ICRT

Posted on 2026-03-11 18:46:14

Health officials have found 32 fruit and vegetable products with illegal
pesticide residues during a recent safety inspection of supermarkets, big-box
stores, and restaurants.

The Food and Drug Administration said today it tested more than 500 samples
collected from across the island.

It says the 32 items that failed the inspection were found in several
well-known retail chains and hot pot restaurants.

Officials have already issued fines totaling $180-thousand NT for six of the
violations.

The FDA is encouraging consumers to buy seasonal produce and look for
certified organic or traceable agricultural labels.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-03-11 18:46:14

Yilan is planning to establish its own Department of Sports later this year.

The county government says the new department is scheduled to be inaugurated
on September 9th — which is also Taiwan's National Sports Day.

Officials say the department will have a staff of about twenty people and
will oversee three divisions, including public sports promotion, competitive
sports, and sports facilities.

Once established, it will become the county government's twenty-third
department.

County officials say the move comes as public interest in sports continues to
grow, making it necessary to create a dedicated unit to better coordinate
resources, train athletes, and improve sports venues.

The county government plans to submit the organizational proposal to the
county council for review in May.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-11 18:46:14

The 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships are being held in Taiwan for
the first time.

The competition runs from March twelfth through the fifteenth at the Taipei
Arena — that's tomorrow through Sunday.

According to the Taipei City Department of Sports, more than one thousand top
athletes from fourteen countries and regions are taking part.

Spectators can attend for free by reserving tickets online.

Organizers say about four thousand seats are available at the arena, with
around one thousand still open each day.

However, tickets for the championship sessions on March fourteenth and
fifteenth are going quickly.

Fans are being encouraged to watch Taiwan's women's team, which is aiming for
a fourth consecutive world championship title.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-11 18:46:14

President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday marked the 15th anniversary of the 2011
Tohoku earthquake and tsunami ...

... calling for continued Taiwan–Japan cooperation on disaster prevention
and humanitarian assistance.

In a social media post, Lai said Taiwan and Japan have consistently supported
each other following major disasters.

After the magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck northeastern Japan in 2011, Taiwan
provided large-scale donations, relief supplies and rescue teams within 72
hours.

Lai also noted that Japan sent an assessment team within 14 hours to assist
Taiwan after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck southern Taiwan in 2016.

He said these efforts will deepen bilateral ties, bringing the two countries
even closer as regional partners.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-03-11 17:11:13

Hualien County Council Speaker Chang Chun has formally announced a run for
magistrate.

In his announcement, the independent councilor said that he did not wish to
oppose anyone in particular, rather just wanted to make Hualien better.

Chang was elected as a councilor in 2009 and has served 4 terms but was
kicked out of the KMT for running for speaker.

The KMT last week nominated You Shu Zhen to replace Xu Zhen Wei, the wife of
former magistrate Fu Kun Qi.

Rumors have been circulating as to if the DPP intends to let Chang run in
their stead, saying last week that they would announce a candidate in Hualien
this week.

Local DPP officials have said that the DPP intends to do what is right for
Hualien, and not what only serves its own interests.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-11 17:11:13

All caucuses in the legislature have agreed to hold a vote on nominees for
the Central Election Commission.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu convened cross-party talks today, where party
groups agreed that the Legislative Yuan will hold a recorded vote on the
confirmation bill this Friday.

The policy inquiry session originally scheduled for that day will instead be
held on March 17th.

The nominations were submitted by the Executive Yuan late last year.

The Central Election Commission currently has only four commissioners
remaining.

Under the law, at least five commissioners are required for the body to
convene meetings and make decisions.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-11 17:11:13

A senior New Party official has been arrested for throwing eggs at the DPP's
headquarters.

You Zhi Ｂｉｎ游智彬　and others went to the ruling party's offices in
Taipei's Zhongzheng District to protest Premier Zhuo Rong Tai's recent trip
to Tokyo to watch Team Taiwan play against the Czech Republic.

Police say that he and others did not apply for a permit to demonstrate, and
that You threw an egg.

Police are investigating You under the Waste Disposal and Social Order
Maintenance Acts.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-11 17:11:13

Experts in Taiwan are responding to new research from Harvard University
suggesting that people living near nuclear power plants may face a slightly
higher cancer risk.

The two studies, published in the journals Nature Communications and
Environmental Health, found that cancer rates and deaths showed an increasing
trend among populations living closer to nuclear plants in operation.

However, experts stress the research does not prove a direct causal
relationship at the individual level.

Taiwanese public health specialists say the findings suggest nuclear power
should be viewed as an energy source whose health risks are not zero, even
when plants operate within regulatory limits.

They also note that the potential impact appears to be concentrated in
communities closest to nuclear facilities, with risks declining as distance
increases.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-11 17:11:13

Now turning to international news...

Swiss authorities are investigating whether a deadly bus fire was set on
purpose.

Police say that at least 6 people were killed in the blaze, and five others
were injured.

A spokesperson says that the fire may have been caused by a "voluntary act."

Another officials says, reports claimed that someone poured flammable liquid
on themselves.

But that claim is still being verified.

Police say they see no signs of terrorism.

When rescue teams arrived at the scene yesterday, they found the bus fully
enguled in flames.

Crews flew three badly injured people to hospitals via helicopter.

Authorities say, victim identification may take days.

Posted on 2026-03-11 17:11:13

Students at an American Senegalese school are accusing the school of abuse.

Several students describe harsh and inappropriate punishments, like being
beaten with rods and sticks.

Senegalese authorities have opened a criminal investigation and arrested four
administrators, as hundreds of students have withdrawn.

The American Dara Academy in Senegal marketed itself to families in the US as
an affordable religious education with a North American curriculum.

According to a Jan. 12 written complaint sent by the U.S. Embassy in Dakar to
Senegalese authorities, several students reported severe corporal punishment.

The minors, according to the letter, identified the school’s director and
three other administrators, as responsible for the abuses.

Posted on 2026-03-11 14:40:14

The Taiwan Railway Corporation is warning the public about fake AI-generated
videos claiming the company offers special free travel days for senior
citizens.

Officials released a statement today clarifying that several viral videos
from an account that appears to be a guide for seniors are completely false.

The videos claim the railway offers "Senior Free Travel Days," dedicated
senior carriages, and automatic refunds for train delays.

The railway says none of these services exist.

Authorities say the videos use AI voices to spread a mix of false information
that easily misleads older people.

Travelers are urged to check the official Taiwan Railway website for accurate
information on discounts and services.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-03-11 14:40:14

The DPP has released the results of polling conducted last night in Taipei's
Zhongzheng and Wanhua disitrict.

The party is nominating 4 people for the city councilor position in the
7-seat district, with both incumbents Hong Wan Zhen 洪婉臻 and Liu Yao Ren
劉耀仁securing a nomination.

Of the 4 nominees, Liu polled the best amongst District 5 residents.

2 of the 3 newcomers also passed the post, with Ma Yu Wen馬郁雯 and Zhang
Ming You張銘祐 both receiving constitutents' approval.

The DPP currently holds only two of the 7 seats in Zhongzheng and Wanhua.

Polling in the capital city will continue the rest of the week to determine
nominees in Songshan, Xinyi, Datong, and Zhongshan districts...

while Shilin, Beitou, Nangang, and Neihu do not require primaries.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-11 14:40:18

Now turning to international news...

Israel is continuing airstrikes in southern Lebanon, forcing thousands of
families to flee.

But some longtime Hezbollah supporters are openly blaming the group.

On March 2, Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at northern Israel, to
which Israel retaliated.

Some of the displaced say that Hezbollah started this iteration of the fight
in order to serve Iran.

Hezbollah backers argue that Israel continued attacking even after a 2024
ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Hezbollah appears to be losing ground with grassroots supporters amidst
problems with Lebanese authorities.

Posted on 2026-03-11 14:40:14

Taiwan shares gained ground today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 1342
points to close the session at 34114.

The turnover was 670.6 billion NT

Posted on 2026-03-11 14:40:18

Chile's new ultraconservative president is taking office today after a
landslide win in which he promised to be "tough" on crime and immigrarion.

