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Chiang checks food salt levels amid school diarrhea scandal

Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an visited Jinhua Junior High yesterday and wanted to know how salty the school lunch was. The visit comes after students at the school experienced nausea and diarrhea after consuming squid for lunch earlier this month. Tainan Mayor, Huang Wei-che criticized his Taipei counterpart, saying that Chiang was focusing on the wrong thing. A Taipei City councilor has also come out to reveal that students at Minzu Elementary School had similar digestive issues after consuming squid earlier this month. Investigations revealed that the two schools had the same food supplier. Let’s hear more.

On Tuesday, Taipei’s Mayor Chiang Wan-an went on a special visit to Jinhua Junior High School. He inspected the school’s lunches, but focused on saltiness levels in the food using a machine. This has caused a lot of backlash.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
They go a step further and check the saltiness of the food because, it is widely known that too much salt will impact children’s health.

Puma Shen
Taipei Mayoral Candidate (DPP)
Diarrhea is more likely to require hygiene tests, checking for saltiness is another matter. I can’t really guess what the reasoning is for that. Maybe asking him would be more helpful.

Chiang insisted he was following standard procedures, which Puma Shen couldn’t help making fun of. Tainan’s Mayor joined in on the ridicule, posting photos of his own inspections.

Huang Wei-che
Tainan Mayor
The point is not about the salty or sweet or even sour. The lunches being free is not the main point here, the most important thing is that the kids eat well and eat healthily.

Chen Shu-pei
Taipei City Councilor
Does Chiang Wan-an think that Taipei citizens have three blueberries for brains?

However, we are now seeing reports of problems arising with elementary school lunches in Taipei.

When reporters pressed him, Chiang quickly left. However, Taipei City Councilor, Hung Chien-yi revealed another school was also affected. Minzu Elementary School saw 10 students having diarrhea and gastrointestinal issues after consuming squid for lunch on the 24. Reports revealed both schools had the same supplier.

Tang Chih-min
Taipei City Education Bureau Director
As of now, only Minzu Elementary School reported cases of students in the same class experiencing this, including students consuming vegetarian meals.

Hung Chien-yi
Taipei City Councilor
Chiang Wan-an, please stop slacking off in Daan District. It is time to go back to the basics. Why are there issues with school lunches? Time to review standard procedures and evaluate the suppliers.

Despite the Education Bureau’s continued intervention, issues with school lunch programs has drawn more and more attention from legislators, who continue to pressure Chiang to review standard operating procedures. So that the school lunch program will remain successful.

#schoollunches #chiangwanan #taipeipublicschool #elementaryschool #freelunch

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Time：2026-09-30

最新消息 Latest News

3 boats catch fire at at Cijin Fishing Port

A massive blaze engulfed three boats docked at Cijin Tourist Fishing Harbor in Kaohsiung on Wednesday afternoon. The flames sent a plume of black smoke into the sky, which was visible from kilometers away.

Witnesses say that the blaze was due to a person cooking on a boat that was due for the scrapyard. Once the fire caught on, it quickly spread to the boat it was tied to. The rope tying them together broke, sending the boat adrift until it crashed against another boat, which also caught fire. Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the flames within two hours. The incident left two boats burnt down and one severely damaged, but fortunately nobody was hurt. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire.


#fire #boat #fishing #kaohsiung #cijin

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2026-09-30

30 technologies on display at 2026 ITRI ICT TechDay

From drones that can navigate warehouses by themselves, to AI that can turn a solo musician into a one-person band, Taiwan is showcasing some of its latest tech innovations. At the 2026 ITRI ICT Tech Day, 30 technologies are on display, spanning AI, advanced communications, satellite networks and autonomous systems. The event highlights how these cutting-edge technologies are moving beyond the lab and into industries, and even our everyday lives.

A drone takes off and makes its way carefully across the warehouse, without anyone manning it. ITRI showcased its Intelligent Indoor Precision Drone Inspection System, which can inspect indoor spaces autonomously without a prebuilt map. This reduces manual inventory checks from several days to a few hours.

Michael Li
ITRI ICL
The camera technology keeps track of the drone’s positioning indoors.

Who said AI is just a tool for work? It can also be used for music, thanks to a new smart system to learn to play musical instruments. The technology can generate responsive AI accompaniment from live performances, detecting and adapting to tempo changes in real time. Now you can really be a one-person band.

Kuo Chao-chung
MOEA Department of Industrial Technology
The world is keeping an eye on Taiwan. Do you know why? They are hoping that we develop innovations faster, better and cheaper, so that they can improve everyone’s wellbeing in their countries.

