13 doctors convicted, sentenced for taking pharmaceutical company bribes

medical and administration staff of Gangshan Armed Forces Hospital

July 6, 2021July 6, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment Kaohsiung City, medicine, pharmaceutical industry

Thirteen military medical officers from an armed forces hospital in Kaohsiung City were handed sentences ranging from 1 year, 9 months to 7 years, 8 months for taking bribes from pharmaceutical company representatives in return for prescribing specific drugs to patients, according to reports today, July 6. The Kaohsiung District Court found that pharmaceutical companies provided bribes ranging from NT$170,000 to nearly NT$1 million to doctors and hospital administrators of the Gangshan Armed Forces Hospital in return for prescribing their

Health and Safety

July 5, 2021October 1, 2022 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment COVID-19, pandemic

A migrant worker who died of smoke asphyxiation while quarantined in a building that caught fire in Changhua City last week was added to the list of COVID-19 fatalities, according to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and she may be one of many on the list of COVID deaths who didn’t actually die of COVID. The 43-year-old female Indonesian national tested positive for COVID-19 June 11, after becoming ill June 8, and was staying in a quarantine hotel

car involved in pedestrian crossing drunk driving accident

Traffic Accidents

July 1, 2021July 1, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment drunk-driver, New Taipei City, pedestrian-crossing, Zhonghe District

Four people were injured, two seriously, after a driver ran a red light and plowed into pedestrians crossing the road outside the Jingan Metro Station in New Taipei City’s Zhonghe District this evening, July 1. According to SETN, a 51-year-old male named Huang, driving a Mitsubishi sedan, hit one man and four women on the zebra crossing at around 7:30 pm. Huang was tested for alcohol and found to have a BrAC of 0.89 mg/l, more than three times the

Fire

July 1, 2021July 1, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Changhua County, COVID-19, firefighters, quarantine

Four people died, including one firefighter, and 22 people were injured after a fire in a building housing a quarantine hotel in Changhua City last night, June 30. A fire broke out on the second floor of the 15-storey Qiaoyou Building at around 7:45 pm. Twenty-nine people under mandatory quarantine, and two employees were in the hotel on the 7th to 9th floors when the fire broke out. Changhua County Fire Department received the first reports of the fire at

Crime and Criminals

June 30, 2021June 30, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

A man who was found to be wanted on charges of injury attempted to evade arrest by accusing police of breaching epidemic restrictions that ban people gathering in groups. The deputy-director of Zhonglu Police Station in Taoyuan City was walking home from work yesterday when he noticed a car parked illegally and affecting traffic safety on Zhongshan Road. Officer Lin approached the car and noticed that the driver was asleep. Lin, suspecting possible drunk driving, called patrol officers to the

Society

June 30, 2021June 30, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment child-safety, Taichung City

A seven-year-old boy who was repeatedly thrown by his judo coach and an older classmate until he was unconscious, has died after spending 70 days in a coma in a hospital in Taichung City. Doctors at Fengyuan Hospital removed life support systems in the presence of the boy’s parents yesterday evening, and the boy, named Huang, was declared dead at around 9:00 pm, June 29. See previous story: 7-year-old brain-dead after being thrown more than 20 times in judo class

firefighters rescue occupants of vehicle

Traffic Accidents

June 28, 2021June 28, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment Changhua County, freeway accident, National Freeway

Two people died and three were injured after a driver stopped their car in the fast lane on National Highway 1 in Changhua County yesterday, June 27, resulting in a three-vehicle collision. At around 10:20 pm yesterday evening, a driver named Hsieh with three passengers in a small sedan, was driving in the northbound lanes when one of the tires on her car suddenly burst at the 196 kilometer mark. Hsieh quickly stopped the car in the inner lane. A

Marine and Fisheries

June 27, 2021June 29, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Dalin Oil Refinery, Kaohsiung City, oil spill, Pingtung County

An oil spill from an offshore pipeline of the Dalin Oil Refinery in Kaohsiung City has spread to sensitive ecological coastal zones including the popular resort areas of Kenting and the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County, according to reports this weekend. The Oceanic Conservation Department of the Ocean Commission issued a press release yesterday, June 25 saying that the ecology of precious coral reefs are in danger, and announcing that it will impose penalties on petroleum company CPC Corp. An

Business and Economy

June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment electric vehicles, Gogoro, tech-industry

Foxconn parent company Hon Hai Precision Industry (TWSE: 2317) announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with electric vehicle manufacturer Gogoro to form an alliance on technology and production strategies to accelerate plans for Gogoro’s global expansion plans, today June 23. The cooperation agreement will allow Gogoro to use the world’s largest technology manufacturer and service provider, Hon Hai Technology Group’s high-tech manufacturing capabilities to enhance the capacity and scale of battery exchange technology and smart electric vehicle

Weather

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment meiyu front, plum-rain

Heavy rain that has already caused rockfalls, mudslides, and flooding in central and southern districts of Taiwan today is just a prelude to what’s to come as a stationary front is expected to hover over the island from Tuesday to Thursday, according to weather forecasts. Rockfalls, landslides, floods, and road washouts have been reported in Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Changhua County, and Chiayi County as thunderstorms brought intense rain to areas that were already waterlogged in central and southern districts

heavy rain to extremely heavy rain advisory CWB

Weather

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment floods, meiyu front, plum-rain

Level one flood warnings were issued for Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County this morning, heavy to extremely heavy rain warnings were issued for counties and cities in Taiwan’s central and southern districts, and a stationary front will bring possibly disaster-level rains starting Tuesday according to the Central Weather Bureau, today, Sunday, June 20. The Water Resources Department issued flood warnings for Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County early this morning as thunderstorms brought heavy rain causing accumulation of surface water in

Author: Phillip Charlier

13 doctors convicted, sentenced for taking pharmaceutical company bribes

Lies, damn lies, and COVID statistics: why are obviously non-COVID deaths counted as COVID fatalities?

Drunk driver runs red, injures 4 on pedestrian crossing

Four dead including one firefighter in COVID quarantine hotel fire

Wanted man accuses cops of breaching epidemic restrictions by “gathering” to arrest him

Judo boy dies after 70 days in a coma

Two killed three injured on freeway after driver stops in fast lane due to flat tire

Oil refinery spill spreads to Kenting National Park beaches and coral reefs

Foxconn and Gogoro form strategic alliance for global e-scooter expansion

Heavy rain in central, south Taiwan expected to expand and intensify tomorrow

Kaohsiung floods, heavy rain warning for nine counties, more plum rain on the way