Winner of NT$12M scratch card game touched a Buddha statue while playing

Winner of NT$12M scratch card game touched a Buddha statue while playing

2026-01-22

Taiwan Lottery offers a special scratch card just before Lunar New Year, with prizes up to NT$12 million. Today, the first lucky winner of the top prize was a migrant worker in Gangshan, Kaohsiung. Let’s hear from the lottery shop owner who witnessed this miraculous moment.

Lin Ya-shu
Lottery shop owner
We had other customers at the shop also playing the scratch card game. They also touched our Buddha statue’s belly, and prayed to the Buddha for the grand prize before proceeding. The winner mimicked the ritual, and behold! He did actually win the grand prize, also the last scratch card we had. He was so excited. Even our shopkeeper for the night shift was so excited, she was trembling and screamed ecstatically. The Buddha is the source of wealth in our shop. Our customers also touch it every time they come into our shop.

The lucky winner was so excited, that he couldn’t believe he actually won the NT$1.2 million grand prize. So how do you manifest winning the lottery with this Buddha statue? Simply rub on the belly. Following the happy news, customers flocked in and replicated the winner’s method, hoping they’ll get a share of good luck.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#lottery #jackpot #lucky #magick #moneypot

邊摸彌勒佛邊刮刮樂! 外籍移工刮中全台首個1200萬頭獎

2026-01-22

每年過年，刮刮樂彩迷必搶的千萬大吉利，今年第一個頭獎1200萬元，在高雄岡山的一間彩券行刮出，得主是一名外籍移工，來聽彩券行老闆怎麼說。

[[彩券行業者林雅淑]]
“那剛好這邊也有店內其他客人剛好在刮我們的刮刮卡，跟著我們其他店內的客人，一樣摸著我們彌勒佛的肚子，他也跟著一樣雙手合十，說希望彌勒佛保佑我，讓我這一張中頭獎，那果不其然真的就是讓他刮到最後一張的時候，讓他順利開出了頭獎。當下他興奮不已，連我們晚班我們的小姐，她也是一樣，高興得全身顫抖，歡呼尖叫這樣子。彌勒佛是我們店裡財氣的來源，也是我們店裡客人，每次來都一定會摸祂的。”

頭獎幸運兒，當下十分激動，最後才相信自己真的刮中1200萬元，而這套摸彌勒佛肚子，祈求中獎的做法，不少前來試手氣的民眾也都如法炮製，希望有機會迎來好運。

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Houtong’s cat population falls due to neutering, improper feeding

The famous Houtong Cat Village was once home to over 200 cats, but now there are less than 30. Residents say this is because of more cats being neutered, as well as tourists feeding them too many treats. In addition, the local office that once cared for these cats is no longer running. The village chief says the animal protection office should start a breeding program so that the cat village continues to live up to its name.

Two cats happily chase each other across a field. Nearby, a tabby cat and calico affectionately greet visitors. This is New Taipei’s famous Houtong Cat Village. But recently, people have noticed the number of cats there is dwindling.

There are less than I thought there would be.
There aren’t that many cats.

There were once over 200 cats living in the Houtong Cat Village, with people responsible for feeding them and vets from the animal protection office often visiting. But today there are less than 30. A big reason for this is that more cats are being neutered, but residents also think that tourists fed them too many treats. If cats eat too much salty food, it could cause kidney failure.

Houtong resident
It’s split into areas, so our area originally had 40 cats. Now, counting the old and new cats, there are only seven left. Tube treats are too salty. Cats can’t eat it all the time. It’s just a snack they can have when getting their claws cut or with medicine. Everyone feeds them these, but it’s too salty and impacts kidney function.

Chou Chin-yi
Guangfu Village chief
At most there were one or two hundred of them, maybe more than the people, but now there are fewer and fewer. I think the animal protection and cat public offices should be responsible for breeding cats and releasing them when they are a little bigger. You could put microchips in them.

New Taipei previously set up a cat public office in Houtong Village, commissioning a team to run it. But that team ended their contract, and the city is still looking for a new one, leaving residents to care for the cats at the moment. The local village chief suggested running a breeding program to boost the cat population, so the village can continue to live up to its name.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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2026-01-22

This juice stand has a large following thanks to great fruit

A fresh fruit juice stall at the Taitung Tourism Night Market has such delicious juice that it’s gained a large following. The proprietor, Lo Yung-feng, has even won awards. Lo has established long-term relationships with local farmers that enable him to find the highest quality fruit. What’s less well known is that Lo was once a prison instructor and is devoted to promoting good health. Let’s meet Lo.

First the pineapple is washed with water.

Then the fruit is chopped and sliced on the spot. The proprietor is working quickly, aiming to maintain the freshness of the fruit.

A dragon fruit is added and there’s the same process. Even its weight must be calculated precisely.

