Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has wrapped-up a trip to Poland and Italy.

Lin was heading a trade delegation to the two countries aimed at
strengthening Taiwan's partnerships with both Warsaw to Rome.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the six-day trip began with Lin
leading a delegation of business representatives to the 2026 Taiwan Expo
Europe in Poland, before visiting the Polish Parliament.

Lin also announced the establishment of Taiwan Language Centers in Europe.

The first centers will be set up in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, and
Poland and Lin says that will serve as hubs for Mandarin-language education
and talent exchanges.

Lin's trip to Italy included attending a business forum, as well as an event
organized by the Regional Council of Lombardy on strengthening supply chain
resilience and Taiwan-Italy exchanges.

The event focused on semiconductors, I-C-T, and advanced manufacturing.

The foreign ministry says it was the largest business delegation from Taiwan
to attend an industry event organized by the Regional Council of Lombardy.

The Taichung District Prosecutors' Office says autopsies have confirmed that
four hikers killed in a rockfall died of traumatic shock caused by falling
rocks.

The statement comes after prosecutors and forensic examiners conducted the
autopsies after the victims' bodies were taken to a funeral home in Taichung.

The prosecutors' office has ruled that the four deaths were accidental, and
issued death certificates after the victims' families raised no objections to
the findings.

Prosecutors says they are continuing to investigate whether the accident
involved criminal negligence.

The victims were among a 16-member hiking group organized by the Republic of
China Primitive Life Education Association that traveled from Taipei on
Saturday to hike the Butterfly Valley Waterfall Trail in Taichung's Heping
District.

Authorities says rocks struck five members of the group on the trail, killing
four and leaving one with minor injuries.

Association Chairman Wu Swei-pi says the weather was clear when the group set
out and forecasts had shown no rain was expected in the area Saturday
afternoon and the they were struck by falling rocks while crossing a stream.

Wu says warnings or a temporary trail closure could have alerted hikers to
the danger.

The Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency says the
trail remained open because rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Mekkhala
had not met the threshold for closure.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency has installed a water level meter
at the barrier lake on the Wanli River in Hualien.

The agency says it will allow authorities to receive water-level data every
10 minutes to improve monitoring and emergency response times.

The water level meter was installed with assistance from the National
Airborne Service Corps.

According to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, data is now being
transmitted to the Ministry of Agriculture's Forest Disaster Prevention
Response and Barrier Lake Monitoring System.

Installation of the water level meter comes amid concerns of the barrier lake
overflowing.

The risk of the barrier lake bursting has been downgraded from a "red" to a
"yellow" alert, but authorities are still warning that the landslide-dammed
lake still poses a risk of breaching within 10 days.

The Hualien County government has urged the public to stay away from the
Wanli River, Matai'an Creek and surrounding hazardous areas.

Nearly 200 residents of Wanrong and Fenglin townships have been evacuated as
a precaution.

Hualien County Magistrate Hsu Chen-wei says police patrols and fire
department drones were monitoring the riverbed to prevent people from
entering hazardous areas.

The lake's water level stood at 1,067 meters late Sunday.

The barrier lake has an estimated storage volume of 2.4-million cubic meters
and the overflow elevation is estimated at about 1,080 meters.

A total of 500-kilograms of Taiwan Irwin mangoes has been air-shipped to the
U-K.

According to the Tainan City government, it is the first such shipment of the
popular fruit to the U-K.

The shipment of mangoes headed for the U-K is being transported using cold
packaging, which means they will be refrigerated in low temperatures during
the entire trip.

The city's Agriculture Bureau says th cartons containing eight to 10 mangoes
will be sold at high-end supermarkets, with each mango priced at between 18
and 20 euros.

Cartons containing 10 to 12 mangoes will be sold at retail supermarkets, with
each mango priced at between 15 and 18 euros.

While, cartons containing 10 to 12 mangoes will also be sold as whole cartons
to wholesale supermarkets, and cartons containing 12 to 14 mangoes will be
distributed to fruit and vegetable wholesale markets.

The mangoes have been transported to be Frankfurt Airport in Germany and
beeen transferred to Manchester Airport in northern England.

The total production of Taiwan mangoes in 2025 was 102,578 tons, of which,
836 tons were exported to different markets.

Along with the U-K, Taiwan's Irwin mangoes have been exported to France this
year.

The Taiwan Blood Services Foundation says blood supplies have fallen to five
days, as the recent heavy rain resulted in a decline in the number of people
making donations across the island.

According to the foundation, one week of supply is its minimum safety line
and supplies of type B are the only blood group still above the level -- with
7.1 days available.

The tightest overall supplies are in Taipei and Taichung, where blood centers
have an average of 4.7 days of supplies.

The foundation says the decline in donations was due to the closure of some
donation sites and blood drives because of the heavy rains.

