ICRT

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:33:13

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it has increased its
funding for developing relationships with Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.

The maximum total subsidy over seven years has gone up from 20 million NT to
60 million NT.

The subsidies can now be used to cover the salaries of local employees;
factory and equipment costs; and the rent of land and buildings.

Airfare subsidies for visits to diplomatic partners has also gone up to 100
000 NT.

The “Rongbang Plan” is intended to encourage Taiwanese companies to invest
and establish operations in Taiwan’s diplomatic partners.

The new revisions took effect on July 1st.

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:33:13

Ten students from Yilan County set off today for Japan’s Okinawa island chain.

The students, from Yue-Ming Elementary and Junior High School, will undertake
a roughly 1500-kilometre round trip boat excursion, visiting Ishigaki,
Miyakojima, and Okinawa City.

The students, from Yue-Ming Elementary and Junior High School, embark on a
1500-kilometre round trip from Suao Port to Okinawa.

The school said that their “Sailing the East China Sea: Exploring the Ocean”
programme combines sailing, marine science research, and exchanges with
Japanese students.

Premier Cho Jung-tai and Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun attended the departure
ceremony and presented the students with sunglasses.

This also marks the thirtieth anniversary of a sister-city relationship
between Suao and Ishigaki.

They should land in Ishigaki tomorrow, and the students will take part in a
friendly sailing race with local Okinawan students whilst there.

The boat will remain safety docked on shore if typhoons should develop along
their route.

Yue Ming has organized such expeditions since 2018.

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:33:13

Ukrainian

Interpol has announced an arrest warrant for Anastasiia Berezovska, a
39-year-old woman from Ukraine, who is suspected for targetting a Ukrainian
tycoon in a bombing in the city-state of Monaco on Monday.

She is believed to have fled into neighbouring France immediately after the
attempt.

A parcel was left at the entrance to an apartment building.

It exploded shortly afterwards and injured three people.

Officials have not confirmed who they are, but local reports say that it
targetted Ukrainian tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev, his partner, and his 13-year-old
son.

The woman's condition is still life-or-death, but the man's condition has
stabilised and the child suffered only minor injuries.

Forbes listed Yermolaiev, a 58-year-old real estate developer, as the
39th-richest Ukrainian in 2020, saying he was then worth $230 million or 7.3
billion NT.

But he has been sanctioned by the Ukrainian government because of his wine
and alcohol interests in the Crimean peninsula, which is internationally
recognised as being part of Ukraine but which has been annexed by Russia.

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:33:13

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now spread from
the northeasternmost part of the country to Kisangani, a major city of 1.5
million people 600 kilometres away from the outbreak's epicentre.

Since the outbreak was declared on May 15th, Ebola has killed 438 people,
making for a fatality rate of 31 per cent.

There is no vaccine or treatment against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola that
has caused this current outbreak.

But the World Health Organisation has just announced that it has started a
clinical trial of two potential medicines against this strain of Ebola.

The trial is being run by the University of Oxford along with a university in
Belgium and one in the DR Congo.

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:33:14

Canadian singer Bryan Adams has released "51st State", a protest song
addressing American president Donald Trump's digs against his country's
northern neighbour.

It includes lyrics like, "Go'n load us up with tariffs, but we'll never be
the 51st state," but also talks about the two countries' long history as
allies and friends, singing, "Maybe you've forgotten, maybe you don't care /
But we've always stood beside you for that liberty we share."

The song, at just 2 minutes and 16 seconds, was released on Canada Day --
July 1st -- and right in advance of the United States' 250th birthday this
weekend.

It has already been viewed more than 230,000 times on YouTube.

The 66-year-old is known for hits in the '80s and '90s like "Summer of '69"
and "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" and "Summer of '69."

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:01:13

Taishin Bank says it hopes to expand its smart transit payment business to
metro systems in central and southern Taiwan ...

... after a six-month trial of Taipei Metro's contactless payment system
recorded more than one million trips.

The bank says it will bid for similar payment contracts if opportunities
arise.

According to Taishin, 80 percent of users during the trial were under the age
of 35, while 90 percent chose to tap with their phones rather than physical
cards.

Taipei Metro now accepts contactless credit cards and mobile wallets,
including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, allowing both commuters and
international visitors to ride without buying single-ride tickets or transit
cards.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:01:14

Nikkei Asia reports that Vietnam's economy grew 8.39 percent in the second
quarter, accelerating from 7.94 percent in the first three months of the
year.

The country's statistics office says the increase was driven by
manufacturing, construction and public investment in major infrastructure and
real estate projects.

Economic growth reached 8.18 percent during the first half of the year.

However, officials say Vietnam will need even faster growth in the second
half to achieve its full-year target of at least 10 percent.

Posted on 2026-07-03 19:01:14

Posted on 2026-07-03 17:08:13

The KMT and TPP have blocked all 3 of the Cabinet's latest round of nominees
to sit on the Central Election Commission.

This comes after the Cabinet in April nominated 3 more people to sit on the
CEC, after the legislature in March confirmed only 4 out of 7 nominees put
forward by the Executive Yuan.

A nominee must receive support from at least half of all lawmakers.

The vote count today shows that 50 DPP lawmakers voted in favor of all 3
nominees while opposition lawmakers all voted against them.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-03 17:08:13

Hsinchu County councilors are calling on the municipal government to improve
flood prevention and drainage systems.

That's following heavy rainfall that led to flooding in Zhubei last week.

KMT councilor Tsai Chih-huan蔡志環 said many residents reported flooded homes,
waterlogged roads, and poor drainage after last Friday's downpour.

He urged the county government to prevent the same areas from flooding
repeatedly and speed up post-disaster recovery work.

In response, the Hsinchu County government said it has inspected storm
drains, roads, bridges, and underpasses, while stepping up dredging efforts
in flood-prone areas.

Authorities have also launched emergency repairs to damaged embankments and
are considering additional funding to improve drainage infrastructure and
reduce future flood risks.

(AL)

Posted on 2026-07-03 17:08:14

In related news...

The central government has agreed in principle to provide Tainan with an
additional 2 billion NT for flood control projects after torrential rainfall
caused widespead flooding last week.

According to the Tainan City Government, heavy rain brought by Typhoon
Mekkhala's outler circulation and seasonal southwest monsoon far exceeded the
city's drainage capacity...

causing rivers to overflow, flooding several districts.

The funding will be used to strengthen river embankments, improve drainage
systems, expand pumping capacity, and build more flood detention facilities
...

... as the city works to better prepare for increasingly frequent extreme
weather events.

(AL)

Posted on 2026-07-03 17:08:14

Now turning to international news...

Russian President Vladimir Putin is downplaying Ukrainian attacks on Russia's
oil infrastructure.

Ukrainian strikes have knocked out an estimated one third of Russia's oil
refining capacity and have triggered fuel rationing in many regions, plus
long waits for gas.

The Russian president has called the shortages "not critical," and rejected
ceasefire proposals.

He says, he will continue the war until his goals are met.

Putin's remarks come as Russia hit Kyiv with one of the deadliest attacks
since the start of its full-scale invasion.

An eleven-hour barrage on the Ukrainian capital yesterday killed at least
twenty-one people.

It struck residential areas, even as Moscow claimed to be targeting military
sites.

More than four years in, a United Nations tally puts Ukrainian civilian
deaths above sixteen-thousand.

Posted on 2026-07-03 17:08:14

Indonesian villagers are taking on one of the world's biggest cement
companies in court.

The plaintiffs and rights groups have filed a case against Heidelberg
Materials over plans for a limestone mine and cement factory in Central Java.

They say the project threatens a rare karst ecosystem, which is a major
carbon sink and underground water reservoir...

and thus influences the livelihoods of Indigenous communities there.

It's Indonesia's first complaint under Germany's supply chain law, which
requires big companies to respect human rights wherever they operate.

Heidelberg says affected communities were consulted and that no final
decision on the project has been made.

Legal experts say cases like this are multiplying across Asia and could
change how European companies do business in the region, allowing affected
environments around the world to counter corporate activity.

Posted on 2026-07-03 17:08:14

A German far right party is meeting to elect leaders this weekend.

The meeting will aim to show the unity of the Alternative for Germany party,
and to capitalize on the unpopularity of the current government under
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's national coalition government.

Merz took office with pledges to reform and turn around Germany’s economy.

The AfD currently has a chance at winning an absolute majority in a state
election later this year.

Leading a state administration would provide AfD with extensive powers, like
running the education system and overseeing security matters.

Opponents worry about the prospect of AfD replacing large numbers of civil
servants if it governs Saxony-Anhalt, and about the possibility of
confidential information ending up in far-right circles or even Russia.

Posted on 2026-07-03 16:07:13

A proposal to hold a referendum on caning has advanced past the first reading
thanks to the KMT's legislative majority.

The proposal was put forward by KMT lawmaker Hung Mong-kai. 洪孟楷

Eight TPP lawmakers were present for the vote but abstained.

The proposal seeks to hold a referendum that would ask voters about using
caning for serious crimes like scams and child abuse.

The vote today appears to contradict statements made by the KMT last week, in
which they said that they would not pursue a referendum on caning until there
was greater public consensus on the issue.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-03 16:07:15

Mandarin Airlines has introduced its first A321neo aircraft on domestic
outlying island routes to meet increased summer travel demand.

The inaugural flight departed Taichung for Penghu this morning.

The airline says the 235-seater aircraft will primarily serve the busy Penghu
and Kinmen routes during the summer vacation period, increasing capacity and
easing pressure on existing services.

The A321neo features eight premium economy seats, 227 economy seats and an
accessible restroom.

Mandarin Airlines says it plans to add two more A321neo aircraft in the
second half of 2027 for regional routes across Southeast and Northeast Asia.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-03 16:07:15

Award-winning Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi has been featured in Finland's
largest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, following her International Booker
Prize win.

The paper published both an in-depth interview with Yang and a review of her
novel, "Taiwan Travelogue".

In the interview, Yang said that she hopes her writing will help people
around the world better understand Taiwan and its stories.

She also emphasised that Taiwan's democratic development inspired her to
write historcal fiction.

The newspaper prasied "Taiwan Travelogue" for its portrayal of Taiwan under
Japanese colonial rule and its exploration of how history can be shaped by
those who tell it.

(AL)

Posted on 2026-07-03 16:07:15

An overcrowded passenger bus in southwestern Pakistan has plunged from a
highway into a rocky ravine, killing 40 people and injuring eight others.

An official said that the bus went out of control earlier today in Dana Sar,
a remote area near the border between the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that the bus was carrying its own passengers and those from another
bus that had broken down.

Road accidents are common in Pakistan because of poor road conditions,
inadequate enforcement of traffic laws, and unsafe driving practices,
particularly in mountainous areas.

Posted on 2026-07-03 16:07:15

Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s West Papua region say that they have shot
dead an American pilot and set fire to his plane.

The West Papua National Liberation Army said that they killed the pilot,
Nicholas Gosselin, after he landed there yesterday.

West Papua’s indigenous people have been engaged in a years-long conflict
with the Indonesian government over independence.

West Papua, or Western New Guinea, is the western half of the island of New
Guinea.

It is the easternmost part of the country of Indonesia, and borders the
independent country of Papua New Guinea on the other half of the island.

The rebels believe that civilian pilots carry in Indonesian troops to the
region and say that the pilot’s death was “a message”.

They say that they have banned civilian flights across the region.

There has been no confirmation of the fate of the seven other passengers on
the plane.

Posted on 2026-07-03 16:07:15

A mayor in Japan has taken maternity leave for the first time.

Shoko Kawata, 35, is the mayor of Yawata, a town south of Kyoto in western
Japan that is known for its shrines and its cherry trees.

Kawata is not officially taking maternity leave, because there are no
provisions for elected officials to take time off after having babies.

Instead, she has assigned one of her deputies – an older man – to temporarily
take over her role.

And while Kawata says that everyone at work was supportive, that has not been
the universal case amongst the general public in Japan.

Some say that she is setting a good example for other young women who want to
enter politics.

Others say that she is irresponsible for neglecting her duties, and that she
should have had babies before taking office.

Only 4 per cent of Japan’s mayors are women, and it is ranked 118th out of
146 countries for gender equality by the World Economic Forum.

Kawata’s deputy says that his son-in-law is also taking six months off work
take care of his newborn baby.

He said that “Seeing that makes me happy … It’s great to see them working
together like that.”

Posted on 2026-07-03 15:13:13

Local governments are intensifying inspections nationwide after some soybean
salad oil produced by Chung Lien Oils Corporation 中聯 was found to contain
excessive levels of BaP, a Group 1 carcinogen.

The affected oil was distributed to major food manufacturers, prompting a
nationwide recall of 15 products.

Some local governments have stepped up enforcement efforts.

New Taipei City inspected more than 70 retailers, schools, and meal
providers, confirming that no affected products remained in stock.

Mayor Hou Yu-ih also reminded residents that they can check information
regarding recalls and exchange information on the city government webite.

Miaoli County inspected eight businesses and removed more than 200 recalled
products, whilst Changhua County checked more than 150 businesses and oversaw
the removal of more than 1,130 kilograms of affected cooking oil from store
shelves.

Authorities continue to monitor the recall process to ensure that all
affected products have been removed from the market and that food safety
regulations are fully enforced.

They remind vendors that they will punish the failure to remove recalled
products.

(AL)

Posted on 2026-07-03 15:13:15

Swedish fashion retailer H&M says that it will close its flagship store in
Taipei's Ximending shopping district at the end of the year.

The company says the closure is due to the expiration of the store's lease
following discussions with the landlord.

H&M says it remains committed to the Taiwan market and will continue
optimising its store network whilst looking for new locations.

The Ximending outlet opened as H&M's flagship store in Taiwan and was once
the brand's largest flagship store in Asia.

After the closure, H&M will continue operating 13 stores across Taiwan.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-03 15:13:15

Temperatures along the U.S. East Coast are expected to reach 38 degrees for
several days, including during this weekend’s Fourth of July holiday.

After considering humidity, the National Weather Service said that it could
feel as hot as 46 degrees.

This is as America marks its 250th birthday with a celebration hosted by
Donald Trump.

And one World Cup game will take place outdoors in the northeast U.S. every
night from tonight till next Monday.

A heat wave that had previously hit the Midwest has now moved towards the
Northeast and mid-Atlantic, and extreme heat warnings were issued yesterday
for the entire region.

New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, suggested that New Yorkers should take
a page out of the book of anyone potentially marrying inside Madison Square
Gardens this weekend – an allusion to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce – and
stay indoors.

But Donald Trump said that despite the 43-degree weather expected at
tomorrow’s outdoor Fourth of July celebration in Washington, “I'm gonna make
a really long speech just to show that I can do anything.”