Ting Pang-an
ITRI ICL
Communications are kind of like the connections between nervous systems, while AI has a cerebellum and a brain of its own. In the future, we will be seeing densely connected and highly intelligent autonomous systems integrated in different industries and assisting us with every aspect of our daily lives.

Guided by MOEA’s Department of Industrial Technology, ITRI has collaborated with four major research organizations and six agencies to host the 2026 ITRI ICT TechDay. A total of 30 technologies are on display covering key areas such as B5G base-station chips, 6G network management, multi-orbit satellite communications and AI applications. Leading experts and companies from Taiwan and abroad gathered at the event to witness Taiwan’s AI capabilities.

Stewart Wu
Metanoia Communications CEO
Some of our systems and software have been developed in very close cooperation with ITRI.

Allen Lai
Chiao Fu Material Technology
ITRI’s Material and Chemical Research Laboratories, the Plastics Industry Development Center and the Information and Communications Research Laboratories have assisted us to take huge steps forward to develop rare-earth and material alternatives for UAVs and robots.

From smart inspection systems and immersive entertainment to advanced communications, MOEA’s Department of Industrial Technology and ITRI are putting Taiwan’s technological innovation and R&D strength on full display.
#itri #tech #smart #robots #uav

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2026-09-30

Traveler boasting about smuggling meat from China causes outrage

If you break Taiwan’s stringent laws against smuggling, you would probably know better than boast about it online. But a woman in Pingtung who recently returned from China with loads of forbidden meat products, did just that. In a video posted on social media, the traveler showed off her illegal haul from across the strait, which included pork jerky and duck tongues. Netizens, concerned about African swine fever spreading to Taiwan, were outraged Authorities are now on the case. Let’s hear more.

- Oh my god!
How did you get away with it?
It’s pork! Pork!
Duck tongues! You’re not bad off huh.
This is super illegal, you know.
- He said the shopkeeper said it was OK.
- The shopkeeper said I could buy them.
- They lied.
How could it be OK, it’s pork!

Member of public
Knows customs rules
If you can’t bring that in, you don’t. Period. We’ve all long known about this.

Member of public
Doesn’t find smuggling funny
Don’t joke about that! It’s breaking the law.

Chen Yu-ju
Pingtung Department of Agriculture
The account was deactivated. We’ve asked police to trace the IP address. If the claims are found to be true, a fine of at least NT$200,000 could be imposed.

Amid the online storm, the woman claimed that the video was just a prank among friends. She also threatened to sue all the people who left insulting comments on her social media post. Authorities are investigating the matter, reiterating that it’s against the law to bring meat products into Taiwan. People who get caught face hefty fines of up to NT$200,000 to NT$1 million.

#pork #jerky #duck #prank #china

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2026-09-30

NCKU installs sediment monitor to prevent further flooding disasters

It’s been a year since a barrier lake along the Matai’an River overflowed, causing devastating flooding in Guangfu township, Hualien. Now, even a year on, over 200 million cubic meters of silt remain accumulated upstream. To ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, a team from National Cheng Kung University installed an automated high sediment concentration monitor on the river’s temporary bridge last week. The system can keep track of sediment content in the river water 24 hours a day and transmit the data in real time, assisting personnel in instantly assessing flood risks.

A disaster prevention team from National Cheng Kung University just finished setting up this sediment concentration monitor on the temporary bridge over Hualien’s Matai’an River. Over 200 million cubic meters of earth and sand are still piled up upstream, posing a threat to downstream residents.

Doong Dong-jiing
NCKU hydraulic engineering department chair
The biggest challenge on-site is the impact from massive amounts of earth and sand. Normal upstream rainfall, changes in river water levels, and fluctuations in sediment concentration shouldn’t damage the equipment, as we’ve already implemented some protections.

The system can keep running 24 hours a day, constantly monitoring the sediment content in the water and transmitting data back in real time to assess flood risks.

Shih Mon-hsien
NCKU Coastal Ocean Monitoring Center project specialist
When floods or heavy rains strike, we can control it remotely to make high-frequency observations. By switching to the event mode, we can take a reading every six minutes.

In addition to continuous, intensive monitoring, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is also planting more vegetation along hillsides to prevent rockfalls and landslides.

Huang Chun-tse
FANCA Hualien branch director
In early September, we completed seeding five types of vegetation over about 20 hectares. Altogether this year, we’ve planted about 40 hectares of vegetation.

Experts from across disciplines are working together to prevent another disaster caused by Hualien’s extreme landscape.

