ICRT

Posted on 2026-10-02 17:24:13

The KMT is renewing calls to double the government's planned universal cash
payment next year from 10,000 to 20,000 N.T.

KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi says stronger tax revenue and economic growth mean
the government can afford the higher payment.

Premier Cho Jung-tai disagrees.

Cho told lawmakers today that revenue generated by Taiwan's AI-driven growth
is already being used for social welfare, industrial development and disaster
prevention.

He says raising the payment to 20,000 N.T. would require additional borrowing.

The government has budgeted about 235.7 billion N.T. for a 10,000 N.T.
payment next year, while maintaining that the plan will not require new
borrowing.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-02 17:24:13

Experts say, the Haikun submarine is expected to undergo more and more sea
tests as the shipmakers prepare to hand off the domestically produced vessel.

The Haikun underwent its 23rd sea test today, and would appear to be nearing
delivery.

However, experts say that tactical verification will still be needed after
delivery and it will not immediately be combat ready.

Ji Dong Yun adds that the shipbuilder and manufacturer aim to complete the
delivery by the end of the year.

He emphasizes, though, that the public should not expect to see the sub in
combat scenarios for another 6 months to even a year after hand off.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 17:24:13

The Minister of Agriculture has apologized after an app linked to the MOA was
found to show Chinese National Day on the in-app calendar.

Minister Chen Jun Ji says, the mistake was due to an error from the
developer, but that his ministry should have caught the issue before it went
live.

He added that the ministry updated the app last night, saying that the issue
would not happen again.

Chen says, the developer pre-loaded an external calender, failing to remove
both Chinese National Day and China's Military Day.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 17:24:13

A US lawmaker is calling on Starbucks to close its first stores in China's
East Turkestan province...

known in Mandarin as Xinjiang.

John Moolenaar, a Republican, called the decision to open a Starbucks there a
"morally bankrupt" one...

given the PRC's ongoing widespread abuse of Uyghur Muslims in the region.

Starbucks opened its first two stories this week in the capital of East
Turkestan, including one at the city center's grand bazaar and a second at
its international airport.

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will give the opening keynote at a
technology and national security conference at Stanford University next week.

It will be Tsai's first visit to the United States since leaving office in
2024.

Tsai's office says she will speak at Stanford DEFCON on October 7 and share
Taiwan's experience in critical technology and national security.

The annual conference brings together figures from academia, government, the
military and technology industries to discuss emerging technologies and their
security implications.

This year's topics include artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, space
technology and other areas linked to national security.

Tsai's office says her speech will focus on Taiwan's experience and its role
in critical technologies and democratic resilience.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An is trading fire with challenger Puma Shen over
Chiang's free lunch program for students.

Shen and many pan-green city councilors have called for Taipei City to extend
flexible options to parents who wish to pay for their kids to get slightly
better lunches and so that the public funds can be used to purchase higher
quality food for everyone else.

Shen announced a new plan this morning that would allow parents the option to
pay for the meals themselves.

But Mayor Chiang says today that the free meals alleviate the stress of
parents.

he also adds that students bringing their own meals will make others feel
left out.

This comes after DPP City Councilor Xu Shu Hua yesterday asked the Taipei
City Department of Education during interpellation about potentially
contaminated squid that is thought to have caused food poisoning...

but city officials were unable to answer questions regarding which schools
had received the squid.

Chiang says today though that the Education department is continuing to trace
the supply chain.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Taiwan boxer Lin Yu-ting won gold in the women's 60-kilogram division Friday
at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Lin delivered a 5-0 unanimous decision victory over China's Yang Cheng-yu in
the final bout, securing Taiwan's fourth gold medal of the Games.

She dominated all three rounds of the championship match, and the victory
marks back-to-back Asian Games gold medals for Lin across two different
weight classes.

Lin previously claimed gold in the 57-kilogram division at the Hangzhou Games
before moving up to 60 kilograms after Paris 2024.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Taiwan shares are up today with the benchmark tai ex gaining 122 points to
close the session at 48475.

The turnover was 898.1 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Now turning to internaitonal news...

The death toll from an avalanche in Nepal has now risen to 15 after rescuers
discovered 8 more bodies.

One person remains missing after Sunday's avalanche at Mount Himlung.

Recovery efforts have been paused due to hazardous conditions, but 10
climbers were already rescued.

All the deceased victims were Nepali nationals preparing the climb for
foreign climbers.

The avalanche is considered one of the worst disasters in Nepal
mountaineering history.

Every year hundreds of foreign climbers come to Nepal to attempt climb the
highest mountain peaks.

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

The Asian Games in Japan's Nagoya are getting ready to conclude...

as officials apologize for the unusually large number of mishaps.

Nikkei Asia reports that this year's games saw the North Korean national
anthem played instead of the South Korean one...

the South Korean men's basketball team missing a practice after a bus failed
to arrive...

and long waits for athletes to check into their rooms.

This year's Asian Games have seen about 11,000 athletes in total, making them
bigger than the Summer Olympics.

Some experts believe that the issues are partially because Japanese
advertising company Dentsu was not involved in supporting the games this
year.

Dentsu has been involved in Japanese sporting events for more than 40 years,
but was previously found guilty of violating Japan's antimonopoly act.

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

The historical drama "Four Rivers Six Ranges" has debuted, bringing Tibet's
little-known resistance history to the screen.

The director covertly filmed the movie in Nepal's Mustang region, where
Tibetan guerillas later fought Chinese forces in the 1960s.

The film's Indian premiere was delayed, due to the Chinese president's visit
to India.

The director said, he knew he would not be able to get permits needed to film
in Nepal due to Chinese pressure stifiling Tibetan communities there...

going so far as to submit a "dummy screenplay" and cutting production time by
more than half.

Posted on 2026-10-02 13:07:13

The Coast Guard Administration says, it has removed two Chinese fishing boats
from the waters around the Dongsha Atoll.

The CGA adds that one of the boats refused to follow orders, leading the
Coast Guard vessels to use water cannons to drive it away.

Authorities say that the incident took place yesterday when they received a
report that Chinese fishing vessels intruding in restricted waters...

leading them to dispatch the Yunlin patrol boat to respond.

The Yunlin called on the boats to retreat, but one of them failed to do so.

The crew first used a 30 second blast of a water cannon into the air, which
proved ineffective, and thus followed it up with a second, 90-second blast,
making sure to avoid crew in the process.

Following this exchange, the shift lifted anchor.

The CGA says, crew followed policy for engaging with Chinese vessels, using
non-lethal force to drive away intruders.

However, the exchange caused the Chinese boat to lose its propeller power,
leading the Yunlin to tow the boat away.

Yunlin crew even provided hot meals to crew aboard the Chinese ship and
ensured that they were in good health before their ship was towed away by
another vessel.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 13:07:13

The Taiwan High Speed Rail says new trains are set to deploy next year,
easing crowding over holidays.

The corporation says the first of 12 new N700ST train sets purchased from
Japan arrived in Taiwan in August and is undergoing required safety tests.

The THSRC says three of the new trains will enter commercial service in July
2027, increasing peak capacity by up to seven percent next summer.

And they say all 12 new train sets will join the active fleet by late 2028,
expanding overall high-speed rail network capacity by 25 percent.

This comes after the High Speed Rail set a single-day record of nearly
348-thousand passengers during the recent Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, with
passengers experiencing heavy crowding in carriages.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-02 13:07:13

Now turning to international news...

Egypt has arrested 6 journalists over claims that they belong to an outlawed
group called the Muslim Borhterhood, and alleging that they produce fake news
in exchange for foreign funding.

The arrests swept up the entire editorial team of an independent Egyptian
media outlet called Matsadaash.

The platform was founded as a fact-checking venture, but has since expanded
into investigative reporting.

Human Rights Watch and others have called for the journalists' release and
condemned the arrests as part of a wider crackcown on independent media.

Advocates say the journalists' whereabouts remain unknown, and that they've
had no contact with their families or lawyers.

Matsadaash has unequiovcally denied the charges.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says that Egypt is one of the world's
worst when it comes to jailing journalists...

with local advocates saying that 26 journalists in Egypt are currently in
jail.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The first two of a total of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets purchased from the
U-S are expected to arrive in at Taitung's Chihhang Air Base this morning.

The two aircraft took off from Texas on August 17 before arriving in Hawaii,
where they have spent nearly a month being inspected and underging final
preparations for the flights to Taiwan.

The U-S State Department has issued a statment saying Washington continues to
stand with friends and allies in the Indo-Pacific region - including Taiwan -
to advance shared prosperity, security, and values.

That statment went on to say that U-S policy toward Taiwan has not changed
and Washington emains committed to its "one China" policy, which is based on
the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China Joint Communiqués, and the Six
Assurances.

Taiwan purchased the F-16V Block 70s in 2019.

They were originally scheduled to begin being delivered in 2023, but Lockheed
Martin's program was delayed.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

The Centers for Disease Control says the current flu epidemic is expected to
peak this week, when outpatient and emergency visits for flu-like illnesses
are likely to reach between 140,000 and 150,000.

According to C-D-C Director General Philip Lo, the elevated activity could
continue until mid-November, although the epidemic is expected to decline
significantly after mid-October due to the publicly funded flu and COVID-19
vaccination program.

Lo says vaccinations could help bring the epidemic under control more
quickly, with a noticeable decline expected after mid-October if vaccination
uptake is strong.

The first stage of the government's publicly funded flu and COVID-19
vaccination program began on Thursday.

The second stage will begin November 2 and shots will be available to adults
aged 50 and older without high-risk chronic conditions.

The government purchased 7.05-million doses of influenza vaccines for the
publicly funded vaccination program this year.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a man for allegedly
operating an unregistered office for a Chinese semiconductor company.

According to prosecutors, Lin Hao-yuan has been charged with violating the
Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the
Mainland Area.

Lin headed Lontium Semiconductor Corporation's Taipei office.

Prosecutors say the company, which is based in China's Anhui Province,
established an office in Taipei's Neihu District in 2012, but its board
decided to close it down in January of 2015.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs here in Taiwan approved the closure later
that month.

However, Lontium instructed Lin in July 2024 to rent an office in Taipei's
Zhongshan District to serve as its Taiwan operating base ..

.... where prosecutors says it began headhunting high-tech engineers to
conduct chip research and development without authorization.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

The Civil Aviation Administration says fuel surcharges for international
flights operated by Taiwan carriers will increase from October 7 due to a
recent rise in international aviation fuel prices.

The surcharge for short-haul routes will rise to 37.5 U-S dollars.

While the surcharge for long-haul routes will increase to 97.5 U-S dollars.

The adjustment reflects an increase in international aviation fuel prices
from 156.79 to 177.89 U-S dollars a barrel, based on prices announced by
state-refiner C-P-C.

According to the C-A-A, it has instructed airlines to provide sufficient
information on the adjustment, including fuel costs and their proportion of a
flight's total expenses, to address consumer concerns.

The latest increase marks the third consecutive month in which airline fuel
surcharges have been raised as international fuel prices continue to
fluctuate.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

And finally,

Chang Cheng-wei won silver in the men's individual compound archery at the
Asian Games in Japan on Thursday -- to record Taiwan's best ever finish in
the event.

The 22-year-old advanced through the quarterfinals and semifinals before
losing 149-145 to South Korea's Kim Jong-ho.

It was Chang's first individual medal at an international competition and his
second podium finish at these Games, following the bronze he won in the men's
team event on Wednesday.

Taiwan also won silver in the men's C-1 canoe slalom event on Thursday, with
Wu Rong-cheng finishing behind China's Zhang Zhi-cheng.

It was Wu's first Asian Games medal and Taiwan's second canoeing podium
finish of the Games this year.

And in the men's tennis doubles, Hsu Yu-hsiou and Ho Chen-rui took bronze
after losing their semifinal to their South Korean opponents.

Thursday's medals bring Taiwan's tally to 42 in total - including three gold
and 12 silver, and 27 bronze.

Taiwan is now sitting in 16th place in the overall medals table - between
Kuwait in 15th and Qatar in 17th.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

President Lai Ching-te has appointed Vice Admiral Yuan Sheng-hua to post of
deputy director-general... of the Coast Guard Administration.

Yuan's appointment is a first, no active-duty Navy officer has been
appointed to the posts of either deputy director-general or director-general
of the Coast Guard Administration before.