Posted on 2026-07-03 15:13:15

An international police operation has identified 156 new suspects and victims
in cases of drug-facilitated sexual assault.

The victims were almost all women.

This is the latest operation in Project Medusa, a German- and British-led
operation to dismantle online networks that encourage misogyny and especially
drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, said that since
April, 57 suspected perpetrators have been arrested and 158 victims have been
safeguarded.

Europol said that perpetrators often use encrypted messaging services and
closed chat groups to illegally trade narcotics and co-ordinate criminal
acts.

Drug-facilitated sexual assault is typically initiated by someone the victim
knows and trusts and often takes place over extended periods, sometimes even
years.

Some 274 new investigative leads have also been identified.

Posted on 2026-07-03 15:13:15

Switzerland has won an elimination game at the World Cup for the first time
since 1938.

That was the year of the second-ever World Cup.

Switzerland beat Algeria 2-0 at BC Place in Vancouver.

Breel Embolo scored for the Swiss just ten minutes in, and Dan Ndoye [en-DOY]
doubled their lead less than a minute after the half-time break.

But it was Johan [zho-AN] Manzambi who was most impressive.

He set up Embolo’s goal, and now has three goals and two assists at the
tournament.

This makes the 20-year-old Manzambi the youngest ever player to be involved
in five World Cup goals – for any nation – since 1966.

Today was also the first time that Switzerland has scored more than one goal
in a World Cup elimination game since 1954, when they were beaten 7-5 by
Austria.

Algeria has never won a game at the World Cup knockout stages.

Switzerland will stay in Vancouver and next play the winner of the
Colombia-versus-Ghana match in the round of 16.

Posted on 2026-07-03 14:11:13

The Legislative Yuan has sent competing versions of drone procurement
proposals for committee review.

Three committees will examine the DPP's 210 million NT special budget for
drone acquisition...

as well as the KMT's version that sets out 240 million NT in spending in the
general government budget, plus the TPP version.

The Economics, Foreign Affairs & National Defense, and Finance Committees
will examine the 3 proposals.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-03 14:11:14

Pingtung is cracking down on drug-impaired driving, making 17 arrests in
about one month and a half.

Officials say, one of those detained is a 49 year old repeat offedner
surnamed Su.

Prosecutors filed charges against him and are seeking a prison sentence of
one year in accordance with recidivism regulations.

Pingtung prosecutors noted that some cases involved the increasingly
prevalent drug etomidate.

Prosecutors note that etomidate has been reclassified as a Schedule I
controlled substance, and enforcement will be intensified to swiftly and
severely prosecute drug-driving offenses.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-03 14:11:14

The Central Weather Administration says, Typhoon Bavi is showing signs of
strengthening, but its impact on Taiwan is not yet clear.

The typhoon is currently moving westward over waters east of the Philippines,
located nearly 4000 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan southernmost point as
of this morning.

The CWA says, the storm slowed from 16 kilometers per hour to 13.

They add that they expect the storm to continue strengthening over the coming
days.

Forecasters believe the typhoon will reach waters near the Ryukyu Islands
early Wednesday.

They believe it will then turn northwest as it approaches waters off Taiwan's
east.

However, it remains to be seen what sort of impact Bavi will have on Taiwan.

In other weather news, the CWA says that the highest temperature recorded
nationwide today as of noon was in Pingtung's Zhutian, at 38.4 degrees
celsius.

(AH-CNA)

Posted on 2026-07-03 14:11:14

Taiwan shares are slightly up today, with the benchmark tai ex closing at
46780 after gaining 36 points.

The turnover was 1.015 trillion NT

Posted on 2026-07-03 14:11:14

Now turning to international news...

Venezuela's acting president is defending her government's response to last
week's devastating earthquakes as the death toll climbs past 2200.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez pushed back against accusations that
authorities were too slow.

She insisted that the government- in her words- "activated immediately."

However, residents in the hardest-hit areas say otherwise.

They state that in the first days, they were digging for neighbors with their
bare hands.

More than eleven-thousand people are injured, and thousands remain missing.

Critics also suggest the real death toll is far higher than official numbers.

There was one bright spot: a forty-three-year-old security guard was pulled
out alive after nearly eight days under the rubble.

The disaster is the biggest test yet for Rodríguez, who took power with US
backing after the US abducted former president Nicolas Maduro earlier this
year.

(JC)

Posted on 2026-07-03 14:11:14

In the US,

a man with a Tibetan flag set himself on fire in front of the United Nations
headquarters in New York.

Officials say he died after suffering severe burns.

Law enforcement are investigating what happened, and had no comment as to the
man's motives for self immolating.

A UN spokesperson said the incident took place after scheduled meetings for
the day had ended. 0

The case is currently under investigation, and the man's identity is
currently not known to the public.

According to the International Campaign for Tibet, there have been more than
150 self-immolations by Tibetans between 2009 and 2022.

Posted on 2026-07-03 13:10:13

The Legislative Yuan is set to vote on the Cabinet's nominations to serve on
the Central Election Commission today.

It is understood that opposition lawmakers may vote to reject the 3 nominees.

But the DPP's Legislative Caucus Secretary General, Zhuang Rui Xiong, says
today that he hopes the candidates will not be completely blocked for
political reasons.

The Executive Yuan put forward 3 more nominees after the Legislature in March
approved 4 nominees, 3 of whom were recommended by KMT or TPP...

while lawmakers voted against the three nominees chosen by the DPP.

In April, the Executive Yuan put forward three more picks to sit on the
Commission.

The vote is expected to take place later today.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-03 13:10:13

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An says, he hopes the legislature will work together
to invest in and develop the domestic drone industry.

He says, it's important to maintaining national security and international
cooperation.

Chiang made the comments as competing versions of proposed additional drone
funding have now been sent for committee review.

The Cabinet proposed a special budget aimed at drone acquisition with an
upper budget limit of 210 billion NT, while the KMT proposed its own version
that is incorporated into the general budget and sets a budget ceiling of 240
billion NT.

The Taipei mayor thus joins his Taichung counterpart Lu Xiu yan in voicing
support for more funding for the domestic drone industry.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-03 13:10:18

Now turning to international news...

Anti-government protests in Albania have turned violent, with a Trump family
connection at the center of the controversy.

Police in the capital Tirana fired tear gas and pepper spray yesterday at
demonstrators throwing rocks and eggs outside parliament.

Twelve officers were injured, and eighteen protesters detained.

The protests, known as the “flamingo protests”, started more than a month ago
over a luxury resort planned for Albania's Adriatic coast.

The developer of the luxury resort just so happens to be Jared Kushner, the
son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

Environmentalists say the project threatens protected flamingo habitats and
the cardboard flamingos in the crowds.

But the movement has grown into something bigger, with thousands now
demanding the prime minister resign.

The government says the resort will boost tourism and help Albania's bid to
join the European Union.

Posted on 2026-07-03 13:10:13

The Yilan International Children's Folklore and Folkgame Festival returns for
its 31st edition from July 4th to August 16th at the Dongshan River Water
Park.

The theme for this year, “Into the Forest,” transforms the venue into an
immersive woodland filled with water attractions, interactive art
installations, and family-friendly activities.

More than 20 international performing groups will also take the stage,
bringing music and cultural performances from around the world.

Organizers hope families of all ages can reconnect through play and create
lasting summer memories.

(AL)

Posted on 2026-07-03 13:10:20

A powerful Iranian general has been spotted attending a meeting about the
funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after not being
seen in public for nearly 5 months.

General Ahmad Vahidi was seen sitting alongside Khamenei’s casket as Iran’s
religious leadership held a smaller service for him yesterday near the
supreme leader’s former home.

Experts say Vahidi has become a foundational member in negotiating a possible
permanent end to the war with the United States.

He is said to be one of the very few who are in direct contact with Iran’s
new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has also been in hiding
after the February 28th strikes killed his father.

Iran will hold a dayslong funeral for Khamenei commencing tomorrow and his
body will be transported to cities in both Iran and neighboring Iraq.

Posted on 2026-07-03 11:08:13

The Ministry of Economic Affairs has approved a 20-billion U-S dollar capital
injection by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing into its wholly owned U-S
subsidiary, T-S-M-C Arizona.

It marks the sixth time the department has approved T-S-M-C investments in
the United States.

And brings the total amount cleared for the company's U-S operations to
44-billion U-S dollars.

The latest funding will be used to build a 12-inch wafer fab and an advanced
packaging plant in Arizona.

Posted on 2026-07-03 11:08:14

The number of accounts created to trade on the local stock market rose to a
new high at the end of June, as the Tai-Ex soared almost 60-per cent in the
first half of the year.

Data show there were about 14.49-million trading accounts in the Tai-Ex as of
the end of June.

That's up by 155,000 from the end of May and marks an increase of 720,156
from the end of 2025.

Market analysts are attributing the Taiex's strong performance to an
increasing number of investors joining trading out of "fear of missing out."

Posted on 2026-07-03 11:08:14

Now turning to international news...

Canada has moved to advance a Pacific Coast pipeline from Alberta as Prime
Minister Mark Carney seeks to diversify oil exports beyond the US...

while trying to calm tensions in the province over secession.

Carney has set a goal for Canada to double its non-U.S. exports in the next
decade and has said a pipeline can reduce the price discount on current oil
sales to U.S. markets.

Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith unveiled a proposed route through
southern British Columbia...

saying the project would open more Canadian oil to Asian markets while
preserving a ban on oil tankers off northern British Columbia.

Smith had been critical of Carney's predecessor, Justin Trudeau, saying he
muzzled the province's energy industry and fueled secessionism.

Posted on 2026-07-03 11:08:14

Also in Canada,

Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
to Canada.

Its the first visit by a Philippine leader in more than a decade as the two
countries deepen economic and security ties.

Carney says Filipino-Canadians are “at the very heart” of Canada, and both
countries can benefit in energy security and critical minerals through a
strategic partnership.

The two leaders pledged to pursue a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement,
deepen defense and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and strengthen
economic ties supported by Canada’s one million-strong Filipino community.

Posted on 2026-07-03 08:12:13

Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin says the United States is unlikely to match
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's production capacity in Taiwan despite
the chipmaker's expansion in Arizona.

The statement comes after U-S President Donald Trump earlier this week said
Taiwan is doubling the size of the chip plants under construction in Arizona
and that Taiwanese chipmakers such as T-S-M-C are increasing their
investments in America.

And according to Trump, America could have 50-per cent of the chip market by
the time he leaves office in 2029.

Speaking to reporters, Kung said T-S-M-C has already announced plans for a
total of 16 fabs and advanced Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate packaging facilities
here in Taiwan and regardless of how many fabs the U-S builds in the future,
it won't be that many.

The economics minister also said that T-S-M-C's previously announced plans
are evidence that Taiwan will remain central to its manufacturing operations.

Posted on 2026-07-03 08:12:13

U-S server maker Supermicro is denying reports that its Taiwan office was
raided by authorities as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged
illegal sale of A-I servers equipped with advanced Nvidia chips to China.

According to Supermicro, authorties have confirmed that the company "is not a
target" of the investigation and has been providing information to, and
cooperating with investigators for several months.

The statement comes after four Supermicro Taiwan employees were detained for
questioning earlier this week in connection with an investigation into
Supermicro's sale of products to a Taiwan technology company.

Supermicro says it coordinated with authorities by providing access to the
employees' desks and electronic devices.

Two of those employees remain in detention pending further legal proceedings,
while the other two have been released on bail.

Supermicro also says all four employees have been placed on administrative
leave pending the conclusion of the investigation, and the company has "zero
tolerance" for violations of the law or its internal policies.

The Keelung District Prosecutors Office investigation is focusing on the
alleged illegal resale of A-I servers equipped with export-controlled Nvidia
chips to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Posted on 2026-07-03 08:12:13

The Food and Drug Administration has recalled around 1,300 tonnes of cooking
oil products after they were found to contain excessive levels of a
carcinogenic compound.

The F-D-A says the affected soy-based cooking oil was produced by
Taichung-based Central Union Oil and supplied to three major local food oil
companies.

According to the F-D-A, the affected oil was sold to the three companies
between April 8 and April 10 and those companies immediately recalled the
products after being notified by Central Union of the issue.

F-D-A officials and members of the Taichung City Government's food safety
office inspected Central Union's premises on Wednesday.

Central Union has now been ordered to suspend production while authorities
review its manufacturing processes to determine the cause of the problem.

Posted on 2026-07-03 08:12:13

Residents of Hsinchu City's Guanxin ward posted Taiwan's highest average
annual household income in 2024 at 4.592-million N-T to reclaim the title of
the country's wealthiest ward.

Guanxin also topped the nation in median household income at 3.434-million
N-T, making it not only the highest-earning but also one of Taiwan's most
evenly affluent neighborhoods.

According to the Ministry of Finance's preliminary 2024 individual income tax
statistics, the top five highest-income villages were all in northern Taiwan.

Guanxin is fueled by high-income professionals working in the nearby Hsinchu
Science Park and returned to No. 1 after being overtaken in 2023 by Zhonghua
ward in Taipei's Songshan District.

Yongfu ward in Taipei's Shilin District ranked second with average household
income of 3.548-million N-T, followed by Taipei's Zhonghua ward
with average household income of 3.489-million N-T.

Posted on 2026-07-03 08:12:13

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration says a tropical storm that formed in
waters near Guam yesterday has now developed into a typhoon.

Typhoon Bavi is located some 1,000 kilometers east of Guam, or some
4,000-kilometers southeast of Eluanbi at Taiwan's southernmost tip, and is
moving in a westerly direction at 24-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm has a radius of 180-kilometers and is packing sustained wind speeds
of 133-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 154-kilometers-an-hour.

According to the weather administration's forecast center, based on its
current tracking, Bavi is expected to pass near Guam between Monday and
Tuesday of next week, before heading toward Japan's Ryukyu Islands, where it
is likely to begin turning north.

However, the center says the exact angle of the storm's northward turn and
its track remain highly uncertain and its potential impact on Taiwan will
depend on its position in the latter half of next week.

Meanwhile, tropical storm Maysak is expected to make landfall in China's
Hainan province later today after it moved through the South China Sea and
its posed no threat to Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

The Cabinet is proposing an average 4-percent pay rise for active-duty
military personnel, civil servants and public school teachers.

Premier Zh Rong-tai says the pay raises take into account Taiwan's strong
economic performance in recent years and the consumer price index -- which is
expected to record a cumulative increase of more than 3-per cent since 2024.

The government is said to believe the benefits of economic growth should also
be shared with public-sector employees, as average private-sector wages and
the minimum wage have also risen.

The 4-per cent increase will be funded through the fiscal 2027 general budget.

The Cabinet is also proposing a monthly allowance of 2,000 N-T for managerial
positions and posts requiring specialized skills, as part of efforts to
encourage civil servants to take on management roles.

