230 travelers in 10 tour groups affected by Air New Zealand strike

230 travelers in 10 tour groups affected by Air New Zealand strike

2026-02-04

Cabin crew workers of Air New Zealand have announced a strike, which will result in the cancelation of two direct flights between Taiwan and New Zealand next week. According to the Tourism Administration, the disruption will affect a total of 10 tour groups involving some 230 passengers. Travel agencies have been scrambling to find alternative flights for their customers, but that’s not always easy, as seats on other airlines with direct flights have nearly sold out. Let’s hear from a travel agency.

Huang Hsien-tsai
Phoenix Tours VP
Planes are practically all full. If you book today but don’t issue the tickets within the next two days, there’ll be no seats left. We’re handling this as an emergency. During the Lunar New Year break, hotels, restaurants, tour buses and attractions require travel agencies to pay in full in advance. If the trip doesn’t go ahead smoothly, that could result in losses in the millions.

The two flights affected for now are flight NZ77 to Taiwan on Feb. 12 and flight NZ78 bound for New Zealand on Feb. 14. Phoenix Tours has one tour group in each of the flights. For the return flight, the itinerary can simply be shortened by two days. But for the outbound flight, it’s harder, as seats with other airlines are limited during the Lunar New Year holiday. Alternative arrangements include stopovers in Singapore and Sydney, at an additional cost of NT$60,000. Eminent Travel Service is also opting for layovers and extending trips to accommodate the new schedule. But the company says it’s prepared for a full-on cancelation. One tour group with Lion Travel has also been affected, but it has successfully booked alternative flights.

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

#travel #newzealand #newzealandair #strike #workersrights

紐西蘭航空"春節航班"罷工台2航班取消"影響約230旅客"

2026-02-04

紐西蘭航空突然宣布，空服罷工，下週兩班對台直飛航班，確定取消。接獲消息，旅行社忙得是焦頭爛額，因為其他航空公司的機位所剩無幾，想要轉搭別的航班，目前都只能夠過第三地，甚至要轉兩次機才能到紐西蘭。觀光署統計，共10團230名旅客受影響。

[[鳳凰旅遊副總經理黃賢在]]
“真的機位很滿，而且大概就是說，今天(4)預定的話，這兩天沒有開票的話，就沒有機位了，所以我們目前也是緊急在處理當中。對旅行社來講，我們在春節期間，飯店、餐廳、遊覽車、景點，都是要提前全額付款，如果說沒辦法順利成行的話，那個是上百萬的一個損失。”

受影響的，是2月12日回台的NZ77，以及14日出發的NZ78。鳳凰旅行社去回各一團受影響，回台旅客還好處理，縮短兩天行程，提早回國。但去程不論改搭華航、新航，還是國泰，春節機位緊繃。鳳凰計畫先飛新加坡，再到雪梨轉奧克蘭。機票成本，一人大增六萬左右。尊榮旅行社也說，紐航不飛後，只能努力找第三地轉機，回程可能多滯留一天、但去程做最壞打算，不排除整團取消。雄獅則回應，有一團受影響，都已經安排好替代航班。

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Baseball star Chen Yi-hsin donates memorabilia

Former CPBL star Chen Yi-hsin, known for his powerful pitching motion and velocity that earned him the nickname "Weekend Knife Thrower", became Deputy Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples last year. Recently, he donated treasured memorabilia from his baseball career to a collection belonging to the Veterans Affairs Council. Many pro-baseball stars were also on hand to witness the historic moment.

Items Chen donated included four highly representative artifacts: the No. 25 jersey from the Chinese Taipei national baseball team pitcher’s glove used in his professional career that marked his 50th win, a Special Grade III medal from the Sports Association, a commemorative plaque awarded by the Veterans Affairs Council for winning the 1978 World Youth Baseball Championship. During his speech, Chen fought back tears as he reminisced about his baseball career.

