Chiayi prosecutors are seeking at least 15 years behind bars for a swim coach
accused of sexually assaulting children.

The suspect, surnamed Lin, was employed at an elementary school in Chiayi
County as a swim teacher.

Lin allegedly took advantage of his position to touch the kids
inappropriately or even rape them.

Prosecutors say that Lin also used AI to create pornographic deepfakes using
photos he got from their social media accounts...

or in some cases he blackmailed them into sending nude photos to him.

Prosecutors also allege that Lin disseminated those materials to others as
well.

Lin is charged with violating the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation
Prevention Act and the Criminal Code, and prosecutors are seeking a heavy
sentence against him.

(AH)

Keelung prosecutors are questioning a sitting city councilor in a vote buying
probe.

Cai Wang Lian 蔡旺璉 is running for re-election in Keelung's Qidu district.

Cai, of the KMT, is suspected of working with a borough chief to use meals
for vote-buyig.

The investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile in Pingtung,

prosecutors are seeking to detain a candidate for township chief in the
county's Li Gang Township in a vote-buying investigation.

The candidate Lan Wan Qian藍婉茜, an independent, is accused of holding a
banquet for voters back in May, where each table cost 6000 NT.

Prosecutors conduced searches last night and determined that Lan, her father,
and two others were all involved.

Lan previously ran for the same position but was unsuccessful.

Her father-in-law is a former DPP lawmaker, while her husband Su Meng Chun
蘇孟淳 is running for city council in Pingtung's second district.

(AH)

A bus driver in Taipei's Wenshan District has been hospitalized after their
windshield was broken by rocks likely falling from a vehicle ahead.

The Capital bus was passing through the Xinyi Tunnel when rocks shattered the
windshield, causing injuries to the driver's face.

Although the driver has been hospitalized, the 30 passengers were unharmed.

The cause of the incident is still being investigated.

(AH)

Taiwan shares are sharply down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 1612
points to close the session at 43307.

The turnover was 928 billion NT.

Premier Chuo Rong-tai today stressed that the central government has assisted
in bringing Nvidia's corporate headquarters to Taipei on three fronts:
funding, legal matters, and political support.



Chuo noted that his only consideration was keeping one of the world's leading
technology companies in Taiwan, without regard to party politics.



He called on the Taipei City Government to remember "that wonderful period of
cooperation" with the Cabinet.

The Premier said government subsidies in 2021 and 2022 helped Nvidia
establish its first overseas research and development center in Taipei.

In 2025, the Cabinet helped resolve a land-use dispute between Nvidia and
Shin Kong Life Insurance, paving the way for the company's planned
headquarters in Taipei.

Chuo's comments come as Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an touts Nvidia's decision to
establish its headquarters in Taipei as one of the major achievements of his
first term in office.

(JL)

Student groups say a campaign to raise funds for young voters to return home
has reached its first fundraising target early.

Organized by the Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy, the campaign reached
its $450-thousand NT goal and is now aiming for $800-thousand.

The program allows young voters to purchase subsidized homebound transit
tickets for $128 NT for the Nov. 28 local elections.

Organizers say the second fundraising phase will expand bus routes nationwide
and provide travel subsidies for voters from offshore islands.

Student leaders noted that affordable travel helps youth engage in local
policymaking, including housing and employment issues.

Crowdfunding will continue through Nov. 21st via online platforms.

(NS)

The Tainan District Court has approved prosecutors' request to detain a man
suspected in a fatal hit and run in which he was allegedly drunk driving.

The suspect, surnamed Liao, had already had his license suspended for drunk
driving when he allegedly hit and killed a college student on Sunday night.

The court says, Liao admitted to the allegations during questioning, but they
believe he still posees a flight risk.

After allegedly hitting the student, surnamed Lee, Liao fled the scene.

But, police were able to track him down using surveillance footage and
arrested him within an hour.

His BAC was found to exceed the legal limit.

(AH-CNA)

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is urging China to follow established practice
in formally inviting Taiwan to the APEC summit later this month in Shenzhen.

According to Lin, the Lai administration will uphold its right to participate
despite what he's describing as China's "differential treatment."

The call comes after China sent a letter rather than a formal official
invitation to Taiwan to attend the upcoming APEC summit.

Reports have said the letter did not refer to Taiwan by its official name
within APEC, "Chinese Taipei," and downgraded Taiwan's status.

The foreign minister says Taiwan is a full APEC member and has participated
in the forum on an equal footing with all other member economies.

Lin is accusing China of repeatedly subjecting Taiwan to "differential
treatment" while hosting various APEC meetings this year, and it did not
arrange for an official to personally deliver the APEC invitation to Taiwan,
opting instead to send an email.

