Business and Economy

Cruise ship break down leaves more than 1,800 Taiwanese stranded in Japan

MSC cruise ship Glory
Travel and Tourism 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taiwanese airlines have coordinated a series of emergency flights to bring home more than 1,800 Taiwanese travelers who are stranded in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, after a cruise ship malfunction prevented the ship from returning to Taiwan yesterday. The MSC cruise ship “Glory” was originally scheduled to arrive at the Port of Keelung in northern Taiwan yesterday, Sunday, December 8. However, the ship remains docked at Naha Port, Okinawa, today awaiting repairs after a “mechanical malfunction” Saturday, December 7. The MSC

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Highway police take delivery of new BMW 520i “red zebra” patrol cars

new BMW 520i patrol cars
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taiwan’s National Highway Police Bureau took delivery of 34 new BMW 520i patrol cars recently, and the vehicles were put into service after a ceremony yesterday, September 18. NHPB said the new cars are replacements for vehicles that have been in service for more than seven years, and were purchased for NT$2 million each, with a total budget of NT$68 million. The bureau said that the BMW 520i patrol cars have the same excellent performance as they do in the

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Taiwanese company denies explosive pagers made in Taiwan

Gold Apollo display
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

The CEO of an electronics company at the center of allegations that its pagers were used in an attack that injured thousands of people and killed 11 in Lebanon, Tuesday, September 17, has denied manufacturing the devices, and said that they were not made in Taiwan. Hsu Chingkuang, Chairman of Gold Apollo, said that the pagers were merely branded Apollo Gold under contract, and that they were manufactured by a European company. Hsu said that the pagers were not manufactured,

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1,000-pound WWII bomb uncovered on construction site in Kaohsiung City

World War Two M65 1000-pound bomb being removed from construction site in Kaohsiung City Taiwan
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A military unexploded ordnance team removed a 1,000-pound bomb uncovered during site preparation at a former oil refinery in Kaohsiung City, yesterday, August 26. Workers discovered the bomb while excavating the site in preparation for construction of a new TSMC factory in the Nanzi Science Park at around 8:30 am. The Kaohsiung City Public Works Bureau immediately notified the police and military. Military personnel examined the bomb and judged that it was incomplete and missing the fuse. It was determined

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Tourists evacuate roller coaster after power malfunction at Taiwan amusement park

people climb down stairs after roller coaster malfunction
Travel and Tourism 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A group of tourists were forced to make an emergency exit via a narrow plankway and stairway after a power malfunction caused a roller coaster to stop at an amusement park in southern Taiwan, yesterday, June 28. According to a press release, 16 park visitors were stuck 30 meters in the air when a power malfunction occurred on the “G5 Diving Machine” roller coaster at the Janfusun Fancy World Theme Park in Yunlin County at around 1:00 pm, Friday. Amusement

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13 passengers sent to hospital after Boeing 737 depressurization incident on Korea-Taiwan flight

Flight path of Ke-189 emergency return
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

Fifteen passengers reported eardrum pain and other symptoms, and 13 were sent to hospital, after a Korean Air flight bound for Taichung City, Taiwan, experienced a sudden cabin depressurization incident yesterday, June 22. According to Yonhap News Agency, Korean Air Flight KE-189 departed Incheon Airport at 4:45pm with 130 passengers and crew aboard. However, around 50 minutes into the flight a “pressure system abnormality” occurred. The aircraft was turned around and landed back at Incheon Airport at 7:38pm. Taiwanese passengers

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Elevated railway project faces delays after historic train turntable discovered in southern Taiwan

concrete base of railway train turntable
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Chiayi City’s elevated railway project was originally due to be completed by the end of 2025, but will likely face delays after a committee voted to preserve in situ a 116-year-old train turntable. The Japanese colonial era railway turntable was discovered while excavating the basement of the new Chiayi Railway Station in December 2023. A survey and study of the remnants by the Cultural Resources Review Committee determined that the turntable was built in 1908, and constituted a tangible cultural

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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 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

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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Taiwan shipbuilder demonstrates self-righting ship

self-righting ship demonstration
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwan shipbuilder Longteh Shipbuilding Company successfully tested a self-righting ship on April 17. Longteh confirmed the news after a video of the ship launch went viral on social media, according to reports today, April 24. Longteh said the test was performed at the Port of Su’ao in Yilan County. Video footage of the test shows the ship being turned upside down in the water before automatically righting itself in less than 10 seconds. Longteh, which is a major shipping manufacturer

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Flight delayed for 54 minutes after bees swarm aircraft at Kinmen Airport

bees swarm on propeller at Kinmen Airport
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A flight from Kinmen Airport to Taipei was delayed for 54 minutes after a swarm of bees descended on the airplane, stinging one passenger and two ground staff yesterday, April 14. According to United Daily News, 70 passengers were about to board Mandarin Airlines Flight AE-1272 when bees began to swarm around the aircraft shortly after 3:00 pm. After one of the passengers and two ground crew members were stung, airport administration ordered the passengers to return to the departure

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EVA Air flight canceled after baggage trailer collides with plane at Bangkok Airport

trailers against engine cowling of Boing 777
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

An EVA Air flight from Bangkok to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was canceled after the aircraft was hit by two runaway baggage trailers, rendering the plane unairworthy for take-off. According to EVA Air, Flight BR202, Bangkok to Taoyuan, was originally scheduled to take off at 2:40 pm local time yesterday, November 9. However, a short time before boarding, two baggage trailers being towed near the plane disconnected from the tow tractor. The trailers collided with the engine cowling of the

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