Author: Phillip Charlier

Runway closed after Taoyuan International Airport receives report of bomb on plane

China Air plane on tarmac
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment

A China Air passenger plane landed at Taoyuan International Airport this morning, but remained parked on taxiway after airport administrators received a report that explosives were aboard the aircraft today, Wednesday, April 26. China Air flight CA185 departed Beijing at 8:25 am and was scheduled to land at Taoyuan International Airport at 11:45 am. However, at around 11:00 am the Taoyuan Airport Company received a report that there was a bomb on the plane. The airport company informed the Aviation

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At least 7 dead after factory fire in Changhua County

aerial view of factory fire
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Seven people died and three are critically injured after a fire at a food company factory in Changhua County this morning, Tuesday, April 25. The Changhua County Fire Department received a report of a fire at the Lian Hwa Foods factory in Beidou Township at 6:45 am. The fire department dispatched 31 fire trucks, 21 ambulances, and a total of 106 personnel from fire stations in Beidou, Erlin, Xizhou, Yuanlin, and other districts. Firefighters deployed water lines and the fire

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Driver stops express train to scold motorist who breached level crossing barrier

train driver telling off scooter rider at level crossing
Odd News 
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The driver of an express train stopped his train and opened the window to berate a woman on a motor scooter who had stopped inside the boom gates at a level crossing in northeastern Taiwan yesterday, April 23. Video footage uploaded to Facebook showed the driver of a Taroko Class express train (No.417) traveling northbound from Zhiben to Shulin Station stopped at the crossing on Donggang Road in Yilan City at 1:52 pm. The train driver slid the window open,

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Gunman opens fire with submachine gun in broad daylight in New Taipei City: rival gang factions in dispute

gunman fires submachine gun in front of shocked onlookers
Crime and Criminals 
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A dispute between two factions of the Bamboo Union saw 11 shots fired in anger in Banqiao District yesterday, and 42 shots blasted into a pawn shop door using a submachine gun in Tucheng District this morning, April 20. In the early hours of the morning Wednesday, April 20, a teenage suspect, named Wu, and a 24-year-old man, named Lin, met to negotiate with a 20-year-old man, named Hsu, and a 19-year-old, named Hsueh, in a parking lot in Zhongshan

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Heavy rain brings landslides, flooding to parts of Taiwan

A college student is helped by guard after losing footing on flooded road
Weather 
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Heavy rain brought by a frontal system pounded northern and central parts of Taiwan from late Wednesday (April 10) to early Thursday (April 20), causing landslides in some mountain districts, and flooding in low lying areas. In Miaoli County’s Dahu Township, a man escaped with slight injuries after his car was hit by rocks that fell onto County Road 62 at 6:20 am. Police responding to reports of the accident found the car partially crushed and the driver, named Zhang

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Military reservists on 14-day refresher training course amid rising threats

army reservists armed on training march
Military Affairs 
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Members of Taiwan’s reserve military force embarked on a 10 kilometer march in Hsinchu City today as part of a 14-day refresher training course designed to keep them up to date and physical ready should they be needed for disaster relief or defense of the country. Hsinchu City Mayor Kao Hung-an paid tribute to the soldiers today, expressing gratitude for their service and providing refreshments for the troops. Mayor Kao said that in order to maintain peace and stability across

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Drought-parched southern Taiwan prepares for possible flooding as rain front approaches

Weather 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Municipal leaders in southern cities and counties inspected drainage channels and flood mitigation facilities today, as Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau warned of heavy rain expected to be generated by a front which will pass over the island from Wednesday (April 19) to Friday (April 21). It is hoped that the rain will help alleviate water shortages caused by the worst drought in a century. The CWB said that rain will start to affect the northwest Wednesday afternoon, while increasing and

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Two Eva Air planes damaged after ground handling accident at Taoyuan Airport

Wingtip of Airbuss A321-200 embedded in nose of Boing 777-300R at Taoyuan International Airport
Aviation 
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Two Eva Airways planes were damaged after an Airbus A321-200 under tow collided with a Boeing 777-300R parked on the tarmac, yesterday evening, April 16. Both planes were empty at the time of the accident. According to pictures published by Taiwanese media outlets, the wingtip of the A321 was embedded in the 777’s fuselage under the cockpit. Eva Air confirmed the incident today, April 17, saying that they had suspended the employees responsible for the accident. Eva Air made a

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Two Belgian tourists injured in cycling accident in north coast mountain district

Paramedics tend to injured cyclists who tumbled into streambed
Traffic Accidents 
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Two Belgian men were injured after crashing their bicycles on a downhill section of a mountain road in Wanli District, New Taipei City, yesterday, Sunday, April 16. According to Taiwanese media outlet SETN, the two men were part of a group of four cyclists riding on a downhill section of the Pingding Mountain Road when they crashed into a bridge pier. One of the men flew over the guardrail and fell into a streambed around 4 meters below the road.

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First tuna of the season a record-breaker at 320kg

Su'ao No.1 tuna April 2023
Marine and Fisheries 
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The first tuna of the 2023 season at the Port of Su’ao weighed in at 320 kilograms, breaking an all time record for first catch of the year, and a 10-year seasonal record. The 267-centimeter long bluefin was caught by the Zai Fa No.68 near the Diaoyutai (Senkaku) Islands in waters covered by the Taiwan-Japan Fisheries Agreement. The captain of the Zai Fa No.68 reported the catch at 8:00 am Tuesday, April 11, estimating its weight at 190 kilograms. However,

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Tourist hotspot transformed into missile launch pad as Taiwan counters Chinese military threat

mobile missile launchers in southern Taiwan
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , , , ,

Tourists visiting a popular scenic spot on Hengchun Peninsula in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County today were confronted with a large mobile missile unit deployed in the carpark, as Taiwan’s military responded to Chinese air and sea maneuvers around the island. According to media reports, the anti-ship missiles were deployed at the location yesterday evening, April 9, and in the past have only been deployed on military bases and military training grounds. The fact that the missiles are deployed in such

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