In a speech in Washington ahead of the midterm elections, U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the U.S.-Iran war, saying America has the upper hand and that Iran's air defense and missile production have declined sharply. He said Iran wants a deal and that it "could happen." Trump also denied that the U.S. would resume attacks on Iran after the elections.
The Investigation Bureau's national security unit questioned independent legislator Gao Jinsumei as a defendant on suspicion of violating the National Security Act and related offenses. After two hours of follow-up questioning, prosecutors ordered her released without bail and barred her from leaving Taiwan or departing by sea. Several of her core aides are accused of receiving Chinese funds to build organizations in Taiwan, and two other core aides were detained last month.
US midterm elections will be held on the 3rd. Republicans, seeking to retain control of Congress, and Democrats, seeking to win it back, launched final campaign pushes over the last weekend before the vote. Widely expected outcome: Democrats will win control of at least one chamber of Congress.
Oil prices fell more than 7% on November 2 as Iran signaled willingness to resolve the war through dialogue and continued talks with Qatari officials on ending the US-Israel war, raising hopes for the restoration of Middle East crude supplies. Brent crude futures dropped $8.66, or 7.63%, to settle at $104.77 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell $7.66, or 7.36%, to $96.46. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had authorized the government to take specific actions in peace negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces carried out an airstrike today on a village in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southeastern Ukraine, killing at least 18 people. Local officials also reported 27 people missing.
In a speech in Washington ahead of the midterm elections, U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the U.S.-Iran war, saying America has the upper hand and that Iran's air defense and missile production have declined sharply. He said Iran wants a deal and that it "could happen." Trump also denied that the U.S. would resume attacks on Iran after the elections.
The Investigation Bureau's national security unit questioned independent legislator Gao Jinsumei as a defendant on suspicion of violating the National Security Act and related offenses. After two hours of follow-up questioning, prosecutors ordered her released without bail and barred her from leaving Taiwan or departing by sea. Several of her core aides are accused of receiving Chinese funds to build organizations in Taiwan, and two other core aides were detained last month.
US midterm elections will be held on the 3rd. Republicans, seeking to retain control of Congress, and Democrats, seeking to win it back, launched final campaign pushes over the last weekend before the vote. Widely expected outcome: Democrats will win control of at least one chamber of Congress.
According to Nikkei Asia, citing informed sources, Taiwan and Japan are negotiating a wide-ranging trade agreement that could be finalized by the end of the year at the earliest. The report said the deal would follow a framework similar to the trade partnership agreement Taiwan signed with the United Kingdom in 2023. The report said that signing the agreement would strengthen strategic ties between the two Asian technology powers and help Taiwan break out of a trade diplomacy impasse.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump told Axios in a phone interview that he is "in no rush" to decide whether to resume military operations against Iran. He said the United States would take some action regardless, and claimed Iran had been severely hurt financially, with no money or gasoline. The statement comes ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, which had been seen as a key point for deciding on large-scale bombing. According to Axios, Trump is maintaining a dual-track approach, continuing negotiations while not ruling out renewed force.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces carried out an airstrike today on a village in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southeastern Ukraine, killing at least 18 people. Local officials also reported 27 people missing.
On the eve of the midterm elections, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block California from counting mail ballots cast by more than 20,000 registered voters.
According to Axios, Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu during a phone call that he wants more time for diplomacy with Iran before deciding whether to resume strikes, with that decision to come after the U.S. midterm elections. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that Iran's supreme leader has authorized the government to negotiate with the United States. Oil prices slumped more than 6% intraday, pushing Brent crude below $110 a barrel.
Hopes are rising that the United States and Iran may resume negotiations to end the conflict in the Middle East. International oil prices extended their decline today, falling by more than 6%.
Iran's President Pezeshkian said today that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has granted the government certain powers in negotiations with the United States.
Oil prices fell more than 7% on November 2 as Iran signaled willingness to resolve the war through dialogue and continued talks with Qatari officials on ending the US-Israel war, raising hopes for the restoration of Middle East crude supplies. Brent crude futures dropped $8.66, or 7.63%, to settle at $104.77 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell $7.66, or 7.36%, to $96.46. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had authorized the government to take specific actions in peace negotiations.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said today that South Africa and Rwanda will be excluded from a major duty-free trade program between the United States and Africa, because the two countries' practices do not meet the eligibility criteria.
According to the latest regulatory filings, Oracle plans to sell bonds and stock to raise $20 billion for building costly AI and cloud infrastructure. The company's shares fell more than 6% in early trading on the 2nd.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung went to the National Assembly on the 2nd to seek passage of the largest budget bill in the country's history. Government spending in 2027 would rise 12.8% to 820.9 trillion won, with 21.3 trillion won allocated to three AI-related programs: AI and semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers. That amount is close to double this year's level, and the government hopes it will build future growth drivers.