Jose Antonio Kast leads the Republican Party and marks Chile's sharpest shift
to the right since a dictatorship ended in 1990.

Kast won the election in December against government-backed communist
candidate Jeanette Jara.

Analysts say, he comes to power a time when the US and China both strive to
pull Latin American countries into their influence.

Kast has signaled warmth towards US president Donald Trump and ended the
transition with President Gabriel Boric after a dispute over a China-linked
submarine cable.

Boric's administration had planned to install a submarine cable that would
connect Chile with China...

a project which drew intense criticism from the US and deepened tensions
between Boric and Trump.

While Kast has avoided commenting on controversial issues, he has made
overtures to Trump and praised the US's abduction of former Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduro.

Posted on 2026-03-11 14:40:18

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has gained another opposition lawmaker,
in a move that all but assures the PM that he will soon have a majority
government.

Former opposition New Democratic party lawmaker Lori Idlout joined the
liberal party, with the opposition leader saying he was very disappointed.

Her move puts the liberals one seat closer to having a majority government
and being able to pass any bill without opposition support.

Carney has called special elections for three districts that would give the
liberals a majority government if his party wins two of them.

Three other opposition conservative members also defected to Carney's
Liberals in recent months.

Carney has moved the Liberals to the center since replacing Justin Trudeau as
prime minister in 2025 and winning national elections.

Experts say Carney is popular at home and is working to cement a reputation
as a world leader.

Posted on 2026-03-11 13:07:13

A bus crashed into a tree this morning in Taipei, causing several injuries.

Capital Bus company says, it will handle 100% of compensation for those
injured and fully cooperate with a police investigation.

Taipei officials say that the company will be fined between 9 and 90 thousand
NT under the law.

The number 284 bus of the Capital Bus company was passing by the Tri-Service
General Hospital in Neihu when it hit a tree.

The cause of the accident is believed to be due to a machinery malfunction.

The driver and 9 passengers suffered light injuries in the accident.

Capital Bus says that the injured have all received medical treatment and
6000NT red envelopes as well as an additional 1000 for the taxi fare upon
discharge.

The company says it's handling all the medical costs incurred.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-11 13:07:13

In Taipei, the former secretary general has been promoted to deputy mayor.

That's as former deputy mayor Li Si Chuan yesterday stepped down to run for
mayor over in New Taipei.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's office announced today that Li Tai Xing 李泰興
would take over as deputy mayor today...

while deputy secretary-general Wang Yu Fen王玉芬 would fill his place.

According to the city government, Li Tai Xing received his master's from
National Taiwan Ocean University and holds experience in both central and
local government...

and has served in both the Taipei and New Taipei City governments.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-11 13:07:21

In the US,

officials say a large tornado south of Chicago downed trees and power lines,
overwhelming the emergency call center.

Officials say the tornado caused major damage.

In videos on social media, the tornado is seen ripping across a field of
farmland near an airport with cars lined on the road.

Officials warn that more than 2 million in Illinois and Indiana are at
moderate risk of severe weather.

Posted on 2026-03-11 13:07:17

Sports Minister Lee Yang and 300 baseball fans welcomed Team Taiwan back at
Taoyuan International Airport this morning upon their return from Japan.

Although Taiwan did not advance to the next round of the World Baseball
Classic tournament, many fans still felt the four-game campaign was a success
despite a rocky start.

Upon arrival at Taoyuan Airport's Terminal 2 this morning, player Chen
Kuan-yu and manager Tseng Hao-jiu 曾豪駒 accepted flowers from China Airlines
ground crew on behalf of the team.

Fans gathered in the terminal's arrival lobby, waving banners and flags, and
they were most excited when outfielder Sun Cheng-jui 宋晟睿　held up the ball
that he said was the "final out against South Korea."

One fan at the airport told reporters that she took time off from work to fly
to Tokyo to watch Taiwan's Games against other pool C teams.

She said she was particularly moved by the winning run scored against South
Korean by team captain Chen Jie Xian.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-11 08:14:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Premier Cho Jung-tai says the Cabinet has activated a "dual price-smoothing"
mechanism to limit increases in the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel.

According to Cho, the Cabinet has also implemented a 50-per cent commodity
tax cut on diesel and gasoline imports and will subsidize 50-per cent and
14-per cent of fuel costs for the agricultural and fishing sectors,
respectively.

The statements come after the government said it will not sharply increase
its gasoline and natural gas prices despite surging global oil prices
triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Under the normal fuel calculation formulas, gasoline prices should have risen
by 5.4 N-T per liter and diesel would have gone up to 4.8 N-T per litet.

However, under the mechanism, the increases were limited to 1.5 and 1.1 N-T
per liter.

Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun said during a Cabinet price stabilization
committee meeting earlier this week that C-P-C would absorb 60-per cent of
the price increases.

Posted on 2026-03-11 08:14:17

The Ministry of National Defense says final batch of 28 M-1-A-2-T Abrams main
battle tanks ordered from the U-S are currently being shipped to Taiwan and
are expected to arrive in Taiwan before the end of this month.

The 28 tanks are the final batch of a total of 108 purchesed from the U-S.

A defense official says the scheduled delivery will ensure no gap in training
schedules between the incoming third batch and the 42-tank second batch,
which arrived at Taipei Port in July last year.

According to the official, the second batch has been deployed since December
of last year to the Keng-zi-kou Training Area in Hsinchu County, where crews
have completed live-fire training, including dry-fire drills and mounted
machine gun combat firing.

The 42 tanks are to be formally commissioned into active service at a
closed-door ceremony in the second quarter of this year.

The first batch of 38 Abrams tanks arrived in December 2024 and, after
testing and training, was commissioned into Hsinchu's 584th Armored Brigade
in late October last year.

Posted on 2026-03-11 08:14:17

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is dismissing claims by Beijing that it has
assisted more than 70 Taiwan nationals stranded in the Middle East to return
home.

The denial comes after China's state media earlier this week reported that
the Taiwan nationals arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday after their originally
flights via transfer in Abu Dhabi were canceled.

The report said they instead flew to Istanbul and then transited through
Shanghai on the way back to Taiwan and sought assistance from the Chinese
Consulate in Istanbul.

Foreign ministry spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei says his agency has not received
any reports about the case from Taiwan's overseas officers, and the report
likely involves return flights being affected rather than travelers being
stranded in war zones.

Hsiao says as of Tuesday of this week, some 79 Taiwan nationals in the Middle
East had requested assistance from Taiwan's overseas offices to return home.

The Mainland Affairs Council says the reports about Taiwan nationals in the
Middle East seeking assistance from Beijing is likely part of its cognitive
warfare program aimed at Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-03-11 08:14:17

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai is slated to lead a city delegation to the U-S
today.

According to the city government, the trip includes talks with U-S industry
and government representatives as well as academic focusing on enhancing
Kaohsiung's role in the global high-tech supply chain.

The city government also says the trip will focus on deepening the strategic
partnership between Kaohsiung and the state of Arizona, specifically
regarding advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

The delegation's first stop will be Arizona, where they will meet with
various stakeholders to discuss semiconductor and advanced manufacturing
cooperation.

The delegation will then be heading to San Jose, California to attend the
annual G-P-U Technology Conference, which is hosted by Nvidia.

City officials say Chen is expected to meet with company executives there to
discuss deeper technological cooperation under the "Smart Kaohsiung
Lighthouse Project."

The delegation includes representatives from National Sun Yat-sen University.

Posted on 2026-03-11 08:14:17

The Centers for Disease Control says its seeing a decline in the number of
people seeking outpatient and emergency room treatment for flu-like symptoms.

According to the C-D-C, there just over 82 thousand such visits last week - a
15-per cent decline from the previous week.

However, the C-D-C is reporting 13 new severe flu cases and two flu-related
deaths over the same period.

There have been 568 severe flu cases and 113 deaths so during the current flu
season, which began in October.

Despite the decline in flu cases, the C-D-C is warning that influenza viruses
remain the dominant respiratory pathogen circulating in Taiwan at present.

