ICRT

Posted on 2025-11-21 19:53:13

The Food and Drug Administration has officially removed all restrictions on
food imports from the five prefectures of Fukushima, Japan.

This includes ending the previous requirement for dual certificates verifying
origin and radiation testing.

Batch-by-batch inspections will no longer be 100 percent mandatory, with
controls returning to standard source and border management, consistent with
rules for other countries and regions.

The new measures take effect immediately.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-21 19:53:17

A supercomputer from Taiwan has ranked 29th on the latest top 500 list of the
world's most advanced systems ... announced by the International
Supercomputing Conference.

The National Institutes of Applied Research says the system, known as
'Nano4', marks a new milestone in Taiwan's independently built supercomputer
capabilities.

According to the research institute, Nano4 is currently the fastest and most
powerful system in Taiwan.

It recorded a peak performance of more than 81 thousand trillion calculations
per second, placing it among the world's leading research and AI computing
platforms.

Experts say the system is designed to support both scientific research and
advanced AI training.

The center says the supercomputer will help drive development in fields such
as generative AI, climate modeling, life sciences, semiconductor innovation,
and smart manufacturing.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-21 17:09:14

The Legislative Yuan has passed a third reading of amendments to the
Referendum Act.

Since 2021, referendums have not been held at the same times as general
elections.

But the Legislative Yuan's amendments will mean that referendum votes must be
held within 3 to 6 months of their petitions' certifications...

and they stipulate that they must be held at the same time as a general
election, if there is one within that time period.

The Legislative Yuan today dealt with the referendum draft amendment put
forward by KMT lawmakers Yan Qiong Ying, Lai Shi Bao , and Xu Yu Zhen along
with the TPP caucus.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-21 17:09:14

A former Taipei police chief has been sentenced to 13 years and 8 months in
prison for taking bribes to protect a major fraud ring.

This, as the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the High Court, making the
ruling final.

According to the ruling, former Ningxia Road Precinct chief Yeh Yu-hsin
(葉育忻) used his police access to look up personal data, investigation
records, and details of anti-fraud operations, which he then passed to the
ringleader.

In exchange, he received about 2 million NT in cash, a luxury car worth more
than 2 million NT, and additional payments through cryptocurrency.

Prosecutors say Yeh even fabricated a court document to help the group avoid
investigation.

With the ruling finalized, prosecutors are now moving to enforce the prison
sentence.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-21 17:09:14

The DPP Mayoral Candidate for New Taipei City says, Li Si Chuan is a strong
candidate and professional public servant...

but Su Qiao-hui says, her viewpoints and ideas are more innovative and
creative.

The longtime Banqiao legislator did add, however, that's she's currently more
focused on making herself the best candidate for the job, rather than
thinking of who her opponents will be.

TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang previously said that he would run for the mayors
position in the city...

while the KMT have not yet said if they will allow Huang to run unopposed
from the blue camp, or to put forward their own candidate.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-21 17:09:14

A 14-member cross-party legislative delegation led by Deputy Legislative
Speaker Johnny Chiang (Chiang Chi-chen) met with members of Paraguay's
congress in Asuncion.

Paraguay is Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in South America.

In a statement released today, the Legislative Yuan said the delegation met
with Basilio Nunez, president of Paraguay's Congress and Senate, and 14 other
Paraguayan senators from across party lines.

Chiang said the visit underscored Taiwan's unified support for its 68-year
diplomatic relationship with Paraguay.

He invited Nunez to visit Taiwan, and Nunez reaffirmed that the two
countries' ties are rooted in shared values of human rights, democracy and
freedom.

(JM)

Posted on 2025-11-21 17:09:14

Thanks to conservation efforts, brown bears and wolves, once rare, are now
rebounding in Greece.

But not everyone is enthusiastic about the comeback.

Farmers and residents of small villages are calling for greater protection
after increased sightings and a series of attacks.

Experts say that drought and a lack of food in the wild are two of the
reasons behind why these animals are increasingly encroaching on urban areas.

Some claim that conservation has gone too far and are pushing to roll back
restrictions on hunting.

But conservationists say, its best to install lights about properties,
properly dispose of trash, and avoid feeding strays...

rather than killing the wildlife.

(JM)

Posted on 2025-11-21 16:07:13

Taiwan is donating 500,000 USD to the Philippines for rebuilding...

following two typhoons that hit the country hard.

The Taiwanese representative to the Philippines says, the money will be used
to help rebuild affected areas.

Zhou Min Gan added that the over 15 million NT represents the Taiwanese
people's empathy and support for affected Filipinos.

At the end of September, the Philippines was hit by a 6.9 magnitude
earthquake, at which time Taiwan donated 250,000 USD to the Philippines.

Today's announcement adds another 500,000 USD to assist the country in
rebuilding.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-21 16:07:17

The Ministry of National Defense says it detected 29 Chinese Air Force
sorties operating in the Taiwan Strait from 6 AM yesterday to 6 this morning.

Of those aircraft, 17 crossed the Median Line of the Taiwan Strait, entering
into Taiwan's northern, central and southwestern Air Defense Identification
Zones.

The defense ministry also tracked 7 navy vessels operating in the region over
the same 24-hour period ... as part of ongoing PLA activity in the region.

The military says it responded by deploying aircraft, navy assets, and
land-based missile systems to monitor and safeguard Taiwan's airspace and
security.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-21 16:07:17

Taiwanese boxer Chen Nian-chin has claimed gold in the women's 65-kilogram
division at the 2025 World Boxing Cup finals.

Chen defeated reigning champ Dione Burman of the UK with a score of 4-1.

She thus takes home Taiwan's first and only gold medal at this year's World
Boxing's year-ending event.

Heading into the final round, Chen had a 20-18 lead on the scorecards of most
of the judges, meaning her opponent would have needed a dominant finish to
have a chance at victory.

Chen gave special thanks to a scout team at Nationa Tsing Hua University for
their support.

Her gold win follows losses by the two other Taiwanese athletes in the finals
earlier in the day.

The World Boxing Cup FInals in India are the second edition of the tournament
held by the organization.

Posted on 2025-11-21 16:07:17

Now turning to interntional news...

At least 15 are dead following an explosion at a factory in eastern Pakistan.

Another 7 workers were injured in the blast.

Police say that a boiler at a glue-making factory caused the issue, but it's
not yet clear why it exploded.

Rescuers have transported all the dead a wounded to the hospital, following
the blast at an industrial facility in Faisalabad.

Following the explision, the factory also caught fire.

Poor safety standards are a frequent cause of industrial accidents and
factory fires in Pakistan.

Posted on 2025-11-21 16:07:17

At least 6 people are dead and dozens injured following a 5.5 magnitude
earthquake in central Bangladesh.

Buildings in the country's capital, Dhaka, swayed during the quake, sending
panicked residents into the streets.

The epicenter of the quake was about 25 kilometres northeast of Dhaka.

Local media say that six people died in Dhaka; three from collapsed roofs or
walls, and three pedestrians when building railings fell onto them.

The Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet in northern and in southeastern
Bangladesh, making those regions seismically active.

But the country's central region, where Dhaka lies, is typically calmer.

(JM)

Posted on 2025-11-21 16:07:17

U.S. president Donald Trump and New York City's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani
will meet for the first time this Friday afternoon at the White House.

Trump, a Republican, has called Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic" and a
"total nut job".

Meanwhile Mamdani, a Democrat, has called Trump's administration
"authoritarian" and described himself as "Trump's worst nightmare" -- "a
progressive Muslim immigrant".

They've cast each other as prime adversaries for months.

But the Republican president and the new Democratic star have also indicated
an openness to finding areas of agreement that help the city they both call
home.

Mamdani, who takes office in January, said he sought the meeting with Trump
to talk about ways to make New York City more affordable.

Trump has said he may want to help him out, but he has also falsely labelled
Mamdani as a communist and threatened to pull federal funds from New York
City.

(JM)

Posted on 2025-11-21 15:15:13

The TPP legislative caucus says, the Executive Yuan's version of draft
amendments to a law governing how tax revenues are divided amongst local
governments is a hoax.

This comes after the Executive Yuan proposed its own version of the
amendments, which would allocate a record 1.2 trillion NT to local
governments.

Officials say allocations to the 6 special municipalities would rise by 15%
under the plan.

That includes Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung.

Meanwhile allocations to the other 16 local governments would increase by
25%.

Premier Zhuo Rong-tai has called on the legislature to deal with the
executive yuan's version as quickly as possible...

but prospects seem unlikely, as the legislature has already proposed their
own version.