It is urging people to give blood now the rains are weakening and says
hospitals in the center and south could face serious shortages in the coming
days if supplies are not replenished.

Taiwan's 5,000 largest companies posted a record high in aggregate net profit
in 2025, up more than 11 percent from a year earlier.

Credit information firm CRIF says combined net profit at the top 5,000
totaled US$181 billion, up 11 percent from a year earlier, while aggregate
revenue was also up 11%.

Contract chipmaker TSMC remains the country's most profitable company amid
the artificial intelligence boom.

Hon Hai Precision, better known as Foxconn, ranked second, followed by Fubon
Financial Holding, Cathay Financial Holding, and smartphone IC designer
MediaTek.

CRIF credited strong global demand for AI applications for the continued
profit growth.

TSMC topped the ranking by revenue for the first time ... and it ranked first
in net worth, at 5.4 trillion NT.

CNA_JvW

Matsu is inviting travelers to participate in the 2026 Glimmers in Matsu
series.

The program highlights wartime heritage, Eastern Fujian culture, religion and
nature across Matsu's four townships and five islands.

It opened last month with Matsu's Grand Birthday Celebration at Magang's
Tianhou Temple, a pilgrimage site renowned for its sacred cave.

Coming up next month, visitors can join the Laser War Game, held at sites of
historic battles.

In early autumn, the Tipsy Music Festival will bring live music, local food,
products, and raffle prizes to the islands.

And the event series will end on New Year's Day, when visitors climb Mount Bi
to Welcome the Sunrise.

Tourism officials say the series reflects a long-term effort to promote Matsu
as a destination worth visiting across the seasons.

The Forestry Conservation Department in Hualien issued a red alert at noon
today to warn that the Wanli Creek barrier lake could overflow in the next 24
hours.

The reservoir is at 70 percent capacity, and at least 73 millimeters of rain
is expected in the next 24 hours, satisfying the red-alert threshold. If the
area's tsunami siren sounds, some 200 people will have to evacuate
immediately.

CNA_JvW

Presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) says a requirement that disaster
relief funds be approved by the legislature is hindering allocations for
flood relief even as torrential rains continue to cause flooding and
landslides around Taiwan.

Kuo is urging the Legislative Yuan to quickly pass the general budget so that
the funds can be made available to cities and counties suffering from the
effects of recent torrential rainfall.

The KMT caucus has argued that there's flexibility in Taiwan's Prevention and
Relief Act for the government to make necessary allocations.

Kuo said today that while a fractional budget has been approved for flood
control this year ... that's different from flood relief. The approved funds
are earmarked for prevention and conservation, not emergencies.

The legislature has extended its session from May to August as it works
through ruling and opposition party differences.

The opposition is stalling on approving the government's special military
expenditure, while the government is holding out on pay increases for the
military and civil servants as well as on increased pension payments to
police officers and firefighters.

CNA_zh_JvW

The American Institute in Taiwan is reminding US citizens that now is the
time to prepare for November's midterm elections.

All US citizens can vote in federal elections to fill US House and Senate
seats.

And they may be able to vote in local elections in their home states, too.

The first step is for US citizens to register in their home state, and to
request an overseas absentee ballot.

The federal web site www.fvap.gov can help American voters, directing them to
their respective state offices to complete registration and ballot requests.

Voters can return registration applications and ballots via mail ... or they
can drop them off at AIT's Taipei or Kaohsiung offices.

Materials dropped off at AIT need US postage, or a postage-free return
envelope.

AIT warns that transit times can take up to three weeks, so act early to
ensure your vote is counted.

US midterm elections are on November 3rd this year.

An investigative committee established by the Cabinet has found that Taiwan's
trade representative bullied her late deputy.

The probe, conducted by one Cabinet member and four external members, found
that Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) "consistently" used her position and authority to
interrupt Yen Huai-hsin (顏慧欣) and dismiss her opinions, creating an
"offensive and unfriendly" work environment.

It also found that Yang repeatedly used "offensive language" to scold
colleagues at the Office of Trade Negotiations.

The investigation concluded that Yang's behavior exceeded what could be
considered "reasonable" management and therefore constituted workplace
bullying.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said today that he'll make a comprehensive review
of the findings to decide as soon as possible on whether they merit sacking
Yang.

He said regardless of the decision, Taiwan upholds the principle of
maintaining a safe and respectful workplace environment.

Yen died on March 12 at the age of 53 shortly after resigning from her post.

In her resignation letter, she wrote that proposals she made were repeatedly
ignored.

CNA_JvW

The annual "Yehliu Night Tours" is returning to Yehliu Geopark, starting
tomorrow evening.

The event, which blends advanced audio-visual technology with the park's
iconic rock formations, will continue through July 12th.

The tour goes through several themed zones before ending at the Queen's Head,
with a synchronized light and sound display.

