ICRT

Posted on 2026-10-20 19:08:14

Mpox cases are on the rise again in Taiwan ... with 18 infections reported so
far this month, the highest monthly total in two years.

The Centers for Disease Control says most of the new patients are in their
20s to 40s, and very few had previously been vaccinated against mpox.

Health officials warn that the number of infections this month could reach
nearly three times this year's monthly average.

The C-D-C is urging people at higher risk of infection to get vaccinated,
which it says remains the most effective way to prevent the disease.

The World Health Organization considers the risk to the general public low,
but says people engaging in higher-risk sexual activity face a moderate risk.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 19:08:14

Invasive green iguanas are causing serious damage to red bean crops in
Pingtung ... prompting calls for government compensation for affected
farmers.

KMT lawmaker Su Ching-chuan (蘇清泉) says farmers in Wandan Township have seen
their crops eaten by the fast-breeding reptiles.

Agriculture Minister Chen Jun-ji says damage caused by wild animals isn't
currently covered by government disaster relief programs.

However, he says the ministry is considering changes to the law that would
allow farmers to receive compensation for damage caused by iguanas and
monkeys.

Chen adds that the ministry may offer special assistance to red bean farmers
in Pingtung, depending on the extent of their losses.

He also says Taiwan's estimated green iguana population has fallen from
260-thousand in 2024 to 180-thousand last year, following government removal
efforts.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 18:25:13

A union representing Micron Technology workers in Taoyuan plans to stage a
one-day strike on Thursday ...

.... in support of workers at the company's Taichung plant, who are
negotiating with management over profit-sharing arrangements.

The Taoyuan union, which secured the right to strike earlier this month, is
calling on Micron to propose a concrete plan for sharing company profits with
workers.

The strike coincides with the second round of mediation talks between Micron
and the Taichung union - also scheduled for Thursday.

The Taoyuan union's own mediation talks with the company ended without an
agreement in September.

Micron says it respects workers' legal rights and remains committed to
constructive discussions with both unions.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 18:25:13

The Centers for Disease Control is extending expanded access to publicly
funded flu medication through November 15th ... as Taiwan remains in the
middle of a flu epidemic.

According to the CDC, more than 123-thousand people visited clinics and
emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms last week, down 5.4 percent from the
previous week.

However, health authorities also reported 159 new cases of severe flu
complications and 44 deaths.

The expanded program covers seven groups, including healthcare workers,
nursing home residents and staff, students from kindergarten through high
school, and people living with or caring for those at high risk of severe
illness.

The medication is available at around 4-thousand contracted medical
facilities nationwide.

The CDC says eligible patients with flu-like symptoms do not need a rapid flu
test ... as doctors can decide whether antiviral treatment is appropriate.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 18:25:14

Unicycling wrapped up yesterday at the 2026 Citizens' Sports Games in Taoyuan
...

... with the host city topping medal standings ... bagging five gold, four
silver and three bronze.

Pingtung County finished second with four golds and two silvers, while
Hsinchu City took third place with one gold and one silver.

It was the first time uniclycling was held at the annual meet.

Athletes competed in a range of events, including races, obstacle courses and
freestyle performances.

Taoyuan's Department of Sports says the city's strong showing reflects years
of developing unicycling through school clubs, community training programs
and a dedicated training facility.

Freediving also made its debut, with Taitung's Ho Kun-ching (何昆璟) winning
gold in the men's event with fins ... covering 250 meters underwater on a
single breath.

The Citizens' Sports Games continue through Thursday, October 22nd.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

The DPP's Taipei offices are encouraging supporters to take part in a
"cooperative voting" plan that aim to spead DPP support evenly amongst city
council candidates,.

In this way, Branch Chair Wu Pei Yi says, the party hopes to maximize the
number of councilors elected

Wu adds that this is the first time in 10 years that the party has pushed a
plan like this across all of the capital's six electoral districts,
comprising a total of 26 candidates .

As for how the plan works, Wu says, the party is hoping that voters in the
city will vote for their city council candidate based on information like
their birth month or ID number, which will correspond to candidate numbers...

so that voters are distributed evenly amongst all candidates instead of all
backing the most popular ones.

Wu says, more specific details are to come once lots are drawn for numbering
candidates on Friday.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

Authorities are warning of increased Chinese interference using artificial
intelligence ahead of November's local elections.

Mainland Affairs Council Chair Chiu Chui-cheng says, Beijing is using
transnational repression and cognitive warfare even more than usual.

He believes that those efforts are aimed at influencing voters' decisions at
the ballot box on November 28th.

Chiu says, the government and public alike should be on guard for these
trends, and should work to maintain fairness in the elections.

Meanwhile, National Security officials say that China's strategy ahead of
this year's elections have shifted to rely heavily on AI to create a large
number of fake accounts to more accurately target specific groups.

Officials note that recent revelations have shown that Beijing collects the
information of voters to segment people into different groups based on voting
trends.

They then use propaganda to target these groups specifically rather than as a
whole.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 17:10:13

The Tainan City Government broke ground on the Phase 2 expansion of the
Anping Reclaimed Water Plant.