Yuan has been tasked with improving coordination between the Navy and Coast
Guard in response to maritime pressure from China.

Lai said he expects Yuan to draw on his experience to strengthen maritime
intelligence sharing, and ensure surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as
emergency response, are closely coordinated to safeguard the country's
maritime territory.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling says Yuan was promoted because it
was believed that Coast Guard Administration needed someone familiar with
maritime defense operations and the transition between peacetime and wartime
conditions.

Yuan is the agency's third deputy director-general after the position was
created through amendments to the Coast Guard Administration Organization Act
passed in June.

The Coast Guard Administration says the creation of the new post addresses
changes in the maritime situation surrounding Taiwan and the evolving
geopolitical landscape.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

The Cabinet has approved a draft amendment to the Securities Transaction Tax
Act that will extend a tax exemption on corporate bonds, financial bonds and
passive bond exchange-traded funds for 10 more years.

The amendment also expands the exemption to actively managed bond E-T-Fs.

The proposal comes amid strong growth in Taiwan's bond market following the
introduction of the exemption in 2017.

The current tax exemption for bonds and passive bond E-T-Fs is set to expire
on December 31 of this year.

Under the draft amendment, the exemption for active bond E-T-Fs will take
effect on January 1, 2027 and remain in place through December 31, 2036.

The Ministry of Finance is estimating that the outstanding value of corporate
and financial bonds could reach 17.96-trillion N-T by 2036, while annual
trading value could amount to 93.19-trillion N-T.

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee says Premier Zhu Rong-ta believes the
amendment will boost asset management activity and support the government's
goal of developing Taiwan into an "Asian asset management center."

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

The High Prosecutors Office's Kaohsiung Branch has indicted three former
military personnel for allegedly collecting military secrets for China.

All three have been charged with offenses involving the National Security
Act, Anti-Corruption Act and Classified National Security Information
Protection Act, as well as the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces.

Prosecutors say one those indicted began receiving instructions and funding
from officials at an intelligence agency under a provincial committee of the
Communist Party of China in late 2020.

He allegedly obtained confidential military information, including tank
specifications and details of the Han Kuang military exercises, from a man
who was still serving in the Army at the time, before traveling to China to
meet with intelligence officials.

Prosecutors say he was then asked to establish organization for China here in
Taiwan and approach serving military personnel in order to collect
confidential military information from them.

The Kaohsiung Military Police, Tainan Military Police, Pingtung County Police
Bureau's Criminal Investigation Corps and the Ministry of National Defense's
Political Warfare Bureau reported the case to the High Prosecutors Office in
June of this year.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

The Food and Drug Administration has fined a probiotic seller 4-million N-T
so far this year for repeated violations over advertisements falsely claiming
that the product could "reverse kidney disease."

It seventh time the company has been fined this year.

The FDA ordered ads involving the Huo Hua Sheng probiotic product to be
removed, while its endorser, nephrologist Chiang Shou-shan, has been referred
for disciplinary action.

The F-D-A says the product and Chiang have appeared across different ads
making exaggerated claims that the probiotic could treat or reverse kidney
disease.

While the F-D-A says the the product mainly contains probiotics and lactic
acid bacteria, the advertisements could lead consumers to believe that the
item had therapeutic effects.

The Huo Hua Sheng product has been penalised for its ads before -- it was
fined 3-million N-T in 2024 and 1.8-million in 2025.

The F-D-A has asked broadcast media outlets to ensure that the offending
advertisements are removed from their channels.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

Taiwan ranked fifth globally in net financial assets per capita at the end of
2025, averaging 164,470 euros.

The latest Global Wealth Report by Allianz Research indicates Taiwan's
ranking remained unchanged from the previous year, trailing only the United
States, Switzerland, Denmark and Singapore.

Allianz assessed household assets and liabilities in nearly 60 countries.

It found that global household wealth reached a record high in 2025, while
the rise of A-I and market gains made asset ownership increasingly important
in determining who benefits from wealth creation.

The report shows that total financial assets held by Taiwan households rose
8.7-per cent to 4.5 trillion euros at the end of last year.

That increase was slightly slower than the 9.3-per cent growth recorded in
2024 and below the 9.8-per cent average for other Asian markets covered in
the report - excluding Japan and China.

Howevr, it remained above the global average of 8.6 percent.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

observation

Fourteen junior high school students at the Taipei Huaxing High School
underwent medical care after eating nuts from tung trees on the school
campus.

Thirteen of them have since been discharged from hospital, but one remains
under observation.

The school says the the students ate the tung nuts out of curiosity because
they resembled almonds and later began feeling unwell.

They and alerted a teacher, who arranged for them to be taken to two
hospitals.

A pediatrician at the Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, which received 10
of the students, says most of them had eaten only a small number of tung
nuts, while one had eaten seven of them.

The students experienced nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort, with one
vomiting.

The other four students were taken to Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

One of them are eight tung nuts and remain hospitalized.

Tung nuts are not considered highly toxic, but they can cause
gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and
diarrhea.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

And,

The Golden Horse Awards has announced this year's nominations

"Arrested Memory" leads the nominations with 11 nods... including for beat
director, best leading actor, best supporting actor, best cinematography,
best art direction, and best original film song.

This crime thriller follows a Taiwanese detective who develops amnesia
shortly after being transferred to a new post and becomes embroiled in a
high-profile kidnapping case as his memory deteriorates.

"Arrested Memory" was directed Japanese filmmaker Hiroyuki Tanaka.

Shu Qi's directorial debut "Girl" ranked second with 10 nominations, while
"Double Happiness" and "We Are Born Good" tied for third with nine
nominations each.

The 63rd Golden Horse Awards take place on November 22 at the Taipei Music
Center.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

In another development...

British police have arrested a dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of
plotting a terror attack following a security incident at a U.S.-run air base
on the weekend.

The 25-year-old man was arrested in London on Thursday, and police have
searched two properties in the U.K. capital.
Five other men arrested Sunday have been released on bail.

Scores of residents were evacuated from their homes near the base as armed
police officers and army bomb-disposal experts swooped on the rural area.

Police found gasoline in three vans linked to the five suspects, but no
explosives.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees “strong indications” that
Iran played a part in the incident... but Iran denies involvement.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the world was living
through a dangerous moment and warned the West not to escalate a standoff
over Ukraine by threatening the Russian exclave ‌of Kaliningrad.

> pot down!!

Putin repeated his claim that Russia had no plans to attack any European
country and wanted to coexist peacefully.

But he reiterated that Moscow would resort to all weapons in its arsenal,
including nuclear ones, if its most westerly territory — Kaliningrad, which
is wedged between Poland and Lithuania — was threatened.

Putin's comments followed a diplomatic note which NATO said this week it had
received from Russia...

In it, a warning the Western military alliance it would be ready to resort to
nuclear weapons if NATO attempted to cut off Russia's Baltic exclave.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

Nikkei Asia is reporting that a new set of Chinese exit and entry rules took
effect earlier this week, as Beijing tightens its legal framework for border
control.

Under the new rules, Chinese citizens can be banned from leaving for anywhere
from six months to an indefinite period if their acts are deemed to
contravene industrial and technology import and export controls.

Foreign nationals can also be barred from entering if they submit inaccurate
information or make false statements in their visa applications.

The change has reportedly triggered warnings here in Taiwan... several groups
of people could face increased risks under China's new border regime.

The rules could affect businesspeople, workers in chip and other high-tech
sectors, civil servants and members of some religious groups.

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

Three former military personnel have been indicted for allegedly collecting
military secrets for China.

The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office's Kaohsiung Branch says the three men
allegedly began working with Chinese intelligence officials in 2020.

Prosecutors say they obtained confidential information, including tank
specifications and details of the Han Kuang military exercises.

One of the men allegedly traveled to China in 2024 and met with Chinese
intelligence officials, where prosecutors say he sought to recruit others to
collect military information.

The three men face charges under Taiwan's national security and classified
information laws, as well as the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

A probiotic seller has been fined more than four million NT this year for
making false claims about its product.

The Food and Drug Administration says advertisements for the Huo Hua Sheng
(活化勝) probiotic claimed it could "reverse kidney disease" and exaggerated its
health benefits.

The company has now been fined a total of 8.9 million NT since 2024 for
repeated violations.

The product's endorser, nephrologist Chiang Shou-shan (江守山), has also been
referred for disciplinary action.

The latest violations involved advertisements repeatedly aired on television
and other media.

The F-D-A says food products are not medicines and cannot claim to treat or
cure diseases.

It warned that such claims could cause people to delay seeking proper medical
treatment.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

Tigerair Taiwan is announcing the launch of a new one-stop booking platform
to expand its international flight connections.

Developed with travel technology firm Dohop, "tigerhop" connects Tigerair
Taiwan's routes with Singapore-based carrier Scoot, allowing passengers from
Singapore to connect through Taiwan to 22 Japanese destinations, while
Japanese travelers can transit to Singapore.

While passengers must recheck their luggage during Taiwan layovers, Tigerair
Taiwan offers free priority baggage handling on initial outbound legs.

The airline points out that layovers range from three to 48 hours, giving
international travelers the option to make short stopover visits in Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

A Russian drone has struck a school in Kyiv as the Ukrainian capital faces
continued aerial attacks.

Children and staff were in shelters Thursday, and there were no immediate
reports of casualties.

Kyiv has faced repeated air-raid alerts as Russia intensifies its drone
attacks.

Ukrainian officials say the attacks are aimed at terrorizing civilians and
weakening resistance.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian forces have also struck a site
in Russia used to store and launch attack drones.

There have been no major changes on the ground since last year.

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

The winner of Nikon's Small World in Motion photography competition is facing
questions over whether his winning video was made using A-I.

The video was submitted by Dr. Ning Xu of China's Tsinghua University.

Xu says it shows tiny, hair-like structures called cilia inside the airways
of a child with a rare disease.

He admits using A-I to increase the contrast of the grayscale images, but
denies breaking the competition's rules.

Other scientists question the footage, saying the cilia appear unusually
large and move in ways they consider abnormal.

One critic says some cilia "appear from nowhere", while another says the
video contains a watermark suggesting it was A-I-generated.

Nikon says it has found no rule violations so far, but will provide an update.

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

New data shows that more than around one in three young people in Taiwan
experience anxiety about their appearance ... with some using face masks to
hide how they look.

The survey by the Child Welfare League Foundation questioned more than
10-thousand junior and senior high school students across Taiwan.

It found that nearly half of female students reported appearance anxiety ...
compared with about 20 percent of male students.

Nearly a quarter of students also said they wear face masks for more than
half the day ... to conceal their appearance or emotions rather than for
health reasons.

The foundation says parents and teachers should avoid criticizing young
people's appearance, weight or clothing ...

... and instead help them build confidence based on their personal qualities.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

Fuel surcharges for international flights from Taiwan will increase next week.

The Civil Aviation Administration says surcharges for flights operated by
Taiwanese carriers will rise from October 7th due to higher international
fuel prices.

The surcharge for short-haul flights will increase to 37-and-a-half U-S
dollars, while long-haul flights will rise to 97-and-a-half U-S dollars.

The CAA says this is the third consecutive month that fuel surcharges have
increased.

It has also asked airlines to provide passengers with sufficient information
on the adjustment, including fuel costs and their proportion of a flight's
total expenses, to address consumer concerns.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

Starlux Airlines has launched a new route between Taipei and Bali, with five
flights a week.

The airline says the service will also help attract travelers from Europe and
North America to Bali through Taiwan.

Flights leave Taipei at 10:10 AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and
Sundays, arriving in Bali at 3:40 PM local time.

The return flights leave Bali at 5:20 PM and arrive in Taipei at 10:50 PM.

Bali is Starlux's second destination in Indonesia, after Jakarta.

The airline now serves 34 cities across Asia, North America and Europe.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

A senior Navy officer has become the first Navy official to serve as a deputy
director-general of the Coast Guard Administration.

Vice Admiral Yuan Sheng-hua (原聖華) was promoted to the post today ...

... with President Lai Ching-te saying he expects Yuan to improve
coordination between the Navy and Coast Guard.

Lai said Yuan should also strengthen maritime intelligence sharing and
coordination on surveillance and emergency response.

The C-G-A says the new position was created to respond to changes in the
maritime situation around Taiwan and improve coordination between the two
forces.

