ICRT

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:49:13

began

C-P-C Corporation says fuel prices will remain unchanged for another week,
from Sunday through next Saturday.

Prices at the pump stay at 33-point-9 NT for 95-unleaded gasoline and 31 NT
for super diesel.

C-P-C says it is continuing to absorb price increases to keep Taiwan's fuel
costs the lowest among neighboring Asian countries, amid ongoing Middle East
tensions.

Since the U-S-Iran war broke out on February 28th, the company estimates it
has absorbed a combined total of roughly 124-billion NT in fuel price
differences -- though the absorption margin this week is slightly smaller
than last week.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:49:13

drags on

Commuters using the T-PASS 2-point-0 transit pass program are going without
cashback rewards for a third consecutive month, as the central government
budget remains unresolved.

Under the program's rules, monthly cashback is supposed to be available by
the 25th of the following month -- but payments for January, February, and
now March have all failed to go out.

The cumulative unpaid amount has reached roughly 27-million NT, affecting
tens of thousands of eligible commuters each month.

The Directorate General of Highways says budget execution is being handled in
line with Executive Yuan policy directives, but offered no payment timeline.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:49:13

The Foreign Ministry says its diplomatic relationship with Eswatini remains
strong, despite President Lai Ching-te's planned visit being put on hold
after three countries revoked overflight permits under apparent Chinese
pressure.

Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi said today that the long-standing
friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini is solid and not in question.

He described China's move as part of a broader pattern of influence-building
across Africa, saying it makes Taiwan's ties with Eswatini all the more
valuable.

Eswatini is Taiwan's only remaining diplomatic ally on the African continent.
A special envoy will be sent in President Lai's place to attend Eswatini's
national day celebrations, though Chen said the identity of the envoy will be
announced at an appropriate time.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:49:13

Palestinians will vote in local elections, the first in two decades in Gaza
and the first in the occupied West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas
war.

Turnout in Saturday's vote for village and municipal councils may reflect the
level of public trust in a broader system led by aging leaders in the West
Bank and as Gaza prepares for an anticipated transition from Hamas rule.

The Palestinian Authority has promoted the local races following reforms it
enacted last year following demands from international backers.

Analysts say the lack of candidates and party participation reflect political
disillusionment under the authority’s aging leadership, including
90-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas.

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:49:13

birthday

Britain's King Charles the Third embarks on a state visit to the U.S., aiming
to strengthen ties between the two nations.

His mother, Queen Elizabeth the Second, set a high bar with her 1991 speech
to Congress, highlighting shared democratic values.

Charles plans to echo these themes as he celebrates America's 250th birthday.

The visit includes a commemoration of the Sept. 11 attacks and a tribute to
fallen service members.

Despite political tensions, Charles seeks to emphasize the enduring
friendship between the U.S. and the U.K.

His speech to Congress aims to unite lawmakers across party lines, focusing
on long-term bonds over short-term disputes.

(AP)

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:27:13

The Financial Supervisory Commission says domestic banks earned a combined
25-point-67-billion NT from New Southbound Policy countries in 2025.

The figure is part of a broader record, with total overseas branch profits
reaching 91-point-8-billion NT for the year, up 5-point-3 percent.

Taipei Fubon Bank says this year's growth in the region is being driven
mainly by India, Australia, and Singapore, and is working to upgrade its
Sydney office to a full branch while applying to open a branch in India's
GIFT City.

Cathay United Bank says it follows a dual strategy of supporting Taiwanese
businesses and building local presence, with a Mumbai branch application now
under formal review in India.

C-T-B-C Bank, which has more than 120 locations across the region, is also
expanding in Vietnam and India and recently opened its own GIFT City branch
in March.

All three banks cited steady economic growth, supply chain shifts, and rising
middle-class demand as key drivers of continued expansion in the New
Southbound region.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:27:16

The Ministry of Labor says newly employed graduates earned an average monthly
wage of 39-thousand NT in 2025, up 5-point-4 percent from the previous year.

The data covered 138-thousand graduates, with 73 percent holding a university
degree and 21-point-5 percent holding a master's degree.

University graduates earned an average of 36-thousand NT a month, while
postgraduate degree holders averaged 53-thousand NT.

About 17 percent of new graduates -- roughly 24-thousand people -- were paid
the minimum wage of 28-thousand-590 NT.

The data also showed a gender pay gap of 9-point-2 percent, with female
graduates earning an average of 38-thousand NT compared to 41-thousand NT for
male graduates.

The ministry attributed the gap partly to male dominance in higher-paying
science, technology, and engineering fields.

(CNA-PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:27:17

Thousands of people turned out today for a public walking event on the
Danjiang Bridge in New Taipei City, ahead of its scheduled opening to traffic
on May 12.

The event was open to all without registration, drawing long lines of
participants across the 2-point-5-kilometer route from Tamsui Fisherman's
Wharf to the Bali end of the bridge and back.

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih fired the starting gun at this morning's launch.

Live music and market stalls added a festival atmosphere, with many families
joining in and capturing the experience on camera.

The city says the Danjiang Bridge is the world's longest single-tower
asymmetric cable-stayed bridge, and is expected to become a major landmark in
northern Taiwan.

Once open, it will cut travel time between Tamsui and Bali districts by about
25 minutes and connect with the local light rail network.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 14:27:17

Peruvian police have raided the home of Piero Corvetto, the former head of
Peru's national election agency.

Corvetto resigned earlier this week amid investigations into ballot shortages
and irregularities during the first round of presidential elections on April
12.

The anti-corruption police announced the raids on social media, targeting
Corvetto, five other former electoral officials, and a company responsible
for transporting ballots.

Corvetto has denied wrongdoing but said he resigned to boost confidence in
the upcoming June 7 runoff.

The election faced criticism after voting materials failed to reach centers,
affecting over 52,000 voters.

An EU mission found no fraud indications.

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:58:13

diverse

Taiwan's representative to the Netherlands says newly elected Dutch lawmakers
have pledged to keep strengthening support for Taiwan as bilateral relations
continue to deepen.

Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) made the remarks in an interview with the Central
News Agency in The Hague, marking one year in his post.

He described the relationship as gradually evolving, pointing to a Dutch
naval transit of the Taiwan Strait in 2024 and close cooperation between
T-S-M-C and A-S-M-L in semiconductors as examples.

Bilateral trade reached nearly 17-billion US dollars in 2025, up about 14
percent from the previous year.

Tien said many of the Netherlands' newer, younger lawmakers are familiar with
Taiwan and have expressed interest in joining the Formosa Club, a
cross-national parliamentary friendship platform.

He added that both sides see potential for expanded cooperation in water
management, agriculture, food security, and education, and that
Taiwan-Netherlands ties will continue moving in that direction.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:58:13

The National Institute of Cyber Security is warning the public about a new
scam pattern targeting online interest groups.

The agency says fraudsters are infiltrating communities built around
religion, sports, vegetarianism, and charity work.

Scammers typically begin by sending friend requests, then invite users into
groups or ask them to fill out surveys -- which are used to gather personal
and financial details.

The institute says the scheme follows a pattern seen in investment and
romance fraud cases, and is now shifting toward seemingly safe spaces like
hobby and charitable communities.

The public is urged to treat any combination of group invitations and
requests to add contacts on messaging apps as a warning sign -- especially if
conversations then turn to money or investments.

People are advised to verify any financial offers through official websites
or the government's 1-6-5 anti-fraud hotline, and to use only licensed
financial institutions for investments.

(CNA-PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:58:13

Russia and Ukraine have each returned 193 captured personnel in a prisoner of
war exchange facilitated by the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed the swap Friday, saying
some of those returned had injuries, while others had faced criminal charges
in Russia.

The returned Ukrainians included soldiers, border guards, and police.
Russia and Ukraine have conducted many such exchanges over four years of war,
returning thousands of captives in total.

In Ukraine, returning prisoners arrived by bus, many draped in their
country's flag and visibly emotional.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:58:13

Argentina's foreign minister has renewed his country's call for bilateral
negotiations with the United Kingdom over the long-running sovereignty
dispute over the Falkland Islands.

Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno made the statement Friday in response to
comments from a spokesperson for U-K Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who
reaffirmed that sovereignty of the islands rests with Britain.

Quirno called for talks that would lead to a peaceful and definitive
resolution to what he described as a colonial situation.

The exchange comes after an internal Pentagon email suggested the U-S could
review its position on the Falklands as leverage over Britain's stance on the
Iran war.