Zhu said that allowance increases will be funded through a supplementary
budget to be submitted after the Legislative Yuan completes its review of the
fiscal 2026 general budget.

The increases would be applied retroactively to July 1, 2026.

Cho says the central government is now working to earmark funding for the pay
raises... its urging lawmakers to approve the proposal to support the
government's efforts to recruit and retain talent.

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene says Washington is ready
to deepen cooperation with Taipei on uncrewed systems.

He categorised the move as a new business and "game-changing opportunity"
which could boost security in Taiwan and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Greene told participants at a drone industry business forum in Taichung that
Ukraine has shown that "a military with robust drone production capacity and
a culture of technological innovation can punch far above its weight" ..

.. and that's "good news for Taiwan, with its world-beating technology and
production capabilities."

The A-I-T director believes Taiwan's drone industry is a sector where the
island's unique combination of talent, infrastructure, and ecosystem creates
a durable, world-leading competitive advantage and the U-S is eager to be
part of that journey.

Greene said closer US-Taiwan cooperation will help "anchor democratic drone
production, reduce vulnerability to supply chain disruption, and strengthen
the collective deterrence posture of the free world."

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says the government will consider a limited
relaxation of controls on access to the morning-after pill and will be taking
Japan as a reference for any such moves.

Shih says a policy plan will be finalized in the second half of this year and
and include comprehensive support measures, as the morning-after pill still
has side effects.

The policy shift comes amid backlash over recently proposed contraception
sales restrictions.

The Food and Drug Administration last week indicated it would add three
prescription drugs, including two oral emergency contraceptives, to its drug
traceability system by amending the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.

The drugs currently require a doctor's prescription.

However, they are also available at some pharmacies and there's concern that
might be stopped if they're included in the traceability system.

The F-D-A says its proposal is intended to ensure pharmaceutical companies'
report compliance and allow regulators to track drug distribution.

The draft policy is open for public comment for 60 days.

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

reports

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has received no reports of Taiwan
citizens being denied entry into Kenya.

The statement comes after recent comments by a Kenyan official suggested that
holders of Taiwan passports will not be allowed entry into the country.

The country's principal secretary for foreign affairs was quoted by the Kenya
Times as saying travelers holding Taiwan passports would "ordinarily be
denied entry at Kenya's borders for lacking proper travel documentation."

The newspaper went to cite the official as saying "any person purporting to
hold a Taiwan passport would ordinarily not be allowed" entry.

The official also reaffirmed Kenya's adherence to the "one China" policy.

But the foreign ministry here in Taipei says Taiwan passport holders can
still enter Kenya, provided that the passport is valid for at least six
months and they obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization, in accordance with
Kenya's current regulations.

The foreign ministry says it will continue to monitor any changes to Kenya's
entry policies to safeguard the rights and interests of Taiwanese citizens
traveling there for business or tourism.

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

The Tainan District Court has sentenced D-P-P lawmaker Lin I-chin to seven
years in prison for defrauding more than 14-million N-T in assistant
subsidies.

The court found Lin guilty of on six counts of violating the Anti-Corruption
Act for abusing her position to misappropriate assistant subsidies, which
were diverted for personal and constituency office expenses.

Prosecutors say she falsified assistant salary and overtime records and used
proxy employees during her tenure as a Tainan city councilor and legislator
from 2009 to August 2024.

Along with sentencing Lin to seven years in prison, the court has also and
ordered the confiscation of 14-million N-T in illicit gains.

An assistant who worked for Lin was also convicted of exploiting her
position, although the court noted that she did not personally gain from the
actions and sentenced to two years in prison suspended for five years.

Both rulings can be appealed.

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

A shipment of Irwin mangoes from Tainan and black-leaf lychees from Taichung
have arrived in the U-K and cleared customs.

It marks Taiwan's first official export of the two types of fruit to the U-K
this year.

The shipment departed from Taoyuan International Airport, transited through
Frankfurt, Germany, and arrived at Manchester Airport.

The shipment was imported by Cherrain Global, a wholesale importer based in
northwest England, and Taiwan's Sunray International coordinated production,
logistics and export procedures.

Cherrain Global C-E-O Kris Tang says every stage of the shipment was closely
monitored, from harvesting to quarantine inspection and packaging, to ensure
British consumers receive the freshest possible Taiwan fruit.

Tang says the company hopes to establish a sustainable and replicable model
for exporting Taiwanese fruit to the U-K, while testing consumer demand
across different market segments.

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

And,

One of the newborn orangutan twins born at Taipei Zoo has died, while its
sibling remained in critical condition in intensive care.

Despite emergency treatment, the baby orangutan died on Wednesday due to
complications from premature birth and underdevelopment.

Its sibling is suffering from neonatal respiratory distress syndrome because
its underdeveloped lungs are not yet able to support normal breathing.

The zoo says veterinarians and other medical staff are monitoring the newborn
orangutan around the clock.

The twins were delivered Monday by cesarean section, as their mother Ke Yi
had been deemed to have a high-risk pregnancy.

Orangutans are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for
Conservation of Nature Red List.

Females in the wild typically give birth only once every six to eight years,
with nearly all pregnancies resulting in a single offspring and the zoo says
twin births are considered extremely rare even in captivity.

Posted on 2026-07-03 06:52:13

Iran's ruling clerics are preparing days of mass funeral rites for Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei as a show of public devotion to the Islamic Republic.

Funeral events will begin over the weekend in Tehran, with mass processions
planned next week.

Leaders hope to mobilise millions of supporters to flood Iran's cities,
laying on transport, accommodation and food, to proclaim the might of their
theocratic state after it survived what they saw as an existential war.

Khamenei was killed by U.S. and Israeli strikes in their first attack of the
war...

His son Mojtaba is Iran's third supreme leader.

Posted on 2026-07-02 19:08:13

Agricultural workers will see their share of contributions to the national
farmer retirement savings program reduced, with the change backdated to
January 1st of this year.

The Executive Yuan has approved amendments to the Farmer Pension Act,
adjusting the contribution ratio between the government and farmers.

Under the original system launched in 2021, both parties contributed 50
percent each.

Now, the amended rules lower the farmer's share to 40 percent while raising
the government's share to 60 percent, reducing farmers' monthly out-of-pocket
costs without affecting their retirement benefit levels.\

the Ministry of Agriculture says the adjustment is backdated to January 1st,
and farmers who have been paying at the higher rate since the start of this
year will receive refunds for the overpaid difference.

Officials say those refunds are expected to be processed in August.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-07-02 19:08:14

Taiwan has completed its first official export to the United Kingdom this
year of Irwin mangoes and black-leaf lychees.

The shipment, from growers in Tainan and Taichung, arrived in Britain on
Wednesday after passing through Germany under continuous cold-chain
transportation to preserve freshness.

Importer Cherrain Global says the fruit underwent strict quality controls
from harvest through packaging to ensure it reached consumers in the best
possible condition.

The company says it hopes to build a long-term market for Taiwanese fruit in
Britain by supplying Asian supermarkets, online retailers and local
wholesalers.

It also hopes to establish dedicated Taiwan produce sections in physical
retail stores to raise consumer awareness and encourage purchases.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-07-02 19:08:14

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen is renewing her call to make central Taiwan the
hub of the island's drone industry.

Lu says the region already has the manufacturing base, supply chain and
skilled workforce needed to support drone development.

She is urging the central government to devote more resources to the region
and formally establish a drone corridor in Taichung.

Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang says central Taiwan's manufacturing
strengths make it well placed to turn U-S artificial intelligence technology
into commercial drone products.

Meanwhile, DPP lawmaker Ho Hsin-chun is again calling for the Executive
Yuan's proposed 210 billion NT special budget for the drone industry, warning
that relying on the regular annual budget could create funding uncertainty.

Posted on 2026-07-02 19:08:14

Chinese authorities say the pilot who crashed a small plane into Beijing's
tallest building last week appeared to have acted for personal reasons.

Investigators say the 66-year-old pilot wrote about wanting to end his life
in his diary before Friday's crash.

The pilot was killed, while 13 other people were injured, none of them
seriously.

Authorities say the aircraft deviated from its planned flight path before
crashing into the skyscraper in a busy business district.

Officials say the pilot had been living alone, had no fixed job, was
divorced, and suffering from insomnia and anxiety.

Posted on 2026-07-02 19:08:14

Analysts say U-S President Donald Trump's criticism of Italian Prime Minister
Giorgia Meloni appears to have strengthened her standing among European
leaders.

They say Trump's attacks prompted several European leaders to rally behind
Meloni, helping improve relations that had previously been strained over her
hard-right political views.

Analysts say the episode is the latest example of European governments
drawing closer together on issues including defense, trade and foreign
policy.

They say that growing unity could make it harder for the United States to
negotiate separately with individual European countries.

Posted on 2026-07-02 19:08:14

South Korea's government has rejected a U-S congressional report accusing it
of discriminating against e-commerce company Coupang.

The report by the U-S House Judiciary Committee followed a record 403 million
U-S dollar fine imposed on the U-S-listed company in June over a major data
breach affecting millions of customers.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry says the report reflects only Coupang's claims
and does not include the government's position.

The ministry says the investigation and penalties were carried out in
accordance with South Korean law and denies that Coupang was subjected to
unfair or discriminatory treatment.

Posted on 2026-07-02 18:29:13

Authorities have launched a nationwide recall after a batch of soybean salad
oil was found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene, or BaP, a
cancer-causing substance.

Officials say the contaminated oil, supplied by Chung Lien Oils Corporation,
was distributed to three major food manufacturers, including Taishan (泰山),
Fushou (福壽), and Fumao (福懋).

The company voluntarily reported the problem after internal testing found BaP
levels at about four times Taiwan's legal limit.

Authorities have ordered Chung Lien to halt production while local
governments inspect retailers to ensure the affected products are removed
from store shelves.

Consumers are being advised to stop using the recalled products and return
them for a refund.

Officials also warn that businesses must not continue selling recalled
products or face fines of up to 30 thousand NT.

Posted on 2026-07-02 18:29:13

Kinmen officials say more than one million passenger trips were recorded on
the Mini Three Links ferry routes linking Kinmen with Xiamen and Quanzhou
during the first half of the year.

According to the Kinmen County Government, the total was up more than 25
percent from a year earlier, with demand especially strong on the
Kinmen-Xiamen route ...

... where ferry services are often fully booked on weekends and during the
summer travel season.

With the growing demand, the county government is urging the central
government to approve more ferry and flight services ...

... saying additional capacity is needed, and also to gradually restore
transportation links to pre-pandemic levels.

Officials are also calling for simpler border clearance procedures for Mini
Three Links travelers.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-02 18:29:13

Chunghwa Post and FamilyMart have launched a new domestic parcel delivery
service that allows customers to drop off packages at convenience stores for
home delivery.

Under the new service, parcels weighing up to 10 kilograms can be sent from
any FamilyMart location for a flat promotional rate of 89 NT.

Chunghwa Post will then deliver the package directly to the recipient's
address using its nationwide postal network.

The postal service says the partnership is designed to meet growing demand
from online shopping and provide customers with a more convenient 24-hour
shipping option.

The two companies say they hope to double monthly parcel volume to more than
20 thousand shipments, building on earlier services that allowed customers to
send packages to homes and postal lockers.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-02 18:29:13

The Taipei Zoo says one of its newborn orangutan twins has died yesterday,
while its sibling remains in critical condition.

Keepers say one of the twins born earlier this week began showing dramatic
fluctuations in vital signs around noon Tuesday and developed severe
respiratory distress.

Despite emergency treatment, the baby orangutan died at 12:38 a.m. Wednesday
due to complications from premature birth and underdevelopment.

Its sibling, named Da Pao (大寶), is suffering from neonatal respiratory
distress syndrome because its underdeveloped lungs are not yet able to
support normal breathing.

Veterinarians and other medical staff are monitoring the newborn orangutan
around the clock.

(CNA - NS)

Posted on 2026-07-02 17:09:13

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An is hitting out at city councilors who've been
critical of his plans to install sun shades in Xinyi district...

saying all the plans are in line with government regulations.

That's after DPP City Councilor Hong Wan Zhen 洪婉臻 said that one of the shades
was planned in an area that already has plenty of natural shade from trees.

She questioned the necessity of removing the trees to build such a shade.

Hong added that the mayor's planned mushroom-shaped shades cost several
million NT, while red sun shades like those in Ximen cost roughly 400,000 NT.

She criticized Chiang for comments yesterday in which he said that Xinyi is a
more "fashionable" area, leading Hong to ask if Zhongzheng and Wanhua-
districts she represents- deserve less than Xinyi.

But the mayor says today that Hong's understanding of the issue is incorrect.

He added that, if Zhongzheng and Wanhua need upgraded shades, his
administration would be willing to consider it

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-02 17:09:14

According to the Ministry of Finance, Hsinchu City's Guanxin Village 關新 has
reclaimed its position as Taiwan’s wealthiest village.

Driven by the continued growth of the Hsinchu Science Park, Guanxin Village
recorded the country's highest average comprehensive income at $4.6 million
NTD per household.

Guanxin Village also ranked first in median income at $3.4 million NTD,
indicating that wealth is relatively evenly distributed among its residents.

The ministry’s report shows that Hsinchu City remained Taiwan’s
highest-income municipality.

Hsinchu County ranked second, followed by Taipei City.

While, in Taipei, the second and the third wealthiest villages posted high
average incomes...

but their median incomes were significantly lower, suggesting a wider income
gap among residents.

Eight villages across the country topped $3 million NTD in average income,
most of them in Hsinchu, highlighting the lucrativeness of the semiconductor
boom.

In southern Taiwan, Tainan's Liantan Village topped the six special
municipalities in median income.

Much of that is thanks to the Southern Taiwan Science Park.

(AL)

Posted on 2026-07-02 17:09:19

8 people are dead following a truck crash in Thailand.

Officials say an 11 year old boy crashed a pickup truck into a group of monks
on a pilgrimage walk.

A total of 35 monls were on the pilgrimage.

Five monks died at the site, while 3 more died at the hospital.

14 more people were hospitalized after the accident.

Local police said the boy is now in custody.

The police said the cause of the accident is still under investigation...

but said they were told by the monks that they saw the vehicle losing balance
before it slid off the road and crashed into the group.

Posted on 2026-07-02 17:09:20

An Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is currently growing...

with more than 1300 confirmed cases, and hundreds of deaths.

There's no approved treatment for this strain of the ebola virus, and
vaccines remain a ways off.

The outbreak is centered in a region torn by conflict, where armed groups
control entire areas and nearly one million people have been displaced.

Health workers have faced hundreds of security incidents, including attacks
on clinics.

Fear and misinformation also exacerbate the situation, as many locals don't
believe in prevention efforts.

