Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Stock Investors Earned NT$850,000 on Average in the Year of Rabbit Investors in the local stock market pocketed an average of 850,000 N-T in the Year of the Rabbit after the Tai-Ex ended the final trading day of the Lunar year up by 0.2-per cent. Trading in the Year of the Rabbit began on January 30 of last year. Since then the weighted index soared 3,163-points, or 21.18-per cent, to close the year at 18,096-points - boosting market capitalization by 10.76-trillion N-T for a total of 57.52-trillion N-T. This was a marked improvement from the Year of the Tiger - when the main board tumbled by over 2,700-points, or 15.51-per cent. The stock market will resume trading on February 15. Passenger Faces Fine Over Emergency Train Stop in Taitung The Railway Police Bureau says a passenger who deliberately pulled an emergency brake valve that brought an EMU3000 express train to a stop in Taitung County last week could face a fine of up to 1-million N-T. The fine is based on Article 68-1 of the Railway Act. According to the bureau's Hualien Precinct, the passenger has been identified as (確定為) a 28-year-old Taitung resident. He was questioning by police on Monday and law enforcement authorities say the Ministry of Transport will now review the case. The train came to an unplanned stop in Taitung's Jinlun Station when the emergency brake valve in the train's ninth car was pulled. Police say the man has told them he fell asleep on the train and pulled the brake because he had missed his stop. Tobacco Warning to Big Enlarged The Health Promotion Administration says health warnings must have to cover at least 50-per cent of cigarette packaging from next month. According to the administration, the new packaging policy will come into affect on March 22. The warnings are currently required to cover at least 35-per cent of packaging (包裝). The administration says the move is in line with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. That convention states that all tobacco product packaging carries health warnings and such warnings should cover 50-per cent or more of the packaging area. Chinese Court Sentences Australian Writer to Death A Chinese court has handed Australian writer Yang Hengjun and pro-democracy blogger a suspended death sentence for spying. Human rights advocates say it's an unusually harsh verdict (判決) and it could hurt ties between Beijing and Canberra. Patrick Fok reports. Tokyo Heavy Snow Disrupts Travel Heavy snow in the Tokyo area has knocked out power to homes and disrupted travel. Officials cautioned drivers to avoid nonessential travel. The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast more than 55 centimeters in mountainous areas north of the capital. Central Tokyo had much smaller amounts. More than 100 domestic and several international flights in and out of Tokyo’s Haneda airport were canceled Monday. Some highways were partially (部分地) closed, and more than 14,000 homes were without electricity. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

【00941】全台首檔鎖定半導體上游設備與材料廠的ETF，2/26稱王募集！ 半導體不是只有護國神山，想投資真正的隱形英雄，力爭「上游」就對了！中信上游半導體(00941)，帶你與科技王者中的王者同行：https://bit.ly/3Umqe2r －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Cities and Counties Removing TaiSugar Pork Davis Cup Journey Ended by France Europe Israel Palestinians Middle-East Tensions El Salvador Elections Britain-Magritte-Auction

科學麵麵俱到！ 國民零食科學麵，酥脆麵體搭配經典椒鹽粉，一口接一口 讓你新春聚會樂滿堂，平安順利龍總來！ 想要歡樂一整天就找科學麵！→ https://bit.ly/44S8FtB -- 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Bureau of Labor Funds Posted Record High Returns for 2023 Private College Tuition Subsidy Rolled Out US approves plan to strike Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq Cancer cases to rise Spain's drought getting serious

降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa -- 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ CAA Protests China's Unilateral Adjustment of Flight Routes UMC expects shipments to grow 2-3 percent sequentially in Q1 World court rejects portions of Ukraine allegations EU nations agree on using profits from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan Sentenced to 14 Years

CAA Protests China's Unilateral Adjustment of Flight Routes Keelung Mayor Unveils Plan to Build Ferris Wheel Israel Palestine latest Imran Khan Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison France's National Assembly Approves Bill to Abortion Rights in Constitution.

MOTC Approves Taichung Metro's Proposed Blue Line Six Indicted over Deadly Pingtung Golf Ball Factory Fire UN Palestinians Aid Agency Facing More Funding Cuts Italy Unveils Development Plan for Africa King Charles and Princess of Wales Discharged from Hospital

Government Thanks US for Supporting Cross-Strait Peace Fu Kun-chi to Serve as KMT's New Legislative Caucus Convener Palestinian Officials Slam UNRWA Funding Suspension Pakistan Police Disperse Khan Supporters Trial of Jam Master Jay to Begin in Brooklyn

Taiwan's Ambassador to Tuvalu Dismisses Switch in Recognition Reports Four Indicted for Illegally Hiring Migrant Workers Giant Yellow Duck Heading Back to Kaohsiung Global shipping "not in crisis" just yet, says the UN Denmark's report on South Korea adoptions

科學麵麵俱到！ 國民零食科學麵，酥脆麵體搭配經典椒鹽粉，一口接一口 讓你新春聚會樂滿堂，平安順利龍總來！ 想要歡樂一整天就找科學麵！→ https://bit.ly/44S8FtB -- 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ KMT Pledge to Push for Absentee Voting in New Legislature NIA Bans Japan-Based China Journalist North Korea Conducts Strategic Cruise Missile Test Israel Denies Responsibility for Deadly Strike on U.N. Shelter in Gaza Grounded Boeing planes could soon be in the air again

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,883 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The market continued its winning streak on Tuesday as, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing attracted strong investor interest amid lingering optimism over the company's outlook for this year. Interest also focused on electricity development related stocks in the electric machinery and optoelectronics sectors, to give the broader market with an additional boost. Tuvalu Affirms Ties with Taiwan In news from and about Taiwan this morning, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says senior government officials in Tuvalu have affirmed that the Pacific island country will maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The statement comes after Tuvalu's ambassador to Taiwan told the Australian newspaper that his country could sever (斷絕) formal diplomatic recognition with Taipei in favor of Beijing following its election this Friday. According to the ministry, the Tuvalu government has clarified that the ambassador's statement did not represent the country's official stance, and affirmed that its diplomatic relations with Taiwan remain strong. Tsai Call for Support of Taiwan's Participation in IPEF President Tsai Ing-wen is calling for support for Taiwan's participation in the US-led Indo Pacific Economic Framework. Speaking during a meeting with visiting members of the US-Taiwan Business Council in Taipei, Tsai said "Taiwan will continue to express its willingness to play a role in this initiative" and she hopes the business group "can support Taiwan's participation." The visiting delegation includes business council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers and Keith Krach, who served as under secretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment under Donald Trump's administration. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity was launched (發起) by U-S President Joe Biden on May of 2022. It currently has 14 partnering countries. SKorea: North Fired Missiles into Western Sea South Korea’s military says North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the western sea as it continues a streak of weapons testing in the face of deepening nuclear tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says the U.S. and South Korean militaries were analyzing the launches. The event followed a Jan. 14 flight test-firing of the country’s first solid-fuel intermediate range ballistic missile, which reflected (顯示) its efforts to advance its lineup of weapons targeting U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam. UK House of Lords Votes Againt UKRwanda Treaty The House of Lords has voted against the Government's controversial UK- Rwanda Treaty. For the first time, the UK's upper house of parliament has voted to delay ratifying a Treaty, which is central to the Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Simon Gaitan reports. Mexico Train Project Damages Historic Limestone Caves Activists in Mexico have published photos of steel and cement pilings (地樁) from a government project driven directly through the roofs of sensitive limestone caves on the Yucatan peninsula. The cave networks and their underground rivers are both environmentally sensitive, and have been found to hold some of the oldest human remains in North America. Mexico's president had promised that part of his controversial $20 billion tourist train project would run on an elevated causeway (堤道) to avoid crushing or disturbing the caves. Authorities had claimed that studies would ensure the supports for the causeway wouldn't hit caves. But the activists say that was a lie, and the damage is irreversible. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 龍年HIGH起來！新光三越《龍舞卡利HIGH》獨享7%回饋🎉 即日起至2/25全台新光三越線上線下刷卡都可消費累計回饋 聯手指定銀行刷卡滿1萬以上回饋4%5%6%skm points，用skm pay再加碼1%、最高7%回饋！ 新春回饋🐉底家👉 https://bit.ly/3HkgIp5 -- ＃無論哪裡來，心意都從喜年來～ 💝https://bit.ly/47rWlki 過年就愛這一味，台灣蛋捲的經典風味！ 真材實料蛋香濃郁，多樣選擇，送禮討喜！ 朝隈俊男跨界聯名公仔蛋捲禮盒 18度C巧克力可可蛋捲 歐客佬精品咖啡薄燒蛋卷禮盒 貓福珊迪原味小蛋捲禮盒

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 25-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,840 on turnover of 6.5-billion N-T. The market continued to gain ground on Monday on the back of another strong showing from the bellwether electronics sector. Buying focused on artificial intelligence development stocks following a rally by A-I-related stocks on Wall Street at the end of last week. However, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing fell into consolidation mode after surging 6.46-per cent surge last Friday. Snow Reported as Mercury Plummets Snow was reported falling on Jade Mountain overnight - resulting in an accumulation (累積) of 4-centimeters by 9 o'clock this morning. Snow fell on Hehuan Mountain in Nantou. Snow was also reported falling in Yilan's Taiping Mountain area at around 6 o'clock in the morning. According to the Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area Office, the mercury in areas near the peak dropped to minus-3 degrees overnight before this morning's snow fall began. And in Taipei, snow was reported on parts of Yangminshan this morning - and between 1 and 2-centimeters had accumulated in some areas by around 6 o'clock. MOHW to Expand Scope of Telemedicine Services from July 1 The Ministry of Health says the definition of special circumstances in which chronic (慢性的) patients are eligible to seek medical treatment remotely will be expanded from July 1. According to the ministry, the move will benefit roughly 2.47 million people. The amended Rules of Medical Diagnosis and Treatment by Telecommunications will be expanded to cover individuals who are on a National Health Insurance system chronic disease care plan, or subject to terminal care, correctional institutional care and mobility care. Those who are in need of remote healthcare due to disasters and infectious diseases will also be included in the expanded program. China Quake in Xinjiang Region A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck a sparsely (稀疏地) populated part of China’s western Xinjiang region, but no casualties were immediately reported. State media and local authorities said the quake early this morning destroyed two houses and downed power lines, though electricity has now been restored. Local authorities said around 200 emergency workers were sent to the area. The Xinjiang railway authority also suspended dozens of trains. UN Concerend Abt Weapons Transfers in Ukraine Conflict The United Nations has once again called for adherence (嚴守) to International law in the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Jody Jacobs reports from the United Nations in New York… Canada Caps Student Visas Canada has announced a two-year cap on international student visas to ease the pressure on housing, health care and other services at a time of record immigration. The country's immigration minister says there will be a 35% reduction in new study visas in 2024. He said the country’s international students program has been exploited, putting pressure on housing and health care. A government statement says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet retreat in Montreal this week will prioritize (優先考慮) affordability and housing. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 科學麵麵俱到！ 國民零食科學麵，酥脆麵體搭配經典椒鹽粉，一口接一口 讓你新春聚會樂滿堂，平安順利龍總來！ 想要歡樂一整天就找科學麵！→ https://bit.ly/44S8FtB

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 89-points this morning from Friday's close, at 17,770 on turnover of 9.2-billion N-T. The market gained significant ground on Friday, rising by more than 450-points, driven primarily by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, which led the main board higher, as the electronics sector rose by 3.9-per cent during the trading day. Taipower Denies Reports of Rate Hikes Tai-Power is denying reports that plans to hike electricity rates this year. The denial comes amid speculation the state-generator could raise rates after its posted over 380-billion N-T in accumulated losses at of the end of last year. The Ministry of Economic Affairs' electricity price review committee is scheduled to meet in March to decide on rates for the next six months and reports have been claiming it could seek to raise rates for third consecutive year during that meeting. However, Tai-Power is dismissing (駁回) those claims and says it's currently "conducting an internal financial review" and seeking "financial support from the government." Nvidia's Jensen Huang Back in Taiwan Nvidia co-founder and C-E-O Jensen Huang is back in Taiwan. Huang was spotted at Ningxia Night Market in Taipei wearing one of his now trademark (（某人的）標記，特徵) leather jackets this past weekend. Speaking to reporters, Huang said he's in town to celebrate the Lunar New Year with employees at Nvidia's Taiwan Branch. He's also reportedly slated to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing executives to discuss further cooperation between the two companies and attend a conference on advanced packaging supply chains. Nvidia is one of T-S-M-C's biggest customer. US DeSantis Ends Presidential Bid New Hampshire residents vote in their presidential primary Tuesday --with one less candidate (候選人) to choose from. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. Germany Rallies Against AfD Party Hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting in Germany this weekend, against the right-wing Alternative for Germany party. The demonstrations came in the wake of a report that right-wing extremists recently met to discuss the deportation (驅逐出境) of millions of immigrants, including some with German citizenship. Although Germany has seen other protests against the far right in past years, the protests this weekend are notable for their size and scope. The demonstrations have garnered support from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, and the Central Council of Jews. German companies also spoke out against extremism, emphasizing the country's commitment to democracy and tolerance. (PB) Indonesia Merapi Eruption Indonesia’s Mount Merapi has erupted, as other active volcanoes flared up across the country, forcing the evacuation (疏散) of thousands. Merapi unleashed Sunday clouds of gas, and lava that traveled up to 2 kilometers down its slopes. Several of Indonesia's active volcanoes also had eruptions. A volcano in East Nusa Tenggara province spewed hot clouds into the air as more than 6,500 people fled to shelters. Mount Marapi in West Sumatra province, Mount Semeru in East Java province and Mount Ibu in North Maluku province also had new eruptions. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 319-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,547 on turnover of $11.3-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Thursday following two losing sessions. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing led the upturn, while buying also spread to other semiconductor heavyweights - with shares in MediaTek and A-S-E Technology also gaining ground. The financial sector rose and the transportation industry attracted strong buying to outperform the broader market. Geese Culled at Yunlin Farm Hit by Avian Flu The Yunlin Animal Disease Control Center says 1,477 geese have been culled (選擇性宰殺) at poultry farm in the county following an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H-5-N-1 avian flu virus. According to the center, the Dongshih Township farm reported "abnormal deaths" of geese this past Sunday and inspections teams were immediately sent there to carry out tests. The culling was carried out after the results of sample testing were confirmed yesterday. It's the second case of avian flu to have been reported in Dongshih Township this year. LNY Taxi Surcharge in Taipei, New Taipei and Keelung to Begin February Taxis in Taipei, New Taipei and Keelung will begin adding a 30 N-T surcharge (附加費) over the Lunar New Year holiday. City officials say the additional 30 N-T surcharge will be automatically included in the taximeter reading from February 5 through 14. An additional surcharge of 20 N-T will be added from 11PM to 6AM during the holiday period. US Uvalde Report: Police Failure Cost Lives A US government report released Thursday details the "critical failures" in the delayed police response to a school shooting in the state of Texas. The Justice Department's investigation found children's lives could have been saved if law enforcement officers (警察) had acted sooner. In May 2022, a gunman opened fire at a primary school, killing 19 students and two teachers. Sally Patterson has more. AU, EU, UN, US Call for Dialoge in Sudan The African Union, European Union, United Nations and United States are calling for an immediate cease-fire and constructive dialogue between warring factions in Sudan. They're also calling for an end to tension (緊張關係、緊張局勢) between Somalia and Ethiopia over an agreement signed with Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland. The groups say that the two issues are threatening regional stability in the Horn of Africa. The U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa, says the warring factions in Sudan should immediately end the fighting and adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and respect for human rights. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 7-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,169 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex followed other regional markets and lost ground on Wednesday, as investors reacted to a decline on Wall Street overnight ahead of the release of earnings reports and potential moves by major global central banks. DPP and KMT Officials Discuss ROC-US-PRC Relations with USIP Representatives from the D-P-P and K-M-T discussed the significance of the weekend results as well as implications (影響) for peace and security in the Taiwan Strait. Talks were held under the auspices of the United States Institute of Peace. … I-C-R-T's Washington correspondent Matt Kaye has more. < [CLIP] Slug: > WHO says situation in Gaza is "catastrophic" The World Health Organisation warns that the health system in Gaza is on the brink of (瀕臨) collapse. A WHO health emergency officer described the dire nature of the health system saying the organisation desperately needs more aid and medical supplies to assist with the unfolding "catastrophe". Jody Jacobs reports from the United Nations in New York. **Italy's Foreign Minister proposes joint EU mission to protect Red Sea **shipping Italy's Foreign Minister says his country is working alongside France and Germany on a joint European military deployment (調動) to protect shipping in the Red Sea. Antonio Tajani was speaking at a press conference in the Italian capital, where he set out Italy's priorities for its G7 presidency this year. Giles Gibson has more from Rome. Britain Royals In Britain… King Charles III is scheduled to have a 'corrective (矯正的) procedure for his prostate and Catherine, Princess of Wales is in the hospital after having undergone planned surgery… Karen Chammas has details. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 新鮮事、新奇事、新故事《一銀陪你聊“新”事》 第一銀行打造公股銀行首創ESG Podcast頻道上線啦 由知名主持人阿Ken與多位名人來賓進行對談 邀請您一起落實永續發展 讓永續未來不再只是想像 各大收聽平台搜尋：ㄧ銀陪你聊新事 https://bit.ly/3vBtNYj

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally lower this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,341 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex followed most other regional markets and lost ground on Tuesday - falling by 199-points - as investors lacked cues from Wall Street overnight due to U-S markets being closed on Monday. CDC Releases Medigen COVID-19 Vaccine Contract The Centers for Disease Control has released the contract used to purchase Medigen Vaccine Biologics' coronavirus vaccine. According to C-D-C Director General Zhuang Ren-xiang, the 58-page document was made public after Medigen's board of directors passed a resolution authorizing (授權) the government to release it. Zhuang says the contract had been reviewed by the Control Yuan, the National Audit Office, and the Legislature prior to its being made public and no evidence of illegal behavior was found. The contract was signed in May of 2021, and the government purchased 5-million doses of the Medigen vaccine, of which 200,000 were donations for the government's help in funding the vaccine's development. Former Professor Jailed for Fake Bridge Inspection Reports And, The Hsinchu District Court has sentenced a former university professor to six-months in prison for falsifying (偽造) documents relating to the safety inspection and assessment of three road bridges in Hsinchu County. Chen Ming-cheng owned an engineering consulting firm based in Taoyuan. Chen was found guilty of instructing a student employee to file fake reports indicating that the Tai-He, the Hou-Hu and the Rui-Guang bridges in Xin-Feng Township had all been inspected. The student employee was sentenced to 4 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. Both verdicts can be appealed. French president sets out new policies in marathon news conference The French president has set out new policies ranging from liberal market reforms to an overhaul (檢修) of parental leave. Emmanuel Macron made the announcements in a marathon news conference on Tuesday. Ross Cullen reports from Paris. Shell to Sell Business in Niger Delta Shell has reached an agreement with a consortium of companies to sell its onshore business in Nigeria's Niger Delta in a deal worth $2.4 billion. It is the latest move by the London-based energy major to limit its presence in the challenging Niger Delta environment, where it has faced decadeslong local pushbacks to its oil exploration. Activists want Shell to address environmental damage, such as compensation (賠償) for affected communities, as a condition for the government's approval of the deal. Shell says the deal is designed to preserve its commitments, including remediation where spills occurred in the past. Kenya Begins Rhino Relocation Program Kenya has embarked on its biggest rhino relocation project and has begun the difficult work of tracking, darting and moving 21 of the critically endangered beasts to a new home. A previous attempt at moving rhinos in the East African nation in 2018 was a disaster as all 11 of the animals died. The rhinos are being relocated to a conservancy because they need more space to roam and, hopefully, to breed. Rhinos are generally solitary (獨自的) animals and are at their happiest in large territories. There are just 6,487 wild rhinos left in the world, according to rhino conservation charity Save The Rhino, all of them in Africa. Kenyan authorities say they have relocated more than 150 rhinos in the last decade. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 新鮮事、新奇事、新故事《一銀陪你聊“新”事》 第一銀行打造公股銀行首創ESG Podcast頻道上線啦 由知名主持人阿Ken與多位名人來賓進行對談 邀請您一起落實永續發展 讓永續未來不再只是想像 各大收聽平台搜尋：ㄧ銀陪你聊新事 https://bit.ly/3vBtNYj

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 23-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,523 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed slightly higher Monday after investors rebuilt their positions with political uncertainties removed following the presidential election over the weekend. The bellwether electronics sector led the upturn as investors resumed buying after the election, while power development-related developers and biotech stocks also moved higher on expectations that the ruling DPP, which won the presidential vote, would continue to lend them support. 2 men indicted for signature buying in Pingtung County Two suspects, including a Pingtung ward chief, were indicted Monday by prosecutors for buying signatures for business tycoon Terry Gou to help him reach the level of endorsement (揹書) needed to run in Taiwan's Jan. 13-th presidential election. The Pingtung District Prosecutors Office says the ward chief, identified by his last name Chiu, was found to have paid his wife, and another man $200 NT apiece for their signatures late last year, Chiu and the other man then worked with four others to gather over 30 signatures. The two men are facing charges of "arranging bribes to compel a person to sign the candidacy petition of a specified individual." Iran Launches Strikes Against Iraq Iran says it launched strikes against a “spy headquarters and the gathering of anti-Iranian terrorist groups” shortly after missiles hit an area near the U.S. consulate in Irbil, the seat of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Regional political figures said one of the strikes killed a prominent (著名的、重要的) local businessman with a portfolio that included real estate and security services companies, along with members of his family. Soon after, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had struck “terrorist operations,” including Islamic State targets in Syria “and destroyed them by firing a number of ballistic missiles.” Another statement said they had hit a headquarters of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, in the Kurdish region of Iraq. Poland PM Announces Elections Poland’s new Prime Minister Donald Tusk said crucial elections to choose city mayors and provincial and county administration leaders would be held April 7, with a runoff April 21. The elections, announced Monday, will test the new pro-European Union coalition government’s popular support, just six months after it won parliamentary elections. Tusk and his Cabinet took office last month, vowing to restore the importance and powers of city mayors and local governments which the previous right-wing government sought to limit. Local administrations suffered slashed (削減) funding and stalled projects and investments. Tensions between the new government and the previously ruling Law and Justice party have escalated with the latter blocking proposed bills in parliament. Pope Not Planning on Retirement Pope Francis insists that he is not thinking about retiring at the moment. With the 87-year-old suffering from (遭受) a number of health issues last year, there has been speculation that he could step back from his role, as his predecessor Benedict the Sixteenth did in 2013. Giles Gibson has more from Rome. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 28-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,541 on turnover of $3.2-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan continued to feel the pinch as a result of uncertainties created by the presidential election, giving up earlier gains. Large cap tech stocks came under pressure, driving the broader market lower as a whole, while buying rotated to "military concept stocks" amid worries over cross-strait ties as well as shipping stocks which were boosted by hopes of growing freight rates (海運運費率) in the wake of the crisis in the Red Sea. Former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh dies at age 83 Democracy movement leader and activist Shih Ming-teh has died at the age of 83, The Taipei Veterans General Hospital says Shih passed away early this morning, and his family confirms that today was also his birthday. Shih was jailed for years in the 60s and 70s for sedition, after calling for Taiwan's independence from China, and again between 1980 and 1990 for his role in the Formosa Incident, in which the then authoritarian Kuomintang regime (政府，政權) cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrations in Kaohsiung. He was also the founder of the Shih Ming-Te Foundation, a nongovernmental organization based in New Taipei's Xizhi District aimed at promoting the advancement of ethnic reconciliation, national freedom, equality, democracy and human rights. India Opposition Party Begins March Ahead of National Vote Thousands of members of India’s main opposition Congress party and its supporters have begun a 2-month cross-country march ahead of a crucial national vote this year. The march is led by Rahul Gandhi, scion (繼乘人) of the influential Gandhi family. This is the second time the Congress party has hit the road in the last two years to rally support for elections. India is expected to vote in a national election in April or May, and the opposition is scrambling to put up a fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi and his party remain popular after nearly a decade in power and many surveys suggest he will win a third consecutive term this year. US Texas Officials Accused of Blocking Migrant Rescue The Department of Homeland Security is accusing Texas officials of blocking federal agents who were trying to save a migrant woman and two children who drowned. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. Russia Former Mayor to Fight Russian local media say a disgraced (蒙羞) former mayor convicted over bribery has had his prison sentence cut short after signing a contract to fight with Russia’s military in Ukraine. Oleg Gumenyuk, who served as mayor of the far eastern city of Vladivostok between 2018 and 2021, was convicted last year of accepting bribes worth over $400-thousand US dollars and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. However, his lawyers say he was released after agreeing to fight in Ukraine. He said that the politician’s whereabouts were unknown, but that the former mayor was instructed to report to his military unit on Dec. 22nd. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 9.3-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,536 on turnover of $2.4-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday after Wall Street climb to a near-record high overnight and as investors are watching for a U-S inflation report, which was released after the close of trading on the local main board. Taiwan Passport Ranks 35th in Global Index R-O-C passport holders have visa-free access to 143 countries and territories around the world, ranking it 35th in the latest Henley Passport Index. The passport fell four places from 31st in the previous survey issued by the London-based consulting firm Henley & Partners in July 2023. The rankings are slightly deceptive in that place rankings do not account for (核算、考慮) ties. As although Taiwan's passport ranked 35th, 69 countries had passports with more visa-free access. Singapore tops the rankings in the latest index, sharing first place with France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain. Afghanistan remained at the bottom with only 28 destinations offering visa-free travel to its passport holders. Those holding these passports enjoy visa-free access to 194 nations. The Henley Passport Index compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. Its first index was issued in 2006. Iran Seizes Oil Tanker Iran’s navy has seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that once was at the center of a major crisis between Tehran and Washington, a seizure that further escalates tensions in the Mideast waterways. The vessel was once known as the Suez Rajan and was involved in a yearlong dispute that ultimately (最終) saw the U.S. Justice Department seize 1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil on it. Iran’s state-run television acknowledged the seizure late Thursday afternoon, hours after armed men boarded it. The seizure also comes after weeks of attacks by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea. SAfrica Accuses Israel of Genocide at ICJ Hearing South African lawyers speaking at the International Court of Justice say Israel planned to "destroy" Gaza. Lawyers are demanding Israel stop what they say is a "genocidal" (種族滅絕的) military operation against the residents of Gaza - to which Israel will respond on Friday. From outside the International Court of Justice in The Netherlands, Ishan Garg reports. Argentina Annual Inflation Rate Highest Ever Argentina's statistics agency says the country has registered a monthly inflation rate of 25.5% in December and closed 2023 with an annual inflation of 211.4%. That's the highest rate in 32 years. The data reflects the strong impact (影響) of a series of shock measures, including a 50% devaluation of the nation’s currency, implemented by right-wing President Javier Milei in hopes of eventually taming the country's roaring inflation. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,478 on turnover of $2.2 billion N-T. The market continued to lose ground and turnover slipped once again on Wednesday as investors awaited the release of U-S consumer price index data for December later this week, as turnover slipped once again. Analysts say this week's continuing downward trend and low turnover also reflect how this weekend's presidential and legislative elections are weighing on market sentiment. Over 50 Listed as Suspects in Alleged Subsidized China Trip Case The Yilan District Prosecutors' Office says 53 people have been listed as suspects in an ongoing investigation into violations of the anti-infiltration (反滲透) and election laws. They were listed as suspects after being questioned and include several village and neighborhood chiefs. All of them allegedly traveled to China on trips subsidized by the Chinese government in December of last year. According to the prosecutors' office, they were invited by Chinese officials in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province and Hebei Province and traveled on schedules arranged by officials from China's Taiwan Affairs Office. The suspects were were allegedly asked to state that they "support the parties that boost cross-strait relations," and "oppose Taiwan independence" during the trips and some reportedly joined Chinese officials in chanting pro-unification slogans. Japan Begins Building US Military Base on Okinawa Japan’s government is beginning construction (建造) on a new US military base in the country’s Okinawa islands, overriding the objections of local officials. Tokyo approved landfill works to relocate the Futenma airbase to the Henoko region by proxy after Okinawa’s government refused to green-light the project, saying it will destroy local ecosystems and attract war. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. Somalia AlShabab Fighters Attack UN Helicopter Officials in Somalia say fighters with al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate al-Shabab have attacked a United Nations helicopter that made an emergency landing in territory controlled by the extremists, killing one passenger and abducting (綁架) five others. One official told the Associated Press that the helicopter landed due to engine failure. He said six foreigners and one Somali national were on board and one was shot dead while trying to escape. One was missing. The United Nations confirmed the incident but didn't give details for the safety of those on board. Al-Shabab has not immediately claimed responsibility. Greece PM to Submit Legislation for SameSex Marriage Greece’s center-right prime minister says his government will soon submit legislation allowing civil marriage for same-sex couples. That's despite reservations from some of his party's own lawmakers and the country’s powerful church. But Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says the proposed (提出的) law will not extend the right to parenthood through surrogate mothers to same-sex couples — an issue that has divided Greek society. Mitsotakis said Wednesday he is confident the law can be approved in parliament with cross-party support, even though he won't force those of his lawmakers who are against it to back it. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 39-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,495 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Tuesday, as the main board gave up its early gains ahead of Saturday's elections. Selling sent old economy and financial stocks lower, while the bellwether electronics sector remained above the previous day's closing level, despite coming off an initial upturn - and that was led by large semiconductor stocks. Lai Urges Beijing to Engage in Talks with Taiwan D-P-P presidential candidate Lai Ching-te is calling on China's leadership to assume responsibility for regional stability and engage in dialogue with Taiwan. Speaking at at a press conference in Taipei, Lai said the "door will always be open to engagements (互動) with Beijing on the principles of equality and dignity." Lai said if elected he will continue President Tsai Ing-wen's policies, including efforts to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and expand links with democratic nations. Lai went on to say that believes his being elected "will be helpful for creating a new situation in the Indo-Pacific region" that will contribute to the "stability of the Taiwan Strait." Air Force Plays Down T-34C Trainer Replacement Plan The Ministry of National Defense is stressing that it has not made any final decision on whether to choose locally designed and built jet trainers to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of Beechcraft T-34Cs. The statement comes after the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation earlier this week announced that it had completed the first stage of design for a military trainer aircraft to replace the T-34Cs. A-I-D-C said a prototype is expected to be completed by 2028, and mass production could begin in 2031. However, the defense ministry says it is "still considering (考慮) whether to "choose locally-made trainers, trainers that are the results of local and international cooperation, or simply rent new trainers instead of buying them." Yemen Houthi Rebels Fire at Red Sea Ships Yemen’s Houthi rebels have unleashed a barrage of drones and missiles targeting shipping in the Red Sea, though no damage was initially apparent (明顯的). That's according to a private intelligence firm and the British military. The assault late Tuesday happened off the Yemeni port cities of Hodeida and Mokha. In the Hodeida incident, the intelligence firm said ships described over radio seeing missiles and drones, with U.S.-allied warships in the area urging “vessels to proceed at maximum speed.” Off Mokha, ships saw missiles fired, a drone in the air and small vessels trailing them. A Houthi official acknowledged the attack in comments reported by Al Jazeera. Japan Moves to Clarify Runway Instructions After Haneda Crash Officials in Japan are implementing emergency steps to avoid collisions at Tokyo’s Haneda airport after two aircraft crashed on the tarmac last week. Investigators believe vague updates from the control tower may have led a pilot to mistakenly (錯誤地) believe he had clearance to enter the runway while another aircraft was landing. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,585 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market saw a technical rebound on Monday on the back of gains seen by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. However, the upturn was limited amid investor caution ahead of the release of more U-S economic data later in the week, which could influence how the Federal Reserve will seek to handle monetary policy in the future. Tsai Talks Next-Gen IDF In news from and about Taiwan this morning, President Tsai Ing-wen says the government is preparing to develop the next generation of indigenous jet fighters. According to Tsai, the move is aimed at "ensuring continuity of her administration's national defense policy." She made the announcement during an interview with ERA News, in which she highlighted the government's resolve to build Taiwan's autonomy in the area of defense systems and the government's "defense autonomy" plan. Tsai went on to say "if the plan is interrupted, it will be difficult to resume" - and expressed her hope that the next president will maintain support for the development of the island's defense industry. Ministry of Culture Announces Rollout of Pop Promotion Subsidies The Ministry of Culture has announced that it will begin accepting applications for the government's pop music promotion subsidy program from tomorrow. According to the ministry, the program has been developed to promote the production of pop music programs aimed at international markets. The program has been granted funding of 10-billion N-T from now through 2027. The ministry says popular music programs that will be considered for subsidies need to include at least 10 episodes and have a production cost of at least 6-million N-T per episode. Approved applications can receive a subsidy of up to 40-per cent of the total estimated production costs. US Blinken: ArabNations Turkey Agree to PostWar Planning for Gaza U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says four key Arab nations and Turkey have agreed to begin planning for the reconstruction and governance of Gaza once Israel・s war against Hamas ends. Blinken spoke Monday after meeting with the Saudi crown prince. He is on an urgent Mideast mission that also took him to Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Arab countries had previously resisted U.S. calls for post-war planning to begin, insisting that there must first be a cease-fire and a sharp reduction in civilian suffering caused by Israel's military offensive. Blinken said he would bring the Arab commitments to Israel's prime minister and the Palestinian leader before presenting them to the Egyptian president. OpenAI Responds to NYT Lawsuit Chat GPT creator Open AI has responded to a lawsuit from the New York Times accusing it of copyright infringement. In a statement, Open AI said it rejects the claim that it doesn't have a legal right to use publicly available materials to train its large language model. Ira Spitzer reports from San Francisco. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa

