued a sea warning for Typhoon
Champi.

The sea warning currently covers the Bashi Channel and off-shore areas in
northern, northeastern and southern Taiwan.

A land warning is expected to issued this afternoon at the earliest.

The governments in New Taipei, Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan have said they
make a joint announcement concerning any work and school suspensions at
around 8 o'clock this evening.

According to the weather administration Typhoon Champi is currently located
some 610-kilometers east-southeast of Eluanbi at the island's southernmost
tip and is moving in a northwesterly direction at between 13 and
16-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm still has a radius of 280-kilometers and is packing sustained wind
speeds of 184-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 227-kilometers-an-hour.

The weather administration's forecast center says Typhoon Champi is expected
to weaken as it turns northward due to unfavorable environmental conditions.

However, the storm will still have the greatest effect on Taiwan tomorrow and
on Saturday.

Rain is forecast islandwide tomorrow, with heavy or extremely heavy rain
possible in the north and east into Saturday.

Champi is expected to move away from Taiwan on Saturday and head toward
Japan's Kyushu region.

The weather administration says the typhoon warnings could be lifted as early
as Saturday afternoon, but localized showers are still possible in areas
north of Taoyuan, the east and the Hengchun Peninsula until Monday.

Posted on 2026-10-22 08:26:13

The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics says his agency
has not yet to discussed funding for C-P-C's planned investment in an Alaska
liquefied natural gas project.

According to Chen Shu-tzu, her agency has not been consulted, as negotiations
on the project are ongoing.

Speaking at a legislative hearing, Chen told lawmakers that whether funding
will come through the annual budget or a special budget will depend on
C-P-C's financial structure.

She also denied that a proposed 233.8-billion N-T capital injection into the
state refiner was aimed at financing the Alaska deal.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced last week that C-P-C planned to
invest up to 4.4-billion U-S dollars in the project and purchase 6 million
metric tons of L-N-G annually once production begins.

The ministry said deliveries could start as early as 2032 if the project's
development proceeds on schedule.

Economics minister Kung Ming-hsin has said the Alaska partnership will
diversify Taiwan's L-N-G supplies and strengthen energy security, as direct
shipments across the Pacific will provide an alternative supply route that
could help reduce geopolitical risks.

Posted on 2026-10-22 08:26:13

The The Taitung District Prosecutors' Office has released former Taitung
County magistrate Wu Chun-li on bail of 5-million N-T and ordered him to wear
an electronic monitor.

Wu was granted bail by the Taitung District Court after prosecutors had
requested his detention as part of an investigation in allegations that an
agricultural road-widening project unlawfully benefited a project linked to
Wu's family's interests.

Prosecutors had requested his detention citing concerns he could collude with
other suspects in the case to falsify testimony and is considered a flight
risk.

The investigation began in May after independent Taitung County Councilor Lin
Tsan-tien alleged the county government had used public funds to build a road
serving a resort complex.

The agricultural road was supposed to be three meters wide, but was allegedly
widened to more than nine meters, and state-owned land was also involved in
the project.

Prosecutors have not say when the road-widening project occurred, but reports
indicateit happened sometime in the past two to three years.

Several other individuals have already been detained in connection with the
case and they include the director of the county government’s department of
agriculture; a section chief in charge of the road widening project; and an
employee at the resort complex.

Posted on 2026-10-22 08:26:13

Finally in sports news and last night's Chinese Professional Baseball League
Taiwan Series ...

.. where the C-T-B-C Brothers beat the Wei Chuan Dragons 5-4 in Game 4 at the
Taipei Dome and avoid a Taiwan Series sweep.

The result means the Brothers have cut the deficit to 3-1 in the
best-of-seven championship series.

Chan Tzu-hsien starred for the Brothers - after hitting a two-out, walk-off
single in the 11th inning.

Chan's first hit in five at-bats earned him the game's M-V-P award.

The Dragons can claim the championship if they win Friday's Game 5, while the
Brothers need to win all the remaining three games to become the first team
ever to win the Taiwan Series after trailing 3-0.

Game 5 begins at 6:30 Friday evening at the Taipei Dome.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:50:13

New Taipei District Prosecutor have indicted five people for allegedly
staging a traffic accident that injured comedian Huang Yi-hao.

The five suspects in Taiwan are accused of accepting NT$450,000 ($13,900) to
“break Huang's arms and legs”,
The five were said to have been paid by a Chinese national... whose
background remains under investigation.

Prosecutors are describing the case as alleged Chinese cross-border
repression intended to silence opposing political views.

The charges of attempted aggravated assault were filed by the New Taipei
District prosecutors office.

Huang was hit by a car carrying two people as he was riding his scooter home
in New Taipei's Yonghe District on September 11.

The accident was believed to have been staged to prevent Huang from
performing at the Comedy Club on September 20....

The suspects reportedly told prosecutors the Chinese national was upset by
Huang's performances mocking leader Xi Jinping.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:50:13

The Fair Trade Commission has rejected Grab Holdings' proposal to acquire
Foodpanda's Taiwan operations for 600-million U-S dollars, citing Grab's ties
with Uber.

The commission says there is concern those links could undermine competition
in Taiwan's food delivery market.

F-T-C Commissioner Shin Chih-chung says three commissioners voted to block
the deal and one favored conditional approval, while a fifth commissioner
recused.

Shin said Uber's C-E-O had previously served on Grab's board, and the two
companies have maintained close business ties in other markets, have
overlapping board membership and history of business cooperation.

The F-T-C commissioner stressed that the F-T-C believes that such ties could
reduce Grab's incentive and ability to compete with Uber Eats in Taiwan.

Grab has said it is disappointed with the decision.

It also said the move will prevent the company from introducing "innovative
services, reasonable earning opportunities and improved service standards"
for consumers, delivery workers and merchants in Taiwan as planned.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:50:16

Construction work at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's Fab 22 site in
Kaohsiung has been suspended after a workplace accident that left four
workers dead.

The accident occured on Tuesday.

The four workers reportedly fell from an unspecified height when a steel
structure collapsed during a hoisting and installation operation.

The Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau says a preliminary assessment shows
the accident could have been caused by old bolts that broke, but the exact
cause of the accident remains investigation.

TSMC said steel structure work at the Kaohsiung site and its new fab
construction sites across Taiwan had been voluntarily suspended.

The bureau says work can only resume after the contractor responsible submits
an improvement plan that passes review.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:50:16

And,

The Highway Bureau says the Danjiang Bridge will begin featuring themed
lighting shows on October 31.

Rotating festival-themed light displays will be featured from 6PM to 8PM on
weekends, while weekday shows during the same hours will feature colors
representing the four seasons.

The bureau says the festival-themed displays use flowing patterns and
changing colors on tube-shaped lights to create different atmospheres.

The themes will include National Day, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's
Day, Christmas, Lunar New Year's Eve, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Dragon
Boat Festival.

The bridge's lighting will revert to its regular autumn theme after 8PM.

Under the bridge's regular lighting schedule, the seasonal displays are
switched on at sunset, with spring colors shown from March to May, summer
from June to August, autumn from September to November, and winter from
December through February of the following year.

The Highway Bureau is urging drivers not to watch the light displays while
driving to avoid accidents.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:50:16

Hungarian police have taken former Central Bank governor György Matolcsy into
custody.

He's being detained on suspicion of economic fraud and using a forged
private document.

It's a significant step in the new government's pursuit of suspected
financial abuses during former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's reign.

Hungary's Central Prosecutor's Office said it is conducting coordinated
investigations in several locations... related to a Central Bank
investigation into criminal misappropriation of funds.

The current heads of the Central Bank filed a criminal complaint last month,
suspecting embezzlement, negligence, fraud, and abuse of office.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:50:16

The US State Department has ordered some diplomats and family members to
depart from its missions in Saudi Arabia and plans to withdraw family
members from a number of other US missions in the region.

The orders come amid attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen on civilian
targets in the country.

Washington had returned some diplomatic personnel to the region in recent
months after many were pulled out when Tehran launched attacks on US
facilities after the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.

This comes as ...

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation says an attack on King
‌Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday evening killed one
resident and injured eight others....

and as Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry says debris from an intercepted drone
has killed two people and injured two others at an Aramco-operated oil field
in the country’s southeast.

The attacks have intensified as renewed fighting between the Houthis and
Saudi-backed government forces has broken a four-year truce.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:49:13

Micron Technology has reached a labor agreement with its Taichung union, but
a separate dispute with workers in Taoyuan remains unresolved.

The U-S memory chipmaker and the Taichung union announced Wednesday that they
had signed an agreement following negotiations, but did not disclose details.

Meanwhile, Micron's Taoyuan union is still planning a one-day strike on
Thursday in support of its Taichung counterparts.

The unions are demanding a long-term profit-sharing system that would
distribute 15 percent of the company's operating profits to employees.

They have also criticized Micron's existing incentive pay plan for lacking
transparency.

The Taoyuan union says the planned strike does not mean negotiations are over
and is urging management to propose a profit-sharing plan acceptable to its
members.

Posted on 2026-10-22 06:49:13

The Taipei City Police Department announced plans to ensure smooth traffic
ahead of the Retrocession Day holiday weekend.

The department says officers will be stationed early at 4 p.m. on Friday,
Oct. 23rd, across 100 major intersections, including Zhongshan North and
Zhongxiao West roads.

Remaining designated intersections across the city will see traffic control
personnel deployed starting at 4:30 p.m.

Police will also step up patrols around major sightseeing spots, including
Yangmingshan, Taipei Zoo, and Shilin Official Residence.

The department advises citizens traveling to tourist spots or shopping areas
to use public transit or shuttles.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-21 20:07:13

Micron Technology has reached a labor agreement with its Taichung union, but
a separate dispute with workers in Taoyuan remains unresolved.

The U-S memory chipmaker and the Taichung union announced Wednesday that they
had signed an agreement following negotiations, but did not disclose details.

Meanwhile, Micron's Taoyuan union is still planning a one-day strike on
Thursday in support of its Taichung counterparts.

The unions are demanding a long-term profit-sharing system that would
distribute 15 percent of the company's operating profits to employees.

They have also criticized Micron's existing incentive pay plan for lacking
transparency.

