Author: Phillip Charlier

Hotel under demolition collapses onto road in Hualien City

collapsed building in Hualien City aerial view
Disaster 
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A six story building collapsed onto a road in Hualien City during demolition work this afternoon and rescue crews are searching for possible casualties. The former Manbo Holiday Hotel on Guolian 5th Road collapsed onto the roadway at around 3:00 pm. While it is not known if there were any casualties, dashcam footage of the collapse shows a person passing by on a scooter at the time. At least three parked vehicles were crushed by the collapsed building. Hualien County

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Japan’s incoming Prime Minister and his Taiwan connection

Lee Teng-hui and Fumio Kishida
Culture 
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Keelung City Mayor Lin Yu-chang was proud to point out today that Fumio Kishida, who is set to become Japan’s 100th prime minister October 4, has an ancestral family connection with the port city. Fumio Kishida’s great-grandfather established two stores in Keelung City in 1895 and the buildings not only survive, but are well preserved. Democratic Progressive Party legislator Tsai Shih-ying pointed out the connection in a Facebook post yesterday, explaining that Kitaro Kishida established a Kimono store and a

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Driver dead after car sandwiched between trucks in Kaohsiung City

car crushed between trucks
Traffic Accidents 
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A man man died at the scene of a crash after his car was crushed between two semitrailers near the Port of Kaohsiung yesterday, September 29. The Kaohsiung City Fire Department dispatched 14 personnel and 7 vehicles to the scene of the accident involving five vehicles on Yanhai Road in Xiaogang District at around 6:00 pm. Firefighters took more than one hour to extract the 29-year-old driver, named Guo, from his severely mangled car. However, Guo was “obviously dead” when

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World champ e-sports player arrested for MARIJUANA!!!

e-sports player Toyz
Breaking News 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

An e-sports player who represented Taiwan’s 2012 winning team in the Season 2 World Championship of League of Legends has been arrested and charged for trafficking marijuana, according to reports today, September 29. Kurtis Lau Wai-kin, a native of Hong Kong better known by his in-game moniker Toyz, was arrested after a search of his home earlier today. The Chief Prosecutor of the Taichung District Prosecutor’s Office said that police conducted a search of the 29-year-old’s residence in Taipei after

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Village residents call for action after attack by mentally ill man leaves woman seriously injured

picture of attack and victim in hospital
Violent Crimes 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Residents of a village in Pingtung County have organized a petition calling for a mentally ill man to be kept off the streets after a series of attacks, the latest of which left a 30-year-old woman seriously injured. The suspect named Yang allegedly attacked a convenience store clerk September 26, after she told him to put on a mask. Yang attempted to gouge out the woman’s eyes, leaving her at risk of remaining blind, according to reports after the case

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Family rescued after teen locks them in and sets apartment on fire

firetrucks in Sanxia District
Fire 
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Firefighters in New Taipei City used a ladder truck to rescue a family of four from a balcony, after they were locked in a burning apartment by a sixteen year old unhappy about being restricted from playing online games and watching TV this morning, September 27. Firefighters in Sanxia District responded to reports of a fire in a 14-storey building on Xuecheng Road at around 3:00 am. Four people were found trapped on the balcony of their burning 6th floor

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Suspect accidentally shot during arrest at freeway rest stop

police inspect bullet holes in car
Crime and Criminals 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Miaoli County police fired 7 shots, one of which hit a suspect in the abdomen after the wanted man attempted to ram police at a freeway rest stop this morning, September 27. Police said that the 49-year-old suspect, named Su, was wanted on suspicion of having committed cable thefts in Tongxiao and Sanyi townships. Tongxiao Township police notified their counterparts at the Sanyi police station that Su’s car had been spotted at the Sanyi Cheting Service Area – a freeway

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Trail closed after 4 hikers stung by hornets, one dies

people stung by Asian giant hornets
Animals 
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A popular hiking trail in Ruifang District has been temporarily closed after four people were stung by Asian giant hornets in two separate incidents this weekend. A 73-year-old man named Lin and his 62-year-old wife, named Yang, were attacked by hornets while walking on the Sandiaoling Trail on September 24. Both were rushed to Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, but Ms Yang suffered an allergic reaction and organ failure and died yesterday, September 25. Mr Lin remains unconscious in the

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Family seeks answers after Taiwanese infectious disease expert’s sudden death in America

wang family screenshot
Health and Safety 
Phillip Charlier 6 Comments ,

The family of a US-resident retired Taiwanese doctor who became unwell after receiving the third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, then died, has opened a Go Fund Me page to raise money for an autopsy to determine the cause of his death. The death of Wang Wei-sheng, MD, the former Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Mackay Memorial Hospital has deeply shocked Taiwan’s medical community. “Infectious disease senior Doctor Wang found dead at home in America after complete

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Government urged to hurry up with assistance for victims of suspected vaccine adverse events

Taiwan People's Party Chiayi City Party Committee Chairperson and vaccine adverse event victim's father
Health and Safety 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

The chairperson of the Chiayi City branch of the Taiwan People’s Party called on the government to be more proactive in assisting families of suspected cases of vaccine adverse events while visiting one such family yesterday, September 24. TPP Chiayi City Party Committee Chairperson Wu Tingzhen met with family of a 26-year-old man named Huang who is currently in a coma in the intensive care unit of Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital since suffering a stroke nine days ago. On September

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Police officer critically injured in drunk driving accident

damaged vehicle after drunk driving crash
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A police officer who was critically injured in a single-vehicle crash in Pingtung County was found to have a blood alcohol level seven times over the legal limit, according to reports today, September 24. The 25-year-old detective named Chen drank alcohol with a colleague in his office at the Linyuan Police Station in Kaohsiung City after finishing his duties at 2:00 am. Chen left the station at around 4:00 am to return to his home in Pingtung County. However, Chen’s

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