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Work and class cancellations as Champi draws close to Taiwan

Work and classes have been cancelled on Friday nationwide, except for the counties of Taitung and Kinmen. Typhoon Champi is approaching Taiwan, and its storm circle is only getting larger. The Central Weather Bureau issued a land warning at midday on Thursday covering the east coast and the north half of the island up to Taichung. Let’s hear from the Central Weather Administration.

Lin Ping-yu
Central Weather Administration
In the evening and in the early hours of Friday, the storm will gradually approach. It’ll be moving at a slower speed. Northern Taiwan and even mountainous areas in Central Taiwan and Hualien should prepare for the impact of heavy downpours. Yilan and the North Coast may be swept by gusts of up to 12 on the Beaufort scale. Winds of that speed could also be recorded along the coast of Central Taiwan due to the Venturi effect caused by the Taiwan Strait, and also in the Henchun Peninsula, Orchid Island and Green Island due to the topography. In Central and Southern Taiwan, the outer bands of the storm could deliver localized scattered showers.

Champi’s might was already felt in Hualien and Taitung earlier on Thursday. Huge waves battered the Xianglan Inspection Station in Taimali, sending seawater crashing into the facility and nearby homes, threatening residents’ safety. The nearby Xianglan firing range was also hit, with large amounts of seawater flooding the military site. Meanwhile, in Hualien’s Xincheng Township, strong winds toppled an 8m tall tree in the morning, crushing a betel nut stand across the street and several vehicles. Fortunately, no one was injured.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#champi #typhoon #rain #wind #storm

Time：2026-10-22

最新消息 Latest News

Old woman pleads to Puma Shen over deprived state of Shezidao

During a recent visit to Shezidao, Taipei’s DPP Mayoral Candidate, Puma Shen, was approached by a woman from a local Self-help Association. Overcome with emotion, she knelt down and sobbed to Puma Shen about the decades-long construction bans in Shezidao. She didn’t think this action, would be the cause of her being smeared online. KMT Taipei City Councilor, Lin Hsing-erh accused the grandma of being a paid actor, which led to a wave of cyberbullying against the old woman. Although Lin later apologized, the old woman stood in front of the Self-help Association and announced she was filing a defamation lawsuit.

Old Woman
Local to Shezidao
My 10 years of hard work, I’m not sure how to say, really, I cannot take it anymore. And even on the television they all just say whatever, say I’m taking money, who is going to give money to me? I’m also not lacking money, really, I wouldn’t do it for NT$3,000, now the living cost is so high, what can NT$3,000 even buy, huh? Buy me?

Looking back at the Shezidao Development Project dilemma, the 76-year-old woman wasn’t able to hold back her tears. When she saw Taipei’s DPP mayoral candidate Puma Shen, she erupted into pleas and this action led to her being smeared online.

- Shezidao has many poor souls, they can’t live, when you become mayor, you have to help Shezidao.

At the time, the old woman was on the floor pleading to Puma Shen, who responded saying if he became mayor he would solve it. The 50-year construction ban in Shezidao has been a long-standing issue. KMT Taipei City Councilor, Lin Hsing-erh, mocked the grandma saying she was a paid actor. As a result, the grandma was subject to bullying online and was so angry she filed a defamation lawsuit.

Lee Hua-ping
Shezidao Self-help Association Spokesperson
In 2022, Chiang Wan-an, before he became mayor, he was very kind, very friendly, and personally helped the petition for Shezidao Self-help Association. It’s been four years since and have they met again?

Old Woman
Local to Shezidao
We’ve been lied to by so many mayors, I’ve lost my faith.

Although Lin Hsing-erh issued an apology, she emphasized that she is unafraid and advised against using the old woman for ulterior motives and political games. She criticized the Shezidao Self-help Association for blowing things out of proportion. However, members fired back and also criticized Taipei’s Mayor Chiang Wan-an for being friendly before he was elected and ignoring them after. They felt they were deceived and hope the election would change things.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#shezi #社子島 #沈伯洋 #蔣萬安 #林杏兒 #dpp #kmt #constructionban #defamationsuit

2026-10-22

Puma Shen sticker sparks political storm at Taipei theater

Renowned theater troupe Our Theatre, has gotten embroiled in a political controversy, all over a campaign sticker. The group had put up a message board to get feedback from the audience about their new play at Taipei’s Shuiyuan Theater. The problem came after someone posted a small campaign sticker for Taipei Mayoral Candidate Puma Shen on a sticky note on the board. The City’s Department of Cultural Affairs asked the troupe to remove it. The request was slammed by a DPP lawmaker. Let’s hear more.

