Taiwan

Bamboo Bats and Paper Mitts: Grandfathers Show Youngsters How They Played the Game

A player uses a bamboo bat to hit a homemade ball in Ilan County, Taiwan
Culture 
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Ilan County: Qixian Elementary School held a baseball game with a difference today when grandfathers teamed up to play a game against the kids. But first, they had to make the baseball gear. When granddad was a kid, Taiwan was not the wealthy country it is today. Money was scarce, and simple stuff like balls, bats, and baseball mitts were hard to come by. However, kids will never let anything get in the way of having fun, and Taiwanese kids

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Mother on Stolen Motorcycle Leads Police on a High Speed Chase: 2 Year Old Son No Helmet

Taiwan police chase a woman carrying her 2 year old child on a stolen motorcyle
Drugs 
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Reading the Taiwan media every day, it’s obvious that Taiwan is in the grip of an amphetamine epidemic. Every day tales of violence and reckless, stupid behavior emerge, but are largely ignored in favor of stories about politics, celebrity gossip, and food. Today, a woman in Kaohsiung with multiple drug convictions led police on a chase for more than twelve minutes, traveling at reckless speeds, and into the path of oncoming traffic while carrying her 2 year old son. The kid was

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Sleeping at the Wheel? Driver Drives Head-on into Traffic Barrier

A car is seen flipped over after hitting a traffic barrier
Traffic Accidents 
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Yunlin County: Fortunately nobody was seriously injured or killed in this traffic accident in Yunlin this morning. The car veers left from the outside lane across the inside lane, across an intersection and straight into a traffic barrier. There is no attempt to brake the vehicle or avoid the obstacle. The vehicle spins 360 degrees and flips onto its roof. Fortunately, the 51 year-old female driver received only minor injuries and was helped out of the car by an emergency

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Student Protesters Break Through Police Barriers

students climbing over the collapsed barrier to enter the square in front of the MOE
Politics 
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Student protesters broke though police barriers last night and occupied the square at the Ministry of Education. Students rocked the barrier back and forth as the chanted for the Minister of Education to step down.  The steel and razor-wire barrier was pushed down at an angle and the protesters then laid cardboard and other materials over the razor-wire so they could clamber over it. The protests against the Ministry of Education’s politicized, China-centric changes to the curriculum, intensified after a

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Runaway Truck Kills one Injures 3 (includes video)

A truck involved in a fatal accident in Tainan, Taiwan
Traffic Accidents 
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Tainan: Suspected brake failure caused a 10 ton truck to roll down a freeway exit ramp and across a busy 4 lane road, killing a scooter rider and injuring 3 other other people. The incident was caught on security cameras. Footage shows the out of control speeding truck hitting 3 cars, then smashing through the center traffic divider, before hitting the scooter rider.   Sources: CTi, Apple Daily

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Drunk Driver Causes Serious Accident: Tries to Pin it on Her Son

A damaged car after an accident involving a drunk driver
Traffic Accidents 
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A woman in Taichung hit a scooter rider at high speed, causing serious injuries, then called her son to come help her. When police arrived, she told them her son had been driving, and had left the scene of the accident. Police were suspicious of her story. The woman reeked of alcohol and had bruises on her face. A short time later, her son arrived and denied he was the driver at the time of the accident. The woman, who had a

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Gangsters Arrested in Wanhua District

A gangster, handcuffed is escorted by police in Taipei, Taiwan
Crime and Criminals 
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Wanhua district in New Taipei City is a famous gangster haven in Taiwan, and even featured in the movie Bangka. This morning several thugs, including their gang leader were arrested after being caught on camera causing havoc, and violently intimidating a business proprietor over failure to pay protection money. The gang is estimated to have earned up to NT$10 million in the scheme over the last couple of years.

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Killer Surrenders to Police

A man is shackled and handcuffed being escorted by police after being charged with murder
Crime and Criminals 
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A man wanted for a murder in Taoyuan turned himself in to police in Ilan County yesterday. The victim, who operated a money lending business, lived in Taoyuan’s Guishan district. After having lunch with his family July 24, he went out alone, but failed to return for the evening meal. The family reported him missing and police accessed his phone records to trace his route.  Accessing surveillance cameras, they saw the victim, Mr. Zhou, walking with a Mr. Yang and entering

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Cops and Robbers: Motorcycle Chase in Kaohsiung

man evades police on scooter
Crime and Criminals 
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An apparently habitual criminal led the police on a dangerous chase through the streets of Kaohsiung. The man had just posted bail for other offenses at the district prosecutors office. He then stole a motorcycle so he could get home. On his way he went through a red light. When police watching the intersection asked him to stop, the man who feared that his previous offenses, including burglary and DUI would show up, attempted to evade the police. A police car

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Lithium Battery causes Fire: 2 Dead

A building in Taoyuan is engulfed by fire.
Fire 
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A building was destroyed after a lithium ion battery being repaired in the first floor electric bicycle business went up in flames. Because there were many flammable substances in the store, an intense fire quickly engulfed the business. Four men managed to make it to the roof from where they were rescued by firefighters, but two men died in the building.  

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