降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Taiwan shares rose slightly Newly unveiled carbon pricing formula gets mixed industry response Number of days off work from public holidays to total 11 in 2024 Japan Earthquake update NYC sues bus companies over migrants row

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 15-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,574 on turnover of $2.8-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan took a beating Wednesday, tumbling nearly 300 points, as investors took their cue from heavy losses suffered by tech stocks on U.S. markets overnight by trimming holdings in large electronics stocks on the local main board. Contract chipmaker TSMC led the downtrend as it failed to withstand stiff selling and fell below the nearest technical support at around its 20-day moving average by the end of the trading session. Over 30% vegetables fail pesticide residue tests: Foundation Testing conducted by an NPO finds that over 30-percent of fresh vegetables failed checks for pesticide residue (殘留物). The Consumer's Foundation says it purchased 12 randomly chosen vegetables in August 2023 at wet markets and traditional night markets in Taipei, New Taipei and Taichung, and pesticide residue testing resulted in a failure of 33-percent. And 67 percent of produce labeled or advertised as "organic" were found to contain large amounts of pesticide residue. The foundation says it used a rapid pesticide screening method recommended by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It noted that suppliers of farm produce incorrectly labeled as organic can face fines up to $300-thousand NT according to government regulations. The foundation urged consumers to check whether vendors selling organic vegetables have a certificate indicating they have been certified to sell such produce and that it contains the name of the certification body and a registration number. Japan Earthquake Rescue Continues Amid Rough Weather Rescuers in Japan are braving the cold in a race against time as they search for survivors along the country's western coastline after a powerful earthquake earlier in the week left at least 77 people dead and 35 missing. A downpour (傾盆大雨) and possible snow are expected, raising the risk of landslides. A list of those officially missing grew from 15 to 35 people, including a 13-year-old boy. Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas were shaken by more aftershocks, adding to the dozens that followed Monday’s magnitude 7.6 temblor. Nearly 33-thousand people are staying at evacuation centers, and local officials are encouraging everyone ot use masks and take precautions against the spread of infectious diseases. Uganda Gay Rights Activist Stabbed A well-known gay rights activist in Uganda has been stabbed by unknown assailants, and police say he has been hospitalized in critical condition (病危). A police spokesperson says two attackers who arrived on motorcycle attacked Kabuye, and nearby residents found him after the attack. According to a fellow activist, Kabuye had claimed the attackers had been following him for several days, and intended to kill him. Ugandan rights activists have expressed fears that a new law against homosexuality enacted in May would increase attacks against the gay community. US SF Installs Nets on Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco finally has installed (安裝) nets to stop suicides off the Golden Gate Bridge. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

降息列車要出發了！想贏「債」起跑點！就快搜尋中信美國公債20年（00795B），持有成本相對低，長期投資CP值高，美國公債配息較穩定，還享個人海外所得最低稅負制優勢。 🔺渴望擁息收賺利差嗎？趕緊上車快看這：https://bit.ly/4aFtgVa －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Taiwan congratulates new Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine Kaohsiung MRT rider gets 3 months in jail for attacking station master Israel Palestine latest Russia Ukraine war update Mickey Mouse Horror movies

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,939.8 on turnover of $2.3-billion N-T. Taiwanese to enjoy 115 days off work in 2024 Workers in Taiwan are expected to have a total of 115 days off this year, including public holidays and weekends. The next significant (重要的) public holiday is the week-long Lunar New Year holiday from February 8th to 14th. Other public holidays include Peace Memorial Day on February 28th, a four-day holiday in April for Children's Day and Tomb Sweeping Day, and the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend on June 8th to 10th. In the second half of the year, there are two public holidays: the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 17th and National Day on October 10th. Note that Labor Day on May 1st and Armed Forces Day on September 3rd are not included in this list. (CNA-JI) Japan Earthquake Rescue Continues A series of powerful earthquakes has hit western Japan, leaving at least four people dead and damaging buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials are warning people in some areas today to stay away from their homes because of a continuing risk of major quakes. Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after a magnitude 7.6 temblor slammed the area on Monday afternoon. Officials say four people are confirmed dead in Ishikawa and police are investigating two other reported deaths. On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, as well as for the northern island of Hokkaido. The warning was downgraded (降級) several hours later, and all tsunami warnings were lifted as of early Tuesday. Waves measuring more than one meter hit some places. The agency warned that more major quakes could hit the area over the next few days. Epstein Documents to be Unsealed This Week Several court documents regarding Jeffrey Epstein's associates are to be unsealed this week with Former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew expected to be named. In 2019 Epstein committed suicide in his jail cell in Manhattan while facing charges of child sex-trafficking and conspiracy (陰謀). Jody Jacobs reports from New York… Ethiopia Somalia Sign Agreement for Coastline Access Landlocked Ethiopia has taken the first steps toward gaining access to the sea, signing an agreement in the capital of Addis Ababa with the breakaway (獲得獨立的) Somali region of Somaliland to access the Somaliland coastline. The memorandum of understanding was signed Monday by leaders on both sides. As part of the deal, Somaliland plans to lease a 20-km stretch of land along its coastline to Ethiopia to establish a marine force base. And Somaliland's president said the agreement included a statement that Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland as an independent country in the near future. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Tai-Ex opening down Candidates Slam China for Allegedly Pressuring Mayday Taiwan auto show opens in Taipei Oil prices falling Britain storm inflicted destructions Blender recall for unsafe blades World population to surpass 8 billion

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Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 42-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,586 on turnover of $3.8-billion N-T. Snow falls on Mt. Taiping in northeast Taiwan Snow fell for the first time this winter on Tai-ping-shan, located in Yilan County, northeastern Taiwan, before Thursday midnight as the temperature there plunged (驟然下降) to minus 6 degrees Celsius. The Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area management center says the owl sculpture on the Taiping Villa plaza in the 2,000-meter-high mountain was seen covered in a thin layer of snow. Around 1-thousand visitors were urged to leave as early as possible due to concerns that slippery icy roads could hinder their descent from the mountain. Today, officials say the recreation area is open as usual, but motorists are advised to drive carefully, although no snow chains were required for their vehicles. They say as of early morning, about 1 centimeter of snow covered the villa and Cueifong Lake area. UN Warning on Famine in Gaza A report from the U.N. finds that more than half a million people in Gaza are starving because of not enough food entering the territory since the outbreak of war more than 10 weeks ago. The World Food Program's chief economist says “it is a situation where pretty much everybody in Gaza is hungry.” He warned that if the war between Israel and Hamas continues at the same levels, and food deliveries are not restored, the population could face “a full-fledged (完全的) famine within the next six months.” Israel says it is in the final stages of clearing out Hamas militants from northern Gaza, but that months of fighting lie ahead in the south. Canada to Offer Temp Visas to Gaza Civilian with Canadian Relatives Canada’s immigration minister says people in the Gaza Strip who have Canadian relatives will now be able to apply for temporary visas to Canada. The minister says the government will start accepting applications for people with extended family (不同世代的親戚) connections to Canada, including parents, grandparents, siblings and grandchildren. He said people will be offered three-year visas if they meet eligibility and admissibility criteria. The minister expects the program to be up and running by Jan. 9-th, but says the federal government cannot guarantee them safe passage out of the besieged Palestinian territory. Until now, the government has focused on getting 660 Canadians, permanent residents, and their spouses and children out of the Gaza Strip. US Federal Judge Blocks California Law Restricting Guns A federal judge has blocked a California law that would have banned guns in most public places on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. The ruling is a blow for gun control advocates, but the state says it plans to appeal (上訴) the decision. Ira Spitzer reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 104-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,531 on turnover of $4-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Wednesday as investors reacted positively to the gains posted on Wall Street overnight, as artificial intelligence development-related stock led the upturn. The main board opened marginally (稍微地，略微地) higher, but continued to gain ground throughout the session, as buying was sparked by increases on the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq indexes overnight. Cheaper Intercity Bus Travel for New Year's Day Holiday The Highway Bureau says ticket prices on all 88 intercity bus routes will cheaper during the December 30 to January 1 New Year's Day holiday. According to the bureau, passengers will have their bus fare either calculated based on the weekday price or be offered a 15-per cent discount in anticipation of (預計) heavy traffic. Passengers taking selected bus routes in the east will also be able to choose between two preferential packages limited to the area. The Highway Bureau is warning that traffic congestion is expected to be worse on provincial highways No. 1, No. 9, and No. 61, as well as others roads connecting to freeways and tourist spots during the long weekend holiday. NKorea: Launches Show Intent to Attack if Provoked North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un says he won’t hesitate (猶豫) to attack in the event of a ‘nuclear provocation’ by the US or South Korea. Chris Gilbert reports. UN on Afghanistan Girls in Religious Schools The United Nations says it's seeking to verify reports that Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers are allowing girls of all ages to study at Islamic religious schools that are traditionally boys-only. The U.N.’s top official in the country told the Security Council on Wednesday that the U.N. is receiving “more and more anecdotal (傳聞的) evidence” that girls can study at these schools known as madrassas. She says it's not clear "what constitutes a madrassa, if there is a standardized curriculum that allows modern education subjects, and how many girls are able to study in madrassas.” The Taliban have been globally condemned for banning girls and women from secondary school and university, and allowing girls to study only through the sixth grade. Switzerland Moves to Ban Use of Hate Symbols Switzerland’s upper house of parliament has taken steps toward banning the use of racist symbols that excuse violent or extremist behavior, including speech, gestures and the display of flags that stir hatred, as well as the public wearing of symbols reminiscent (引人聯想) of Nazi tyranny in Europe. The Council of States voted 23-16 with three abstentions on a proposal that would criminalize displays of such symbols and gestures in the public space. The measure now moves on to the lower house, the National Council. Such a measure, if passed, would put Switzerland on track to join several of its European neighbors that have similar bans against incitement to hatred. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 32-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,608 on turnover of $3.1-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed lower Tuesday after U.S. Federal Reserve officials made hawkish remarks which slashed hopes that the American central bank would cut rates next year. Selling was seen almost across the whole board but losses were capped after bargain-hunters began buying up select tech heavyweights after the main board dipped below the 17,500-point mark. Cases of new COVID-19 variant remain low in Taiwan: CDC The Centers for Disease Control say the number of JN.1 COVID-19 variant cases recorded in Taiwan remains relatively low in Taiwan, currently making up only 3 percent of COVID cases detected in the last four weeks. CDC spokesperson Lo Yi-chun says the JN.1 variant had been detected in over 40 nations around the world as of Dec. 18-th. Lo says JN.1 is the fastest-spreading variant in Western nations, but cases have remained relatively (相對地) low in countries close to Taiwan, with the variant being detected in less than 10 percent of COVID-19 cases reported in Japan. Lo explained that while JN.1 is equipped with immune avoidance capabilities that enable it to spread easily, there has been no significant increase in the number of severe cases from the variant, meaning it has a relatively low public health risk factor. China Earthquake Search Continues as Death Toll Rises Chinese media now say at least 131 people have been killed, after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in the country’s northwest. State broadcaster CCTV says 113 died in the province of Gansu and another 18 in neighboring Qinghai province. The quake struck just before midnight on Monday. More than 700 people have been injured. Emergency workers are still searching for the missing in collapsed buildings and at least one landslide. At least 4,000 firefighters, soldiers and police officers were dispatched in the rescue effort, and the People's Liberation Army Western Theatre set up a command post (指揮所) to direct its work. But authorities in Gansu issued an appeal for 300 additional workers for search and rescue operations. US Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump from Ballot The Supreme Court in the US state of Colorado has ruled that Donald Trump can't appear on the state's presidential primary ballot due to his role in the January 6th riot at the US Capitol. The former president says he plans to appeal (上訴) the decision to the federal Supreme Court. Ira Spitzer reports. Colombia Guinea Children Abandoned in Airport Colombian authorities say two children from the West African nation of Guinea were abandoned in Bogota’s airport and taken into government custody this week after spending several days on their own in the international departures terminal. Colombia’s national immigration department said the children, aged 10 and 13, had been travelling with separate groups and were left in the airport by their relatives earlier this month for reasons that have not been clarified (澄清、說明). The discovery of the children comes as migrants from Africa increasingly use South American and Central American airports as stepping stones on the long route to the United States. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Taiwan passes law to tighten security at military facilities Taiwan is moving to tighten security at military bases around Taiwan. Under the bill, people inside a military facility taking unauthorized pictures or video or engaging in any other reconnaissance activities with an intent to endanger national security shall be subject to up to three years in jail. And individuals caught entering restricted military areas will be subject to a fine of up to $200-thousand NT for trespassing (違法、 擅自進入、侵入). Defense officials say the new law will not apply to military aficionados taking pictures or filming fighter jets landing and taking off from a military base, if such actions did not endanger the safety of military activities or national security. Centuries-old poetry to illuminate celebration of Arabic language in Taipei The National Central Library will host a 13-day exhibition centered around a centuries-old poetry collection, in celebration of World Arabic Language Day on Dec. 18. The libary says the exhibition is set to display how the Arabic language has inspired creativity in poetry and art for centuries, and is in line with the theme "Arabic -- the Language of Poetry and Arts," chosen by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. In addition to showcasing traditional attire (服裝), cultural artifacts and literature in the Arabic-speaking world, the exhibition spotlights "The Mu'allaqat," a collection of works by renowned classical Arab poets from the sixth or seventh century. The exhibition opens today, and will run through the end of the year. Force to Protect Transiting Ships in Red Sea The U.S. and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the force in Bahrain early today. Under the new initiative, dubbed Prosperity Guardian, countries including the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands will protect transiting (通過) ships. Some will conduct joint patrols while others provide support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This comes after US officials say another commercial vessel has been attacked in the Red Sea. U.S. correspondent William Denselow reports. Iceland Volcano Eruption A volcanic eruption started Monday night on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, prompting the country’s civil defense to be on high alert. Officials say the eruption appears to have occurred about four kilometers from the town of Grindavik, and local webcam video showed the moment of the eruption as a flash of light illuminating the sky at 10:17pm local time. Iceland’s foreign minister says there are no disruptions (中斷、擾亂) to flights to and from Iceland and that international flight corridors remain open. He says a coast guard helicopter will attempt to confirm the exact location — and size — of the eruption, and will also measure gas emissions. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 37-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,638 on turnover of $4.1-billion N-T. Oil tanker cabin washing suspected as source of east coast oil waste The Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) suggests that waste oil discovered along the coast of eastern Taiwan could be runoff waste from the washing of oil tanker cabins. Despite no reported leaks from oil tankers passing through waters off eastern Taiwan, the source of the waste oil remains unknown. Officials collected on-site samples and utilized simulation and tracking (追蹤) technologies but found no leaks. Waste oil collected in Keelung and New Taipei, while harder to analyze due to volatilization, is likely to belong to the same category as that found on Green Island. The OAC urges ship crews to keep waste oil on board and hand it to certified companies for disposal upon arrival at the next harbor. Vessels caught leaking waste oil face a maximum fine of 30 million NT for violating the Marine Pollution Control Act. US Defense Secretary Heads to Israel US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is heading to Tel Aviv as part of a multi day tour of the middle east. While in Israel he is expected to call for a narrower (有侷限性的) military operation in Gaza in order to avoid triggering regional tensions. Jagruti Dave reports from Washington. Colombia Rebels Agree to Stop Using Kidnappings to Raise Funds Rebels from Colombia’s leftist National Liberation Army have agreed to stop using kidnapping as a fund-raising tactic, if the current cease-fire with the government is extended. The pledge came at the end of a round of talks between the two sides over the weekend. Colombians have grown angry at kidnappings by the guerrillas. That anger mounted in October when the rebels abducted (綁架) the father of soccer star Luis Diaz, and held him for 12 days before he was released. It is not clear if the rebels will release an estimated 38 Colombians they currently hold in captivity, often pending a ransom demand Greece Gov Budget Approved with Debt at Investment Grade The Greek parliament has approved the government’s 2024 budget, the first in 14 years with Greek debt listed at investment grade. The budget passed Sunday evening on a 158-142 vote in the 300-member body, with only lawmakers from the governing conservative New Democracy party voting for it. In a separate vote, the defense budget was approved 249-51. The budget forecasts economic growth of 2.9% in 2024, up from 2.4% in 2023. It predicts (預測) inflation will average a higher-than-expected 2.8%, but investments are expected to grow 15.1%. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 40-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,693 on turnover of $4.5-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained more than 180 points on Thursday to close above the 17,600-point mark and hit its highest level since March of 2022 - as investors reacted positively to a decision by the U-S Federal Reserve on interest rates. Large-cap stocks, in particular those in the bellwether electronics sector, led the main board higher, while buying also spread to the non-tech sector -- with financial heavyweights posting strong gains and helping to boost the wider market. Quarantine Agency to Increase Inspections on Custard Apple Exports The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency says it is stepping-up quarantine sampling of custard apple exports to China. The move comes amid reports that pests have being detected (檢測到) in a recent container of custard apples exported to China. It was the first since Beijing resumed allowing the import of Taiwan custard apple after suspending imports of one variety (種類) of the fruits in September of 2021 due to pest concerns. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency says it is currently unable to confirm what type of pests were detected, as China has not issued any official documentation about the incident. Putin Not Giving Up on Ukraine War Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia will not give up its fight in Ukraine. AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports. EU to Open Accession to Ukraine and Moldova In related news…. The European Union has decided to open accession (加入) negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. European Council President Charles Michel called it “a clear signal of hope for their people and our continent.” The decision was announced at a summit of the leaders of the 27 EU countries Thursday. Although the process between opening negotiations and Ukraine finally becoming a member could take many years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the agreement as “a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe.” Left on the summit agenda now is a promise to give Ukraine $50-billion euros in financial aid to stave off Russia's invasion. Japanese Satellite Launch from NZ California-based Rocket Lab plans to launch a Japanese satellite today from the space company's complex on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. The mission was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed due to forecast strong winds until today. Rocket Lab says the Electron rocket will carry a TSUKUYOMI-I satellite into orbit on behalf of a Japanese start-up Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space Inc. The synthetic-aperture radar satellite will collect (收集) images of the Earth. The mission would be Rocket Lab’s 10th for 2023, exceeding its annual record of nine set last year. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 13-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,482 on turnover of $3.7-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Wednesday, as early gains shrank amid cautious investor sentiment ahead of the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's final policy making meeting of this year. But the bellwether electronics sector still managed to lead the main board to its highest level so far this year, as buying rotated to highly priced stocks, in particular in those in the semiconductor sector. MOFA Hoping Guatemala's Election Turmoil has been Resolved The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expressing its hope that Guatemala's ongoing controversy over its newly elected leader will be resolved peacefully. The call comes days after prosecutors in Guatemala took steps to block President-elect Bernardo Arevalo from taking office next month. Prosecutors sought to annul the election results amid accusations of an "attempted coup," however, Guatemala's electoral court has insisted the results are "unchangeable." According to head of the ministry Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, the government here in Taiwan is hoping that Guatemala can have a "smooth government transition (轉變，過渡期)" on January 14 when the new president is sworn in. However, officials refuse to say whether President Tsai Ing-wen or Vice President Lai Ching-te will attend Arevalo's inauguration ceremony - saying only the government will make an announcement "in due time." US House Votes to Formally Open Biden Impeachment Inquiry The US House of Representatives has voted to formally open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Republicans have accused Biden of corruption (腐敗), but have yet to produce much evidence. Ira Spitzer has more. EU Grants Hungary Access to Frozen Funds The European Union says it will grant Hungary access to billions of euros in frozen funds. The announcement comes just as Prime Minister Viktor Orban appears ready to defy his EU partners and veto decisions on the opening of membership talks and vital financial aid for Ukraine. The money was frozen a year ago over concerns that democratic backsliding (倒退) in Hungary was putting the EU budget at risk. But the European Commission ruled Wednesday that Orban’s government has addressed some of its concerns, notably on justice reforms. It’s willing to grant access to $11 billion to reimburse money that Hungary spends on infrastructure and other projects. Netherlands SKorea Stepping Up Semiconductor Cooperation The Dutch caretaker prime minister says the Netherlands and South Korea are stepping up cooperation in the field of semiconductor chips as part of a deepening “strategic partnership.” Mark Rutte spoke after a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during his two-day state visit. Their meeting came a day after Yoon visited the headquarters of semiconductor chip machine maker ASML in the Netherlands. As part of the visit, South Korean nuclear power company KHNP signed a contract to carry out a feasibility study (可行性研究) into the construction of two new nuclear power plants in a Dutch town. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 理想混蛋 第三張創作專輯【半熟理想 Sunny-side Up】 半熟的少年們 帶著半熟的理想出發 前往遠方的一路上 經歷失去 學會珍惜 12 首詞曲全創作 邀你一同聆聽 名為成長的疼痛與喜悅 理想混蛋【很遠的遠方】MV https://bit.ly/3RiWPo4

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 3-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,448 on turnover of $3.4-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex made marginal gains on Tuesday, but still managed to close at its highest level of the year so far - as investors await the outcome of this week's final 2023 meeting of America's central bank. Market watchers say the gains were driven mainly by small and mid-cap electronics companies and there's expectations that the main board could continue to climb in the coming days, depending on the results of the U-S Federal Reserve's policy making meeting. Taiwan and Japan Sign Customs Issues MOU Taiwan and Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding on customs cooperation. The agreement is aimed at promoting (玃秈) cooperation on customs issues between the customs offices of the port of Keelung and Yokohama. According to the head of the Keelung Customs Office, the agreement will facilitate customs cooperation between the two sides and streamline customs clearance processes. The the two sides also agreed in the M-O-U to cooperate in combating trafficking and smuggling, sharing intelligence, and taking on tariff issues. UN Votes to Demand Ceasefire in Gaza The U.N. General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to demand a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza in a strong demonstration of global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war. The vote in the 193-member world body was 153 in favor, 10 against and 23 abstentions. The support was higher than for an Oct. 27 resolution that called for a ¨humanitarian truce〃 leading to a cessation (氨ゎ) of hostilities. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding. But the assemblyˇs messages are important barometers of world opinion. Biden Urges Aid or Ukraine US President Joe Biden has urged Congress to approve billions of dollars for Ukraine, warning that not to do so would be a "Christmas gift" for Russia's leader. Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Tuesday, amid a funding fight which has seen Republicans refuse (┶荡) to support extra assistance for Kyiv. Nick Harper report from Washington. ELECTION PANEL PROMO As Taiwan prepares for its 2024 presidential elections, ICRT and TVBS World Taiwan present "Taiwan Goes to the Polls." Its an English language roundtable discussion featuring a group of academics and journalists, disussin the latest polling data, the campaigns, and possible outcomes. The event takes place at the International Conference Hall 202 at the National Taiwan Normal University Campus, at Taipei's Heping Campus from 7 to 9pm December 13. The event will also be live-streamed on T-V-B-S' New YouTube Channel and T-V-B-S World Taiwan YouTube Channel. Admission is free. Please check I-C-R-T's social media pages and its website for more information. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 11-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,429 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market closed higher on Monday, as investors were buoyed by Wall Street reaching a 20-month high at the end of last week ahead of the release of U-S inflation data and a final rate decision of the year by America's central bank. Chinese Aircraft Carrier Transits Taiwan Strait The Ministry of National Defense says China's "Shandong aircraft carrier has transited the Taiwan for first time in a month. According to the ministry, the carrier strike group conducted (進行) the southbound transit through the Strait on the Chinese side of the median line. Defense officials say the transit was closely monitored through joint intelligence and surveillance systems. The Shandong was last detected transiting through the Taiwan Strait on November 9, when it was traveling northbound after concluding drills in the South China Sea. Taoyuan International Airport E-Gates to be Upgraded The National Immigration Agency says electronic immigration gates at Taoyuan International Airport will be fully upgraded before the Lunar New Year holiday. According the agency, the upgraded e-gates will see improved recognition rates and speeds - which means faster biometric (生物識別) identification with a clearer graphical interface. The agency says the changes will speed up e-gate process. The National Immigration Agency began upgrading the e-gate systems at terminals 1 and 2 last month as part of efforts to phase out older versions. It says both of the airport's terminals will be fully equipped with fourth generation e-gate machines by 2025. COP28 Close to Reaching Final Deal Countries at United Nations-led climate talks in Dubai moved closer to reaching a final deal on Monday, but critics condemned (譴責) a draft agreement as a watered-down document that won't stop dangerous climate change. More than 100 countries have called to phase out planet-warming fossil fuels. Instead, the draft called for countries to reduce “consumption and production of fossil fuels, in a just, orderly and equitable manner.” The Bangladeshi envoy said a revised text would be presented this morning that takes into account the many comments on the draft. The talks are supposed to end Tuesday, but the annual conference often runs beyond its appointed end date. US Special Council Asks SCOTUS to Rule on Presidential Immunity Special counsel Jack Smith who is investigating former US president Donald Trump has asked the country's highest court to decide whether Trump has any immunity (免疫) from criminal prosecution for alleged crimes he committed while in office. AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports WHO Warning on Anthrax Outbreak in Africa The World Health Organization says five countries in East and southern Africa are in the middle of outbreaks of the anthrax disease with more than 1,100 suspected cases and 20 deaths this year. A total of 1,166 suspected cases have been reported in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Thirty-seven cases have been confirmed by laboratory tests. Anthrax usually affects livestock like cattle, sheep and goats as well as wild herbivores. Humans can be infected if they are exposed to the animals or contaminated (污染) animal products. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 來場說走就走的輕旅行吧！ 華航與台虎推出澳港套票，只要4,650元起，讓你輕鬆玩雙城！ 享受華麗的五星飯店，超多道地美食，散步世界文化遺產，要你歡樂加乘！ https://bit.ly/3ugfk3l

