TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Well-known romance novelist Chiung Yao (瓊瑤) died from suicide at the age of 86 in her home on Wednesday (Dec. 4).

Chiung passed away in New Taipei's Tamsui District at 1:22 p.m. per Business Today. Her 63-year-old son said that his mother had left a suicide note instructing her secretary to check on her around noon.

Upon entering the home, the secretary found Chiung to be unresponsive and called 119. Emergency responders confirmed that she had died and did not transport her to the hospital.

Before her death, Chiung told her relatives and friends to post a suicide note and her final work "When Snowflakes Fall" (當雪花飄落) on Facebook. The post asked friends not to be sad as she has already "passed away gracefully," and she advised young people to never easily give up on life, considering setbacks as only trials in a beautiful life.

Chiung, whose real name was Chen Che (陳喆), was born in 1938 in Chengdu, Sichuan, per Mirror Media. Her father was a professor at the National Normal University, while her mother once taught Chinese literature at Taiwan Jianguo High School.

Chiung displayed a talent for writing from a young age, publishing her first novel at just 9 years old. She graduated from Zhongshan Girls' High School but chose not to pursue further education.

At the age of 21, she married for the first time, but divorced when she was 27. In the 1970s, she married Ping Hsin-tao (平鑫濤), the head of Crown Publishing, who passed away in 2019.

At the age of 25, Chiung debuted with the publication of “Outside the Window,” which was later adapted into a Taiwanese romantic film. Actress Brigitte Lin (林青霞), at 17 years old, made her acting debut in the film and became the first iconic lead actress in Chiung's works.

Chiung's dramas include “Misty Rain,” “Wan-chun,” “The Deep Garden and Courtyard,” and “My Fair Princess” (還珠格格). They catapulted many actors and actresses to fame, such as Zhen Zhen (甄珍), Joan Lin (林鳳嬌), Zhao Wei (趙薇), Ruby Lin (林心如), Steve Ma (馬景濤), and Kevin Lin (林瑞陽).

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —  Kaohsiung police arrested 60 individuals last month for allegedly selling and using illegal drugs at a restaurant.

At a news conference on Tuesday (Dec. 3), Kaohsiung police said the apprehended individuals included employees, bar girls, and customers at the restaurant. Of the 60 individuals, 34 were Taiwanese, nine were Chinese, and 17 were Vietnamese, including five undocumented migrant workers.

A police task force raided the popular eatery in Pingtung’s Ligang Township in the early morning of Nov. 26. Police became aware of the eatery’s illegal activities through similar cases involving drug sales, and they monitored the venue for months before securing a search warrant.

Police seized a bottle of category II drug etomidate, 330 packets of category III drug cathinone, three packets of category III narcotic ketamine, and 14 ketamine-laced cigarettes. Officers also confiscated approximately NT$480,000 in cash.

The five individuals running the operation, a female manager surnamed Su (蘇), a hostess surnamed Huang (黃), a man surnamed Hsieh (謝), and two employees, were taken to Pingtung District Prosecutors Office. They will be charged for allegedly breaking the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said Monday (Dec. 2) that smoking will be banned at 27 venues and in surrounding areas during next year’s World Masters Games.

The international multi-sport event is held every four years and welcomes participants of all abilities aged 25 to 35 at least. Greater Taipei is scheduled to host the event May 17–30.

Taipei City Councilor Chin Hui-Chu (秦慧珠) said smoking has been banned at Taipei Dome since Sept. 1. However, health department enforcement has been weak over the past three months, with just six violations penalized.

Chin added nearly 7.6% of Taipei's population are smokers and emphasized the need for stricter enforcement against illegal smoking and cigarette littering. She suggested adopting Osaka Expo's policy of implementing a citywide smoking ban.

Mayor Chiang pledged he would coordinate with the New Taipei City government to implement the policy.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The government said Tuesday (Dec. 3) that it has raised the limit on the amount foreign migrant workers can remit per year.

The Financial Supervisory Commission said it has amended the Regulations Governing Small Amount Remittance Services for Foreign Migrant Workers to increase the amount migrant workers can remit to their home countries. Under the revised provisions, the annual limit for small remittances by foreign migrant workers will be increased from NT$400,000 (US$12,300) to NT$500,000, effective Friday.

