Middle school chemistry teacher sentenced for role in drug lab

Middle school chemistry teacher sentenced for role in drug lab

2026-05-14

A chemistry teacher will be serving seven years and nine months in prison for helping run a drug lab. No, it’s not an alternate ending to Breaking Bad. It’s a real case, involving a middle school chemistry teacher surnamed Liang from Taoyuan, who was busted in a ring that produced mephedrone and other drugs in 2021. He took advantage of his position to obtain raw materials and equipment to make them, and taught drug-making techniques to a gang to produce narcotics.

He was ruled to be an accomplice to the drug operation in the first and second trials. He had sought an appeal, claiming that he had only helped answer questions. The court rejected the appeal, saying that Liang provided help in accessing materials, tools and technical guidance. Without him, the main suspect would not have been able to manufacture narcotics on his own. As such, the court considered Liang to have played an indispensable role in the operation.

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#breakingbad #taoyuan #taiwan #chemistry #lab

"絕命毒師"真人版! 理化師協助製毒判7年9月全案定讞

2026-05-14

美國影集「絕命毒師」出現台灣真人版！桃園一名梁姓國中理化老師，2021年利用職務之便，取得製造第三級毒品「喵喵」的原料和設備，傳授製毒技術，協助黑幫製造毒品。

一審、二審認定他是共犯，判刑7年9月，沒想到，他辯稱「只是幫忙解答疑惑」，結果上訴被駁回，全案定讞。法院認為，若不是梁男幫忙取得原料、工具，以及技術指導，麥姓主嫌根本沒有能力單獨製毒，認為他在案件中扮演不可或缺角色。

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Artist revisits forgotten relief on Ximen’s famous Shizilin building

Ximending is a must-go destination for any traveler to Taipei. Tucked within its bustling streets is the Shizilin Commercial Building, the site of many fond memories for generations of young Taiwanese. But have you noticed the relief sculpture on the outside wall? Called Golden Pearl Gathering Phoenixes, it’s the work of famed artist Hsieh Hsiao-te, personally commissioned by Shin Kong Group founder Wu Ho-su. Today, we’ll show you the secrets of this sculpture and learn its story.

Ma Sheng-chieh
FTV reporter
When walking around Ximending, you’ll almost certainly walk past the massive Shizilin Commercial Building at some point. But I bet you’re unfamiliar with this huge relief sculpture on the side.

This relief stretching up the wall is called Golden Pearl Gathering Phoenixes. The pearl in the center has long since lost its golden shine, just like the building itself. It used to be the heart of Ximending, but is now a shell of its former self.

Let’s go back to 1979, when the building had only been open for three months. The plaza in front of the sculpture was bustling with people. After 47 years, the place has lost its shimmer. The crowds have been replaced by crude stalls made of sheet metal. The phoenixes are now an abandoned ruin, neglected and forgotten.

This elderly man in a red hat is none other than the artist himself, 86-year-old Hsieh Hsiao-te.

Hsieh Yu-wei
Hsieh Hsiao-te’s son
He began with a curve, channeling all the energy into a single pearl as though stars are converging. The color of the pearl has faded. It used to be pure gold. The golden pearl is Shizilin, where people of note gathered like these phoenixes. It was extremely lively back then.

This is the artist’s son, Hsieh Yu-wei, who brought his father to visit his old work. Steeped in the art world since he was a child, Hsieh Yu-wei followed in his father’s footsteps. Besides excelling as a painter, he’s also a singer who won the 2004 Golden Melody Award for Best Hakka-language Singer.

Hsieh Yu-wei
Hsieh Hsiao-te’s son
I wanted to be like my dad and aspired to become an artist or an art teacher. My dad loved to listen to music while painting, and I would listen with him. So I eventually got a guitar and played around with it at home. In college I studied art, but I was also in a band.

This father and son duo have carved out a place for themselves in the art world. By sharing the story of the Shizilin relief, they can help revive the beauty of a forgotten time.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#ShizilinCommercialBuilding #Ximending #Ximen #Taipei #artist #artwork #HsiehHsiaote #HsiehYuwei #relief #reliefsculpture #phoenix #abandoned

2026-05-14

Readouts suggest that Taiwan wasn’t central issue in Trump-Xi talks

Before the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the Taiwanese were on edge about what the two leaders would say about Taiwanese behind closed doors. But in the end, readouts from the US and China suggested that nothing unexpected had been said. Furthermore, Taiwan wasn’t mentioned at all in the White House readout. In Taiwan, officials stated that China’s military threats are the only destabilizing factor in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping sits at the summit with US President Donald Trump. In Taiwan, the public wants to know what the leaders said about Taiwan behind closed doors.

