ICRT

Posted on 2026-10-06 17:33:13

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen have
reached a consensus on their televised debate organized by TVBS.

But there's no timeline for that debate yet.

Shen proposed earlier to make drug policy the topic of their first debate,
and Chiang said today that any municipal issue could be discussed, including
drug policy and the candidates' respective positions.

Chiang has also promised to take part in other debates between him and his
DPP rival, saying that's what he did 4 years ago and that they included a
cross-examination segment as well.

Asked why he had chosen TVBS when several other media outlets had also
invited the candidates to debate, Chiang only said the two sides have agreed
to let their staff work out the details.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-06 17:33:13

Taiwan's flu outbreak remains at epidemic levels, with the number of severe
cases and deaths reaching record highs.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 219 new severe flu cases and 44
deaths were reported between September 29th and October 5th.

A total of one million people have received flu shots so far, up 2.4 percent
compared with the same period last year, and the biggest increase is among
people aged 65 and older.

Currently people aged 65 and older, and Indigenous people aged 55 to 64, as
well as Children aged 6 months through high school are eligible for
publicly-funded flu shots.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-06 17:33:13

Highway officials are warning of long periods of heavy traffic on National
Freeway 5 during the upcoming National Day holiday.

Heavy southbound traffic is expected Friday and Saturday from about 5 AM to 5
PM, while northbound congestion is expected Saturday and Sunday from around 9
AM until late at night.

Southbound entrance ramps at Shiding (石碇) and Pinglin (坪林) will be closed
during peak periods ... and high-occupancy restrictions will be imposed on
northbound entrances from Suao (蘇澳) to Toucheng (頭城).

Officials say taking public transportation could save around 30 minutes ...
or as much as an hour during peak periods.

About 70 percent of intercity bus tickets on western routes and 83 percent on
eastern routes are still available.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-06 17:33:14

Kenya has confirmed first Ebola case imported from Congo after patient dies
while receiving treatment in Nairobi over the weekend.

Kenya's Health Minister sayd 28 contacts have been identified so far
including family members and health workers.

Congo has been battling its largest-ever Ebola outbreak, caused by the rare
Bundi-bugyo species.

The outbreak was declared in mid-May but may have started months ‌earlier
⁠and has so far resisted containment efforts, with the Central African
country recording more than 8,000 cases and over 4,000 deaths.

The outbreak earlier spread to Uganda, ⁠which reported 20 cases and two
deaths, but the World Health Organization declared Uganda free of the
disease ⁠in August.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected
people, living or ⁠dead. It can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in
severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

Posted on 2026-10-06 11:06:13

The Tai-Ex continued to surged towards the 50,000 mark in early trading this
morning.

The main board added 256-points to reach 49,968.

The rise was led by tech stocks after the Nasdaq climbed 1.1-per cent on Wall
Street overnight to set a new record.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's American depositary receipts surged by
2.75-per cent overnight to hit a fresh high - and that resulted in it share
price adding 15 N-T in early trading on the Tai-Ex to reach 2,590 N-T.

However, other major electronics heavyweights were mixed.

Delta Electronics rose over 5-per cent, Hon Hai added 3.7-per cent, Yageo
rose 1.2- per cent, but MediaTek fell 2-per cent and U-M-C was down nearly
3-per cent.

Market watchers say with Nvidia’s market capitalization hitting a record high
overnight and T-S-M-C's A-D-Rs reaching a new high, technical indicators show
strong momentum and tech heavyweights are expected to push the weighted index
above the 50,000-point level today.

Posted on 2026-10-06 11:06:13

The Ministry of National Defense is reporting no Chinese air sorties
operating around Taiwan for a second consecutive day between 6AM Monday and
6AM today.

However, eight Chinese Navy vessel and eight official maritime patrol ships
were spotted operating in Taiwan Strait over the same 24-hour period.

Posted on 2026-10-06 11:06:13

In international news,

France is bracing for major protests today as nationwide day of action has
been called in support of students demanding more investment in education.

It comes after a week of protests that have seen students blockading hundreds
of schools and clahsing with police

At least 190 students have been injured, and more than 5,000 people arrested.

One student had his hand blown off during a confrontation on Monday.

France's prime minister say the government has announced measures to address
the student's demands, but a major organizer of the protests is insisting the
government has offered no solid promises.

Some other organisations are also showing support for the students, with the
teachers' union urging its members to join today's protest.

Posted on 2026-10-06 11:06:13

worry about

Russian authorities say a staffer at a plague research institute in Siberia
contracted pneumonia of an unknown cause.