Live performances are scheduled for opening night and across consecutive
weekends from Thursday through Sunday.

Free shuttle buses from Green Bay in Wanli run on weekends.

(NS)

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan is hosting its annual "Celebration
Canada" event today at the Hakka Cultural Park in Zhong-Zheng District

Organizers say it's the largest Canada Day celebration outside of Canada,
with more than 10,000 visitors turning out for the fun each year.

The outdoor event runs from 1pm to 9pm, and will feature live music with
artists from Canada and around the world ... along with a food market selling
Canadian favorites like smoked meat and maple-flavored sweets.

Visitors can also try out iconic Canadian sports, including hockey and
curling ... and they'll also have a chance to win raffle prizes, including a
round-trip flight with E-V-A Air.

The event is free and open to the public.

(NS)

Taiwan's economy continued steaming along in May ... with the National
Development Council's composite index of economic indicators flashing red for
a sixth consecutive month.

The NDC said the hot reading comes on the back of strong global demand for AI
applications.

The index slipped to 39 points from 40 in April.

The decline came after the subindex for overtime working hours in the
industrial and service sectors and manufacturing sector revenue fell one
point each, while the money supply subindex rose by one point.

The NDC said the leading indicators index rose around half a percent to
103.81 amid growing optimism toward the business outlook.

Nevertheless, the NDC says the local economy still faces uncertainties,
including progress in negotiations between the United States and Iran, the
monetary policies of major economies and US tariff policy.

CNA_JvW

At least two people have died as torrential rain entered a second day in
Taiwan, triggering widespread flooding and emergency rescues across the
island.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs had said nearly 500 flooding incidents have
been reported since yesterday, with Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taipei and Tainan
among the hardest-hit areas.

Officials say floodwaters have stranded residents, inundated homes and forced
rescue teams to carry out evacuations in parts of southern Taiwan.

Forecasters say the heavy rain is being fueled by a seasonal weather front,
strengthened southwesterly winds and the outer bands of Tropical Storm
Mekkhala.

Forecasters warn that heavy rain is expected to continue through this evening
... although conditions should gradually improve over the weekend.

New Taipei's long-awaited Sanying Metro Line will officially open on June
30th, or this coming Tuesday ... with free rides for passengers using transit
smart cards through the end of August.

The new 14.3-kilometer line has 12 stations linking Tucheng, Sanxia and
Yingge, and is expected to cut travel times between the Sanying area and
central Taipei by about 20 minutes.

Passengers will be able to transfer to Taipei Metro's Blue Line at Dingpu
Station and Taiwan Railway services at Yingge Station.

Ahead of the opening, Taipei Metro says it is reconfiguring Blue Line trains
to handle an expected increase in passengers transferring at Dingpu during
the morning rush.

The trains are being modified with fewer seats and more standing room,
allowing each train to carry about 72 additional passengers.

Taipei Metro is also adjusting train schedules and deploying extra staff at
busy stations.

Only certified domestically produced milk will be allowed to use the term
"fresh milk" in its Chinese product name beginning July 1.

The Ministry of Agriculture says imported liquid milk labeled as "fresh milk"
in Chinese could face fines of up to 4 million NT under the new rules.

Officials say the changes are intended to help consumers more easily
distinguish between locally produced and imported milk.

Certified products will also begin carrying a Taiwan Fresh Milk logo printed
directly on their packaging instead of the stickers previously used.

The ministry says the new system will apply to about 330 companies and 13,000
retail outlets.

The New Taipei District Court was expected to decide today whether Airlee
Group President Chang Ju-shan (常如山) should remain in custody after
prosecutors indicted him yesterday ...

... over hidden camera allegations at cosmetic clinics.

Prosecutors have charged Chang and six others with secretly recording
customers at multiple clinic branches and are seeking a prison sentence of at
least 14 years for Chang.

Chang and two other suspects were transferred to the court this morning after
spending nearly two months in detention.

Investigators allege cameras disguised as smoke detectors were installed in
consultation rooms to secretly record customers changing clothes or exposing
intimate body parts.

Police say they identified 99 alleged victims, including four minors, and
believe the suspects attempted to remove cameras and recording equipment
after the scheme was uncovered.

(IG)

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai was out inspecting flood control projects this
afternoon ... as torrential rain continued to affected southern Taiwan.

Chen visited projects Jiading and Hunei, where he instructed officials to
continue strengthening drainage operations and closely monitor local
conditions.

He also called for faster progress on flood control projects in low-lying
coastal areas that are especially vulnerable when heavy rain coincides with
high tide.

The city says more than 1,400 cleanup workers have been deployed since
Tuesday to clear drains and remove debris.

Officials say several districts, including Meinong, Dashu and Cishan, have
recorded more than 500 millimeters of rain in recent days, while parts of
Kaohsiung's urban districts have received more than 350 millimeters.

