Poll shows majority oppose stalling defense budgetBy Chen Yu-fu and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerMore than half of people disapprove of opposition lawmakers stalling review of the government’s proposed special defense budget, a poll found today. Last month, President William Lai (賴清德) proposed a NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.63 billion) special defense budget to be spent over the next eight years. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) using their combined legislative majority have twice declined to schedule the bill for discussion. Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers hold up signs protesting the opposition over blocking discussion of the government’s special defense budget at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei in an undated photograph. However, 33 percent of KMT supporters appreciated the comments, compared with 34 percent who did not.

Crackdown on threats after Taipei knife attackStaff writer, with CNAAuthorities have detained several suspects in recent days for violent acts and making threats, stepping up efforts to prevent copycat attacks after a deadly stabbing spree in Taipei on Friday. Armed police patrol in Taipei Railway Station today. Citing the risk of flight and repeat offenses, they sought Lu's detention, which was approved by the New Taipei District Court this morning. Authorities launched the crackdown following an indiscriminate knife attack late on Friday near Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan MRT Station that left four people dead, including the suspect, 27-year-old Chang Wen (張文). Police and prosecutors warned that any acts threatening public safety, whether online or offline, would be dealt with swiftly.

MRT patrols increased after social media bomb threatBy Wang Kuan-jen and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerPolice today said they are stepping up patrols throughout the Taipei MRT system, after a social media user threatened to detonate a bomb at an unspecified station this afternoon. Many copycat messages have been posted since Friday’s stabbing attacks at Taipei Main Station and near Zhongshan MRT Station that left three dead and 11 injured, police said. Police officers patrol in Taipei Main Station yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei TimesLast night, a Threads user in a post said they would detonate a bomb on the Taipei MRT system at 1:30pm today, without specifying where. The stations include Songshan, Nangang and Taipei railway stations in Taipei; Banqiao station in New Taipei City; Songzhu, Daqing and Xinwuri stations in Taichung; and Xinzuoying in Kaohsiung.

OneRepublic thrills packed Kaohsiung crowdStaff writer, with CNAUS pop-rock band OneRepublic performed to a packed audience at Kaohsiung Arena on Friday night, with frontman Ryan Tedder delighting fans by wearing a Taiwanese temple-style vest and speaking Mandarin on stage. The show opened with the high-energy number Born, sending the crowd into a frenzy that grew as Tedder donned the vest on stage. OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder wears a temple vest while performing in Kaohsiung on Friday last week. OneRepublic performs in Kaohsiung on Friday last week. While performing Runaway, Tedder did some improvisations, changing the lyrics at one point to "My friends in Kaohsiung."

Visiting Japan delegation to meet president and premierBy Huang Ching-hsuan and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNAA delegation from Japan’s House of Councillors led by lawmaker Hirofumi Takinami is to meet with President William Lai (賴清德) and Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) while visiting Taiwan from today to Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The delegation of five would also meet Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Chairman Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), the ministry said. The lawmakers are part of the House of Councillors’ “TY Group,” a pro-Taiwan group initiated by Takinami and former house member Yumi Yoshikawa. The former state minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries was also instrumental to a change made earlier this year to Japan’s household registration system allowing Taiwanese to list “Taiwan” as their nationality. Takinami is leader of the household registration task force at the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council.

Nine killed in South Africa bar shootingAP, JOHANNESBURGNine people have died and at least 10 were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of yesterday, authorities said. It is the second mass shooting to happen in South Africa in three weeks. Bystanders gather at the scene of a mass shooting in Bekkersdal, South Africa, yesterday. Another shooting killed 16 people in the Johannesburg township of Soweto in 2022. On the same day, four people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in another province.

Runners take part in the annual Taipei Marathon yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei TimesFor large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives detection measures would be introduced, the Taipei City Government said. The Taipei City Police Department’s Songshan Precinct said it has implemented multilayered security measures for events at the Taipei Arena, deploying armed patrol officers around the venue and at MRT Taipei Arena Station. Security at the annual Taipei Marathon was heavily increased yesterday, with almost 700 armed police officers deployed along the route. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei TimesThe Taipei Marathon drew about 28,000 runners yesterday, with about 9,000 competing in the full marathon, and 19,000 participating in the half-marathon, Chiang said.

MOTC to amend road rulesBy Wu Liang-yi and Shelley Shan / Staff reportersThe Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has previewed proposed amendments to the Road and Traffic Safety Training Regulations (道路交通安全講習辦法) and Road Traffic Safety Rules (道路交通安全規則) to tackle problems caused by people driving without a license. Photo: Taipei TimesUnder the October amendments, unlicensed motorcyclists face fines ranging from NT$18,000 to NT$36,000, while unlicensed car drivers face fines of NT$36,000 to NT$60,000. The amendments to the regulations would require unlicensed drivers who contravene traffic regulations to take driving safety courses. The maximum number of days for driving safety courses would be extended to three days from two days, based on the amendments. In addition, in line with amendments promulgated by President William Lai (賴清德) last month, the ministry said it is revising pedestrian-related rules.

