Today's (8/10) Top News! 2026 Air Defense Drill This Week! Implemented in 7 Counties/Cities / Nationwide Elderly Welfare Card Upgraded / No More NHI Premiums! 8 Counties/Cities to Fully Cover for Seniors Without Application

Focus brought by Storm Media news to help you grasp today’s key developments. The 2026 Urban Resilience Air Defense Drill kicks off today (August 10), with traffic control implemented from 2:30 PM in 7 central counties/cities. Violators face fines up to NT$150,000. This year introduces the first-ever 'vehicles stop, people evacuate' rule and internet speed reduction measures. Taichung Police Bureau urges the public to follow guidance and fully participate in the drill. All 22 counties/cities across Taiwan are simultaneously upgrading their Elderly Love Cards, expanding subsidies from buses to include metro, TRA, YouBike, and clinic registration fees. Some counties/cities even allow usage at farmers’ associations and pharmacies, with up to NT$1,500 credited monthly. Eligible individuals will automatically receive benefits via card tap—no application needed. Additionally, 8 counties/cities have announced full government coverage of NHI premiums for seniors aged 65 and above, saving each person NT$826 per month. Amid Taiwan’s super-aging society, local governments are racing to roll out long-term care subsidies, though eligibility criteria and implementation timelines vary significantly—details affecting household budgets must not be overlooked. With 110 days remaining until the 2026 Nine-in-One Elections, Keelung’s mayoral race is seeing undercurrents. Although Hsieh Kuo-liang survived a 2024 recall attempt and remains in office, former KMT council speaker and civil servant groups have entered the race, making Keelung a battle the Blue Camp cannot afford to 'rest on'. The financial consolidation wave is accelerating: Taishin Bank and Shin Kong Bank’s stock swap merger has been approved by the Financial Supervisory Commission. All 103 Shin Kong branches across Taiwan will transfer, creating an asset base of NT$4.7 trillion, with the formal merger set for January 1, 2027. Meanwhile, E.Sun Financial Holding has finalized its 100% acquisition of Three Wells Fubon Life Insurance, with September 1 as the share conversion benchmark date. 245 major shareholders still hold positions. Three Wells Life’s final trading day and delisting schedule are confirmed, and it will be renamed E.Sun Life Insurance starting December 1, reshaping Taiwan’s financial holding landscape. The latest poll for Kaohsiung mayoral election shows Lai Jui-long at 47.78% versus Ko Chih-en at 46.14%, a mere 1.64 percentage point gap within the margin of error. Ko maintains tight competition by securing support from centrist and Taiwan People’s Party voters, despite the Green camp’s traditional advantage failing to widen the lead—election intensity exceeds expectations. Weather-wise, although Typhoon Baito’s sea warning has been lifted, the atmosphere continues to be influenced by southwest winds. Meteorological experts warn of three typhoons and one low-pressure system forming in the Pacific, with torrential rains expected at specific times, making weather across Taiwan highly unstable. The public must remain vigilant about heavy rain forecasts over the next week. The 2026 Air Defense Drill is here! On August 10, implemented in 7 counties/cities, with violations punishable by up to NT$150,000: internet throttling times and three major changes explained. The 2026 Urban Resilience (Air Defense) Drill for central Taiwan will take place this Monday (August 10) from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM. During the drill, air raid alerts, evacuations, and necessary traffic controls will be enforced. Taichung Police Bureau urges citizens to follow police and civil defense personnel guidance to ensure effective drills. Three major changes in the 2026 drill: adjusted timing, 'vehicles stop, people evacuate', and internet throttling. Taichung Police note this year’s drill adopts a 'pre-announced, simultaneous by zone' approach, differing from previous years... Click for full report. Seniors, get ready to claim! Nationwide Elderly Love Card benefits upgraded—up to NT$1,500 monthly credited automatically until death for eligible individuals. Taiwan has fully entered a super-aging society. In 2026, all 22 county/city governments are expanding and upgrading 'Elderly Love Card' benefits. Previously limited to buses, the card now significantly enhances functionality, covering subsidies for metro, TRA, elderly taxis, YouBike, and ferries. It can even offset entry fees at national sports centers and registration fees at clinics and outpatient departments. Some counties/cities allow purchases of daily necessities at contracted farmers’ associations and pharmacies, turning it into dedicated healthcare and living support funds for seniors. 2026 Ultimate Guide to Elderly Love Cards across Taiwan: subsidies... Click for full report. No more NHI premiums! 