The DPP is pushing for the opposition to support the Executive Yuan's special
budget for drones.

The legislative caucus says today that the budget aims to protect Taiwan's
national security and benefits local industries.

They're urging the TPP and KMT to support the budget, adding that they hope
it will be a priority for legislative speaker Han Kuo-yu upon his return from
the US.

DPP Caucus Whip Tsai Chi Chang says, he believes the US is aware of the draft
bill, adding that Han make take the trip as an opportunity to express the
KMT's stance on the matter.

Meanwhile Caucus leader Fan Yun stated that the bill aims to invest in
Taiwan's drone industry through large-scale, long-term contracts.

The Executive Yuan passed the proposal with a budget ceiling of 210 billion
NT for spending through 2031 after a previous defense spending proposal had
drone funding cut out by the legislature.

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan previously said that she would be in favor of the
KMT putting forward their own proposal for drone spending.

(AH)

A delegation from Paraguay's Alto Paraná Department is visiting Taiwan to
learn about trade, technology and public health development.

The group is led by departmental council president Gustavo Soria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the delegation arrived yesterday and is
visiting until Thursday.

Officials are scheduled to visit Taipei City Council, Yilan County Government
and Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration.

They will also visit the International Trade Administration, TaiwanICDF,
Hsinchu Science Park and the National Palace Museum.

Alto Paraná is home to the Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park.

The ministry says Taiwan is using public-private cooperation to support
industrial development in Paraguay and help Taiwanese businesses expand
overseas.

(PB)

A temporary YouBike service in Hualien's Guangfu Township will end on June 30
after helping meet post-disaster transport needs.

The service was launched after the Matai'an Creek barrier lake disaster
following Typhoon Ragasa in September last year.

Hualien County and YouBike set up 10 stations and 150 public bicycles last
December.

YouBike says the project has completed its phased mission.

The county says a wider public bicycle system is now in the bidding process.

Tourism Department Director Yu Ming-hsun (余明勲) says the county plans 150
stations and about 1-thousand-500 bicycles.

The first phase will cover northern Hualien this year.

The county says Guangfu service could be restored first if local demand is
urgent.

(PB)

Taiwan's electrical machinery maker, TECO is expanding its green energy
business in Australia through new solar and energy storage projects.

The company says its Australian unit will work with Billion Watts and Tun
Green Power.

The partners will jointly develop the Seaspray solar and battery storage
project in Victoria.

They will also take part in a second distributed energy investment portfolio.

TECO says the Seaspray project will include solar capacity of 5-point-48
megawatt-peak and storage of 11 megawatt-hours.

The company holds a 45 percent stake in the Australian joint venture.

TECO says the projects show its shift from motors and power equipment into
renewable energy.

The company says it will keep expanding in Australia's renewable energy and
storage markets.

(PB)

Taiwan travelers heading to Japan can get more yen for their money, as the
Japanese currency keeps weakening.

Bank of Taiwan rates showed the yen's cash selling price at 0-point-1991 NT
this morning.

That is lower than the recent high of 0-point-2091 NT on February 12.

A 100-thousand NT travel budget could buy about 502-thousand Japanese yen
today.

That is about 24-thousand Japanese yen more than in February.

The difference is equal to about three adult tickets to Tokyo Disneyland.

Foreign exchange bankers say the yen has fallen more sharply than the New
Taiwan dollar.

They still suggest exchanging money in batches, instead of changing all
travel funds at once.

(PB)

"Toy Story 5" has topped 91-point-2-million NT in its opening weekend box
office in Taiwan.

The Disney film marks the franchise's 30th anniversary.

Its story pits digital devices against traditional toys.

The film also reflects family debates about screen time and digital
entertainment.

The distributor says the movie continues the series' humor, adventure and
emotional appeal.

It also highlights real interaction, imagination, companionship and play.

A Disney executive says the film set a new box office record in Taiwan.

(PB)

Taipei city's Senior Card program will be upgraded starting in July, with
monthly credits increasing from 480 points to 600 points.



Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said cardholders will be able to use their credits
to purchase daily necessities at supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies
and farmers' associations in the second half of next year.

Chiang said the city will speed up the rollout of the second-generation
cards, and the new cards will allow unused credits to roll over.

Beginning September 1st, the first round of Double Ninth Festival cash gifts
for seniors will be deposited directly into recipients' bank accounts.

Between September 7th and 18th, recipients can also load the money onto their
EasyCards by tapping them at Taipei Metro stations and major convenience
stores.

(JL)

Legislative Speaker Han Guo- yu has begun a visit to the United States by
leading a cross-party delegation of lawmakers.

Speaking at Taoyuan International Airport last night, Han said the trip is at
the invitation of the bipartisan Taiwan caucuses in both chambers of the U.S.
Congress.

He said the delegation's top priority is parliamentary diplomacy - exchanging
views with U.S. lawmakers on national security, constituency governance, and
ways to deepen cooperation between the two sides.

As this year marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S., Han also stressed that
the delegation will extend its warmest birthday congratulations to the U.S.
government and people.

Han's visit will also include a visit to the American state of Arizona where
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's factories are located.

Noting that T-S-M-C has been investing in the U.S. for nearly five years, the
Speaker said the delegation plans to tour the facilities and speak with its
employees.

Han also pointed out and that they'll return to Taiwan on the inaugural
direct flight between Taiwan and Washington D.C., operated by E-V-A Air.

(JL)

Taipei city's Senior Card program will be upgraded starting in July, with
monthly credits increasing from 480 points to 600 points.



Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said cardholders will be able to use their credits
to purchase daily necessities at supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies
and farmers' associations in the second half of next year.

Chiang said the city will speed up the rollout of the second-generation
cards, and the new cards will allow unused credits to roll over.

Beginning September 1st, the first round of Double Ninth Festival cash gifts
for seniors will be deposited directly into recipients' bank accounts.

Between September 7th and 18th, recipients can also load the money onto their
EasyCards by tapping them at Taipei Metro stations and major convenience
stores.

(JL)

Taipei police say they cracked down hard on drugged driving over the Dragon
Boat Festival holiday, catching 56 cases in three days.

The Taipei City Police Department says officers ramped up checkpoints,
testing drivers who showed signs of impairment or whose cars smelled
suspicious.

Officials declared a "zero tolerance" policy on drugged driving, with Mayor
Chiang Wan-an echoing that sentiment at a meeting ahead of the holiday.

The push comes after a legal change in May allowed for preventive detention
in drugged driving cases.

Police say they're now working closely with prosecutors to trace drug sources
and crack down on the rising use of etomidate-laced "zombie vapes..."

while also equipping officers with more drug test kits.

(MW)

Cancer remains Taiwan's leading cause of death for the 44th year in a row.

Behind cancer were heart disease and pneumonia.

That's according to new figures from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The data also shows that nearly 200,000 people died in Taiwan last year...

marking a slight decrease for the third consecutive year.

Suicide moved up to 10th place, while COVID-19 dropped significantly from
14th to 19th on the list.

Within cancer deaths specifically, lung, liver, and colorectal cancers have
stayed the top three killers for 22 straight years.

However, health officials flagged a new trend...

noting that death rates from lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian
cancer all rose compared to the previous year, even as the mean death toll
has declined overall.

(MW)

Taiwan's game software industry saw revenue jump nearly 50 percent in five
years, as stay-at-home habits and digital leisure boosted demand.

The Ministry of Finance says revenue reached 71-billion NT in 2025, up 48.7
percent from 2020.

Game software publishing recorded the fastest growth, with revenue more than
doubling over the same period.

The ministry says game publishers saw the strongest growth...

...while programming and design firms faced higher costs and tougher
competition.

The industry remains concentrated in Taipei, New Taipei and Taichung, because
of talent, capital and business clusters.

(PB)

Asian stocks are mixed today, with Japan and Korea trading higher, while Hong
Kong lost ground.