US artificial intelligence company Anthropic reported that its third-quarter revenue rose more than 1,100% from a year earlier. The company expects to list on Wall Street later this month.
Oracle said on Monday it plans to raise $10 billion each through common stock and corporate bonds to fund AI and cloud infrastructure expansion. Just five days earlier, the company told investors that AI financing for fiscal 2027 through 2030 would not exceed $20 billion. Its shares have also fallen back to levels seen before its investor day.
The ISM said its index rose to 55.5 in October from 54.5, above economists' expectations of 54.5 and the second-highest level in over four years. Manufacturing has expanded for 10 straight months, and factory output grew at the fastest pace in nearly five years. Strong consumer spending and corporate investment in AI and data centers boosted orders and employment. Supplier delivery times slowed further, and raw material price pressure, though easing, remains high.
The World Nuclear Association (WNA) reported that as of October 16, 79 nuclear reactors were under construction worldwide, the highest number since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Rising fossil fuel prices and growing electricity demand from the expansion of power-intensive artificial intelligence (AI) are cited as the main drivers.
Claude developer Anthropic updated its IPO filing, disclosing third-quarter revenue of nearly $17 billion, about 12 times the same period last year. However, the company returned to an operating loss, with its quarterly net loss widening to about $23.3 billion. The filing also shows purchase and lease commitments totaling $895.4 billion, nearly all for computing power and infrastructure. For the first nine months of the year, revenue reached $33.24 billion, up about 1,200% year on year. The net loss for the period widened to $104 billion from $25.1 billion a year earlier, largely due to fair value changes in convertible notes and derivative liabilities.
Manufacturing in major Asian chip-exporting countries continued to expand in October, but growth slowed. Taiwan's manufacturing PMI fell from a high of more than five years to 54.9, marking an 11th consecutive month of expansion. Japan, South Korea and mainland China also weakened. Chip and AI demand remains strong, but the Middle East war is pushing up energy and food prices, eroding consumer and business confidence.
Rising fossil fuel prices and the accelerating rollout of energy-intensive artificial intelligence (AI) are driving new plant projects, pushing the number of nuclear reactors under construction worldwide to 79, the highest in 40 years.
OpenAI plans a major public relations campaign after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, reflecting tech companies' concern that AI firms could face tougher regulation if Democrats win control of the House of Representatives.
Emergency alert systems in Ukraine and Russia were hit by cyberattacks late on the 1st, and many phones displayed false "nuclear alert" messages. Millions of people in Ukraine received the fake messages, while some official Russian regional accounts warned that nuclear warheads had been launched across the country. Both countries' alert systems have since returned to normal operation, but whether the attacks were linked to the war and who was behind them remain unclear.
The Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) reported that passport data of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and some of his aides, totaling 168 people, was leaked. The files were posted on a paid website in June this year.
Officials say at least nine 3,000-kilogram aerial bombs struck a village in southern Ukraine, killing 26 people at an aid centre. The Ukrainian president called the attack "utterly horrific."
Ukraine's emergency services said Russian forces bombed a school in a village in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Monday, killing 24 people. The emergency services said two members…
Civil defence authorities said on Monday that a Russian air strike in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region killed at least 24 people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack hit a school in Komyshuvakha that was distributing humanitarian aid, injuring five more people. He said the settlement was hit several times by aerial bombs over the course of the day and described the strike as an utterly horrific Russian attack.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump ended the midterm campaign season in Washington, calling Democratic Party candidates the "most extreme and dangerous" in American history. Speaking at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which reopened after a renovation by his administration, he described the elections as "the most important midterm, I believe, in our lifetime." The vote takes place the following day and will determine which party controls Congress.
Google says Android manufacturing partner Videostrong Technology Co., based in Shenzhen, China, secretly built a backdoor into 1.3 million devices and turned them into a botnet. The infected devices were used without owners' knowledge for malicious activity, including ad fraud, data exfiltration and routing unauthorized network traffic. Google says it has dismantled the backdoor and cut ties with the company, which has been banned from building or selling certified Android devices or supplying software for them.
Attention is focused on whether a Democratic "blue wave" could sweep Congress away from Republicans in the US midterm elections, potentially leaving the president a lame duck.
Apple has notified several German lawmakers and a filmmaker that their iPhones may have been hacked.
America's Gulf allies are preparing for a new round of strikes on Iran as diplomatic efforts remain stalled and risks grow. Iran has threatened unrestrained retaliation.