Chang Hsin-yi
Our Theatre
Venue staff warned our team about the sticker. From the get-go, we told Mr. Tsai that it was our long-standing custom to create spaces for public expression. He later phoned me. He was very supportive about our play, Louder! but he did say that he hoped we’d take the sticker down to stay out of trouble.

Chen Pei-yu
Lawmaker (DPP)
Nobody working in the arts industry wants to face this kind of suppression. A typhoon is coming, but instead of preparing for landslides, Taipei is busy trying to stop the O’Shen wave.

Puma Shen
Taipei Mayoral Candidate (DPP)
I have a concern. The requirement for political neutrality only applies to the civil servants and the venue operators. The obligation doesn’t apply to individual vendors or theater groups. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding regarding the regulations when they spoke to each other.

Tsai Shih-ping
Taipei Cultural Affairs Department
I feel that Mr. Puma Shen doesn’t have a sufficient understanding of the rules for cultural groups. Since he wants to become mayor, he should know that Taipei has long enforced political neutrality rules at all venues. Both venues and civil servants must remain politically neutral, and the groups renting the venues should help preserve that neutrality.

The theater troupe later posted a notice next to the message board. It says that, after a “friendly reminder” from the Taipei government, participants are asked to refrain from posting explicit political slogans on the board. The notice included the contentious campaign sticker on the sticky note, as well as a graphic for Chiang’s campaign printed of the paper. The notice along with a meme making fun of the situation hints at what the troupe really things of the incident.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#politics #taipei #theater #play #culture

2026-10-22

Candidate sparks viral trend with poster doodle contest

After noticing a half-moustache drawn onto one of his campaign posters, DPP Kaohsiung city council candidate Chang Yi-li decided to fill in the other half himself. He never expected it to go viral! Since vandalizing billboards is illegal, he launched his own contest inviting the public to doodle on his campaign posters. So far, he’s been turned into Hello Kitty, Nezuko, a woman, and more, engaging Kaohsiung voters’ expansive creativity.

Each one of these campaign posters is a little bit different. If you look closely, you can see that some have moustaches and earrings, and some have moles on his face. Others were changed more dramatically. In this one, he’s become Hello Kitty.

With her signature red bow and whiskers, even a little “meow” written off to the side, this poster hanging in a shop has drawn a lot of attention.

Shop owner’s daughter
Loves drawing
I wanted to draw a bow on him. Then I thought of adding whiskers and ears.

All of these doodles were sanctioned by the candidate himself, who wanted to encourage residents to express their creative side.

Chang Yi-li
Kaohsiung city council candidate (DPP)
Parents have found these posters to be a lifesaver. When I’m out on the street, they come up to me asking for posters. There are so many great ones. Like this one. They gave me braids and lipstick, and even stuck little gems on the poster.

As a former director of Kaohsiung’s Youth Bureau, Chang is now throwing his hat in the ring to represent the Zuoying-Nanzih constituency. After discovering a half-moustache drawn onto one of his billboards, the former Red Dot Design Award-winner decided to add the other half himself. It went viral online, but since it’s illegal to vandalize campaign billboards, he started a poster doodling contest. Even other candidates have joined in the fun.

These city council candidates decided to give him pink hair like G-Dragon, and a muzzle like Nezuko from Demon Slayer.

Member of public
Kaohsiung resident
It’s a pretty unique promotional strategy.

Member of public
Kaohsiung resident
Allowing people to doodle on the posters makes him more approachable to people.

Chang Yi-li
Kaohsiung city council candidate (DPP)
I’ve given out more than 300 posters so far. We really look forward to everyone sharing their feedback and designs with us.

Doodle fever has taken over, both online and off. But officials still issued a warning that defacing campaign posters without the candidate’s consent remains illegal. With permission though, voters are having a blast with this creative campaign twist.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#Kaohsiung #2026election #Changyili #creative #doodle #campaignposter #viral

2026-10-22

National Chengchi University inaugurates Abe Shinzo Library

National Chengchi University has officially opened its Abe Shinzo Library, marking the fourth anniversary of the death of the former Japanese prime minister. Taiwan-Japan Relations Association chair Frank Hsieh and Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Ho Chih-wei attended the inauguration ceremony, where Abe Akie, Shinzo’s widow, gave a moving speech.

Glass cabinets display photographs of former Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzo. To mark the fourth anniversary of his death, National Chengchi University inaugurated a new Shinzo Abe Library, with Taiwan-Japan Relations Association chair Frank Hsieh and Abe Akie, Shinzo’s widow, attending the ceremony.

Abe Akie
Abe Shinzo’s widow
My husband will not be coming back now, so to ensure that his sacrifice was not in vain, I hope to continue sharing his story and passing on his legacy. I hope especially that the younger generation can carry on his spirit and beliefs.