Local state television is reporting the woman died last week.

Authorities say they found no evidence her illness was caused by any of the
pathogens she worked with.

However a hospital near Irkutsk is under quarantine.

The Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute staffer fell ill, prompting
medical supervision for all her contacts.

The World Health Organization describes pneumonic plague as severe and
contagious.

Posted on 2026-10-06 11:06:13

The separatist Parti Quebecois has won Quebec’s provincial election.

The outcome will return to power a party that has promised another referendum
on independence.

The party leader has pledged to hold another referendum on independence,
though he has said he would wait until U-S. President Donald Trump is no
longer in office.

Parti Quebecois won the most seats among the parties fielding candidates in
the election for all 127 seats in the provincial legislature, though the
final seat totals were not yet certain.

The Quebec result comes two weeks before Albertans vote on whether to hold a
referendum on separation from Canada.

Posted on 2026-10-06 11:06:13

In sports news,

The cockatoo has been official unveiled as the emblem for the 2032 Olympics
and Paralympics in Brisbane.

The organizing committee held a launch days after an accidental leak of the
mascot.

An explainer video briefly appeared on YouTube last Friday, leading to
screenshots circulating on social media.

The emblem features a pink cockatoo, stylized to resemble an Olympic flame
and the shape of Queensland state.

The emblems are separate to the Games mascot, which will be revealed closer
to the Games.

Posted on 2026-10-06 11:06:13

And finally,

Bestselling British author and former politician, Jeffrey Archer has died.

He was 86.

Archer sold more than 300-million books in his five-decade writing career.

He was a former Conservative member of parliament and was sent to prison for
four years in 2001 for perjury after being found guilty of lying and cheating
in his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star newspaper.

Archer's publisher HarperCollins says his last book, "Adam and Eve," is set
to be released this week,

Posted on 2026-10-06 08:09:13

The Taiwan People's Party is accusing Overseas Community Affairs Council head
Hsu Chia-ching and her family members of misusing public resources during her
trips abroad.

Hsu previously served as deputy Overseas Community Affairs Council head,
before being promoted.

According to T-P-P legislative caucus director Vicky Chen, Hsu has traveled
abroad 47 times for a total of 526 days since 2022 spending a total of
23-million N-T, or about one-third of the council's international travel
budget.

Chen says during that four-year period, Hsu also applied for daily travel
allowances totaling 4.2-million N-T.

The charges come after reports said Hsu had taken personal leave six times
during trips to the United States since 2024, fueling speculation that she
was scheduling such frequent trips solely to visit family members.

An audio recording of an anonymous individual stating that Hsu's husband and
son currently live in Washington, and that Hsu had traveled to Washington or
New York "three to four times" in 2024 has also been released.

The anonymous individual in the recording can be heard to say that the
frequent trips exhausted staff at Taiwan's local Overseas Community Affairs
Council offices and Hsu's American husband used a Taiwan diplomatic vehicle
to drive their son to family reunions.

Posted on 2026-10-06 08:09:13

The Ministry of Finance says two receipts for 10 N-T covering the purchase of
milk tea and payment of an Uber processing fee were among 17 receipts that
won the 10-million N-T special prize in the July-August uniform invoice
lottery.

One of those receipts for 10 N-T was issued for purchases at a FamilyMart
convenience store in Tainan's Yanshui District.

Other special prize winning receipts included a 27 N-T printing receipt
issued by a 7-Eleven store in Taipei, a 29 N-T food purchase at a 7-Eleven in
Taoyuan's Zhongli District, and a 33 N-T food purchase at a 7-Eleven in
Kaohsiung's Fengshan District.

The highest-value winning purchase was a 24,000 N-T wallet bought at the
Loewe counter in Breeze Nanshan in Taipei.

Eleven receipts matched the winning number for the 2-million N-T grand prize
in the July-August uniform invoice lottery.

The winners can claim their prizes from today until January 5 of next year.

Posted on 2026-10-06 08:09:13

And finally,

Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu says a northeasterly monsoon is forecast
to strengthen and will result in the mercury in some low-lying areas dropping
to as low as 16-degrees from today until Friday.

The northeasterly monsoon will also bring rain to parts of the island.

The Central Weather Administration has issued rain advisories.

Heavy rain or extremely heavy rain warnings are in effect for mountainous
areas of Taipei.

While heavy rain warnings have been issued for Keelung City, the North Coasta
area, mountainous parts of New Taipei, Yilan, the Hengchun Peninsula and
Orchid Island.