And health authorities are urging people who have not yet received this
season's flu shot to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Posted on 2026-03-11 08:14:17

And finally,

The 2026 Smart City Summit & Expo will be taking place next week in Taipei
before moving to Kaohsiung.

Organized by the Taipei Computer Association, this year's event will be
showcasing digital and sustainability solutions and highlight Taiwan's
growing role in smart city development.

The event will be taking place at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center from
March 17 to 20 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, and at the Kaohsiung
Exhibition Center from March 20 to 22.

This year's exhibition is being held under the theme of "Digital and Green
Transformation" ...

.. with organizers saying it will bring together seven government ministries
and 13 county and city governments to demonstrate how policy frameworks and
digital infrastructure can work together to drive sustainable urban
development

The expo will include around 2,250 booths.

The expo will also feature the world's first A-I City Pavilion,which combines
A-I computing infrastructure, operating platforms, and integrated smart city
applications for international city leaders and system integrators.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

Defense Minister Wellington Koo says the Ministry of National Defense has
received a letter of acceptance from the U-S for the sale of high mobility
artillery rocket systems that expires on March 26.

Washington announced the sale of 82 of the rocket systems to Taiwan on
December 17 last year at an estimated cost of 4.05-billion U-S dollars as
part of a historic 11.1-billion U-S dollar arms package.

The offer will expires if the buyer does not sign the letter of acceptance
the deadline.

If the defense ministry fails to meet the March 26 deadline, the deal will
have to be reviewed again.

Taiwan has also received letters of acceptance for M-1-0-9-A-7 self-propelled
howitzers, Javelin anti-armor missiles and Tube-launched, Optically tracked,
as well as Wire-guided missiles.

The deadline for signing those letters of acceptance in March 15.

The defense minister is expressed his hope that lawmakers will authorize the
defense ministry to sign the letter for all five systems and is warning that
acquisition could be "significantly impacted" if the agreement is not signed
on time.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

Premier Zhu Rong-tai has continued to defend his brief visit to Japan this
past weekend to see Taiwan play the Czech Republic in a World Baseball
Classic group game at the Tokyo Dome.

Zhu has said that it was a personal trip and he covered all costs, including
charter flight, bus fares and match admission out of his own pocket on his
day off.

The trip means Zhu became the first sitting Taiwan premier to have visited
Japan since Taipei and Tokyo severed formal diplomatic ties in 1972.

However, opposition lawmakers are continuing to accuse Zhu of using public
funds for personal reasons - as his charter flight took off from the Air
Force Songshan Base Command's VIP ramp at the Taipei Airport.

Opposition lawmakers also argue that no details concerning much was spent on
flight and whether payment was for individual seats or the entire aircraft.

The premier is denying any wrong doing and says he planned the private trip
in order to avoid complications.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen is heading to the U-S today for an 11-day visit.

Lu has said the trip is aimed at strengthening city-to-city exchanges and
engaging with Taiwan expats.

The mayor's trip covers planned stops including Boston, New York, Washington
D.C., and Seattle.

Lu is slated to meet members of the U-S House of Representatives and sign a
memorandum of understanding with the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North
America.

The Taichung Mayor says most of the itinerary was arranged at the invitation
of the U-S side, and she hopes to use the visit to speak up for Taiwan and
safeguard the interests of the Republic of China.

Lu also says the issues to be discussed with U-S officials include energy
stability, regional security and global trade.

However, Lu has not released the names of the U-S officials she will meet
with - saying only details will be disclosed if appropriate.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang has met with former Australian Prime
Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney, as he attends a meeting of the World
Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce.

Turnbull is said to have welcomed Chiang and expressed support for his
proposed "3D" principles of deterrence, dialogue and democracy for
maintaining regional peace and stability.

The statement also said that Turnbull agreed that maintaining communication
can help reduce misunderstandings and create opportunities to ease tensions.

For his part, Chiang expressed his hope that Turnbull could use his influence
to support Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement
for Trans-Pacific Partnership ..

... and stressed that regional stability and economic security are the main
challenges facing countries amid rapid global changes and hoped that Taiwan
and Australia could develop a more comprehensive partnership as bilateral
trade continues to grow.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

The Ministry of the Interior says the island's population declined for the
26th consecutive month in February -- as births sank to a record low of
6,523.

The ministry says the population stood at over 23 million as of the end of
February.

That was a month-over-month decline of 8,772 when births, deaths and net
migration are all factored in.

Ministry data indicates monthly births fell below 7,000 for the first time on
record, down more than 3,800 year over year and 2,200 from January, for an
annual crude birth rate of 3.65 per 1,000 people.

Deaths totaled 14,881, a drop of just over 7,000 year over year, while the
number of people leaving Taiwan outstripped new arrivals by 414.

Data also shows that people between the ages 0 to 14 accounted for 11.46-per
cent of the population, while those age between 15 and 64 accounted for
68.32-per cent.

The number of people aged 65 and older totaled 20.22-per cent of the
population - which meets the United Nations' definition of a "super-aged
society."

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

And,

The Ministry of Agriculture says regulations prohibiting people from having
raccoons, saltwater crocodiles, vipers and elapid snakes as pets will take
effect on May 1.

The new law comes with an exemptions for those who already own them.

However, current owners of such animals will be required to register them
with the local government within one year, or face a fine of up to 250,000
N-T and the pet's confiscation.

The agriculture ministry is citing public safety concerns for the reasons the
new law has been introduced.

The ministry says vipers and elapid snakes are highly venomous and that
domestic supplies of anti-venom are limited, while the banned species also
pose a serious threat to the public if they escape or are abandoned.

A total of 641 species will be banned as pets once the new regulations are in
place and include pit bulls and electric eels.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

US-Israel Iran war

And,

The Chunghwa Post Office has announced that has temporarily suspended
international mail services to 15 countries due to the impact of the
US-Israel attacks on Iran.

The affected destinations are the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Israel,
Pakistan, the Maldives, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Oman, Kuwait,
Jordan, Lebanon, Greece, Egypt and Morocco.

The suspension of post to those areas took effect yesterday.

The measure was taken to prevent major delays if mail cannot reach
destination countries for a long time after being sent, which could affect
customer rights.

The post office is advising people who need to send mail to the affected
countries to inquire at local post offices about shipment through services
that accept FedEx and D-H-L packages on their behalf.

The announcement comes after countries in the Middle East closed their
airspace or restrictions on flight takeoffs and landings.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

Canadian police are investigating gunfire that hit the U.S. consulate in
downtown Toronto...

No injuries were reported.

Toronto police say they responded after reports that someone was shooting at
the building, but released no information about possible suspects.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the shooting unacceptable intimidation.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is linking it to recent gunfire at two synagogues.

Chow says police have increased patrols at the U.S. and Israeli consulates.

She also warns that antisemitic incidents often rise during international
crises.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

A U.N. investigation has found that Russia's deportation and transfer of
Ukrainian children since Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022 amounted to
crimes against humanity.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for President
Vladimir Putin and five other Russians over the illegal deportation of
children.

Moscow denies it is taking children against their will, saying it has been
evacuating people voluntarily to remove them from a war zone.

Ukraine says close to 20,000 children have been illegally sent to Russia and
Belarus where they are sometimes subject to military training and forced to
fight against their own troops.

Posted on 2026-03-11 06:54:13

Polish president Karol Nawrocki has refused to sign a law that opens the door
to a huge EU-backed defense loan, and it has sparked a new clash in Warsaw.

The president's office says the deal makes Poland too dependent on Brussels.

He has put forward a new draft that uses national funds instead.

Poland has raised defense spending since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk supports working with the EU, but Nawrocki stays
more euro-skeptic.

The EU program is called SAFE, and Poland is set to be its biggest
beneficiary.

Tusk says his government is preparing a plan B.

Posted on 2026-03-10 19:50:13

Chunghwa Post has temporarily suspended international mail services to 15
countries due to disruptions caused by the ongoing U-S-Israel war with Iran.

The affected destinations include the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Greece, Egypt and Morocco,
among others.

The state-run postal service said the suspension took effect Tuesday after
several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace or restricted flights
as the conflict escalated.

