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Kaohsiung touts achievements in AI urban management

The Kaohsiung City Government recently held a presentation touting its Smart Lighthouse Project, which harnesses the ability of AI to manage traffic, inspect roads, monitor flooding, and maintain the environment. Through this initiative and more, Kaohsiung is laying the groundwork to create a cutting-edge city of the future that balances governance autonomy, institutional innovation, and industrial power. Even compared with other initiatives, it serves as a global model for smart urban governance.

Existing CCTV footage and municipal data are analyzed by vision-language models to detect anomalies, turning the raw observations into trackable data. From there, reporting, dispatching, and any subsequent tasks are managed seamlessly. Kaohsiung’s Smart Lighthouse Project enables the city to be proactive, responding in real-time rather than addressing issues after the fact.

Chen Chi-mai
Kaohsiung Mayor
We currently have the world’s earliest and largest sovereign AI at the city level. It serves as the brain for municipal governance.

The city’s presentation focused on four main applications: traffic, public works, water management, and environmental protection. With the new system, municipal data no longer languish in silos.

Chen Chi-mai
Kaohsiung Mayor
This platform aims to break down these data silos, allowing the city’s central brain to integrate disparate datasets to make well-informed decisions.

Real-time traffic conditions from the Transportation Bureau. City buses acting as inspectors for the Public Works Bureau. Image recognition to detect flooding for the Water Resources Bureau. AI monitoring of emissions and street litter for the Environmental Protection Bureau. Through the city’s smart governance platform, municipal departments can keep track of incident locations, live video, and response progress to delegate, dispatch personnel, and fix problems while also tracking outcomes.

Chien Chih-cheng
Chunghwa Telecom chair
Among all the worldwide efforts to build out smart cities, this one is truly a pioneer.

Using existing municipal data, AI technology, and municipal workflows allows the city to detect anomalies earlier. Agencies can then get the information they need to quickly address any issues, gradually realizing the promise of improving municipal governance through technology. According to the mayor, a true “smart city” makes quiet improvements behind the scenes, making life better, even when you don’t notice it.

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#smartcity #Kaohsiung #SmartLighthouseProject #AI #ChenChimai #sovereignAI

2026-11-03

Life or death building crash in Beitou Market hospitalizes 4

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s wife, Shih Fang-hsuan campaigned with KMT councilors at Beitou’s old market on Tuesday morning. When, all of a sudden, a scaffolding of five floors come crashing down and sent four injured to the hospital. Mayor Chiang arrived on site shortly after the accident, and ordered a stoppage on the project as well as fining the company NT$2.5million.

Around 10:30 in the morning, many were caught by surprise in a local vegetable market when the scaffolding, of a building undergoing demolition, suddenly collapsed; leaving people below to run for their lives. Unfortunately some were unable to escape and were severely injured.

Nearby Vendor
Believed people were ignorant
In the morning, some said it was shaking, but nobody paid attention to it, so this happened, and it crashed down.

Parts of Beitou Market in Taipei are undergoing construction and demolition of the old market. The scaffolding collapsed taking with it 6 scooters and 4 people who were sent to the hospital. The life and death situation caused many to panic and seek shelter under the canopies of nearby stores. The loud crash of the scaffolding falling terrified everyone, and could be heard from two streets away.

Injured individuals were rushed to the hospital in ambulances. One of the injured was a construction worker that had fallen from the third floor of the scaffolding. Due to severe injuries, he remains in the ICU.

Lin Hua-ching
Doctor
When he arrived, his condition was serious, he had fallen from the third floor to the ground. There was a sudden change in consciousness, but when he was sent to our hospital, he was conscious and he could speak. We conducted a thorough examination, and found that he had some bleeding in the brain; we call this an epidural hematoma. Additionally, we found a fracture in his left rib and a stable fracture in his pelvis. However, there was no hemothorax, pneumothorax, or bleeding in the pelvis or abdomen.

A preliminary assessment by civil engineers reveals the scaffolding was not adjusted to the height of the building after demolition, even after unloading in layers it remains 5 stories high, and with the added strong winds, it’s clear what caused the disaster.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
With regards to the construction company and contractual obligations, we will immediately impose a heavy penalty and order a work stoppage.

At the time of the incident, the Mayor’s wife, Shih Fang-hsuan, was campaigning in the streets in the nearby market. After the incident, Mayor Chiang also immediately arrived at the scene. The city government has fined the company NT$2.5 million, and ordered a stoppage on the project.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#beitoumarket #localmarket #chiangwanan #buildingcrash #accident

2026-11-03

NET 86% cotton polo shirt turns out to be 0% cotton and 97.6% polyester

With a growing number of people looking for natural fibers in their clothing, more and more shoppers are checking the labels when buying garments. But what if the labels are not true? Taiwanese clothing brand NET recently came to the center of a controversy, after a customer discovered that the fiber content of a polo shirt wasn’t quite as advertised. The label said 86% cotton, but a lab test later found that there was, in fact, no cotton at all in the garment. Let’s hear more.