Chen Yi-hsin
Council of Indigenous Peoples deputy minister
I had prepared my speech last night, but I still couldn’t say it out loud. This story goes back to when my parents were alive. They asked me: If you didn’t play baseball, what would you do? Baseball allowed all Taiwanese people to unite, to share one sport that brought us together. That’s where I grew up. I started playing after watching baseball, but I didn’t know what the future would hold. Without the Veterans Affairs Council, without the RSEA baseball club, I wouldn’t be standing here today.

A long line of fans waited for Chen’s autograph. Known as the “Weekend Knife Thrower”, Chen hails from the Amis tribe in Hualien. He was the ace pitcher during the Brother Elephants’ three consecutive championships, twice named CPBL MVP, and set records of 22 wins and 23 complete games in a single season. He also played for Japan’s Chunichi Dragons. Now, he serves as the Deputy Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples.

Chen Yi-hsin
Council of Indigenous Peoples deputy minister
The most memorable was receiving the Special Grade Medal, the highest honor in baseball at the time. It wasn’t easy. Today I feel so moved—so many medals, like decorations earned through years of dedication. It feels like sending a daughter off to marriage: reluctant, but knowing she has found a good home.

Baseball stars such as Chou Szu-chi and Chang Tai-shan attended the event as well.

Chang Tai-shan
Baseball star
I’m very grateful. Seeing a senior player who remembers to give back is something we younger players truly admire.

Chen Yi-hsin
Council of Indigenous Peoples deputy minister
I hope young players won’t just be as good as me—they should be even better. The baseball environment now is better than before. But remember: keep working hard. No matter what, keep going. Always remember the spirit of ‘be humble in victory, resilient in defeat.

Through this donation, Chen Yi-Hsin hopes to inspire young athletes to chase their dreams.

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

#Baseball #BaseballMemoribilia #ChenYiHsin #TaiwanBaseball #Donation

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At least 10 diners sick in food poisoning cluster in Xinzhuang

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Taiwan and international artists’ joint exhibition at Vaikuntha Art Gallery

Today we take you to an art exhibit in Taipei that displays an intercultural dialogue between Western and Eastern painting techniques. Featuring works by artists from Taiwan and abroad, traditional Bhutanese Buddhist painting styles known as Thangka, along with traditional Chinese ink painting techniques are combined with Western approaches. Our very own Stephany Yang takes us in for a look!

These works were created by Fr. Guillermo Ke, a Catholic priest of Opus Dei who has served in Hualien and Taipei. Besides being a priest, he is also an artist. Drawing inspiration from the landscapes of Hualien—most notably Taroko Gorge—his art captures the profound beauty of light breaking through forests and mountains.

Christine Lin
Gallery founder
He has another identity as a priest. He came to Taiwan and also traveled around the world to serve. This series of works was created when he was serving in Hualien. While working in rural areas, he happened to pass by mountains and saw light cutting through the forest. He began studying how to use light to cut, exploring different compositions. Behind him are all the scenes of Hualien. This particular piece depicts Taroko Gorge.

Taiwanese artist Daniel Shi created several works combining Eastern and Western art styles.

Christine Lin
Gallery artistic director
He has a strong foundation in traditional ink painting and meticulous brushwork. When he was in Taiwan as a student, he studied ink painting. However, when he went to the US to pursue further studies, he was exposed to Western art and began to reflect on how Eastern and Western styles could be combined. He uses blocks of color to express the rhythm of Western art’s more intense emotions, while also incorporating the expressive techniques of Eastern ink splashing. His works unfold like a symphony.

Another artist’s works on display is Dorji Wangchuk from Bhutan. His works blend traditional Buddhist Thangka techniques with modern abstract expression.

Christine Lin
Gallery artistic director
He comes from Bhutan, often called the happiest country in the world. Among the Bhutanese artists I have seen, his work is particularly distinctive. While his creations are rooted in Western painting traditions, he integrates elements of Bhutan’s traditional culture into them. This box represents a “wish-fulfilling treasure box.” In Bhutan, when offering blessings, small symbolic items are placed inside such a box. Through this treasure box, he hopes to bring blessings of happiness to everyone.

This exhibition brings together ten artists from Taiwan and abroad, showcasing a dialogue across cultures. The exhibit will be held at the Vaikuntha Art Gallery until Feb. 15.