The project represents an investment of $1.53 billion to upgrade wastewater
treatment and supply pipelines.

Scheduled for completion by July 2027, the facility will become Tainan's
largest single supplier of recycled industrial water at 60-thousand metric
tons daily.

And municipal planning aims to expand reclaimed water supply further to reach
175,000 metric tons daily in the coming decades.

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che says the expansion will mitigate water competition
between high-tech industries, local farming, and households.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:13

Premier Chuo Rong-tai has defended the state-run CPC's plan to buy 6 million
tons of liquified natural gas from Alaska, saying that Taiwan must ensure
sufficient energy supplies in the long run.

He also said diversifying markets is a strategic consideration, adding that
the government will strictly safeguard national interests and energy
security.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced that Taiwan agreed to buy up
to $80 billion U.S. dollars worth of L-N-G from the long-stalled pipeline in
what he called the “largest Offtake Agreement in History.”

That's the equivalent of 2.6 trillion NT.

Trump also noted that Taiwan agreed to invest $4.4 billion dollars in equity
into the project.

Taiwan's Economics Ministry said C-P-C has made "significant progress in
negotiations with the American developer" and would purchase six million
metric tons of LNG annually.

Facing KMT lawmaker Huang Jian-bin (黃建賓)'s questions today on whether Taiwan
has an exit strategy if cost overruns or environmental problems threatens the
project, Premier Chuo said the government will continue discussing the issues
with the U.S.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:14

bar

Civil groups are calling for the Ministry of the Interior and Control Yuan to
conduct investigations...

following a police raid on a gay bar in Taipei.

6 police officers were punished for using discriminatory language during the
raid, while officials have maintained that the raid itself was legitimate.

Civil groups are urging the Taipei city government not to cover up what
they're calling an abuse of power by chalking it up to just inappropriate
language.

The groups state that the law enforcement process should be open to the
public, and that sensitivity training should be strengthened to prevent
future incidents.

This statement comes after LGBT civil groups called on the Taipei city
government to conduct an independent investigation and present the results to
the public by October 19th- yesterday.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 14:06:14

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 529 points to
close the session at 46292.

The turnover was 758.6 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-20 13:07:13

Interior Minister Liu Shi-fang said the National Air Service Corps is based
at Taipei Songshan Aiport and there's no plan to move it elsewhere.

The comment comes after Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an proposed to relocate the
airport in his reelection bid.

Liu stressed that the Corps' primary mission is to support cities and
counties in northern Taiwan with search and rescue, disaster relief and
reconnaissance operations, and that the Cabinet has set a 3.5-billion-NT
budget to renew its facilities.

She added that there's no alternative plan for the facilities and so any move
to relocate the airport should be carefully evaluated.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-20 13:07:13

Some parts of Australia will no longer require Taiwanese nationals to take a
driving test to get a license.

That's according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which says that the
changes will begin taking effect later this month.

Canberra previously announced that it would recognize driver's licenses from
Taiwan and 11 other countries.

The first states to see the changes will be Western Australia and Queensland,
where the new policy will go into effect on the 31st.

Then, in January, South Australia, New South Wales, and the Northern
Territory will also recognize Taiwanese licenses...

and Tasmania will follow suit in Feburary.

The foreign ministry says, it's working closely with the Ministry of
Transportation and Communications to put in place a reciprocal policy for
Australians.

(AH-CNA)

Posted on 2026-10-20 13:07:13

vote-buying investigation

Taoyuan prosecutors are seeking to detain a borough chief candidate in a
vote-buying investigation.

The candidate in Taoyuan's Xinwu district, surnamed Liu, is accused of
gifting rice to constituents, in some cases with the help of 2 associates, in
an effort to win election.

Prosecutors say, the rice was handed out in packages of 1.7 kilograms, with
the value of each gift coming in at about 200 NT.

Officials say that they conducted searches last night before taking Liu and
the two suspected associates in for questioning, as well as speaking to 17
other witnesses.

Liu is believed to have violated the Public Officials Election and Recall
Act.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun is attending the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation finance ministers' meeting in Hong Kong today and tomorrow.

Chuang is leading a delegation to the meeting that includes Financial
Supervisory Commission Vice Chairman Chen Yen-liang and other financial
officials.

According to the Ministry of Finance, this year's APEC finance ministers'
meeting is focusing on the global and regional economic and financial
outlook.

Delegates will also be holding discussions with representatives from the
International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and the APEC
Business Advisory Council.

The finance ministry says Chuang and her delegation will share Taiwan's
policy experience in promoting economic growth, easing household burdens, and
improving tax administration, including through the use of artificial
intelligence.

The delegation will also discuss Taiwan's plans to encourage private
investment in digital infrastructure, as well as its efforts to promote
financial innovation and financial inclusion.

This year's APEC meeting is being held under the theme of "Building an
Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together."

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

A former Chief of Staff for the White House National Security Council says he
believes while meetings between the U-S and Chinese leaders are crucial for
maintaining stability, they are unlikely to result in any significant changes
to US-Taiwan relations

Alexander Gray served at the White House during the first Trump
administration.