Yuan previously served as deputy chief of staff of the Navy and held several
other senior positions.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 17:21:13

Court

The KMT has proposed changes to the Referendum Act, one version of which
would take away the Central Election Commission's ability to reject
referendum proposals.

That's after the CEC rejected the KMT-led motion to put a referendum on this
November's ballot that would see voters decide on whether or not caning
should be permitted as a punishment for some crimes.

Other versions of proposed amendments to the Act would put Constitutional
Court decisions under review by referendums.

Under KMT lawmaker Weng Xiao Ling's proposal, any referendum measure passed
by the legislature would have to proceed to the ballot.

The DPP has said that the proposal is a grave offense to the ROC
constitution, and they're calling on Weng to withdraw the proposal.

Caucus leader Fan Yun has said that the proposal is another attempt at
expanding the legislature's powers, in violation of the principle of
separation of powers in the constitution.

（AH）

Posted on 2026-10-01 17:21:13

The Executive Yuan says, it's hoping to make cash handouts available to
citizens ahead of the Lunar New Year...

assuming the proposed 10,000 NT handouts pass the legislature without issue.

The Executive Yuan is framing the bill, which will cost 235 billion NT, as
way of redistributing gains made from Taiwan's economic rise on the back of
AI.

The Cabinet in August passed off next year's central government budget
including the handouts to the legislature...

but some in the KMT have called for the handouts to double, or even triple in
size.

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee says, though, that the handouts must follow
three principles, including: not increasing the national debt; not squeezing
other budget items; and passing through constitutional channels.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 17:21:13

Nantou County has kicked off its annual vaccination campaign ... with
139-thousand publicly funded flu vaccine doses available.

The total includes 2,500 enhanced flu vaccines ... which are being offered to
residents and staff at nursing and long-term care facilities.

Health officials are urging people aged 65 and over ... as well as those with
chronic illnesses and other high-risk conditions ... to get vaccinated as
soon as possible.

The campaign also includes COVID-19 vaccines ... with the first phase
covering older people, young children, pregnant women, healthcare workers and
other eligible groups.

Adults aged 50 to 64 without high-risk chronic conditions will become
eligible under the second phase starting November 2nd.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

A new report shows that Taiwan ranked fifth worldwide in net financial assets
per person last year.

The report, by Allianz Research, found that Taiwanese households held an
average of about 164-thousand euros in net financial assets -- which is about
5.9 million NT -- putting Taiwan behind the United States, Switzerland,
Denmark and Singapore.

It also found that total financial assets held by Taiwanese households rose
by nearly nine percent in 2025, reaching 4.5 trillion euros -- or roughly 162
trillion NT.

Securities such as stocks recorded the strongest growth, rising nearly 18
percent, as global markets benefited from the AI boom.

Since 2019, Taiwan's financial assets have grown by more than 40 percent
after adjusting for inflation.

That's significantly above the global average of just under 23 percent.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

Researchers at National Chung Hsing University have developed AI-powered
smart clothing that can control computers without a mouse or keyboard.

Sensors detect movements, such as waving an arm or raising a leg.

The sensors then send signals wirelessly to a computer, where machine
learning turns them into commands.

Researchers say the sensors use static electricity generated as the wearer
moves, so they don't require battery power.

They also say the clothing is lightweight, flexible and washable.

The technology has already been used to control presentations and games and
could eventually be applied to augmented and virtual reality, as well as to
education.

The team is now working toward practical applications and possible
commercialization.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

Prosecutors in Taipei have indicted a man for allegedly operating an
unauthorized office for a Chinese semiconductor company.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office is seeking an 18-month prison sentence
for Lin Hao-yuan (林浩原), who headed the Taipei office of Lontium Semiconductor
Corporation.

Prosecutors say the company had closed its previous Taipei office in 2015,
but reopened one in 2024 without government approval.

They allege the office was used to recruit Taiwanese engineers for chip
research, testing and technical services.

Prosecutors have also issued a wanted notice for Lontium's chairman, Chen
Feng (陳峰).

Under Taiwanese law, Chinese companies must obtain government approval before
setting up offices or conducting business in Taiwan.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

Isaac Herzog, the president of Israel, said that he intends to give one of
the country's highest civil honours to the four Israeli passengers who
prevented yesterday's flydubai flight from crashing in the aftermath of a
fight between the pilots.

Meanwhile, Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, has called the
flight's Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, a hero in allcaps on social media.

Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot, reported to be a national of Oman,
during the flight.

This led to a fall of around 5 000 metres in just a minute and an emergency
landing in Saudi Arabia.

The pilot is currently in stable condition in hospital, and all 174
passengers are safe and sound.

flydubai, based out of its namesake city in the United Arab Emirates, has
suspended its flights to and from Israel.

The company has asked the public to refrain from premature speculation about
the motive behind the attacks.

And Israel said it is too early to speculate as to whether Iran was involved
in the incident.

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

Cristiano Ronaldo, named the world's best football player five times by FIFA,
has left a training camp for the Portuguese national team.

This is after he was reportedly told that the team comes first, not him.

There were emergency talks between Ronaldo and the head coach of Portugal,
Jorge Jesus.

Ronaldo was scheduled to play for Portugal against Denmark at a UEFA Nations
Cup match tonight.

Despite being the first player to score in six World Cups with a goal against
Uzbekistan this past summer, Ronaldo was left on the bench by Jesus in a game
against Norway last Sunday.

This was the first time in 18 years that Ronaldo had been an unused
substitute.

Ronaldo said he will reveal his reasons for leaving the training camp in due
course.

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

California's governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation banning child
marriage in the U.S.'s most populous state.

Now, both parties must be at least 18 years of age to get married.

The bill was signed in the presence of Courtney Stodden, who made headlines
when, as a 16-year-old, her parents allowed her to marry a 50-year-old man.

Prior to this, there was no legal minimum age for marriage so long as parents
and a judge agreed.

And there was no way for someone under 18 to get divorced, which advocates
say trapped many girls in abusive relationships.

An advocacy group said that roughly 9000 girls below the age of 18 were
married each year in California.

Child marriage is still legal in 32 U.S. states.

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

Publicly-funded flu and COVID vaccines are now available in Penghu for
eligible groups.

Deputy Magistrate Lin Jie Xing 林皆興reminded the public after getting his jab
this morning that the shot is covered under the Ministry of Health and
Welfare's new health coin program.

Groups able to get the publicly funded vaccines as of now include those 65
and up and those with underlying health conditions.

Lin is encouraging Penghu residents to get the COVID booster shot and this
year's flu vaccine to stay healthy.

The Penghu County government says, 24,000 publicly funded doses of the shots
are available now, and 20 medical centers are offering the vaccines.

Residents that get the shots can get rewarded with "health coins" when they
complete their vaccinations...

with 900 coins available for the COVID vax and 450 for the flu vax.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

A candidate for city councilor in Keelung has posted 500,000 NT bail as he's
being investigated on charges of vote-buying.

That's after prosecutors in the city questioned over nearly 4 dozen people
last night and carried out searches around Renai district.

Prosecutors recently received a report that Zeng, of the KMT, and a borough
chief candidate surnamed Chen had handed out mooncakes to voters, raising
suspicions of vote-buying.

Investigations yesterday revealed that another borough chief candidate,
surnamed Zhuang, was also likely involved in the case.

Prosecutors say that Zeng and Chen handed out mooncake gift boxes purchased
with subsidies to voters in September.

Zhuang is accused of using the same gift boxes to try to bribe voters.

Prosecutors say that the three are believed to have violated the Public
Officials Election and Recall Act.

Zeng is running for councilor as his father, a sitting city councilor, is
detained in connection to a separate corruption investigation.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

Rail passengers in southeastern Taiwan are facing delays between Kangle (康樂)
and Luye (鹿野) stations.

Taiwan Railway says an electrical equipment failure has delayed trains in
both directions since 11:10 this morning.

The disruption is also affecting services at Taitung Station.

The railway company says it is still assessing when normal service will
resume.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

Christa Pike, the inmate on Tennessee's death row who was scheduled to be
executed five hours ago, has been taken to hospital.

Two injections of the lethal substance pentobarbital were administered, but
failed to kill Pike.

Instead, her legal team says that although she is unconscious, she is still
breathing and snoring.

They add that she is receiving life-saving measures at hospital.

Pike's legal team had tried to prevent her execution, but the U.S. Supreme
Court had twice, over the last two days, said the execution could go ahead.

They said they were concerned about potential snags in the process, such as
difficulty in finding veins in which to administer the drug.

Pike, now 50 years old, was only 18 when she and her then-boyfriend tortured
and killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, whom Pike accused of trying to steal
her then-boyfriend.

Only 1 per cent of all executions in the U.S. are of women.

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

The leaders of France and Spain have both expressed their support for the
return of the United Kingdom to the European Union.

French president Emmanuel Macron said, in English, "Welcome back."

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said that if the U.K. did come back,
"Spain would applaud it and open its arms again to a brotherly people".

But Macron said that the U.K. could not choose which of the E.U.'s policies
and responsibilities it wanted to adopt.

The U.K.'s prime minister, Andy Burnham, said that "Brexit has done more harm
than good" and he would lay out different options for the relationship
between the U.K. and the E.U. later this year.

The U.K. narrowly voted to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum, and
officially left the bloc at the start of 2020.

But recent surveys indicate that a majority of Brits would support rejoining
the E.U.

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

The last obstacle to the creation of a television and cinematic giant has
been lifted.

A federal judge in California has allowed Paramount Skydance's purchase of
Warner Bros Discovery, under several conditions intended to avoid
anti-competitive behaviour.

Amongst these, Paramount has promised to increase its annual spending on
production by 300 million dollars.

They will also have to release at least thirty new films each year for the
next two years, rising to thirty-two after that.

And these films will have to wait forty-five days before going to video on
demand.

If it fails to meet these obligations, Paramount will have to sell Miramax,
which owns the "Scary Movie" and "Halloween" franchises.

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An faces mounting controversy over the city's free
school lunch program...

as students at another school are suspected to have contracted food
poisoning.

DPP City Councilor Hong Jian Yi yesterday revealed that parents had contacted
his office, reporting 10 cases of suspected food poisoning that took place
last week.

He said that parents reported that the children had eaten squid in the
school's free lunch and threw up afterwards.

The city's Education Bureau says, the incident took place at Songshan's Minzu
Elementary School, adding that the school instituted changes the day after
the food poisoning took palce.

Mayor Chiang says today that doctors' initial assessment suggests that the
students are suffering from gastroenteritis, possibly brought on by
norovirus.

He added that the school had put into place cleaning and disinfection
measures after the case came to light.

The Minzu Elementary case comes just days after 3 students at Jinhua Middle
School are suspected to have gotten food poisoning last week.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

The KMT is attempting to downplay rumors of a fallout between their leader
and TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang.

That's after media reported that a KMT member said that overall cooperation
between the two parties would not change, but that Huang has largely exited
the picture.

That source said that party founder Ke Wen Zhe had instead become the main
channel through which exchange between the two parties is conducted.

But, KMT Deputy Chair Xiao Xu-cen says today that the relationship between
chair Cheng Li Wen and Huang is rock-solid...

adding that the controversy over cooperation in Hsinchu's Zhubei is in the
past.

Xiao added that Ke's opinion is certainly of great importance to the KMT, but
said that the principal collaborator in the TPP is still the chairman
himself.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

Taiwan shares up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 413 points to close
the session at 48353

The turnover was 837.4 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

jobless

Now turning to international news...

Indonesia is dealing with a jobs crisis, with about one million university
graduates unable to find jobs.

That's out of a total of over 7 million unemployed people in the world's
fourth biggest country.

Nikkei Asia reports that Indonesia's unemployment rate stood at just under 5%
last year, marking the largest figures among the six major ASEAN economies.

The World Bank notes that that figure does not look on its face to be too
extreme, but they say the more concerning trend is underemployment...

which describes workers who are employed but working fewer hours than they
want.

In a report, the World Bank said that Indonesian economy is generating
employment, but that there aren't enough well-paying jobs to propel upward
mobility.

Some experts say that the high rate of unemployment among university
graduates is due to increased investment in industries like mining rather
than high tech sectors.

On top of that, they say, policy uncertainty under the Indonesia president
has triggered capital outflows.

