1 dead, 2 injured in fire at Hsinchu Science Park

1 dead, 2 injured in fire at Hsinchu Science Park

2026-03-16

One person died and two more were left with severe burns in a fire at Hsinchu Science Park on Monday afternoon. The three casualties were technicians who were working on a project to improve the electrical supply. The fire started at a high voltage substation. It is thought that the fire was caused by an explosion that occurred while the three technicians were testing equipment.

The deceased was found at the site of the fire without vital signs alongside the two colleagues who had been badly burnt. The three were immediately taken to the hospital, but one of the three was pronounced dead. Taipower says the substation was undergoing tests for voltage stabilization. Though the explosion and fire caused a momentary voltage drop, no outages were reported.

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#electricity #fire #hsinchu #grid #infrastructure

竹科大火! 變電所爆炸起火 1死.2人嚴重燒燙傷

2026-03-16

新竹科學園區的竹園超高壓變電所週一下午發生火災，三名承包商人員，其中一人不幸喪命，另兩名嚴重燒燙傷。據了解，疑似因台電進行供電品質改善工程，在設備測試送電時，意外爆炸。

台電指出，該變電所正進行電壓穩定設備測試，過程中不慎發生火警，園區部分用戶瞬間壓降，但未造成停電。

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Actress Hsu Chien-ching shares how she became an equestrian champion

Taiwanese actress Hsu Chien-ching is not only an accomplished performer, but a skilled equestrian, having won multiple championships. But Hsu struggled with horseback riding at first, falling multiple times and even injuring herself on the long road to becoming a champion.

Easily jumping the obstacle, a horse and rider show off their skills. This equestrian is none other than famous Taiwanese actress Hsu Chien-ching.

Hsu carefully grooms her horse as she would care for a child. Afterwards, it’s time for a treat or two.

Hsu is now very familiar with how to care for horses, but when she started, she knew nearly nothing about them. After a challenging but rewarding learning process, she has now won multiple championships.

Hsu Chien-ching
Actress
Sometimes when I go for interviews, people ask me if I do anything other than acting. I realized that there are lots of things I don’t know how to do, but other actors have many talents. Many are formally trained, and some are dancers or play lots of instruments. In China they shoot lots of period dramas, so they know how to ride horses.

Hsu auditioned for a period drama five years ago, but didn’t get the role because she couldn’t ride horses. That rejection inspired her to learn some new skills.

Hsu Chien-ching
Actress
I had some downtime, so I thought I would learn martial arts, pole dancing, and horseback riding. During that time, I fell off the horse about three times. Sometimes when jumping obstacles, I’d accidentally jump before the horse and end up sliding off.

Despite enduring multiple falls and injuries, Hsu kept on persevering. She knew there were no shortcuts to success. It takes time and patience.

Hsu Chien-ching
Actress
I realized that even though I couldn’t see the results right away, as I kept accumulating skills, there are moments now when I suddenly get to use them. That’s when you understand that opportunities come to those who are prepared.

Hsu learned from experience that if you work hard and keep growing, opportunities will come.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#actor #actress #horse #equestrian #horsebackriding #rider #jump #HsuChienChing #dreams #skill #learn

2026-03-16

Taipei plans to install smoking rooms in Zhongshan and Ximen

Taipei is moving to become a “smoke-free city” so that non-smokers don’t have to contend with the smells or smoke of tobacco. The city is planning an infrastructure upgrade in bustling shopping districts of Ximending and Zhongshan. The city is taking a page out of Japan’s book to install smoking rooms where the smoke and smell remain contained. But since smoking indoors is banned everywhere in Taiwan, there have been some doubts about the feasibility of such rooms. The Minister of Health and Welfare, Shih Chung-liang says that it should be OK. Let’s hear more.

Member of public
In Ximending
I personally don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke. It makes me uncomfortable. I really hate the smell.

Member of public
In Ximending
I don’t like the smell, it stinks. But I wouldn’t try to stop them, they might hit me.

