ICRT

Posted on 2026-10-03 11:07:13

DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) is proposing smaller classes and
reduced teacher workload in the city's schools.

Shen outlined four other educational priorities yesterday: reducing teacher
workload, improving parent-teacher relations, strengthening preschool
education and expanding special education support.

He proposed reducing elementary school classes in Taipei to 24 pupils and
junior high classes to 25 by the 2028-2029 academic year while maintaining
teacher numbers as enrollment falls.

Shen has advocated offering parents the option of contributing to better
quality school lunches while also increasing the government's share of lunch
funding to account for inflation.

His opponent, Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), held the line on the current
free-lunch program.

Chiang said the existing program reduces the financial burden on families
and prevents children from feeling differences in household income at the
dining table.

CNA_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-03 11:07:13

Team Taiwan won a total of 50 medals as of last night at the Aichi-Nagoya
Asian Games, including four gold.

Boxer Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) won the latest gold ... in the women's 60-kilogram
final.

Taiwanese athletes also won four silver medals yesterday, in women's boxing,
men's taekwondo, canoeing and kayak cross.

They also took three bronze medals -- in taekwondo, doubles tennis and
archery.

CNA_JvW

Posted on 2026-10-02 17:24:13

The KMT is renewing calls to double the government's planned universal cash
payment next year from 10,000 to 20,000 N.T.

KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi says stronger tax revenue and economic growth mean
the government can afford the higher payment.

Premier Cho Jung-tai disagrees.

Cho told lawmakers today that revenue generated by Taiwan's AI-driven growth
is already being used for social welfare, industrial development and disaster
prevention.

He says raising the payment to 20,000 N.T. would require additional borrowing.

The government has budgeted about 235.7 billion N.T. for a 10,000 N.T.
payment next year, while maintaining that the plan will not require new
borrowing.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-02 17:24:13

Experts say, the Haikun submarine is expected to undergo more and more sea
tests as the shipmakers prepare to hand off the domestically produced vessel.

The Haikun underwent its 23rd sea test today, and would appear to be nearing
delivery.

However, experts say that tactical verification will still be needed after
delivery and it will not immediately be combat ready.

Ji Dong Yun adds that the shipbuilder and manufacturer aim to complete the
delivery by the end of the year.

He emphasizes, though, that the public should not expect to see the sub in
combat scenarios for another 6 months to even a year after hand off.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 17:24:13

The Minister of Agriculture has apologized after an app linked to the MOA was
found to show Chinese National Day on the in-app calendar.

Minister Chen Jun Ji says, the mistake was due to an error from the
developer, but that his ministry should have caught the issue before it went
live.

He added that the ministry updated the app last night, saying that the issue
would not happen again.

Chen says, the developer pre-loaded an external calender, failing to remove
both Chinese National Day and China's Military Day.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will give the opening keynote at a
technology and national security conference at Stanford University next week.

It will be Tsai's first visit to the United States since leaving office in
2024.

Tsai's office says she will speak at Stanford DEFCON on October 7 and share
Taiwan's experience in critical technology and national security.

The annual conference brings together figures from academia, government, the
military and technology industries to discuss emerging technologies and their
security implications.

This year's topics include artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, space
technology and other areas linked to national security.

Tsai's office says her speech will focus on Taiwan's experience and its role
in critical technologies and democratic resilience.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An is trading fire with challenger Puma Shen over
Chiang's free lunch program for students.

Shen and many pan-green city councilors have called for Taipei City to extend
flexible options to parents who wish to pay for their kids to get slightly
better lunches and so that the public funds can be used to purchase higher
quality food for everyone else.

Shen announced a new plan this morning that would allow parents the option to
pay for the meals themselves.

But Mayor Chiang says today that the free meals alleviate the stress of
parents.

he also adds that students bringing their own meals will make others feel
left out.

This comes after DPP City Councilor Xu Shu Hua yesterday asked the Taipei
City Department of Education during interpellation about potentially
contaminated squid that is thought to have caused food poisoning...

but city officials were unable to answer questions regarding which schools
had received the squid.

Chiang says today though that the Education department is continuing to trace
the supply chain.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Taiwan boxer Lin Yu-ting won gold in the women's 60-kilogram division Friday
at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Lin delivered a 5-0 unanimous decision victory over China's Yang Cheng-yu in
the final bout, securing Taiwan's fourth gold medal of the Games.

She dominated all three rounds of the championship match, and the victory
marks back-to-back Asian Games gold medals for Lin across two different
weight classes.

Lin previously claimed gold in the 57-kilogram division at the Hangzhou Games
before moving up to 60 kilograms after Paris 2024.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-02 14:10:14

Taiwan shares are up today with the benchmark tai ex gaining 122 points to
close the session at 48475.

The turnover was 898.1 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-02 13:07:13

The Coast Guard Administration says, it has removed two Chinese fishing boats
from the waters around the Dongsha Atoll.

The CGA adds that one of the boats refused to follow orders, leading the
Coast Guard vessels to use water cannons to drive it away.

Authorities say that the incident took place yesterday when they received a
report that Chinese fishing vessels intruding in restricted waters...

leading them to dispatch the Yunlin patrol boat to respond.

The Yunlin called on the boats to retreat, but one of them failed to do so.

The crew first used a 30 second blast of a water cannon into the air, which
proved ineffective, and thus followed it up with a second, 90-second blast,
making sure to avoid crew in the process.

Following this exchange, the shift lifted anchor.

The CGA says, crew followed policy for engaging with Chinese vessels, using
non-lethal force to drive away intruders.

However, the exchange caused the Chinese boat to lose its propeller power,
leading the Yunlin to tow the boat away.

Yunlin crew even provided hot meals to crew aboard the Chinese ship and
ensured that they were in good health before their ship was towed away by
another vessel.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-02 13:07:13

The Taiwan High Speed Rail says new trains are set to deploy next year,
easing crowding over holidays.

The corporation says the first of 12 new N700ST train sets purchased from
Japan arrived in Taiwan in August and is undergoing required safety tests.

The THSRC says three of the new trains will enter commercial service in July
2027, increasing peak capacity by up to seven percent next summer.

And they say all 12 new train sets will join the active fleet by late 2028,
expanding overall high-speed rail network capacity by 25 percent.

This comes after the High Speed Rail set a single-day record of nearly
348-thousand passengers during the recent Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, with
passengers experiencing heavy crowding in carriages.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The first two of a total of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets purchased from the
U-S are expected to arrive in at Taitung's Chihhang Air Base this morning.

The two aircraft took off from Texas on August 17 before arriving in Hawaii,
where they have spent nearly a month being inspected and underging final
preparations for the flights to Taiwan.

The U-S State Department has issued a statment saying Washington continues to
stand with friends and allies in the Indo-Pacific region - including Taiwan -
to advance shared prosperity, security, and values.

That statment went on to say that U-S policy toward Taiwan has not changed
and Washington emains committed to its "one China" policy, which is based on
the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China Joint Communiqués, and the Six
Assurances.

Taiwan purchased the F-16V Block 70s in 2019.

They were originally scheduled to begin being delivered in 2023, but Lockheed
Martin's program was delayed.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

The Centers for Disease Control says the current flu epidemic is expected to
peak this week, when outpatient and emergency visits for flu-like illnesses
are likely to reach between 140,000 and 150,000.