(IG)

An Evergreen-operated cargo ship has safely exited the Strait of Hormuz after
being struck by an unidentified object while transiting the strategic
waterway.

Evergreen says the crew, vessel and cargo were all unharmed.

The Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely was damaged on the starboard side of its
bridge late Wednesday near the coast of Oman.

Media reports citing unnamed sources say the ship was hit by a projectile,
while Reuters quoted U.S. officials as saying Iran fired on the vessel.
Another security source suggested it may have been struck by a drone.

Evergreen says two other ships in its fleet also passed safely through the
strait and that none of its vessels remain in the Persian Gulf.

(MW)

Forecasters warn that heavy rain is expected to continue across much of
western Taiwan through Friday night.

They say a weather front, southwesterly winds and the outer bands of Tropical
Storm Mekkhala are continuing to bring unstable weather.

Extremely torrential rain warnings remain in effect for Kaohsiung and
Pingtung, while heavy rain advisories cover much of northern, central and
southern Taiwan.

The weather agency says rainfall is expected to ease in northern Taiwan
overnight, though rainy conditions are likely to persist in parts of the east
and south.

Forecasters say some areas in western Taiwan could still see heavy rain on
Saturday before conditions begin to stabilize on Sunday.

(CNA_IG)

In related news,

Taipei could be on track to record its wettest June since weather records
began.

The Central Weather Administration says the Taipei Weather Station has
recorded more than 800 millimeters of rain so far this month, surpassing the
previous June record set in 1991.

The weather agency says the figures will be officially confirmed after the
data is verified early next month.

(IG)

Most Taiwan Railway services are back to normal after two days of heavy rain
...

... although part of the Neiwan Line in Hsinchu County remains closed due to
a rockfall.

Officials say it was caused by the weather ... forcing the closure of the
section between Zhuzhong and Zhudong.

Rail replacement bus services are operating while crews work to clear the
route.

Meanwhile, services on the Pingxi Line in New Taipei between Ruifang and
Jingtong resumed at 2 PM ... after rainfall eased and inspections confirmed
the line was safe to reopen.

Taiwan Railway is advising passengers to check the latest service information
before traveling as weather conditions continue to be monitored.

(IG)

Taipei Metro is modifying Blue Line trains ahead of the June 30 opening of
the New Taipei MRT Sanying Line, which will connect with the Blue Line at
Dingpu Station.

The transit operator says it expects about 1,500 additional passengers to
transfer at Dingpu during the weekday morning rush.

To increase capacity, Blue Line trains are being reconfigured with fewer
seats and more standing space, including designated areas for strollers.

According to the metro operator, the changes will allow each train to carry
about 72 more passengers and improve the flow of people boarding and exiting
the trains.

Taipei Metro says it is also adjusting train schedules and deploying
additional staff at busy stations, with the remaining train modifications
expected to be completed by the end of the year.

(IG)

The American Institute in Taiwan is reminding US citizens now is the time to
prepare for the upcoming mid-term elections.

All US citizens can vote in federal elections… for US House and Senate seats…
and may be able to vote in local elections in their home state too.

The first step is for US citizens to register in their home state, and
request an overseas absentee ballot.

The federal web site, "triple w dot FVAP dot gov" (www.fvap.gov), can help
American voters… and direct them to their respective state office for
completing registration and ballot request.

If voters need to return any registration applications, or ballots… they can
mail them through the post office, or drop them off at AIT’s Taipei or
Kaohsiung offices. Materials dropped off at AIT need US postage, or a
postage-free return envelope.

AIT warns that transit times can take up to three weeks, so act early to
ensure the vote is counted.

US midterm elections are on November 3rd this year.

(TB)

Premier Zhou Rong Tai headed to the Water Resources Agency's disaster
response center today.

Zhuo says, as heavy rain continues in many areas across the country, he's
asking local officials to re-inspect pumping equipment to make sure it's up
to snuff.

The premier says, over one hundred sites across Taiwan remain flooded.

He also urged continued prudence in monitoring the Wanli river barrier lake.

That's after over 200 Hualien residents were evacuated due to overflow risk.

Meanwhile...

the situation is especially severe in Pingtung, where some parts of the
county got over 900 milimeters of rain over the past 2 days.

In that same time period, some parts of Kaohsiung exceeded 630 milimeters,
and Tainan and New Taipei exceeded 400.

Pingtung Magistrate Zhou Chun Mi says, the rainfall accumulation in the
county is second only to that of Typhoon Morakot.

She says, it's currently most important to wait for the water to recede.

(AH)

The KMT is opting against pursuing a referendum on caning for the time being.

The party says it wants to wait until there's greater consensus on the issue
before bringing it to a public vote.

KMT Lawmaker Hong Meng Kai, who's been vocal in his support for the corporal
punishment tactic, says today that he's "unable to understand" but respects
the party's decision.