This adjustment applies to four remittance companies licensed by the FSC: Welldone Company, Eastern Union Interactive Corp., Digital Idea Multi-Media Co., and May-God Human Resource. Among these, Welldone and Eastern Union Interactive can remit funds to the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, while Digital Idea Multi-Media and May-God Human Resource can transfer money to Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The FSC said, as of the end of September, 646,000 foreign migrant workers conducted 6.49 million remittance transactions, amounting to NT$60.7 billion. Meanwhile, data from the Ministry of Labor shows that as of the end of September, the number of foreign migrant workers in Taiwan was approximately 806,000.

The commission said the annual salary of foreign migrant workers is approximately NT$380,000, which is close to the original annual remittance limit of NT$400,000. However, to accommodate the remittance needs of an increasing number of mid-level skilled foreign workers, the FSC has raised the limit from NT$400,000 to NT$500,000.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — To assist with a rapidly aging population, the Kaohsiung City Government Social Affairs Bureau has started providing free elderly ID bracelets, distributing 15,000 to date.

The bracelets are engraved with the individual’’s name and the emergency contact phone number of a family member. The Social Affairs Bureau commented there were 18 new locations where citizens can apply for the bracelets.

Social workers hope they can bring peace of mind to families who have members struggling with dementia and mental illness. The bracelet is available to those over 60 years of age and to those 45 years of age or older who have a registered illness.

Anyone who holds a certificate related to physical or mental disability, a doctor's diagnosis, or documentation from the police department about a lost family member, can apply for a free elderly ID bracelet. 

The Social Affairs Bureau said the elderly ID bracelet is useful when a family member is lost or disoriented. Wearing such a bracelet can remind the elderly person about their information, or allow police or other bystanders to easily access the information. 

The Social Affairs Bureau said citizens can apply at the Kaohsiung Senior Citizens’ Service Center, or at police stations in Kaohsiung and 38 district offices. In rural areas, citizens can mail, email, and fax their applications.

For more information, contact the Kaohsiung Senior Citizens’ Service Center at (07) 771-0055 or visit the website.

​TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan will hold two control method training sessions on Friday (Dec. 6) and Dec. 13 to address the growing problem of invasive green iguanas.

Removing green iguanas requires specialized tools and a thorough understanding of their behavior, the city's Agriculture Bureau said. Led by herpetologist Hsiang Kao-shih (向高世), the courses will provide training on iguana behavior and control methods.

Individuals 18 and above can sign up for the courses online, each limited to 50 participants. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate and can assist in the city's future green iguana removals.

The first session will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at the Renyi community center. The second session will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the Jiannan community center.

Taiwan classified green iguanas as an invasive species in 2020. Owners were required to register their pets, and unauthorized breeding was banned.

Local governments met on Nov. 22 to discuss the challenges of removing green iguanas. Local authorities will now allow trained individuals to help with removal efforts.

There are no natural green iguana predators in Taiwan, according to Heng Su Yang. This has allowed them to rapidly multiply and form large colonies, particularly in the warmer southern and central regions.

These invasive reptiles decimate crops, causing substantial financial losses for farmers. Their rapid reproduction rate and lack of natural enemies upset the ecological balance and endanger native wildlife.

The Agriculture Bureau emphasized the green iguana problem has grown due to human mismanagement and reminded the public to treat the animals humanely during removal processes.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Yulin County’s Gukeng Township is Taiwan's largest orange-producing region, but this year’s production declined by 20% due to Typhoon Gaemi.

Prices have almost doubled, rising to a record NT$30 (US$0.92) per 600 grams as Gukeng oranges enter harvest season. Gukeng Township Mayor Lin Hui-ju (林慧如) held a press event on Tuesday (Dec. 3), inviting the public to attend an orange festival scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Gukeng Township has 1,032 hectares of orange orchards. Lin said local oranges flourish due to abundant sunshine, fertile soil, and the skill of local farmers. Gukeng accounts for 25% of Taiwan’s orange production.

The effects of a typhoon in July have made Gukeng oranges more scarce, with some consumers unable to purchase them without advance order. The quality of Gukeng oranges has made them popular for juicing or mixing with tea, increasing scarcity and prices.

Orange farmer Chen Shang-hsien (陳尚賢) said that the Gukeng orange trees have entered the harvest period. In conjunction with the township’s weekend orange festival, Chen said several orchards will be open to the public, allowing them to pick their own fruit.

Wei Sheng-de (魏勝德), director of the Agriculture Department, Yunlin County, said Gukeng Township produces approximately 30,000 tons of oranges annually. Wei said local oranges are high in vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients.

​TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday (Dec. 3) that nearly 160 kg of Vietnamese black pepper products containing Sudan dyes have been distributed in Taiwan.

An investigation found three of 43 batches failed safety inspections, with one batch still being tested. Authorities have ordered a recall of the affected products.