Speaking after an event Washington D.C., Grey said from Trump's perspective,
such high-level dialogues are vital for maintaining stability, buying the U-S
time to build resilience, and strengthening Washington’s long-term capacity
to resist coercion from China.

The statements come after President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jin-ping met
in Beijing in May and Washington in September, and are expected to meet on
the sidelines of the APEC summit in China, in November, and the G-20 summit
in the U-S in December.

There has been concerns about how such frequent encounters might affect U-S
arms sales to Taiwan.

According to Grey, while he doesn't anticipate any major changes to the
relationship between the U-S and Taiwan, issues related to supplies of
munitions for potential conflicts involving Iran or in the Indo-Pacific
region, could delay critical ammunition to allies including Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

A Taiwan tourist has been found dead at a hotel in a resort town in the
northern foothills of Mount Fuji.

The Tourism Administration says a it's working with a travel agency to assist
the family of the deceased woman and also help handle subsequent issues
related to a police investigation into the death.

The travel agency says it immediately contacted the woman's family in Taiwan
and is now facilitating their travel to Japan.

The statement comes after a woman in her 30s was discovered dead in her hotel
room in the town of Fujikawa-guchiko.

Police in Japan have arrested another Taiwanese woman found at the scene for
alleged violations of dangerous weapons laws.

Reports say police are currently investigating the relationship between the
two individuals.

The deceased woman was part of a tour group visiting the area.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu says European model simulations indicate
that Typhoon Champi could make landfall in Taiwan and pass over the island on
Friday or Saturday.

That path contradicts forecast being made by the Central Weather
Administration, which has said the storm will veer in a northerly direction
on Thursday, won't make landfall in Taiwan and will instead skirt the
northeast coast.

Typhoon Champi is currently located some 1,900-kilometers east-southeast of
Eluanbi at the island's southernmost tip and is moving in a
west-northwesterly direction at 24-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm now has a radius of 250-kilometers and is packing sustained wind
speeds of 198-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 244-kilometers-an-hour.

Wu says Champi will continue to intensify and expand before reaching its peak
strength either today or tomorrow, but will gradually weaken as it approaches
Taiwan.

According to the weather administration Champi is expected to strong
"moderate" typhoon, or a weak "intense" typhoon when it skirts northeastern
Taiwan, and will bring heavy rain to the north on Friday and Saturday.

The administration says based on current forecasts, it could issue a sea
warning on Wednesday night or Thursday morning at the earliest, and a land
warning on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

The land warnings will likely apply to northern and eastern parts of the
island.

Posted on 2026-10-20 12:28:13

Finally in sports news,

Game 3 of the Chinese Professional Baseball League Taiwan Series is taking
place at the Taipei Dome this evening.

The Wei Chuan Dragons are currently leading the best of seven 2-0 against the
C-T-B-C Brothers.

Teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in a C-P-B-L best-of-seven championship
series have gone on to win the title 89.5-per cent of the time.

This evening's game begins at 6:30.

This is the first Taiwan Series between the Wei Chuan Dragons and the C-T-B-C
Brothers, and the first being played entirely at a single venue.

The C-T-B-C Brothers last won the C-P-B-L Taiwan Series in 2024, while the
Wei Chuan Dragons last won the title in 2023.

Game 4 is tomorrow evening at the Taipei Dome and also begins at 6:30.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Sports Minister Lee Yang refused to attend Sunday's opening ceremony of the
Asian Para Games in Japan on Sunday, citing a last-minute accreditation
change.

According to the Ministry of Sport, Lee had initially been issued a "Sports
Minister" credential, but was subsequently informed that it would be changed
to the statue of a guest of a national Paralympic committee.

Lee attended an Asian Games flag-raising ceremony in Japan in September after
an hour-long delay, amid an alleged attempt to exclude him.

The Ministry of Sport says it is expressing strong dissatisfaction and regret
over both incidents as approved arrangement were altered without proper
explanation.

The ministry has lodged a formal protest with the Asian Paralympic Committee
through Taiwan's national Paralympic committee and says it also pursuing the
matter through diplomatic channels.

Taiwan has participated in every edition of the Asian Para Games since 2010
and has sent 71 athletes this year.

They will compete in 12 categories at the fifth Asian Para Games in Aichi
Prefecture and Nagoya.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

The central bank says it will step in to stabilize the local foreign exchange
market if the New Taiwan dollar remains volatile after its sharp decline
against the U-S dollar last week.

According to the central bank, the New Taiwan dollar's steep losses from
October 12 to 16 largely reflected a slump in the local stock market amid
global financial volatility, as well as foreign institutional investors
remitting funds out of Taiwan.

The New Taiwan dollar last week fell 0.463 against the U-S dollar to close at
32.338 on Friday.

That marked its steepest weekly decline in more than a year.

The Taiwan Stock Exchange's benchmark index shed 4.47-percent during the same
period, as it was dragged down by large-cap tech stocks amid growing concerns
that rising U-S inflation could prompt the Federal Reserve to raise interest
rates.

Foreign institutional investors recorded net sales of 19.4-billion U-S
dollars in shares listed on the local bourse and net fund outflows of
17.96-billion U-S dollars from Taiwan last week.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

Business groups are throwing their weight into backing government subsidies
for both Tai-Power and C-P-C.