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 32-points this morning from Friday's close, at 17,416 on turnover of 4.2-billion N-T. The market rebounded on Friday to close up more 100-points, as investors were buoyed ahead of a U-S jobs report after Wall Street rose overnight to snap its first three-day losing streak since the end of October. Hou Proposes Starting with 'Low-Level, Stable Cross-Strait Exchanges K-M-T presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih says he believes exchanges between Taiwan and China should start in less sensitive areas before official interactions begin. Speaking at a campaign event in New Taipei's Zhonghe District, Hou said if elected he will first seek (要求, 設法) cross-strait interaction in a "low-level and stable" way. According to Hou, along with prioritizing efforts to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities, he will also propose that the two sides start with educational, religious, cultural and economic exchanges before launching an official mode of interaction. Chinese Rocket Passes over Taiwan The Ministry of National Defense says a carrier rocket launched by China has passed directly over Taiwan before entering orbit. According to defense officials, it's the first rocket to take that path following four other launchers earlier in the month. Defense officials say the Long March-2D carrier rocked blasted off Sunday morning from the Xi-Chang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province and its takeoff trajectory (軌道) saw it pass over southwestern Taiwan. The defense ministry says its intelligence systems closely tracked (追蹤) the launch. It was the fifth such rocket to be launched by China this month and the second one in as many days. However, none of the other rockets passed directly over Taiwan. Osprey Crash Remains Recovered Divers have recovered the remains of the seventh of the eight crew members from a U.S. military Osprey aircraft that crashed off southern Japan during a training mission. The Air Force CV-22 Osprey went down Nov. 29 just off Yakushima Island in southwestern Japan while on its way to Okinawa. The bodies of six of the crew had since been recovered, including five from the sunken wreckage (殘骸) of the aircraft. The U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command said in a statement Sunday that the body recovered by Air Force divers was one of the two crew still missing. The U.S. military has grounded all its Osprey helicopters after a preliminary investigation indicated something went wrong with the aircraft that was not a human error. US Trump Won't Testify Again at Fraud Trial From the US….. Donald Trump says he won't testify again at his fraud trial, where he's facing charges of inflating (誇大, 抬高) the value of his properties. It's a change of course for the former president who earlier had planned to appear in the New York court on Monday as the trial nears its conclusion Ira Spitzer reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 31-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,309 on turnover of $2.98-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex joined other regional markets and lost ground on Thursday, following a slump on Wall Street overnight after crude oil prices slipped on expectations that supply might outpace demand. CDC Says Over 6-million Doses of Seasonal Flu Vaccine Administered The Centers for Disease Control says more than 6-million doses of this year's publicly-funded flu vaccine have been administered. According to the C-D-C that total includes nearly half the island's population aged 65 and over. C-D-C Deputy Director General Philip Luo says since its rollout on October 2, 6.018-million doses of the flu vaccine have been administered, and 49.8-per cent of people aged 65 and above have been vaccinated, which is just shy of the government's goal of 55-per cent. As of Thursday, 561,000 doses of the flu vaccine purchased by the government remained unused and the C-D-C says it will consider purchasing additional doses of the vaccine based on demand. This year's flu vaccines were purchased from suppliers Adimmune, T-T-Y Biopharm and Medigen Vaccine Biologics as well as from France's Sanofi. Free flu vaccines are available at contracted clinics and hospitals islandwide. IFJ on Media Worker Deaths This Year The International Federation of Journalists says 2023 has been an unprecedented year for the number of media workers killed on the job. The organization that represents journalists worldwide says today that 94 media workers have been killed so far this year and almost 400 others are in jail. Deaths in Israel’s war with Hamas surpass those of any conflict in three decades. The group says that 68 journalists have been killed since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, averaging more than one a day. They account for 72% of all media deaths worldwide this year. The group says Ukraine also “remains a dangerous country for journalists” almost two years after Russian troops invaded. US Texas Grants Woman's Abortion Request A judge in Texas has granted an emergency request allowing a woman whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis to receive an abortion despite the state's near-total ban on the procedure. Texas is among the states that have enacted (實行) strict abortion laws since the Supreme Court ruled last year that abortion access would no longer be protected by the constitution. Ira Spitzer reports. Mexico Env Watchdogs Sound Alarm on Totoaba Startup Environmental watchdogs have accused a Mexico-based startup of violating international trade law that protects the endangered totoaba fish. A health company called The Blue Formula sells a powder containing collagen (膠原蛋白) taken from the fish online to countries including the U.S. and China. The powder is designed to be mixed into a health supplement drink. But on Thursday a coalition of environmental groups said exporting totoaba or its parts violates an international convention on trading endangered species. Totoaba fish bladders are worth their weight in gold as a delicacy in China. Advocates are also concerned the startup could be selling totoaba that has been illegally caught in the wild. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 理想混蛋 第三張創作專輯【半熟理想 Sunny-side Up】 半熟的少年們 帶著半熟的理想出發 前往遠方的一路上 經歷失去 學會珍惜 12 首詞曲全創作 邀你一同聆聽 名為成長的疼痛與喜悅 理想混蛋【很遠的遠方】MV https://bit.ly/3RiWPo4

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally down this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,356 on turnover of 1.6-billion N-T. The market retreated from an early rise to end the day slightly higher on Wednesday - as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing saw its gains eroded ( 削弱) ahead of the release of its November sales data. Investor sentiment also turned cautious ahead of the release of U-S nonfarm payroll data tomorrow, as many are waiting for more guidance on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. Environment Minister in Dubai for COP28 Environment Minister Xue Fu-sheng is in Dubai for the COP28 meeting. According to Ministry of Environment, Xue is leading a delegation of other government officials to the two-week United Nations's annual climate change conference. Taiwan hasn't been formally invited to attend the conference, but officials are attending peripheral (週邊) meetings and holding talks on the sidelines of the event. The environment minister says he's been highlighting Taiwan's plans to reach climate goals and showcasing the government's resolution to pursue efforts to limit the average global temperature rise during those meetings in Dubai. Pufferfish that Killed 1 and Hospitalized 8 Others was "Inedible" And, The Food and Drug Administration says a poisonous pufferfish that was served by a restaurant owner in Nantou County last month has been identified as an lunartail puffer. The meal left one person dead and resulted in eight other people being hospitalized. According to the F-D-A, samples of the fish were sent for testing immediately following the man's death and D-N-A samples identified it as a lunartail puffer - which is an inedible (不可食用的) variety of the fish. The F-D-A says the lunartail puffer can be easily confused with species in the same genus that are edible when properly prepared. The sale, processing and producing of food stuffs made with pufferfish are illegal under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. US Ukraine Funding Stalls in Senate US President Joe Biden's push to pass tens of billions of dollars in new aid for Ukraine has stalled in the Senate. Republican lawmakers blocked the funding - which also includes help for Israel - in a protest over a dispute (爭議) about border security policy. Kate Fisher reports from Washington France Charges for Man Who Killed Tourist Near Eiffel Tower Prosecutors say a man accused of fatally stabbing a tourist and injuring two other people over the weekend near the Eiffel Tower has been placed under investigation on charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist organization. The suspect went before an investigating magistrate Wednesday who ultimately decides preliminary charges. The stabbing over the weekend killed a German-Filipino tourist at a bridge near the tower. It has drawn special concern from French authorities less than a year before the 2024 Paris Olympics, whose opening ceremony is planned along the Seine river. The man had been under surveillance for suspected Islamic radicalization. Mexico Supreme Court Overturns Bullfighting Ban Mexico's Supreme Court has overturned (推翻) a 2022 ban on bullfighting in Mexico City, opening the way for events to resume, possibly as soon as this month. A panel of justices voted to overturn a May 2022 injunction that said bull fights violated city resident’s rights to a healthy environment free from violence. The panel did not explain their arguments for overturning the ban, but fight organizers claimed it violated their right to continue the tradition. The capital had a history of almost 500 years of bullfighting, but there had been no fights since the 2022 injunction. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,340 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday, to close below the 17,400 point mark as investors opted to move to the sell side following losses on Wall Street overnight and the bellwether electronics sector led the downturn. NSTC Lists Critical Technologies to Face Tougher Controls The National Science and Technology Council has unveiled a set of key technologies that it says will be subject to tougher controls to prevent (防止) technology leaks and boost industrial competitiveness. The 22 key technologies cover five industries. Those being defense, aerospace, agriculture, semiconductors and information and communications technology. According to the council, the term "key technologies" refers to tech that, if exported to China, Macau, Hong Kong or "external hostile forces," would significantly harm national security, industrial competitiveness, or economic development. MOFA Opens 4th Representative Office in Canada The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially opened a news representative office in Montreal. The office is Taiwan's fourth in Canada. The foreign ministry says it chose Montreal as the site for the office because it is the largest city in French-speaking Quebec, and is known as a technology hub, notably (尤其) in video game and artificial intelligence development. Foreign Minister Joseph Wu says the latest office in Canada showed Taiwan's determination to expand its relations with the North American country on all fronts. Taiwan's main representative office is in Ottawa, while other branches are located in Toronto and Vancouver. UN: Adrift Rohingya in Danger The United Nations refugee agency says as many as 400 Rohingya Muslims could be adrift (漂流) in the Andaman Sea without adequate supplies. It's warning they could die if more is not done to rescue them. Patrick Fok reports. Peru Fujimori Allowed Humanitarian Release Peru’s constitutional court has ordered an immediate humanitarian release for imprisoned former President Alberto Fujimori. The 85-year-old former leader has been serving a 25-year sentence in connection with the death squad slayings of 25 Peruvians in the 1990s. The court ruled in favor of a 2017 pardon that had granted the former leader a release on humanitarian grounds but that later was annulled (被廢除). Fujimori was sentenced in 2009 to 25 years in prison on charges of human rights abuses. Venezuela Maduro Orders Immediate Exploration of Essequibo Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is ordering the country’s state-owned companies to “immediately” begin to explore and exploit the oil, gas and mines in Guyana’s Essequibo region. Maduro’s announcement comes a day after Venezuela's electoral authorities announced that the five questions with which the government wanted to claim sovereignty over Essequibo were approved in Sunday’s referendum. Guyana has denounced the referendum as pretext (藉口) to annex the land. The International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ top court, has ordered Venezuela not to take any action to change the status quo until the panel can rule on the two countries’ competing claims, which could take years. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 新鮮事、新奇事、新故事《一銀陪你聊“新”事》 第一銀行打造公股銀行首創ESG Podcast頻道上線啦 由知名主持人阿Ken與多位名人來賓進行對談 邀請您一起落實永續發展 讓永續未來不再只是想像 各大收聽平台搜尋：ㄧ銀陪你聊新事 https://bit.ly/411QCjw

Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 19-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,401 on turnover of 2.4-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Monday as the bellwether electronics sector lost ground on the back of growing concerns the U-S will tighten controls on chip sales to China. Despite the slump in investor interest in the bellwether electronics sector, the transportation sector, in particular bulk cargo shippers, trended higher, due to increasing freight rates, which lent some support to the broader market. ---- AIT Head Stresses Need to Combat Election Disinformation American Institute in Taiwan Director Sandra Oudkirk is stressing that Washington and Taipei are "on the frontlines" as they seek to tackle the spread of disinformation. Speaking at the National Taiwan University, where she delivered her End-of-Year policy address, Oudkirk said both sides are working closely to combat online information manipulation, as such threats are especially worrisome in the context of democratic elections. Oudkirk also said Washington and Taipei and other democratic partners recently participated in the Global Declaration on International Information Integrity Online and that declaration has now been joined by more than 30 countries. The declaration was launched by Canada and Netherlands in September. ---- Academia Sinica scholar Awarded Germany's Humboldt Research Award A distinguished research fellow at Academia Sinica has been awarded the 2023 Humboldt Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany. Wang Fan-sen, of the Institute of History and Philology, received the award in recognition of his achievements and impact on historical scholarship. Along with being a research fellow at Academia Sinica, Wang also currently serves as chair professor at the National Cheng Kung University, National Chengchi University, the National Taiwan Normal University and the National Sun Yat-sen University. The Humboldt prize is for internationally renowned scientists and scholars who work outside of Germany in recognition of their lifetime's research achievements. ---- Putin Plans to Visit the UAE and Saudi Arabia Russian media outlets are reporting that President Vladimir Putin plans to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia this week. Russian state news agencies say that Putin will travel to the two countries for a working visit, during which he will meet the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. The U-A-E is currently hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference. However, it's unclear whether Putin will attend the conference. Putin currently risks arrest if he leaves Russia after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in March for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. ---- UN Concerned about Rohingya Muslims aboard Two Boats The United Nations refugee agency is raising the alarm for an estimated 400 Rohingya Muslims believed to be aboard two boats reported to be out of supplies and adrift in the Andaman Sea. The agency is worried that all those aboard could die without efforts to rescue them. The captain of one of the boats says he had 180 to 190 people on board and that the engine was damaged. There is a seasonal exodus of Rohingyas, usually coming from overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. About 740,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh since 2017 after a brutal counterinsurgency campaign. ---- CBC to Cut 600 Jobs And Canada's public broadcaster says it will cut 600 jobs and reduce its English and French programming budgets. The move comes as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is struggling with monetary pressures. The bulk of the layoffs will come from corporate divisions such as technology and infrastructure. The broadcaster says it has also identified 200 vacancies that will go unfilled as it contends with 125-million Canadian dollars in budget pressures. Along with the job cuts, C-B-C will be reducing its English and French programming budgets, resulting in fewer renewals and acquisitions, fewer new television series and less episodes of existing shows.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,451 on turnover of $2.8-billion N-T. The market closed little changed last Friday after recovering from earlier losses, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing recovered from its previous weakness. However, the electronics sector remained muted, as investors took their cue from the downturn suffered by tech stocks on Wall Street overnight, while buying rotated to select old economy industries, providing support to the broader market. Value of Taiwan's Top 25 Brands up 5% The Ministry of Economic Affairs says the combined brand value of Taiwan's 25 most valuable brands has risen by 5-per cent so far this year. According to the ministry's 2023 Best Taiwan Global Brands survey, the aggregate (總計的) brand value of Taiwan's 25 largest brands totaled 13.84-billion U-S in 2023. That marks the fourth consecutive year of the total value surpassing the 10-billion U-S dollar mark. The ministry says despite the global economy facing headwinds, which has impacted demand, the brands remained resilient. Asustek Computer remains in the No. 1 spot. Trend Micro took second place with its brand value rising 5-per cent from a year earlier. While MediaTek was third, after seeing its its brand value rising 33-per cent from a year earlier. US warships, commercial ships under attack The Pentagon says one of its warships as well as multiple (多個) commercial ships came under attack in the Red Sea. Sally Patterson reports. ICC Vows to Intensify Investigations into IsraelHamas War The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says his office will “further intensify its efforts to advance its investigations” of possible crimes by Hamas and Israeli forces. His statement Sunday came after he visited the region for the first time since his appointment. There have been widespread claims of breaches of international law by Hamas and Israeli forces since the deadly Oct. 7 attacks by Palestinian militants set off the bloody Israel-Hamas war. The Hague-based court has been investigating crimes in the Palestinian territories committed by both sides since 2021 but has yet to announce (宣告) any charges. Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognize its jurisdiction. Indonesia Mt Marapi Eruption Indonesia’s Mount Marapi has erupted and is spewing (噴出) white-and-gray ash plumes more than 3-thousand meters into the air. No casualties have been reported. Two routes for climbers were closed after the eruption Sunday and about 1,400 people living on the mountain's slopes were advised to stay away from the crater’s mouth because of potential (可能的) lava. About 70 climbers started up the mountain Saturday and became stranded. So far, 49 have been evacuated with the rest still awaiting rescue. Several villages were blanketed with falling ash that blocked sunlight, and authorities distributed masks and urged residents to wear glasses to protect them from volcanic ash. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,422 on turnover of $2.06 -billion N-T. The market continued its winning streak on Thursday, joining other regional indexes to close the trading day higher ahead of the release of U-S consumer inflation data. Cabinet Approves Fire Safety Reform Amendments The Cabinet has approved a series of draft amendments to the Fire Services Act aimed at improving fire safety in the workplace The draft amendments were proposed by the Ministry of the Interior and will now be sent to the Legislative Yuan for review. The draft bill adds a provision that imposes a maximum prison sentence of up to seven years on company officials whose failure to formulate and implement a fire safety management plan is deemed responsible for fire-related deaths. The also states that the storing excessive dangerous materials in the workplace in contravention (違反) of related rules resulting in fire-related deaths will result in the same penalty. In the event of serious injuries resulting from a workplace fire, company officials will be liable to a prison term of up to five years. Failure to comply with those regulations is punishable with a maximum fine of between 3 and 10-million N-T. 8 Israeli Hostages Freed from Gaza The Israeli military says a total of eight Israeli hostages have been released from captivity in the Gaza Strip on Thursday. The army said the Red Cross transferred six hostages to Egypt, and they were being brought to Israel to be reunited with their families. Two additional hostages were turned over earlier in the day. It marked the seventh straight night of hostage releases under a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Israel was to free 30 Palestinian prisoners later in the evening under the deal. The cease-fire is set to expire early Friday, though international mediators (調解者) are working to extend it. Roughly 140 hostages are believed to remain in Hamas captivity. US Blinken Warning on Gaza Violence Spreading US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned efforts must be made to prevent violence in Gaza from enveloping (籠罩) the region. The US' top diplomat met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday. Sally Patterson has more. Giant Pandas Leaving Edinburgh Zoo Visitors to the Edinburgh Zoo had their final chance to see and bid farewell to a pair of popular giant pandas who are returning home to China after more than a decade in Scotland. Yang Guang and Tian Tian are leaving in early December. They have been a popular attraction since people lined the road outside the zoo to greet them when they arrived in 2011. The pair, which are the only pandas in the U.K., are the latest to leave the West after exchange agreements have expired ((期限）終止) and not been renewed by China. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 轉骨有成，日股長線續航仍強 日股專家－市佔No.1的日本野村資產管理 在地團隊發揮加乘效果 價值投資挖掘潛力企業 由下而上主動挑選優質個股 帶領您重新發現日股投資魅力 了解更多：https://bit.ly/45OUq8p

轉骨有成，日股長線續航仍強 日股專家－市佔No.1的日本野村資產管理 在地團隊發揮加乘效果 價值投資挖掘潛力企業 由下而上主動挑選優質個股 帶領您重新發現日股投資魅力 了解更多：https://bit.ly/45OUq8p －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Taiwan's EU Envoy Appointed Top US Representative MOA Head Stresses Government Monitoring Bird Flu Blinken Heading Back to Middle East Canada Reaches Deal with Google on News Industry Payments Elton John Address Britain's Parliament

廖文強2023全新EP《成為誰的家》 影集式MV特邀「沒有營養的生活智慧王」主演 落難到地球的火星人，該怎麼找到回家的路？ 讓音樂與影像帶你擁抱自己的獨特， 接納溫暖的陪伴、找到自己的歸屬。 影集式 MV 現正連載中： https://bit.ly/3slIr4N -- 來場說走就走的輕旅行吧！ 華航與台虎推出澳港套票，只要4,650元起，讓你輕鬆玩雙城！ 享受華麗的五星飯店，超多道地美食，散步世界文化遺產，要你歡樂加乘！ https://bit.ly/3ugfk3l －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Hsiao Bi-khim's Resignation Approved Weekly Dengue Fever Cases Drop to Below 1,000 CIA Director in Qatar for Hostage Release Talks Rescuers Free 41 Trapped Workers in India Finland to Close Russian Border Amid Migrant Surge

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,150 on turnover of 1.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday, falling below the 17,200-point mark, as investors opted to dump artificial intelligence development-related stocks amid continuing concern over the U-S ban on chip sales to China. The semiconductor sector also trended (轉向) lower on the back of news that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing could cut the price of some of its more advanced chips next year. 10 Indicted on Charges of Spying for China The High Prosecutors Office has indicted 10 people, including several active duty military personnel, for allegedly spying for China. Five of them are also facing more serious charges and remain in custody. Prosecutors says the indictments follow an investigation into a former Army major, who is believed to have been recruited (被招募) by China in 2021 to carry out espionage activities in Taiwan. According to the High Prosecutors Office, the former officer then recruited a businessman to help in persuading both serving and retired military personnel to collect military intelligence for China. The other suspects include a serving Army lieutenant-colonel and three active-duty soldiers, who stole classified military information. EVA Air Expects Airfares to Remain High into 2024 H1 EVA Airways is warning that airfares are expected to remain high until at least the end of the first half of next year due to strong demand for air travel. According to the carrier, it is seeing strong demand for passenger flight services from late January to mid-February and over 90-per cent of seats on Japan-bound flights are already booked. Speaking at an investor conference, EVA said the company's long-haul flights have maintained 90-percent passenger loads (載客率) since the beginning of the year - and the carrier firmly believes "the future is promising." Israel Hamas Agree to Extend Ceasefire Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday. The announcement made by a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry came on the final day of the original four-day truce (休戰) between the warring sides. As part of a fourth swap under the original deal, Hamas released 11 Israelis on Monday night. Then Israel released 33 Palestinians. Monday’s releases bring to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel. US Biden to Invoke ColdWarEra Law to Lower Prices US President Joe Biden has announced plans to use a Cold War-era law to try and ease (緩解) supply chain issues and counter inflation. Ira Spitzer reports. Sumatra Rhino Calf Born in Indonesia A Sumatran rhino has given birth to a male calf in Indonesia, a welcome addition to a critically endangered species that numbers fewer than 50 animals. The mother gave birth Saturday at a national park sanctuary on Sumatra, where the entire species now lives. Their tropical forest habitat is disappearing and poachers kill the animals for their horns, which are used for ornaments (裝飾品) and in traditional medicine. The unnamed calf is healthy and able to walk and eat. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 節目資訊欄： 【東南旅遊 X 昆士蘭】 想要享受夏日陽光嗎？出發你的假期吧！ 《小資澳遊》7日，51,800元起 《酒國英雄》7日，56,800元起 即刻訂購>>https://bit.ly/49AXRmg

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,291 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market closed little changed on Friday on low turnover, due largely to the absence (不在場的, 缺席) of foreign institutional investors because of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. CDC on Alert for Mycoplasma Pneumonia Risk The Centers for Disease Control has issued a health warning - instructing medical professionals to be on alert to the risk of mycoplasma pneumonia spreading to Taiwan. The warning comes amid a surge in respiratory infections such as influenza and clusters (群集) of pneumonia among children in northern China. C-D-C Deputy Director-General Philip Luo says China began reporting mycoplasma pneumonia outbreaks in May, but an epidemic usually reaches its peak in 2 to 3 months, and there could be multiple known pathogens circulating there. Doctors are being asked to closely monitor cases of respiratory illness to prevent cluster infections at hospitals here in Taiwan. TRA to Add 116 train services for New Year's Day holiday And, The Taiwan Railways Administration says it will be providing 116 additional train journeys to meet the expected spike in demand during the New Year's Day holiday from December 29 through January 2. Passengers will be able to book tickets for the weekend holiday from December 1. According to the T-R-A, the extra train services will include 23 EMU-3000 and Puyuma limited express train journeys, and 12 EMU 900 local express train services along the east and west coasts. Four extra Tze-Chiang express trains will also be added to the east coast line. The highest daily number of passengers during the holiday is expected to exceed (超過) 80,000. Israeli Ship Seized and Let Go Attackers have seized and later let go a tanker linked to Israel off the coast of Yemen. The attackers seized the Liberian-flagged Central Park in the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s internationally recognized government blamed (指責) the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, which followed at least two other recent maritime attacks linked to the Israel-Hamas war. Early Monday morning, Zodiac said the vessel carrying phosphoric acid and its crew of 22 sailors from multiple nations were “unharmed.” The Pentagon said that the vessel was “currently safe” without elaborating on what happened to the attackers. The Houthis did not acknowledge the attack. Netanyahu Earlier… Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has visited troops (軍隊) inside the Gaza strip. Mimmi Montgomery reports. Booker Prize Won by Irish Writer Irish writer Paul Lynch has won the Booker Prize for fiction with his dystopian novel “Prophet Song.” The judges said it was a “soul-shattering” novel about a woman’s struggle to protect her family as Ireland collapses into totalitarianism (極權主義) and war. Lynch was awarded the $63-thousand US dollar literary prize at a ceremony in London on Sunday. He beat five other writers from Ireland, the U.K., the U.S. and Canada. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 10-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,305 on turnover of $1.3-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday, after Nvidia fell even after reporting blowout profits on Wall Street overnight. CWA Study Finds Taiwan's Temperature Rising Faster than World Average The Central Weather Administration says Taiwan's average temperature is rising higher than the global average. According to the administration, Taiwan's average temperature rose 0.29-degrees in each of the three 10-year periods from the beginning of the 90s until 2020. And that's higher than the global average increase of 0.21-degrees. Data from 13 of the weather administration's low-elevation weather observation stations shows that from 1898 to 2020, Taiwan's temperature rose by an average of 0.11-degrees per decade, significantly lower than the 0.29-degrees per decade between 1991 and 2020. Meanwhile, the weather administration says although data shows there has been no significant change in overall annual precipitation over the same period, the intensity of extreme rain has increased. Russia Deepens Ties with Mali Russia is deepening bilateral and economic ties with Mali as Western influence in the West African nation declines. Mali has signed a deal with Russia to build a gold refinery (精煉廠) in the capital Bamako to improve the nation's economy. Correspondent, Nabil Ahmed Rufai reports. WHO Requests Info From China on Pneumonia in Children The World Health Organization says it has made an official request to China for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children. On Thursday, the U.N. health agency said Chinese officials told them they did not detect any “unusual or novel (新的)” diseases. The emergence of new new flu strains or other viruses capable of triggering pandemics, typically starts with undiagnosed clusters of respiratory illness. Both SARS and COVID-19 were reported as unusual types of pneumonia. Outside scientists said the situation warranted close monitoring, but were not convinced that the recent spike in respiratory illnesses in China signaled the start of a new global outbreak. Britain Crane Operator Rescues Man from Burning Building A crane operator has played down tributes paid to him after he lifted a man to safety from a burning high-rise building in England. Video from the scene in the town of Reading in southern England showed a man being rescued by a crane cage from the roof of a building under construction as thick plumes of dark smoke and flames billowed around him. The man was lifted in the air and then lowered to the ground. A 65-year-old crane operator Glen Edwards described the situation as a “close call” (千鈞一髮) because of windy conditions. Officials said that more than 50 firefighters arrived at the scene to tackle the blaze and another man was also lifted from the building by crane. The fire was extinguished later Thursday. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 廖文強2023全新EP《成為誰的家》 影集式MV特邀「沒有營養的生活智慧王」主演 落難到地球的火星人，該怎麼找到回家的路？ 讓音樂與影像帶你擁抱自己的獨特， 接納溫暖的陪伴、找到自己的歸屬。 影集式 MV 現正連載中： https://bit.ly/3slIr4N

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 18-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,291 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Wednesday, as investors shunned artificial intelligence-related stocks after a warning from chip designer Nvidia on the possible impact of the U-S government's ban on chip sales to China. Selling was seen in A-I-related and semiconductor stocks, but I-C designers were boosted by rotational buying. Former-Taipei Deputy Mayor Tops TPP Legislator-at-Large List The Taiwan People's Party has released its legislator-at-large nominees for January's elections. Former Taipei Deputy Mayor Huang Shan-shan tops the 34-person list. According to T-P-P presidential nominee Ko Wen-je, Huang proved to be "an efficient worker" when she served as his deputy during his tenure (任期) as mayor of Taipei. Ko is praising the party's no. 2 pick, former New Power Party lawmaker Huang Kuo-chang for his work uncovering corruption while in office. Huang resigned from the N-P-P last week to be eligible to be included in the T-P-P's party list. Kaohsiung New Year's Eve Party to Feature Four-Minute Firework Show The Kaohsiung City Government has announced that its New Year's Eve celebration party this year will feature a four minute fireworks show - making its one of the city's biggest ever displays. The New Year's Eve party will be taking place at Dream Mall beginning at 6:30PM on December 31. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai says the show will be 60 seconds longer than last year and more than 7,000 fireworks will be set off. According to Chen, it will also be the first time the city will have combined its Christmas and New Year celebrations. Christmas decorations, including a 20-meter Christmas tree and an over 5-meter tall reindeer (馴鹿) will be put up in Central Park. Israel Hamas Prisoner Swap Delayed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s national security adviser says a planned hostage-for-prisoner swap with Hamas has been delayed until at least Friday. In a statement released late Wednesday, Tzachi Hanegbi said that contacts on the deal were continuing. The swap is to take place as part of a four-day truce (休戰) that had been expected to begin today but was delayed to Friday. Hanegbi gave no explanation for the delay, and it was not immediately clear when the cease-fire might begin. SEVERAL US SOLDIERS INJURED AFTER MISSILE ATTACK ON IRAQ AIRBASE The Pentagon has confirmed that a US Airbase in Iraq has been hit by a ballistic missile attack. It comes as American bases in the Middle East report an increase in attacks on soldiers stationed in the region. Trent Murray reports. Peru Loses More than Half of Glacier Surfacr Peruvian scientists say Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last six decades due to climate change. According to a new glacier inventory released Wednesday by a government agency, 175 glaciers became extinct between 2016 and 2020. In total, scientists say, the South American country has 1,050 square kilometers of glacial coverage (覆蓋範圍) left. That is about 44% of what was recorded in 1962, when the first glacier inventory was done. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 91-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,325 on turnover of 4.1 -billion N-T. The market trended sharply higher on Tuesday to close above the 17,400-point mark on the back of ample liquidity and a strong New Taiwan dollar - which prompted foreign investors to move funds into Taiwan. The bellwether electronics sector led the upturn, as artificial intelligence development-related stock garnered investor interest due to expectations that Nvidia will give positive leads in its investor conference. Legislature Passes Restraining Orders to Tackle Intimate Image Abuse Lawmakers have passed a bill allowing courts to issue restraining orders to prevent the dissemination (散佈，傳播) of explicit images. The provisions are aimed at both the abuser and online service providers. The bill is an amendment of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act. It will allow courts to issue civil protection orders prohibiting the remaking, dissemination, broadcast, delivery, or publication of intimate images of the protected individual. Perpetrators will be required to return any images to victims and law enforcement authorities will be allowed to order them to delete the content if necessary. MOFA Slams Racists Comments about Indian Migrant Workers The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is slamming racist (種族主義的) comments that have been appearing on social media sites over the past week concerning Indian migrant workers. According to the ministry's Department of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, the government strongly opposes any form of discrimination or bias against specific groups, as Taiwan is a multiethnic country that respects human rights. Officials are calling on the public to refrain from posting or reposting any derogatory comments on social media targeting Indians and the Indian community. The statements comes after it was confirmed that talks are underway way to allow the employment of migrant Indian workers in Taiwan. SKorea Suspends Military Agreement with North South Korea is suspending a military agreement with North Korea in retaliation to Pyongyang firing a rocket on Tuesday. North Korea says it successfully launched a satellite into orbit (軌道, 繞軌道運行). South Korea, the US, and Japan are working to verify the claim. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo Congo UN Agree to End Peacekeepers Mission Congo’s foreign minister and the head of the U.N. stabilization mission in Congo have signed agreements to end the presence of U.N. peacekeepers after more than two decades. Congo's president in September called for them to leave a year earlier than planned. While no date was publicly given for the U.N. withdrawal to begin, observers say it's unlikely to start before Congo's Dec. 20 presidential election. Eastern Congo has long been overrun by dozens of armed groups seeking a share of the region’s gold and other resources. Frustrated Congolese say that no one is protecting them from rebel (反叛) attacks. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 轉骨有成，日股長線續航仍強 日股專家－市佔No.1的日本野村資產管理 在地團隊發揮加乘效果 價值投資挖掘潛力企業 由下而上主動挑選優質個股 帶領您重新發現日股投資魅力 了解更多：https://bit.ly/45OUq8p