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#MataianRiver #barrierlake #floodcontrol #Hualien #sediment #NCKU #FANCA

2026-09-30

Mother terrified after discovering a woman hiding in her car for hours

Imagine looking in the rearview mirror of your car and finding a stranger staring back at you. This was not a scene from a horror film, but the terrifying reality of a young mother in New Taipei’s Linkou District. The mother was on her way to pick up her daughter from daycare. On the way, she went to buy breakfast and forgot to lock the doors. She never saw a woman getting into her car, crouching behind her seat and remained there until it arrived at the daycare center. That’s when the mother realized that she wasn’t alone.

Once the driver entered the underground parking lot, she stopped the car in front of the exit. The mother then went to collect her daughter from the daycare center on the second floor. After a while, a strange middle-aged woman got out of the car’s backseat, she had hidden there all along.

After a few minutes, the mother carried her child downstairs, and the woman wanted to get in the car with them too. Only then did the mother realize a strange woman was there and screamed in terror.

Voice of Mother
Unaware of Hidden Stranger
This is quite scary. If she had some sort of motive, she could have put a rope around my neck, I could have died.

At first, it was believed that this stranger accidentally got into the car, but a careful review of surveillance footage revealed that the woman had been hiding in the car for some time.

Voice of Mother
Unaware of Hidden Stranger
I kept thinking, if I hadn’t carried my daughter with me, would she have kidnapped her? I was terrified.

It was close to noon, when the mother received a call from the daycare center stating that her daughter was unwell and needed to be taken home. On the way to collect her child, the mother stopped for food and didn’t think to lock her car doors. This became the perfect window for a strange woman to sneak into the backseat and follow her to the center.

Li Hao-zhang
Linkou Cultural Affairs Office Director
When the victim tried to get back in the car, the unidentified woman attempted to open the door and get in again. When the victim noticed, she screamed and fled.

Previous reports suggest the strange woman in question is known locally for being problematic. Although her motives are unclear, she did not prove to be an immediate danger to the mother and her child, which would have been unfortunate and led to serious reprimand.

#carnapping #newtaipei #mother #daycare #childcrimes

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2026-09-30

Asian Games high jump gold medalist welcomed back to Taiwan

Taiwan’s high jumper Fu Chao-hsuan got a hero’s welcome after returning to Taiwan with a gold medal from the Asian Games in Nagoya. In addition to his classmates who waited for him at the airport, his mother was also there. It was an emotional reunion after she returned to Taiwan one day earlier after seeing her son achieve victory in Japan. Let’s hear more.

Fu Chao-hsuan
Asian Games Gold Medalist
The rain was only getting heavier and heavier during the warm up, we did one hour before the event. I trained to get used to the conditions, so that I would have a better feel for it during the actual competition. I’m thrilled to have been able to score a gold medal for Taiwan.

Fu Chao-hsuan’s mother
Proud of her son
I’m elated, and so touched that his classmates and his juniors came to welcome him back. I did go to Japan to cheer for him, and I came back yesterday. He deserves the medal so much. Everything came together just right. It was his time. He had a rough patch, and suffered injuries, but he kept it from us. He persisted all on his own.

Fu won the event with a jump of 2.25m, earning Taiwan its first men’s track-and-field Asian Games gold medal in 60 years. His mother saw the historic moment in person in Japan, and was beaming with pride as she spoke about her son’s achievement. Despite his injuries and a difficult slump, Fu managed to secure the top tier of the podium, putting Taiwan’s high jumping talent in the spotlight.

#highjump #athletics #trackandfield #asiangames #taiwan

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2026-09-30

Kumamoto apartments lay empty as TSMC staff opt for entire homes

After TSMC announced the establishment of its Kumamoto campus, developers flooded the market with three-bedroom apartments hoping to rent them to employees. But things didn’t go quite as planned. Seeing that property prices were cheaper than in Taiwan, with an entire detached home costing only NT$10 million, many wealthy Taiwanese bought up the apartments but left them vacant. Japanese media are now calling the area a "ghost town."

After TSMC confirmed it was to open in Kumamoto in 2021, developers scrambled to start building homes to accommodate the influx, expecting the “TSMC effect” to bring crowds, capital, and high property prices. But many of the three-bedroom apartments built at the time are now lying vacant. Property managers admit that real estate near the factory is in oversupply.

Lee Chi-yueh
Kumamoto property manager
A massive wave of property handovers began in 2024 or 2025, when the pace of construction on the second fab slowed down a bit. Right now, there’s a need to absorb inventory. But there aren’t many renters and rental prices are falling, although valuations haven’t dropped significantly along with them.