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

#Art #VaikunthaArtCenterExhibiton #fusion #culture #events

2026-02-04

Rats spotted in Taipei’s Da’an District amid first hantavirus death

If you’re queasy about rats, take a deep breath before you listen to this next story. Rats are being spotted out in the open in Taipei’s Da’an District, after a man in his 70s living in the area died from hantavirus. What’s worse is that rats caught near his residence turned out to have hantavirus antibodies, meaning they had been infected with the disease previously. Earlier this week, a member of the public who often passes by the area, posted a video of rats digging through a bag of trash in the alleyways. On Wednesday, our reporter inspected the location and found that there were indeed lots of rats out in the open. Taipei City authorities say they will ramp up sanitation measures.

A bag of trash is spotted on the middle of the alley. Rats are digging through it like an open-air buffet, quite an unsettling sight to behold.

Chou Jung-hsuan
FTV reporter
The rats in the video were right here in the alleyways of Taipei’s East District. Look down and you’ll see that the sewers here aren’t covered. Look around and you’ll see that many local residents have lots of clutter at the entrance of their homes. This is probably why there are so many rats here.

Member of public
Took the video
Someone comes here to pick up recyclables. There may be food scraps and whatnot. A few days ago when I passed by—we often ride our scooter through here—there was a bag of trash in the middle of the street, and a cluster of rats were munching on food scraps there and then.

We’re now at the same place where the video was shot, and rat squeaks are incessant. Some even pop out to say hi.

Recently, a man in his 70s living in Taipei’s Da’an District died from a hantavirus infection. Two rats captured near his residence tested positive for hantavirus. The city government had the area disinfected on Wednesday morning.

Wen Chih-hsiung
Jian’an Bourough chief
I asked the sanitation team to make it clear to residents that it’s prohibited to leave trash on the ground, and to encourage residents to use large plastic bins.

Chi Chia-cheng
Da’an District sanitation team
Our team at Da’an District regularly sprays disinfectant and deploys rat poison, as well as make sure the area is clean. Of course we also clean every day.

Rat poison had already been placed all over the alleyways, but there are still rats out and about. Hantavirusus are transmitted through aerosols and droplets that contain secretions from infected rats, so it’s important not to get too close to rats.

Voice of Yu Tsan-hua
Taipei City Department of Health
Rats captured in the area where the infected person was active had already been sent to the Centers for Disease Control to be tested. Relevant authorities will also continue to monitor and disinfect the area.

Taipei authorities are cleaning and disinfecting more frequently to prevent a hantavirus outbreak, especially as Lunar New Year draws closer.

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

#publichealth #sanitation #cleaning #hantavirus #rats

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Telecom company slammed for mandatory electronic invoicing

Starting this January, Far Eastone Telecommunications, or FET began implementing electronic invoicing as the default for all users. Should a user wish to continue receiving invoices by mail, a NT$10 surcharge will be added every billing cycle. Recently, a user filed a complaint about FET’s new policy with the Consumer Protection Office, after his aging parents saw their connection cut since they were not aware of the change, and so did not pay their phone bills. Furthermore, he said the only way to opt out of electronic invoicing was through the FET app, which he said isn’t really accessible to older adults. A consumer protection officer declared FET’s new policy unreasonable. FET has issued an apology and responded that it would improve on relevant procedures.

Mr. Lin’s aging parents recently had their cellular connection severed abruptly. After checking online, he discovered that the service provider, Far Eastone Telecommunications, or FET, had stopped sending them a paper bill, and now charges an extra NT$10 every billing cycle for a hardcopy invoice that users must opt in for first. He believes it’s unreasonable.

Mr. Lin
Filed complaint
Legally speaking, this is a huge point of contention, because at the time when the contract was made between us and the telecommunications company, there wasn’t a single reciprocal declaration of concordant intent that confirmed the invoicing method to change into electronic invoicing or SMS invoicing. Conventionally speaking, telecommunications companies would encourage electronic invoicing instead of adding a surcharge, which is a form of penalty.