Member of public
In Ximending
It might end up like Japan, where smokers can only smoke at designated areas.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
The next phase focuses on crowded areas such as the Zhongshan and Ximending shopping districts, where we’re planning to install designated smoking rooms with negative pressure. Step by step, we walk closer to becoming a smoke-free city.

Shih Chung-liang
Minister of Health and Welfare
If Taipei is aiming to ban smoking at some pedestrian areas, designate smoking areas and set up smoking rooms, I think that would be legally feasible. The city announced it was aiming to become smoke-free and designating specific outdoor smoking areas. That’s feasible, legally.

The city is planning to install indoor smoking areas similar to those found in Japan. The Health Promotion Administration says the indoor smoking areas should be sound, as long as they are maintained and managed properly, and implement all the necessary waste disposal and fire prevention measures.

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

#smoking #quitsmoking #smokefree #secondhandsmoke #taipei #ximen #ximeding #zhongshan

2026-03-16

Farmers request help after Yunlin garlic crop hit by pest infestation

It’s almost harvest season for garlic, the most anticipated time of year for many farmers. But in Yunlin County, there isn’t much to smile about this year. During the crucial bulb formation stage, the crop was hit by garlic blight, keeping the bulbs from fully forming and reducing yield by a half. Farmers believe it was due to a pest infestation. Local representatives went to investigate, and hope the central government will assist with pest prevention. They’re also asking the government to consider purchasing the harvest at a fixed price to help farmers maintain their livelihood.

These tracts of garlic fields in Tuku Township should be a vibrant green, but not this year. Instead, the ailing plants look yellow and withered. It’s almost harvest season for garlic here in Yunlin, but the plants were hit by blight. The bulbs aren’t as big as they should be, worrying farmers.

I’ve worked hard all my life, and now that I want to reap the rewards, I can’t.

After a half year of hard work, it looks like the harvest will be significantly reduced. Yunlin produces the most garlic in all of Taiwan. But during the crucial bulb formation period, the crop was hit by an infestation, causing yield to fall by half.

We can harvest, but the bulbs are small. Prices are also low this year. We need a set price.

We took such good care of it, just to get this infestation. We sprayed pesticide once a week, but it was no use.

Initial investigations indicate that spider mites, also called red ants, as well as thrips are to blame. They eat the liquid from inside garlic leaves, preventing the plant from photosynthesizing properly and stunting bulb growth. Add to that fluctuating temperatures and non-ideal rainfall, and they’re more susceptible to infestation.

Chen Chien-tang
Yunlin Animal Disease Control Center technician
At the moment, we’ve only received reports from Tuku. An investigation is underway to see whether other areas are affected. We have a “plant doctor” system in place. We’ll ask the expert to help us determine whether to use pesticides or physical control methods.

Farmers have asked the authorities to come investigate. Besides helping get the infestation under control, they hope the central government will consider purchasing the crop at a set price to safeguard their basic income.

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

#garlic #farmers #agriculture #Yunlin #infestation #blight #crop #harvest

2026-03-16

24 pigeons poisoned and killed with pesticide-laced rice grains

Residents of Linyuan District in Kaohsiung enjoy feeding the pigeons that often flock toward a local temple. However, not every feeder is well-intentioned. Over the weekend, it appeared that someone had attempted to cull the pigeons, feeding them rice grains laced with a highly toxic pesticide. As many as 24 pigeons died immediately. The police have identified the suspect.

Numerous pigeons linger at the temple square. Pedestrians are seen taking their kids to feed them. One woman appears to do the same, casting a handful of bird feed to the ground from a scooter and drives off soon afterward. The pigeons seem to have adverse effects after ingesting her bird feed.

Local resident
Linyuan District, Kaohsiung
My kid asked me why the pigeons were lying on the ground and sleeping. I replied that pigeons don’t sleep lying down, they sleep on their legs, squatting. I didn’t think much about it at the time.

