Author: Phillip Charlier

Heavy rain and flood warnings issued as rainy season front hovers over Taiwan

cars pass through flooded area
Weather 
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The Central Weather Administration issued a heavy rain warning covering Taiwan’s western plains and central mountain range, with flood alert warnings in effect for Taichung, Miaoli, and Hsinchu as a rainy season front hovers over the island today, May 28. At 7:55 am, a CWA heavy rain warning covered most of Taiwan from Keelung City in the north to Pingtung County in the south, excluding only the east coast counties of Yilan, Hualien, and Taidong. An extremely heavy rain warning

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Two firefighters dead: hundreds rescued from residential building fire. Many still trapped

firefighting appliances and ambulances
Fire 
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Two firefighters are dead, and one resident of an apartment building was injured, after hundreds of people were evacuated from a smoke-filled residential building in Hsinchu City last night. The Hsinchu City Fire Bureau received reports of a fire at a condominium complex in East District at 10:55 pm Sunday, May 26. Fire bureau personnel arrived at the scene and found the source of the fire to be electrical cables producing a large amount of thick smoke. The fire was

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China launches military drill around Taiwan as punishment for electing pro-independence President

PLA military drill map
Military Affairs 
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China launched a major military drill in waters surrounding Taiwan this morning as “a strong punishment” against “Taiwan independence forces” three days after the inauguration of Taiwan’s new President, William Lai. The Chinese Communist Party People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command announced that it will start joint exercises around Taiwan at 7:45 am today, May 23. The exercise areas include the Taiwan Strait, Kinmen Island, Matsu Island, Wuqiu Island, Dongyin Island, and sea areas north, south, and east of Taiwan.

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Passengers take down knife attacker on 10th anniversary of Taipei Metro Attack

composite picture showing bystanders taking down knife attacker
Violent Crimes 
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Three people were sent to hospital after a man traveling on a Taichung City MRT train suddenly attacked people with a knife before he was subdued by other passengers today, Tuesday, May 21. According to reports, a 20-year-old man, named Hong, boarded a train at Shui’an Temple Station at around 11:15 am. When the train was approaching City Hall Station, Hong suddenly took out a knife and lunged at another man. Many passengers scrambled away from the carriage in fear,

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Plastics factory burns all night, prompting air pollution warning in Tainan City

fire destroys factory in Tainan City
Fire 
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Firefighters are still battling a blaze in Tainan City, more than 12 hours after a plastics factory caught fire Monday night. The Tainan City Government Fire Bureau received reports of a fire at the factory in Jiali District at around 9:50 pm. TCGFB dispatched vehicles and personnel from five fire stations in surrounding districts to extinguish the fire. Firefighters were confronted by a fierce blaze fueled by a large amount of petrochemical and plastics raw materials, which completely consumed the

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Gogoro battery swap station explodes and catches fire in Kaohsiung City

gas station employee attacks fire with fire extinguisher
Business and Economy 
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A battery exchange station for a popular brand of electric scooter exploded and caught fire at a gas station in Kaohsiung City this morning, but fortunately there were no casualties. Kaohsiung City Fire Department received reports that a Gogoro battery station was on fire at a gas station on Zhongzheng 4th Road in Qianjin District at 10:58 am. A gas station employee immediately attempted to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher, and police from the Kaohsiung City Police Station

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New Taipei City celebrates Mother’s Day with free COVID vaccines and gifts

covid-19 mother's day vaccine propaganda
Health and Safety 
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The New Taipei City Department of Health is offering free gifts for women who get vaccinated for COVID from today, May 10, until the end of the month, it was announced today. The Department of Health said that all females who get vaccinated at community health clinics and vaccination stations in New Taipei City can receive special Mother’s Day gifts which include an electronic thermometer and dishwashing detergent. The number of gifts is limited and will only be available while

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US Navy ship conducts routine transit of Taiwan Strait

USS Halsey Taiwan Strait transit
Military Affairs 
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A US Navy destroyer sailed through international waters in the Taiwan Strait yesterday, May 8, and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) accused the US of “hype and provocation.” According to a press release by the US 7th Fleet Public Affairs, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) conducted a routine transit through international waters “through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state,” Wednesday. “Halsey’s transit through the Taiwan Strait

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Human remains found in tunnel 3 years after train disaster

remains and belongings of victims found in railway tunnel
Disaster 
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Grieving family members of the victims of one of Taiwan’s worst train disasters had old wounds reopened for the second time after human remains and belongings were found in a railway tunnel in Hualien County recently. The advocacy group “Tears of Taroko,” formed by family members of victims of the April 2, 2021, Hualien Train Derailment, issued a press release this morning, May 8, informing the public that a search of the Qingshui Tunnel had uncovered the remains of 11

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The Pandemic is not over! Free COVID-19 tests available nationwide

COVID-19 antigen tests
Health and Safety 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment

Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced today that free COVID-19 rapid screening tests will be available at pharmacies nationwide, and you don’t even have to show a health insurance card or ID to get the test kits. The CDC said that while the COVID-19 pandemic has passed its peak, there were still 195 new cases last week. and 15 deaths. CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said that the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Centers for Disease Control recommend continuous monitoring and

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Taiwan’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program comes under fire: treating human life as a trifling matter

legislators, lawyers, vaccine injury victims at press conference
Health and Safety 
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Taiwan’s Department of Health and Welfare Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) came under fire today at a press conference where it was accused of treating human life as “a trifling matter.” Legislators Chao-Tzu Chen (陳昭姿) of the Taiwan People’s Party, and Sean Liao (廖偉翔) of the Kuomintang held the press conference, pointing out that a recent judgement by the Taipei High Administrative Court showed that the VICP lacked transparency in procedures and suffered irregularities in the review process. Chao and

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