Author: Phillip Charlier

Pharmaceutical factory on fire after explosion: 2 injured

Fire 
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An explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in Taoyuan City left two injured and caused a fire early this afternoon, December 20. People as far as Tamsui District in New Taipei City reported hearing the massive blast shortly after noon. Immediately after the blast, thick black smoke could be seen pouring out of the SCI Pharmtech factory. Firefighters responding to the fire found two people injured. A 30-year-old foreign migrant worker suffered third-degree burns to 80%-90% of his body, and is

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Taiwanese-American Cannabis ventures fear asking help from Taiwanese community

Business and Economy 
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As the legal cannabis business in the United States expands into what may be a US$34 billion dollar industry by 2025, according to some estimates, Taiwanese-American cannabis ventures face a unique hurdle – fear of asking for help from the Taiwanese community. James Shih, an experienced attorney, CEO, and co-founder of California-based My Green Network (MyGN) reached out to Taiwan English News to talk about the problem. Shih, fellow co-founder and Chief Legal Officer, Ken Hwang, a seasoned entertainment and

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Salvage operation for crashed F-16 suspended until April-May 2021

Military Affairs 
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Air Force Command announced today that salvage operations for an F-16 that crashed off the coast of Hualien County will be suspended until April and May next year, due to poor weather and ocean conditions. The aircraft, carrying one pilot, went down around 13 kilometers northeast of Hualien City on November 17. See previous story: F-16 missing, suspected crashed off east coast of Taiwan The statement said that the location of the downed aircraft had been effectively calibrated after 56

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78 US House of Reps members call for naming Taiwan representative office “Taiwan Representative Office”

R. Clarke Cooper Assistant Secretary of State for the Political and Military Bureau of the US State Department and Taiwan representative to the US Hsiao Bi-Khim
International Relations 
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A letter signed by 78 members of the US House of Representatives was handed to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo yesterday, calling for changing the name “Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office” (TECRO) to “Taiwan Representative Office” (TRO). The move was led by Taiwan Caucus co-chairs Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Mario Diaz Balart (R-FL), calling upon the secretary to change the name of the unofficial Taiwan embassy in Washington DC. “The use of the word ‘Taipei’ fails to accurately reflect

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Stray bullet that hit hiker probably came from sea exercises

Military Affairs 
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An investigation into an accidental shooting has found that a .50 caliber machine gun bullet found at the scene most likely came from a marine exercise in waters near Chai Mountain last Friday. See previous story: Hiker suspected shot by stray bullet from military firing range A 66-year-old man named Chen was shot in the ankle while hiking on Chai Mountain in Kaohsiung City December 11. Investigators at first believed that the bullet came from a nearby military shooting range.

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Phone snatched during live Internet broadcast in Sanchong District

Live streamer AH Pang just before her phone was snatched during live broadcast
Crime and Criminals 
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A live streamer on the video platform Twitch had her phone snatched in the middle of a broadcast as she walked down the street in Sanchong District, New Taipei City, today, December 14. “Ah Pang,” a 28-year-old video maker with more than 18,000 followers, was walking down Ziqiang Road while broadcasting at 5:24 pm, when a pair of robbers passing on a scooter snatched her Sony Experia 5 phone and handheld stabilizer and sped away. The robber’s face could be

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China Airlines Cargo shrinks the “China” and brings Taiwan image to the fore

China Airlines Cargo 777F with new livery
Aviation 
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China Airlines introduced its new Boeing 777F air freighter today, December 14, with a new livery that put the “China” in smaller letters at the tail end of the plane, and a big image of Taiwan front and center. The new livery comes after humanitarian flights delivering anti-epidemic supplies from Taiwan to various countries earlier this year were mistaken as having come from the People’s Republic of China. See previous story: Calls to rename Taiwan’s national airline raised again after

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Police officers help family after father of 5 sent to prison

police provide food for family in need
Society 
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Police officers who went to a man’s home after he failed to turn up to serve a prison sentence found a family struggling to survive, and decided to pitch in with blankets and food. When the District Prosecutor asked the man, Mr Wen, why he hadn’t turned up to serve his sentence, Wen replied that he had five children and a wife to look after. The family depended on a welfare subsidy of a little over NT$10,000 per month, and

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Breakfast shop worker shot by stray bullet after shots fired in anger

modified pistol used in shooting in Hsinchu City
Violent Crimes 
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A man working in a Hsinchu City breakfast shop was shot in the arm after a man fired shots from a passing car to express his anger at a “friend” who had pawned his car this morning, Sunday, December 13. The breakfast shop worker, who is not named in reports, was frying dough sticks at the front of the store at around 4:00 am, when he heard “sounds like firecrackers” from a car passing by. The man then felt tingling

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Hiker suspected shot by stray bullet from military firing range

Fire Bureau paramedics give first aid to man suspected to have been accidentally shot by stray bullet
Health and Safety 
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A man hiking on a mountain in Kaohsiung City yesterday is suspected to have been shot in the ankle by a stray bullet from a military firing range 1.2 kilometers away. A 66-year-old man named Chen was hiking alone on a trail at Chai Shan at around 10:00 am, Friday, December 11, when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his left ankle. Chen found that he was bleeding, and began to descend the mountain. Around 100 meters down the

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Calls to rename Taiwan’s national airline raised again after BBC uses picture to illustrate China cabin crew diaper story

China Airlines Taiwan name change
Aviation 
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Taiwanese citizens were once again left red-faced after the BBC used a picture of Taiwan’s national carrier “China Airlines” to illustrate a news report about Chinese cabin crew being advised to wear diapers during flights as an epidemic prevention measure. At the same time, it was acknowledged that the fault did not lay with the BBC. The BBC reported that the Civil Aviation Administration of the People’s Republic of China had issued advice that cabin crew flying to and from

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