ICRT

Posted on 2025-11-28 18:12:14

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says he has zero concerns about TSMC's ability to
protect confidential information.

This comes despite a lawsuit accusing former TSMC senior vice president Lo
Wei-jen of leaking secrets to Intel.

Huang said TSMC's technology and culture are far too complex to rely on any
single individual, and he praised the company for doing "an excellent job"
safeguarding NVIDIA's sensitive data.

He stressed that NVIDIA has never worried about information security when
working with TSMC.

Huang recently was in Taiwan for food, sightseeing, and a visit with TSMC
founder Morris Chang.

He says he'll return in January to celebrate Lunar New Year.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-28 18:12:14

The National Land Management Agency says it has now approved and disbursed
almost $900 million NT to households affected by the Matai'an Creek
barrier-lake overflow.

As of today, officials say over 2 thousand 500 cases have been paid out,
covering almost 90 percent of all approved applications.

Each eligible household can receive up to $100 thousand NT in reconstruction
aid, plus additional support from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The agency says more than 3 thosuand 800 applications have been received, but
some still need corrections due to duplicate claims, missing documents, or
properties without official addresses.

The deadline for in-person applications is today, while mailed submissions
will be accepted through November 30th.

Officials urge eligible residents to file as soon as possible so recovery
efforts can move forward.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-28 18:06:14

Premier Cho Jung-tai is pushing back against KMT lawmakers who say that
Japanese food sold in Taiwan should be labelled with detailed place-of-origin
information.

They argue that some vegetables, grains, seafood, and meat remain banned from
distribution inside Japan, but consumers in Taiwan can't see which parts of
Japan that Japanese products come from.

Premier Cho said that more than 200 thousand tests over the past decade of
such products have never failed safety standards.

He says Taiwan follows international norms — and stresses that any food
Japan bans domestically won't enter Taiwan's market.

This comes after Taiwan lifted its decade-long requirement for Japanese
exporters to provide both origin documentation and radiation test reports for
certain items.

Imports from Japan are now handled through routine border inspections, with
the Food and Drug Administration conducting risk-based sampling for
radiation.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-28 18:06:14

Both this year’s Constitution Day and next year’s New Year’s Day fall on
single-day holidays.

The National Freeway Bureau said today that freeway tolls will follow a
single-rate system, meaning there will be a 25% discount but no 20-kilometer
toll-free segment.

It also reminded drivers to not slow down or stop on the shoulder to watch
New Year’s fireworks, and that violators will be fined between $3,000 and
$6,000 NT.

To manage possible congestion near urban scenic spots, especially around New
Year’s Eve events, the Bureau said it will use flexible measures such as
opening the shoulder for traffic and ramp monitoring to help divert vehicles.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-28 18:06:14

And in world news ...

A Reuters report said U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to "permanently
pause" migration from all "Third World Countries".

The social media post on his Truth Social account follows an attack near the
White House that Trump attributed to Biden-era failures in immigration
vetting.

Trump did not identify any countries by name or explain what he meant by
third-world countries or "permanently pause."

Trump also said in the post that he would end all federal benefits and
subsidies for "non-citizens", adding he would "denaturalize migrants who
undermine domestic tranquility" and deport any foreign national deemed a
public charge, security risk, or "non-compatible with Western civilization".

Trump's comments come after the death of a National Guard member who had been
shot near the White House in an ambush investigators say was carried out by
an Afghan national.

Posted on 2025-11-28 16:13:13

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said his company is in a "unique" position in the
market despite facing intensifying competition.

During a brief visit to Taiwan, Huang said the AI market is "extremely large"
when he was asked about the possible threat posed by Google.

According to a report in the U.S.-based The Information on Tuesday, Meta has
been in talks to spend billions of U.S. dollars to buy tensor processing
units, or TPUs, from Google, which would turn the search engine into a rival
of Nvidia.

Nvidia is currently the dominant global player in AI chips.

That report sent Nvidia shares plunging the same day, though they have since
recovered.

TPUs, which are tailored chips, are highly efficient in AI applications and
cheaper than Nvidia's graphics processing units.

Huang said today that they just have to "keep running very fast" to maintain
NVidia's lead in the market in response to the competition.

(CNA)

Posted on 2025-11-28 16:13:13

Taiwan has just experienced its warmest autumn in more than 70 years.

The Central Weather Administration says average temperatures from September
to November reached 26.5 degrees Celsius, far above the seasonal norm of
25.1.

Rainfall totals were close to average, but there were only about 26 rainy
days — the fifth-fewest on record.

Forecasters pointed out that thirteen typhoons formed in the Northwest
Pacific this autumn ... more than the average of 10.8.

Looking ahead, forecasters say temperatures are likely to be normal to
slightly warmer, with rainfall normal to below average, especially in western
Taiwan.

Officials warn that cold air outbreaks will still arrive ... and urging
everyone to take necessary precautions.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-28 16:13:13

Hong Kong authorities say death toll in apartment complex blaze rises to 128
after more bodies found.

Officials say the search for victims is continuing and the numbers could
still rise.

The fire at the Wang Fuk Court complex started Wednesday afternoon and was
only fully extinguished this morning.

Dozens of people including firefighters were injured in the blaze.

A deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services said this morning that the
firefighting operation is almost complete.

The fire started midafternoon Wednesday in one of the Wang Fuk Court
complex's eight towers, and seven buildings were engulfed.

It took more than 1,000 firefighters some 24 hours to bring the five-alarm
blaze under control, and even nearly two days later, smoke continued to drift
out of the buildings.

Posted on 2025-11-28 16:13:13

A court has found Japan's refusal to legalize same-sex marriage
constitutional in the last of six cases likely to be brought to the Supreme
Court for a final ruling.

Today's decision by the Tokyo High Court reversed a lower court ruling last
year and was the first loss at high courts in the six cases brought by those
seeking equal marriage rights.

Plaintiffs and their lawyers said the decision was unjust but they were
determined to keep fighting.

The Supreme Court is expected to handle the appeals in the six cases and make
a decision, possibly next year.

Posted on 2025-11-28 13:07:14

President Lai Ching-te has appointed former diplomat and National Security
Council advisor Xu Si-jian as Deputy National Defense Minister.

Xu has a Master's and Doctorate degree in political science from Columbia
University and has served as Deputy Foreign Minister and NSC Deputy
Secretary-General.

The presidential office says Xu has actively assisted the Defense Ministry in
advancing various military exchange and cooperation programs with
international partners.

He has also joined multiple times international meetings such the Berlin
Security Conference and the Halifax International Security Forum, among
others.

The President expects Xu to continue to apply his international perspective
and strategic expertise to assist Defense Minister Wellington Koo.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-28 13:07:16

A Taiwanese traveler who was taken away by police on Sunday when transiting
through Abu Dhabi International Airport has been released from custody.

But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he is still not allowed to leave the
country.

MOFA said its office in Dubai received a call from the man's family at 1:30
a.m. today, Dubai time, informing the office that he had been set free.

The ministry did not elaborate on why the man was taken away by police in the
first place or why he's still not allowed to leave.

According to local media, the man and his wife from Yun-lin were at the start
of a 16-day tour to Turkey when the incident occurred.

(CNA)

Posted on 2025-11-28 13:07:21

In Thailand, the death toll from severe flooding has climbed to more than 80
people.

Officials said Thursday the floodwaters are expected to recede below
riverbanks in every impacted area by Thursday evening.

About 1 million households and more than 3 million people have been impacted
by the rising waters triggered by torrential rains in 12 southern provinces.

The flooding that began during the weekend submerged vast areas and caused
deaths in seven provinces.

Floodwaters had receded in many of the provinces Thursday morning but water
levels remained high in some areas.

The floodwaters have disrupted infrastructure and medical services and
trapped thousands of people.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-28 13:07:22

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have killed a pair of Palestinian
men after they appeared to surrender to troops, drawing Palestinian
accusations that the men were executed "in cold blood."

The Israeli military said it was investigating.

The killings on Thursday, captured in a pair of videos shown on two Arab TV
stations, came as Israel pressed ahead with its latest offensive in the West
Bank, where the army has stepped up its activities over the past two years.

Israel says it is cracking down on militants.

But Palestinians and rights groups accuse Israel of using excessive force and
say dozens of unarmed civilians have been killed.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-28 08:07:13

challenges

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Deputy Health Minister Lu Jien-de says the government's "long-term care 3.0"
program will further integrate hospitals, community care providers and
home-based medical services to build a seamless care system for older adults.

Speaking at a meeting of the Presidential Office's Healthy Taiwan Promotion
Committee, Lu said the current average wait time for people to receive
long-term care services after being discharged from the hospital is four days
- and that's a significant drop from 51 days in 2017.

According to Lu, under the planned 3.0 framework, the government aims to
shorten that post-discharge wait to two days by the end of 2026 and eliminate
it entirely by 2030 ...

... and to achieve that goal, hospitals will help patients complete simple
care plans before discharge and connect them directly with community-based
providers.

The planned program will provide services including home visits and family
physician care under the National Health Insurance system for people with
medical needs.

The rollout of "long-term care 3.0" starting next year is aimed at addressing
mounting pressure on the long-term care system.

Taiwan entered super-aged society status this year and people aged 65 or
older now make up more than 20-per cent of the population.

Posted on 2025-11-28 08:07:14

The U-S government says it welcomes President Lai Ching-te's plan to allocate
1.25-trillion N-T, or 40-billion U-S dollars for a special defense budget to
boost the island's self-defense capabilities.

According to a U-S State Department spokesperson, Washington supports
Taiwan's acquisition of critical defense capabilities, commensurate with the
threat it faces.

The spokesperson also says the U-S welcomes Lai administration's recent
commitments to increase defense spending to at least 3-per cent of G-D-P by
2026 and to 5-percent of G-D-P by 2030 ...

.... which demonstrates resolve to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense
capabilities.

Two senior members of the U-S Congress are also lauding Lai's pledge to
invest heavily in Taiwan's security.

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence chair Tom Cotton says he was
"pleased" to see the planned defense budget increases announced by Lai, as
the move is an important step in ensuring peace and stability in the region.

While House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks is also
commending Lai "for taking Taiwan's self-defense seriously" - saying the
investments will boost deterrence and bolster peace and stability in the
Taiwan Strait.

Posted on 2025-11-28 08:07:14

Prosecutors have searched the residences of former Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing executive Luo Wei-ren as part of an investigation into claims
he leaked the company's trade secrets.

According to the High Prosecutors' Office, it had launched an investigation
into Luo on November 18 after learning that he was suspected of violating of
the National Security Act.

Prosecutors and officials from the Criminal Investigation Bureau searched
Luo's residences in Taipei and Hsinchu County, seizing computers, U-S-B flash
drives and other evidence.

The prosecutors' office says the searches were carried out with warrants
issued by the Intellectual Property and Commercial Court, where T-S-M-C filed
a suit against Luo earlier this week.