Officials said the move aims to prevent long delivery delays that could
affect customers if mail cannot reach its destination.

Chunghwa Post added that people who still need to send packages to those
countries can check with local post offices about alternative services that
ship through private couriers such as FedEx or DHL.

Posted on 2026-03-10 19:16:13

Taiwan has just recorded its lowest number of monthly births on record.

New figures from the Ministry of the Interior show that only 6,523 babies
were born in February — the first time the monthly total has fallen below
seven thousand since records began.

That was about 2,200 fewer births than in January — a drop of roughly 25
percent — and nearly 3,900 fewer than in the same month last year.

Meanwhile, deaths outnumbered births by more than 8,300.

The figures come as Taiwan’s overall population continues to shrink.

The Ministry says the population stood at 23,280,273 at the end of February,
marking the 26th consecutive month of population decline.

Regionally, the lowest birth rates were recorded in Keelung, Tainan, and
Lienchiang County, while Penghu, Taitung, and Hualien reported the highest.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-10 19:16:13

The Centres for Disease Control reports that flu cases in Taiwan are
declining.

The latest CDC data shows that last week there were over 82 thousand
outpatient and emergency room visits for flu-like symptoms ... which is
around 15 percent less than the week before.

However, the CDC reports 13 new severe flu cases and two flu-related deaths
over the same period.

So far this season, Taiwan has seen 568 severe flu cases and 113 deaths.

Despite the drop in cases, officials say influenza viruses remain the
dominant respiratory pathogen circulating in communities across Taiwan.

Health authorities are urging anyone who has not yet received this season's
flu shot to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-10 19:16:13

The Food and Drug Administration has blocked a 560-kilogram shipment of paper
potato chip containers from the Philippines after they tested positive for
banned chemicals.

The containers were found to contain optical brighteners, a prohibited
substance under under Taiwan's Sanitation Standards for Food Utensils,
Containers and Packages.

As a result, the Taipei-based importer now faces intensified scrutiny, with
inspection rates hiked to as much as 50 percent for future shipments.

The FDA also reported 13 other failed imports this week, including South
Korean citrus and Chinese red dates.

The dates were found to contain excessive pesticide residues, including the
banned chemical dichlorvos.

All non-compliant goods will be returned or destroyed.

Posted on 2026-03-10 19:16:13

Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang of the opposition KMT met former
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday during a visit to
Australia.

According to a statement released today, Turnbull welcomed Chiang and voiced
support for Chiang's "3D" principles — deterrence, dialogue and democracy —
as a framework for maintaining regional peace and stability.

Turnbull also agreed that maintaining communication can help reduce
misunderstandings and ease tensions.

Chiang said Taiwan and Australia should pursue a more comprehensive
partnership, noting the complementary nature of Taiwan's semiconductor
industry and Australia’s mineral and agricultural resources.

He also asked Turnbull to support Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and
Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Chiang later visited the United States Studies Centre at the University of
Sydney during his trip, which also included events with overseas Taiwanese
business groups.

Posted on 2026-03-10 17:08:13

The DPP has released the results of polling conducted in Taipei's Da'an and
Wenshan districts today.

The party is nominating 4 candidates in the 12-seat district.

Incumbents Jian Shu Pei and Wang Min Sheng both passed the post, with Jian
being the most popular of the 6 candidates.

Newcomers Liu Pin Xin and Chen Sheng Wen also made the cut.

That leaves Gao Yang Kai 高揚凱and Xu Qin Huang 徐嶔煌without nominations.

The DPP currently holds only two of the 12 seats in the district, in addition
to one held by the Social Democratic Party.

Local party leaders say that districts 1 and 2- comprising Shilin, Beitou,
Nangang, and Neihu- do not require primaries to determine nominees, as the
number of candidates and nominee spots are the same.

Next up is district 5, which means residents of Zhongzheng and Wanhua can
expect a phone call this evening, and the rest of us can expect results
tomorrow afternoon.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-10 17:08:14

Local environmental groups are urging a halt to an environmental impact
assessment for a proposed incinerator in Nantou's Mingjian.

The incinerator proposal has attracted plenty of criticism since being
proposed last year, due to its proposed location in the tea producing
township.

Government Watch Alliance today raised concerns about the potential pollution
of drinking water, and called for the county government to choose a new
location for the incinerator before doing a second-round environmental impact
assessment.

Nantou currently lacks its own incinerator, forcing it to rely on neighboring
cities and counties.

But the incinerator proposal has been highly contentious for both
environmental concerns and the local government's handling of the issue.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-10 17:08:18

Now turning to international news...

Australia has granted asylum to five soccer players who were in the country
for a tournament when the US and Israel began attacking Iran.

The players were transported from their hotel to what officials called a safe
location by federal police early this morning.

When they arrived at that location, officials finalized the processing of
their humanitarian visas.

Today's announcement follows days of urging by Iranian groups in Australia
and by the US for the Australian government to help the women.

The five players had not spoken publicly about a desite to claim asylum.

An official sqaud list named 26 players, and officials say that the offer of
asylum was extended to all of them.

Posted on 2026-03-10 17:08:14

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that more than 70 Taiwanese travelers
reportedly assisted by China to fly from Istanbul to Shanghai were not
stranded in Middle East conflict areas.

Chinese state media reported that the group had been stuck overseas after
flights were canceled and later departed from Istanbul with help from Chinese
officials.

But Taiwan's foreign ministry says it received no notification from its
overseas offices about the case ...

... and believes the travelers were affected by disrupted return flights
rather than being trapped in war zones.

Officials say many tour groups have recently had to reroute travel plans due
to the conflict, with some waiting in the mediterranean for replacement
flights.

The ministry says that as of yesterday, more than 1,500 Taiwanese had already
returned home with government assistance ...

... while about 79 people in the Middle East are still seeking help to return.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-10 17:08:18

Traditional reindeer racing has drawn crowds to northern Finland.

Handlers raced behind reindeer on skis for the fastest time this past weekend
with about 1000 spectators watching the Sall Reindeer Cup in subfreezing
temperatures near the Russian border.

The sport has taken place in Salla since the 1950s, and organizers now run it
as a regulated competition with trained male reindeer.

Only the top reindeer reach the premier "hot series" after racing the
kilometer-long track in under 1 minute and 20 seconds.

This year, a reindeer named Pompom won the final race.

Reindeer husbandry has been an important part of Scandinavian culture for
many decades, especially for the Sami Indigenous people in the far north of
the country.

Posted on 2026-03-10 14:37:13

The chief of Hualien's Guangfu township has posted bail of one million NT.

The Hualien District Court ruled that Lin Qing Shui must also wear an ankle
monitor and has been placed under residence restrictions.

He was indicted yesterday on charges of causing a catastrophe through
dereliction of duty and negligent manslaughter over last year's Matai'an
Creek barrier lake breach.

The Matai'an disaster killed at least 19 people, and prosecutors are seeking
a maximum prison sentence of 10 years for Lin.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-10 14:37:13

Thousands of residents across several districts in Kaohsiung will face water
shutoffs tomorrow as crews work to repair aging pipes and fix a recent water
main burst.

The Taiwan Water Corporation says 6,800 households in the Qijin District will
be without water for eight hours tomorrow, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The work follows a major pipe burst on Zhongzhou 2nd Road yesterday.

Local officials say that section of the road is currently closed for
emergency repairs.

Residents in the Sanmin and Zuoying districts will lose water for five hours
starting at midnight tonight.

While in the Tianliao, Neimen, and Qishan districts, water will be turned off
tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The water company is advising residents in the affected areas to store water
ahead of time.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-03-10 14:37:13

Taiwan shares are up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 661 to close
the session at 32771.

The turnover was 702.8 billion NT

Posted on 2026-03-10 14:37:13

Now turning to international news...

Iran is continuing drone attacks on Gulf states, with the Saudi Arabian
defense ministry saying that it has destroyed 2 drones over the eastern
region.

Meanwhile in Kuwait, officials say they shot down 6 drones attacking the
country's north and south.

In addition to targeting Israel and US bases in the region, Iran has also
been targeting energy infrastructure.