It comes as Vice Economics Minister Lai Chien-hsin is seeking legislative
support for the 71-billion N-T supplementary budget to subsidize Tai-Power.

That supplementary budget has been approved by the Cabinet.

According to Lai, the subsidies are needed because both companies are
required to absorb surging international oil, natural gas and coal costs
instead of passing them on to consumers.

Data shows that C-P-C has absorbed 674-billion N-T in oil and gas costs that
it could not pass on to consumers since 2020 and has also seen accumulated
losses reach 91-billion N-T as of the end of September.

While Tai-Power has suffered even greater losses from absorbing higher
natural gas and coal costs to avoid increasing electricity costs.

Tai-Power's natural gas expenses had risen by more than 70-billion N-T as of
the end of August compared to before the U-S war against Iran began in
February, resulting in accumulated losses of 371-billion N-T since 2020.

There have been calls for the government to cease paying the two state owned
companies subsidies - with opponents arguing that taxpayers should not bear
the costs.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted singer Wang Wei-hao on
charges related to the evasion of military service.

Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of at least two years.

According to the indictment, Wang was classified as fit for regular military
service following a mandatory physical examination in 2008.

However, he allegedly paid more than 100,000 N-T to an unidentified
intermediary in May of 2012 to help him obtain an exemption order.

He obtained a diagnosis of hypertension through the intermediary.

The prosecutors office says Wang deliberately used deception and false
medical documentation, undermining fairness in the conscription system by
using fraudulent means to change his military-service classification.

He has been indicted for violating the Punishment Act for Violation to
Military Service System.

Wang's case is only one of scores that have been investigated amid a wider
probe into entertainers suspected of illegally evading military service.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

The Taiwan Railway Corporation has announced that it will ban political
advertisements in its stations next year.

The move following criticism that the advertisements violate administrative
neutrality.

The issue stems from a Threads post last week, in which a user shared photos
of a campaign poster for K-M-T Yunlin County magistrate candidate Chang
Chia-chun displayed next to ticket gates at Douliu Railway Station.

The user noted that Taiwan Railway Corporation prohibits the rental of
station facilities for "political activities" such as campaign rallies and
argued that the ban likely also applied to political advertising, but was not
being enforced.

According to the corporation, according to the Central Election Commission
and Ministry of Civil Service, advertising spaces at its stations leased to
third parties are considered commercial leases, and do not violate
administrative neutrality regulations.

However, it also says "out of consideration for public perception and a
commitment to administrative neutrality," it has decided to discontinue
political and election-related ad space rentals in its stations from January
1, 2027.

Posted on 2026-10-20 08:13:13

And finally,

The Central Weather Administration says Typhoon Champi is forecast to veer in
a northerly direction earlier than previously thought meaning the storm won't
make landfall in Taiwan.

However, the weather administration is warning that the storm will still
bring heavy rain to the north on Friday and Saturday.

According to the administration's forecast center, Champi had strengthened
and increased in size over the past 12 hours and is expected to strong
"moderate" typhoon or weak "intense" typhoon when it skirts northeastern
Taiwan.

Typhoon Champi is currently located some 1,900-kilometers east-southeast of
Eluanbi at the island's southernmost tip and is moving in a
west-northwesterly direction at 24-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm now has a radius of 250-kilometers and is packing sustained wind
speeds of 198-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 244-kilometers-an-hour.

The weather administration says based on current forecasts, it could issue a
sea warning on Wednesday night or Thursday morning at the earliest, and a
land warning on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

The forecast center say that land warning will likely apply to northern and
eastern parts of the island - and the north and Yilan face possible heavy or
extremely heavy rain from Friday and into Saturday.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun is leading a delegation to the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation finance ministers' meeting in Hong Kong.

The meeting begins later today.

The delegation includes Financial Supervisory Commission Vice Chairman Chen
Yen-liang.

The participants are set to discuss global and regional economic and
financial outlook as well as holding discussions with representatives from
the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and the APEC
Business Advisory Council.

Chuang and her delegation will share Taiwan's policy experience in promoting
economic growth, easing household burdens, and improving tax administration,
including through the use of artificial intelligence.

The delegation will also discuss Taiwan's plans to encourage private
investment in digital infrastructure, as well as its efforts to promote
financial innovation and financial inclusion.

The ministry says Taiwan will continue to participate in regional financial
policy discussions and strengthen cooperation with other APEC economies to
promote economic resilience and sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific
region.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Changes to the Japanese government's national certification system policy
means Taiwanese professionals working in Japan will be allowed to list
“Taiwan” as their place of origin.

This comes after the rules on nationality in official licensing documentation
were eased... the change was announced by the Japan-Taiwan Friendship
Parliamentarians’ League in Tokyo.

The license revision covers 322 professions, including doctors and nurses.

Taiwanese professionals working in Japan previously had to list China as
their nationality on professional certifications and licenses.

But the new system includes the ability to register both countries and
regions.

The move comes after Tokyo introduced a new policy last year allowed people
to enter Taiwan in Japan’s family registers.