Apartment rentals have fallen short of expectations, because Taiwanese buyers are opting instead for detached homes. For only NT$10 million, they’ve found they can get a place that also has three bedrooms as well as a garden and parking. Compared with Taiwan, it’s a bargain, attracting many wealthy TSMC employees and investors to buy outright.

Lee Chi-yueh
Kumamoto property manager
Finding tenants hasn’t been as easy as initially imagined. Properties have been sitting vacant for six months or even a full year. Those able to buy real estate overseas usually already own some property in Taiwan and aren’t in a rush to rent it out. They figure they can just pop over to visit whenever they have the time, so leaving it empty is fine. It’ll take around three years to digest the inventory and recover.

Insiders said that although there’s an oversupply now, once TSMC’s second fab starts operations in 2029, housing demand will increase again. Coupled with potential plans to build a third fab, the outlook remains positive when looking five to 10 years into the future.

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#TSMC #Kumamoto #JASM #realestate #property #propertymarket #housing #investment

2026-09-30

95-year-old Hualien photographer continues to run studio

A photo of an elderly photographer taking a picture of an even older customer in her studio recently began to circulate online. The 95-year-old photographer has been running the business for over 60 years, and her studio has become the collective memory of Hualien’s residents. With decades of practice, her photography skills continue to earn customers’ praise.

A subject sits in front of a white wall as a photographer carefully takes their picture. The owner of this photography studio in Hualien is nearly 100 years old, as was her client that day. Her great-granddaughter captured this moment between the two seniors and posted it online.

The 95-year-old photographer sets up the old-fashioned camera, her muscle memory taking over despite years of using modern cameras. She’s been running this photo studio for nearly 70 years, and her son helps manage it. Since the studio has no darkroom, she has had to travel to downtown Hualien to develop the photos. Many customers continue to request that she be the one to take their pictures.

Her great-granddaughter’s post quickly got over 200,000 views, with many people recognizing her studio’s backdrop and praising her expertise and continued ability at 95 years old.

Ms. Lin
Neighbor
She took all my mother’s photos. They’re good. She’s quite skilled.

She first learned photography from a teacher in Hualien together with her husband. Over the decades, she has gone from charging NT$2 for a set of photos to NT$500, with her dedication and skills capturing countless people through the years.

#photography #Hualien #senior #elderly #photostudio #business #photo

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2026-09-30

Taimali office redirects visitors from scenic road after bottlenecks cause traffic hazar

Huayuan Bay in Taitung’s Taimali has become a popular tourist destination thanks to a road in the rural township that looks straight out over the Pacific. But since the road is narrow and steep, vehicles are often unable to pass each other. The township office has mapped out an alternate route and put up signs warning non-residents to avoid driving directly up the mountain to help ensure the safety of visitors as well as locals.

Under perfect blue skies, the pavement seems to stretch out endlessly into the Pacific Ocean. This picturesque lane near Huayuan Bay in Taitung’s Taimali Township has become a viral sensation.

Resident
Lives near picturesque site
Everyone comes to the guardrail by the turn to see the ocean or passing trains.

This new viral destination was discovered by a Taipower employee who was repairing storm-damaged power lines up a nearby mountain. While on a break, he discovered the spot was not only perfect for viewing the ocean, but also for seeing the nearby highway and passing trains with the right timing. Later on, he brought his wife to enjoy the view, who posted about it online.

Resident
Recounting an accident
A motorbike slipped here. The driver was covered in injuries.

While beautiful, the spot also holds hidden dangers. Since the roadway is narrow with a steep grade, tourists often get into accidents. And during holidays, heavy traffic causes congestion when trying to pass oncoming vehicles or find parking, causing headaches for the locals.

Chang Chih-wen
Taimali head of tourism and agriculture
This road is primarily used by residents for agricultural activities. So when passing oncoming traffic, there’s a legitimate safety concern.

Chen Ying, who’s running for Taitung County commissioner, took to social media to steer non-residents away from using the road. The Taimali Township Office has also posted notices recommending that visitors take the gentler Xiushan section of County Road 60 instead to ensure the safety of locals and tourists alike.

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#tourism #Taitung #Taimali #viral #scenicspot #trafficsafety #hiddengem

2026-09-30

KMT and TPP vote to reject all nominees to lead Control Yuan

The new legislative session kicked off on Tuesday, and already it’s off to a turbulent start. The legislature was set to vote on the nominees put forward by the Presidential Office to lead the Control Yuan. But once again the KMT and TPP joined forces to reject every single one of them. The Presidential Office, expressed regret, with Secretary-General Pan Men-an saying he had tried to arrange meetings with the opposition to no avail. Let’s hear more.

