Taiwan artists and curators have issued a joint statement protesting what
they claim to be "political censorship" by organizers of South Korea's
Gwangju Biennale.

This, after the the word "Taiwan" was removed from promotional material and
replaced it with the abbreviation for the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
at the event.

The statement was signed by 10 Taiwan artists and curators who had been
invited to take part in the art exposition... they also said the foundation
ignored repeated protests from the museum.

They further argued that the removal of the word "Taiwan" was not an isolated
incident, but represents a threat to freedom of expression and the global art
community.

The Ministry of Culture says it had asked its overseas representative office
to continue expressing strong protests to the organizers

The National Human Rights Commission is criticizing a referendum proposal on
judicial caning.

The proposal was initiated by the K-M-T and asks votes if they agree that
caning should be imposed by courts for sexual assault, child abuse,
high-value fraud and aggravated fraud involving multiple forms of fraud, in
order to deter crime?"

The commission says judicial caning violates international human rights
standards enshrined in Taiwan's legal system.

It further adds that while it understands public concerns over serious crimes
and the need to strengthen crime prevention, criminal policy should be based
on constitutional and human rights principles as well as scientific evidence.

The commission also says caning constitutes corporal punishment involving
elements of humiliation and degradation, making it incompatible with
protections under the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.

The referendum proposal is one of three that have been approved by the
Legislative Yuan.

The other two referendum proposals to have been pased concern the use of
traffic fines and the abolition of the non-nuclear energy policy.

13 lawmakers is slated to travel to to Japan later this month to attend the
Asian Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union 54th General Assembly and 88th Council
Meeting.

The delegation will be led by Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang.

The event this year will held under the themes of inter-parliamentary
cooperation to maintain a free and open economic order and strengthen
regional supply chain resilience.

Taiwan hosted the Asian Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union General Assembly
last year.

Eight resolutions were adopted during that event, including three proposals
put forward by members of Taiwan's delegation.

They included a proposal that union member states participate in the
Indo-Pacific Marine Debris Cooperation Platform to promote regional
sustainability and security.

The Tzu Chi International Medical Association says more than 200 migrant
workers attended a free health check event staffed by medical personnel and
volunteers at Taipei Main Station on Sunday.

The event offered preliminary health checks, including ultrasound and dental
examinations, as well as consultations in specialties such as orthopedics and
gynecology.

The free health check event was jointly organized with the Taipei City
government.

The city government says it began cooperating with Tzu Chi in 2004, primarily
because many of Taipei's roughly 50,000 migrant workers are live-in family
caregivers with only one day off a month, making it difficult to seek medical
treatment.

More than 20,000 visits have recorded since the program began, which each
event this year drawing more than 200 participants.

Sunday's event was the third of four planned for this year.

The final one is set for October 4, also at Taipei Main Station.

The service is open to migrant workers legally residing in Taiwan, including
those employed outside Taipei.

The Industrial Technology Research Institute has developed a noninvasive
in-ear vagus nerve stimulator which it calls Taiwan's first digital
therapeutic technology for generalized anxiety disorder.

The institute says the wearable device stimulates the vagus nerve via the ear
to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is associated with
relaxation.

The device also monitors physiological signals like heart rate variabililty
and uses this data to adjust stimulation parameters.

The technology is intended to provide an alternative treatment option for
people with anxiety... it aims to bring it into practical use within three to
five years.

The Ministry of Health says one in four people here in Taiwan experience
psychological distress.

A Starlux Airbus A350-1000 featuring livery by renowned Japanese artist
Hajime Sorayama has arrived at Taoyuan International Airport.

The aircraft, named "Airsorayama Gold," is at the airport ahead of its
commercial debut flight on the carrier's Taipei-Tokyo route later this week.

Starlux says it is the second plane in the airline's "Starlux Airsorayama"
art project, which showcases Sorayama's signature metallic aesthetic.

The new aircraft features a gold-themed livery and the airline says it
complements its first Sorayama-designed jet, the "Airsorayama Silver."

The aircraft is scheduled to enter commercial service on Starlux's
Taipei-Narita route starting Thursday.

And,

A four-member team from Taiwan has won one gold medal, two silver medals and
an honorable mention at the International Olympiad in Informatics.

The annual programming competition for school students was held in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan.