All of those rain advisories are currently in effect through late this
morning.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

The Presidential Office has condemned what it has described as a "typical
case of transnational repression" after reports that China has been illegally
surveilling President Lai Ching-te's son in the United States.

Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo says China's "barbaric" acts show
disregard for human rights and national sovereignty and seek to suppress,
threaten or even harm people who advocate freedom and democracy or their
families.

Kuo said such behavior should not be tolerated in the civilized world.

She also thanked U-S law enforcement authorities for assisting and protecting
Taiwan's people and said the Lai administration would continue to work with
the United States and other democratic allies to jointly combat illegal acts
of transnational repression.

The comments come after C-B-S News reported that the FBI had had arrested a
California-based real estate agent, at Los Angeles International Airport on
charges of acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.

Law enforcement sources told C-B-S News that the target was Lai's son Lai
Ting-yu.

Lai's son lives in the U-S with his family and reportedly works for the Dutch
multinational Philips.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

Eswatini's new ambassador to Taiwan says his country will continue advocating
for Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

He made the comments as he presented his credentials to President Lai
Ching-te.

Vulind-lela Sim-phiwe Ku-nene said global challenges cannot be effectively
addressed while "the knowledge, resources and experience of more than 23
million people were excluded."

Kunene said Eswatini would therefore continue to push for Taiwan's inclusion
in international organizations and mechanisms where its contribution can
benefit humanity.

The diplomat described that support "an expression of friendship" and "a
principled position grounded in fairness, inclusion and the practical
requirements of effective international cooperation."

For his part, the president said Taiwan will continue working with Eswatini
on projects including the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park, even as it
expanded cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, education, trade and
technology.

Eswatini's King Mswati III's is expected to visit to Taiwan this week to
attend October 10 National Day events.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

Taipei City Police Commissioner Lin Yen-tien says six officers have been
disciplined for misconduct after a raid on a gay bar in the Ximending area.

Lin says four of the officers were found to have used inappropriate language
during the raid and each received two reprimands, while the lead investigator
at the scene was given a demerit for failing to promptly stop the remarks.

The police commissioner also says Wanhua Precinct chief has also received two
reprimands over inadequate supervision and that the request was approved.

The raid took place on Saturday evening.

Gender equality group have claimed police used excessive force, violated
procedures, and made discriminatory and degrading remarks toward people with
disabilities.

However, the police commissioner says the raid was lawful and conducted under
a court-issued search warrant in response to reports of suspected violations
of public morality.

Lin said the venue had been the subject of 13 complaints this year alleging
activities that violated public decency.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an says the incident was regrettable and any
misconduct during law enforcement will be thoroughly reviewed and police
discipline would be strengthened.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

The union representing workers at Kuai Kuai's Zhongli factory is challenging
the company's relocation assurances and accusing a labor broker of pressuring
migrant workers to cross a picket line during an ongoing strike.

The Kuai Kuai union voiced its concerns during a protest outside the Ministry
of Labor in Taipei.

The protest was held three days after workers at the factory began a strike
that has been extended indefinitely.

The strike was called after news broke that Kuai Kuai has sold the Zhongli
site to Advanced Semiconductor Engineering for 5.6-billion N-T and the
company planned to relocate its employees without paying them severance and
other layoff benefits.

Kuai Kuai last Friday announced that it would not lay off workers for the two
years it remains at the Zhongli site, and will provide statutory severance
plus two months' wages for ensuing layoffs.

The union is also alleging that a broker twice brought migrant workers to the
picket line last Friday and asked them whether they wanted to enter the
factory to work, in what the union says was an attempt to get them to cross
the picket line.

According to the union, the plant currently employees about 60 migrant
workers, mainly from Vietnam and Indonesia, none of whom are union members.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted Farxun E-commerce and 25
people over an alleged fraudulent investment scheme.

The company, its CEO, surnamed and 24 others has been charged with violating
the Banking Act.

The company C-E-O has has also been charged with aggravated fraud and money
laundering, while the company's C-F-O has also been charged with money
laundering.

Prosecutors say the company's de facto person in charge could not be located
during the investigation and a warrant has been issued for their arrest.

Farxun allegedly began soliciting investments in January of 2024 through
social media advertisements and investment briefings in Taipei, Taichung and
Kaohsiung for a "Green Energy EV Charger" investment scheme.

The company allegedly told investors they could purchase an E-V charger for
300,000 N-T and receive a guaranteed minimum monthly return of 3,520 N-T,
equivalent to an annual rate of return of 14.08-per cent.