According to C-D-C Director General Philip Lo, the elevated activity could
continue until mid-November, although the epidemic is expected to decline
significantly after mid-October due to the publicly funded flu and COVID-19
vaccination program.

Lo says vaccinations could help bring the epidemic under control more
quickly, with a noticeable decline expected after mid-October if vaccination
uptake is strong.

The first stage of the government's publicly funded flu and COVID-19
vaccination program began on Thursday.

The second stage will begin November 2 and shots will be available to adults
aged 50 and older without high-risk chronic conditions.

The government purchased 7.05-million doses of influenza vaccines for the
publicly funded vaccination program this year.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a man for allegedly
operating an unregistered office for a Chinese semiconductor company.

According to prosecutors, Lin Hao-yuan has been charged with violating the
Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the
Mainland Area.

Lin headed Lontium Semiconductor Corporation's Taipei office.

Prosecutors say the company, which is based in China's Anhui Province,
established an office in Taipei's Neihu District in 2012, but its board
decided to close it down in January of 2015.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs here in Taiwan approved the closure later
that month.

However, Lontium instructed Lin in July 2024 to rent an office in Taipei's
Zhongshan District to serve as its Taiwan operating base ..

.... where prosecutors says it began headhunting high-tech engineers to
conduct chip research and development without authorization.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

The Civil Aviation Administration says fuel surcharges for international
flights operated by Taiwan carriers will increase from October 7 due to a
recent rise in international aviation fuel prices.

The surcharge for short-haul routes will rise to 37.5 U-S dollars.

While the surcharge for long-haul routes will increase to 97.5 U-S dollars.

The adjustment reflects an increase in international aviation fuel prices
from 156.79 to 177.89 U-S dollars a barrel, based on prices announced by
state-refiner C-P-C.

According to the C-A-A, it has instructed airlines to provide sufficient
information on the adjustment, including fuel costs and their proportion of a
flight's total expenses, to address consumer concerns.

The latest increase marks the third consecutive month in which airline fuel
surcharges have been raised as international fuel prices continue to
fluctuate.

Posted on 2026-10-02 08:14:13

And finally,

Chang Cheng-wei won silver in the men's individual compound archery at the
Asian Games in Japan on Thursday -- to record Taiwan's best ever finish in
the event.

The 22-year-old advanced through the quarterfinals and semifinals before
losing 149-145 to South Korea's Kim Jong-ho.

It was Chang's first individual medal at an international competition and his
second podium finish at these Games, following the bronze he won in the men's
team event on Wednesday.

Taiwan also won silver in the men's C-1 canoe slalom event on Thursday, with
Wu Rong-cheng finishing behind China's Zhang Zhi-cheng.

It was Wu's first Asian Games medal and Taiwan's second canoeing podium
finish of the Games this year.

And in the men's tennis doubles, Hsu Yu-hsiou and Ho Chen-rui took bronze
after losing their semifinal to their South Korean opponents.

Thursday's medals bring Taiwan's tally to 42 in total - including three gold
and 12 silver, and 27 bronze.

Taiwan is now sitting in 16th place in the overall medals table - between
Kuwait in 15th and Qatar in 17th.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

President Lai Ching-te has appointed Vice Admiral Yuan Sheng-hua to post of
deputy director-general... of the Coast Guard Administration.

Yuan's appointment is a first, no active-duty Navy officer has been
appointed to the posts of either deputy director-general or director-general
of the Coast Guard Administration before.

Yuan has been tasked with improving coordination between the Navy and Coast
Guard in response to maritime pressure from China.

Lai said he expects Yuan to draw on his experience to strengthen maritime
intelligence sharing, and ensure surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as
emergency response, are closely coordinated to safeguard the country's
maritime territory.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling says Yuan was promoted because it
was believed that Coast Guard Administration needed someone familiar with
maritime defense operations and the transition between peacetime and wartime
conditions.

Yuan is the agency's third deputy director-general after the position was
created through amendments to the Coast Guard Administration Organization Act
passed in June.

The Coast Guard Administration says the creation of the new post addresses
changes in the maritime situation surrounding Taiwan and the evolving
geopolitical landscape.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

The Cabinet has approved a draft amendment to the Securities Transaction Tax
Act that will extend a tax exemption on corporate bonds, financial bonds and
passive bond exchange-traded funds for 10 more years.

The amendment also expands the exemption to actively managed bond E-T-Fs.

The proposal comes amid strong growth in Taiwan's bond market following the
introduction of the exemption in 2017.

The current tax exemption for bonds and passive bond E-T-Fs is set to expire
on December 31 of this year.

Under the draft amendment, the exemption for active bond E-T-Fs will take
effect on January 1, 2027 and remain in place through December 31, 2036.

The Ministry of Finance is estimating that the outstanding value of corporate
and financial bonds could reach 17.96-trillion N-T by 2036, while annual
trading value could amount to 93.19-trillion N-T.

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee says Premier Zhu Rong-ta believes the
amendment will boost asset management activity and support the government's
goal of developing Taiwan into an "Asian asset management center."

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

The High Prosecutors Office's Kaohsiung Branch has indicted three former
military personnel for allegedly collecting military secrets for China.

All three have been charged with offenses involving the National Security
Act, Anti-Corruption Act and Classified National Security Information
Protection Act, as well as the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces.

Prosecutors say one those indicted began receiving instructions and funding
from officials at an intelligence agency under a provincial committee of the
Communist Party of China in late 2020.

He allegedly obtained confidential military information, including tank
specifications and details of the Han Kuang military exercises, from a man
who was still serving in the Army at the time, before traveling to China to
meet with intelligence officials.

Prosecutors say he was then asked to establish organization for China here in
Taiwan and approach serving military personnel in order to collect
confidential military information from them.

The Kaohsiung Military Police, Tainan Military Police, Pingtung County Police
Bureau's Criminal Investigation Corps and the Ministry of National Defense's
Political Warfare Bureau reported the case to the High Prosecutors Office in
June of this year.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

The Food and Drug Administration has fined a probiotic seller 4-million N-T
so far this year for repeated violations over advertisements falsely claiming
that the product could "reverse kidney disease."

It seventh time the company has been fined this year.

The FDA ordered ads involving the Huo Hua Sheng probiotic product to be
removed, while its endorser, nephrologist Chiang Shou-shan, has been referred
for disciplinary action.

The F-D-A says the product and Chiang have appeared across different ads
making exaggerated claims that the probiotic could treat or reverse kidney
disease.

While the F-D-A says the the product mainly contains probiotics and lactic
acid bacteria, the advertisements could lead consumers to believe that the
item had therapeutic effects.

The Huo Hua Sheng product has been penalised for its ads before -- it was
fined 3-million N-T in 2024 and 1.8-million in 2025.

The F-D-A has asked broadcast media outlets to ensure that the offending
advertisements are removed from their channels.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

Taiwan ranked fifth globally in net financial assets per capita at the end of
2025, averaging 164,470 euros.

The latest Global Wealth Report by Allianz Research indicates Taiwan's
ranking remained unchanged from the previous year, trailing only the United
States, Switzerland, Denmark and Singapore.

Allianz assessed household assets and liabilities in nearly 60 countries.