Lai Shyh-bao
Lawmaker (KMT)
The Control Yuan is just for show now anyway. I voted against all the nominees.

Hung Yu-hsiang
TPP Caucus
Despite the higher budget, the efficiency and speed at which complaints are handled is still terrible. We unanimously voted against all nominees.

Chen Pei-yu
DPP Caucus
Many of the cases handled by the Control Yuan affect people’s lives directly, for example through the National Human Rights Commission. There are also complaints, corrective actions and impeachments at local governments and government agencies. Completely shutting out the Control Yuan nominees is essentially denying people their right to seek redress.

Pan Men-an
Presidential Office
Long before the long weekend, on Sept. 14, we proposed that the party caucuses meet the nominees on Sept. 23 and 24. But we didn’t receive a positive response. We then called each of the party caucuses individually on Sept. 22, but the responses were more… maybe everyone was busy.

The DPP has slammed the opposition, saying that by shutting down the Control Yuan, there would be no agency left to handle complaints from the public. The lack of leadership has also brought impeachment and corrective procedures to a halt. The Presidential Office says it hopes the Control Yuan will be able to resume normal operations as soon as possible.

#controlyuan #politics #taiwan #impeachment #democracy

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2026-09-29

Chiang Wan-an angers temple after leaving behind their gift

Over the long weekend, Mayor Chiang Wan-an attended a banquet at Fude Temple in Zhongshan District. There, he received a festive and impressive sugarcane as a gift from the temple’s chairman. But much to the horror of temple representatives, he forgot to take it home. DPP Mayoral candidate, Puma Shen, on the contrary, placed the sugarcane at his campaign headquarters, hoping for continued prosperity.

- Thank you Mayor, we will certainly take this home.

Chiang Wan-an visited the Public Works Committee of the City Council, and faced ridicule from the councilors because of an incident the previous Saturday evening. Chiang had attended a dinner at Fude Temple in Zhongshan District where he received a sugarcane from Temple Chairman Lin Chun-yu. But amid the ruckus, he forgot the gift at the temple.

Lin Chun-yu (Sept. 28)
Fude Temple Chairman
When I saw him, I was quite angry about whether the sugar cane was left or thrown here.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei City Mayor
I am extremely sorry, when I realized yesterday, I immediately called Chairman Lin and apologized.

Despite profuse apologies, the first person to notice and take responsibility was a neighborhood chief who said it may have been the volunteers who had forgotten the sugarcane. But, there are many parties to point fingers at. The Civil Affairs Commissioner, Chen Yung-te, the RDEC chairperson, Yin-wei, spokespeople, bodyguards, all trailed behind Chiang Wan-an completely forgetting the sugarcane.

Hung Chien-yi
Taipei City Councilor (DPP)
The neighborhood chief speaking out is what we call “saving face,” and giving Chiang Wan-an a way out. Personally, I think that everyone involved in this matter, including the Civil Affairs Commissioner, Yin-wei, his secretary, all of them, should receive three major demerits.

Puma Shen also received a festive sugarcane, but he actually took it back to his office to put on display.

Puma Shen
Taipei Mayoral Candidate (DPP)
We’ve placed the sugarcane at the campaign headquarters. We’re studying how to display it properly to boost its symbolism of prosperity. If we really cannot decide, then we will probably also go to consult the gods.

At first, the sugarcane was displayed like a sword, and then adjusted to stand upright as a symbol for continued progress. This sugarcane incident is becoming a topic of comparison between the candidates and an evaluation of their crisis management strategy.

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#pumashen #taipeimayor #taiwanpolitics #taiwanelections #dpp #bamboo #沈伯洋

2026-09-29

TSMC rumored to be considering second US site with 6 fabs in Texas

Could TSMC be preparing to expand to Texas? As it builds new facilities in Taiwan, Japan, Germany and the US, market rumors have emerged about an extra project in the US. The rumors claim that TSMC is considering a second manufacturing site with up to six fabs in Texas. Analysts say the plan seems unlikely, as a Texas expansion may be looking too far ahead. TSMC has yet to comment on the report.

TSMC’s production facility in the US state of Arizona continues to grow as steel beams can now be spotted at the site of Fab 3. Market rumors say TSMC has even bigger ambitions, to build a six-fab hub in Texas.

Nobunaga Chai
Cloud Express
Even though TSMC is making a lot of money, it’s not enough to support projects in both Arizona and Texas. The US facilities are still a very long way from completion. And in Taiwan, there’s the 1.4nm fab in Taichung and the 2nm fab in Kaohsiung.