This comes as US President Donald Trump sends mixed signals about how long
the war could last, adding to uncertainty that's roiling global markets.

He previously said that the war, which the US and Israel started on February
28th, could last for one month or longer, later adding that it would be a
"short term excursion."

Posted on 2026-03-10 14:37:13

Human Rights Watch says, drones operated by Haitian security forces and
private contractors have killed more than 1200 people.

The organization says, of the dead, 17 were kids and 43 were adults not
believed to belong to any criminal group.

And of nearly 750 injured, nearly 50 were believed to be civilians.

Human Rights Watch says, the most lethal drone operation killed nearly 60
people.

They're urging Haitian authorities to rein in the security forces and private
contractors working for them.

Human Rights Watch noted that the number of armed drone attacks in the
Haitian capital has "significantly increased" in recent months...

with the last three months seeing nearly double the amount of attacks from
the previous period.

Posted on 2026-03-10 13:07:14

The governor of Guam has signed a sister-city agreement with Kaohsiung on her
visit to Taiwan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, Lourdes A Guerrero traveled to
Kaohsiung recently to sign the agreement with Mayor Chen Qi Mai.

She also attemded a welcome banquet hosted by MOFA, during which she said the
sister-city partnership between Guam and Kaohsiung aims to strengthen ties
through "city diplomacy."

Guerrero also noted that her administration is expanding bilateral
cooperation with Taiwan in areas like health care, tourism, and Indigenous
affairs.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung stated that coopertation between Taiwan and
Guam may expand in the future to areas like AI in agriculture, medical
services, education and cultural exchanges to improve the well-being of
people in both Guam and Taiwan.

This marks the governor's second trip to Taiwan since taking office in 2019,
the first being last May.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-10 13:07:17

Forestry officials have captured a Formosan black bear that repeatedly broke
into a chicken coop in a Hualien County village.

The Hualien Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency says the
adult bear was caught Monday morning in the Qingshui community of Zhuoxi
Township.

The animal had killed 12 chickens and damaged fences over several days.

The government is paying the villagers for the chickens and damage, and is
also giving the residents a reward for reporting the bear.

Experts say the bear is about 15 years old and weighs 70 kilograms, and say
it is thin and in poor physical condition.

The bear is currently staying at a local wildlife rescue center for
observation and medical care.

A professional team will later decide if it is safe to release the bear again.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-03-10 13:07:17

China is reporting that its exports rose by nearly a quarter in the first two
months of the year...

while trade with the US went down.

The export figures released by Chinese officials were much better than
economists had forecast...

far exceeding the 6.6% growth recorded in December.

Imports in January and Feburary rose almost 20% as well, up from December's
5.7% increase.

Chinese exports have been a bright spot for its economy amidst tensions with
the US.

China's exports climbed 5.5% for 2025 as its trade surplus surged to a record
of nearly 1.2 trillion US dollars.

Higher shipments to other regions, like Europe and Latin America, helped
offset the 20% drop in exports to the US.

Posted on 2026-03-10 13:07:18

And,

visitors are flocking to Death Valley National Park in the US to take part in
the superbloom.

Thats when thousands of long-dormant flowers pop through desert soil,
transforming the typically barren landscape into carpets of gold.

The bloom is the result of steady rain in the fall and winter.

But experts say, it won't last long.

Wildflowers bloom across parts of southern California and Nevada usually
every year.

In some years, superblooms are so vibrant they can be seen from space.

But it's rare for Death Valley National Park, the hottest place on Earth, to
see blooms like these.

Park officials say, this year’s bloom is the best the park has seen since
2016 thanks to steady rainfall and warm temperatures in the last six months

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

In news from and about Taiwan this mornning,

Taiwan's 2026 World Baseball Classic journey has ended after South Korea beat
Australia 7-2 at the Tokyo Dome last night.

The result means that South Korea won the tiebreaker with Australia and
Taiwan to advance to the tournament's quarterfinals in Miami.

South Korea earned its spot by scoring a run in the top of the ninth to do
just enough under the tiebreaker rules to advance.

Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia were all tied for second in Pool C with
2-2 records behind undefeated Japan.

The tiebreaker was determined by dividing a team's total runs allowed by the
total number of defensive outs in games among the tied teams, and with the
three teams all allowing seven runs in their games, it came down to the
smallest margin.

The Koreans got the nod because they recorded a total of 57 outs in their
games against the tied teams while Taiwan and Australia recorded the
regulation 54 outs.

Japan closes group play this evening against the Czech Republic.

Posted on 2026-03-10 08:13:15

Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin is seeking to alley energy concerns -
saying natural gas supplies will be sufficient through April, as the
government has secured almost all the necessary shipments to replenish
inventories.

According to Kung, Taiwan's supply for March and April requires 22 liquefied
natural gas shipments and currently 20 of those have been secured, with the
remaining two are still under negotiation, but are expected to be confirmed
soon.

The economics minister is dismissing suggestions that Taiwan could face a
natural gas shortage, saying - such a scenario is "impossible."

Kung says Taiwan has a diversified natural gas supply, with about one-third
coming from Qatar and the remaining 60 to 70-per cent sourced from elsewhere
- and the overall supply structure is sound.

The minister also stressing that the government will continue monitoring
global supply and demand, and the situation is expected to improve as global
gas demand declines.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs last week outlining a "three-stage plan" for
ensuring fuel supplies in the event of "extreme conditions," including a
long-term Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Under that plan, C-P-C will redirect cargoes from non-Middle Eastern sources
such as the U-S and Australia, seek supply swaps with Asian buyers such as
Japan and South Korea, and procure additional spot cargoes if necessary.

Posted on 2026-03-10 08:13:15

The Hualien District Prosecutors' Office has indicted Guangfu Township chief
Lin Ching-shui on charges of causing a catastrophe through dereliction of
duty and negligent manslaughter over last year's Matai'an Creek barrier lake
breach.

The incident left 19 people dead.

Lin has also been charged with falsifying evacuation figures during the
September 2025 disaster.

Prosecutors says they re seeking a 10-year prison sentence -- citing Lin's
denial of responsibility and lack of remorse.

The township office's secretary, and civil affairs section head have also
been indicted on the same charges and prosecutors are seeking nine-year
sentences for both of those officials.

According to the prosecutors' office, investigations into the possible
criminal liability of other officials in the Hualien County and the central
governments remain ongoing.

Posted on 2026-03-10 08:13:15

Deputy Taipei Mayor Lee Shu-chuan has officially left his post today after
submitting his resignation last month.

Lee's final day at work was on Monday and he's stepping down to focus on
running for the K-M-T in November's New Taipei mayoral election.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an praised Lee's
contributions to his administration - crediting him with completing the
Taipei Dome, the MRT Six Line 2.0 project, and securing a contract with
Nvidia for its Taiwan headquarters.

Lee also met with New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih and Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-ran on
Monday.

Lee has said he plans to return to New Taipei, where he is a registered
resident, to "prepare for the next stage of his political career."

And told reporters on Monday that he attended numerous banquets in New Taipei
City last week, and saw enthusiasm for his potential candidacy in the
upcoming mayoral election.

Lee also said he feels at home in New Taipei City, especially with the
support of Mayor Hou during his transition to the election campaign.

Posted on 2026-03-10 08:13:15

Police have detained a Keelung resident after he attempted to enter the
Presidential Office compound in Taipei with a knife.

Aurthorities say the man surnamed arrived by taxi from Keelung and brandished
a fruit knife in front of the Presidential Office, reportedly shouting, "God
told me to kill the communists."

City police rushed to the scene after being alerted by military police - and
the two groups of law enforcement officers arrested the man.

No one was injured in the incident.

Police say the man was apparently trying to express his grievances.

The case will be referred to the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office and the
man faces charges of endangering public safety.

Posted on 2026-03-10 08:13:15

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration says today will be the coldest and wettest
day of this week -- as a cold air mass moves south.

According to the administration's forecast center, the cold air mass and
moisture from South China will bring noticeable temperature drops across
Taiwan starting today.

Keelung, the North Coast and mountainous parts of Greater Taipei will see the
most significant temperature drops.

