Police fire 6 shots in pursuit of suspect in New Taipei City

composite image showing police chasing vehicle on foot

January 4, 2022January 4, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Banciao, New Taipei City, police-chase

Police officers fired six shots at the tires of a vehicle after a suspect drove at them and escaped from a traffic stop in Banciao District, New Taipei City, yesterday, December 3. Police officers from the Jiangcui Police Station approached the driver of a vehicle that was illegally stopped in a no standing zone on Wenhua Road at around 4:00 pm. However, when police asked the driver to show his ID, he stepped on the gas and sped away. Police

Chen Shizhong, Minister of Health and Welfare

Health and Safety

January 4, 2022January 4, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment COVID-19, Ministry of Health and Welfare, vaccine

The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program of the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced today that a resident of Taitung County will receive a compensation payment of NT$1.2 million, the highest on record for a suspected COVID vaccine injury, after a determination at the committee’s most recent meeting, December 16. According to a report by Taiwan’s Central News Agency, the Taiwanese citizen, who is unnamed in the announcement, developed Guillain–Barré syndrome, suspected thrombosis, and thrombocytopenia after being administered the AstraZeneca vaccine

Earthquakes

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment earthquake, Hualien County, New Taipei City, Taipei City

Rockfalls, minor damage to some buildings, and power and water cuts were reported after a magnitude 6 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County this evening, Monday, January 3. The tremblor struck at 5:46 pm, 56.7 kilometers east of Hualien County Hall at a depth of 19.4 kilometers, according to Earthquake Report 001 of the Central Weather Bureau, marking the first recorded earthquake for 2022. With a magnitude of 6 at the epicenter, the strongest level felt on land

Kane Tanaka at age 20 and 119 composite image

Regional

January 2, 2022January 2, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Japan

The oldest living person in the world, Kane Tanaka, celebrated her 119th birthday in Fukuoka, Japan today January 2; and a member of her family revealed that Tanaka’s birthday wish is to celebrate her 120th birthday next year, according to the The Sankei News. Tanaka was born in 1903, the year the Wright brothers made the first successful powered flight. Notable people born in 1903 included George Orwell, Anaïs Nin, and John Dillinger, but Kane Tanaka has far outlived her peers

Fire

January 2, 2022January 2, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment gas explosion, Taichung City

A braised foods vendor was injured when a gas explosion destroyed her store in Taichung City’s North District this morning, January 2. The 43-year-old woman, named Ni, was preparing to open her store on Meiting Street when the explosion occurred at around 8:00 am. According to a preliminary investigation, an improperly closed gas cylinder caused an accumulation of gas in the store. When Ni lit a stove, the gas was ignited. Ni was knocked over as windows shattered on the

composite image of taxi falling and aftermath of crash

Regional

December 31, 2021December 31, 2021 Phillip Charlier 2 Comments South Korea

A bizarre car accident left one dead and five injured, after a taxi crashed through a wall and fell 5 floors onto a roadway below in Busan, South Korea, yesterday, December 30. According to Korean news agencies, a 70-year-old driver apparently missed a turn, and drove straight into a wall marked with the word “exit” on the 5th floor of a carpark at the Homeplus store in Yeonje District at around 12:30 pm, Thursday. The taxi crashed through the wall

composite image of two gravel trucks after head-on collision

Traffic Accidents

December 31, 2021December 31, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment gravel-truck, New Taipei City, truck-accident

Both drivers died after two gravel trucks collided on the Northern Coastal Highway in New Taipei City this morning, December 31. According to Ruifang Police Precinct, two gravel trucks travelling in opposite directions crashed head on at 5:50 am at the 118.8 kilometer mark in Gongliao District. The impact of the crash left both truck cabins severely mangled with the two drivers trapped in the wreckage. The 24-year-old driver of one of the trucks, named Lin, was “obviously dead” when

suspect in homicide case taken to District Prosecutor's Office

Violent Crimes

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment homicide, murder, Tainan City

A man was arrested yesterday, and charged as a suspect in a homicide case, after police found that the body of a man burned in an apparent motor scooter crash in Tainan City had multiple stab wounds. The Tainan City Fire Department received reports of a scooter on fire at the entrance of the Yingxi Lake car park in Tainan Science Park at around 5:00 am, yesterday, December 29. After extinguishing the fire, firefighters found a charred body of a

Fire

December 29, 2021December 29, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment Aviation industry, factory fire, Taichung City

An explosion and fire at one of Taiwan’s key defense prime aerospace facilities left one person dead and six injured today, Wednesday, December 29. At 10:12 am, an explosion at the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation facility shook buildings in the surrounding Xitun District, in Taichung City. According to reports, a dust explosion occurred due to an accumulation of aluminium alloy dust in a dust collection area. Taichung City Fire Department dispatched units from Zhonggang, Shuinan, Xitun, Liming and other fire

Traffic Accidents

December 28, 2021December 29, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment New Taipei City

An elderly woman selling vegetables on the roadside died, and two pedestrians were injured, after a driver accidentally stepped on the gas, sending his car careering onto the sidewalk in Xindian District, New Taipei City, this evening, December 28. According to reports in Liberty Times, and United Daily News, at around 5:50 pm, a 70-year-old man, named Zheng, stopped his car to allow his wife to exit to purchase some vegetables. Zheng was preparing to execute a U-turn when his

composite image showing ship aground and map of location

Marine and Fisheries

December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Penghu Islands, ship adrift, ship aground, shipping accident, Taiwan Strait

A general cargo ship has run aground on a reef in the Penghu Islands, after the crew abandoned ship off the coast of northern Taiwan on December 24. The Belize-flagged, 499-gross tonnage general cargo ship HOMAO lost power due to flooding in its cabin and issued a distress signal at approximately 8 o’clock in the morning of the 24th, 52 nautical miles from Keelung. The crew of nine abandoned ship a short time later. On the evening of the 24th,

Author: Phillip Charlier

Police fire 6 shots in pursuit of suspect in New Taipei City

Record COVID vaccine injury payout approved for patient who suffered Guillain–Barré syndrome, thrombosis, and thrombocytopenia

Taiwan’s first earthquake for 2022 a magnitude 6: some minor damage, no casualties reported

World’s oldest living person celebrates her 119th birthday in Fukuoka, Japan

Gas explosion injures 1, destroys shop in Taichung City

Taxi in Korea plunges from 5th floor, killing 1, injuring 8

Two gravel truck drivers dead after head-on collision on Coastal Highway

Suspect arrested for killing coworker and attempting to disguise death as traffic accident

Explosion at key defense aerospace company kills 1, injures 6

1 dead, 3 injured, after out of control car mounts sidewalk in New Taipei City

Belize-registered ship aground in Penghu Islands after drifting crewless for four days