Influenza Watch: Taiwan’s flu outbreak stays in the epidemic phase, with new severe cases and deaths hitting the highest weekly totals in a year; CDC data also shows 219 severe cases and 44 deaths reported Sept. 29–Oct. 5, and most severe patients are 65+ or have chronic illness, with many unvaccinated. Food Safety: TFDA intercepted a large U.S. potato shipment after glycoalkaloids exceeded the legal limit (248 mg/kg vs. 200 mg/kg), triggering higher sampling and testing for future imports. Health Policy Debate: Taiwan’s health minister says anti-drug efforts must be science-based and strategically implemented, responding to Taipei mayoral campaign arguments over harm-reduction measures like needle and syringe programs. Global Health Diplomacy: Eswatini’s new ambassador to Taiwan says the country will keep advocating for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, citing cooperation that includes Taiwanese medical teams working with local health professionals. Taiwan-U.S. Health Tech Link: FM Lin Chia-lung visited Phoenix and toured a Taiwan AI Smart Health Showcase Center while pushing trade ties with U.S. partners. Pharma Deals: CSL and Alentis announced a global partnership worth up to $1.6B for lixudebart, while Jiangsu Nhwa licensed a sleep-disorder candidate from Somnivera. Tech & Health Data Access: DIGITIMES upgraded its intelligence hub and launched a News Feed API to help enterprises use supply-chain reporting faster.