A Taiwan cobra (Naja atra) was spotted eating rice in Hualien City recently, and a video of the incident was uploaded to social media. According to reports in Liberty Times and SETN, the video was recorded on July 18 at Meilunshan Park. A Liberty Times reporter interviewed Ms Fan, who is credited with recording the video. Fan told the reporter that she had left a plate of rice out to feed stray dogs in the park. At 11:00 am in
Read moreHikers airlifted after being stung by hornets in Nantou County
Two people were airlifted from a mountain trail in Nantou County after three out of a group of four were stung by hornets, and one lost consciousness today. The incident is just one of a spate of hornet attacks around Taiwan in the last few days. The group, consisting of two couples in their 60s, called emergency services for help after being attacked by hornets on a trail near Wanda Creek at around 2:00 pm this afternoon. An attempt to
Read moreBus crash on Freeway leaves 1 dead, 18 injured in New Taipei City
One person died and 18 were injured after a tour bus slammed into the back of an intercity bus on National Freeway 3 this morning in New Taipei City. According to police preliminary investigations, the driver was not paying attention to traffic conditions in front when it crashed into vehicles backed up in the outer southbound lanes at the Xintai Interchange at around 8:30 am. The tour bus, an intercity bus, a sedan, and a small truck were damaged in
Read moreCache of unexploded military bombs found in New Taipei City coastal waters
A popular scuba diving location has been sealed off after 13 unexploded bombs were identified by military divers in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District today, July 21. Coast Guard personnel first sealed off the area yesterday after a recreational scuba diver reported finding a large unexploded military bomb yesterday afternoon at Mao’ao Bay at around 3:00 pm. Military divers began a search of the area at around 9:00 am this morning, and by 2:45 pm had identified 13 large pieces
Read more“Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act” to be introduced to US Congress this week
A bill to authorize the President of the United States to use force if China attempts a military invasion of Taiwan will be introduced to the US House of Representatives this week, according to comments made by Republican Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL) Friday night. Yoho, chairman of the house Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, made the comments while speaking to Fox Business’ Lou Dobbs, July 17. “With South Korea and Japan and the United States, we’re doing
Read moreOne dead, three injured after underage, unlicensed rider runs red light and T-bones police car
A 16-year-old boy riding a scooter died, and three people were injured, after the unlicensed rider ran a red light and hit a police car in the early hours of this morning in Sanxia District, New Taipei City. The teenage rider, named Chen lost vital signs at the scene of the accident, and was later declared dead at the hospital. A pillion passenger named Su suffered a broken arm, and the two police officers in the patrol car, officers Sun
Read moreExplosion, fire at Formosa Plastics refinery injures 3, causes pollution spike
Three people were injured after an explosion and fire at the Formosa Plastics Mialiao No. 6 refinery in Yunlin County this morning, and the company will be fined for breaches of the Air Pollution Control law. Twenty-three fire trucks and 76 personnel were dispatched from nearby fire stations after reports of the explosion and blaze at around 9:00 am. Yunlin County Fire Department Chief Lin Wen-shan said that the primary combustion material consisted of heavy oil and hydrogen, burning an
Read morePAC-3 missiles deployed in Taipei Zoo carpark ahead of nation-wide military exercise
A Patriot III surface-to-air missile system was deployed in the carpark of Taipei City Zoo in Muzha District today, as part of the nationwide Han Kuang (Hanguang) military exercises. The incongruous scene of a high-tech “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target” air defense missile array set up in a civilian parking lot in a residential area of Taipei City drew the attention of members of the public who took pictures and uploaded them to social media. The missile system
Read more13 injured in freeway bus accident
Thirteen people were treated for slight injuries after a bus rear-ended a truck on National Highway 1 this afternoon in Taichung City. Emergency services responded to a report of the accident in the northbound lanes of the Fengyuan section at 4:17 pm. The most serious injury was a fractured arm suffered by the driver of the Kuo-Kuang company intercity bus. The rest of the injured were passengers of the bus, two of whom suffered broken teeth, and others scratches and
Read moreTwo migrant workers killed in Yilan County traffic accident
Two Indonesian migrant workers died after a truck hit their electric scooter at high speed while the men were stopped at a red light in Yilan County this morning, July 12. Yilan County Fire Department received reports about the traffic accident on Meifu Road, in Zhuangwei Township at around 11:20 am. The rider of the electric scooter, a 26-year-old man named Daimas Prasetiyo, was without signs of life at the scene of the accident, and was declared dead at the
Read moreMAC warns of danger for travelers to Hong Kong, Macao, China
In response to the Hong Kong national security law issued by the government of the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has set up an online registration system for nationals traveling to Hong Kong, Macao, and China. The MAC website lists groups at high risk of “being disappeared,” including people who have expressed solidarity with Taiwan independence, Hong Kong independence, Tibet independence, and Xinjiang independence. Also at risk are critics of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the
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