Sun, Mar 17, 2024 page3

• Taiwan News Quick Take

  • Staff writer, with agencies
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  WEATHER

  Cold front forecast

  A cold front forecast to arrive on Tuesday is expected to send temperatures as low as 10°C in some parts of Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Daytime temperatures yesterday ranged from 29°C to 30°C in southern areas, while parts of northern and central Taiwan had highs of 22°C to 23°C due to thick cloud cover, the CWA said. The weather today is expected to be stable, boosted by a southerly wind system that might send the mercury to 25°C to 28°C in northern and central regions during the day, while highs in the south are likely to be about 30°C, it said. However, by Tuesday a cold air mass is set to move in, pushing daytime temperatures below 20°C in the north, it said. On Wednesday and Thursday, the mercury is forecast to fall to lows of 10°C in some parts of the country, the CWA added. Some rain can be expected in the week ahead, it said, adding that sporadic showers are likely in northern and eastern areas of the country from tomorrow to Tuesday morning.

  TRAFFIC

  Two die in pileup

  Two people died and six were injured in a nine-vehicle crash on the Formosa Freeway (Freeway No. 3) in New Taipei City early yesterday, police said. A semi-trailer truck, a small truck and seven cars were involved in the crash at 5:38am at the exit of Ankeng Tunnel, near the 31.7km northbound marker, the National Highway Police Bureau and the New Taipei City Fire Department said. Eight people — six men and two women — were trapped in their vehicles. When rescue workers reached them, two of the men had no vital signs and were later pronounced dead, officials said. All four northbound lanes were closed in the section while the site was cleared, police said, adding that traffic was backed up for about 3km until 7:18am, when the lanes were fully reopened. The cause of the accident is being investigated, police said.

  SOCIETY

  Taiwanese found dead

  A Taiwanese missing for days following the capsizing of a passenger boat off Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, was found dead on Friday, the Indonesian Coast Guard said in a statement. The boat, carrying 35 people, capsized on Monday near the Kepulauan Seribu area of Jakarta after the vessel was hit by a wave, Indonesian authorities said. All on board were rescued except the man, who was traveling on a Taiwanese passport, they said. “The body was found not far from the location of the capsized boat,” said Agung Priambodo, head of the rescue team. High tides hampered the search for the man, who the coast guard identified as ”Shih Yi Chang,” 48. Central News Agency on Wednesday reported that the man was surnamed Chang (張).

  CRIME

  Couple sentenced for heroin

  A Malaysian couple has been sentenced to life imprisonment for smuggling 14kg of heroin into Taiwan last year. The verdict, issued on Tuesday by the Taichung District Court, said the couple, Au Wing Cheong (歐文昌) and Ling Mei Chi (林美琪), had agreed to transport heroin for accomplices in Malaysia, who were to pay the couple 1,700 ringgit (US$361) for their travel expenses and another 5,000 ringgit when they finished the job. The two picked up two suitcases from their accomplices in Kuala Lumpur on July 13 last year, court documents said. In Taiwan, customs officials detected the heroin in the luggage and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau arrested the couple. Au and Ling can appeal the verdict.
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