Frank Hsieh
Taiwan-Japan Relations Association chair
Abe Shinzo was an internationally renowned politician. His ideas were ahead of his time and very influential. More importantly, he was a good friend of Taiwan. This new library provides a tangible way to pass on his ideas and spirit.

The library is built with cypress imported from Japan, creating a space for research and reading that is connected to Japanese culture. It will be a hub for research on Abe and modern Japan, collecting materials on his philosophy, diplomacy, and policies, and even displaying legislation he signed.

Lu Yeh-chung
NCCU College of International Affairs dean
The establishment of the Abe Shinzo Library is not only a tribute to the former prime minister’s vision, but an important milestone for our college and university in advancing Indo-Pacific studies and promoting academic exchanges between Taiwan and Japan.

The library honors Abe Shinzo’s legacy, preserving records of his life and achievements. It marks a new milestone in academic cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, furthering Japanese studies in Taiwan.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#library #ShinzoAbe #NCCU #Japanstudies #university #research #legacy #politics #internationalexchange

2026-10-22

Elder man returns with scythe to little girl’s family restaurant

A man surnamed Wu is causing more trouble in Chiayi. Earlier this week, he was reported to the police for putting an 11-year-old girl in a chokehold and dragging her away after she refused to call him “uncle.” The young girl’s family intervened as he began pushing her towards an alley and he was reported to the police on charges of coercion. But he returned to the restaurant the following day, on Thursday, threatening to pour gasoline and to scare the girl’s family.

A man is raging and carrying a large scythe shouting outside the restaurant, threatening to pour gasoline on it. Just a day before, he was pushing around the granddaughter of the owners who called the police on him. Now he’s returned to cause trouble.

The restaurant owner’s 11-year-old granddaughter was standing at the door entrance waiting for her grandparents to finish closing up, when a man suddenly grabbed her neck and pulled her towards an alley. When the grandmother found out what was happening, she stopped them.

Girl’s Family Member
Concerned about escalation
He said he came to apologize, but if you’re apologizing you wouldn’t carry a blade, which would scare away our customers. Even though my granddaughter is scared, she still goes to school and her teacher is providing her counseling.

The incident took place outside the family’s restaurant in Chiayi, the man in question is a friend of the girl’s grandfather, and claimed he was simply playing with the girl and putting his arm around her shoulder because she didn’t call him “uncle.” The family rejects this reasoning and filed a police report to get to the bottom of the matter.

Chen Chih-kai
Chiayi City Councilor Candidate
To prevent our children, and even other members of the public, from this kind of suffering and intimidation and violence, we urge the prosecution to support preventative detention measures. The prosecutor’s office should take preventative measures.

Wu Chao-yi
Chief at Chiayi City Police Department
Regarding the case of Mr. Wu and the Tsai family from the day before yesterday, the police accepted the case and transferred it to judicial authorities. It will be handled according to law. In response to public concerns, the police have increased patrols and surveillance in the area surrounding the incident site.

The police have detained Mr. Wu and taken him into custody; from there he will be transferred for further investigation. The family hopes that the police and prosecutors will detain Mr. Wu who continues to cause trouble and hope they won’t have to live in fear.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#childabuse #predator #publicsafety #sexualharassment #chiayi

2026-10-22

Athletic trainer flips off teen at high school basketball game

An adult athletic trainer for a high school basketball team got so worked up about his team’s victory that he stormed onto the court and flipped off his opponents. The man taunted a player from the opposing team who had just fallen to the ground after attempting a three-pointer. He gave the teen the middle finger and allegedly called him a “piece of trash.” The shocking outburst sparked widespread outrage, prompting the school to fire the trainer.

A player from Dalun Junior High is attempting a three-pointer, when he loses his balance and falls to the floor. The referee blows the whistle, sealing the victory for their opponents, Jinhe Junior High. Then, a man wearing a black T-shirt storms onto the court, yells at the fallen player and flips him off.

- The athletic trainer is on the court!
He flipped off a player!
Call the parents over!

Jinhe Junior High’s athletic trainer shocked everyone rushing onto the court in the middle of the game to harass a player from Dalun Junior High. He gave the player the middle finger, shouted at him to “Keep acting,” and may have even called him a piece of trash. His actions sparked swift backlash on social media.

Hsieh Nien-tzu
Dalun Junior High coach
He insulted the kids and made rude gestures at them. Some kids heard him say “piece of trash.” He’s not even a member of staff at the school, so he shouldn’t even have been there to begin with.

Kuo Fang-chiang
Dalun Junior High Principal
I’m very upset that the three years of efforts that our kids did were stained by this provocation.