The four students received their awards at the closing ceremony - standing
out among 375 students from 92 countries and regions.

Students who win gold, silver, or bronze medals at international academic
Olympiads receive cash rewards and are also eligible for direct admission to
relevant university departments or recommendation-based admission to any
academic program.

SEMICON Taiwan's CEO Summit will be expanded into a full-day event for the
first time on Sept. 2, with discussions covering the technologies needed to
deploy AI at scale.

SEMICON's organizer said the expanded event will bring together executives
from major global technology companies and five key segments of Taiwan's
electronics supply chain.

Google Senior Vice President and Chief Technologist for AI and Infrastructure
Amin Vahdat will deliver the opening keynote, marking his first public
keynote address in Asia.

The association said an afternoon session will shift the focus to the
technologies supporting hyperscale AI development.

Guests at SEMICON will include executives from Microsoft, Micron, Broadcom,
Infineon, Meta and Nvidia.

An evening fireside chat will be co-hosted by executives from ASE and TSMC,
with panelists from MediaTek, Foxconn and Unimicron Technology Corp.

CNA_JvW

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council says passage yesterday of
legislation to fund development of the country's unmanned vehicle industry is
going to provide a significant boost to the frontier sector.

TAITRA Chairman Huang Chih-fang (黃志芳) said today that Taiwan's drone industry
already has a strong foundation thanks to the country's advantages in a range
of ICT and related areas, but what's been lacking so far is domestic demand.

He said government development and procurement programs will help to
accelerate drone development, adding that TAITRA will prioritize drones in
its overseas promotional activities.

CNA_JvW

3 Sundays

Traffic restrictions will be imposed around Tamsui's Fisherman's Wharf and
the Danjiang Bridge during fireworks displays on the next three Sundays.

The New Taipei Transportation Department said restrictions will be in effect
from 4-10pm on Aug. 16, 23 and 30 to ensure safety during the 8pm fireworks.

Roads around the wharf as well as the pedestrian walkway extending from the
seaward side of the Danjiang Bridge to the waterfront will become
pedestrian-only zones during the restricted period.

The department says visitors driving to the wharf will only be allowed to
enter through the waterfront's second entrance, and vehicle access will be
halted once the parking lot reaches capacity.

Bicycles are included in the traffic ban, hence rental of YouBikes at
stations in the area is also suspended from 3 to 10pm for the next few
Sundays.

CNA_JvW

Authorities say a woman injured in a hornet attack in Kenting National Park
was taken to a hospital early today, while the search continues for two men
who were also attacked.

Pingtung County's Bureau of Fire and Emergency Services said two men got
separated from the woman following the hornet attack.

All three are mountain guides who were scouting the area ahead of an event.

The bureau said it received a call from the woman around 9am yesterday.

The rugged terrain and thunderstorms hampered her evacuation and the search
for her companions.

CNA_JvW

The government says it's optimistic about expanding Taiwan's share of the US
unmanned aerial vehicle market.

This comes after Washington imposed new tariffs on Thursday.

The Executive Yuan's Office of Trade Negotiations said Taiwanese companies
are well positioned to benefit from shifting supply chains and increase their
presence in the US market.

Under the latest US policy, some larger drones suitable for military use will
be subject to up to a 100 percent tariff, while smaller models will be
subject to a 25 percent tariff.

Imports from Taiwan and some other countries will be subject to a lower 15
percent tariff, giving it an advantage over some competitors.

The office says Taiwan is currently the sixth-largest supplier of drones to
the United States, behind Vietnam, China, Canada, Norway and Switzerland.

CNA_JvW

Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute says it has developed a
digital treatment technology for generalized anxiety disorder.

Clinical trials are under way, and the treatment is expected to be available
for in-home use in three to five years.

The treatment involves non-invasive micro-electrical stimulation of the vagus
nerve in the ear to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

The device combines treatment with monitoring of physiological signals like
heart rate variation and optical angiography to provide feedback to patients.

ITRI says the treatment could initially be used in conjunction with
psychotherapy and drugs ... but could eventually replace the other
interventions.

It says that after it transfers the technology for commercial development,
anxiety treatment and monitoring devices will likely be sold for home use at
prices comparable to commercial blood-pressure monitors.

CNA_zh_JvW

Taiwan has concluded its annual Han Kuang military exercises, with Defense
Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) praising troops and urging officers to address
issues identified during the drills to further strengthen combat readiness.