The Taoyuan union says the planned strike does not mean negotiations are over
and is urging management to propose a profit-sharing plan acceptable to its
members.

Posted on 2026-10-21 20:07:13

The Taipei City Police Department announced plans to ensure smooth traffic
ahead of the Retrocession Day holiday weekend.

The department says officers will be stationed early at 4 p.m. on Friday,
Oct. 23rd, across 100 major intersections, including Zhongshan North and
Zhongxiao West roads.

Remaining designated intersections across the city will see traffic control
personnel deployed starting at 4:30 p.m.

Police will also step up patrols around major sightseeing spots, including
Yangmingshan, Taipei Zoo, and Shilin Official Residence.

The department advises citizens traveling to tourist spots or shopping areas
to use public transit or shuttles.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-21 19:06:13

remains undecided.

Funding for the CPC Corporation's planned investment in an Alaska natural gas
project remains undecided.

Budget chief Chen Shu-tzu (陳淑姿) says negotiations are continuing, and
financing will depend on the state-owned company's financial structure.

The state-owned refiner plans to buy six million metric tons of liquefied
natural gas a year and invest up to 4.4 billion U.S. dollars in the project.

Deliveries could begin as early as 2032, if development stays on schedule.

Chen says a separate proposal to inject 233.8 billion N.T. into CPC is not
intended to fund the Alaska investment.

That support is aimed at easing financial pressure from absorbing higher
energy costs to keep domestic prices stable.

She warns that failing to approve the supplementary budget could hamper CPC's
borrowing and threaten oil supplies.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-21 19:06:13

The Army has postponed a public tour of its Chengkungling military base in
Taichung by one week because of approaching Super Typhoon Champi.

The event, originally scheduled for this Saturday, will now take place on
October 31st, from 8 AM to 3 PM.

The tour is open to Taiwanese nationals and their foreign spouses, as well as
foreign caregivers accompanying the people they look after. Foreign
participants must present valid identification.

The Army has apologized for the change and encouraged the public to attend to
learn more about the military and national defense.

The Central Weather Administration said that Champi is likely to skirt Taiwan
between Friday and Saturday if it stays on its current track.

Posted on 2026-10-21 19:06:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen has officiated a mass wedding ceremony for 66
couples ... aboard a flight to Okinawa, Japan.

Lu accompanied the newlyweds on a special flight yesterday, as part of a
visit aimed at strengthening ties between Taichung and the Japanese
prefecture.

After arriving in Okinawa, Lu and her delegation met with senior vice
governor Mi-ya-gi Tsu-gu-yo-shi to discuss cooperation in tourism, smart
cities, sports and education.

Lu says frequent direct flights between Taichung and Okinawa, which take just
90 minutes, have helped bring the two places closer together.

She says the city chose Okinawa as the destination for what it calls Taiwan's
first-ever mass wedding ceremony held aboard an aircraft.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-21 19:06:13

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to four
other countries ...

... reaching three regions of Africa and beyond the continent for the first
time.

Nigeria became the latest country affected on Tuesday, after the outbreak was
first declared in eastern Congo in mid-May.

The disease remains active in Congo, Nigeria and Kenya.

France and Uganda have declared their outbreaks over.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no
approved vaccine or specific drug treatment.

Authorities report at least 4,600 deaths among 9,500 people infected in Congo.

Posted on 2026-10-21 19:06:13

French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected U-S President Donald Trump's
claims that Muslim migrants are responsible for unrest in France, calling the
allegations 'completely false'.

Trump and leading Republicans have highlighted the protests ahead of U-S
midterm elections, blaming immigrants for the violence.

France has seen demonstrations over the rising cost of living and student
grievances about underfunded schools.

French authorities have not linked the unrest to Muslim migrants, and the
exact makeup of the protesters remains unclear.

Posted on 2026-10-21 18:18:13

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih says northern Taiwan will announce any work
and school suspensions due to Super Typhoon Champi at 8 PM tomorrow.

Hou says New Taipei, Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan will make the announcement
together ... as the approaching storm could bring winds and rain strong
enough to meet suspension criteria.

Forecasters expect Champi to hit Taiwan hardest from Friday afternoon through
early Saturday.

Coastal areas could see powerful gusts, while mountainous districts face the
risk of heavy to extremely heavy rain.

Waves could also reach six to nine meters high.

The city government says storm preparations are complete, and several outdoor
events scheduled for Friday and Saturday have been postponed.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-21 18:18:13

The Fair Trade Commission has blocked Grab's planned takeover of Foodpanda's
Taiwan operations ... over concerns it could reduce competition in the food
delivery market.

The commission says Uber Eats and Foodpanda currently dominate the market,
and Grab would replace Foodpanda as Uber Eats' main competitor.

However, Uber owns about 13 percent of Grab ... raising concerns that the two
companies would have less incentive to compete on prices and promotions.

Regulators also point to their history of business cooperation, warning that
it could make it easier for the companies to coordinate their activities
rather than compete.

The commission says safeguards proposed by the companies, including limits on
shareholdings and information sharing, wouldn't be enough to address those
concerns.

It concluded that the potential harm to competition outweighs the economic
benefits of the deal.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-21 18:18:13

Travelers on Taiwan Railway will soon be able to book tickets through the
company's official mobile app as late as five minutes before their train
departs.

The change takes effect November 10th.

Currently, passengers must book through the app at least 30 minutes before
departure ... or buy tickets at station counters or ticket machines if
they're traveling at shorter notice.

Taiwan Railway says the change will make it easier for passengers to book and
collect tickets on their phones, even when they're in a hurry.

The company says the new five-minute cutoff will apply to both ticket
bookings and mobile ticket collection on the day of travel.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-21 18:18:13

Taoyuan International Airport has climbed to ninth place worldwide for air
cargo traffic ... after handling 2.5 million metric tons of cargo last year.

According to Airports Council International, cargo volume rose 10.1 percent
in 2025, lifting the airport from tenth to ninth place in the global
rankings.

To meet growing demand, Taoyuan International Airport Corporation says it's
developing new operating rules for its planned cargo terminal area, aimed at
speeding up shipments and improving coordination among logistics companies.

The plans include expanding cargo handling capacity, upgrading warehouses and
introducing digital systems to make operations more efficient.

The new procedures will be tested in stages before being fully introduced.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-21 18:18:13

Taichung has delivered its best-ever performance in traditional dragon boat
racing at the Citizens' Sports Games .... bagging four gold medals and one
bronze.

Hualien County finished second with two golds and two silvers, while Taipei,
New Taipei and host city Taoyuan also picked up medals.

The three-day competition wrapped up yesterday at Longtan Lake, with teams
from 11 cities and counties taking part.

Athletes competed in 100- and 200-meter sprints, as well as a
2-thousand-meter race around the lake.

Meanwhile, in beach wrestling, Taichung also topped the gold medal standings
... winning five ... while New Taipei collected the most medals overall, with
19.

In bodybuilding, New Taipei also took home the most medals, with ten ...
while Taipei led the gold medal standings, with five.

And in aerobic gymnastics, which made its debut at this year's games, host
city Taoyuan swept all six gold medals.

The 2026 Citizens' Sports Games in Taoyuan wraps up tomorrow.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-21 17:08:13

Taiwan's semiconductor industry used a record amount of electricity in
September ... topping 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours for the first time.

The Taiwan Research Institute says electricity consumption jumped 11.55
percent from a year earlier, driven by booming demand for artificial
intelligence.

The institute expects the industry's electricity use to exceed 50 billion
kilowatt-hours for the full year.

It says growing demand for advanced chips, AI servers and high-performance
computing is keeping Taiwan's high-tech factories busy.

Meanwhile, electricity consumption among major industrial users rose 1.76
percent in September ... with the institute's electricity-based economic
indicator flashing red for the 18th straight month, signaling strong
industrial activity.

However, traditional industries such as chemicals and textiles continue to
struggle with weak demand and sluggish production.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-21 17:08:13

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An faced renewed questioning this morning over his
proposal to relocate the Songshan Airport...

with a city councilor asking when Chiang began the planning for the move.

Qin Hui Zhu, of the KMT, noted today that, when Chiang first made the
announcement that he planned to move the airport nearly two weeks ago, it was
the first time many people had heard such a suggestion.

The mayor responded, saying that the Department of Urban Development had had
the plan in the works for some time...

with the urban development head saying that planning began under the Ke Wen
Zhe administration.

Qin then interjected, telling the two not to be "long-winded" as her
interpellation time is limited.

She then asked a third time about when the planning began on the project,
even telling the mayor to "just pass" if he could not produce an answer.

Qin says, she believes the plan is hasty and incomplete, and questioned
whether Chiang would continue pushing it regardless of if he wins reelection
or not.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-21 17:08:13

allegations

A candidate for borough chief in Taichung's East District has been detained
in a vote-buying investigation.

The candidate, surnamed Wang, in addition to a former borough chief, are
suspected of using public funds to subsidize residents' participation in
events where they solicited votes.

Prosecutors say, the case began earlier this year, when the then-borough
chief, surnamed Lin, held events in the neighborhood, where the fee was 1400
NT.

However, Lin offered "subsidies" of 900 NT to senior residents, while others
got 400.

The following month, Lin took over 250 residents on an all-inclusive trip to
Tainan and Changhua where residents again received subsidies.

During the trip, Lin and Wang solicited votes from residents.

Lin was later removed from office due to a separate legal case.

Prosecutors say, the two are suspected of violating the Public Officials
Election and Recall Act, and may be at risk of collusion or destruction of
evidence, leading them to request detentiom.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-21 17:08:14

Now turning to international news...

Families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are dealing with loss, fear,
and stigma as the country experiences its worst ever Ebola outbreak.

Experts say, the oubreak is compounded existing trauma in a region already
devastated by conflict.

Responders say, grief at the loss of a loved one may be especially difficult
to deal with in a context where the disease is viewed as evil.

The risk of transmission also limits contact with the patients even after
death, depriving families of closure and the opportunity to observe burial
rites.

The World Health Organization says the psychological effects of Ebola
outbreaks can persist long after the immediate crisis, often taking the form
of anxiety and mood disorders.

Posted on 2026-10-21 17:08:14

Australian lawmaker Helen Haines has had both legs amputated after a ramming
attack.