Jinhe Junior High released an apology after the incident, saying that the athletic trainer had been dismissed and would never be hired again. Dalun Junior High released a statement condemning the incident and asking the national school sport federation to investigate the matter to clarify the facts and responsibilities. The Commissioner of Miaoli County also spoke on the matter.

Chung Tung-chin
Miaoli Commissioner
It’s unbelievable. I think the school sports federation should give Miaoli an explanation on how order is maintained at games. The rules should prevent all the participants from every county from getting harassed on the court.

The commissioner says the perpetrator should apologize publicly for his actions. He stressed that both winning and losing is a part of sports, and urged athletes and their teams to show good sportsmanship by being humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#sports #taiwan #miaoli #basketball #sportsmanship

2026-10-22

Taichung chef receives French award for culinary excellence

Taiwan’s first Michelin-starred female chef Justine Li earned further international recognition this year for excellence in French cuisine. She was awarded the rank of Knight in France’s Order of Agriculture Merit, with the honor presented by the director of the French Office in Taipei. Li, founder and head chef of a renowned French restaurant in Taichung, has once again proven Taiwan’s culinary talent on the international stage.

Frédéric Laplanche
French Office in Taipei Director
It is my great honor to present Ms. Justine Li with this distinction from the Order of Agricultural Merit on behalf of the French Republic.

The director of the French Office in Taipei personally awarded the Order of Agricultural Merit to Justine Li, recognizing her efforts in promoting French cuisine in Taiwan for over 20 years. She founded a French restaurant in Taichung in 2004, when Taiwanese were still largely unfamiliar with French cuisine. Her delicious creations have since been praised by critics and customers alike.

Justine Li
Decorated chef
While this medal is more of a personal honor, it’s thanks to the hard work of my team that I have the chance to receive it. I couldn’t have done it alone.

Li cooks Taiwanese ingredients in the French culinary style, such as grilled mackerel from Penghu served with a clear bouillabaisse broth, or pan-seared prawns with zucchini garnish. In 2020, when Taichung was included in the Michelin Guide for the first time, Li’s restaurant earned a star.

Justine Li
Decorated chef
The whole journey has been challenging. For example, at the start, people in Taiwan weren’t familiar with French cuisine, plus finding the right ingredients was tough. I think French cuisine truly takes teamwork. It’s not something you can do alone.

Frédéric Laplanche
French Office in Taipei Director
French cuisine is an important part of French culture. We believe it’s a deeply rooted cultural element. So we are very grateful to have someone promoting it in Taiwan.

France’s Order of Agricultural Merit recognizes people for their outstanding contributions to agriculture and cuisine. From earning a Michelin star to the medal now on her lapel, Li has spent decades pursuing her dream, bringing authentic French cuisine to Taiwan.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#Taichung #French #France #cuisine #OrderofAgriculturalMerit #award #FrenchOfficeinTaipei #Michelin #JustineLi #chef

2026-10-22

High-end wagyu hotpot restaurants offer creative dishes for fall

With the weather finally cooling down, hotpot restaurants are offering new deals to entice customers. One is serving a luxurious wagyu beef and sea urchin feast, incorporating premium sea urchin into dishes throughout the meal. Others offer creative soup base combinations, including wagyu beef and cilantro, and pomelo and pepper.

A chef adds sea urchin to a soymilk hotpot, expertly prepared. Then he dips wagyu beef inside, swishing it in the broth seven times to cook it just right.

Other dishes include thinly sliced wagyu beef wrapped around sea urchin and seared, as well as crispy sea urchin fritters. Even the ice cream incorporates sea urchin. This hotpot restaurant is offering an exclusive sea urchin and wagyu set meal for fall, featuring seven creative new dishes.

Huang Chien-chih
Restaurant group CEO
We use red sea urchins from Hokkaido for our seven sea urchin dishes. Taiwanese customers are very receptive to sea urchins and enjoy eating them.

At this other restaurant, onion and garlic sizzles in the pot. They add cilantro on top of premium wagyu beef, making this restaurant’s special cilantro and wagyu hotpot.

Su Yu-chien
Hotpot restaurant manager
Cilantro is seasonal and has a distinctive flavor. We’re promoting it to all our customers to enjoy and try something different.

Another restaurant has combined Taiwanese stone hotpot with Japanese wagyu beef, using a pomelo and pepper soup base to create a Taiwan-Japan fusion.

Member of public
Customer
Wagyu beef has a delicious flavor and aroma. The initial taste is a bit sweet. It’s quite good. I’ll have it sometimes.