- What do we know of how the leaders of the two countries approached Taiwan-related issues in the summit?

Liang Wen-chieh
Mainland Affairs Council spokesperson
So far, nothing unexpected has been said. What I mean by the unexpected is statements that may compromise Taiwan’s status, as scholars, experts and politicians from many countries had cautioned. KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun had said that she wasn’t worried, that she’d hope Trump would say that the US is against “Taiwan independence.” But for the CCP, being in favor of the status quo is the same as supporting “Taiwan independence.” She’s positioning the KMT in the same manner as Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing camp. It’s laughable for all pan-Chinese people around the world.

The Mainland Affairs Council spokesperson, Liang Wen-chieh criticized KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun for saying that if Trump were to say that the US opposes “Taiwan independence,” she would be supportive as it would align with the KMT’s longstanding position. However, critics have repeatedly pointed out that even the status quo, the ROC on Taiwan, is equally opposed by Beijing. Liang also said that China is solely to blame for cross-strait tension.

Liang Wen-chieh
Mainland Affairs Council spokesperson
The greatest risk to cross-strait peace is the CCP’s intent on destroying the status quo. Anyone who cares about cross-strait peace and stability would know that the CCP must take the initiative in scaling down its saber-rattling against Taiwan.

As published in the UK media outlet The Guardian, the White House readout of the Trump-Xi summit made no mention of Taiwan, but instead emphasized that the two countries discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation, including through bilateral investments. The White House also stated that the two leaders highlighted the need to build on progress in ending the flow of fentanyl precursors into the US, as well as increasing Chinese purchases of US agricultural products. In contrast, China’s readout extensively touched on Taiwan.

Fan Shih-ping
Political scientist
The pan-Blue camp kept insisting that Taiwan will be treated like a pawn, a bargaining chip for the US. They kept spreading US skepticism saying that the US will sacrifice Taiwan. But for Trump, Taiwan and US-China relations are separate issues, completely separate. He won’t accept anyone using Taiwan as a bribe.

Before the summit, China had long insisted on the importance of Taiwan for China, but it seems that the issue wasn’t central in the end.

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

#taiwan #china #xijinping #trump #us #beijing

2026-05-14

Students learn road safety through VR driving system

Earlier this year, the transport ministry increased the fines for driving without a license, after registering 20,000 such infractions in Taiwan in 2025. In Keelung, the DMV started visiting high schools to educate students who are almost 18 and will soon be on the road. They brought electric scooters and VR glasses so that students can experience what it’s like to drive.

A student sits on an electric scooter, puts on VR glasses, and “takes off” down the road.

He reaches the first intersection, where he has to stop for pedestrians. He does okay, but at the next intersection where there’s a parent and child crossing the street, he doesn’t stop in time.

High school student
Learning to drive
I was in the middle of the intersection so I decided to go for it, but ended up hitting them. So, I’ve got to be more careful.

High school student
Learning to drive
I didn’t pass the first time and was wondering why. It turns out you need to slow down and look left and right.

These students will soon be 18 and driving for real. To prepare them to be on the road, the Keelung Motor Vehicles Station is cooperating with high schools, bringing a VR system for students to try driving virtually.

Yeh Tung-lung
Taipei Motor Vehicles Office specialist
There have been about 20,000 cases nationally of underaged people driving on the road without licenses, and about 280,000 cases of adults driving without licenses.

The transportation ministry amended the law increasing the initial fine for driving without a license to up to NT$36,000. If caught on the spot, the vehicle’s license plate would be suspended for three months. If someone driving without a license gets in an accident, insurance won’t cover it and parents would be liable. The age to take the driver’s license test may also be increased by six months to a year.

Lin Ming-jung
School principal
This hands-on experience is more engaging for students, and they will be more careful and safer when riding scooters in the future. It also gives them a new learning experience.

Driving without a license is illegal and dangerous. Thanks to this new VR program, students are learning the importance of road safety directly without endangering others.