Argentina, which calls the islands the Malvinas, has long claimed sovereignty
over the territory.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:42:20

Russia says President Vladimir Putin may attend the G-20 summit in Miami in
December, after U-S President Donald Trump said it would be helpful if he
did.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin may go, may not go, or may send
another representative.

The United States has invited Russia to the annual summit, which Washington
is hosting this year, and Moscow has accepted the invitation, according to a
U-S official familiar with the matter.

Putin has not attended a G-20 summit since 2019, first due to the COVID
pandemic and then Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Trump told reporters he doubted Putin would actually come, but added that he
believes in talking to everyone.

A U-S State Department spokesperson confirmed Russia has been invited to all
G-20 working-level meetings and is welcome to attend the leaders' summit.

Trump has taken a notably warmer stance toward Russia since returning to
office, and has said it was a mistake to expel Russia from the G-8 in 2014.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:42:16

Sixty-eight ambulances and fire trucks donated by Taiwanese groups have been
delivered to Ukraine to support frontline rescue efforts.

The vehicles were handed over at a ceremony held by the Lviv city government
Thursday.

They came mainly from fire departments across New Taipei, Taipei, Taichung,
Tainan, and Kaohsiung, with the remainder from non-government groups.

This marks the fourth round of donations by the Taiwan Association of
Community Advancement and partner groups, bringing the total to more than 200
vehicles delivered since the Russia-Ukraine war began.

Twenty-six of the vehicles will go to Kharkiv, which has faced repeated
bombardment throughout the conflict, while the rest will support military and
border guard units in cities including Lviv and Kupyansk.

Taiwan's representative to Poland attended the ceremony virtually and said
Taiwan will continue standing with Ukraine.

(CNA-PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:42:13

disrupted

Italian and German representatives are voicing support for Taiwan after
President Lai Ching-te's visit to the African ally Eswatini was delayed when
several countries suddenly revoked overflight permits for his presidential
aircraft.

Italian Senate Deputy Speaker Gian Marco Centinaio said Taiwan's
democratically elected president and all its people should have the right to
travel freely and maintain relations with diplomatic allies.

He said China appears to be exerting serious pressure on third countries to
undermine Taiwan's legitimate diplomatic relations, and warned that Beijing's
military posture in the Taiwan Strait already threatens regional stability.

Three other Italian lawmakers -- including two who visited Taiwan in January
-- also posted statements on X, saying the sky should not become a tool of
political pressure.

Former Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Gianni Vernetti called the incident
"international bullying" and described it as a sign of China's growing global
influence.

The German Institute Taipei also weighed in, saying overflight rights are a
fundamental principle of international civil aviation and reaffirming the
importance of safe and predictable civil aviation operations under the
Chicago Convention.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 13:42:25

At least 12 people have been killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza, including
six police officers, according to Palestinian health officials.

Strikes hit Gaza City, Beit Lahiya in the north, and Khan Younis in the south
on Friday.

The Israeli military confirmed the Gaza City strike, saying it targeted Hamas
militants, but did not immediately comment on the others.

Gaza's interior ministry says the strikes in Gaza City and Khan Younis
specifically targeted the local police force, with one hitting near a wedding
hall in Khan Younis.

Violence has continued despite a ceasefire deal that took effect in October
2025, with Israel conducting near-daily attacks.

At least 800 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect,
according to local medics.

Israel says militants have killed four of its soldiers in the same period.

More than 72-thousand Gazans have been killed since the war began in October
2023, most of them civilians.

Hamas' October 7th, 2023 attacks on Israel killed around 12-hundred people.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 11:38:13

The Legislative Yuan is set to hold a full chamber hearing Monday on the
impeachment case against President Lai Ching-te, with a final roll-call vote
scheduled for May 19th.

The hearing runs from 9 in the morning to noon, with government officials and
public figures invited to testify before legislators conduct questioning.

The K-M-T and T-P-P caucuses have each submitted witness lists and designated
legislators to ask questions.

The D-P-P caucus has done neither.

Review sessions are also planned for May 13 and 14, at which President Lai
will be invited to appear and address the legislature.

The impeachment process was triggered after Premier Cho Jung-tai declined to
countersign a revenue-sharing law last December, prompting opposition parties
to move against President Lai.

Under the constitution, the impeachment motion requires a two-thirds
legislative majority to be referred to the Constitutional Court, where a
further two-thirds of Justices must concur for the president to be removed
from office.

The K-M-T currently holds 54 seats, the D-P-P 51, and the T-P-P 8.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 11:38:13

Defense Minister Wellington Koo has declared the conclusion of the Han Kuang
42 computer-assisted command post exercise, a 14-day joint operations drill
focused on real-combat simulation.

Koo praised participants for completing the exercise under high-intensity,
round-the-clock conditions, and urged commanders to turn lessons learned into
practical improvements for peacetime readiness and wartime operations.

The exercise featured scenarios progressing from gray zone harassment to
high-intensity conflict, incorporating multi-domain and complex threat
elements drawn from recent international conflicts.

Units operated under dispersed and off-site deployments throughout the drill,
testing the armed forces' ability to maintain command and control even under
simulated enemy strikes.

Koo said the armed forces must continue strengthening strategic early warning
and response capabilities as the threat environment grows more complex.

He added that the August Han Kuang live-fire exercise will be the next major
focus for advancing overall combat readiness and national security.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 11:38:13

The Ministry of National Defense says it detected 15 Chinese military
aircraft and vessels operating around the Taiwan Strait from 6 A-M Friday to
6 A-M today.

The ministry says 8 aircraft sorties were tracked in Taiwan Strait airspace
between 9:35 yesterday morning and just after 5 in the afternoon.

Seven P-L-A naval vessels were also detected in the area during the same
period.

The military says it monitored and responded using aircraft, ships, and
shore-based missile systems.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 11:38:13

boost trade

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez
have agreed to share intelligence and step up cooperation to combat crime
along their shared border.

The two leaders met Friday at the presidential palace in Caracas, also
agreeing to increase bilateral trade and work together on electricity supply
to western Venezuela, which suffers frequent blackouts.

Their roughly 2-thousand-200-kilometer border is a hub for more than
one-billion US dollars in annual trade, but is also home to drug trafficking,
smuggling, and armed criminal groups.

Rodriguez said the two governments will immediately establish mechanisms for
sharing intelligence to fight drug and fuel smuggling, among other crimes.
Both leaders are under pressure from U-S President Donald Trump -- Rodriguez
to open Venezuela's economy to foreign investment, and Petro to do more to
combat drug trafficking.

Rodriguez, formerly Venezuela's vice president, took over after her
predecessor Nicolas Maduro was removed in a U-S operation in January.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 11:38:13

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that he has undergone
treatment for prostate cancer.

It was his first public acknowledgment of the diagnosis.

He said that roughly a year and a half ago he had prostate surgery.

Then two and a half months ago, his doctors discovered and treated a small
tumor at Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital with radiation therapy.

That was not announced at the time.

The 76-year-old Israeli leader said Friday that he requested a delay to the
announcement quote, "so that it would not be released at the height of the
war" against Iran.

(AP)

Posted on 2026-04-25 10:44:13

A cold front is bringing rainfall across Taiwan today, with temperatures
slightly lower than normal and cooler conditions in the north.

Rain is expected to ease tonight, with the front moving away on Sunday and
Monday, bringing sunny, hot weather and rising temperatures.

Northern Taiwan is seeing highs of around 23 degrees Celsius today, with the
south reaching up to 31.

The eastern half of the island may see brief showers through the weekend.

Another front is forecast to arrive Tuesday afternoon, bringing showers and
thunderstorms and a sudden drop in conditions, before clearing on Wednesday.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 10:44:13

A man in his 30s is in custody after attempting to rob a bank in Taipei's
Daan District yesterday afternoon.

The suspect entered a C-T-B-C Bank branch armed with a B-B gun and a fake
grenade, threatening staff before employees called police.

Taipei City's Police Commissioner says officers received the call at 3:32 in
the afternoon and were on scene within three minutes.

Police found the suspect inside the vault loading 10-million NT into a
suitcase.

After a brief standoff, officers subdued and arrested him.

Police say the suspect appears to have acted alone and is believed to have
been motivated by financial debt.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the full circumstances of the
case.

(CNA-PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 10:44:13

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan,
raising hopes for a restart of peace talks with the United States after eight
weeks of war.

U-S President Donald Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran plans to make an
offer aimed at satisfying U-S demands, though he said he did not yet know
what the offer would contain.

Iran's foreign ministry, however, said its officials do not plan to meet
directly with U-S representatives -- adding that Iranian concerns would
instead be conveyed through Pakistan.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said U-S envoys Steve Witkoff
and Jared Kushner are set to travel to Islamabad on Saturday, and that
Washington has seen some progress from the Iranian side in recent days.

