Spanish tourist dies after scooter hit by truck in Pingtung County

September 5, 2020September 5, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment little-blue-truck, Pingtung County, scooter-accident

A Spanish woman who entered Taiwan on a tourist visa died after a truck driving on the wrong side of the road hit her scooter in Pingtung County last night, September 4. The 26-year-old woman, who is not named in media reports, was on her way back to a homestay in Manzhou Township when a light truck crossed the double-yellow lines and smashed head-on into her scooter the Fenshuiling section of County Road 200 in Changle Village shortly after 8:30

Wei Te-sheng at site of film set under construction for first installation of upcoming "Taiwan Trilogy."

Entertainment

September 5, 2020September 5, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Dutch Formosa, Taiwan films and movies, Wei Te-sheng

Construction started September 1 on a film set to reproduce an indigenous settlement of the Siraya people from 400 years ago, in preparation for what is slated to become the biggest film production in Taiwan’s history. Taiwan filmaker Wei Te-sheng, who previously wrote and directed blockbusters Cape No.7, and Seediq Bale: Warriors of the Rainbow, has undertaken a massive project in the form of a historical trilogy covering the Dutch colonial era in Taiwan in the early 17th century. The

Health and Safety

August 30, 2020August 30, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Hsinchu County, kite festival

A 3-year-old girl flew 10s of meters into the air after becoming entangled in a kite tail at the Hsinchu City International Kite Festival today, August 30. At around 3:40 pm the tail section of a large kite became wrapped around the body of the toddler in strong winds at the kite festival at the Nanliao Fishing Port. The little girl was lifted into the air by the kite, which rose and fell wildly in the gusty conditions, tossing the

Drugs

August 29, 2020August 29, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment cannabis cultivation, marijuana, Nantou County

Taichung City Police Department announced today that it had seized at total of 1,361 cannabis plants in what is considered to be the largest marijuana growing operation uncovered in the history of Taiwan law enforcement. According to police report, an investigation began in July this year after a dealer was arrested in Taichung City. Police investigators traced the source of the cannabis up several levels, implicating dealers in Kaohsiung City, and eventually leading to a suspect named Liu in Nantou

Military Affairs

August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment China, US Air Force

China’s Ministry of National Defense issued a statement, Tuesday, August 25, accusing the US military of “naked provocation,” after a US Air Force U-2 high-altitude surveillance plane flew over a no-fly zone during live-fire military exercises earlier that day. The People’s Liberation Army had declared a no-fly zone over the Bohai Sea, one of three areas where the PLA is holding concurrent military exercises along the coast of China. The live-fire military drills are being held from August 22 –

Italian national arrested after attempted robbery of convenience store

Crime and Criminals

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment New Taipei City, robbery, Tucheng District

An Italian national was arrested in Banqiao District yesterday, Sunday, August 23, after an investigation into an attempted robbery in Tucheng District, Friday. At around 9:30 pm, August 21, a man wearing a motorcycle helmet, a surgical mask, and a black jacket, walked into a convenience store on on Yumin Road in Tucheng District. The man stood in front of the cash register and remained silent. When the 20-year-old female clerk asked the man what he wanted, he took out

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung speaks at a press conference, August 22, 2020

Health and Safety

August 22, 2020January 1, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment COVID-19, Ministry of Health and Welfare

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung urged municipal-level government officials to follow the instructions of the National Health Command Center after some influential members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supported a bypass of the national government, and attempted to instigate general screening for COVID-19 at county and city level. Chen, who also serves as commander of the Central Epidemic Control Center (CECC) warned that local governments must follow the instructions of the national health authorities. The health minister

Typhoon

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Bavi, tropical storm, weather

Taiwan’s Central Weather Burea (CWB) issued a marine warning for Tropical Storm Bavi at 10:30 am this morning, and a heavy rain advisory for areas in the north, center, and south of Taiwan. According to the CWB, Tropical Storm Bavi was situated around 140 kilometers southeast of Hualien at 8:00 am this morning, August 22, moving north-northeast at around 14 kilometers per hour. Bavi is currently measured as having maximum sustained wind speed near the center of 18 meters per

Crime and Criminals

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Chiayi County, police shooting, stolen car

A wanted man driving a stolen car suffered a bullet wound to the head after a police detective fired three shots at his vehicle when he rammed their unmarked police car in Chiayi County last night, August 21. Detectives from Tainan City Police Department Baihe Precinct located a stolen vehicle driven by the suspect in Shuishang Township, Chiayi County at around 11:00 pm. According to reports in United Daily News, the four detectives followed the vehicle for some distance until

Crime and Criminals

August 20, 2020August 21, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment highrise-rescue, knife-attack, ra, Taipei City

A man scaled the outside of a building to the 14th floor after attacking a random stranger with a knife in Taipei City today, leading to a standoff with police. Police received reports about a man armed with a kitchen chopper wandering along Hankou Street section 2 in Wanhua District at around 12:30 pm. The suspect, a 40-year-old man named Qiu (邱) approached a 49-year-old truck driver named Lee, as Lee was unloading goods. Lee noticed Qiu’s suspicious behavior, and

Violent Crimes

August 20, 2020August 20, 2020 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment homicide, Taoyuan City

A man who murdered and beheaded his mother before tossing her head from their 12th floor apartment in Taoyuan City was found not guilty by Taiwan’s High Court today, because he was affected by drugs at the time. On October 18, 2018, Liang Chong-ming stabbed his mother 37 times, cut off an arm and her head with a machete, then tossed the head into the courtyard of their gated community. Liang was arrested and found to be under the influence

Spanish tourist dies after scooter hit by truck in Pingtung County

Construction starts on film set in preparation for biggest production in Taiwan film history

Toddler entangled in kite tail goes airborne at kite festival

Biggest marijuana plantation in Taiwan’s history busted in Nantou County

China protests after US Air Force flies U-2 spy plane over live-fire PLA-declared no-fly zone

Italian man arrested, charged for attempted robbery of convenience store in New Taipei City

Health Minister explains problems of mass COVID screening as KMT Party threatens to undermine Taiwan’s anti-epidemic success

Marine warning issued after Tropical Storm Bavi forms close to Taiwan’s east coast

Suspect shot and wounded after ramming police car

Man climbs outside of building to 14th floor after random knife attack

Man who murdered, beheaded mother found not guilty: affected by drugs