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Taiwan court orders release of ex-Taipei mayor arrested in corruption probe

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Taiwan court orders release of ex-Taipei mayor arrested in corruption probe

Taiwan People’s Party leader Ko Wen-je freed after court finds insufficient evidence to justify his detention.

A court in Taiwan has ordered the release of a former mayor and presidential candidate who was arrested over his alleged role in a corruption scandal, citing insufficient evidence for his detention.

Taipei District Court on Monday ruled that Ko Wen-je, a former mayor of Taipei and the leader of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), should go free after finding that prosecutors had failed to make the case for his detention.

The court said prosecutors had not met the standard of there being a “high possibility” Ko had committed a crime.

“It cannot be concluded that the defendant… knowingly violated the law,” the court said in its ruling.

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Ko was arrested on Saturday as part of a probe into alleged corruption in the redevelopment of the Core Pacific City shopping centre in the Taiwanese capital.

Ko, who came third in January’s presidential election, told reporters outside court that there was “no evidence” of his involvement in the real estate scandal.

A surgeon by training, Ko entered politics in 2014 when he successfully ran for the mayorship of Taipei as an independent candidate.

Re-elected as mayor of Taipei in 2018, he founded the TPP the following year as a third force to challenge the dominance of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and China-leaning Kuomintang (KMT).

Under the TPP banner, Ko received about one-quarter of the vote in the last presidential election, which was won by the DPP’s William Lai Ching-te.

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While the TPP has only eight legislators in Taiwan’s 113-seat parliament, the party has gained outsized influence as both the DPP and KMT lack a ruling majority.

Ko, who draws much of his support from young people, is widely seen as a contender for the next election in 2028, although his popularity has been dented by a separate campaign funds scandal.

On Thursday, Ko said he would take a three-month leave of absence from the TPP leadership to take responsibility for the misreporting of campaign money and the use of election subsidies to set up a personal office space.

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Video: Mexico’s President Presses Charges After Being Groped on the Street

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Video: Mexico’s President Presses Charges After Being Groped on the Street

new video loaded: Mexico’s President Presses Charges After Being Groped on the Street

President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said she filed a complaint against a man who groped and tried to kiss her in a public episode captured on video.

By Axel Boada

November 6, 2025

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Israel says it is striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

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Israel says it is striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that it had started striking Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon.

An unmanned aircraft reportedly struck a Hezbollah construction unit’s facility near Tyre, a coastal city in southern Lebanon, Israeli news outlet Ynet reported, citing the IDF. Ynet also noted that the IDF claimed the facility was used to produce equipment for restoring terror infrastructure that Israel destroyed in previous operations.

In preparation for the strikes, the IDF urged residents of al-Taybeh and Tayr Debba to flee. Israel included maps marking areas that would become dangerous for civilians once the strikes began.

ISRAEL WARNS HEZBOLLAH ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE,’ PRESSES LEBANON TO ACT ON WEAPONS PLEDGE

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People gather as smoke rises after Israeli strikes following the evacuation orders, in Tayr Debba, southern Lebanon, on Nov. 6, 2025. (Ali Hankir/Reuters)

“You are located near buildings used by Hezbollah, and, for your safety, you are required to evacuate them immediately and stay away from them by a distance of at least 500 meters,” the IDF said in an announcement to the residents of the villages.

The announcement comes after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “Hezbollah is playing with fire, and the president of Lebanon is dragging his feet.”

“The Lebanese government’s commitment to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons and remove it from southern Lebanon must be realized. Enforcement will continue and deepen — we will not allow a threat to the residents of the north,” Katz added.

Israeli soldiers take part in an IDF exercise

Israeli soldiers take part in an IDF exercise to enhance operational readiness along the Lebanon border in October 2025. (IDF)

TRUMP ADMIN PRESSURES LEBANON TO DISARM HEZBOLLAH AS ENVOY CALLS NATION ‘FAILED STATE’

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The IDF claimed that it had killed “approximately 20 Hezbollah terrorists whose activities violated the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”

On Wednesday, the IDF said it killed Hussein Jaber Dib, a member of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force. Israel alleged that Dib had “advanced terror attacks against Israel and its citizens.”

Additionally, on Monday, the IDF confirmed it had killed two Hezbollah commanders in southern Lebanon. Muhammad Ali Hadid, a senior member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, was eliminated in Nabatieh, while another operative was struck in Ayta ash Shab after being seen collecting intelligence on Israeli positions, according to the Israeli military.

A senior IDF officer stationed on the northern border told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that Hezbollah remains fully armed and funded by Iran.

Aftermath of Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Rubble seen at a damaged site after Israeli strikes in Tayr Debba, southern Lebanon, on Nov. 6, 2025. (Ali Hankir/Reuters)

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“Hezbollah didn’t give up their heavy weapons,” the officer said. “They’re still trained, still financed by Iran, and still trying to re-establish their positions. Our job is to make sure they don’t succeed.”

Over the summer, Israel took an unprecedented step and launched sweeping strikes against Iran, which it dubbed “Operation Rising Lion.” The 12-day war with Iran eventually involved the U.S., which was able to destroy the regime’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities.

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EU risks ‘losing credibility’ if it fails to enlarge, Montenegro’s deputy PM warns

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Montenegro is a frontrunner among EU candidate countries and hopes to wrap up accession talks with Brussels next year. Failure to secure the country’s accession could dent the EU’s credibility and send a ‘horrible signal’ to other candidates, its deputy Prime Minister warns.

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