Drive-by Shooting not a Simple Case of Road Rage: Police

At least 12 shots were fired at a Mercedes Benz from a BMW at around 1:00am this morning, as the cars were traveling on a road in Kaohsiung City. The driver received a gunshot wound to his back. The male driver, Mr Xie, 26, and his female passenger, Ms Chen, pulled up at a police station after the shooting. They told police the shooting was the result of a traffic dispute. Media reports this morning said that police found at

Read more

Driver Dragged 800 Meters After Being Thrown Out of Car

A man was declared dead at the hospital after being thrown out of the vehicle he was driving. He was then hit by another vehicle and dragged about 800 meters, on the National Highway in Miaoli County sometime after 4:00am this morning. The accident occurred during heavy rainfall. Mr Wu is suspected of not wearing a seatbelt when he lost control of his car and crashed into the center traffic barrier. A car driven by a Ms Huang hit Wu,

Read more

Australian Woman Dies on Cruise Ship en Route to Keelung

An Australian woman died of suspected heart failure on a cruise ship en-route between Hong Kong and Keelung Harbor 2 days ago. Officials boarded the ship at Keelung yesterday to verify the cause of death. Apple Daily reports that Sharna Marie Graham, 53, was traveling with her 55 year-old husband David on the Celebrity Millennium. At around 8:00pm on the evening of April 10, Ms Graham collapsed and did not respond to first aid treatment in the ship’s clinic. The

Read more

Manta Ray Rehabilitated: What’s Next?

A giant oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris) rescued after being caught as by-catch in a fisherman’s net off the coast of Hualian County in February, has adapted well to its captive environment. Researchers at the Eastern Marine Biology Research Center say that the manta ray’s injuries have healed, and the 150 kilogram animal is consuming 10 to 15 kilograms of Antarctic krill every day. The ray was moved to a pool at the research facility after being caught on February

Read more

Taiwan Commerce Group Involved in Fatal Bus Accident in Australia

One person was killed and 1 seriously injured after a bus carrying members of World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce (WTCC), rolled over on Australia’s Great Ocean Road, in the state of Victoria at around 5:15pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (7:15pm, Taipei). Liberty Times Network reports that the bus was carrying 28 members of the of the WTCC from many different countries. The passengers were on a 3 day tour after finishing a conference of the WTCC in Melbourne. The Liberty

Read more

Taoyuan City Prepares for Coldplay Concerts

Taoyuan City government warned commuters and residents that several streets around the outdoor venue for Coldplay concerts will be closed to traffic between 2:00pm and midnight on April 11 and 12. [See Related Article: Coldplay to Play in Taiwan.] A total of 80,000 tickets have been sold for the two concerts to be held in the front square of Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station. Commuters traveling to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport for flights on the 11th and 12th have been

Read more

Coast Guard Intercepts Boatload of Illegal Immigrants

[Cover Picture: Liberty Times Network] A Chinese fishing boat carrying 19 illegal immigrants from Vietnam was intercepted by Kaohsiung Coastguard officers yesterday evening, April 9, 2017. According to a Liberty Times Network report, 10 females and 9 males had paid people smugglers around US$6,000 (NT$180,000), to be transported to Taiwan. The Vietnamese had traveled to the coast of China, where they boarded the fishing vessel. Coastguard officers arrested the 19, along with 3 boat crew around 12 nautical miles off

Read more

Principal Calls Cops on Student Protestors

[cover picture: Liberty Times Network] School administrators at a high school in Taipei City called police after students unfurled banners and cut off the microphone while the principal was making a speech at a 70th anniversary event on Sunday, April 9. Police declined to press charges, and the Ministry of Education said that calling police to the campus was inappropriate. The ministry said that school administrators should communicate with the student offenders and use the incident as an opportunity to

Read more

Taipei Mayor Falls for New Running Track

Taipei City Mayor, Ko, Wen-je (柯文哲) tried out the new running track at the refurbished Taipei Municipal Stadium, and promptly went face-down after losing his balance this morning, April 7, 2017. Mayor Ko was inspecting the stadium after renovations were completed March 29, ahead of the 2017 Summer Universiade, which is to be hosted by the city August 19-30. The stadium received International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) certification April 4. The mayor posed with a mascot before taking part

Read more

Taiwan Police Uniform Design 30 Years Old: Time for Change

[Cover Picture from NPA Facebook page. Chinese reads: “New era, new police service”] Taiwan’s National Police Administration (NPA) has invited boots on the ground police officers, textile and clothing designers, and experts and scholars in related fields to participate in designing new uniforms for the nation’s police officers. The NPA convened a meeting on March 31 to instigate the research phase of a plan to update uniforms that were designed 30 years ago. A post on the NPA Facebook page

Read more

EPB Acts on Pollution After Pictures Exposed on Social Media

[Cover Picture: Facebook user 張仁吉] Pingtung County Environmental Protection Bureau will will levy fines on eight livestock farms, after tracing the source of raw manure that fouled-up a drainage channel in Wandan Township, Pingtung County. The Environmental Protection Bureau acted after pictures were posted on Facebook April 2. The original poster wrote in Chinese “when you’re angry, you tell people to eat shit! I will say: “Welcome to Pingtung!”” Facebook users responding to the post questioned whether the EPB was

Read more