Posted on 2026-07-02 15:59:13

DPP Lawmaker Lin Yi Jin 林宜瑾 has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for
fraudulently taking assistant fees.

Lin is accused of taking over 14 million NT in assistant fees.

In the first ruling in the case, the Tainan District Court also opted to
deprive Lin of her civil rights for 4 years.

The ruling can be appealed.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-02 15:59:13

The Ministry of Economic Affairs is expanding eligibility for flood relief
subsidies following severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall last week.

Under the new program, financial assistance is no longer limited to affected
households.

Businesses and factories with registered operations are now also eligible to
apply.

Households flooded by 30 to 49 centimeters of water can receive $10,000 NTD
for damaged appliances.

Those with flooding exceeding 50 centimeters can receive up to $30,000 NTD,
including compensation for appliance damage.

The ministry estimates about 8,000 households will benefit from the program.

The program will last for one year, with funding adjusted according to local
damage assessments.

It may be extended if necessary.

MOEA says the expanded relief aims to help residents and businesses recover
more quickly as Taiwan faces increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

(AL)

Posted on 2026-07-02 15:59:13

Tainan is one step closer to getting its first MRT line.

The Tainan City government is announcing that it hopes to begin construction
soon on the city's first MRT system, with a budget of over 31 billion for the
blue line.

The city previously said it hoped to begin construction by the end of the
year.

The line will run about 8 and a half kilometers from the Taiwan Railways
Daqiao station in the north...

through Yongkang and the East District, into Rende District.

The elevated blue line will be comprised of 10 stations in total.

(MW/AH)

Posted on 2026-07-02 15:59:13

South Korean girl group Apink will perform at the Taipei Dome on July 31
after a CPBL game between the Wei Chuan Dragons and the CTBC Brothers.

The Wei Chuan Dragons announced Apink as the first guest act for this year's
Shin Kong Asia Music Festival.

The group debuted in 2011 and is known for songs including "NoNoNo" and "Mr.
Chu."

The team says Apink will appear with its full lineup after the game.

The Dragons are also preparing limited co-branded merchandise for the event.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 15:59:13

A U.S. House committee says South Korean authorities discriminated against
U.S.-based e-commerce company Coupang after a major data breach last year.

The interim report came from the Republican-controlled House Judiciary
Committee.

It says South Korea launched dozens of investigations into Coupang after the
breach, with more than 10 agencies issuing over 4,000 document requests and
conducting hundreds of employee interviews.

Coupang is South Korea's biggest online retailer, but it is based in Seattle.

The report says the actions were part of wider discrimination against U.S.
and foreign companies.

South Korea's foreign ministry rejected the claims, calling the report
one-sided and saying the allegations do not reflect the facts.

The country's intelligence service has also denied forcing Coupang to carry
out recovery efforts linked to the breach.

Coupang says it hopes for a constructive resolution.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 15:59:13

Firefighters in southern France are working to bring a wildfire under control
in the Aude region, near the border with Spain.

Local officials say weather conditions remain difficult, with strong winds
threatening to fan the flames.

The fire comes as France continues to deal with the effects of Europe's
recent heatwave.

Reports say another wildfire in the Lancon area of southern France has
already been brought under control.

France's weather office says another round of extremely hot weather could hit
the country next week.

Authorities are continuing to monitor conditions as firefighters work to
contain the blaze.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 14:14:13

The DPP says, China's new ethnic unity law will have a few major negative
impacts on cross-strait relations.

The party's China Affairs Office says today that the so-called Law on
Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress represents another escalation of the
CCP's campaign to carry out cognitive warfare against Taiwan.

The DPP says, the law codifies the CCP's view that all ethnic Chinese people
belong to the country of China, conflating ethnic identity with nationality.

They add, the law represses diverse ethnic identities and reduces the space
for different political affiliations.

The China Affairs Office also said that the new law is in concert with other
so-called "anti-separatism" laws.

They emphasize that the new legislation also increases the risk for Taiwanese
politicians, academics, journalists, and those in the private sphere when
traveling to China.

And, the DPP says, the law also aims to increase the self-censorship effect
on pro-Taiwan voices overseas.

The office firmly condemned the new law.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-02 14:14:13

The Cabinet has approved a 4-percent general pay raise for military
personnel, civil servants, and public school teachers next year.

Professional allowances and supervisory allowances will also rise by a fixed
2-thousand NT.

Those allowance increases will take effect earlier, starting July 1st this
year.

Officials say the plan will benefit about 720-thousand people, including
public-sector workers, technical and manual workers, and contract employees.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says the goal is to better support rank-and-file
workers, encourage people to take on supervisory roles, and make
public-sector salaries more competitive.

The Cabinet says the combined effect means rank-and-file workers could see
raises of up to 9.98-percent.

Supervisors could see increases of up to 11.56-percent.

Cho is urging the Legislature to support the funding needed for the plan.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 14:14:13

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex closing at 46744
after losing 274

The turnover was 1.016 trillion NT

Posted on 2026-07-02 14:14:13

A powerful storm in the Romanian capital has killed 1 and flooded areas in 20
counties across the country.

The storm came right after an intense heat wave.

Emergency services pumped water from more than 350 houses and 100 streets.

The hardest-hit areas were Bucharest and Ilfov County, where a tree fell on a
car, killing one person.

Emergency services received over 2,200 requests for help.

Like much of Europe, Romania has been gripped by a heat wave this week, with
temperatures in some areas forecast to exceed 40 Celsius.

Posted on 2026-07-02 14:14:13

A breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics has openly defied Pope Leo the
Fourteenth.

The Society of Saint Pius the Tenth went ahead yesterday with the
consecration of four new bishops in Switzerland without the Pope's approval.

Under Catholic law, a consecration without papal approval carries the
harshest penalty the church has...

which is automatic excommunication.

The Swiss group says, their actions are a "sacred duty" and dismissed the
excommunications as invalid.

It's a big challenge for Leo, who made a last-minute appeal to call the
ceremony off.

But still, an estimated sixteen-thousand people attended, many in the pouring
rain.

Posted on 2026-07-02 12:25:13

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) says a cooking oil plant has been
ordered to halt operations after soybean oil used by three major brands was
found to contain excessive levels of a carcinogen.

Shih says Central Union Oil Corp. voluntarily reported the problem on Tuesday.

The case involves 18 products across 21 batch numbers, totaling about 1,300
metric tons.

The soybean oil was found to contain benzopyrene at about four times the
legal limit.

Authorities have launched a recall and are investigating whether the
contamination was linked to temperature control during production or another
issue.

The Taipei Public Health Specialists Association says consumers should stop
using affected products and follow return instructions.

But it says people who already consumed the oil do not need to panic.

The association says the risk comes from long-term repeated exposure, and
people should not rely on unproven detox products or folk remedies.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 12:25:13

Wistron says its forest carbon sink project has passed the Environment
Ministry's review, making it the first case of its kind in Taiwan.

The project uses an enhanced forest management approach.

It is being carried out with Yongzai Forestry in Pingtung's Checheng
Township, and covers about 96 hectares.

Wistron says the project will use forest tending, thinning, and sustainable
management to improve forest health and increase carbon absorption.

The company says natural carbon sinks are a meant to supplement corporate
carbon reduction efforts, not replace them.

The project will run for 20 years, with the option to apply for an extension.

Any reduction results must still be verified by a third party and reviewed by
the Environment Ministry before voluntary reduction credits can be issued.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 12:25:13

The Ministry of Education is urging schools and parents to keep a close watch
on student safety during summer break.

Officials say students may spend more time on social media and short-video
platforms, raising the risk of fraud.

The ministry is warning students not to share personal account information,
and to be careful when using third-party payment platforms.

It also says schools should help students deal with false information,
cyberbullying, and the risk of private images being leaked online.

The ministry is also warning against etomidate, known as "zombie vapes."

It says the drug has been listed as a Category 1 narcotic, with heavy
penalties for manufacturing, transporting, or selling it.

Officials are also reminding students that e-cigarettes are banned in Taiwan,
and are urging them not to try, buy, or recommend them.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 12:25:13

Indirect talks between the United States and Iran have ended in Doha, with no
clear sign of progress toward a lasting peace deal.

Reports say two sides focused mainly on maritime traffic in the Strait of
Hormuz and the release of frozen Iranian funds.

Those were key issues in an interim agreement announced two weeks ago.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry says the talks made "positive progress," and the
next meeting will take place after funeral processions for Iran's late
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the two sides were making progress on
possible limits to Iran's nuclear program.

But sources familiar with the talks say the nuclear issue did not come up
during the technical discussions.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern for energy markets.

Before the war, it handled about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied
natural gas trade.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 12:25:13

South African police say more than 900 people were arrested during nationwide
anti-migrant protests that turned violent in some areas.

Reports say 120 marches were held across the country on Tuesday.

Police say most were peaceful, but 12 required intervention.

Officials say the arrests were linked to immigration violations, public
violence, robbery, and sheltering undocumented migrants.

One person was shot dead in Johannesburg's Alexandra township, where
residents were looting small shops owned by foreign nationals.

Police reinforcements were sent to several provinces, while soldiers were
deployed to Johannesburg's Hillbrow neighborhood after two people were
injured in a shooting.

The marches were organized around a deadline set by an anti-immigrant group
for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa.

The protests follow months of unrest targeting foreigners, including attacks
on homes, businesses, and property.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-02 08:14:14

The Office of the President has issued a Presidential Order formally removing
the government's top trade negotiator from office.

The move comes after Premier Cho Jung-tai suspended Yang Jen-ni on Monday of
this week after an investigation found she had engaged in workplace bullying
of her late deputy, Yen Huai-shing.

Yen died in March at the age of 53, shortly after resigning from her job as
the deputy chief of the Office of Trade Negotiations.

A Cabinet report on its investigation into the matter concluded that Yang
created a difficult working environment for Yen.

The investigation also found that Yang consistently used her position and
authority to interrupt Yen's remarks and dismiss her views and determined
that such actions constituted workplace bullying.

Yang has persistently denied any wrongdoing and questioned the legitimacy of
the report - claiming the investigation lacked procedural fairness and relied
on limited testimony.

Yang is also threatening to take legal action over what she's describing as
damage to her reputation.

Posted on 2026-07-02 08:14:14

China ethnic unity law:

Premier Cho Jung-tai says the Lai administration will redouble efforts to
protect Taiwan citizens following the introduction of China's Law on
Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress.

However, the premier is not saying what additional measures the government
will adopt, or how it will better protect Taiwan citizens.

According to Cho, the law seeks to eliminate the sovereignty of the Republic
of China and the public should watch how political parties here in Taiwan
react to the law, in particular which parties publicly endorse it and which
ones keep silent.

Cho says law has codified China's unification agenda and indicates that
Beijing might no longer tolerate and wants to eliminate the "Republic of
China."

Meanwhile, Deputy Mainland Affairs Council Minister Shen Yu-chung is urging
Taiwanese citizens not to visit China, Hong Kong and Macau unless necessary,
in the wake of the law taking effect.

Shen says his agency will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
consult with foreign embassies and representative offices in Taiwan to
identify which countries have mutual judicial assistance agreements with
China and which countries are considered to lean toward Beijing.

Posted on 2026-07-02 08:14:14

Funds managed by the Ministry of Labor's Bureau of Labor Funds reported a
return of 27.7-per cent in the first five months of this year during a global
stock market boom.

The bureau says accumulated gains in the value of assets in the funds'
portfolios and income on investment totaled 2.13-trillion N-T from January to
May, after the funds posted 586-billion N-T in gains in May.

The bureau manages the Labor Pension Fund, the Labor Retirement Fund, the
Labor Insurance Fund, the Employment Insurance Fund, and the Arrear Wage
Payment Fund.

Data shows the combined value of the funds managed as of the end of May stood
at 8.61-trillion N-T.

The bureau say 55.2-per cent of its investments were made overseas from
January to May, while the remaining 44.7-per cent were invested in the
domestic market.

The Tai-Ex soared 54.45-per cent in the first five months of this year, the
M-S-C-I World Index rose 12.15-per cent, and the Bloomberg Barclays Global
Aggregate Bond Index also gained 0.5-per cent over the same period.

Posted on 2026-07-02 08:14:14

The Taipei City Government says Uber's plans for a "short-range cultural
experience" program to offer free motorcycle rides in Beitou District would
violate laws and the company will face penalties if carries it out.

The statement comes after Uber Taiwan announced that the pilot program was
due to begin yesterday afternoon and last for a month.

Uber had said it plans to have drivers provide short distances scooter rides
to passengers for free during the trial period in Beitou.

However, although announcing the program would begin at 2 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon, when local media outlets attempted to book a ride using the
scooter ride-hailing service, the system was not online and not a single Uber
driver was available.

Taipei City Government's Department of Transportation says it will take legal
action against Uber if it goes ahead with its "Beitou cultural promotion
project."

According to city officials, the program violates existing regulations and
Uber will face penalties in accordance with the Highway Act.

The Ministry of Transport is backing Taipei's position.

With Deputy Transport Minister Chen Yen-po saying that Uber's attempt to
frame the service as an "experience" would make no difference to its legal
status and the service still constitutes an illegal transport operation

Posted on 2026-07-02 08:14:19

A D-P-P-nominated candidate for the Penghu's Magong City Council is among six
individuals who have caught illegally harvesting sea urchins the day before
the fishing season opened.

The Penghu District Prosecutors' Office says the six suspects were caught
harvesting sea urchins before the annual ban expired on July 1.

According to the prosecutors' office, the suspects took a private boat to
waters near uninhabited Jinyu Island in Baisha Township, where they were
spotted by drones operated by a joint enforcement task force targeting
illegal fishing activities.

Authorities seized 154 sea urchins and escorted the boat and its occupants
back to Magong's Anshan Fishing Harbor for investigation.

Prosecutors released all six suspects after questioning on bail ranging from
30,000 to 60,000 on suspicion of violating the Fisheries Act.

The D-P-P says it regrets the incident and the negative public perception it
has created, and fully supports the ongoing judicial investigation.

The party also says it will handle the matter in accordance with its charter.

Under the Fisheries Act, anyone convicted of illegally harvesting,
processing, selling or possessing undersized sea urchins during the closed
season faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 150,000 N-T.

Posted on 2026-07-02 08:14:19

New measures that broaden the scope of teaching jobs for which foreign
nationals are eligible have taken effect.

According to the National Development Council, public and private bilingual
schools from elementary through senior high school can now hire foreign
teachers to assist instruction in the arts, physical education, music and
activity-based classes.

The N-D-C says schools may do so through an additional staffing quota or by
having foreign teachers collaborate with local teachers on preparing classes.

Eligible schools can apply for help from foreign teachers through the
Ministry of Education's Application System for Work Permits of Foreign
Teachers.