Prosecutors says they have also received court permission to seize stocks and
real estate belonging to Luo in accordance with Article 133-2 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure.

T-S-M-C has claimed that Luo have stolen trade secrets and leaked them to
Intel after he retired as a senior vice president on July 27.

Intel has said there is "no merit" to the allegations against Luo.

Posted on 2025-11-28 08:07:14

The Taipei District Court has sentenced former K-M-T lawmaker Liao Kuo-tong
to 7 1/2 years in prison for his role in a 2020 corruption case.

According to the court ruling, Liao was found guilty of soliciting 700,000
N-T in bribes from Kung Hsiang-ke, who worked for New Taipei-based Number
Media company.

The company, which provides cloud computing and big data services is
affiliated with Huizhong I-O-T Hong Kong Technology Limited, which is itself
owned by Chinese I-T firm Inspur.

Prosecutors say Number Media sought approval from the Investment Commission
to raise its capital in 2018, but the request was suspended after the
commission found it was engaging in business activities beyond its permitted
scope.

The company then hired Kung as consultant on a contract basis to lobby
lawmakers for the capital increase, and he paid the former K-M-T lawmaker
700,000 N-T to help secure approval for the request.

Liao and Kung were both indicted by the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office
on charges of corruption in August of last year.

The dstrict court ruling can be appealed.

Posted on 2025-11-28 08:07:14

awards

And finally,

The organizers of South Korea's annual Golden Disc Awards have announced that
Blackpink member Jennie will be returning to Taiwan in January to perform at
the Taipei Dome.

According to the event organizer, the 40th edition of the awards will feature
Jennie as part of its performance lineup.

Jennie is one of four members of the all-girl K-pop act.

They performed to sell out crowds at the Kaohsiung National Stadium last
month in as a part of their ongoing tour.

The group set a record in Kaohsiung then, attracting over 100,000 fans to
each of the two concerts October.

The act also sold more than 190,000 tickets when combining their 2023 "Born
Pink" and 2025 "Deadline" tour stops in the city.

This year's Golden Disc Awards ceremony will be held on January 10 at the
Taipei Dome.

It will be the fourth consecutive edition of the annual South Korean music
awards ceremony to have be held overseas.

Posted on 2025-11-27 18:11:13

The Executive Yuan says it will work closely with allied countries and
international organizations to fight back against China's expanding
cross-border repression.

This follows President Lai Ching-te's call to build a "comprehensive national
security plan" aimed at safeguarding the island's democracy and resisting
China's threats.

Cabinet spokesperson Li Hui-chih says the government is instructing agencies
to strengthen laws, close loopholes, and impose tough penalties on anyone in
Taiwan who assists Chinese authorities in carrying out repressive activities.

Clearer procedures are also being prepared to help Taiwanese abroad who face
intimidation or legal pressure from China.

The Mainland Affairs Council stressed that Beijing has no jurisdiction over
Taiwan and that its actions violate international law.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-27 18:11:16

Meanwhile,

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wen says Taiwan should focus on stabilizing peace in the
Taiwan Strait, not fueling tensions.

Her comments came a day after President Lai Ching-te warned that China is
attempting to pressure Taiwan through military intimidation and could try to
force unification.

Cheng said the president's remarks suggest that armed conflict across the
Strait is becoming more likely.

She emphasized that foreign representatives she's met have all expressed
concern about rising tensions.

Cheng urged President Lai to "think twice" and avoid what she called
dangerous, irresponsible actions that could escalate the situation.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-27 18:11:21

The Freeway Bureau is warning drivers they face fines of up to $36 thousand
NT for taking their hands off the wheel, following several crashes involving
cars with assisted-driving systems.

The bureau says features like lane-keeping, blind-spot detection and
automatic braking are considered 'assistive' rather than 'autonomous' —
meaning they do not replace the driver.

Officials say overreliance on these systems can be dangerous, especially
during sudden lane changes, speed shifts, or in bad weather.

The warning cites a September 1st crash on Freeway 3, where a driver
depending on ADAS failed to notice a slowed vehicle ahead.

Posted on 2025-11-27 18:11:23

Former KMT lawmaker Liao Kuo-tung has been sentenced to seven years and six
months in prison for taking bribes in a 2020 lobbying case.

Taipei District Court found Liao guilty of accepting $700 thousand NT from
consultant Kung Hsiang-ke, who was hired to lobby for a capital increase for
Number Media, a cloud services firm linked to Chinese tech company Inspur.

Prosecutors said Liao directed his office chief, Ting Fu-hua, to help push
the request through government agencies.

Ting kept 200 thousand NT as commission, while Liao convened coordination
meetings to advance the case.

Both were convicted, though Liao denied wrongdoing.

Ting was sentenced to one year and four months...

While Kung received a four-month suspended sentence and must pay 100 thousand
NT.

All three also face temporary loss of civil rights, and the rulings remain
open to appeal.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2025-11-27 17:52:13

The Executive and Legislative Yuan remain at loggerheads over their different
versions of the draft amendments to the Allocation of Government Revenues and
Expenditures.

Premier Chuo Rong-tai said today the Cabinet will return the draft passed by
the Legislature on the 14th, which corrected some of the errors in the first
edition passed in December last year.

Chuo described the legislature’s version as "full of contradictions and
totally unfeasible," adding that it has left 34.5 billion NT in
centrally-funded tax revenues unable to be distributed.

The Premier once again urged the opposition lawmakers to consider the
Cabinet's version of the draft, saying if the Legislature can come to a
consensus, he will provide detailed fiscal calculations for the local
governments.

That’s the information KMT mayors, including Lu Xiu-yan and Hou Yo-yi, had
been demanding, saying that without it they wouldn’t know whether to support
the Cabinet’s version.

That draft has yet to make it into the Legislative Committee for its first
review.

Meanwhile the DPP legislative caucus is calling on the opposition parties to
give the Executive Yuan a chance to explain its version of the draft bill.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-27 17:52:17

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an is hoping to lead Taipei city's delegation to the
annual Taipei-Shanghai Forum in Shanghai at the end of December.

He said today that Taipei officials are still working out the administrative
details with their Shanghai counterparts and will report to the public once
the agenda is finalized.

The Mayor said the twin-city forum has been going on every year for many
years and has made great contributions to cross-strait communcations and
understanding.

It's now the only remaining channel of official exchange across the Taiwan
Strait and Chiang said he's hoping that it can continue.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-27 17:52:17

Reuters has reported that the New Zealand navy's largest ship, the oiler
H-M-N-Z-S Aotearoa, made a rare transit through the sensitive Taiwan Strait
earlier this month.

New Zealand's Defence Minister Judith Collins said the transit was conducted
in accordance with international law.

She told Reuters that "This includes exercising the right to freedom of
navigation, as guaranteed under the United Nations Convention of the Law of
the Sea."

One source with knowledge of the situation said the ship was tracked and
followed by Chinese forces as it sailed through the Strait.

The minister added that the ship sailed from the South China Sea to the North
Asian region via the Taiwan Strait on November 5th.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-27 17:52:18

In world news...

Authorities say the death toll from a huge fire that broke out at a
residential apartment complex in Hong Kong has risen to 55.

Firefighters are battling one of Hong Kong’s deadliest modern blazes for a
second day, fighting to control the fire that blackened 8 high-rise towers.

Three men from a construction company have been arrested, and rescues were
continuing today.

Thick smoke still poured out of the Wang Fuk Court complex in a northern
suburb.

The fire that started midafternoon yesterday had spread across seven of the
complex’s eight buildings, and four of the towers were under control by
morning.

One firefighter was among the dead. Authorities said 279 people were out of
contact with rescues continuing.

Posted on 2025-11-27 16:08:13

An elementary school coach has been sentenced to a combined prison term of
464 years on sexual assault and forceful obscenity charges involving 32
children.

The coach, surnamed Song (松), appealed the case, but the Taiwan High Court
upheld the lower court's verdict today.

Song was convicted of sexually assaulting and molesting 32 young baseball
athletes over a six-year period beginning in 2018.

In July, the Taichung District Court sentenced him in the first trial to
prison terms ranging from 3 years and 6 months to 8 years and 6 months for
each of the 90 offenses.

The case can still be appealed.

Education Minister Zheng Ying-yao said his ministry has started to put the
names of those unfit for teaching jobs online.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-27 16:08:13

The Executive Yuan has officially approved a massive supplemental defense
bill aimed at bolstering Taiwan's military capabilities.

The proposal, totaling $1.25 trillion NT, is now headed to the Legislature
for review and approval.

Premier Cho Jung-tai stressed that rising military pressure from China has
made this investment essential.

The Premier urged the public and all political parties to set aside their
differences and support the bill.

He argued that boosting Taiwan's self-defense capacity is necessary to show
international partners it has the strength to win their support.

Premier Cho emphasized that Taiwan's critical position on the first island
chain leaves it no choice but to enhance readiness.

He said the goal of this major investment is to secure peace through strength.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-27 16:08:13

The Ministry of Agriculture says Taiwan is reporting a steady increase in the
export value of the lady's slipper orchid, an endangered plant that is being
successfully cultivated in domestic facilities.

The ministry announced that last year, Taiwan's slipper orchid export value
hit $16-million NT, growing by 5 percent compared to 2023.

The unique orchid is listed under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species due to rampant over-harvesting in the wild.

Officials say Taiwan exports approximately 44-thousand slipper orchid
seedlings annually, primarily to the United States, Thailand, and Canada.

The US is also the main market for cut flowers, accounting for about
17-thousand stems annually.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-27 16:08:13

Sri Lanka has stopped passenger trains and closed roads in some parts of the
country where landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains have caused more
than 20 deaths.

The government says 18 of the reported deaths occurred in the tea-growing,
mountainous regions of the country’s central province about 300 kilometres
east of the capital Colombo.

The center says another 14 people were missing Thursday due to landslides in
the same areas.

The death toll has risen to 31 since last week, when Sri Lanka began
grappling with severe weather.

The center says the severe weather has impacted about 4,000 families.

Posted on 2025-11-27 14:07:13

The United States government said Wednesday that it welcomed Taiwan's plan to
allocate $40 billion U.S. dollars, spent over a period of eight years, for a
special defense budget to boost its defense.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said, “Consistent with the Taiwan
Relations Act and more than 45 years of commitment across multiple U.S.
administrations, the U.S. supports Taiwan’s acquisition of critical defense
capabilities.

The spokesperson added that the U.S. also welcomes the Lai administration's
recent commitments to increase defense spending to at least 3-percent of GDP
by 2026 and 5-percent of GDP by 2030.

The committment "demonstrates resolve to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense
capabilities," the spokesperson said.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence, said he was "pleased" to see President Lai's decision.

Democratic Party Congressman Gregory Meeks, a ranking member of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, also commended President Lai "for taking Taiwan's
self-defense seriously."

