Author: Phillip Charlier

Exploding pagers used in attack on Hezbollah allegedly made in Taiwan

composite image showing scenes of attack and Apollo pager
Breaking News 
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Multiple news outlets today are claiming that exploding pagers that injured thousands of people in a covert attack against Hezbollah were made by a Taiwanese company based in New Taipei City. The New York Times reported that Israeli operatives hid explosive material in the Taiwan-made Gold Apollo pagers before they were exported to Lebanon via Iran. NYT cited American and other officials who had been briefed on the operation as the source for the information. The claims arose after thousands

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Tropical Storm Pulasan may affect Taiwan’s weather later this week

Central Weather Administration forecast path for Tropical Storm Palusan
Typhoon 
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A tropical depression east of the Philippines intensified into a tropical storm last night, and is forecast to track north of Taiwan later this week, potentially affecting the weather as early as Wednesday evening. Tropical Storm Pulasan, the 14th named tropical storm in the northwest Pacific this year, was generated from tropical depression TD16 at around 8:00 pm Sunday evening. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, Pulasan is currently located 2,450 kilometers east-southeast of Hengchun Peninsula, and is moving in

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Chinese man arrives in Taiwan after crossing the Taiwan Strait in a rubber boat

man in inflatable boat
Breaking News 
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A Chinese man is being treated for severe dehydration after landing on a beach in northern Taiwan in a rubber boat early this morning, Saturday, September 14. According to reports, the 31-year-old man, named Wang, was spotted by anglers when he was around 100 meters from the shore in Linkou District, New Taipei City, at around 6:30 am. Coast guard officers from Zhuwei Fishing Port and firefighters from the New Taipei City Fire Department responded to reports, and helped the

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Pilot rescued after ejecting before fighter jet crashes into the Taiwan Strait

pilot rushed to hospital on stretcher wearing neckbrace
Military Affairs 
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An air force pilot was plucked from the water two hours after ejecting from his stricken fighter jet off the coast of northern Taiwan, last night. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said that Captain Hsieh Pei-hsun was piloting a single-seater Mirage 2000 on a routine night training flight after taking off from Hsinchu Air Base at 8:05 pm. The aircraft was returning to base when it lost power around 16.7 nautical miles southwest of Nanliao, Hsinchu County, at 8:35 pm.

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Driver who hit and injured turtle ordered to pay damages, but pet owner also at fault

gavel and law books
Animals 
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A Taichung City resident was ordered to pay 80% of medical costs for the repair of a turtle’s shell, after she hit the animal while driving out of a parking lot in October, 2023. The pet owner was also found partially at fault. According to evidence presented to the Taichung District Court, a man named Hsu was walking his pet turtle in a car park when a woman, named Lee, driving a light truck, hit the animal, causing cracks to

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4 dead after 3 truck crashes on National Highway 3: pile-up in tunnel causes commuter headache

car sandwiched between two trucks
Traffic Accidents 
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Four people have died in three separate traffic accidents on National Highway 3 since late last night, and a 15-vehicle pile-up caused a major traffic jam in the northbound lanes in Taoyuan city this morning. Drunk driving suspected in container truck crash Police and firefighters responded to reports of a single-vehicle accident involving a container truck near the Daxi exit in the southbound lanes of National Highway 3 in Taoyuan City at around 11:20 pm yesterday. Firefighters rescued the 34-year-old

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Guns disguised as everyday objects seized in Yunlin County

modified gun made from trekking pole
Crime and Criminals 
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Police in Yunlin County arrested a man after a search of his workshop uncovered guns disguised as everyday objects such as trekking poles and ballpoint pens. Yunlin District Prosecutor’s Office issued a press release today saying they ordered an investigation into a 58-year-old suspect named Chen on suspicion that he was involved in manufacturing illegal weapons. Police from Taichung City and Dounan Township conducted a search of a ironworks factory owned by Chen on September 1. The search uncovered a

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Three men sentenced over Taiwan’s largest cat-smuggling case

cats smuggled in cat cages
Animals 
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Three men, including a former coast guard officer, were found guilty and sentenced for attempting to smuggle 154 cats from China to Taiwan in 2021. Taiwan’s Supreme Court sentenced Zhang Fangyi and Zheng Changjia to one and a half years in prison, while Guo Minhao was sentenced to one year and two months suspended for four years. According to evidence presented to the court, on August 19, 2021, the fishing boat Shunfa 88 departed from the Badouzi Fishing Port in

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1,000-pound WWII bomb uncovered on construction site in Kaohsiung City

World War Two M65 1000-pound bomb being removed from construction site in Kaohsiung City Taiwan
Business and Economy 
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A military unexploded ordnance team removed a 1,000-pound bomb uncovered during site preparation at a former oil refinery in Kaohsiung City, yesterday, August 26. Workers discovered the bomb while excavating the site in preparation for construction of a new TSMC factory in the Nanzi Science Park at around 8:30 am. The Kaohsiung City Public Works Bureau immediately notified the police and military. Military personnel examined the bomb and judged that it was incomplete and missing the fuse. It was determined

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Hiker dies after Asian giant hornet attack on mountain trail in southeastern Taiwan

Firefighters rescue hiker after hornet attack
Health and Safety 
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A hiking guide died in hospital after being stung more than 50 times as he attempted to protect a group of 20 students from a swarm of Asian giant hornets on a trail in Taitung County, yesterday, August 22. According to reports, the hiking group were traversing the Jinshuiying Ancient Trail from Pingtung County to Taitung County when they were attacked by a swarm of Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) around 2.5 kilometers from the trail exit in Dawu Township

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14 workers injured, 3 critically, after carbon dioxide leak at wind power project in central Taiwan

Carbon dioxide leak at wind power plant
Health and Safety 
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Fourteen workers were sent to hospital, including three who lost vital signs at the scene of the accident, at a wind power project in Changhua County this morning, Tuesday, August 20. Changhua County Fire Department dispatched two fire trucks, seven ambulances, and 18 personnel, after receiving reports of multiple injuries due to a suspected carbon dioxide leak at the Hailong Offshore Wind Power Land Step-down Station in Lukang Township at around 10:00 am. A total of 14 workers, all of

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