A man was found dead on a bus in New Taipei on Sunday, several days after he
boarded the vehicle.

Police say the man got on the bus in Xindian at around 8:40 PM last Thursday.

The bus later returned to its terminal, where it remained parked until Sunday
morning because of the long Moon Festival weekend.

A passenger noticed the man appeared to be unconscious after the bus resumed
service Sunday and alerted the driver, who called emergency services.

Police found no signs of trauma or foul play, but an autopsy has been ordered
to determine the cause of death.

The bus operator has been fined 30-thousand NT for failing to properly check
the vehicle before parking it.

The driver has also been suspended, while the company says it will strengthen
safety procedures.

A new tunnel linking Taipei's Zhongxiao East Road with the National
Biotechnology Research Park in Nangang District opened today.

The 824-meter Shengji Tunnel is expected to ease traffic on Zhongxiao East
Road and Academia Road, while cutting travel time between the park and
Nangang Station to less than 10 minutes during peak hours.

The central government spent nearly $1.9 billion NT on the project.

The tunnel also provides an alternative route during emergencies, such as
flooding, and includes a separate path for pedestrians and cyclists.

More than 26-hundred researchers and other professionals now work at the
biotechnology park, which opened in 2018.

(CNA_IG)

High-temperature alerts have been expanded to 10 cities and counties across
Taiwan ... with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius or higher.

The Central Weather Administration's yellow alerts now cover Keelung, Taipei,
New Taipei and Taoyuan ... as well as Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou, Tainan and
Pingtung.

Yunlin remains under an orange alert ... with 36-degree temperatures possible
for several days in a row.

As of 3 PM ... the day's highest temperature was 36.7 degrees in Taipei's
Zhongzheng District ... followed by 36.6 degrees in New Taipei's Xizhi
District.

In fact, all of today's 10 highest temperature readings were recorded in
Taipei or New Taipei.

President Lai Ching-te has marked Teachers' Day today ... by highlighting a
government program aimed at strengthening teachers' digital and artificial
intelligence skills.

The Ministry of Education's AI Talent Ark Program will invest nearly $11.8
billion NT through 2029 to improve digital teaching materials, develop AI
learning systems and provide hands-on training for teachers.

Lai said technology can make teaching more efficient, but teachers'
understanding of and guidance for students remain irreplaceable.

He also acknowledged challenges facing educators, including teacher
shortages, parent-teacher communication and administrative workloads.

Lai said the government would continue working to improve teaching conditions
and give teachers more support.

Morocco has resumed accepting tourism visa applications from Taiwanese
passport holders, two months after suspending the process without giving a
reason.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it was informed by the Moroccan
Embassy in Japan that applications for tourism Visa Confirmation Letters
resumed on September 21st.

However, Morocco has not resumed processing applications for other types of
travel.

Taiwan therefore continues to suspend visa applications from Moroccan
nationals, citing the principle of reciprocity.

Morocco suspended its visa review process for Taiwanese travelers on July
23rd, prompting Taiwan to impose its own restrictions on Moroccan applicants
a week later.

MOFA says it will continue monitoring the situation and hopes normal two-way
exchanges can resume.

And starting off with a quick look at traffic conditions...

The slowest traffic is currently on National Freeway 5...

...with northbound traffic from Yilan to Toucheng moving at just 17
kilometers per hour.

On National Freeway 1, northbound traffic from Dounan to Huwei is also slow,
at around 24 kilometers per hour.

Traffic in both directions around the Dingjin and Zuoying system interchanges
in Kaohsiung is moving at between 27 and 30 kilometers per hour.

And on National Freeway 5, northbound traffic from Toucheng to the Pinglin
Traffic Control Center is moving at around 35 kilometers per hour.

Meanwhile, northbound traffic on National Freeway 3 between Zhunan and the
Xibin interchange is moving at around 40 kilometers per hour.

Elsewhere, major sections of Freeways 1, 3 and 5 are mostly moving smoothly.

A tourist from Myanmar has died after losing consciousness in the shallow end
of a wave pool at a water park in Taichung City's Houli District.