Catering to those who enjoy high-end wagyu hotpot, these restaurants are adding creative twists to the dining experience, enticing customers as the weather cools down.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#hotpot #wagyu #beef #seaurchin #surfandturf #fall #autumn #restaurant #fancy

2026-10-22

Heavy rain expected as weakening Typhoon Champi approaches Taiwan

Typhoon Champi continues to approach Taiwan from the east. Though the storm is gradually weakening, the storm circle remains intact. The Central Weather Administration expects to issue a land warning at some point during Thursday night. The storm will be closest to Taiwan on Friday, so be sure to make all the necessary preparations ahead of time. Let’s hear from a meteorologist.

Chang Cheng-chuan
Central Weather Administration
We expect the storm to reach waters off the east coast of Taiwan on Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, it will veer north in waters off the northeast coast. The projected path has been adjusted westward a bit in comparison with the predictions earlier today. That means its shift north will be a bit slower. The point at which the change in direction happens will impact how close it will get to Taiwan.

The combined forces of the storm and northeasterly winds are set to bring rainy weather to the north and east coast of Taiwan on Thursday. Stormy conditions will be felt on Friday, when Champi will be closest to the island. Northestern Taiwan could see extremely heavy rains of more than 300mm. Precipitation won’t let up until Saturday afternoon, when Champi continues its way toward Japan.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#typhoon #storm #champi #rain #winds

2026-10-21

Taipei mayoral candidates share vastly different visions for Taipei

What will Taipei look like 20 years from now? Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an hopes the city will have a vast green park where Songshan Airport stands today. Meanwhile, DPP’s mayoral candidate Puma Shen hopes the capital will be a city where young people can afford to live and build their futures. The vastly different opinions have prompted plenty of debate both online and offline.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
I hope that 20 years from now, Taipei can be like this. Just imagine going to Songshan Airport, and finding it’s a huge green space with dense canopies.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an spoke about his vision for Taipei on a TV program. He hopes that 20 years in the future, lush foliage will cover the area where Songshan Airport is today.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
You’ll see self-driving vehicles on the road, all of them using key chips made in Taiwan. The city is full of vitality and innovation.

Puma Shen
Taipei Mayoral Candidate (DPP)
My daughter is 6 years old now. In 20 years, she’ll be 26, freshly graduated from university, or rather, from her master’s program. We hope that this future Taipei will have jobs that aren’t a struggle to land. By then I hope we’ll have a city fund that provides each child NT$500,000 when they grow into adults. I hope that my daughter can live in Taipei, at affordable housing, or at a rental not for sale.

When the DPP’s mayoral candidate for Taipei, Puma Shen, was asked a similar question, his answer considered the needs of different age groups, such as employment, childrearing and retirement. Netizens quickly slammed Chiang’s response in the comments: “Didn’t he want to build an AI park?” “You cut down trees left and right yet you want greenery?” “Chiang when he reads from a script vs. Chiang when he speaks his mind” “Is Chiang competing in an elementary school speech contest?”

Chien Shu-pei
Taipei City Councilor (DPP)
Would shutting down Songshan meet the needs of any age group? Chiang is a master of answering questions without actually answering them. Both candidates have weighed in on this important issue, and I believe the citizens of Taipei are smart enough to make the right choice.

Both candidates have different ideas about what the capital should look like in the future. With Election Day drawing closer, it remains to be seen who will sway voters.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#taipei #election #songshanairport #housing #retiree

2026-10-21

Fair Trade Commission blocks Grab’s acquisition of foodpanda

Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission has said "no" to Grab’s acquisition of foodpanda in Taiwan. The proposal was announced back in March, with Singaporean delivery giant Grab set to buy foodpanda for nearly NT$20 billion. Ultimately the merger was blocked after a majority of commissioners determined that it would weaken competition in the industry. Let’s hear more.

Hsin Chih-chung
Fair Trade Commission
The merger would have seen Grab take over foodpanda’s delivery business in Taiwan. But Uber, the parent company of Uber Eats, holds a 13.1% stake in Grab, and the two companies have close business ties in other markets. After evaluating Grab’s proposal to acquire foodpanda, the majority of commissioners said it should be stopped.

Su Po-hao
Delivery Industry Rights Alliacne
We would like to thank the Fair Trade Commission for making the right decision. Foodpanda is the market leader in Taiwan. When has anyone ever seen the top company in any industry pull out of a market? If it actually does come down to that, we’ll ask the Commission to consider implementing the relevant measures.

