Taiwan’s top military officer was killed in a helicopter crash on Thursday, the defence ministry said, just days before the island goes to polls to elect a new president. The chief of the general staff, Shen Yi-ming, was among eight senior officers including three major-generals who died when their Black Hawk helicopter smashed into mountains near Taipei. The 62-year-old general and his entourage were on a routine mission to visit soldiers in northeast Yilan county when the incident happened. Flags at all military units will fly at half-mast for three days...