TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Labor has upheld a NT$300,000 (US$9,058) fine against Starlux Airlines for discriminating against middle-aged and older workers, rejecting the company's appeal.

The case began when an individual surnamed Liu (劉) applied for six positions at the company between August and September 2023. These roles included pilot, baggage and wheelchair service staff, aircraft operations crew, cabin cleaning crew, cargo handler, and freight towing staff.

Starlux declined to offer Liu interviews, citing “limited openings” for all positions. Liu subsequently filed a complaint with the Taoyuan Department of Labor, alleging age discrimination during the recruitment process.

An investigation by the city government found that Starlux failed to provide a valid explanation for not hiring Liu. Additionally, the company could not demonstrate that its hiring criteria were free of discriminatory intent.

As a result, the airline was fined NT$300,000.

In response, Starlux appealed the decision to the Ministry of Labor, arguing that its recruitment process was based on a comprehensive review of applicants' resumes, not their age. The company also emphasized that it hires middle-aged and older workers, denying any claims of discrimination.

After reviewing the case, the ministry's appeals committee concluded that Starlux did not provide enough evidence to prove that age was not a factor in the hiring process. The appeal was rejected, and the original fine was upheld.

Under the Middle-aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act, the burden of proof falls on the employer if a middle-aged or elderly job seeker believes they were treated unfairly. Employers must show that any difference in treatment is not based on age.

During the appeal, Starlux submitted supporting documents, including data showing that over 20 employees aged 51 or older are currently employed in the positions in question. The company asserted that age is not a factor in its selection process and that its hiring decisions are based on the candidate’s abilities, qualifications, and work experience.

However, the ministry noted that most of the middle-aged and older employees in those roles were long-serving staff, not new hires. The proportion of older employees was also very low, leading the appeals committee to conclude that age had influenced the hiring decisions.

Liu, who had relevant work experience, applied for six different positions, all of which were still open when Starlux rejected his applications. This suggested that the job openings were not limited, further supporting the claim of discriminatory hiring practices, according to the ministry.

Under the Middle-aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act, employers are prohibited from discriminating against individuals based on age in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, screening, hiring, and promotion. The act also covers matters related to training, compensation, benefits, and termination.

​TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Dajia Jenn Lann Temple’s Matsu procession began Friday night in Taichung, attracting an estimated 600,000 worshippers during the Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday weekend.

The Dajia Matsu pilgrimage is one of Taiwan's largest and most popular religious events. The procession represents the deity Matsu's visit to the human world.

Temples from across Taiwan participate, offering performances to honor Matsu. To ensure safety and manage traffic, the Taichung City Police Department deployed 1,274 officers in coordination with local precincts.

Matsu’s journey will span nine days and eight nights, covering 340 km through Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, and Chiayi. A major Matsu birthday ceremony is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at Chiayi’s Xingang Fengtian Temple, before the procession returns to Dajia on April 13.

To reduce the environmental impact, procession groups have used eco-friendly firecrackers. Eco-friendly firecrackers produce a sound like traditional firecrackers by combining oxygen and gas, using little gas, and creating no sparks, air pollution, or debris.

First seen as a protector of those at sea, Matsu is now believed to possess abilities such as aiding in warfare, restoring peace, preventing plagues, controlling pests, bringing rain, healing illnesses, and providing disaster relief. Devotees believe that her procession offers protection to the people in the areas she passes through.

​TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A South Korean exchange student was injured in a knife attack early Saturday morning in Taipei following a dispute with a local man.

Police said the incident near Ximending was reported at 6:22 a.m. Emergency responders found a man in his 20s with stab wounds.

The victim was conscious when taken to the hospital for treatment. The motive behind the altercation remains under investigation and further details will be released as the case develops.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim, a South Korean national studying in Taiwan, had been involved in an argument with a man surnamed Chou (周). Police allege that Chou returned to his vehicle after the dispute, retrieved a machete, and attacked the student before fleeing the scene by car.

Authorities tracked down and arrested Chou shortly after the incident. Initial findings indicate that he had consumed alcohol before the attack.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Yilan Green Expo will close for one day Saturday after a passenger died when he was hit by an out-of-control trackless tourist train.

The accident happened Friday afternoon when the driver took the electric train back to recharge. The brakes failed, the driver lost control, and the train hit two visitors before it overturned.

One of the visitors, a resident of New Taipei called Yu (游), aged 78, showed no signs of life after he was struck down by the train, and was pronounced dead at a hospital. His wife, also aged 78, was stuck under the train. Members of the public pushed and pulled the train carriage up to free her. She was taken to a hospital to be treated for a fractured right arm.

The county government ordered the expo at the Wulaokeng Scenic Area near Suao closed for one day Saturday, as prosecutors would investigate the incident and inspect the train.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Police in Kaohsiung used GPS to track down and arrest a woman who stole an ambulance Saturday.

The Kaohsiung Fire Department vehicle was standing idle around 11:30 a.m. at the city’s Veterans General Hospital where nurses had just taken a patient into the emergency ward. Surveillance cameras showed a woman approaching the vehicle and driving off as it stood unguarded, with the rear door still up.

When the nurses left the hospital to drive their ambulance to a parking lot, they found the Hyundai Staria had disappeared. Police used the vehicle’s global positioning system to track it on its way to the city’s port.

Officers from the harbor police started tailing the ambulance because it was using its siren while continuing on its route with the rear door open. Half an hour after the theft at the hospital, police detained her as she stopped at a pier.