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

The Bank of Japan has issued an optimistic outlook on the country's economy
in its quartlerly tankan survey.

The key indicator of businesses sentiment in the survey has now improved for
6 quarters in a row.

This comes despite widespread challeneges for the Japanese public, including
soaring oil prices.

The Bank of Japan has raised its benchmark interest rate twice this year to a
three decade high.

Posted on 2026-10-01 11:24:13

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency says, Hualien's Wanli River
Barrier Lake is overflowing at a steady pace...

and the integrity of the lake's dam remains intact.

As of this morning, the water level in the lake was located at an altitude of
over 1085 meters, while the lake's total capacity is estimated at 5.19
million square meters.

Authorities say the impact of the overflow is limited to the riverbed itself.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 11:24:13

Now turning to international news...

South Korea says that it will spend 120 billion USD to build eight nuclear
power plants in the US as part of an agreement to invest 350 billion dollars
in the country in exchange for lower tariffs.

But the two sides appear to have gotten their signals crossed on another
project under that agreement, involving an LNG pipeline in Alaska.

Nikkei Asia reports that Seoul says it will decide on the project after
reviewing its commercial feasibility...

but the US president said that Korea would invest 54 billion dollars in the
project.

He also described the plans with Korea as "one of the lagest energy
infrastructure investments" in US history.

The announcement comes nearly one year after the leaders of the US and South
Korea agreed to a 350 billion dollar investment fund...

with 150 billion of that allocated to shipbuilding and 200 billion to other
areas.

In return, the US said it would lower tariffs on Korean imports from 25 to
15%.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The Ministry of National Defense Ministry is refusing to comment on reports
that the government is considering gifting the Philippines a
soon-to-be-decommissioned Navy warship.

According to the United Daily News, the Lai administration is hoping to
donate the Navy's 500-tonne-class Jin Chiang Patrol Ship to the Philippines
after it's decommissioned at the end of this year.

K-M-T lawmaker Ma Wen-chun is voicing concern that the reported plan to
donate the warship could undermine the safety of Taiwan fishermen operating
in an area where the exclusive economic zones of the two countries overlap.

Taking to social media, Ma said although the ship will likely be disarmed for
the donation, it could be re-armed by the Philippines and used against Taiwan
fishermen..

No government agency has confirmed whether such a plan is under consideration
and what the reason for it would be.

However, the Coast Guard Administration recently confirmed that it donated a
500-tonne-class patrol vessel to the Philippines, also without explaining
why.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

The first phase of the Ministry of Health's annual publicly funded flu
vaccination program begins today.

The ministry has said it had purchased a record 7.05-million doses of
influenza vaccines this and that total includes 200,000 doses of enhanced
vaccines that offer greater protection.

According to health officials, enhanced vaccines will be prioritized for
people aged 65 and older living in long-term care facilities and Taiwan is
the first country in Asia to make enhanced vaccines available through a
publicly funded program.

The first phase of the publicly funded flu vaccination program is open ....

.... to medical professionals; people aged 65 and older; people living in
long-term care facilities and their staff; children aged 6 months through
preschool age; pregnant women; and people with preexisting conditions,
including chronic illnesses.

The second phase of the publicly funded flu vaccination program begins on
Novemnber 2 and will be open to people aged 50 and older.

The Centers for Disease Control has warned that the current flu epidemic is
expected to fluctuate in the near term before beginning to decline around
mid-October, but weekly flu-related medical visits could rise to between
150,000 and 160,000 cases before the downturn.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted former National Taiwan
Normal University women's soccer coach Chou Tai-ying on charges of allegedly
obtaining 1.2-million N-T through research projects that were either fake or
had an inflated number of participants.

Prosecutors says Chou has admitted to the offenses, which took place between
2021 and 2024, and will ask the court to impose an appropriate sentence and
confiscate all of the illicit gains.

According to the prosecutors' office, the fraudulently obtained funds were a
mixture of government grants and participant fees and Chou used 498,000 N-T
of those funds to finance an overseas training trip to Vietnam for the Taipei
PlayOne women's soccer team ..

.... which she also coached.

The case came to light after D-D-P lawmaker Chen Pei-yu claimed in November
of 2024 that Chou had pressured players over several years to participate in
sports science research.

Chen said Chou required players to undergo blood draws three times a day for
14 consecutive days during winter and summer breaks and threatened to block
their graduation if they refused.

Prosecutors have not charged Chou with any of the offenses alleged by the
D-P-P lawmaker.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

The Food and Drug Administration has fined six five-star hotels a total of
466,000 N-T for food safety and hygiene violations.

According to the F-D-A, fines follow inspections of restaurants at 48
international tourist and five-star hotels.

The inspections were aimed at seeing if they were complying with food safety
regulations related to training personnel, storing food items, and meeting
hygienic principles.

The F-D-A says of the six hotels fined, one failed to make improvements by an
established deadline after being cited for violations of good hygienic
practice principles, two violated food labeling rules, and three stored
expired food products.

The inspections also found violations involving the qualifications and
training of food safety personnel, with three hotels fined for failing to
employ qualified professionals.

One hotel failed to ensure that certified technicians completed required food
sanitation and safety training, while another failed to ensure that
professional staff completed Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
training.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

And finally,

Taiwan has won two more bronze medals at the at the Asian Games

The men's archery team beat South Korea to win bronze in Japan on Wednesday.

Chang Cheng-wei was flawless in the compound men's team medal match, hitting
10s with all eight of his arrows as Taiwan finished just six points short of
the maximum score of 240.

The bronze was the first medal Taiwan's national archery team has won at the
Asian Games

Meanwhile, Taiwan's esports team took bronze after losing 2-0 to China in the
semifinals of the survival horror video game "Identity V."

The esports squad had previously won two bronze medals at the Asian Games.

Wednesday's medals bring Taiwan's tally to 39 in total - including three gold
and 10 silver, and 26 bronze.

Taiwan is now sitting in 15th place in the overall standings - between Kuwait
in 14th and Qatar in 16th.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

commitments

U-S Senator and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker is
calling on the Trump administration to uphold America's security commitments
to Taiwan and ensure that arms sales to the island are approved by Congress.

Wicker made the statement following a meeting with Taiwan's representative to
the U-S, Alexander Yui.

The senior Republican senator said decisions about Taiwan's defense needs
must be based on military necessity under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Wicker said Congress has duty to make sure that law is adhered to and that
decisions about the defense needs of Taiwan are based on our joint assessment
of military necessity.

The senator went on to say that the U-S should also uphold a precedent from
the "six assurances" that it will not consult Beijing on arms sales to
Taiwan.

The statements comes amid calls by four other Republican senators for the
Trump administration to release more than 14-billion U-S dollars in stalled
national security assistance for Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

The K-M-T legislative caucus says its seeking an amendment to the Referendum
Act that will allow plebiscites to overturn rulings issued by the
Constitutional Court.

The amendment was proposed by K-M-T lawmaker Weng Hsiao-ling.

If approved the amendment is meant to allow referendums to overturn some
Constitutional Court rulings... but Weng has stressed it would not cover
those concerning the impeachment of either the president or the vice
president.

Under the proposal, any law or Constitutional Court judgment rejected by
voters in a referendum would need to be nullified three days after the result
was announced.

The proposal also states that the president or a government agency must to
implement any approved referendum within three months and executive
government agencies would be banned from reversing any major policy approved
or rejected by referendum for three years.

The D-P-P is slamming the proposal - claiming it would undermine the island's
democratic system.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Taiwan and Belize have signed two major agreements, reaffirming their
longstanding partnership.

The agreements were signed as Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung wrapped up a his
three-day visit to the Central American ally.

Lin and his delegation paid a courtesy call on Governor-General Dame Froyla
Tzalam and Prime Minister John Briceno and also visited the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to hold bilateral talks on strengthening
cooperation.

Lin and his Belizean counterparts signed a bilateral agreement on diplomatic
staff training cooperation, aimed at strengthening the capacity and
professional development of Belize's foreign service.

Lin also witnessed the signing of A letter of intent between the University
of Belize and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund, to
establish the Taiwan-Caribbean Academy... an initiative aimed at promoting
technical and vocational education, sustainable tourism and economic
cooperation among diplomatic allies in the region.

Lin and his delegation traveled to Guatemala after leaving Belize, where
they're scheduled to meet with President Bernardo Arevalo.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai has announced that his administration has
commissioned an overseas consulting firm to conduct a feasibility study for a
new 24-hour international airport.

According to Chen, the proposal is aimed at meeting Kaohsiung's long-term
development needs, particularly growing air cargo demand from the
semiconductor industry.

The city's current Xiaogang Airport is subject to a nighttime curfew and
there is concern it not be able to meet future demand.

Chen says a new airport will also strengthen Taiwan's resilience, especially
if airports in the north are disrupted by earthquakes or other natural
disasters.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Military units participating in the October 10 National Day celebrations have
begun stepping up rehearsals, with a half-scale aerial rehearsal held over
downtown Taipei on Wednesday morning.

The rehearsal featured formations carrying the national flag, helicopters,
slow-moving aircraft, fighter jets and the Air Force Thunder Tiger Aerobatics
Team, which flew over the Presidential Office between 7 and 7:40AM.

As previous National Day aerial displays have caused anxiety among some
Taipei residents, the Ministry of National Defense urged people living in the
city not to be alarmed by the roar of aircraft engines.

Two more full-scale aerial rehearsals have been scheduled for tomorrow and
October 5.

According to the National Day Preparation Committee, both of those rehearsals
will be taking place from 6:05 to 7:40AM.

Meanwhile,

The Taitung County Government has held three-minute test run for the National
Day fireworks display.

According to the county government, the October 10 event will not only
feature the firework show, but will also include a food truck market and an
Austronesian Party.

Indigenous singer/songwriter and Tatung native, Abao, will be serving as the
events music director, and the Taipei Symphony Youth Orchestra will be
providing live musical accompaniment throughout the fireworks display.

The National Day fireworks display will be taking place at the mouth of the
Beinan River and will begin at 8PM on October 10.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Smoking will be banned in Taipei's Xinyi Shopping District near the M-R-T's
Taipei City Hall station from November 1.

Violators will face fines of up to 10,000 N-T after a one-month grace period
starting from today.

The Taipei Department of Health says the new non-smoking areas extends east
to Songren Road, west to Keelung Road Section 1, south to Songgao Road and
north to Zhongxiao East Road Section 5.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan‑an said the two facilities the Xinyi Shopping
District were the first top have been built with donations from civic groups.

Two negative‑pressure smoking rooms near the sation are now open.

City Hall says that raised the total number of such smoking rooms in Taipei
to 12 since the first one was opened in Ximending on May 7.

As of August 31, Taipei's designated negative‑pressure smoking areas had
recorded a cumulative 535,258 visits.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

And,

The Central Weather Administration is warning of possible aftershocks over
the coming days following Wednesday's magnitude 5.9 earthquake, that struck
off the coast of Hualien.

The earthquake was centered some 136-kilometers east of Hualien County Hall,
at a depth of 13-kilometers.

It was felt strongest in parts of Hualien, Yilan, Chiayi County, Changhua and
Yunlin, where it measured a 2 on the weather administration's intensity
scale.

According to the weather administration's Seismological Center, the quake was
caused by the Philippine Sea Plate moving beneath the Eurasian Plate and
possible aftershocks could reach a magnitude of 5.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Russia has warned NATO it could use nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad if
allies attempt to cut off the exclave.

Kaliningrad is located between NATO members Poland and Lithuania and is home
to Russia's main Baltic navy base.

The warning follows claims by Russian embassies in Europe that NATO is
preparing a blockade of the region.

Russia's embassy in Ireland stated Tuesday that Moscow would use its full
arsenal if necessary.

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed Wednesday that NATO received the
warning and slammed Russia's “irresponsible” use of nuclear rhetoric.

This comes as Russia's latest barrage of Ukraine has killed four people and
targeted key energy facilities ahead of the winter.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Hong Kong police have arrested a journalist from Boom News on suspicion of
incitement by spreading disinformation.

Local media reported the arrest of Tang Ho-wing on Wednesday, raising
concerns about press freedom in the city.

Police said a man and a woman were arrested for seditious acts under a
national security law enacted in 2024.

But it did not specify what Tang did led to his arrest.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed deep concern, noting this is
the first known arrest of a journalist for sedition under the 2024 law.