Previously foreign nationals could only teach specific subjects in special
classes for foreign children and in experimental high schools.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:13

President Lai Ching-te is calling for international support to counter
China's new Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law.

The law took effect yesterday and requires all Chinese citizens to uphold
national unification and aims to strengthen the identification of Taiwan's
people as members of the Chinese nation.

Lai told members of a D-P-P Central Executive Committee meeting that Beijing
promulgated the law despite opposition from the United Nations, the European
Council, governments and human rights groups.

Amnesty International has said the legislation could “further
institutionalize … policies of forced assimilation.”

The president said the law the runs counter to international norms by
pursuing assimilation and elimination under the pretext of ethnic unity,
further highlighting the widening divide between Taiwan and China.

Lai stressed that his administration will respond to the law by proactively
making Taiwan's voice heard in the international community, evan as it works
with partners and allies to expand its international participation and expose
China's human rights abuses.

He added his administration would also strengthen public education on
China's transnational repression tactics to help civilians and public
servants better prepare for and respond to such threats.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:14

Canada's representative to Taiwan, Marie-Louise Hannan says Ottawa's
long-standing framework to interact with Taipei "has not changed."

The comments came amid concerns over ongoing efforts by Canadian Prime
Minister Mark Carney's to improve relations with China.

Hannan said Canada's economic security and our overall safety and security
are essentially the big priorities that have something to do with Taiwan.

She highlighted Canada's strong and growing presence in Taiwan, which she
said was an attractive market for Canadian products and services.

Outside of trade and investment, the two sides have also maintained close
people-to-people exchanges ..

... which she says are the "precious foundation" of Canada's relationship
with Taiwan.

Such exchanges began with early Canadian missionaries such as George Leslie
Mackay and continue today, with the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei marking
the 40th anniversary of the founding this year.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:14

The High Court has revised an earlier ruling in a major child sexual abuse
case by sentencing Mao Chun-shen to a cumulative prison term of 2,878 years
and four months.

The ruling came after the court confirmed 35 victims and 544 offenses.

Mao was charged with child abuse of students at a privately run preschool in
Taipei, as well as the illicit filming of minors on school premises and in
public locations.

The ruling revises a September 2025 judgment by the Taipei District Court
judgment, which identified 40 victims and 510 offenses and calculated a
cumulative sentence of 3,552 years.

The High Court said the offenses include sexual assault of children,
production of child sexual abuse images, illegal possession of such material,
and privacy violations involving surveillance footage between 2021 and 2023.

The High Court ruled that some of the lower court's findings were erroneous,
including both guilty and not-guilty determinations, and therefore partially
overturned the earlier ruling.

The case remains under appeal, and a final combined sentence will be
determined after all related judgments have been finalized.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:14

dolphins

Conservation groups are accusing developers at the Port of Taichung of
planning to sidestep environmental reviews - they're warning that the
projects threaten the endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.

The Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association says the Port of Taichung, C-P-C
and Tai-Power are pursuing harbor projects in ways meant to evade
environmental impact assessments.

The association says the planned projects include land reclamation by the
Port of Taichung for C-P-C's expansion of L-N-G Terminal 2 and Tai-Power's
construction of L-N-G Terminal 5, which cover about 20-per cent of the
Taichung Harbor's outer port area.

The association is accusing the developers are adopting a "divide and
conquer" approach, aimed at splitting large projects into smaller ones in
order to bypass environmental impact assessments.

The Port of Taichung says the outer harbor expansion project is still
undergoing environmental impact assessment and the findings will serve as an
important reference for subsequent project reviews.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:14

The Civil Aviation Administration has announced that passenger fuel
surcharges on international flights operated by Taiwan carriers will be
lowered from July 7.

Passenger fuel surcharges on international flights operated by Taiwan
carriers will be reduced to 27.5 U-S dollars for short-haul routes and to
71.5 U-S dollars for long-haul routes.

The administration says the downward adjustment reflects a recent decline in
global oil prices as tensions stemming from the conflict in the Middle East
have eased somewhat, reducing pressure on aviation fuel costs.

Passenger fuel surcharges have been adjusted based on the latest
international aviation fuel prices announced by C-P-C since 2005.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:14

And,

Video streaming platform Netflix will expand its film talent development
programs here in Taiwan as part of the company's efforts to cultivate the
local creative industry.

The Netflix Fund for Creative Equity will partner with Yiyi Pictures for a
second year to launch an expanded training program that goes beyond
screenwriting to include development producer training.

The program is aimed at creating more equitable opportunities at the early
stages of content creation, strengthen diverse perspectives in film and
television, and encourage a wider range of storytelling.

Netflix says it will recruit both creative and management talent, help
aspiring screenwriters transition into producing while supporting content
creators seeking to enter the film and television industry.

Applications close at on July 30, with successful applicants to be notified
in mid to late August.

Training will begin September 1.

Netflix has also announced a modified second initiative workshop co-organized
with Taiwan's Film and Television Production Association.

That workshop will expand its existing training for production assistants and
production accounting assistants to include post-production roles.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:14

U.S. and Iranian negotiators have met separately with Qatari and Pakistani
mediators and host Qatar is reporting positive progress in talks.

The plan is to continue discussions after the funeral of Iran’s previous
supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which is set to start on Saturday.

The talks focus on ending the war and resolving issues over the Strait of
Hormuz. Iran insists on controlling ship routes and charging fees, which the
U.S. and Gulf Arab states oppose.

Posted on 2026-07-02 07:01:14

Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with ‌drones, triggering
a fire in a hotel on a central boulevard and leaving debris scattered in two
city districts.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the hotel roof was on fire on the central
Shevchenko Boulevard.

Another witness said ‌explosions had been heard in the capital's western
districts.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had earlier warned that an overnight attack on
the country was likely and said he was cutting short his stay in Dublin,
where Ireland marks the start of its EU Presidency.

Posted on 2026-07-01 20:10:13

The Control Yuan has launched an investigation into suspended Cabinet
minister Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) over allegations of workplace bullying.

The watchdog agency opened its inquiry after the Executive Yuan completed its
own three-month investigation, which led to Yang's suspension today.

The Executive Yuan says its investigation included 31 interviews and that its
findings can withstand public scrutiny.

Yang has denied any wrongdoing, saying the report relied on one-sided
testimony and failed to provide due process.

She has also indicated she may take legal action against those she says were
responsible for the premature release of information about the case.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-07-01 20:10:13

EVA Air and its sister airline UNI Air announced they will raise booking
service fees for international flights starting August 1st.

EVA Air said that the two carriers' flights departing from the Philippines or
Hong Kong, booking fees will be set at $28 U-S dollars per ticket, while
other flights will be charged $33 U-S dollars.

Taiwan's major airlines charge booking service fees on a per-ticket basis to
cover the cost of using global distribution systems (GDS) for reservations.

CHina Airlines also recently announced that it will raise its booking service
fee to $30 U-S dollars beginning July 9th.

Starlux Airlines increased its booking service fee $30 U-S dollars on April
1st.

Meanwhile, Tigerair Taiwan has kept its booking service fees unchanged at
$400 NT during peak travel periods, and $300 NT during off-peak periods.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-07-01 20:10:13

In similar news,

Starlux Airlines has launched its 2026 Snoopy-themed flights, bringing a new
collection of Peanuts-inspired onboard items to passengers on most of its
international routes.

The airline marked the launch with a special event at Taoyuan International
Airport today, where Snoopy appeared to greet travelers and pose for photos.

This year's theme, "Across Seasons, Across the World", follows Snoopy and
friends as they travel through spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Passengers will find the new designs on boarding passes, baggage tags, paper
cups, tissues and other onboard items.

The themed flights will operate through December 31 on Starlux's global
network, with the exception of flights departing from Los Angeles and Ontario
in California.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-01 20:10:13

Iranian state television says a foreign container ship has run aground in the
Strait of Hormuz after failing to follow an approved Iranian shipping route.

The report did not identify the vessel or provide further details about the
incident.

Iranian media said ships using the strategic waterway must follow
instructions from the country's Revolutionary Guard.

The grounding comes amid renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, despite an
interim agreement between Iran and the United States intended to keep the
vital shipping lane open.

Efforts to establish an alternative route near Oman's coast have also
continued following recent exchanges of fire in the region.

Posted on 2026-07-01 20:10:13

A traditionalist Catholic group has defied Pope Leo XIV by consecrating four
bishops without Vatican approval.

The Society of St. Pius X carried out the ceremony at its seminary in Écône
{PRO: EI - CONE}, Switzerland, despite a last-minute appeal from the pope to
cancel it.

The Vatican says the consecrations amount to a schismatic act and
automatically excommunicate the bishops involved.

The Society says it acted out of what it calls a sacred duty to defend the
Catholic faith.

The ceremony marks the first major crisis for Leo, who has prioritized church
unity and healing tensions with traditionalists that worsened during the Pope
Francis pontificate.

Posted on 2026-07-01 18:09:13

Taiwan has come a long way from receiving foreign aid to becoming a country
that now helps others.

Marking the 30th anniversary of the International Cooperation and Development
Fund ...

... Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung says Taiwan is now sharing its expertise
in various high tech industries with partner countries through what he calls
"integrated diplomacy".

*POT BURLI CHANNEL DOWN AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS

Lin says Taiwan, though the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, is turning
its strengths in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and
digital governance into practical cooperation with partner countries
overseas.

*POT BURLI BACK UP

Posted on 2026-07-01 18:09:13

The Philippines has extended its 14-day visa-free entry program for Taiwan
passport holders until June 30, 2027.

The Manila Economic and Cultural Office says the extension continues the
visa-free policy introduced last July to encourage more Taiwanese visitors.

Taiwanese travelers planning to stay for more than 14 days will still need to
obtain a visa before entering the Philippines.

The office says the move is in line with the principle of reciprocity, as
Taiwan also offers visa-free entry to Philippine passport holders.

Official figures show nearly 94 thousand Taiwanese visited the Philippines
during the first five months of this year, a 12 percent increase from the
same period last year.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-07-01 18:09:13

Gravel

The Kaohsiung District Court has ordered Starbucks Taiwan to compensate a
customer after gravel thrown up during lawn maintenance damaged her car in
one of the company's parking lots.

The second-instance ruling is final ... and overturned an earlier decision
that had dismissed the woman's claim.

The court found that stones thrown up by a contractor's lawn mower struck the
customer's vehicle while it was parked in a free parking lot provided by the
coffee chain.

Judges ruled that the parking lot was part of the service offered to
customers and that Starbucks failed to post adequate warning signs before the
maintenance work began.

The company was ordered to pay nearly 57 thousand NT in repair costs,
alternative transportation expenses and punitive damages.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-01 18:09:13

Netflix is expanding its investment in Taiwan's film and television talent
with a new round of training programs ... as part of efforts to cultivate
Taiwan's local creative industry.

The streaming platform says it is launching the second season of its Future
Talent Training Program in partnership with Yiyi Pictures, adding development
producers alongside screenwriters.

Netflix is also bringing to Taiwan for the first time ... its international
training initiative which it calls 'REEL LIFE' -- 'reel' as in 'film reel'
-- marking the program's expansion beyond Southeast Asia.

The initiative combines workshops with hands-on experience, giving
participants the opportunity to gain practical experience and intern on
Netflix productions.

Netflix says the goal is to help develop more industry professionals and
strengthen Taiwan's role as a hub for Chinese-language content.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-07-01 16:18:13

The American Institute in Taiwan says five landmarks in Taipei and Kaohsiung
will join a global lighting campaign for the 250th anniversary of U.S.
independence.

AIT says the "Freedom 250" campaign is being coordinated by U.S. missions
around the world.

On July 4, Taipei 101 will light up in red, white and blue from 7 p.m. to 10
p.m., with a message shown on its north-facing LED screen.

Taipei's Songshan Cultural and Creative Park is also holding a light show at
its Baroque Garden through July 9.

In Kaohsiung, the China Steel Corporation headquarters, Kaohsiung Music
Center and Weiwuying will also take part.

AIT's Neihu office is lighting up from June 29 to July 5 as part of its
yearlong "Freedom 250" events.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 16:18:13

Over 20,000 passengers boarded the new Sanying MRT Line on its inaugural day
of trial operations yesterday.

Metro officials say the Sanying Line carried 20,731 passengers during its
initial six-hour opening window from 2:00 p-m to 8:00 p-m yesterday.

Officials noted that the automatic driverless system ran smoothly, with train
intervals reaching a peak frequency of every 2 to 3 minutes to handle the
rush.

Now, to help residents familiarize themselves with the new line, the city has
launched a two-month "free trial ride" period starting today through August
31st.

During this time, trains will operate daily for 10 hours, from 10:00 a-m to
8:00 p-m.

And New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yih says the city will move swiftly to address
minor glitches, such as expanding bike availability, to improve the
experience for users.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-07-01 16:18:13

The Kaohsiung City Government Urban Development Bureau says a new childcare
rent subsidy program opens today.

The program is aimed at renting families with children age 12 or younger.

The bureau says families with two children can receive 50-percent more
support than before.

Families with three or more children can receive double the previous amount,
up to 36-thousand N.T. dollars a year.

Eligible households include those approved for the central government's
expanded rent subsidy, Kaohsiung City's additional rent subsidy, and
residents of social housing built by the city government.

The bureau says many existing subsidy recipients do not need to submit
documents again.

They will receive a confirmation letter and must reply within three weeks.

Social housing residents can apply by mail or in person.

Applications are open through December 31.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 16:18:13

Ukraine is asking European Union partners to direct 6.6-billion euros from
the European Peace Facility toward military aid.

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov says the funding could help Kyiv make use
of what it sees as a six-to-nine-month window of opportunity on the
battlefield.

According to reports, Fedorov says Ukraine's defense needs this year are
estimated at about 136-billion euros.

He says Ukraine's own budget covers about 53-billion euros, while an EU loan
is expected to provide another 28.3-billion euros for defense.

But he says major funding gaps remain.

Russia's advances have slowed this year, while Ukraine has carried out
counterattacks and long-range strikes aimed at disrupting Russian logistics
and oil revenue.

Posted on 2026-07-01 15:55:40

The Civil Aviation Administration has announced lower fuel surcharges for
passengers flying international routes on Taiwanese carriers.

Officials say the international aviation fuel price published by CPC
Corporation has fallen below adjustment benchmarks, and the change will apply
starting July 7th.

Passenger fuel surcharge for short-haul international routes will decrease to
approximately $884 NT.

Long-haul international routes will see a larger reduction, to roughly
$2-thousand-299 NT.

The administration has asked airlines to disclose relevant information to
passengers in an appropriate manner.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-07-01 15:55:40

Taipei City's Department of Health says 13 out of 50 fresh fruit and
vegetable samples tested in May failed pesticide residue standards.

The samples came from markets, supermarkets, retailers and restaurants across
the city.