That's according to the independent lawmaker's husband, who notes that Haines
remains in critical condition.

Haines' husband's comments mark the first public comments by her family since
an attacker drove an SUV into her on Monday.

This comes as the suspected attacker has made his first court appearance.

He's charged with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving
causing serious injury, and causing harm to a federal official.

Police are still working to determine a motive.

Posted on 2026-10-21 14:16:13

TSMC has voluntarily suspended steel construction at all its new fab sites
across Taiwan after four workers died in Kaohsiung.

The workers fell with steel components while installing them on the third
floor of the Fab 22 construction project.

The Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau says bolts may have deteriorated, or
too few may have been used.

The cause remains under investigation.

Officials say all four workers were using safety lines.

But the posts securing those lines may have been attached to the steel
components that fell, leaving the workers unprotected.

The bureau says steel lifting and installation at the affected project can
resume only after a contractor's improvement plan is approved.

TSMC says its safety team is cooperating with investigators.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-21 14:16:13

Taitung officials are calling for farmers to take protective measures ahead
of expected heavy rain from Typhoon Champi.

The Central Weather Administration's predictions show the outer bands of the
typhoon expected to brush past Taiwan before heading north over the weekend.

The Taitung Agricultural Research and Extension Station is urging farmers to
pay attention to the latest updates as the storm nears...

and to take protective measures when possible in order to minimize damages
suffered from heavy rains.

In particular, they suggest that rice farmers reinforce barriers around their
paddies and clean out irrigation ditches to optimize drainage.

They also recommend that farmers whose rice is already ready to harvest do so
ahead of the typhoon.

Meanwhile they suggest fruit farmers also drain and clean out irrigation
ditches and use stakes to prop up fruit trees, while fruit that is mostly
ripe should be harvested immediately.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-21 14:16:13

TPP founder Ke Wen Zhe says that a guilty plea does not represent an
admission of guilt...

as the Taiwan High Court has begun holding hearings on Ko's corruption and
political donation cases in what will be the second ruling in the Core
Pacific City case.

Ke's comments come after other defendants in the case, Li Wen Zong and Li Wen
Juan, entered at least partial guilty pleas.

Ke claimed that Li Wen Juan pleaded guilty in order to "surrender" to what he
called "judicial torment."

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-21 14:16:13

Taiwan shares are up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 594 points to
close at 46887.

The turnover was 833.1 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-21 14:16:13

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has finished out her first year as PM,
and analysts say she faces a few specific challenges heading into her second
year.

Nikkei Asia reports that, despite obstacles in Takaichi's first year in
office, she's maintained high approval ratings around or above 60%.

One challenge analysts expect Takaichi will have to navigate in the coming
year is delivering on ecomomic growth without adding to the national debt by
championing what she calls her "responsible and proactive fiscal policy."

In other words, she urges heavy investment in sectors deemed important to
Japan's growth as it seeks to boost tax revenue.

Experts say, another immediate test for the Japanese PM is a plan to cut food
tax, which the government hopes to implement by April.

The proposals would see the tax on food and beverages lowered to 1% from 8%
for two years.

Posted on 2026-10-21 13:45:13

Northern Taiwan is forecast to face increasingly heavy rain as Typhoon Champi
approaches, with the strongest effects expected Friday and Saturday.

The Central Weather Administration says a sea warning could be issued late
tonight or early tomorrow.

A land warning could follow tomorrow afternoon or evening, depending on the
storm's track.

Champi is forecast to pass closest to Taiwan from tomorrow night through
early Saturday.

Northern Taiwan, Yilan and Hualien are reported to face very heavy rain on
Friday, with even heavier rainfall possible in northern mountain areas.

Rain is likely to begin increasing tonight as northeasterly winds strengthen.

Strong coastal gusts are also expected, while waves in eastern waters could
reach around six meters tomorrow.

The storm's projected track remains uncertain.

Rain should ease substantially on Sunday as Champi moves away.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-21 13:45:13

A labor rights group is calling for safety inspections across TSMC's
construction sites after four workers died in Kaohsiung.

The workers fell while installing steel structures at the company's Fab 22
construction site.

The Taiwan Association for Victims of Occupational Injuries says TSMC should
introduce independent safety oversight with worker participation.

It also wants the company to publish accident findings and show what safety
improvements it has made.

The group says Chairman C.C. Wei apologized for safety shortcomings at last
year's shareholders' meeting and promised stronger management.

It says those promises must produce results that can be checked.

The association is also offering free legal assistance and advice to affected
families.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-21 13:45:13

Taipei prosecutors have charged a New Taipei man over an online comment
allegedly urging others to take drugs and kill President Lai Ching-te.

They are seeking a prison sentence of at least six months.

Prosecutors say the man, surnamed Ho, posted the comment on Threads last
Tuesday, claiming he could supply drug-containing vape cartridges.

He was responding to reports about a killing and arson case in Taoyuan.

Members of the public reported the comment, and police searched his home and
arrested him on Monday.

The charges include threatening the public and inciting others to commit a
crime.

Prosecutors say Ho deleted the comment the day he posted it, admitted
wrongdoing and expressed remorse.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-21 13:45:13

A local official says a drone attack on a market in Abyei has killed at least
153 people.

The border region is disputed by Sudan and South Sudan.

Monday's attack hit a fuel depot, starting fires that hampered efforts to
recover bodies.

South Sudanese officials blame Sudan's military and have summoned its
ambassador in protest.

An unnamed senior Sudanese military officer reportedly said that the army
targeted fuel shipments intended for rival paramilitary forces.

Doctors Without Borders says it has treated more than 20 wounded people,
including patients with burns.

The attack comes as Sudan's civil war increasingly affects areas beyond its
borders.

Posted on 2026-10-21 13:45:13

Israel's foreign minister says his country has been accepted as a partner of
the Pacific Islands Forum.

Gideon Sa'ar says Pacific leaders approved the application at their meeting
in Palau.

He says cooperation will focus on areas including water management,
agriculture and climate change.

New Zealand's 1News reports Israel will be a partner working with ministers
on specific issues.

That differs from strategic partners such as the United States and China,
which engage directly with Forum leaders.

The Forum's secretariat has not publicly announced Israel's status.

The move comes as Israel seeks stronger diplomatic ties amid international
pressure over its conduct of the war in Gaza.

Posted on 2026-10-21 13:45:13

Britain's Prince Harry says he wants to reconcile with his father, King
Charles, and the rest of his family.

Speaking to GQ magazine, Harry said "the most important thing is to
reconcile."

His relationship with the royal family deteriorated after he and Meghan
stepped back from royal duties and moved to California in 2020.

The couple have since returned to Britain with their two children.

Harry says having his children attend a British school means a lot to him,
and they are enjoying the experience.

He also hopes to improve his relationship with the British press after years
of legal disputes.

Harry says he wants to leave past disagreements behind and move forward.

Posted on 2026-10-21 08:15:13

Confidence in the local economy improved in October as an index assessing
optimism toward the stock market hit a new high - that, according to a survey
released by Cathay Financial Holdings.

Citing its latest survey, Cathay Financial says 42.8-per cent of respondents
believe the economy will improve over the next six months, while 23.1-per
cent believe it will get worse.

The financial holding firm says those result translate into an economic
optimism index of about 19.7 in October, up from 14.8 in September.

According to the survey, the optimism index for current economic conditions
also moved higher, rising from 16.5 in September to 20 in October.

In October, the optimism index for the local stock market rose to a new high
of 55 up from 49.1 in September, while the index assessing the appetite for
risk also rose to 35 from 32.9 in September.

Cathay Financial is citing the A-I boom for those increases.

Posted on 2026-10-21 08:15:13

The New Taipei District Court has handed down suspended sentences to nine
entertainers who turned themselves in and confessed to evading compulsory
military service.

The court all ordered the entertainers to pay between 300,000 and 1.3-million
N-T to the national treasury and perform community service.

The nine were among 15 defendants indicted in April in the fourth wave of
prosecutions in a broader draft evasion case.

The other defendants included five civilians and the alleged ringleader of
the military service evasion network, Chen Chih-ming.

The other eight entertainers and four civilian defendants also received
suspended sentences of up to four years, with fines and community service
imposed in most cases.

The remaining civilian defendant was sentenced to six months in prison, which
may be commuted to a fine.

While Chen was convicted of 14 offenses that resulted in sentences ranging
from one year and four months to two years in prison for each offense.

All 15 pleaded guilty during their respective trials.

Posted on 2026-10-21 08:15:14

Ministry of Foreign Affairs say it is providing assistance to the families of
those involved in the suspected killing of a Taiwanese woman at a hotel in
the northern foothills of Mount Fuji.

The ministry is not commenting directly on the case, but says it has
established contact with the families of the Taiwanese nationals involved and
will provide any assistance needed to help deal with the incident's
aftermath.

Japanese media has reported that police in the town of Fujikawaguchiko
arrested a 27-year-old Taiwanese woman on a weapons charge after a Taiwanese
woman in her 30s was found dead in the hotel room.

Reports say police found visible signs of trauma, including a knife wound on
the victim.

The suspect was reportedly found holding a 12-centimeter knife at the scene.

She has been detained by police pending further investigation into the death.

The Tourism Administration says the two women were members of a tour group
visiting Japan.

Posted on 2026-10-21 08:15:14

The National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering says it plans to
release a free A-I tool that will allow the public to upload photos of key
structural components in their homes for a preliminary assessment of
potential earthquake damage.

According to the center, the tool has been named "safe and seismic-resistant
home AI" and is expected to be launched on its website by the end of this
week.

Users can upload photos of beams, columns and walls, and the system will
quickly assess their apparent level of damage to help determine whether a
professional engineer should conduct a further inspection.

It classifies individual structural components into three categories: severe
damage, indicating danger, moderate damage, requiring caution; and minor
damage or no obvious damage.

The research center says the free tool is a simplified version of an A-I
model originally developed to help experts rapidly assess earthquake damage
to buildings.

That model was developed in collaboration with National Taiwan University's
Department of Civil Engineering.

Posted on 2026-10-21 08:15:14

The Central Weather Administration says Typhoon Champi is forecast to begin
veering in a northerly direction tomorrow - as it moves away from Taiwan.