He wrote on X that these investments will boost deterrence and bolster peace
and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-27 14:07:17

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has launched a new pilot
subsidy program to promote the use of electric rental scooters on Taiwan's
outlying islands.

The program, now open for application, aims to create low-carbon
transportation zones on the islands.

The subsidy is intended to help local governments replace gasoline rental
scooters with electric ones, bBuild necessary charging and battery swapping
infrastructure, and pProvide maintenance services for the electric scooters.

The ministry says it has allocated $60-million NT for the remainder of this
year and is seeking $30-million for next year.

The MOTC says local governments in Taitung County and Pingtung County have
already expressed interest in the plan.

But officials say the total amount of next year's budget still requires final
approval by the Legislative Yuan.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-27 14:07:22

Taiwan shares edged up today as did many other Asian stock markets, taking
their cue from Wall Street's rise overnight.

The Tai ex closing at 27,554 after gaining 145 points.

The turnover was 491.6 billion NT.

Posted on 2025-11-27 14:07:24

In world news...

State media in Myanmar say that ahead of next month's election, the country's
military rulers have granted amnesty to over 3,000 prisoners locked up for
opposing army rule.

They have also dropped charges against over 5,500 others.

A prison official said the releases would begin Thursday.

It was not clear whether the prisoner release would include 80-year-old
former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

She has been held virtually incommunicado since the military's seizure of
power in 2021.

The state-run broadcaster said amnesty was granted to ensure that all
eligible voters can vote in the election on December 28.

Critics have asserted that the election will be neither free nor fair.

Over 22,700 political detainees were in detention as of Wednesday.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-27 14:07:24

India says it is 'examining' Bangladesh's latest extradition request to
repatriate Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh's former Prime Minister, who is living in exile in India, was
sentenced to death earlier this month by a court in Dhaka for last year's
deadly crackdown against a student-led uprising.

Neha Poonia has more.

Posted on 2025-11-27 13:06:13

There will be new income tax reduction measures for single people who live in
rented houses and earn no more than 644-thousand NT a year.

According to the Ministry of Finance, those people won't need to pay income
tax.

Neither will a family of four that live in a rented residence, earn an annual
income under $1.685 million NT, and are raising two children under age six.

The M-O-F's plan also includes raising the exemption and deduction amounts,
as well as adjusting the tax brackets for the 2026 tax year.

To reflect rising living costs, the basic exemption will increase by
$4-thousand to $101-thousand NT next year, or $151-thousand for those aged 70
and above in 2026.

The standard deduction will rise to $136,000 for single taxpayers and to
$272,000 for married couples.

M-O-F officials say more exemptions will be in place if the Legislative Yuan
passes the amendments to the Long-term Care Services Act in time.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-27 13:06:13

The Coast Guard Administration has arrested seven suspects for the illegal
online sale of endangered sawfish parts.

Officials say raids conducted in New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung
resulted in the seizure of four so-called "shark swords", traditional ritual
objects made from the snout of the endangered sawfish.

The coast guard says the swords are often used in folk religious ceremonies
due to their unique shape and symbolic meaning, and this demand gives the
items a significant market value, making them a target for illegal trade.

According to the Ocean Conservation Administration, the illegal purchase or
sale of these items is punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years,
and fines up to $1.5 million NT.

Authorities confirm the seven suspects were transferred to local Prosecutors'
Offices for violating the Wildlife Conservation Act.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-27 13:06:13

The Dominican Republic has authorized the arrival of 800 new flights to
accommodate a surge in tourists who were originally planning to vacation in
Jamaica and other nearby islands but were rerouted following the devastation
of Hurricane Melissa.

Industry officials said Wednesday that the flights, a combination of regular
and charter, were approved as the Caribbean country prepares for peak tourism
season.

An average occupancy rate of more than 95% is projected for the holiday
season.

A spokesperson for the country's Association of Hotels and Tourism said the
additional flights will occur over eight months.

Tourism is a cornerstone for the Dominican Republic's economy, generating
nearly $11 million last year.

As the Dominican Republic prepares for a higher-than-normal influx of
visitors, Jamaica is struggling to recover from Hurricane Melissa after it
made landfall in the western part of the island on October 28.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-27 09:05:13

complex fire

In international news,

At least 44 people have been killed in a major fire engulfing a densely
populated high-rise residential housing complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po
District.

Authorities say 279 other people remain missing.

Three construction company executives are under arrest on suspicion of gross
negligence connected to substandard materials that may have allowed the fire
to spread quickly

The housing complex consisted of eight buildings with almost 2,000 apartments
housing about 4,800 residents.

The fire sent up a column of flames and thick smoke as it spread quickly on
bamboo scaffolding that had been set up around the buildings.

Posted on 2025-11-27 09:05:13

power

A group of military officers say they have seized control of Guinea-Bissau
amid reports that the president has been arrested.

The officers have appeared on state television saying they'd suspended the
electoral process.

It comes as the West African nation is awaiting the outcome of Sunday's
presidential election.

According to the military officers, they were acting to stop a plot by
unnamed politicians who had "the support of a well-known drug baron" to
destabilise the country.

They have also announced the closure of the country's borders and imposed a
night-time curfew.

Guinea-Bissau is known as a notorious drug-trafficking hub where the military
has been influential since independence from Portugal in 1974.

Posted on 2025-11-27 08:13:13

Meanwhile,

Defense minister Wellington Koo says in order to build the T-Dome, the
military plans to expand the number and types of air defense and
anti-ballistic missiles in its arsenal and integrate them with early-warning
and battle-management radar systems.

According to Koo, newly acquired missiles will work alongside existing
Patriot systems to increase intercept altitudes, widen coverage areas and
improve defenses against missiles with mid-flight maneuverability.

Koo says the budget will also fund the development of an "AI-enabled
battlefield intelligence and decision-support module" and be used to procure
drones, as well as precision munitions for use against enemy forces during
amphibious landings and deep-strike operations.

Speaking after President Lai Ching-te announced the the proposed special
defense budget to fund the construction of a T-Dome air defense network, Koo
said Taiwan aims to accelerate the procurement through cooperation with the
U-S ..

... which will help the military obtain urgently needed weapons and integrate
emerging technologies more quickly.

The defense minister also says the special budget is expected to generate
more than 400-billion N-T in production value and create about 90,000 jobs
across supply chains.

Posted on 2025-11-27 08:13:15

The D-P-P has officially announced that Su Chiao-hui will be its candidate
for the New Taipei mayoral race, and Chen Pin-an has been selected as the
party's candidate for the Miaoli County magistrate race in next year's local
elections.

President and D-P-P Chairman Lai Ching-te announced the nominations after
they were approved by the party's Central Executive Committee.

Su is the daughter of former Premier Su Tseng-chang and has represented a New
Taipei district in the Legislature since 2016.

She could face challenges from Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan of the
K-M-T, who is widely expected to run and/or Taiwan People's Party Chairman
Huang Kuo-chang - who has voiced his plans to seek New Taipei's top job.

Meanwhile, Chen Pin-an has served as a Miaoli County councilor since 2018.

The K-M-T has controlled New Taipei since 2005, while Miaoli County has
elected only K-M-T or KMT-aligned independent magistrates since 1950.

The K-M-T says its first batch of nominations for next year's local election
will likely be finalized between January and February.

The city and county local elections are scheduled to take place on November
28 next year.

Posted on 2025-11-27 08:13:15

K-M-T Central Standing Committee member Ho Ying-lu has announced her
resignation from the party.

The move come amid controversy over a video she made calling for Taiwan's
unification with China while wearing a t-shirt featuring a portrait of Mao
Zedong shirt.

That video was posted on Douyin last month and in it Ho said she hoped Taiwan
would "soon return to the embrace of the motherland" as "to quickly unify is
my purpose and my responsibility."

The K-M-T's Disciplinary Committee announced on November 19 that it had
suspended Ho from her position on the committee, but allowed her to continue
in her duties while she appealed that ruling.

Ho attended yesterday's central standing committee meeting.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting Ho said she supports "peaceful
unification," and os concerned about the safety of people in Taiwan if a war
breaks out.

Reports have said Ho was born in China's Yunnan Province, raised in Hubei,
and came to Taiwan in 1997 after meeting her Taiwanese husband.

Posted on 2025-11-27 08:13:15

products

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says the government plans to add Sudan dyes
to its routine post-market inspections and tighten controls on cosmetic
products.

The statement comes after the banned colorants were detected for the first
time in cosmetic items sold domestically.

According to Shih, the expanded inspections are aimed at preventing similar
incidents for happening in the future.

Shih says the health ministry will also fully implement mandatory Good
Manufacturing Practice requirements for all cosmetics manufacturers starting
from July 1 next year - which will strengthening oversight of production
processes.

That means all cosmetic products must complete Product Information File
registration before they can be legally sold.

The issue came to light after authorities traced problematic Chinese cosmetic
products sold online and found that Taiwanese importer Eho had sourced raw
materials from Singapore that contained Sudan dyes.

Those materials were supplied to 14 downstream companies, affecting 20
products that have since been pulled from store shelves.

The importer has been fined 5-million N-T and the case has also been referred
to prosecutors for possible further action.

Posted on 2025-11-27 08:13:15

The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office has indicted 26 people connected
to a chain of dental clinics that hired unlicensed dentists, defrauded the
national health insurance system, evaded taxes and laundered money.

The prosecutors' office says the vast scale of financial crimes by the Abc
Dental Group was uncovered while it was investigating claims that they
employed unlicensed dentists.

The dental group reportedly made an estimated 1.6-billion N-T in illegal
gains.

According to prosecutors, although the probe originally focused on four
suspects who opened the group in 2016, it expanded as new evidence was
brought to their attention.

Prosecutors say the dental group employed 17 unlicensed dentists who filled
cavities, cleaned and pulled teeth for over 30,000 patients from between 2019
and 2023.

The unlicensed dentists brought in 57.1-million N-T in illegal profits for
the company, including 46.9-million N-T in reimbursements from the National
Health Insurance system.

Posted on 2025-11-27 08:13:15

And finally,

A total of 14 train services in northern Taiwan were disrupted on Wednesday
morning after a fugitive drove his car along railway tracks in Keelung City
and abandoned it on the tracks when its tires burst.

The a 33-year-old man resisted attempts by police to inspect his vehicle when
they noticed him inside his car and instead fled the scene.

He then drove the vehicle on to nearby railway tracks and traveled around
100-meters towards the Keelung Train Station at high speed before his tires
burst.

The man then tried to escape by climbing up the station building.

He managed to reached the top floor before falling and was then taken to
hospital before being detained.

According to police, the man was wanted for forgery and offenses against
public safety.

Police also seized drugs from his damaged vehicle.