The 10-day exercises featured fully operational command centers at all levels
for the first time. Koo noted that units responded to dynamic orders based on
developing threats while maintaining strict safety discipline during
high-intensity maneuvers.

The Han Kuang exercises are aimed at testing the country's combat readiness
in the event of a possible Chinese invasion.

CNA_JvW

Taiwan International Cooperation Development Fund is launching a book marking
30 years of Taiwan's international development and foreign assistance.

Speaking at the book lunch, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said Taiwan
has transformed from an aid recipient into an aid provider.

He said Taiwan is now using its technology in areas including smart
healthcare and AI.

Saint Lucia's Ambassador Robert Kennedy Lewis says TaiwanICDF assistance has
had a positive effect in nearly every business sector in his country.


TaiwanICDF says it will build on these partnerships by connecting Taiwan's
technology, know-how and talent with countries around the world.

TB

Taiwan's legislature has approved three of four referendum proposals put
forward by the opposition KMT and TPP, making it possible the referendums
will be held alongside local elections on Nov. 28.

The three approved proposals concern the use of traffic fines, the
introduction of judicial caning as a criminal punishment ... and the
abolition of Taiwan's nuclear-free energy policy.

On traffic fines, voters would be asked whether they want all revenue from
fines to be used to improve traffic safety and subsidize public
transportation.

The caning referendum would ask voters to approve corporal punishment for
sexual assault, child abuse, high-value fraud and aggravated fraud.

A TPP proposal to legalize euthanasia failed to pass. It sought approval for
the procedure to alleviate suffering from incurable diseases and unbearable
pain.

The three approved proposals must be sent to the Central Election Commission
within 10 days,

CEC Chairman Michael You (游盈隆) said he couldn't predict how many of the
proposals would ultimately qualify.

He said if all three proposals are approved, election-related spending would
increase by about NT$1.4 billion.

CNA_JvW

The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics has raised its
economic growth forecast for this year to 11.05 percent - the highest level
in 39 years.

The stats agency says stronger-than-expected demand for AI is driving robust
exports and investment, while rising stock market wealth is also boosting
consumer spending.

The new forecast is 1.41 percentage point higher than an estimate in May.

The agency has also raised its inflation forecast from 1.93 to 2.07 percent,
citing the impact of continued conflict in the Middle East.

(IG)

The International Community Choir is looking for new voices.

The choir is seeking additional singers, especially tenors and basses, for
its next semester, which begins on September 2.

Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays from 10am to noon at the Taipei American
Club.

The choir will be holding its annual Christmas Charity Concert on December 13.

All proceeds are going to support St. Anne's Home, which provides a safe,
stable place for people with disabilities who require long-term,
round-the-clock care.

The International Community Choir was founded in 2003 as a women's choir and
gradually added male voices, now boasting a full range of soprano, alto,
tenor, and bass voices.

The choir's repertoire includes classical choral works, traditional carols,
folk and world music, jazz and swing, gospel, and Broadway-musical songs.

For more information, go to the choir's website at ICC-Taipei.org.

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan has passed the central government's 2026 budget,
after a record 266-day delay.

The opposition-controlled legislature voted to reduce the originally proposed
budget from just over 3 trillion NT to just under 3 trillion -- slicing 48
billion NT or 1.6 percent off the original.

One of the most closely watched items was 63.4 billion NT in drone-related
spending. The opposition had considered cutting the entire amount from the
budget but ended up keeping it intact.

Most recently, the KMT had proposed cutting the drone budget by around 70
percent.

The KMT caucus said it decided against the cuts after determining there was
no overlap between the drone development and procurement programs that would
result in wasteful spending, which it had previously cited as the basis for
the proposed reduction.

Lawmakers cut special allowances for heads of government agencies by 60
percent.

Spending on military equipment and facilities was reduced by 2.5 percent,
while media policy and publicity budgets were cut by 50 percent, except for
expenditures required by law.

According to the Taipei Times, DPP spokesman Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城) accused the
KMT and the TPP of staging a political farce by proposing cuts and then
hastily withdrawing them -- saying they were misleading the public.

CNA_JvW

Local media reports that Kaohsiung International Airport has temporarily
suspended ground operations due to thunderstorms around Xiaogang District.