TPP Chair and Lawmaker Huang Kuo-chang says that the ruling party is "playing
a game of numbers."

Huang claims that the executive yuan's removal of more than 200 billion NT
from the draft amendments constitutes "manipulation."

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-21 15:15:13

Now turning to international news

The ousted former president of South Korea has been indicted on allegations
that he and others tried to cover up the details of a marine's drowning.

Yoon Suk Yeol is being investigated by three independent counsels over his
martial law decree nearly one year ago.

But now Yoon, his former defense minister, and others are being charged with
abuse of power.

They're accused of trying to alter an investigative report that held one of
the marine corps' division commanders and seven others responsible for the
death of the marine.

Yoon is also accused of ordering the investigator behind the report fired.

Meanwhil, the trial over charges that he masterminded a rebellion is ongoing
and a verdict may come early next year.

A conviction on that charge carries the possible penalty of capital
punishment or life imprisonment.

Yoon was also indicted on charges earlier this month alleging he ordered
drone flights over North Korea to deliberately create military tensions and
justify martial law.

Posted on 2025-11-21 15:15:13

In New Delhi residents have been burdened by toxic smog for nearly 2 months.

On top of the smell, the surging pollution is a worsening public health
crisis.

Government efforts to fix the National Capital Region- which is home to over
46 million people- have been unsuccessful.

The government has tried temporarily shutting down polluters and reducing the
movements of cars through the city.

But in the winter, smog touches every aspect of daily life.

Health officials advise people to limit outdoor activity when pollution is
high, saying the risks of breathing the sirty air outweigh the benefits.

Posted on 2025-11-21 15:15:13

The US government is releasing a new crash test dummy design that advocates
say will help make cars safer for women.

Women are 73% more likely than men to be injured in a head-on crash, and 17%
more likely than men to be killed in a car crash.

The version of the dummy that currently exists in a smaller version of the
male one.

It's often tested in the passgenger or back seats, but not in the driver's
seat...

even though most licensed drivers in the country are women.

Posted on 2025-11-21 14:08:13

Premier Zhuo Rong Tai says, he hopes that the Legislature will quickly pass
the Executive Yuan's version of amendments to a law controlling how tax
revenues are allocated to local governments.

The cabinet's version includes a record 1.2 trillion NT in revenue to
Taiwan's 22 municipalities, with allocations to the 16 regular municipalities
rising by 25%.

However, the Legislature passed its own version of the amendments last week,
and, being controlled by the opposition, may prioritize its own version.

The premier says that he hopes the legislature will review the amendments as
quickly as possible.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-21 14:08:13

Taiwanese manufacturing giant Hon Hai, or Foxconn, has announced major new
partnerships in the United States aimed at boosting the country's AI hardware
capabilities.

The company will work with OpenAI to design and prepare manufacturing for
next-generation artificial intelligence infrastructure, including advanced
data-center equipment.

OpenAI will share insight into emerging hardware needs and get early access
to evaluate new systems, though the deal currently involves no purchase
commitments.

Hon Hai says the initiative will help strengthen American AI supply chains
and support U-S leadership in the sector.

In a separate agreement, Hon Hai is forming a joint venture with Alphabet's
Intrinsic to develop an AI-powered robotics factory of the future, aiming to
deliver more flexible, adaptive, and cost-effective automation solutions for
electronics production.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-21 14:08:13

NAtional Securtity Bureau deputy secretary general Lin Fei Fan is defending
the government's decision to issue "civil defense handbooks" to all citizens.

Lin notes that these types of emergency preparation handbooks are common in
other countries...

and that they are meant to provide information at the fingertips in an
emergency.

Lin took to facebook to remind the public that the "little orange books," as
he called them, have started to be distributed across the country.

The booklets will be distributed to anyone with household registration

Lin points out that the trend of distributing such information has long been
common in countries under threat by Russia, like in Finland and Sweden.

Officials say, distribution of the books should be completed before the Lunar
New Year.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-21 14:08:13

Taiwan shares are sharply down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 991
points to close the session at 26434.

The turnover was 549.8 billion NT.

Posted on 2025-11-21 14:08:13

Police in Thailand have arrested a suspected Russian hacker who is wanted by
the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Identified as Denis Obrezko, the suspect is wated for alleged cyberattacks on
the US.

He entered the resort island of Phuket on October 30th and was taken into
custody earlier this month.

Thailand's Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau said an FBI tip led to the
arrest.

Police seized laptops, phones, and digital wallets during the raid.

Obrezko is being held at his hotel pending possible extradition to the US.

Posted on 2025-11-21 14:08:13

Officials say, a fire at the COP 30 UN climate talks in Brazil is prompting
evacuations.

The UN says, 13 people were treated for smoke inhalation.

Organizers say that the fire was brought under control in about 6 minutes.

The entire conference site, though, was evacuated and remained closed for
about seven hours before reopening.

Attendees have since trickled back into the venue.

Officials say that the fire started near the Chinese pavilion, which was
among several pavilions on the sidelines of the climate talks.

Posted on 2025-11-21 13:08:13

Kaohsiung lawmakers are urging support for Japan amidst its diplomatic row
with China.

They're encouraging the public to support Japan by buying Japanese imports
like apples, persimmons, and oranges...

as well as to travel to Japan.

That's after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that Japan may be obliged to
intereve militarily if China launched an attack on Taiwan.

Since then, China has cautioned its citizens against traveling to or studying
in Japan...

and has also made comments indicating that it will stop importing certain
Japanese products.

DPP Lawmakers Qiu Yi Ying, Xu Zhi Jie, Huang Jie, and others held a press
conference today to call on Taiwanese people to support Japan in any way
possible.

They emphasized that Japan has long been on "Team Taiwan," and now it's
Taiwan's turn to support Japan.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-21 13:08:13

And in related news...

The US State Department is reaffirming its commitment to the US-Japan
alliance and to maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait.

That's folllowing several economic reprisals by Beijing against Tokyo for its
perceived support of Taiwan.

A spokesman for the department said that the US remains unwavering in its
support for Japan's defense...

adding that they oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in
the Taiwan Strait.

That marks the first proactive reaction by the State Department to China's
condemnation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Her comments make Takaichi the first Japanese leader in decades to publicly
say that a Taiwan Strait crisis could lead to Japanese military involvement.

Posted on 2025-11-21 13:08:13

In Cambodia, police say 16 people are dead following a bus crash.

Another two dozen were injured in the crash.

Officials say the bus had been traveling from near the Angkor Wat temple
complex to the capital Phnom Penh.

They say that all those aboard the bus were Cambodian nationals.

The crash is still under investigation, but officials say a preliminary
investigation suggests that the driver was drowsy.

It's not clear if the driver is among the dead or not.

There were believed to be about 40 passengers onboard when the bus crashed.

Posted on 2025-11-21 13:08:13

A 1940 self-portrait by Frida Kalho has made records, selling for 54.7
million USD at a Sotheby's auction in New York.

Kahlo's "El sueno (La cama)" thus surpasses the record for a work by a woman
artist.

The previous record was held by Georgia O'Keefee's "Jimson Weed/White Flower
No. 1," which sold for 44.4 million.

Kahlo's painting shows herself asleep in a bed with a skeleton above her.

The auction house describes it as a meditation on the boundary between sleeo
and death.

Posted on 2025-11-21 07:32:14

The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved draft amendments to a law controlling
how tax revenues are allocated to local governments.

The changes drafted by the Ministry of Finance would see the central
government allocate a record $1.2 trillion NT in tax revenues to Taiwan's 22
city and county governments.

Cabinet Secretary-General Xavier Chang says allocations to the island's six
special municipalities, that's Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan
and Kaohsiung, would rise by 15 percent under the plan.

Allocations to the 16 other city and county governments would increase by 25
percent.

The Cabinet's draft bill faces dim prospects in the opposition-controlled
Legislature, which passed its own revisions to the revenue allocation act
last Friday.

The KMT stated that the amendments the Legislature passed should take
precedence.

The TPP accused the Cabinet of "using erroneous numbers to deceive people,"
and vowed to take steps against what it called the Cabinet's
"unconstitutional, disorderly" actions.

Posted on 2025-11-21 07:32:14

Labor Minister Hung Sun-han says the government will move to strengthen legal
protections for sick leave following the death of a flight attendant in
October.

Speaking at the Legislative Yuan, Hung said crew interviews conducted during
the MOL investigation showed that EVA Air "excessively used" its evaluation
management system, causing staff to believe that applying for sick leave
would lead to punitive treatment.