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

President Lai Ching-te is proposing a 1.25-trillion N-T special defense
budget to fund the construction of a multilayered T-Dome air defense network
and strengthen Taiwan's overall defense posture over the next eight years.

Lai said the T-Dome will provide all altitude air defense, incorporate
artificial intelligence to improve detection and decision-making ...

Its also expected to enhance Taiwan's ability to intercept threats to
protect military assets, critical infrastructure and civilians.

Lai is dismissing speculation that his announcement of the new budget
proposal is linked to a phone call earlier this week between China's Xi
Jinping and U-S President Donald Trump - during which Xi reportedly
underscored the importance of China's "reunification" with Taiwan.

The president said the special budget was earmarked based on the needs to
ensure Taiwan's security and social stability and safeguard its people's free
and democratic way of life.

He's also rejecting suggestions that the proposal is related to ongoing
tariff discussions with the U-S... he insisting instead that the special
1.25-trillion N-T budget is intended to demonstrate Taiwan's determination
to defend the homeland and contribute to peace and stability in the
Indo-Pacific.

Lai says the Ministry of National Defense has completed a draft provision for
the budget, which is set to run from 2026 to 2033.

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

The K-M-T is slamming what it's describing as President Lai Ching-te's
"astronomical" 1.25-trillion N-T defense proposal.

The opposition claims the proposal lacks detail, and could be part of a quid
pro quo with U-S President Donald Trump to allow Lai to transit through the
United States.

K-M-T lawmaker Hsu Yu-chen says the "astronomical sum" for the proposal could
only be secured through debt financing, while the D-P-P has provided few
details on how the money will be spent.

Hsu is also questioning whether Lai's commitment was made in exchange for
Trump allowing him to make future stopovers.

KMT lawmaker Hsu Chiao-hsin says while her party is not opposed to increasing
the defense budget due to the "deterioration in cross-strait relations under
the D-P-P" - the proposed 1.25-trillion N-T will likely result in forced cuts
to social welfare, education and other spending.

Hsu is also stressing that the U-S has yet to deliver several existing
weapons orders to Taiwan.

The K-M-T's legislative caucus says it will closely scrutinize the budget
proposal to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected.

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

However,

American Institute in Taiwan's Director Raymond Greene says he believes
President Lai Ching-te's proposed 1.25-trillion N-T special defense budget
marks "a major step towards maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan
Strait by strengthening deterrence."

Greene used social media to say the move means Taiwan is joining "partners
from across Europe to Japan and Korea that are making critical defense
investments necessary to deter unprecedented challenges to global peace and
prosperity."

Greene reiterated Washington's stance in supporting Taiwan's "rapid
acquisition of critical asymmetric capabilities needed to strengthen
deterrence" - which he said is consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and
"decades of commitment across multiple US Administrations."

The A-I-T director also used the post to appeal to the K-M-T and the Taiwan
People's Party to support Lai's proposal.

Greene said "whether your priority is preserving Taiwan's democracy and
market economy, fostering conditions for cross-strait dialogue, or
maintaining support from the international community ... increasing Taiwan's
defense capabilities is a necessary precondition."

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

The U-S House of Representatives has proposed a bill that requires the U-S
secretary of state to develop a strategic approach to secure Taiwan's
membership in Interpol.

The "Taiwan Interpol Endorsement and Inclusion Act" was introduced by
Republican Lance Gooden and is co-sponsored by lawmakers from across party
lines... including fellow Republicans Pete Sessions and Tom and Democrats
Brad Sherman and Ted Lieu.

Gooden the lawmakers believe it is a strategic necessity to include Taiwan in
international crime-fighting efforts amid ongoing global threats and the
practical drawbacks that Taiwan faces due to being excluded from full
membership in Interpol.

Gooden says Taiwan's "proven" global crime-fighting capabilities are
deserving of full membership in Interpol and that its inclusion would "fill a
gap in the global security network and reinforce the effectiveness of
international law enforcement cooperation."

The bill requires the secretary of state, within 90 days of its passage, to
work with Interpol Washington and report to Congress on a strategy to support
Taiwan's bid for observer or membership status in appropriate international
organizations.

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Colombian congressional leaders have
proposed establishing an office in Taiwan to enhance trade and cultural
exchanges.

The statement comes after Colombia's senate foreign affairs committee
chairman and house foreign affairs committee chairman held talks with Foreign
Minister Lin Chia-lung in Taipei earlier this week.

The foreign ministry says Lin emphasized Colombia's role as Taiwan's key
trade partner in Latin America during those talks - highlighting shared
values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.

The foreign minister also identified potential collaboration areas including
green energy, smart agriculture, and digital innovation technologies.

The Colombian delegation is in Taiwan for a five-day visit for meetings with
government and business organizations.

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

An 87-year-old man has been killed after being hit by a bus while crossing a
street in Taipei's Shilin District.

The accident that took place at the interaction of Zhongzheng and Yanping
North Road.

Police say an initial investigation has found that the bus driver
accidentally struck the man as he was crossing a crosswalk while the bus was
making a right turn.

The elderly man suffered severe injuries and was found at the scene without
vital signs.

He was rushed to the nearby Shin Kong Hospital for emergency treatment, but
was pronounced dead later that evening.

The bus driver has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of negligent
homicide.

The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

And,

New Taipei has awarded the city's 300 millionth YouBike user with a travel
pass worth 14,400 N-T for a full year of free regional public transport.

City government officials say the lucky rider can now renew his monthly 1,200
N-T Taipei-New Taipei-Keelung-Taoyuan TPass without charge for 12 months.

Huang Chih-wei hit the milestone on October 27 when he rented a YouBike
during the morning rush hour to catch the M-R-T to his job in Taipei.

Huang told reporters he's been commuting like this using TPass tickets for
over a year, as he
values the comfort of air-conditioning and the convenience of not having to
worry about parking when taking public transport.

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih also attended the ceremony and said that
Huang's commuting habits perfectly illustrate the city's goal of promoting
"green transport connecting with public transit."

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

Israeli security forces took up positions inside the West Bank city of Tubas
on Wednesday and ordered some Palestinian residents from their homes.

The move is seen as the latest assault in a months-long campaign across
cities of the northern West Bank.

The move was reported by the Reuters News Agency , which quoted Tubas
Governor Ahmed Al-Asaad as saying Israeli forces, backed by a helicopter
that had opened fire, were encircling the city and establishing positions
across several neighbourhoods.

The Israeli military claimed the operation carried out with police and
intelligence forces began early on Wednesday after it found attempts to
establish militant strongholds and infrastructure.

Al-Asaad also told Reuters that Israeli forces ordered those whom they forced
out of their homes not to return until the operation ends, which he
anticipated could last several days.

Posted on 2025-11-27 06:47:13

Moldova has summoned Russia's ambassador to complain about the latest
intrusion of drones into its airspace and urged Moscow to take measures to
prevent further instances.

The government says it noted incursions by six Russian drones earlier this
week, including one that landed on a roof outside Floresti, near the
Ukrainian border, and a second that passed through Moldovan airspace before
heading off toward Romania.

Moldova's Foreign Ministry said the incident was "absolutely unacceptable"
and a "serious violation of Moldova's sovereignty and a direct threat to
national and regional sovereignty".

Reporters were greeted with an 18 kilogram drone outside Moldova's foreign
ministry building, which officials said had landed on a roof in a village.

But Russia's ambassador expressed doubt that one of the drones was linked to
a genuine intrusion and suggested the incident was aimed at spoiling Moscow's
already poor relations with Chisinau.

Posted on 2025-11-26 19:50:13

The main opposition KMT is demanding details on President Lai Ching-te's
proposed $40 billion USD supplementary defense budget, calling the figure
“astronomical”.

KMT lawmakers questioned whether the pledge was linked to a political deal
with U-S President Donald Trump after reports he blocked Lai from transiting
the U-S in August.

The KMT says the government has not explained how the money would be used and
warns the plan could squeeze funding for social welfare and education,
especially as several U-S weapons purchases remain undelivered.

The TPP also urged a rational review, noting Taiwan's 2026 defense budget is
already over $30 billion USD.

President Lai argues the investment is essential in the face of rising
threats from China and urged opposition parties to support national security.

The Defense Ministry says the $40 billion USD would be spent over eight
years, from 2026 to 2033.

Posted on 2025-11-26 17:16:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen is urging the Executive Yuan to release clear
calculation figures for its version of proposed amendments to the act
stipulating how finances are distributed among local governments.

Mayor Lu says that in recent years, the allocation formula has become
increasingly vague.

She points out that while Taichung contributes nearly 250 billion N-T in tax
revenue to the national coffers annually, the city receives less than 100
billion back in subsidies.

She contrasted this with Kaohsiung, which received over 100 billion N-T more
in Forward-looking Infrastructure Development funding than Taichung, despite
Taichung's growing population.

Lu says people will support the Cabinet's amendments if it offers transparent
figures ... and can prove its version is superior to the existing system and
the KMT's proposed version.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-26 17:16:13

Philippines

The KMT legislative caucus is urging the Lai Administration to give an
immediate answer on reports that Taiwan has been asked to fund Philippine
base upgrades.

The demand comes after the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission,
under the U.S. Congress, proposed last week that Taiwan fund upgrades to
several Philippine military bases.

The commission argued that these would support Taiwanese security and help
bolster the US deterrence against China.

Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Zhi-zhong confirmed the report earlier this week,
saying that it's a proposal that can be discussed.

Several KMT lawmakers are asking whether the government has already talked
with the United States regarding the issue and begun preliminary work.

Lai Shi-bao (賴士葆) wants President Lai to clarify whether the proposed $40
billion-U.S.-dollar supplemental defense budget includes such funding, while
Lin Pei-xiang (林沛祥) said Taiwan's being sacrificed.

Meanwhile DPP lawmaker Puma Shen said more cooperation among nations from
Japan, Taiwan to the Philippines is "a good thing" to counter China's
military power.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-26 17:16:13

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating an "eight-month oversight
gap" ... regarding the banned Sudan Red dye in cosmetics.

It promised to trace all imports from the implicated supplier, E-HONG (亦鴻)
Company, within two weeks.

This comes after lawmakers pointed out the dye had been detected in such
products near the beginning of the year ... but authorities didn't take
action until October.

So far, three tainted batches have forced the recall of 20
products—including lipsticks, face masks, and hair sprays.

Officials admit that ingredient tracing is difficult, but announced that
starting July 1st, all manufacturers must meet stricter GMP standards to
prevent future lapses.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-26 17:16:13

Pope Leo XIV is embarking on his first foreign trip.

His pilgrimage to Turkey and Lebanon would be delicate under any
circumstances but is even more fraught given Mideast tensions and the media
glare that will document history’s first American pope on the road.

Leo is fulfilling a trip Pope Francis had planned to make.

In Turkey, he'll mark an important anniversary with the Orthodox church.

In Lebanon, he’ll try to boost a long-suffering Christian community and
country still demanding justice from the 2020 Beirut port blast.