Authorities say the law is necessary for stability.

Posted on 2026-09-30 19:12:13

The Food and Drug Administration has fined six five-star hotels a total of
466-thousand NT for food safety and hygiene violations.

The fines followed inspections of restaurants at 48 international tourist and
five-star hotels across Taiwan.

The violations included storing expired food, incorrect food labeling and
failing to employ qualified food safety professionals.

The Evergreen Plaza Hotel in Tainan received the largest fine of 220-thousand
NT after inspectors found five violations.

Other hotels were fined for storing expired food, for failing to employ
qualified professionals, and for failing to ensure that staff completed
certified food safety training.

The F-D-A says hotels must meet food safety and hygiene standards, including
requirements for staff training and food handling.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 19:12:13

The Presidential Office and the opposition KMT are at odds over the rejection
of all 27 of President Lai Ching-te's nominees to the Control Yuan.

The Presidential Office says it respects the legislature's decision ... but
expressed regret that investigations involving social justice and people's
rights will be brought to a standstill ...

... and that the Control Yuan and National Human Rights Commission will
remain unable to operate normally.

However, KMT caucus secretary-general Hsu Yu-chen (許宇甄) says that lawmakers
are not required to approve every candidate put forward by the president.

She says lawmakers have a constitutional responsibility to scrutinize
candidates ... including whether they can carry out their duties
independently and above party politics.

The KMT says the vote reflects broader concerns over the way the Control Yuan
has been functioning.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 19:12:13

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai says the city has commissioned an overseas
consulting firm to conduct a feasibility study for a new 24-hour
international airport.

Chen says the proposal is aimed at meeting Kaohsiung's long-term development
needs ... particularly growing air cargo demand from the semiconductor
industry.

He says the city's current Xiaogang Airport ... which is subject to a
nighttime curfew ... will not be able to meet future demand.

Chen says a new airport would also strengthen Taiwan's resilience ... if
airports in the north were disrupted by earthquakes or other natural
disasters.

He says such disruptions could seriously affect the semiconductor industry
and passenger travel ... making the issue a broader national security
concern.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

The Central Weather Administration is warning of possible aftershocks of up
to magnitude 5 over the next three days ...

... following a magnitude 5.9 earthquake off the east coast this afternoon.

The quake struck around 1 P-M, 136 kilometers east of Hualien County Hall, at
a depth of 13.3 kilometers.

The C-W-A says the quake was caused by the Philippine Sea Plate moving
beneath the Eurasian Plate.

Because the epicenter was far from Taiwan, most areas experienced only weak
shaking.

The strongest shaking reached an intensity of 2 in parts of Hualien, Yilan,
Changhua, Yunlin and Chiayi counties.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

The Ministry of National Defense announced that it is preparing procurement
plans for a $145 billion NT supplementary defense budget.

The proposal includes nearly $56 billion NT for domestic drone systems to
establish initial unmanned combat capabilities by 2027.

The ministry stated that preliminary procurement preparation is complete,
pending approval by the Legislative Yuan.

And responding to media questions, the Navy confirms that testing on Taiwan's
prototype indigenous submarine continues with safety as the primary focus.

They say daily penalties for contractual delays remain in effect, but cannot
be announced at this time.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

The recently opened Kaohsiung Family Park drew visitors from across Taiwan
during the Mid-Autumn Fesitval and Teachers' Day long weekend ...

... with more than half coming from outside the city.

Figures show the park recorded around 80-thousand visits over the four-day
holiday ... with visitors from outside Kaohsiung accounting for about 55
percent.

New Taipei and Tainan each accounted for 11 percent of visitors ... followed
by Taoyuan at 7.5 percent and Taipei at more than 7 percent.

Kaohsiung officials say they plan to strengthen crowd management, facility
inspections and maintenance during busy periods as visitor numbers grow.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

In international news,

The U-S military says it has completed the withdrawal of its troops from
Iraq, ending a 12-year mission against the Islamic State group.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell says U-S troops and equipment have left the
last air base where American forces were stationed in northern Iraq.

He says the withdrawal marks the end of a campaign that defeated ISIS as an
organized military threat in Iraq and across the region.

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

A commercial plane flying from Dubai to Israel made an emergency landing in
Saudi Arabia after a fight reportedly broke out between the two pilots.

The incident briefly raised fears of a possible hijacking and prompted Israel
to scramble warplanes.

The plane landed safely in Tabuk, a civilian and military base in the kingdom.

Israeli media, citing security officials, reported that the fight involved
the pilots and that everyone on board was safe.

The cause of the dispute remains unclear.

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang is thanking KMT lawmakers for their support in
Zhubei city...

as cooperation between the two opposition parties remains suspended in
Hsinchu County.

This comes after rumors emerged that KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun had prohibited
party lawmakers from campaigning for the TPP's Zhubei candidate, Qiu Chen
Yuan 邱臣遠.

But Huang says that many in the KMT had provided great support to the TPP
during this election season.

He added that many KMT lawmakers were displeased by the break between their
own party and the TPP in Hsinchu,

Huang also voiced his support for the blue camp's joint pick to run in New
Taipei, Li Si Chuan, calling him a practical person.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

And in related news,

Hsinchu Magistrate Yang Wen Ke is repeating his calls for "unity" within the
KMT, saying that all party members should come together to support the party
in the final weeks ahead of November's elections.

Yang, who also chairs the KMT's local party chapter, says that municipal
party workers will integrate efforts with local chapters to push their
candidates...

but said that it's the responsibility of local leaders to understand the
needs of constiuents and actively work to respond to them.

At the end of the day, Yang says the KMT needs to pursue stable governance
and to care for people's needs as they push for Xu Xin Ying to be elected
magistrate.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

The Ministry of Education rolled out new visuals to clearly mark where
students can access free menstrual products on campus.

The design addresses lawmaker concerns that unclear pickup locations and
complicated procedures were deterring students from utilizing the anti-period
poverty program.

Introduced in 2023, the government subsidy program has provided $427 million
NT's worth of essential supplies to 222-thosuand students.

Now the ministry says the new logo, featuring a sprout green color palette
and a winged bird motif says the new logo symbolizes the breaking of gender
stereotypes and the normalization of menstruation.

Officials say schools can download the standardized posters to clearly
identify distribution points.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

Now turning to international news...

South Korea's spy agency says, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's
recent unexpected disclosure of a secret transfer of two North Korean
prisoners of war was likely meant to gain public support for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy revealed the transfer to South Korea during a speech at the UN last
week.

His announcement came as a shock to Seoul, and prompted demands for an
apology.

Seoul claims there was a nondisclosure agreement, which Ukraine denies.

The 2 POWs were among thousands of soldiers sent by North Korea to aid
Russia.

South Korea has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine but not provided weapons.

So, the Korean National Intelligence Service says Kyiv was likely aiming to
rally public support in favor of suppling weapons or other assistance to
Ukraine.

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

The price of medicine in Iran has skot up as a US blockade and sanctions on
Tehran put pressure on the country's pharmaceutical industry.

Some medicines have more than tripled in price, squeezing the finances of
civilians.

Iran's pharma industry is vulnerable due to its reliance on imports, and the
US blockade of Iranian ports has cut off shipping, forcing importers to use
more expensive air routes.

Pharmacies are struggling to keep shelves stocked.

Experts say, sanctions on Iran hurt the pharmaceutical industry because
international banks and companies may be overly cautious out of a fear of
running up against sanctions...

and therefore refuse to process a perfectly acceptable payment.

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

The Right Livelihood Award is announcing their 2026 awardees, emphasizing
work against authoritarianism, violence, and AI-related harms.

This year's winners include a Pakistani lawyer, an Ethiopian-Eritrean AI
reasearcher, a Georgian legal rights group, and a network of women farmers in
Southern Africa.

The Right Livelihood Award recognizes people for resisting systems that
marginalize people and center human rights and justice.

Jalila Haider is a human rights lawyer who defends marginalized communities
in Pakistan against state repression.

The Rural Women's Assembly is a network of farmers in Southern Africa that
aims to defend land, seed, and bodily autonomy against the dispossession of
land.

The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association was honored for safeguarding the
country's democracy in the face of autocracy.

And AI researcher Timnit Gebru was selected for spearheading digital
technology rooted in justice.

Taiwan's Audrey Tang was one of last year's honorees.

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

China is accusing the DPP government of distorting World War Two history
after Taipei challenged Beijing's account of the conflict.

Taipei says the government that fought alongside the Allies was the Republic
of China, rather than today's People's Republic of China.

The People's Republic was founded in 1949, four years after the war ended.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office says questioning Beijing's account betrays
history and dishonors those who died.

Its spokesperson acknowledged that KMT forces fought Japan on the main
battlefield, while Communist forces operated behind enemy lines.

The dispute follows remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese
President Xi Jinping highlighting their countries' wartime alliance.

Taipei says Beijing is claiming credit for the wrong government.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is urging DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen
(沈伯洋) to make child protection his top priority if elected.

Lai, who also chairs the party, visited Shen's newly unveiled campaign
headquarters today.

In a written message, he wished Shen victory and called for a focus on caring
for children and preventing abuse.

Lai also encouraged residents to visit the headquarters and share their views.

Meanwhile, Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) says online discussion of his campaign's
new logo is a good thing.

His campaign office launched yesterday under the theme "Taipei Encore."

The geometric design has drawn criticism and inspired memes.

Chiang says the campaign's merchandise was designed for everyday use,
including bottles, caps and a keychain that plays its theme song.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

People smoking outside designated areas near MRT Taipei City Hall Station
will face fines starting in November.

The Department of Health says the restrictions cover the areas around Exits 2
and 3.

Violators could be fined between 2-thousand and 10-thousand N.T.

The announcement comes as two enclosed smoking rooms opened today in the
Xinyi shopping district.

The rooms use negative pressure to help keep smoke from spreading into
surrounding areas.

Four civic organizations donated the facilities as part of Taipei's effort to
separate smokers from nonsmokers.

Officials will conduct a monthlong public information campaign before issuing
fines.

The city will monitor usage and smoking hotspots to assess whether
adjustments or additional facilities are needed.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

Iran's Revolutionary Guard is urging Americans to vote out President Donald
Trump's allies in November's congressional elections.

The appeal comes as U.S. forces are due to leave their remaining bases in
neighboring Iraq today.

In an open letter, the Guard calls on voters to reject military intervention
abroad and U.S. support for Israel.

Iran portrays the Iraq withdrawal as a victory for its regional allies,
although the departure was agreed under President Joe Biden in 2024.

Meanwhile, Qatar says it continues passing messages between Washington and
Tehran to seek an end to their seven-month war.

No agreement has been announced.

Trump says Iran will eventually give in, while Tehran maintains it will
resist U.S. demands.

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

Norway's parliament is opening public hearings today into ties between
politicians, diplomats and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Eleven current and former ministers have been called to testify, including
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.

Stoere, a former foreign minister, says he had no relationship with Epstein.

The hearings follow the U.S. release of millions of documents revealing
Epstein's contacts with prominent figures worldwide.

Lawmakers want the government to explain how it will restore trust in
Norway's foreign service.

Separately, police are investigating a former prime minister and two former
diplomats over suspected corruption. All three deny criminal wrongdoing.

An independent commission is also examining issues raised by the files, with
findings expected in early 2028.

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

French students blocked school entrances and public sector workers went on
strike yesterday against planned government spending cuts.

Teachers, healthcare workers and firefighters joined the action ahead of
tomorrow's unveiling of the draft 2027 budget.

Students are protesting teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms.

The government plans 54-billion euros in savings, including a freeze on
public employees' base pay.

Unions say repeated pay freezes have reduced workers' purchasing power.

The head of the CGT union has threatened further strike action unless the
government reverses the proposed cuts.

The budget proposals still require parliamentary approval.

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattled much of Taiwan earlier this afternoon, but
caused no damage.

Data from the Central Weather Administration shows the quake occurred at 1
o'clock, and was centered 136 kilometers east of Hualien County Hall, far off
Taiwan's eastern coast

The epicenter was 13.3 kilometers deep.

It was felt most strongly in Hualien, Yilan, Changhua and Yunlin Counties,
where it registered a 2 on the CWA's intensity scale.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

The former National Taiwan Normal University women's soccer coach accused of
forcing student athletes to comply with blood draws has been indicted on
charges of fraud and embezzlement.