He says the ministry will amend laws to state that when a worker takes no
more than 10 days of sick leave in a year, the employer may not impose
unfavorable treatment.

Deputy Labor Minister Lee Chien-hung says the amendments are scheduled to
take effect Jan. 1 next year, authorizing fines of up to $1 million NT for
employers who violate the rules.

According to the MOL's plan, once a worker claims they faced unfavorable
treatment for taking sick leave, the employer will bear the burden of proof.

Employers will also not be allowed to withhold an employee's entire bonus due
to partial-month sick leave.

Posted on 2025-11-20 20:11:13

The Ministry of Finance is warning the public about new scam websites
pretending to offer the government's 10-thousand NT universal cash handout.

Officials say five fake sites were detected this week through real-time
monitoring, and internet service providers have been ordered to block access.

The ministry says the only official website ends with “.gov.tw”, and the
correct address for the cash handout program is: "1-0-0-0-0.gov.tw".

Any site using extra numbers or letters before “gov” should be treated as
suspicious.

A special task force is now monitoring the web around the clock and will
immediately shut down fraudulent websites as they appear.

The ministry is also reminding the public that the government will never send
text messages, emails, or phone calls asking people to enter information, use
ATMs, or make online transfers.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-20 20:11:13

Jade Mountain has recorded its first snowfall of the season, lasting around
thirty minutes just after noon today.

The Central Weather Administration says the flakes melted as soon as they
touched the ground, leaving no accumulation.

The agency defines the first snowfall based on the earliest recorded solid
precipitation at the mountain's weather station each year between October and
the following March.

Historical data shows the earliest first snow on record was October 1st in
1986, while the latest was March 26th in 2023.

Normally, the season's first snowfall occurs between November 8th and
December 31st, with the long-term average falling on December 4th.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-20 20:11:13

Over 60 delegations from across the world are meeting in Brussels discuss
reconstruction and governance in Gaza.

France and Saudi Arabia are chairing the Palestine Donors Group meeting
focused on reforms of the Palestinian Authority called for in a U-S peace
plan that was recently approved by the U-N Security Council.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and Minister Estephan Salameh are
leading the Palestinian delegation.

The European Union, the largest financial supporter of the Palestinian
Authority, hopes the PA can effectively rule Gaza after deep reforms.

But the U-S is demanding it reform first, and Israel rejects it outright.

Posted on 2025-11-20 18:58:13

Premier Chuo Rong-tai is calling on the ruling party caucus to "fight hard"
for the Cabinet's version of the revised Allocation of Government Revenues if
the opposition-majority Legislature continues to boycott the law.

Chuo said if the Cabinet is forced to implement the Legislative Yuan's
version of the revised law passed last week, it'll be "a financial landslide"
for the governments' budgets.

At a press conference, the Premier said the Executive Yuan's draft is the
version with the broadest consensus and the most reasonable design, adding
that all lawmakers should support it.

As for how he's going to deal with the amendments to the law that the
Legislative Yuan itself passed on November 14th, Chuo said he would have to
return it to the Legislature before the deadline of 27th.

Meanwhile the DPP caucus has urged Legislative Speaker Han Guo-yu to hold
cross-party negotiations over the Cabinet's draft sent to the Legislative
Yuan today.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, on the other hand, said he has yet to see the
details of that draft and doesn't know how much funding that his city will
get, but he's hoping for more communications.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-20 18:58:13

The Taipei City Government has confirmed that plots T17 and T18 in the
Beitou-Shilin Technology Park will be allocated to NVIDIA for its Taiwan
headquarters.

Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan says the city is finalizing the termination of its
contract with Shin Kong Life, which currently holds development rights to the
sites.

He says once the termination is complete, the land will be transferred to
NVIDIA, and the company has already submitted a written investment proposal.

Mayor Chiang Wan-an says NVIDIA is in the process of establishing a Taiwan
subsidiary, and both sides hope to complete signing before the Lunar New
Year.

Officials say the city will move forward with zoning and administrative
procedures to support the project, which is expected to involve more than $12
billion NT in development and land fees.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-20 18:58:13

The Ministry of Labor says EVA Air violated the Labor Standards Act and
mishandled the case of a flight attendant who died after working while
seriously ill.

Investigators found the airline relied too heavily on its attendance
management system, creating what the ministry called a high-pressure
workplace culture that discouraged staff from taking sick leave.

The report also criticized EVA Air for inadequate emergency procedures when
crew members fall ill during flights.

It said the flight attendant was not given proper support after returning to
Taiwan.

In addition, the ministry found problems with how national holidays were
scheduled for the worker—another violation of labor rules.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-20 16:07:13

Google has officially opened its largest AI infrastructure R&D center outside
the U-S, in Taipei's Shilin District.

According to Google, the campus will be responsible for testing new
technologies that will power its data centers globally—systems used by
billions of users every day.

The company is deepening its investment in Taiwan, noting strong engineering
talent and a sophisticated supply chain make the island a major global hub
for AI development.

Executives say the ability of Google's data centers in Taiwan to test and
deploy new technology can cut development time for some projects by more than
40 percent.

The new Shilin center houses more than ten specialised labs and was designed
with sustainability in mind, marking what Google calls a new AI-driven
chapter in Taiwan.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-20 16:07:17

DPP Secretary General Xu Guo Yong says, options for DPP nominees for the
mayoral races in Taipei and Taoyuan are many...

but picking the most suitable candidates is a real challenge.

The party has not yet named their recommendations for those positions.

Xu emphasized the importance of experience, public opinion, and name
recogntition in the party's considerations...

noting that many had suggested lawmakers Wang Shi Jian and Puma Shen, and
Forward Taiwan founder Wu Yi Nong for the Taipei nominee.

He said the DPP is hoping to finish recommending candidates by the time
Lunar New Year rolls around...

although there may be one or two cases that take more time, such as in Kinmen
or Matsu.

The DPP plans next week to officially recommend Su Qiao Hui to run in New
Taipei and Chen Pin An to run in Miaoli.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-20 16:07:17

Foreign Minister Lin Jia-lung is urging Taiwanese people to help boost
tourism to and exports from Japan.

That's when Japan is facing a wave of retaliation from China since their
prime minister made comments seen by China as in support of Taiwan.

Lin notes at the Legislative Yuan that China has often used "economic and
military coercion to bully other countries."

That's as China has issued advisories for its citizens against traveling to
or studying in Japan...

and has said it will ban all imports of Japanese seafood.

Lin called on Taiwanese people to support Japan with tourism and the purchase
of Japanese imports.

(AH-CNA)

Posted on 2025-11-20 16:07:17

In world news...

South African authorities say they are planning for multiple protests by
local and international activists around this weekend's Group of 20 world
leaders summit in Johannesburg.

South Africa has deployed 3,500 extra police officers and put the army on
standby under its National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure.

That body brings police, army and intelligence services together under one
command to provide security for major events.
Several groups have said they will launch protests against the two-day
meeting of leaders from the richest and top emerging economies.

South Africa says the protests will be allowed but will be confined to
designated areas.

Posted on 2025-11-20 16:07:17

Indonesian authorities say they are helping more than 170 climbers caught by
Mount Semeru’s sudden eruption to return to safety.

The seismic activity of the country's highest volcano indicates that the
eruption will continue.

About 178 people, including climbers, porters, guides, tourism officials and
tourists, started their way up the the 3,676-meter mountain in the Luma-jang
district of East Java province Wednesday.

The climbers became stranded at the Ranu Kumbolo camping area.

Nearly 1,000 residents in three villages most at risk in the district were
evacuated to government shelters. No casualties have been reported.

Semeru’s last major eruption was in December 2021 when it left 51 people dead

Posted on 2025-11-20 15:07:13

The Executive Yuan has approved its version of amendments to the Fiscal
Revenue and Expenditure Division Act and will send it to the Legislative Yuan
for review.

According to the draft, total central government subsidies to local
governments, including centrally-funded tax revenues, general subsidies, and
project-based grants, will not be lower than this year.

Overall funding for local governments is expected to reach $1.2 trillion NT,
the highest on record.

After weeks of political contention over the act, the Executive Yuan
presented its own draft amendments with the main goals of achieving more
balanced living standards nationwide and fairer urban–rural distribution.

The Yuan also said that after amending the law, the scale of the
Centrally-Funded tax revenues will reach $821 billion NT, an increase of over
$353 billion compared with 2025.

With that increase, the Yuan said there be no need to allocate additional
funds for general subsidies to local governments.