He's also planning to deliver all his remarks in Turkey in English and
English and French in Lebanon, casting aside the Italian lingua franca of the
Vatican in favor of languages that are more widely understood.

Posted on 2025-11-26 16:09:13

The Control Yuan is launching an investigation into the illegal import and
sale of Chinese food products, which are reportedly entering Taiwan via small
packages to avoid inspection.

Control Yuan members say they are investigating reports that unapproved
Chinese foods containing excessive additives—including spicy noodles, spicy
strips, mala spicy peanuts, and wax bottle candy—are being sold on online
platforms and at night markets.

The reports indicate that these items are illlegally shipped to Taiwan via
express delivery and logistics companies, exploiting a loophole that exempts
small packages from food inspection and customs approval.

The members say their investigation will examine the effectiveness of
Taiwan's food import management and inspection mechanisms.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-26 16:09:14

Train services in northern Taiwan were disrupted early this morning after a
fugitive drove his car onto railway tracks in Keelung.

Police say the man sped about 100 meters along the tracks near Keelung
Station around 2 AM before his tires burst.

He then tried to flee by climbing the station building but fell from an upper
floor and was later taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Officers say he was already wanted for forgery and public-safety offenses.

They seized illegal narcrotics — including amphetamine and so-called 'zombie
vape' — from the car wreck.

The incident damaged guardrails and signals, forcing 12 trains to be
disrupted and two canceled.

Repairs were completed after the vehicle was removed around 4:50 AM, and full
service resumed just after 9 AM.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2025-11-26 16:09:14

Officials say paving of the Danjiang Bridge is underway and is expected to be
completed by the end of this year, keeping the project on track for its May
2026 opening.

The Directorate General of Highways says the bridge, which connects the
Danshui and Bali Districts, is now in its final phase of construction, with
workers beginning to lay asphalt concrete pavement on the steel bridge deck.

This phase covers a section of about 640 meters and is expected to take about
45 days.

Officials say workers will install decorative light poles and adjust the main
cables in February next year, while metal guardrails and pedestrian
facilities will be installed in April.

Once these final upgrades are finished and inspected, the bridge will meet
the conditions for its scheduled opening in May 2026.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-26 15:11:13

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel had identified
the latest remains returned from Gaza as hostage Dror Or.

That leaves the bodies of two hostages in Gaza as the first phase of the
Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement nears a conclusion.

Palestinian militants released Or's remains Tuesday.

Israel has agreed to release 15 Palestinian bodies for each hostage returned.

Israel's military says Or was killed by Islamic Jihad militants who overran
his home on Oct. 7, 2023.

His wife was also killed in the attack, while his two children were released
in a hostage deal later that year.

Almost all of the hostages or their remains have been returned in ceasefires
or other deals.

The remains of one Israeli and one Thai national are still in Gaza.

Posted on 2025-11-26 15:11:13

Britain's Labour government is set to deliver its second budget since
returning to power in 2024.

Treasury chief Rachel Reeves plans to announce tax-raising measures to
address a gap in public finances.

Reeves had previously stated that last year's budget would be the only major
tax-raising one.

However, the British economy has not performed as expected, partly due to
taxes on businesses.

The main measure anticipated is a further freeze in the levels at which
individuals pay Britain’s different tax levels, meaning as wages rise more
people fall into higher tax brackets.
Other potential changes include a mansion tax on high-valued properties and
changes to the capital tax regime.

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:13

President Lai Ching-te announced at a press conferense this morning that his
administration is getting ready to introduce a historic 1.25 trillion NT
supplementary defense budget in the coming 8 years.

Lai said the investment will not only fund significant new arms acquisitions
from the U.S. but also vastly enhance Taiwan's asymmetrical capabilities.

Lai said the National Defense Ministry has drawn up a special act for the
huge budget, which will also include a multi-layered, high-technology shield
to defend Taiwan's airspace.

Soon after Lai's press conference, American Insitute in Taiwan Director
Raymond Greene responded by saying that AIT welcomes President Lai’s
announcement of a new special defense budget.

He adds that Taiwan joins partners from across Europe to Japan and Korea that
are making critical defense investments necessary to deter unprecedented
challenges to global peace and prosperity.

Green also said the U.S. supports Taiwan’s rapid acquisition of critical
asymmetric capabilities needed to strengthen deterrence, adding that he hopes
Taiwan’s political parties can find common ground on the issue.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:14

Taishin Shin Kong Holding has announced that the 2026 TS Women Run will be
held on April 12th and will include four events: a half marathon, 10 km, 3
km, and a 3 km pet run.

The pet run is for one woman with one pet, and there's no age limit for the
runner.

Organizers said for this year’s race they introduced a bonus program
awarding $1,000 NT to runners who placed in the top 100 of the half marathon
and $500 NT to the top 100 in the 10 km race.

Noting that the incentive helped significantly boost performance among the
top 100 in both categories, organizers said next year’s race will double the
prize money.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:14

Taiwan shares were higher today as were many other Asian stock markets after
U.S. stocks rallied.

The Taiex rose 497 points to end the session at 27,409

The turnover was 508.7 billion NT.

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:14

In northern Ethiopia, volcanic activity in a long-dormant volcano has
subsided days after an eruption.

The eruption Sunday left villages covered in ash and caused flight
cancellations in the Middle East into South Asia.

Villages in the Afar region were covered in ash, with residents coughing and
livestock unable to find clean water or grass.

Airlines canceled dozens of flights Monday and Tuesday, including 11 by Air
India, due to ash clouds disrupting flight paths.

Health officials dispatched medical teams to assist affected residents.

Ethiopia's location on an active rift system makes such eruptions possible.

The ash cloud has moved across the Arabian Peninsula and India and is heading
toward China.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:14

A Chiayi woman gave birth to a baby boy in a stairwell, after suddenly going
into labor at home.

The Chiayi City Fire Bureau says the 24-year-old woman, who was due in early
December, was experiencing severe abdominal pain and could not walk.

Paramedics arrived on the scene ot find the woman in the stairwell, and then
found that the baby's head was already crowning.

The crew successfully helped deliver the baby on the stairwell, then
transported both mother and baby to a local hospital, where they are
reportedly in good condition.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:14

The Ministry of Education is urging local governments to reduce class sizes,
in order to support teachers and special needs students

The ministry issued a letter instructing local education departments to
properly adjust class sizes in accordance with regulations.

This comes after the National Federation of Teachers' Unions raised concerns
that the policy of inclusive education is being implemented without properly
adjusting class capacity.

Under current regulations, for every special education student placed in a
regular class, the class size should be reduced by one to three students.

However, the federation claimed that schools were treating special education
students as "additions," which led to class sizes exceeding the maximum
limits and increasing the workload for teachers.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:14

China is turning to a well-used playbook to express its displeasure with
Japan for refusing to retract a statement by its prime minister on Taiwan.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi earlier this month stated that its
military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan.

Beijing is using its economic clout to pressure Tokyo while hurling a barrage
of invective at its government.

A Chinese advisory against travel to Japan has led to cancellations for
hotels and tea ceremony classes.

The Chinese release of two Japanese movies has also been called off and other
sectors such as seafood exports could be next.

China has employed similar economic pressure tactics before.

One estimate says the travel advisory could cost Japan $11.5 billion.

Japan is trying to keep the feud from escalating but has shown no sign of
backing down.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-26 14:07:14

New Taipei awarded a lucky man one whole year of T-PASS for free ... for
becoming the 300 millionth rider of the city's YouBike system.

The man, surnamed Huang, said he uses the T-PASS monthly pass every day to
rent a YouBike from home to the Airport MRT ... as part of his daily commute.

He joked that when the Transportation Department first called about the
prize, he thought it was a scam.

Mayor Hou You-yi said that Huang's story shows how combining YouBike with
public transport can ease rush-hour traffic and support a greener city.

Transport officials say they will keep adjusting bike availability and
station locations — and reminds riders to sign up for public bike injury
insurance.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-26 13:09:13

President Lai Ching-te says the government will put forth a special $40
billion USD budget for arms purchases, in the face of U.S. pressure for the
island to increase its defense spending.

The budget, he said today, will be used to purchase new defense systems,
including those from the U.S..

The budget will be allocated over eight years, from 2026 to 2033, and comes
after Lai already pledged to raise defense spending to 5% of Taiwan's GDP.

Taiwan plans to deter China's much larger military forces with asymmetrical
weapons such as mobile missles.

This is in addition to creating a multilayered system shielding Taiwan from
China's missiles, drones and aircraft.

The goal, he said, is for Taiwan to protect itself using innovation and
technology.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-26 13:09:13

Taiwan's trade representative Jenni Yang said Taiwan-US trade talks are in
the final stage and that her team is engaged in the "final, last efforts" to
secure a better deal.

Yang said today that the two sides are now exchanging documents for review.

She has also refuted media reports that Taiwan needs to invest 400 billion
U.S. dollars in the United States, calling it "speculation."

Financial Times previously quoted an insider to say that the amount of
investment Taiwan promised to the U.S. will be between South Korea's 350
billion and Japan's 550 billion dollars.

The report also said this figure may include TSMC’s pledged
$165-billion-dollar investment in Arizona.

Premier Chuo Rong-tai noted yesterday that Taiwan proposed a “Taiwan Model”
negotiating strategy under which investments in the U.S. would be carried out
independently by Taiwanese industries as part of their global plan.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-26 13:09:13

With the northeasterly winds arriving, the Environment Ministry has issued an
orange warning for air pollution in southern Taiwan, Taitung and outlying
Matsu and Kinmen.

Environment experts say as southern Taiwan lies downwind, pollutants can
build up more easily.

In Kaohsiung city, several districts' Air Quality Index has exceeded 130,
meaning the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

In addition, strong winds along the Changhua to Tainan coastline and in
Taitung may stir up surface dust, affecting air quality and visibility.

Environment officials said that from now until the 28th, the prevailing winds
will be from the northeast, which may carry small amounts of pollutants to
Taiwan.

But things should turn better over the weekend as winds shift to an easterly
direction.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-26 13:09:13

Blast

Authorities have intensified a security crackdown in Indian-controlled
Kashmir following a deadly blast near New Delhi's Red Fort.

The explosion on November 10 killed at least 10 people and wounded 32.

Investigators quickly focused on Kashmir, conducting raids, and questioning
thousands and detaining hundreds.

The crackdown has sparked fear and anxiety, especially among professionals
like doctors, who face increased scrutiny.

Experts warn that the heavy-handed crackdown may fuel further unrest and
anger in the region, which has a history of conflict and political
disenfranchisement.

(KK)

Posted on 2025-11-26 08:08:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Authorities says police officers and teachers are among the more than 5,000
members of an online forum that former TV host Mickey Huang used to purchase
images of child sexual abuse.