The company also allegedly promised to buy back each charger for 210,000 N-T
after three years.

Prosecutors say the company illegally obtained more than 219-million N-T
between January 2024 and January 2026.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

And,

The High Speed Rail Corporation says it will be adding southbound trains to
Taichung starting Thursday, the final working day before the National Day
holiday.

This comes as the company expects an increase in passenger volume over the
three-day weekend holiday period... and after complaints of severe crowding
during the four-day Mid-Autumn Festival and Teachers' Day holiday.

Some passengers with reserved seats reportedly struggled to board and
passengers from non-reserved cars spilled into business-class cars.

Eight southbound trains to Taichung will be added during the four-hour, 5PM
to 9PM peak period, with two trains per hour departing from either Nangang or
Taipei.

All seats except those in business class will be non-reserved.

The trains will stop at Banqiao, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli and each train
will have nine to 11 non-reserved cars.

The High Speed Rail Corporation also says to increase capacity, trains
arriving in Taichung will return north from the same platform, allowing them
to depart again within 12 minutes of arrival.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

The International Criminal Court has unsealed arrest warrants against four
senior Taliban leaders on charges of crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors accuse them of gender persecution against women, girls, and
members of the LGBTQI community in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power
in 2021.

The warrants were issued last year for the Taliban's supreme leader,
Hibatullah Akhund-zada, and others.

The Taliban have barred women from jobs, public spaces, and education beyond
sixth grade. The ICC charges the suspects with severe violations of
fundamental rights.

In response, the Afghan government spokesman says the Taliban does not
recognize the court.

Posted on 2026-10-06 06:58:13

Indigenous and environmental organizations in Brazil expressed concern Monday
about the weekend’s election results, warning that far-right gains in
Congress could threaten Indigenous peoples who play a key role in protecting
the Amazon and other Brazilian ecosystems.

Brazil voted Sunday for president, Congress and governors.

The presidential race is undecided, with Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro facing
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in an Oct. 25 runoff. Bolsonaro’s Liberal
Party won a significant number of seats in Congress.

Amazon Watch says this shift strengthens groups supporting mining on
Indigenous lands. Protecting these territories is seen as key to curbing
deforestation in the Amazon.

Posted on 2026-10-05 19:08:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office has indicted an e-commerce company and
25 people over an alleged investment fraud scheme worth more than 219 million
NT.

It says Farxun E-commerce promoted investments in electric vehicle chargers,
promising investors a guaranteed annual return of more than 14 percent.

Investors were told they could buy a charger for 300-thousand NT and receive
monthly returns, with the company also promising to buy back the chargers
after three years.

Prosecutors say fewer than 200 chargers were actually installed in 2024,
while the company continued soliciting money for more.

They allege some of the funds were instead used to pay earlier investors and
sales bonuses.

The company's CEO, surnamed Hsieh (謝), faces charges including aggravated
fraud and money laundering.

Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of more than 16 years for Hsieh.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-05 19:08:13

Chiayi County is launching a raffle campaign as its YouBike system approaches
two million rides.

The campaign runs through November 5th ... with riders earning one raffle
entry for every five rides.

The top prize is a 5-thousand NT voucher ... with other prizes including
200-NT vouchers, outdoor cooking sets and sports bags.

The county currently has 188 YouBike stations and 1-thousand-550 bicycles
serving 16 townships and cities.

Officials plan to expand the network to 240 stations and 1-thousand-800
bicycles by the first quarter of next year.

But officials say they will also review stations with low usage ... and may
relocate bikes or remove stations to concentrate resources in areas with
greater demand.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-05 19:08:13

A Saudi-led coalition says it has launched an air campaign against
Iran-backed Houthi rebels along Yemen's Red Sea coast.

Coalition spokesman Saudi Major General Turki al-Malki says about 100 fighter
jets are supporting forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized
government.

He says the coalition has secured air protection over the strategic Bab
el-Mandeb Strait and destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets.

The air campaign comes as government-allied forces launch a ground offensive
against the Houthis along the eastern edge of the coastal areas seized by the
rebels in recent advances.

Posted on 2026-10-05 19:08:13

South Korea's military says it has concluded that North Korea planted mines
that injured three South Korean soldiers at their heavily fortified border
last month.

South Korea is calling on the North to apologize and remove any remaining
mines.

The announcement comes days after North Korea denied responsibility for the
September 21st explosions and threatened "merciless" retaliation if provoked.