Premier Chuo Rong-tai is urging the Legislative Yuan to pass this version of
the law soon, saying again that he'll definitely reject the Legislature's
version enacted last week.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-20 15:07:13

The Minister of Labor says, they will strengthen the legal protection of
workers' rights to 10 days of sick leave a year.

Labor Minister Hong Shen Han says, following internal discussion, his
ministry will amend the regulations to ensure that when employees take sick
leave, they won't be punished.

Going forward, he says, employers must ensure equal treatment for employees
that take 10 sick days or less annually.

This comes after an E V A Air flight attendant died after working while she
was ill.

Some wondered if the flight attendant was reluctant to take sick leave for
fear of unfavorable treatment.

Hong stresses that employers should evaluate employees based on their work
ability, attitude, and overall performance, and must not use the number of
sick-leave days as the sole criterion.

He also said that employers violating the new regulations will be punished.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-20 15:07:13

Now turning to international news...

South Africa says, it's planning for multiple protests by local and
international activists ahead of the G20 summit.

They've deployed 3500 extra police officers and put the military on standy.

Several groups have said that they will launch protests against the two-day
meeting of leaders from the richest and top emerging economies.

South Africa says, the protests will be allowed but will be restricted to
certain areas.

They say, they've designated specific areas for protesters to gather near the
summit venue.

The two-day meeting in Johannesburg opens Saturday and is expected to bring
leaders and siplomats from more than 40 countries to the city.

Posted on 2025-11-20 15:07:13

A new poll in the US has found that about half of adults in the country
believe democracy is functioning "very" or "moderately" poorly in the
country.

That's compared to only one fourth that thought it was doing "very" or
"moderately" well.

The findings marks a sharp decline from several decades ago, when most
thought democracy was generally working as it should.

The poll also finds that few believe the country's leaders are committed to
democratic governance..

Only about one fourth believe government decisions reflect the will of the
people.

The results come at a tumultuous time in US politics, marked by extreme
polarization, rapid social change and deep economic anxiety.

Posted on 2025-11-20 15:07:13

The 76th annual National Book Awards have been presented by the nonprofit
National Book Foundation.

Rabih Alameddine's "The True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)" won
the National Book Award for fiction.

Meanwhlie the nonfiction prize went to Omar El Akkad's "One Day, Everyone
Will Have Always Been Against This..."

and the poetry winner was Patricia Smith's "The Intentions of Thunder: New
and Selected Poems."

Hundreds of writers, publishers, editors and other industry professionals
gathered in New York for the ceremony.

It also included honorary awards for George Saunders and Roxane Gay.

Posted on 2025-11-20 14:07:13

Helped Recovery Efforts

The Ministry of the Interior announced today that it is opening applications
for construction companies to hire migrant workers in order to thank those
who assisted in recovery efforts following a recent typhoon and heavy rains.

The Ministry stated that 517 construction firms put aside their existing
projects to help repair homes for affected residents in the disaster zones,
and to acknowledge their efforts, the Cabinet has approved a special rprogram
allowing these general construction companies to apply for migrant worker
quotas.

Effective immediately, construction companies that can provide a disaster
relief certificate from a local government or a letter of appreciation from a
government agency, and that meet the hiring regulations of the Ministry of
Labor, can apply for employer qualification status.

Hiring under this program will be open until the end of next year.

The ministry says it's also working to extend this special program to cover
construction companies involved in the ongoing recovery from the Matai'an
Creek overflow in Hualien County.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-20 14:07:13

Taichung police said they've arrested 19 people suspected of running a scam
ring in the city.

The scam group colluded with the second-category telecommuncation operators
to recruit landline and Internet users and lured them into fake investment or
lawsuit schemes.

Police said nearly 300 victims made over 400-thousand phone callls during the
four months time and lost a total of 300 million NT.

Taichung police, in a joint effort with Taipei police, have sent 19 to the
Taichung Prosecutors Office for further investigations.

Police called the fraud ring one of the most "sophisticated" of any
discovered by police in recent years.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-20 14:07:13

Taiwan shares rebounded strongly today as did many other Asian stock markets
after Nvidia reported stronger than expected quarterly earnings, soothing
worries that AI-driven stock prices may have shot too high.

The Taiex advanced 846 points to end the session at 27,426.

The turnover was robust as well, at 577 billion NT.

Posted on 2025-11-20 14:07:13

Pressure is mounting on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take
stronger action to show accountability in the face of a corruption scandal.

The incident presents the greatest threat to his government since Russia’s
full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy has dismissed two top officials and imposed sanctions on close
associates after government investigators revealed that an amound equals 100
million US dollars had been embezzled from the country’s energy sector.

It was done through kickbacks paid by contractors.

But that hasn’t quieted the political storm.

After more than three years of war in which Ukrainians face regular power
outages, corruption in the energy sector isn’t sitting well with the public.

Calls are growing for Zelenskyy to remove his chief of staff, who many
consider to be Ukraine’s de facto vice president.

Posted on 2025-11-20 13:11:14

The Cabinet has proposed the amendments to the Labor Insurance Act to make it
the government's obligations to subsidize the Labor Insurance Fund.

The amendments aim to maintain the liquidity of the Fund, and the Cabinet
will discuss and approve the draft later today.

It will state clearly that the central government bears ultimate
responsibility for the Fund, and requires a financial review at least once
every three years.

As for the amount of the government's contribution, it will be based on the
nation’s fiscal condition and the financial status of the Labor Insurance
system.

According to the Bureau of Labor Funds, the Fund’s premium income has been
insufficient to cover benefit payments for eight consecutive years.

The projected shortfalls for 2025 and 2026 are $85 billion and $101 billion
NT, respectively, and the fund is expected to be depleted by 2031.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-20 13:11:15

A leopard cat has been photographed in the Alishan region for the first time
in 31 years, setting a new high-altitude record for the Chiayi-Tainan area.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency announced today that an infrared
automatic camera captured the leopard cat in state-owned forests near the
Lijia Tribe in Alishan Township earlier this month.

The site is located at an altitude of about 1-thousand-700 meters, making it
the highest elevation where a leopard cat has been found in the Chiayi and
Tainan region.

Officials noted that this discovery confirms the importance of the Zengwen
River region as a crucial wildlife corridor, as a leopard cat was also
sighted at the lower reaches of the river in Tainan two years ago.

The leopard cat is listed as an endangered species, and although stable
populations exist in Miaoli, Taichung, and Nantou, sightings in other
counties like Chiayi and Tainan have been sporadic.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-20 13:11:15

Now turning to international news

A planned trip to Taiwan by lawmakers from Panama has sparked a diplomatic
spat with China.

Panama's Foreign Relations Ministry and the US ambassador to Panama are
criticizing China for asking the lawmakers to cancel their trip...

with the ministry accusing China of meddling in its affairs.

Local newspaper La Prensa reported that 10 lawmakers were asked by the
Chinese embassy to cancel their trip...

as they claimed it "seriously violated the principle of one China" and
constitutes "an intervention in Chinese internal affairs."

This comes after Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said that the trip was
not approved by his office.

Panama established formal relations with China in 2017 after breaking them
off with Taiwan.

Posted on 2025-11-20 13:11:15

In South Africa, an anti-migrant group is blocking foreigners from public
health clinics in the country.

Members of Operation Dudula are demanding local identity documents and
turning away those without them.

The Johannesburg High Court has called the group's actions unlawful... and
the local government says health care is available to all under the law.

But Operation Dudula's popularity is rising in the country, which has seen
waves of sometimes deadly anti-immigrant sentiment.

Some migrants have fled to seek care in areas where the group isn't active.

Posted on 2025-11-20 12:17:13

The Ministry of Education has admitted that there's no way to ban social
network websites such as TikTok on campus.

Vice Education Minister Liu Guo-wei said what the MOE can do is to strengthen
students' and teachers' awareness of fake news, advertisements and the risks
of leaking personal information.

Liu noted that while the Ministry has already blocked TikTok and red-note
from the academic network, students can still use their own cellphones to
access those websites.

But lawmakers have criticized the materials published by the MOE to
"strengthen digital literacy education" as unattractive, saying that in one
case, the video only drew 1-thousand clicks.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-20 12:17:14

The deputy legislative speaker is thanking the president of Paraguay, on his
visit to the country.

Deputy Speaker Jiang Qi Chen praised President Santiago PeNa for supporting
Taiwan on the world stage.

Jiang said that PeNa's resolute backing of Taiwan encourages both sides to
deepen economic cooperation.