Hong says, if there can't be a referendum, he will propose an amendment to
the law instead.

Originally, the party had planned to push for a referendum on the issue
alongside this fall's elections.

The KMT says, it's prioritizing issues with greater social consensus at this
stage.

(AH)

The DPP is slamming the opposition for stalling the central budget, saying
the failure to pass the 2026 budget means that the central government is
unable to dispatch several billion NT in disaster preparedness funds.

A spokesman today said that opposition lawmakers have delayed the general
budget for over 300 days...

affecting disaster prevention, relief, and flood control projects.

The spokesman added that the government is currently legally only allowed to
utilize funds from the previous year's existing plans.

But, the truly crucial emergency funds are unable to be used.

The KMT has said that the government should explain how disaster funds are
being used...

rather than saying there's no money for disaster relief.

(AH)

Authorities are warning the public not to swim, fish, or engage in other
activities around rivers and ponds downstream of the Shihmen Reservoir in the
south of Taoyuan City.

That's because water has been released from the reservoir, which will
increase the water level and the speed of the water flowing through certain
sections of the river.

This water has been released in order to discharge the roughly 250,000 cubic
metres of silt that has recently fallen into the reservoir and its downstream
ponds and river channels.

That’s about 7500 shipping containers, or about a third of how much
Evergreen’s Ever A-class container ships can hold.

This is the sixth time since its construction that the Amuping Silt Removal
Tunnel has been opened.

The operation should extend the usable lifespan of the reservoir.

As of 8 AM today, the water level of the Shihmen Reservoir was at 245 metres;
that's 99.8 per cent of its total storage capacity.

(JM)

New Taipei's long-awaited Sanying Metro Line is set to officially open on
June 30th (next Tuesday), with free rides for passengers using transit smart
cards through August 31st.

Mayor Hou Yu-ih says the two-month trial period is intended to gather
passenger feedback while officials continue refining services and station
facilities.

The 14.3-kilometer line has 12 stations linking Tucheng, Sanxia and Yingge,
cutting travel times between the Sanying area and central Taipei by about 20
minutes.

Passengers will be able to transfer to the Taipei Metro's Blue Line at Dingpu
Station and Taiwan Railway services at Yingge Station.

City officials say the opening will expand New Taipei's metro network to 108
kilometers, making it the longest in Taiwan.

(IG)

Opens Sunday

The annual "Yehliu Night Tours See the Queen's Head Illuminated at Night" is
returning to Yehliu Geopark starting this weekend.

Starting this Sunday through to July 12th, the event blends advanced
audiovisual technology with the park's iconic coastal rock formations.



Tours travel through themed zones before ending at the Queen's Head area,
with a synchronised light and sound display.

Live performances are scheduled for opening night and then across the next
two weekends, from Thursday through Sunday.

Tickets are available for purchase and free shuttle buses run on weekends.

(NS)

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An has visited Neihu today, where he pledged
compensation for residents affected by the severe flooding in the district.

He promised that applications from these residents would be given priority.

Chiang and other city officials inspected the areas hardest-hit in the
flooding yesterday, including Jinlong road and Section 3 of Neihu Road.

He assured the public that affected Neihu residents would have applications
for compensation given preferential treatment.

The city government says, if floodwaters reach 50 to 100 centimeters,
households can get 10,000 NT in compensation.

If they exceed 100 centimeters, each household can get 20,000 NT.

District offices will proactively conduct site inspections, and residents are
encouraged to take photos as evidence of the flood level.

(AH)

The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation says, a downed tree was what likely
set off a slope landslide detector on the Hsinchu section of the track this
morning.

No trains were located in the affected area at the time, but trains were
forced to slow down, causing slight delays.

Personnel dispatched to the scene found that a downed tree had set off the
detector.

THSR says, ongoing heavy rain is hindering maintenance capabilities, so
trains will continue to operate at slower speeds through affected sections...

which may cause small delays.

THSR apologizes for the inconvenience.

(AH)

Major League Baseball's New York Yankees are betting on a Taiwanese teenager.

18-year-old pitcher Lai Chien-Fan 賴謙凡officially signed with the Yankees,
inking a deal worth up to a million US dollars including bonuses.

That's on top of an 875,000 dollar signing bonus alone.

The Yankees held a press conference in Taipei to introduce him, calling him a
future big-league talent.

Lai didn't start formal baseball training until junior high, but turned heads
at last year's Under-18 World Cup.

He posted a 1.00 ERA across seven relief innings with 14 strikeouts, helping
Taiwan capture bronze.

The Yankees' international scouting director praised Lai, calling the signing
proof of the team's renewed investment in Taiwan and the broader Asian
market.

