Author: Phillip Charlier

Mystery “jetpack man” flying over Taichung City was just a balloon

Iron Man balloon over Taichung City
Odd News 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

An alleged case of a man with a jetpack flying over Taichung City that was widely reported in Taiwan’s local media today, May 11, turned out to be just a balloon. Most local media outlets reported the story this morning that a man was seen flying by jetpack over a densely-populated part of the city, after a video taken on May 5th went viral on social media platforms. Even English-language outlet Taiwan News reported the “mysterious man flying in the

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Taiwanese PC maker Gigabyte apologizes for mocking quality of “Made in China” components

Gigabyte computer
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwan-based PC maker GIGABYTE (TWSE:2376) issued an apology today, after facing criticism in China over statements made on its website which implied that computer components manufactured in China were of inferior quality to those made in Taiwan. The introduction to Gigabyte’s e-sports notebook series “Aero” claimed that Gigabyte implements strict quality control, manufacturing their notebook computers in Taiwan instead of China, where product quality is low. The comment drew the ire of Chinese Internet users on social media platforms such

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Retired cop rescues elderly woman being stabbed by man with a screwdriver

suspect arrested and weapon composite picture
Violent Crimes 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A retired police officer rescued an elderly female fruit vendor after a man attempting to rob her fruit stall held her down and stabbed her repeatedly with a screwdriver in Keelung City this morning, May 9. At around 6:00 am, Mr Chen, who is in his 60s and retired from the police force six years ago, was passing by the fruit vendor when he heard the 80-year-old woman, named Wu, screaming for help. Chen rushed to Ms Wu’s assistance, grabbing

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Invasive crazy ants threaten ecology, traditional customs on Orchid Island

woman holds land crab on Orchid Island
Culture Environment 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Ecologists are warning that yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) have been found to be already established on Orchid Island, threatening a local species of land crab, and cultural workers say it could also affect important traditional customs of the indigenous Tao people. Professor Lin Chung-chi, an ecologist from the biology department at National Changhua Normal University recently led a team of students and researchers to the island, and found that the crazy ants are already established on the island. The

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3 of 4 crew of sunken fishing boat rescued after 36 hours adrift on makeshift raft

men on makeshift raft rescued
Marine and Fisheries 
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Three crew members who abandoned their sinking fishing vessel Wednesday night, May 5, were found adrift on a makeshift raft this morning, Friday, May 7. The captain of the Pingtung County based Yushunsheng No. 168 sent a distress call at around 11:00 pm Wednesday, saying that the boat was sinking after hitting rocks on a reef off Cape Eluanbi, the crew then abandoned ship. A search and rescue operation ensued after a Coast Guard cruiser sent to the location was

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Another record cannabis grow-op busted: Decriminalization “impossible” says MOJ

cannabis cultivation in Hsinchu City
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments , ,

Hsinchu City police announced they had uncovered the largest indoor cannabis cultivation operation in history, and the Minister of Justice said that decriminalization of marijuana in Taiwan is “absolutely not possible” at a press conference today, May 7. The record marijuana haul, grown in a factory building, included 1,540 live cannabis plants, 7 kilograms of finished product, and 880 marijuana cigarettes. Police estimate the value of the haul at close to NT$500 million. Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥) attended

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Crew of four missing after fishing boat hits reef off Taiwan’s southernmost point

coast guard personnel searching for missing boat and crew off south coast of Taiwan
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A partially sunken fishing was located this evening, but there were no signs of a crew of four, after the captain of the vessel made a mayday call saying his boat was sinking off Cape Eluanbi yesterday evening, May 5. A Coast Guard cruiser was dispatched to the location of the sinking vessel after the captain of the Pingtung County-based Yushunsheng no. 168 sent a distress call, saying that his ship was taking on water after hitting rocks on a

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Death of toddler exposes danger of folding tables, importance of parental supervision

folding mahjong table
Health and Safety 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

The danger posed by a common item of furniture found in almost every Taiwanese household has been put into the spotlight after a 3-year-old boy died clamped in the legs of a folding table in his home in Taichung City, yesterday, May 3. The parents of the toddler, named Chen, were putting their one-year-old to sleep while the 3-year-old boy was playing alone upstairs, according to reports, including Liberty Times. After around 20 minutes, the 57-year-old father went upstairs to

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Pilots under pressure: keeping your job is a challenge for locals and foreigners alike

pilots wearing ppe on long haul flights
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments ,

The Novotel hotel at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will no longer provide accommodation to foreign pilots after an outbreak of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, Friday, April 30. Health and Welfare Minister and Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) director Chen Shih-chung said that the most likely source for the infection was a foreign pilot, and that foreign pilots have “divergent” behaviors, being less likely to follow instructions for epidemic prevention. Four of 10 CAL pilots who tested

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Belarusian man dies in suspected accidental fall

courtyard where man was found
Health and Safety 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A Belarusian resident died after falling from a window of his 10th-floor apartment in Wanli District this morning, according to reports today, May 2. The community manager said that he heard a loud noise in the courtyard at around 10:00 am, and on inspection found the man lying on the ground. Paramedics rushed the man to Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, but he was declared dead 30 minutes after arrival. Police investigating the case said that the man was 34-year-old

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Chinese man crosses Taiwan Strait in inflatable boat: yearning for freedom and democracy

inflatable boat
Society 
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A man was arrested at Taichung Harbor yesterday after crossing the Taiwan Strait from Fujian Province, China in an outboard-motor-powered inflatable boat. Coast Guard officers and harbor police were alerted to the man’s arrival at the Taichung Harbor West Warf at around 2:00 am yesterday. The 33-year-old man named Zhou said that he is from Sichuan Province and had purchased the boat and motor on Huabao.com for RMB16,000. He also purchased four fuel containers with a capacity of 125 liters.

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