It found that global household wealth reached a record high in 2025, while
the rise of A-I and market gains made asset ownership increasingly important
in determining who benefits from wealth creation.

The report shows that total financial assets held by Taiwan households rose
8.7-per cent to 4.5 trillion euros at the end of last year.

That increase was slightly slower than the 9.3-per cent growth recorded in
2024 and below the 9.8-per cent average for other Asian markets covered in
the report - excluding Japan and China.

Howevr, it remained above the global average of 8.6 percent.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

observation

Fourteen junior high school students at the Taipei Huaxing High School
underwent medical care after eating nuts from tung trees on the school
campus.

Thirteen of them have since been discharged from hospital, but one remains
under observation.

The school says the the students ate the tung nuts out of curiosity because
they resembled almonds and later began feeling unwell.

They and alerted a teacher, who arranged for them to be taken to two
hospitals.

A pediatrician at the Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, which received 10
of the students, says most of them had eaten only a small number of tung
nuts, while one had eaten seven of them.

The students experienced nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort, with one
vomiting.

The other four students were taken to Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

One of them are eight tung nuts and remain hospitalized.

Tung nuts are not considered highly toxic, but they can cause
gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and
diarrhea.

Posted on 2026-10-02 06:56:13

And,

The Golden Horse Awards has announced this year's nominations

"Arrested Memory" leads the nominations with 11 nods... including for beat
director, best leading actor, best supporting actor, best cinematography,
best art direction, and best original film song.

This crime thriller follows a Taiwanese detective who develops amnesia
shortly after being transferred to a new post and becomes embroiled in a
high-profile kidnapping case as his memory deteriorates.

"Arrested Memory" was directed Japanese filmmaker Hiroyuki Tanaka.

Shu Qi's directorial debut "Girl" ranked second with 10 nominations, while
"Double Happiness" and "We Are Born Good" tied for third with nine
nominations each.

The 63rd Golden Horse Awards take place on November 22 at the Taipei Music
Center.

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

Three former military personnel have been indicted for allegedly collecting
military secrets for China.

The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office's Kaohsiung Branch says the three men
allegedly began working with Chinese intelligence officials in 2020.

Prosecutors say they obtained confidential information, including tank
specifications and details of the Han Kuang military exercises.

One of the men allegedly traveled to China in 2024 and met with Chinese
intelligence officials, where prosecutors say he sought to recruit others to
collect military information.

The three men face charges under Taiwan's national security and classified
information laws, as well as the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

A probiotic seller has been fined more than four million NT this year for
making false claims about its product.

The Food and Drug Administration says advertisements for the Huo Hua Sheng
(活化勝) probiotic claimed it could "reverse kidney disease" and exaggerated its
health benefits.

The company has now been fined a total of 8.9 million NT since 2024 for
repeated violations.

The product's endorser, nephrologist Chiang Shou-shan (江守山), has also been
referred for disciplinary action.

The latest violations involved advertisements repeatedly aired on television
and other media.

The F-D-A says food products are not medicines and cannot claim to treat or
cure diseases.

It warned that such claims could cause people to delay seeking proper medical
treatment.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 19:59:14

Tigerair Taiwan is announcing the launch of a new one-stop booking platform
to expand its international flight connections.

Developed with travel technology firm Dohop, "tigerhop" connects Tigerair
Taiwan's routes with Singapore-based carrier Scoot, allowing passengers from
Singapore to connect through Taiwan to 22 Japanese destinations, while
Japanese travelers can transit to Singapore.

While passengers must recheck their luggage during Taiwan layovers, Tigerair
Taiwan offers free priority baggage handling on initial outbound legs.

The airline points out that layovers range from three to 48 hours, giving
international travelers the option to make short stopover visits in Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

New data shows that more than around one in three young people in Taiwan
experience anxiety about their appearance ... with some using face masks to
hide how they look.

The survey by the Child Welfare League Foundation questioned more than
10-thousand junior and senior high school students across Taiwan.

It found that nearly half of female students reported appearance anxiety ...
compared with about 20 percent of male students.

Nearly a quarter of students also said they wear face masks for more than
half the day ... to conceal their appearance or emotions rather than for
health reasons.

The foundation says parents and teachers should avoid criticizing young
people's appearance, weight or clothing ...

... and instead help them build confidence based on their personal qualities.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

Fuel surcharges for international flights from Taiwan will increase next week.

The Civil Aviation Administration says surcharges for flights operated by
Taiwanese carriers will rise from October 7th due to higher international
fuel prices.

The surcharge for short-haul flights will increase to 37-and-a-half U-S
dollars, while long-haul flights will rise to 97-and-a-half U-S dollars.

The CAA says this is the third consecutive month that fuel surcharges have
increased.

It has also asked airlines to provide passengers with sufficient information
on the adjustment, including fuel costs and their proportion of a flight's
total expenses, to address consumer concerns.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

Starlux Airlines has launched a new route between Taipei and Bali, with five
flights a week.

The airline says the service will also help attract travelers from Europe and
North America to Bali through Taiwan.

Flights leave Taipei at 10:10 AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and
Sundays, arriving in Bali at 3:40 PM local time.

The return flights leave Bali at 5:20 PM and arrive in Taipei at 10:50 PM.

Bali is Starlux's second destination in Indonesia, after Jakarta.

The airline now serves 34 cities across Asia, North America and Europe.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 18:28:13

A senior Navy officer has become the first Navy official to serve as a deputy
director-general of the Coast Guard Administration.

Vice Admiral Yuan Sheng-hua (原聖華) was promoted to the post today ...

... with President Lai Ching-te saying he expects Yuan to improve
coordination between the Navy and Coast Guard.

Lai said Yuan should also strengthen maritime intelligence sharing and
coordination on surveillance and emergency response.

The C-G-A says the new position was created to respond to changes in the
maritime situation around Taiwan and improve coordination between the two
forces.

Yuan previously served as deputy chief of staff of the Navy and held several
other senior positions.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 17:21:13

Court

The KMT has proposed changes to the Referendum Act, one version of which
would take away the Central Election Commission's ability to reject
referendum proposals.

That's after the CEC rejected the KMT-led motion to put a referendum on this
November's ballot that would see voters decide on whether or not caning
should be permitted as a punishment for some crimes.

Other versions of proposed amendments to the Act would put Constitutional
Court decisions under review by referendums.

Under KMT lawmaker Weng Xiao Ling's proposal, any referendum measure passed
by the legislature would have to proceed to the ballot.

The DPP has said that the proposal is a grave offense to the ROC
constitution, and they're calling on Weng to withdraw the proposal.

Caucus leader Fan Yun has said that the proposal is another attempt at
expanding the legislature's powers, in violation of the principle of
separation of powers in the constitution.

（AH）

Posted on 2026-10-01 17:21:13

The Executive Yuan says, it's hoping to make cash handouts available to
citizens ahead of the Lunar New Year...

assuming the proposed 10,000 NT handouts pass the legislature without issue.

The Executive Yuan is framing the bill, which will cost 235 billion NT, as
way of redistributing gains made from Taiwan's economic rise on the back of
AI.

The Cabinet in August passed off next year's central government budget
including the handouts to the legislature...

but some in the KMT have called for the handouts to double, or even triple in
size.