An analyst says the great expansion is unlikely, as TSMC is spending a lot of money to ramp up production in Taiwan and to build facilities in Arizona, where costs are higher.

C.C. Wei (July 17)
TSMC CEO
We would like to announce an additional US$100 billion investment in Arizona.

TSMC initially committed US$65 billion to Arizona. Then, in 2025, the project expanded with plans to add three more fabs, two advanced packaging facilities and an R&D center. The project grew again with an investment of US$100 billion to build four more fabs and advanced packaging facilities. This totals to an investment of US$265 billion.

Nobunaga Chai
Cloud Express
The capacity should be enough to meet demand already. If you then add a site in Texas, that would go overboard. I don’t think there’s a high chance of any of that happening between 2030 and 2035. With Samsung’s Taylor facility and Intel’s capacity expansion, there isn’t really a need for more.

As of press time, TSMC had not responded to the reports. An analyst says that among the many factors to consider for an expansion at this scale would be that TSMC needs need firm commitments from clients before taking action.

#tsmc #tech #chips #semiconductor #tech

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2026-09-29

Comedy club feces attack linked back to Chinese Communist Party

Apparently, some people can’t take a joke. Back in May, a comedy club in Taipei, was vandalized with white paint and human feces by a 35-year-old man surnamed Kuo. The incident happened during a stand-up routine about Chinese leader Xi Jinping performed by comedian Huang Yi-hao. The perpetrator initially claimed he did it because he couldn’t get tickets to the show, but police later found that he got paid NT$50,000 for the spectacle.

Mr. Kuo eventually admitted that he had received instructions from a 33-year-old man surnamed Liu, who was himself acting on orders linked back to the Chinese Communist Party. The Mainland Affairs Council has confirmed that the incident could be traced back to Beijing. Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh梁文傑 stated that the two suspects could only be charged with property damage, and nothing more severe. He also called for more support for further amendments to Taiwan’s National Security and Anti-Infiltration Act.

#comedy #standupcomedy #lol #xijinping #comedyclub

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2026-09-29

Taiwan gears up for exotic fireworks display and to celebrate National Day

With the mid-Autumn Festival long weekend just ending, Taiwan is now gearing up for the Double Ten National Day long weekend that begins on Friday Oct. 9. This year, the National Day Gala will be held on Friday Oct. 9 and for the first time will be held in New Taipei City. Meanwhile the holiday’s annual firework’s display will be held in Taitung County for the first time in nine years. Let’s find out more.

Dazzling fireworks explode in the night sky, including spherical and plum flower-shaped fireworks as well as fireworks in the shape of “double ten” characters, adding vibrant color to Taitung’s night sky.

With National Day approaching, the official gala will be held for the first time in New Taipei City on October 9th at Banqiao First Stadium. A total of eight performances are planned to showcase the rich cultural landscape of Taiwan.

Hou Yu-ih
New Taipei City Mayor
To my knowledge, it seems that from the Taipei County era to the New Taipei City era, there has never been a National Day Gala here. This is our first time, and this is my last year in office. I can actually use my position as mayor to organize this National Day celebration for our country. Happy birthday, ROC!

The National Day fireworks display will be held in Taitung County, making use of Taitung’s mountain and sea landscapes and reflecting the characteristics of Austronesian culture. It will last for about 30 minutes with more than 19,000 fireworks.

Yao Ching-ling
Taitung County Commissioner
The last time we hosted a National Day fireworks display was in 2017. After nine years, we are extremely happy to have the opportunity to host the National Day fireworks again. We will have snacks on site, and there are many other ways to watch the fireworks. You can also watch the fireworks from the sea. The venue can accommodate 300,000 people, and rest assured, the entire city of Taitung is your viewing spot.

A National Day-themed gift box has also been launched. Connecting Taitung and New Taipei City, the box features a selection of representative local products from both places as a symbolic blessing from the cities. Beyond visual and auditory experiences, it allows people to get to know local specialties through taste.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#Taiwanholidays #Taiwannationalday #Newtaipeicity #Taitung #Taiwanfireworks #Taitungtourism

2026-09-29

Father arrested after taking daughter out on humiliation parade in Sanchong

A girl in Sanchong was being publicly humiliated by her father until a brave bystander stepped in on Sunday afternoon in New Taipei’s Sanchong District. The disturbing incident involved the girl wearing a string of signs around her neck containing insulting language that presented her as a “thief” and a “beast.” Police were called to the scene and arrested the father, who is suspected of violating a protective order.

Voice of witness (anonymized)
Saw the humiliation
The girl had a sign hanging from her body that said “This person is a thief” and something about her being a beast. She wasn’t even crying. She just looked at the ground and walked without saying anything. She seemed really scared.