Had the merger gone forward, Grab would have become Uber Eats’ main competitor. But the close ties between Uber Eats’ parent company, Uber and Grab, raised concerns that could impact fair competition. Regulators said both companies would have shared interests and neither would be motivated to lower prices. There could be a risk of coordination to maintain the status quo, which would also make it harder for new competitors to enter the market. During the review, Grab suggested several steps to minimize concerns, such as diluting Uber’s shareholding and placing limitations on board appointments. But the FTC says the measures would be difficult to implement, unless Uber completely divested its stake in Grab.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#uber #foodpanda #ubereats #delivery #taiwan

2026-10-21

Dog locks self in car after owner gets out to help woman in wheelchair

In an unfortunate turn of events, a woman recently got out of her car to help another woman in wheelchair, only to return to a locked vehicle courtesy of her anxious dog! After helping the wheelchair user clear a road near Zhongshan Station in Taipei, she was shocked to find her three-year-old puppy had accidentally hit the lock button. Firefighters had to come break the window to rescue him.

This driver was about to turn right when she noticed a wheelchair user struggling to move. She got out to help them, but when she got back to her car, you can see the disbelief set in. All four doors were locked, with her dog trapped inside. What could she do?

With the car trapped in the middle of the road, traffic behind came to a standstill. And with the dog still inside, firefighters had to come to the rescue. They broke the rear window to free the pup. But how did it mysteriously lock itself in the first place? Turned out it was the dog’s doing.

Dina
Driver
I thought I’d get out to help move her wheelchair, but when I turned back, I found my car was locked with my keys, phone, and dog all still inside. Since he’s super clingy with me, as soon as I got out of the car, he probably wanted to follow me and stepped on the lock button.

Anxious seeing his owner walk away, three-year-old Oreo stood on the armrest to see where she went and accidentally stepped on the door lock. It proved to be an expensive mistake.

Dina
Driver
I was still holding out hope he would help me unlock it, so before the fire department got here, I tried playing with him through the glass. But it didn’t work. It definitely sucked having to break the window, but as long as everyone was OK and my dog wasn’t hurt, that’s what matters most.

The aesthetic consultant and avid sports fan shared the incident with her over 17,000 followers online, who joined her in laughing over this unfortunate accident.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#Taipei #goodsamaritan #petrescue #firefighters #dog #lockedin #driver

2026-10-21

17cm painted sidewalk gets pedestrians walking tightrope

The residents in a Taichung neighborhood are training to become tightrope walkers, but not by their own choice. That’s because a road in Daya District has a painted sidewalk so narrow, that there’s barely enough space to set your feet down. At 17cm wide, strolling down the sidewalk at Yahuan Road is not for the faint of heart, especially when there are also electrical boxes and poles to navigate along the way. Let’s hear from some locals.

Member of public
Wants something to be done
It should be widened, or the items blocking the way should be removed.

Member of public
Unhappy about pavement
Sometimes the painted pavement is… look over there, how are you supposed to walk on that?

Member of public
Finds pavement too narrow
It’s too narrow. It’s not at all like a proper sidewalk. They might as well not have painted it. Nobody goes there to walk on it.

A project is underway in Taichung to improve the infrastructure for pedestrians along this road, 1,700m of sidewalk have been painted green for people to walk on. While it sounds good on paper, some sections are so narrow, you’d have to walk in the actual road with other vehicles. The situation is especially challenging for parents with strollers or for wheelchair users, who can’t fit within the sidewalk. The city government says the sidewalk will be repainted this week, and all the obstacles removed.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#sidewalk #balance #pavement #urbandesign #urbanplanning

2026-10-21

An elder man was sued for dragging a girl by her neck

On Tuesday evening, a young girl in Chiayi was standing outside her family’s restaurant, when all of a sudden, an older man came up and put her in a chokehold. As the man tried to drag her away, he said, "No one will know if I take you away." Luckily the family intervened in time, and saved the girl. The man, a friend of the girl’s grandfather, claimed he was just playing with her. However, given the frightened state of the child, the family decided to file a police report. The police have referred him to the prosecutor’s office on charges of coercion.

- What are you doing?

An 11-year old girl was standing on the pavement when a sturdy man hooked his arm around her neck and started to drag her away. The girl tried to resist but her small body was nothing against the might of the man.

Luckily, the young girl’s grandmother noticed the child being pulled away and rushed after them.

- You’re going too far!
Don’t try us.
Pulling our child away

One family member chased after them and started cursing. Only then did the man release the girl. This terrifying incident occurred on Chiayi’s Yushan Road, where the young girl’s grandparents run a small restaurant, in the evening, while the family was busy closing up. The little girl was standing at the entrance of the shop when the man, her grandfather’s friend, saw her alone and started to pull her away.

Girl’s Grandfather
Disappointed in friend
He was eating here; he wanted to borrow money from me. I said that I didn’t have money to lend him. He just left and started to play with the girl and started to pull her away, dragging her more than 150 meters away over there. He is a good friend, but even good friends can’t do this.

Girl’s Grandmother
Concerned for child
She came back crying, she said her neck was locked and she couldn’t scream.