The statement comes after Huang was handed a 1 1/2 year prison sentence,
suspended for four years, by the High Court on charges of possessing sexually
explicit images of 37 minors between the ages of 10 and 17.

An investigation relieved that Huang owned 2,259 sexual image files involving
minors that he purchased on the now-shuttered Creative Private House online
forum.

The High Court found Huang guilty of violating the Child and Youth Sexual
Exploitation Prevention Act and the Personal Data Protection Act and also
ordered him to carry out 180 hours of community service and take three legal
education sessions.

The Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation and ECPAT Taiwan have criticized the
ruling for neglecting the severity of digital sexual violence.

They've issued a statement saying the court's decision to hand down a
suspended sentence solely because settlements were reached is "completely
contrary" to the spirit of laws designed to protect minors.

The Taichung District Prosecutors' Office has been leading the investigation
into the online forum.

It indicted 13 suspects, of whom several school teachers and police officers,
and they have been handed prison sentences ranging from one to 13 years.

Two-hundred-and-forty-seven other suspects have been granted deferred
prosecutions.

The prosecutors' office says it uncovered more than 200,000 illicit videos
involving over 4,000 victims.

Posted on 2025-11-26 08:08:13

A group of Panamanian lawmakers have arrived in Taiwan in apparent defiance
of reported Chinese requests that they cancel the trip.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the nine-member delegation will meet
with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu and attend
a banquet hosted by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung during their stay.

The group will also visit several government agencies, including the
International Trade Administration, the Industrial Technology Research
Institute, and the Hsinchu Science Park.

The visit comes amid reports that China had sought to block it.

An Associated Press report published on November 20, citing the Panamanian
daily La Prensa, said Chinese embassy staff in Panama asked a total of 10
lawmakers to "immediately cancel" plans to visit Taiwan.

The foreign ministery is condemning Beijing for trying to intervene in
Taiwan's "normal exchanges with other countries."

Posted on 2025-11-26 08:08:13

Labor groups have announced that this year's annual Autumn Struggle protest
march will be taking place this coming Sunday in Taipei.

According to organizers, along with highlighting labor rights issues, this
year's rally will also be calling on the government to take an anti-war
stance and to halt what they're calling the "unconditional purchases of
unnecessary military equipment from the U-S."

The labor groups are arguing that such military spending is negatively
impacting necessary funding for social welfare and education programs.

The groups also say that low income households are seeing no improvement in
their quality of life situation and they're concerned that large investments
in the U-S by Taiwan companies are squeezing budgets for labor protection.

The Autumn Struggle march first took place in 1993 and has become a major
rallying point for labor groups to air their grievances against the
government.

The Autumn Struggle protest will begin at 2PM on Sunday outside the
Legislative Yuan, before heading to the Taipei Main Train Station, and ending
on Ketagalan Boulevard opposite the Presidential Office.

Posted on 2025-11-26 08:08:13

The Centers for Disease Control says it plans to purchase an additional
150,000 flu vaccine doses.

The statement comes as most of the current supply is expected to run out by
late December.

According to C-D-C Director-General Philip Luo, a record 6.125-million people
have received publicly funded flu shots this year - accounting for 91.7-per
cent of the roughly 6.68-million doses purchased.

Luo says that figure is 16-per cent higher than the 5.26-million doses
administered during the same period of last year.

The C-D-C director-general is attributed the high demand to the
earlier-than-usual arrival of the flu season this year and heightened public
awareness following the death of Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu from flu in
Japan in February.

The C-D-C is urging those eligible for the free government program and those
planning to pay for a shot themselves to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Data shows there were 85,425 emergency department visits for flu-like
illnesses from between November 16 and 20 - a 10.1-per cent decline from the
previous week.

Posted on 2025-11-26 08:08:13

The IPass Corporation says it will continue working closely with Line despite
plans to shift its functions away from the messaging service's Line Pay at
the end of the year.

According to the e-payment provider, most iPass Money functions previously
offered in the Line Pay wallet will be shifted to the standalone iPass Money
app beginning in January next year.

The corporation says the move is aimed at strengthening the independence of
its e-payment operations and improve service quality, and wallet functions
inside the Line app will remain available by linking to the iPass Money app.

There will still be an icon in the iPass Money app linking users back to Line
Money if they feel more comfortable with the Line Pay user experience.

IPass Corporation first announced in July that its e-wallet partnership with
Line Pay would end at the end of this year - signaling a structural split
between the two companies' payment systems.

IPass Money is Taiwan's largest e-payment provider and has some 7.2-million
users.

Posted on 2025-11-26 08:08:13

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration says Tropical Storm Koto will not have a
direct impact on Taiwan.

The storm formed yesterday evening and is currently located west of the
Philippines.

Koto is located 1,200 kilometers southeast of Eluanbi at Taiwan's
southernmost point and is moving in a northwesterly direction at
27-kilometers-an-hour.

Based on the weather administration's latest tracking chart, the storm will
approach the coast of Vietnam in the coming days before veering in a
northerly direction towards China's Hainan Island on Saturday.

Koto is the 27th tropical storm of this year Pacific typhoon season.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:13

Premier Zhu Rong-tai says "reunification" with China is "not an option" for
Taiwan.

Zhu's response came after comments by China's Xi Jinping during a telephone
call with U-S President Donald Trump earlier this week.

Zhu says the government has taken note of the "significant international
exchange" and is reiterating that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a fully
sovereign and independent country" and "the 23 million people of Taiwan do
not have a 'reunification' option."

The premier described Taiwan as critically important to the international
community in terms of regional security and technological and economic
development... and maintaining the status quo is therefore something the
world was collectively focused on.

Xi reportedly told Trump that "Taiwan's reunification with China" was
"vital" to the post-war international order.... and Trump responded by saying
the U-S acknowledges Taiwan's importance to China.

However, Trump made no mention of Taiwan in a social media post after the
phone call... instead saying he and Xi discussed Ukraine, fentanyl, a recent
deal on agricultural products, and forthcoming state visits.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:14

President Lai Ching-te has thanked visiting Eswatini House of Assembly
Speaker Jabulani Mabuza for his country's vocal support for Taiwan at this
year's United Nations General Assembly.

Lai pointed out that Eswatini's King Mswati III used his address at the
General Debate in September to underline that U-N Resolution 2758 does not
address the issue of Taiwan's representation in the U-N ...

.... and does not preclude its participation in the U-N system."

Lai said that the king's speech reflected the long-term support Eswatini has
given Taiwan in the international arena and noted that Mabuza's current visit
demonstrates Eswatini's firm support for Taiwan and deepening bilateral ties.

Lai also said his administration will continue to encourage Taiwan businesses
to branch out globally, using Eswatini as their launchpad into the African
market - creating more opportunities for cooperation.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:14

A delegation of lawmakers from the Danish parliament is visiting Taiwan this
week.

The group is being led by Kasper Roug, the vice chairman of the Parliamentary
Taiwan Friendship Group.

The delegation is slated to hold talks with several senior government
officials including Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and visit the Hsinchu
Science Park Bureau, the Taiwan Space Agency, and the Taiwan FactCheck
Center.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the visit is aimed at gaining an
understanding of Taiwan's political and economic developments, the
cross-strait situation and regional security as well as to promote closer
Taiwan-Denmark exchanges on all fronts.

The last time a group of Danish parliamentarians visited Taiwan was in
November of last year.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:14

Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang is in Japan for a four day
visit, during which he says he'll be working to see if Taiwan can help ease
the current tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.

Before his departure, Huang said regional security is key to Taiwan's own
security.

He went onto urge China and Japan to tone down their rhetoric to avoid
further escalating tensions - and said he hopes Taiwan can play a role in
fostering harmony and balance rather than become a flashpoint.

When asked whether former T-P-P chairman Ko Wen-je had offered him any advice
for the Japan trip, Huang said he and Ko discuss everything openly ..

.. and Ko believes that all parties should engage in rational dialogue rather
than inflaming tensions when conflicts arise between China and Japan.

Huang is visiting Japan with a group of young party members.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:14

cyberbullying

A survey by the Child Welfare League Foundation has found that 18.6-per cent
of junior and senior high school students have experienced cyberbullying, and
the threat of bullying has moved beyond schools.

7.5-per cent of respondents reportedly experienced more than three forms of
attack and girls reported higher rates of online bullying than boys.

The most common types including public shaming in class chat groups,
exclusion from online groups, and the sharing of private conversations for
ridicule.

The survey also found that nearly 41-per cent of respondents had heard of
cyberbullying incidents.

The fundation says trend is even more worrying because nearly 40 percent of
students who witnessed cyberbullying took no action... which in turn
potentially makes isolation and indifference "a secondary form of harm."

The survey showed that 15.1-per cent of respondents targeted by cyberbullying
had contemplated self-harm or suicide, while 48.9-per cent showed signs of
social anxiety or avoidance and 42.2-per cent felt worthless or suffered low
self-esteem.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:14

And,

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a program enabling young people from
Taiwan's diplomatic allies to participate in cultural exchanges in Taiwan and
vice versa will continue for a second year in 2026.

The Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative is a government-funded program
introduced in earlier this year.

It was initially designed to offer more than 800 opportunities for Taiwanese
aged between 15 to 30 to participate in short-term overseas programs to
cultivate global connections and exchanges for young Taiwanese.

However, it was later expanded into two-way exchanges, with young people from
the country's 12 diplomatic allies invited to visit Taiwan for short-term
cultural and educational experiences.

The foreign ministry says a total of 19 youths from 11 of Taiwan's formal
diplomatic allies joined the inaugural inbound program in July.

A second group of 23 youths from six of Taiwan's allies in the Caribbean and
Latin America region are currently in Taiwan in a month-long program.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:14

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has started his 27-year prison
sentence for leading a coup attempt.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled Tuesday that Bolsonaro will
remain in custody after being preemptively arrested on Saturday.

The far-right leader had been under house arrest since August but he was
taken to federal police headquarters Saturday after trying to break his ankle
monitor.

The Supreme Court determined Bolsonaro’s defense had exhausted all appeals
of his conviction.

The former president and several allies were convicted for attempting to
overthrow Brazil’s democracy following his 2022 election defeat.

Bolsonaro has always denied wrongdoing.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:14

Italy’s parliament has approved a law that introduces femicide into the
country’s criminal law and punishes it with life in prison.
Tuesday's final vote saw bipartisan support.

The law is backed by the conservative government of Premier Giorgia Meloni.

It comes in response to a series of killings and other violence targeting
women in Italy.

Italy’s statistics agency recorded 106 femicides in 2024, 62 of them
committed by partners or former partners.

The law also includes stronger measures against gender-based crimes including
stalking and revenge porn.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:15

The World Food Programme says a spike in attacks by militants across northern
Nigeria is expected to result in Africa's worst levels of severe hunger next
year.

The United Nations food agency projects 35 million people in Nigeria are
likely to suffer food insecurity in 2026.

