Some advice for traveling journalists rushing out to cover a story, especially in China: don't forget your ID, or you could land in jail.
Such was the fate of Taiwanese journalist Chen Ming-hsiu (
Chen works for Power News, an evening paper published in Taipei, and had been sent to Macau to cover the recent hand-over. The Falun Gong group had staged a demonstration to protest the Chinese government's banning and subsequent crackdown on the popular sect.
Chou Tien-jui (
"She knew she hadn't done anything wrong, so it was just a matter of sorting it out with authorities," Chou said.
In the end, he said -- after seven hours of phone calls around Macau and to Taiwan -- Chen was escorted back to her hotel, where she was able to show authorities her ID to prove she was not one of the hapless Falun Gong practitioners.
Just one of the pitfalls to being in the right place at the right time -- without your wallet, or purse.
Watch out for that `Label Sticker Gang'
It sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie. According to Taipei police, a group authorities have called the "label sticker gang" (
After police warned local residents about the robbers' methods, the thieves changed the stickers and codes and remain in business.
Will the police finally catch up with the "Label Sticker Gang?"
Stay tuned for more developments.
E-mail news tips and stories to:
offthebeat@taipeitimes.com
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
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