However, Zhou Tai Ying was not prosecuted for coercion and violations of the
Physicians Act.

The case came to light when DPP Lawmaker Chen Pei Yu revealed that members of
the soccer team were required by Zhou to comply with thrice daily blood draws
for two weeks for participation in a study.

Not only that, Chen stated that the people doing the blood draws during the
early stages of the plan lacked the medical certifications to be doing so.

Worse still, students who did not comply were told that they would be in
danger of losing out on credits needed to graduate.

The school removed Zhou from her post last year, and barred her from becoming
a teacher for the next four years.

Taipei prosecutors say, Zhou is believed to have made over 23,000 NT from the
blood draws she entered in the study...

and to have misappropriated nearly 500,000 NT in test fees paid by the
students.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

Organizers of the Taiwan Pride Parade say that the theme of this year's march
will be "Our Voices, Our Journey..."

and will seek to emphasize inclusion in electoral politics ahead of local
elections one month later.

The parade is set for October 31st, and organizers say it will largely
maintain the same route through Taipei as in previous years.

They add that this year's event will take place against a backdrop of a
global wave of opposition to diversity and inclusion initiatives, and as
public support for gay and transgender people in Taiwan has declined.

The parade will begin from near the Taipei City Hall on October 31st.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

Taiwan shares are up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 308 points to
close the session at 47940.

The turnover was 875.6 billion NT

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

Thai Airways is cutting its flights following recent heavy rains and
flooding.

Nikkei Asia reports that the Thai Airways CEO said that the impact of the
flooding was greater than expected.

A main airport in the country also saw fewer workers able to unload baggage,
causing ripple effects to following flights.

As of early yesterday, only about half of the personnel normally needed for
baggage handling were available...

with over 5500 bags yet to be delivered to passengers.

Military and government workers have arrived to assist with baggage handling.

Thai Airways says 97% of their flights are experiencing delays or
interruptions, so they've had to cut about one third of flights.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The K-M-T is proposing using surplus tax revenues to fund a universal 20,000
N-T cash handout.

That's double the amount proposed last month by President Lai Ching-te.

The proposal by the K-M-T's legislative caucus was included in a draft
"Special Act on Sharing the Fruits of Economic Growth with the Entire
Population and Stabilizing People's Livelihoods."

The party has designated that Act as a priority in the new legislative
session that begun on Tuesday.

The proposed 20,000 N-T cash handout will be included in the government's
2027 budget proposal.

K-M-T caucus head Fu Kun-chi says surplus tax revenues reached 528-billion
N-T last year, of which around 40-per cent was returned to the people in the
form of 10,000 N-T cash handouts ..

... and surplus tax revenues are expected to exceed 1-trillion N-T this year,
meaning that if 40-per cent is returned, a cash handout of 20,000 N-T could
be provided.

Fu also says even with the Cabinet's 600-billion N-T supplementary budget
request, 400-plus billion N-T could still be used toward cash handouts
without any government borrowing.

The D-P-P is not backing to the move an insisting that the government has
already sent its 2027 budget proposal containing funds for a 10,000 N-T
handout to the Legislative Yuan.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

The Centers for Disease Control says its recorded more than 130,000
flu-related outpatient and emergency hospital visits last week and the
current epidemic is now expected to ease in mid-October.

According to the C-D-C, data shows that 138,654 people sought medical care
for flu-like illnesses at outpatient clinics and emergency departments last
week.

That figure was down 3.2-per cent from the previous week, largely due to
reduced clinic services during the recent holiday period.

However, C-D-C spokesman Lin Ming-cheng says the flu epidemic is expected to
fluctuate in the near term before beginning to decline around mid-October.

Lin is warning that it's possible that weekly flu-related medical visits
could rise to between 150,000 and 160,000 cases before the downturn.

The C-D-C's Epidemic Intelligence Center says 87 new cases of severe flu with
complications and 30 deaths were reported last week.

The first phase of the government's publicly-funded flu and COVID-19
vaccination program begins tomorrow.

While the second stage of the program begins on November 2 and is open to
people aged 50 and older.

The Ministry of Heallth has said it's purchased a record 7.05-million doses
of flu vaccine this year, including 200,000 doses of enhanced vaccines that
offer greater protection.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

The Ministry of Transport says data shows that the number of traffic accident
related fatalities in the first seven months of this this year registered a
decline.

According to the ministry, 1,569 traffic related deaths were recorded between
January and July.

That figure is a drop of just over 1-per cent from the same period of last
year and a 12.3-per cent decline from the same period in the government’s
2023 baseline year.

However, traffic related deaths involving older people rose by 5-per cent to
697 between January and July of his year.

The transport ministry says those deaths were concentrated in Taoyuan,
Taichung and Hualien - where motorcycle accidents accounted for half of the
total number of elderly traffic deaths, while pedestrian accidents accounted
for another 20-per cent.

The ministry says the fourth quarter is typically the peak season for traffic
deaths among older people and its advising them to wear bright or reflective
clothing when going out during early hours or at night.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

Five customers who made purchases at 7-Eleven stores across Taiwan won the
top 10-million N-T special prize in the July-August uniform invoice lottery.

That included one lucky customer who spent just 27 N-T on photocopying.

According to 7-Eleven operator President Chain Store Corporation, the five
special prize winners made their purchases at stores in Taoyuan, Taipei,
Taichung and Kaohsiung.

The five winning purchases included 29 N-T spent on snacks, 139 N-T on CITY
CAFE coffee and daily necessities, and 33 N-T on ready-to-eat food.

The chain says its stores also produced two winners of the 2-million N-T
grand prize.

One of those customers spent 149 N-T on daily necessities and ice cream,
while the other was 10 N-T for photocopying services.

The Ministry of Finance announced the winning numbers for the July-August
uniform invoice lottery on September 25.

The winners can claim their prizes from October 6 through January 5 of next
year.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

And finally,

Taiwan has won two more silver medals and one more bronze medal at the Asian
Games in Japan.

Shooter Yang Kun-pi was one shot away from taking home the gold medal in the
men's individual trap shooting event before missing his final shot.

The 28-year-old ultimately finished with a score of 25 to place second.

Yang was the gold medalist in the men's individual trap shooting event at the
2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Shih Liu Li-ling took silver in the women's 87-kilogram Kurash event after
losing 5-0 to her South Korean opponent.

And Wang Xin-ting, Chen Ching-yun and Liu Shang-ying won bronze in the
women's team cycling sprint event - after clocking a time of 49.061-seconds.

Tuesday's medals bring Taiwan tally to 37 in total - including three gold and
10 silver, and 24 bronze.

Taiwan is sitting in 14th place in the overall standings - between Kuwait and
Indonesia.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party have voted down all 27 of President
Lai Ching-te's nominees for the Control Yuan.

Lai named 29 nominees on June 11 for the seventh term of the Control Yuan.

Those nominees included Chen Yung-hsing, a former president of the Taiwan
Association for Human Rights, as Control Yuan president.

Two of Lai's other nominees - former K-M-T lawmaker Liao Wan-ru and former
New Taipei Deputy Mayor Hsieh Cheng-da - declined their nominations, saying
they supported abolishing the Control Yuan.

The six-year terms of the previous Control Yuan members expired on July 31.

Their successors were originally scheduled to take office on August 1.

However, lawmakers failed to hold a confirmation vote for the nominees during
the prolonged legislative session that ended on August 31... that
confirmation vote was instead scheduled for the opening day of a new session.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

Defense Minister Wellington Koo says the United States is "showing goodwill"
over the late delivery of F-16V Block 70 fighter jets and two sides are still
in talks over the matter.

The statement comes after the first two of the 66 F-16Vs Taiwan purchased
departed from the U-S on August 17 and reportedly remain in Hawaii.

Reports had been saying they were being held there due to last week's meeting
between U-S President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jin-ping in Washington.

There has since been no news concerning the status of those two fighter jets.

Koo said the contract for the fighter jets did not include financial
penalties for late delivery - meaning Taiwan will not receive financial
compensation.

Reports have claimed U-S government could help Taiwan seek compensation from
the Lockheed Martin and in lieu of financial compensation, the aircraft
manufacturer could offer more technical support, spare parts and an extended
warranties for the F-16Vs.

The Air Force spent 247.2-billion N-T between 2020 and 2026 to procure 66 new
F-16V Block 70 jets from the U-S.

The jets were originally scheduled to all be delivered to Taiwan by the end
of this year, but the program was delayed factors as the relocation and
restart of the production line and supply chain disruptions.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation has confirmed that it was
part of the Agency of Corrections' first-ever counterdrone drill.

The firm made use of its counterdrone system, which is said to be capable of
"smart" detection, combining active radar, a radio frequency detector and
jammers, and has a detection range of 5-kilometers.

The Agency of Corrections says the drill, which took place in Changhua Prison
earlier this month, was a response to emerging challenges facing the
security of correctional facilities, given modern technological advancements.

It was part of a wider exercise to test the preparedness of the Ministry of
Justice's anti-riot Ching An Squad.

Under the agency's scenario, one drone carrying contraband for airdropping
had breached the prison compound.

The system broadcast warnings and collected evidence.

After the drone's operator was autonomously located, a squad member then
neutralized the drone using a jammer.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The High Court has sentenced media personality Clara Chou to 9 months in
prison after she was found guilty of violating the Personal Data Protection
Act.

The court found that Chou falsely identifying former Miss Republic of China,
Zhang Shu-juan as the woman involved in an alleged affair with Chiang
Hsiao-yen.

Chiang is a former KMT lawmaker and the father of Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an.

Chou made the false claim on her television talk show in 2022.

The High Court has also sentenced commentator Tsai Yu-zhen to six months in
prison for appearing on the show with Chou and supporting her false claims.

The rulings come after Zhang filed an aggravated defamation lawsuit against
Chou and Tsai shortly after the television program was aired.

Both Chou and Tsai were sentenced to 1 1/2 years by a district court in their
first trial.

The High Court rulings can still be appealed.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted two men for allegedly
throwing a mixture of paint and human feces at stand-up comedian Huang Yi-hao
during a show in Taipei.

Prosecutors say a 33-year-old man recruited a 35-year-old man to carry out
the attack at the Comedy Club in exchange for 50,000 N-T.

Huang's May 29 show was said to have been targeted after clips of the
stand-up mocking China's Xi Jinping during a December 2025 routine at the
same venue went viral on social media.

Prosecutors say the 35-year-old man threw four bags containing paint and
human feces at the comedy club, damaging glass, floors and walls.

The 33 year old suspect has been indicted on charges including incitement to
intimidation and property damage, while the other suspect has been charged
with intimidation and property damage.

The Mainland Affairs Council claims the incident was part of China's
cross-border repression.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The Ministry of Labor will be extending paid marriage leave from eight to 14
days beginning tomorrow.

The Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment says the change was
proposed through amendments to the Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers and
is has undergone a seven-day public notice period.

Employers are required to pay wages covering the ninth to the 14th day... and
after making those payments, the employers can apply to the government for
subsidies.

Ministry officials say the expanded leave will apply equally to Taiwanese and
foreign nationals as long as they are covered by the Labor Standards Act.

However, migrant domestic helpers and live-in caregivers are not be eligible
because they are not covered by the Labor Standards Act.

The move is part of the Lai administration's broader family-support policy
announced in May.

That policy also includes plans to extend maternity and paternity leave.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

And,

The Discover America Committee in Taiwan says the number of Taiwanese
visiting the U-S rose over 8-per cent in the first eight months of the year
compared with the same period of last year.

Although that number didn't exceed pre-COVID 19 levels, the committee says it
still makes Taiwan the 19th-largest long-haul source market.

California, New York and Las Vegas were among the most popular destinations.

The committee says more flight options and new routes are encouraging more
Taiwanese travelers to explore destinations such as Houston beyond
traditional gateway cities.

It also says the average stay has increased from seven days before the COVID
19 pandemic to 11 days, boosting spending by Taiwanese visitors to the U-S.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to give Britain “a new social contract
for the 21st century.”

He told participants at the Labour Party’s annual conference, that there were
plans for more social housing, better education, and affordable elderly care
through a “national care service.”

He also said he aims to reform the electoral system and reset relations with
European neighbors.