However, the weather administration is stressing that the storm's impact on
the island is expected to be strongest on Friday and Saturday.

The administration's forecast center says it could issue a warning this
evening or tomorrow morning, but the storm’s trajectory will determine
whether a land warning is issued tomorrow evening.

Typhoon Champi is currently located some 1,200-kilometers east-southeast of
Eluanbi at the island's southernmost tip and is moving in a
west-northwesterly direction at 20-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm now has a radius of 280-kilometers and is packing sustained wind
speeds of 216-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 270-kilometers-an-hour.

The weather administration says Typhoon Champi is expected to weaken slightly
as it approaches waters east of Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

Mainland Affairs Council Chair Chiu Chui-cheng says Beijing is stepping up
its cognitive warfare operations to try and influence voters' in next month's
local elections.

This comes as the National Security Bureau warned of a large number of fake
A-I generated social media accounts targeting specific groups here... based
on voting trends.

The N-S-B said it issued warnings about the possibilty of such a scenario in
April... data shows the number of cyberattacks peaked between June and
September.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Digital Affairs' Government Service Network say it
saw just over 185-million cyberattacks, likely coming from China in July
alone.

That figure exceeded the total number of cyberattacks recorded in the first
quarter this year.

National security officials say Chinese hackers targeted academic
institutions, telecommunications and defense industry supply chains as part
of efforts to disrupt government operations and steal sensitive data.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

The union representing workers at Micron Technology's facilities in Taoyuan
will be taking strike action tomorrow in solidarity with workers in Taichung
- who are locked in a dispute with the U-S memory chipmaker over
profit-sharing.

The Taoyuan union said tomorrow's strike is aimed at pressuring Micron to put
forward a concrete profit-sharing proposal at a mediation meeting with the
Taichung union.

That meeting also takes place tomorrow.

The Taoyuan union wants members to take action to express their
"dissatisfaction with the current system" and demonstrate their determination
to establish a profit-sharing mechanism.

The Taoyuan union had said on October 7, that it had secured authorization
to strike following six days of voting, with nearly all of the members who
cast ballots supporting industrial action.

Micron employs approximately 3,000 workers in Taoyuan and 12,300 in Taichung,

The unions want a long-term mechanism under which 15-per cent of Micron's
operating profits would be distributed to employees... they have also
criticized the company's existing Incentive Pay Plan for lacking
transparency.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

Premier Zhu Rong-tai says a patrol vessel donated by the Coast Guard
Administration to the Philippines will not be used in waters near Taiwan or
areas where Taiwan-registered fishing vessels operate.

Zhu told lawmakers that the Philippines pledged during the donation process
that the vessel would be used only for designated missions and would not
operate in waters related to Taiwan.

But the premier also said the vessel could even provide assistance to Taiwan
if needed.

The Coast Guard Administration confirmed on September 16 that it donated a
retired patrol vessel to the Philippines.

The 500-tonne-class vessel was commissioned into the Philippine Coast Guard
on October 2.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

The Centers for Disease Control is extending the period of expanded
eligibility for publicly funded antiviral flu drugs from October 31 to
November 15.

This comes as flu activity remains at epidemic levels.

Under the measure, publicly funded Tamiflu and Eraflu will be available to
people in designated high-transmission groups who experience flu-like
symptoms.

Those groups include residents and staff of long-term care facilities,
childcare workers and nannies, and students from preschool to senior high
school.

It is the second time this year the C-D-C has extended the expanded
eligibility period.

According to the C-D-C, nearly 124 thousand outpatient and emergency visits
for individuals with flu-like illness were recorded between October 11 and
17.

That was a decline of 5.4 percent from the previous week.

Antiviral flu drugs are not covered by National Health Insurance and the
C-D-C says doctors will determine whether to prescribe them based on each
patient's condition.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

The Penghu County Prosecutors' Office is looking to detain three men who
allegedly attempted to fraudulently claim a 10-million N-T receipt lottery
prize using stolen electronic invoice information.

The suspects were also taken in for questioning earlier this week and are
facing fraud charges.

Prosecutors say one of the men attempted to redeem two 10-million N-T Special
Prize electronic receipts at a financial institution in Penghu.

Prosecutors says bank employees became suspicious after noticing the man
appeared nervous and was attempting to redeem two 10-million N-T prizes at
once.

The bank halted the transactions and alerted police.

Another was detained after he tried to claim a separate 200,000 N-T winning
receipt.

Authorities say the three men were found in possession of more than 30
winning receipts and had successfully redeemed more than 20 receipts and
collected 199,000 -N-T in prize money between October 6 and 18.

The Ministry of Finance's Taxation Administration has said the suspects
allegedly printed the winning receipt certificates at an iBon kiosk, even
though, in principle, only the actual purchaser should be able to do that.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

border

The Food and Drug Administration has seized several shipments of food-contact
products from China, including kitchen tools, paper baking cups and baking
paper, after they failed dissolution tests.

Two batches of paper baking cups imported by D-F-I Home Furnishings Taiwan,
the operator of Ikea here, had evaporation residues that exceeded the legal
limit for food utensils, containers and packaging.

A batch of baking paper also had an evaporation residue that exceeded the
legal limit.

All three shipments will either be returned or destroyed.

The F-D-A says 11 of 206 batches of food-adjacent products from China failed
dissolution tests between April October 12.12 and

The F-D-A will now subject such products from China to batch-by-batch
inspections for one month.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

And,

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Taiwan nationals will no longer need to
take driving tests to obtain an Australian driver's license in some parts of
the country starting later this month.

This comes after the Australian government in late July said it would
recognize driver's licenses from Taiwan and 11 other countries.

The policy will be carried out first in the states of Western Australia and
Queensland on October 31.

South Australia, New South Wales and the Northern Territory will begin
recognizing Taiwan-issued licenses in January 2027, while Tasmania will do so
in February 2027.

The ministry says the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria have not
announced when they will introduce the changes.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung says his agency is working closely with the
Ministry of Transport to put in place a reciprocal policy for Australian
drivers.

Posted on 2026-10-21 07:00:13

A driver accused of intentionally injuring Australian lawmaker Helen Haines
by hitting her with his car was due to face court today.
Haines remains in critical condition after the incident, which has shocked a
nation where political violence is rare.

Police allege it was a targeted attack. Brendan Nugent, 43, was charged with
causing serious injury and harm to a federal official.

Eyewitnesses say the suspect drove past Haines, then turned back to hit her
twice with his car.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised bystanders who intervened.

Posted on 2026-10-20 19:08:14

Mpox cases are on the rise again in Taiwan ... with 18 infections reported so
far this month, the highest monthly total in two years.

The Centers for Disease Control says most of the new patients are in their
20s to 40s, and very few had previously been vaccinated against mpox.

Health officials warn that the number of infections this month could reach
nearly three times this year's monthly average.

The C-D-C is urging people at higher risk of infection to get vaccinated,
which it says remains the most effective way to prevent the disease.

The World Health Organization considers the risk to the general public low,
but says people engaging in higher-risk sexual activity face a moderate risk.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 19:08:14

Invasive green iguanas are causing serious damage to red bean crops in
Pingtung ... prompting calls for government compensation for affected
farmers.

KMT lawmaker Su Ching-chuan (蘇清泉) says farmers in Wandan Township have seen
their crops eaten by the fast-breeding reptiles.

Agriculture Minister Chen Jun-ji says damage caused by wild animals isn't
currently covered by government disaster relief programs.

However, he says the ministry is considering changes to the law that would
allow farmers to receive compensation for damage caused by iguanas and
monkeys.

Chen adds that the ministry may offer special assistance to red bean farmers
in Pingtung, depending on the extent of their losses.

He also says Taiwan's estimated green iguana population has fallen from
260-thousand in 2024 to 180-thousand last year, following government removal
efforts.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 19:08:14

The death toll from a Houthi missile strike on a military training camp in
southern Yemen has risen to 60, with at least a dozen recruits still missing.

Yemeni officials say the Iranian-backed rebels struck the camp in Shabwa
province on Monday with ballistic missiles, injuring more than 200 recruits.

The attack happened as recruits were lining up for training and is the
deadliest strike since fighting resumed this summer.

The latest violence is part of a surge in fighting that has shattered a 2022
ceasefire in Yemen's civil war.

Posted on 2026-10-20 19:08:14

Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine have killed at least four
people, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks more international support.

Zelenskyy is in Norway, where he's pushing for continued assistance from the
U-S and Europe.

He also spoke with U-S Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who's visiting Asia,
about Ukraine's military needs.

Zelenskyy raised concerns about delays in U-S intelligence sharing and
restrictions on SpaceX's satellite internet service.

Meanwhile, Russian forces have continued targeting Ukraine's infrastructure,
including energy facilities in the Odesa region, causing power outages.

European countries are working to make up for any reduction in American
support.

Posted on 2026-10-20 19:08:14

China has criticized a U-S ban on the A-I startup DeepSeek in federal
civilian agencies, as the two countries continue to compete over technology.

The U-S Department of Homeland Security has ordered civilian agencies to
remove DeepSeek products from their computer systems, citing concerns that
Chinese authorities could access sensitive data.

The order was detailed in a notice issued in July and made public in the
Federal Register on Monday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Tuesday that Beijing
would protect the legitimate rights of Chinese companies.

The dispute comes despite recent progress in U-S-China discussions on A-I
governance.

Washington also continues to restrict China's access to the world's most
advanced A-I chips.

Posted on 2026-10-20 18:25:13

A union representing Micron Technology workers in Taoyuan plans to stage a
one-day strike on Thursday ...

.... in support of workers at the company's Taichung plant, who are
negotiating with management over profit-sharing arrangements.

The Taoyuan union, which secured the right to strike earlier this month, is
calling on Micron to propose a concrete plan for sharing company profits with
workers.

The strike coincides with the second round of mediation talks between Micron
and the Taichung union - also scheduled for Thursday.

The Taoyuan union's own mediation talks with the company ended without an
agreement in September.

Micron says it respects workers' legal rights and remains committed to
constructive discussions with both unions.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 18:25:13

The Centers for Disease Control is extending expanded access to publicly
funded flu medication through November 15th ... as Taiwan remains in the
middle of a flu epidemic.