He also welcomed PeNa to return to Taiwan for another visit.

The Taichung lawmaker is currently leading a tri-party delegation to the
Americas, having first visited the US before heading south to Paraguay.

PeNa welcomed the group of legislators to Paraguay at the Palace of
Government...

and touted the two countries' partnership that has faced many challenges.

As a result, the president said, Paraguay treasures the value of independence
and autonomy.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-20 12:17:14

DPP Secretary General Xu Guo Yong is slamming the main opposition parties.

That's after TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang met with KMT Chair Zheng Li Wen
yesterday.

The two discussed prospects for collaboration in next year's local elections.

Both parties have also appeared open to the idea of forming what they call a
"unity government..."

which Zheng says would be similar to the dual executive system in France.

Xu says the the meeting does not help heal divisions in the country or
confront threats to Taiwan's security.

He in particular criticized Huang for failing to mention the fact that
several KMT members have been indicted for forging signatures in recall
campaigns.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-20 12:17:14

The Central Weather Administration says, temperatures across Taiwan will
start to rise today...

with the warmer weather sticking around until Sunday.

At that time, the CWA added, seasonal northeasterly winds will again
strengthen.

After the warmer weather passes on Sunday, the CWA says that temperatures
will fall again early next week.

And as for today, they say that daytime highs in the north will be between 20
and 22, while the center and south will get up to between 25 and 27 degrees.

Meanwhile, evening lows today will reach 15 to 17 degrees.

The CWA adds that the lowest temperatures recorded in lowland areas of
mainland Taiwan today was 12.8 degrees in Nantou's Mingjian.

And they say areas on the Keelung north coast, and in Yilan, Hualien, and
parts of Greater Taipei can expect some localized rain today...

while Taitung and Pingtung can expect drizzles.

Tomorrow, the CWA says that sporadic showers will continue in the east and
north, while other areas will be overcast.

Posted on 2025-11-20 12:17:14

Officials say rescuers have recovered more bodies in the search for people
buried under landslides in two areas of Indonesia’s main island of Java,
raising the confirmed death toll to 23.

Workers digging through mud and rubble with nearly two dozen excavators in
Central Java province retrieved four bodies yesterday...

after landslides last week hit dozens of houses in three villages.

A National Disaster Mitigation Agency official said the findings raised the
death toll to 20 in that area with three people still missing.

Rescuers also Wednesday retrieved a body from a landslide in another part of
Central Java, raising the toll there to three with 25 reportedly missing.

More than 500 rescue personnel have been deployed to search for people
reportedly missing after landslides and flooding sent nearly 1,000 residents
into government shelters.

Posted on 2025-11-20 12:17:14

Turkey will host next year's annual United Nations climate talks, as
Australia late Wednesday bowed out of the race to host the conference after a
protracted standoff.

As Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spoke at the U.N.
conference, this year being hosted by Brazil, Australian Climate and Energy
Minister Chris Bowen announced on the sidelines that his country had
officially pulled out.

While Turkey won the bid to host the climate conference in the resort city of
Antalya, Bowen is expected to act as president of next year's negotiations,
part of a compromise he said had been worked out with Turkey.

As president of the negotiations, Bowen said he would have all the powers to
“handle the negotiations, to appoint co-facilitators, to prepare draft text,
and to issue the cover decision.”

Ethiopia was announced as host for COP32 earlier this week.

Other nations, including India, have already bid to host the talks the year
after that.

Posted on 2025-11-20 12:17:14

The head of the Louvre Museum says that new surveillance cameras and
anti-intrusion systems will soon be installed at the Paris landmark after
last month’s crown jewels heist.

The Louvre director says cameras — about 100 of them — will be up and
running by the end of next year while anti-intrusion systems will start to be
put in place within two weeks.

Also, a new security coordinator position has been created.

Thieves used power tools and less than 8 minutes to steal jewels worth $102
million US dollars in October.

The director emphasized that security improvements are part of a decade-long
plan to modernize the Louvre and manage its increasing visitor numbers.

Posted on 2025-11-19 18:43:13

Health experts say most Taiwanese people are not getting enough calcium in
their daily diets.

An official health survey from 2017 to 2020 shows that every age group except
children aged one to three consumes only about half of the recommended daily
intake.

They warned that without enough calcium, growing teens may never reach their
peak bone strength.

And for older adults, it means a higher risk of weak bones and painful
fractures.

They say low calcium can also trigger muscle cramps, numbness, and even
irregular heartbeat.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare recommends 1 thousand 200 milligrams of
calcium per day for teenagers, and one thousnad milligrams for adults,
seniors, and pregnant women.

Foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, tofu, black sesame, dried small fish, and
leafy greens offer good sources.

Experts add that sunlight, vitamin D, exercise, and limiting salt, caffeine,
and alcohol can also help strengthen bone health.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-19 18:43:16

Women in Taiwan are having their first child later than ever.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the average age for first-time
mothers has risen to over 31.6, up more than four years in two decades.

More than 30 percent of all newborns now come from mothers 35 and older, as
delayed marriage and changing lifestyles make late parenthood increasingly
common.

Health officials warn that freezing eggs does not eliminate the medical risks
of older pregnancies.

Fertility and IVF success rates drop quickly after 36, and by 44, live-birth
rates fall to around 5 percent.

Older mothers face higher chances of miscarriage, preterm birth, and
pregnancy complications.

Men also see declining sperm quality after 40, raising genetic risks.

Authorities say couples should seek medical help if they're unable to
conceive after one year.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-19 18:43:16

Taipei is set to invest more than five million NT annually to promote
carbon-neutral education across its schools ... in the initial phase.

The city's Department of Education says 150 events have already been held
this year, including workshops, teacher training, and outreach programs,
helping schools learn how to reduce emissions.

Officials say forty-seven schools are already drafting their own plans to
become carbon neutral ... with another sixty expected to join next year.

Each school will receive annual funding of 50 thousand NT to cover staff and
curriculum-related expenses.

The program is set to expand city-wide in 2027.

Officials say schools must first complete a carbon inventory, then plan
strategies for reducing emissions.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-19 18:43:16

Hundreds of eager customers lined up outside McDonald’s outlets across
Taiwan today as the fast-food chain re-launched its milkshake after nearly a
decade.

The drink is back for a limited trial at 12 restaurants, drawing fans as
early as 7:30 AM for the 10:30 AM release.

McDonald's ended milkshake sales in Taiwan in November 2016 ... due to
lower-than-expected demand, but the drink retained a loyal following.

The returning milkshakes come in vanilla and strawberry, with a
four-per-customer limit.

The promotion also includes special Grimace-themed items, including a fuzzy
bag and a Taiwan-exclusive tote.

Posted on 2025-11-19 16:21:13

Chen Shu-zi (陳淑姿), the Directorate-General of Budget and Accounting chief,
has stressed the difficulty of revising the 2026 general budget amid disputes
over the allocation of government revenues between the executive and
legislative branch.

Asked about next year's budget, Chen said there's no way to do the budget all
over again.

She stressed that the Cabinet will send its version of the amendments to the
Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures Act to the Legislative
Yuan tomorrow, and she's hoping that the Legislature can pass it.

In a bid to secure a fairer share of tax revenues, the Legislative Yuan
amended the law last year to require that the central government allocate
$416.7 billion NT to local governments.

However, the Executive Yuan not only refused to implement the revised law,
but also cut general and special subsidies to cities and counties by a total
of $394.6 billion for this year.

The move prompted the Legislative Yuan to amend the law again last week,
drawing the ire of Premier Chuo Rong-tai.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-19 16:21:19

In world news....

China is rapidly replacing its aging diesel trucks with electric models,
signaling a major shift in the world’s largest vehicle market.

Sales of electric trucks jumped 175% in the first half of 2025, with
battery-electric vehicles now making up more than a fifth of the market.

Electric trucks are now cheaper to buy and operate than diesel ones.

Forecasts suggest heavy-duty electrics could account for half of new sales by
2028.

Analysts estimate that the transition is displacing a substantial amount of
oil demand each day, undercutting diesel and LNG consumption and defying
earlier expectations of continued growth in China’s LNG transport sector.

Posted on 2025-11-19 16:21:18

The New Taipei City Health Department announced today that 4,600 eggs from
the Wenya Livestock Farm in Changhua were sold to consumers in the Xinzhuang
District.

These are eggs that were delivered after the farm was placed under movement
control for repeated test results showing excessive levels of the pesticide
fipronil.

