In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

U-S House Speaker Mike Johnson says Washington needs Taiwan to remain stable
and independent, as the island is crucial for America's national security and
economy.

Speaking on Fox Business, Johnson said Taiwan is a very important partner,
friend, and ally of the U-S and he believes the White House will complete
40-billion U-S dollars in arms sales to Taiwan during Donald Trump's two
presidential terms.

Johnson also insisted that the U-S will Continue to Support Taiwan

However, he didn't make any specific comment when asked about the 14-billion
U-S dollar arms sales to Taiwan that remains frozen.

And finally,

Taiwan's Lin Chung-wei has won bronze in the men's 400-meter hurdles at the
Asian Games in Japan on Monday.

His finish gave Taiwan a track and field medal for the second straight day,
after Fu Chao-hsuan's gold in the men's high jump on Sunday.

Lin entered the final with a time of 49.1 seconds, the second-fastest time in
the heats.

He stayed among the leaders and was level for second after clearing the last
hurdle, before finishing third in a personal-best 48.74 seconds.

Meanwhile,

Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Gonzales Zhan had to settle for bronze in the
badminton mixed doubles, after losing their semifinal match to China's Jiang
Zhen-bang and Wei Ya-xin.

However, it was Taiwan's first Asian Games mixed doubles badminton medal
since 2010.

In table tennis, Lin Yun-ru took bronze in the men's singles after losing his
semifinal match that went the maximum seven games to China's Lin Shi-dong.

While shooters Cheng Yen-ching, Tien Chia-chen and Chen Yu-ru combined for
1,734 points to place third in the women's 25-meter pistol team event.

Taiwan is now in 13th place in the overall medals table, between India and
Qatar, having won three gold, seven silver and 23 bronze.

President Lai Ching-te marked Teachers' Day by touting his administration's
plans to invest 11-billion N-T by 2029 to strengthen educators' digital and
artificial intelligence skills.

Lai said via social media, that the Ministry of Education had launched the
"AI Talent Ark Program" to build teaching capabilities and AI-enabled
learning environments in elementary and secondary schools.

Lai also said his administration will continue listening to educators,
improve teaching conditions, and ensure teachers receive the respect and
support they deserve so they can focus on teaching.

The Ministry of Education's "AI Talent Ark Program" is aimed at enhancing
digital teaching materials and developing next-generation A-I learning
systems.

The ministry has also said the program will provide hands-on A-I training and
support for teachers, and improve education data analytics to help educators
deliver more personalized instruction.

For her part, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim marked Teachers' Day by extending
her holiday greetings to teachers and sharing a video featuring educators
reflecting on their most rewarding moments in the profession, alongside
messages of appreciation from students.

A new drone campus run by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and
Technology has opened in Chiayi County’s Minsyong Township.

The 1.1 billion NT facility is said to include research and development and
manufacturing facilities.

Construction of the facilty began three years ago.

The institute says its hopes the campus will boost its capacity to develop,
test and manufacture cutting edge drones.

Morocco has resumed accepting tourism visa applications from Taiwan passport
holders last week.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a staffer at its office in Tokyo called
the Moroccan Embassy in Japan last Friday, and was informed it had officially
resumed accepting applications for Taiwan travelers' Visa Confirmation
Letters from September 21.

However, the ministry says that because the Moroccan embassy has still not
resumed V-C-L applications for non-tourism purposes, it will not be accepting
visa applications from Moroccan nationals until such restrictions are lifted.

The Moroccan Embassy in Japan abruptly suspended issuing visas on July 23
without giving a reason for the move.

The foreign ministry statement comes after a local travel agency said this
past weekend that the Moroccan Embassy in Japan had informed it that it was
resuming visa applications from Taiwan nationals.

Taiwan passport holders can only obtain Visa Confirmation Letters only
through the Moroccan Embassy in Japan and do not qualify for a Moroccan
e-visa.

not indicted

The Ministry of Justice says just over 40-per cent of individuals
investigated for human trafficking-related crimes between 2021 and 2025 were
indicted.