The figure is the largest hunger projection since the agency began recording
data in Nigeria.

The WFP predicts at least 15,000 people in Borno state will experience
catastrophic hunger including famine-like conditions similar to what has been
seen in some parts of Gaza and Sudan.

Officials say widespread attacks by armed groups have deterred farmers from
using their land.

Posted on 2025-11-26 07:01:16

Joan Branson, the wife of British billionaire Richard Branson, has died at
age 80.

Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin Atlantic airline, space tourism
company Virgin Galactic and satellite launcher Virgin Orbit.

Branson announced her death Tuesday on Instagram. He called her, “my rock,
my guiding light, my world.”

In a 2020 blog post, he said he met Joan in 1976 at The Manor, a recording
studio in Oxfordshire, England.

They had three children.

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:49:14

The Taiwan High Court has explained why it sentenced Mickey Huang to one and
a half years in prison, suspended for four years, in a child sex-images case.

The High Court said Huang, also known as Huang Zi-jiao, had settled with all
37 victims and paid the compensation, and that they all consented to the
suspended sentence.

The Court has also ordered Huang to perform 180 hours of community service
and attend three education sessions.

High Court spokesperson said Huang's actions violated the Child and Youth
Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act, which prohibits possessing child or youth
sexual images without legitimate reason, and the Personal Data Protection
Act.

The case can still be appealed.

Meanwhile a civil group aiming to prevent child sexual exploitation and
trafficking has criticized the High Court's ruling, saying it has undermined
the spirit of child-protection laws and the mechanisms that advocates have
worked hard to build.

It said the court shouldn't have handed down lighter sentences and granted
suspensions simply because a defendant has "reached settlements” with
victims.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:49:14

Yunlin County police have reported two cases of drug-impaired driving after a
new saliva drug test system took effect this week.

The first case came after a scooter and a car collided in Gukeng Township on
the 21st.

Police say the scooter rider showed signs of drug use and later tested
positive for amphetamine.

The second case involved a driver stopped for a traffic violation who had
drug paraphernalia in his car.

He tested positive for etomidate, and police suspended his license and
impounded his vehicle.

Both cases were handled under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act,
and urine tests will follow as required.

Police say the new test aims to strengthen enforcement against drug-impaired
driving and improve road safety.

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:32:14

Afghanistan's Taliban government has accused Pakistan of launching overnight
airstrikes in three eastern provinces, killing 10 civilians.

The government's chief spokesperson posted on X Tuesday that Pakistan
"bombed" the home of a civilian in Khost province

-----

An Australian senator has been barred from Parliament for the rest of the
year for wearing a burqa in the chamber.

Pauline Hanson, leader of the One Nation party, wore the garment to protest
the Senate's refusal to consider her bill banning burqas in public.
------

------

And now, in Taiwan news...

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:32:17

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a cross-party delegation from Panama has
arrived in Taiwan for a five-day visit.

The group is led by lawmakers Manuel Cohen and Roland Ameth De Gracia, who
co-chair Panama's IPAC chapter.

MOFA says the visit went ahead even after Chinese diplomats in Panama tried
to pressure the lawmakers to cancel.

During the trip, the delegation will meet Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and
attend a banquet hosted by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung.

They will also meet Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu and visit major
research and technology sites.

MOFA says Panama is a key global hub and that Taiwan is its second-largest
export market after the United States.

The ministry says the visit will help create new momentum for cooperation in
fields such as smart logistics, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence.

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:32:17

An EU-funded vocational education group has completed a nine-day visit to
Taiwan.

The delegation included educators from Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Ireland.

Members met with Taipei's education authorities and visited several local
schools.

They also toured museums and science centers to learn about Taiwan's STEM and
innovation landscape.

The Education Ministry says both sides are now exploring cooperation in AI,
STEM, sustainable development, and creative education.

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:32:17

The Centers for Disease Control says demand for this year's flu vaccine is
the highest on record.

The CDC says nearly 92 percent of government-funded doses have already been
used.

Over six million shots have been given, well above last year's pace.

To meet continued demand, the CDC will purchase 150-thousand additional doses
for eligible groups.

Officials say interest rose after an early flu season and the death of Barbie
Hsu (大S) from influenza in Japan increased public awareness.

The CDC warns that some areas may run out of vaccine in early December.

Spokespersons say severe flu cases remain concentrated among older adults,
most of whom were not vaccinated this season.

The agency expects flu activity to rise in mid-December, with a possible peak
around Lunar New Year.

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:32:17

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) says the government will decide on a new
food-waste policy within half a month.

He says pig farmers, waste collectors, and businesses need clarity on how
food waste will be handled.

The review follows a proposal from lawmaker Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) to
subsidize household food-waste machines, using Japan as a model.

Cho says future options include dehydrating food waste for incineration,
turning it into compost or animal feed, or using it for bioenergy.

Chiu says Japan's Eco-feed system produces safe and low-cost animal feed from
food waste.

Cho says the Executive Yuan is actively studying these ideas and will set a
clear direction soon.

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:32:17

Taiwan's pig farmers are urging the public to choose local pork as auctions
and slaughter resumed after a 15-day suspension due to a localized outbreak
of African swine fever.

The Ministry of Agriculture says prices rose above $100 NT per kilogram in
the first three days after reopening, then fell.

The National Swine Association says farmers hope prices stay above production
costs at around $90 NT per kilogram.

Chairman Pan Lien-chou (潘連周) says Taiwan contained African swine fever
without spread thanks to strong disease-control measures.

He says Taiwan pork is high quality, with most pork on the market produced
locally rather than imported.

Officials also stress that African swine fever does not affect humans and
that local farms follow strict biosecurity rules.

The Agriculture Ministry also urges travelers not to bring pork from overseas
and says Taiwan pork remains a safe and trusted choice.

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:05:13

In a set-back for Premier Chuo Rong-tai, the opposition-led Legislative Yuan
has put the Executive Yuan's draft bill to redistribute government tax
revenues on hold.

The Legislative Procedure Committee made the decision by a vote of 9 to 7 on
TPP lawmaker Liu Shu-bin's (劉書彬) proposal, and it means that the draft
bill won't be on Friday's Legislative assembly agenda.

Without that first step, the bill won't get a chance to be reviewed by
lawmakers.

The Executive Yuan sent its draft amendments to the Allocation of Government
Revenues and Expenditures to the Legislature last week, just 6 days after the
lawmakers passed their version of the amendments.

While KMT lawmakers have different opinions about the Cabinet's version, they
agreed that the Cabinet needs to offer more details on how the funds will be
distributed to local governments.

Just this morning, Chuo is calling for the Legislative Yuan to pass the draft
as soon as possible.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:05:17

Premier Zhuo Rong-tai says Taiwan has no information about any cooperation
with South Korea on U.S. semiconductor tariffs.

According to Reuters, he told lawmakers that Taiwan is holding one-on-one
talks only with the United States.

Zhuo says Taiwan hopes to expand cooperation with countries whose industries
complement Taiwan's supply chain.

He says Taiwan is in talks to reduce a 20 percent U.S. tariff on its exports,
though chips are not affected.

Zhuo describes competition with South Korea in high-tech sectors as "benign."

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:05:24

In world news...

China has launched the Shenzhou 22 spacecraft to help bring back a team of
astronauts after a damaged spacecraft left them temporarily stranded on
China's space station.

The Shenzhou 22 will be used sometime in 2026 by the three astronauts who
docked on the Tian-gong space station on November 1st.

Earlier this month, another group of Chinese astronauts faced a nine-day
delay in their return to Earth after their craft’s window was damaged.

They eventually returned using the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft, which had just
carried the replacement crew to Tian-gong.

While the three-person crew landed safely back on Earth, three of their
fellow astronauts on the replacement crew were temporarily left without a
guaranteed way to return in case of an emergency.

Posted on 2025-11-25 17:05:19

The Food and Drug Administration says two batches of French Vacherin cheese
were stopped at the border for excessive E. coli.

The 36 kilograms of cheese were intercepted before entering the market.

Officials say the importer will now face 100 percent batch-by-batch
inspections.

The FDA says nine products failed border checks this round, including frozen
eel from Vietnam and asparagus from Thailand.

Tests showed the French cheese contained E. coli levels far above Taiwan’s
food safety standards.

The agency is also increasing sampling on all French cheese imports through
late December.

Another shipment of diced strawberry from China was flagged for excessive
pesticide residue and was returned or destroyed.

(PB)

Posted on 2025-11-25 14:07:13

The annual Autumn Struggle protest march is set to take place this Sunday in
Taipei, with organizers emphasizing anti-war and labor rights demands.

Organizers say protestors are calling for the government to take an anti-war
stance and to halt what they called "unconditional purchases of unnecessary
military equipment from the United States"

They argue that such military spending is crowding out necessary expenditures
for social welfare and education.

Other groups in the alliance contend that working-class people have not seen
an improvement in their quality of life, and they are concerned that large
investments in the U.S. by Taiwan will also squeeze budgets for labor
protection.

The march will begin at 2 p.m. on November 30th, starting from the
Legislative Yuan, proceeding past Taipei Main Station, and concluding on
Ketagalan Boulevard.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-25 14:07:15

Taiwan shares were higher today as were many other Asian stock markets after
U.S. stocks rallied.

The Taiex rose 407 points to end the session at 26,912

The turnover, at 475.6 billion NT, was much smaller compared with yesterday's
record-high trading volume.

Posted on 2025-11-25 14:07:17

Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early today,
striking residential buildings and energy infrastructure.

At least four people were injured, the head of Kyiv city administration.

Ukraine’s energy ministry said that energy infrastructure had been hit,
without specifying what type or the extent of the damage.

The Russian attack followed talks between U.S. and Ukraine representatives in
Geneva on Sunday about a U.S.-Russia brokered peace plan.

A delegate from the Ukrainian side said yesterdsay the talks had been “very
constructive” and the two sides were able to discuss most points.

Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Monday it had not seen the updated
plan.

Posted on 2025-11-25 08:13:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has announced the city government has completed a
deal to terminate a land use contract with Shin Kong Life Insurance and the
move now clears the way for Nvidia to build its Taiwan headquarters in the
capital.

Chiang says the contract termination means the rights to plots T-17 and T-18
in the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park have returned to the city government and
it will soon enter into talks with Nvidia.

According to Chiang, he expects to sign a contract with the American
technology company before the Lunar New Year in mid February - which will
allowing construction at the site to begin by the middle of next year.

The announcement brings to an end months of negotiations between the city
government and Shin Kong Life over the land rights.

Those negotiations began in June when Nvidia confirmed that it was seeking
the site for its Taiwan headquarters.

Shin Kong Life announced its willingness to terminate the contract in
mid-October, contingent on reimbursement for costs already incurred and the
payment of a termination fee of 4.47-billion N-T.