8 counties/cities announce seniors will have premiums fully covered by government without application—implementation timelines, eligibility, and additional local subsidies explained. As Taiwan rapidly enters a super-aging society, elderly healthcare and care burdens have become focal points. According to the National Health Insurance Act, NHI is mandatory social insurance. Anyone registered in Taiwan must pay premiums even after age 65, unless government-subsidized. The current premium rate is 5.17%. Category 6 individuals (no job, no dependents) pay a fixed monthly amount of NT$826 (if covered under children, calculated proportionally based on the dependent’s monthly insured amount). To reduce seniors’ retirement burdens... Click for full report. Behind the scenes: Keelung’s Hsieh Kuo-liang cannot 'rest on'. Former KMT speaker and 'avengers' support Lai Qing-de’s nephew. In 2022, the KMT regained Keelung—the 'head of Taiwan'—after an 8-year gap. Former legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang, against low expectations, defeated DPP legislator Tsai Shih-yin and became Keelung mayor. After the 2024 presidential election, in mid-2024, the DPP leveraged controversies over the Keelung East Coast Mall, prompting civic group 'Shanhai Citizen Chai-Liang Action' to initiate a recall. The vote occurred on October 13, 2024. Ultimately, 86,014 votes opposed the recall, exceeding the 69,934 in favor, so the recall failed. Hsieh continued as mayor. The following... Click for full report. Taiwan’s well-known bank confirmed for merger! '103 branches nationwide to transfer'—Taishin Financial gains full equity, official merger date revealed. The Financial Supervisory Commission officially approved the stock swap merger between Taishin International Commercial Bank and Taiwan Shin Kong Commercial Bank, with Taishin Bank as the surviving entity, tentatively setting January 1, 2027, as the merger benchmark date. Post-merger, the new Taishin Bank’s asset size and branch network will significantly increase, becoming Taiwan’s seventh-largest bank and second-largest physical branch network. Taishin Shin Kong Financial Holding also demonstrates strategic ambition to build a comprehensive financial group. Taishin and Shin Kong banks approved for merger! Assets of NT$4.7 trillion rank seventh, 204 locations second among domestic banks. According to FSC Banking Bureau statistics as of... Click for full report. Stockholders, take note! One stock confirmed delisting on September 1, with 245 major shareholders still holding positions—last trading day revealed. Taiwan’s financial market reaches a major consolidation milestone. E.Sun Financial Holding (2884)’s 100% acquisition of Three Wells Fubon Life Insurance (2867) has officially passed FSC review, entering the final execution phase. Both parties set September 1 as the share conversion benchmark date. Three Wells Life will cease its listing status and become a wholly-owned life insurance subsidiary under E.Sun Financial Holding. It is planned to be renamed 'E.Sun Life Insurance' starting December 1, marking a major reshuffling of Taiwan’s financial holding landscape. With the share swap and delisting schedule finalized... Click for full report. Juwen Poll: Just one percentage point difference! Lai Jui-long fails to leverage 'Chen Chi-mai effect', Ko Chih-en holds tight with support from two voter groups. With only 110 days left until the 2026 Nine-in-One Elections, Juwen News Network released today (August 10) the latest Kaohsiung mayoral election poll. DPP-nominated Lai Jui-long received 47.78% support, while KMT-nominated Ko Chih-en received 46.14%, a mere 1.64 percentage point gap within the margin of error. Cross-analysis shows both lead in different age groups and districts. Despite Kaohsiung’s political map favoring the Green camp, Ko remains competitive, primarily due to stronger support from centrist and TPP voters. The end-of-year Kaohsiung mayoral race, due to... Click for full report. Weather: Three typhoons plus one low-pressure system in succession! From this day onward, torrential rains will strike, and weather across Taiwan will be highly unstable. Sea warnings have been officially lifted, but people should still guard against rain-related inconveniences. As Typhoon Baito gradually moves away from Taiwan’s landmass, the Central Weather Administration officially announced the lifting of the sea typhoon warning late last night. Wu Derong, adjunct associate professor at National Central University’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences, analyzed in the Meteorological Application Promotion Foundation’s 'Leaking Heaven’s Secrets Classroom' column that although typhoon threats have decreased, the atmospheric environment will continue to be influenced by southwest winds, requiring caution against localized heavy rains in windward areas. The meteorological team indicates the overall weather pattern will show two-stage changes. Over the next week, the public must remain vigilant about heavy rain dynamics... Click for full report.