Taiwan shares were strongly up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 1276
points to close the session at 47741.

The turnover was 1.441 trillion NT.

Taipei is planning to roll out self-driving buses in three phases, with the
first phase starting in the closed grounds of the Taipei Zoo.

It'll be followed by a trial period in the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park, and
finally on 15 dedicated bus lanes in the second half of next year.

Mayor Chiang Wan-an announced today that the city will introduce the program
with the goal of making Taipei a major testbed for autonomous vehicles.

The Mayor said the first phase, to begin this year, will see driverless
shuttle buses tested in closed areas such as the zoo.

And then it'll advance to unmanned street-cleaning and water-spraying
vehicles before moving on to passenger shuttle services at the Beitou-Shilin
Technology Park.

The third phase will involve trial runs of autonomous buses on 15 dedicated
bus lanes across Taipei.

Chiang said the city will first upgrade road infrastructure, traffic signals,
and sensor systems.

(JL)

11 people have been injured in a bus accident in Taoyuan.

The tour bus and military minibus collided on a section of National Freeway 1
this morning.

The accident occureed on the southbound lanes of the Yangmei Elevated Section
of freeway in Guishan.

Firefighters say that first responders arrived to find the driver of the
military minibus trapped inside the vehicle.

They also determined that two people needed immediate medical attention,
while four others were moderately injured.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

(AH-CNA)

C-P-C has cut gasoline and diesel prices ending an 11-week run of leaving its
retail fuel prices unchanged due military conflicts in the Middle East.

The price cuts see gasoline declining by 1 N-T per liter and diesel falling
by 0.7 N-T per liter - with C-P-C saying the move reflects reduced upward
pressure on international energy prices.

The move means that 92 octane unleaded costs 31.4 N-T per liter, while the
price of premium diesel has dropped to at 30.3 N-T a liter at the pump for
this week.

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration has issued heat warnings for much of
Taiwan today - as it's forecasting highs of up to 36-degrees ahead of Typhoon
Mekkhala's closest approach to the island on Thursday.

"Orange" heat alerts are in effect for New Taipei, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin,
Tainan, Pingtung and Hualien - where the mercury could reach 36-degrees for
three consecutive days.

While "yellow" heat alerts have been issued for Keelung, Taoyuan, Taichung,
Chiayi and Kaohsiung - where the daily maximum temperature could reach
36-degrees today.

All of the heat alerts are currently slated to remain in effect through this
afternoon.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu is leading a cross-party delegation of
lawmakers to the U-S this week for a six-day trip.
Han said the trip was made possible through an invitation from a
Taiwan-friendly caucus in the U-S Congress.

Han says the main focus of the trip is to promote closer Taiwan-US exchanges
through "parliamentary diplomacy."

The delegation consists of Han and seven other lawmakers, including three
from the K-M-T, one from the Taiwan People's Party, and three from the D-P-P.

Reports say the group's itinerary will begin with a visit to TSMC's Arizona
and a banquet with overseas Taiwanese while in Phoenix.

The group will then head to Washington, D.C., to meet with U-S senators,
members of the House of Representatives and senior U-S government
officials...

They are also scheduled to attend a banquet hosted by Taiwan's representative
to the United States, Alexander Yui.

The delegation is scheduled to return to Taiwan on Friday aboard EVA Airways'
inaugural direct flight from Washington, D.C. to Taoyuan International
Airport - which Han said reflects deepening bilateral ties.

The Ministry of National Defense is set to hold a five-day combat readiness
drill this week.

Defense officials say the drill are part of its modernization plans to shift
its training focus to more realistic exercises simulating war, away from
set-piece events.

The military has reportedly begun basing some of its drills on a scenario in
which China suddenly turns one of its ​regular exercises around the island
into an actual attack.

The "Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise" begins today and runs until Friday.

The defense ministry is describing the drill as part of annual training plans
as part of joint operations for the armed forces.

They say the main objective is to train units at all levels to become
familiar ​with combat practices and the battlefield environment during the
readiness deployment phase.