South Korea had earlier said there was a "very high possibility" that mines
planted by North Korea caused the blasts.

Posted on 2026-10-05 19:08:13

Thai authorities are warning of more rain and flash flooding as the death
toll from floods since mid-September has risen to 31.

Thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain are expected across much of upper
Thailand through Wednesday, raising the risk of flash floods.

Days of torrential rain flooded many parts of Bangkok last week, forcing
thousands of people to evacuate.

More than 3.5 million people remained affected by flooding nationwide as of
Monday.

The widespread damage has prompted the Thai government to approve emergency
funds for flood recovery.

Posted on 2026-10-05 19:08:13

The Nobel Prize in medicine has been awarded to three scientists for research
into how the brain switches nerve cell activity on and off.

Karl Deisseroth {DICE-er-ohth}, Peter Hegemann {HAY-guh-mahn} and Georg Nagel
{GAY-ork NAH-guhl} were recognized for their work on light-gated ion channels
and a technique known as optogenetics.

The Nobel Assembly says the method is now used around the world to study the
brain and better understand how nerve cells work.

Deisseroth is based in the U-S, while Hegemann and Nagel are based in Germany.

The prize was announced at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

This year's prize is worth 12 million Swedish kronor, or about 1.2 million
U-S dollars.

The Nobel Prize in physics will be announced Tuesday, followed by chemistry
and literature later this week.

Posted on 2026-10-05 18:35:13

Hon Hai's monthly revenue has topped one trillion NT for the first time in
the company's history.

The Taiwanese electronics giant reported September revenue of 1.15 trillion
NT ... up almost 26 percent from August and more than 38 percent from a year
earlier.

Third-quarter revenue also hit a record 3.03 trillion NT ... up more than 20
percent from the previous quarter and up 47 percent year-on-year.

That puts revenue for the first nine months of year at 7.67 trillion NT ...
which up nearly 40 percent from the same period last year, also setting a
record for the period.

Hon Hai says its cloud and networking business benefited from strong demand
for AI-related products ... while components and computer products also
posted strong growth.

Looking to the fourth quarter ... the company expects its AI business to
continue growing, while ICT products benefit from the traditional second-half
peak season.

However, Hon Hai warns that global economic and political developments remain
a risk.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-05 18:35:13

Taiwan High Speed Rail says it will add two more southbound trains per hour
to Taichung during Friday evening rush hours ... starting this week.

The service will run between 5 and 9 PM ... providing eight additional trains
over the four-hour period.

The trains will depart from either Nangang or Taipei and stop at every
station to Taichung ... with all-unreserved seating except for business
class.

T-H-S-R says the measure is aimed at easing heavy demand for unreserved seats.

Under special scheduling, trains will turn around directly at the platform
... allowing them to depart again within 12 minutes and saving about an hour.

The measure follows severe crowding during the recent Mid-Autumn Festival
holiday ... when THSR carried a record 348-thousand passengers on September
24th.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-05 17:09:14

The Justice Minister said today that nine types of drugs, including
etomi-date, have been reclassified as Category 1 drugs.

Zheng Ming-qian (鄭銘謙) noted that the circulation and abuse of etomidate-class
drugs have become rampant, threatening public health and social safety.

He stressed that related precursor chemicals have also been listed as
Category 4 drugs to strengthen source management as well.

The Minister emphasized that efforts will continue to strengthen crackdowns
and sever supply chains.

Anti-drug initiatives must also assist users in overcoming addiction,
utilizing cross-disciplinary cooperation to achieve the goals of stable
reintegration.

He made the remarks at an anti-drug forum sponsored by the Ministry of
Justice, in collaboration with the Health Ministry and the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration Educational Foundation.

According to the ministry, it has conducted 960 counseling and promotional
sessions within correctional facilities this year, serving over 54-thousand
individuals.
(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-05 17:09:14

AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su is expected to arrive in Taiwan Tuesday as part of
a tour of Asia.

Su will make only a brief stop in Taiwan, holding several urgent closed-door
meetings with suppliers.

She is also expected to brief the media on AMD's latest strategy.

Market attention is focused on whether Su will meet key Taiwanese suppliers
including TSMC, Quanta, Wistron, Inventec and Pegatron.

The talks could review delivery schedules from the second half of this year
through next year, as well as progress in liquid cooling technology, rack
integration and testing.

AMD has also been stepping up its efforts in software and its broader AI
ecosystem.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-05 17:09:14

Taiwan Lottery Company has launched two new scratch cards offering more than
3.5 million prizes with a combined prize pool of over $2 billion NT.