(MW)

Taiwan shares are downt oday, with the benchmark tai ex suffering huge
losses, ending down 1683 points to close the session at 44571

The turnover was 1.549 trillion NT

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che 黃偉哲 says that the city is utilising all of its
water pumps to clear extreme flooding.

Huang visited flooded locations this morning and said that a high tide had
exacerbated the floods caused by extreme rain.

That's as Tainan's Guiren district has received nearly 290 milimeters of rain
today as of 12:30.

Huang said that although the tropical storm didn't directly hit Taiwan, the
storm's outer bands still caused heavy rain to fall on Tainan, leading the
city to cancel work and classes for the day.

Huang added that the city government has exhausted all means of flood
control, but that the Rende Retention Basin has demonstrated its efficacy in
alleviating flood conditions.

However, he added that local governments still require support from the
central government to address such extreme conditions.

Huang said that he hopes the Legislature will expedite the central
government's 2026 general budget to faciliate the upgrading of local flood
control standards.

(AH)

Officials are reminding the public to expect extra traffic during tomorrow's
Golden Melody Awards in Taipei.

Motorists should brace for extra traffic near the Taipei Arena tomorrow
between 5 and 7 pm.

Dunhua North Road, Nanjing East Road, Bade Road, and Beining Road will be
affected.

Officials also note that parking - even for a short time - will be strictly
prohibited in the area, with patrols in place.

Drivers and motorcyclists are encouraged to exercise patience if transiting
through the area tomorrow, and are urged to consider taking public transit if
possible.

All of Hsinchu City and parts of Hsinchu County are suspending work and
classes starting this hour, as heavy rainfall is causing flooding in many
areas.

This comes after two local schools called off classes earlier today, and
schools and offices are already closed in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung due
to the rain.

Some trains on the High Speed Rail are also experiencing delays, amid
slowdowns for safety reasons.

And the Taiwan Railway Corporation suspended services between Tainan's
Yongkang and Kaohsiung's Gangshan stations, with some railway tracks flooded
in southern Taiwan.

(NS)

EVA Airways is inaugurating it first-ever non-stop flight between Taoyuan
International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport today.

The carrier says the new route means its North American network will grow to
include 10 gateways.

It also means EVA Airway's now has the most destinations and the largest
flight network from Taiwan to North America.

The Taipei–Washington D.C. route will be operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft
featuring a three-class configuration - Royal Laurel Class, Economy Class,
and the new fourth-generation Premium Economy Class.

American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene has described the new
route as a milestone and says it is a vital upgrade to US-Taiwan bilateral
ties, technology exchanges, and cultural trade.

A cross-party delegation of lawmakers led by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu
is scheduled to return to Taiwan from the U-S on EVA Airways's inaugural
flight following a six-day trip.

And finally in sports news and the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Where last night's game between the Rakuten Monkeys and the C-T-B-C Brothers
at the Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung was rained off.

In this evening's games.

The Rakuten Monkeys play the Fubon Guardians at the Xinzhuang Stadium in New
Taipei.

And the C-T-B-C Brothers meet the T-S-G Hawks at the Intercontinental Stadium
in Taichung.

Both games, weather permitting, begin at 6:30.

However, fans are being advised to check the C-P-B-L's website before heading
to the stadiums.

Hsinchu county is warning motorists against transiting through some areas due
to heavy flooding.

They say, Hukou township's Shanye 山葉underpass, Sanyuan road三元, and Dasheng達生
underpass are currently flooded.

They say, the same goes for Xinfeng township's Datong underpass and Qiedong
茄苳road...

as well as in Qionglin芎林 township's Wende 文德road, and many areas of Xinpu新埔
and Zhubei.

Officials say, they've blocked off the affected roads and are carrying out
traffic controls.

They urge the public to abide by the traffic controls and take alternative
routes if possible.

The county government is also advising the public against going near
mountains and rivers...

while those in low-lying areas should be wary of flooding.

This comes as parts of the county have already gotten over 230 milimeters of
rain since midnight today.

The county government previously announced that some schools in Xinpu and
Wufeng townships will suspend work and classes.

(AH)

Some trains on the High Speed Rail are experiencing delays at this hour due
to ongoing heavy rain.

The THSR says that a slope landslide detector on the Hsinchu section of the
track activated this morning, suspending train traffic.

No trains were located in the affected area at the time, but trains passing
through will be moving at lower speeds for safety reasons.

After control center staff were able to confirm that there were no
abnormalities at the site, maintenance personnel were dispatched for furhter
observation.

THSR apologized for any inconvenience to passengers.

(AH)

Meanwhile,

Residents of seven areas in Hualien Fenglin and Wanrong townships have been
evacuated after a flood alert was issued for a barrier lake in the upper
reaches of the Wanli River.

The "yellow" alert was issued by the Hualien branch of the Forestry and
Nature Conservation Agency and warned that the barrier lake could overflow
within 48-hours.