City officials say after the farm was placed under movement restrictions, a
Changhua egg distributor shipped 10-thousand Wenya eggs to two retailors in
New Taipei City's Xinzhuang District.

The offiicals say that these specific eggs are not the batches confirmed to
be contaminated with fipronil, but the department has pre-emptively ordered
the products off the shelves.

The department says it was able to intercept 5-thousand-400 eggs, but around
4,600 eggs, were sold to mainly individual consumers.

Both Xinzhuang retailors were ordered to offer refunds or exchanges to any
consumer with concerns.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-19 14:12:13

The Ministry of Economic Affairs is planning to construct a second line of
defense along the Matai'an Creek in Hualien to reduce the risk of flooding
from future extreme weather events.

Today, a joint legislative committee is reviewing a special reconstruction
budget for the area affected by the recent Typhoon Fung-wong, and Vice
Economics Minister Chien-Hsin Lai provided details about the plan.

In the short term, Lai says the immediate priority is to strengthen river
dredging, silt removal, and earthwork transport in both the Mata'an and
Hualien river channels and raising existing embankments to enhance structural
stability.

And long-term measures include constructing primary embankments designed to
withstand the impact of sediment and debris, as well as building a second
line of defense and buffer zone to effectively mitigate flood overflow risk
during extreme weather events.

The special disaster reconstruction budget totals 27 billion New Taiwan
dollars for expenditures, with the Ministry of Economic Affairs allocated 9.1
billion New Taiwan dollars for water system governance and fortifying
disaster resilience for Taiwan Power and Taiwan Water utilities.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-19 14:12:14

China Airlines says it is launching Taiwan's first-ever Disney-themed
aircraft, featuring characters from the new Disney film "Zootopia 2," with
its inaugural flight departing from Taipei to Los Angeles today.

The carrier says the special livery aircraft is a Boeing 777-300ER and will
primarily serve the Taipei-LA route.

C-A-L says the plane will later be assigned to other family-friendly
destinations, including Ontario, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Osaka.

The airline says it's part of a 6-month deal with Disney to appeal to an
increasingly younger travel market.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-19 14:12:19

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is calling on El Salvador to
protect the rights of three Salvadoran men deported by the United States.

The commission says the men have been held without communication with lawyers
or relatives since their arrival.

The Salvadoran government has confirmed the detention of two men in Santa Ana
and a third in a new gang prison.

The issue affects nearly 90-thousand people arrested under emergency powers
granted to President Nayib Bukele in March 2022.

The commission granted protective measures due to a serious risk to the men's
rights.

El Salvador's government has not denied the incommunicado detention.

Posted on 2025-11-19 14:12:14

Taiwan shares fell today, continuing a downward trend after plunging by
nearly 700 points yesterday, following other struggling Asian markets and
investors awaiting an earnings update from Nvidia.

The Taiex lost 176 points, or 0.7-percent, to end the session at 26,580.

Turnover was $494-billion NT.

Posted on 2025-11-19 11:20:13

Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo is reaffirming his country's ties with
Taiwan, on his visit to the country.

Teo made the comments dueing a military ceremony presided over by President
Lai ching-te to welcome him.

He said that Tuvalu treasures its special relationship with Taiwan...

while Lai noted that Teo's trip represents the strong and enduring friendship
between the two countries and demonstrates Teo's high regard and support for
relations.

Lai said that both Tuvalu and Taiwan have engaged in closer exchanges in
areas like public health and medicine, agriculture and fisheries, energy,
information and communications technology, and talent cultivation.

He pledged to continue to face challenges posed by geopolitics and climate
change together.

Teo also signed three pacts, including one establishing legal framework to
further strengthen bilateral ties, another to promote fisheries cooperation,
and a third to foster exchanges in sport.

The Tuvaluan Prime Minister arrived in Taiwan on Monday and are set to stay
through Saturday.

Posted on 2025-11-19 11:20:13

The Centers for Disease Control is warning of a rise in flu cases starting
next month.

They say, infections are likely to peak around Lunar New Year.

The CDC noted that over 93,000 people sought outpatient or emergency care for
flu-like symptoms last week, marking a more than 9% drop from the week prior.

However, dozens of several flu cases were reported in the past week, 10 of
which were fatal.

This comes as neighboring China, South Korea, and Japan are all seeing rising
flu cases.

Officials urge travelers to receive their flu vaccines before traveling to
any of those countries, particularly Japan.

They add that Taiwan entered the epidemic period roughly one month earlier
than usual this year, recording 300 severe flu cases since last month.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-19 11:20:13

Wei Yu-tze 危宇澤 has secured Taiwan's first medal at the 2025 Summer
Deaflympics in Tokyo.

He took silver in the men's decathlon.

He finished second with 5985 points, giving Taiwan its first medal since An
Ching-lung　安慶隆　 competed in the same category from 2001-2009.

18 year old Wei made his international debut in Tokyo, where he was the
youngest of 10 competitors.

He previously won gold in the men's long jump and silver in the men's 100
meters at the 2024 World Deaf Youth Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Taiwan has 76 athletes competing in 11 sports at the ongoing Deaflympics.

The games run through Wednesday.

Posted on 2025-11-19 11:20:13

Now turning to international news...

The president of Mexico is firmly rejecting the possibility of US
intervention against drug cartels in her country.

That comes just after the US president said he would support it.

Claudia Sheinbaum said that Mexico would not accept any foreign military
interevention and she noted that she had made herself clear several times to
US officials.

She emphasized collaboration and information sharing, but insisted on
operating within Mexican territory.

Meanwhile, diplomats from both countries are addressing a potential US
incursion involving signs placed on a Mexican beach.

The signs, liked to a US government contractor, marked the area as restricted
property of the US Department of Defense.

Posted on 2025-11-19 11:20:13

A panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices is sentencing high-ranking
military officials to up to 24 years in prison.

That's for attempting a coup and plotting to kill Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and other
officials.

Nine of the 10 defendants are high-ranking military officers, and the other
is a federal police officer.

This follows the sentencing in September of former President Jair Bolsonao to
27 years for leading the charge to overturn the 2022 election...

in which Lula defeated Bolsonaro.

The former president has been under house arrest since August.

Sentences range from just under 2 years to 24 years.

Posted on 2025-11-19 11:20:13

One of the 25 schoolgirls abducted from a dormitory in Nigeria has escaped
and returned home.

That's after gunmen attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary
School earlier this week...

kidnapping the girls and killing one staff member.

The school principal says that the student who escaped fled through forests
to arrive home.

Hunters have joined security forces in the search for the missing students in
forests near the school in the state of Kebbi.

Posted on 2025-11-18 19:17:13

The Yunlin District Prosecutors Office has indicted seven people for
allegedly holding multiple people captive in a disused greenhouse.

Prosecutors said police freed three people and seized illegal narcrotics,
riot guns, ammo, and other contrabands during a raid.

The captives had been promised high-paying jobs or offered money to provide
their names for opening bank accounts used in the fraud.

Prosecutors added that the group had previously succeeded in swindling
victims out of $24 million NT through a fake investment scheme, converting
the money into U-S dollars and transferring it to overseas banks to conceal
the flow of funds.

The group's alleged ringleader and three others have been detained, while the
remaining suspects were later released on bail.

Posted on 2025-11-18 19:17:14

Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo reaffirmed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
during a military ceremony today presided over by President Lai Ching-te.

Teo, who is currently on his first state visit to Taiwan since taking office
.... said Tuvalu treasures its "special relationship with Taiwan, a
relationship built on shared democratic values, mutual trust, and unwavering
cooperation."

President Lai, meanwhile, said both countries have engaged in closer
exchanges in areas such as public health and medicine, agriculture and
fisheries, energy, ICT and talent cultivation.

Teo later signed three pacts, including one to establish the legal framework
to further strengthen bilateral ties, another to promote fisheries
cooperation and a third to foster sports exchanges, at the Presidential
Office.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Teo and his 11-member
delegation arrived in Taiwan on Monday and will stay until Saturday.

Posted on 2025-11-18 18:09:13

'Unreasonable'

Taipei City councilors say that a condition set by Shin Kong Life to
terminate its land-use contract at the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park is
'unreasonable'.

According to Deputy Taipei Mayor Lee Szu-chuan, Shin Kong Life wants a
guarantee that sites T17 and T18 will go to Nvidia before it agrees to the
termination.

City councilors say this demand has no legal basis and urged Shin Kong to
finalize the deal quickly.

They note that Nvidia still needs to clear multiple administrative steps,
though urban-planning procedures have already begun and are expected to take
about three months.