Chen Yen-lin
FTV reporter
A shopper felt that the 86% cotton polo shirt they bought felt odd to the touch and tried to get a refund. The store told him to rest assured that the fiber content of the garment was correct. But the shopper took it for a lab test that found it was more than 90% polyester.

Mr. Chao
Bought polo shirt
The shop told me they would take it to get tested. Then when it came back, they told me it was all correct. I was very surprised, so I got the polo shirt back and I took it to get tested myself. The results then found it had no cotton at all.

Member of public
Cares about fiber content
If what I wanted to buy was a cotton garment, and what they gave me didn’t contain any cotton, I wouldn’t want to buy it.

Member of public
Weighing in on incident
Some people really care about the fiber content. Others think that as long as it’s cheap, it’s alright.

Voice of Lin Chuan-chien
Taipei Consumer Protection Official
Businesses must provide consumers with sufficient and accurate information about the goods or services they offer. They must not engage in misleading, concealing, or deceptive practices. Any violation may render the business liable for breach of contractual obligations.

NET has since issued an apology, admitting to oversights in its internal procedures for product labeling, quality checks, and customer service. Effective immediately, the retailer is offering unconditional returns for the disputed garment, hoping to ease consumer backlash and restore its brand reputation.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#net #poloshirt #naturalfibers #fibercontent #cotton

2026-11-03

Is wearing Puma brand clothes to the polls illegal? CEC responds

One of Taipei’s mayoral candidates happens to share a name with a popular international sports brand. No, it’s not Chiang Wan-an, but Puma Shen. The coincidence has left people wondering about the legality of wearing clothes from that brand on Election Day. After all, sporting campaign symbols to the voting booth is indeed illegal. Election officials say simply wearing clothes of any given brand is not problematic. Here’s what Puma Shen himself had to say on the matter.

Puma Shen
Taipei mayoral candidate
It’s already an established brand, so in theory, wearing clothes from that brand shouldn’t pose a problem in the eyes of the law. But still, there is a little bit of a gray area depending on how you interpret it. So I would still recommend everyone to just wear regular clothes to the polls. That would avoid any controversy. And consider this, setting aside the legality of it all. Imagine that you happen to walk into a group of people who support the other candidate. They might see things differently. If they look at your clothes and the might say “Hey, you’re campaigning!” or “You’re breaking election laws.” And then an argument might break out. That wouldn’t be ideal at the polls on Election Day.

Chuang Jui-hsiung
DPP legislative caucus
If I usually wear Puma and I change into Adidas clothes or some other brand just for the election, wouldn’t that be bizarre? In any case, the ballot doesn’t say Puma Shen, it says Shen Po-yang.

The Central Election Commission says that only concrete attempts at campaigning are against the law. Examples include canvassing for votes at polling stations or near polling stations, and wearing campaign items such as vests or badges. Such behavior is punishable with fines of up to NT$1 million. So be sure to check your outfit before heading out to vote.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#cec #puma #pumashen #sports #streetwear

2026-11-03

Jason Mraz fans fuming as concert seats turn into chaotic free-for-all

Fans of Jason Mraz were in for a disappointing concert experience in Taipei on Monday. The singer-songwriter came back to Taiwan for the first time in seven years, but poor organizing made for a terrible evening. Concertgoers reported that staff was still setting up chairs 10 minutes before the doors opened. Others say entire sections of seating completely disappeared and there was no staff around to guide people to their seats.

Fans were excited to see American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz back in Taipei. Sadly, it was a letdown.

The lights are down and Jason Mraz is already performing. But at the back, people are still looking for their seats. The concert was scheduled to start at 7:30 on Monday evening. Just 10 minutes before opening, staff was still setting up the seats. Concertgoers started flooding in with nobody to guide them, causing major bottlenecks.

Voice of concertgoer
Filming chaos
It’s now 7:35, and there are tons of people still looking for their seats. The signs and numbering are wrong, and the seating areas are messed up. There’s a whole seating area missing at the back. So many people have nowhere to sit. It’s crazy.

The seating arrangement differed greatly from what was advertised. And an area that was supposed to be elevated turned out to just be foldable chairs on the ground. The chaos left fans complaining that whole sections became a free-for-all, rendering the numbered ticket seat system completely useless.