The foreign minister says the Lai administration will lodge a protest against
any action that violates established practices, but will not forfeit Taiwan's
right to participate.

The Centers for Disease Control has expanded the publicly funded flu and
COVID-19 vaccination program to all adults aged between 50 and 64.

Deputy Health Minister Chuang Jen-hsiang was one of the first to get a shot
when the second phase of the free vaccination program began on Monday.

He rolled up his sleeve and received both a flu and a COVID shot at a
vaccination station in Taipei's Nangang District.

According to the C-D-C, flu activity is expected to fall below the 11-per
cent epidemic threshold this week.

However, health authorities are warning that the risk of severe illness and
death remains even after the outbreak subsides.

The C-D-C is urging seniors, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses
and healthy adults aged 50 and older, to get vaccinated against flu and
COVID-19 as soon as possible to reduce the risk of severe illness and
complications.

The first phase of the publicly funded flu and COVID-19 vaccination program
began on October 1.

C-D-C data shows that a total of 5.85-million doses of flu and COVID-19
vaccines were administered in October.

The Taiwan Academy of Banking and Finance says a survey has found that
64.1-per cent of respondents to its latest survey expressed confidence in
using financial products and services.

According to the academy, the survey found that public confidence in
financial products and services rose from 38.9-per cent in 2024 to 64.1-per
cent this year.

The biennial survey also found shows that 86.5-per cent of respondents could
comfortably cover their daily household expenses, while 51.6-per cent had
enough savings to cover at least six months of basic living costs in an
emergency.

Academy chairman Paul Lei says the improvement in public confidence comes
amid growing demand for artificial intelligence, record highs on Taiwan's
stock market and high real G-D-P growth.

The survey has been vonducted every two years since 2020.

Authorities in New Taipei are continuing to search for a 79 year old Japanese
tourist who went missing last week during a visit to Jiufen with a tour
group.

According to the New Taipei Police Department, the man became separated from
his wife on October 29 near the A-Mei Teahouse on Shuqi Road that runs
through the center of Jiufen.

Police surveillance video footage reviewed after he was reported missing,
shows the man heading out of Jiufen toward the nearby Jilong Mountain hiking
trail last Friday.

Fire department personnel searched the mountain that day, but were unable to
find him.

Search efforts are ongoing.

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted rap artist MC HotDog
for copyright infringement.

According to the prosecutors' office, the rapper used lyrics allegedly
adapted from a comic book by cartoonist Zhu Deyong.

The allegations of plagiarism against MC HotDog date back to 2023.

He issued an apology at that time, but was also ordered to 500,000 N-T in
damages to the cartoonist.

MC HotDog later released another song, in which he changed the lyrics.

However, prosecutors say he has now been charged with violations of the
Copyright Act for adapting Zhu's work without making adequate changes to the
original and making it available online.

And finally,

Organizers of the Taiwan International Travel Fair say they hope this year's
event attracts more than 400,000 visitors.

According to Taiwan Visitors Association Chairwoman Chien Yu-yen, this year's
show is taking place as younger travelers are increasingly seeking
distinctive experiences rather than only bargains.

Chien says previously people came to the travel fair for value-for-money
deals and discounted meal vouchers, but her agency is now finding that
younger travelers are now seeking higher-priced, distinctive trips the can
experience at least once in their lives.

Early-bird ticket sales have risen more than 10-per cent from last year, when
attendance exceeded 360,000.

The fair is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and oirganizers say it
will feature over 550 exhibitors occupying 1,600 booths representing 123
countries and cities.

The Taiwan International Travel Fair will run from November 6 through 9 at
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.

Taiwan and Japan are reportedly in talks which could result in a
comprehensive trade agreement between the region's tech powers.

The discussions were reported by Nikkei Asia.

The deal is likely to resemble the Enhanced Trade Partnership signed by
Taiwan and the U-K in 2023... which established a bilateral cooperation
framework for investment, energy and net-zero emissions, as well as digital
trade.

Nikkei Asia said one source credits the UK-Taiwan agreement as a precedent
for Japan to follow and allows flexibility for more area- or sector-specific
deals to be signed in the future.

The draft is said to minimise political sensitivity, and covers five areas of
cooperation - those being economic resilience and innovation, industry
cooperation on disaster risk reduction, digital trade, trade facilitation,
and sustainability.

The report says earliest the deal could be signed is the end of the year.

The Lai administration has declined to comment on the report.

National Development Council head Yeh Chun-hsien is seeking to calm local
fears generated by a global tech sell-off in tech stocks.

He says the sell off is only expected to have a short-term impact on Taiwan's
equities market... since many local companies continue to receive substantial
orders, and that the current AI boom is expected to continue through the end
of 2027.

Yeh added that there aren't any signs in a drop in export orders, liquidity,
or cash flow.