Of the 3,401 people investigated, 1,914 were alleged to have been involved in
labor exploitation, 1,281 in sexual exploitation and 147 in organ harvesting.

The report also noted that the number of people investigated for sex
trafficking rose from 168 in 2021 to 309 in 2025, while the number of people
indicted in organ-harvesting cases remained below 70 each year.

Of those investigated, 41-per cent were indicted, 41.4-per cent were not
indicted and 0.8-per cent received deferred prosecution.

The ministry says insufficient evidence was cited in 95.9-per cent of the
non-prosecutions.

Of those indicted, 35.5-per cent were charged with offenses against personal
freedom, 25.7-per cent with violations of the Child and Youth Sexual
Exploitation Prevention Act, and 14.2-per cent with violations of the Human
Trafficking Prevention Act.

The High Speed Rail Corporation added four extra northbound services on
Monday to deal with heavier than anticipated passenger volumes as people
headed home on the last day of the four-day long weekend holiday.

The operator says the additional trains were all-stop northbound services and
all cars except the business class car were designated as non-reserved
seating.

Two of the extra services departed from Chiayi Station, and that's the first
time High Speed Rail Corporation has run such trains from that station.

The company set up a forward command post at Taichung Station to coordinate
operations to deal with the travel surge, while Transport Minister Chen
Shih-kai visited the station to check on holiday transportation efforts.

The new Shengji Tunnel has opened.

The new route removes a traffic bottleneck between Zhongxiao East Road
Section 7 and Lane 130, Section 1 of Academia Road... it also connects the
biotechnology park with Taiwan Railway's and Taipei Metro's Nangang stations
and surrounding residential areas.

Deputy Interior Minister Wu Tang-an said the new route is expected to ease
traffic congestion during peak hours, and cut travel time between Nangang and
New Taipei's Xizhi District.

The tunnel cost 1.8-billion N-T.

The National Biotechnology Research Park covers 14-hectares and houses
several institutions, including Academia Sinica's Biomedical Translation
Research Center and the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration.

... its development triggered business and employment growth in Nangang,
generating greater demand for transportation infrastructure in the area.

The Kaohsiung City Police Department says three people have been arrested in
connection with a dispute over drug debt that left one man dead and two other
people seriously injured.

One other suspect remains at large.

The incident occurred at an out-of-business health spa in the city's Fengshan
District when fighting broke out between two groups.

Police says they used surveillance video footage to track down four suspects
in the attack, who were seen leaving the scene together in a car.

Three of the suspects were later arrested.

The incident remains under investigation.

Local media is reporting that one of the groups was upset about being pushed
to repay around 10,000 N-T in a drug debt they owed to a member of the other
group.

And,

Acer marked the 50th anniversary of its founding with a musical at the Taipei
Nangang Exhibition Center.

Titles "Smile for Half a Century," the musical was a collaboration between
the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, the OneSong Orchestra, and Story Works.

Acer founder Stan Shih served as co-producer.

The show told the story of Acer by incorporating modern dance, music, theater
and high-tech multimedia visuals effects.

Shih says "Smiling for Half a Century" didn't looks back at the past, but
looks to the future.

The event brought Acer executives and employees as well as Taiwan's tech
industry leaders... including T-S-M-C Chairman C.C. Wei, Wistron Chairman
Simon Lin, ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih and Pegatron Chairman T.H. Tung.

Ukrainian officials say that Russia’s continuous aerial attacks have killed
at least seven people and wounded over 80....

Moscow's forces have targeted apartment buildings, offices and cultural
landmarks in Kyiv.

The strikes aim to weaken Ukraine's resistance and economy.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested peace talks are unlikely following
recent Ukrainian attacks.

Ukrainian forces have made some advances on the eastern front, recapturing
territory. It has targeted Russian defense plants and oil facilities with
long-range strikes.

Mediators are said to be working with Iran and the United States on a deal to
end fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet
with Qatari mediators about the latest discussions.