Vietnamese pepper products have been flagged as a high-risk commodity, FDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said. In the FDA’s latest border inspection results released Wednesday, 500 kg of imported Vietnamese black peppercorns have been found to contain Sudan dyes, and have been destroyed or returned to Vietnam.

Sudan dyes, such as Sudan I, II, III, and IV, are industrial dyes primarily used to color non-food items like solvents, oils, waxes, shoe polish, and floor wax. Despite being banned for food use in many countries, including the EU, US, and Taiwan, Sudan dyes are sometimes illegally added to food to enhance color and reduce production costs, according to the Tainan Public Health Bureau and SGS Taiwan.

Two of the contaminated batches of the investigated products, totaling 480 kg, included black pepper granules and ground black pepper. About 130 kg had been distributed to nine businesses in six jurisdictions.

Authorities have recovered 53.6 kg. The remaining 351.7 kg have been quarantined.

Another batch of 90 kg of black pepper powder was contaminated. Authorities have seized the remaining 58.8 kg, while 31.2 kg have been sold and are currently being traced.

Last week, the FDA intercepted three batches of food products, totaling 1,436 kg, imported from China, South Africa, and Vietnam. These products, including chili resin, black peppercorns, and black pepper powder contained Sudan dyes.

The FDA has placed related products from these three countries under surveillance until November next year. The manufacturing plants involved are permanently banned from importing into Taiwan.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei District Court sentenced TV host Mickey Huang (黃子佼) to eight months in prison on Monday (Nov. 3) for possessing and promoting a market for child pornography since 2019.

The court also fined Huang NT$100,000 (US$3,071) after a trial where he denied the crime of possessing 2,259 sexual images of 35 children. Underage witnesses said they were between 10 and 17 years old when the photos were taken, some of which included easily identifiable information, such as their faces, school uniforms, ID cards, and social media profiles.

The court said in a release that Huang showed no remorse for the crime which aided in child exploitation and sustained a market for child pornography. It said Huang’s behavior was “ruthless and inexcusable” and seriously harmed the children involved.

The court said that Huang purchased the images from a forum that sells revenge and child pornography. Police confiscated hard drives containing the images as part of an investigation into Huang’s activities in 2023, and he was found to possess even more images a year later.

In addition to the hard drive images, the court heard testimonies from children and teenagers, and saw evidence from Huang’s forum account, his purchase records, and other information. The court said this established Huang was subjectively aware he possessed sexual images of children and teenagers.

Huang’s defense argued that he was eligible for a suspended sentence because he was unaware of his crimes and his actions were too minor to warrant the minimum sentence. The court dismissed these arguments due to the number of images Huang possessed, the damage he caused to children, and Huang’s denial of the crime during trial.

Huang confessed to possessing child pornography during an interrogation but later retracted the statement. The court said his denial made it hard to believe Huang would show remorse for his crimes.

The court said Huang’s fine can be paid off through community service at NT$1,000 per day. The fine and prison sentence can be appealed.

Huang was sentenced during a retrial after he was granted deferred prosecution for possessing the images. The decision caused an outcry from legislators and rights groups, and fresh charges were laid against Huang in April.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Foodpanda customer who spent NT$5 (US$0.15) won the NT$10 million (US$307,000) Special Prize in the latest edition of the Taiwan receipt lottery.

On Nov. 25, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) reported the winning numbers for the September-October lottery round. The winning number for the Special Prize was 28630525, the winning number for the NT$2 million Grand Prize was 90028580, and the three winning numbers for the First Prize were 27435934, 39666605, and 02550031.

The MOF on Tuesday (Dec. 3) released the full list of winners for the July-August draw of the receipt lottery. The latest edition includes 21 Special Prize winners and 14 Grand Prize recipients.

Of the Special Prize winners, 10 spent less than NT$100. The lucky consumer who spent the least and won the most was a Foodpanda customer who received an NT$5 platform fee invoice.

The second luckiest winner spent NT$19 on a product at 101 Stationary Paradise on Xinyi Street in Taichung's Wuri District. The third luckiest winner spent NT$29 on a transaction fee from the Valve Corporation in Taipei's Xinyi District. 

In fourth place was a 7-Eleven customer who bought a NT$35 cup of City Cafe coffee at the Fudan Store on Dunhua South Road Section 1 in Taipei's Songshan District. Rounding out the luckiest five was a consumer who bought a drink for NT$50 at Mia C´bon supermarket on Chengde Road, Section 1 in Taipei's Datong District.