The cold front is expected to weaken tomorrow, but overnight and early
morning temperatures will remain low.

Another cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Thursday - and that will
result in significant temperature differences between day and night across
Taiwan and last throughout the remainder of the week.

The weather is expected to stabilize by the weekend - with clear skies
expected across most of Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:13

The U-S State Department is urging lawmakers here in Taiwan to set aside
political differences and pass President Lai Ching-te's 1.25-trillion N-T
special defense budget bill that would finance planned purchases of American
weapon systems.

Washington has said doing that demonstrates Taiwan's commitment to its
self-defense by funding the acquisition of critical defense capabilities.

The spokesperson is also reiterating that Washington supports "Taiwan's
acquisition of critical defense capabilities, commensurate with the threat it
faces," in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act.

The statements came after U-S State Department was asked whether Washington
would support a version of the special desfense budget bill proposed by the
K-M-T, if it is passed in Taiwan's Legislature.

The K-M-T's version funds eight weapons sales approved by the U-S last
December.

The Taiwan People's Party has also submitted its version of the special
defense budget bill - which comes with a 400-billion N-T proposed cap on
spending.

All three versions advanced to the committee review stage in the Legislature
last Friday.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:16

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has met with Australian lawmaker Hugh
McDermott of the Australian Labour Party...

The meeting took place during Lin's stopover in Australia on his way home
from Tuvalu.

McDermott also took social media to say he was pleased to meet with the
foreign minister alongside parliamentary colleagues and representatives from
the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia ...

... and he also posted a photo of himself shaking hands with Lin in Australia
last Friday.

Neither McDermott or Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs specified where the
meeting took place in Australia during Lin's transit stop.

The foreign ministry says Lin has transited through Australia before and was
doing so again after visiting Tuvalu last week as a special envoy of
President Lai Ching-te.

MOFA said it was "necessary to make such stopovers before and after visiting
Tuvalu.

Lin returned to Taiwan on Saturday morning after making the transit stop in
Australia.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:20

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen will be heading to the U-S for an 11-day visit
tomorrow - aimed at strengthening city-to-city exchanges and engaging with
Taiwan expats.

Lu says her trip will cover five states, primarily on the U-S East Coast,
with planned stops including Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., and
Seattle.

Lu is slated to meet members of the U-S House of Representatives and sign a
memorandum of understanding with the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North
America.

The Taichung Mayor says most of the itinerary was arranged at the invitation
of the U-S side, and she hopes to use the visit to speak up for Taiwan and
safeguard the interests of the Republic of China.

Lu says the issues to be discussed with U-S officials include energy
stability, regional security and global trade.

However, she has not released the names of the U-S officials she will meet
with - saying details will only be disclosed if appropriate.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:20

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and several non-governmental groups have
launched a series of gender equality events in New York to coincide with the
70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

"Taiwan Gender Equality Week" was launched in New York's Times Square on
International Women's Day... with events aimed at showcasing Taiwan's
institutional and cultural progress in gender equality and women's
empowerment to the international community.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York Director Lee Chih-chiang
says, it's hoped the activities will let the world know that although Taiwan
cannot participate in the main conference, it is still willing to hold events
off-site to showcase its accomplishments.

This is the first year that Taiwan has has held multiple outreach activities
in New York during the U-N Commission on the Status of Women conference.

The participating N-G-Os and agency's include the Women's Rights and
Sustainable Development Alliance, the Taiwan Equality Campaign, the Ministry
of Labor's Department of Planning and the Taoyuan City's Department of Women
and Children Development.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:21

Authorities in Nantou says one person has been killed and seven others
injured after a shuttle bus traveling through a forest recreation area in
drove off a mountain road and plunged about 20 meters into a valley.

The bus was carrying eight people and crashed while touring the Sun Link Sea
Forest Recreation Area in Zhushan Township.

All eight people on board were taken to near by hospitals.

A 66-year-old man was pronounced dead after emergency treatment at Chu Shang
Show Chwan Hospital.

Park management says the bus departed the recreation area's visitor center
around noon and was traveling toward the Songlong Rock Waterfall when it
apparently scraped a cliff face and lost control before tumbling down the
mountainside.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:21

Organizers of the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi County says 2-million
people visited the event on its first weekend.

The huge turnout resulted in limited shuttle bus availability... its also led
the Tourism Administration to encourage people to visit on a weekday to avoid
overcrowding.

Chiayi County Commissioner Weng Chang-liang is also urging people to come at
a different times due to venue's capacity.

Transport issues led many visitors to give the event one-star ratings on
Google Maps.

They said they were unable to get on the shuttle bus to the venue and had to
walk nearly an hour from the high-speed rail station in Chiayi County's
Taibao City.

Transport Minister Chen Shih-kai says his agency has arranged 30 tour buses
to support the shuttle bus service on site more seats will be added at the
shuttle bus stop for elderly visitors and parents with children.

The Chiayi County Government is estimating that revenue in shopping districts
in Puzih has grown by 30 to 50 per-cent since the Lantern Festival opened and
it's expected to generate more than 23-billion N-T in tourism-related
economic benefits for the local economy.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:21

And,

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has ceased publication of the Taiwan Review.

The government funded publication was first launched in April 1951 as the
Free China Review.

It was renamed Taipei Review in April 2000 before adopting the title Taiwan
Review in March of 2003.

The foreign ministry has also confirmed that it plans to shut down its
multilingual news portal, Taiwan Today on on December 31 of this year.

Taiwan Today was established in May of 2009 with the aim of providing daily
news services in nine languages.

The ministry says the decision to close the Taiwan Review and Taiwan Today
was made after a comprehensive review of limited resources aimed at improving
the effectiveness of Taiwan's international communications.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:21

Ukraine is ready for new U.S.-backed peace talks with Russia "at any moment",
but its partners' attention is currently focused on the Iran conflict.

Zelenskyy used social media to say that talks this week had been postponed
because its allies had focused its priority and attention on Iran.

Several rounds of talks aimed at ending the four-year-old conflict with
Russia have not seen any progress on key issues... this includes a Russian
demand calling on Kyiv to abandon land that Moscow's troops have not managed
to capture.

Ukraine says it is ready to continue talks in what it called a format that
can help and that will be realistic in terms of ending the war.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:21

Activists say an independent journalist in Belarus has been convicted of
treason and sentenced to nine years in prison.

Pavel Dabravolski is the fifth journalist to be jailed in the country in two
weeks as its authoritarian leader and Trump Board of Peace member Alexander
Lukashenko continues his crackdown on freedom of the press.

Dabravolski, who has and won numerous prizes for his work, was tried behind
closed doors in Minsk City Court.

Activists have reported a sharp increase in government pressure placed on
Belarus’ media workers, with the Belarusian Association of Journalists
estimating that 28 journalists are behind bars in the country.

Posted on 2026-03-10 06:56:21

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to visit Norway on Friday where he
will observe a NATO exercise before visiting the United Kingdom.

Carney’s office says he will observe the Norwegian-led NATO Cold Response
exercise.

Cold Response is run by NATO every two years and involves about 25,000 troops
from 14 nations training together to perform land, air and sea operations in
Arctic conditions.

Before returning to Canada, Carney plans to stop in London to meet with Prime
Minister Keir Starmer to talk about defense and the war in the Middle East.

Posted on 2026-03-09 19:49:14

President Lai Ching-te will convene a special task force tomorrow to begin
the process of appointing new members to the Control Yuan.

Led by Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, the board—which includes judicial
experts and presidential advisors—will use its first meeting to launch a
public search for candidates.

The move comes as the terms for the current Control Yuan members, including
its president and vice president, are set to expire this July.

President Lai will use the board's recommendations to nominate a new slate of
officials, as per constitutional procedure.

Those names will then be sent to the Legislative Yuan for final approval.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-09 19:49:14

Doctors in Taiwan say that as little as ten minutes of exercise five days per
week may be enough to help people slim down.

They pointed to research published in the Journal of Obesity and Metabolic
Syndrome, which followed 26 young women who were overweight or obese and did
not usually exercise.

Participants in the exercise group performed short high-intensity workouts
five days a week, including brief stair-climbing sprints after a short
warm-up.