Emergency crews were called shortly after 2 PM Sunday ... and found the man
with no vital signs and no obvious external injuries.

He was given emergency treatment and taken to hospital ... but later died
despite efforts to revive him.

The water park says lifeguards immediately began emergency rescue efforts and
called 119 for help.

The incident happened during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday ... when many
people were visiting the park.

Police say the case will be referred to prosecutors for a post-mortem
examination to determine the cause of death.

The park says it will cooperate with the investigation.

(IG)

Taiwanese citrus is getting a push in Singapore ... with Tainan's famous
Madou pomelos now being sold through both supermarkets and high-end
department stores.

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che recently led a city government delegation to
Singapore to check on sales ... and personally promoted the fruit to shoppers
at a department store.

Huang says Singapore's high incomes and strong consumer market offer
opportunities for Tainan's agricultural products.

The city hopes selling through different retail channels will help its
produce gain a stronger foothold in Singapore.

Officials say the Madou pomelos are known for their sweet and slightly tart
flavor ... as well as their juicy flesh and fragrant aroma.

The city is also using the promotion to introduce more Singaporean consumers
to Tainan ... and raise the international profile of its agricultural
products.(IG)

(IG)

Transport Minister Chen Shih-kai says Taiwan's transport networks have
successfully handled the Mid-Autumn and Teachers' Day holiday crowds ...
despite record passenger numbers.

Taiwan High Speed Rail carried 348-thousand passengers last Thursday,
September 24th ... which is an all-time high ... while also reaching its
maximum daily service level of 200 trains.

Chen says airports, train stations and intercity bus services were able to
clear the crowds ... with no passengers left stranded.

For today's holiday return rush ... Chen says that extra Taiwan Railway train
services ... and highway buses ... are ready to handle possible crowding
around Taichung High Speed Rail Station.

THSR may also add trains with all-unreserved seating if necessary ...
depending on passenger numbers this afternoon.

Chen is urging travelers to spread out among different transport options ...
including THSR, Taiwan Railway and intercity buses.

(IG)

Taiwanese high jumper Fu Chao-hsuan has won gold at the Asian Games in
Nagoya, becoming the first Taiwanese man in 60 years to win an athletics gold
medal at the meet

The 23-year-old cleared 2.25 meters on his first attempt, matching his season
best.

India's Sarvesh Anil Kushare also cleared 2.25 meters, but needed two
attempts.

Neither athlete could clear 2.28 meters, giving Fu the gold.

Fu had struggled with injuries and inconsistent results since moving into
senior competition, and said he initially only hoped to win bronze.

He said clearing 2.25 meters gave him confidence that gold was within reach.

Fu now hopes to compete at the world championships and eventually fulfill his
childhood dream of reaching the Olympics.

Taoyuan City Police are searching for a wanted man who allegedly rammed a
patrol car and fled during an attempted traffic stop early this morning.

Police say officers spotted a black sedan driving erratically on Lixing Road
(力行路) in Taoyuan District ... and signaled the driver to pull over.

Instead, the driver allegedly rammed the patrol car and sped away.

Officers followed from a safe distance and alerted other police to intercept
the car ... but stopped the close pursuit when the driver reached dangerous
speeds.

The car was later found abandoned on Longxiang Street (龍祥街) ... but the
driver had already fled.

Police have identified the suspected driver as a wanted man surnamed Huang
... and are continuing to search for him.

(IG)

The Central Weather Administration has issued heat advisories for eight
municipalities and counties across Taiwan today ...

.... with temperatures expected to reach 36 degrees Celsius or higher in some
areas this afternoon.

The advisories cover Taipei, New Taipei and Tainan, as well as Changhua,
Nantou, Yunlin, Pingtung and Hualien counties.

The CWA is advising people to limit outdoor activities and strenuous
exercise, stay hydrated, use sunscreen, and watch for signs of heat-related
illness.

Most of Taiwan will see partly cloudy to sunny skies today, with afternoon
showers possible in mountainous areas.