Voice of Rueici
Went to concert
The ticket we bought cost NT$5,280, so how come our seats were so off to one side? In the end we had to look for our seats and find a spot for ourselves, and instead of sitting we had to stand. Everyone was standing at the back, blocking the entrance. The whole experience was terrible.

The poor organizing made fans flood social media with so many complaints that the event organizer posted an apology on its official website.

Voice of Lo Hsin-hua
Xinze
The original arrangements were for seats to be from Row 1 to Row 100. But in the end, there were some major changes near the back. There was a timing discrepancy between our staffing agency and the team responsible for assigning and putting up the seat labels.

Voice of Yeh Chia-hao
Consumer Protection Committee
Since the service was below the standards reasonably expected within the industry, the organizer should offer reasonable compensation to affected customers to protect its reputation and fulfill its social responsibility.

Several concertgoers have reported the incident with the Consumer Protection Committee, in hopes of getting compensation for their terrible experience.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#jasonmraz #concert #event #jmraz #taipei

2026-11-03

Queues of O’shen fans are harassed by borough warden

Elections are drawing closer which is turning the heat up in Taipei. The fanbase for DPP candidate Puma Shen continues to grow, and many stores are posting announcements online about selling merchandise. On Monday evening, one such photo studio in a community in Daan was giving out O’Shen banners. As the queue grew longer and longer, people waited quietly. That’s until the local borough warden caught wind of the situation and began taking videos and loudly harrassing them, claiming they were “breaking the law.”

- Can I cordon you in your homes? Hmm?

Puma Shen’s many fans arrived at an O’Shen merchandise store lining up to collect banners and trinkets. However, the local borough warden was not a fan. He began scolding them, taking videos, and even calling the police.

Shih Chung-sheng
Qunying Borough Warden
Our apartment complex has a peaceful environment, all of you lining up here are a nuisance, hurry up and leave, go home!

This is Qunying Borough in Daan District. A store owner had posted an announcement online saying he could give out Puma Shen’s merchandise banners and other items to support Shen. He didn’t expect the turnout to be this huge, with a long queue stretching far and wide. Although everyone was waiting quietly, the borough warden was causing a scene driving them away.

- If this was your district, your home, would you allow strangers to surround your home?
- I live here.
- Then you should be more defensive of our safety.
Tell me which unit, I’ll bring people to your house.
- Bring people to my house?
- Yeah.

Locals taking photos silently turned away and didn’t want to escalate the situation, but the borough warden kept saying it was private property and outsiders couldn’t enter, he even called the cops.

- When the police arrived, they said this was not an illegal act

Shih Chung-sheng
Qunying Borough Warden
The police perhaps was not aware of this, radical expression in open areas will cause large commotions. If you look at Article 305 of the Criminal Law, entering private areas is already something illegal.

Mr. Chen
Photo Studio Owner
This has always been a quiet community, and we don’t want to disturb residents, if you want to have conversations then please lower your voice, and maintain the quiet and also don’t shout. Everyone was slow to cooperate and then of course, more and more people came, I had to come out twice or thrice to warn them.

During the owner’s interview, the borough warden stood on the side recording. Netizens discovered he is a supporter of the KMT’s Legislator Lo Chih-Chiang.

Shih Chung-sheng
Qunying Borough Warden
In our community, there are three big nos: Politics, ethnic discussions and religion.

Mr. Chen
Photo Studio Owner
We are a democratic nation, this is a democratic society. Within public housing there are differing opinions, political ideas and stances, I am also a resident here. President Lai Ching-te once said, “it doesn’t matter if we have different political views, we must stand as one nation.”

As elections draw closer, both parties and their supporters are under major scrutiny.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#mayoralelections #taipeimayor #dpp #kmt #pumashen #oshen

2026-11-03

Boat sets off on Taiwan tour with rainbow and O’Shen Wave flags

Puma Shen’s mayoral run in Taipei has taken on so much steam, that campaign flags for the candidate are cropping up even outside the capital. In one peculiar case, a sailboat set off from Hualien on Tuesday morning with several flags on its mast, including the rainbow LGBT flag and the orange-and-white O’Shen Wave flag. The sailboat will carry several travelers on a tour of Taiwan by sea, organized by a private group. The organizer says the two flags are meant to support the values that Shen stands for, as well as openly gay legendary TV host Kevin Tsai. Let’s hear more.

Mr. Yang
Hualien Sailing school
We hope that Puma Shen’s campaign will be joyful, and focused on policy rather than personal attacks. We fully agree with such an approach. I think that Puma Shen and Kevin Tsai have elevated Taiwan to a new level. I respect them tremendously and support them. So that’s why we put up a rainbow flag and a campaign flag for Puma Shen. As we go around Taiwan, we hope to show with our actions how much we love and support Taiwan.