The family accused the man of telling the little girl that he would take her away and no one would find out. The girl was frightened and couldn’t stop crying when she went home. The man said on Facebook that he was just playing around with the kid and asked her to call him uncle, but this incident has left the girl traumatized driving her family to sue the man.

Family Friend
Disapproves of man’s actions
It’s very inappropriate behavior. We will take her to have her spirit cleansed and calmed.

Wu Chao-yi
Police officer
The case has been reported to the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office for investigation under the Criminal Code’s charge of coercion.

Even though the man was considered a friend, dragging a child away is unacceptable. Given the girl’s wishes the police arrested the man and will deal with the case according to the law.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#childabuse #predator #publicsafety #sexualharassment #chiayi

2026-10-21

Child runs after father on scooter as a punishment

Locals in Taipei’s Songshan District were alarmed at a harsh punishment meted out by a father on Tuesday. The man abandoned his child on the sidewalk and drove off on his scooter. As the father moved away, the boy ran after him, calling out and crying loudly. There was a lot of traffic in the area, and the child kept running for several blocks, narrowly escaping a tragic fate.

A child was running and crying, yelling out for his father, but his father continued to drive away without stopping.

With much difficulty it seems, the father finally stopped, but he didn’t let the boy get on. The boy then continued to run behind him for several blocks

Voice of member of public
Horrified at father’s actions
He was very loud, so everyone on the roads could hear him. The father just sped away and the child kept chasing him.

Chang Ching-han
FTV reporter
Here at the site of the incident, you can see there is an intersection where three lanes converge and there are no traffic signals set up. If the child was running across and a car didn’t stop in time, it could have ended badly.

The boy’s father purposely tossed him off the scooter in the midst of traffic as a punishment. The poor boy ran after his father sobbing which made some onlookers break out in cold sweat.

Lee En-chi
Domestic violence prevention center
Inappropriate disciplinary methods for children and adolescents are a form of violence, we must never allow a moment of carelessness to cause them physical or mental harm.

Although this was a moment of anger, the parent left the child exposed and helpless in a dangerous environment, which may leave a lifelong scar in the child’s mind.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#childabuse #domesticviolence #113 #psychology #parenting

2026-10-21

Homeowner calls police on giant iguana trying to enter

At a house along Yanhai Road in Kaohsiung’s Linyuan District, a green iguana measuring an impressive 1.5 meters long recently lingered at the front door for a half an hour, knocking as though asking to be let in. The terrified homeowner called the police, but as they were waiting for animal control to arrive, the reptile leapt into some nearby bushes and vanished.

A man steps outside to investigate a noise outside the door. He looks down at the ground for a few seconds before an uninvited guest suddenly appears, leaving him paralyzed. He takes a few steps back to double-check before picking up a broom to try and chase it away.

Swinging the broom around gets the iguana to run next door. But the massive reptile kept hanging around the row of houses until the neighbors came outside to see what all the commotion was about.

- It ran up to the door and bumped into it.
- I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was scary.
- Never seen one before. It was startling.

- There weren’t any before.
- How big was it?
- About 1.5 meters or so. It was huge.

This iguana scare happened at a residence along Yanhai Road in Kaohsiung’s Linyuan District. The huge iguana stayed there for a half hour, repeatedly bumping into the door until the resident called the police.

After the officers arrived, they found the iguana still waiting at the door, completely motionless. Not wanting to take any chances, they notified animal control. But as they were waiting for them to arrive, the iguana suddenly bolted into some nearby bushes and vanished.

Linyuan resident
Scared by iguana
When I tried getting close to it, the police told me to stay back. It’s really frustrating. If you see one this big, there are bound to be small ones, too.

Iguana sightings are becoming more frequent in southern Taiwan, but Linyuan residents say they’ve never seen one around their area before. Fearing that the nearby farmland might be affected, residents called on the authorities to find a solution. In response, the Kaohsiung Agriculture Bureau said it has only received one report of an iguana sighting on Yanhai Road in the past three months. It reminded the public that there’s no need to panic if you encounter one, and to refrain from capturing it yourself. Instead, call the 1999 citizen service hotline and the city will send someone to take care of it.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#iguana #Kaohsiung #animalencounter #greeniguana

2026-10-21

Car mistakes scooter turn box for parking space

A rare traffic hazard recently occurred in Chiayi when a driver parked his car in a box that was designated for scooters to make a left turn. The driver carefully parked his car into the box at an intersection, then got out and walked away, apparently mistaking the box for a parking space. Police said they would issue a ticket for obstructing traffic.

There’s a car stopped at the front of this intersection, with no driver inside. They may have mistaken the white box outlined in the road for a parking space.