The war has left Iran's oil exports blocked and pushed U-S gasoline prices to
multi-year highs.

Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, with only five ships
crossing in the last 24 hours, compared to around 130 a day before the
conflict began.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-25 10:44:13

Miro

Portuguese police have seized 278 artworks from a house in Portugal and are
questioning a former butler suspected of trying to sell some of them.

The works are believed to have belonged to a U-S citizen who lived in the
town of Penalva do Castelo and died last year.

Police say the collection is attributed to 27 artists, ranging from German
Renaissance master Albrecht Durer to Spanish modernists Pablo Picasso and
Joan Miro, to British Pop Art painter David Hockney.

The trove also includes sculptures and other artifacts.

Authorities carried out the raids under "Operation Butler" in collaboration
with experts from the National Museum Machado de Castro.

The authenticity of the works has not yet been confirmed, and an
investigation is underway.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-24 20:13:13

The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research has raised its forecast for
Taiwan's gross domestic product growth in 2026 to 7.56 percent.

The institute the upgrade reflects strong global demand for artificial
intelligence, which is driving exports and investment.

The new forecast is significantly higher than earlier estimates and is close
to the government's official projection.

Exports are now expected to grow by more than 27 percent, with imports also
rising on the back of increased demand.

Investment is also set to expand, particularly in semiconductors and tech
infrastructure.

Analysts say AI-related industries have become the main engine of Taiwan’s
economic growth.

Despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East pushing up costs, inflation is
expected to remain below the central bank’s two percent alert threshold.

Posted on 2026-04-24 18:10:13

Local media reports that a 30-year-old man robbed a CTBC Bank branch in
Taipei's Da'an District this afternoon.

The incident happened at around 3:30 PM on Zhongxiao East Road.

The suspect, surnamed Lin, reportedly carried a suitcase, a BB gun, and a
fake grenade.

He allegedly took a female manager hostage and forced her to help him take
around 10 million NT from the bank's vault, which he placed in the suitcase.

Police say they arrived within three minutes of being alerted.

Lin was unable to escape and instead confronted officers while holding the
manager at gunpoint.

After a standoff lasting about 15 minutes, police subdued him and took him
into custody.

Taipei City's police chief says Lin initially claimed financial difficulties
as the motive.

(JM)

Posted on 2026-04-24 18:10:13

Troubling new data shows that about 15 percent of children and teenagers say
they would send private photos in exchange for free game items.

Research from the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families found that nearly
three-quarters of kids use social media, and many add people they meet
online, with a smaller share even accepting friend requests from strangers.

Some are then asked to share personal information or photos.

Experts say online sexual exploitation is rising, with about 70 percent of
cases now involving the internet, and reported victims more than doubling
over the past five years.

While most children say they've learned about online safety, mainly at
school, fewer than half say their parents have discussed it with them.

Advocates are calling for stronger awareness and more family engagement, as
online threats become harder to spot.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-04-24 18:10:13

The Legislative Yuan has passed amendments to scrap amusement taxes on
cinemas, live performances and sporting events.

The move removes taxes previously charged on tickets, which had ranged from
up to 10 percent for sports to as high as 60 percent for movie theaters.

Under the new rules, cinemas, concerts, dance shows and other live
entertainment will no longer be subject to the tax.

Officials say the changes are aimed at encouraging greater public
participation in cultural and sporting activities.

Some venues, including dance halls and golf courses, will still face reduced
or limited taxes, though local governments may choose to suspend them.

The amendments were proposed by the Cabinet last year and received
cross-party support in the Legislature ... completing a preliminary
examination of the bill.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-04-24 18:10:13

The Ministry of Agriculture is reminding owners of certain pets to register
their animals.

Earlier this year, the ministry announced a ban on private households from
keeping raccoons, saltwater crocodiles, and two families of venomous snakes,
effective starting May 1st.

Authorities say escapes or abandonment of such animals pose serious risks to
both animal welfare and public safety.

Existing owners have until end of April next year to register their animals.

Those who fail to register and continue keeping or breeding the animals
without authorization face fines up to $250-thousand NT.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-24 18:10:13

Taiwan is sending a delegation of 27 startups to SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, a
major innovation conference opening this coming Monday, April 27th.

The National Development Council says the three-day event is expected to
attract over 60 thousand participants and 700 startups from around the world.

Taiwan will participate for the third year in a row, featuring its
largest-ever national pavilion to showcase strengths in artificial
intelligence, deep tech, and sustainability ...

... led by the Startup Island Taiwan initiative.

Officials say the delegation aims to secure new partnerships and investment.

Key highlights include the expected signing of a memorandum of understanding
between Taiwanese autonomous driving developer Turing Drive and Japanese
partners.

Officials say the event will also serve as a hub for regional exchange, with
plans for a dedicated "Asia MirAI Day" to connect Taiwanese founders with
peers from across Southeast Asia.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-04-24 17:16:13

The Modern Women's Foundation is calling for Taiwan to implement a
centralised system to support victims of image-based sexual violence.

The foundation cited data government data that shows that more than 1500
filed complaints in 2025 ...

... up almost 50 percent from a year earlier.

The foundation adds that hidden cameras are especially prominent, based on
both official data and media reports.

It warns that victims of such crimes face doxxing, harassment, and even
real-world safety threats.

Advocates say Taiwan lacks an integrated response system, forcing victims to
navigate multiple agencies and repeatedly recount their experiences.

They say Taiwan should implement a support model similar to the one in South
Korea, to better assist and protect victims.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-04-24 17:16:13

Taiwan's industrial production was 28 percent higher this March compared to
last March, marking the 25th straight month of growth.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs says output reached a new record, driven
largely by strong global demand for AI and high-performance computing.

Manufacturing, which comprises the bulk of production, also hit a record
high, with semiconductor and electronics output leading the gains.

Production in the computer and optoelectronics sector saw especially strong
growth, fueled by global investment in cloud and AI infrastructure.

Officials say the impact of Middle East tensions has been limited so far,
with stable supply chains and continued overseas demand supporting growth.

However, some traditional industries, including chemicals, saw declines
amidst rising competition.

Looking ahead, authorities expect industrial production to continue expanding
in April, supported by ongoing demand in the tech sector.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-04-24 17:16:13

China's foreign minister Wang Yi has met with Thailand's prime minister
Anutin Charnvirakul during a visit aimed at strengthening the countries'
strategic partnership and expanding co-operation.

A Thai official said that the two countries agreed to work together on
fighting transnational crime and cyberscams.

Wang congratulated Anutin on retaining his office after the recent Thai
elections and expressed confidence that Thailand-China relations will
continue to improve.

China is Thailand's largest trading partner, and the King of Thailand made
the first-ever visit to China by a reigning Thai monarch last November.

Chinese investment in Thailand has increased in recent years, particularly as
many Chinese companies have moved production to Southeast Asia to avoid U.S.
tariffs.

Wang met with ministers in Cambodia earlier this week, and he will visit
Myanmar next.

Posted on 2026-04-24 17:16:13

Businesses have paid up to 4 million USD (126 million NTD) for their boats to
cross through the Panama Canal and avoid the Strait of Hormuz.

The average price to cross the canal ranges between 300 000 and 400 000 NTD
(9.4 and 12.6 million NTD), depending on the vessel.

But companies that need to re-route at the last minute pay an additional fee
in an auction for slots.

The highest bidder gets to pass imminently, instead of waiting for days off
the coast of Panama City.

Bids have jumped in recent weeks as Iran and the United States have
bottlenecked the Strait of Hormuz and companies purchase from other parts of
the world.

An analyst said that Panama's government is "maximising what it can earn from
the Panama Canal".

A company carrying fuel to Europe paid the 4 million USD to redirect fuel to
Singapore, a journey that had to be expedited in because Singapore was
running out of fuel, said a canal administrator.

Posted on 2026-04-24 17:16:13

Kenya's president William Ruto has said that the English spoken by Nigerians
was incomprehensible.

In a speech to Kenyans living in Italy, Ruto said that "Our education is
good. Our English is good. We speak some of the best English in the world."

He continued: "If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don't know what they
are saying - you need a translator, even when they are speaking English,"
leading to laughter in the room.

Nigerians and other Africans have reacted strongly, accusing Ruto of a deep
inferiority complex and of insulting a fellow African nation.

One commentator said that "English is … not a measure of intelligence,
capability, or national progress."