Taiwan Lottery said the first scratch card, "Adding Gold to 10", is priced at
$500.

Players can win prizes by scratching off a single "10" or "10" symbol, two
numbers that add up to "10," or three "10" numbers or symbols.

The company said there are four top prizes of $5 million NT .

The second scratch card, "Joy From Heaven," is priced at $200 with six top
prizes of $2 million NT each...

and the company noted that about 30-percent of the tickets are expected to
win a prize.

(CNA JL)

Posted on 2026-10-05 17:09:14

In world news...

This year’s Nobel Prizes kick off with the announcement of the medicine prize
at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm at around 5:30 PM.

The prize money this year is $1.2 million US dollars, whether for an
individual, small group of laureates or organization.

Last year, three scientists won the Nobel Prize in medicine for discoveries
about how the immune system knows to attack germs and not our own bodies.

Monday’s medicine prize is followed by the physics prize on Tuesday,
chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday.

After Friday’s peace prize is awarded, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic
Sciences will be announced on Oct. 12.

Posted on 2026-10-05 17:09:14

Britain’s former Prince Andrew has filed a legal action to quash warrants
that led to searches of his residences.

A judicial spokesperson confirmed that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had filed a
claim with the High Court in London and a hearing would take place Thursday.

The Daily Telegraph previously reported that Mountbatten-Windsor was claiming
that the searches conducted by Thames Valley Police may have broken the law.

Mountbatten-Windsor has been granted permission to challenge whether the
force acted lawfully over the searches relating to his arrest in February on
suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The move followed allegations that he shared sensitive information with the
late U.S. financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time as the
U.K.’s trade envoy.

Posted on 2026-10-05 13:16:14

With inflation reaching the adjustment threshold, the estate and gift tax
exemptions are expected to rise next year.

Compared with the last adjustment in 2022, the Consumer Price Index had risen
a cumulative 11.6 percent as of August this year, exceeding the mandatory
adjustment threshold of 10 percent under the Estate and Gift Tax Act.

The Ministry of Finance said the estate tax exemption is expected to rise to
$14.9 million NT next year, an increase of 1.5 million.

Meanwhile the gift tax exemption is expected to be at 2.7 millin NT, an
increase of 280-thousand.

The M-O-F says the exact increases will not be confirmed until the government
releases October's inflation figures.

The higher exemptions will apply to inheritances and gifts made from
January 1st next year, providing a tax break particularly for wealthier
families transferring assets to the next generation.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-05 13:16:14

The Presidential office has accused China of "transnational repression" for a
suspected Chinese agent's alleged surveillence of President Lai Ching-te's
son.

Presidential office spokesperson Karen Guo says Taiwan strongly condemns what
she called "barbaric acts" that disregard human rights and national
sovereignty.

The comments follow a CBS News report that the FBI had arrested a suspected
Chinese agent at Los Angeles International Airport after she allegedly
surveilled Lai's Seattle-based son.

Wan-ying Zhang (張婉瑩), an Irvine, California resident, was arrested on Sunday
before she boarded a flight to Shanghai from LAX, on a charge of acting as an
unregistered agent of a foreign government.

A criminal complaint, filed in federal court by a member of the FBI's
counterintelligence squad in L.A., accused Zhang and an accomplice of
traveling to Seattle in September 2025 and taking pictures at the suburban
home of Lai Ting-yu (賴廷與).

Ting-Yu, an engineer in his 30s, attended college in America and has a young
U.S.-born son with his wife.

According to FBI's criminal complaint, Zhang was acting on instructions from
people linked to the Chinese government.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-05 13:16:14

Greece’s remote islands are becoming a warning sign of Europe’s population
decline, as falling birth rates and youth migration threaten schools and
local communities.

On the tiny island of Kalamos, just two students remain at the primary
school, which is set to close when they leave for middle school on the
mainland.

Across Greece, dozens of schools have closed because of low enrollment.

The trend reflects a wider demographic crisis: The European Union recorded a
record-low fertility rate in 2024, while countries including Greece, Italy,
Spain and Portugal face rapidly aging populations.

Experts warn that school closures can accelerate depopulation.

Posted on 2026-10-05 08:17:13

And finally,

The 2026 Asian Games wrapped up its final day of events on Sunday ... and
Taiwan will be coming home with five gold 17 silver and 33 bronze medals.

Taiwan ended the games in 15th place in the overall medals between Qatar in
14th and Indonesia in 16th place.