Global capital markets are seen to be worried about the cash flows of some
cloud service providers... who have invested in AI infrastructure... but
haven't yet generated sufficient revenue in for their investments.

Those concerns have translated into a global tech stock sell off which has
even impacted TSMC-- whose stock has since tumbled nearly six percent.

Most of the heavy losses came in the wake of weaker-than-expected guidance
issued by Intel Corp.

The Civil Aviation Administration says fuel surcharges on both short-haul and
long-haul international flights operated by Taiwan airlines will go up on
November 8.

The spike is being triggered by an increase in international aviation fuel
prices.

The CAA says fuel surcharges for short-haul routes will increase from 37.5 to
40 U-S dollars, while long-haul surcharges will go up from 97.5 to 104 U-S
dollars.

Short-haul routes cover destinations in Asia, excluding India and the Middle
East... while long-haul routes include India, the Middle East, Europe, the
Americas, Africa, Oceania and Antarctica.

We'll have more on the impact of the higher cost of jet fuel a bit later on
in the program.

Labor funds posted a combined investment gain of 2.4-trillion N-T in the
first nine months of this year, for a rate of return of 30.73-per cent.

The Bureau of Labor Funds says funds generated 117.8-billion N-T in September
alone, remaining in positive territory despite heightened volatility in
global financial markets.

The bureau's latest report says that as of the end of September, the labor
funds had 9.21-trillion N-T in assets under management and cumulative
investment gains of 2.44-trillion N-T.

The Labor Pension Fund under the new pension system, which is the largest
with 6.06-trillion N-T in assets, posted a 30.43-per cent return.

While the old pension fund, with 1.21-trillion N-T in assets, recorded the
highest return at 44.16-per cent.

The Labor Insurance Fund posted a 27.14-per cent return, while the Employment
Insurance Fund had a return of 2.73-per cent.

The bureau also manages the Occupational Accident Insurance Fund the Wage
Arrears Payment Fund, the National Pension Insurance Fund, and the Farmers'
Pension Fund.

Law enforcement authorities in the Philippines have arrested a Taiwanese man
on suspicion of unlawfully detaining Filipino nationals and forcing them to
carry out online romance and telecom scams.

The Criminial Investigation Bureau's liaison officer in Manila indentified
the suspect as being from Nantou with multiple prior fraud convictions, and a
frequent traveled to the Philippines and Cambodia.

The man was detained on October 28 after police raided a condominium unit in
Manila's Malate district after complaint from a woman's partner that she had
been unlawfully confined and abused.

The raid resulted in the arrest of the 32-year-old Taiwanese man and a
38-year-old Malaysian man.

Both suspects face charges including human trafficking, illegal detention and
coercion.

Reports say an intial investigation has found the suspects recruited Filipino
nationals for purported "virtual assistant" positions, but after accepting
the jobs, the victims were confined in the condominium and their mobile
phones confiscated.

They were reportedly forced to work 12 hours a day, memorizing scripts for
romance and telecom scams.

A family of tourists who pitched a tent next to the Alishan Railway tracks
this past weekend faces fines of up to 50 thousand N-T.

The penalty was announced after a driver spotted a tent alongside the tracks
near Erwanping Station on Saturday.

The driver reported the tent to railway staff, who photographed the
violation, asked the family who owned the tent to leave the area, and called
the police.

Chiayi County police says the family had booked a room at the nearby Alishan
Youth Activity Center but arrived before check-in time, and decided to pitch
a tent while he waited to let his children rest.

The Alishan Railway Office says the family is being fined for violating the
Railway Act, which bans pedestrians and vehicles from entering restricted
areas near train tracks.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has hosted an event introducing 16 young
Taiwanese agricultural experts who are heading to the Netherlands to take
part in an annual government-funded agricultural exchange program.

The Young Agricultural Ambassadors program was first launched in 2017... it
was originally designed to promote exchanges between Taiwan and countries
covered by the New Southbound Policy.

This year is the first time the program has sent a delegation to a country
outside the scope of that policy.

The foreign minister says Netherlands was chosen because it's globally
renowned for its floriculture industry and is a pioneer in smart agriculture.

Since the program's inception, more than 150 ambassadors aged between 18 and
45 have traveled to Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia,
India and Thailand.

The ambassadors have specialized in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and
animal husbandry.

The program is co-organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Ministry of Agriculture.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung says Taiwan will uphold its right to attend
this month's APEC summit in China, despite what he describes as Beijing's
"differential treatment".

Lin says Taiwan is a full member of the forum and has always participated on
an equal footing with other member economies.

He accuses China of departing from established practices by failing to
deliver the invitation in person, instead sending it by email.