Meanwhile, Nvidia representatives are scheduled to visit Taipei Mayor Chiang
Wan-an this week to present an investment letter stating their intent to
build the Taiwan headquarters on the sites.

The city aims to complete the termination process by the end of this week.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-18 18:09:13

The Control Yuan is urging National Dong Hwa University to review its
procedures in dealing with sexual assault cases on campus.

In an incident involving two professors, the university's Gender Equity
Education Committee only interviewed each party once before concluding that
the crime in 2023 did not occur.

However, the Hua-lien District Court found the male professor guilty of
sexual assault and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment in July this
year.

Control Yuan members said this huge difference between the conclusions made
by N-D-H-U and prosecutors demonstrated the school's failure to consider
other related information.

According to investigations, the female professor asked that her attacker
write a sworn statement admitting the wrongdoing and promising to leave her
alone in June, 2023 and brought her case to the Committee two months later.

But the Committee didn't accept the man's statement as proof and also deemed
the woman's response "atypical," and the Control Yuan says it shows the
University needs more training in grappling such incidents.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-18 18:09:13

The Centers for Disease Control says enterovirus infections are climbing
again in Taiwan and have now crossed the epidemic threshold.

According to the CDC, more than 11 thousand 200 people sought treatment at
clinics and emergency rooms for enterovirus last week — a 3.9-percent
increase from the week before.

The CDC says this marks an unusual late-autumn surge that's expected to
continue until winter vacation in January.

Officials also pointed out that Taiwan has recorded nine deaths due to
enterovirus so far this year, including young children — the highest level
in six years.

Parents are urged to watch for warning signs in children ... and quickly seek
medical attention.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-18 18:09:13

Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he plans to travel to Turkey
this week in a bid to revive negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war.

Turkey hosted low-level talks earlier this year.

But progress was limited to prisoner exchanges.

Zelenskyy will be in Turkey on Wednesday after visiting Spain on Tuesday to
seek new support.

He emphasized that ending the war is Ukraine's top priority.

Ukraine launched an aerial attack on energy infrastructure in the occupied
Donetsk region meanwhile that caused power outages.

A Russian missile strike killed a 17-year-old girl and wounded 10 other
people in the Kharkiv region.

Posted on 2025-11-18 17:11:14

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wen is set to meet TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang tomorrow,
when the two opposition parties are expected to discuss possible cooperation.

The gathering will take place in the afternoon at Hyatt Place in New Taipei's
Xinzhuang District... and will be fully open to the media.

Huang says he hopes the two parties can talk about forming a joint governing
approach.

He notes that when the ruling party causes social division, opposition groups
have a responsibility to work together and "light a lamp for Taiwan's
future".

He adds that while the KMT and TPP may differ on some policies, they've
already collaborated on several major bills over the past year, including
giving holidays back to laborers, military salary increases and allocations
of the government's revenues.

When asked about cross-strait issues, Huang said the two sides must engage in
communication based on goodwill to reduce the risk of an accidental conflict.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-18 17:11:14

The Ministry of Education is advising university faculty and students to
avoid political or united-front activities in mainland China during the
upcoming winter break.

The reminder comes as major institutions, including National Taiwan
University, begin an unusually long vacation ... after having moved to a
16-week semester.

The MOE says it supports healthy cross-strait exchanges, but stresses they
all must follow the Act Governing Relations Between the People of Taiwan and
China.

That law bars Taiwan from working in any form with Chinese political,
military, or government-affiliated organizations.

The ministry has intensified these messages since President Lai designated
China as a "hostile foreign force" in March.

(IG)

Posted on 2025-11-18 17:11:14

Highway reconstruction efforts in Hualien have been temporarily halted due to
a sudden rise in water levels on the Mataian Creek.

The Highway Bureau says heavy rain in upstream mountainous areas caused the
water level downstream to rise sharply, forcing construction crews to
immediately evacuate the riverbed.

The crews were working to repair a temporary culvert bridge which was washed
away during Typhoon Fung-wong, disrupting traffic on Provincial Highway 9.

Officials say they will monitor water levels and will resume work only after
the water recedes to a safe range.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-18 16:06:13

Premier Chuo Rong-tai has directly rejected the Legislative Yuan's latest
amendment to the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures Act,
saying that it can't be funded and therefore cannot be implemented.

He claimed that if he were to accept the Legislature's version passed last
Friday, the central government would have to borrow a total of 560 billion NT
for 2026.

The amount would exceed the ceiling of public debt as stipulated in the
Public Debt Act... that according to the Premier.

Yesterday Chuo declared "a war on all fronts" against the Legislative Yuan,
saying that the Executive Yuan is getting ready to propose its own version of
the law on Thursday, which is much fairer and reasonable.

He's calling on the KMT mayors and magistrates to take a close look at the
Cabinet's version, saying that in fact all the KMT-controlled cities and
counties had found it acceptable except for Taipei, New Taipei and Hsin-chu
City.

However, Keelung, Tao-yuan and Taichung Mayors today all raised concerns
about the new amendments designed by the Cabinet, saying they will cut too
much fund from their cities.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-18 16:06:14

The Ministry of National Defense says over 4-thousand personnel are taking
part in disaster relief efforts in the Su'ao area of Yilan County following
damage caused by Typhoon Fung-wong.

The ministry stated that as of yesterday, the military has dispatched a total
of 4-thousand-400 personnel and over 800 vehicles for the rescue and recovery
operations.

The outer bands of the storm last week coupled with seasonal northeasterly
winds brought strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding to parts of Yilan.

Government data shows that the typhoon also caused heavy agricultural losses
in the county, estimated at over $10-million NT as 600 hectares of farmland
were completely or partially destroyed.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-18 16:06:14

Tens of thousands in Slovakia have used the anniversary of the 1989
anti-communist Velvet Revolution to protest against populist Prime Minister
Robert Fico.

Protesters criticized Fico's pro-Russian stance as rallies and marches took
place in dozens of communities.

Fico's government recently canceled Monday's national holiday marking the
revolution, citing austerity measures.

Fico has met Russian President Vladimir Putin three times since Russia's
invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and cancelled all Slovakian bilateral military
support for Ukraine, which has angered many in Slovakia

He also has openly challenged the European Union’s policies on Ukraine.

Fico recently told students that they should go to fight for Ukraine if they
don’t agree with his pro-Russian views.

Posted on 2025-11-18 16:06:14

Pope Leo XIV is urging countries at United Nations climate talks to take
“concrete actions” to stop climate change that is threatening the planet.

He said humans are failing in their response to global warming and that God's
creation "is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat.”

Leo said nations had made progress, “but not enough.”

The Pope said there’s still time for the world to stay within the landmark
Paris Agreement, which called to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius since
pre-industrial times, to hold off the worst effects of climate change.

Posted on 2025-11-18 15:10:13

Changhua County officials have destroyed 250-thousand eggs from a local farm,
after rounds of testing continued to turn up excessive levels of the
pesticide fipronil.

The Changhua County Government announced today that the destruction of the
eggs at Wenyuan Poultry Farm began last night, after receiving written
consent from the prosecutors' office.

In addition to destroying the eggs, the laying hens at the farm have been
taken off feed and are no longer producing eggs.

The farm has been under various movement restrictions since November 5th,
when its eggs were first confirmed to have excessive fipronil.

Although the farm was later told to test eggs batch-by-batch before shipping,
a subsequent delivery to an egg distributor in Taichung was also found to be
contaminated.

Prosecutors say the investigation into the fipronil contamination remains
ongoing.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-18 15:10:13

In an attempt to invalidate the Hualien County Appeals Committee's decision
on a village chief, the Interior Minister says, the Nationality Law is clear
on the rules for public officials' nationality.

Liu Shi Fang says, the law says public officials must renounce any non-ROC
nationalities within one year of taking office.

She made the comments when asked about the Fuli Township Office's dismissal
of a Hualien village chief who holds Chinese nationality.

Chief Deng Wang-hua (鄧萬華) filed an appeal against her dismissal and the
appeals committee canceled her dismissal late last month.

However, the Interior Ministry has repeatedly asked that she be removed
again, citing the Nationality Act as Deng didn't renounce her Chinese
nationality.

But many critics pointed out that under the "One China" Principle of Taiwan's
Constitution, people from the Mainland fundamentally do not have a
"nationality" problem.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-18 15:10:13

Philippine forces have transported food, fuel and new personnel to a
territorial outpost in a long-disputed shoal in the South China Sea, where
Chinese government ships jammed communications during the hourslong supply
mission as part of Beijing’s security practice in the far-flung atoll.