Eyewitness
Linyuan District, Kaohsiung
The old lady was fully covered. She had a cup around this size. She cast the contents and pigeons went over to eat. In just a moment the pigeons started dropping like flies splat splat splat.

The pigeons that were about to take flight collapsed, while others lay on the ground and struggled to get up. Soon afterward, as many as 24 pigeons died. An eyewitness called the police.

Eyewitness
Linyuan District, Kaohsiung
It’s truly atrocious. What if little kids touch the ground unknowingly then put their hand in the mouth? Just look at these pigeons. They were just about to fly off but they all fell.

Local resident
Linyuan District, Kaohsiung
It’s Lannate. People used to lace feeds with it. It’s a type of pesticide and highly toxic.

The incident took place at the square in front of Linyuan Guangying Temple in Kaohsiung. Locals believe that the residual rice grains were cast by the woman. The grains had traces of powder on it, believed to be pesticide. Some posited that the woman was motivated to kill the pigeons because they’d blocked her from parking.

Local resident
Linyuan District, Kaohsiung
It might be because the pigeons usually don’t give way to cars that want to park over there. They were probably poisoned.

Voice of Chen Wei-chih
Kaohsiung City Animal Protection Office
We’ve sampled the pigeon carcasses and laced feed. We’ll also run a test later.

The city’s animal protection office is conducting toxin tests on the pigeons and rice grains. But they’ve yet to determine whether the woman was indeed the instigator, as there were also other pigeon feeders before her. Mass killing of animals is a criminal offense punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and finable up to NT$5 million. The police have already tracked down the woman and in the process of filing the case with prosecutors.

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

#animals #pigeons #pests #pesticide #animalwelfare

2026-03-16

Police offer millions to fraud informants

People who report fraud cases now have a chance to win millions. To promote fraud awareness and prevention, the National Police Agency is encouraging people to report anyone they suspect of fraud. If it leads to a substantiated case, the informant could receive a reward of up to NT$10 million.

A store clerk calls the police after this person used the ATM for a long time, suspecting they might be involved in fraud.

The woman said she was using her friend’s ATM card, but failed to answer follow-up questions. It turns out the money she withdrew was stolen through fraud. Thanks to the store clerk’s initiative, the police caught the fraudster.

The National Police Agency is encouraging people to report anyone they suspect of fraud, incentivizing informants with rewards of up to NT$10 million.

Chuang Ming-hsiung
Criminal Investigation Bureau official
Our current regulations say that people have to report the case before it has been discovered. The informant must provide a formal statement to the judicial or prosecutorial authorities. If police later catch the suspects and they are prosecuted with a sentence of three years or more, the maximum reward would be around NT$10 million.

Police said that in the past, people often hesitated to report fraudulent activity out of fear that criminal groups would retaliate.

Chuang Ming-hsiung
Criminal Investigation Bureau official
When people make a formal statement, we conceal the source of the information, as there are safety concerns if their name is made public. The judicial system has legal regulations for protecting witnesses and we have a system for anonymous reporting. Rewards will also be given confidentially in the future.

Informants’ identities will be well-protected, so people can report suspicious activity without fear of repercussions. By offering rewards, the National Police Agency hopes to make fraud prevention routine.

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

#fraud #fraudster #moneymule #fraudprevention #police #informant #reward #antifraud

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Excitement in the air ahead of Nvidia GTC in San Jose

All is ready for the Nvidia GTC, which will take over the downtown area of San Jose in California over the next few days. The tech event will kick off on Tuesday Taiwan time, under the slogan “it all starts here.” The event will sprawl over many different buildings and exhibition halls, and tech fanatics can’t wait to get started. Of course, the key highlight will be the keynote delivered by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who had previously teased that he’d unveil a chip never before seen in the world.

We get a rickshaw tour of downtown San Jose, which is full of banners with Nvidia’s logo, in anticipation of the GTC.