Temperatures will reach highs of around 35 degrees in northern and southern
Taiwan, 36 degrees in central Taiwan, and 32 degrees in the east.

------

Looking ahead ....

The weather is expected to remain similar through Wednesday.

Then on Thursday ... forecasters say that seasonal northeasterly winds will
strengthen and start affecting Taiwan on Friday ...

... bringing more showers to areas north of Taoyuan, eastern Taiwan, the
Hengchun Peninsula and mountainous areas around the island.

Elsewhere, skies should remain mostly cloudy to sunny through Sunday.

Legislature begins a new session Tuesday, with the three major parties
setting out different priorities for the months ahead.

The KMT says it will focus on the central government budget and proposals for
larger cash handouts.

The DPP is prioritizing more than 40 bills covering business support, family
policies and social welfare.

Meanwhile, the TPP plans to push measures including expanded parental leave,
tax breaks for renters and parents, and increased support for elderly
farmers.

The party also wants to legalize surrogacy and euthanasia.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) is scheduled to deliver a policy report when the
new session opens on Tuesday.

The Executive Yuan confirms the session begins September 29th and says the
2026 supplementary budget and 2027 central government budget will be major
items for consideration.

(PB)

KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) is calling on President Lai Ching-te (賴清德)
to seek the resumption of dialogue with Beijing following this week's
Trump-Xi summit.

Cheng says the meeting showed Washington and Beijing can maintain
communication despite major economic and geopolitical differences.

She says Taiwan should similarly pursue dialogue to reduce cross-strait
tensions, while continuing to strengthen its defenses and security ties with
the United States.

The DPP responded by saying Taiwan remains open to dialogue based on equality
and mutual respect, but accused Beijing of refusing such exchanges and
increasing military and other pressure on Taiwan.

(PB)

Authorities are investigating a suspected case of illegal coral harvesting in
Kenting National Park.
The park's management office says a diving instructor filmed a diver
apparently removing coral near the Hejie (合界) diving site in Hengchun (恆春) on
Wednesday.

However, officials say the video does not clearly establish whether coral was
actually taken.

The footage and other information have been turned over to police for
investigation.

The park office says it will also increase patrols and work with local diving
operators to report suspected illegal harvesting.

Violations of conservation restrictions under the Fisheries Act can carry up
to three years in prison and a fine of up to 150-thousand N.T.

(PB)

The Cabinet is preparing to push about 40 priority bills when the Legislature
begins its new session on Tuesday.

The proposals include measures to support families with children, small
businesses and startups, as well as changes to food safety, disaster
prevention and social welfare laws.

The Cabinet is also seeking quick approval of this year's supplementary
budget and the 2027 central government budget.

The 2027 proposal sets spending and revenue at about 3.93-trillion N.T., with
overall defense spending exceeding one-trillion N.T. for the first time.

The budget also includes funding for planned cash payments and pay
adjustments for military personnel, civil servants and teachers.

Premier Cho Jung-tai is scheduled to present the government's policy report
when the new legislative session opens Tuesday.

(PB)

Taiwan picked up another gold and five bronze medals at the Asian Games in
Japan on Friday.

Swimmer Wang Kuan-hung (王冠閎) won the men's 200-meter butterfly in one minute,
55.05 seconds, becoming Taiwan's first male swimmer to win Asian Games gold.

Weightlifters Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳) and Chen Guan-ling (陳冠伶) both took bronze,
while Taiwan added another bronze in canoe sprint and two in kabaddi.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's baseball team beat China 9-1, keeping it in contention
for a place in the gold medal game.

Taiwan now faces host Japan tonight in its final super round game, with a
place in the gold medal game on the line.

(PB)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is rejecting comments on Taiwan made by
Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to the United States.

China's Foreign Ministry says Xi told U.S. President Donald Trump that
Washington should oppose Taiwan independence and handle the Taiwan issue with
caution during their White House meeting Thursday.

MOFA responded Friday, accusing Beijing of "distorting facts" to promote its
own position.

The ministry reiterated that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each
other, and said Taiwan's future can only be decided democratically by its
people.

Xi's three-day U.S. state visit concluded Friday.