According to the CDC, more than 123-thousand people visited clinics and
emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms last week, down 5.4 percent from the
previous week.

However, health authorities also reported 159 new cases of severe flu
complications and 44 deaths.

The expanded program covers seven groups, including healthcare workers,
nursing home residents and staff, students from kindergarten through high
school, and people living with or caring for those at high risk of severe
illness.

The medication is available at around 4-thousand contracted medical
facilities nationwide.

The CDC says eligible patients with flu-like symptoms do not need a rapid flu
test ... as doctors can decide whether antiviral treatment is appropriate.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 18:25:14

Unicycling has wrapped up at the 2026 Citizens' Sports Games in Taoyuan
...

... with the host city topping medal standings ... bagging five gold, four
silver and three bronze.

Pingtung County finished second with four golds and two silvers, while
Hsinchu City took third place with one gold and one silver.

It was the first time uniclycling was held at the annual meet.

Athletes competed in a range of events, including races, obstacle courses and
freestyle performances.

Taoyuan's Department of Sports says the city's strong showing reflects years
of developing unicycling through school clubs, community training programs
and a dedicated training facility.

Freediving also made its debut, with Taitung's Ho Kun-ching (何昆璟) winning
gold in the men's event with fins ... covering 250 meters underwater on a
single breath.

The Citizens' Sports Games continue through Thursday, October 22nd.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

The DPP's Taipei offices are encouraging supporters to take part in a
"cooperative voting" plan that aim to spead DPP support evenly amongst city
council candidates,.

In this way, Branch Chair Wu Pei Yi says, the party hopes to maximize the
number of councilors elected

Wu adds that this is the first time in 10 years that the party has pushed a
plan like this across all of the capital's six electoral districts,
comprising a total of 26 candidates .

As for how the plan works, Wu says, the party is hoping that voters in the
city will vote for their city council candidate based on information like
their birth month or ID number, which will correspond to candidate numbers...

so that voters are distributed evenly amongst all candidates instead of all
backing the most popular ones.

Wu says, more specific details are to come once lots are drawn for numbering
candidates on Friday.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

Authorities are warning of increased Chinese interference using artificial
intelligence ahead of November's local elections.

Mainland Affairs Council Chair Chiu Chui-cheng says, Beijing is using
transnational repression and cognitive warfare even more than usual.

He believes that those efforts are aimed at influencing voters' decisions at
the ballot box on November 28th.

Chiu says, the government and public alike should be on guard for these
trends, and should work to maintain fairness in the elections.

Meanwhile, National Security officials say that China's strategy ahead of
this year's elections have shifted to rely heavily on AI to create a large
number of fake accounts to more accurately target specific groups.

Officials note that recent revelations have shown that Beijing collects the
information of voters to segment people into different groups based on voting
trends.

They then use propaganda to target these groups specifically rather than as a
whole.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

The Tainan City Government broke ground on the Phase 2 expansion of the
Anping Reclaimed Water Plant.

The project represents an investment of $1.53 billion to upgrade wastewater
treatment and supply pipelines.

Scheduled for completion by July 2027, the facility will become Tainan's
largest single supplier of recycled industrial water at 60-thousand metric
tons daily.

And municipal planning aims to expand reclaimed water supply further to reach
175,000 metric tons daily in the coming decades.

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che says the expansion will mitigate water competition
between high-tech industries, local farming, and households.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

Now turning to internaitonal news...

South Korea says, it will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv...

in an escalation of a diplomatic standoff between the two countries stemming
from Ukraine's announcement last month of a transfer of two North Korean
prisoners of war that Seoul says was meant to be secret.

South Korean officials say, the withdrawal was due to what they called
Ukraine's "lack of constructive steps" to address Seoul's grievances.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer in a speech at
the UN last month...

but Seoul claims the statement violated a nondisclosure agreement.

Kyiv, meanwhile, says the countries never reached such a deal.

Seoul did not specify how many staff members would withdraw or when.

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

Observers are raising concerns about war between Ethiopia and Eritrea...

as there's renewed fighting between the Tigray People's Liberation Front and
state forces in Ethiopia.

A peace agreement in 2022 calmed the war in which 500,000 civilians were
killed, but the alliance has unraveled.

The TPLF aims to unseat the governing Prosperity Party, and has teamed up
with other groups to combine political opposition with military strength...

all while state forces are divided.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian authorities accuse the TPLF of seeking an alliance with
neighboring Eritrea to destabilize Ethiopia...

claims which Eritrea denies.

Eritrea has described Ethiopia's assertions about Eritrea as a declaration of
war.

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:13

Premier Chuo Rong-tai has defended the state-run CPC's plan to buy 6 million
tons of liquified natural gas from Alaska, saying that Taiwan must ensure
sufficient energy supplies in the long run.

He also said diversifying markets is a strategic consideration, adding that
the government will strictly safeguard national interests and energy
security.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced that Taiwan agreed to buy up
to $80 billion U.S. dollars worth of L-N-G from the long-stalled pipeline in
what he called the “largest Offtake Agreement in History.”

That's the equivalent of 2.6 trillion NT.

Trump also noted that Taiwan agreed to invest $4.4 billion dollars in equity
into the project.

Taiwan's Economics Ministry said C-P-C has made "significant progress in
negotiations with the American developer" and would purchase six million
metric tons of LNG annually.

Facing KMT lawmaker Huang Jian-bin (黃建賓)'s questions today on whether Taiwan
has an exit strategy if cost overruns or environmental problems threatens the
project, Premier Chuo said the government will continue discussing the issues
with the U.S.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:14

bar

Civil groups are calling for the Ministry of the Interior and Control Yuan to
conduct investigations...

following a police raid on a gay bar in Taipei.

6 police officers were punished for using discriminatory language during the
raid, while officials have maintained that the raid itself was legitimate.

Civil groups are urging the Taipei city government not to cover up what
they're calling an abuse of power by chalking it up to just inappropriate
language.

The groups state that the law enforcement process should be open to the
public, and that sensitivity training should be strengthened to prevent
future incidents.

This statement comes after LGBT civil groups called on the Taipei city
government to conduct an independent investigation and present the results to
the public by October 19th- yesterday.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:14

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 529 points to
close the session at 46292.

The turnover was 758.6 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:14

Now turning to internatioal news...

An Israeli think tank says, hate speech in the country has surged under Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The think tank, OFEK, says that harsh and discriminatory language towards
Palestinians and Arab citizens of Israel is at its highest level ahead of
elections next week.

OFEK documented over 200 extreme comments by officials this year.

Some have used AI and social media to amplify the comments.

Common themes in the comments include the dehumanization and villianization
or Palestinians, or openly call for their expulsion from Gaza and even
extermination.

Some of the comments aggregated by the think tank have been cited in
accusations of genocide against Israel.

Experts say, the hate speech shapes everyday attitudes in the country.

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:14

The leader of a cult in Kenya has been convicted of murdering over 190
people.

A judge ruled that Pastor Paul Mackenzie used religious teachings to compel
followers to starve themselves to death.

Mackenzie led a church in Kenya where he claimed that followers who starved
themselves would meet Jesus, and he even set up a leadership structure that
enforced this.

This comes after authorities in 2023 removed over 400 bodies from shallow
graves where followers had lived cut off from local communities and
authorities.

Posted on 2026-10-20 13:07:13

Interior Minister Liu Shi-fang said the National Air Service Corps is based
at Taipei Songshan Aiport and there's no plan to move it elsewhere.

The comment comes after Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an proposed to relocate the
airport in his reelection bid.

Liu stressed that the Corps' primary mission is to support cities and
counties in northern Taiwan with search and rescue, disaster relief and
reconnaissance operations, and that the Cabinet has set a 3.5-billion-NT
budget to renew its facilities.

She added that there's no alternative plan for the facilities and so any move
to relocate the airport should be carefully evaluated.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-20 13:07:13

Some parts of Australia will no longer require Taiwanese nationals to take a
driving test to get a license.

That's according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which says that the
changes will begin taking effect later this month.

Canberra previously announced that it would recognize driver's licenses from
Taiwan and 11 other countries.

The first states to see the changes will be Western Australia and Queensland,
where the new policy will go into effect on the 31st.

Then, in January, South Australia, New South Wales, and the Northern
Territory will also recognize Taiwanese licenses...

and Tasmania will follow suit in Feburary.

The foreign ministry says, it's working closely with the Ministry of
Transportation and Communications to put in place a reciprocal policy for
Australians.

(AH-CNA)

Posted on 2026-10-20 13:07:13

vote-buying investigation

Taoyuan prosecutors are seeking to detain a borough chief candidate in a
vote-buying investigation.

The candidate in Taoyuan's Xinwu district, surnamed Liu, is accused of
gifting rice to constituents, in some cases with the help of 2 associates, in
an effort to win election.

Prosecutors say, the rice was handed out in packages of 1.7 kilograms, with
the value of each gift coming in at about 200 NT.

Officials say that they conducted searches last night before taking Liu and
the two suspected associates in for questioning, as well as speaking to 17
other witnesses.

Liu is believed to have violated the Public Officials Election and Recall
Act.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 13:07:13

parliamentarian

Now turning to international news...

Police in Australia have arrested a man suspected of intentionally ramming a
member of Australia's Federal Parliament with a car yesterday.

The attack left independent parliamentarian Helen Haines in critical
condition.

Nikkei Asia reports that the car struck Haines outside her office in the town
of Wangaratta in the state of Victoria.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the act a deliberate one, which took
place as Haines was collecting things from the trunk of her car.

Albanese says, the exact motivation for the attack is unclear, but it is
obvious that it wasn't accidental.

That's as Australian police have warned about growing threats against federal
parliamentarians and other holders of political office as polarization
increases.

Police say they also seized a knife from inside the attacker's vehicle.

Haines was airlifted to a hospital after the attack, where she underwent
surgery.

Local media reports indicate that her leg was amputated and she remains in
critical conditions.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun is attending the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation finance ministers' meeting in Hong Kong today and tomorrow.

Chuang is leading a delegation to the meeting that includes Financial
Supervisory Commission Vice Chairman Chen Yen-liang and other financial
officials.