Although the email used Taiwan's official APEC designation, "Chinese Taipei",
Lin says Taipei will lodge an immediate protest against any further
violations of established procedures.

He stresses, however, that Taiwan will not give up its right to participate.

The summit is scheduled to take place in the Chinese city of Shenzhen on
November 18th and 19th.

(CNA_IG)

A Taiwanese man has been arrested in the Philippines for allegedly holding
three people captive and forcing them to work in online romance and telephone
scams.

Philippine police say the 32-year-old man, surnamed Peng, and a Malaysian
accomplice were arrested during a raid on a condominium in Manila on October
28th.

The three Filipino victims, two women and a man, were allegedly recruited for
fake virtual assistant jobs before having their phones confiscated and being
forced to work up to 12 hours a day preparing scam scripts.

Police say the suspects face charges including human trafficking, illegal
detention and coercion.

Taiwan's representative office in the Philippines says it will send officials
to visit Peng and monitor the investigation.

(CNA_IG)

Taiwan recorded just over 33-thousand new car registrations in October --
falling around 11 percent short of industry expectations.

The figure was down over 10 percent from September and 3.6 percent from a
year earlier.

Industry representatives say a typhoon disrupted sales late in the month,
despite strong demand and promotional offers from automakers.

However, new vehicle registrations for the first 10 months of the year
reached around 340-thousand, up 3 percent from the same period last year.

Looking ahead, industry representatives expect registrations to rebound to
around 38-thousand in November, up over 4 percent from a year earlier.

They say new models and bigger discounts ahead of the year-end sales season
should help boost demand.

(IG)

Over 64 percent of people said they feel confident using financial products
and services ... in the most recent Taiwan Financial Life Survey ... a 25
percent increase from two years ago.

The Taiwan Academy of Banking and Finance, which conducted the survey, says
the improvement comes amid a booming stock market, strong demand for
artificial intelligence and continued economic growth.

It also found that nearly 87 percent of people can comfortably cover their
daily living expenses ... while just over half have enough savings to cover
at least six months of basic needs.

And ... interviews with university students revealed a growing trend of young
people investing in stocks and exchange-traded funds, or E-T-Fs ... treating
them as a way to save money and protect against inflation.

However, researchers warn that young investors may be underestimating the
risks ... while people aged 70 and over continue to face difficulties using
digital financial services.

(IG)

The Alishan Forest Railway will offer five special steam train tours in
December ....

.... giving passengers a chance to enjoy the mountain area's autumn scenery
aboard historic carriages made from Taiwan cypress.

The tours will run every Tuesday from December 1st to 29th, with each trip
limited to 100 passengers.

The railway says tickets cost 3,250 NT and include meals, a guided tour and
admission to the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area.

Passengers will also be able to get off at scenic stops to photograph the
historic steam locomotive against the colorful mountain foliage.

Online bookings for the first tour open at 10 a.m. on November 17th, with
reservations for later trips opening 15 days before departure.

(CNA_IG)

And looking at the weather this week ....

Forecasters say that northeasterly winds will continue to bring cooler
weather to northern Taiwan tomorrow, with daytime highs of around 24 to 26
degrees.

Rain is expected to be more persistent in eastern Taiwan and the Hengchun
Peninsula, with localized heavy rain possible in eastern areas.

Scattered showers are also possible in areas north of Taoyuan, while central
and southern Taiwan will remain mostly cloudy to sunny.

The winds will weaken on Wednesday and Thursday, allowing temperatures in the
north to climb back to around 28 to 30 degrees, with rainfall easing across
the island.

However, another surge of northeasterly winds is expected on Thursday evening
and could affect Taiwan through next Monday, bringing more rain to northern
and eastern areas.

A Tainan man has been arrested after killing a college student in a drunk
driving accident...

when he had already had his license suspended for a previous drunk driving
offense.

The man, surnamed Liao, allegedly hit the student, surnamed Li, last night in
Tainan's Yongkang district in a hit and run.

Police have arrested Liao and handed over to prosecutors.

A mandatory blood alcohol test revealed that Liao's BAC levels were clearly
above the legal limit.

Prosecutors have requested that Liao be detained.

(AH)

ring

Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je is denying accusations of corruption...

after current Mayor Chiang Wan An has faced criticism for what some referred
to as "kissing the ring of corruption" when he praised Ko during his recent
debate performance.

Ko today says that he is "clearly" not corrupt, yet is deemed so.

That's after media pesonality Chen Hui Wen陳揮文 accused Chiang of attempting to
sway TPP voters by praising Ko despite a court ruling that found him guilty
of corruption.

But Ko downplayed the efficacy of such a tactic, saying that TPP supporters
would not blindly follow anyone that claimed to "wave their flag."