The White House has released video and other material from the visit, but I
have not found a U.S. readout detailing Trump's response to Xi's comments on
Taiwan.

(PB)

U-S President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have remained
silent on whether Taiwan was discussed during their White House meeting in
Washington.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency says Xi urged Washington to oppose
"Taiwan independence" and handle the Taiwan issue cautiously.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Beijing is distorting the facts to
promote its own position, stressing that Taiwan's sovereignty belongs to its
people.

The ministry says Taiwan will continue working with the U-S and other
partners to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun says Taiwan should put its own security and interests
first, while strengthening its defenses and keeping the door open to dialogue
with Beijing.

The rulling DPP says Taiwan has never closed the door to dialogue, but argues
that Beijing must engage with Taiwan on an equal and mutually respectful
basis.

The DPP is pushing back against KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun's call for President
Lai Ching-te to reopen cross-strait dialogue following this week's Trump-Xi
summit in Washington.

The DPP says Taiwan's door to dialogue with the world has never been closed
... but Beijing has refused to engage Taiwan on what the party describes as
an equal and mutually respectful basis.

It says Beijing has instead increased military and other forms of pressure on
Taiwan and the region.

The DPP says if Beijing can sit down with Washington despite major
disagreements ... it should also be willing to engage Taiwan through
dialogue.

The party is calling on Beijing to return to a rules-based international
order ... saying cross-strait dialogue is possible if it is based on equality
and mutual respect.

(IG)

Labor representatives expressed disappointment while major business groups
called for relief measures following yesterday's decision to raise Taiwan's
minimum wage.

The representatives said the 4.7-percent hike fell short of their
expectations, after they had called for a nearly 8-percent increase to give
workers a greater share of Taiwan's economic growth.

Business groups, meanwhile, warned that higher wages would add to costs for
labor-intensive industries and smaller businesses.

They called on the government to provide more support, including help with
insurance costs and funding for businesses seeking to upgrade and improve
productivity.

The new minimum wage - of 30 thousand 900 NT per month or 205 NT per hour -
is expected to take effect in January, pending Cabinet approval.

(CNA_IG)

A high school student injured in a scissors attack in New Taipei's Ruifang
District is showing stable vital signs after undergoing surgery.

Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital says the 16-year-old remains in
intensive care for further treatment and observation.

The attack happened Thursday afternoon when two students got into a
confrontation off campus.

Police say the alleged attacker, a junior high school student at the same
private school, used a pair of scissors to stab the victim in the neck before
turning himself in.

The suspect told police the victim had mocked and provoked him.

The school said the two students were not well acquainted and had no reported
history of bullying.

A juvenile court has ordered the suspect detained.

(CNA_IG)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is rejecting Beijing's comments about Taiwan
.... off the heels of talks between U-S President Donald Trump and Chinese
leader Xi Jinping in Washington.

China's Foreign Ministry says Xi urged the U-S to oppose Taiwan independence
... and handle the Taiwan issue cautiously.

MOFA says Beijing is once again distorting the facts to promote its own
position ...

... saying Taiwan's sovereignty belongs to its people ... and the Chinese
Communist government has no right to represent Taiwan.

The ministry says Taiwan will continue working with the U-S and other
partners to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

It also points to recent statements from the U-S, Japan and South Korea ...
and other countries ...

.... stressing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and
opposing unilateral changes to the status quo.

(IG)

In similar news,

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun says Taiwan should put its own security and interests
first ... following the talks between Trump and Xi.

Cheng says Taiwan does not need to choose between being closer to the U-S or
China ... and should instead find its own path amid growing competition
between the two powers.

She says Taiwan should strengthen its defenses while keeping the door open to
dialogue ... arguing that deterrence and efforts to reduce tensions can go
hand in hand.

Cheng is also calling on President Lai Ching-te to explain the government's
assessment of the latest U-S-China developments ... and propose concrete
steps to reduce risks in the Taiwan Strait.

She says the government should reopen cross-strait dialogue ... while
protecting Taiwan's security, democracy, prosperity and peace.