According to the Ministry of Finance, this year's APEC finance ministers'
meeting is focusing on the global and regional economic and financial
outlook.

Delegates will also be holding discussions with representatives from the
International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and the APEC
Business Advisory Council.

The finance ministry says Chuang and her delegation will share Taiwan's
policy experience in promoting economic growth, easing household burdens, and
improving tax administration, including through the use of artificial
intelligence.

The delegation will also discuss Taiwan's plans to encourage private
investment in digital infrastructure, as well as its efforts to promote
financial innovation and financial inclusion.

This year's APEC meeting is being held under the theme of "Building an
Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together."

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

A former Chief of Staff for the White House National Security Council says he
believes while meetings between the U-S and Chinese leaders are crucial for
maintaining stability, they are unlikely to result in any significant changes
to US-Taiwan relations

Alexander Gray served at the White House during the first Trump
administration.

Speaking after an event Washington D.C., Grey said from Trump's perspective,
such high-level dialogues are vital for maintaining stability, buying the U-S
time to build resilience, and strengthening Washington’s long-term capacity
to resist coercion from China.

The statements come after President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jin-ping met
in Beijing in May and Washington in September, and are expected to meet on
the sidelines of the APEC summit in China, in November, and the G-20 summit
in the U-S in December.

There has been concerns about how such frequent encounters might affect U-S
arms sales to Taiwan.

According to Grey, while he doesn't anticipate any major changes to the
relationship between the U-S and Taiwan, issues related to supplies of
munitions for potential conflicts involving Iran or in the Indo-Pacific
region, could delay critical ammunition to allies including Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

A Taiwan tourist has been found dead at a hotel in a resort town in the
northern foothills of Mount Fuji.

The Tourism Administration says a it's working with a travel agency to assist
the family of the deceased woman and also help handle subsequent issues
related to a police investigation into the death.

The travel agency says it immediately contacted the woman's family in Taiwan
and is now facilitating their travel to Japan.

The statement comes after a woman in her 30s was discovered dead in her hotel
room in the town of Fujikawa-guchiko.

Police in Japan have arrested another Taiwanese woman found at the scene for
alleged violations of dangerous weapons laws.

Reports say police are currently investigating the relationship between the
two individuals.

The deceased woman was part of a tour group visiting the area.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu says European model simulations indicate
that Typhoon Champi could make landfall in Taiwan and pass over the island on
Friday or Saturday.

That path contradicts forecast being made by the Central Weather
Administration, which has said the storm will veer in a northerly direction
on Thursday, won't make landfall in Taiwan and will instead skirt the
northeast coast.

Typhoon Champi is currently located some 1,900-kilometers east-southeast of
Eluanbi at the island's southernmost tip and is moving in a
west-northwesterly direction at 24-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm now has a radius of 250-kilometers and is packing sustained wind
speeds of 198-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 244-kilometers-an-hour.

Wu says Champi will continue to intensify and expand before reaching its peak
strength either today or tomorrow, but will gradually weaken as it approaches
Taiwan.

According to the weather administration Champi is expected to strong
"moderate" typhoon, or a weak "intense" typhoon when it skirts northeastern
Taiwan, and will bring heavy rain to the north on Friday and Saturday.

The administration says based on current forecasts, it could issue a sea
warning on Wednesday night or Thursday morning at the earliest, and a land
warning on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

The land warnings will likely apply to northern and eastern parts of the
island.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Finally in sports news,

Game 3 of the Chinese Professional Baseball League Taiwan Series is taking
place at the Taipei Dome this evening.

The Wei Chuan Dragons are currently leading the best of seven 2-0 against the
C-T-B-C Brothers.

Teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in a C-P-B-L best-of-seven championship
series have gone on to win the title 89.5-per cent of the time.

This evening's game begins at 6:30.

This is the first Taiwan Series between the Wei Chuan Dragons and the C-T-B-C
Brothers, and the first being played entirely at a single venue.

The C-T-B-C Brothers last won the C-P-B-L Taiwan Series in 2024, while the
Wei Chuan Dragons last won the title in 2023.

Game 4 is tomorrow evening at the Taipei Dome and also begins at 6:30.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

North Korea has threatened to resume propaganda broadcasts and deploy more
weapons along the border with South Korea.

Monday's warning was issued by Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

She said the North Korean military was considering “deploying more tactical
strike means along the southern border”.

Earlier this month, South Korea blamed North Korea-planted mines for the
Sept. 21 blasts at the border, urging the North to apologize and remove other
mines.

North Korea has denied responsibility for the explosions and warned of strong
retaliation if provoked over the case.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Africa’s top public health agency and Congolese officials say $700 million in
Ebola aid is unaccounted for.

They are calling on organizations to provide more information about their
spending.

The questions over spending come as the world’s fastest-growing Ebola
outbreak continues to outpace efforts to contain it.

The virus has spread into eight provinces in Congo and into neighboring Kenya
and Uganda.

The revelations renew long-standing questions about transparency and
accountability in Congo, a country battered by decades of major epidemics,
including repeated Ebola outbreaks.

Experts say allegations of corruption and mismanaged funding creates
distrust, which complicate efforts to contain outbreaks.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Myanmar’s military-backed government says it delivered two books from King
Charles III to detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

President Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in 2021, is trying to end
Myanmar's international isolation.

He held an election in 2025 and increased regional engagement.

The books were delivered Monday and focus on soil and environmental themes,
reflecting Charles' interests.

Suu Kyi, known for her love of literature, is serving her sentence under
house arrest.

Her supporters say the charges are politically motivated.

The international community continues to call for her release.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Sports Minister Lee Yang refused to attend Sunday's opening ceremony of the
Asian Para Games in Japan on Sunday, citing a last-minute accreditation
change.

According to the Ministry of Sport, Lee had initially been issued a "Sports
Minister" credential, but was subsequently informed that it would be changed
to the statue of a guest of a national Paralympic committee.

Lee attended an Asian Games flag-raising ceremony in Japan in September after
an hour-long delay, amid an alleged attempt to exclude him.

The Ministry of Sport says it is expressing strong dissatisfaction and regret
over both incidents as approved arrangement were altered without proper
explanation.

The ministry has lodged a formal protest with the Asian Paralympic Committee
through Taiwan's national Paralympic committee and says it also pursuing the
matter through diplomatic channels.

Taiwan has participated in every edition of the Asian Para Games since 2010
and has sent 71 athletes this year.

They will compete in 12 categories at the fifth Asian Para Games in Aichi
Prefecture and Nagoya.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

The central bank says it will step in to stabilize the local foreign exchange
market if the New Taiwan dollar remains volatile after its sharp decline
against the U-S dollar last week.

According to the central bank, the New Taiwan dollar's steep losses from
October 12 to 16 largely reflected a slump in the local stock market amid
global financial volatility, as well as foreign institutional investors
remitting funds out of Taiwan.

The New Taiwan dollar last week fell 0.463 against the U-S dollar to close at
32.338 on Friday.

That marked its steepest weekly decline in more than a year.

The Taiwan Stock Exchange's benchmark index shed 4.47-percent during the same
period, as it was dragged down by large-cap tech stocks amid growing concerns
that rising U-S inflation could prompt the Federal Reserve to raise interest
rates.

Foreign institutional investors recorded net sales of 19.4-billion U-S
dollars in shares listed on the local bourse and net fund outflows of
17.96-billion U-S dollars from Taiwan last week.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

Business groups are throwing their weight into backing government subsidies
for both Tai-Power and C-P-C.

It comes as Vice Economics Minister Lai Chien-hsin is seeking legislative
support for the 71-billion N-T supplementary budget to subsidize Tai-Power.

That supplementary budget has been approved by the Cabinet.

According to Lai, the subsidies are needed because both companies are
required to absorb surging international oil, natural gas and coal costs
instead of passing them on to consumers.

Data shows that C-P-C has absorbed 674-billion N-T in oil and gas costs that
it could not pass on to consumers since 2020 and has also seen accumulated
losses reach 91-billion N-T as of the end of September.

While Tai-Power has suffered even greater losses from absorbing higher
natural gas and coal costs to avoid increasing electricity costs.

Tai-Power's natural gas expenses had risen by more than 70-billion N-T as of
the end of August compared to before the U-S war against Iran began in
February, resulting in accumulated losses of 371-billion N-T since 2020.

There have been calls for the government to cease paying the two state owned
companies subsidies - with opponents arguing that taxpayers should not bear
the costs.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted singer Wang Wei-hao on
charges related to the evasion of military service.

Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of at least two years.

According to the indictment, Wang was classified as fit for regular military
service following a mandatory physical examination in 2008.

However, he allegedly paid more than 100,000 N-T to an unidentified
intermediary in May of 2012 to help him obtain an exemption order.

He obtained a diagnosis of hypertension through the intermediary.

The prosecutors office says Wang deliberately used deception and false
medical documentation, undermining fairness in the conscription system by
using fraudulent means to change his military-service classification.

He has been indicted for violating the Punishment Act for Violation to
Military Service System.

Wang's case is only one of scores that have been investigated amid a wider
probe into entertainers suspected of illegally evading military service.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

The Taiwan Railway Corporation has announced that it will ban political
advertisements in its stations next year.

The move following criticism that the advertisements violate administrative
neutrality.

The issue stems from a Threads post last week, in which a user shared photos
of a campaign poster for K-M-T Yunlin County magistrate candidate Chang
Chia-chun displayed next to ticket gates at Douliu Railway Station.

The user noted that Taiwan Railway Corporation prohibits the rental of
station facilities for "political activities" such as campaign rallies and
argued that the ban likely also applied to political advertising, but was not
being enforced.

According to the corporation, according to the Central Election Commission
and Ministry of Civil Service, advertising spaces at its stations leased to
third parties are considered commercial leases, and do not violate
administrative neutrality regulations.

However, it also says "out of consideration for public perception and a
commitment to administrative neutrality," it has decided to discontinue
political and election-related ad space rentals in its stations from January
1, 2027.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration says Typhoon Champi is forecast to veer in
a northerly direction earlier than previously thought meaning the storm won't
make landfall in Taiwan.

However, the weather administration is warning that the storm will still
bring heavy rain to the north on Friday and Saturday.

