SECURITY
CGA expels Chinese vessel
The coast guard yesterday expelled a China Coast Guard vessel that entered waters near Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said. The vessel was first detected at 9:15am on Wednesday outside restricted waters, the CGA said, adding that it dispatched the patrol ship Kaohsiung to monitor and intercept the Chinese boat. The vessel entered restricted waters at about 9:40am, prompting the Kaohsiung to approach and issue radio warnings in Chinese and English ordering the vessel to leave, it said. The Chinese boat exited the area at about 10:55am, the CGA said. The agency said it had expelled four incursions involving three Chinese coast guard vessels in restricted waters near Dongsha so far this year. The entries could be part of “gray zone” tactics, it added.
TRANSPORTATION
Centenary tickets announced
Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) yesterday announced that the Yuli-Guanshan section between Hualien and Taitung counties is to mark its 100th anniversary with 1,000 commemorative tickets. Ticket buyers would receive a keychain inspired by Yuli Station and two platform tickets with the former names of the stations — “Pushige” for Yuli and “Lilong” for Guanshan. Priced at NT$500 each, the ticket sets would be available at Guanshan Station from 9am today, with a purchase limit of two per person, the TRC said. Meanwhile, Guanshan Station would host an exhibition on the section’s history, and a ceremony honoring past contributors and frontline staff who dedicated themselves to its construction and operation, it said. Themed merchandise would be available for purchase during the event, including scenic postcards, keychain ribbons designed after the CT273 locomotive and various items featuring the TRC’s bear mascot, it added.
SOCIETY
Man saves drowning woman
Kansas City Royals scout Nathan Miller on Wednesday rescued a woman who fell into the sea at Taitung Seaside Park, the Central News Agency reported. The woman, who was allegedly intoxicated, called for help, but the loud waves prevented nearby residents from hearing her, the report said. Miller, who was walking nearby noticed something was wrong and rushed to rescue her, it said. Three students who saw the scene also helped, pulling the woman ashore, it added. Miller cut his feet on the rocks, but declined medical treatment. He said that although he is afraid of water and cannot swim, the woman was in danger so he acted instinctively and could only remind himself to be careful.
CRIME
Drug mule gets prison term
A Polish national has been sentenced to 17 years and eight months in prison for drug smuggling after he swallowed 105 capsules containing more than 1kg of heroin before flying to Taiwan late last year. The Kaohsiung District Court on Monday said the man, surnamed Sikora, and an unknown man in Laos arranged to smuggle the heroin in exchange for US$300. After receiving the capsules on Oct. 27 last year, Sikora swallowed the capsules the following day, half an hour before boarding a plane for Kaohsiung International Airport. He was arrested when he landed and taken to a hospital, where he passed the capsules, which contained 89.66 percent pure heroin, weighing 1.04kg, the court said. Sikora admitted to acting as a drug mule, but said a man had threatened to harm his family if he did not help smuggle drugs. The court determined that the story was likely fabricated.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
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