It’s all put in a blender and ice cubes are added. Pineapple and dragon fruit juice, it’s fresh and delicious.

Whether it’s papaya, watermelon or pineapple, cups of fresh fruit are displayed in front of the stall, and many people are queuing up. This fresh juice stall is quite famous in Taitung Tourism Night Market because of its freshly extracted fruit juice and hygienic conditions.

Lo Yung-feng
Taiwan Tourism Night Market stall keeper
When I was younger, I was working a regular job and didn’t have much to do in the evenings, so I started doing a side business at the night market. I started with bubble tea but in recent years I’ve come to realize that health is more important than anything else. So I thought I’d sell healthy fresh fruit juice.

The proprietor was originally a rehabilitation instructor who taught inmates skills in prison. After clocking off from work, he and his wife moonlighted at the night market selling cups of boba. He retired ten years ago and a plasticizer scandal led him to believe that health is more important than anything else. This prompted Lo Yung-feng to switch from selling bubble tea to selling healthy fruit juice.

Lo Yung-feng
Taiwan Tourism Night Market stall keeper
The idea of eating seasonal, local produce is to encourage consumers to enjoy the
ingredients of each region they visit—they are the freshest and most delicious.

Eating seasonal fruits is the freshest and tastiest way to enjoy them, but turning them into fruit juice for sale is not something anyone can do. Lo puts in a lot of effort to produce the highest quality juice.

Lo Yung-feng
Taiwan Tourism Night Market stall keeper
After working with them for a long time, you’ll know which fruit farmers have fruit with excellent sweetness and quality. That’s based on experience.

His years of accumulated experience have enabled him to find local fruit farmers with high-quality produce and he’s cooperated with them for the long-term. His high standards for the production process have also earned him many awards.

With cups in their hands, people are happily drinking. This retired prison instructor may be busy, but he is also living a fulfilling life.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Inferno in Keelung residential building leaves 2 dead, 4 injured

A man and a woman were killed and a further four people were injured after a fire broke out in a residential building in Keelung. Investigators discovered that there was clutter piled to the ceiling in the apartment where the fire broke out, which impeded rescue efforts. The man killed was Chan Neng-chieh, a squad leader with the Keelung City Fire Department’s Renai branch. Before he was killed, he rushed into the burning building three times to rescue people, even giving his own oxygen mask to a resident. Let’s find out more about this heroic fire fighter and how the fire started.

This residential building is filled with thick smoke, making visibility almost zero.

Thick white smoke fills the air. The firefighters are racing against time, rushing into the flames to rescue people who were trapped and bring them out, one by one.

After the residents were rescued, oxygen masks were placed on their faces, and they lay weakly on stretchers. However, some were still trapped inside.

The living room? OK.
You need to open the front door
so we can get in and reach you.

The woman’s eyes were red with tears and she didn’t know what to do—because the fire had started in her home, and her 33-year-old daughter was still inside.

I can’t get out; I have to crawl.
The entire stairwell is filled with smoke.
I can’t see anyone.

Building resident
There was a strong odor of plastic. It was big—building after building. Some places had their doors locked; even when you knocked, no one answered. Everyone was asleep.

The inferno occurred late in the night on Jan. 21 in a residential building on Leli 3rd Street in Anle District, Keelung. The fire started on the second floor, where a large amount of clutter had been hoarded, causing the fire to spread rapidly. Chan Neng-chieh, a squad leader with the Keelung City Fire Department’s Ren-ai Branch, and the homeowner’s daughter both lost their lives, bringing the total toll to two dead, four injured.

Upon closer inspection, clutter had been piled almost to the ceiling, obstructing movements and making search and rescue extremely difficult. It’s suspected that the fire broke out in the living room. The homeowner said that before the fire broke out, she saw the intercom at the door appearing to be short-circuiting and emitting sparks. After the fire was extinguished, fire investigators found that even more than 10 hours later, residual voltage of 90 volts was still detected in the walls. They suspect that the fire caused internal wiring to melt and short-circuit, or that the issue stemmed from the building’s shared electrical lines. As a result, the walls became electrically charged, turning the walls into an invisible killer that rescue personnel could not see. One firefighter was injured after being electrocuted.

Pan Te-fa
Borough chief, Liuhe, Keelung
This is the first large-scale fire we’ve encountered in our community in over 30 years. The apartment where the fire started had an extreme amount of piles of clutter. The homeowner, a mother, is quite old. And perhaps because everyone’s health wasn’t completely OK, they piled up clothes and other miscellaneous items.