On Monday, the eve of the US midterm elections, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block California from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters. Federal officials allege the voters are probably non-US citizens. The department filed the emergency request to prevent counting until each voter's citizenship status is verified, a legal dispute that could affect thousands of voters.
Marvell plans to acquire Lumentum for $115 billion, one of the largest acquisitions in tech history. Both companies share the same strategic investor, Nvidia.
President Donald Trump's administration has appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking to require California election officials to set aside thousands of disputed mail ballots.
Tens of millions of Americans have already cast early votes in the 2026 midterm elections, and millions more are expected to vote in person on Election Day. Polling closing times vary by state, and voters can check the schedule for their state.
US voters will vote on Tuesday in midterm elections that could have a major impact on Donald Trump's presidency.
Iran's delegation has left negotiations in Qatar after a tense weekend. There are fears that Netanyahu could be pushing for new strikes in an effort to stay in power.
Japan's government and ruling coalition are considering nearly doubling defence spending over the next five years, as part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's push to strengthen the country's military capabilities, two people familiar with the matter said. If adopted, defence build-up spending for the five years from April 2027 would be set at 70 trillion to 80 trillion yen (US$457 billion to US$508 billion), about 1.8 times the roughly 43 trillion yen allocated under the current plan.
A fatal crash occurred late at night in Yongkang District, Tainan. An 18-year-old man surnamed Li was struck and knocked down by a drunk driver surnamed Liao, 49, while walking back to his dormitory with classmates after eating late-night snacks. Li was sent to hospital but died. Liao is suspected of not stopping to check on Li and fleeing the scene. Police arrested him within an hour on a roadside in Beitou... Tainan North District, where he was found asleep in his car. Reports say Liao is a repeat drunk-driving offender.
Free public flu and COVID-19 vaccinations began on October 1, with the health coin policy boosting uptake compared with previous years. As of October 31, 41.1% of people aged 65 and over had received a flu vaccine, higher than the same period last year. A second phase of free public vaccines has opened, making them available to people aged 50 and over. This year, vaccination sites have also been set up at large supermarket chains.
Public-funded flu and COVID-19 vaccines are now available to people aged 50 and older. In addition to medical institutions, Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control and local health bureaus have set up 159 vaccination sites in large supermarket chains, making it easier for residents to get vaccinated nearby.
Late one night in Yongkang District, Tainan, an 18-year-old university student surnamed Li was struck by a vehicle driven by a 49-year-old man surnamed Liao, who was allegedly driving without a license and under the influence of alcohol. Li died of his injuries. According to his aunts, who traveled from Hsinchu after learning of the death, Li had called his grandmother about half an hour before the crash and said he wanted to come home. The family said they hope the judicial system will deliver justice.
A Learjet 60 business jet crashed yesterday in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board. Investigators said today that some parts of the aircraft appeared to have detached before the crash.
In 2021, a woman who went to a guesthouse in Taoyuan to provide companionship services was confined by three male clients for about 11 hours. During this time she was beaten, sexually assaulted and filmed nude, and one of the men slashed her left arm with a machete. After a criminal verdict, she filed a civil suit seeking NT$21.5 million. The Taoyuan District Court ordered the three men to pay compensation for their respective torts, totaling NT$2,095,645.
A 49-year-old man surnamed Liao is suspected of driving under the influence in Tainan when his car struck and killed a 19-year-old male university student surnamed Li. According to reports, Liao did not stop after the crash and sped away before being arrested on Ximen Road Section 4 in North District. Reports said Liao had five prior drunk-driving records and had his license suspended last year, and that he was driving without a license during this incident, his sixth drunk-driving offense.
The Qiaotou District Court's citizen judge panel handed down a first-instance verdict on the 2nd in a drug-debt killing and body-dumping case in Kaohsiung. A 44-year-old woman surnamed Huang was sentenced to 14 years in prison for jointly killing a man surnamed Lin. Men surnamed Wu and Zhu were sentenced to two years and eight months, and three years and two months, respectively, for jointly carrying a weapon and illegal detention. All verdicts can be appealed.
Last year in Taipei's Xinyi District, a 27-year-old nightclub hostess surnamed Gu was stabbed 57 times with a knife by her 22-year-old former boyfriend, Liu Bo-wei. In the first trial, a citizen judge panel sentenced Liu to life imprisonment and permanent deprivation of civil rights. After the case was appealed, the Taiwan High Court held a hearing on the 3rd. Liu admitted to killing her and said the act was a spur-of-the-moment decision following a quarrel. He requested that the sentence be reduced to 15 years in prison. The victim's family seeks the death penalty.