And a former Nigerian senator said that Ruto was "mocking the English of the
country with a Nobel Prize for Literature winner."

Online skirmishes between Kenyans and Nigerians are common and often both
intense and humorous.

Posted on 2026-04-24 17:08:13

A measles case has been confirmed involving a passenger on a recent flight
from Taipei to Japan, with dozens of contacts now under health monitoring.

The Centers for Disease Control has identified 54 people, including crew and
passengers seated within five rows, who will be tracked through May 5th.

The patient is a Japanese man in his 30s who flew to Nagoya on an April 17th
STARLUX Airlines flight.

Twenty-one Taiwanese passengers have returned home, with cases spread across
11 cities and counties.

Officials say crew members were vaccinated and are being monitored, with the
airline adding that none are showing symptoms.

Health authorities say vaccination reduces risk of infection but does not
guarantee full protection.

Taiwan has also contacted Japanese authorities for more details on the case
and the patient's travel history.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-04-24 17:08:15

A massive ice block on the route above Mount Everest's base camp is delaying
climbers seeking to scale the world's highest peak.

An aerial survey is planned to evaluate the serac that's between base camp
and Camp One.

Mountaineering officials said Friday the serac was unstable and risky to
climbers.

It is located in the Khumbu Icefall, a difficult part of the mountain that is
known for its shifting glacier and deep crevasses.

Climbers and guides are waiting at Everest base camp as officials assess the
situation.

More than 400 foreigners have been issued permits to climb Everest during the
spring climbing season.

Posted on 2026-04-24 15:53:13

Two Asian elephants at the Taipei Zoo have moved in next door to an African
elephant whilst their regular enclosure undergoes renovations, giving
visitors a rare chance to watch two different elephant species size each
other up for the first time.

The zoo's Asian elephants You-shin and You-kai have temporarily relocated to
the African animal zone whilst their tropical rainforest habitat is being
upgraded.

Their new neighbor is African elephant Chian-huei.

After a gradual desensitisation program, the animals officially began living
side by side on April 10th, two Fridays ago.

The zoo says the temporary arrangement offers the elephants a richer
environment and valuable social stimulation.

They encourage visitors to head to the African animal zone to catch the rare
inter-species interactions whilst they last.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-24 15:53:13

Tainan City is reaching out to landowners along the planned Blue Line of its
metro ahead of construction, offering joint development opportunities at
eight designated transit development zones.

The city's Bureau of Transportation will hold public consultation sessions on
April 28th and April 30th (next Tuesday and Thursday) at community centers in
the Yongkang and East districts, giving landowners a chance to learn about
and discuss the joint development plans before formal urban planning
procedures begin.

The first phase of the Tainan Metro Blue Line is scheduled to break ground by
the end of this year, running at just over 8 kilometers.

Its ten stations are all in prime urban development areas, and the city has
identified eight transit development zones centred around certain stations.

The bureau says the arrangement is designed to increase land use efficiency
and share development benefits between the public and private sectors.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-24 15:53:13

The White House Director of Science and Technology Policy said that it had
new information that "industrial-scale campaigns" by "foreign entities,
principally based in China" were stealing AI technology developed in the U.S.

The White House said it would work more closely with US firms to combat these
efforts, though it did not announce any specific plans.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said that China's advances were "the result
of its own dedication and effort, as well as international co-operation".

The White House accused foreign entities of "distilling", or copying others'
AI technology.

They would operate thousands of individual accounts on one AI chatbot,
appearing to be normal users but actually carrying out a co-ordinated attempt
to expose how the AI chatbot actually works internally.

OpenAI and Anthropic have both said that they have encountered distillation,
including by popular Chinese-developed AI model DeepSeek.

Posted on 2026-04-24 15:53:13

Governments from nearly fifty countries will meet starting today in Santa
Maria, a city on Colombia's Caribbean coast, to discuss how to move beyond
fossil fuels.

There has been frustration that U.N. climate talks have failed to directly
tackle oil, gas, and coal production.

Over the next six days, the summit will try to build co-operation between
nations that are willing instead of securing binding commitments from them.

Countries are balancing energy security, financial constraints, and growing
calls to accelerate a shift away from fossil fuels, at a time of heightened
geopolitical uncertainty, including the disruption to energy markets due to
the war in Iran.

The Colombian and Dutch organisers also want to ensure "a just, orderly, and
equitable" transition.

They say that they want to provide a venue for a politically sensitive debate
that has long been avoided in international climate negotiations.

The United States and Saudi Arabia will not attend.

Posted on 2026-04-24 15:53:13

Pope Leo XIV is urging the United States and Iran to return to talks to end
the war.

He said that the conflict has left "an entire population in Iran of innocent
people suffering".

He also called for a new "culture of peace" to replace the recourse to
violence whenever conflicts arise.

Pope Leo revealed that he carries the photo of a Muslim Lebanese boy who had
been killed in Israel's recent war with Hezbollah.

The boy had been photographed holding a sign saying "Welcome Pope Leo" when
he visited Lebanon last year.

He also condemned capital punishment, which his predecessor, Pope Francis,
had already declared immoral in every case.

Addressing other issues, Pope Leo said that migrants deserve dignity and
should not be treated "worse than house pets or animals".

His words also indicated that he believes the church had reduced its moral
teachings to revolve around sex at the expense of other pressing issues, such
as justice, equality, and freedom.

Posted on 2026-04-24 13:55:13

Police in central Taiwan have broken up a major drug trafficking ring that
used popular cartoon characters and trendy toys to market illegal narcotics.

The Taichung City Police Department announced today that officers seized
4,200 drug-infused coffee packets with a street value of more than NT 1.6
million.

As well as the coffee packets, officers seized ketamine and NT 250,000 in
cash.

Four suspects, including a warehouse manager and several delivery drivers,
were arrested during the raids.

Two of the suspects are currently being held in custody as the Taichung
District Prosecutor's Office moves forward with drug trafficking charges.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-24 13:55:13

Taiwan is sending a delegation of 27 startups to one of Asia's largest
technology conferences in Tokyo this weekend, with a memorandum of
cooperation between Taiwan and Japan set to be signed on the sidelines.

The National Development Council will lead the delegation to SusHi Tech Tokyo
2026, running from April 27th to 29th.

The annual event, organised by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, is expected
to draw more than 60-thousand attendees and 700 startups from around the
world.

Officials say Taiwan will operate what organisers say is the largest national
pavilion at the venue, showcasing the island's strengths in artificial
intelligence, sustainability, and deep technology.

And during the event, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taiwan's smart
mobility sector will sign MOUs with Japanese counterparts, to share resources
and expand opportunities for collaboration.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-24 13:55:13

A US special forces soldier has been charged after he allegedly bet on the
removal of Venezuela's leader, Nicolas Maduro, in January, before that
information was publicly available.

Gannon Ken Van Dyke is an active-duty soldier who was involved in the
military operation that captured Maduro and his wife.

He allegedly won more than 400 000 USD (almost 13 million NTD) from his bets,
more than twelve times what he wagered.

US Department of Justice officials accuse him of placing bets on the timing
and outcome of the operation, "all to turn a profit".

The acting US attorney general said that "Widespread access to prediction
markets is a relatively new phenomenon, but federal laws protecting national
security information fully apply."

US president Donald Trump said that he is "not happy with any of that stuff",
when asked whether prediction markets could lead to insider trading.

Posted on 2026-04-24 13:55:13

The governments of France and the United Kingdom have signed a new
multimillion-pound deal to reduce migrant crossings across the English
Channel.

The U.K. will provide 500 million pounds (21.2 billion NT) over three years
to strengthen measures in northern France.

Up to an additional 160 million pounds (6.8 billion NT) will be provided,
depending on how successful France is in preventing migrants from reaching
England.

Proposed measures include boosting police numbers and expanded drone and
helicopter surveillance.

UK statistics show that in 2025, 46 000 people were detected entering the
U.K. illegally, with 89 per cent of them arriving via small boats.

But critics say that this deal does not address the underlying human
desperation that leads to people turning to small boats in the first place.

Posted on 2026-04-24 13:55:13

In a memo sent to staff yesterday, Meta said that it will lay off about 8,000
employees, or about 10 per cent of its staff.

It will also stop the hiring process for thousands of currently open roles.

Meta will redirect the money saved to other areas of the company, and
especially to its efforts in artificial intelligence.

It is expected to spend 135 billion USD (more than 4.2 trillion NTD) on AI
this year, which is roughly what it spent in the last three years combined.

These job cuts had been anticipated since comments from Meta's boss, Mark
Zuckerberg, in January, where he said that a single person could now do the
work that entire teams used to do.