(AH)

Taoyuan International Airport will begin annual maintenance of its north
runway tomorrow, with work taking place overnight to avoid disrupting
flights.

The airport company says the work will focus on resurfacing parts of the
runway and taxiways, and should take seven working days to complete.

Construction is scheduled between 1 AM and 6:30 AM on selected weekdays in
November.

The south runway will remain open throughout the maintenance period, and
flights are expected to operate normally.

However, the work may be postponed if weather conditions are poor or air
traffic is particularly heavy.

The airport says the maintenance will help ensure safe operations ahead of
the busy Christmas, New Year, and Lunar New Year travel seasons.

(IG)

Fuel surcharges on international flights operated by Taiwanese airlines will
rise again from November 8th due to rising oil prices.



The Civil Aviation Administration says surcharges for short-haul flights will
rise by up to $40 US dollars, that's the equivalent of $1,300 NT.

Those for long-haul flights will rise by up to $104 dollars, which is around
$3,400 NT.

Short-haul routes cover most destinations in Asia, while long-haul routes
include Europe, the Americas, India and the Middle East.



The C-A-A said the increases follow a rise in international aviation fuel
prices, and domestic airlines have been asked to clearly explain the
increases to passengers.

(JL)

Keelung Mayor Xie Guo Liang says, he's confident he will win reelection
despite recent polls indicating a close race against challenger Tong Zi Wei.

Xie says, he believes Keelung residents will be won over by his "12
construction points" plan.

The mayor's comments come after an internal KMT poll showed him with a slight
lead over Tong...

while another showed Tong poised to win.

When asked about if he felt that the "Yangliu" phenomenon had affected
polling over in Keelung, as polls previously indicated...

Xie said that it was akin to asking if Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An's campaign
was affecting Keelung.

He stressed that, if Chiang was performing well, all KMT leaders in the north
would reap the benefits...

adding that he hoped he would perform as well as Chiang had in his debate
when he faces Tong in his own debate slated for November 10th.

(AH)

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An's campaign chair says, the debate with his
opponent Puma Shen was conducted in accordance with the two parties' agreed
upon plans.

That's after some wondered if questions from TVBS and SET News were shared
with the candidates ahead of the debate Saturday.

In her capacity as Chiang's campaign chair, Lu Xiu Yan said that both
candidates were invited before the debate to discuss the rules...

adding that both Chiang and Shen were present for those discussions.

Lu says, the debate did proceed in accordance with those rules, confirming
that questions were shared with each candidate ahead of the debate.

(AH)

Taiwan shares are down today, with the benchmark tai ex losing 291 points to
close the session at 44920.

The turnover was 758.8 billion NT

In an attempt to calm the jittery equity market, National Development Council
chair Ye Jun-xian (葉俊顯) said he believes the the effects of a pull-back in
U.S. tech stocks on Taiwan will be temporary.

He explained that Taiwan's hardware-focused technology companies have strong
orders through the end of next year and sufficient cash flow, and major
companies also have various financial management options available.

Ye added that the recent plunge in U.S. technology shares reflects concerns
about whether massive AI investments will generate sufficient returns,
particularly in the software sector.



He said determining the returns on these investments will take time and will
also depend on the pace of development in physical AI, which brings
artificial intelligence into real-world operations.

He noted that physical AI is primarily reflected in robotics and autonomous
driving, both of which require substantial computing power and a longer
period of time.


(JL)

The Malaysian representative in Taiwan is warning the country's students here
to be vigilant of rising scam cases involving Malaysians.

According to the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Center, the number of
Malaysians in detention in Taiwan has now increased to more than 800 from 33
in 2023, with more than 600 allegedly playing the role as money mules.

Representative Huang Yi-rui (黃奕瑞) also said that Malaysian parents should
educate their children who are either in Taiwan or planning to study there
about the risks of becoming involved in criminal activities.

Meanwhile Malaysian police have recently busted an online scam operation
based in Kuala Lumpur and arrested 18 Taiwanese nationals, including 17 men
and one woman.


Police said those suspects impersonated Hong Kong police officers and
targeted Hong Kong people.

(JL)

APEC

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has lodged a protest China's has
failure to send Taiwan a formal invitation to the upcoming APEC summit in
Shenzhen.

China is said to have sent a letter to Taiwan that omitted any mention of
Chinese Taipei, which is Taiwan's official APEC designation.

The foreign ministry says the omission of title Chinese Taipei deviated from
long established APEC protocol and was an attempt to downgrade Taiwan status.

The ministry is stressing that as a full APEC member, Taiwan should be
invited to events in manners that adhere to established procedures.

China will be hosting the meeting APEC meeting on November 18 and 19.

The government has Taiwan's representative for this year’s summit has been
selected and the Presidential Office will make an announcement concerning it
choice in the coming days.