Hsu Chih-chi
New Taipei Domestic Violence Prevention Center
In June 2025, we received a report about excessive discipline. The city government issued a protective order for the girl, and the court ordered 12 weeks of counseling and educational guidance. Social workers were dispatched right after we received the new report, and emergency placement was arranged for the girl.

Security camera footage shows the girl being paraded along a major road with the signs hanging around the neck. She reportedly also had some visible injuries. Her father followed closely behind, while her brother recorded the disturbing scenes on his phone. New Taipei City Education Department says that both the girl and her brother are continuing to attend school normally. The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center has also intervened and is assisting with the girl’s ongoing placement and care.

#humiliation #badparenting #newtaipei #sanchong #三重

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2026-09-29

Thrill-seeking men set off big fireworks in parking lot

Several men in Pingtung City set off fireworks at each other in a parking lot without permission on Monday evening, sending fireworks in all directions. Onlookers were concerned that the men could be injured in the crossfire. This begs the question whether the festival spirit blurs the line between celebrating and being reckless?

Several men have set off fireworks in a parking lot, and to make matters interesting, are shooting at each other.

The men clearly find some delight in this while disregarding the beloved parked cars around them.

Voice of local resident
Witnessed the incident
They are setting off fireworks, but also shooting at each other. After waiting for some time, I asked them whether they feared damaging other peoples’ cars. Then one of the men said, they are shooting upwards, so there wouldn’t be any accidents. Still, this is dangerous; at times cars can leak gasoline which could have set off an explosion from the fireworks.

The location was a parking lot in Pingtung City where locals had parked their cars. Seeing the fireworks, many were left fearing that fireworks would hit them, or damage their cars. The reckless men shot fireworks at each other too without any protective gear as if they were adrenaline junkies.

Nearby locals
Witnessed the incident
From 9:30 to 10pm, they started SHOO SHOO SHOO, setting off fireworks, the big kind too not the small sparklers.

Nearby locals
Witnessed the incident
Others have cars there, if I parked there, I would also be against it.

At the parking lot in the morning, the ground was littered with waste from the fireworks, including ash, debris, and trash.

Staff member
Parking Lot
Residents said that someone set off fireworks in the parking lot, we will see how the company handles this.

Wang Yi-hsuan
Pingtung County Environmental Protection Bureau
From 10pm to 7am of the following morning, the setting off of fireworks that are flying, ascending, or making loud noises was prohibited. Violators will be fined between NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.

Turning an average parking lot into your playground can easily become a very expensive leisure activity, especially if your toys are fireworks. In this case, the Environmental Protection Bureau was not notified, but the parking lot operator will inspect for damage and seek compensation.

#midautumnfestival #fireworks #pingtung #crossfire #firecrackers

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2026-09-29

Health minister outlines “Health Token” rewards program in FTV exclusive

Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang marked his first year in office by giving an exclusive interview to FTV, where he elaborated on his “Health Token” policy that rewards the public for getting medical checks and vaccinations. Shih also talked about his traumatic experiences working as an emergency physician at NTU Hospital during the SARS outbreak where he watched an infected colleague collapse. Let’s find out more.

- The loss of any one of them is, in my opinion, our responsibility.

The memory of working as an emergency physician at National Taiwan University Hospital during the SARS outbreak—watching a colleague get infected and collapse—is deeply etched in the mind of Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang. That painful memory has now become nourishment, enabling Shih to make more well-rounded and flexible choices in his decision-making. This has led to the launch of the ’Health Token’ policy, which encourages the public to get health screenings and vaccinations

Shih Chung-liang
Minister of Health and Welfare
The higher the difficulty, the more tokens we award. For instance, a breast cancer screening earns 1,000 tokens. But with colorectal cancer screening, past data shows that among those who test positive during initial health checks, only around 80% actually go on to get a colonoscopy. Not everyone returns for it because the procedure is more demanding—so we offer 1,350 tokens for that.

Faced with the dual challenges of a declining birth rate and an aging society, Shih’s top priority is to transform the healthcare system.

Shih Chung-liang
Minister of Health and Welfare
For the elderly, our first priority is to shorten the period of life spent in poor health. The second thing is whether our system can be used more intelligently and flexibly."

In the interview, Shih spoke candidly and with confidence, expressing his hope to enhance the resilience of Taiwan’s healthcare system during his term.