While the total medal count was only slightly lower than in previous Asian
Games, the five golds were Taiwan's fewest since the 1990 Asian Games in
Beijing, when it didn't win any.

It was also a sharp decline from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, when Taiwan
tied its best-ever performance with 19 gold medals.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is in the U-S for a three-day visit that
included the opening of Taiwan's new representative office in Phoenix,
Arizona.

Lin is scheduled to preside over the unveiling ceremony for the office...
he's also scheduled to meet with Taiwan business leaders and members of the
expatriate community in the region.

American Institute in Taiwan Washington Managing Director Ingrid Larson will
be with Lin during his Arizona trip.

The foreign ministry is calling the inauguration of the Taipei Economic and
Cultural Office in Phoenix a new milestone in the economic and trade
partnership between Taiwan and the U-S.

The government first announced that it would open a representative office in
Phoenix to strengthen economic, technology, education and supply-chain
cooperation back in July...

The Phoenix office is scheduled to become Taiwan's 14th representative office
in the U-S.

Lin arrived in Arizona after wrapping up a week-long visit to Belize and
Guatemala.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

Leaders of Taiwan's major political parties have been rallying in support of
their respective parties mayoral and city council candidates ahead of the
November 28 local elections.

Events on Sunday were held in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung.

In Taipei, President Lai Ching-te praised D-P-P's Taipei mayoral candidate
Puma Shen at the opening of his campaign headquarters.

Shen is running a "positive campaign" focused on policy and the future of the
capital, rather than attacking his opponent.

K-M-T chairwoman Cheng Li-wun attended the opening of the campaign
headquarters of the party's Taichung mayoral candidate Johnny Chiang.

Cheng said the K-M-T needs to win both the 2026 local elections and the 2028
presidential election so that the central and local governments can work in
concert to promote economic development and peace.

Meanwhile, Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang joined K-M-T
Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en at a campaign event for T-P-P
Kaohsiung city council candidate Lin Yu-kai.

Huang touted KMT-TPP cooperation - saying Kaohsiung needs a new,
forward-looking and efficient model of governance.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

Former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is set to travel to the U-S this week to
deliver a keynote speech at Stanford University.

Tsai's office says she will deliver the opening keynote at Stanford DEFCON's
2026 Technology & National Security Conference on October 7... where she will
share Taiwan's experience in critical technologies and semiconductor
manufacturing...

she'll also touch on its efforts to strengthen international partnerships,
defense and national resilience.

Stanford's Hoover Institution has also invited Tsai to speak on October 8
about democracy, resilience and global security.

That event will be jointly hosted by the Hoover Institution's Taiwan in the
Indo-Pacific Region program and Stanford in Government, the university's
oldest and largest nonpartisan public service and policy organization.

This week's visit to the U-S will be Tsai's first trip there since she left
office in 2024.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

Several gender equality groups are calling on the Taipei City Government to
investigate a police raid on a gay bar.

The groups are claiming police used excessive force, violated procedures and
made discriminatory and degrading remarks towards some of the patrons.

The claims come after the Taipei City Police Department's Wanhua Precinct
conducted the raid on a BDSM-themed gay bar in Taipei's Ximending District.

A statement posted on the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association's Facebook page
says police refused to show a search warrant and took dozens of people to the
police station against their will to give statements.

The Wanhua Police Precinct says the raid was a lawful operation in response
to a report of suspected violations of public morals and was conducted under
a search warrant issued by a court.

Police say they found violations of public morals during the raid and took
the person responsible for the venue and other relevant individuals in for
questioning.

Several people have referred to prosecutors on suspicion of public indecency
and violations of the Social Order Maintenance Act.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

The Agency of Corrections says the percentage of inmates serving sentences
for drug-related offenses has fallen from 35.1 to 24.8-per cent over the past
five years.

The agency is crediting a policy of diverting eligible offenders into
community-based addiction treatment rather than prison for the decline.

The government's third-phase New Generation Anti-Drug Strategy Action Plan is
said to emphasise tiered diversion and diversified treatment.

Under the policy, people whose offenses involve only drug use and who
primarily require addiction treatment are, where possible, offered deferred
prosecution with court-ordered treatment in the community instead of
imprisonment.

Those involved in violent crimes, serious offenses or other criminal
activities are placed in correctional institutions.

The plans runs from 2025 to 2028.

The Agency of Corrections says as of the end of June of this year, 14,521
inmates were serving sentences for drug related offenses, representing 24.8
percent of the total prison population of 58,455.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

The Railway Bureau says the new Tainan Station is scheduled to open October
17 as part of a major project to move the mainline rail infrastructure in the
city underground.