According to the administration's forecast center, Champi had strengthened
and increased in size over the past 12 hours and is expected to strong
"moderate" typhoon or weak "intense" typhoon when it skirts northeastern
Taiwan.

Typhoon Champi is currently located some 1,900-kilometers east-southeast of
Eluanbi at the island's southernmost tip and is moving in a
west-northwesterly direction at 24-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm now has a radius of 250-kilometers and is packing sustained wind
speeds of 198-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 244-kilometers-an-hour.

The weather administration says based on current forecasts, it could issue a
sea warning on Wednesday night or Thursday morning at the earliest, and a
land warning on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

The forecast center say that land warning will likely apply to northern and
eastern parts of the island - and the north and Yilan face possible heavy or
extremely heavy rain from Friday and into Saturday.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun is leading a delegation to the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation finance ministers' meeting in Hong Kong.

The meeting begins later today.

The delegation includes Financial Supervisory Commission Vice Chairman Chen
Yen-liang.

The participants are set to discuss global and regional economic and
financial outlook as well as holding discussions with representatives from
the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and the APEC
Business Advisory Council.

Chuang and her delegation will share Taiwan's policy experience in promoting
economic growth, easing household burdens, and improving tax administration,
including through the use of artificial intelligence.

The delegation will also discuss Taiwan's plans to encourage private
investment in digital infrastructure, as well as its efforts to promote
financial innovation and financial inclusion.

The ministry says Taiwan will continue to participate in regional financial
policy discussions and strengthen cooperation with other APEC economies to
promote economic resilience and sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific
region.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Changes to the Japanese government's national certification system policy
means Taiwanese professionals working in Japan will be allowed to list
“Taiwan” as their place of origin.

This comes after the rules on nationality in official licensing documentation
were eased... the change was announced by the Japan-Taiwan Friendship
Parliamentarians’ League in Tokyo.

The license revision covers 322 professions, including doctors and nurses.

Taiwanese professionals working in Japan previously had to list China as
their nationality on professional certifications and licenses.

But the new system includes the ability to register both countries and
regions.

The move comes after Tokyo introduced a new policy last year allowed people
to enter Taiwan in Japan’s family registers.

Data shows that there were than 70,000 Taiwanese living in Japan as of
December.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen will now chair incumbent Taipei Mayor Chiang
Wan-an's re-election campaign.

Chiang says he has worked closely with Lu when he was a lawmaker and since he
became mayor and they have the shared value of putting residents first.

Lu says Chiang approached her for the role and she couldn't refuse the offer
to help Chiang win re-election.

Speaking to reporters after the announcement, Lu said no Taichung mayor has
ever served as campaign chair for a Taipei mayor and she believes Chiang's
move was both bold and innovative.

Chiang has also appointed several K-M-T lawmakers, who the D-P-P attempted to
recall to serve as his re-election campaign's vice chairs and
secretary-generals.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

The Army's newly delivered M-1-A-2-T Abrams main battle tanks will
participate in a major military exercise for the second time next month. when
the Lien Yung drills begin in late November.

Defense officials say the Army's 584th Armored Brigade, which operates the
U-S-made tanks, has already transported them to the Joint Operations Training
Base in Pingtung for the upcoming exercise.

Reports say the tanks will test combat coordination during the month-long
joint military exercise.

The Lien Yung drills are the military's second-largest annual drills after
the Han Kuang exercises and take place in southern Taiwan.

Sources say conscripts serving their mandatory one-year military service will
also participate in this year's Lien Yung drills.

The Ministry of National Defense purchased 108 M-1-A-2-T Abrams main battle
tanks from the U-S at a cost of about 1.45-billion U-S dollars.

Thirty-eight of the tanks were commissioned in late October 2025, and 42 in
April of this year.

The other 28 tanks are still being tested and prepared for service.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

The National Tsing Hua University has signed an agreement with U-S nuclear
microreactor developer NuCube Energy to explore replacing the university's
aging Tsing Hua Open-pool Reactor.

The agreement was signed by university president W. John Kao and NuCube C-E-O
Cristian Rabiti in Taipei and is an exploratory step toward a NuCube
microreactor replacing THOR...

The older reactor began operating in 1961 and is scheduled to be
decommissioned in 2040.

The university says the cooperation will assess technology, research
applications and deployment feasibility to sustain nuclear education,
research and medical services.

Potential applications include boron neutron capture therapy, a cancer
treatment, and isotope production.

The university hopes to install a reactor within two years after NuCube
achieves commercial operation in the United States.

The university is also currently in talks with the Nuclear Safety Commission
on the matter.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Taiwan and the Philippines have signed a memorandum of understanding to
strengthen cooperation in animal husbandry research.

The agreement was signed by Taiwan's representative to the Philippines,
Wallace Chow and his Philippine counterpart, Corazon Avecilla-Padiernos....
and took place after the 13th meeting of a technical group on agricultural
cooperation in Cebu.

The annual meeting has been held since 2005, when the two countries signed an
agreement to promote agricultural and fisheries cooperation.

Taiwanese representatives held talks with their Philippine counterparts on
the potential export of Taiwan's atemoya and animal products to the
Philippines.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

And,

The National Immigration Agency is encouraging the public to submit designs
for a new logo for the New Immigrant Development Fund.

The deadline for submitting designs is Thursday and the competition offers
prizes worth a combined 300,000 N-T.

The agency says the competition aims to create a visual identity that will
"make the fund's support for new immigrants' lives and development more
visible."

The competition is open to anyone legally living in Taiwan, regardless of
nationality or age.

Participants may enter individually or in teams of up to three people, with
each individual or team limited to one submission.

The competition offers 18 prizes, including a MacBook Pro for the top winner
and iMac computers for two runners-up, or alternative prizes worth at least
100,000 and 50,000 N-T each, respectively.

Entries will be judged on how well they reflect the fund's mission,
characteristics and vision, as well as on their designs' creativity,
practical application, and online popularity.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck Yemeni government forces with ballistic
missiles at a military camp, killing at least 53 soldiers.

The attack on Monday was one of the deadliest strikes since a resurgence in
fighting in Yemen this summer.

The fighting between the Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces
is a widening front in the Iran war that began in February. In recent weeks,
the Houthis have also targeted Saudi Arabia, striking its airports and oil
and military facilities.

The Saudis on Monday canceled a global investment conference scheduled for
next week and extended remote learning for schools in and around Riyadh.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Africa’s top public health agency and Congolese officials said that over $700
million in Ebola aid is unaccounted for, and called on organizations to
provide more information about their spending.

This comes as the world’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record continues
to outpace efforts, and the virus has spread into eight provinces in Congo
and into neighboring countries, Kenya and Uganda.

The revelations renew long-standing questions about transparency and
accountability in Congo, a country battered by decades of major epidemics,
including repeated Ebola outbreaks.

Previous Ebola outbreaks were marked by allegations of corruption and
mismanagement of funds.

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:13

Scholars are calling on the government to develop AI tools to detect and
counter Chinese disinformation ahead of Taiwan's November 28th local
elections.

Experts at a DPP forum today warned that China is increasingly using AI to
spread misinformation and influence Taiwan's elections.

DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) accused Beijing of spreading
messages that are partly true but largely false in an attempt to interfere in
Taiwan's elections.

The scholars say China's short-term goal is to influence election results,
while its longer-term aim is to deepen social divisions and undermine public
trust in democracy.

They are urging the government to establish AI-based detection systems and
strengthen media literacy education to help people identify and verify
suspicious information.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:13

Around 2-thousand workers have protested outside the Presidential Office in
Taipei ... demanding higher wages and better retirement benefits.

Labor groups are calling for employers' mandatory pension contributions to be
raised from the current 6 percent to 15 percent.

They're also demanding a system that allows workers to share in company
profits, along with stronger workplace protections.

The Ministry of Labor says it understands the demands, but raising pension
contributions would require changes to Taiwan's labor pension system and
further discussions with employers and workers.

The ministry is also urging companies to raise salaries for existing
employees when the minimum wage goes up ... to help workers keep up with
living costs.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:13

Kaohsiung officials say the city is ready for possible flooding as Typhoon
Champi approaches Taiwan.

The city's Water Resources Bureau says the storm's outer circulation could
bring heavy rain and strong winds, with the greatest impact expected this
Friday and Saturday.

The bureau says all pumping stations, mobile pumps and flood detention ponds
have been inspected and tested.

Drainage channels have also been cleared, while emergency crews and flood
prevention supplies are on standby.

Officials say they will closely monitor rainfall and water levels ... and
urge residents in low-lying areas to prepare sandbags or flood barriers and
follow the latest weather updates.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:14

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have killed at least 20 soldiers in a missile
attack on a military camp in southern Yemen.

Two military officials from Yemen's internationally recognized government say
the rebels fired ballistic missiles at the al-Alam camp in Shabwa province.

The attack also wounded at least two dozen troops.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not
authorized to brief the media.

The attack was one of the deadliest in a recent surge in fighting that began
months ago, shattering a 2022 ceasefire deal in Yemen's civil war.

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:14

The Philippines has summoned China's ambassador to protest remarks it
considers a threat to use force.

Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro expressed the government's serious
concern and strong objection to the ambassador's comments on Thursday.

The dispute comes amid long-running tensions between the two countries over
competing claims in the South China Sea.

Some Philippine lawmakers have called for the ambassador to be formally
censured or expelled.

China has defended its ambassador, describing Manila's response as an
overreaction.

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:14

Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines has been critically injured
after being hit by an S-U-V outside her office in Victoria state.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the driver has been arrested and the
national counterterrorism team is investigating the incident.

Police found a knife inside the vehicle and are working to determine whether
the collision was deliberate.

The 65-year-old Haines was elected to parliament in 2019 and remains
hospitalized with critical injuries.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of Australian politicians,
amid an increase in threats against lawmakers.

Posted on 2026-10-19 18:32:13

The Ministry of Economic Affairs is calling for government funding to help
cover mounting losses at the state-owned CPC Corporation and Taipower.

Deputy Economics Minister Lai Chien-hsin (賴建信) says both companies have
absorbed rising energy costs in recent years to keep fuel and electricity
prices stable.