Defense officials have also said the exercise will ​also help to strengthen
rapid peacetime-to-wartime transitions and priority deployments... with
"actual troops, on actual terrain, in ‌real time, using actual equipment, and
through actual implementation".

This year's Han Kuang live first exercises ​are expected to take place in
August.

The Ministry of National Defense is amending the law on mandatory military
service by calling for non-commutable prison sentences instead of fines for
convicted draft dodgers.

Proposed changes are part of the government's efforts to reduce the incidence
of draft evasion.

The act currently stipulates that citizens who evade military conscription
can get a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

But most draft dodgers receive court sentences of less than six months, which
can be commutable to a fine.

As a result, most draft dodgers actually pay a fine instead of serving time
any jail time.

Defense officials believe prison sentences would be a stronger deterrent ---
and they now want prison terms of between one and five years for citizens who
evade military conscription.

The proposed amendments also seeks to revise the penalties for those who
evade reservist training and wartime mobilization, by calling for prison
terms of between one to five years.

The proposal follows a crackdown by authorities last year on entertainers who
allegedly were evading mandatory military service by obtaining falsified
hypertension diagnoses.

Researchers at National Cheng Kung University say although climate change
could reduce overall PM2.5 pollution here in Taiwan, the benefits are likely
to be unevenly distributed.

The research team analyzed more than two decades of weather, air-quality and
geographic data.

Researchers found that average PM2.5 levels are likely to decline by between
1.25 and 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter nationally in the coming decades.

The study found that warmer temperatures and increased rainfall generally
help reduce PM2.5 levels, contributing to an overall decline in pollution
nationwide.

But researchers also say climate change could also alter local weather
patterns by impacting how pollutants accumulate and disperse, leading to
growing regional differences in air quality.

In that scenario, areas in northeastern Taiwan, the Taichung-Changhua border
region and parts of Kaohsiung and Pingtung could emerge as pollution
"hotspots" between 2081 and 2100.

And,

The Central Weather Administration has upgraded Mekkhala to a typhoon and
says it could come close enough to Taiwan later in the week to prompt a sea
warning.

The storm is currently located some 1,000-kilometers southeast of Eluanbi at
Taiwan's southern tip and is moving in a west-northwesterly direction at
26-kilometers-an-hour.

Typhoon Mekkhala has a radius of 150-kilometers and is packing sustained wind
speed of 118-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 154-kilometers-an-hour.

Mekkhala is currently expected to continue moving in a west-northwesterly
direction, before gradually turning north toward waters east of Taiwan proper
or south of the Ryukyu Islands.

The center says timing and angle of the turn remain uncertain, but current
forecasts show the storm will be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday.

Taiwan's Central Weather Administration says a tropical depression near Guam
in the western Pacific strengthened into a tropical storm early today.

The CWA said that as of 8 am, Tropical Storm Mekkhala was located just under
2,000 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan, moving at 27 kilometers per hour
toward Okinawa.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 90 kph near its
center, with gusts of 119 kph.

The CWA is advising fishing vessels in the area to stay alert.

It also issued heat alerts for parts of Taiwan today, warning of maximum
temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius or higher.

CNA_JvW

The Ministry of National Defense says that as of 6 o'clock this morning, a
total of 19 Chinese aircraft and ships were operating in Taiwan's airspace
and around the Taiwan Strait.

That includes 5 People's Liberation Army aircraft, 9 PLA vessels and 5
government vessels.

One of the aircraft the MND detected was a drone in Taiwan's airspace
southwest of the island.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard warned a Chinese oceanographic research vessel
that it was in restricted waters off the coast of Su-ao in Yilan County.

The Coast Guard also detained six men on a fishing vessel off Penghu last
night.

CNA_JvW

The CTBC Brothers announced the team has ended its contract with pitcher Hsu
Ji-lin (徐基麟), because he failed to inform the team about a car crash last
fall.