Authorities notified residents through public broadcasts and door-to-door
notices, informing them of the mandatory evacuation.

In Fenglin Township, local government officials say military personnel were
mobilized to assist with the evacuation process there.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency says aerial surveys have shown
that the barrier lake currently contains about 780,000 cubic meters of water
- and is close to its maximum capacity.

The barrier lake is located about 30-kilometers upstream from the Wanli River
Bridge.

acquitted

The High Court has reduced the prison sentences of three former D-P-P
staffers convicted of passing classified information to Chinese intelligence
agents and acquitted a fourth.

The ruling overturns a lower court verdict issued last year.

The High Court sentenced Huang Qu-rong to six years in prison for violating
the Classified National Security Information Protection Act and money
laundering, reducing the Taipei District Court's sentence of 10 years.

The court also reduced former D-P-P staffer Chiu Shih-yuan's sentence from
six years and two months to five years, and Wu Shang-yu's sentence from four
years to three years.

While Ho Ren-chieh, a former adviser to then-Foreign Minister Joseph Wu was
acquitted, after being sentenced to eight years in prison by the Taipei
District Court.

The High Court has not explained the reasons why it chose to reduce the
original sentences imposed against Huang, Chiu and Wu or why its
acquitted Ho.

All four defendants were expelled from their local DPP chapters in May 2025,
before the Taipei District Court handed down its ruling in September last
year.

The High Court rulings can be appealed.

The Cabinet is proposing measures to deny parole to repeat drunk drivers and
drug drivers who re-offend within a five-year period.

The measures will also apply to those convicted of felonies who are sentenced
to life imprisonment or terms exceeding 10-years.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says the proposed amendments were drafted by the
Ministry of Justice with the aim of deterring such criminal activities.

According to the bills, anyone violating Article 185-3 of the Criminal Code
will be ineligible for parole if they re-offend within five years of their
previous conviction.

The amendments also extended the parole ban to include individuals convicted
of homicide, attempted murder, or child abuse resulting in death or severe
injury, who are sentenced to life imprisonment or terms of 10 years or more.

Individuals sentenced to life imprisonment are currently eligible for parole
after serving 25 years, while first-time offenders must serve half of their
sentence and repeat offenders two-thirds before they can apply for parole.

And finally,

Taiwan Irwin mangoes have entered the U-K market - and British consumers
sampled the fruit at a Taiwanese specialty supermarket in London this week -
praising their delicate texture and sweet flavor.

One British shopper described the Irwin mango as "absolutely beautiful,"
saying it was "perfectly ripe and very, very sweet" and stood out from
mangoes typically sold in British supermarkets.

Another said said he liked mangoes and noted that the Taiwan Irwin mangoes
are less fibrous than those commonly available in grocery shops across
London.

The mangoes have been introduced to the U-K by LingerMart, a supermarket in
London's Richmond district founded and operated by a Taiwanese entrepreneur.

LingerMart already sells a variety of products from Taiwan including snacks,
drinks, noodles and condiments, and recently imported a box of 14 Irwin
mangoes from Taiwan as a trial run to test how they perform in the local
market.

Torrential rain caused has been caused widespread flooding and landslides
across Taiwan -- stranding residents, disrupting traffic and prompting work
and school suspensions in several cities and counties.

Schools and offices are closed today in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung due to
the rain.

The outer bands of tropical storm Mekkhala and strong southwest winds brought
heavy rain across most of Taiwan on Thursday, forcing localized school and
office closures.

The Central Weather Administration is warning that heavy rain and
thunderstorms are expected to continue in the south today, while nothern and
central parts of the island could also see heavy rain or localized torrential
downpours.

It has issued rain warnings for much of the island.

Torrential or extremely torrential rain advisories are effect for Kaohsiung
and Pingtung.

Extremely heavy or torrential rain advisories have been issued for Tainan and
the Hengchun Peninsula.

Heavy rain or extremely heavy rain advisories are in effect for the North
Coast area, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Changhua, Yunlin,
Chiayi, mountainous area of Taitung as well for Penghu.

While heavy rain advisories are in effect for Keelung, Hsinchu City, Miaoli,
Taichung, Nantou and low-lying areas of Taitung.

All of the rain warnings are currently in effect through tonight.

The rainfall is expected to gradually ease from tomorrow as the weather front
begins moving northward, but intermittent showers and thunderstorms are
likely continue across western Taiwan.

More stable weather is expected from next Monday as the Pacific high-pressure
system strengthens.

U-S lawmakers pledged support for Taiwan during a meeting with Legislative
Speaker Han Kuo-yu, during his visit to Washington D.C. as the head of a
cross-party delegation.

More than 30 House representatives attended a reception organized by Taiwan's
representative office in the U-S capital.

They included Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, former chair of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee Michael McCaul and Ted Lieu who serves as the vice chair of
the House Democratic Caucus.