The Coast Guard Administration is emphasising that Beijing has no
jurisdiction over waters surrounding Taiwan.

This comes as China's Coast Guard claims to be carrying out "routine law
enforcement patrols" around the island.

A Chinese patrol flotilla carried out operations in waters off eastern Taiwan
this past weekend and has stepped up control over the surrounding waters.

The Coast Guard Administration says China is using the pretext of law
enforcement to harass Taiwan and attempting to create the false impression
that Beijing has jurisdiction over waters around the island.

It further reiterated that international law maintains that Taiwan has
exclusive sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its eastern exclusive
economic zone and that China has no corresponding rights in the area.

The Coast Guard Administration also accusing Beijing of spreading false
narratives by referring to Taiwan as "China's Taiwan Island" and describing
its activities as "law enforcement patrols," even as it attempts to harass
vessels through radio communications.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and D-P-P mayoral hopeful Puma Shen were present
at an event hosted by the Federation of Taipei Trade Unions.

In his speech, Chiang pointed to improvements to municipal employees' pay,
leave and working conditions.

He pointed to the Labor Policy Advisory Committee that includes worker
representatives and engages in direct dialogue with labor unions.

For his part, Shen outlined his proposals to support working families.

The D-P-P mayoral candidate told attendees that he will help workers caring
for young children and elderly family members, including enhancing childcare
environments to prevent child abuse and increasing the number of beds in
long-term care facilities.

Shen outlined plans to reduce working hours for parents with young children
and to offer six free psychological counseling sessions for city residents.

The Air Force's annual Tien Lung, or "Sky Dragon," exercises began this
morning.

The drills are aimed at testing pilots' combat skills and ground-based
logistical support.

The Ministry of National Defense says the Tien Lung exercises will be taking
place from today through Friday.

They encompass air-to-air, air-to-sea, and air-to-ground combat skills
training using different fighter jets, with exercises focusing on aerial
interceptions and the use of the aerial gunnery target system.

The Air Force will also be selecting flying aces in different categories,
including aerial combat and precision as it has done in previous years.

Twenty people have been treated for burns to their feet after taking part in
a firewalking ceremony at the Dingfuyen Temple in New Taipei's Linkou
District.

According to the New Taipei City Fire Department, the firewalking ceremony
involves walking barefoot over a bed of hot embers and many participants
suffered "accidental" burns on the soles of their feet while crossing the
burning coals.

Paramedics were called to the scene and helped apply ointment to the feet of
those injured.

However, 20 participants were taken to Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
for further treatment.

The Linkou Dingfuyen Temple is mainly dedicated to "Master Xianyang," a Song
Dynasty Buddhist monk who later became a venerated deity in Chinese folk
religion, especially in Taiwan and southeastern China.

And,

Taipei's 11th Nuit Blanche arts festival wrapped up early Sunday morning
after a night of art installations, interactive performances and live music
across the city's Yuanshan area.

The overnight event ran from 2PM Saturday until 2AM Sunday.

It was co-organized by the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs and the
French Office in Taipei, in collaboration with Centquatre-Paris.

According to the city government, this year's festival featured more than 30
art installations and 50 performances and sound art programs.

Event took place across Tatung University, Yuanshan Natural Landscape Park,
the Yuanshan and Xinsheng areas of Taipei Expo Park, and surrounding areas
near Minzu East Road and Qingguang Market.

The festival also featured a street dance block party.

French Office in Taipei director Frédéric Laplanche said the event attracted
half a million participants last year.

DPP candidate Puma Shen quoted entertainer Tsai Kang-yong (蔡康永) in his
conclusion during the televised Taipei mayoral debate today, saying, "When
you vote for the lifestyle you want, you win."

Shen said Taipei denizens are losing hope, and he believes that if they elect
him, he'll give them reason to hope again.

He said that though Taiwan's international standing has improved in recent
years, Taipei has failed to really stand out compared with cities like Tokyo,
Seoul or New York that are leaders in technology, popular culture and
finance, respectively.

He said Mayor Chiang Wan-an spent much of the debate focused on cold numbers
rather than engendering warm feelings in the populace.

In *his* concluding remarks, Chiang said Shen was inconsistent and
hypocritical.

He said that as Taipei mayor in his first term he was purposeful, decisive
and action-oriented.

Chiang noted that Shen had criticized the removal of cypress trees in the
Dongmen area ... but it was a contractor, not his government, that removed
the trees... and his government immediately and severely punished those
involved.

Chiang criticized Shen's proposals as being inscrutable, filled with flowery
language. As an example, he said even former mayor Ke Wen-zhe didn't know
what Shen meant by "stitching together Civic Boulevard."