Hsu drank alcohol at a friend's place in Pingtung in September and then
crashed into a utility pole while driving. Police gave him a breathalyzer
test in the hospital and charged him with driving under the influence.

A court sentenced him to five months in prison, convertable to a fine of
1,000 NT per day -- or about 150,000 NT.

He failed to report the incident to the team, which is a breach of contract.

The Brothers said it released him from his contract for cause as soon it
found out about the accident ... and it will be seeking damages.

This morning, the CPBL said it was suspending Hsu from playing in the league
for 40 games and fining him 440,000 NT.

Hsu was drafted by the MLB's Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 and returned to
Taiwan in 2022, when he was picked up by the Brothers.

CNA_zh_JvW

Labor Minister Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) says Taiwan is working to align its labor
policies with evolving international standards ... particularly in the areas
of gig-worker protections and labor rights in global supply chains.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 7th EU-Taiwan Labor Consultation Meeting in
Brussels, Hung said Taiwan's recently enacted law governing food-delivery
platforms is an example of the direction many countries are progressing
toward.

The law is scheduled to take effect in July. It includes measures that Hung
said are aimed at strengthening protections for delivery workers, including
fair treatment, workplace safety and access to social insurance.

The labor minister said that labor rights in global supply chains were
another key focus of the meeting in Brussels.

He noted that forced labor and labor rights are no longer solely human rights
issues. They've also become important considerations in international trade
and supply-chain management.

CNA_JvW

The Coast Guard Administration has detained six crew members from a Chinese
fishing vessel caught operating in restricted waters off an islet in the
Penghu Islands.

The Coast Guard said the vessel was spotted operating 24 nautical miles west
of Huayu -- the westernmost island of the Penghu archipelago yesterday
evening.

The fishing boat ignored repeated siren warnings and tried to evade Taiwanese
authorities.

The boat was soon intercepted and its cargo of 750 kilograms of fish was
dumped into the sea.

The six men will be detained while an investigation proceeds.

The Coast Guard said this was the second time this year a Chinese fishing
vessel has been intercepted while trespassing and fishing in Taiwanese
waters.

CNA_JvW

Taiwan's central bank has raised its economic growth forecast for this year
to 9.45%, reflecting continuing robust demand for AI equipment.

9.45% is more than 2 percentage points higher than the central bank's last
forecast ... in March.

The central bank said the global AI wave has become a key growth driver in
Taiwan, which has become a global AI supply hub.

CNA_zh_JvW

The Central Weather Administration says a tropical storm near Guam could
strengthen into a typhoon and come closest to Taiwan around the middle of
next week.

The CWA cautions that the system's projected path remains highly uncertain.
Tropical Storm Mekkhala could intensify into a typhoon by Monday.

The system's future direction will depend on the strength of a Pacific
high-pressure system.

Current forecasts suggest it could move north after reaching waters east of
the Philippines on Tuesday and approach waters south of the Ryukyu Islands
... though a CWA meteorologist says a closer northward turn could bring it
nearer to Taiwan.

The weather across Taiwan is expected to remain stable from today through
Wednesday as the Pacific high-pressure system gradually strengthens, with
only isolated brief showers forecast in some mountainous areas.

CNA_JvW

The Coast Guard has warned off a Chinese research vessel from restricted
waters after initially warning it in its exclusive economic zone.

The boat entered Taiwan's restricted waters off the coast of Su'Ao in Yilan.

Restricted waters extend 12 to 24 nautical miles off Taiwan's coast.

The Coast Guard dispatched the Lanyu patrol vessel along with a patrol boat
to shadow the Chinese ship and issue radio warnings.

Video footage shows the crew of the Lanyu telling the Chinese ship that China
has no sovereignty over waters off Taiwan's east coast, demanding the vessel
leave immediately.

The two Taiwanese vessels then flanked the Chinese research ship and carried
out maneuvers designed to generate waves and disrupt its operations.

The ship then left Taiwan's restricted waters and continued north to near
Pengjia islet.

The Lanyu had previously spotted the boat near Hualien and issued similar
warnings to leave the exclusive eeconomic zone.