Several U-S lawmakers showed their support for a stalled 14-billion U-S
dollar arms sale to the island - with Lieu criticizing the Trump
administration for holding up the package.

Han urged the U-S to help Taiwan gain more international space during the
reception - saying the current situation for Taiwan is "like being able to
date but not marry."

The delegation is scheduled to return to Taiwan on EVA Airways's inaugural
nonstop flight between Washington D.C. and Taoyuan International Airport.

quo

President Lai Ching-te is reiterating his administration's aims to strengthen
Taiwan's self-defense capabilities and repeating arguments that China, not
Taiwan, is the party undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and
the Indo-Pacific.

Speaking at the eighth meeting of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience
Committee, Lai said Beijing has intensified gray-zone activities, coercion
and infiltration targeting neighboring countries, including Japan, Taiwan and
the Philippines ...

.... fueling concerns across the Indo-Pacific and internationally.

According to Lai, China is the one changing the status quo in the Taiwan
Strait, and his administration's efforts to strengthen elf-defense
capabilities, preserve the peaceful status quo and protect our democratic way
of life are not acts of provocation.

Lai cited last week's Group of Seven leaders' summit, saying its joint
statement reaffirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on
the rule of law and opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo
in the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion.

And he went on to thank members of the armed forces and the Coast Guard
Administration for responding to China's activities.

C-S-B-C says its first domestically built submarine remains on track for
delivery in the second half of this year.

The statement comes as the shipbuilder has been accumulating daily fines
since missing an initial November 2025 deadline for delivery of the Narwhal
to the Navy.

Speaking after a shareholders meeting, C-S-B-C Chairman Chen Cheng-hung said
the submarine has not encountered any major technical obstacles during sea
trials, and is currently undergoing detailed fine-tuning and functional
verification.

According to Chen, although seasonal monsoons and typhoons could cause minor
delays of a few days, those delays are not expected to significantly derail
the overall schedule and the completion of testing.

The C-S-B-C chairman says the submarine program has been a highly complex
defense R&D project, and because Taiwan had no experience building
submarines, it had to build its expertise in design, systems integration, and
sea testing completely from scratch ...

... which introduced timeline uncertainties.

The Narwhal began its latest round of sea trials that included dive tests,
earlier this month.

The Cabinet is proposing fines of up to 100,000 N-T for individuals found in
possession of electronic cigarettes as part of efforts to curb the use of
etomidate.

The proposed amendment to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act also recommends
the same maximum fines for individuals found in possession of electronic
cigarette components.

However, it does not define what constitutes such components.

Electronic cigarettes are illegal here in Taiwan.

However, there are currently no penalties for possessing them.

Another proposal is to introduce criminal penalties for the manufacture and
importation of electronic cigarettes - meaning those who manufacture or
import more than 1,000 units would face up to seven years in prison and a
potential fine of up to 5-million N-T.

Premier Cho Jung-tai said earlier this week that the widespread use of
electronic cigarettes has fueled the spread of etomidate and other emerging
narcotics, posing a serious threat to society and schools.

The New Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted seven people for
their involvement in a hidden-cameras scandal linked to aesthetic clinic
chain Airlee.

Those indicted include Airlee Group Chairman Chang Ju-shan, group president
Liu Chen-hua and equipment supplier Hsieh Chin-heng.

According to the prosecutors' office, five of the suspects have been charged
with secretly recording non-public activities of customers without
justification, unlawfully recording sexual content, filming sexual content
involving minors ....

.... and of violating the Personal Data Protection Act.

The equipment supplier's wife and son have also been indicted on charges of
destroying evidence after allegedly assisting him to remove and deleting
recordings.

Prosecutors say the clinic's chairman and group president had cameras
disguised as smoke detectors installed in at least seven of Airlee's branches
between 2019 and 2025, secretly recording customers while they were changing
or their private parts were exposed.

Prosecutors have identified 99 victims, including four minors, across the
seven branches involved in the case.

Investigations into other Airlee branches are ongoing.

The Jiji railway line has resumed full operations after services were
suspended in August of 2021 after torrential rainfall triggered a slope
collapse that blocked a tunnel section running adjacent to Provincial Highway
16.

The rainfall also disrupted the Jiji Line railway improvement project, which
was launched in 2019 and cost 3.5-billion N-T.

The popular 29-kilometer branch line connects Changhua and Nantou.

Partial services resumed in January.

Transport Minister Chen Shih-kai says tourist arrivals in Jiji Township
declined by about 80-per cent during the line's four-year closure and he
hopes the reopening of the line will help revive tourism in Jiji, Shuili and
Checheng townships.

According to Chen, the century-old Jiji Line was originally built to support
the Sun Moon Lake hydroelectric project and transport bananas and timber in
the Japanese colonial period.