Data shows that there were than 70,000 Taiwanese living in Japan as of
December.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen will now chair incumbent Taipei Mayor Chiang
Wan-an's re-election campaign.

Chiang says he has worked closely with Lu when he was a lawmaker and since he
became mayor and they have the shared value of putting residents first.

Lu says Chiang approached her for the role and she couldn't refuse the offer
to help Chiang win re-election.

Speaking to reporters after the announcement, Lu said no Taichung mayor has
ever served as campaign chair for a Taipei mayor and she believes Chiang's
move was both bold and innovative.

Chiang has also appointed several K-M-T lawmakers, who the D-P-P attempted to
recall to serve as his re-election campaign's vice chairs and
secretary-generals.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

The Army's newly delivered M-1-A-2-T Abrams main battle tanks will
participate in a major military exercise for the second time next month. when
the Lien Yung drills begin in late November.

Defense officials say the Army's 584th Armored Brigade, which operates the
U-S-made tanks, has already transported them to the Joint Operations Training
Base in Pingtung for the upcoming exercise.

Reports say the tanks will test combat coordination during the month-long
joint military exercise.

The Lien Yung drills are the military's second-largest annual drills after
the Han Kuang exercises and take place in southern Taiwan.

Sources say conscripts serving their mandatory one-year military service will
also participate in this year's Lien Yung drills.

The Ministry of National Defense purchased 108 M-1-A-2-T Abrams main battle
tanks from the U-S at a cost of about 1.45-billion U-S dollars.

Thirty-eight of the tanks were commissioned in late October 2025, and 42 in
April of this year.

The other 28 tanks are still being tested and prepared for service.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

The National Tsing Hua University has signed an agreement with U-S nuclear
microreactor developer NuCube Energy to explore replacing the university's
aging Tsing Hua Open-pool Reactor.

The agreement was signed by university president W. John Kao and NuCube C-E-O
Cristian Rabiti in Taipei and is an exploratory step toward a NuCube
microreactor replacing THOR...

The older reactor began operating in 1961 and is scheduled to be
decommissioned in 2040.

The university says the cooperation will assess technology, research
applications and deployment feasibility to sustain nuclear education,
research and medical services.

Potential applications include boron neutron capture therapy, a cancer
treatment, and isotope production.

The university hopes to install a reactor within two years after NuCube
achieves commercial operation in the United States.

The university is also currently in talks with the Nuclear Safety Commission
on the matter.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

Taiwan and the Philippines have signed a memorandum of understanding to
strengthen cooperation in animal husbandry research.

The agreement was signed by Taiwan's representative to the Philippines,
Wallace Chow and his Philippine counterpart, Corazon Avecilla-Padiernos....
and took place after the 13th meeting of a technical group on agricultural
cooperation in Cebu.

The annual meeting has been held since 2005, when the two countries signed an
agreement to promote agricultural and fisheries cooperation.

Taiwanese representatives held talks with their Philippine counterparts on
the potential export of Taiwan's atemoya and animal products to the
Philippines.

Posted on 2026-10-20 06:57:13

And,

The National Immigration Agency is encouraging the public to submit designs
for a new logo for the New Immigrant Development Fund.

The deadline for submitting designs is Thursday and the competition offers
prizes worth a combined 300,000 N-T.

The agency says the competition aims to create a visual identity that will
"make the fund's support for new immigrants' lives and development more
visible."

The competition is open to anyone legally living in Taiwan, regardless of
nationality or age.

Participants may enter individually or in teams of up to three people, with
each individual or team limited to one submission.

The competition offers 18 prizes, including a MacBook Pro for the top winner
and iMac computers for two runners-up, or alternative prizes worth at least
100,000 and 50,000 N-T each, respectively.

Entries will be judged on how well they reflect the fund's mission,
characteristics and vision, as well as on their designs' creativity,
practical application, and online popularity.

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:13

Scholars are calling on the government to develop AI tools to detect and
counter Chinese disinformation ahead of Taiwan's November 28th local
elections.

Experts at a DPP forum today warned that China is increasingly using AI to
spread misinformation and influence Taiwan's elections.

DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) accused Beijing of spreading
messages that are partly true but largely false in an attempt to interfere in
Taiwan's elections.

The scholars say China's short-term goal is to influence election results,
while its longer-term aim is to deepen social divisions and undermine public
trust in democracy.

They are urging the government to establish AI-based detection systems and
strengthen media literacy education to help people identify and verify
suspicious information.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:13

Around 2-thousand workers have protested outside the Presidential Office in
Taipei ... demanding higher wages and better retirement benefits.

Labor groups are calling for employers' mandatory pension contributions to be
raised from the current 6 percent to 15 percent.

They're also demanding a system that allows workers to share in company
profits, along with stronger workplace protections.

The Ministry of Labor says it understands the demands, but raising pension
contributions would require changes to Taiwan's labor pension system and
further discussions with employers and workers.

The ministry is also urging companies to raise salaries for existing
employees when the minimum wage goes up ... to help workers keep up with
living costs.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 20:12:13

Kaohsiung officials say the city is ready for possible flooding as Typhoon
Champi approaches Taiwan.