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee says, though, that the handouts must follow
three principles, including: not increasing the national debt; not squeezing
other budget items; and passing through constitutional channels.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 17:21:13

Nantou County has kicked off its annual vaccination campaign ... with
139-thousand publicly funded flu vaccine doses available.

The total includes 2,500 enhanced flu vaccines ... which are being offered to
residents and staff at nursing and long-term care facilities.

Health officials are urging people aged 65 and over ... as well as those with
chronic illnesses and other high-risk conditions ... to get vaccinated as
soon as possible.

The campaign also includes COVID-19 vaccines ... with the first phase
covering older people, young children, pregnant women, healthcare workers and
other eligible groups.

Adults aged 50 to 64 without high-risk chronic conditions will become
eligible under the second phase starting November 2nd.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

A new report shows that Taiwan ranked fifth worldwide in net financial assets
per person last year.

The report, by Allianz Research, found that Taiwanese households held an
average of about 164-thousand euros in net financial assets -- which is about
5.9 million NT -- putting Taiwan behind the United States, Switzerland,
Denmark and Singapore.

It also found that total financial assets held by Taiwanese households rose
by nearly nine percent in 2025, reaching 4.5 trillion euros -- or roughly 162
trillion NT.

Securities such as stocks recorded the strongest growth, rising nearly 18
percent, as global markets benefited from the AI boom.

Since 2019, Taiwan's financial assets have grown by more than 40 percent
after adjusting for inflation.

That's significantly above the global average of just under 23 percent.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

Researchers at National Chung Hsing University have developed AI-powered
smart clothing that can control computers without a mouse or keyboard.

Sensors detect movements, such as waving an arm or raising a leg.

The sensors then send signals wirelessly to a computer, where machine
learning turns them into commands.

Researchers say the sensors use static electricity generated as the wearer
moves, so they don't require battery power.

They also say the clothing is lightweight, flexible and washable.

The technology has already been used to control presentations and games and
could eventually be applied to augmented and virtual reality, as well as to
education.

The team is now working toward practical applications and possible
commercialization.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 16:15:13

Prosecutors in Taipei have indicted a man for allegedly operating an
unauthorized office for a Chinese semiconductor company.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office is seeking an 18-month prison sentence
for Lin Hao-yuan (林浩原), who headed the Taipei office of Lontium Semiconductor
Corporation.

Prosecutors say the company had closed its previous Taipei office in 2015,
but reopened one in 2024 without government approval.

They allege the office was used to recruit Taiwanese engineers for chip
research, testing and technical services.

Prosecutors have also issued a wanted notice for Lontium's chairman, Chen
Feng (陳峰).

Under Taiwanese law, Chinese companies must obtain government approval before
setting up offices or conducting business in Taiwan.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

Publicly-funded flu and COVID vaccines are now available in Penghu for
eligible groups.

Deputy Magistrate Lin Jie Xing 林皆興reminded the public after getting his jab
this morning that the shot is covered under the Ministry of Health and
Welfare's new health coin program.

Groups able to get the publicly funded vaccines as of now include those 65
and up and those with underlying health conditions.

Lin is encouraging Penghu residents to get the COVID booster shot and this
year's flu vaccine to stay healthy.

The Penghu County government says, 24,000 publicly funded doses of the shots
are available now, and 20 medical centers are offering the vaccines.

Residents that get the shots can get rewarded with "health coins" when they
complete their vaccinations...

with 900 coins available for the COVID vax and 450 for the flu vax.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

A candidate for city councilor in Keelung has posted 500,000 NT bail as he's
being investigated on charges of vote-buying.

That's after prosecutors in the city questioned over nearly 4 dozen people
last night and carried out searches around Renai district.

Prosecutors recently received a report that Zeng, of the KMT, and a borough
chief candidate surnamed Chen had handed out mooncakes to voters, raising
suspicions of vote-buying.

Investigations yesterday revealed that another borough chief candidate,
surnamed Zhuang, was also likely involved in the case.

Prosecutors say that Zeng and Chen handed out mooncake gift boxes purchased
with subsidies to voters in September.

Zhuang is accused of using the same gift boxes to try to bribe voters.

Prosecutors say that the three are believed to have violated the Public
Officials Election and Recall Act.

Zeng is running for councilor as his father, a sitting city councilor, is
detained in connection to a separate corruption investigation.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:18:13

Rail passengers in southeastern Taiwan are facing delays between Kangle (康樂)
and Luye (鹿野) stations.

Taiwan Railway says an electrical equipment failure has delayed trains in
both directions since 11:10 this morning.

The disruption is also affecting services at Taitung Station.

The railway company says it is still assessing when normal service will
resume.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An faces mounting controversy over the city's free
school lunch program...

as students at another school are suspected to have contracted food
poisoning.

DPP City Councilor Hong Jian Yi yesterday revealed that parents had contacted
his office, reporting 10 cases of suspected food poisoning that took place
last week.

He said that parents reported that the children had eaten squid in the
school's free lunch and threw up afterwards.

The city's Education Bureau says, the incident took place at Songshan's Minzu
Elementary School, adding that the school instituted changes the day after
the food poisoning took palce.

Mayor Chiang says today that doctors' initial assessment suggests that the
students are suffering from gastroenteritis, possibly brought on by
norovirus.

He added that the school had put into place cleaning and disinfection
measures after the case came to light.

The Minzu Elementary case comes just days after 3 students at Jinhua Middle
School are suspected to have gotten food poisoning last week.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

The KMT is attempting to downplay rumors of a fallout between their leader
and TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang.

That's after media reported that a KMT member said that overall cooperation
between the two parties would not change, but that Huang has largely exited
the picture.

That source said that party founder Ke Wen Zhe had instead become the main
channel through which exchange between the two parties is conducted.

But, KMT Deputy Chair Xiao Xu-cen says today that the relationship between
chair Cheng Li Wen and Huang is rock-solid...

adding that the controversy over cooperation in Hsinchu's Zhubei is in the
past.

Xiao added that Ke's opinion is certainly of great importance to the KMT, but
said that the principal collaborator in the TPP is still the chairman
himself.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 14:16:13

Taiwan shares up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 413 points to close
the session at 48353

The turnover was 837.4 billion NT

Posted on 2026-10-01 11:24:13

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency says, Hualien's Wanli River
Barrier Lake is overflowing at a steady pace...

and the integrity of the lake's dam remains intact.

As of this morning, the water level in the lake was located at an altitude of
over 1085 meters, while the lake's total capacity is estimated at 5.19
million square meters.

Authorities say the impact of the overflow is limited to the riverbed itself.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The Ministry of National Defense Ministry is refusing to comment on reports
that the government is considering gifting the Philippines a
soon-to-be-decommissioned Navy warship.

According to the United Daily News, the Lai administration is hoping to
donate the Navy's 500-tonne-class Jin Chiang Patrol Ship to the Philippines
after it's decommissioned at the end of this year.

K-M-T lawmaker Ma Wen-chun is voicing concern that the reported plan to
donate the warship could undermine the safety of Taiwan fishermen operating
in an area where the exclusive economic zones of the two countries overlap.

Taking to social media, Ma said although the ship will likely be disarmed for
the donation, it could be re-armed by the Philippines and used against Taiwan
fishermen..