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

#driving #DMV #roadsafety #license #driversed #licensetest #VR #scooter #students #drivingschool

2026-05-14

Kaohsiung kindergarten integrates children from different cultures

The Kaohsiung Municipal Gushan Elementary School’s kindergarten has become known as a mini United Nations because so many of its students are international. The neighboring National Sun Yat-sen University draws many graduate students from overseas who bring their families with them to Kaohsiung, making the area more diverse. Their children are quick to pick up Chinese, and some have even mastered Taigi.

Young kids play a game outside with their teacher, enjoying the sunny weather. This is an especially diverse class of young students.

This little girl named Fafa is from Indonesia. She just moved to Taiwan this year, but already speaks Chinese well. Her friend, Sherlyn from India, even speaks Taigi.

There are 24 students in this class at Kaohsiung Municipal Gushan Elementary School’s kindergarten. Nine of them are international, hailing from five different countries.

Ting Chung-pao
Gushan Elementary principal
Lots of international students come to National Sun Yat-sen University to do research, and their families come with them. They have young kids, so they chose to send them to Gushan Elementary, which is close by.

Mother
Lives in Kaohsiung
The teachers are very kind and take good care of the children, it’s great.

- I’m from Kaohsiung.
- He was born in Kaohsiung, that’s why he’s saying I’m from Kaohsiung.

Student
Gushan Elementary
My father is so many days come again, I come here, with my mommy.

As their parents put down roots here, these kids are growing up in Kaohsiung. They’re lucky to be part of a diverse school community.

Wei Li-ting
Kindergarten teacher
When they first came to the school they really couldn’t speak or understand anything. But children communicate with each other through body language. It’s easy for them to bond and they’re all good friends.

Mother
Lives in Kaohsiung
This time I want to thank the teacher for taking care of our kid because they are not just an educator, they are also a second parent to our kid.

This kindergarten class is like a mini United Nations, with kids from different cultures bonding and becoming friends.

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

#kindergarten #miniUN #Kaohsiung #NationalSunYatsenUniversity #Gushan #diverse #children #international #student

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31-yo upskirted 100+ teen girls with hidden cam on shoe

More than 100 teenage girls are thought to have fallen victim to upskirting by a 31-year-old man in Changhua. The perpetrator is believed to have been taking footage of girls in public places for more than three years, by using a pinhole camera hidden in his shoe. His actions only came to light earlier this year, after he was caught upskirting a girl at a convenience store in Changhua. Prosecutors have since had him detained, and the police are now investigating whether he’s profited from the illicit videos.

The man pretends that nothing unusual happened, looking away from the woman yelling at him. Just moments earlier, he was caught upskirting the woman’s teenage daughter.

Mother of victim (anonymized)
Teen daughter got upskirted
He followed my daughter as soon as she entered the convenience store and all the way until checkout. He stood really close against her body.

The upskirting incident took place back in April, in Changhua’s Xihu Township. The schoolgirl was waiting for her parents in the convenience store. That was when she became a target for this man, who wouldn’t leave her alone. He even put a foot forward, right under her skirt. Frightened, the girl called her mother, who reported him to the police.

- He put one foot right under her skirt, and moved it sideways.

The suspect then went into the restroom, presumably to delete the footage. Later, the victim found a cable in the bin.

Mother of victim (anonymized)
Teen daughter got upskirted
He’s been unemployed for years, and had multiple phones, so we suspected that he sells the upskirting footage.

The police later found that the suspect, who’s 31 years old and unemployed, regularly loitered around school campuses, libraries and convenience stores, places frequented by high school girls. He had a pinhole camera on one of his black sneakers which easily went unnoticed. All it took was putting one foot forward. The method was so discrete that his crime had gone unnoticed for three years, during which more than 100 teen girls may have fallen victim.

Voice of Wang Ming-jen
Changhua District deputy head prosecutor
After questioning, our prosecutor determined that he’s suspected of video voyeurism under the Criminal Code and offenses under the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act, and approved his detainment.

In the meantime, the police are investigating whether he’s financially profited from the footage.

Voice of Lee Chun-yu
Pinhole camera awareness expert
Most people won’t notice pinhole cameras. They can only notice the use from the perpetrator’s action. When it’s placed on a shoe, the perpetrator would try to get a foot under your skirt.

Most people wouldn’t be able to spot pinhole cameras, let alone one so well concealed, that the suspect could upskirt so many victims over the years and not get caught, until now.

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

#hiddencam #safety #spycam #crime #VAWC

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