Next month… four Taiwanese performing arts groups will be heading to France
to join the 2026 Festival Off Avignon.

Supported by the Ministry of Culture, the delegation includes various dance
troupes, focusing on Taiwan’s Hakka and indigenous traditions, as well as
reflections on technology and modern society.

Head of the Academic Cooperation and Culture Department of the French Office
in Taipei… Josue (Joshua) Serres says the Taiwanese artists will be
performing at Festival Off Avignon… one of world’s most important
contemporary performing arts events…


He adds that Avignon will be a offer the Taiwanese artists a global stage
like no other.


That was Josue (Joshua) Serres… of the French Office in Taipei.

Festival Off Avignon runs July 4th through the 25th.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim is calling on opposition lawmakers to support
the Executive Yuan's special budget proposal for drone production.

Hsiao says today that national security is not a political problem...

adding that the proposal would not only increase the miltiary's combat
capacity, but would also strengthen the "non-red supply chain."

According to the Executive Yuan, the special budget includes a budget ceiling
of 210 billion NT for spending through 2031...

with the funds for both surveillance & reconnaisance drones, as well as for
attack drones.

The proposal followed an earlier special defense proposal by the Cabinet,
from which lawmakers cut out funding for the domestic drone industry.

Meanwhile, Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan says, she would be in favor of the KMT
putting forward its own version of a bill for drone spending.

Taiwan and the US are considering expanding cooperations between the two
countries in Paraguay.

That's as Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming Chi met with US officials in the
South American country earlier this week.

They reportedly discussed views on several issues, like ongoing
Taiwan/Paraguay cooperation on an AI computing center.

They also discussed higher education talent cultivation, Mandarin language
education, and efforts to encourage Taiwanese tech firms to invest in
Paraguay.

Chen says, Taiwan the US both hope to support Paraguay's long-term
development and can achieve greater results through joint cooperation.

US officials said that they will continue to help Paraguay enhance its
cybersecurity capabilities, but that Taiwan and the U.S. should also work
together to facilitate cooperation between Paraguay and trusted partners to
address increasingly serious cyber threats.

The military will soon deploy a drone battalion in Penghu to bolster early
warning capabilities.

That's according to a military source, who added that the move will expand
the area covered by Taiwan's early warning mechanisms and enable the military
to conduct anti-blockade operations closer to the enemy...

as well as to swiftly deploy kill chains using drone and anti-ship missiles.

The Liberty Times reported that the drone battalion will be an upgrade from
an existing squadron there.

It'll likely be launched in July.

Army Chief of Staff Chen Chun-yi (陳俊義) previously told lawmakers that the
Army will establish a drone battalion in each of Taiwan's five theaters of
operations to defend northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan, as well
as offshore Penghu County.

Meanwhile research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) described the deployment of drones
on the country's offshore islands as strategically significant...

emphasizing drone strengths, like long-range reconnaissance.

her own fame"

Taitung farmers say, it doesn't matter whether or not magistrate Rao Qing
Ling's video appearance at China's Straits Forum was legal...

as all the debate does is serve to elevate Rao's personal profile and has no
impact on the sugar apple market.

That's after Rao's video appearance promoting Taitung's sugar apples in the
Strait Forum incited controversy, prompting the Mainland Affairs Council to
turn the case over to the Ministry of the Interior for investigation.

But farmers say, Rao's appearance and any of the surrounding controversy hold
little significance when China continues to levy 29% tariffs on Taiwanese
agricultural products.

They add that the "noise" generated by Rao's participation has no effect on
the Taiwanese sugar apple market.

Meanwhile DPP candidate to succeed Rao, Chen Ying stated that she believed
farmers "should not be the victims of political maneuvering."

(AH)

Traffic is looking mostly clear across the south and center at the moment...

but a few parts of the north appear to be a little backed up.

Traffic on National Freeways 1 and 3 southbound near Hsinchu's Zhubei and
Xiangshan is quite heavy,

while drivers on National Freeway 5 southbound from Nangang to Toucheng can
also expect some backups.