After four weeks, the group lost an average of about 1.3 kilograms, while
waistlines shrank by roughly one and a half centimeters and cardiovascular
fitness improved.

Doctors say stair climbing is an efficient full-body workout that can easily
be added to daily routines, such as taking the stairs during a commute.

They also recommend combining exercise with balanced eating habits for better
long-term weight control.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-09 17:19:13

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin is dismissing rumors of potential
energy shortages, saying Taiwan's natural gas supply for March and April is
secure.

Kung says the country needs 22 liquefied natural gas shipments for the two
months, and 20 have already been scheduled despite the ongoing conflict in
the Middle East.

According to Kung, the remaining two shipments are still being arranged and
are expected to be secured soon.

He also rejected speculation that households could face shortages, noting
that residential gas use accounts for less than five percent of total
consumption.

With supply expected to remain stable, he says Taiwan will not need to
increase power generation from coal-fired plants for now.

Officials say they will continue monitoring global energy markets in the
months ahead.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-03-09 17:19:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan is heading to the US Wednesday in hopes of
deepening city-to-city exchange.

The mayor will spend most of her week and a half trip in the US east,
visiting cities like Boston, New York, and DC...

as well as Seattle over on the west coast.

She will visit US lawmakers as well as meet with local Taiwanese community
members and business leaders.

Lu says, she aims to deepen the friendship between Taiwan and the US.

This comes as the Taichung mayor is widely seen as a strong candidate for the
KMT's nomination for the presidency in 2028.

She expressed her thanks for the US' invitation, and said that the trip was a
good opportunity for her to make Taiwan's voice heard.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-09 17:19:13

Olympic bronze medalist Tang Chia-hung won the horizontal bar title Sunday at
the Gymnastics World Cup in Azerbaijan.

Tang secured the gold medal in his first competition of the 2026 season.

He received a high execution score and a bonus for a perfect landing.

The victory follows Tang’s bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Games.

Tang is currently training for the individual all-around.

He plans to compete in the floor exercise and still rings at upcoming events
in Turkey.

In other results from Sunday, Taiwanese gymnast Lee Chih-kai finished sixth
in the pommel horse event.

Lee previously won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

(CNA - NS)

Posted on 2026-03-09 17:19:13

Now turning to international news...

Human Rights Watch says, the Israeli military unlawfully fired white
phosphorous on Lebanese village

The NGO says, it's verified seven images and geolocated them to the village
of Yohmor.

It says, the white phosphorous shells hit residential areas hours after
Israel warned residents there, and in dozens of nearby places, to evacuate.

Human Rights Watch says it cannot confirm if anyone remained in the area or
was harmed.

The Israeli military says that it has in the past used white phosphorous as a
smoke screen- not to target civilians...

but officials this time did not respond to a request for comment.

The use of white phosphorus is illegal under international law when the
white-hot chemical substance is fired into populated areas.

It can set buildings on fire and burn human flesh down to the bone.

Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if
their burns are small.

Posted on 2026-03-09 17:19:13

Nepal's new Rastriya Swantantra party is headed for a landslide win in the
country's first parliamentary elections since protests brought down the old
leadership last year.

Election officials published results showing that the party has already won
most directly elected seats.

Yet, vote counting continues, and officials expect the final results later
this week.

The party is led by Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician.

Shah rose to prominence during the uprising that pushed out a longtime prime
minister.

The Rastriya Swatantra, or National Independent Party, was formed only four
years ago, and is unseating both of Nepal's two dominant parties in this
election.

Posted on 2026-03-09 14:11:13

The DPP is touting Premier Zhuo Rong Tai's visit to Tokyo for the World
Baseball Classic as a "breakthrough" for Taiwan/Japan ties.

That's after the opposition raised concerns that Zhuo's trip was paid for
with taxpayer money... claims which Zhuo disputed.

At the same time, China also lodged a complaint with the Japanese embassy in
the country over the matter.

But DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary General Zhuang Rui Xiong says,
regardless of if Zhuo made the trip as a private citizen or as premier, it's
a big win for relations between Taiwan and Japan.

Zhuo went to Japan on Saturday to watch the game between Taiwan and the Czech
Republic.

On his trip, he also paid a visit to the local Taiwanese representative, Li
Yi Yang along with Sports Minister Lee Yang.

He returned to Taiwan on the same day.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-09 14:11:14

The Ministry of Education is investing over $150 million NT to help high
school students use English in their daily lives.

The MOE says the new program will begin in the upcoming academic year, with
the subsidies going to over 270 high schools across the country.

The goal is to make English a natural part of the campus environment rather
than just a classroom subject.

Participating schools will create activities that match the needs of their
students, including organizing online classes with schools in other
countries, English presentation contests, or elective courses that simulate
English communication in the workplace.

The ministry hopes these practical activities will help students build
confidence and improve their English skills through real-world
problem-solving.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-03-09 14:11:20

Taiwan shares took a tumble today, with the benchmark tai ex closing at
32110, after losing 1489 points.

The turnover was 808.3 billion NT

Posted on 2026-03-09 14:11:20

Now turning to internaitonal news...

Japan has begun deploying its first batch of domestically-developed
long-range missiles, with their launchers arriving at a Japanese army camp
today.

That's as the country accelerates its strike-back capability in response to
rising challenges in the region.

The upgraded Type-12 land-to-ship missiles are expected to arrive at the Camp
Kengun in Kumamoto by the end of the month to complete the deployment
process.

Army vehicles carrying the launchers and other equipment arrived in the early
hours this morning in a highly secretive mission criticized by local
residents.

Dozens of people protested outside the camp, shouting "stop long-range
missile deployment" and holding banners.

Opponents have complained about the lack of transparency and said the
deployment would instead escalate tension and make the missiles the target of
attacks.

Local leaders say that the prefectural government was not notified and only
learned of the deployment from media reports.

The Defense Ministry last year moved up the schedule of the missiles'
deployment by one year as Japan accelerates a military buildup in the
southwestern region as China escalates tension around Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-03-09 13:08:13

A man has been arrested after he allgedly tried to force his way into the
presidential office while wielding a knife.

Police say that the man, surnamed Li, took a taxi to the scene from Keelung
last night before attempting to break in just before 3 am.

They say, Li was shouting that "god told {him} to kill the communist."

Police dispatched personnel immediately and, together with military police
personnel, were able to arrest Li.

Li is being investigated on charges of threatening public safety.

The case will be transferred to prosecutors following a preliminary
investigation

(AH)

Posted on 2026-03-09 13:08:13

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has helped over 1-thousand-200 citizens
return home from the Middle East as regional conflict continues to spread.

MOFA says a Taiwan representative led an evacuation from Qatar into Saudi
Arabia.

As of yesterday, officials brought 42 people in four separate groups across
the border by land.

Once in Saudi Arabia, staff helped the travelers reach the capital to board
international flights.

And including Taiwnaese citizens coming from other parts of the Middle East,
the total number of returnees has now reached 1,280.

MOFA is also urging any remaining tourists in the region to leave on
commercial flights as soon as possible, as airspace and flight schedules
remain unpredictable.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-03-09 13:08:13

The US and Korea have begun large scale military exercises involving
thousands of troops.

That's as the US also wages its war on Iran.

The annual Freedom Shield exercise runs through mid March.

South Korea says about 18,000 troops will take part, while the US hasn't
confirmed the number they will send.

The allies' combined exercise comes as South Korean media has been
speculating that the US is relocating some assets from South Korea to support
fighting against Iran.

Freedom Shield may trigger an irritated response from North Korea, which has
long described the allies ’ joint exercises as invasion rehearsals and used
them as a pretext to ramp up its own military demonstrations and weapons
tests.

Posted on 2026-03-09 13:08:13

Colombians are heading to the polls to elect a new congress and narrow the
presidential field in a major test of political power.

Voters are choosing lawmakers and presidential candidates for the three major
political coalitions.

More than 3000 candidates are competing for the 285 legislative positions...

as authorities are on high alert for political violence, particularly in
rural areas dominated by armed groups.

The European Union deployed 40 election observers last month and said they
planned to add more for the congressional vote.