Donald Trump initially said he rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to reopen
the strait in exchange for lifting a U.S. blockade and meeting other
conditions.

A senior U.S. official says that despite the rhetoric, Trump is open to
pursuing a non-military resolution to the conflict if one can be achieve.

But another U.S. official says the Trump administration won't reach a deal
with Tehran until nuclear issues are addressed.

Pope Leo on Monday said concerns that artificial intelligence could destroy
the world should be taken seriously, in an apparent rebuke of US President
Donald ‌Trump.

The first US pope, who has warned of the dangers of AI throughout his
16-month papacy, also directly criticized technology CEOs who argued there
should be no guardrails on the technology.

Trump told the UN General Assembly last week that he ​believed fears about
the dangers to humanity from AI were a "hoax."

The U-S leader is expected to meet with U-S tech leaders later today for
talks aimed at finding a balance between between innovation and oversight
and ​warned that the US risks losing the AI race to China if it decides to
"hyper-regulate this."

A man was found dead on a bus in New Taipei on Sunday, several days after he
boarded the vehicle.

Police say the man got on the bus in Xindian at around 8:40 PM last Thursday.

The bus later returned to its terminal, where it remained parked until Sunday
morning because of the long Moon Festival weekend.

A passenger noticed the man appeared to be unconscious after the bus resumed
service Sunday and alerted the driver, who called emergency services.

Police found no signs of trauma or foul play, but an autopsy has been ordered
to determine the cause of death.

The bus operator has been fined 30-thousand NT for failing to properly check
the vehicle before parking it.

The driver has also been suspended, while the company says it will strengthen
safety procedures.

A new tunnel linking Taipei's Zhongxiao East Road with the National
Biotechnology Research Park in Nangang District opened today.

The 824-meter Shengji Tunnel is expected to ease traffic on Zhongxiao East
Road and Academia Road, while cutting travel time between the park and
Nangang Station to less than 10 minutes during peak hours.

The central government spent nearly $1.9 billion NT on the project.

The tunnel also provides an alternative route during emergencies, such as
flooding, and includes a separate path for pedestrians and cyclists.

More than 26-hundred researchers and other professionals now work at the
biotechnology park, which opened in 2018.

(CNA_IG)

British Police are holding five men and examining suspected explosives found
near a U-S-operated air force base in England.

Counterterror detectives are investigating on Monday whether the arrests
foiled an attempted attack linked to Iran.

The men were detained early Sunday after three vans were spotted near RAF
Fairford.

They were initially held over suspected explosives offenses and later
arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.

U-S President Donald Trump said the arrests followed cooperation between the
U-S and Britain.

Investigators have not concluded whether the incident is a state-backed
attack, but tensions with Iran are high.

High-temperature alerts have been expanded to 10 cities and counties across
Taiwan ... with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius or higher.

The Central Weather Administration's yellow alerts now cover Keelung, Taipei,
New Taipei and Taoyuan ... as well as Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou, Tainan and
Pingtung.

Yunlin remains under an orange alert ... with 36-degree temperatures possible
for several days in a row.

As of 3 PM ... the day's highest temperature was 36.7 degrees in Taipei's
Zhongzheng District ... followed by 36.6 degrees in New Taipei's Xizhi
District.

In fact, all of today's 10 highest temperature readings were recorded in
Taipei or New Taipei.

President Lai Ching-te has marked Teachers' Day today ... by highlighting a
government program aimed at strengthening teachers' digital and artificial
intelligence skills.

The Ministry of Education's AI Talent Ark Program will invest nearly $11.8
billion NT through 2029 to improve digital teaching materials, develop AI
learning systems and provide hands-on training for teachers.

Lai said technology can make teaching more efficient, but teachers'
understanding of and guidance for students remain irreplaceable.

He also acknowledged challenges facing educators, including teacher
shortages, parent-teacher communication and administrative workloads.

Lai said the government would continue working to improve teaching conditions
and give teachers more support.