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,239 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market's recent gains were halted on Monday, as the main board ended unchanged amid high technical resistance. Large cap tech stocks trended lower throughout the trading day preventing the broader market from moving higher, while the tourism sector also came under heavy pressure. Gou Campaign Says 'Anything Possible' After Ko Meeting A spokesman for Terry Gou's presidential campaign office says "anything - including a potential joint ticket - is possible" following a meeting with Taiwan People's Party presidential nominee, Ko Wen-je. Spokesman Huang Shih-hsiu said K-M-T Chairman Eric Chu's dealings with Ko mirrored the "promise-breaking and breach (違反) of trust" he had engaged in … when Gou unsuccessfully sought the party's presidential nomination in May. Huang says given those actions, "the K-M-T may be on its own" in the election. However, Gou's campaign office spokesman has refused to give any concrete details of the meeting with Ko. Over 100 German Students Apply for 30 TSMC Training Slots The Dresden University of Technology says more than 100 German students have applied for 30 spots on a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing-backed training program. The university said a total of 124 students from universities in the state of Saxony in eastern Germany applied for the training program… Students will depart (出發) for Taiwan in February and begin their study in a Taiwanese university to learn basic semiconductor theories in March. They will then spend time at T-S-M-C's training center for newcomers and work in the chipmaker's factory for two months from June. The training program was announced shortly after T-S-M-C made public its plans to set up a 12-inch wafer fab in Dresden. Australia PM reveals "dangerous encounter" between Chinese, Australian warships Australia's prime minister has criticized China for what he calls a “dangerous” encounter between Chinese and Australian warships but declined to say whether he raised the issue with President Xi Jinping. He said one diver was injured when a Chinese destroyer used sonar (聲波定位儀) while near an Australian frigate in international waters last Tuesday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke with Xi last week on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in San Francisco. Albanese says his discussions with Xi were private rather than a formal bilateral meeting. China’s Defense Ministry dismisses Australia’s allegations as “completely untrue.” Citigroup continues layoff plan Citigroup has begun a major overhaul of its management structure with sweeping layoffs expected. It's part of a broader reorganization and seen as the American bank's biggest reshuffle (改組、重新安排) in nearly 20 years. William Denselow reports from New York. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 轉骨有成，日股長線續航仍強 日股專家－市佔No.1的日本野村資產管理 在地團隊發揮加乘效果 價值投資挖掘潛力企業 由下而上主動挑選優質個股 帶領您重新發現日股投資魅力 了解更多：https://bit.ly/45OUq8p

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 11-points this morning from Friday's close, at 17,197 on turnover of 4.2-billion N-T. The market moved higher for a fifth consecutive session on Friday to reach the highest level since August 1. The bellwether electronics sector led the broader market higher, but the gains were capped on the back of a lackluster performance on Wall Street on Thursday. Lai Set to Pick Hsiao Bi-khim as VP Candidate In news from and about Taiwan this morning, D-P-P presidential candidate Lai Ching-te is set to announce that Taiwan's top envoy to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim as his running mate in January's election. According to his campaign office, an official announcement will be made today after Hsiao arrives back in Taiwan. Lai's campaign office says Hsiao will then join Lai in registering (登記) her candidacy at the Central Election Commission tomorrow. Candidates for the presidential election must officially register their candidacies from today through Friday. Medical Unions Rally over Medical Student Numbers Members of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance have been rallying in Taipei, calling for a cap on the number of students being enrolled onto medical programs to avoid future excess of human power. According to the foundation, the Ministry of Health needs to limit the number of medical practitioners (行醫者 ) and not lower the threshold for passing the national nursing examination. The rally was also attended by members of the Taiwan Nursing and Medical Industries Union and Taipei Doctors Union. They issued a joint statement, saying the government needs to changes its focus from staffing issues to tackling an uneven distribution of staff, bad work conditions, and poor working environments. Russian Drones Target Ukrainian City Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian capital Sunday. Russia launched 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, 15 of which were shot down by Ukrainian forces, according to Kyiv's Military Administration spokesperson. He said the strike on the city was the second in 48 hours, and preliminary reports indicated no casualties or critical damage. Meanwhile…. An orphaned Ukrainian teenager who was taken to Russia last year during the war in his country returned home on his 18th birthday. The head of the Ukrainian president’s office confirmed that Bohdan Yermokhin arrived back in Ukraine on Sunday and thanked UNICEF and Qatari negotiators for facilitating the young man's return. Yermokhin’s parents died two years ago. According to a Ukrainian lawyer, he lived with a cousin who was his legal guardian (法定監護人) before he was taken from the port city of Mariupol and placed with a foster family near Moscow. The lawyer had stressed that Yermokhin needed to leave Russia before he turned 18 and became eligible for conscription into the army. US ExFirstLady Rosalynn Carter Dies Age 96 Former First Lady of the United States Rosalynn Carter has died aged 96. A close adviser to her husband Jimmy Carter during his term as US president, Rosalynn advocated for better treatment of the mentally ill. She died on Sunday at her home in the state of Georgia after living with dementia (失智症). Sally Patterson has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 15-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,156 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. The market continued its winning ways on Thursday, but buying was weaker and the gains were muted compared with earlier this week. Investors were closely watching the outcome (結果) of the meeting between U-S President Joe Biden and China's leader Xi Jin-ping for guidance throughout much of the day's session. Cabinet Approves NT$1.34 billion for Infrastructure Data Encryption The Cabinet has approved a proposal to spend 1.34-billion N-T for the cryptographic splitting of cloud-stored data from 18 key infrastructure management systems. According to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, establishing a cryptographic splitting mechanism (機制) will ensure key infrastructure management systems can continue functioning during disasters. The ministry says cryptographic splitting of data is part of a multiyear plan to transfer data to cloud-based storage. The first stage of the program is to transfer data from 29 infrastructure systems to a public cloud between 2021 and 2025, while the second stage will see the establishment of a cryptographic splitting mechanism between 2024 to 2027. The Ministry of Digital Affairs says data covered by the proposal includes the National Health Insurance management system, the vehicle management system, and the entry and exit management system. Israel Claims Tunnels Found Under Gaza Hospital Israel says it has found a tunnel shaft (隧道) and weapons in the Al-Shifa hospital, as its forces continue to search Gaza's main hospital. Sarah Coates reports from Tel Aviv. Syria Amnesty for Criminals Syrian President Bashar Assad's office and state media are reporting that Assad has issued a decree granting amnesty and reducing sentences for several categories of crime committed prior to Thursday. No reason was given for the amnesty but it came on the anniversary of the 1970 coup that brought Assad's father and predecessor (前任者) to power. Assad has issued similar amnesties since the country’s deadly conflict that has killed half a million people began in March 2011. The decree granted a complete pardon for misdemeanor convictions and people serving prison sentences who have reached the age of 70, or those who have incurable diseases. Reparation Fund for Slavery to be Established Delegates at a reparations summit in Ghana have agreed to establish a Global Reparation Fund to push for overdue compensation for millions of Africans enslaved centuries ago during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The agreement announced Thursday adds to the growing demands for reparations after about 12 million Africans were forcefully taken by European nations from the 16th to the 19th century and enslaved (被奴役的). Delegates to the conference in Accra did not say how such a reparation fund would operate. A report by a special U.N. forum said people of African descent continue to be victims of systemic discrimination and it supported reparations as “a cornerstone of justice in the 21st century.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,136 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market moved higher again on Wednesday, as reduced investor concerns about further interest rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve triggered strong buying across the board. Lai Talks Higher Wage Requirements for Future Listed Companies D-P-P presidential candidate Lai Ching-te says if elected he will make it a requirement that companies seeking to go public have to provide salaries higher than the government's minimum wage. Speaking at a youth forum in Taipei, Lai said companies wishing to be listed on Taiwan's securities market and raise funds publicly ought to offer their employees more competitive wages. Lai says he will also make the minimum wage prerequisite (必須的) - meaning minimum monthly wages in future listed companies should be set at no less than 30,000 N-T. Coldplay Concerts Make NT$550million for Kaohsiung And, Government officials in Kaohsiung say this past weekend's Coldplay concerts generated about 550-million N-T in revenue (收入) for the city. The band performed at the Kaohsiung National Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. According to city officials, the stadium and neighboring areas were visited by more than 170,000 people over the two days, which boosted sales at night markets by at least 30-per cent. The influx of people also lifted the downtown hotel occupancy rate to 90-per cent. Data released by the Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau shows 70-per cent of those who came to see Coldplay were from other cities, counties, and overseas. XiBiden Meeting The leaders of the United States and China have concluded their meeting in San Francisco this morning. US President Joe Biden spoke to the press after what he called a "most constructive and productive" meeting, and highlighted several key issues he discussed with Xi Jin-ping. Biden says they have agreed to resume (恢復) high-level military communications, indicating that a lack of communication is how "misunderstandings" and "accidents" happen. Biden also says the two sides discussed several world issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. Biden says he gave the Chinese president names of hostages in Gaza whom he hoped would be released, but no firm agreement was reached on that issue. And Biden also stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, telling Xi that he does not wish to change the status quo of US-Taiwan relations. UN Security Council Passes Gaza Resolution The United Nations Security Council has called for 'urgent and extended (長期的) humanitarian pauses' in fighting between Israel and Hamas. Sally Patterson has more. Pakistan IMF Reach Preliminary Agreement on Bailout Officials say Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund have reached a preliminary agreement on releasing $700 million from a $3 billion bailout fund approved in July. The standby credit set up by the IMF is meant to save cash-strapped Pakistan from default. In a statement, the IMF says the two sides reached the staff-level agreement following talks in Islamabad. The deal still must be approval by the IMF's management and its executive board, though such approvals are generally a formality (例行公事). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 轉骨有成，日股長線續航仍強 日股專家－市佔No.1的日本野村資產管理 在地團隊發揮加乘效果 價值投資挖掘潛力企業 由下而上主動挑選優質個股 帶領您重新發現日股投資魅力 了解更多：https://bit.ly/45OUq8p

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 123-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,039 on turnover of 7-billion N-T. The market continued to gain ground on Tuesday, as the bellwether electronics sector led the main board higher, but investors were reluctant to chase prices - which stopped the index from breaching (衝破，突破) high technical hurdles ahead of the 17,000-point mark. KMT and TPP to Hold Another Round of 'Party-to-Party' Talk Representatives from the K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party are holding a new round of 'party-to-party' talks, as they seek to finalize a joint ticket for January's presidential election. The meeting is taking place at the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation in Taipei. The attendees will include K-M-T presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih, T-P-P chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je and K-M-T Chairman Eric Chu. Former President Ma Ying-jeou has also been invited to participate (參加) as a witness. The T-P-P says it will holiding a press conference after the talks. NCC Investigating Drug Smuggling Use of Chinese Sat Nav The National Communication Commission says it's launched an investigation into allegations that a Taiwan fishing boat used by drug smugglers was employing a Chinese navigation satellite system to avoid detection. According to thee N-C-C, vessels usually use equipment with a legal Automatic Identification System to navigate, but the vessel under investigation used a restricted Chinese system to avoid being monitored. The statement comes after the Kaohsiung District Court recently convicted crew members of the Taiwanese fishing boat on charges of drug smuggling - and heard as evidence that the boat was using a Chinese "Bei-Dou Navigation Satellite System" to evade (逃避) law enforcement. EU won't deliver promised ammunition to Ukraine in time The European Union is likely to miss its target to provide Ukraine with 1 million rounds of ammunition (彈藥) by March. At a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels, the bloc's top diplomat said production would need to be ramped up fo the target to be hit. Jennifer King reports. Iceland Evacuates Town Amid Volcano Warning Residents of a fishing town in southwestern Iceland have left their homes after increasing concern about a potential volcanic eruption caused civil defense authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region. Iceland's Meteorological Office says police decided to evacuate Grindavik after recent seismic activity in the area moved south toward the town. Monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma (岩漿) now extends under the community. The town is about 50 kilometers southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. Authorities also raised an aviation alert to orange, indicating an increased risk of an eruption. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 45-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,884 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market closed sharply higher on Monday, as the bellwether electronics sector was the focus of investor interest following gains by tech stocks on Wall Street at the end of last week. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing drove the tech sector's upturn, boosted by optimism over its strong sales report for October However, investors showed an unwillingness to chase prices as the main board closed in on the 17,000 point mark, which resulted in the Tai-Ex trading within a narrow range towards the end of the session. John Deng Points to APEC Focus on CPTPP Bid Taiwan's top trade negotiator John Deng says the main aim of bilateral talks at this week's APEC forum is to build up support for Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Deng is attending the APEC forum in San Francisco and participating in the APEC Economic Leaders' Week meetings. According to the trade negotiator, the forum is expected to serve as an important opportunity for Taiwan's delegates to meet with representatives from trade bloc member countries. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing founder Morris Chang is serving as President Tsai Ing-wen's envoy to the APEC summit and is scheduled to arrive in San Francisco tomorrow. CGA Denies US and Chinese Ships Entered Taiping Island Waters The Coast Guard Administration is denying reports that U-S and Chinese ships entered Taiwan's territorial waters around Taiping Island in the South China Sea earlier this month. The denial comes after K-M-T lawmaker Chen I-hsin accused the administration of attempting to cover-up the intrusions, which he said occurred on November 3. The administration has confirmed that a Chinese warship and an American warship were near the island. However, it says they were operating in waters some 21-nautical miles northeast of Taiping Island and neither vessel entered territorial waters. Indonesian President Visits White House US President Joe Biden is today hosting his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo at the White House to "reaffirm" their joint commitment to the "nearly 75-year-long partnership between the world's second and third largest democracies." The meeting, though, is at risk of being overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war — a conflict erupting thousands of kilometres away, but one that matters hugely to both states. Benji Hyer reports. < [CLIP] Slug: > SKorea President to Discuss NKorean Weapons at APEC South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says he will discuss international response to the purported North Korean-Russian weapons deal during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco this week. In written responses to questions from The Associated Press, Yoon says the North Korean-Russian agreement not only poses a serious threat to the security of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and Europe but also undermines the universal rules-based international order. Yoon says provocations by North Korea will only result in strong retaliation from South Korean and U.S. forces. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 轉骨有成，日股長線續航仍強 日股專家－市佔No.1的日本野村資產管理 在地團隊發揮加乘效果 價值投資挖掘潛力企業 由下而上主動挑選優質個股 帶領您重新發現日股投資魅力 了解更多：https://bit.ly/45OUq8p

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. The Tai-Ex opened The Tai-Ex opened up 28-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,711 on turnover of 4.1-billion N-T. The market ended a seven-session rising streak on Friday as the bellwether electronics sector came under pressure following losses by tech stocks Wall Street overnight. Market sentiment also turned cautious after U-S Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made hawkish comments on the bank's monetary policy, which compromised (減少) the appetite of investors at home and abroad to hold tech stocks. Speculation Morris Chang Could Meet Biden at APEC Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing founder Morris Chang will be attending the APEC summit in San Francisco on Wednesday on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen. It's the sixth time that Chang will have served as Tsai's envoy (使者) to the APEC leaders meeting. And there's speculation he could meet with U-S President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the event. Chang spoke with U-S Vice President Kamala Harris on the sidelines of the last year's APEC meeting in Bangkok. New Recycling Rules for Cellphone Providers to Become Law Next April The Ministry of Environment says regulations requiring local mobile phone providers to set up recycling facilities and to actively promote their use will be introduced on April 1 next year. According to the ministry, manufacturers and importers must also help users delete personal data under the new regulations. The ministry says under the rules, manufacturers and importers will have to set phased (分階段的) targets for circular material use rate, which measures the ratio of recycled, maintained and reused materials to the overall material use. Officials say the aim is to raise Taiwan's mobile phone recycling rate to 15-per cent by January 1, 2025 and 30 percent by January 1, 2030. WHO Warning on Gaza Hospital Crisis The World Health Organization says the situation at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza is dire (悲慘的) and perilous (險惡的). Israel denies Gaza's largest hospital has lost power but says it's helping to evacuate (撤離) babies from the facility. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. India Celebrates Diwali Amid Air Pollution Concerns Millions of Indians are celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, with a Guinness World Record number of bright earthen oil lamps as concerns about air pollution soared in the South Asian country. Devotees lit over 2.22 million lamps and kept them burning for 45 minutes in the northern city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh state, as people marked the national festival on Sunday. The celebrations came as “hazardous (危險的)” levels were recorded on the air quality index last week. New Delhi tops the list almost annually among the Indian cities with poor air quality. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 19.7-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,726 on turnover of $1.8-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Thursday, as other regional indexes ended the day mixed and investors reacted to recent big swings on Wall Street. Economics Minister Opens Taiwan Expo in Tokyo Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua has opened the first-ever Taiwan Expo in Japan. The opening of the event in Tokyo was attended by Taiwan's top envoy to Japan Frank Hsieh, External Trade Development Council Chairman James Huang and Kazuyuki Katayama, a representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Frank Hsieh said the Taiwan Expo provides an opportunity to showcase Taiwan's diversity and creativity in technology, culture, arts and other fields, reflecting the importance Taiwan attaches to Japan. The economics minister is leading a delegation to Japan for a four-day visit as part of efforts to deepen the partnership (合作關系) between the two countries and to forge a Taiwan-Japan technology partnership. Rights Group Calls for ICC to Arrest Israeli Leaders Three Palestinian rights groups have filed a lawsuit against Israel over the Gaza conflict at the International Criminal Court. The human rights organisations Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights have asked for the court's urgent (緊迫的) attention, and issue arrest warrants for Israel's leaders. Jody Jacobs reports… Colombia Diaz Father Released Safely Colombia’s government has announced that the father of Liverpool striker Luis Diaz has been released by members of a guerrilla group who kidnapped him in northern Colombia. The release ends a 12-day ordeal for the family. Luis Manuel Diaz’s kidnapping on Oct. 28 in the small town of Barrancas had quickly drawn international attention and appeals (呼籲) for his release. The guerrilla group National Liberation Army, or ELN, acknowledged some of its members carried out the kidnapping but have said it was a mistake. The release was announced by the government’s delegation that currently is in peace negotiations with the ELN. Japan New Island Formed After Volcanic Eruption An undersea volcano's eruption off Japan three weeks ago has provided a rare view of the birth of a tiny new island, but experts say it may not last long. The undersea volcano just off the southern coast of Iwo Jima started its latest series of eruptions on Oct. 21-st. The Japan Meteorological Agency says that by early November, a new island had formed that is about 100 meters in diameter and as high as 20 meters above the sea. Volcanic activity at the site has since subsided (減少、消退了), but the agency says the newly formed island has somewhat shrunk because its “crumbly” formation is easily washed away by waves. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 轉骨有成，日股長線續航仍強 日股專家－市佔No.1的日本野村資產管理 在地團隊發揮加乘效果 價值投資挖掘潛力企業 由下而上主動挑選優質個股 帶領您重新發現日股投資魅力 了解更多：https://bit.ly/45OUq8p