The new station will allow the surrounding area to be redeveloped with a
plaza, parking facilities, a transport hub and green space to improve
connectivity and passenger access.

Taiwan Railway Corporation has said the new Tainan station will also be the
first to use a color-coded way-finding system similar to that of the High
Speed Rail, with blue indicating northbound trains and green for southbound
trains.

The project covers an 8.2-kilometer section of track from the southern end of
Daqiao Station to just of south of Dalin Road.

It also includes two new underground commuter stations.

Once completed, the Tainan Urban District Railway Underground Project is
expected to eliminate 23 railway crossings and other grade-separated
intersections, including nine level crossings, eight underpasses and four
overpasses.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

The United States removed its B-1 bombers from a UK air base one week after
several men were arrested there on ‌suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.

A dozen B-1 bombers were stationed at RAF Fairford air base, located
northwest of London.

The planes had been used for US strikes on Iran.

Britain has said it had "strong indications" that Iran was involved in a
suspected plot targeting the base.

Iran said accusations linking Tehran to the alleged plan were baseless and
summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over the issue.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

The Reuters News Agency is reporting Chinese construction of a runway on
Antelope Reef in the Paracels archipelago is well underway with analysts
estimating it could be completed by mid-2027.

Satellite images reviewed by Reuters show grading work, piles of gravel and
concrete, and compaction cranes in operation to build a full-scale runway.

A completed base at Antelope would be China's most significant military
expansion in the South China Sea in a decade.

When completed, the facility is seen as strengthening Beijing's military
control over the disputed ‌South China Sea.

Posted on 2026-10-05 06:57:13

Japanese police say they have arrested a U.S. Marine for the alleged robbery
and killing of a woman on Okinawa.

The marine is suspected of killing a 39-year-old local woman at a hotel in
Naha, Okinawa's capital city, and taking her wallet and backpack early
Saturday.

Japanese officials were quick to express outrage and protested over the case
because crime related to U.S. service members on Okinawa.

Residents there are frustrated by the heavy burden of hosting American
troops, has been a sensitive issue that has repeatedly strained ties between
the central and local governments.

Posted on 2026-10-03 16:07:13

Australian officials say a car drove into a large crowd standing on a road to
cheer on the Newcastle Knights rugby team, injuring 10 people.

Two of the injured -- a 5-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man -- were in
critical condition.

The other eight were in stable condition at a hospital.

Police said they arrested the 18-year-old male driver of the vehicle and were
investigating what happened.

They said the crash wasn't believed to be related to terrorism.

Fans had been waiting for the team bus ahead of a rugby league finals match
between the Sydney Roosters and the Knights scheduled for tomorrow.

AP_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-03 15:07:13

China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of a chemical
compound used in dyes and pharmaceuticals from the European Union.

The Commerce Ministry says the probe into p-nitrotoluene imports was
initiated after a complaint from China's domestic industry.

Trade tensions between the EU and China have increased in recent months, with
both sides imposing or considering curbs on each other's imports. EU measures
are aimed at slowing down the inflow of electric vehicles and fast fashion
from China, among other products.

AP_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-03 13:10:14

The FlyDubai co-pilot who officials said nearly crashed a Tel Aviv-bound
flight with 182 people aboard was barred from flying by his native Oman over
concerns that he had adopted extremist views.

That's according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal, citing people
familiar with the matter.

The co-pilot was subsequently hired by the United Arab Emirates-based
FlyDubai.

It wasn't immediately clear to what extent he was vetted when he was hired in
the Emirates.

Meanwhile, India released footage from a video call between Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and the pilot who was stabbed ... and who let passengers into
the cockpit to subdue his attacker.

Speaking from an Abu Dhabi hospital bed with his head bandaged, the pilot
said he realized he had to get the door to the main cabin open despite
grievous injuries ... as he felt the plane rapidly losing altitude under the
co-pilot's control.

AP_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-03 12:08:13

Australian officials say a car drove into a large crowd standing on a road to
cheer on the Newcastle Knights rugby team, injuring multiple people.

Two of the injured -- a 5-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man -- were in
critical condition.

Police said they arrested the 18-year-old male driver of the vehicle and were
investigating what happened.

They said the crash was not believed to be related to terrorism.

Fans had been waiting for the team bus ahead of a rugby league finals match
between the Sydney Roosters and the Knights scheduled for tomorrow.

AP_JvW

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