Yang Szu-min
FTV reporter
The Nvidia GTC will take place across multiple venues. The best way to get around the 12 hectare event grounds is on rickshaws like this, arranged by Nvidia.

Nvidia has booked out several exhibition halls and hotels, and secured road closures. With the US-Iran war still raging, security has been ramped up and police with dogs patrol the area. Even before you enter the area, you have to go through a security scanner.

Resident
San Jose
This one is the biggest I’ve ever seen by far. It’s huge. I mean, they’re spending millions of dollars transforming downtown. It’s probably the biggest event we’ve had in San Jose.

Besides the exhibitions, a park in the area will hold a night market, which is known to be Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s favorite event. But for attendees, the highlight is his keynote.

Participant
Nvidia GTC
We just want to see the future. Yeah. A lot of robots coming in, a lot of self-driving cars. I’m not worried about the AI bubble at all. Like, today I’m running out of compute just running my own tasks, so I think it still has a long way to go.

Morris Li
TECO Chair
TECO is collaborating with Hon Hai on a modular solution for data centers. I’ve heard the GTC being referred to as the biggest event in the world for technology, so I’m very excited.

Yang Szu-min
FTV reporter
The GTC is widely seen as the bellwether for global AI trends. It will kick off on Tuesday Taiwan time. The tech world can’t wait to see what highlights Huang will unveil this time.

Huang had teased that he would be unveiling a chip never before seen in the world. This year, more than 20 Taiwanese firms are taking part in the event, showcasing their expertise in AI computing, robotics and manufacturing.

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

#tech #ai #nvidia #GTC #sanjose #california #honhai #foxconn

2026-03-16

President Lai calls on economic cooperation at Yushan Forum

The annual Yushan Forum took place once again on Monday. This year, the event was attended by nearly 70 delegates from 22 countries, the most since its launch. Notable guests included former Polish President Lech Wałęsa and Japanese Lawmaker Furuya Keiji. President Lai Ching-te’s opening remarks called on leveraging the combined advantages of democracies, economies and technologies, to build more resilient supply chains and economies.

Escorted by the foreign minister, President Lai Ching-te shakes hands with delegates at Yushan Forum, not least with Japanese lawmaker Furuya Keiji, Chair of Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council and a regular at the event.

Co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Asia-Taiwan Exchange Foundation, the flagship event of the latter has grown bigger than ever since launching in 2017. The roster gathered almost 70 experts from 22 countries in Taipei. In opening remarks, the president emphasized the importance of cooperation between Taiwan and democracies in various fields.

Lai Ching-te
President
Taiwan strongly believes that there is no freedom without solidarity. Taiwan has been committed to uniting partners in democracy to collectively support a democratic umbrella. Our goal is to shield like-minded nations from the threats posed by authoritarian expansion.

The president also called on leveraging the combined advantages of democracies, economies and technologies, to build more resilient supply chains and economies.

Lai Ching-te
President
As we face rapid changes in global geopolitics, non-conventional threats and intensifying gray-zone aggression, Taiwan is determined to maintain regional peace and stability. We stand ready to walk alongside fellow democracies to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve peace through strength.

The theme this year is “Indo-Pacific Partnership Prospects: Taiwan’s Values, Technologies and Resilience.” To demonstrate a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, Japanese Lawmaker Furuya Keiji proposed that the military bands of Japan, Taiwan and the US conduct cultural exchanges against China’s aggressions.

Furuya Keiji
Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council
Today I would like to make a suggestion. It is cultural exchange between military bands from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, the Taiwanese military and the US military. This is purely cultural exchange and China has no right to say anything about it.

Lech Wałęsa
Former President of Poland
Peaceful means of resistance is more effective than resorting to the use of force. We must rebuild the world because the old ways are no longer suitable for the present.

In the face of escalating global conflicts, Poland’s first president elected by popular vote and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Lech Wałęsa emphasized peaceful solutions instead of war.

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

#yushanforum #taiwan #indopacific #governance #international

2026-03-16