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 0.33-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,741 on turnover of $2.3-billion N-T. The market extended gains from the previous session on Wednesday, to close above the 16,700-point mark as bargain hunters snapped up weakened artificial intelligence development-related stocks. However, the main board remained in consolidation mode despite the gains, as investors were cautious about a possible major technical pullback as other regional markets lost ground during the trading day. FDA Warns on Online Drug Purchases The Food and Drug Administration is warning people about the dangers of purchasing medicines online. According to F-D-A Deputy Director General Cheng Hui-fang, the number of online sellers of pharmaceuticals is continuing to increase and its common that such "pharmacies" operating without a license sell substandard or counterfeit products. Cheng says such medicines can contain no active or potentially harmful ingredients and are often sold by overseas-based websites, some of which pose (假充) as if they're operating in Taiwan. Even individuals who unknowingly purchase such drugs delivered from overseas face a fine of 30,000 N-T. Online pharmacies caught operating without a license face a fine of up to 2-million N-T, while importers of unlicensed pharmaceuticals can face a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a possible maximum fine of 100-million N-T. Australian Firefighters Donate to New Taipei Dog Refuge A group of visiting Australian firefighters have donated 235,000 N-T to a stray dog shelter in New Taipei. The 10 firefighters made the donation during a visit to the PACK Taiwan shelter in the city's Shan-Zhi District at the the invitation of the trade and Investment office for the Australian state of Queensland. The shelter is home to some 200 sick, disabled, abused, old and neglected (被疏于照?的) dogs. The donation was made a day after the firefighters from "the Australian Firefighter Calendar" joined a charity auction in Taipei where they raised the money for the New Taipei shelter. The calendar's director, David Rogers says the calendar has a history of supporting animal refuges and Australian wildlife. US Launches More Airstrikes in Syria The U.S. has launched another airstrike on a site in Syria. AP's Lisa Dwyer explains. UN Nuclear Power Could Help Tackle Climate Change The U.N. nuclear chief says nuclear energy must be part of the equation to tackle climate change. The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency said climate-warming hydrocarbons still supply more than 80% of the world’s energy, even after the green transition of the past 20 years. Rafael Grossi told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that more than 400 nuclear reactors are supplying global electricity and over 50 are under construction. But nuclear power's share of global electricity production decreased in the past two decades. Grossi said there is growing interest in nuclear energy but it needs investment that takes into account its benefits (好處). Hollywood Reaches Tentative Deal to End Strike Hollywood's actors union has reached a tentative deal with studios to end its strike. The contract agreement reached Wednesday still must be approved by the union's board and its members, but the deal brings an end to the months of labor strife (衝突) that has hobbled production in Hollywood. The union says the strike will be over today. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,691 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The market edged higher on Tuesday, bucking a regional downturn. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing helped anchor the broader market throughout the session, while buying towards the end of the trading day moved the main board above the 120-day moving average of 16,679-points. Subject: E*Military Officers Indicted in Corruption Case Return to Table of contents The Shilin District Prosecutors' Office has indicted two Military Intelligence Bureau officers on charges of corruption and document forgery. According to the prosecutors' office, the two fraudulently obtained millions of N-T from the bureau beginning in 2018 by fabricating interactions with a Chinese intelligence operative named "Liang Fan." Prosecutors say the two also forged multiple pieces of information to support their claims about the network they pretended to have created around Liang and his operations. Both suspects have been detained (被拘留) since June and have been charged with violating the Anti-Corruption Act. CDC Reporting Taiwan's First Monkey Pox Death The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed Taiwan's first monkey pox-related death. According to the C-D-C, the patient was a man in his 30s from northern Taiwan, who was also infected with H-I-V. Health authorities say the man sought medical attention for a skin ulcer in August, and returned to see a doctor again in early September after his condition had deteriorated (惡化). Subsequent tests confirmed that he had contracted (感染) the monkey pox. The man was pronounced dead on November 1. The C-D-C designated monkey pox as a Category 2 communicable disease in June of last year. A total of 355 cases have been reported here in Taiwan since then. Elysee Palace to Bring Back Changing of Guard Ceremony The Elysee Palace in Paris, where the president lives and works, has brought back its public changing of the guard ceremony for the first time in 27 years. The presidential office says the formal (正式的) ceremony will take place on the first Tuesday of every month. Rebecca Bundhun reports from Paris. Japan Unification Church to Set Up Compensation Fund The Unification Church’s Japanese branch plans to set aside up to $67 million to cover possible compensation for people seeking damages they say were caused by the group’s manipulative fundraising tactics. The move announced Tuesday was seen as an attempt to allay (緩和) suspicion that the group would try to avoid later payouts by hiding assets overseas while a government-requested dissolution order is pending. The group’s fundraising and recruitment tactics, as well as its cozy ties with Japan's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party, surfaced in an investigation after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination last year. The accused shooter allegedly was motivated by Abe’s links to the church and blamed it for bankrupting his family. Brazil Neymar Partner's Parents Taken Hostage Thieves entered the home of Brazilian soccer star Neymar’s partner and took her parents hostage early Tuesday morning, Bruna Biancardi, the mother of Neymar's baby girl, wrote on her verified Instagram account. Local media reported that her parents’ home is located in Cotia, a city in Sao Paulo’s metropolitan area, and that one of the three armed robbers, a neighbor of Biancardi’s parents, has been apprehended. Biancardi says “Material things are recovered, the important thing is that everyone is OK and that the people involved are being found”. Neymar also lamented (哀嘆) the attack on his own Instagram account, without providing any details. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened almost flat this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,650 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market moved above the 16,600-point mark on Monday. The bellwether electronics sector led the gains on the back of a strong showing for tech stocks on Wall Street last week and as investors were buoyed by news the U-S Fed could put the brakes on its rate hike cycle. MOE to Subsidize Students On Campus Dormitories The Ministry of Education says it plans to introduce a fixed rent subsidy of between 1,200 and 1,500 N-T for students who live in on-campus dormitories. According to the ministry, the subsidies are expected to be introduced by February of next year and its estimated they will benefit (造福) 260,000 college and university students. The move is an expansion of the government's rent subsidy 2.0 policy - that was launched in July of this year. And the education ministry says college and university students who live off-campus will also be eligible for rent subsidies of between 2,400 and 3,600 N-T per month. The proposal still requires Cabinet approval. FM Visiting Baltic states this Week Foreign Minister Joseph Wu is visiting Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia this week. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wu is slated to attend forums and give speeches to underscore Taiwan's resolve to safeguard democracy with like-minded countries while in the three Baltic states. Wu will attend a forum in Lithuania where discussions will be held on the subject of the future of democracy. He'll deliver two separate speeches at the Institute of International Affairs in Latvia. And attend the International Centre for Defense and Security in Estonia - where the foreign ministry says Wu will relay Taiwan's determination to fight for democracy against authoritarian regimes (威權主義). UN Guterres Calls for Gaza Ceasefire United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has again called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. Jody Jacobs has more from the UN… OpenAI Launches GPT-4 Turbo The company behind ChatGPT has launched a new line of chatbot products that can be customized to a variety of tasks. At an event held in San Francisco, OpenAI unveiled a new version called GPT-4 Turbo. The company says it is more capable and can retrieve information about world and cultural events as recent as April 2023 — unlike previous (先前的,) versions that couldn’t answer questions about anything that happened after 2021. Prince William Announces Agreement to Combat Wildlife Trade Britain’s Prince William says seven countries, including Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and the United States, have committed at a wildlife summit to deepen their intelligence-sharing and other cooperation to combat money laundering by international gangs engaged in the illegal wildlife trade. The Prince of Wales told the United for Wildlife Summit in Singapore that the wildlife population around the world has plummeted (暴跌) by almost 70% over the past 50 years. He said joint investigations will lead to more high-value seizures and arrests. William is in Singapore for the annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony today. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 64-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,572 on turnover of 3.9-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Friday, extending gains from a session earlier as investors took cues (提示) from a rally on Wall Street overnight driven by expectations that the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle has concluded. Senior Economics Official in London for Taiwan-UK Trade Talks Deputy Economics Minister C.C Chen has been attending the 26th UK-Taiwan Trade Talks in London. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the talks are focusing on enhancing economic resilience (彈性) and supply chain collaboration between the two countries. The meeting is being being jointly hosted by Chen and the U-K Minister of State for International Trade Nigel Huddleston and is also covering cooperation in the field of of energy, semiconductor, scientific research, net-zero policies and offshore wind power. The deputy economics minister is also meeting with Taiwanese business people and local industry representatives while in London to exchange views and promote investing in Taiwan. Ko Calls for 'Patience' Amid Electoral Pact Questions Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is calling on his supporters to remain "patient," as talks on an electoral pact with the K-M-T appear to have stalled. According to Ko, party officials are continuing to seek consenus on a method to decides on process to select a joint presidential candidate. The statement comes after K-M-T Chairman Eric Chu is insisting (堅持) that cross party negotiations will continue. Ko is backing a public poll to decide the presidential ticket - saying such a poll would not give equal weighting to a cross-party vote among legislative candidates, as has been proposed by the K-M-T. But the K-M-T chairman has said Ko's proposed polling method would have "no statistical meaning at all." US Blinken in MidEast to Discuss IsraelHamas War US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the weekend crisscrossing (縱橫交錯) throughout the Middle East, engaging in shuttle diplomacy over the Israel-Hamas war. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. Russia ICBM for Nuclear Warheads Successfully Tested The Russian military has reported a successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to carry nuclear warheads from a new nuclear submarine. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Sunday that the strategic missile cruiser fired the Bulava missile from an underwater position in Russia’s northern White Sea, and hit a target in the far-eastern region of Kamchatka. The report comes as tensions are soaring between Russia and the West over the fighting in Ukraine. Adding to those tensions, President Vladimir Putin last week signed a bill revoking (撤銷) Russia’s ratification of a global nuclear test ban in a move that Moscow said was needed to establish parity with the United States. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 16-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,413 on turnover of $3.4-billion N-T. Trash in Tamsui River Basin Doubles From 2020-2023 The Society of Wilderness says a survey has found that the amount of garbage along the Tamsui River and its tributaries has doubled in the past three years. According to the society, nearly 70-per cent of the garbage is comprised of single-use plastic items. Society marine specialist Hsu Hsiao-chun says the waste screening survey was carried out by 36 volunteers and covered the entire Tamsui River basin, estuaries (河口) and nearby areas, totaling 283-kilometers. Hsu says a total of 56,600 14-literbags were cleared from river bank and coastal areas during the survey. Data shows that 80-per cent of the garbage was concentrated along 6-per cent of the riverbank and was mostly accumulated in the areas of the Guandu Bridge, New Taipei's Luzhou District and on the right side of She-Zi Island in Taipei. The New Taipei Environmental Protection Department says the city government will continue to strengthen the promotion of waste reduction, such as promoting the reduction of online shopping packaging. US House Pushes Through Israel Military Assistance but no House Republicans have pushed through $14.5 billion in military assistance for Israel without humanitarian aid for Gaza. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. Colombia Diaz Father Kidnapped by Guerrilla Group Colombia’s government says the guerrilla group National Liberation Army, known as ELN, has kidnapped the father of Liverpool and Colombian national soccer team striker Luis Diaz. The peace delegation of the government, which is currently in negotiations with ELN, said in a statement it was “officially aware” that the kidnapping had been “perpetrated (犯下的) by a unit that belongs to ELN.” Both of Diaz's parents were kidnapped by armed men on motorcycles on Saturday at a gas station in the small town of Barrancas. The footballer's mother was rescued within hours by police. Diaz's father remained missing, which triggered special forces to search for him in a mountain range that straddles (橫跨) both countries and is covered by forest. Police also offered a $48,000 reward for information leading to Diaz’s father. Diaz currently plays for Liverpool in the English Premier League, which he joined last year in a deal worth $67 million. Rwanda Announces VisaFree Travel Rwanda announced Thursday that it will allow all Africans to travel visa-free to the country, becoming the latest nation on the continent to announce such a measure aimed at boosting free movement of people. President Paul Kagame made the announcement on Thursday and highighted the potential of Africa as “a unified tourism destination (目的地)”. Other countries that allow Africans to enter their territories without visas are Gambia, Benin and Seychelles. Kenya’s President William Ruto announced Monday plans to allow all Africans to travel to the East African nation visa-free by December 31. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 55-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,094 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The market closed moderately higher on Wednesday as investor sentiment remained cautious ahead of the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's policymaking meeting. Large cap tech stocks pushed the main board higher, while tourism and airline related stocks also gained ground on hopes that this weekend's Taipei International Travel Fair will boost revenue. TPP's Ko Outlines Energy Policy Platform Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is outlining his energy policy platform - calling for sustainable energy transition and the extended use of two of the island's nuclear power plants. According to Ko, under his policy, by 2030 Taiwan's energy will will come from 45-per cent gas, 30-per cent renewables, 15-per cent coal and 10-per cent nuclear power. Ko says nuclear power is necessary for the country's energy transition (過渡時期) and he says the most pragmatic is only setting a deadline for an end to nuclear power, when renewable energy sources have been sufficiently developed. The T-P-P 2024 nominee is also proposing the establishment of a "Climate Change and Sustainability Committee." Talent Taiwan Office Foreign Professionals Opens The government has launched the Talent Taiwan Office. The National Development Council says the service center is dedicated to recruiting foreign professionals and helping them get accustomed (習慣、適應) to life in Taiwan. The center is an extension of the Taiwan Employment Gold Card Office, that was set up in October 2020 to provide professional consultation and assistance to Employment Gold Card holders. The N-D-C says, the launch of the talent office means that services will be expanded from only being available to the 8,348 gold card holders to being accessible to those holding the Taiwan Entrepreneur Visa and other employed foreign professionals. Thousands at Gaza Border with Egypt Thousands of people remain in Gaza at the Rafah border point hoping to cross over into Egypt. Earlier around 400 people were able to leave as Egypt opened up the crossing for the first time since fighting began more than three weeks ago. Sarah Coates in Tel Aviv reports that a UN official managed to cross in the other direction, and enter Gaza. Israel Criticizes SAmerican Countries In related news… Israel has criticized Bolivia, Chile and Colombia after the South American countries undertook a series of diplomatic moves to protest Israel's military operations against Hamas in Gaza. Other Latin American countries, including Argentina and Brazil, have also increased their criticism of the impact that Israel’s military operations are having on civilians. Israel on Wednesday called on Colombia and Chile to “explicitly condemn the Hamas terrorist organization, which slaughtered (殘殺) and abducted babies, children, women and the elderly.” The call came hours after Chile and Colombia both recalled their ambassadors to Israel on Tuesday evening amid criticism of the killing of civilians in Gaza. Russia Volcano Ash Forces Schools Closed Ash columns have erupted from Eurasia’s tallest active volcano and forced authorities to close schools in two towns on Russia’s sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula. Officials said the eruptions from the volcano on Wednesday sent ash as high as 13 kilometers above sea level. There were no reports of injuries, but officials ordered schools in the two towns closed as a precaution. The 4,650-meter volcano has been active in recent years and released lava in June. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 26-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,028 on turnover of $2.06-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex lost ground on Tuesday, and joined other regional markets in ending the day negative territory as investors await a decision by the U-S Federal Reserve on interest rates. Consumer's Foundation Files Class Action Suit Against Costco Taiwan The Consumer's Foundation has filed a class-action suit against Costco Taiwan on behalf of 135 people who purchased imported berries that were found to have traces of the hepatitis A virus earlier this year. According to the foundation, it's requesting Costco pay the affected consumers a total of 11.07-million N-T, or an average of 82,000 N-T per person, in compensation. The foundation says the monetary compensation is being sought as Costco Taiwan failed to take precautionary measures in line with the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. The Consumer's Foundation is arguing that although Costco was first informed in March that American consumers had tested positive for hepatitis A, likely due to eating the store's frozen berries, it didn't actively inspect or recall the berries as a precaution (預防措施). .. and Costco only removed the products from its shelves at the end of April after the Food and Drug Administration ordered local public health agencies to monitor the company. France Police Shoot Terror Suspect French police have opened fire on a woman who threatened to blow herself up and allegedly made death threats and spoke in support of terrorism on a train heading into Paris. The shooting Tuesday is the latest security incident (事件) in France, which has been on heightened anti-terror alert since a fatal stabbing at a school on Oct. 13. The Paris prosecutor’s office says two police officers together fired eight shots, seriously wounding the woman. What exactly the woman said is now the subject of a police investigation. US Elects New Representative to Israel The United States Senate has approved Jack Lew to be the new U.S. ambassador to Israel. He is set to take on the critical (緊要的) role amid the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas. Jody Jacobs has more… Bangladesh Garment Factory Workers Protest Thousands of garment factory workers have taken to the streets of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, and the industrial district of Gazipur to demand better wages. Protests erupted over the weekend after the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association offered to increase the monthly minimum wage by 25% to reach $90, instead of the $208 demanded by the workers. While Bangladesh has been maintaining (維持) stable annual economic growth for years, rising inflation has become a major challenge. Bangladesh has about 3,500 garment factories employing about 4 million workers. It earns $55 billion a year from exports, mainly to the United States and Europe. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 26-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,176 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday ahead of a U-S Federal Reserve decision later this week on interest rates and as oil prices fell. European Parliamentary Delegation Visiting Taiwan The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a delegation of European parliamentarians is visiting this week as part of efforts aimed at strengthening the European Parliament's relations with Taiwan. The three-member delegation is led by being led by the vice chairman of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group. According to the foreign ministry, the delegation will be holding talks with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials, including Legislative Speaker You Si-kun and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu during its six-day visit. The foreign ministry says the talks will focus on the economy, democracy and disinformation (虛假資訊). Tsai Meets and Thanks Paralympic Team And, President Tsai Ing-wen has met with members of Taiwan's Asian Paralympic Games team. Speaking at an event at the Presidential Building, Tsai thanked the athletes for their fighting spirit and said her administration will continue to support sporting events for those with disabilities. She also said athletes and coaches preparing for next year's Paris Paralympic Games will get additional support to ensure (確保) they can "earn glory" for Taiwan next summer in the French capital. Taiwan has finished in 13th place in the medals table - bringing home four gold, four silver and 12 bronze. Those medals included Taiwan's first-ever in taekwondo, archery, and Go at the Asia Paralympics. Subject: E*Israel Offensive Pushes Further into Gaza Israeli armoured vehicles including a tank have been seen on Gaza's main road as Israel expands (擴大) its ground offensive. It comes as Hamas released a video of three female hostages. Sarah Coates reports from Tel Aviv. Jamaica Earthquake Leaves Infrastructure Damage A 5.4 magnitude earthquake has hit Jamaica and prompted people to flee buildings amid heavy shaking that knocked out power in some areas. The tremor caused panic (恐慌) on the island Monday, but the prime minister says there have been no reports of deaths, injuries or serious damage. The epicenter of the quake was about 10 kilometers west-northwest of Hope Bay. The U.S. Geological Survey says it occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. Australia ThinkThank: Beijing Targeting SPacific Allies with Aid An Australian think tank says Beijing has increasingly targeted its South Pacific political allies with its shrinking aid budget Sydney’s Lowy Institute report in its latest annual analysis that Chinese economic influence in the region is losing ground to better loan deals offered by U.S. allies to 14 aid-dependent Pacific Island nations. Strategic competition in the South Pacific has escalated since China struck a security pact with the Solomons Islands last year that raised the prospect (前景) of a Chinese naval foothold being established in the South Pacific. The decline in Chinese aid has been driven mainly by a lack of Pacific government interest in Chinese loans that have left Pacific countries including Tonga heavily in debt. The United States has warned that Chinese finance is a debt trap for poor countries that threatens their sovereignty. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from Friday's close, at 16,142 on turnover of 1.4-billion N-T. The market staged a mild technical rebound on Friday from a downturn the previous session following an uptick (上升) in U-S tech stocks in after-hours trading. However, turnover was limited, as many investors were reluctant to chase prices amid concerns the U-S Federal Reserve will keep interest rates high for longer than expected after economic growth in the third quarter beat expectations. TPP's Ko to Hold Election Pact Talks with KMT Chair Today Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is and K-M-T chairman Eric Chu are holding talks this hour as both parties are seeking to come to an agreement on plans to cooperate in January's election. The closed-door meeting is taking place at the Mayor's Residence Art Salon in Taipei. The talks will are focusing on issues including how to select the strongest opposition presidential candidate, how best to establish (建立) a coalition government and ways to maximize their numbers of lawmakers in the legislature. Party officials say the meeting is expected to last about an hour and Ko and Chu will hold a joint press conference to announce any finalized plans after it concludes. TRA Banking on 'Diversification' to Solve Debt Crisis The Taiwan Railways Administration says it will work to diversify into other businesses after corporatization next year to stem an escalating (逐步升級) debt crisis. According to director-general Du Wei, the administration is looking to learn from Japanese railroad companies, that have successfully diversified service types to generate (產生) "substantial profits." Du says the railways administration plans to expand its current scale of affiliated businesses, from mostly meal box catering to train carriage and station cleaning services - generating capital of 1.1-billion N-T per year. Du also says similar strategies could apply to train maintenance and more, to reduce human resource outsourcing. Gaza Receives Aid Shipment Gaza has received the largest aid shipment since the start of the war, but humanitarian workers say it's not enough to meet the people's needs. AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports. German Chancellor Meets Nigerian President German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has met with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as part of a West Africa tour as the European country looks to diversify (多樣化) its trade partners and expand economic partnerships in the energy-rich region. In his third trip to Africa since he took office in 2021, Scholz pushed for further development of Nigeria’s capacity to meet local needs, even as Germany seeks improved trade relations with its second-largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa. Germany-Nigeria trade volume is estimated to be about 3 billion euros annually. Scholz says Germany can work with Nigeria to help tackle issues such as migration, security and rampant coups in West and Central Africa. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 39-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,113 on turnover of $2.7-billion N-T. The market tumbled on Thursday, as investors reacted to a decline on Wall Street overnight and after some of the most influential (有影響力的) companies turned in mixed profit reports. MOHW Proposing Stipend Plan to Retain Long-Term Caregivers The Ministry of Health has unveiled a proposed staff retention program that aims to encourage young people to stay in the long-term care services. The plans seeks to provide a monthly stipend of 5,000 N-T to those who opt to remain working in the long-term care sector. Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan says the plan is geared towards to both attracting and retaining young people, in particularly those with a relevant degree, to work in residential care facilities. To be eligible to receive the 5,000 N-T monthly stipend, those who have recently graduated with long-term care qualifications will have take an additional week-long training program such as on disaster emergency response. Graduates specializing in long-term care services will also need to work as a caregiver in a residential care facility for at least one year before being eligible for the stipend (助學金), which will be paid for up to four years,. US Blinken China FM Meet U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Washington on Thursday in a flurry of (一陣) diplomacy between the two nations. The U.S. wants China to help make sure the Israel-Gaza conflict doesn't spill over into other countries; and Beijing has expressed a willingness to work together. Caroline Malone reports from Washington Sudan and Rival Forces Resume Peace Talks Saudi Arabia say the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary force have resumed peace talks. It says the talks between the army and the Rapid Support Forces are underway in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah and are being brokered by both Riyadh and Washington. The RSF and the army have both confirmed they would participate in the talks. Sudan was plunged into chaos in mid-April, when simmering (充滿勢將爆發的) tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open warfare. Previous peace talks were held in Jeddah earlier this year but broke down in late June. The Saudi foreign ministry says it hopes the fresh negotiations will lead to another cease-fire, and to a political agreement. UN Forms AI Advisory Panel U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of a 39-member global advisory panel to report on international governance of artificial intelligence and its risks, challenges and key opportunities. The U.N. chief told a news conference Thursday the gender-balanced, geographically diverse (多種多樣的) group which spans generations will issue preliminary recommendations by the end of the year and final recommendations by the summer of 2024. The U.N. said the formation of the body marks a significant step in its efforts to address issues of AI international governance and will help bridge existing and emerging initiatives. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 生命旅途中，總會「遇見」不同人事物，你是否想過「預見」，預先看見生命最後一站的風景呢？ 衛生福利部製播出品《遇見，預見》Podcast第二季，持續邀請醫師、名人分享更多生命故事；加入大學生助理主持人，傾聽年輕人的心聲。用更生活的情境，陪伴聽眾深入想像告別現場，在生命最後一刻，更能與摯愛好好說再見。 收聽連結如下：https://solink.soundon.fm/mohwpodcast

生命旅途中，總會「遇見」不同人事物，你是否想過「預見」，預先看見生命最後一站的風景呢？ 衛生福利部製播出品《遇見，預見》Podcast第二季，持續邀請醫師、名人分享更多生命故事；加入大學生助理主持人，傾聽年輕人的心聲。用更生活的情境，陪伴聽眾深入想像告別現場，在生命最後一刻，更能與摯愛好好說再見。 收聽連結如下：https://solink.soundon.fm/mohwpodcast －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ MND Looking into Alleged Sale of Firearms Hou Hsiao-hsien Confirmed as having Alzheimer's Disease UN Security Council Fails Again to Pass Resolution on the Middle East Ukraine Evacuating Children From Front Line Areas Venezuela Probing Organizers of Weekend Presidential Primary Bud Light Returning to UFC

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 10-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,320 on turnover of 1.9-billion N-T. The market recovered from early losses and closed moderately higher on Tuesday, as late investor buying pushed up artificial intelligence development-related stocks on the back of their relatively low valuations. Taiwan and Canada Complete Negotiations on Investment Pact Taiwan and Canada have completed negotiations on a pact aimed at promoting investment and protection. According to the Office of Trade Negotiations, if ratified (正式批准), the deal "will be beneficial for Taiwanese small and medium-sized enterprises who want to expand their investment presence" in Canada and "support Taiwan's goal of achieving net-zero transformation." While Global Affairs Canada says completion of the talks highlights that Taiwan as an important trade and investment partner at a time when Canada is deepening its economic partnerships and relationships in the Indo-Pacific region. Both sides say a foreign investment promotion and protection arrangement will be formally signed after the completion of the legal text review and respective administrative procedures. DPP Lawmaker Apologizes for Affair D-P-P lawmaker Chao Tian-lin has issued a public apology and admitted to having an extramarital affair several years ago. The apology comes after photographs of Chao and a woman, who has been confirmed as being a Chinese national, were published earlier this week. Speaking to reporters at his office in Kaohsiung, Chao said his wife was aware of the affair and has forgiven him and he will not be seeking re-election in January's legislative election. Some opposition lawmakers are accusing Chao of being unfit to serve as a lawmaker while others are claiming that Chao's Chinese girlfriend was allowed to enter Taiwan under to guise (（尤指為了欺騙而裝出的）外表) of a medical-related visit. There are also calls for national security agencies to open an investigation into Chao's actions. China Replaces Defense Minister Chinese state media are reporting that the country has replaced Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu. He has been out of public view for almost two months with little explanation (解釋). The announcement of Li's removal was made Tuesday without further information being given. Li is the second senior Chinese official to disappear this year. Former Foreign Minister Qin Gang was removed from office in July with no explanation offered. There is no indication that the disappearances of Qin and Li signal a change in China’s foreign or defense policies. Horizon Air Pilot Pleads Not Guilty More charges are being filed against an off-duty pilot who tried to cut (關) the engines on a Horizon Aiir flight. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. Zimbabwe Missing Tourist Found Alive A German tourist who went missing in a national park in northern Zimbabwe has been found alive and in “good health” along with his rental car three days later. A national parks agency spokesperson says the tourist had last been seen buying a drink at the park shop before going for a game drive Saturday afternoon. The spokesman says the car rental company failed to locate him on its GPS tracking system and authorities deployed a helicopter, vehicles and sniffer dogs to search for him. There are no immediate details on how deep in the park the man had ventured (冒險去（或做）). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 新鮮事、新奇事、新故事《一銀陪你聊“新”事》 第一銀行打造公股銀行首創ESG Podcast頻道上線啦 由知名主持人阿Ken與多位名人來賓進行對談 邀請您一起落實永續發展 讓永續未來不再只是想像 各大收聽平台搜尋：ㄧ銀陪你聊新事 https://bit.ly/45AG8bv

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,257 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market tumbled more than 180-points on Monday to reach its lowest level in five months after Wall Street took a hit at the end of last week on the back of a spike in Treasury yields. The bellwether electronics sector dragged prices lower, especially large cap stocks, as rising Treasury yields made tech stocks and their relatively low dividends less attractive. DPP Accuses China of Pressuring Terry Gou with Hon Hai Probe In news from and about Taiwan this morning, The D-P-P is accusing Beijing of opening "politically motivated" investigations into Hon Hai in an attempt to pressure Terry Gou into abandoning his independent bid for the presidency. According to the party's legislative caucus, the investigations are part of efforts by Beijing to push for and accelerate (加速) the cooperation of Taiwan's opposition parties. The statements follow reports that tax authorities in China recently searched Hon Hai offices in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, while the Ministry of Natural Resources inspected the company's offices in Henan and Hubei provinces. Gou has not publicly respond to the reports. NAMR Succeeds in Cultivating Giant Seaweed Species The National Academy of Marine Research says it has successfully cultivated two types of native giant seaweeds. According to academy, the success in cultivation of the macroalgae species will enable it to restore some marine habitats, give it a stable supply of seedlings (幼苗) and the ability to enhance ocean carbon sinks. And as part of the project, researchers collected 48 native species of large seaweeds in waters off southern Taiwan and moved the fresh algae to land-based tanks for cultivation in large amounts. Hamas Releases Two Hostages The International Committee of the Red Cross says Hamas militants have released two hostages it had been holding captive in the Gaza Strip. It was the second time the group has freed hostages seized in its bloody Oct. 7 cross-border incursion (侵入) into Israel. The two freed women, 85 and 79 years old, were taken out of Gaza at the Rafah crossing into Egypt, where they were put into ambulances. Hamas reportedly received nothing in exchange for the release of the two hostages, who were freed days after an American woman and her teenage daughter A U.S. official said Monday that Washington has advised Israel to delay a possible ground invasion to allow more time to try and secure the release of more hostages. US Senator Pleads Not Guilty to Foreign Agent Charge US Senator Bob Menendez has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to act as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. The lawmaker appeared in a Manhattan court on Monday for a brief hearing, which lasted less than five minutes. Last month the lawmaker pleaded not guilty to accepting bribes to benefit Egypt and interfere with law enforcement (執法官員) investigations. Sally Patterson has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 49-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,391 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex lost ground on Friday along with other regional markets, as investors reacted to the prospect of a 5-per cent yield on 10-year U-S Treasury bonds for the first time since 2007, which added to pressure on Wall Street overnight. Ko Eyes Cross-Party Committee to Review Electoral Pact Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is reportedly seeking to establish a cross-party committee to review and oversee plans for a electoral pact with the K-M-T. Ko says the committee will communicate with K-M-T presidential candidate Hou You-yi on issues concerning the forming a cross-party consultative (諮詢) group sometime this week. According to a spokesperson for Ko's office, the committee will seek to help the two parties discuss how to allocate government posts if they win the presidential election. Tsai Calls for More Diverse and Heart-Touching Taiwanese TV Dramas President Tsai Ing-wen is expressing her gratitude to film and television workers -- and acknowledging the impact (影響) of their work on people's lives and called for more diverse and heart-touching programs. Taking to social media following this past weekend's 58th Golden Bell Awards, Tsai congratulated those who won awards, while thanking those in the broadcasting and TV business for their "companionship." She also praised their consistent efforts to produce high-quality and diverse content, including entertaining variety programs, trendsetting reality shows and dramas that touched on many issues. US "Ready to Protect Personnel in Middle East" Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States is ready to protect U.S. personnel in the Middle East, should the Israel-Hamas war escalate (升級). AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. ((opens with actuality)) Congo Boat Capsizing Local authorities in Congo say st least 28 people drowned after a boat capsized in the Congo River in Equateur province. An administrator for the territory says the boat was traveling from Ngondo, about 120 kilometers from the province’s capital and crashed Saturday night in Bolomba village. He said Sunday that about 200 passengers were rescued and an unknown number of others were missing. It was the second boat wreck (沉船) on the Congo River within a week. On October 14-th, another boat capsized, killing at least 47 people and leaving more than 70 missing. Iran Sentences Female Journalists to Prison A court in Iran has sentenced two female journalists to up to seven years in prison for collaborating with the U.S. government and other charges. Both have been imprisoned for over a year following their coverage (新聞報道,) of the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody in Sept. 2022. They can appeal the sentencing within 20 days. The journalists broke the news of Amini’s death for wearing her headscarf too loosely was sentenced to seven years in jail, while the other who wrote about Amini's funeral was sentenced to six. Amini’s death touched off months-long protests in dozens of cities across Iran, and nearly 100 journalists were arrested during the demonstrations. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 漢神巨蛋週年慶開跑囉！ 10/12~11/7化妝品3千送3百，首四日憑聯名卡+漢神APP 全館滿1萬送5佰；精品滿2萬送1仟；家用專櫃滿1萬送1仟2 消費滿額抽瑞士14日遊、台北漢來住宿券，還有ROBINMAY聯名來店禮等你領。 查看DM https://bit.ly/3LPFtff

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 18-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,434 on turnover of $2.46-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Thursday as tech heavyweights staged a technical rebound from a the previous session, as investors opted to shrug off a plunge on Wall Street overnight. However, turnover remained capped, as investors remained cautious about escalating tensions in the Middle East after the U-S vetoed a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council urging a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip. Lithuanian Officials to visit Taiwan to Talk Fintech Exchanges The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a delegation of officials and business representatives from Lithuania will visit Taiwan next week. The visit will be focusing on discussions aimed at advancing bilateral exchanges in financial technology and other fields. According to the foreign ministry, the delegation will also meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials during its four-day stay. The delegation will be led by the speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, and will include her foreign policy advisor and the country's deputy finance minister. The foreign ministry says members of the delegation will participate in a financial technology forum and visit the Ultrafast Laser Technology Research and Innovation Center in Tainan. While the speaker of the Lithuanian parliament is scheduled to address the Legislative Yuan. Canada Recalls Diplomats from India Canada's foreign minister says the country has recalled 41 of its diplomats from India after the Indian government said it would revoke their diplomatic immunity, escalating ( 惡化、 加劇) a spat over the slaying of a Sikh separatist in Canada. The moves come after Canadian allegations that India may have been involved in the June killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in suburban Vancouver. India has accused Canada of harboring separatists and “terrorists." But it has dismissed the allegation of its involvement in the killing as “absurd” and has taken diplomatic steps to express its anger over the accusation. Indonesia ExGovernors Kick of Presidential Race Two prominent ex-governors are first to put their hats in the ring (宣佈參選) for the race to become Indonesia's next president. The southeast Asian nation goes to the polls in February next year in the world's largest direct presidential vote. Patrick Fok reports. EU Demands Meta TikTok Curb Disinformation The European Union has demanded Meta and TikTok detail their efforts to curb illegal content and disinformation during the Israel-Hamas war. The 27-nation bloc’s executive branch on Thursday formally requested that the social media companies provide information on how they’re complying (遵守) with pioneering new digital rules aimed at cleaning up online platforms. Meta and TikTok were asked to explain what they've done to reduce the risk of spreading and amplifying terrorist and violent content, hate speech and disinformation. The Israel-Hamas war is putting the new digital rules to the test. Elon Musk’s social media platform X faced the EU's first formal request under the rules last week. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 24-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,416 on turnover of 3.5-billion N-T. The market tumbled 200-points on Wednesday as the bellwether electronics sector led the losses after the the Biden administration cut off shipments of chips designed by Nvidia and other American semiconductor designers to China. Investors also remained cautious about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing stock ahead of an investor conference later today, at which the company will release its third quarterly results and give guidance for the fourth quarter. Visiting Belgian Lawmaker Expresses Concern over China's Military Sorties Visiting Belgian parliamentarian Els Van Hoof is expressing concern over China's increasing military sorties near Taiwan. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Van Hoof said Belgium is concerned of the growing crossing of Taiwan's air defense identification zone and also the medium line by military vessels and jets" by the Chinese military. According to Van Hoof, who chairs the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, "the importance of this week's parliamentarian visit cannot be underestimated (被低估)" as it shows that "Taiwan is not standing alone against these threats." Van Hoof arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a six-day visit heading a delegation that includes seven other members of the Belgian parliament. Labor Minister Stressed 'No Timetable' for Opening Hotel Industry to Migrant Workers Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun is denying recent reports that the government is seeking to opening the island's hotel industry to overseas migrant workers. According to Hsu, the government currently has "no timetable" for such a move and her ministry's top priority remains the welfare of Taiwanese workers. The statement comes after it was reported the Cabinet is planning to approve a plan to allow the hiring of migrant workers in the hotel sector, possibly beginning next year, in order address an ongoing (正在進行的) labor shortage. Government data shows the hotel industry is currently facing a shortage of more than 1,000 workers. Japan Saudi Arabia to Work Together on Palestinian Crisis Japan and Saudi Arabia are agreeing to work together to address the humanitarian crisis (人道危機) facing Palestinians in Gaza. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. Liberia Presidential Election Headed for Runoff Liberia’s presidential election appears headed for a run-off, with the top candidates neck and neck (不相上下，旗鼓相當) and the votes nearly fully counted. President George Weah, who is seeking a second term, had 44% of the vote Wednesday with his main challenger Joseph Boakai at 43%, according to the National Elections Commission. A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to win. Once the votes from this round are finalized, the run-off will take place within 15 days. The Oct. 10-th election is the tightest in the nearly two decades since the end of the West African country’s civil war that killed some 250-thousand people. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 生命旅途中，總會「遇見」不同人事物，你是否想過「預見」，預先看見生命最後一站的風景呢？ 衛生福利部製播出品《遇見，預見》Podcast第二季，持續邀請醫師、名人分享更多生命故事；加入大學生助理主持人，傾聽年輕人的心聲。用更生活的情境，陪伴聽眾深入想像告別現場，在生命最後一刻，更能與摯愛好好說再見。 收聽連結如下：https://solink.soundon.fm/mohwpodcast