No government agency has confirmed whether such a plan is under consideration
and what the reason for it would be.

However, the Coast Guard Administration recently confirmed that it donated a
500-tonne-class patrol vessel to the Philippines, also without explaining
why.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

The first phase of the Ministry of Health's annual publicly funded flu
vaccination program begins today.

The ministry has said it had purchased a record 7.05-million doses of
influenza vaccines this and that total includes 200,000 doses of enhanced
vaccines that offer greater protection.

According to health officials, enhanced vaccines will be prioritized for
people aged 65 and older living in long-term care facilities and Taiwan is
the first country in Asia to make enhanced vaccines available through a
publicly funded program.

The first phase of the publicly funded flu vaccination program is open ....

.... to medical professionals; people aged 65 and older; people living in
long-term care facilities and their staff; children aged 6 months through
preschool age; pregnant women; and people with preexisting conditions,
including chronic illnesses.

The second phase of the publicly funded flu vaccination program begins on
Novemnber 2 and will be open to people aged 50 and older.

The Centers for Disease Control has warned that the current flu epidemic is
expected to fluctuate in the near term before beginning to decline around
mid-October, but weekly flu-related medical visits could rise to between
150,000 and 160,000 cases before the downturn.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted former National Taiwan
Normal University women's soccer coach Chou Tai-ying on charges of allegedly
obtaining 1.2-million N-T through research projects that were either fake or
had an inflated number of participants.

Prosecutors says Chou has admitted to the offenses, which took place between
2021 and 2024, and will ask the court to impose an appropriate sentence and
confiscate all of the illicit gains.

According to the prosecutors' office, the fraudulently obtained funds were a
mixture of government grants and participant fees and Chou used 498,000 N-T
of those funds to finance an overseas training trip to Vietnam for the Taipei
PlayOne women's soccer team ..

.... which she also coached.

The case came to light after D-D-P lawmaker Chen Pei-yu claimed in November
of 2024 that Chou had pressured players over several years to participate in
sports science research.

Chen said Chou required players to undergo blood draws three times a day for
14 consecutive days during winter and summer breaks and threatened to block
their graduation if they refused.

Prosecutors have not charged Chou with any of the offenses alleged by the
D-P-P lawmaker.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

The Food and Drug Administration has fined six five-star hotels a total of
466,000 N-T for food safety and hygiene violations.

According to the F-D-A, fines follow inspections of restaurants at 48
international tourist and five-star hotels.

The inspections were aimed at seeing if they were complying with food safety
regulations related to training personnel, storing food items, and meeting
hygienic principles.

The F-D-A says of the six hotels fined, one failed to make improvements by an
established deadline after being cited for violations of good hygienic
practice principles, two violated food labeling rules, and three stored
expired food products.

The inspections also found violations involving the qualifications and
training of food safety personnel, with three hotels fined for failing to
employ qualified professionals.

One hotel failed to ensure that certified technicians completed required food
sanitation and safety training, while another failed to ensure that
professional staff completed Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
training.

Posted on 2026-10-01 08:13:13

And finally,

Taiwan has won two more bronze medals at the at the Asian Games

The men's archery team beat South Korea to win bronze in Japan on Wednesday.

Chang Cheng-wei was flawless in the compound men's team medal match, hitting
10s with all eight of his arrows as Taiwan finished just six points short of
the maximum score of 240.

The bronze was the first medal Taiwan's national archery team has won at the
Asian Games

Meanwhile, Taiwan's esports team took bronze after losing 2-0 to China in the
semifinals of the survival horror video game "Identity V."

The esports squad had previously won two bronze medals at the Asian Games.

Wednesday's medals bring Taiwan's tally to 39 in total - including three gold
and 10 silver, and 26 bronze.

Taiwan is now sitting in 15th place in the overall standings - between Kuwait
in 14th and Qatar in 16th.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

commitments

U-S Senator and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker is
calling on the Trump administration to uphold America's security commitments
to Taiwan and ensure that arms sales to the island are approved by Congress.

Wicker made the statement following a meeting with Taiwan's representative to
the U-S, Alexander Yui.

The senior Republican senator said decisions about Taiwan's defense needs
must be based on military necessity under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Wicker said Congress has duty to make sure that law is adhered to and that
decisions about the defense needs of Taiwan are based on our joint assessment
of military necessity.

The senator went on to say that the U-S should also uphold a precedent from
the "six assurances" that it will not consult Beijing on arms sales to
Taiwan.

The statements comes amid calls by four other Republican senators for the
Trump administration to release more than 14-billion U-S dollars in stalled
national security assistance for Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

The K-M-T legislative caucus says its seeking an amendment to the Referendum
Act that will allow plebiscites to overturn rulings issued by the
Constitutional Court.

The amendment was proposed by K-M-T lawmaker Weng Hsiao-ling.

If approved the amendment is meant to allow referendums to overturn some
Constitutional Court rulings... but Weng has stressed it would not cover
those concerning the impeachment of either the president or the vice
president.

Under the proposal, any law or Constitutional Court judgment rejected by
voters in a referendum would need to be nullified three days after the result
was announced.

The proposal also states that the president or a government agency must to
implement any approved referendum within three months and executive
government agencies would be banned from reversing any major policy approved
or rejected by referendum for three years.

The D-P-P is slamming the proposal - claiming it would undermine the island's
democratic system.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Taiwan and Belize have signed two major agreements, reaffirming their
longstanding partnership.

The agreements were signed as Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung wrapped up a his
three-day visit to the Central American ally.

Lin and his delegation paid a courtesy call on Governor-General Dame Froyla
Tzalam and Prime Minister John Briceno and also visited the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to hold bilateral talks on strengthening
cooperation.

Lin and his Belizean counterparts signed a bilateral agreement on diplomatic
staff training cooperation, aimed at strengthening the capacity and
professional development of Belize's foreign service.

Lin also witnessed the signing of A letter of intent between the University
of Belize and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund, to
establish the Taiwan-Caribbean Academy... an initiative aimed at promoting
technical and vocational education, sustainable tourism and economic
cooperation among diplomatic allies in the region.

Lin and his delegation traveled to Guatemala after leaving Belize, where
they're scheduled to meet with President Bernardo Arevalo.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai has announced that his administration has
commissioned an overseas consulting firm to conduct a feasibility study for a
new 24-hour international airport.

According to Chen, the proposal is aimed at meeting Kaohsiung's long-term
development needs, particularly growing air cargo demand from the
semiconductor industry.

The city's current Xiaogang Airport is subject to a nighttime curfew and
there is concern it not be able to meet future demand.

Chen says a new airport will also strengthen Taiwan's resilience, especially
if airports in the north are disrupted by earthquakes or other natural
disasters.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Military units participating in the October 10 National Day celebrations have
begun stepping up rehearsals, with a half-scale aerial rehearsal held over
downtown Taipei on Wednesday morning.

The rehearsal featured formations carrying the national flag, helicopters,
slow-moving aircraft, fighter jets and the Air Force Thunder Tiger Aerobatics
Team, which flew over the Presidential Office between 7 and 7:40AM.

As previous National Day aerial displays have caused anxiety among some
Taipei residents, the Ministry of National Defense urged people living in the
city not to be alarmed by the roar of aircraft engines.