The sailboat set off from to embark on a voyage around Taiwan organized by the Hualien Sailing School. There’s also a few other flags on the vessel: the pro-Taiwan independence flag known as the Flag of Taiwan the Formosa, and a flag representing Taiwan as a rainbow whale. The school’s principal stressed that the voyage has no political affiliation, saying they simply admire Shen’s and Tsai’s work. The sailboat is expected to take the southern route around Taiwan and arrive in Taipei on Nov. 27. The route may be adjusted according to sea conditions, with safety remaining the top priority.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#sailing #lgbt #pumashen #tour #sailboat

2026-11-03

Hsinchu parking lot is so big, many riders can’t find their bikes

Taipei is short of parking spaces but in Hsinchu residents are complaining about too much of a good thing. The newly renovated motorcycle parking lot at Hsinchu Rear Station boasts a whopping 2,300 parking spaces. Commuters are complaining that with such an enormous area of densely parked bikes, looking for your own bike is like finding a needle in a haystack. Some people at first glance even think their bikes must have been stolen. Let’s find out more.

This parking lot is packed full of motorcycles. They are so densely packed as far as the eye can see that it is easy to forget where you parked your own bike. This is the motorcycle parking lot at Hsinchu Rear Station covering over 3,300 square meters and offering a whopping 2,300 parking spaces. Some people are complaining that this area is too large and when you’re ready to leave, it takes a lot of time to find your bike.

Member of the public
Complaining about parking area
You won’t be able to find where you parked it.

Member of the public
Complaining about parking area
As this space here is quite large, sometimes if you come back late, you might forget where you parked it and end up having to spend a bit of time looking for it.

The Hsinchu Rear Station parking lot is a major transfer hub for many commuters and travelers, and it’s especially difficult to find a parking space on weekends and holidays. The city government upgraded the lot in August, repairing the road surface and adding approximately 630 motorcycle parking spaces. However, with so many motorcycles and no numbered signs on the spaces, many people when returning to the parking lot find they’ve lost their bikes. Some have even at first believed they’ve been stolen.

- How could it be better laid out?

Member of the public
Making suggestion
Maybe they can be assigned numbers, or the lot could be divided into zones like A, B, and C, like an underground parking lot.

Lin Chun-yuan
Hsinchu Transportation Department
Regarding the parking area delineation, the city government is currently studying improvement plans, and construction will begin as soon as the plans are finalized.

People hope that these parking spaces can be marked or zoned, otherwise it’s really frustrating to be unable to find your motorcycle when you’re in a hurry to get home.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#Hsinchutraffic #motorcycleparks #parkinglots #parkingspaces #Taiwantraffic

2026-11-03

Restaurant with exotic animals opens in Taichung

It seems like dog and cat cafes are everywhere these days. But in Taichung, there’s a new spot that’s going for something a bit more exotic. Instead of dogs and cats, customers can dine alongside meerkats, frogs, insects, and lizards. But the owner confessed that it was difficult to get the idea off the ground.

Knowing exactly where the treats are, two adorable meerkats bolt over to climb on our delighted reporter’s lap.

The curious creatures poke around, even coming right up to the camera lens. But that’s not the only animal kingdom represented here.

This is an exotic pet restaurant in Taichung’s West District. Here, customers have a chance to dine alongside meerkats, chameleons, frogs, insects, lizards big and small, and more.

Customer
Animal lover
It’s super cool! When I first came, I saw birds and snakes outside and wondered if they were real.

Customer
Animal lover
If you can’t keep them at home, but want to learn more about them, you can come here and see for yourself.

Dog and cat cafes are common, but this is the first restaurant in Taiwan to feature exotic animals. As there was no precedent to follow, the founder said it was difficult getting started.

Exotic animal restaurant
Founder
Pets have natural odors, while food service has strict sanitation requirements. Striking a balance between the two took a massive effort. And on top of that, animal protection laws have evolved in recent years. It requires constant adjustments on our end.

It’s crucial to keep a suitable living space for the animals, as well as a sanitary dining environment. Caring for over 40 species gathered under one roof poses an even greater challenge.

Exotic animal restaurant
Founder
Some are from deserts, some from forests, and others from riverbanks. We want to provide an environment that mimics their natural habitats. It can also serve as a reference for other pet owners.

The founder said the animals take “shifts,” with regular breaks. By opening Taiwan’s first exotic pet restaurant, they hope it can introduce more people to these charming and unique animals.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#petcafe #exoticanimals #Taichung #lizards #meerkats #exoticpetrestaurant

2026-11-03