- Is this a scooter turning box or a parking space?
- It’s a left-turn box.

- Would people mistake this for a parking space?
- I don’t think so. It’s a box for scooters turning left.

- Did you know this area is for turning scooters?
- Yeah, I know.

This incident happened on Section 1 of Jianguo Road in Chiayi’s Minxiong Township. Most people know that the box in front of the zebra crossing is for scooters to turn left, but one driver mistook it for a parking space, carefully parking inside the lines before leaving their car.

Voice of resident
Driving critic
Yeah, lots of people do this. These days, lots of people can’t tell the difference. There are plenty of terrible drivers who have no idea how to drive.

Tsao Sheng-tai
Police officer
The driver violated Article 56 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act by parking in a prohibited area. Our precinct will step up enforcement.

Police said they would fine the driver NT$600 to NT$1,200 according to the law. Hopefully this driver will not mistake a scooter turn box for a parking space again.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#driver #driving #scooter #parking #illegalparking #Chiayi #scooterturnbox #mistake #fine

2026-10-21

Iranian daf musician forms multicultural ensemble blending Eastern sounds

Iranian daf player Mona settled in Tamsui after moving to Taiwan with her husband in 2018. To introduce more people to Iranian culture, she founded a musical ensemble combining traditional Persian instruments like the daf and oud [ood] with the Taiwanese erhu to create a unique cross-cultural sound. In her adopted home, she uses rhythm to chart out a brand-new musical path.

Simple taps can convey a rhythm rich in emotion. This is the daf, a type of Persian drum. The performer, Mona, is currently the only person in Taiwan who teaches the instrument professionally.

The daf binds Mona to her homeland. She moved to Taiwan in 2018 with her husband and brought her music along with. The enthusiasm of her students has transcended language barriers, and became her reason to stay.

Mona
Daf musician
And some Taiwanese also that were professional musicians, professional percussionists in Taiwan, they were really interested to learn about daf too. Their passion and dedication really impressed me.

To fulfill her dream of introducing Persian culture to people in Taiwan, Mona founded a musical ensemble in 2020, seeking out local musicians to collaborate on a unique blend of Eastern sounds.

Mona
Daf musician
Because there’s a family tie between Iranian and Chinese musical instruments, so I thought, maybe this would be a good combination to put them together in one band, and be the voice of the East from Iran to Taiwan to reform this music again and play in a different genre together.

Tamsui was the starting point of her nearly eight years in Taiwan. She says its vibrant old street always reminds her of home.

Mona
Daf musician
I love crowds. That makes me more excited. That makes me more feel that this city is alive.

What was once an unfamiliar island has now become her second home. Now, daf in hand, she continues her journey playing to the beat of her own drum.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Iran #immigrant #musician #daf #Persianculture #Persianmusic #Tamsui #multicultural #drum

2026-10-21

Poll puts Puma Shen in lead for Taipei 17 points ahead of Chiang

DPP Candidate Puma Shen has overtaken his KMT opponent by a mindboggling 17 percentage points the latest poll by the Taipei Trust in Democracy Association. The poll puts support rating for Shen at 50.3%, in contrast with 33.3% for Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an. In comparison with the previous poll by the association, Shen’s support shot up by 9.8 points, while Chiang’s crumbled by 8.4 points. Let’s hear more.

Puma Shen
Taipei Mayoral Candidate (DPP)
The poll may say one thing, but victory depends on the ballots, on how everyone actually votes on Nov. 28. There’s still 39 days to go until Election Day, so public opinion may still rise and fall. We take very seriously whether our policies resonate with the public. That’s the most important thing for us.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
I would like to call on all Taipei citizens who’ve seen all we’ve achieved over the past four years, to show their support for our administration by coming out to vote on Nov. 28.

Chuang Jui-hsiung
DPP Caucus
Everything that Puma has achieved to this day is really impressive already, and we have very high expectations for him. His approach of engaging with citizens through dialogue will only win more and more people over with time.

Tai Li-an
Designed poll
The polls show an extremely strong response. One of the factors is the O’Shen wave that’s sweeping over Taipei, with huge support from pan-green voters.

Analysts say the skyrocketing popularity of Shen in recent weeks may have encouraged more responders to express their support for the DPP candidate. On the other hand, some others who perhaps supported Chiang preferred to keep quiet. Based on the current figures the Taipei Trust in Democracy Association estimates that Shen will walk away with 49.2% to 52.9% of the vote on Election Day, while Chiang could get between 46.9% and 49.9% of vote. With an overlap of just 0.7 percentage points, the margin between the two could be as wide as 6 percentage points.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#poll #taipei #election #pumashen #chiangwanan #oshenwave

2026-10-20