The city's Water Resources Bureau says the storm's outer circulation could
bring heavy rain and strong winds, with the greatest impact expected this
Friday and Saturday.

The bureau says all pumping stations, mobile pumps and flood detention ponds
have been inspected and tested.

Drainage channels have also been cleared, while emergency crews and flood
prevention supplies are on standby.

Officials say they will closely monitor rainfall and water levels ... and
urge residents in low-lying areas to prepare sandbags or flood barriers and
follow the latest weather updates.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 18:32:13

The Ministry of Economic Affairs is calling for government funding to help
cover mounting losses at the state-owned CPC Corporation and Taipower.

Deputy Economics Minister Lai Chien-hsin (賴建信) says both companies have
absorbed rising energy costs in recent years to keep fuel and electricity
prices stable.

C-P-C had accumulated losses of over 90 billion NT by the end of September ...

... while Taipower's cumulative losses reached more than 370 billion NT by
the end of August.

Business groups support government assistance, warning that higher energy
prices would put additional pressure on companies and households.

However, some academics argue that government energy policies have
contributed to the losses ...

... and say financial support should cover only costs resulting from
international energy price fluctuations.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 18:32:13

Athletes from across Taiwan are taking part in the 2026 Citizens' Sports
Games in Taoyuan, with several competitions already completed ahead of and
since Saturday's official opening ceremony.

New Taipei City topped the dance sport medal standings with 16 gold, four
silver and four bronze medals, as competition wrapped up Sunday, October
18th.

Taipei finished second, followed by Taichung.

In jiu-jitsu, which concluded Saturday, New Taipei secured at least seven
gold medals, including three in ground-fighting events on October 15th.

Taichung also performed strongly, collecting 22 jiu-jitsu medals, including
four golds.

Meanwhile, host city Taoyuan won two gold and two silver medals in field
archery, which concluded Sunday.

Organizers have also highlighted athletes of all ages, including six-year-old
dance sport competitor Chiu Ching-hui (邱靜慧) and 88-year-old Chiu Chui-yuan
(邱垂源), who is taking part in woodball - a Taiwanese-invented sport similar to
golf and croquet.

The Citizens' Sports Games continue through Thursday, with more medals still
to be decided.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 17:20:13

Relocation

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an says he is willing to work with the central
government to address concerns over his proposal to relocate Songshan
Airport.

Chiang says the coming years could be used to work out the necessary
arrangements, as Taoyuan International Airport prepares to open its third
terminal in 2027 and third runway in 2033.

However, a recent TVBS poll found that 41 percent of Taipei residents opposed
the proposal, while 31 percent supported it.

Another 28 percent of the respondents had no opinions about the issue.

Meanwhile, K-M-T Taipei City Councilor Chin Hui-chu (秦慧珠) has proposed
holding a local referendum on the issue alongside the 2028 presidential
election.

Chiang says relocating Songshan Airport would free up land for future
development, including an artificial intelligence park ....

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-19 17:20:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan has announced that she's accepted an invitation to
head up her Taipei counterpart's reelection campaign.

She said she couldn't refuse the offer to help reelect Chiang Wan An in the
capital city.

That adds to the outgoing mayor's CV another position as chair of an election
campaign, on top of working to push her preferred successor at home.

Jiang Qi Chen downplayed any discord between the two today, saying that
everyone was just working together...

adding that he would only be jealous if it were his wife.

（AH）

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

The Tourism Administration says no Taiwan tour groups have been impacted by
protests in Europe.

Demonstrations escalated into violent clashes and looting in parts of France,
Italy, and Albania over recent days.

Local travel agencies say group itineraries in Paris and other cities remain
normal, with guides instructed to steer clear of protest sites and monitor
local traffic conditions.

And they say tour directors are actively monitoring conditions to safeguard
tour groups.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained Level 1 Gray travel advisories for
popular European destinations including France, Italy, and Germany.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

Facing a sharp pull-back in Taiwan's stock market, the Financial Supervisory
Commission said it'll respect market mechanisms and only intervene if the
market becomes dysfunctional or investors behave irrationally."

F-S-C chair Peng Jin-long (彭金隆) also said Taiwan's market fundamentals remain
sound based on the publicly-listed companies' profit reports during the first
nine months of this year.

While the semiconductor index in Taiwan dropped over 11-percent last week,
the benchmark Taiex declined by 4.5-percent, and Peng said that it's much
more stable compared with other Asian markets.

Peng made the comments when answering lawmakers' questions this morning about
whether his agency will introduce measures to stabilize the market, including
restrictions on short selling.

He stressed that the F-S-C has measures in place to respond to various market
conditions and is continuing to closely monitor developments.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

The Tourism Administration says domestic hotel reservation rates averaged 60
percent for the first two days of the upcoming three-day Retrocession Day
holiday

Officials say Lienchiang County recorded the highest occupancy forecast at 78
percent, with Tainan City and Taipei City ranking second and third.

They point out that Lienchiang County has maintained the highest lodging
reservation rate among all county-level destinations across four consecutive
national holidays.