Officials say the noncompliant items included basil, white radish, cilantro,
bok choy, flowering chives, green beans, chili peppers, durian and iceberg
lettuce.

The department says cilantro from a restaurant in Shilin District had
pesticide residues above the legal limit for seven chemicals.

Basil from the same restaurant exceeded limits for four chemicals.

Officials say affected products have been ordered off shelves.

Cases involving products from outside Taipei have been referred to the
relevant local health departments.

The department says businesses responsible for pesticide residue violations
may face fines of 60-thousand to 200-million N.T. dollars.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 15:55:40

The Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau says children age 12 and under
can visit Shoushan Zoo for free through August 31.

The offer is open to children from across Taiwan.

The bureau says the zoo will also stay open later on weekends and holidays,
closing at 6:30 p.m.

Final ticket sales will be at 5:30 p.m.

Officials say the longer hours are meant to help families avoid the strongest
daytime heat.

The zoo has also prepared cooling treats for animals, including ice blocks
for tigers and lions, and frozen fruit and vegetable snacks for orangutans.

The zoo's water play plaza is also open, with misting areas and splash
facilities.

A new children's obstacle course will be held during the final two weekends
of July.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 15:55:40

Iran's Foreign Ministry says no direct meetings are planned with top U.S.
envoys in Doha, dimming hopes for quick progress on a wider peace deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve
Witkoff have arrived in Qatar for high-level talks.

But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says no meeting
with the American side has been scheduled.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry says lower-level technical talks are expected
instead.

Iranian officials say both sides must first settle the terms of a ceasefire
signed two weeks ago before moving to harder issues, including possible
limits on Iran's nuclear program.

Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, says Tehran will continue to
control traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance says Iran will not be allowed to collect tolls
from ships using the waterway.

Posted on 2026-07-01 15:55:40

Afghanistan's Taliban-run Defense Ministry says its forces launched strikes
inside Pakistan, as tensions rise along the border.

The ministry says the strikes targeted what it called an ISIS center in
Balochistan province, as well as sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan's military says its forces intercepted and shot down four basic
drones in Balochistan.

Provincial authorities say one drone was seen near a government school in the
town of Saranan, and two people were injured.

The exchange comes after Pakistan launched airstrikes near the Afghan border
on Monday.

Officials in Afghanistan say at least 28 civilians were killed.

Islamabad says those strikes were retaliation for attacks on Pakistani soil.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of sheltering militants, which the
Taliban denies.

Posted on 2026-07-01 15:55:40

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are widely rumored to be getting married this
week, though no date or location has been confirmed.

The couple has made no official announcement.

The New York Times reports city permits and other clues point to a possible
Manhattan wedding later this week.

Several outlets have suggested Madison Square Garden could be the venue.

Swift and Kelce announced their engagement last August, after a public
relationship that drew attention from music and sports fans worldwide.

Posted on 2026-07-01 11:51:13

National security officials say the government will strengthen travel
warnings and safeguards after China's new ethnic unity law took effect today.

The officials say the law gives Beijing a broader legal basis to target
people outside China over issues it defines as undermining ethnic unity or
supporting separatism.

They say people traveling to China, Hong Kong or Macau should be aware that
phones, social media accounts and digital files could face inspection.

The officials say journalists, scholars, NGO workers, religious groups and
businesspeople may face higher risks if they have commented on Taiwan, Hong
Kong, Xinjiang or Tibet.

They say agencies including the Mainland Affairs Council have already issued
risk reminders.

National security officials say the government is also studying ways to block
local support networks for transnational repression, including funding links
and information operations.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 11:51:13

Sports Minister Lee Yang is denying reports that he plans to resign.

Speaking before a legislative committee meeting today, Lee said he first
heard the rumor last night and was "a little surprised."

He says he currently has no plan to step down.

Lee says he hopes to complete his term with the support of Premier Cho
Jung-tai, and is focused on improving Taiwan's sports environment.

He also rejected reports of a rift with National Sports Training Center Chair
Lin Hong-dao, who recently resigned citing a heavy workload.

Lee says Lin informed him in advance, and he had asked Lin to stay.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Sports says preparations are underway for the
Nagoya Asian Games in September.

Administrative Deputy Minister Hung Chih-chang (洪志昌) says Taiwan is expected
to send 482 athletes, supported by nearly 150 coaches.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 11:51:13

Carrefour's new name is hitting stores across Taiwan today.

Uni-President Group previously announced that its 62 hypermarket locations
will be rebranded from Carrefour to "Wanjiafu," (萬家福) while its 221
supermarket locations will be renamed "Lejiagang." (樂家康).

Signage and branding across all stores will be updated gradually, with a full
rollout expected to be completed by the first quarter of next year.

Uni-President Group says the rebrand reflects three years of integration and
a push to strengthen local market responsiveness.

To mark the launch, the company is rolling out promotions worth more than 2
billion NT throughout this month.

(MW)

Posted on 2026-07-01 11:51:13

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will not leave
southern Lebanon while Hezbollah remains a threat.

Netanyahu made the comments Tuesday during a visit to Lebanese territory held
by the Israeli military.

The visit came days after Israel and Lebanon reached a U.S.-backed security
agreement.

Under the deal, Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw from two pilot zones
and hand them over to Lebanon's army.

But Netanyahu says Israel will remain in southern Lebanon as long as
Hezbollah is armed.

Israel's military has set up a buffer zone about 10 kilometers inside Lebanon
along the border.

Israeli officials say the zone is needed to protect northern communities from
Hezbollah attacks.

Lebanese officials say Israel's campaign has killed more than 4-thousand
people and displaced more than a million since March.

At least 32 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed by Hezbollah.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 11:51:13

U.S. Vice President JD Vance says he disagrees with the Vatican's position on
immigration, calling some of its recent comments "troubling."

Vance made the remarks in a Fox News interview, after Pope Leo repeatedly
criticized President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

The pope has called for deeper reflection in the United States over how
migrants are treated. He has also criticized what he described as inhuman
treatment under the Trump administration.

Vance, who is Catholic, says he is not hostile toward Catholic leaders who
disagree with U.S. immigration policy. But he says mass migration also has
victims.

Trump says his policy is aimed at improving domestic security and curbing
illegal immigration.

Rights groups say the crackdown has violated free speech and due process
rights, and has raised concerns over racial profiling.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-07-01 08:16:49

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The Keelung District Prosecutors' Office has detained three tech company
executives as part of an investigation into allegations of smuggling advanced
Nvidia chips to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

The detention of Albatron Technology's vice president, and two Super Micro
Computer managers comes after authorities searched the offices of both
companies and the residences of six individuals earlier this week.

Prosecutors say the two companies are believed to have smuggled 700 million
N-T worth of advanced Nvidia chips to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Those raids took place after prosecutors searched the residences and offices
and three other individuals in late May, where artificial intelligence
servers using Nvidia’s high-end chips were seized

According to the prosecutors' office, those suspects are believed to have
exported the servers to Japan using falsified documentation, before shipping
them on to Hong Kong and and China.

The investigation is taking place as the government is seeking to introduce
stricter export controls on artificial intelligence chip sales to China.

A-I chip exports to China are currently not classified as criminal offense
here in Taiwan, but the sending of chips to China is in violation of U-S
laws.

Posted on 2026-07-01 08:16:51

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it's taking steps to strengthen the
security of its official document management system.

The statement comes after the ministry was accused of negligence over
suspected official document leaks.

According to the foreign ministry spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei, the agency has
been reviewing its electronic document management protocols and working to
strengthen system security after discovering suspected leaks of official
documents.

Hsiao says the ministry has now put measures in place to counter hacking
activities and will continue to enhance its cybersecurity protections and
monitoring operations against new hacking techniques by working with other
government agencies.

A Control Yuan investigative report released last week said that a total of
13 suspected foreign ministry documents were found to have been leaked and
offered for sale on the dark web in 2024 and 2025.

The government watchdog's report called into question some of the responses
taken previously by the foreign ministry -- saying that even after learning
about the alleged leaks that took place in 2024, it was still unable to
prevent the 2025 leaks.

Posted on 2026-07-01 08:16:52

Lawmakers have passed a law establishing a regulatory framework for Taiwan
cryptocurrency businesses.

The law includes licensing requirements for virtual asset service providers
and stablecoin issuers, as well as penalties for fraud and market
manipulation.

Under the act, virtual asset service providers must obtain approval from the
Financial Supervisory Commission before operating and comply with
requirements on internal controls, cybersecurity and business continuity.

Existing virtual asset service providers that have completed anti-money
laundering registration before the law takes effect will have 12 months to
apply for licenses and 21 months to obtain regulatory approval.

The act also establishes Taiwan's first legal framework for stablecoins,
virtual assets pegged to one or more fiat currencies.

Stablecoin issuers will be required to maintain full reserve backing, with
segregated reserve assets held in trust by domestic financial institutions.

The reserve assets are protected from claims by other creditors if the issuer
enters bankruptcy and issuers must also undergo regular audits and are
prohibited from paying interest or other returns to holders.

The law was proposed by the Cabinet on April 2 before being sent to the
Legislative Yuan for review.

Posted on 2026-07-01 08:16:52

The Central Weather Administration says it recorded Taiwan's wettest plum
rain season since 2012 this year, as rainfall at the Taipei weather station
set a record for June.

According to the administration's forecast center, this year's plum rain
season was marked by below-average rainfall in May but significantly heavier
rain in June.

The center is attributing the June rainfall to stationary fronts,
southwesterly airflows and the outer circulation of a tropical storm, which
brought widespread rain to western parts of the island.

Rain fell for more than 10 days during the first half of June, with southern
Taiwan receiving between 40 and 80 centimeters of accumulated rainfall.

Data shows islandwide rainfall during this year's plum rain season averaged
nearly 70-centimeters -- a figure that's well above the historical average of
44-centimeters, and the highest since 2012, when there was 90-centimeters of
rainfall.

The Taipei weather station recorded 87-centimeters of rainfall in June,
making it the wettest June in the capital since records began in 1897.

The weather administration also says that between three and five tropical
storms or typhoons are expected to pass near Taiwan during the second half of
the year, within the historical average range.

Posted on 2026-07-01 08:16:52

Passengers on the Taipei Metro can use physical credit cards or digital
wallets linked to such cards from today.

However, those transactions will not qualify for the "frequent rider" reward
program.

Speaking to reporters while announcing the launch of the Taipei Metro's new
multi-payment initiative, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an described the move as
intended to align the city with international trends.

According to the metro operator, it will accept major international and
domestic credit cards as well as digital wallets Apple Pay, Google Pay, and
Samsung Pay.

The physical credit cards or digital wallets initiative follow the January
rollout of Q-R code payments, which allows passengers to use major electronic
payment platforms to board buses and M-R-T trains in Taipei and New Taipei.

The Taipei Metro Corporation says since the QR code payment system was
introduced, it has recorded over 1 million rides.

Over 80-per cent of those using QR code boarding are aged 35 or under.

Posted on 2026-07-01 08:16:52

And finally,

The Ministry of Finance says four 10-million N-T prizes and three 2-million
N-T prizes from the January-February uniform invoice lottery remain
unclaimed.

One of the unclaimed 10 million N-T-winning receipts was for a 2 N-T plastic
bag purchased at a McDonald's in New Taipei's Tucheng District.

Other unclaimed 10 million N-T-winning receipts were for a 39 N-T purchase at
a 7-Eleven in Taipei's Zhongshan District, a 1,579 N-T meal at a restaurant
in Taipei's Wanhua District, and an 80 N-T parking fee in Taoyuan's Guishan
District.

The three unclaimed 2-million N-T-winning receipts were all from Kaohsiung ...

.. and for a 45 N-T purchas at a beverage shop in the Renwu District, a 61
N-T purchase at a drink stand in a shopping mall in the Zuoying District, and
a 190 N-T purchase at a 7-Eleven in the Sanmin District.

The winners now have until July 6 to collect their prizes.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:14

The legislative caucuses of the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party have
unveiled drone procurement bills.

Both bills seek to use the general budget to fund the purchase of locally
made drones, rather than a special budget, as has been proposed by the
Cabinet.

Under the K-M-T's draft bill, the spending cap is set at 240-billion N-T over
six years, with annual spending capped at 40-billion N-T.

Government agencies will be required to brief the Legislature on procurement
plans worth 100-million N-T or more and report on the progress of each
procurement plan to lawmakers annually.

The draft bill also requires suppliers of critical drone components, to pass
information security and supply chain security reviews.

Meanwhile, the T-P-P's domestic drone procurement bill does not set a
spending cap and requires the government to formulate drone development
guidelines every four years and review them every two years.

The Cabinet submitted its special budget bill for drone procurement to the
Legislature for review earlier this month.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Beijing has "no right to comment" on
Taiwan's exchanges with other countries.

China's Foreign Ministry issued a statement last month praising Honduras for
upholding Beijing's one-China principle and said 'Taiwan independence' forces
and the D-P-P authorities' unjust pursuit have little support and will end up
in failure.

That statement came after Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi told
several Honduran news outlets while he was visiting Paraguay that Taiwan is
ready to "welcome back old friends" and rebuild relations with Tegucigalpa.

He also said China is pressuring Honduras to maintain control over its ties.

The Honduran Foreign Ministry responded to those interviews saying Honduras
is not engaged in any official talks or contacts with Taiwan authorities
aimed at "restoring diplomatic relations" ...

.. and the "country's foreign policy is conducted in accordance with its
existing diplomatic commitments."

Honduras' President Nasry Asfura, who took office in January, had pledged
during his election campaign to restore ties with Taipei.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

President Lai Ching-te has addressed to a graduation ceremony at the Fu Hsing
Kang College - telling military college graduates to defend freedom and
‌democracy.

Lai also called on the graduates to be aware of China’s spying activities and
to be able to "establish a clear awareness of friend and foe."

According to Lai, the graduates can best defend Taiwan's sovereignty and
security by resisting China's infiltration, division, sabotage, and
espionage activities targeting the island's armed forces.

He also urged the graduates to oppose communism, guard against infiltration,
firmly uphold democracy and freedom, and insist that the Republic of China
and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each ‌other.

The graduation ceremony was also attended by the ambassadors of Belize,
Guatemala and Paraguay.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

The 2026 Reagan Institute Summer Survey shows that nearly two-thirds of
Americans believe Taiwan's security is important to the United States' own
security and prosperity - with that view shared across party lines.

According to the results of survey conducted by the Ronald Reagan
Presidential Foundation and Institute, 66-per cent of respondents agreed that
Taiwan's security matters to the U-S ... and that total included 72-percent
of Republicans and 62-per cent of Democrats.

The survey found that the bipartisan consensus around China-related issues is
one of the strongest among Americans on foreign policy challenges.