Morocco has resumed accepting tourism visa applications from Taiwanese
passport holders, two months after suspending the process without giving a
reason.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it was informed by the Moroccan
Embassy in Japan that applications for tourism Visa Confirmation Letters
resumed on September 21st.

However, Morocco has not resumed processing applications for other types of
travel.

Taiwan therefore continues to suspend visa applications from Moroccan
nationals, citing the principle of reciprocity.

Morocco suspended its visa review process for Taiwanese travelers on July
23rd, prompting Taiwan to impose its own restrictions on Moroccan applicants
a week later.

MOFA says it will continue monitoring the situation and hopes normal two-way
exchanges can resume.

South Korea is demanding an apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy revealed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South
Korea.

Zelenskyy announced the transfer during a U-N speech last week.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung accused Ukraine of violating a
nondisclosure agreement, but Kyiv denies the claim.

The two North Korean soldiers were captured on a battlefield in Ukraine in
early 2025.

South Korea had asked Ukraine not to return them to North Korea, citing
concerns they could face persecution.

Seoul says it strongly regrets Ukraine's actions, further straining relations
between the two countries.

Hurricane Polo is approaching Mexico's Baja California peninsula with threats
of storm surge, strong winds and heavy rain.

The U-S National Hurricane Center says the Category 3 hurricane had maximum
sustained winds of 205 kph per hour Sunday evening.

Forecasters warn that heavy rain could bring life-threatening flooding and
mudslides to the peninsula.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo is moving farther away from Hawaii.

Nolo was southwest of the islands and heading away from the Big Island as the
weekend ended.

Malaysia is promoting its durian varieties as it looks to expand sales of the
spiky fruit, especially in China.

A durian experience center in Kuala Lumpur lets visitors taste different
varieties and learn about the fruit's culture.

Founder Edison Ang hopes the center can encourage Chinese consumers to try
Malaysian durians.

Malaysia began exporting fresh durians to China in 2024, but its share of the
world's biggest durian market remains small.

Businesses are also creating products such as durian ice cream and perfume to
attract tourists and boost sales.

But the industry faces challenges, including the fruit's short shelf life and
sensitivity to economic changes.

And starting off with a quick look at traffic conditions...

The slowest traffic is currently on National Freeway 5...

...with northbound traffic from Yilan to Toucheng moving at just 17
kilometers per hour.

On National Freeway 1, northbound traffic from Dounan to Huwei is also slow,
at around 24 kilometers per hour.

Traffic in both directions around the Dingjin and Zuoying system interchanges
in Kaohsiung is moving at between 27 and 30 kilometers per hour.

And on National Freeway 5, northbound traffic from Toucheng to the Pinglin
Traffic Control Center is moving at around 35 kilometers per hour.

Meanwhile, northbound traffic on National Freeway 3 between Zhunan and the
Xibin interchange is moving at around 40 kilometers per hour.

Elsewhere, major sections of Freeways 1, 3 and 5 are mostly moving smoothly.

A tourist from Myanmar has died after losing consciousness in the shallow end
of a wave pool at a water park in Taichung City's Houli District.

Emergency crews were called shortly after 2 PM Sunday ... and found the man
with no vital signs and no obvious external injuries.

He was given emergency treatment and taken to hospital ... but later died
despite efforts to revive him.

The water park says lifeguards immediately began emergency rescue efforts and
called 119 for help.

The incident happened during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday ... when many
people were visiting the park.

Police say the case will be referred to prosecutors for a post-mortem
examination to determine the cause of death.

The park says it will cooperate with the investigation.

(IG)

Taiwanese citrus is getting a push in Singapore ... with Tainan's famous
Madou pomelos now being sold through both supermarkets and high-end
department stores.

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che recently led a city government delegation to
Singapore to check on sales ... and personally promoted the fruit to shoppers
at a department store.

Huang says Singapore's high incomes and strong consumer market offer
opportunities for Tainan's agricultural products.

The city hopes selling through different retail channels will help its
produce gain a stronger foothold in Singapore.