The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is undeniable that the mountain of clutter piled inside the apartment, coupled with the weird electrical currents running through the walls, was the chief culprit behind this blaze and the heavy casualties it caused.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#fire #hoarding #breakingnews #tragic #firesafety

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Alex Honnold readies for Saturday’s high-stakes climb up Taipei 101

This Saturday, Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber will make a solo free climb up Taipei 101, livestreamed for the world to watch. Thursday would’ve been his fifth consecutive day practicing, if not for the weather. On the same day, Taipei 101’s management team held a blessing ceremony for him, wishing him success as he makes his way all the way up Taiwan’s tallest building without safety ropes.

A climber in a blue jacket and black bottoms is seen scaling the Taipei 101, supported by safety ropes.

This is Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber from the US known for his extreme solo free climbs. He’s been rehearsing every day since last Sunday. Thursday would’ve been the fifth, if not for the weather.

Chen Yao-chi
FTV reporter
This Saturday (Jan. 24), the US rock climbing icon, Alex Honnold will take on the challenge of a solo free climb up Taipei 101. However, due to northeasterly seasonal monsoons, the weather is quite windy and rainy in Taipei. Some worry that the event may not take place as expected.

I think safety is more important.

If it’s too dangerous, meaning the winds are too strong, it could put him at risk, making it not such a great idea.

Of course not! It’s too dangerous. It’s safer to use ropes.

People in Taipei believe safety should come first, and that the event should be postponed if it rains.

Taipei 101’s management team has already held a blessing ceremony on Wednesday for the big event, meeting with Honnold’s team and praying for good weather and success. Some people also wonder what he would do if he had to relieve himself while climbing.

Alex Honnold
Rock climber
When I go multi-day wall climbing, I typically use my used water jugs. Basically you poop into a bag, you bundle up the bag, you can like duct tape it up, so it’s like a little sealed bundle. And then you can like leave in like your used water jugs, and then seal that up with tape. And then basically you’d wind up with sort of jugs of waste dangling below your actual haul bags as you climb the wall. And then when you get to the top, you just like hike your waste out and throw it away in the dumpster.

It will be, as Honnald’s show calls it, his “most daring attempt yet.” Taipei 101 has also urged the public against entering restricted zones and recording the event using drones on the big day.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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US de facto ambassador Raymond Greene voices support for special defense budget

De facto US Ambassador Raymond Greene on Thursday said a NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget bill proposed by the government was critical for Taiwan’s military operations, and said that the US was fully committed to delivering critical weaponry systems to Taiwan as soon as possible. Despite this, the opposition KMT and TPP refused to back down over their criticisms of the package. Their approval is needed for the special budget to clear the legislature. Let’s hear what Greene said.

At a seminar titled “Strengthening Resilience: Defense as the Engine of Development” hosted by Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, US de facto Ambassador Raymond Greene gave a speech on US-Taiwan cooperation for a secure and prosperous future. He talked extensively about Taiwan’s security.

What Taiwan’s service members need now are the tools to accomplish their mission. That is why President Lai Ching-te’s commitment to increasing Taiwan’s defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2030, including through the 1.25 trillion NTD special budget, is so critical.What Taiwan’s service members need now are the tools to accomplish their mission. That is why President Lai Ching-te’s commitment to increasing Taiwan’s defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2030, including through the 1.25 trillion NTD special budget, is so critical.What Taiwan’s service members need now are the tools to ccomplish their mission. That is why President Lai Ching-te’s commitment to increasing Taiwan’s defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030, including through the NT$1.25 trillion special budget, is so critical.

Greene stressed the importance of the NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget proposed by the Lai administration and promised that the US would deliver critical defense systems needed by Taiwan as soon as possible.

Raymond Greene
AIT Director
The Lai administration’s focus on acquiring low-cost, asymmetric systems like drones and anti-ship missiles, resilient and distributed communications and battlefield awareness capabilities, and integrated air and missile defenses completely aligns with what Taiwan’s military needs most. The United States is fully committed to delivering critical systems as quickly as possible.

Greene also revealed that the US is already in cooperation with Taiwan on various projects, including drone supply chains, AI-powered autonomous systems and expanding defense armaments cooperation programs. Northrop Grumman has installed a medium caliber ammunition test range in Taiwan.

Raymond Greene
AIT Director
The objective of all of these efforts is to establish conditions for dialogue free from coercion. The United States has always insisted on the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences.
Even though the US has signaled goodwill, the opposition remains unmoved.

Lo Chih-chiang
Lawmaker (KMT)
Even if we gave you NTS1.25 trillion or NT$950 billion, would you, Lai Ching-te, guarantee that the PRC’s military aircraft would never dare cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait again?

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Lawmaker (DPP)
They pretend to be blind and deaf, unwilling to listen or see. KMT and TPP lawmakers, I urge you to show some restraint. I can hardly imagine how much of Taiwan’s development will be obstructed over the next two years.

Strengthening Taiwan’s national defense faces challenges from opposition parties. The US is also stepping up its efforts to help Taiwan remain secure.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#AIT #military #defense #drones #Taiwanpolitics

2026-01-22