Regarding Taiwan, 74-per cent of respondents said they were concerned that
China could attempt to take the island by force, 75-per cent were concerned
over its military buildup, and 74-per cent were concerned over its human
rights abuses.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

The Centers for Disease Control says it will include the rotavirus vaccine in
its publicly funded children's immunization program starting next year.

According to C-D-C Director-General Philip Lo, two authorized rotavirus
vaccines will be included at public expense.

The vaccines currently cost between 5,500 and 6,000 N-T

Children are prone to rotavirus, which can cause serious diarrhea resulting
in hospitalization and the C-D-C says the highly contagious virus is
responsible for about half of gastroenteritis cases among children under the
age of 5.

Infants born after June this year will be eligible under the new policy.

The C-D-C says some 120,000 children are expected to benefit during the
program's first year.

Infants eligible for the vaccine must be at least six weeks old and not older
than eight months.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

C-P-C has announced that natural gas prices for residential, commercial,
service and industrial users will remain unchanged this month.

The state-refiner says the move is aimed at supporting the government's price
stabilization measures and it will cover the additional costs to mitigate the
financial burden on the public.

According to C-D-C, it has absorbed a cumulative 140-billion N-T in costs for
industrial users since March

Gas prices for utility users will decrease by 4.72-per cent to reflect lower
import costs beginning this month.

C-P-C says although international oil and gas prices have declined following
a cooling of Middle East tensions, the outlook for US-Iran negotiations
remains uncertain.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office says four tourists
caught walking on the tracks of the Alishan Forest Railway in Chiayi are
facing fines of up to 50,000 N-T each for violating the Railway Act.

The four were found during a joint patrol with police near Erwanping Station
earlier this month.

Walking on the tracks is illegal.

However, the railway line operator says it became common for visitors seeking
explore the forest, due to the low frequency of trains running on branch
lines, and the closure of the main line connecting Chiayi and Alishan due to
typhoon damage.

The main line resumed service on in July of 2024 and the Alishan Forest
Railway and Cultural Heritage Office says it has been cracking down on
visitors ignoring safety warnings to walk on the tracks since then.

A total of 33 people have been fined for trespassing on the tracks between
December of 2024 and May of this year.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

And,

The New Taipei M-R-T Sanying Line has officially opened and will be offering
free rides until August 31.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih said the
project's construction was exceptionally challenging, but the team
successfully navigated two national highway crossings, two railway crossings
and four river crossings.

The 14.2-kilometer line connects Tucheng, Sanxia, and Yingge districts and
cuts the commute from Yingge to Taipei by 20-minutes.

The Sanying Line has 12 stations and provides access to popular local
attractions, including the New Taipei City Art Museum in Yingge, Sanxia Old
Street, and the Yingge Ceramics Old Street.

The New Taipei Metro Corporation is describing the line as a vital link
designed to ease congestion in New Taipei's southwestern corridor, stretching
from Yingtao Fude Station to Dingpu Station, where it connects to the Bannan
Line.

The line will be further extending about 4-kilometers westward from Yingtao
Fude Station to Bade District in Taoyuan.

Work on that section of track is scheduled to begin at the end of this year
and be completed by 2034.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

A former general has emerged as a challenger to Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel's upcoming election.

Gadi Eisenkot previously quit Netanyahu's war Cabinet over strategy
disagreements and is now gaining attention.

His rise has to potential to shift the spotlight from political insiders like
Netanyahu...

but Eisenkot has broadly supported Israeli military operations in Gaza,
Lebanon, and Iran.

Eisenkot is known for his military background and is seen as more of a
"regular person" than Netanyahu.

His platform includes a pledge to strengthen Israel's national security
through regional cooperation...

but he has said that he supports Jewish settlements that are- in his words-
"in line with Israel's interests" in the West bank.

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

Pakistan is cautioning against the "weaponization of water" as it cautions
India against trying to deprive Pakistan of its share of water under the
Indus Waters Treaty.

The World Bank-brokered treaty governs the sharing of water from the Indus
River system.

The treaty has come under renewed strain since India suspended its
participation in the agreement following the killing of 2 dozen tourists in
Indian-controlled Kashmir, which India blames on Pakistan.

That attack triggered one of the sharpest deteriorations in relations between
the two countries in years.

The Pakistani foreign minister says, the weaponization of water could pose a
serious threat to regional peace and security.

He added that shared waters should be a bridge between nations, guided by
cooperation, dialogue, and respect for international law.

The foreign minister further called India's decision to suspend the treaty
"illegal," adding that Pakistan considered the agreement to remain legally
binding. \

Posted on 2026-07-01 07:00:15

An explosive detonated in an apartment building in Monaco yesterday, wounding
three people.

The country's chief prosecutor says that one of those injured is a Ukrainian
tycoon with ties to Russia.

According to Ukrainian media, Vadym Yermolaiev was targeted by Ukrainian
sanctions in 2023 for his ties to Russia.

A witness said that a woman was also severely injured, having to have her
foot amputated.

He described the scene as "catastrophic."

A search is underway for the suspect, who escaped on foot.

Prosecutors say that a motive is unclear, but Western intelligence officials
have recently said that a campaign of targeted killings against Russia's
enemeies has ramped up since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of
Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine is also believed to have carried out attacks and targeted killings of
Russian figures in the course of the war, although those attacks have largely
been confined to Ukrainian or Russian territory.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said its embassy in France, which is also
responsible for Monaco, was in touch with local authorities.

Posted on 2026-06-30 19:58:13

Four tourists caught walking on the tracks of the Alishan Forest Railway face
fines of up to 50 thousand NT each.

The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office says the group was
discovered during a joint patrol with police near Erwanping Station earlier
this month.

Officials say walking on the tracks remains a common but prohibited activity,
despite the resumption of regular train services last year.

Authorities say they have stepped up enforcement and warn that anyone caught
trespassing on railway tracks, bridges or tunnels could face fines ranging
from 10 thousand to 50 thousand NT under the law.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-06-30 19:58:13

Business confidence in Taiwan's manufacturing sector improved in May,
reaching its highest level since March 2025.

The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research says its manufacturing composite
index rose from 14.03 in April to 15.75 in May.

The institute says the increase was driven by strong global demand for
semiconductors, electronic components and other products linked to artificial
intelligence.

It also says easing tensions in the Middle East and lower oil prices helped
improve business sentiment.

Looking ahead, TIER says uncertainty remains over global trade policies and
geopolitical developments, but continued investment in AI infrastructure is
expected to support Taiwan's manufacturing sector.

Posted on 2026-06-30 19:58:13

Thai police have charged an Australian man with murder and concealing a body
following the death of a 17-year-old girl in Pattaya.

Police say security camera footage shows the teenager entering a condominium
with 38-year-old Simon Peter Carman early Thursday before he was later seen
leaving with a large suitcase.

Authorities arrested Carman at Bangkok's airport on Saturday as he was
preparing to board a flight to Australia.

Police say the girl's body was later found inside the suitcase.

Carman has denied the charges and remains in custody while the investigation
continues.

Posted on 2026-06-30 19:58:13

Animal welfare activists in Montenegro are raising concerns about abandoned
animals as a heatwave grips much of Europe.

Several horses have been seen roaming the outskirts of the capital,
Podgorica, without access to shelter, food or water, as temperatures approach
40 degrees Celsius.

The animals have been spotted near an illegal dumpsite and several informal
settlements.

Activists say the horses are at risk in the extreme heat, though it remains
unclear who owns them or how they came to be abandoned.

Posted on 2026-06-30 19:58:13

Thousands of demonstrators have gathered across parts of South Africa to
protest illegal immigration.

The groups blame undocumented migrants for unemployment, crime and other
social problems, and have called for them to leave the country.

The South African government has not recognized a deadline set by some
protest organizers for migrants to depart.

Police have deployed hundreds of officers in cities including Johannesburg
and Durban amid concerns about possible violence.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged demonstrators to protest peacefully after
meeting with some of the groups' leaders.

Posted on 2026-06-30 18:40:13

The Central Weather Administration says we'll being seeing a return to normal
summer weather over the coming week following last week's heavy rains.

Localized showers and afternoon thunderstorms are forecast for today and
tomorrow in some areas of the north.

However, from Thursday through Saturday, the weather is expected to become
more stable, with afternoon showers largely confined only to mountainous
areas.

The weather administration says it's also monitoring a tropical disturbance
southeast of the Philippines and another southeast of Guam.

The Philippine system is expected to move into the South China Sea tomorrow
and Thursday, but not strengthen significantly or directly affect Taiwan.

But the disturbance southeast of Guam could strengthen into a tropical
depression this coming weekend and may later become Tropical Storm Bavi, the
ninth named storm of this year's Pacific typhoon season.

Posted on 2026-06-30 18:40:16

In related news,

Taiwan recorded its wettest plum rain season since 2012, with Taipei
experiencing its wettest June since weather records began.

The Central Weather Administration says this year's May-to-June rainy season
brought nearly 610 millimeters of rain nationwide, well above the historical
average.

Forecasters say stationary weather fronts, southwesterly winds and the outer
circulation of a tropical storm combined to bring prolonged heavy rain,
particularly to western Taiwan.

Looking ahead, the weather agency expects normal to above-normal temperatures
from July through September and forecasts three to five tropical storms or
typhoons to pass near Taiwan during the second half of the year.

In addition, the CWA plans to introduce new coastal wave warnings tomorrow
... which marks the first day of Taiwan's typhoon season.

Cell broadcast alerts will be issued when waves of 6 meters or higher are
forecast along coastal areas.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-06-30 18:40:16

Labor rights groups, youth advocates and lawmakers are reminding students and
employers to be on guard against breaking labor laws ...

... as summer gets underway.

They cite Ministry of Labor figures showing that nearly one in four
workplaces inspected during the summer of 2024 was found to be violating
labor laws.

Labor groups say restaurants and other service industries, where many
students take summer jobs, accounted for many of the violations.

Common problems included delayed or no enrollment in labor insurance, pay
below the minimum wage and employers relying on verbal agreements instead of
written contracts.

The groups are calling on the Ministry of Labor to step up inspections in
industries, strengthen penalties for minimum wage violations and improve
labor rights education for students.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-06-30 18:40:16

The Centers for Disease Control has extended its free Ebola screening program
for travelers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda
through August 30th ..

... after it had been scheduled to end today.

The program applies to people who have visited either country within the
previous 21 days but do not have symptoms when they arrive in Taiwan.

The CDC is urging eligible travelers to report to airport quarantine stations
for free testing and complete 21 days of self-health monitoring after
arrival.

Officials say six travelers have voluntarily taken the test since the program
began earlier this month, and all have tested negative.

The CDC says the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda remain under a Level
Three travel warning and is advising the public to avoid Ebola-affected areas
in both countries.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-06-30 18:40:16

Taipei Metro will begin accepting contactless credit cards and mobile
payments at all station gates starting July 1st.

Passengers can tap contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners
Club credit cards, as well as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay linked to
eligible credit cards, to enter and exit the system.

Officials say the new service will save both local commuters and overseas
visitors from having to buy single-ride tickets or top up stored-value cards.

For iPhone users, Apple Pay's Express Transit mode allows passengers to pass
through fare gates without unlocking their phones.

Taipei Metro says the upgrade follows a six-month trial that recorded more
than one million rides.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-06-30 18:40:18

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expanding its online passport renewal
system beginning tomorrow at 10 AM.

Citizens whose passports have less than one year of validity remaining will
be eligible to renew them online, up from the previous six-month requirement.

To qualify, applicants must be adults with household registration in Taiwan,
have an expired passport or one with less than a year of validity that has
not been lost, and have no changes to their personal information.

Successful applicants can collect their new passport in person after 10
working days.

Also tomorrow .... the ministry is launching a new online document
certification, allowing people to complete applications digitally before
visiting a service office, reducing processing time.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-06-30 17:14:13

A new survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe Taiwan's
security is important to the United States' own security and prosperity.

The 2026 Reagan Institute Summer Survey also found little difference in those
views across party lines.

The survey indicated that the bipartisan consensus around China-related
issues is one of the strongest among Americans on foreign policy challenges.

Regarding Taiwan, 74 percent of respondents said they were concerned that
China could attempt to take the island by force, while 75 percent were
concerned over its military buildup.

The survey also found that people were more divided over U.S. President
Donald Trump's approach to China.

Following Trump's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-May, 44
percent of respondents said the administration's policy was "about right,"
including 59 percent of Republicans and 32 percent Democrats.

Posted on 2026-06-30 17:14:13

The new Taipei MRT San-ying Line is officially open today.

New Taipei Mayor Ho Yo-yi thanked the central government for helping fund the
project at the opening ceremony.

He also announced that passengers can ride the line for free between 10 AM
and 8 PM through August 31st during its trial operation.

The 14.3-kilometer line has 12 stations linking Tu-cheng, San-xia and
Ying-ge, with transfers available to the Taipei Metro Blue Line and Taiwan
Railway.

New Taipei Metro said once official operations begin, daily operating hours
will run from 6:00 AM to midnight, with fares ranging from 20 to 35 NT and a
frequent rider discount program will also be introduced.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-06-30 17:14:13

Four $10 million NT prizes and three $2 million NT prizes from Taiwan's
January-February uniform invoice lottery remain unclaimed.

The Ministry of Finance said winners have until July 6 to collect their
prizes.

One of the unclaimed $10 million-winning receipts was for a $2 NT plastic bag
purchased at a McDonald's in New Taipei's Tu-cheng District, according to the
MOF.

Prizes can be claimed at several local banks.

Posted on 2026-06-30 17:14:13

Turning to world news...

Britain's future military will focus on self-flying jets, uncrewed submarines
and drones.

The Defense Investment Plan, announced today, aims to prepare the U.K. for
conflicts transformed by technology.

The plan has faced delays due to cost disputes between military leaders and
Treasury officials.

Former Defense Secretary John Healey resigned earlier this month, saying the
government was unwilling to spend enough on the military at a time of rising
threats.

The plan aims to increase military spending to NATO's target of 3.5% of GDP
by 2035.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it will equip servicemen and women with
cutting-edge capabilities. But the opposition Conservatives say it's too
little, too late.

Posted on 2026-06-30 14:07:13

The KMT legislative caucus has unveiled its own draft bill to boost Taiwan's
military drone capabilities.

The proposal would allocate $240 billion NT over six years through the
regular government budget, with $40 billion set aside each year.

Under the proposal, any single procurement project worth more than $100
million NT would require a report to the Legislature, while the government
would also have to submit annual progress reports.

KMT caucus head Lin Pei-xiang (林沛祥) says the funding would be limited to
military drone procurement, production, maintenance, training, testing
facilities, and the development of Taiwan's drone industry.

The draft bill comes after the opposition camp blocked the Executive Yuan's
version of the bill that sought approval for a $210 billion NT special budget
to procure domestically developed military drones.