The Taipei City Council approved its review of the agreement with a revised
termination fee of 4.43-million N-T two weeks ago.

That deal as approved by Shin Kong Life's board of directors last Friday.

Posted on 2025-11-25 08:13:14

Labor Minister Hung Sun-han says his office is collecting opinions on a
public proposal for three-day weekends.

The statement is in response to a proposal submitted to the government's
public policy participation platform that called for a four-day workweek with
three days off.

The proposal has garnered over 5,700 endorsements in early October - meaning
it surpassed the threshold of 5,000 endorsements needed for an official
government response.

The labor ministry has until December 7 to issue that formal response.

According to Hung, the labor ministry is seeking opinions from different
types of workers and businesses to evaluate the proposal and gain a better
understanding of the impact a three-day weekend system would have.

The labor minister says his office fully understands that many workers are
hoping for further reductions in working hours, while also noting that Taiwan
has a wide variety of enterprises and employment types.

A similar proposal was dismissed by the government in 2023 - after it argued
the initiative could not be adopted, citing factors such as its wide-ranging
impact and the need for more comprehensive supporting measures.

Posted on 2025-11-25 08:13:14

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is touting an increase in U-S state engagement
in Taiwan.

Speaking at reception hosted by the American State Offices Association in
Taipei, Lin said there has been a significant increase in engagement from U-S
state governments ..

... as more representative offices are opening in Taiwan and a growing number
of trade missions are visiting the country.

According to Lin, there were currently 26 U-S state and territorial offices
in Taiwan, over half of which opened or reopened in the last three years -
while Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Idaho opened offices this year.

The foreign minister says he believes the trend reflects the building
momentum behind Taiwan's engagement with American state governments.

The reception was attended by American Institute in Taiwan Deputy Director
Karin Lang - who told attendees that 2025 had been a "remarkable year" for
US-Taiwan commercial ties.

Lang said there has been record high Taiwan investment announcements totaling
over 100-billion U-S dollars, and more than 20 states have sent delegations
to Taiwan to explore business and investment opportunities.

Posted on 2025-11-25 08:13:14

The Disciplinary Court has banned a former juvenile court judge from the
bench for three years.

The move comes after the court found the judge had a lengthy record of
misconduct, including forcing a defendant to slap themselves and kneel to
apologize to their parents.

Chou Ching-ni was suspended from her position by the Judicial Yuan in 2022
and later resigned.

The Disciplinary Court has now formally removed from office and banned from
the bench for three years.

The ruling can be appealed.

The Disciplinary Court's decision follows investigations by a judicial
evaluation committee and the Control Yuan.

Those investigations found Chou engaged in misconduct after being transferred
to the Miaoli District Court in 2009, where she served as a judge in the
criminal and civil divisions before being assigned to juvenile court.

The investigations found that Chou amassed a record of unexplained absences,
inconsistent rulings, unauthorized cancellations of hearings and use of court
documents, and improper reliance on subordinates.

Posted on 2025-11-25 08:13:14

The Supreme Court has upheld previous rulings against a women for drugging
her two children and then suffocating them to death with a pillow - and has
sentenced her to life in prison.

The latest ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

According to the court, the woman was under the influence of alcohol and
ketamine when she committed the murders at a New Taipei motel on May of 2024.

The woman had appealed previous court rulings - arguing she had been in
emotional distress and believed that, as the children's mother, she had the
right to take their lives.

Her attorneys also claimed the killings were motivated by the family's
financial difficulties and that she had intended to take her own life as
well.

Posted on 2025-11-25 08:13:14

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration says strengthening northeasterly trade
winds will push temperatures is areas north of Chiayi County down to around
14 degrees from this evening through early tomorrow morning.

According to the administration's forecast center, the trade winds will
influence Taiwan through Friday, resulting in highs of between 20 to 22
degrees in the north and of between 26 and 28 degrees in the center and
south.

The weather system is forecast to weaken on Friday.

The weather administration says daytime temperatures in the north will rise
slightly then, but new northeasterly winds will move south on Saturday,
pushing temperatures down to lows of about 14 to 16 degrees islandwide.

A tropical depression that has developed east of the Philippines is expected
to move into the South China Seas toward Vietnam and will not directly affect
Taiwan.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:13

The government has yet to comment on a phone call between U-S President
Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping on Monday - during which Xi said Taiwan's
"return to China" is a key part of the post-war international order.

The comment by Xi was reported by China's state news agency Xinhua.

Xinhua quoted Xi as claiming "China and the United States once fought side by
side against fascism and militarism, and should now work together to
safeguard the outcomes of World War Two."

A White House official has confirmed that Trump and Xi had spoken by phone,
but has given no details of the conversation.

However, Trump said after the phone call that he has accepted an invitation
from Xi to visit Beijing in April and that he reciprocated by inviting Xi for
a state visit to the U-S later next year.

We'll have more on this a bit later on in the program.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:14

D-P-P lawmakers on the legislative Foreign Affairs and National Defense
Committee have passed a motion condemning China's "long-arm jurisdiction"
over Taiwan citizens alleged to be military intelligence workers.

The motion was proposed by D-P-P lawmaker Wang Ding-yu and endorsed by three
other D-P-P lawmakers.

It stated that recent actions by Chinese provincial governments, which
offered cash bounties for information leading to the arrest of alleged
psychological operations officers, amounted to provocation and was a serious
violation of Taiwan's sovereignty.

The motion was passed unanimously by the six committee members who attended
the session.

However, the other seven members from the K-M-T and Taiwan People's Party
were not present at the meeting.

Lawmakers present also unanimously passed another motion condemning China's
distortion of United Nations Resolution 2758 - which Beijing has used as the
basis for its sovereignty claim over Taiwan.

National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen last month described
the notices issued by local authorities in China as being "mixture of
publicly available information and falsehoods" and of being part of Beijing's
"cognitive warfare."

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:18

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted two employees and an
outside contractor of Radio Taiwan International for allegedly launching a
cyberattack against the broadcaster's official website in September.

The suspects include engineer Wu Cheng-hsun, his manager Yue Chao-chu and
Huang Fu-lin, who worked at the systems maintenance contractor for R-T-I.

Prosecutors say the three men planned cyberattacks against R-T-I in June.

Wu reportedly gave Huang an account with the highest level of access to
R-T-I's website so he could provide technical support and delete records of
illegal activities on the site.

Prosecutors also say although Yue was informed by Wu about his actions, he
failed to intervene or report the matter to his superiors.

The homepage of R-T-I's Japanese website was changed on August 20 to show
simplified Chinese and the website's signal was interrupted.

While R-T-I's main website was attacked four times in September - when the a
Chinese flag and U-S flag were put on the banner.

Prosecutors say the disruptions of R-T-I's systems affected the nation,
public interest and public morale.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:25

A attorney for former television host Mickey Huang says his client has
reached settlements with all of the victims in a child sex videos case.

The statement comes as a ruling in Huang's appeal against his being sentenced
by the Taipei District Court to eight months in prison is set to be
announced.

He was sentenced to prison by the court in December of last year for
possession of a large collection of sexually explicit images involving minors
and promoting a market for those images.

In a statement from the Taipei District Court at the time, Huang reportedly
joined an online forum in Feburary of 2014, and used the forum to purchase
sexually explicit videos and images.

An investigation eventually found that Huang was in possession of 2,259
sexual image files that involved at least 35 minors.

Huang appealed the sentence to the Taiwan High Court and that ruling is set
to be announced later today.

The High Court has not commented publicly on the case and it's unclear if the
settlements will affect its findings.

However, legal expers say the settlement announcement is likely aimed at
having his sentence reduced or suspended.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:25

The Legislative Yuan's Legal Bureau is proposing relaxing restrictions on
marriages between collateral blood relatives from the current six degrees to
four degrees.

The move comes after the Kaohsiung Juvenile and Family Court annulled a
marriage between sixth-degree relatives.

The court declared that marriage completely void because the couple's
grandmothers were sisters - stating that it violated current laws.

The legislature's Legal Bureau says its proposal seek to reflect major
societal shifts in modern family structures ...

... as younger generations often have significantly less contact with
extended relatives, which substantially increases the risk of unknowingly
breaching complex consanguinity laws.

The bureau says it could revised the legal consequences from a permanent
"void marriage" to "voidable" and is citing successful legislative precedents
in Germany and Japan based on their same-sex marriage laws.

Supporters of the move are expressing optimism about the proposed changes -
arguing that accuracies of modern genetic testing fully justify thoroughly
reevaluating the current restrictions.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:27

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai is claiming that weekend performances by K-pop
group TWICE generated more than 500-million N-T in tourism revenue.

Chen says the Saturday and Sunday concerts drew a total of 180,000 fans to
the Kaohsiung National Stadium, while city's shopping districts, night
markets, and hotels were packed with visitors ....

... with some night market vendors staying open until 3 or 4AM on both days.

Chen says concert-driven tourism has given a boost to the city's visibility -
noting that the South Korean entertainment awards show, Asia Artist Awards,
will also be held in Kaohsiung next month.

The mayor also says Kaohsiung National Stadium is "already fully booked" for
2026 and ther groups wishing to perform there may have to wait until 2027.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:27

And,

Highway Bureau Director General Lin Fu-shan says the Danjiang Bridge in New
Taipei will host a road running event and a cycling sportive in April ahead
of its official opening in May.

The road run for up to 7,000 participants will take place on April 18 and
feature 21, 10 and 5-kilometer categories, allowing runners to view the
sunset along the route.

Registration for the run opens on Thursday and fees ranged from 600 and 1,000
N-T.

While the the cycling event has been scheduled for April 19 and will include
a 49-kilometer challenge ride with 556 meters of climbing, and a 20-kilometer
leisure ride.

Registration for both of those events opens on Friday, with entry fees
between 1,080 and 1,380 N-T.

The currently under construction 920-meter-long Danjiang Bridge links New
Taipei's Bali and Tamsui districts.

A formal opening ceremony will be held on May 9 and the bridge will be open
to traffic on May 12.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:33

A four-judge panel of Brazil's Supreme Court has voted unanimously to keep
former President Jair Bolsonaro in police custody...

this, after Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered his detention on Saturday
citing a flight risk.

Bolsonaro's transfer to prison ends more than 100 days of house arrest... and
after he was caught tampering with his ankle monitor.

The former president is awaiting final appeals against his 27-year prison
sentence for plotting a coup.

Posted on 2025-11-25 07:01:36

Experts have mixed reactions to the recent U.N. climate talks in the Amazon.

The talks, known as COP30, ended without a clear plan to phase out fossil
fuels.

The meeting did highlight some positive steps, like a $1 trillion promise for
renewable energy and infrastructure.

However, the lack of consensus on fossil fuel reduction remains a concern.

U.N. Climate Executive Secretary Simon Stiell is now emphasizing the need for
action, not just words.

Experts warn that without strong agreements, climate impacts will worsen.

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