Burnham also promised to rethink Britain’s EU relationship, saying Brexit has
done more harm than good.
Burnham's leadership has revitalized Labour, but Burnham acknowledged that
political opposition and a gloomy economic backdrop make his bold plans
risky.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

A Russian nuclear-capable strategic bomber has crashed on a training mission
in the country’s far east, killing six members of its crew.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry said the Tu-95 bomber went down in an
unpopulated areas in the Amur region, adding that one crewmember survived the
crash and was hospitalized with injuries.

The statement said that the bomber wasn’t carrying weapons.

The Tu-95 is a nuclear capable four-engine turboprop strategic bomber in
service since the Cold War times.
The Russian military has widely used the big warplane to launch
conventionally-armed cruise missiles at Ukraine throughout the more than 4
1/2-year conflict.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

Former US special counsel Jack Smith told senators that he will not be
silenced by threats of prosecution, as he faced Republican accusations of
abuse of power in his investigations of Donald Trump.

Smith brought two since-dismissed criminal cases against Trump over his
alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 ‌election and his alleged mishandling
of classified documents after his first term.

He condemned the firings of investigators in his office, accusing the Trump
administration of "vilification of the agents, prosecutors and staff who
served on my team."

Republican lawmakers continue to allege Smith abused his authority and used
his investigations to obtain information from a variety of Republican
officials and groups.

Posted on 2026-09-29 19:17:13

Taipei prosecutors have indicted two men over an attack on a comedy show
involving paint mixed with human feces.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office says a 33-year-old man hired a
35-year-old man to throw the mixture at the venue in May, paying him
50-thousand NT.

Prosecutors say the attack came after clips of comedian Huang Yi-hao (黃逸豪)
mocking Chinese leader Xi Jinping went viral online.

They have recommended prison terms of 22 and 20 months for the two men.

Prosecutors say the attack was intended to intimidate Huang and restrict
freedom of speech in Taiwan.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office has dismissed allegations of cross-border
repression as "groundless" ...

... while Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council says it will prosecute anyone
found collaborating with China to threaten or sabotage Taiwan.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-09-29 19:17:13

A coalition of smaller political parties is calling for candidates' criminal
records to be included in official election bulletins.

The Taiwan Go Go Front is urging lawmakers to amend the Election and Recall
Act during the current legislative session.

The coalition says 129 of more than 1,500 city and county councilor
candidates have either been indicted or received a guilty verdict.

It has also identified candidates for mayor, county chief, and village and
borough chief with criminal records.

New Power Party Chair Claire Wang says voters should have direct access to
the information when deciding how to vote.

The coalition says it is not seeking to prevent anyone from running for
office, but wants voters to decide whether a candidate's criminal record
affects their choice.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-29 19:17:13

Iran's Revolutionary Guard is urging Americans to protest against U-S
President Donald Trump, saying his Middle East policies have failed.

The Guard's spokesman called for street protests against what he described as
the U-S government's "war-mongering policies".

This comes as Iran's currency has fallen to a record low, with traders
exchanging more than 2.5 million rials for one U-S dollar.

The latest drop came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low
of 2.2 million to the greenback.

It also comes as Iran says indirect talks with the U-S over reopening the
Strait of Hormuz have become more serious.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the talks are being mediated by Qatar
and Pakistan.

Posted on 2026-09-29 19:17:13

Estonian authorities say an arson attack on a defense company that supplies
military vehicles to Ukraine was ordered by Russian security services.

The fire broke out at a building used by Milrem Robotics in the capital
Tallinn on August 15.

It was quickly brought under control.

Estonia's foreign minister says the alleged attack is "absolutely
unacceptable" and has summoned Russia's charge d'affaires.

Authorities say suspects were detained in neighboring Latvia.

Milrem Robotics has supplied unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has rejected the accusation as "unfounded".

Posted on 2026-09-29 18:34:13

Taiwan's flu outbreak remains at epidemic levels ... with more than 138,000
outpatient and emergency visits recorded last week.

The Centers for Disease Control says flu-related visits fell 3.2 percent from
the previous week ... but the decline was partly due to clinics being closed
during the long weekend.

The CDC expects flu activity to fluctuate in the coming weeks ... with weekly
visits potentially reaching 150,000 to 160,000 before the outbreak starts to
ease around mid-October.

Last week, there were 87 new severe flu cases and 30 deaths ...

... bringing the season totals to around 1 thousand 670 severe cases and more
than 330 deaths.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-29 18:34:13

Traffic deaths are down in Taiwan this year so far ... but deaths among older
people are up slightly and could rise further.

According to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, almost 1
thousand 600 traffic deaths were recorded in the first seven months ... down
over 1 percent from the same period a year ago.

However, deaths among older people rose five percent to almost 700.

The increase was concentrated in Taoyuan, Taichung and Hualien ... where
motorcycle accidents accounted for half of elderly traffic deaths, while
pedestrian accidents accounted for another 20 percent.

The ministry says the fourth quarter is typically the peak season for traffic
deaths among older people ...

... and advises wearing bright or reflective clothing when going out during
early hours or at night.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-29 17:09:14

With the opposition KMT and TPP holding a majority, the Legislative Yuan has
rejected all 27 of President Lai Ching-te's nominees for the Control Yuan.

The vote was clearly divided along the party lines, with most of the nominees
receiving 50 votes in favor from the ruling DPP and 60 against.

The Presidential Office announced a list of 29 nominees for the Control Yuan
in June, with pro-Taiwan independence physician Chen Yung-hsing (陳永興)
nominated as president and outgoing Control Yuan member Wang Rong-zhang (王榮璋)
as vice president.

Meanwhile Chen criticized the blue camp's move as "irrational," saying the
general public should push for an overhaul of the Legislative Yuan.

The list this year also included former New Taipei deputy mayor Xie Zheng-da
(謝政達) and former KMT lawmaker Liao Wan-ru (廖婉汝), both of whom declined their
nominations.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-09-29 17:09:14

Civic groups are raising concerns over some lawmakers' proposal to increase
maternal leave, saying that it may increase discrimination against women in
the workplace.

They say, if the government aims to lengthen maternal leave, it should also
increase parental leave to the same amount so as to prevent against workplace
discrimination.

President Lai Ching-te previously announced a slate of measures aimed at
improving the low birth rate, including lengthening marital and parental
leave.

The proposed measures would see birthing leave extended by one month to be 3
months in total...

while parental leave would be doubled to 2 weeks.

The relevant proposals are currently being examined in the legislature, but
several legiators have proposed adding another 2 weeks to maternal leave...

for a total of 14 weeks.

Civic groups emphasize that extended maternal leave is certainly progress in
the right direction, but they've cautioned against failing to give equal
parental leave for the non-birthing parent.

They cited studies showing that the promotion rate of all women workers and
their average salary will decline if parental leave does not mirror maternal
leave.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-29 17:09:14

TPP Founder Ko Wen-je is pushing back on accusations from Hsinchu Magistrate
Yang Wen-ke...

who condemned those that he said claim to be a part of the blue camp while
also criticizing the KMT.

That's as the KMT and TPP have suspended cooperation in Hsinchu County over a
failure to agree on which candidate to push to run for mayor of Zhubei City.

Ke says today that the race is "every man for himself," and said that the
situation could have been saved with a sit-down to discuss cooperation in the
county...

but the process, Ke said, was not as smooth as he had hoped.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-29 17:09:14

A judge has sentenced in absentia 11 commanders of Colombia’s largest
remaining rebel group to prison for recruiting 60 children into their ranks
between 2004 and 2018.

The ELN commanders were found guilty of recruiting boys and girls between the
ages of 8 and 17 into their ranks.

Sentences handed to the rebel leaders on Monday ranged from 11 years to 20
years in prison.

Some of them recently participated in peace talks with Colombia’s government.

The trial was conducted in absentia because the commanders haven’t been
captured by Colombia’s government.

Human rights groups have pointed out that the recruitment of children by
rebel groups and gangs in Colombia continues to be a problem, with these
organizations now using social media to lure youth into their ranks.

Posted on 2026-09-29 15:28:13

The opposition TPP has reiterated that it will reject all all nominees for
Control Yuan members.

As today marks the first day of the latest legislative session, lawmakers
started casting their votes at 10 AM this morning for the 27 nominees and
it's ongoing at the moment.

President Lai Ching-te announced the nominees in June before the previous
Control Yuan members' terms expired at the end of July.

The nominations came amid TPP's consistent calls to abolish Control Yuan
through constitutional amendments.

TPP caucus whip Hong Yu-xiang (洪毓祥) said this morning that Control Yuan has
been dysfunctional for years, adding that the agency received 82-thousand
public petitions last year but handled only 1.6 percent of them, while its
budget soared.

Meanwhile the KMT caucus has pledged that it would subject the nominees to
rigorous scrutiny and would not allow anyone it considers unqualified to
serve as a Control Yuan member.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-09-29 15:28:13

The Health Ministry has launched a new program together with the Taiwan
Association of Caregivers to help those taking care of their family members
prepare for a smoother handover.

According to the Ministry, nearly one in four high-burden family caregivers
in Taiwan has no one to take over when they need a break.

The new "Peace-of-Mind Care Handover Plan" will be available at 191 family
support centers around Taiwan.

Those centers have professionals on hand to help caregivers organize medical
records, care instructions and emergency contacts so that someone else can
step in when needed.

The ministry says long-term care can last for nearly 10 years, and is urging
caregivers not to shoulder the responsibility alone.

The Ministry notes that Taiwan currently has 104-thousand long-term care
workers and the number is still increasing.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-29 15:28:13

Forestry authorities reported the first confirmed sighting of a Formosan
black bear near a tourist zone at the Da-syue-shan (大雪山) National Forest
Recreation Area.

An AI monitoring camera recorded the bear near the 49K Hsiao-Hsueh-shan
Information Station entrance.

Officials say they have installed warning signs around high-risk trail areas
and distributed safety guides to arriving park visitors.

And they say park staff will conduct emergency drills based on national
wildlife response guidelines to prepare frontline personnel for potential
encounters.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-29 15:28:13

Pope Leo XIV is urging Europe to draw from its Christian roots and traditions
of dialogue to confront the thirst for domination driving today's wars.

Leo issued the appeal as he wrapped up a visit to France by recalling the
forces that contributed to Europe’s post-World War II integration.

Leo traveled Monday to the eastern city of Metz near the border with
Luxembourg and Germany to honor Robert Schuman.

The French Catholic statesman is regarded as one of the founding fathers of
European unity.

Élysée Palace, the French presidential office, had invited all European Union
heads of state and the heads of European institutions to attend the
conference.

But only a handful, from smaller states such as Monaco, Andorra and
Luxembourg, joined President Emmanuel Macron.

Posted on 2026-09-29 14:11:13

The Taiwan High Court has sentenced media personality Clara Chou to 9 months
of prison time for violating the Personal Data Protection Act.

The ruling said Chou, also known as Zhou Yu-ko (周玉蔻), falsely identified
former Miss China Zhang Shu-juan (張淑娟) as the woman involved in an alleged
affair with Chiang Hsiao-yen (蔣孝嚴), on her TV talk show in 2022.

Chiang, a former KMT lawmaker, is Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's father.

The High Court today sentenced another commentator Tsai Yu-zhen (蔡玉真) to six
months as well for joining Zhou on her show discussing the affair.

Zhang filed an aggravated defamation lawsuit against the two soon after the
TV program was aired.

Today's sentences are more lenient compared with the lower court's verdict of
one year and 6 months for both Zhou and Tsai.

The ruling can still be appealed.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-09-29 14:11:13

in river

Pingtung police say, they're working to clarify the identity of and cause of
death for a body found under a bridge yesterday.

Authorities say that the corpse, found under Donggang's Jinde 進德 bridge
appears to have belonged to a middle aged woman, but her identity is not yet
known.

They note that the body was dressed in a dark purple blouse and black pants
when it was found.

A cause of death also remains under investigation,

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-29 14:11:13

The 2026 Taipei Jazz Festival is marking its 20th anniversary and
commemorating the centennial births of jazz greats.

The five-week festival is set to culminate in a major three-day concert
series at the Taipei Music Center outdoor plaza from Oct. 9 to Oct. 11.

The event honors jazz icons Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and features
international headliners including New York guitarist Hristo Vitchev, scat
vocalist Ponpon Chen, drummer Ari Hoenig, and French trio WAKAN.