(IG)

Taoyuan has confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in more than eight
years ... after birds at a farm in Dayuan District began dying unexpectedly.

Authorities culled about 2,500 guinea fowl ... and disinfected the farm and
nearby roads after tests confirmed the virus.

Officials say authorities responded within two hours of the farm reporting
unusual deaths on the afternoon of the 23rd ... taking samples and
restricting movement in and out of the the site.

Officials are also checking other poultry farms in the surrounding area.

They say this is currently the only confirmed case ... and there has been no
impact on local poultry supplies.

(IG)

Heavy traffic is slowing parts of major freeways across Taiwan as the
Mid-Autumn and Teachers' Day long weekend gets underway.

Currently ... on National Freeway 3 southbound from Huandong to Nangang,
traffic speeds have slowed to just 4 kilometers per hour on ...

... while northbound lanes between Xindian and the Muzha Service Station have
slowed to around 17 kilometers per hour.

On National Freeway 1, southbound lanes in the Hsinchu area are seeing the
heaviest congestion ... with traffic crawling at around 16 kilometers per
hour from the Hukou Service Area all to the way to Hsinchu and beyond ...

And if your heading to Yilan or Hualien from Taipei ...

... National Freeway 5 southbound from the Pinling System Interchange to
Toucheng ... is also expected to see heavy congestion this afternoon ... so
drivers are being advised to wait until after 5 PM before heading out.

(IG)

A retired U-S Navy admiral is urging Washington to move ahead with arms sale
notifications for Taiwan following U-S President Donald Trump's summit with
Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mark Montgomery said Friday that the summit had delayed proposed arms sales
and urged the U-S to avoid further delays.

He said notifying Congress of a sale is separate from delivering the weapons,
and argued that delivery constraints should not prevent the notifications.

Montgomery suggested a proposed $14 billion U-S dollar arms package, stalled
since early this year, could be divided into smaller packages.

The White House has not said whether Taiwan was discussed at the summit,
while China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said Xi urged Washington to oppose
"Taiwan independence."

Montgomery also called for greater military cooperation through training and
exercises.

(CNA_IG)

Doctors are urging people to take extra care when barbecuing over the
Mid-Autumn Festival ... as emergency room visits typically rise by 20 to 30
percent around the holiday period.

Taichung Hospital says stomach and respiratory infections are among the main
reasons for the increase.

Doctors say many stomach illnesses are linked to undercooked meat and seafood
... or using the same utensils for raw and cooked food.

They recommend keeping raw and cooked food separate ... washing hands
regularly and making sure meat and seafood are thoroughly cooked.

Nationwide, about 126-thousand people sought treatment for stomach-related
illnesses last week ... the highest level in around five years.

Norovirus was the most commonly detected cause.

(IG)

U-S President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping did not respond
to questions yesterday about whether Taiwan was discussed during their
meeting at the White House.

Trump described the talks as "great" but did not answer questions about
Taiwan, artificial intelligence or jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

Xi also declined to respond when reporters asked about Taiwan after the
meeting.

However, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi raised the
Taiwan issue, saying Beijing's position on "national unification and
territorial integrity" was clear.

Xinhua said Xi urged Washington to oppose "Taiwan independence" and
"prudently handle the Taiwan question."

The White House had not released its own readout of the meeting as of
Thursday night.

The talks marked Xi's first visit to the White House in 11 years and his
second meeting with Trump this year.

(CNA_IG)

Holiday travel is getting off to a smooth start at Taoyuan International
Airport ... despite nearly 143-thousand passengers expected today.

The airport about 74-thousand passengers were expected to depart this morning
... with the busiest period between 8 and 10.

Many travelers arrived about three hours early ... while airport agencies
added staff to handle the holiday crowds.

The airport expects about 930-thousand passengers during the six-day holiday
travel period through September 29th.

The busiest departure days are expected to be yesterday and today ... while
arrivals are expected to peak on Monday, September 28th.

Passengers are being advised to arrive three hours before their flights ...
and use self-service check-in and baggage-drop facilities.

(IG)