Torrential Rain Lashes Taiwan

guards on duty at the martyrs shrine in Taipei City during torrential downpours that brought floods to the city June 2, 2017

June 2, 2017June 3, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment floods, landslides, plum-rain, torrential rain

A “meiyu” front, called plum rain by locals, has brought torrential rain, floods, and landslides all over the island as the East Asian rainy season begins in Taiwan. Municipal governments have declared a total of 81 schools closed for tomorrow, June 3, in flood and landslide-prone areas. The Central Weather Bureau issued heavy rain warnings rated extremely heavy, torrential, and extremely torrential for 15 counties this morning. Keelung City and New Taipei City were rated as “extremely torrential.” Power and

Culture

June 1, 2017June 1, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

Business and Economy

May 30, 2017May 31, 2017 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment one-china-policy, UAE

United Arab Emirates today ordered Taiwanese flight attendants to wear badges bearing the flag of the People’s Republic of China. A little more than an hour later, the Uniform Standards and Development Officer apologized and rescinded the order to wear the PRC flag, but maintained that the Taiwan ROC flag must not be worn. At 2.25pm, May 30, an email was allegedly sent to flight attendants stating: “We have been instructed by the Chinese Government that with immediate effect Emirates

Violent Crimes

May 26, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Chiayi, murder

A Chiayi County township mayor who was sentenced to life imprisonment after paying a hitman to murder a police officer, has had his sentence reduced after paying a large sum of money to the victim’s family. In April 2016, Jhuci Township Mayor, Wang Kun-hong, was sentenced to life imprisonment along with the gunman surnamed Liu, after 47 year-old police officer and SWAT team member Lin Jin-zhong was ambushed and brutally murdered with three shotgun blasts outside his wife’s art supply

gay people celebrate a ruling that a ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional under the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of China

Society

May 24, 2017June 4, 2018 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment judicial yuan, same-sex-marriage

Taiwan’s highest court, the Judicial Yuan, today declared that denial of same-sex marriage rights were a violation of rights guaranteed by the constitution of the Republic of China, and ordered the government to amend the civil code within a period of 2 years. According to the ruling, if the civil code remains unamended after the expiration of 2 years, the provisions of the civil code that specify that marriage is between “husband and wife” will become null and void, and

bottle nosed dolphin with tail hacked off

Marine and Fisheries

May 22, 2017May 22, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment bottle-nose dolphin, cetaceans, false killer whale, humpback whale

East Coast National Scenic Area Administration officers found a dead dolphin on Sanxiantai Reef. The carcass, which had not yet decomposed was missing a tail, and the tail appears to have been cut off with a sharp knife. It is suspected that fishermen cut off the tail after the dolphin became entangled in a fishing net. The carcass has been sent to Taiwan Cetacean Society for further research and confirmation about the cause of death. Source: Taiwan People News. Two

omura's whale photographed off Hualian, Taiwan

Marine and Fisheries

May 22, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment cetaceans, Hualian County, omura's whale

One of the world’s most mysterious species, the Omura’s Whale (Balaenoptera omurai) was recorded on video by whale watchers off the coast of Hualian on May 20. The video was uploaded to Facebook, allowing a Japanese whale expert to identify the species. It is the first confirmed record of the species in Taiwan waters. Kuroshio Ocean Education foundation spokesperson He Zile (何姿樂) said that adult Omura’s Whales grow up to 10 meters long, so the individual recorded is a juvenile.

Business and Economy

May 22, 2017May 22, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Tiger Air

Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) has promised to investigate after allegations were made that pilots on Tiger Air flights regularly took naps after take-off. The allegations were made by a co-pilot who took pictures over a one year period of 8 pilots sleeping on the job. Tiger Air, a Taiwan-based low cost carrier, said that of the 8 pilots, 5 are currently employed by the airline, and 3 have since left. The CAA said that if the allegations are proven,

A man is arrested after a decapitation murder in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan May 18, 2017

Violent Crimes

May 18, 2017May 19, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment decapitation, Kaohsiung, murder

A 52 year-old mentally-ill woman was decapitated by her 54 year old brother on a busy street in Kaohsiung this morning. At around 9:30am, the woman surnamed Lin tried to leave the house. Her brother tried to prevent her leaving and an altercation ensued. United Daily News reported that witnesses said Ms Lin kneeled and begged for forgiveness as Mr Lin wielded the chopper. Ms Lin even kowtowed. But Mr Lin grabbed her by the hair and chopped her neck

Traffic Accidents

May 16, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment national highway

Twenty-one vehicles were involved in an accident on the National Highway in Changhua County this morning May 16. One person was sent to hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The vehicles included 3 large trucks, SUVs and sedans. One truck driver was trapped in his vehicle and sustained light injuries. It was raining heavily when the accident occurred at around 10:45am on the northbound lanes at the 202km mark. The accident blocked northbound traffic, causing a 7 kilometer long traffic jam.

Marine and Fisheries

May 16, 2017May 16, 2017 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment hualien, megamouth shark

A fisherman contacted authorities after catching a rare mega mouth shark in waters off the coast of Hualien County on Taiwan’s east coast this morning, May 16. The captain of the fishing boat, Mr Wu, notified the coast guard, as required by law, after bringing up the 5 meter-long, 700kg shark. The shark has already been sold to a seafood restaurant in Ilan County’s Suao township. Apple Daily reported that the restaurant paid NT$80 per kilogram for the shark. Kuroshio

Torrential Rain Lashes Taiwan

Photo of the Day: Lenticular Cloud over Taitung

UAE Orders Taiwan Flight-Attendants to Wear PRC Flag

Murderous Mayor’s Sentence Reduced After 25 Million Payment

Same-Sex Marriage Rights Guaranteed by Constitution: Highest Court Rules

Dolphin’s Tail Hacked Off

Rare Omura’s Whale Sighted off Hualian

Pilots Sleeping on the Job: Whistleblower

Woman Decapitated in Kaohsiung

21 Vehicle Pile-up on National Highway

Rare Mega-mouth Shark Caught off Hualien