Two more full-scale aerial rehearsals have been scheduled for tomorrow and
October 5.

According to the National Day Preparation Committee, both of those rehearsals
will be taking place from 6:05 to 7:40AM.

Meanwhile,

The Taitung County Government has held three-minute test run for the National
Day fireworks display.

According to the county government, the October 10 event will not only
feature the firework show, but will also include a food truck market and an
Austronesian Party.

Indigenous singer/songwriter and Tatung native, Abao, will be serving as the
events music director, and the Taipei Symphony Youth Orchestra will be
providing live musical accompaniment throughout the fireworks display.

The National Day fireworks display will be taking place at the mouth of the
Beinan River and will begin at 8PM on October 10.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

Smoking will be banned in Taipei's Xinyi Shopping District near the M-R-T's
Taipei City Hall station from November 1.

Violators will face fines of up to 10,000 N-T after a one-month grace period
starting from today.

The Taipei Department of Health says the new non-smoking areas extends east
to Songren Road, west to Keelung Road Section 1, south to Songgao Road and
north to Zhongxiao East Road Section 5.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan‑an said the two facilities the Xinyi Shopping
District were the first top have been built with donations from civic groups.

Two negative‑pressure smoking rooms near the sation are now open.

City Hall says that raised the total number of such smoking rooms in Taipei
to 12 since the first one was opened in Ximending on May 7.

As of August 31, Taipei's designated negative‑pressure smoking areas had
recorded a cumulative 535,258 visits.

Posted on 2026-10-01 06:57:13

And,

The Central Weather Administration is warning of possible aftershocks over
the coming days following Wednesday's magnitude 5.9 earthquake, that struck
off the coast of Hualien.

The earthquake was centered some 136-kilometers east of Hualien County Hall,
at a depth of 13-kilometers.

It was felt strongest in parts of Hualien, Yilan, Chiayi County, Changhua and
Yunlin, where it measured a 2 on the weather administration's intensity
scale.

According to the weather administration's Seismological Center, the quake was
caused by the Philippine Sea Plate moving beneath the Eurasian Plate and
possible aftershocks could reach a magnitude of 5.

Posted on 2026-09-30 19:12:13

The Food and Drug Administration has fined six five-star hotels a total of
466-thousand NT for food safety and hygiene violations.

The fines followed inspections of restaurants at 48 international tourist and
five-star hotels across Taiwan.

The violations included storing expired food, incorrect food labeling and
failing to employ qualified food safety professionals.

The Evergreen Plaza Hotel in Tainan received the largest fine of 220-thousand
NT after inspectors found five violations.

Other hotels were fined for storing expired food, for failing to employ
qualified professionals, and for failing to ensure that staff completed
certified food safety training.

The F-D-A says hotels must meet food safety and hygiene standards, including
requirements for staff training and food handling.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 19:12:13

The Presidential Office and the opposition KMT are at odds over the rejection
of all 27 of President Lai Ching-te's nominees to the Control Yuan.

The Presidential Office says it respects the legislature's decision ... but
expressed regret that investigations involving social justice and people's
rights will be brought to a standstill ...

... and that the Control Yuan and National Human Rights Commission will
remain unable to operate normally.

However, KMT caucus secretary-general Hsu Yu-chen (許宇甄) says that lawmakers
are not required to approve every candidate put forward by the president.

She says lawmakers have a constitutional responsibility to scrutinize
candidates ... including whether they can carry out their duties
independently and above party politics.

The KMT says the vote reflects broader concerns over the way the Control Yuan
has been functioning.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 19:12:13

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai says the city has commissioned an overseas
consulting firm to conduct a feasibility study for a new 24-hour
international airport.

Chen says the proposal is aimed at meeting Kaohsiung's long-term development
needs ... particularly growing air cargo demand from the semiconductor
industry.

He says the city's current Xiaogang Airport ... which is subject to a
nighttime curfew ... will not be able to meet future demand.

Chen says a new airport would also strengthen Taiwan's resilience ... if
airports in the north were disrupted by earthquakes or other natural
disasters.

He says such disruptions could seriously affect the semiconductor industry
and passenger travel ... making the issue a broader national security
concern.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

The Central Weather Administration is warning of possible aftershocks of up
to magnitude 5 over the next three days ...

... following a magnitude 5.9 earthquake off the east coast this afternoon.

The quake struck around 1 P-M, 136 kilometers east of Hualien County Hall, at
a depth of 13.3 kilometers.

The C-W-A says the quake was caused by the Philippine Sea Plate moving
beneath the Eurasian Plate.

Because the epicenter was far from Taiwan, most areas experienced only weak
shaking.

The strongest shaking reached an intensity of 2 in parts of Hualien, Yilan,
Changhua, Yunlin and Chiayi counties.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

The Ministry of National Defense announced that it is preparing procurement
plans for a $145 billion NT supplementary defense budget.

The proposal includes nearly $56 billion NT for domestic drone systems to
establish initial unmanned combat capabilities by 2027.

The ministry stated that preliminary procurement preparation is complete,
pending approval by the Legislative Yuan.

And responding to media questions, the Navy confirms that testing on Taiwan's
prototype indigenous submarine continues with safety as the primary focus.

They say daily penalties for contractual delays remain in effect, but cannot
be announced at this time.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-30 18:11:13

The recently opened Kaohsiung Family Park drew visitors from across Taiwan
during the Mid-Autumn Fesitval and Teachers' Day long weekend ...

... with more than half coming from outside the city.

Figures show the park recorded around 80-thousand visits over the four-day
holiday ... with visitors from outside Kaohsiung accounting for about 55
percent.

New Taipei and Tainan each accounted for 11 percent of visitors ... followed
by Taoyuan at 7.5 percent and Taipei at more than 7 percent.

Kaohsiung officials say they plan to strengthen crowd management, facility
inspections and maintenance during busy periods as visitor numbers grow.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang is thanking KMT lawmakers for their support in
Zhubei city...

as cooperation between the two opposition parties remains suspended in
Hsinchu County.

This comes after rumors emerged that KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun had prohibited
party lawmakers from campaigning for the TPP's Zhubei candidate, Qiu Chen
Yuan 邱臣遠.

But Huang says that many in the KMT had provided great support to the TPP
during this election season.

He added that many KMT lawmakers were displeased by the break between their
own party and the TPP in Hsinchu,

Huang also voiced his support for the blue camp's joint pick to run in New
Taipei, Li Si Chuan, calling him a practical person.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

And in related news,

Hsinchu Magistrate Yang Wen Ke is repeating his calls for "unity" within the
KMT, saying that all party members should come together to support the party
in the final weeks ahead of November's elections.

Yang, who also chairs the KMT's local party chapter, says that municipal
party workers will integrate efforts with local chapters to push their
candidates...

but said that it's the responsibility of local leaders to understand the
needs of constiuents and actively work to respond to them.

At the end of the day, Yang says the KMT needs to pursue stable governance
and to care for people's needs as they push for Xu Xin Ying to be elected
magistrate.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 17:13:13

The Ministry of Education rolled out new visuals to clearly mark where
students can access free menstrual products on campus.

The design addresses lawmaker concerns that unclear pickup locations and
complicated procedures were deterring students from utilizing the anti-period
poverty program.