Civic groups back top court’s decision‘BACK ON TRACK’: The court’s decision was important in reaffirming the separation of powers between the legislature and the executive, the groups’ statement saidBy Lin Hsin-han / Staff reporterMore than 20 civic groups, 160 academics and 130 lawyers yesterday issued a joint statement supporting the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Friday that amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) passed last year were unconstitutional, saying it was the first step to restoring the nation’s constitutional democracy. A plaque for the Constitutional Court is pictured on its building in Taipei on Friday last week. Three justices from the eight-member court dissented and were not counted toward the total number of justices presiding over the case. The civic groups in the statement said that the first Constitutional Court judgement made this year has brought the court back to life, ending 328 days of paralysis since the amendments were passed. It draws a clear line between judicial and legislative powers, ensuring that the Legislative Yuan could not paralyze the Constitutional Court again, it said.

The KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) caucuses on Friday last week proposed impeaching Lai. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang is pictured in an undated photograph. The provision allowing the Legislative Yuan to request the impeached person attend a hearing was passed when Lai was a legislator, not by the current legislature, Huang said. “I do not know if Lai would claim the provision is unconstitutional and that the Legislative Yuan has no authority to invite him,” Huang said. The KMT and TPP have acted with impunity since gaining the legislative majority last year, Chung said.

Twenty-seven-year-old suspect Chang Wen (張文) threw smoke grenades and stabbed people at Taipei Main Station and near Zhongshan MRT Station, killing three people and injuring at least 11. Chang jumped to his death from the sixth floor of the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi building while being pursued by police. Chang acted alone, police said after reviewing footage of his movements the days leading up the attack. In the three days leading up to the attack, Chang repeatedly traveled around Zhongshan District (中山), particularly around the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi store, conducting what police believe was reconnaissance for the attack. Chang reportedly started renting an apartment off Gongyuan Road for about NT$10,000 per month starting in January, making payments on time.

METRO RAMPAGE: Father, daughter doctors helped at scene of attackBy Lin Chih-I and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writerAn off-duty emergency doctor and his daughter provided critical first aid during a deadly stabbing attack in Taipei on Friday. The attack by 27-year-old suspect Chang Wen (張文) unfolded in the early evening around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later outside Eslite Spectrum Nanxi department store near MRT Zhongshan Station. National Taiwan University Hospital emergency department doctor Yen Jui-sheng, center, speaks to reporters as Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, left, looks on in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei TimesChang jumped from the roof of a department store while being chased by police and was pronounced dead on Friday night. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Yen said that saving lives is a doctor’s duty.

10 KMT defendants sentenced for recall petition forgeryStaff writer, with CNATen people affiliated with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) were given suspended sentences of 10 to 22 months by the Chiayi District Court on Friday for forging signatures in a drive to recall a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker. Chiayi District Court in Chiayi County is pictured in an undated photograph. Prosecutors raided the KMT’s Chiayi County branch on June 5 investigating allegations of faking signatures to recall DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷). Workers and volunteers at the KMT Chiayi County branch took it into their own hands to create the needed signatures, prosecutors said. The KMT unsuccessfully tried to mount recall campaigns against DPP lawmakers after civic groups pushed for recalls of KMT legislators, getting 31 of them to a popular vote.

METRO RAMPAGE: Witnesses to Taipei stabbing attacks could experience trauma, psychologists warnBy Lin Chih-yi and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerPeople who saw a stabbing attack in Taipei on Friday, as well as people exposed to images of the incident, could experience trauma, highlighting the need for awareness and care, a psychologists’ association said yesterday. The suspect, 27-year-old Chang Wen (張文), carried out attacks at Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan MRT Station on Friday, killing three people and leaving 11 injured. Police and emergency responders stand outside the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi store following a deadly stabbing spree on Friday. When children piece together incomplete information on their own, misunderstandings can arise, potentially intensifying fear, he said. Parents should reassure children that fear is normal, discuss simple safety strategies and offer comfort based on family routines, he said.

Africa Cup of Nations now to be every four yearsReutersThe Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) would in future be held every four years instead of every two years, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said on Saturday. The surprise decision was made at the body’s executive committee meeting in Rabat and announced at a news conference by CAF president Patrice Motsepe. Motsepe announced the launch of an African Nations League annually from 2029 to fill the gap, following the example of Europe which holds its championship every four years. “Historically the Nations Cup was the prime resource for us, but now we will get financial resources every year,” he said. This year’s tournament in Morocco was moved back six months when FIFA introduced a new-look Club World Cup, which was hosted in the US in June and July.