The woman, named Tsai (蔡), aged 41, will likely be charged with theft and disturbing public order, police said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The body of an infant was discovered in a cardboard box at an abandoned house in Chiayi on Wednesday, and its mother was charged with abandonment resulting in death the following day.

A resident found the male infant in a partially covered laundry detergent box. Authorities determined the baby had already been deceased.

There were no visible external injuries, and the body had signs of rigor mortis, with the umbilical cord still attached. Authorities suspect the baby was abandoned after death, as residents did not report hearing any cries the evening before.

An autopsy is scheduled for April 9 to determine the cause of death. The infant’s mother has confessed to abandonment.

Police said the infant’s mother deliberately hid her pregnancy from her family and had no prenatal care records. After giving birth at home, she carried the infant to an abandoned house

Later, she checked on the baby and found it lifeless. Under the cover of night, she placed the infant's body in a cardboard box and left it in front of the house.

Under Article 294 of the Criminal Code, an individual who abandons someone unable to care for themselves, and whom they are legally required to assist or protect, may face imprisonment. The sentence can range from six months to five years.

Although the prosecution requested her detention, the Chiayi District Court rejected the plea, noting her poor economic conditions and inability to post bail. The court also considered her emotional ties, including caring for her young daughter and parents, reducing the likelihood of her fleeing.

According to the Code of Criminal Procedure, a defendant who has given birth within two months should not be detained without necessity. For these reasons, the court rejected the prosecution’s request for detention.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 4.9 magnitude earthquake struck Tainan on Thursday at 11:47 a.m.

The quake’s epicenter was located 32.3 km northeast of Tainan City Hall, with a focal depth of 7.3 km, according to the Central Weather Administration.

Taiwan uses an intensity scale of 1 to 7 to gauge the degree to which a quake is felt at a specific location. Tainan and Chiayi County experienced an intensity level of 4, while Yunlin County had an intensity level of 3, and Kaohsiung felt an intensity level of 2.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung’s fire department said its promotion of several local female firefighters demonstrates its commitment to diversity and makes the department stronger.

The fire department said in a statement on Wednesday that it appointed 13 new squad leaders and made 10 promotions. These included three female firefighters who were promoted to captain and team leader positions in search and rescue, disaster relief, and general firefighting squads.

The promotions include Huang Shih-han (黃詩涵), who became the first female team leader of an inner city Taichung firefighting team. The department said firefighting used to be dominated by men, though women have increasingly shown strong professional and leadership skills.

The department said the promotions “inject diverse strengths” and demonstrate the progression of gender equality in the workforce. It said all the promotions were decided by the candidates' experience, leadership capabilities, and their ability to protect the public.

Taichung Fire Department Chief Sun Fu-yu (孫福佑) encouraged all promoted firefighters. He said he hopes the team leaders help crews provide further improved services to the people of Taichung.

According to the interior ministry, around 12% of Taiwan’s 16,448 firefighters were female in 2021. Regulations were changed in 2006 to reduce barriers for women firefighters by creating new exam standards.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau has uncovered the identity of “Crazyhunter,” who attacked Mackay Memorial Hospital and several medical institutions, schools, and companies in February and March.

On Wednesday, the CIB said it confirmed the identity of "Crazyhunter” to be a man surnamed Luo (羅) from Zhejiang Province, China. The CIB’s Technological Crime Investigation Unit analyzed information, including IP addresses, techniques, and malicious coding to discover the hacker’s identity.

On Feb. 6, Taipei’s Mackay Memorial Hospital was attacked by ransomware called “Crazyhunter,” crashing over 500 computers and leaking up to 32.5 GB of patient information. The data stolen reportedly included the medical information of 16.6 million patients from Mackay branches across Taiwan, including Tamsui and Hsinchu.

The hacker left a message calling on Mackay Memorial Hospital to pay a ransom. On Feb. 28, after no payment was sent, the hacker claimed to have sold the patients’ personal information online. The hacker set up a website announcing the victims’ names, which was intended to cause social panic.

The case was transferred to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. It issued a wanted notice for Luo on Tuesday.

The suspect is suspected of breaking laws regarding the obstruction of computer use, personal data protection, and extortion. The action of targeting hospitals, schools, and listed companies endangered the national public security, authorities said.

Luo is also accused of disrupting social order. Authorities noted the suspect set up a website on the dark web to publicize victims and demand ransom, causing psychological panic and instability.

The CIB said it would track down and prosecute cyber criminals to the full extent of the law.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Prosecutors charged former labor official Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) with corruption on Wednesday.

The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office charged Hsieh after an investigation probing her alleged use of public funds to purchase gifts and irregular spending. The charge comes after KMT Taipei Councilor Chung Hsiao-ping (鍾小平) reported her to prosecutors last year, alleging she was responsible for manslaughter and corruption.

Hsieh was dismissed in November from her role as head of a Workforce Development Agency Branch. A 39-year-old man who worked under Hsieh died by suicide, and other staff accused her of bullying.

A labor ministry investigation found Hsieh’s bullying did not directly cause the death, and instead attributed it to overwork and stress. The employee was the only full-time staff member working on an online employment system that managed up to 800,000 cases.

After the man’s death, it was revealed that Hsieh required staff members to maintain the decor in her office. Allegations that she spent public funds on personal items also surfaced. She was detained in December as prosecutors investigated the allegations.

Former Labor Minister Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) resigned in the wake of the incident. Her replacement, Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) pledged culture changes.

“In particular, the culture of preparing gifts to please superiors and upper management will no longer exist after I take office,” Hung said in November.