He contrasted his substance with what he called Shen's "packaging." Shen has
been packaged by the party ... but he doesn't have the resources or ability
necessary to bridge appearance and reality.

The Tainan railway station has announced new rules relating to a donated
public piano that has become a popular attraction since the new station
opened in mid-October.

The station management initially cordoned off the piano, located in the new
station's B1 concourse. On Thursday, it posted a sign prohibiting visitors
from playing it without first submitting an application.

The move was seen as overly restrictive.

A day later, the station revised its decision, clarifying that the piano
could be used only for noncommercial activities. That includes a ban on
busking, fundraising, and self-promotion.

The station also asked performers not to use microphones, amplifiers or
speakers.

Station management said the restrictions were prompted by a pianist who had
used the piano to recruit prospective students ... The same person also used
an amplifier, competing with the station's public-address system.

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The Taipei International Blues Bash returns to Maji Square in Taipei next
Saturday.

The free concert runs from noon to 10pm.

It features and array of musicians from Europe, the Americas and Asia ...
coming together to celebrate the blues.

The headliner this year is Japanese guitarist Shun Kikuta, whose background
is in Chicago blues ... and who has played with legends like BB King and Koko
Taylor.

Japanese solo performer Yoshinobu Ozaki kicks off the proceedings ... other
acts include the pioneering blues band BoPoMoFo as well as David Chen and The
Seventh sons.

A transport ministry survey shows an increase in the overall number of taxis
in Taiwan ... as well as an increase in the take-home pay of drivers.

According to the biannual survey, there were nearly 93,000 taxis nationwide
last year, up 1.2 percent compared with 2023.

Among them, so called multi-class taxis increased to around 36,000 or 40
percent of all taxis. That's a 34 percent increase since 2023.

Multi-class taxis include Ubers. They're only allowed to respond to app
requests and aren't allowed to pick up streetside hailers. They also aren't
allowed to be yellow.

According to the ministry, nearly 80 percent of passengers book taxi trips
via apps, highlighting the digital transformation of the sector.

The average net income of full-time taxi drivers was around 32,500 NT in
2025, up 20 percent compared with 2023.

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A nearly complete fossil of a prehistoric whale discovered on the Hengchun
Peninsula will go on public display tomorrow.

The fossil, discovered last July, is at the National Museum of Marine Biology
and Aquarium in Pingtung County.

The museum said it took four months of careful excavation and collection to
recover the remains.

The whale was about 6 meters long, with more than 80 percent of its skeleton
preserved. It's estimated to have lived about 100,000 years ago.

Researchers believe the whale may have belonged to the right whale family ...
and vertebral growth plates suggest the sea mammal was likely a juvenile when
it died.

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The Taipei mayoral debate has just ended.

In opening remarks, challenger Puma Shen said his priorities in the first 100
days of his term ... if elected ... are replanting trees, resolving issues
around child abuse and improving school lunches.

Shen had eight minutes at the start of the debate to make the case for his
candidacy. He said the focus of the debate shouldn't be on who wins or who
loses ... but on exchanging views and presenting positions and values.

Shen differentiated his approach with Mayor Chiang Wan-an's campaign theme of
"creating the future." Instead, Shen says his approach is "you say, I do." He
says he'll fix municipal problems by tapping collective wisdom.

The incumbent spoke next, listing his first-term achievements, including
completing the Taipei Dome, bringing an Nvidia headquarters to the city and
instituting a free-milk campaign in schools.

He countered critics' charge that he talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk
by saying "Chiang Wan-an keeps his word." He said he not only fulfilled his
campaign promises from four years ago but went further ... citing as an
example the free-milk program, which he said was something that had stymied
the central government.

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Three Taiwanese medical associations have issued a joint statement opposing
the use of the anesthetic propofol to treat insomnia.

This follows reports of its misuse by clinics in Taiwan.

The Taiwan Society of Anesthesiologists, the Taiwanese Society of Psychiatry
and the Taiwanese Society of Addiction Science say the intravenous anesthetic
and sedative isn't indicated for treating insomnia or depression.

The groups stress that the loss of consciousness induced by the drug is NOT
normal sleep.

They point to the demise of international pop star Michael Jackson, who died
from acute propofol intoxication after receiving the drug from his personal
physician.

They urged people experiencing psychological distress to seek evaluation and
treatment from a psychiatrist.

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) made the same points on Thursday,
noting the ministry hasn't ruled out the likelihood of investigating the
improper use of propofol as a treatment for insomnia.

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Kaohsiung is kicking off "Harbour Beats 2026," celebrating sister port ties
with Hamburg, Germany.

The free weekend event hosted by the Kaohsiung Music Center and the German
Trade Office Taipei features performances by German and Taiwanese artists,
including Sophia Kennedy, BOVIY, and The Chairs.