Meta announced earlier this week that it would start to track and log their
workers' clicks and keystrokes in order to train its AI models, something
that one employee called "dystopian" in view of the impending layoffs.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

provisions

Legislative party caucuses have failed once again to reach a consensus on
several of the major provisions of the Cabinet's 1.25-trillion N-T special
defense budget.

They did, however did reach a preliminary consensus on basic administrative
provisions.

One of the agreements: for the Ministry of National Defense would be required
to submit a special report to the legislature on the progress and performance
of projects that are included in the special defense act.

They also agreed that the special defense budget takes effect from the date
of its promulgation until December 31 of 2033.

But they remain divided over key elements, including the specific procurement
items and a ceiling for the budget.

The latest round of cross-party negotiations was hosted by Legislative
Speaker Han Kuo-yu and took place after a similar session last week failed to
produce any substantive discussions.

The Legislative Speaker has now slated a new round of negotiations for next
Monday.

Lawmakers from the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party continue to demand
that President Lai Ching-te brief lawmakers directly on the defense budget
proposal.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

The Mainland Affairs Council is slamming Chinese authorities for saying there
is no such thing as the president of the Republic of China.

The statement comes after China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang
Han earlier this week told reporters at a press briefing in Beijing... that
there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China and there is
no such thing as a Taiwan president.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia-kun that same day also said
that "the so-called 'president of the R-O-C has long ceased to exist in the
world."

Both of those remarks were made in response to questions concerning the
cancellation of President Lai Ching-te's planned state visit to Eswatini.

Mainland Affairs Council spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh said the comments
reflect Beijing's position that "it does not recognize the existence of the
R-O-C" and that "the R-O-C has no president."

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

The Fair Trade Commission says Grab Holdings planned acquisition of
foodpanda's Taiwan operations has yet to enter the formal review stage.

The commission says regulators are still waiting for supplementary
documentation from the Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery giant.

Acting F-T-C Chairman Chen Chih-min says although Grab submitted its
application on March 27, the case has not been officially accepted because
the required materials remain incomplete.

Chen also told lawmakers that the F-T-C will launch a formal probe into the
deal, focusing on issues such as cross-shareholding and potential
restrictions on market competition one the filing has been finalized.

Grab announced in March that it plans acquire foodpanda's Taiwan business
from Germany-based Delivery Hero.

The deal is worth about 600-million U-S dollars and subject to regulatory
approval.

If the sale is approved, Grab expects to close the deal in the second half of
this year and complete platform integration by the first half of 2027,
migrating all foodpanda users to its own app.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

The Centers for Disease Control says Taiwan has over half a year's supply of
condoms.

The statement comes amid reports of deepening supply chain disruptions caused
by the US-Israel war on Iran.

C-D-C spokeswoman Tseng Shu-hui, her agency has contacted Taiwan's three
largest condom manufacturers ...

.. and they have confirmed that current domestic supplies were sufficient for
at least half a year and that they had not received notifications from their
parent companies to raise prices.

Tseng says the delivery time of future batches of condom shipments is being
delayed by geopolitical constraints, and will depend on price quotations from
international manufacturers.

However, the C-D-C spokeswoman says an initial assessment is that the supply
of condoms will not be affected for the next six months.

The supply disruptions stem from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

And concern about condom supplies has been sparked by a B-B-C report saying
that Karex, which supplies global brands like Durex and Trojan, relies on
materials derived from oil, including the ammonia used to preserve latex, and
silicone-based lubricants.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

The Supreme Court has upheld Liang Yu-chih's life sentence for the 2020
murder of a Malaysian university student.

Liang was initially sentenced to death by the Ciaotou District Court in March
2022 after being found guilty of rape resulting in death, robbery causing
death, abandoning a corpse, and attempted rape in a separate case.

The High Court's Kaohsiung Branch upheld the death sentence on appeal.

However, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial on the rape and murder
charges... even as it finalized separate sentences of two years and two years
and 10 months for abandoning a corpse and attempted rape, respectively.

The death sentence was upheld in the first retrial, but the Supreme Court
ordered a retrial.

In the second retrial in January, the High Court's Kaohsiung Branch
overturned the death sentence and instead imposed life imprisonment.

The court ruled that Liang's primary intent was robbery and sexual assault
rather than premeditated murder, and that the crime did not meet the
threshold of the "most serious crimes" required for capital punishment.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

A study by the National Taiwan University has found that nearly 90-per cent
of drinks sampled from beverage shops contained more sugar than requested by
customers.

Researchers collected 125 samples of both sugar-free and half-sugar drinks
plain tea, milk tea and fruit tea from major chain beverage outlets
islandwide that have a significant market share.

The study found that 85.6-per cent of the drinks tested contained more sugar
than requested.

While 55.6-per cent of "no added sugar" drinks still contained detectable
sugar.

The research team said this could be due to naturally occurring sugar in
ingredients such as fruit juice, dairy products or toppings, which could
mislead consumers.

An online survey conducted in 2024 found that respondents consumed an average
of 329-milliliters of beverages per day, with intake higher among men than
women, particularly those aged between 31 and 40.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

And,

The Taiwan Creative Content Agency says Taiwan will achieve its
strongest-ever showing at this year's Far East Film Festival in Italy, with
six films selected for competition.

The festival opens today in Udine and is one of Europe's largest showcases of
Asian cinema.

The selected titles include "A Foggy Tale," which won best feature film at
the 2025 Golden Horse Awards and "Sunshine Women's Choir", which is the
highest-grossing Taiwan film of all time.

The other three works are "Deep Quiet Room," "Kung Fu," "A Mighty Adventure"
and "I Blew Out the Candles Before Making a Wish."

Agency Chairperson Sue Wang says the six films span everything from
action-packed spectacles to deeply rooted historical narratives.

Three digitally restored Taiwanese classics will also premiere in the
festival's "Restored Classics" section.

The Far East Film Festival is scheduled to announce its awards on May 2.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

Ukraine has secured a crucial European Union loan to support the country's
wartime efforts.

The 90 billion-euro or $106 billion package was approved Thursday after
Ukraine repaired the Druzhba pipeline.

Approval had been delayed because of EU political friction including
resistance from outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

At the same time, the Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin can meet
Ukrainian President Volodymyr – but only for the purpose of finalising a
peace agreement ending the 4-year long conflict.

Posted on 2026-04-24 07:02:14

Jurors at the Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition say they wwill not
consider artists from countries whose leaders are facing charges at the
International Criminal Court...

The comment is seen as an apparent reference to Russia and Israel.

The five jury members, who will select the winners of the Golden and Silver
Lion awards among the 110 participants, said they felt compelled to commit
"to the defense of human rights" as part of their role at the event, which
opens on May 9.

The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The decision has sparked protests from the European Commission and the
Italian government.

Posted on 2026-04-23 19:44:13

Construction on the Taipei Metro's Xinyi Line East Extension is now more than
90 percent finished.

Officials say the project is expected to be submitted for inspection by the
Ministry of Transportation and Communications in June, with opening possible
as early as late June.

Once inspections are completed and an operating permit is issued, a launch
date will be set.

The extension runs about 1.4 kilometers east from Xiangshan Station, along
Xinyi Road Section 6, to the new Guangci–Fengtian Temple terminal.

A one-month free trial period is also under consideration.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-04-23 19:44:17

Taichung visit

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren is visiting Taiwan this week, sharing images of
the island taken from space.

Lindgren described Taiwan as a green jewel in the mist, one of the most
breathtaking sights from orbit.

He visited the Liu Bread Factory in Taichung this morning, accompanied by
A-I-T Director Raymond Greene and Taichung Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen.

Lindgren has a personal connection to Taichung; his father was stationed at
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, and his parents met and married there.

He said returning to the city felt like completing a circle in his life.

Lindgren also encouraged Taiwanese students to pursue careers in space,
saying this is a golden age for spaceflight.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-23 18:37:13

The Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office has indicted the head of a cosmetics
supplier accused of selling ingredients contaminated with toxic Sudan Red
dyes.

Authorities say the suspect knew the materials contained banned Sudan Red
substances but continued selling them to clients for profit.

The tainted ingredients were later used in products including lipstick.

Prosecutors say he received test results confirming the presence of the toxic
dyes, which are considered potentially carcinogenic, but chose to conceal the
findings.

The case emerged after regulators detected the substances in cosmetics last
year, triggering recalls involving multiple companies.

Officials say the suspect has admitted to the allegations and is now facing
fraud charges, with prosecutors seeking a heavy sentence.