The airport's departure board shows a number of inbound and outbound flights
listed as delayed, with weather conditions given as the reason.

Some other flights have been cancelled.

Taiwan International Cooperation Development Fund is launching a new book
marking 30 years of Taiwan's international development and foreign
assistance.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said at the book launch that Taiwan has
transformed from an aid recipient into a provider of solutions.

He says Taiwan is now using its technology in areas including smart
healthcare and artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile.. Saint Lucia's Ambassador Robert Kennedy Lewis says TaiwanICDF
assistance has had positive an impact across nearly every business sector in
his country.


That was Saint Lucia's Ambassador Robert Kennedy Lewis.

TaiwanICDF says it will build on these partnerships by connecting Taiwan's
technology, know-how and talent with countries around the world.

The National Development Council says a new program making it easier for
overseas Chinese and international graduates to stay and work in Taiwan is
showing strong results.

Since the program took effect in January, more than 3 thosuand 200 valid
residency extensions had been issued by the end of July, compared with just
281 applications under the previous system throughout last year.

The program allows graduates with associate degrees or higher to extend their
residency for up to two years and work during that period without obtaining a
separate work permit.

The N-D-C says this gives graduates more time to find suitable jobs and makes
it easier for employers to hire them.

During the extension period, they are also exempt from restrictions on
professional job categories, employer qualifications and minimum salary
requirements, as long as their employment complies with labor laws.

(IG)

Rescue teams are trying to reach three hikers in Kenting National Park after
they were attacked by Asian giant hornets, with two men in cardiac arrest and
a woman injured.

The three, all tour guides, were scouting a route in Pingtung County
yesterday when they were attacked.

The injured woman managed to retreat to a nearby trail and contacted rescuers
by phone Friday morning.

A 13-member rescue team entered the area and is trying to reach her first
before moving on to the two men.

Heavy rain was hampering the operation this afternoon.

The three were scouting the route for a 42-person hiking trip scheduled for
August 16th.

Taiwan's top envoy in Geneva has been ordered to return home on Monday next
week to answer allegations of workplace bullying, misuse of public funds and
other misconduct.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung says the Foreign Ministry launched a formal
investigation after receiving a signed complaint from employees at the Geneva
office in late July.

Lin says the allegations cover multiple issues and require the envoy, Greg
Lee, to provide a detailed explanation in person.

The ministry has formed a special investigative task force that includes
outside legal experts, and Lin says the investigation must be free from
interference.

Media reports say a 134-page complaint accused Lee of poor leadership,
mistreating staff and using public funds for personal expenses ...

... including expensive bedding for his residence worth around 3 thousand U-S
dollars ...

... and high-end chocolates worth around 4 thousand U-S dollars reportedly
for Taiwanese guests attending events.

(CNA_IG)

Payments

Credit card payments for individual income tax in Taiwan hit a record 270
billion NT this year - up nearly 24 percent from a year earlier.

The National Credit Card Center says the biggest one percent of payments
accounted for more than half of the total.

The threshold for that group was 2.5 million NT, while the single largest
payment exceeded 2.5 billion.

The average credit card tax payment was about 177 thousand NT - but the
median was just 15 thousand 100 - highlighting the outsized impact of
high-value payments.

Hsinchu City recorded the highest average payment per transaction nationwide
- at about 422 thousand NT.

(IG)

Regent Taipei has received government approval to hire 37 Indonesian workers
...

... becoming the first hotel in Taiwan to recruit foreign
intermediate-skilled workers under a new program aimed at easing labor
shortages.

According to the Ministry of Labor, the workers previously trained at the
hotel through a government internship program and already have experience in
hospitality services.

The ministry says they will be able to begin work quickly and are already
familiar with Taiwan's workplace environment.

More than 50 hospitality businesses have applied under the program so far,
seeking to fill more than 500 positions.

The government has established recruitment channels with Indonesia and
Thailand, and is also working with Vietnam and the Philippines to expand the
program.

(CNA_IG)

The KMT has opted to support the DPP's proposals for drone funding over its
own proposal.

The KMT legislative caucus said today that it would "fully support" not only
the Executive Yuan's 19.2 billion NT special budget for drone funding...

but also a 44.2 billion NT 6 year proposal in the Ministry of Economic
Affairs' 2026 budget to fund development of the domestic drone industry.