With over 96% of the polling stations reporting, the political parties
receiving the most votes for the Senate were the ruling Historical Pact and
the Democratic Center, the main opposition party.

Posted on 2026-03-09 08:16:13

Taiwan beat South Korea in a 5-4 extra-inning victory in its final World
Baseball Classic Pool C game in front of 40,584 fans at the Tokyo Dome.

The winning run was scored team captain Chen Chieh-hsien, who entered the
game as a pinch runner in the 10th-inning tiebreaker and slid head-first to
score the winning run.

The result snapped Taiwan's four-game losing streak against South Korea in
the tournament and kept its slim hopes of advancing to the next round in
Miami alive.

Taiwan lost 3-0 to Australia in its opening W-B-C Pool C game last Thursday,
was routed 13-0 by Japan on Friday, and beat the Czech Republic 14-0 on
Saturday.

Japan has clinched the top seed in the pool and advances, after beating
Australia 4-3 last night, while the Czech Republic has been eliminated.

Australia can advance to the quarterfinals as Pool C runner-up with a win
over South Korea this evening.

South Korea must beat Australia to remain alive.

That win would trigger a three-way tie for second place in the pool, which
means the teams would be ranked based on the ratio of total runs allowed
divided by total defensive outs recorded.

... and Taiwan needs South Korea to beat Australia in order to force a
three-way tie and then hope the W-B-C tiebreaker rules work in its favor.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:13

President Lai Ching-te and Premier Zhu Rong-tai sent their congratulations to
Team Taiwan after it clinched its second victory in the World Baseball
Classic.

This, after Taiwan beat South Korea 5-4 in an extra-innings.

The president used social media to thank "all the Taiwan heroes," calling
them "our proudest Team Taiwan" for keeping the country's hopes alive of
advancing to the quarterfinals in the final group-stage game.

Lai lauded every player who he said fought to the very end to secure the win.

Zhu also used social media to thank Taiwanese fans who supported the team at
the Tokyo Dome, at home and at watch parties, saying their encouragement
motivated the players.

The premier noted Taiwan's chances of reaching the quarterfinals depended on
the results of other games and called on fans to continue sending positive
energy so Team Taiwan can move forward to the quarterfinals in Miami.

The premier attended Taiwan's World Baseball Classic match against the Czech
Republic on Friday... he said the trip was made at his own expense after
opposition lawmakers questioned where funding came from.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:14

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung slammed comments by his Chinese counterpart,
Wang Yi... who said on the sidelines of the National People's Congress in
Beijing... that Taiwan has always been a territory of China and it would be
impossible for it to become its own country.

During a news conference, Wang claimed the "return" of Taiwan to China was
the natural outcome of the Chinese people's resistance against Japan in World
War II, and any pursuit of Taiwan independence is "doomed to fail."

Wang also said the Taiwan problem is a part of China's internal affairs and
at the very core of its interests ... and that red line must not be trampled
on.

Lin is rejecting Wang's statments - calling China a "troublemaker" in the
international community and a disruptor of cross-strait peace.

The foreign minister added that based on historical facts, objective reality
or international law, Taiwan's sovereignty has never belonged to the P-R-C
and only Taiwanese have the right to decide the nation's future.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

President Lai Ching-te says he believes Taiwan will become "more powerful" if
women have more support and choices from society.

Lai marked International Women's Day on social media by pointing out that
when a society is willing to give women more support and room for choice,
Taiwan will not only become kinder, but also more powerful.

He called attention to the theme of this year's International Women's Day:
"Give To Gain," saying he hopes every Taiwanese woman, whether striving in
the workplace or cultivating family life, can "freely become her ideal self."

Lai also highlighted his government's national action plan on gender-based
violence prevention, which looks to integrate violence-prevention resources
to "build a more comprehensive and complete gender equality protection
network."

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim also marked International Women's Day on social
media, saying women can "shine" in the fields where they are most skilled.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

Police in Kaohsiung say a 30-year-old man tested positive for drugs after he
rear-ended two motorcycles, killing one person and injuring two others.

Police say they found "zombie vape," in the man's vehicle.

He was arrested and transferred to prosecutors on suspicion of offenses
against public safety, negligent homicide, causing injury and violating the
Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.

Police say the man rammed into a motorcycle driven by a 43-year-old woman,
and then struck another motorcycle with a 52-year-old woman driver who had a
9-year-old passenger.

The woman hit first died from her injuries.

While the second rider struck, and the child sustained non-life-threatening
injuries.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

officers

The Taipei 101 was bathed in blue to honor police officers who lost their
lives in the line of duty around the world

The iconic building also displayed commemorative messages in both Chinese and
English to honor police officers who lost their lives while protecting the
public and upholding the rule of law.

The display was organized by Taiwan's National Police Agency in cooperation
with the Friends of the Police Association of R.O.C to mark the International
Day of Remembrance for Fallen Police Officers.

The police agency said the commemoration was part of a global tribute
initiated by INTERPOL.

It invited member countries to illuminate police headquarters, local stations
and some of the world's most recognizable landmarks in blue.

The N-P-A says even though Taiwan is not a member of INTERPOL, it is more
than willing to take part in these meaningful efforts, demonstrating a
determination and capability to actively engage in international law
enforcement cooperation.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

Chiayi

A Japanese-style lantern float featuring Mazu headlined the national baseball
team parade at the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi County this past
weekend.

The large art piece was a Japanese Nebuta, a traditional lantern float
handmade from wood, metal wire, and paper.

The Taiwan Lantern Festival float spotlighted Mazu in the center, secured by
her famous ogre guardians to her left and right.

The float was crafted domestically in Taiwan by Nebuta artists Makoto Suwa
and Hiromi Hayashi, from Japan's Aomori City.

They were invited by the General Association of Chinese Culture to serve as
resident artists for this year's Lantern Festival.

Both Nebuta artists visited Chiayi County's Puzi Peitian Temple to get
inspiration for the deities they sculpted for the annual lantern festival.

The float headlined the parade on Saturday to celebrate Taiwan at the 2026
World Baseball Classic.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

And,

The Central Weather Administration says we can expect to see chilly and wet
weather this week as two cold air masses move in.

The first one is forecast to arrive today.

That cold front will push temperatures down islandwide and bring showers to
northern and eastern parts of Taiwan today and tomorrow

Lows are expected to fall to between 14 and 15 degrees in the north, 15 and
16 degrees in the center, 17 and 18 degrees in the south.

Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu says temperatures below 10 degrees could
be recorded in low-lying areas from this evening into early tomorrow morning,
as well as Tuesday night and early Wednesday.

The second cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Thursday will once again
push temperatures down in the north, while other parts of the island will
also see chilly nighttime weather.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s late supreme leader, has been named his
successor. He had long been considered a contender, even before an Israeli
strike killed his father at the start of the war.

He had never been elected or appointed to a government position.

U.S. leader Donald Trump had called the possible selection of the younger
Khamenei unacceptable to succeed his father, but there was no immediate White
House comment after the announcement by Iran's state TV.

There has been only one other transfer of power in the office of supreme
leader since the Islamic Revolution almost a half-century ago.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called special elections for three
districts that, if his party wins, would give the Liberals a majority
government.

The prime minister announced votes will be cast on April 13 in the
Toronto-area districts of Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale and
in the Montreal-area district of Terrebonne.
The Toronto districts are considered to be safe seats for the Liberals, while
Terrebonne is considered a toss up.

The Liberals currently have 169 Members of Parliament in the House of
Commons, but they need 172 to secure a majority government which would allow
them to pass any bill without the support of an opposition party.

Posted on 2026-03-09 06:56:15

Colombians are heading to the polls to elect a new Congress and narrow the
presidential field in a major test of political power.

On Sunday, voters choose lawmakers and presidential candidates for the
country's three major political coalitions. More than 3,000 candidates are
vying for 285 legislative positions — 102 in the Senate and 183 in the House
of Representatives.

Authorities are on high alert for political violence, especially in rural
areas.

The European Union deployed 40 election observers in early February and said
it intended to increase the size of the delegation for the upcoming
congressional vote.

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