The KMT and the TPP said national defense should not be listed under a
special budget as it lacks transparency.

Meanwhile the the TPP legislative caucus says its own drone procurement bill
would also fund the program through the regular government budget rather than
a special budget.

In a major difference from the KMT, caucus convener Chen Ching-lung (陳清龍)
says the actual level of funding should be determined by the Executive Yuan,
while complying with the Fiscal Discipline Act.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-06-30 14:07:13

Taipei's Dadaocheng waterfront is hosting its annual summer festival, with a
Spider-Man themed fireworks and drone display .

City officials say this year's Taipei Summer Festival at Dadaocheng Wharf and
Yanping Riverside Park will pair fireworks and drone performances with Sony
Pictures' Spider-Man for the first time, with major shows scheduled for the
opening night on July 25th and the closing night on August 15th, both
starting at 8 p.m.

Each will feature a 20-minute combined drone and fireworks display, with
Spider-Man imagery moving across the night sky over Taipei set to the
original film score.

And the light shows will be paired with live music performances from artists
including Golden Melody Award-winning and highly popular acts such as Wendy
Wander and Sweet John

And officials say local merchants will also offer special promotions during
the festival period.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-06-30 14:07:13

Taiwan shares were higher today as many other major Asian stock markets
tracking Wall Street gains.

The benchmark Taiex gained 1-thousand 126 points to end the session at 46,125.

The turnover also expanded to 1 trillion 203 billion NT.

Posted on 2026-06-30 14:07:13

Feliks’ journey resembles a Hollywood movie script, with kidnappers,
smugglers and secretive border crossing.

Feliks is actually a young eastern imperial eagle from Serbia, who last year
set off on his first migratory flight.

However, it was caught by poachers in the Middle East, sold illegally and
retrieved in a daring cross-border mission.

While Feliks returned to the Balkan country of Serbia safely last week, his
yearlong ordeal highlighted both the widespread practice of profit-driven,
illegal animal trade and the unfaltering struggle by animal protection groups
to counter it.

Posted on 2026-06-30 14:07:13

The Ocean Conservation Administration is launching a new certification label
for products made with recycled marine debris.

The agency says products containing at least 5 percent recycled material
derived from ocean waste can apply for the Friendly Ocean Label.

The label will be awarded in four tiers, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum,
based on the proportion of recycled marine debris material used in a product.

And each certified product will carry a QR code allowing consumers and
procurement buyers to verify the exact composition and origin of the recycled
material.

Applications open officially on July 1st, and the agency hopes to encourage
manufacturers to develop ocean-friendly products and give consumers a clear
way to identify and choose them.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-06-30 13:08:13

Cabinet Minister Without Portfolio Jenny Yang has issued another statement
after being suspended over findings that she committed workplace bullying.

She said she's not ruling out taking legal actions against those that she
described as making "fabricated allegations" about her behavior.

The former top negotiator said a supervisor's decision not to adopt
suggestions from colleagues should not, by itself, be considered bullying.

The Cabinet last week released the findings of an external investigation,
concluding that Yang had bullied her deputy Yan Hui-xin (顏慧欣), who died
earlier this year.

Premier Cho Jung-tai has since decided to suspend Yang from her duties
beginning July 1st.

In last night's statement, Yang again argued that the investigation relied on
one-sided accounts and denied her a fair opportunity to respond to the
allegations.

She also claimed the probe was driven by individuals with ulterior motives
who leaked information to the media in an effort to shape public opinion.

Meanwhile Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee said Vice Premier Zheng Li-jun
will continue to lead the Taiwan-U.S. Trade and Economic Working Group for
future negotiations.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-06-30 13:08:13

The Central Weather Administration says it's closely monitoring two tropical
disturbances, adding that they could strengthen into this year's ninth and
tenth named storms, Typhoon Bavi and Typhoon Maysak.

Forecasters say one system is currently passing through the Philippines south
of Taiwan and is expected to move northwest into the South China Sea, where
it could develop into a tropical depression or typhoon.

The second disturbance is located about 4,000 kilometers southeast of Taiwan
and could also strengthen over the next few days.

Forecasters say it may begin approaching the Ryukyu Islands around the
middle to latter part of next week.

For this week, the CWA says with the influence of a Pacific high-pressure
system, we should see hot and sunny days with high temperatures around 36 or
37 degrees Celsius and afternoon thunderstorms.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-06-30 13:08:13

The United States and Iran have separately announced they are sending
delegations to Qatar this week, though Tehran insists it has not agreed to
meet with the U.S. “at any level.”

The announcements came after weekend attacks in the Persian Gulf challenged
efforts to negotiate an end to the war.

U.S. President Donald Trump has tried to preserve a fragile interim deal as
hostilities mounted in recent days in the Strait of Hormuz.

After four days of trading strikes, both sides appeared to pause their
attacks yesterday.

A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry says its delegation traveling to
Qatar plans to discuss terms of the deal without U.S. involvement.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to an interim deal earlier this month that calls for
Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Posted on 2026-06-30 13:08:13

China says its factory activity picked up pace in June.

The survey released by the National Bureau of Statistics said the
manufacturing purchasing managers index, or PMI, expanded to 50.3 in June
from 50 in May.

That's better than had been expected despite worries over China’s economy
losing steam.

A P-M-I reading above 50 reflects expansion, while below 50 indicates
contraction.

Some economists believe China's economy has been regaining momentum recently
but it still heavily relies on high-tech exports.

China’s consumers remain cautious after a long decline in the property sector
and domestic demand is still sluggish.

Posted on 2026-06-30 11:14:13

The Marshall Islands' Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Kalani Kaneko
has arrived in Taiwan for a five-day visit.

Kaneko is leading a seven-member delegation that includes his wife.

The delegation was greeted on its arrival at Taoyuan International Airport
late last night by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ge Bao-xuan.

Speaking briefly to reporters on his arrival, Kaneko said the Marshall
Islands is hoping to deepen bilateral cooperation and friendship with Taiwan
...

... and will continue to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in the
United Nations system and other international organizations

Kaneko also said that this year marks the 28th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and the
partnership has flourished, built on a shared commitment to democratic
values, mutual respect, and human rights and the rule of law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Taiwan has not released any details
concerning the Marshall Islands' delegation itinerary.

Posted on 2026-06-30 11:14:13

A former Tainan fire chief has been sentenced on corruption charges.

The Tainan District Court handed Li Ming Feng a 4 and a half year prison
sentence in the first ruling in the case.

Li is accused of lobbying and encouraging private donations and accepting
bribes of over one and a half million NT from the companies.

The ruling can be appealed.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-06-30 11:14:13

And,

The Central Weather Administration has issued heat warnings for parts of the
island again today.

"Yellow" heat alerts are in effect for Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu
County, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Yilan -
meaning the daily maximum temperature could reaches 36-degrees.

All of the heat alerts are currently slated to remain in effect through this
afternoon.

Posted on 2026-06-30 11:14:13

Now turning to international news...

Serbian President Aleksander Vucic says, early general elections will be held
in the next few months.

He plans to resign before the vote.

Vucic made the announcement at a rally, suggesting it may be his last address
as president.

Rather than giving up power due to mass protests against government
corruptiom, the move likely signals his intentions to move into the most
powerful position in Serbia: prime minister.

Vucic is in his second presidential term and cannot run again.

Once the populist leader formally resigns, the presidential ballot must be
held within the next 3 months.

Vucic has faced more than a year of mass street protests that first started
in response to a train station tragedy in Serbia's north which killed 16
people.

A youth-led movement demanding accountability for the station canopy collapse
has shaken Vucic's firm grip on power more than ever in the past.

Before he became president in 2017, Vucic had previously already served as
prime minister.

Vucic has also faced European Union criticism over Serbia’s democratic
backsliding, including a media clampdown.

Posted on 2026-06-30 11:14:13

The San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese has agreed to pay 395 million US
dollars to settle over 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by church
officials.

The settlement also includes implementing child protection and transparency
reforms, such as creating a list of accused clergy.

The announcemtn comes 3 years after the Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy and
will cover about 530 survivors.

The Archibishop must also write an apology letter to each survivor.

An attorney for the plaintiffs called the settlement unprecedented and
hopeful.

Several archdioceses in California filed for bankruptcy after facing hundreds
of lawsuits brought under a law approved in 2019...

which allowed decades-old claims to be filed by the end of 2022.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:49

Central Election Commission Chairman Michael You is urging lawmakers to limit
the number of referendum initiatives that could be held alongside November's
local elections.

The call comes amid concerns about the election system's administrative
capacity as opposition lawmakers have been discussing plans to advance five
referendum proposals.

Those proposed referendums include restoring nuclear power generation,
opposing the abolition of the death penalty, and introducing absentee voting.

Lawmaker's passed an amendment in November of last year enabling national
referendums to be held on the same day as the local elections.

Speaking to reporters, You called on lawmakers to take the election system's
capacity into account when promoting referendum initiatives ...

.... saying "one referendum would be manageable, two would already be
demanding, and three would be more than election authorities could reasonably
handle."

You also reiterated his opposition to introducing absentee voting in local
elections, arguing that combining absentee voting with the nine-in-one polls
would be - in his words "a disaster."

You said broader public discussion and political consensus will be needed
before absentee voting can be introduced.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:50

The Ministry of Environment has held a cross-agency tabletop exercise
simulating an extreme heat scenario of 40-degrees.

The exercise focused on compound disaster impacts and support measures for
vulnerable groups.

According to the ministry, it involved 34 central and local agencies and
simulated three consecutive days of 40-degree-heat in Taipei's Neihu
District, New Taipei's Wugu District, and Taoyuan's Luzhu District.

The ministry says the exercise's first stage focused and substation failures,
localized power outages and heat-related medical emergencies among vulnerable
groups.

The second stage escalated to railway speed restrictions due to overheated
tracks and rising heat illness cases among outdoor workers and chronic
patients.

While the final stage focused on response efforts, including garbage fires
and road surface deformation.

The environment ministry says although heat is not classified as a disaster
under the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act, it can develop into
systemic risks when combined with heavy electricity demand, infrastructure
strain and vulnerable populations.

The ministry says it will hold a review meeting and incorporate lessons into
future interagency response planning and will publish relevant information
online to help the public understand response measures following heat alerts.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:50

The Centers for Disease Control says its planning to expand HIV treatment
subsidies to more foreign nationals.

The statement comes after C-D-C Director-General Philip Lo said new HIV
infections have steadily declined among Taiwanese but not among foreign
nationals in Taiwan.

According to Lo, he is hoping a change in policy will improve the trend line
for foreign residents.

The C-D-C says data shows that new cases among Taiwanese have fallen from
over 2,000 a year from 2012 to 2017 to 1,069 by 2022 and around 850 in 2025.

However, cases among foreign nationals have remained steady, averaging 106
per year over the past five years.

Under existing program for those who are diagnosed with HIV, the C-D-C covers
costs for an HIV patient's first two years on medication, after which
expenses are covered by the national health insurance system.

Support during the first two years to cover monthly expense for
antiretroviral therapy only currently extends to three categories of foreign
nationals who are legal residents.

The C-D-C director-general says proposed new eligibility rules could take
effect by the end of this year and will cost the government an additional
1-million to 5.5-million N-T, which can be covered within the existing
budget.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:50

rollout

Advocacy groups are urging the Ministry of Labor to ensure migrant workers
are not overlooked in the rollout of the new workplace bullying prevention
rules.

The rules are set to take effect tomorrow and are being introduced under the
Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The move means that employers are required to establish workplace bullying
prevention and complaint-handling mechanisms.

The Taiwan Association for Human Rights says while it fully support for the
new rules, the government must also ensure that outreach, training and
complaint channels are accessible to migrant workers.

According to the association, workplace bullying against migrant workers is
widespread, and they are unlikely to report it due to their vulnerable
position and their need to keep their jobs.

The Ministry of Labor released a workplace bullying prevention guidance
manual, FAQs and educational materials,

All of which is currently available only in Chinese.

The labor ministy has since responded to questions as to whether it will be
available in other languages for foreign workers, by saying it will study the
feasibility of providing multilingual versions.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:50

EVA Airways has annouced plans to to launch direct flights to Delhi at the
end of this year as it seeks to tap into demand for transit between South
Asia and North American markets.

EVA Airways President Sun Chia-ming says the carrier has filed an application
to provide direct flights to Delhi and hopes the new service will start in
early December.

According to Sun, Delhi is positioned well strategically as the city is able
to link North America to South Asia and EVA Airways plans to target Indian
software engineers who work in Silicon Valley with the upcoming new flight
service.

The airline already provides early morning direct services to several major
U-S cities from Taoyuan International Airport.

Sun says he firmly believes that EVA Airways will be able to compete with
Cathay Pacific Airways and Singapore Airlines in the North America-South Asia
transit market after launching the service to India.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:50

And,

Taiwan-themed floats participated in the New York City Pride March and the
San Francisco Pride Parade this past weekend.

The New York float featured Taiwan drag performers, and was themed around the
Taiwan "betel nut beauty."

It was curated by Taiwan celebrity drag queen Nymphia Wind and featured other
Taiwanese drag performers.

The Taiwan contingent in the New York procession included Tom Lee, the head
of Taiwan's representative office in the city, his wife, office staff,
overseas Taiwanese, and students.

Taiwan's tourism mascot, Oh Bear was part of the show in San Francisco -
where the float was designed under the banner "Taiwan in SF."

That float was sponsored by the Tourism Administration and the Taipei
Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco.

David Wu, the head of Taiwan's representative office in San Francisco, and he
and his wife joined the parade for the first time since he took up the post.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:50

Tensions in southern Syria have escalated as Israel occupies a UN-patrolled
buffer zone.

Residents of Abdin in southern Syria were trying to resist a military
incursion...

blocking roads and throwing stones at Israeli troops.

In response, Israeli forces fired warning shots and artillery rounds.

No one was hurt, but many residents fled.

Israel seized the buffer zone in 2024, claiming it was to protect against
militant groups.

The Israeli military presence has led to resistance and clashes.

Syria has condemned the incursions and called for Israel to withdraw.

Residents say the Israeli military regularly enters the village, sometimes
breaking down doors to enter houses.

Israel's presence in Syria is part of a shift to a more aggressive strategy...

with the Israeli military also taking over large portions of Gaza and Lebanon
since a Hamas attack back in 2023.

Posted on 2026-06-30 06:55:50

Police in Nigeria say, gunmen have attacked and kidnapped students taking
exams in Borno state.

A spokesman said it wasn't clear how many students were taken, but 10 people
were rescued hours later.

No group has yet claimed responsibility.

Amnesty International reported that two teacchers and a student were killed.

They emphasized the need for safe schools.

This comes after the army rescued over 300 people abducted by Boko Haram
earlier this month.

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