Those two items were thus excluded from a 1.5% overall cut in the budget.

The KMT says, the caucus made the call after Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu
convened a meeting where it was confirmed that there were no duplicate budget
items.

The KMT says they support building up Taiwan's drone industry and making it a
center of drone manufacturing.

(AH)

The Tourism Administration says Taiwanese tour groups remain safe and
unaffected following record-breaking torrential rains in Chiba, Japan.

The extreme rainfall disrupted ground transit to Narita Airport, stranding
about 7,000 travelers inside the terminal, as Chiba City received triple its
average monthly August rainfall in just 12 hours.

The administration says no local travel agencies have reported impacted tour
groups.

Travel authorities added that they are working closely with Taiwan’s
representative office in Japan, and will continue monitoring transportation
conditions around Narita.

(NS)

Taiwan's Lin Yun-ju (林昀儒) and Cheng I-ching (鄭怡靜) have reached the semifinals
of the WTT Europe Smash in Sweden after upsetting the world's top-ranked
mixed doubles pair.

The Taiwanese table tennis duo, ranked 11th, beat South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon
and Shin Yu-bin four games to one in the quarterfinals in Malmö.

It was their first win over the Korean pair after two previous defeats.

The victory is also the Taiwanese pair's best mixed doubles result at a WTT
Grand Smash event.

Lin and Cheng are scheduled to face world No. 5 and third-seeded Chinese pair
Lin Shidong (林詩棟) and Kuai Man (蒯曼) at 6pm for a place in the final.

(CNA_IG)

The Constitutional Court is set to issue a ruling in one hour on extending
the statute of limitations for sexual abuse of minors.

The Ministry of Justice says, the court will announce its ruling at 3pm
tpday.

(AH)

The DPP is hitting out at opposition lawmakers over their proposals to put 4
referendum measures on the ballot this November.

DPP caucus secretary general Zhuang Rui Xiong says, all of those proposals
are things that the TPP and KMT have opted to hand over to the people...

reflecting their laziness in actually passing new legislation into law.

The 4 proposals handled today deal with caning as capital punishment;
assisted suicide; abolishing the "nuclear-free homeland" policy; and
dedicated use of traffic fines.

Zhuang notes that the DPP is inclined to cooperate with the opposition on
passing the dedicated use of traffic fines...

but said that the TPP and KMT instead opted to proceed directly to a
referendum vote on the matter.

Meanwhile, DPP caucus leader Fan Yun also lambasted the opposition for
passing changes that dictate that referendums be held at the same time as
elections...

saying the change is inconsistent with international democratic norms.

The 2026 central government budget is expected to be handled after those 4
referendum proposals.

(AH)

McDonald's Taiwan says customers who bought its recently recalled shrimp
burgers can now apply for a full refund through September 30th.

The "Sea Flavor Shrimp Cutlet Burger" and "Sea Flavor Double-Layered Shrimp
Cutlet Burger" were pulled from the menu just one day after their launch this
week ...

... after residue from banned antibiotics was detected in the shrimp cutlets.

Customers who bought the burgers on August 12th or 13th can receive a cash
refund at the restaurant where they made the purchase.

Customers should bring their receipt or proof of purchase.

Those who ordered through delivery platforms should first request a refund
through the platform, or contact the original restaurant if the platform's
refund period has expired.

(IG)

Taiwan shares are down today,

with the benchmark tai ex closing at 45811 after losing 210 points.

the turnover was 1.064 trillion NT

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An is calling on the Mainland Affairs Council to
apologize after it said that it will not punish the Taitung magistrate for
her prerecorded appearance at China's Straits Forum.

The council previously said that Rao Qing ling had violated the Cross-Strait
Act and would face a fine of half a million NT.

But they changed their tune yesterday, saying that she did not violate the
act, as the video mainly contained niceties and did not touch on political
affairs.

Chiang says today that the MAC owes Rao and agricultural groups that
participated an apology...

and that it's not enough just to not punish her.

(AH)

Taitung officials say, several fires broke out last night at the city's
Forest Park before being extinguished this morning.

Firefighters say, they aren't ruling out the possibility that the fires were
caused by fireworks.

The Taitung environmental protection department says, fireworks should only
be set off in the area after careful consideration.