Experts warn the dyes pose health risks, particularly if ingested, and are
banned in all cosmetic products in Taiwan.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-04-23 18:37:13

status

Taiwan Sugar Corporation says it plans to complete 13 new pig farms this
year, as part of a push to supply 500-thousand pigs annually by 2030.

The company is also eyeing overseas markets after Taiwan regained its status
as a disease-free zone for African swine fever in April.

Taiwan is now the only country in Asia free from African swine fever,
foot-and-mouth disease, and classical swine fever.

That designation has opened the door for pork exports to Japan, South Korea,
and Singapore, with foreign buyers already visiting the new facilities.

Chair Wu Ming-chang (吳明昌) says initial export targets were around
200-thousand pigs, but volumes are under review as domestic supply tightens.

Local demand remains the priority.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-23 18:37:13

A new study found that over 85 percent of bubble tea and other hand-shaken
drinks in Taiwan contain more sugar than listed on their labels.

The research from National Taiwan University also shows that more than half
of drinks labeled 'sugar-free' still contain sugar.

Experts say hidden sugars often come from ingredients like fruit juice, milk,
and toppings.

They found a typical so-named 'half-sugar' 700-milliliter drink contains
about 46.5 grams of sugar ...

... effectively reaching or approaching the World Health Organization's
recommended daily limit of 50 grams.

The study also found that some drinks — especially fruit-based ones —
contain artificial sweeteners that could affect your gut health and lead to
problems like insulin resistance.

Researchers warn that drinking sugary beverages regularly might increase the
risk of obesity and fatty liver disease.

They're urging clearer labeling so people know what they're really consuming.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-04-23 18:37:13

Looking ahead ...

Forecasters say to watch out for rain over the next few days as a weather
front approaches Taiwan.

The Central Weather Administration says the rain is likely to spread south to
central and southern areas tomorrow and into Saturday.

Forecasters also warn of possible thunderstorms that day ... with a risk of
lightning, strong winds, and heavy downpours in some areas.

Conditions should stabilize on Sunday and remain settled into Monday as the
front moves away.

Posted on 2026-04-23 18:37:13

Current temperatures...

Taipei - 22

Taichung - 28

Kaohsiung - 28

Hualien - 26

Posted on 2026-04-23 17:21:13

The United States is condemning what it calls an abuse of the international
civil aviation system after three African nations blocked Taiwan's
presidential aircraft from crossing their airspace.

Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked overflight permits for
President Lai Ching-te's planned trip to Eswatini, one of Taiwan's 12
remaining diplomatic allies.

A State Department spokesperson told Reuters the countries were acting at
China's behest.

Taiwan's security officials say China threatened the three nations with
economic sanctions, including revoking debt relief.

China denied the claim but praised the countries for adhering to the
one-China principle.

The EU and Britain's de facto ambassador to Taiwan also expressed concern,
saying airspace decisions should not be used as political tools.

It is the first time a Taiwan president has had to cancel a foreign trip over
denied airspace access.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-23 17:21:13

Taiwan's government has instructed police to increase security for the
upcoming local elections this November.

The move follows an incident involving former TPP chair Ko Wen-je, who was
accidentally sprayed with pepper spray by an officer during a campaign event
at Feng-Chia Night Market in Taichung.

The Ministry of the Interior says it will not comment on the case, but has
directed the National Police Agency to boost protection for candidates,
campaign offices, and public events ...

... while strengthening risk assessments and intelligence gathering.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-04-23 17:21:13

Artworks commemorating Hualien's "shovel superheroes" have been revealed at a
local train station.

The Global Federation of Chinese Business Women unveiled the two statues at
Guangfu Station, one depicting a man, woman, and child in superhero outfits,
with shovel in hand.

The federation says over 500-thousand volunteers came to Hualien's aid after
the Ma-tai-an Barrier Lake overflowed and flooded the region last year.

Representatives hope that the installations are a reminder of warmth and
kindness during that difficult time, and also help draw visitors back to the
region to boost the local economy.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-23 17:21:13

In international news ... and over in Scandinavia ...

Five people are critically injured after two passenger trains collided in
Denmark.

Police are calling it a major incident.

Authorities say the crash happened early Thursday near Hillerod, just north
of Copenhagen, on a local rail line used by many residents.

The Greater Copenhagen Fire Department says around a dozen others suffered
minor injuries.

Local authorities say say everyone has now been evacuated from the trains ...
and that some of the injured were airlifted to hospital.

Photos from the scene show the front ends of both trains badly damaged,
though the carriages remained upright.

Investigators say they are now working to determine what caused the collision.

Posted on 2026-04-23 17:21:13

And finally,

Lebanon and Israel are set to begin a second session of direct talks in
Washington ... with ambassadors from both sides meeting for the second time
in a week.

The discussions scheduled for later today are focused on extending a
ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and planning future negotiations.

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun says contacts are ongoing to extend the
10-day ceasefire that started Friday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urges Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah.

Despite Hezbollah's rejection, the talks mark a significant step.

The two countries have no diplomatic relations and officially have been at
war since 1948.

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:32:13

think tank says

Nikkei Asia reports that Taiwan's drone exports to Europe in the first
quarter of this year have already exceeded the total for all of 2025.

The Taipei-based research institute D-SET estimates around 136-thousand
completed drones were shipped to Europe in the first three months of 2026.

That surpasses the 107-thousand units exported in all of last year -- itself
a more than 40-fold jump from 2024.

Most shipments have gone to Poland and the Czech Republic, seen as key
transfer points for Ukraine.

D-SET warns that most sales are still driven by private buyers rather than
government procurement, leaving the market potentially unstable.

The think tank is urging Taiwan to deepen cooperation with Ukraine, citing
Taiwan's strengths in chips, motors, and batteries alongside Ukraine's
battlefield experience.

It also calls for a trusted, Europe-facing procurement framework to help
Taiwanese firms meet emerging China-free certification requirements.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:32:13

Taiwan became Singapore's largest trading partner last year, with
semiconductors driving the relationship on both sides.

Taiwan's representative Tung Chen-yuan said around 85-percent of Taiwan's
exports to Singapore are semiconductor-related, with about 80-percent of
Singapore's exports to Taiwan in the same sector.

In the first quarter of 2026, Taiwan's exports to Singapore surged nearly
85-percent year-on-year to 17-point-6 billion US dollars.

Singapore's investment in Taiwan also hit a historic high, reaching 4-point-4
billion US dollars -- more than 72-percent of Taiwan's total foreign
investment intake for the quarter.

Tung says that jump was largely driven by Micron's Singapore subsidiary
converting around 4-point-3 billion US dollars in claims into equity
investment in Taiwan.

Singapore's central bank expects the A-I-driven semiconductor boom to keep
supporting trade through the rest of the year.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:32:13

The health minister says Taiwan is considering a generational smoking ban,
following a landmark move by the U-K.

The U-K Parliament has passed a law permanently barring anyone born on or
after January 1st, 2009 from buying tobacco products.

Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) says tobacco is a recognized carcinogen
and even light smoking carries cancer risks.

He noted that New Zealand had introduced a similar ban but repealed it in
2024.

Shih says any move toward a ban in Taiwan would require broad public
discussion and consensus.

The Health Promotion Administration will study the matter further.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:32:13

Iran has seized two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz as uncertainty grows
over the status of a ceasefire with the United States.

The Revolutionary Guard accused the vessels of operating without permits and
tampering with their navigation systems.

The White House called the seizures an act of piracy, but said they did not
violate the ceasefire as neither ship was American or Israeli.

The ceasefire, now more than two weeks old, was due to expire earlier this
week, but President Trump announced an indefinite extension pending peace
talks.

Iran has not confirmed any agreement to extend the truce, and its lead
negotiator says a full ceasefire is impossible while the U-S Navy blockade of
Iranian trade remains in place.

Peace talks in Islamabad have so far produced no agreement, with both sides
failing to show up for a scheduled session on Tuesday.

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:32:13

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing growing pressure over his
government's handling of a key diplomatic appointment.

The scandal centers on his 2024 decision to appoint Labour veteran Peter
Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the United States.

Starmer sacked Mandelson last September after emails revealed the depth of
his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Last week, Starmer admitted a vetting body had advised against the
appointment -- information he says he was never given.

But former top foreign ministry official Olly Robbins told a parliamentary
committee Tuesday that Downing Street had applied constant pressure to push
the appointment through quickly.

Starmer's office denies applying pressure.

Sources close to Downing Street told Reuters that Starmer had grown overly
reliant on a small circle of advisers, leaving him detached from his party
and the public.