Introduced in 2023, the government subsidy program has provided $427 million
NT's worth of essential supplies to 222-thosuand students.

Now the ministry says the new logo, featuring a sprout green color palette
and a winged bird motif says the new logo symbolizes the breaking of gender
stereotypes and the normalization of menstruation.

Officials say schools can download the standardized posters to clearly
identify distribution points.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

China is accusing the DPP government of distorting World War Two history
after Taipei challenged Beijing's account of the conflict.

Taipei says the government that fought alongside the Allies was the Republic
of China, rather than today's People's Republic of China.

The People's Republic was founded in 1949, four years after the war ended.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office says questioning Beijing's account betrays
history and dishonors those who died.

Its spokesperson acknowledged that KMT forces fought Japan on the main
battlefield, while Communist forces operated behind enemy lines.

The dispute follows remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese
President Xi Jinping highlighting their countries' wartime alliance.

Taipei says Beijing is claiming credit for the wrong government.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is urging DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen
(沈伯洋) to make child protection his top priority if elected.

Lai, who also chairs the party, visited Shen's newly unveiled campaign
headquarters today.

In a written message, he wished Shen victory and called for a focus on caring
for children and preventing abuse.

Lai also encouraged residents to visit the headquarters and share their views.

Meanwhile, Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) says online discussion of his campaign's
new logo is a good thing.

His campaign office launched yesterday under the theme "Taipei Encore."

The geometric design has drawn criticism and inspired memes.

Chiang says the campaign's merchandise was designed for everyday use,
including bottles, caps and a keychain that plays its theme song.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:58:13

People smoking outside designated areas near MRT Taipei City Hall Station
will face fines starting in November.

The Department of Health says the restrictions cover the areas around Exits 2
and 3.

Violators could be fined between 2-thousand and 10-thousand N.T.

The announcement comes as two enclosed smoking rooms opened today in the
Xinyi shopping district.

The rooms use negative pressure to help keep smoke from spreading into
surrounding areas.

Four civic organizations donated the facilities as part of Taipei's effort to
separate smokers from nonsmokers.

Officials will conduct a monthlong public information campaign before issuing
fines.

The city will monitor usage and smoking hotspots to assess whether
adjustments or additional facilities are needed.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattled much of Taiwan earlier this afternoon, but
caused no damage.

Data from the Central Weather Administration shows the quake occurred at 1
o'clock, and was centered 136 kilometers east of Hualien County Hall, far off
Taiwan's eastern coast

The epicenter was 13.3 kilometers deep.

It was felt most strongly in Hualien, Yilan, Changhua and Yunlin Counties,
where it registered a 2 on the CWA's intensity scale.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

The former National Taiwan Normal University women's soccer coach accused of
forcing student athletes to comply with blood draws has been indicted on
charges of fraud and embezzlement.

However, Zhou Tai Ying was not prosecuted for coercion and violations of the
Physicians Act.

The case came to light when DPP Lawmaker Chen Pei Yu revealed that members of
the soccer team were required by Zhou to comply with thrice daily blood draws
for two weeks for participation in a study.

Not only that, Chen stated that the people doing the blood draws during the
early stages of the plan lacked the medical certifications to be doing so.

Worse still, students who did not comply were told that they would be in
danger of losing out on credits needed to graduate.

The school removed Zhou from her post last year, and barred her from becoming
a teacher for the next four years.

Taipei prosecutors say, Zhou is believed to have made over 23,000 NT from the
blood draws she entered in the study...

and to have misappropriated nearly 500,000 NT in test fees paid by the
students.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

Organizers of the Taiwan Pride Parade say that the theme of this year's march
will be "Our Voices, Our Journey..."

and will seek to emphasize inclusion in electoral politics ahead of local
elections one month later.

The parade is set for October 31st, and organizers say it will largely
maintain the same route through Taipei as in previous years.

They add that this year's event will take place against a backdrop of a
global wave of opposition to diversity and inclusion initiatives, and as
public support for gay and transgender people in Taiwan has declined.

The parade will begin from near the Taipei City Hall on October 31st.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-09-30 14:19:13

Taiwan shares are up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 308 points to
close the session at 47940.

The turnover was 875.6 billion NT

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The K-M-T is proposing using surplus tax revenues to fund a universal 20,000
N-T cash handout.

That's double the amount proposed last month by President Lai Ching-te.

The proposal by the K-M-T's legislative caucus was included in a draft
"Special Act on Sharing the Fruits of Economic Growth with the Entire
Population and Stabilizing People's Livelihoods."

The party has designated that Act as a priority in the new legislative
session that begun on Tuesday.

The proposed 20,000 N-T cash handout will be included in the government's
2027 budget proposal.

K-M-T caucus head Fu Kun-chi says surplus tax revenues reached 528-billion
N-T last year, of which around 40-per cent was returned to the people in the
form of 10,000 N-T cash handouts ..

... and surplus tax revenues are expected to exceed 1-trillion N-T this year,
meaning that if 40-per cent is returned, a cash handout of 20,000 N-T could
be provided.

Fu also says even with the Cabinet's 600-billion N-T supplementary budget
request, 400-plus billion N-T could still be used toward cash handouts
without any government borrowing.

The D-P-P is not backing to the move an insisting that the government has
already sent its 2027 budget proposal containing funds for a 10,000 N-T
handout to the Legislative Yuan.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

The Centers for Disease Control says its recorded more than 130,000
flu-related outpatient and emergency hospital visits last week and the
current epidemic is now expected to ease in mid-October.

According to the C-D-C, data shows that 138,654 people sought medical care
for flu-like illnesses at outpatient clinics and emergency departments last
week.

That figure was down 3.2-per cent from the previous week, largely due to
reduced clinic services during the recent holiday period.

However, C-D-C spokesman Lin Ming-cheng says the flu epidemic is expected to
fluctuate in the near term before beginning to decline around mid-October.

Lin is warning that it's possible that weekly flu-related medical visits
could rise to between 150,000 and 160,000 cases before the downturn.

The C-D-C's Epidemic Intelligence Center says 87 new cases of severe flu with
complications and 30 deaths were reported last week.

The first phase of the government's publicly-funded flu and COVID-19
vaccination program begins tomorrow.

While the second stage of the program begins on November 2 and is open to
people aged 50 and older.

The Ministry of Heallth has said it's purchased a record 7.05-million doses
of flu vaccine this year, including 200,000 doses of enhanced vaccines that
offer greater protection.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

The Ministry of Transport says data shows that the number of traffic accident
related fatalities in the first seven months of this this year registered a
decline.

According to the ministry, 1,569 traffic related deaths were recorded between
January and July.

That figure is a drop of just over 1-per cent from the same period of last
year and a 12.3-per cent decline from the same period in the government’s
2023 baseline year.

However, traffic related deaths involving older people rose by 5-per cent to
697 between January and July of his year.

The transport ministry says those deaths were concentrated in Taoyuan,
Taichung and Hualien - where motorcycle accidents accounted for half of the
total number of elderly traffic deaths, while pedestrian accidents accounted
for another 20-per cent.