Officials say the Madou pomelos are known for their sweet and slightly tart
flavor ... as well as their juicy flesh and fragrant aroma.

The city is also using the promotion to introduce more Singaporean consumers
to Tainan ... and raise the international profile of its agricultural
products.(IG)

(IG)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is warning that Russia could launch hybrid
attacks against European countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland.

Tusk says border regions are particularly vulnerable, citing intelligence
from Poland and the U-S.

In the border village of Dorohusk, residents remain on alert after two drones
exploded just a few kilometers away.

Residents receive repeated alerts on their phones, while schools practice
evacuations when air-raid sirens sound.

Authorities are also stepping up civil defense efforts to prepare communities
for possible attacks.

Rescue teams are searching for 12 people missing after an avalanche swept
through a base camp on Mount Himlung in north-central Nepal.

Officials say two people were killed and another 10 survived and were
airlifted to Kathmandu on Monday.

Those killed or missing were all Nepali and were working at the base camp
ahead of the autumn climbing season.

The avalanche struck Sunday during bad weather, just as foreign climbers were
preparing to arrive to attempt the peak.

Cathay Pacific is extending the suspension of passenger flights between Hong
Kong and Dubai and Riyadh ... through the end of January next year.

The airline says the decision was made in response to the ongoing situation
in the Middle East.

Cathay had planned to resume both routes on September 1st ... including four
flights a week to Riyadh.

But the airline suspended the services in early September ... initially
through the end of November.

Cathay says affected passengers can rebook their flights, change their
destinations or request refunds.

The airline is also continuing to review when cargo flights to Dubai and
Riyadh can resume.

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado have taken to
the streets to demand her safe return and new presidential elections.

Machado, according to her team, has been living in exile in Panama for nine
months and has made at least seven unsuccessful attempts to return to
Venezuela.

Her supporters accuse Venezuelan authorities of blocking her return, but
government officials deny the claim.

Machado left Venezuela late last year after spending months in hiding and
later receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

Transport Minister Chen Shih-kai says Taiwan's transport networks have
successfully handled the Mid-Autumn and Teachers' Day holiday crowds ...
despite record passenger numbers.

Taiwan High Speed Rail carried 348-thousand passengers last Thursday,
September 24th ... which is an all-time high ... while also reaching its
maximum daily service level of 200 trains.

Chen says airports, train stations and intercity bus services were able to
clear the crowds ... with no passengers left stranded.

For today's holiday return rush ... Chen says that extra Taiwan Railway train
services ... and highway buses ... are ready to handle possible crowding
around Taichung High Speed Rail Station.

THSR may also add trains with all-unreserved seating if necessary ...
depending on passenger numbers this afternoon.

Chen is urging travelers to spread out among different transport options ...
including THSR, Taiwan Railway and intercity buses.

(IG)

Taiwanese high jumper Fu Chao-hsuan has won gold at the Asian Games in
Nagoya, becoming the first Taiwanese man in 60 years to win an athletics gold
medal at the meet

The 23-year-old cleared 2.25 meters on his first attempt, matching his season
best.

India's Sarvesh Anil Kushare also cleared 2.25 meters, but needed two
attempts.

Neither athlete could clear 2.28 meters, giving Fu the gold.

Fu had struggled with injuries and inconsistent results since moving into
senior competition, and said he initially only hoped to win bronze.

He said clearing 2.25 meters gave him confidence that gold was within reach.

Fu now hopes to compete at the world championships and eventually fulfill his
childhood dream of reaching the Olympics.

At least 62 people have died after days of heavy rain and flooding in
northern India's Uttar Pradesh state.

Officials say another 46 people were injured and more than 1,000 homes were
damaged.

Schools were closed Monday in parts of the state, including the capital
Lucknow, as rescue teams moved residents to safer areas.

Flooding has also affected neighboring Odisha, where more than 75,000 people
have been evacuated.

In neighboring Nepal, 21 people died in weather-related incidents between
Thursday and Sunday.

