Author: Phillip Charlier

Fireworks factory explosion leaves one injured: second incident in less than a year

damaged factory building after explosion
Health and Safety 
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An explosion at a fireworks factory in Chiayi County left one man injured this afternoon, and it is the second explosion incident at the factory in less than one year. The Chiayi County Fire Department said that it received reports of an explosion at the Yongfeng pyrotechnic factory in Yongtun Village, Dongshi Township at 1:23 pm. Firefighting units were dispatched from Puzi, Xianghe, Dongshi and Budai fire stations. No fire followed the explosion, but one man was found injured. The

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US defense and security delegation arrives in Taiwan amid rise in global security risks

US delegation with MOFA officials on airport tarmac
International Relations 
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A delegation of former senior defense and security officials sent by US President Joe Biden arrived in Taipei this afternoon, Tuesday, March 1. The delegation led by former US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen touched down at Taipei Songshan Airport at 3:54 pm, and was met on the Tarmac by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. Members of the delegation include Meghan O’Sullivan, a former deputy national security advisor under the Bush administration, Michele Flournoy, a former undersecretary of defense

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One body located after two hikers fall from trail in Central Mountain Range

composite image showing mountain peak and two men who fell from trail
Breaking News 
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An aerial search has located the body of one of two hikers who fell from a trail on a mountain in central Taiwan this morning, February 26. The Hsinchu County Fire Department and Taichung City Fire Department dispatched a joint search and rescue operation involving 10 personnel and a helicopter, after receiving a report of the accident on Pintian Mountain on the border of the two counties, at around 11:00 am. According to reports, a group of six hikers on

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US Navy destroyer transits the Taiwan Strait

composite image USS Ralph Johnson and Taiwan Strait
Military Affairs 
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A US Navy guided-missile destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait today, February 26, and turned on its Automated Ship Identification System (AIS) – a clear signal that the US military wanted everybody to be aware of the ship’s presence in the key waterway. Chinese think tank South China Sea Probing Initiative was first to announce the transit in a Tweet this morning, noting that the “USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114) is transiting the #TaiwanStrait, with an[sic] USN EP-3E providing ISR support from

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Slight decrease in traffic accidents, deaths; but drink driving, motorcycle fatalities up in 2021

Taiwan traffic
Traffic Accidents 
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Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications today announced traffic accident statistics for 2021, showing that the overall number of traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths slightly decreased year-on-year, but fatalities from motorcycle accidents, and those involving drunk driving actually increased. According to the MOTC statistics, there were a total of 356,779 traffic accidents in Taiwan in 2021, resulting in 2,990 deaths and 474,376 injuries. Compared to 2020, there were 5,480 fewer accidents (-1.5%), 10 fewer deaths (-0.3%), and 7,777 fewer injuries

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1 dead, 1 seriously injured after speeding car slams into military truck

composite image of car and truck after crash
Traffic Accidents 
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One man died and another was seriously injured after a civilian car crashed into the back of an army truck on combat readiness exercises in Taichung City this morning, February 24. Taichung City Fire Bureau received a report of a serious traffic accident on Huanhe Road in Dali District at 4:52 am. Two ambulances and two fire trucks were dispatched to the scene of the crash. Firefighters found two men who had been thrown out of a white Ford sedan

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Wanted woman chased by police, crashes into pond

composite image showing vehicle in pond and suspect arrested
Crime and Criminals 
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A woman wanted for fraud attempted to evade a police check, leading to police shooting at the tires of her vehicle, and a chase that ended in a pond in Banqiao District, yesterday, February 21. At around 4:30 pm, police identified a minivan stopped at an intersection on Yumin Road in Tucheng District, driven by a 27-year-old woman named Zhang, who is wanted on charges of fraud. When police approached the vehicle and asked the woman to show her ID,

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Residential gas explosion leaves 1 dead, 2 injured in New Taipei City

composite image of explosion and firefighters
Fire 
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An elderly woman died, and her caregiver and a neighbor were injured, after a gas explosion tore through an apartment in Banqiao District today, February 21. New Taipei City Fire Department received reports of a blast followed by a fire in a first floor apartment in a lane off Xianmin Boulevarde at 12:39 pm. Twenty-five vehicles and 68 personnel were dispatched to the scene. A 34-year-old foreign caregiver and a 20-year-old Taiwanese man were found injured and rushed to hospital.

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Bulk carrier breaks moorings, collides with container ship, runs aground at Port of Taichung

Bulk carrier Xiang Fu aground at Port of Taichung, Taiwan
Marine and Fisheries 
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A Panamanian-registered bulk carrier was successfully refloated after mooring lines broke, causing it to drift and collide with another vessel, before running aground in shallow water yesterday, February 20. The 27,792-gross-ton Xiang Fu was docked and unloading cement clinker at Pier 44 at the Port of Taichung when 50 knot (Beaufort Scale 8) winds, described as the level of a moderate typhoon, caused the cable lines to break, and the ship to lose its moorings. The Xiang Fu collided with

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M41A3 “Walker Bulldog” tanks retired after more than 60 years of service in Taiwan

M41A3 Walker Bulldog tanks in action in live fire military drills on Kinmen Island, Taiwan
Military Affairs 
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Military officials have announced that a decommissioning ceremony will be held later this week to retire the aging M41A3 “Walker Bulldog” tank after 63 years of service in the ROC Army. The M41A3 was developed by the US military immediately following World War II. Mounting a 76 mm main gun, the light tank was designed for close infantry support and rapid airborne deployment. With 5,000 units manufactured, the M41A3 played important roles in the Korean and Vietnam wars. The M41A3

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Driver high on laughing gas leads police on slow-speed chase in Taoyuan City

composite image showing laughing gas, nitrous oxide cylinder and car being driven on sidewalk
Drugs 
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A man who was seen inhaling laughing gas while driving refused to stop, and led police on a chase in Taoyuan City yesterday, February 19. Taoyuan City Police Department received a report at 2:50 pm that a man was seen sucking on a balloon, and suspected to be inhaling laughing gas while driving a white Mercedes Benz erratically in Taoyuan District. When police attempted to pull the driver over, the man, named Lu, refused to stop. Lu continued to drive

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