The ministry says the fourth quarter is typically the peak season for traffic
deaths among older people and its advising them to wear bright or reflective
clothing when going out during early hours or at night.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

Five customers who made purchases at 7-Eleven stores across Taiwan won the
top 10-million N-T special prize in the July-August uniform invoice lottery.

That included one lucky customer who spent just 27 N-T on photocopying.

According to 7-Eleven operator President Chain Store Corporation, the five
special prize winners made their purchases at stores in Taoyuan, Taipei,
Taichung and Kaohsiung.

The five winning purchases included 29 N-T spent on snacks, 139 N-T on CITY
CAFE coffee and daily necessities, and 33 N-T on ready-to-eat food.

The chain says its stores also produced two winners of the 2-million N-T
grand prize.

One of those customers spent 149 N-T on daily necessities and ice cream,
while the other was 10 N-T for photocopying services.

The Ministry of Finance announced the winning numbers for the July-August
uniform invoice lottery on September 25.

The winners can claim their prizes from October 6 through January 5 of next
year.

Posted on 2026-09-30 08:07:13

And finally,

Taiwan has won two more silver medals and one more bronze medal at the Asian
Games in Japan.

Shooter Yang Kun-pi was one shot away from taking home the gold medal in the
men's individual trap shooting event before missing his final shot.

The 28-year-old ultimately finished with a score of 25 to place second.

Yang was the gold medalist in the men's individual trap shooting event at the
2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Shih Liu Li-ling took silver in the women's 87-kilogram Kurash event after
losing 5-0 to her South Korean opponent.

And Wang Xin-ting, Chen Ching-yun and Liu Shang-ying won bronze in the
women's team cycling sprint event - after clocking a time of 49.061-seconds.

Tuesday's medals bring Taiwan tally to 37 in total - including three gold and
10 silver, and 24 bronze.

Taiwan is sitting in 14th place in the overall standings - between Kuwait and
Indonesia.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party have voted down all 27 of President
Lai Ching-te's nominees for the Control Yuan.

Lai named 29 nominees on June 11 for the seventh term of the Control Yuan.

Those nominees included Chen Yung-hsing, a former president of the Taiwan
Association for Human Rights, as Control Yuan president.

Two of Lai's other nominees - former K-M-T lawmaker Liao Wan-ru and former
New Taipei Deputy Mayor Hsieh Cheng-da - declined their nominations, saying
they supported abolishing the Control Yuan.

The six-year terms of the previous Control Yuan members expired on July 31.

Their successors were originally scheduled to take office on August 1.

However, lawmakers failed to hold a confirmation vote for the nominees during
the prolonged legislative session that ended on August 31... that
confirmation vote was instead scheduled for the opening day of a new session.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

Defense Minister Wellington Koo says the United States is "showing goodwill"
over the late delivery of F-16V Block 70 fighter jets and two sides are still
in talks over the matter.

The statement comes after the first two of the 66 F-16Vs Taiwan purchased
departed from the U-S on August 17 and reportedly remain in Hawaii.

Reports had been saying they were being held there due to last week's meeting
between U-S President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jin-ping in Washington.

There has since been no news concerning the status of those two fighter jets.

Koo said the contract for the fighter jets did not include financial
penalties for late delivery - meaning Taiwan will not receive financial
compensation.

Reports have claimed U-S government could help Taiwan seek compensation from
the Lockheed Martin and in lieu of financial compensation, the aircraft
manufacturer could offer more technical support, spare parts and an extended
warranties for the F-16Vs.

The Air Force spent 247.2-billion N-T between 2020 and 2026 to procure 66 new
F-16V Block 70 jets from the U-S.

The jets were originally scheduled to all be delivered to Taiwan by the end
of this year, but the program was delayed factors as the relocation and
restart of the production line and supply chain disruptions.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation has confirmed that it was
part of the Agency of Corrections' first-ever counterdrone drill.

The firm made use of its counterdrone system, which is said to be capable of
"smart" detection, combining active radar, a radio frequency detector and
jammers, and has a detection range of 5-kilometers.

The Agency of Corrections says the drill, which took place in Changhua Prison
earlier this month, was a response to emerging challenges facing the
security of correctional facilities, given modern technological advancements.

It was part of a wider exercise to test the preparedness of the Ministry of
Justice's anti-riot Ching An Squad.

Under the agency's scenario, one drone carrying contraband for airdropping
had breached the prison compound.

The system broadcast warnings and collected evidence.

After the drone's operator was autonomously located, a squad member then
neutralized the drone using a jammer.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The High Court has sentenced media personality Clara Chou to 9 months in
prison after she was found guilty of violating the Personal Data Protection
Act.

The court found that Chou falsely identifying former Miss Republic of China,
Zhang Shu-juan as the woman involved in an alleged affair with Chiang
Hsiao-yen.

Chiang is a former KMT lawmaker and the father of Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an.

Chou made the false claim on her television talk show in 2022.

The High Court has also sentenced commentator Tsai Yu-zhen to six months in
prison for appearing on the show with Chou and supporting her false claims.

The rulings come after Zhang filed an aggravated defamation lawsuit against
Chou and Tsai shortly after the television program was aired.

Both Chou and Tsai were sentenced to 1 1/2 years by a district court in their
first trial.

The High Court rulings can still be appealed.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted two men for allegedly
throwing a mixture of paint and human feces at stand-up comedian Huang Yi-hao
during a show in Taipei.

Prosecutors say a 33-year-old man recruited a 35-year-old man to carry out
the attack at the Comedy Club in exchange for 50,000 N-T.

Huang's May 29 show was said to have been targeted after clips of the
stand-up mocking China's Xi Jinping during a December 2025 routine at the
same venue went viral on social media.

Prosecutors say the 35-year-old man threw four bags containing paint and
human feces at the comedy club, damaging glass, floors and walls.

The 33 year old suspect has been indicted on charges including incitement to
intimidation and property damage, while the other suspect has been charged
with intimidation and property damage.

The Mainland Affairs Council claims the incident was part of China's
cross-border repression.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

The Ministry of Labor will be extending paid marriage leave from eight to 14
days beginning tomorrow.

The Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment says the change was
proposed through amendments to the Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers and
is has undergone a seven-day public notice period.

Employers are required to pay wages covering the ninth to the 14th day... and
after making those payments, the employers can apply to the government for
subsidies.

Ministry officials say the expanded leave will apply equally to Taiwanese and
foreign nationals as long as they are covered by the Labor Standards Act.

However, migrant domestic helpers and live-in caregivers are not be eligible
because they are not covered by the Labor Standards Act.

The move is part of the Lai administration's broader family-support policy
announced in May.

That policy also includes plans to extend maternity and paternity leave.

Posted on 2026-09-30 06:57:14

And,

The Discover America Committee in Taiwan says the number of Taiwanese
visiting the U-S rose over 8-per cent in the first eight months of the year
compared with the same period of last year.

Although that number didn't exceed pre-COVID 19 levels, the committee says it
still makes Taiwan the 19th-largest long-haul source market.

California, New York and Las Vegas were among the most popular destinations.

The committee says more flight options and new routes are encouraging more
Taiwanese travelers to explore destinations such as Houston beyond
traditional gateway cities.

It also says the average stay has increased from seven days before the COVID
19 pandemic to 11 days, boosting spending by Taiwanese visitors to the U-S.

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