Taoyuan City Police are searching for a wanted man who allegedly rammed a
patrol car and fled during an attempted traffic stop early this morning.

Police say officers spotted a black sedan driving erratically on Lixing Road
(力行路) in Taoyuan District ... and signaled the driver to pull over.

Instead, the driver allegedly rammed the patrol car and sped away.

Officers followed from a safe distance and alerted other police to intercept
the car ... but stopped the close pursuit when the driver reached dangerous
speeds.

The car was later found abandoned on Longxiang Street (龍祥街) ... but the
driver had already fled.

Police have identified the suspected driver as a wanted man surnamed Huang
... and are continuing to search for him.

(IG)

The Central Weather Administration has issued heat advisories for eight
municipalities and counties across Taiwan today ...

.... with temperatures expected to reach 36 degrees Celsius or higher in some
areas this afternoon.

The advisories cover Taipei, New Taipei and Tainan, as well as Changhua,
Nantou, Yunlin, Pingtung and Hualien counties.

The CWA is advising people to limit outdoor activities and strenuous
exercise, stay hydrated, use sunscreen, and watch for signs of heat-related
illness.

Most of Taiwan will see partly cloudy to sunny skies today, with afternoon
showers possible in mountainous areas.

Temperatures will reach highs of around 35 degrees in northern and southern
Taiwan, 36 degrees in central Taiwan, and 32 degrees in the east.

------

Looking ahead ....

The weather is expected to remain similar through Wednesday.

Then on Thursday ... forecasters say that seasonal northeasterly winds will
strengthen and start affecting Taiwan on Friday ...

... bringing more showers to areas north of Taoyuan, eastern Taiwan, the
Hengchun Peninsula and mountainous areas around the island.

Elsewhere, skies should remain mostly cloudy to sunny through Sunday.

And now for the latest in panda diplomacy...

Two giant pandas have arrived in Atlanta as part of a new agreement between
China and the U-S.

Officials say Ping Ping and Fu Shuang left Chengdu in southwestern China on
Sunday and arrived in the U-S aboard a specially arranged FedEx Boeing 777.

A new agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation
Association makes Atlanta one of three U-S zoos currently set to house giant
pandas.

But visitors will have to wait to see them.

The pandas will spend about a month in quarantine before making their public
debut.

Legislature begins a new session Tuesday, with the three major parties
setting out different priorities for the months ahead.

The KMT says it will focus on the central government budget and proposals for
larger cash handouts.

The DPP is prioritizing more than 40 bills covering business support, family
policies and social welfare.

Meanwhile, the TPP plans to push measures including expanded parental leave,
tax breaks for renters and parents, and increased support for elderly
farmers.

The party also wants to legalize surrogacy and euthanasia.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) is scheduled to deliver a policy report when the
new session opens on Tuesday.

The Executive Yuan confirms the session begins September 29th and says the
2026 supplementary budget and 2027 central government budget will be major
items for consideration.

(PB)

KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) is calling on President Lai Ching-te (賴清德)
to seek the resumption of dialogue with Beijing following this week's
Trump-Xi summit.

Cheng says the meeting showed Washington and Beijing can maintain
communication despite major economic and geopolitical differences.

She says Taiwan should similarly pursue dialogue to reduce cross-strait
tensions, while continuing to strengthen its defenses and security ties with
the United States.

The DPP responded by saying Taiwan remains open to dialogue based on equality
and mutual respect, but accused Beijing of refusing such exchanges and
increasing military and other pressure on Taiwan.

(PB)

Authorities are investigating a suspected case of illegal coral harvesting in
Kenting National Park.
The park's management office says a diving instructor filmed a diver
apparently removing coral near the Hejie (合界) diving site in Hengchun (恆春) on
Wednesday.

However, officials say the video does not clearly establish whether coral was
actually taken.

The footage and other information have been turned over to police for
investigation.

The park office says it will also increase patrols and work with local diving
operators to report suspected illegal harvesting.