C-P-C had accumulated losses of over 90 billion NT by the end of September ...

... while Taipower's cumulative losses reached more than 370 billion NT by
the end of August.

Business groups support government assistance, warning that higher energy
prices would put additional pressure on companies and households.

However, some academics argue that government energy policies have
contributed to the losses ...

... and say financial support should cover only costs resulting from
international energy price fluctuations.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 18:32:13

Athletes from across Taiwan are taking part in the 2026 Citizens' Sports
Games in Taoyuan, with several competitions already completed ahead of and
since Saturday's official opening ceremony.

New Taipei City topped the dance sport medal standings with 16 gold, four
silver and four bronze medals, as competition wrapped up Sunday, October
18th.

Taipei finished second, followed by Taichung.

In jiu-jitsu, which concluded Saturday, New Taipei secured at least seven
gold medals, including three in ground-fighting events on October 15th.

Taichung also performed strongly, collecting 22 jiu-jitsu medals, including
four golds.

Meanwhile, host city Taoyuan won two gold and two silver medals in field
archery, which concluded Sunday.

Organizers have also highlighted athletes of all ages, including six-year-old
dance sport competitor Chiu Ching-hui (邱靜慧) and 88-year-old Chiu Chui-yuan
(邱垂源), who is taking part in woodball - a Taiwanese-invented sport similar to
golf and croquet.

The Citizens' Sports Games continue through Thursday, with more medals still
to be decided.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 17:20:13

Relocation

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an says he is willing to work with the central
government to address concerns over his proposal to relocate Songshan
Airport.

Chiang says the coming years could be used to work out the necessary
arrangements, as Taoyuan International Airport prepares to open its third
terminal in 2027 and third runway in 2033.

However, a recent TVBS poll found that 41 percent of Taipei residents opposed
the proposal, while 31 percent supported it.

Another 28 percent of the respondents had no opinions about the issue.

Meanwhile, K-M-T Taipei City Councilor Chin Hui-chu (秦慧珠) has proposed
holding a local referendum on the issue alongside the 2028 presidential
election.

Chiang says relocating Songshan Airport would free up land for future
development, including an artificial intelligence park ....

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 17:20:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan has announced that she's accepted an invitation to
head up her Taipei counterpart's reelection campaign.

She said she couldn't refuse the offer to help reelect Chiang Wan An in the
capital city.

That adds to the outgoing mayor's CV another position as chair of an election
campaign, on top of working to push her preferred successor at home.

Jiang Qi Chen downplayed any discord between the two today, saying that
everyone was just working together...

adding that he would only be jealous if it were his wife.

（AH）

Posted on 2026-10-19 17:20:13

Pressures on Hungarian journalists are reportedly easing after the fall of
long-ruling former Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Orban came down hard on media and the press, with an independent analysis
finding that about 80% of the media market was controlled by Orban and his
far-right Fidesz party.

Under the new center-right, pro European government of Prime Minister Peter
Magyar, pressure on independent jouranlists has eased.

After taking office in May, Magyar's administration suspended news
programming on public radio and television.

Viewers who tuned in saw only white text on a black screen which read:
“Public media should not lie. We are sorry for doing it for so many years!”

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

The Tourism Administration says no Taiwan tour groups have been impacted by
protests in Europe.

Demonstrations escalated into violent clashes and looting in parts of France,
Italy, and Albania over recent days.

Local travel agencies say group itineraries in Paris and other cities remain
normal, with guides instructed to steer clear of protest sites and monitor
local traffic conditions.

And they say tour directors are actively monitoring conditions to safeguard
tour groups.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained Level 1 Gray travel advisories for
popular European destinations including France, Italy, and Germany.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

Facing a sharp pull-back in Taiwan's stock market, the Financial Supervisory
Commission said it'll respect market mechanisms and only intervene if the
market becomes dysfunctional or investors behave irrationally."

F-S-C chair Peng Jin-long (彭金隆) also said Taiwan's market fundamentals remain
sound based on the publicly-listed companies' profit reports during the first
nine months of this year.

While the semiconductor index in Taiwan dropped over 11-percent last week,
the benchmark Taiex declined by 4.5-percent, and Peng said that it's much
more stable compared with other Asian markets.

Peng made the comments when answering lawmakers' questions this morning about
whether his agency will introduce measures to stabilize the market, including
restrictions on short selling.

He stressed that the F-S-C has measures in place to respond to various market
conditions and is continuing to closely monitor developments.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

The Tourism Administration says domestic hotel reservation rates averaged 60
percent for the first two days of the upcoming three-day Retrocession Day
holiday

Officials say Lienchiang County recorded the highest occupancy forecast at 78
percent, with Tainan City and Taipei City ranking second and third.

They point out that Lienchiang County has maintained the highest lodging
reservation rate among all county-level destinations across four consecutive
national holidays.

The agency says nine administrative regions exceeded the national average
booking rate, with favorable weather boosting travel to the Matsu Islands.

And they expect final hotel occupancy numbers to rise as more travelers
finalize last-minute domestic trips.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 298 points to
close the session at 46822

The turnover was 825.1 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

French President Emmanuel Macron is expressing anger and shame over protests
in France.

People have turned out in droves to protest rising living costs and poor
school conditions.

Police have cracked down on protests, arresting at least 1800 people across
the country.

Macron has blamed radical far-left groups and criminals, even though the vast
majority of the arrested are minors.

This comes as the president is set to finish up his second and final term in
office next year.

The president held an emergency meeting with officials and instructed
measures to protect public buildings.

In Paris, police used tear gas on protesters, as some looted businesses.

Authorities have estimated that yesterday's protests saw about 550,000
present, but organizers say the number was closer to 800,000.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

President Lai Ching-te has thanked Palau's visiting President Surangel S.
Whipps for his support for Taiwan's participation in international
organizations.

The president made the comments during the opening of a new Shin Kong Wu
Ho-su Memorial Hospital building in Taipei, where Whipps was also a guest.

Lai expressed his appreciation for Whipps' refusal to yield to refusing to
pressure from Beijing, after it interfered in the country’s presidential
election when Whipps was seeking re-election.

Palau's president spoke out in support of Taiwan at the United Nations and
the Pacific Islands Forum, which was hosted by Palau this year.

The Shin Kong Wu Ho-su Memorial Hospital has worked with Palau develop
healthcare services and has stationed nurses in the Pacific allied nation
since 2007.

Whipps' visit to Taiwan has been timed to coincide with 20 years of medical
cooperation between the two countries.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says he believes newly passed legislation
fully subsidizing National Health Insurance premiums for most seniors will
increase the financial burden on younger generations.

Lawmakers passed amendments to the Senior Citizens Welfare Act last Friday.

Under the amendments, the central government will be required to fully cover
National Health Insurance premiums for people aged 65 and older whose total
consolidated income is subject to an income tax rate below 20-per cent.

Shih says figures show that young children and seniors use far more in health
care services than they pay in premiums and the difference is borne by the
working-age population, who get sick less often and pay more on average.

The health ministry has said that because the 20-per cent tax bracket applies
only to taxable income above 1.33-million N-T this year, as many as 83-per
cent of seniors will qualify for the subsidy program.

The health ministry estimates the subsidies will cost about 40-billion N-T a
year at current levels, and that cost will rise as the population ages, even
as premium income falls because of a shrinking workforce.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

Two suspects who allegedly fled to South Korea after taking part in a fatal
assault in Kaohsiung's Nanzih District last month have been repatriated to
Taiwan and taken into custody.

Police says a 25-year-old used-car dealership owner and a 23-year-old
employee were detained after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport.

The Kaohsiung City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Corps says
South Korean police arrested the two after Criminal Investigation Bureau
requested assistance through its liaison officer in South Korea.

The case came to light on September 30, when a 22-year-old man called police
to report that he had accidentally beaten a coworker to death.

That man later drove the victim's body to a police station and turned himself
in - telling them the attack stemmed from a dispute over a 100,000 debt
allegedly owed by the victim.

Ciaotou Prosecutors say four people have ordered detained pending further
investigation, one person has been released on bail of 200,000 N-T, while a
juvenile involved in the case has been placed in protective custody.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

The National Freeway Bureau says heavy traffic can be expected on the
island's freeways over the coming three-day holiday weekend.

Initial estimates from the bureau show projected traffic volumes of between
106 to 112 million vehicle-kilometers.

Southbound traffic on the first day is forecast to reach
61-vehicle-kilometers during, or 1.3 times the regular Saturday traffic
volume.

The bureau is advising southbound travelers on Saturday and Sunday to depart
before 6AM or after noon, when using Freeways No. 1 and No. 3, while those
using Freeway No. 3 should leave before 5AM or after 5PM.

Northbound travelers on Sunday and Monday of next week are being advised to
depart before 9AM , while those in center should plan to leave before noon.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

The Central Weather Administration says it could issue a sea warning for
Typhoon Champi as early as Wednesday night, and that could possibly be
followed by a land warning on Thursday night or sometime on Friday.

The typhoon is expected to have its greatest impact on Taiwan on Friday and
Saturday.

It's forecast to bring heavy rain to the north and center as well as to the
Yilan and Hualien areas.

Typhoon Champi is currently located some 2,200-kilometers east-southeast of
Eluanbi at the island's southernmost tip and is moving in a
west-northwesterly direction at 22-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm has a radius of 200-kilometers and is packing sustained wind speeds
of 183-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 226-kilometers-an-hour.

The weather administration says Typhoon Champi is currently forecast to will
maintain its strength as it heads toward waters northeast of Taiwan.

The administration's latest tracking chart shows the storm veering in a more
northerly direction, away from the east coast on Friday and Saturday.

BUT the forecast center says it's too early to say if the storm will continue
on that path.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

Pope Leo XIV has thanked the faithful in St. Peter’s Square for their prayers
after his hospitalization for lung surgery.
Leo addressed the faithful from window overlooking the square... he said he
would gradually resume his activities with God's help.

The pontiff had a malignant tumor removed last week and expressed gratitude
to the medical staff at Gemelli hospital.
He said the experience made him feel closer to those facing illness.

The 71-year-old pope is recovering well and plans to continue his duties,
including a scheduled trip to South America in November.

His surgeon sees no clinical reasons to cancel the trip.

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