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#Taiwanhealth #Taiwanminister #Taiwanhealthminister #Taiwanhealthpolicies #superagingsocieties #Healthtokens #healthtokenpolicy

2026-09-29

Ex-inmate makes new life selling grandmother’s rice soup

A food stand from Yunlin is bringing the old-fashioned taste of Donggang all around Taiwan. Behind the stand’s bowl of rice soup is an inspiring story of second chances. The owner went to prison young, and after he got out, he and his wife used NT$100,000 in savings and a small truck to turn a family recipe into a fresh start in life.

A long line of people wait at a food stand, all for this remarkable dish.

The chef adds a generous amount of shrimp, scallops, squid, and oysters to the boiling pot. The layer of red oil on top is natural shrimp oil from Pingtung’s Donggang, and the scallions, fried in port fat, add a distinct flavor to this traditional seafood rice soup from Pingtung.

Member of public
Likes the food
It smells so great. I watched from there and saw him put a lot of ingredients in. I’ve never seen it made fresh like this. It’s really rare.

This nourishing soup, which is convenient to take away, was a traditional dish for farmers during the rice harvest. The stand’s owner, Watermelon, travels all over Taiwan. He sets up his stand rain or shine, because a little rain is nothing to him.

Watermelon
Food stand owner
I’m a former inmate and when I was getting out, my grandmother passed away. It’s tough when you get out of prison. You don’t know what to do and feel like society has changed so much that you can’t keep up. I actually hated rice soup when I was growing up, but now it’s saved me.

Watermelon was imprisoned twice when he was younger and missed saying goodbye to his grandmother. After his release, he struggled to reintegrate with society. Now it’s his grandmother’s rice soup that is giving him a second chance.

Watermelon
Food stand owner
When I was young, rice soup was the only thing I knew how to make. I didn’t really have any other skills. So I decided to keep my grandmother’s recipe alive. It was even harder when I first started out because no one came. People didn’t know me.

Watermelon drives his food stand around Taiwan, sourcing quality ingredients and impressing countless customers with his grandmother’s dish.

Watermelon
Food stand owner
The goal is for every person in Taiwan to taste my family’s rice soup.

For his customers, this bowl of rice soup is a warm, delicious meal. For Watermelon, it’s the taste of his childhood and savior of his adulthood.

#foodstand #ricesoup #seafood #seafoodsoup #Pingtung #Donggang #redemption #secondchance

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2026-09-29

Obese dog? This weight loss clinic in Kaohsiung can help

The Kaohsiung City Government has opened up a weight loss clinic for obese dogs. These pampered pooches are often overfed by their owners and don’t get enough exercise. The process is often more about training the owners than the dogs, with vets recommending that they put their dogs on a high-fiber, high-protein diet low in calories that feature vegetables, among other measures. Let’s find out more.

This is a Chihuahua and it weighs a whopping 9 kg!

This black American Bully is even more astonishing. It weighs a massive 21kg. Pampering from owners have caused these dogs’ weight to spiral out of control, forcing owners to enroll them in a weight loss program.

Owner
Has fat pet
Because it’s a short-muzzled dog, if it gets too fat, it puts a lot of strain on its knee joints and makes it pant too much, which isn’t good for its health. We adopted it three years ago; it weighed 15.5 kg then and now it weighs 22 kg. It also doesn’t like to walk.

Owner
Has fat pet
I’ve bought weight-loss dog food before, but it doesn’t seem to be working. The more it eats, the more it gains weight. I’ve also taken them for walks, but they seem to eat even more afterward.

Vets warn that if dogs are so obese that they lose their necks, this can not only cause joint problems, but also make it difficult to breathe. They suggest a diet low in calories featuring vegetables can be used to sneakily replace their usual fare.

Ho Chu-yuan
Veterinarian
If he becomes obese, his breathing efficiency will decrease, making him more prone to heatstroke. His joint and spinal degeneration will also occur faster and more severely than other older dogs. We recommend a high-protein, high-fiber diet. If he’s still hungry, boiled broccoli, carrots or zucchini are things dogs readily eat.

Losing weight doesn’t have to mean spending money at a training center. The Kaohsiung Animal Protection Office is teaching owners to hide food inside old cardboard boxes or containers. This forces chubby dogs-who usually do nothing but eat and sleep-to work a little harder for their meals.

Kuo Ming-chin
Kaohsiung Animal Protection Office
With proper guidance from the owner, and by secretly hiding a little food among these toys, the pet not only gets exercise, but also, importantly, engages its mind.

Studies show that dogs have a 70% success rate when they lose weight. The key lies with the owner. Spending more time with your furry friend, engaging in mental and physical activities, will help your beloved dog stay healthy and with you for longer.

#furryfriend #mansbestfriend #dog #fatdog #doggo

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2026-09-29