Violations of conservation restrictions under the Fisheries Act can carry up
to three years in prison and a fine of up to 150-thousand N.T.

(PB)

Meanwhile in international news...

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have wrapped up
a three-day summit in Washington with few major public breakthroughs.

The two leaders agreed to extend their current trade truce by two months,
while U.S. officials say limited agreements were also reached on agricultural
trade and other goods.

But major differences remain over Taiwan, technology and China's ties with
Iran.

Xi urged Trump to oppose Taiwan independence and handle the issue with
caution.

Trump has yet to publicly detail his response or say whether he will move
ahead with a pending 14-billion U.S. dollar arms package for Taiwan.

The two leaders are expected to meet again later this year at the APEC and
G20 summits.

The White House confirms Xi's state visit concluded Friday following tea at
the White House and a visit to the National Archives.

Health officials say contact tracing is falling far behind as an Ebola
outbreak continues spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya says authorities have identified only about
30-thousand people who may have been exposed to the virus.

With roughly 7-thousand confirmed cases, he says officials would expect to
identify more than 400-thousand contacts.

Kaseya says more than 80-percent of new confirmed cases are being detected
among people who were not already being monitored, indicating continued
community transmission.

The World Health Organization says the outbreak has now reached 63 health
zones across seven provinces.

Its latest situation report recorded more than 7-thousand-700 confirmed cases
as of September 20th.

The Cabinet is preparing to push about 40 priority bills when the Legislature
begins its new session on Tuesday.

The proposals include measures to support families with children, small
businesses and startups, as well as changes to food safety, disaster
prevention and social welfare laws.

The Cabinet is also seeking quick approval of this year's supplementary
budget and the 2027 central government budget.

The 2027 proposal sets spending and revenue at about 3.93-trillion N.T., with
overall defense spending exceeding one-trillion N.T. for the first time.

The budget also includes funding for planned cash payments and pay
adjustments for military personnel, civil servants and teachers.

Premier Cho Jung-tai is scheduled to present the government's policy report
when the new legislative session opens Tuesday.

(PB)

Taiwan picked up another gold and five bronze medals at the Asian Games in
Japan on Friday.

Swimmer Wang Kuan-hung (王冠閎) won the men's 200-meter butterfly in one minute,
55.05 seconds, becoming Taiwan's first male swimmer to win Asian Games gold.

Weightlifters Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳) and Chen Guan-ling (陳冠伶) both took bronze,
while Taiwan added another bronze in canoe sprint and two in kabaddi.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's baseball team beat China 9-1, keeping it in contention
for a place in the gold medal game.

Taiwan now faces host Japan tonight in its final super round game, with a
place in the gold medal game on the line.

(PB)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is rejecting comments on Taiwan made by
Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to the United States.

China's Foreign Ministry says Xi told U.S. President Donald Trump that
Washington should oppose Taiwan independence and handle the Taiwan issue with
caution during their White House meeting Thursday.

MOFA responded Friday, accusing Beijing of "distorting facts" to promote its
own position.

The ministry reiterated that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each
other, and said Taiwan's future can only be decided democratically by its
people.

Xi's three-day U.S. state visit concluded Friday.

The White House has released video and other material from the visit, but I
have not found a U.S. readout detailing Trump's response to Xi's comments on
Taiwan.

(PB)

U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal aimed at ending
regional fighting and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Wall
Street Journal.

The newspaper cited unnamed U.S. officials as saying Trump remains skeptical
that Tehran will meet his demands and expects U.S. bombing of Iran could
resume after November's midterm elections.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says Tehran submitted its proposal
through Qatari mediators.

Under the plan, an agreement would begin a seven-day process toward reopening
the Strait of Hormuz and halting fighting across the region.

Iran is seeking an end to the U.S. blockade of its ports, access to frozen
funds and relief from oil sanctions.

The conflict has severely disrupted shipping and energy supplies through the
Strait of Hormuz.

Iran had already publicly signaled this week that it was prepared to reopen
the waterway if Washington eased military pressure and lifted its blockade.