Today's (08/12) Top News! One County to Offer Elderly Cardholders 'NT$1,200 Monthly Until Death' Starting October / Free Bubble Tea on Birthdays with '8' in ID / Major Restrictions Across 7 Cities Including Taipei on 8/13

Storm Media's news highlights bring you today’s key updates. One county has announced that starting October 2026, monthly points on elderly and爱心 cards will increase from 800 to 1,200. Usage limits at agricultural cooperatives and pharmacies will also rise to 300 points. From October 16, cardholders can ride YouBike 2.0E e-bikes for free by simply swiping their card. Nearly 70,000 cardholders—over 90% coverage—will directly benefit. August brings bubble tea promotions: CoCo, Dayuanzi, and 8 Ye Tea’s 3rd-anniversary campaign offers a free drink to anyone whose ID number (ROC year) contains the digit '8'. Campaign end dates vary—check terms before visiting. On August 13 at 2:30 PM, seven municipalities—Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County, and Yilan—will enter a 30-minute air defense drill. For the first time in Taiwan, mobile networks will be throttled during the exercise, potentially disrupting YouTube, LINE Pay, and ride-hailing apps. Carry cash and physical transit cards. Violators face fines up to NT$150,000. Online discussions reignite over which Chinese actor best embodies novel protagonists—Zhang Linghe, Xiao Zhan, and Yang Yang have strong followings, but netizens agree the top choice truly conveys written traits like obsession and restraint through his eyes. Taipei City Council Speaker Dai Xiqin faces re-election crisis after secretly seeking support from the Taiwan People's Party, angering KMT councilors and creating a two-front political battle. A civil servant petition to abolish the domestic travel card and replace it with cash compensation passed the threshold, but the Executive Yuan announced it will not adopt the change, citing health and rest rights. A new system for new civil servants launching in 2026 will adjust subsidies and leave policies. The fallout from Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu's public outburst at KMT whip Fu Kun-chi continues. Commentators point to three strategic misjudgments by Fu that could damage the KMT’s year-end election prospects, while DPP legislator Lin Chun-hsien interprets Han’s anger as more than a warning—it signals deeper political maneuvering. Media analyst Luo You-zhi notes Han’s timing and target were deliberate, reflecting accumulated frustration over fragmented blue camp leadership.