The agency says nine administrative regions exceeded the national average
booking rate, with favorable weather boosting travel to the Matsu Islands.

And they expect final hotel occupancy numbers to rise as more travelers
finalize last-minute domestic trips.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-19 14:07:13

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 298 points to
close the session at 46822

The turnover was 825.1 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

President Lai Ching-te has thanked Palau's visiting President Surangel S.
Whipps for his support for Taiwan's participation in international
organizations.

The president made the comments during the opening of a new Shin Kong Wu
Ho-su Memorial Hospital building in Taipei, where Whipps was also a guest.

Lai expressed his appreciation for Whipps' refusal to yield to refusing to
pressure from Beijing, after it interfered in the country’s presidential
election when Whipps was seeking re-election.

Palau's president spoke out in support of Taiwan at the United Nations and
the Pacific Islands Forum, which was hosted by Palau this year.

The Shin Kong Wu Ho-su Memorial Hospital has worked with Palau develop
healthcare services and has stationed nurses in the Pacific allied nation
since 2007.

Whipps' visit to Taiwan has been timed to coincide with 20 years of medical
cooperation between the two countries.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says he believes newly passed legislation
fully subsidizing National Health Insurance premiums for most seniors will
increase the financial burden on younger generations.

Lawmakers passed amendments to the Senior Citizens Welfare Act last Friday.

Under the amendments, the central government will be required to fully cover
National Health Insurance premiums for people aged 65 and older whose total
consolidated income is subject to an income tax rate below 20-per cent.

Shih says figures show that young children and seniors use far more in health
care services than they pay in premiums and the difference is borne by the
working-age population, who get sick less often and pay more on average.

The health ministry has said that because the 20-per cent tax bracket applies
only to taxable income above 1.33-million N-T this year, as many as 83-per
cent of seniors will qualify for the subsidy program.

The health ministry estimates the subsidies will cost about 40-billion N-T a
year at current levels, and that cost will rise as the population ages, even
as premium income falls because of a shrinking workforce.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

Two suspects who allegedly fled to South Korea after taking part in a fatal
assault in Kaohsiung's Nanzih District last month have been repatriated to
Taiwan and taken into custody.

Police says a 25-year-old used-car dealership owner and a 23-year-old
employee were detained after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport.

The Kaohsiung City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Corps says
South Korean police arrested the two after Criminal Investigation Bureau
requested assistance through its liaison officer in South Korea.

The case came to light on September 30, when a 22-year-old man called police
to report that he had accidentally beaten a coworker to death.

That man later drove the victim's body to a police station and turned himself
in - telling them the attack stemmed from a dispute over a 100,000 debt
allegedly owed by the victim.

Ciaotou Prosecutors say four people have ordered detained pending further
investigation, one person has been released on bail of 200,000 N-T, while a
juvenile involved in the case has been placed in protective custody.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

The National Freeway Bureau says heavy traffic can be expected on the
island's freeways over the coming three-day holiday weekend.

Initial estimates from the bureau show projected traffic volumes of between
106 to 112 million vehicle-kilometers.

Southbound traffic on the first day is forecast to reach
61-vehicle-kilometers during, or 1.3 times the regular Saturday traffic
volume.

The bureau is advising southbound travelers on Saturday and Sunday to depart
before 6AM or after noon, when using Freeways No. 1 and No. 3, while those
using Freeway No. 3 should leave before 5AM or after 5PM.

Northbound travelers on Sunday and Monday of next week are being advised to
depart before 9AM , while those in center should plan to leave before noon.

Posted on 2026-10-19 06:52:14

The Central Weather Administration says it could issue a sea warning for
Typhoon Champi as early as Wednesday night, and that could possibly be
followed by a land warning on Thursday night or sometime on Friday.

The typhoon is expected to have its greatest impact on Taiwan on Friday and
Saturday.

It's forecast to bring heavy rain to the north and center as well as to the
Yilan and Hualien areas.

Typhoon Champi is currently located some 2,200-kilometers east-southeast of
Eluanbi at the island's southernmost tip and is moving in a
west-northwesterly direction at 22-kilometers-an-hour.

The storm has a radius of 200-kilometers and is packing sustained wind speeds
of 183-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 226-kilometers-an-hour.

The weather administration says Typhoon Champi is currently forecast to will
maintain its strength as it heads toward waters northeast of Taiwan.

The administration's latest tracking chart shows the storm veering in a more
northerly direction, away from the east coast on Friday and Saturday.

BUT the forecast center says it's too early to say if the storm will continue
on that path.

Posted on 2026-10-17 15:07:14

Hon Hai has agreed to acquire a 50 percent stake in Mitsubishi Electric
Mobility Co. to establish a partnership to jointly operate an automotive
equipment business.

Hon Hai, which is also known as Foxconn, said it has signed an agreement with
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. under which it will spend US$728 million to acquire
the stake.

The deal is conditional on obtaining necessary approvals and clearances,
including antitrust approvals.

Hon Hai expects the transaction to be completed by Oct. 1 next year.

In recent years, Hon Hai has aggressively diversified its business under its
"3 plus 3" strategy, expanding into integrated hardware and software
solutions.