Events were held at the park last night, including a fireworks show.

After the event, multiple fires broke out near the beach in the adjacent
Taitung Forest Park.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fires around 1am today.

(AH)

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The Ministry of Digital Affairs has confirmed that overseas hackers used
artificial intelligence agents to target government agencies in a July
cyberattack.

The statement comes after the Financial Times published a report about the
incident.

According to the ministry, the Administration for Cyber Security's monitoring
unit detected the attacks in July and the National Institute for Cyber
Security began issuing alerts on July 20.

The digital ministry says as investigation was launched immediately, and the
source, methods and scope of the attacks have been determined, while affected
agencies have completed their responses.

However, the ministry has not disclosed where the attacks originated.

The Financial Times said researchers at Israeli A-I company Dream were the
first to detect the intrusion and the attackers allegedly used open-source
A-I agents to build an autonomous hacking tool.

The report also cited a source as saying the tool compromised at least 85
government user accounts and extracted more than 2,500 personnel records
before the attackers expanded their operations to Taiwan's nuclear safety
agency and at least seven energy companies.

Dream did not attribute the attack to a specific group, but researchers noted
that internal communications linked to the operation were in simplified
Chinese, suggesting the operators were likely connected to China.

The Yunlin District Prosecutors' Office has indicted 14 people for allegedly
operating a cross-border heroin trafficking network.

They include a 70-year old former Winter Olympian, who prosecutors say
directed the group's operations by cellphone while bedridden with a serious
illness.

All 14 suspects have been charged with violating the Organized Crime
Prevention Act and the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.

Prosecutors are seeking sentences ranging from at least five years to life
imprisonment.

According to the prosecutors' office, the former Olympian, who represented
Taiwan at the 1984 Winter Games, began operating the heroin trafficking and
sales network in 2025.

He has been bedridden after undergoing a tracheostomy and prosecutors say
they believe he turned to drug trafficking to cover his medical expenses.

Investigators say the 70-year old man arranged for heroin to be transported
into Taiwan four times, totaling more than 2.3 kilograms.

And finally,

Star guard, Benson Lin has announced that he's signed a multiyear contract
with the Taiwan Professional Basketball League's Taipei Taishin Mars.

Although details of the contract have not been released, reports say Lin
could earn 60-million N-T annually.

Lin has spent the past six seasons with the Tianjin Pioneers in the Chinese
Basketball Association.

According to Lin, he's very excited and happy to be returning to Taiwan,
hopes to contribute to the T-P-B-L and his only goal with the Mars is to win
a championship title.

The 26 year old has long been regarded as one of the top guards on Taiwan's
national team.

Lin is join a Mars team that went 11 and 25 in the 2025-2026 T-P-B-L regular
season, finishing sixth in the seven-team league.

The franchise has yet to win a title since it was established in 2023.

Its best result came in its inaugural 2023-2024 season in the now defunct T-1
League, when it reached the finals but finished runner-up.

drills

The last day of nationwide civil defense exercises saw medical capacity
reduction drills at the Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital in New
Taipei.

Officials say the drill simulated sustaining medical care when critical
infrastructure is damaged, and supplies of water, electricity or oxygen are
disrupted.

Staff also also set up an underground ward area to simulate wartime
operations, as underground spaces are considered safer than the ground
surface during war.

The hospital's third basement level was turned into a restricted area,
wartime storage facilities, a blood donation station and core medical areas,
such as general wards, an emergency dialysis area and an intensive care unit.

President Lai Ching-te inspected the drill, while American Institute in
Taiwan Director Raymond Greene and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih were also in
attendance.

Medical personnel say the drill showed that shortages of painkillers and
sedatives could become a major challenge during wartime, but doctors could
use ultrasound-guided pain management techniques to maintain adequate pain
control in the underground facility.

The drills was part of the nationwide Urban Resilience Exercises, that were
held in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Yilan yesterday.

Mobile internet services slowed in those areas as part of the drills for the
first time.

The drill marked the second and final day of Taiwan's first exercise
simulating a major slowdown in mobile internet speeds, following a similar
operation in central Taiwan on Monday.

Meanwhile,

The military conducted an exercise in Yilan to simulate the blocking of
Hsuehshan Tunnel and prevent Chinese forces from using it to advance on
Taipei.