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:04:13

Kaohsiung City's Transportation Bureau is pushing back against concerns that
a Chinese navigation app may be accessing local traffic signal data,

A city councilor claimed he tested a Chinese navigation app and found it
could accurately display countdown timers for traffic signals at certain
Kaohsiung intersections.

The Transportation Bureau says it launched an immediate review, and confirmed
it has no data sharing agreement or technical connection of any kind with the
Chinese app.

The bureau says Kaohsiung's core traffic signal control system is housed in a
physically isolated environment, with no physical or wireless connection to
the internet.

No interfaces have been opened for external access, meaning no outside
parties can read or interfere with signal control data through the internet.

The bureau says it will continue monitoring the system and conduct regular
security assessments with cybersecurity experts to ensure the system remains
secure.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:04:13

The government is lowering the age at which older drivers must renew their
licenses with additional health checks, with the new rules expected to take
effect May 31st.

The Ministry of Transportation announced today that the license renewal age
for elderly drivers will drop from 75 to 70.

Under the new system, drivers aged 70 and above must pass a physical
examination and complete a road safety education course to renew their
license, which will then be valid until they turn 75.

Drivers aged 75 and above must continue renewing every three years, and will
additionally be required to pass a cognitive function assessment alongside
the physical exam and safety course.

The ministry estimates roughly 1.1 million drivers fall in the 70 to 74 age
bracket.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:04:13

A number of labor insurance pension recipients will see their monthly
payments increase starting in May, as the government adjusts benefits in line
with consumer price index growth.

The Ministry of Labor says the adjustment applies to recipients who began
drawing pensions in 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, or 2022.

Each persons eligible may receive an average of 1-thousand-224 NT per month.

The higher payments will take effect in May and appear in June bank accounts.

The ministry says nearly 770-thousand people will benefit.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:04:13

In international news.

In Britain, Parliament has passed a bill to make cigarettes inaccessible to
future generations in the U.K.

Children born after Dec. 31, 2008 will never be able to buy cigarettes under
the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The legislation, approved Tuesday, awaits approval by King Charles III, a
formality.

It will also regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including
flavors and packaging.

The UK will have one of the toughest anti-smoking measures globally.

Smoking rates have declined by two-thirds since the 1970s, but 13% of the
population still smokes.

Authorities say smoking causes 80,000 deaths annually in Britain and remains
the number one preventable cause of death, disability and poor health.

(KK)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:04:13

In Lebanon, the Israeli army has been destroying homes in areas of the south
it has occupied since agreeing last week to a ceasefire with Hezbollah.

It says the homes were used as outposts by the Iran-backed militant group.

But residents, Lebanese officials and U.N. peacekeepers worry the demolitions
are happening on such a wide scale that large numbers of people displaced by
the war will have nowhere to return if the fragile truce holds.

Lebanese officials plan to raise the issue of widespread demolitions on
Thursday when they hold ceasefire talks with their Israeli counterparts in
Washington.

(KK)

Posted on 2026-04-23 15:04:13

A Lebanese journalist was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon.

A newspaper says its reporter was killed on Wednesday in a southern village.

The reporter had been covering the Israel-Hezbollah war, which resumed in
early March, in the shadow of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.

She took cover in a house after an earlier Israeli airstrike hit near the car
she was traveling in with another colleague.

Earlier on Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders had called on the
international community to pressure the Israeli army to allow the rescue of
the reporter and others who were in a house.

However, rescuers say her body was only retrieved hours later from the rubble.

(KK)

Posted on 2026-04-23 11:27:13

The Tai-Ex jumped 700-points in early trading this morning after opening up 92-points from yesterday's close, at 37,051 on turnover of 11.2-billion N-T.

The (中文測量)main board added 739-points by 9:05 to reach to a high of 37,730 before falling back to 37,689-points.

The rise came after market heavyweights Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Hon Hai and Delta Electronics all made solid gains, as investors are eyeing pending earnings reports from Intel, Microsoft, and Apple.

T*(多則第二段)Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage ends after eight-day procession

And,

The palanquin carrying two statues of sea goddess Mazu from Bai-sha-tun Gongtian Temple in Miaoli County returned home on Monday.

It concluding an eight-day pilgrimage to Chiaotian Temple, also a Mazu temple, in Yunlin County and back again.

The statues were escorted into the main hall and formally seated in the Gongtian Temple on their return by tens of thousands of devotees.

The Bai-sha-tun Mazu pilgrimage set off on April 13 from Tongxiao Township, led by a palanquin carrying three Mazu statues, one of which was from neighboring Shan-bian Mazu Temple.

Organizers say this year's procession was joined by a record 460,000-plus devotees.

Posted on 2026-04-22 13:07:20

Attack

Cyprus's president says fellow European Union leaders meeting on the island
nation need to start preparing a playbook on what should happen if an EU
country under attack puts out a call to bloc partners for help.

President Nikos Christodoulides (Chris toh doh LEE dis) said Tuesday that EU
leaders will discuss Article 42.7 of the bloc's treaties.

It obliges all 27 member states to assist each other in times of crisis.

He also said more needs to be done to bring about cooperation between the EU
and Middle Eastern countries.

(KK)

Posted on 2026-04-22 13:07:13

The Nuclear Safety Commission says it's rigorously reviewing Taiwan Power's
plan to restart the number 3 nuclear power plant, adding that the process
cannot be sped up.

The comments come after President Lai Ching-te admitted at the 23rd National
NGOs Environmental Conference yesterday that the government is facing
difficulties in energy supplies.

Participants also said the President believes that nuclear energy development
should be reconsidered in light of strong demand for electricity and advances
in safety technology.

The N-S-C received TaiPower's plan on March 27th and confirmed on April 8th
that all necessary documents were complete and the review process had begun.

N-S-C chair Chen Ming-zhen (陳明真) today stressed that the process cannot be
rushed and must proceed step by step to ensure every stage meets safety
requirements.

Meanwhile with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's plan of building five
2-nanometer foundries in Kaohsiung, environment groups have expressed grave
concerns.

They said it means the coal and natural gas-fired Xing-da (興達) power plant
is set to add new generators, leading to more pollution.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-04-22 13:07:16

Kaohsiung’s Agriculture Bureau is promoting smart farming through a subsidy
program aimed at helping modernize the agricultural sector.

The program covers items such as smart sensing systems, environmental control
systems, smart production equipment, and related services.

Applications are open through April 30th.

At a matchmaking event held yesterday, 14 companies showcased products, and
nearly 100 farmers and businesses took part,.

Agriculture officials said Kaohsiung has developed 133 smart farms over the
past five years, covering more than 1,300 hectares.

Through continued matchmaking events, the city aims to expand that to over
170 sites and 1,400 hectares this year, while helping farmers address
challenges and connect with private-sector solutions.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-04-22 13:07:25

In Britain, a 17-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to arson not endangering
life on a London synagogue.

He said that he was unaware the building was a synagogue and that he bore no
ill will toward Jewish people.

Surveillance footage showed him throwing a lighted bottle of liquid into
Kenton United Synagogue on Saturday, causing smoke damage.

The attack happened during a series of arson attacks that began March 23,
with no injuries reported.

Authorities are investigating possible links to Iran and a group claiming
responsibility for similar attacks across Europe.

(KK)

Posted on 2026-04-22 08:14:13

The K-M-T is describing the cancellation of President Lai Ching-te's planned
visit to Eswatini as being "deeply regrettable," and is calling on Beijing to
exercise restraint, "reduce its suppression," and give the Republic of China
government diplomatic space.

According to K-M-T Culture and Communications Committee Director Yin
Nai-ching, the cancellation of Lai's Eswatini trip was "not connected" to the
meeting earlier this month in Beijing between K-M-T Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun
and Xi Jinping.

While Taiwan People's Party has slammed China for allegedly forcing the
cancellation of Lai trip.

The party says if Beijing continues to "aggressively constrict Taiwan's
diplomatic space and intimidate the Taiwanese people," it will only
exacerbate tensions in the Taiwan Strait and push the Taiwanese people
farther away."

The statements came after Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an
announced that Lai had been forced to cancel the visit, due to what he
described as "economic coercion" by China.

Pan told reporters that the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar
"unexpectedly and without justification rescinded overflight permission."

Those three countries are located along the flight path of the chartered
plane that Lai, his delegation and members of his national security team were
scheduled to take to Eswatini.

Posted on 2026-04-22 08:14:13

The Cabinet's 2026 general budget proposal has been sent to committee review
after Premier Cho Jung-tai briefed lawmakers on its planning.