The strategy focuses on three emerging industries -- electric vehicles,
robotics and digital health care -- supported by three core technologies: AI,
semiconductors and communications.

Electric vehicles remain a key focus of the company's business development.

CNA_JvW

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

Opposition lawmakers have passed an amendment requiring the central
government to fully subsidize National Health Insurance premiums for eligible
seniors.

KMT and TPP lawmakers helped the amendment to pass by a vote of 60 to 39.

Under the change, people 65 or older eligible for waived health insurance
premiums would be those whose income-tax rate is below 20 percent. That would
mean a net consolidated income of less than 1.38 million NT this year

The TPP caucus said the policy fulfilled a campaign pledge made by founding
chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) during his 2024 presidential campaign.

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said the amendment departs from the
NHI system's principle of contributions based on ability to pay.

The amendment comes six weeks before elections.

Shih said, "An election is temporary, but the NHI system is something people
rely on and needs to be stable and sustainable."

CNA_JvW

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

Two Chinese coast guard vessels entered restricted waters around
Taiwan-controlled Dongsha Atoll yesterday, prompting Taiwan's Coast Guard
Administration to deploy vessels to monitor them and order them to leave.

The confrontation was still active at the time the statement was released.

The CGA says it has conducted 11 operations so far this year to expel Chinese
coast guard ships from waters around Dongsha, involving 14 vessel encounters.

According to the CGA's Dongsha-Nansha Branch, Taiwan has sovereignty over
Dongsha Atoll and its surrounding waters, adding that it will take all
necessary measures to defend Taiwan's national sovereignty and maritime
security.

CNA_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-17 12:07:13

The Central Election Commission says 10 candidates running for city and
county council seats in Taiwan's upcoming local elections have been ruled
ineligible.

The CEC said five were running for special municipality council seats and
five for county or city council seats.

The disqualification criteria included not living in Taiwan for long enough
since giving up Chinese household registration. For example, You Zhi-bin
(游智彬), who was running for a Taipei City Council seat, submitted proof of
relinquishing his Fujian "hukou" last April ... while the rules says he can't
run until notice has been served for 10 years.

Four other disqualified city council candidates were ruled ineligible because
of criminal convictions, or sentences that hadn't been fully served.

Taiwan's 2026 local elections are slated for Nov. 28.

Voters will cast ballots in Taiwan's 22 cities and counties for candidates
vying for nine different local government posts, including city mayors and
county magistrates ... as well as city and county councilors.

CNA_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-17 12:07:13

As the weather starts to cool, hot spring season is ramping up.

The 2026-27 Taiwan Hot Spring and Fine-Cuisine Carnival is underway, bringing
together 19 hot spring areas across the island.

The current campaign combines Taiwan's mineral springs with local food,
hiking, culture and accommodation, giving travelers plenty of reasons to turn
a soak into a full getaway.

Chef Edward Lee, known from Netflix's Culinary Class Wars, is joining the
campaign as one of its hot spring travel guides.

The Lishan-Guguan Light Art Festival is one of the carnival hot spots ...
where visitors can pair a daytime soak with nighttime light displays through
November 1st.

The nationwide hot spring campaign continues through June 30th next year.

Posted on 2026-10-17 11:20:13

president

A Chinese exchange student has been deported after he posted a video in which
he used forced perspective to apparently 'crush' President Lai Ching-te
(賴清德) between his fingers.

The NTU exchange student was standing at some distance from Lai, who was
attending an event at the university. Subtitles read, "Lai Ching-te is right
in front of you. Could this be the only chance in your lifetime?"

The student said, "Got the little Lai Ching-te" while making the crushing
motion.

The National Immigration Agency said he was deported under regulations
governing Chinese visitors to Taiwan ... and that he'll be barred from
entering Taiwan for five years.

The student had deleted the video post from Douyin.

In a statement, he said he realized the post was inappropriate after reading
critical comments and reflecting on them.

Shortly before the deportation was announced Straits Exchange Foundation
Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said if the student wished to remain in
Taiwan and complete his exchange program, "I think we should respect his
choice."

He added, "This could also be a lesson in understanding Taiwan."

CNA_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-17 11:20:13

Taipei's historic Dadaocheng district is being transformed into a stage for
local and international artists at the Tua-Tiu-Tiann International Festival
of Arts.

Organizers say the festival blends the neighborhood's cultural history with a
playful, contemporary spirit.

Music Global curator Matt Fullen describes one of the festival's main events
that takes place this afternoon -- a street parade featuring historical and
creative costumes

Now in its 12th year, triple-T I-F-A (TTTIFA) is a festival of dance, music,
lectures and theatre -- set against the backdrop of one of Taipei's oldest
neighborhoods.

(TB)

Posted on 2026-10-17 11:20:13

The Central Weather Administration says Typhoon Champi is expected to
intensify over the next five days into what one forecaster is calling a
"super El Nino typhoon."

As of 2am, Champi was located 3,300 kilometers southeast of Taiwan's southern
tip and moving west-northwest at 22 km/h.

Most weather models are putting it on course to reach Taiwan, though it's too
early to be certain.

CNA_zh_JvW

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