Defense officials say the exercise brought together officials from central
and local government agencies to set up three barriers under a simulated
scenario in which enemy forces attempted to advance through the tunnel.

The exercise was not physically held inside the tunnel due to heavy traffic
during the summer vacation period, but instead in an open area near the
bureau's Toucheng branch office.

The office says it worked with the military to block an enemy attack, repair
potholes before the bureau hand control of the highway over to the military,
Lin said.

The drill was designed to test how well the highway system could respond in
an emergency.

The Cabinet has passed draft amendments to the Money Laundering Control Act,
aimed at strengthening oversight of cryptocurrency-related activities and
stablecoins and preventing them from being used for money laundering.

If passed, providing virtual asset services or third-party payment services
without registration, as well as issuing stablecoins without authorization,
would be designated as "specified unlawful activities" for the purposes of
money laundering offenses.

The draft incorporates international standards by establishing a legal
definition of a beneficial owner as a person who ultimately owns or controls
a client or a transaction, or a natural person who exercises ultimate
effective control over a legal entity or legal arrangement.

And it also authorizes the central competent authorities overseeing relevant
industries to establish inspection and identification measures for beneficial
owners in consultation with other government agencies.

The draft amendments will now to sent to the Legislature for review.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Ugandan immigration officers have
withheld the passports of three Taiwan travelers and demanded that they
produce Chinese passports, citing the country's "One China principle."

The three encountered the officers on arriving at Entebbe International
Airport on Wednesday.

They were eventually allowed to enter Uganda.

However, the foreign ministry says immigration officers refused to return
their Taiwan passports unless they produced passports issued by China in
which entry stamps could be placed.

Taiwan's representative office in Somaliland, which is responsible for
affairs involving Uganda, and the Taiwanese business association in the
country immediately provided assistance to the travelers.

The incident follows two earlier cases in which Taiwan nationals had their
passports withheld at Entebbe International Airport.

One of them was subsequently denied entry and repatriated.

The foreign ministry is advising Taiwan nationals to carefully assess the
necessity and potential risks of traveling to Uganda and to postpone planned
visits for the time being.

The Mainland Affairs Council says Taitung County Magistrate Yao Ching-ling
will not penalized over her prerecorded appearance at China's Straits Forum.

The council said she did not violate the Cross-Strait Act.

The statement comes a week after council minister Chiu Chui-cheng told
reporters that the National Immigration Agency said the magistrate had
violated the Act and would be fined 500,000 N-T.

However, council spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh says Yao's participation via a
prerecorded video was "not entirely consistent" with the government's policy
banning central and local government officials from taking part in the forum
or related activities "in any form."

Liang also says a review of Yao's remarks in the video found they were
limited to "courtesy greetings and the promotion of Taitung agricultural
products" and did not touch on political issues.

The New Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a former senior
engineer at Nanya Technology for secretly filming confidential company
information in an alleged effort to secure a high-paying job in China.

Prosecutors says the man has been charged with violating the Trade Secrets
Act and breach of trust.

The man is said to have contacted Chinese headhunters on WeChat between 2025
and 2026 to inquire about high-paying positions without his employer's
knowledge.

After he resigned February, he allegedly entered restricted areas of Nanya's
offices three times between March and April and downloaded documents related
to core manufacturing processes and filmed the documents with a camera.

The case came to light after Nanya's information security specialists
detected anomalies by comparing the locations of wireless equipment with
employee access-control records and activity logs from company-issued
computers.

And,

McDonald's Taiwan suspended the sale of its newly launched "Sea Flavor Shrimp
Cutlet Burger" and "Sea Flavor Double-Layered Shrimp Cutlet Burger" after
residue from banned antibiotics was detected in the shrimp cutlets.

The products were pulled from the menu only one day after they were launched.

McDonald's says it received a report from the importer that self-testing had
detected 0.7 parts per billion of nitrofurans and their metabolites, in
samples of the cutlets, despite suppliers having provided certified documents
for the seafood ingredients.

McDonald's says it has stopped using the cutlets and suspended sales of the
two burgers.

It will also refund customers who purchased the products on Wednesday or
Thursday morning.

The company has apologized and says it will conduct additional testing and
clarify the results with its suppliers and testing laboratories.

Nitrofurans are a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics that are banned in many
countries including Taiwan because of their potential carcinogenic effects.