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 34-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,608 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market closed marginally (稍微地) lower on Tuesday - that, as investors opted to lock in profits almost across the board following an initial upturn after Wall Street rebounded overnight. However, the semiconductor sector brought some stability to the broader market, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in focus ahead of an investor conference tomorrow that will offer third quarter results and fourth quarter guidance. CDC Reporting Decline in Dengue Fever Cases The Centers for Disease Control is reporting a marked (明顯的) decline in the number of new dengue fever cases for last week - with the figure dropping to below 2,000 for the first time since early September. According to the C-D-C, it recorded 1,521 local cases of the mosquito-borne disease from between October 11 and 16. That was down from the 2,527 cases reported the previous week. A majority of the new cases are still being reported in Tainan. The C-D-C has recorded a total of 17,084 local dengue fever cases and 32 deaths from the disease so far this year. Tsai Honors Presidential Culture Awards Winners And, President Tsai Ing-wen has conferred Presidential Culture Awards on five individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions (貢獻) to society. Taiwanese opera performer Liao Qiong-zhi was honored with the Arts and Culture Award. The Kavalan Development Association of Hualien County took the Community Building Award. The Humanitarian Dedication Award went to the Transasia Sisters Association. Contemporary artist Zhang Xu-zhan won the Creative and Innovation Award. While the long-running docuseries produced by Taiwan Public Television Service, "Our Island" received the Public Advocacy Award. The Presidential Culture Awards is now in its 12th year. Biden Summit with Arab Leaders Called Off US President Joe Biden's Mideast trip now faces setbacks (挫折). AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports Uganda Tourist and Guide Killed National Park Attack A wildlife official in Uganda and the police say two foreign tourists and their Ugandan guide have been killed in an attack by unknown assailants near a national park. Officials say the attackers set on fire the vehicle in which the group was traveling just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park, located in a remote (偏僻的) area of western Uganda near the Congo border, is one of the most popular conservation areas in Uganda. The Uganda Wildlife Authority and the security agencies are working “to establish who is responsible for the attack. Sweden Reports Partial Damage to Undersea Telecom Cable Sweden has reported partial damage to an undersea telecom cable in the Baltic Sea running to Estonia. Authorities believe it happened at the same time as damage to an undersea gas pipeline and telecom cable from Finland to Estonia. Finland has launched an investigation into possible sabotage after reporting the damage to its gas pipeline to Estonia last week. Sweden’s Civil Defense Minister says that the damage to the cable between Sweden and Estonia appeared to happen at the same time but that it’s unclear what caused it. He says the cable was not severed and that there was only partial damage to it. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 26-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,678 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market lost ground and closed below the 16,700-point mark on Monday, as investor sentiment was muted due concerns about Mid-East tensions and a rise in international crude oil prices at the end of last week. Investors opted to shift funds to U-S dollar-denominated assets for hedging purposes .. … while large-cap tech stocks, led by the semiconductor sector came under heavy pressure, leading the broader market to trend lower throughout the trading day. Visiting AIT Chair Praises Taiwan Defense Reforms Visiting American Institute in Taiwan Chairwoman Laura Rosenberger is reiterated Washington's pledge to help Taipei defend itself with a "full range of tools." Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Rosenberger said the U-S "is seizing upon the full range of tools authorized by Congress, such as Presidential Drawdown Authority and Foreign Military Financing to reach that goal." Rosenberger also praised the government's ongoing efforts to enhance (提高) the island's self-defense capabilities through initiatives that include increasing defense spending and reforming its reserve forces, conscription and mobilization systems. Rosenberger arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a five-day visit. Taipei Eying November Test Events for Dome The Taipei Department of Sports says a baseball game is being planned as a test event for the Taipei Dome. The venue is scheduled to open for trial operations next month. According to department commissioner Wang Hong-xiang, tickets for the closed-door test event in early November will be available for free. Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan last week announced that the stadium had passed fire safety tests and was expected to receive its operating license in later this month. However, the sports department commissioner says the Dome is primarily (主要是) a sports venue that will be used mostly for baseball games, and future events outside of that purpose will require separate operating license applications. Ukraine: Russian Push to Take Avdiivka Slowing Ukrainian officials say a dayslong attempt by Russian forces to storm a strategically important city in eastern Ukraine appears to be running out of steam. The Ukrainian General Staff said Monday that Ukrainian forces repelled 15 Russian attacks from four directions on Avdiivka over the previous 24 hours. That compared with what another official were up to 60 attacks a day in the middle of last week, suggesting the Russian push was weakening. A Washington-based think tank broadly concurred with that assessment. As the Kremlin’s war entered its 600th day and with the looming onset of winter that will limit military operations, both sides have been seeking battlefield breakthroughs that could invigorate their efforts and raise morale. SCOTUS Orders Gun Makers to Comply on Ghost Guns From the US….. The Supreme Court has ordered makers of gun parts to comply (遵守) with rules on ghost guns. AP's Lisa Dwyer has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 生命旅途中，總會「遇見」不同人事物，你是否想過「預見」，預先看見生命最後一站的風景呢？ 衛生福利部製播出品《遇見，預見》Podcast第二季，持續邀請醫師、名人分享更多生命故事；加入大學生助理主持人，傾聽年輕人的心聲。用更生活的情境，陪伴聽眾深入想像告別現場，在生命最後一刻，更能與摯愛好好說再見。 收聽連結如下：https://solink.soundon.fm/mohwpodcast

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 69-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,712 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market moved lower on the final day of last week's session as investor sentiment was muted (不熱烈的) due to higher-than-expected U-S consumer price index data for in September, raising fears that inflation in America remains a major issue. TPP and KMT Accusing Each Other for Failure to Collaborate The K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party are criticizing each other for the failure (失敗) to reach consensus on plans for a joint opposition ticket for January's presidential election. The spat comes after K-M-T and T-P-P campaign officials held talks this past weekend aimed at exploring a possible electoral pact between the two parties as they're both seeking to remove the D-P-P from power. The T-P-P is pushing for a poll to see whether voters back either the K-M-T's Hou Yu-ih or its presidential candidate, Ko Wen-je to represent the two parties. While the K-M-T is proposing an open primary to select the candidate. Poor Air Quality in West to Last into Tomorrow And, The Ministry of the Environment says poor air quality in northern and western parts of the island is expected to last until tomorrow. The warning comes after a northeasterly monsoon began to pick-up strength on Sunday, carrying high concentrations (濃度) of pollutants from China into Taiwan proper. Monitoring stations on in Keelung, Chiayi City, and Tainan all flashed orange alerts on Sunday, mainly due to PM2.5 particulate pollution, indicating that the air quality poses a health risk to sensitive groups. People with allergies are being advised to wear face masks and avoid vigorous outdoor activities. While another wave of the northeast monsoon is forecast to arrive on Friday, rising the possibility of more poor air quality. Afghanistan Earthquake Leaves More Injuries and Deaths A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has struck western Afghanistan, just over a week after strong quakes and aftershocks killed thousands of people and flattened entire villages. Aid agency Save the Children said four people died in Sunday's temblor in Herat province, with the regional hospital receiving more than 150 injured. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was about 34 kilometers outside Herat, the provincial capital, and eight kilometers deep. Earthquakes on Oct. 7 flattened villages in the province in what was one of the most destructive (破壞性的) quakes in Afghanistan’s recent history. United Nations officials say more than 90% of the people killed a week ago were women and children. Disney at 100 The Walt Disney company is 100 years old as of Monday – marking the start by brothers Walt and Roy Disney on October 16th in 1923. Caroline Malone reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 10-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,816 on turnover of $4-billion N-T. Kinmen set for 1st taxi fare hike in 13 years Taxi fares in outlying Kinmen County will be increased from January 1st 2024 for the first time in 13 years. The Kimen County government said it approved the increase proposed by the association of local taxi drivers due to the rising cost Each journey will charge an additional $5 NT for every 200 meters after the first 1,000 meters and for every accumulated (累積) two minutes during which the taxi travels slower than 5 kilometers per hour. The basic fare for each journey is currently $100 NT for a journey of less than 1,000 meters, with journeys at night charging 20 percent more than during the day. NKorea Calls US Carrier "Provocation" North Korea is lashing out at the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in South Korea, calling it a provocation and again raising the specter (對於…的恐懼（或憂慮）) of using nuclear weapons to defend itself. The North's state media issued that threat today, a day after the USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived at South Korea’s southeastern port of Busan following a U.S.-South Korean-Japanese naval exercise in international waters earlier this week. South Korean defense officials said the carrier is to be docked at Busan for five days as part of an agreement to increase the temporary deployments of powerful U.S. military assets in response to the North’s growing nuclear program. UN Warns Gaza Situation Now Dire The World Food Programme is warning that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is "dire" after Israel said it will not life its blockade of the territory until Hamas frees all the Israeli and foreign hostages that it seized (抓住) last weekend. Meanwhile, Jewish community sites worldwide are on alert after the former leader of Hamas called for Friday to be a day of jihad against Jewish targets. Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports. IOC Suspends Russian Olympic Committee The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended by the IOC for breaching the Olympic Charter by incorporating sports bodies in four regions in eastern Ukraine. Russian Olympic officials provoked (激起，引起) the dispute last week by accepting the councils in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia as its members. The suspension does not immediately affect any Russians who are returning to compete in international sporting events as neutral athletes. The Russian Olympic Committee can challenge the IOC decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 漢神巨蛋週年慶開跑囉！ 10/12~11/7化妝品3千送3百，首四日憑聯名卡+漢神APP 全館滿1萬送5佰；精品滿2萬送1仟；家用專櫃滿1萬送1仟2 消費滿額抽瑞士14日遊、台北漢來住宿券，還有ROBINMAY聯名來店禮等你領。 查看DM https://bit.ly/3LPFtff

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 27-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,699 on turnover of $4.5-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan ended more than 150 points higher on Wednesday, the first trading day after the prolonged Oct. 10 National Day holiday, amid eased fears over an aggressive Federal Reserve in the wake of war breaking out between Israel and militant group Hamas. On the back of the gains posted by tech stocks on the U.S. markets during the holiday in Taiwan, large-cap electronics stocks, in particular in the semiconductor industry, attracted strong buying throughout the session, with the financial sector also enjoying significant (顯著的) gains. Suspects wanted for helping convicted tycoon flee surrender to police Four people who allegedly helped a businessman convicted of insider trading and stock manipulation flee to the Philippines in early September have turned themselves in to the police. According to the Central News Agency, the case involves Chu Guo-rong, president of Global Funeral Service Corp., who fled Taiwan while in home confinement as he appealed his convictions to Taiwan's Supreme Court and was later listed as a wanted fugitive (通緝要犯) on Sept. 28-th. CNA quotes sources as saying that Chu's business partner and race car driver George Chou, along with the captain and two crew members of a fishing boat who allegedly helped Chu flee to the Philippines turned themselves in to the Criminal Investigation Bureau at the end of September. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office said Wednesday that it could not confirm or comment on details of the case as their investigation was still underway. US Biden Warns Iran After Israel Attack US President Joe Biden has given a direct warning to Iran to "be careful" following Hamas' attack on Israel. The American leader is under pressure to refreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets (資產) amid Tehran's support of the terrorist organization. Nick Harper reports from Washington. French Troops Withdraw from Niger The French military says it's begun withdrawing from Niger following the July coup when mutinous soldiers toppled (推翻) the country’s democratically elected president. More than 100 troops left in two flights from the capital on Tuesday in the first of what will be several rounds of departures between now and the end of the year. All are returning to France. Also Tuesday, Niger’s junta said it was giving the United Nations resident coordinator in Niger 72 hours to leave the country. It cited “underhanded maneuvers” by the U.N. secretary-general to prevent its full participation in last month’s General Assembly in New York as one of the reasons. Finland Investigates Gas Pipeline Leak Finnish police say they have launched a criminal investigation into possible sabotage (破壞) of an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia that was shut down over the weekend following a leak. Finland says it has started gathering evidence at the location of the leak, which was detected Sunday on the Balticconector pipeline connecting the two NATO allies. A telecommunications cable was also damaged. The purpose of the probe is to establish whether the damage to the Balticconector pipeline resulted from sabotage or an accident. Finnish authorities have already ruled out an operational mishap, saying the damage was caused by “external activity.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 47-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,567 on turnover of $4.9-billion N-T. **U.S. Stocks Rise; TAIEX Eyes Rebound ** U.S. major indices saw significant gains, with the Dow Jones rising over 600 points and NASDAQ up by 340 points. As Taiwan returns from its National Day holiday, institutional investors forecast a potential rally for the TAIEX, targeting the half-year line of 16-thousand-545 points. Amid global industry developments, the Palestinian group Hamas launched attacks on Israel, resulting in fluctuations (波動) in international oil prices. Meanwhile, the IMF adjusted Taiwan's projected annual economic growth from 2.1-percent to 0.8-percent. Upcoming company financial statements and the Middle East situation are set to be market focal points in the near future. (PB) **Taiwan office in Israel cancels National Day celebration amid war ** Taiwan's representative office in Israel cancelled its National Day reception in Jerusalem after Israel declared war following an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7th. Taiwan's representative to Israel Lee Ya-ping thanked wellwishers for the congratulatory (祝賀) messages received on National Day, and added that the office would help raise supplies for Israel. Hamas launched its largest attack ever on Israel on the morning of Oct. 7, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later declared war against the militant group. **Afghanistan Shaken By Another Strong Quake ** Another strong earthquake has shaken part of western Afghanistan where a quake on Saturday killed more than 2,000. The 6.3-magnitude earthquake Wednesday morning was about 28 kilometers outside the capital of Herat province, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earlier quake was also 6.3 magnitude and has been followed by several strong aftershocks. **US Biden Urges Rule of Law for Israel Reprisals ** US President Joe Biden has confirmed that American citizens are among those hostages being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He described the Hamas attacks on Israel last weekend as "sheer evil", and in comments at the White House backed Israel's right to take reprisals (報復). US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials. From Washington, Simon Marks reports. **Russia Defeated in Bid to Gain UN Human Rights Council Seat ** Russia has been defeated in its bid to regain a seat in the United Nations premiere human rights body by a significant majority in an election in the General Assembly, which voted last year to suspend (（因犯錯而）暫令停職) Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine. Russia competed against Albania and Bulgaria for two seats on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council representing the East European regional group. In Tuesday's secret ballot vote, Bulgaria got 160 votes, Albania got 123 votes and Russia just 83 votes. In Tuesday’s election, the only other competitive race was in the Latin America and Caribbean group where Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Peru competed for three seats. Peru lost out. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 想做電商的你要注意！無照販售藥品、醫材罰款百萬起；化妝品廣告誇大不實、宣稱療效、誤導消費者，最高可罰五百萬！快來瞭解怎麼做才不違規！ https://drmarketingstudio.pse.is/藥品醫療器材廣告宣導

CWA to lift sea warning soon Lin Yu-ting wins Taiwan's first Asian Games female boxing gold U.N. says Lebanon faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises Russian airstrike kills 51 in Ukraine former US President Donald Trump may visit the Capitol to address Republicans as they pick a new speaker

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 40.5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,314 on turnover of $2.3-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan took a beating Wednesday shedding more than 180 points, as market sentiment was hit by steep losses suffered by the U.S. markets overnight and growing fears over a further rate hike by the Federal Reserve. A plunge among tech stocks on the U.S. markets sparked a sell-off in the local bellwether electronics sector as a spike in the U.S. treasury yields made those tech stocks look less attractive. **Imported American pork mislabeled ** The Food and Drug Administration, together with Taoyuan Health officials, have found that two Taoyuan frozen food businesses imported American and Canadian pork and sold it as Canada or UK-produced pork to some 90 eateries and vendors downstream. As American pork may contain additive ractopamine, many local consumers would try to avoid it. Taoyuan officials say the two business imported some 150-thousand kilograms of American pork, and most of it probably has been eaten. While the two businesses said the pork was good and met the standards, health officials say they have violated the Food Safety and Sanitation Act for mislabeling the products. The case now is in the hands of Taoyuan prosecutors, and the FDA is testing whether the remaining pork stored in the two companies contain residues (殘留物) of ractopamine. (JL) **US Trump Denies Interest in House Speaker Position ** Donald Trump has indicated that he's not interested in becoming the next Speaker of the US House of Representatives. The former President was speaking after a Republican member of Congress formally nominated him for the job, following the unprecedented ouster (史無前例的罷黜) of Kevin McCarthy earlier this week. Our US correspondent Simon Marks reports. **Red Cross Calls for Belarus Red Cross Head Ouster ** The international Red Cross is calling for the ouster of the head of the Belarus Red Cross. This comes after the Belarus Red Cross stirred international outrage for boasting (自誇) that it was actively ferrying Ukrainian children from Russian-controlled areas to Belarus. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says it has given the Belarus chapter until Nov. 30 to dismiss Dzmitry Shautsou. If not, the worldwide Red Cross will recommend all affiliates to halt new partnerships and funding for the Belarus branch, which would be suspended from the global organization. Both Ukraine and the Belarusian opposition have decried the transfer of children as unlawful deportations, and there have been calls for international war crimes charges for the Belarus leader, similar to the charges against Russian President Vladimir Putin. **US Women Win Gymnastics World Championships ** Led by Simone Biles, the U.S. women have won a record seventh consecutive team title at the gymnastics world championships. The American team of Biles, Shilese Jones, Skye Blakely and Leanne Wong combined for a total of 167.729 points to edge Brazil and France. The U.S. women have won gold in the team event at every world championship that included a team competition since 2011. Their victory in Antwerp broke a tie with the Chinese men and made Biles the most decorated (授予（某人）勳章) female gymnast in history. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 想做電商的你要注意！無照販售藥品、醫材罰款百萬起；化妝品廣告誇大不實、宣稱療效、誤導消費者，最高可罰五百萬！快來瞭解怎麼做才不違規！ https://drmarketingstudio.pse.is/藥品醫療器材廣告宣導

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 34.86 -points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,419 on turnover of $2.97-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan came under pressure, closing below the 16,500 point mark Tuesday amid renewed fears over a hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve in the wake of a spike in American treasury yields, pointing to higher interest rates. The bellwether electronics sector, which served as a driver to a 1.24 percent increase on the main board on Monday, reversed its previous gains and moved lower, sending the broader market into negative territory. **(10AM)Slowmoving Koinu Rim Soon to Reach Huadong Area ** The Central Weather Administration says the outer rim of Typhoon Koinu will soon reach the Hua-dong area. The CWA says the slow-moving storm is currently centered about 270 kilometers east of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, and was moving in a westerly direction at 11 km per hour. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kph with gusts of up to 191 kph. The CWA's land warning currently covers 15 cities and counties across the center, east and south, as well as parts of the north. Forecasters expect the storm to continue moving in a westerly direction, and predict that the eye of the storm will pass over the Taitung area, and into the Bashi Channel tomorrow. (NS) **Thai Shooting Suspect Explains Shooting to Police ** The teenage suspect arrested following a deadly gun rampage (狂暴行為) in a luxury Bangkok mall told police someone was telling him to shoot others. Two people were killed and five others were wounded in the shooting. Patrick Fok reports. **Italy Bus Crash Leaves Dead and Injured ** Italian authorities say at least 21 people have been killed and 18 injured in a bus crash near Venice. Local officials say the bus was carrying foreign tourists, including Ukrainians. The crash happened Tuesday when the bus fell from an elevated (高架) street just northwest of Venice. City officials say the bus was bringing tourists to a camping site. Local media reports say the bus fell a few meters before crashing close to railroad tracks, where it caught fire. Multiple emergency crews are at the scene. **Mexico Signs Agreement with Sea Sheperd to Proect Vaquitas ** The conservation group Sea Shepherd says it has signed an agreement with Mexico to help expand the protection area for the endangered vaquita porpoise. Sea Shepherd helps the Mexican Navy to remove illegal gill nets that drown the vaquita, the world's most endangered marine mammal. Sea Shepherd said Tuesday that the expansion (擴張) will increase the area work it works in the Gulf of California by about 60%. The Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, is the only place where the vaquita lives. As few as ten vaquitas remain. They cannot be held or bred in captivity. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 37-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,520 on turnover of $3.9-billion N-T. **U.K. commissioner visits Taiwan to strengthen trade ties ** The newly-appointed U.K. trade commissioner for Asia Pacific is visiting Taiwan. The British Office Taipei says Martin Kent is currently in Taiwan for a 5-day visit to broaden (擴大) trade and investment links between the U.K. and Taiwan. The office says the main purpose of his visit is to meet with the International Trade Administration under Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs and prepare topics for the 26th annual U.K.-Taiwan Trade Talks due to take place in London in November. In addition, the commissioner will meet with Taiwan's chief trade negotiator, Minister without Portfolio John Deng, to continue talks on the U.K.-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership announced earlier this year. And the office says during his visit, Kent will also meet with key representatives of U.K. businesses in Taiwan to understand local market opportunities, as well as key Taiwanese companies, including China Airlines and silicon wafer supplier GlobalWafers, to explore collaboration. **Taiwan tennis star Hsieh's father dies at age 70 ** Hsieh Tzu-lung, the father of Taiwanese professional tennis star Hsieh Su-wei, died Sunday at his home at the age of 70, according to a friend of his wife. Hsieh's mother disclosed (透露) the news on Monday through the friend, saying that he died peacefully. Hsieh Tzu-lung had seven children, all of whom except for the oldest were tennis players. Su-wei is the most accomplished of them, with six Grand Slam titles in women's doubles. UN Security Council approves sending a Kenya-led force to Haiti There could soon be an international boost on the ground to help combat (對付) the violence in Haiti. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports ((Wrap)) **Brazil Amazon Dolphins Die Due to Drought and High Temp ** More than 100 dolphins have died in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest in the past week due to a severe drought, and many more could be affected if water temperatures remain high. A research group of Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, said two more dead dolphins were found on Monday in the region around Tefe Lake, which is key for mammals and fish in the area. Thousands of fish have also died, according to local media. Experts believe high water temperatures are the most likely cause of the deaths. The Brazilian government said last week it had sent teams of veterinarians and aquatic (水棲的) mammal experts to investigate the deaths. **NZ Early Voting Begins in Election ** Early voting has begun in New Zealand for the nation’s Oct. 14-th general election, with conservative contender Christopher Luxon casting his ballot. Early voting also began on Monday in some parts of Australia in a referendum on the Indigenous people's “Voice” in Parliament. The measure would enshrine in Australia’s constitution a mechanism (體制) for Indigenous people to advise Parliament on policies that affect their lives In New Zealand, the campaign of Prime Minister Chris Hipkins faced a setback on Sunday when he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he's isolate for five days or until he returned a negative test. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,383 on turnover of $2.6-billion N-T. **Typhoon Koinu Strengthens ** Weather experts warns that Typhoon Koinu is gaining strength, posing a heightened threat as it nears Taiwan. The typhoon is expected to have the most impact between Wednesday and Thursday. Forecasts indicate a significant chance of rainy weather starting tomorrow afternoon, continuing through the weekend. A meteorologist also mentions the possibility of the typhoon turning northward, further impacting Taiwan. The Central Weather Administration says the storm is currently about 860 kilometers southeast of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point. It's moving northwest at 13 kilometers per hour. A sea warning is expected to be issued as early as Tuesday morning, with a land warning likely for later in the same day. Residents are advised to stay updated and take necessary precautions (預防措施) for heavy rain and unstable weather conditions. (PB) **CPC Taiwan Freezes Gas Prices in October to Help Stabilize Living Costs ** The CPC Corporation has announced that gas prices will remain unchanged in October. This decision affects household barrel-packaged gas, industrial propane, butane, mixed propane-butane, and automotive liquefied petroleum gas. The move is part of an effort to stabilize the cost of living, in line with government policy. Although calculations suggested that the price per kilogram should increase by 5 NT, CPC will temporarily absorb (吸收) this cost. The company notes that the total absorbed amount stands at 20 NT per kilogram and may be adjusted in the future if international prices drop. (PB) **Turkey Warplanes Hit Kurdish Rebel Targets ** The Turkish defense ministry says its warplanes have carried out raids on suspected Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq following a suicide attack on a government building in the Turkish capital. A ministry statement said Sunday that some 20 targets of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, were “destroyed” in the aerial operation, including caves, shelters and depots (倉庫). Earlier, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device near an entrance of the Interior Ministry, injuring two police officers. And government officials say a second assailant was killed in a shootout with police Sunday. A news agency close to the PKK said the group has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing. **Serbia Denies Military Buildup Near Kosovo ** Serbia is denying reports of a troop buildup (積聚、累積) near Kosovo. AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports. < [CLIP] Slug: > **UN to Vote on Authorizing Deployment ot Haiti ** The U.N. Security Council is scheduling a vote for today on a resolution that would authorize a one-year deployment of an international force to help Haiti quell a surge in gang violence and restore security so the troubled Caribbean nation can hold long-delayed elections. The U.S.-drafted resolution obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday welcomes Kenya’s offer to lead the multinational security force. It makes clear this would be a non-U.N. force funded by voluntary contributions (貢獻). The resolution would authorize the force for one year, with a review after nine months. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 20-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,331 on turnover of $2.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex recouped early losses to close slightly higher on Wednesday, despite heavy losses on Wall Street overnight, as investor interest in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and select artificial intelligence development-related stocks rebounded (彈回). The main board moved in narrow range for most of the trading session, but bargain hunters turned active late in the trading day, to push the Tai-Ex past the 16,300 point mark by the closing bell. **1,600 Additional Teaching Assistants to be Recruited by 2027 ** The Ministry of Education says an additional 1,600 teaching assistants will be hired to work at schools islandwide between 2024 and 2027. According to Education Minister Pan Wen-chong, the move is aimed at facilitating (促進) a better learning environment for students with additional needs. Pan says the plan is in line with amendments to the Special Education Act, which was passed in May to reduce the pressure on those working in education and to ensure reasonable salaries. The education minister says his office has earmarked 1.1-billion N-T in next year's budget to recruit the new assistants. Pan is also touting what he says is the government's promotion of "inclusive education" for students with additional needs to help them attend regular classes and ensure their welfare. **NKorea Leader Calls for More Nuclear Weapons ** North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for an exponential increase in production of nuclear weapons and for his country to play a larger role in a coalition of nations confronting (面對、對抗) the United States in what he described as a “new Cold War.” State media say Kim made the comments during a two-day session of the North’s rubber-stamp parliament which amended (修正的) the constitution to include his policy of expanding the country’s military nuclear program. The Supreme People’s Assembly meetings came after Kim traveled to Russia this month on a trip that sparked Western concerns about a possible arms alliance in which North Korea would provide Russia with munitions for its war on Ukraine in exchange for advanced weapons technologies. **ChatGPT Update Includes Current Info Access ** ChatGPT users will now be able to access (取得) up to date information from the internet. Previously, the popular chatbot hadn't been able to use information produced after September of 2021. Ira Spitzer has more from San Francisco **IMF: Sri Lanka Progress Not Enough for 2nd Tranche ** The International Monetary Fund says that Sri Lanka has so far failed to make enough progress in boosting tax collection and other economic reforms sought by the IMF. The progress is needed in order for the IMF to release a second tranche (一份，一部分) of $330 million in the country’s $2.9 billion bailout from bankruptcy. An IMF team has concluded a visit to the island this week. The organization says in a report that discussions would continue on an agreement on how to keep up the momentum of financial reforms, and to unlock the second installment of funding. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally lower this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,273 on turnover of 1.4-billion N-T. The market took a beating on Tuesday to close at a four-month low amid investor concerns about a spike in U-S treasury yields. Rising interest rates made tech stocks on the local main board less attractive, and investors opted to dump (甩賣,) those stocks for U-S dollar denominated assets throughout the trading day. **Government to Raise Child Care Subsidies to Boost Birth Rate ** Premier Chen Chien-jen says the government plans to raise child day care allowances by at least 1,500 N-T per month starting next year. The move is part of government efforts to boost Taiwan's fast declining birth rate. According to the premier, subsidies (補貼、補助金) for parents with children under the age of 3 attending public care centers will be increased to 7,000 N-T per month. Those using publicly subsidized private day care centers or home babysitting services will receive 13,000 N-T a month. Chen says additional child day care subsidies will also be offered to parents with two or three children and those from low-income or lower-middle-income families. **CDC Confirms 3 More Dengue Fever Deaths as Cases Surpass 10,000 ** The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed three more dengue fever-related deaths - bringing the total number of such fatalities so far this year to 15. The confirmation comes as the number of domestic cases of the mosquito-borne disease islandwide have now surpassed 10,000. Most the cases have been reported in Tainan. And figures show of the total number of 10,496 cases recorded this year, 9,463 have been in Tainan. A joint CDC-central government task force has been operating in Tainan since September 18 in an attempt (試圖) to bring an end to the outbreak. **Iraq Wedding Fire Leaves 100 Dead ** A fire that raced through a hall hosting a Christian wedding in northern Iraq killed at least 100 people and injured 150 others, and authorities warn the death toll could rise higher. The fire happened in Iraq’s Nineveh province, some 300 kilometers northwest of the capital, Baghdad. There was no immediate official word on the cause of the blaze but initial (最初的) reports by the Kurdish television news channel Rudaw suggested fireworks at the venue may have sparked the fire. Iraq's prime minister has ordered an investigation into the fire and asked the country's Interior and Health officials to provide relief **US Congress Puts Forward ShortTerm Spending Bill ** Members of U.S. Congress have put forward a short-term spending proposal to try and avoid a government shutdown (政府停擺、政府關門). Late on Tuesday, Senators voted on what's called a 'continuing resolution' which they could send to the House later this week, to vote on before a September 30th deadline. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 11-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,440 on turnover of 1.6-billion N-T. The market gained more than 100-points on Monday, as the bellwether electronics sector continued to rebound from previous sessions after tech stocks on Wall Street showed signs of stabilizing (穩定) at the end of last week. However, turnover was limited as many investors remained cautious ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend holiday, while foreign institutional investors sold a net 3.08-billion N-T worth of shares on the main board during the session. **Tsai Hoping to Deepen Trade and Energy Cooperation with UK ** President Tsai Ing-wen says she believes that "there is more room for Taiwan and the U-K to deepen (深化) cooperation in areas such as trade and energy." The comments come as Tsai has been holding talks with visiting U-K Trade Envoy to Taiwan Richard Faulkner. Faulkner arrived in Taiwan last week for trade talks and to attend the 18th UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Conference in Taipei. Speaking during a meeting with the U-K trade envoy, Tsai touted the opening of official talks on the Taiwan-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership in July, and cited Faulkner's strong support for that agreement. The agreement focuses on energy and net-zero emissions, and digital trade. **Premier Touts More Funding for Firefighters ** Premier Chen Chien-jen says the Cabinet plans to allocate an additional 8-billion N-T for the island's fire service. According to the premier, the additional funding will be used to purchase new equipment and protective gear. The premier is also insisting (堅持、強調) that the Tsai administration is "fully committed to protecting the rights of all firefighters." The statements comes days after the deadly fire at a golf ball factory in Pingtung, which left four firefighters dead. Opposition lawmakers are calling for the government to provide fire departments with new generation firefighting robots and new fire hoses with enhanced range and water capacity. There are also calls for the government to allow firefighters to be unionized. **Japan SKorea, China Eye Resuming Trilateral Talks ** Japan, South Korea, and China are holding high-level talks on Tuesday to discuss resuming trilateral leader summits. Deputy foreign ministers from the three countries are meeting in Seoul to pave the way for the annual talks which haven’t been held since 2019. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Bahrain Officer Soldier Killed by Drone Attack ** Bahrain's military command says a drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed a Bahraini officer and soldier who were patrolling Saudi Arabia’s southern border. The statement, carried by the official Bahrain News Agency, says “a number” of Bahraini soldiers were also wounded in Monday's attack, without elaborating. The island nation of Bahrain is a close ally of Saudi Arabia, which has been at war with the Iran-aligned (結盟) Houthi rebels for several years. A cease-fire had largely stopped the violence, and the two sides have appeared close to a peace agreement in recent months. It was unclear if the attack would derail those efforts or prompt retaliation by Saudi Arabia and its allies. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from Friday's close, at 16,345 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market ended the trading day higher on Friday, as other regional markets finished the day mixed following a broad retreat on Wall Street overnight on the back of concerns over more possible interest rate hikes in America. **More Diplomatic Allies Speak-Up for Taiwan at UN ** Three more diplomatic allies have spoken up in support of Taiwan's inclusion in the United Nations system during the on-going General Debate at the 78th General Assembly. The prime minister's of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as Belize's foreign minister all made similar appeals (懇求，訴請) in their respective addresses in New York. It means that 11 of Taiwan's 13 diplomatic allies have so far voiced their support for allowing Taiwan to participate in the U-N system during this year's General Assembly. The Vatican is scheduled to speak later today, but only has observer status at the U-N and rarely speaks on political issues. While Haiti's prime minister, Ariel Henry, spokes on Friday, and focused on the continuing unrest in his country in his address and did not touch on Taiwan this year. **Competitor Dies at Annual Sun Moon Lake Swimming Festival ** A 25-year-old man participating in the Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival has died. According to the Nantou County Government, the man fell ill soon after entering the water and signaled distress (危難), about 100-meters into the annual 3,000-meter swimming competition across the lake. Emergency service personnel pulled the man out of the water, but he was pronounced dead at the Puli Christian Hospital. Officials say the man didn't drown and the cause of his cause of death was still under investigation. The event has been held annually since 1983 and this year drew more than 24,000 competitors from 33 countries. **France to End Military Presence in Niger ** President Emmanuel Macron says France will end its military presence in Niger and pull its ambassador out of the country now that its democratically elected president has been deposed (廢黜的) in a coup. France has maintained some 1,500 troops in Niger since the July coup and refused a request by the new junta for its ambassador to leave. But with tensions mounting, Macron says he told the ousted President Nohamed Bazoum on Sunday that “France has decided to bring back its ambassador. He also says France is ending its military cooperation with Niger. French troops have pulled out of neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso in recent years after coups there. France had stationed thousands of troops in the Sahel region at the request of African leaders to fight Islamic extremist groups. **NASA Collects First Asteroid Sample in Space ** The first asteroid sample collected in space by US Space Agency, NASA, has arrived on Earth. Scientists say the asteroid, Bennu, could tell us more about how life began. They're also keen (渴望的) to learn more about it as there's an outside chance (微弱的可能性) it could hit Earth in the next 300 years. Kate Fisher reports That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 49-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,267 on turnover of $4.1-billion N-T. The market tumbled on Thursday, as investors reacted to rate hike-related comments by the U-S Federal Reserve following the conclusion of its policymaking meeting. The bellwether electronics sector led the downturn on the back of heavy losses suffered by tech stocks on Wall Street overnight, as a spike in U-S treasury yields made interest rate sensitive stocks less attractive. **MOA Says Future Government Egg Imports to be Packaged in Country of Origin ** The Ministry of Agriculture says any future state-funded egg import programs will give preference to eggs packaged and washed in their country of origin. The policy comes amid ongoing controversy over the government program used to import 145 million eggs from overseas suppliers between March and July to alleviate a domestic shortage. The program has come under criticism after incidents in which imported eggs were labeled with the wrong expiration date or country of origin, as well as the agriculture ministry's admission (承認) that 54-million of the eggs were sent to be destroyed after expiring in storage. However, agriculture officials are continuing to defend the program - saying that it was largely successful in easing the egg shortage without affecting prices in a way that could harm local producers. The ministry is also insisting that no imported eggs were sold past their expiration, while any remaining eggs that have not yet expired will be distributed to food processors, rather than being sold fresh. **UN seeks to turbocharge SDGs ** Members of the United Nations are convening (召集) to set the groundwork for a summit it hopes can reinvigorate the multilateral system. The goal is to create a transformative pact ahead of next year's UN General Assembly. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. **UK Booker Prize Finalists Announced ** Novels from Ireland, the United States, Canada and Britain that explore families, communities and a world in crisis make up the six finalists for the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction. The shortlist announced Thursday for the $61-thousand US dollar award includes Canadian author Sarah Bernstein, U.S. writer Jonathan Escoffery and fellow American Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Paul Harding. Also on the list are Irish writers Paul Lynch and Paul Murray and British writer Chetna Maroo. James Shapiro, a member of the judging panel, said many of the books reflect the “grim (嚴厲的,殘忍的,) times” we live in. The winner of the 2023 Booker Prize will be announced Nov. 26 at a ceremony in London. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 59-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,475 on turnover of $4.3-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex extended losses from the previous session on Wednesday, to close below the 16,600 point market, as investor interest remained muted (被抑制的; 不熱烈的) ahead of the conclusion of this week's policymaking meeting of the U-S Federal Reserve. Market watchers say the bellwether electronics sector led the broader market lower, as foreign institutional investors opted to move to the sell side and cash in on profits in futures. **World Leaders Gather for UN Climate Ambition Summit ** World leaders have pledged to invest billions of dollars to keep climate change under control. Many have gathered in New York for the Climate Ambition Summit, taking place during the United Nations General Assembly. But some leaders have been criticized (被批評) for failing to show up. Sally Patterson reports from the UN headquarters. < [CLIP] Slug: > **UK PM Delaying Ban on Gas and Diesel Cars ** Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he’s delaying by five years a ban on new gas and diesel cars that had been due to take effect in 2030. The move is among measures that water down green pledges the U.K. has made. Sunak says Britain remains committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, but in a way that won’t “impose unacceptable costs on hard-pressed (遭受強大壓力的) British families.” The announcement has angered green groups, opposition politicians and large chunks of U.K. industry, but has been welcomed by some in the governing Conservative Party who are against the expense of switching to renewable energy. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ K6「一無是處的人生」首次個人專場 — 演出資訊 K6劉家凱出道近20年的首次個人專場，借劇場空間結合樂團形式，呈現他的人生歌單與《太棒了！我一無是處的人生》專輯曲目。 場地：水源劇場 時間：11/4（六）19:30、11/5（日）17:00 票價：1500（全座席、自由入座） 9/20（三）12:00 啟售，售票請洽OPENTIX！ https://bit.ly/45NOs8T