The budget had been stalled in the Legislature for more than six months,
prior to Cho briefing lawmakers on the compilation of the budget and
answering questions during a legislative hearing on Tuesday.

According to the premier, certain budget items have been deferred due to
concerns over parity among public servants and constitutional issues.

Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang presided over the hearing - after
which he announced that the proposal would be sent to the Finance Committee
and distributed to other committees in accordance with a set schedule.

Lawmakers agreed during cross-party negotiations last week to invite Cho to
present the budget and take questions before referring it to committee.

They also agreed that the Cabinet should, within six months of the start of
the review, propose bills to provide pay raises for active-duty military
personnel and pension increases for retired police officers and firefighters.

Posted on 2026-04-22 08:14:13

The Financial Supervisory Commission has confirmed that publicly-traded
companies will be able to distribute cash dividends in foreign currencies as
early as next year.

According to the commission, the move is aimed at creating a more
investor-friendly environment and aligning local regulations with
international practices.

The F-S-C says the measure will help reduce currency exchange costs for both
the investors and securities custodians, due to foreign investors holding up
to 46.9-per cent of the total market value of Taiwan's stock market.

The announcement comes after the stock market recently overtook the U-K to
become the world's seventh-largest by total market capitalization.

Starting next year, companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, the Taipei
Exchange, and the emerging stock market, will be able to distribute cash
dividends in foreign currencies upon request.

However, the F-S-C is stressing that the arrangement applies foreign
shareholders only.

Posted on 2026-04-22 08:14:13

The Centers for Disease Control says the number of confirmed Mpox cases so
far this year has doubled from last year.

According to the C-D-C, a total of 12 infections have been reported as of
Monday of this week.

That's an increase from six cases during the same period of last year.

This year's cases include 11 domestic infections and one imported infection.

The C-D-C says all of the cases involve men aged between the ages of 25 and
50 and nearly 80-per cent had not been vaccinated.

The C-D-C is warning that both domestic and overseas transmission risks
remain and high of is urging people in higher-risk groups to complete the
two-dose vaccination program.

Over 107,000 people here in Taiwan have received at least one vaccine dose,
but over 31,000 still need their second shot for full protection.

Posted on 2026-04-22 08:14:13

And finally,

Barista Lin Shao-hsing says a simple request from a guest for milk tea
resulted in him discovering his passion for latte art and winning the World
Latte Art Championship title.

Lin took top honors at the event in San Diego earlier this month.

The 37-year-old beat competitors from Malaysia, China, Thailand, South Korea,
and Japan.

According to Lin, winning the long-sought title was a dream come true after
finishing third in his previous two attempts.

Lin won the title after presenting raccoon, giraffe and red panda designs on
his latte's in the final round.

The World Latte Art Championship is organized by the Specialty Coffee
Association and is now its 20th year.

The competition evaluates baristas on visual presentation, creativity,
pattern consistency, contrast and overall performance.

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

President Lai Ching-te has cancelled his planned visit to Eswatini.

Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an blames the cancellation on
what he's described as "economic coercion" by China.

The Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar are said to have "unexpectedly and
without justification rescinded overflight permission."

Those three countries are located along the flight path of the chartered
plane that Lai, his delegation and members of his national security team were
scheduled to take to Eswatini.

The five-day trip would have been Lai's first visit to Africa and only his
second overseas trip since he took office in May of 2024.

The Presidential Office secretary-general has not said whether a new date is
being considered for the trip, but is describing China's move as
"unprecedented."

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

cancellation

Meanwhile,

President Lai Ching-te says "Taiwan's sincere wishes" to Eswatini's King
Mswati III on his Ruby jubilee will not be affected, despite political
interference by China forcing him to cancel a visit to the African diplomatic
ally.

Lai said via social media that he "regretted" to inform the public that he
had to suspend his trip on the advice of his national security team, but
Taiwan continues to cherish its friendship with Eswatini ...

... and he will send special envoys to attend events marking the 40th
anniversary of the monarch's accession to the throne and the king's 58th
birthday."

Lai went on to say "the Taiwanese people have the right to engage with the
world and cooperate with like-minded partners" and "China's coercion has
disrupted the status quo, to the dismay of the Taiwanese people."

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

The Ministry of National Defense has released details of a list of weapons
systems it intends to procure via direct commercial sales or commissioned
manufacturing.

The planned purchase all come under the Cabinet's proposed 1.25-trillion N-T
special defense budget proposal.

The items include drones and various types of ammunition.

The procurement process is expected to involve the National Chung-Shan
Institute of Science and Technology and the Armaments Bureau.

Defense officials say about 24-per cent of the eight-year special budget will
be allocated to direct commercial sales or commissioned manufacturing.

While 76-per cent of the proposed budget will be spent on U-S weapons
systems, including those already approved for sale to Taiwan by Washington or
identified by Taiwan as items of interest through the Foreign Military Sales
program.

The Cabinet's 1.25-trillion N-T special defense budget proposal was sent to
lawmakers for review late last year, but remains frozen in the Legislative
Yuan.

Lawmakers from the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party are demanding that
President Lai Ching-te brief lawmakers directly on the proposal.

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that it's in the process of
purchasing property to house its representative office in Australia.

The Department of General Affairs says it is finalizing the deal to complete
the transfer of ownership of a property in Sydney and the aim is to move into
the new office before the end of 2027.

Officials have not released any information concerning the exact location of
the property in the city.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney is currenty located in a
rented office.

The foreign ministry also says it's also planning to purchase properties to
house its representative offices in Boston, Houston, and Denver, and is now
adjusting its proposals for buying properties in the three U-S cities based
on the Cabinet's recommendations.

The ministry currently operates 111 overseas offices, 19 of which are housed
in government-owned properties.

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

The Army has demoted a company commander after he was accused of using a
racial slur against a Japanese-Taiwanese conscript serving under his command.

The 6th Army Corps Command says the captain was removed from his post in the
Yilan-based 153rd Infantry Brigade with immediate effect.

Further disciplinary action could also be taken... pending the results of an
ongoing internal probe and that the case would also be referred to
prosecutors for an investigation into possible public insult charges.

The Army has stressed that all conscripts should be treated equally, without
discrimination based on ethnicity or nationality and the brigade has sent
senior officials to apologize to the conscript and his family.

The conscript involved was serving his four months of compulsory military
service.

He posted a complaint on social media earlier this week accusing his company
commander of repeatedly calling him a derogatory ethnic slur in Chinese.

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

A former gymnastics coach has been suspended by the National Taiwan Normal
University following an investigation into the alleged bullying of students.

Weng Shih-hang had coached Olympic bronze medalist Tang Chia-hung.

Weng was suspended from his post as a associate professor in the Department
of Sport and Kinesiology two years, while his assistant coach, Mai Liu
Hsiang-han has had her contract terminated.

The university says the decisions have been submitted to the Ministry of
Education for review.

The Humanistic Education Foundation is calling for stricter punishments -
arguing they were disproportionate, as the investigation committee failed to
account for Weng's position of authority.

The foundation says the students involved ranged from preschool-aged children
to university students.

The allegations against Weng include inappropriate physical contact,
humiliation and the use of overly offensive language.

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

The Centers for Disease Control says the number of enterovirus cases are on
the rise this year.

C-D-C data shows that outpatient and emergency visits totaled 3,500 over the
past week, representing an increase of more than 16-per cent from the same
period of last year.

Health officials are warning that the surge in enterovirus cases is expected
to continue - as cases are increasing by about 1,000 per week.

That could mean cases could surpass 10,000 weekly visits in early June and
exceeding the epidemic threshold of around 12,000 by mid-to-late June.

The most common enterovirus strains currently circulating are the Coxsackie
A-6, A-4, and A-16.

Officials are urging the public to take precautions by maintaining good
hygiene, and staying home if sick to help curb the spread of the virus.

Posted on 2026-04-22 06:50:13

And,

The National Immigration Agency's Hualien Service Station has hosted a
traditional batik dyeing class to mark the birthday of Indonesian women's
rights pioneer Raden Ajeng Kartini.

Rovina Wiana, an Indonesian resident who has lived in Hualien for 25 years,
led participants in a hands-on batik experience -- guiding them through the
process from sketching designs and applying wax to dyeing the fabric.

She also shared the cultural background of Kartini Day and introduced
Indonesia's batik tradition.

Officials with the Hualien service station say the event allowed participants
to experience traditional batik, deepen cross-cultural understanding and
express appreciation to immigrant women and migrant workers, with the aim of
fostering a more inclusive society.

Indonesia's batik tradition was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural
heritage list in 2009.

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