In addition, Hamburg film collective "A Wall is a Screen" makes its Taiwan
debut, projecting short films onto local waterfront architecture.

Peckish visitors can explore nearly 50 market stalls offering traditional
German sausages, pork knuckles, Bavarian beer and more.

The event starts at 3:00pm today and tomorrow at the Coral Zone, Kaohsiung
Music Center,

(NS)

President Lai Ching-teh is speaking out in support of rights gained to date
by the LGBTQ community.

He said to mark Pride Day, which is celebrated today in Taipei, that equality
can't be reversed ... and respect must carry through to all parts of society,
from the exercise of power to respecting people's privacy beyond the public
sphere.

In a post on Facebook, the president noted his concerns about some recent
law-enforcement controversies potentially signaling a regression of hard-won
gains made by the LGBTQ community.

It appears to be a bipartisan issue.

KMT Chair Zheng Li-wen noted the coincidence of Pride Day with Halloween this
year.

She posted a video on Facebook of herself being transformed into the Disney
witch Maleficent.

She took the opportunity to encourage participants in the Pride Day march to
have courage to be themselves and freely love whomever they want ... as they
break boundaries and walk together fearlessly.

She says in her post that although Maleficent is seen as evil, the message of
the modern Disney movie is that anyone can redeem themselves if they let go
of prejudices.

The Pride Day march kicks off at 2pm today at Taipei City Hall Square.

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The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office said this morning that it is
releasing a man on 100,000 NT bail after he admitted to fabricating a video
of Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen.

In the video, a deepfake Shen admitted to receiving kickbacks in a US arms
deal. The video was posted to the Threads social media platform.

Prosecutors said they arrested the man, surnamed Zheng, on Thursday, and that
he confessed to the crime late last night.

As part of the bail arrangement, Zheng is banned from leaving the country for
eight months.

He'll face a prison sentence of up to seven years, if convicted.

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An estimated 3,800 people took to the streets of Taipei last night to show
their support for the transgender community.

The event was organized by the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ ) Hotline Association.

The march began at 228 Peace Park, proceeded west through part of the
Ximending shopping district and then returned to the park.

The association says it aims to break down society's binary expectations
around gender and to bridge the gap between transgender people and the wider
community.

Among the marcher's demands was a request to the Taiwanese government to
abolish the requirement for mandatory surgery to change gender markers on
identification documents.

The Hotline says the Taiwan Trans March is one of the few marches in Asia
dedicated to transgender issues.

Allies of the LGBTQ community have another opportunity to show their support
at the annual Pride Parade, which starts at Taipei City Hall Square at 2pm
today.

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Taipei Mayor Jiang Wan-an is set to square off against his election
challenger, Puma Shen ... at noon.

TVBS and SET TV will jointly host the debate.

The organizers say the program will have four segments, starting with policy
statements, then cross-examination, media questions ... and ending with
concluding remarks.

In the first segment, each candidate will have eight uninterrupted minutes to
explain their policies and philosophies.

Shen has said he's looking forward to the debate. Chiang has noted that Shen
is an eloquent speaker and said he was a bit nervous about how well he would
fare in the contest.

The debate will end at 2pm. You can watch it on channels 54,55 and 56 as well
as on online platforms run by SET and TVBS, starting at noon.

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Taiwan shares plunged by just under 2.5 percent yesterday, led by major
AI-related stocks, taking a cue from tech stocks on American markets.

The Taiex fell 2.5 percent to 45,212. The electronics index dropped by 2.9
percent. That's deeper than the Nasdaq's decline of 1.4 percent on Thursday
... and it matches Nasdaq's subsequent decline overnight.

TSMC, which accounts for more than 40 percent of total market value, lost 1.9
percent to close at NT$2,370.

Among other semiconductor stocks, smartphone IC designer MediaTek shed 3.2
percent and IC packaging and testing firm ASE slipped 2.2 percent.

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The Central Weather Administration says three surges of seasonal winds are
expected to affect Taiwan over the coming days, bringing cooler weather and
occasional rain to windward areas

The first surge will end today, bringing brief showers to the north coast,
Greater Taipei, eastern Taiwan and the Hengchun Peninsula.

A second wave is expected around Monday, bringing more rain to areas north of
Taoyuan and eastern Taiwan.

The winds will weaken on Wednesday and then strengthen again on Thursday and
Friday, when localized showers are expected in areas north of Taoyuan and in
eastern Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the CWA says Typhoon In-fa is forecast to turn north in waters
south of Japan, 2,000 kilometers from Taiwan at its closest point.

Although the typhoon isn't expected to directly affect Taiwan, large swells
could affect northern and eastern coastal areas and the Hengchun Peninsula
starting tomorrow.

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