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,626 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday after coming off an earlier high, as investors opted to lock-in gains from the bellwether electronics sector. Many investors also appeared reluctant (不情願的) to chase prices, as they await the outcome of this week's policymaking meeting by the U-S Federal Reserve. **MOEA Keeps Electricity Rates Unchanged, but Lifts Freeze for 880 Businesses ** The Ministry of Economic Affairs says it's keeping average electricity rates unchanged for now. However, it will be lifting the freeze on rates for around 880 businesses from October 1. Tai-Power says the end of the price freeze (價格凍結) could generate roughly 1.6-billion N-T in revenue. The statements follow a meeting of the ministry's price review committee. And according to the economics ministry, the average power rate currently remains at 3.1154 N-T per kilowatt-hour. **Black Hawk Helicopters to Perform Double Ten Flyover Rehearsal ** The National Day preparatory committee says UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters will perform flyover (低空飛行) rehearsals for this year's Double Ten Day over the Presidential Office this week. According to the committee, early-morning rehearsals will take place tomorrow and Saturday to ensure the flyover during the National Day celebrations "proceeds smoothly." Flyover training exercises involving other aircraft slated to take part in the Double Ten Day celebrations will be conducted on September 28 and October 4th. **Zelensky Urges Unity Against Russian Aggression ** Ukraine's President has urged (力勸) the international community to be united in the face of Russian aggression. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. **Israeli Military Raids Leave 3 Dead in West Bank ** Palestinian health officials say at least three people have been killed in an Israeli military raid in the northern West Bank. They say some 30 others were wounded in Tuesday's operation in the Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli military is providing few details, though it says it carried out a rare drone strike. Palestinian health officials reported numerous casualties from Israeli gunfire. The identities of the dead were not immediately known. **Argentina Applauds ESMA World Heritage Site Designation ** Argentina is celebrating a decision by a United Nations conference to include a former clandestine detention and torture center as a World Heritage site. A UNESCO conference in Saudi Arabia agreed to include the ESMA Museum and Site of Memory in the list of sites “considered to be of outstanding value to humanity,” marking a rare instance (實例) in which a museum of memory related to recent history is designated to the list. The former Navy School of Mechanics, known as ESMA, housed the most infamous illegal detention center that operated during Argentina’s last military dictatorship that ruled from 1976 through 1983. It now operates as a museum and a larger site of memory, including offices for government agencies and human rights organizations. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened opened up 8-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,706 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market tumbled more than 200-points on Monday, to close below the 16,700 point mark, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing came under pressure following heavy losses for tech stocks on Wall Street at the end of last week. While investor sentiment also remained cautious ahead of a two-day policymaking meeting of the U-S Federal Reserve, which is slated to begin today. **French Senator Olivier Cadic on 3rd Visit to Taiwan ** French Senator Olivier Cadic has arrived in Taiwan for a four-day visit to meet with senior government officials. Cadic is the vice-president of the French Senate's permanent committee on foreign affairs and defense issues. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cadic's agenda includes a visit to the Ministry of Digital Affairs to discuss issues concerning Indo-Pacific politics, democracy, human rights, and digital and information security. The senator will also be meeting with French business representatives and expatriates (外籍人士) in Taiwan. It's Cadic's third visit to Taiwan and the fourth by a French parliamentary delegation this year. **Central Bank Expected to Leave Interest Rates Unchanged ** The central bank is expected to leave its key interest rates unchanged at its quarterly policymaking meeting later this week due to eased inflationary pressures. Economists say the bank is likely to keep it rates unchanged on Thursday and again its next policymaking meeting in December, unless the local consumer price index growth surpassed (超過) the 3-per cent mark again. The central bank raised rates by 75 basis points to combat inflation beginning in March of last year, with the discount rate currently set at 1.875 percent. It chose to keep rates unchanged at its last policymaking meeting in mid-June, but the rates remain at an eight-year high. **Canada Expels Indian Diplomat Amid Activist Slaying ** Canada is expelling (驅逐) a diplomat from India as it investigates India's possible link to the death of a Sikh activist. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **Libya Facing Disease Outreak Post Flooding ** Officials are warning that a disease outbreak in Libya’s northeast, where floods have killed thousands, could create “a second devastating crisis” as adults and children fell ill from contaminated (受汙染的) water. The mission said the World Health Organization sent 28 tons of medical supplies to the devastated country. Libyan officials say at least 150 people suffered diarrhea after drinking contaminated water in Derna, and at least 55 children got sick after drinking polluted water in Derna. **Guatemala Protests for PresidentElect ** Thousands of indigenous supporters have protested in Guatemala City to defend Guatemala’s president-elect as government prosecutors seek to ban his political party. Many of the protesters carried banners or chanted slogans demanding the resignation of government officials who have sought (尋求)to prosecute Bernardo Arevalo and ban his Seed Movement party. Protesters threatened to keep demonstrating until the efforts against Arevalo are stopped. Arevalo won the Aug. 20 presidential runoff in a landslide, but prosecutors have continued pursuing multiple investigations related to the registration of Arevalo’s Seed Movement party, and alleged fraud in the election. International observers have said that's not supported by evidence. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 想做電商的你要注意！無照販售藥品、醫材罰款百萬起；化妝品廣告誇大不實、宣稱療效、誤導消費者，最高可罰五百萬！快來瞭解怎麼做才不違規！ https://drmarketingstudio.pse.is/藥品醫療器材廣告宣導

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 26-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,893 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The local main board traded higher on Friday, as other regional markets moved into positive territory, after China's central bank eased the reserve requirements for banks and chip designer Arm Holdings' I-P-O on the Nasdaq boosted investor optimism. **Electricity Price Freeze Expected to End for 880 businesses ** The Ministry of Economic Affairs' electricity price review committee is expected to end a freeze on electricity rates for over 800 businesses. Tai-Power says the freeze is likely to be ended during a meeting of the price review committee later today. The economics ministry raised power prices for industrial consumers by 15-per cent in July last year and by 17-per cent in April of this year. However, the ministry did not increase rates for businesses in the cinema, gym, department store, and catering (餐飲業、酒席承辦) and restaurant sectors, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on domestic demand. **MOEA Set to Budget NT$800 million to Develop Advanced IC Processes ** The Ministry of Economic Affairs is set to budget around 800-million N-T to subsidize smaller domestic I-C designers in the development of processes below 28 nanometers. The amount constitutes (構成) part of the 5.2-billion N-T the ministry is set to receive next year as part of a semiconductor industry innovation project proposed by the National Science and Technology Council. The Industrial Development Bureau says the funding aims to help domestic smaller I-C designers develop advanced I-C processes due to expected competition from China. **NY Thousands Take Part in Climate March ** Thousands of people took to the streets of New York on Sunday demanding an end to the use of fossil fuels (化石燃料) and for the U.S. to show greater leadership in the fight against climate change. Jody Jacobs reports from New York. < [CLIP] Slug: > **UN to List Jericho as World Heritage Site in Palestine ** A U.N. committee has voted to list prehistoric ruins near the ancient West Bank city of Jericho as a World Heritage Site in Palestine. The decision Sunday angered Israel, which controls the territory and does not recognize a Palestinian state. Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited (有人居住的) cities on earth, and is in a part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank that is administered by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. The listing refers to the Tell es-Sultan archaeological site nearby, which contains prehistoric ruins dating back to the ninth millennium B.C. and is outside the ancient city itself. The decision was made by the U.N. World Heritage Committee meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 2-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,810 on turnover of $2.6-billion N-T. The market gained more than 200-points on Thursday, as investor interest in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing rebounded from previous session. Renewed investor interest in T-S-M-C came after the company issued a record cash dividend of 3 N-T per share for its first-quarter earnings - and that led to a rally across the broader market. **Control Yuan Censures Taipei Prison ** The Control Yuan has censured the Taipei Prison for its mistreatment of some inmates. According to the government watchdog, it is demanding the Ministry of Justice review surveillance systems in all correctional facilities islandwide. The move comes after it opened an investigation into the prison following complaints filed by some inmates earlier this year. The Control Yuan says that investigation found that some prisoners were subject to abuse by prison employees, while other correctional officers turned a blind eye to the mistreatment. The abuse included handcuffing, beating and pepper spraying. Control Yuan member Gao Yong-cheng says some of the incidents resulted in injuries to the inmates, and some of them were coerced (脅迫的) by correctional officials into signing a document stating that they had not been injured. The investigation also found that the surveillance cameras in the prison were compromised by numerous blind spots. **EU Countries to Keep Sanctions on Iran ** Britain, France and Germany have announced that they will keep their sanctions on Iran related to the Mideast country’s atomic program and its development of ballistic missiles. The measures were to expire in October under a timetable spelled out in the now defunct (不復存在的) nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. The three European allies known as E3 had helped negotiate the nuclear deal. In a joint statement on Thursday, they said they would retain their sanctions in a “direct response to Iran’s consistent and severe (劇烈) non-compliance” with the accord. Iran has violated the sanctions by developing and testing ballistic missiles and sending drones to Russia for its war on Ukraine. **Dominican Republic Closes Borers with Haiti ** The Dominican Republic’s president has announced he will close all borders with neighboring Haiti starting today in a dispute over a canal on the Haitian side that would divert water from a border river. His announcement signals that last-minute talks between the countries have failed to head off the closure (關閉). President Luis Abinader says air, sea and land borders will remain shuttered “until necessary.” It is a rare move for the Dominican Republic, and could hit economies in both countries, though it will be most acutely (嚴重地) felt in Haiti. The closure is a response to the excavation of a canal by a farming group on the Haitian side that targets waters from the Massacre River. **NASA UFO Report Finds No Evidence of Alien Activity ** A UFO sightings report from the US space agency has found no evidence of alien activity in relation to a number of unexplained phenomena. However, Nasa could also not rule out the possibility of the existence (存在) of other life forms. US correspondent Nick Harper reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 【AD】 Johnnie Walker XR21年 蘇格蘭威士忌，淬鍊21年以上 使用三維立體工藝，珍稀·調和·喚醒陳釀 造就多層次細膩風味與醇厚酒體 是您聚會送禮最佳首選 https://bit.ly/3RowWUr 【禁止酒駕，未滿18歲禁止飲酒】 【本文內容涉及酒類產品促銷訊息，請勿轉發分享給未達法定購買年齡者】

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened flat this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,581 on turnover of 2.3-billion N-T. The market closed almost flat on Wednesday as early gains were eroded amid investor caution ahead of the release of August's U-S consumer price index. The bellwether electronics sector came off a high as "Apple concept stocks" came under pressure, despite the U-S electronics giant unveiling the latest iPhone 15 series overnight, while buying switched to select old economy stocks. **Presidential aspirant Terry Gou announces running mate ** Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. founder and aspiring (有抱負的) presidential candidate Terry Gou has announced veteran singer-actress Lai Pei-hsia as his prospective running mate for Taiwan's 2024 election. Gou introduced Lai at a press conference at 8:35 a.m. and touted her experiences in communication skills, adding that her female perspective will be beneficial (有利) for him to promote gender equality. Due to a lack of party affiliation, Gou still needs to collect signatures from about 290,000 people between Sept. 19 and Nov. 2 to make it onto the ballot, according to rules set by the Central Election Commission. Gou is required to register his independent candidacy with the CEC no later than Sept. 17 before his campaign can begin the signature drive. Should Gou make it onto the ballot, he will face the DPP candidate and Vice President Lai Ching-te, as well as the KMT's New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih and the TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je. **FDA Grants EUA for Updated Moderna COVID Vaccine ** The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for Moderna's updated coronavirus vaccine. According to F-D-A Deputy Director Chen Hui-fang, the Spikevax XBB.1.5 vaccine will be rolled out here in Taiwan by the end of this month. An expert panel has approved the vaccine for those aged over six months during a review meeting. The Centers for Disease Control is expected to take delivery of a batch of 2-million doses of the vaccine in the coming days. Health officials will then spend a week inspecting (檢查) and label the shots before making them available to the public. The first jabs will be made available to people aged 65 and over. **Central EU Countries Call to Maintain Ukraine Grain Ban ** Central European countries say they will ban Ukrainian grain imports if the EU doesn't extend its existing restrictions, which are set to expire (到期) on September 15. Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland are concerned that a flooding of the market with cheaper Ukrainian products will bring down their own grain prices, hitting domestic producers. Pablo Gutierrez reports from Budapest. **UN Imprisoned Reporter Family Calling for his Freedom ** The father of imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is calling on world leaders meeting at the United Nations next week to stand up for freedom of the press and urge Russia to release him. Mikhail Gershkovich came to U.N. headquarters with his wife and daughter at the invitation of U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Wednesday to spotlight his son’s nearly six months in a Russian prison on charges of espionage, which the Journal’s lawyers call “patently (明顯地) false.” Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield urged all U.N. member nations “to join this call for Evan’s release, and the release of all those who have been wrongfully detained.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ K6「一無是處的人生」首次個人專場 — 演出資訊 K6劉家凱出道近20年的首次個人專場，借劇場空間結合樂團形式，呈現他的人生歌單與《太棒了！我一無是處的人生》專輯曲目。 場地：水源劇場 時間：11/4（六）19:30、11/5（日）17:00 票價：1500（全座席、自由入座） 9/20（三）12:00 啟售，售票請洽OPENTIX！ https://bit.ly/45NOs8T

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,578 on turnover of 1.5-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Tuesday on the back of increased investor interest in semiconductor stocks follow a rise on Wall Street overnight sparked by a more than 1-per cent increase on the tech heavy Nasdaq. **MND Releases Latest Defense Paper ** The Ministry of National Defense has released its first national defense report since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the report, the island's armed forces are learning from the war in Europe, and are boosting the asymmetrical warfare capabilities and adopting a whole-of-society approach in preparation for a potential cross-strait conflict. The military notes that as is being seen in the Russia-Ukraine war, China is also deploying hybrid warfare to target Taiwan through both military coercion (強迫) and non-traditional threats, including cyber and cognitive warfare. And the report says the military is responding to those actions by upholding its long-held "resolute defense and multi-domain deterrence" strategic guidance, and continuing to beef up its asymmetrical warfare capabilities in the face of a much stronger opponent. **Court Rejects Taipei's Initial Request to Freeze Kee Tai Assets ** The Taipei District Court has rejected a request by the Taipei City government to freeze 61.96-million N-T in assets (資產) belonging to Kee Tai Properties. The city government submitted the request to the court on Sunday, days after underground excavation work at a Kee Tai construction site in the Dazhi neighborhood caused one building to partially collapse and six others to incline to one side. According to the court, it chose to reject the request as Kee Tai is a publicly-traded company with authorized capital of 5-billion N-T, and has already agreed to transfer 100-million N-T into a fund for the affected households. **US Vows Support for Libya ** US President Joe Biden has promised emergency funds (資金) for Libya, after severe flooding killed an estimated 5,000 people. Thousands of people are still missing, with parts of some cities completely destroyed. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Russian Warplane Crash ** The Russian military has announced that one of its warplanes crashed during a training mission in southern Russia without specifying the fate of its crew. The Defense Ministry says the Su-24 bomber went down Tuesday in an unpopulated area in the Volgograd region and rescue helicopters were deployed to the site. The ministry says that the aircraft wasn’t carrying any weapons. It didn’t say what might have caused the crash that caused no casualties or damage on the ground. The Russian air force has suffered a string of crashes that some observers have attributed to (將（某種狀況）歸屬於) a higher number of flights amid the fighting in Ukraine. **Simona Halep Suspended for Doping ** Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been suspended (暫令停止參加活動) from professional tennis for four years for doping violations. The International Tennis Integrity Agency says the 31-year-old Romanian “committed intentional anti-doping rule violations” by failing a drug test during the 2022 U.S. Open and for irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport. Halep had been provisionally suspended since October 2022. The four-year ban will run to Oct. 6, 2026. She plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 【AD】 Johnnie Walker XR21年 蘇格蘭威士忌，淬鍊21年以上 使用三維立體工藝，珍稀·調和·喚醒陳釀 造就多層次細膩風味與醇厚酒體 是您聚會送禮最佳首選 https://bit.ly/3RowWUr 【禁止酒駕，未滿18歲禁止飲酒】 【本文內容涉及酒類產品促銷訊息，請勿轉發分享給未達法定購買年齡者】

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,433on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market extended losses from a session earlier on Monday, as it fell more than 140 points on the back of a sell-off in artificial intelligence development-related stocks. Selling was seen across the main board, as investors remain concerned over the upcoming release of U-S consumer price index data for August later this week. **Premier Stresses "No Plans to Demolish CKS Hall" ** Premier Chen Chien-jen says the government currently has no plans to demolish (拆除) the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei as part of its ongoing transitional justice efforts. However, Chen says the Tsai administration remains focused on removing symbols of authoritarianism. The statement is in response to a opinion piece published by Liberty Times in which members of a Cabinet-level task force claimed the government has "little political will" to remove the memorial site. According to the premier, the government firmly believes that the removal of symbols of authoritarian regimes is an major aspect of its pursuit of transitional justice, and a task force is studying ways to re-purpose the memorial hall. **University Makes Second Successful Research Rocket Test ** Researchers at the Tamkang University have conducted a successful test flight of a research rocket. It marks the second successful launch by the university from the Xuhai rocket test site in Pingtung County since it became operational in 2022. According to the Taiwan Space Agency, the scientific research rocket was named "Jessie" - after a Pokemon character - and its launch validated (驗證) its payload and structural design, which incorporates composite materials. The single-stage rocket is fueled by an R-N-X composite propellant, known for its stability and safety. It's hoped it will be able to reach an altitude of 4.2-kilometers. **NKorean Leader Departs for Russia ** The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian president Vladimir Putin will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “in the coming days”. State media in North Korea has confirmed that Kim departed (離開) Pyongyang for Russia on a private train on Sunday. Chris Gilbert reports. **Sweden to Increase Military Spending ** The Swedish government wants to increase the country's defense budget by 28% as it prepares to join the NATO alliance. The increase would put Sweden on track (有望成功、在正軌上) to reach NATO's target for military spending to be 2% of a country's gross domestic product. Sweden’s center-right coalition government unveiled a defense bill Monday and said the defense budget will be increased by $2.4 billion. About $63 million will be spent on Sweden’s future membership of NATO. Sweden and neighboring Finland sought protection under the NATO security umbrella after Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Finland joined earlier this year but Sweden is still waiting. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from Friday's close, at 16,579 on turnover of 2.2-billion N-T. The market closed lower on Friday as Apple concept stocks came under pressure on the back of reports that China plans to expand (擴張) restrictions on the use of iPhones in government offices and state-backed entities dealers said. And while the bellwether electronics sector led the downturn, buying in the financial sector helped the local main board offset the impact of escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, **Kee Tai and Taipei City Government Reach Consensus on Response to Building ** Collapse Kee Tai Properties and the Taipei City government have reached an initial agreement to help people affected by the partial collapse of a building in the city's Dazhi neighborhood. A total of 442 people from 201 households have had to be evacuated pending safety inspections and that figure includes 25 people who will need to be temporarily rehoused after their homes suffered severe (劇烈) structural damage. News of the agreement comes after Kee Tai Properties C-E-O Feng Hsien-mien had been facing criticism for his failure to make any public statement since the incident occurred last Thursday. Kee Tai has agreed to create a 100-million N-T fund for the purposes of disaster relief and to cover the costs of building restoration and temporarily resettling displaced residents. The company has also promised to "fully cooperate" in the reconstruction of the damaged buildings, regardless of whether the work is carried out by Kee Tai or Taipei's Urban Regeneration Office. **Lee Hong-chi's "Love Is a Gun" Wins Best First Feature Award at Venice ** Festival Director Lee Hong-qi's debut movie "Love Is a Gun" has been awarded the prize for best first feature at the Venice International Film Festival. The award makes Lee the first Taiwanese director to score a win in the debut (首次亮相) category at the annual film festival. Lee was also the scriptwriter and lead actor in the movie that tells the story of a a young man who, upon being released from prison, discovers that he cannot escape his past. It's the first time a Taiwanese film has won an award at the Venice International Film Festival since 2013. **US Biden Visit Enhances Vietnam Ties ** US President Joe Biden, visiting Vietnam, is praising the newly-enhanced (增進) relationship between the two countries – once at war. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. **Subject: E*Sudan Drone Attack Kills Dozens in Khartoum ** Sudanese activists and a medical group say at least 43 people have been killed in a drone attack on an open market south of the capital, Khartoum. They say more than 55 others were wounded in the attack Sunday and were transferred to a hospital. Sudan's military and a powerful rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, have been battling for control of the country since mid-April. The paramilitary group blamed the military’s air force for Sunday’s attack. It wasn't immediately possible to independently verify (核實) the claim. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,610 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. **Work Halted at Taipei Construction Site After Tilting ** Work has been halted at a Taipei construction site, after nearby residential buildings began to tilt (傾斜), and one partially collapsed into the ground. The damage began last night, as Taipei city police and firefighters received reports of 5 to 6 apartment buildings adjacent to the construction site in Zhong-shan District, tilting to one side. Through the night and into this morning, nearly 200 households were evacuated as a precaution, affecting over 350 residents. There were also reports that the 1st floor of one of the buildings has already collapsed down into the ground, as other buildings showed cracks on the walls, bent metal window covers, and broken glass. Kee Tai Properties states that it will not shirk its responsibilities and will provide plans to aid affected residents. (NS) **ASEAN Touts Peace but Little Progress ** Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for establishing southeast Asia as a theatre of peace and inclusiveness (包容性) in his closing remarks at the ASEAN summit in Jakarta. But the bloc is widely seen to have failed in solving critical issues including tensions in the South China Sea and conflict in Myanmar. Patrick Fok reports. **Mali Islamic Insurgent Attacks Leave Dozens Dead ** Two attacks by Islamic insurgents in the restive north of Mali have killed 49 civilians and 15 government soldiers. The provisional death toll given by the country’s military junta was read on state television. A passenger boat near the city of Timbuktu on the Niger River and a Malian military position in Bamba further downstream in the Gao region were targeted. The statement said the attacks have been claimed by Islamic extremist insurgent group JNIM, an umbrella coalition of armed groups aligned with (與…結盟) al-Qaida. **UN Report Gives Grim Picture of Gender Equality ** The United Nations says in a report that the U.N. goal of achieving gender equality by 2030 is impossible to achieve because of deeply rooted biases against women around the world in health, education, employment and the halls of power. UN Women and the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs said in “The Gender Snapshot 2023” report launched Thursday that “active resistance to gender equality and chronic under-investment are key factors in slow progress and, in some cases, reversals (倒退) of gains already made.” It also pointed to “unequal access to sexual and reproductive health, unequal political representation, economic disparities and a lack of legal protection." The report assessing the progress for women in achieving the 17 U,N. goals for 2030 warned hat the continuing failure to make the achievement of gender equality a priority will put the achievement of all 17 goals “in peril.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 23-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,715 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed lower after coming off earlier highs as tech heavyweights gave up their earlier gains in the wake of a lackluster performance on the U.S. markets overnight,. Market sentiment stayed cautious as investors anxiously waited for the release of the U.S. August consumer price index for a better guess about the next move the Federal Reserve will make in its monetary policy **Taiwan military to showcase new Indian Challenger motorcycles at base ** opening Taiwan's Military Police is scheduled to debut its newly purchased heavy motorcycles in an upcoming military base opening event later this month. The Military News Agency announced Wednesday that the Taipei-based 202nd Military Police Command's Quick Response Company will showcase its new Indian Challenger motorcycles at the Sept. 24 opening of the army base in Hukou Township, Hsinchu County. The MNA report said the company will hold a round of motorcycle performances during the opening event, which is expected to be attended by tens of thousands of civilian participants. The 202nd Military Police Command's Quick Response Company is the only military unit in Taiwan equipped with heavy motorcycles. The military police said the motorcycles are highly mobile (可動的，移動式的), explaining that a rider would be able to hold a locally developed Kestrel anti-armor rocket and get to where they need to be much quicker than on other military vehicles. **NKorea: China VicePremier to Visit for Founding Anniversary ** North Korea says a Chinese delegation led by Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong will visit the country to help celebrate the North's 75th founding anniversary, which is on Saturday. The report in state media today didn't say how the Chinese delegation would be participating in the anniversary events or say if the delegates would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The report came amid speculation (猜測) that Kim will visit Russia soon for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Such a meeting could involve discussions of North Korean arms sales to refill Russian reserves drained by its war on Ukraine. **Trump trial in Georgia ** The judge overseeing the Georgia case that accuses former President Donald Trump and others of illegally trying to overturn (翻倒) the 2020 election in the state… has denied requests by two of the 19 defendants to be tried alone, Prosecutors say the trial would take four months and include approximately 150 witnesses. Ed Donahue reports. **Mexico Removes Federal Penalties for Abortion ** Mexico’s Supreme Court has thrown out all federal criminal penalties for abortion. The sweeping ruling issued Wednesday declared that national laws prohibiting the procedure are unconstitutional and violate women’s rights. The high court ordered that abortion be removed from the federal penal code (刑法). The decision will require the federal public health service and all federal health institutions to offer abortion to anyone who requests it. Some 20 Mexican states, however, still criminalize abortion. While judges in those states will have to abide by the court's decision, further legal work will be required to remove all penalties. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,796 on turnover of $2--billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed after little change throughout the day as the U.S. market remained closed for Labor Day, providing no direction to the local main board. Contract chipmaker TSMC and the major stocks related to artificial intelligence development reversed course following a brief surge Tuesday, offsetting the gains made by other tech stocks during the trading session. **Taiwan Eswatini Sign Three MOUs ** President Tsai Ing-wen has overseen the signing of three MOUs with diplomatic ally Eswatini. The President arrived in Eswatini yesterday, to celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Kingdom of Eswatini, as well as the 55th anniversary of Eswatini's independence. And after her arrival, she met with Eswatini's King Mswati III, and witnessed the signing of the bilateral agreements on supporting women's entrepreneurship, assisting Eswatini in building oil storage tanks for emergency oil reserves (儲備), as well as a "Sister City Agreement" between Kaohsiung and Mbabane. That agreement sees Kaohsiung sharing its experience in developing the information and technology industry, as well as increase cultural and educational exchanges. (NS) **China Rejects Offer to Join Fukushima Water Testing ** China is rejecting an offer by Japan to join an international framework to test the radiation levels at the Fukushima nuclear wastewater discharge (釋放) site. Beijing, which strongly opposes the water release, banned all seafood imports from Japan last month., Chris Gilbert reports. **Saudi Arabia Russia Extend Oil Production Costs ** Saudi Arabia and Russia have agreed to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of the year. The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow on Tuesday said the two countries would trim (減少) 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market. Their move pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in afternoon trading, a price unseen in the market since November. It could increase costs for motorists at gas stations and put new pressure on Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the United States. President Joe Biden warned Saudi Arabia last year there would be unspecified “consequences” for the kingdom partnering with Russia on cuts as Moscow wages war on Ukraine. **Brazil Announces Financial Support for Reducing Deforestation ** In a bid to slow down deforestation in the Amazon, Brazil will provide financial support to municipalities that have reduced deforestation rates the most. The announcement was made Tuesday by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change during the country’s Amazon Day. The new program will invest up to $120 million in technical assistance. The money will be allocated based on the municipality’s performance in reducing deforestation and fires, and must be invested in land titling (土地所有權), monitoring and control of deforestation and fires, and sustainable production. The money will come from the Amazon Fund, which has received more than $1.2 billion, mostly from Norway, to help pay for sustainable development of the region. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 9月是交通安全月，南投縣長許淑華提醒駕駛朋友們接近路口前減速 ，注意周遭人車，停讓行人先過。 行人請在安全地點停等，遵守號誌且秒數足夠再通過，過馬路不分 心，並注意聽車輛警示音。 ⚠️車輛慢看停 行人安全行⚠️ https://bit.ly/47KeJ9s 本廣告由南投縣政府提供