Two top officials in the Philippines have told The Associated Press today
that the transport by the Armed Forces of the Philippines of supplies and
navy personnel to the Second Thomas Shoal was successfully “conducted
without any untoward incident” Friday.

That's despite the presence of Chinese Coast Guard and other ships, which
have been guarding the periphery of the Philippines-occupied shoal for
years.

Chinese officials did not immediately issue a statement.

They have previously claimed the fishing atoll and virtually the entire South
China Sea.

Posted on 2025-11-18 15:10:13

A prisoner in Australia is challenging a state's ban on Vegemite in prisons,
claiming that denying him the polarizing spread violates his human rights.

Andre McKechnie has taken his case to the Supreme Court of Victoria, arguing
that the ban breaches his right to "enjoy his culture as an Australian."

Vegemite has been banned from Victorian prisons since 2006 because it
interferes with narcotic detection dogs and can be used to produce alcohol.

Critics, including victims' advocates, say they find the lawsuit offensive.

McKechnie, serving a life sentence for murder, seeks a court order to
overturn the ban.

Posted on 2025-11-18 14:11:13

TPP chair Huang Guo-chang has been listed as a defendant by the Taipei
Prosecutors Office on corruption allegations.

Prosecutors said they're getting ready to question Huang to clarify the case
involving Shen Yu-xiong (沈裕雄), the deceased chairman of T-Y Fashion
International, a big manufacturer of clothes.

According to Mirror Weekly, T-Y invested 2 million NT in Kaisi (凱思)
Company, a company that allegedly controlled by Huang to employ paparazzi to
follow and take pictures of politicians.

The report claimed that Huang pocketed part of those funds and advocated on
behalf of Shen in his capacity as a lawmaker to the Ministry of Justice to
recover $5 billion NT that Shen had lost to fraud.

Prosecutors have started looking into this new case together with Huang's
ongoing paparazzi investigations.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-18 14:11:13

A new survey released by the Child Welfare League Foundation suggests
Taiwan's youth are under stress, with nearly 40 percent reporting they feel
"the world would be fine without me."

The foundation published its report ahead of World Child Rights Day, observed
annually on November 20th.

The survey shows that while life satisfaction among children and teens
improved slightly from last year, it remains low compared to international
averages across all ages and genders.

Children reported being most dissatisfied with their physical appearance,
followed by their amount of free time and their life choices.

And academic pressure is emerging earlier in Taiwan, with nearly 41-percent
of 11-year-old boys reporting academic stress, a figure significantly higher
than the international average for that age group.

The foundation acknowledged the government's plan to establish a new agency
for children and families, but also called for increased psychological
support and preventative services, as well as promoting regular exercise.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-18 14:11:13

Taiwan shares plunged today just like many other Asian stock markets after
Nvidia and other artificial-intelligence-related shares pulled U.S. stocks
lower overnight.

The Taiex lost 691 points, or 2.52-percent, to end the session at 26,756.

The turnover was high, at 640.3 billion NT.

Posted on 2025-11-18 14:11:13

Britain's Royal Mint is celebrating Freddie Mercury with a new coin design.

The coin marks 40 years since his iconic Live Aid performance, and features
an image of the Queen front man midperformance.

Mercury’s sister struck the first coin at the Royal Mint in Wales last week
and the coins go on sale today.

Mercury died at age 45 in 1991, just one day after he publicly announced he
was HIV positive.

The Royal Mint said it will donate a special gold edition of the coin to the
Mercury Phoenix Trust, a charity that was started in the singer's memory and
donates funds to those living with AIDS and HIV.

Posted on 2025-11-18 13:07:13

Movie actor Darren Wang appeared for the first time at the New Taipei
District Court this morning for his involvement in forgery and evading
military service.

Prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison term against him.

Local news media said the court session lasted only 11 minutes as Wang
admitted all wrongdoing, saying that he paid a criminal group three times
totaling 3.6 million NT to falsify medical records for him.

But Wang enlisted for alternative service soon afterward, so prosecutors
didn't charge him under the Punishment Act for Violation to Military Service
System.

However, they still want to hold him accountable for forging medical records
and physical examination data.

Wang's lawyer has requested commutation of the sentence to a fine or a
suspended sentence.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-18 13:07:16

Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang, currently on a visit to the United
States, has promised to fully support Taiwanese businessmen worldwide.

He said those business people play an important role on the world stage,
especially in the field of economy and trade.

He noted that the total bilateral trade between Taiwan and the U.S. reached
$166 billion US dollars from January to September of this year, surpassing
the $158 billion dollars recorded for the entire last year.

Chiang also pointed that under the Trump Administration's "America First,
Made in America" policy, Taiwanese tech giants including TSMC, Wistron,
Quanta, and ASE have all increased their investment in the U.S.

He will end finish his trip in the U.S. later today and go to Paraguay,
Taiwan's ally in South America.

(JL)

Posted on 2025-11-18 13:07:18

Taiwan Lottery is launching new scratch-off games for the year-end holiday
and banquet season, with a total prize pool exceeding $1.37 billion NT.

The two new scratch cards are both priced at $200 NT, and each features four
top prizes of $2 million NT.

And Taiwan Lottery says across both games, there are a total of four million
individual prizes.

(NS)

Posted on 2025-11-18 13:07:20

In world news...

The Trump administration’s blueprint to secure and govern Gaza has won
strong approval at the United Nations.

It's a crucial step that provides international support for U.S. efforts to
move the devastated territory toward peace following two years of war.

The U.S. proposal that passed the U.N. Security Council on Monday authorizes
an international stabilization force to provide security in Gaza and approves
a transitional authority to be overseen by President Donald Trump.

It also envisions a possible future path to an independent Palestinian state.

The vote endorses Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan and builds on the momentum
of the fragile ceasefire he helped broker with allies.

Posted on 2025-11-18 11:07:13

The number of workers on formal unpaid leave programs due to US tariffs fell
slightly in the first half of the month.

That's according to the Ministry of Labor.

MOL data shows that the number of workers placed on formal unpaid leave
programs due to the tariff impact fell to just over 7500 as of Saturday.

That represents a decrease of 45 from two weeks earlier...

while the number of employers carrying out furlough programs dropped by 17.

Officials say, the new data indicates that employment in the local
export-oriented manufacturing sector appeated stabilized slightly.

They say, the metal and electric machinery industry reported the higest
number of furloughed workers.

Posted on 2025-11-18 11:07:14

The doctor who performed Taiwan's first bone marrow transplant has died at
the age of 76.

Chen Yao-chang 陳耀昌 was also the author of the historical novel "Puppet
Flower."

Chen's publisher, which is scheduled to publish two new books by Chen this
year, confirmed his death.

Chen was born in 1949, and graduated from National Taiwan University's School
of Medicine.

In 1983, he completed Taiwan's first autologous bone marrow transplant,
making him the first doctor in the country to perform such a procedure.

He also lead efforts in stem cell research.

Among Chen's students is Health Minister Shi Chong Liang, who called Chen his
"most important instructor" and "our chief advisor."

Chen once said to reporters that history is valuable precisely because it
reveals multiple perspectives.

(AH)

Posted on 2025-11-18 11:07:14

Now turning to international news...

US President Donald Trump says, he's not ruling out military action against
Venzuela.

That's despite his also bringing up potential diplomatic talks with
Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Trump reiterated that he "probably would talk to" Maduro, but emphasized that
he's not ruling out military action on Venezuelan territory.

The US president's comments come as his country's military has increased its
presence near Venezuela, which some see as a pressure tactic against Maduro.

Experts say, the US will try to negotiate from a position of strength,
emphasizing the need for a democratic transition in Venezuela.

Trump accuses Maduro of being tied to drug trafficking in the US, but Maduro
says, Trump is trying to push him out of office.

Posted on 2025-11-18 11:07:14

Police in Nigeria say, gunmen have abducted 25 girls from a high school in
the country's northwest.

At leasy one member of staff at the school was killed in the attack.

No group has yet claimed responsibility.

Officials say the raid happened early Monday local time, and that the girls
were taken from their dorms.

The boarding school is in Maga, in the state of Kebbi.

This is the latest in a series of abductions from schools in northern
Nigeria, where armed groups have been targeting schoolkids since 2014.

Since that time, at least 1500 students have been kidnapped, as armed groups
increasingly find abductions to be a means of funding other crimes and
controlling villages.

Username
Password
Lost your password