Master workshops also take place mid-October, transforming Taipei into an
accessible hub for jazz culture and music education.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-29 14:11:13

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 392 points to
close the session at 47631.

The turnover was 785 billion NT

Posted on 2026-09-29 14:11:13

Flooding in Bangkok has begun to subside but some areas and major roads
remain flooded.

Rain has continued on and off but city officials say it has eased enough to
allow for some drainage efforts to take place.

More rain is forecast, but at reduced levels.

Officials say some 700,000 city residents have been directly affected by the
flooding.

Local officials declared a flood emergency across all 50 city districts, but
some were relatively less affected.

They said that authorities were prioritizing assistance for vulnerable
residents.

The floods also triggered ripple effects, including panic buying of food and
disrupted supply chains.

Posted on 2026-09-29 13:12:13

The Executive Yuan remains unconvinced by opposition attempts to double the
amount of money that would be included in another round of government
handouts...

KMT Caucus Whip Fu Kun Chi said earlier that legislators will prioritize
issues relevant to people's livelihoods during the new legislative session,
including increasing the handouts to 20,000 NT.

Premier Zhuo Rong Tai says, though, that the Cabinet refuses to pass on the
burden of the national debt to the next generation.

Executive Yuan Spokesperson Michelle Lee says that such handouts must be
based on three principles, including not substantially increasing debt, not
negatively impacting other policy programs, and being legal and
constitutional.

President Lai Ching-te previously announced that Taiwanese people could
expect another round of handouts of 10,000 NT next year.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-29 13:12:13

Facing fierce criticism over serious transportation issues during the long
weekend, Transport Minister Chen Shi-kai (陳世凱) today promised to review the
problems and seek improvements ahead of the upcoming holidays.

His comments come after a outpouring of complaints about the overly crowded
Taiwan High-speed Rail carriages on the first and the last day of the 4-day
Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

Those who bought non-reserved seats said they had to wait for more than one
to two hours to get on the train.

National freeways' southbound lanes were also heavily congested from early
morning on September 25th, as were northbound lanes on the 28th.

In self-defense, Chen said transportation operations are now coordinated
through an online network linking the control centers of different modes of
transport.

The Minister stressed that he was in Taiwan throughout the holiday period
instead of visiting in Germany as reported by the local media.

The ministry will hold a review meeting tomorrow to look at ways to improve
transportation services during the next long weekend and provide travelers
with a better experience.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-09-29 13:12:13

Authorities say, a barrier lake in Hualien's Wanli is experiencing stable
overflow following an earthquake early this morning.

The Forest and Nature Conservtion Agency says, the integrity of the dam
remains intact, and the water outflow poses a risk only to the riverbed
directly.

The numbers show that, as of 8:30 thismorning, the water level of the Wanli
barrier lake was sitting at just over 1085 meters' altitude, with a total
volume of 5.180,000 square meters.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-29 13:12:13

In the US,

prosecutors have reopened an investigation into gang rape allegations at
Cornell University.

The complaint was filed by a woman who says that 7 students sexually
assaulted her after coercing her into taking drugs in 2024.

Prosecutors are facing complaints from the public, who are wondering why
there were not criminal prosecutions in the case originally.

The woman went to campus police at the time of the alleged assault, but
prosecutors said that she did not claim to have been gang-raped or drugged in
her initial statement.

After prosecutors announced they were reopening the case, a former writer of
the comedy cartoon South Park posted photos and names of the 7 alleged
attackers...

adding that "accountability was coming" for those who had attempted to sweep
the incident under the rug.

Posted on 2026-09-29 08:14:14

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

U-S House Speaker Mike Johnson says Washington needs Taiwan to remain stable
and independent, as the island is crucial for America's national security and
economy.

Speaking on Fox Business, Johnson said Taiwan is a very important partner,
friend, and ally of the U-S and he believes the White House will complete
40-billion U-S dollars in arms sales to Taiwan during Donald Trump's two
presidential terms.

Johnson also insisted that the U-S will Continue to Support Taiwan

However, he didn't make any specific comment when asked about the 14-billion
U-S dollar arms sales to Taiwan that remains frozen.

Posted on 2026-09-29 08:14:14

And finally,

Taiwan's Lin Chung-wei has won bronze in the men's 400-meter hurdles at the
Asian Games in Japan on Monday.

His finish gave Taiwan a track and field medal for the second straight day,
after Fu Chao-hsuan's gold in the men's high jump on Sunday.

Lin entered the final with a time of 49.1 seconds, the second-fastest time in
the heats.

He stayed among the leaders and was level for second after clearing the last
hurdle, before finishing third in a personal-best 48.74 seconds.

Meanwhile,

Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Gonzales Zhan had to settle for bronze in the
badminton mixed doubles, after losing their semifinal match to China's Jiang
Zhen-bang and Wei Ya-xin.

However, it was Taiwan's first Asian Games mixed doubles badminton medal
since 2010.

In table tennis, Lin Yun-ru took bronze in the men's singles after losing his
semifinal match that went the maximum seven games to China's Lin Shi-dong.

While shooters Cheng Yen-ching, Tien Chia-chen and Chen Yu-ru combined for
1,734 points to place third in the women's 25-meter pistol team event.

Taiwan is now in 13th place in the overall medals table, between India and
Qatar, having won three gold, seven silver and 23 bronze.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

President Lai Ching-te marked Teachers' Day by touting his administration's
plans to invest 11-billion N-T by 2029 to strengthen educators' digital and
artificial intelligence skills.

Lai said via social media, that the Ministry of Education had launched the
"AI Talent Ark Program" to build teaching capabilities and AI-enabled
learning environments in elementary and secondary schools.

Lai also said his administration will continue listening to educators,
improve teaching conditions, and ensure teachers receive the respect and
support they deserve so they can focus on teaching.

The Ministry of Education's "AI Talent Ark Program" is aimed at enhancing
digital teaching materials and developing next-generation A-I learning
systems.

The ministry has also said the program will provide hands-on A-I training and
support for teachers, and improve education data analytics to help educators
deliver more personalized instruction.

For her part, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim marked Teachers' Day by extending
her holiday greetings to teachers and sharing a video featuring educators
reflecting on their most rewarding moments in the profession, alongside
messages of appreciation from students.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

A new drone campus run by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and
Technology has opened in Chiayi County’s Minsyong Township.

The 1.1 billion NT facility is said to include research and development and
manufacturing facilities.

Construction of the facilty began three years ago.

The institute says its hopes the campus will boost its capacity to develop,
test and manufacture cutting edge drones.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

Morocco has resumed accepting tourism visa applications from Taiwan passport
holders last week.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a staffer at its office in Tokyo called
the Moroccan Embassy in Japan last Friday, and was informed it had officially
resumed accepting applications for Taiwan travelers' Visa Confirmation
Letters from September 21.

However, the ministry says that because the Moroccan embassy has still not
resumed V-C-L applications for non-tourism purposes, it will not be accepting
visa applications from Moroccan nationals until such restrictions are lifted.

The Moroccan Embassy in Japan abruptly suspended issuing visas on July 23
without giving a reason for the move.

The foreign ministry statement comes after a local travel agency said this
past weekend that the Moroccan Embassy in Japan had informed it that it was
resuming visa applications from Taiwan nationals.

Taiwan passport holders can only obtain Visa Confirmation Letters only
through the Moroccan Embassy in Japan and do not qualify for a Moroccan
e-visa.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

not indicted

The Ministry of Justice says just over 40-per cent of individuals
investigated for human trafficking-related crimes between 2021 and 2025 were
indicted.

Of the 3,401 people investigated, 1,914 were alleged to have been involved in
labor exploitation, 1,281 in sexual exploitation and 147 in organ harvesting.

The report also noted that the number of people investigated for sex
trafficking rose from 168 in 2021 to 309 in 2025, while the number of people
indicted in organ-harvesting cases remained below 70 each year.

Of those investigated, 41-per cent were indicted, 41.4-per cent were not
indicted and 0.8-per cent received deferred prosecution.

The ministry says insufficient evidence was cited in 95.9-per cent of the
non-prosecutions.

Of those indicted, 35.5-per cent were charged with offenses against personal
freedom, 25.7-per cent with violations of the Child and Youth Sexual
Exploitation Prevention Act, and 14.2-per cent with violations of the Human
Trafficking Prevention Act.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

The High Speed Rail Corporation added four extra northbound services on
Monday to deal with heavier than anticipated passenger volumes as people
headed home on the last day of the four-day long weekend holiday.

The operator says the additional trains were all-stop northbound services and
all cars except the business class car were designated as non-reserved
seating.

Two of the extra services departed from Chiayi Station, and that's the first
time High Speed Rail Corporation has run such trains from that station.

The company set up a forward command post at Taichung Station to coordinate
operations to deal with the travel surge, while Transport Minister Chen
Shih-kai visited the station to check on holiday transportation efforts.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

The new Shengji Tunnel has opened.

The new route removes a traffic bottleneck between Zhongxiao East Road
Section 7 and Lane 130, Section 1 of Academia Road... it also connects the
biotechnology park with Taiwan Railway's and Taipei Metro's Nangang stations
and surrounding residential areas.

Deputy Interior Minister Wu Tang-an said the new route is expected to ease
traffic congestion during peak hours, and cut travel time between Nangang and
New Taipei's Xizhi District.

The tunnel cost 1.8-billion N-T.

The National Biotechnology Research Park covers 14-hectares and houses
several institutions, including Academia Sinica's Biomedical Translation
Research Center and the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration.

... its development triggered business and employment growth in Nangang,
generating greater demand for transportation infrastructure in the area.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

The Kaohsiung City Police Department says three people have been arrested in
connection with a dispute over drug debt that left one man dead and two other
people seriously injured.

One other suspect remains at large.

The incident occurred at an out-of-business health spa in the city's Fengshan
District when fighting broke out between two groups.

Police says they used surveillance video footage to track down four suspects
in the attack, who were seen leaving the scene together in a car.

Three of the suspects were later arrested.

The incident remains under investigation.

Local media is reporting that one of the groups was upset about being pushed
to repay around 10,000 N-T in a drug debt they owed to a member of the other
group.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

And,

Acer marked the 50th anniversary of its founding with a musical at the Taipei
Nangang Exhibition Center.

Titles "Smile for Half a Century," the musical was a collaboration between
the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, the OneSong Orchestra, and Story Works.

Acer founder Stan Shih served as co-producer.

The show told the story of Acer by incorporating modern dance, music, theater
and high-tech multimedia visuals effects.

Shih says "Smiling for Half a Century" didn't looks back at the past, but
looks to the future.

The event brought Acer executives and employees as well as Taiwan's tech
industry leaders... including T-S-M-C Chairman C.C. Wei, Wistron Chairman
Simon Lin, ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih and Pegatron Chairman T.H. Tung.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

Ukrainian officials say that Russia’s continuous aerial attacks have killed
at least seven people and wounded over 80....

Moscow's forces have targeted apartment buildings, offices and cultural
landmarks in Kyiv.

The strikes aim to weaken Ukraine's resistance and economy.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested peace talks are unlikely following
recent Ukrainian attacks.

Ukrainian forces have made some advances on the eastern front, recapturing
territory. It has targeted Russian defense plants and oil facilities with
long-range strikes.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

Mediators are said to be working with Iran and the United States on a deal to
end fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet
with Qatari mediators about the latest discussions.

Donald Trump initially said he rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to reopen
the strait in exchange for lifting a U.S. blockade and meeting other
conditions.

A senior U.S. official says that despite the rhetoric, Trump is open to
pursuing a non-military resolution to the conflict if one can be achieve.

But another U.S. official says the Trump administration won't reach a deal
with Tehran until nuclear issues are addressed.

Posted on 2026-09-29 06:55:13

Pope Leo on Monday said concerns that artificial intelligence could destroy
the world should be taken seriously, in an apparent rebuke of US President
Donald ‌Trump.

The first US pope, who has warned of the dangers of AI throughout his
16-month papacy, also directly criticized technology CEOs who argued there
should be no guardrails on the technology.

Trump told the UN General Assembly last week that he believed fears about
the dangers to humanity from AI were a "hoax."

The U-S leader is expected to meet with U-S tech leaders later today for
talks aimed at finding a balance between between innovation and oversight
and warned that the US risks losing the AI race to China if it decides to
"hyper-regulate this."

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