Mr. Lin had opened cellphone lines for his parents, who recently stopped receiving their invoices in the mail. They were not aware of the service provider’s policy change, and so they did not pay on time and had their services terminated. Mr. Lin said this has caused them immense trouble.

Mr. Lin
Filed complaint
My parents were confused why their phones couldn’t connect to WiFi at home, so they could use the Internet. I checked the FET app and found out. But elderly people won’t know about all these apps, such as the FET app, let alone use them. If they hadn’t told me about the change, making me check the app, no one would know about the change.

Wang Ya-lin
Consumer protection officer
It’s not reasonable for them to unilaterally convert all users to electronic invoicing, and on top of that, add on a NT$10 surcharge to opt out. That’s a covert way of raising prices.

FET responded that the company had sent all billable persons a text message of their new policy, but the numbers concerned in Mr. Lin’s case were not directly paying users and so they might not have gotten the text. The company also apologized for the inconvenience caused and promised to improve on relevant procedures.

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

#consumerrights #telecommunications #cellularservice #5G #nomophobi

2026-02-04

Chaos and terror at morning market after man wielding knife gets shot

On Wednesday morning, a normally bustling morning market in Miaoli City turned into a scene of chaos and terror. At around 7 o’clock, witnesses at the Nanmiao Morning Market reported a man brandishing a knife in public and wandering through the crowded stalls, sending shoppers and vendors fleeing in panic. Police rushed to the scene and attempted to subdue the suspect with pepper spray, but the situation quickly spiraled out of control. The man became emotionally unstable and suddenly lunged at the police, slashing one officer in the head. With the crisis escalating, other officers fired two shots, one striking the suspect in the chest, and a stray bullet accidentally injured a civilian nearby. The suspect was later escorted to the hospital, but despite emergency treatment, he ultimately died from his injury. The injured police officer is under observation in the intensive care unit, and the injured bystander has been treated and is out of danger.

- Put the knife down
- You leave
Leave
- Put the knife down

A man wielding a knife ignores orders to put the weapon down. The police officers resort to pepper spray, but the man attacks an officer, slashing his head.

A fellow officer fires two shots. One of them hits the assailant in the chest, but the other strikes the palm of a bystander who had been helping restrain the man.

The police officer’s face is covered in blood. Next to him on the floor is the man in a black jacket who attacked him.

Witness
Saw the scuffle
The police used the pepper spray and then he lost his mind and ran off. He ran past here. The cops told him to back off, but he fell down. Then he took out the knife and attacked them.

Witness
Saw the scuffle
One police officer was chasing after him, and another one was at the front. The one at the front tried to grab him, but the man stabbed him in the head. The three of us helped restrain the attacker.

This scene took place at 7:45 in the morning, at the Mishi Street Market in Miaoli. The commotion started when vendors noticed the man brandishing a knife and called the market manager for help until the police arrived.

Market manager
Nanmiao Morning Market
The fishmonger told me there was a man with a knife. I went to him and asked him “Why are you so angry? Why do you have a knife?” He said, “No, I’m going to kill someone.”

Hsu Wen-ming
Police officer
After we received the report, we rushed to the scene and found the knife-wielding man. We ordered him to drop it, but he refused. Pepper spray was deployed on him, but he continued to hold the knife. He then rushed to an officer and slashed his head. To protect everyone’s safety, two shots were fired.

The assailant, the officer, and the bystander were sent to hospital for emergency treatment. The police officer is 31-year-old Mr. Chu, who sustained two knife wounds to his head and partial skull fractures.

Chou Kuo-chih
ER doctor
We estimate that he lost 500cc to 1,000cc of blood. We also found localized skull fractures. After discussing his case with the medical team, we admitted him to the intensive care unit for observation.

The bystander, Mr. Lo, underwent emergency surgery on his palm and is not in serious condition.

Yu Wen-chung
Miaoli Mayor
We were in the same unit when we did our military service. He’s now a vegetable vender at the market. Perhaps his strong sense of justice is what made him step forward to restrain the suspect alongside two others.

The assailant, who was shot in the chest, was pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

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

#market #attack #gun #knife

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