Officials advise those planning to be heading south on National Freeway 5 to
depart after 5pm.

KMT Chair Zheng Li Wen says, she would be in favor of retaliating against a
Chinese invasion...

so long as Taiwan does not declare independence.

Zheng emphasizes that the KMT supports pursuing peace, but would not give up
on self defense.

She added, the KMT opposes Taiwan declaring independence, but if Taiwan did
not declare independence, and China still invaded Taiwan, Zheng said "we
would certainly retaliate."

The comments come after an interview Zheng gave with the Economist, in which
she said that Taiwan should not become a pawn, adding that she hopes to
undertake more exchange with the US and other international partners.

She added that she considered her recent US trip to be a success, saying that
she hopes to convince leaders in Washington DC that peace is pursued through
dialogue.

The Ministry of Culture says the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe is getting a
taste of Taiwan again this summer.

Now in its twelfth year, the Taiwan Season will bring four Taiwanese troupes
to Scotland, including dance and magicians.

One of the performers… Lin Lu-jie… says this is his second time at the
Edinburgh Fringe… and he is surprised and proud, that his magic show… and
Taiwan culture… resonate with audiences around the world.


The Edinburgh Fringe runs August 7th - 31st, and is the world’s largest
performing arts show, attracting an audience of over 2.6 million people last
year.

South Korea is extending a 5% preferential tariff rate on imported fruits
such as Taiwanese bananas, pineapples, and mangoes.

This was announced by the Ministry of Agriculture which said the measure will
reduce the cost of exporting Taiwanese fruit to South Korea and provide a
significant boost to Taiwanese farmers and exporters seeking to expand into
high-end overseas markets.



South Korea has been facing rising consumer prices and a weak currency,
which have significantly increased the cost of imported fruit.

To help stabilize domestic prices, South Korea introduced a tariff-rate quota
program in February, reducing import duties on fruits such as mangoes from
the original 30% tariff to 5%.

The preferential tariff program had originally been scheduled to expire on
June 30.

But the South Korean government announced yesterday that it would extend the
5% tariff rate on fruits including bananas, pineapples, and mangoes until
August 15.

The Cabinet has proposed a legal revision that would provide a legal basis
for administering saliva tests on certain individuals as a means to identify
users of the illicit narcotic etomidate.

The proposal is part of the government's ongoing drive to combat "zombie
vapes," electronic cigarettes containing etomidate, which has sparked
widespread public safety concerns.

Premier Zhu Rong Tai said he had approved a proposal to amend the Narcotics
Hazard Prevention Act which authorizes authorities to conduct saliva tests in
addition to urine tests to detect drug offenses in a more timely manner/

The move is meant to strengthen drug prevention efforts... and comes after
the Cabinet proposed a separate set of amendments aimed at increasing
penalties for drug-impaired driving.

Under the proposals, anyone caught driving a motor vehicle under the
influence of illegal narcotics would have their driver's license revoked, be
barred from retaking the driver's license test for three years and have their
vehicle confiscated.

The Central Weather Administration is issuing an extreme heat alert for
today..

as temperatures are expected to rise steadily during the Dragon Boat long
weekend under the influence of a strengthening Pacific high-pressure system.

The CWA warns that parts of Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin,
Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung, and Hualien can expect
temperatures as high as 36 degrees celsius today.

The rest of the country, meanwhile, can expect temperatures between 33 and 35
degrees celsius.

The CWA is also forecasting partly cloudy to sunny skies over the coming
days, with some afternoon thunderstorms expected in mountainous areas, as
well as in Greater Taipei and Yilan.

As of 10:30 this morning, the highest recorded temperature across Taiwan was
in Yunlin's Dounan, coming in at 35.8 degrees celsius.

Forecasters also warn of strong winds in parts of Green and Orchid Islands,
as well as in Mazu.

They're urging caution for those engaging in coastal and marine activities.

Forecasters say, we can expect temperatures to increase day by day through
Wednesday.