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 6-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16.784 on turnover of 2.3-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan rose by more than 140 points Monday to close above the 16,700 mark amid eased fears over an aggressive Federal Reserve after the United States reported a cooling job market. The bellwether electronics sector regained its footing, led by large-cap semiconductor stocks, with contract chipmaker TSMC, driving a solid upturn on the main board in the wake of the gains posted by their counterparts on the U.S. markets at the end of last week. **CWB Ends Sea Warning for Haikui ** The Central Weather Bureau has ended its sea warning for Haikui. The CWB ended the warning at 8:30am, as the storm continued to weaken (削弱) into a tropical depression, as it moves west over China. Forecasters say weather conditions across the island today should remain relatively clear with occasional rainfall. And northern and southern regions should remain on alert for afternoon thundershowers. The CWB says from September 2nd until 8am today, Haikui brought over 1-thousand-111 milimeters of accumulated rainfall over parts of Hualien County, and 725 milimeters of rainfall over Taipingshan in Yilan County. (NS) **Subject: E*Japan PM Announces Fnd for Exporters Hit by Wastewater Release ** **Return to **Table of contents Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced a $141 million emergency fund to help exporters hit by a ban on Japanese seafood imposed by China in response to the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. The discharge (釋放) of the wastewater into the ocean began Aug. 24 and is expected to continue for decades. Japanese fishing associations and groups in neighboring countries have strongly opposed the release, and China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood. **Sunak says he's not to blame for school concrete crisis ** British lawmakers have headed back to Parliament after their summer break but thousands of U.K. children won’t be returning to their classrooms this week. Their schools are at risk of collapse from crumbling (粉碎) concrete. The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says it's wrong to blame him for the escalating crisis surrounding unsafe concrete material in English schools. This comes after accusations that Sunak had ignored a report finding the concrete in some buildings presented a "critical risk", and cut the school repair budget when he was finance minister. Julia Chapman reports. **Australia Rescues Ill Man at Antarctic Base ** Authorities in Australia say an Australian who fell ill at a remote Antarctic base is returning home on an icebreaker following a daunting mission to rescue him. The man was working at the Casey research station when he suffered from what authorities described as a developing medical condition that needed specialist (專家) assessment and care. Officials say the icebreaker left Australia last week and traveled south more than 3,000 kilometers, breaking through sea ice to reach a location 144 kilometers from the base. From there, two helicopters were deployed from the deck on Sunday and arrived at the base after nearly an hour to rescue the man. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 9月是交通安全月，南投縣長許淑華提醒駕駛朋友們接近路口前減速 ，注意周遭人車，停讓行人先過。 行人請在安全地點停等，遵守號誌且秒數足夠再通過，過馬路不分 心，並注意聽車輛警示音。 ⚠️車輛慢看停 行人安全行⚠️ https://bit.ly/47KeJ9s 本廣告由南投縣政府提供

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 50-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,700 on turnover of $1.7--billion N-T. **Haikui Causes 44 Injuries Across Taiwan ** Emergency officials say Severe Tropical Storm Haikui has caused dozens of injuries, as well as damage across much of eastern Taiwan. The Central Emergency Operation Center says the storm left 44 people injured, mostly in Taitung, Tainan and Hualien. Other damage included hundreds of uprooted roadside trees, as well as damaged roads. Haikui has been hovering in waters about 50 kilometers west-northwest of Tainan, moving west-northwest at a speed of 9-km per hour. The storm decreased in size and now has a radius of 150-kilometers, but still covers Taitung, Hualien, and all areas south of Taichung. Officials say the outer periphery (外圍) of the storm will continue to bring heavy rain to much of Yilan and Hualien, and the precipitation is expected to ease somewhat heading into the evening. (NS) **Taitung Households Still Without Power ** In related news….. Over 10-thousand households and businesses in Taitung remain without power this morning. Local officials say more than 50-thousand users lost power yesterday, and after emergency repairs by TaiPower crews, around 13-thousand still do not have access to electricity services. The severe tropical storm also brought strong winds and heavy rain to the region, with 7 townships recording accumulated (積累) rainfall of near 400 milimeters. Officials also say over 20 roadside trees were uprooted, but Taitung's famed bishop wood in Chishang Township remains standing, despite suffering some broken branches. (NS) **Israel migrant riots ** Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants Eritrean migrants involved in a violent clash (衝突) in Tel Aviv to be deported immediately and has ordered a plan to remove all of the country’s African migrants. His remarks came a day after bloody protests by rival groups of Eritreans in south Tel Aviv left dozens of people injured. Laurence Brooks has this report. **SKorea President to Stresses Sanctions on NKorea at ASEAN Meeting ** South Korea’s president says he’ll tell world leaders about the need to faithfully enforce U.N. sanctions on North Korea when they converge in Indonesia and India for annual summits this week. President Yoon Suk Yeol is to visit Jakarta to attend a series of summits scheduled alongside a meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders. He'll travel on to New Delhi for a summit of the Group of 20 leading economies. In written responses to questions from The Associated Press, Yoon says during the G20 summit, he'll stress the need to block North Korea's cyber hacking and other illicit (非法的) activities that fund its weapons programs. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 6-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,641, on turnover of $2.2-billion N-T. **Cabinet signs off on public sector AI guidelines ** The Cabinet has signed off on new guidelines for the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) within the public sector. Drafted by the National Science and Technology Council, the guidelines indicate that public sector workers using generative AI must have any outputs evaluated by an assigned party for potential (潛在的) risks. The guidelines also state that government agencies must not solely depend on the output of generative AI or its unverified content for administrative actions or official decision-making. In addition, the guidelines require disclosure when generative AI is employed as a tool for official tasks. Moreover, users are expected to adhere to regulations concerning information security, personal data protection and copyright, under the guidelines. **40 Taiwanese youth ambassadors to visit Saint Lucia for 10 days ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is set to send 40 "youth ambassadors" to Saint Lucia this month. The youth ambassadors received two weeks of training under MOFA's annual program, and will visit the Caribbean allied nation for 10 days to promote friendship between the two countries. According to MOFA, the ambassadors, all of them Taiwan nationals aged 18-35 who are still undergraduate or graduate students, were selected because of their good command of English, special talents in the performing arts, or outstanding skills in cooking. **Canada Updates US Travel Advisory for LGBTQ+ ** Canada has updated its travel advisory (旅遊警示) to the U.S., warning members of the LGBTQ+ community that some American states have enacted laws that may affect them. The country’s Global Affairs department did not specify which states, but is advising travelers to check the local laws for their destination before traveling. A department spokesperson says "Since the beginning of 2023, certain states in the U.S. have passed laws banning drag shows and restricting the transgender community from access to gender-affirming care and from participation in sporting events”. Asked about the travel advisory change this week, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said travel advisories are based on advice from professionals in the department whose job it is to monitor for particular dangers. She did not say whether her government had discussed the matter with its U.S. counterpart. **US Pledges Funds for Auto Workers ** The Biden administration has pledged more than 12 billion dollars to help US automakers retrofit (改造) existing facilities as they transition to electric vehicle production. The move comes as auto workers threaten to go on strike. Ira Spitzer reports **India Economy Grows 7.8Percent ** India’s economy has clocked up growth of 7.8% in the first quarter of the current financial year, mainly due to good performance by the agricultural and financial sectors. The World Bank says India is one of the fastest-growing economies of the world and is poised (作好準備的) to continue on this path. However, the manufacturing sector growth slowed to 4.7% during the quarter from April to June, compared to 6.1% in the same period last year. The World Bank said India's real gross domestic product growth is likely to moderate to 6.3% this year from an estimated 6.9% in the last financial year. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 【AD】 Johnnie Walker XR21年 蘇格蘭威士忌，淬鍊21年以上 使用三維立體工藝，珍稀·調和·喚醒陳釀 造就多層次細膩風味與醇厚酒體 是您聚會送禮最佳首選 https://bit.ly/3RowWUr 【禁止酒駕，未滿18歲禁止飲酒】 【本文內容涉及酒類產品促銷訊息，請勿轉發分享給未達法定購買年齡者】

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **U.K. parliamentary report describes Taiwan as 'independent country' ** Taiwan's government has welcomed a new report from the U.K. parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, which stated Taiwan is "already an independent country." The report included Taiwan in its "countries" section, describing it as possessing "all the qualifications for statehood" bar "greater international recognition." According to Committee Chairperson Alicia Kearns of the ruling Conservative Party, the report is the first from a U.K. parliamentary committee to make such statements relating to Taiwan's sovereignty. Meanwhile, the committee report called on the U.K. to develop deterrence diplomacy - building up resilience and defense in order to deter malicious (惡意的) actors - and to use this to protect the self-determination of the people of Taiwan. According to the Central News Agency, MOFA spokesman Jeff Liu says Taiwan welcomed the report's support for Taiwan's international participation, and will continue to do its best to enhance deeper cooperation with the United Kingdom on various fronts for the prosperity of both countries. **New feature on Taipei Metro app makes meet-ups easier ** A new feature on the Taipei Metro mobile app will make it easier for passengers to find each other. The Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation says the "train meet-ups" feature on the Taipie MRT Go app allows passengers to share their train information with friends and acquaintances (相識的人) via social media apps. Passengers are required to enter the car number and door number which are located near the door inside each car before sharing a message, which allows the app to locate the train on a real-time MRT map for message recipients. They are then notified near which door in which car the sender is located, so they can wait at the correct spot on the platform, or alternatively find each other if on the same train. The app is currently only available in Mandarin. **N Korean missiles fall short of Japan EEZ ** North Korea says ballistic missiles it fired on Wednesday were part of a tactical nuclear drill. The DPRK launched two projectiles towards the Sea of Japan which fell short of (沒達到) Japanese waters. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Canada Bees Spilled on Road ** And from Canada…. Police in the city of Toronto warned drivers to keep their car windows closed after a truck spilled (灑) crates carrying five million bees onto a road. Pedestrians were also asked to avoid the area just west of the city, where the accident occurred. Regional police said they received a call Wednesday morning local time reporting the bee crates had come loose from a truck and spilled onto the road. About an hour after police put out a notice on social media, several beekeepers were in touch with police offering to help. Six or seven beekeepers eventually arrived at the scene. By around 9:15 a.m., police said most of the five million bees had been safely collected and the crates were being hauled away. Some crates had been left behind for the uncollected bees to return to them on their own. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD -- 【AD】 Johnnie Walker XR21年 蘇格蘭威士忌，淬鍊21年以上 使用三維立體工藝，珍稀·調和·喚醒陳釀 造就多層次細膩風味與醇厚酒體 是您聚會送禮最佳首選 https://bit.ly/3RowWUr 【禁止酒駕，未滿18歲禁止飲酒】 【本文內容涉及酒類產品促銷訊息，請勿轉發分享給未達法定購買年齡者】 －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Tsai Admin. Lobbying for United Nations Inclusion Ahead of General Assembly 31 Indicted in im.B Fraud Case 10 Drugs Targeted for US Medicare Price Negotiations Japan Could Take China to WTO over Seafood Import Ban Oher Lawyers Seeking School Records Related to the "The Blind Side"

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 19-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,528 on turnover of 1.9-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Monday as large-cap semiconductor stocks lent support to the broader market, despite the lose of early gains amid lingering (揮之不去) concerns over global inflationary pressure. However, artificial intelligence development-related stocks came under pressure, which capped the upturn on the main board - that, after Nvidia shares tumbled more than 2-per cent on Wall Street at the end of last week. **KMT Describe's Gou's 2024 Decision as "Deeply Regrettable" ** The K-M-T is describing Terry Gou's plans to run as an independent candidate in January's election as being "deeply regrettable (遺憾的)." In a statement released hours after Gou announced his decision, the K-M-T accused the Hon Hai founder of "reneging on an earlier promise" to help its presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih win the 2024 election. The K-M-T also warned that party members who publicly show support for Gou's presidential bid will be subject to disciplinary measures. However, the party went on to say that it hopes that Gou will return to the K-M-T fold one day and join "mainstream efforts to unseat the D-P-P." **Premier Touts Aims Build NT$1 trillion Biotech Industry ** Premier Chen Chien-jen says the government plans to transform the local biotech sector into "Taiwan's next industry" with the aim of generating (產生) 1-trillion N-T in production value. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Bio Taiwan Committee, Chen said the Cabinet plans to integrate government resources to map out appropriate policies and laws to boost the speed of the sector's growth. According to Chen, the government is seeking to establish biotech industrial clusters by encouraging more startups to join the sector and attracting more foreign companies to enter the local market. **NKorea Kim Calls for Battle-Ready Military ** North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has called for his military to be constantly ready for combat to thwart (阻撓) plots to invade his country, as he accused the U.S. of conducting “more frantic” naval drills off the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. and South Korean militaries are holding joint summer exercises that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. The allies have insisted the drills are defensive in nature. The report said Kim made the remarks in a speech marking Navy Day on Monday. Kim has been pushing to expand his nuclear arsenal and introduce new weapons systems. He said the navy would become a component of his “nuclear deterrence,” which suggests it would get new nuclear-capable missiles. **Study: Voice Assistance Apps Not Reliable in Emergency ** A new study finds that you don’t want to rely (依賴) on voice assistance apps in the event of a medical emergency. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. ((opens with actuality)) That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 17-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,498 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market took a beating on Friday, tumbling almost 290-points, as large-cap electronics stocks led the downtrend following heavy losses suffered by the tech sector on Wall Street overnight. That decline came ahead of a speech by U-S Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell - during which he warned that America's central bank may still need to increase interest rates to further slow inflation. **Taipei Mayor to Travel to Shanghai Tomorrow ** Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an will be leading a delegation to attend this year's Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum tomorrow. Chiang will stay in Shanghai for three-days and along attending the forum (論壇), he will hold talks with officials in the city on issues related to environmental protection and childcare. Chiang is also expected to visit Shanghai's Cheng-Huang Night Market Snack Street and meet with Taiwanese business owners in the city. This year's forum is being held under the theme of "new trends, new development." Taipei and Shanghai are expected to forge agreements promoting cooperation on carbon reduction, sustainability, the exhibition sector, and badminton. **Taiyen Urges Against Fukushima Panic Buying ** Taiyen Biotech is urging the public not to panic buy salt following Japan's release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. The call comes after the release of the treated radioactive wastewater sparked (觸發) panic buying in China and South Korea. The island's largest salt producer is reassuring the public that it has an ample supply and is stressing that "panic buying is unnecessary." Taiyen says salt supplies remains normal, despite the upcoming Ghost Festival driving up demand in recent weeks, and it is able to cope with extra demand. **Russia Wagner Leader Killed in Plane Crash ** Russian authorities are confirming that the head of the Wagner Group mercenary fighting force was killed in a plane crash last week. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. ((Wagner is pronounced VAHG’-nur)) **Myanmar Orders East Timor Diplomat to Leave ** Myanmar’s military government has ordered East Timor’s diplomat to leave the country in retaliation for the East Timorese government holding meetings with Myanmar’s main opposition organization. A Foreign Ministry statement says East Timor has conducted (進行) engagements with Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, which views itself as the country’s legitimate administration after the military seized power from the democratically elected government in 2021. East Timor's charge d’affaires is believed to be the first foreign diplomat expelled (被驅逐) from Myanmar since the army takeover. Many countries have downgraded their relations with Myanmar and left behind the No. 2 diplomat in place of ambassadors. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

CDC Wraps-Up Deadly Amoeba Monitoring Tropical Storm Saola Could Bring Periodic Showers from Next Week Songshan Airport Reports 3-Minute Blackout Wall Street falls ahead of Powell speech London Zoo Weigh-In

加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ Tsai Attends 1958 Kinmen Artillery Bombardment Memorial CDC Reporting First Locally Acquired Typhoid case of 2023 Prigozhin Dead in Plane Crash Authorities in Hawaii Seeking DNA Samples Tankers Collide in Suez Canal

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,440 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Tuesday, as artificial intelligence development-related stocks led the market higher following a surge in Nvidia shares on Wall Street overnight. The bellwether electronics sector served as the main driver for the day's gains. However, the upturn was capped amid lingering investor concerns about the 10-year U-S treasury yield, which some say could make electronics stocks less attractive. Former Miaoli County Magistrate Quits KMT and Throws Support Behind Gou Former Miaoli County Magistrate Hsu Yao-chang has announced that he's quit the K-M-T and will now be supporting Terry Gou's possible run for the presidency. Hsu's resignation comes only days before a deadline set by the party for him to explain why he's been urging supporters not to vote for the K-M-T's Hou Yu-ih, was due to expire (到期). The former Miaoli County Magistrate has been critical in recent weeks of the K-M-T for choosing Hou has its presidential candidate and has also been accusing the K-M-T of corrupted by "backdoor politics" and of "failing to resonate with the general public." **CDC Reporting Second Dengue Fever Death as Local Cases Continue to Climb ** The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed the second dengue fever-related death this year. According to the C-D-C, a woman in her 80s from Yunlin County died on August 15 after being hospitalized for several days with dengue fever-related symptoms. Confirmation of the death comes as the number of domestic dengue fever cases are continuing to rise. The C-D-C says as of August 21, it had recorded 2,135 domestic cases so far this year and that number includes 556 new cases reported in 10 administrative areas (行政區). Most of the new cases are continuing to be reported in Tainan. **Report: Canada Wildfire Made Worse by Climate Change ** A group of scientists has found that climate change caused by humans has made Canada's wildfire season significantly (顯著地，相當數量地) worse. The country is currently experiencing its worst fire season on record. Ira Spitzer reports. **Pakistan Cable Car Rescue ** Army commandos using helicopters and a makeshift chairlift rescued eight people from a broken cable car as it dangled hundreds of meters above a canyon in Pakistan. Authorities said the rescues were completed late Tuesday in a remote, mountainous part of the country. The six children and two adults became trapped when a cable snapped (斷) while they were crossing a river canyon. The children were on their way to school. Video from the final rescues showed a handful of people hanging from a cable as they were pulled to safety through a stand of trees to a waiting crowd. Villagers frequently use cable cars to get around Pakistan’s mountainous regions. But the cars are often poorly maintained. Officials say they've ordered safety inspections of the country’s cable cars and chairlifts. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 48-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,429 on turnover of 4.4-billion N-T. The market closed flat on Monday after giving up most of its early gains ahead of Nvidia's release of its latest financial results at an investor conference scheduled for Wednesday in California. Investor sentiment was also negatively affected by concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to address the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium on Friday. **MOA to Take China Mango Import Suspension to WTO ** The Ministry of Agriculture says it plans to take China's decision to suspended imports of mangoes from Taiwan to the World Trade Organization. The statement comes after Beijing announced that it had suspended imports of mangoes following the detection of an agricultural pest in recent shipments. The agriculture ministry is slamming the suspension of mango imports -describing it as being "unwarranted (毫無根據的、不合理的) and out of step with international trade standards." Agriculture officials say China's import ban is unlikely to have any major economic impact, as Taiwan has only exported 2.2-per cent of its total mango crop this year. **MOFA Congratulates Guatemala' President-Elect ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is congratulating Bernardo Arevalo on his victory in Guatemala's presidential election. According to the ministry, it has informed Guatemala's president-elect that Taiwan will seek to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with his incoming government, based on the shared values of democracy and freedom. The foreign ministry is "lauding" Guatemala for holding a successful election and Taiwan's embassy in Guatemala City sent an official letter of congratulations to Arevalo's camp after it declared victory in Sunday's runoff election. Speaking in July, Arevalo said he would not switch (轉變) diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing if elected, despite his being favor of improving trade relations with China. **Japan to Release Fukushima Wastewater as soon as Aug24 ** The Japanese government says treated and diluted (經稀釋的) radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be released into the ocean as early as Thursday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gave the final go-ahead at a meeting Tuesday of the Cabinet ministers involved in the plan. He instructed the plant's operator to being the release Thursday if weather conditions permits. It comes more than 12 years after nuclear meltdowns at the plant caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami. The water has been accumulating since then and will be released over decades. **US Biden Faces Criticism for Hawaii Response ** Joe Biden has visited the Hawaiian island of Maui, almost two weeks after deadly wildfires there killed more than hundred people. The US President has faced criticism (批評) for not traveling to Hawaii sooner. **Swiss ZeroDegree Isotherm Level Reaches Highest Altitude ** The Swiss weather service says a heat wave has driven the zero-degree Celsius level to its highest altitude since recordings on it in Switzerland began nearly 70 years ago. MeteoSwiss says the zero-degree isotherm level reached 5,298 meters above sea level over Switzerland overnight Sunday to Monday. All of Switzerland’s snow-capped Alpine peaks had air temperatures exceeding (超過) zero Celsius, where water freezes. That raises prospects of a thaw. A MeteoSwiss meterologist says "if such conditions persist in the longer term, glaciers are set to be lost irreversibly (不可逆轉地)". That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 32-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,414 on turnover of 3.9-billion N-T. The market moved lower last Friday, as investors reacted to fresh concerns the U-S Federal Reserve will raise key interest rates further following warnings that "upside risks" to inflation could lead to more rate hikes. The bellwether electronics sector was the focus of weakness on the main board, led by artificial intelligence development-related stocks, while the financial sector rose slightly amid lingering concerns over financial woes faced by Chinese debt-ridden companies. **US Calls on Beijing to Stop Pressuring Taiwan. ** The U-S State Department is calling on Beijing to cease pressuring Taiwan. According to a State Department spokesperson, the White House is urging Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with the island. The statement comes after the Ministry of National Defense reported that 45 Chinese aircraft and nine ships were detected operating around Taiwan from 6AM Saturday to 6AM in Sunday. Of that total, 25 aircraft crossed the median line (中線) of the Taiwan Strait. The U-S State Department says it will continue to closely monitor China's military exercises. **Dadaocheng Summer Festival Finale Attracts Over 100,000 ** The Taipei City Government says more than 100,000 people attended last night's finale of the Dadaocheng Summer Festival. City officials say more than 1,000 police officers were on duty to direct traffic. Strict traffic restrictions were in place last night ahead of the closing 8-minute long fireworks display and some local residents have complained (抱怨) about traffic problems due to the large number of people attending the event. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an is touting the decision to extend the summer festival this year from one weekend to 51 days - saying along with larger crowds, it also resulted in greater opportunities for local businesses. **Spain Wildfire Started Deliberately ** An official in Spain says it appears a wildfire that's forced thousands of evacuations on Tenerife was deliberately (故意地) started. AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports. **Libya Central Bank Reunified ** Libya’s central bank has announced its reunification after being split for nearly a decade due to the country’s long-running civil war that resulted in two rival administrations, in the east and the west. The bank said in a statement Sunday that it has become a “unified (統一) sovereign institution” following a meeting in the capital, Tripoli, between the central bank governor and his deputy. The announcement came 19 months after the bank started a unification process. In 2014, it splintered along the country’s broader political fault lines. Libya was plunged into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. **Russia Luna25 Crashes into Moon ** Russia's Roscosmos space agency says the Luna-25 spacecraft has crashed into the moon after it spun into an uncontrolled orbit, bringing a premature end to the country's first lunar mission since 1976. The pilotless spacecraft was aiming to be the first ever to land on the south pole of the moon, an area where scientists believe there could be important reserves of frozen water and precious elements. It was expected to land today. However, Roscosmos said it lost contact with the Luna-25 on Saturday after the spacecraft ran into difficulties and reported an “abnormal (異常) situation.” The Luna-25 was in a race with an Indian spacecraft to be the first to reach the south pole. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 8.2-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,508, on turnover of $2.8-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex bucked the regional downward trend and gained ground on Thursday, despite notes from a U-S Federal Reserve meeting denting hopes that its interest rate hike cycle is finished. **FDA to Amend Regulations on Nutrition Labeling for Prepacked Food ** The Food and Drug Administration says it planning to change the regulations regarding the nutrition labeling of carbonated beverages and other prepacked food products. According to the F-D-A, the amendments have been drafted due to health concerns. Deputy Director Lin Jin-fu says the amendments mean that carbonated beverages (碳酸飲料) will no longer be permitted to use labeling with words such as "rich in" Vitamin C or similar descriptions and the content of labeling will be limited to related nutritional facts. Lin also says the revisions will not limit nutrients that can be labeled on food products. Previously, only eight types of nutrients (養分) could be shown on packaging, but that restrictions will be lifted when the new draft takes effect, in accordance with international regulations on food products. **Canada Evacuations as Wildfires Spread ** Residents in parts of Canada's Northwest Territories are being evacuated due to wildfires threatening (威脅) their towns. It's part of what has become the country's worst fire season on record, with a warmer and drier spring and summer than normal. Caroline Malone reports. **DR ID on Dead Still Ongoing After Bakery Explosion ** Authorities in the Dominican Republic say it could take months to identify all of the 28 victims who died in a powerful explosion near the country's capital this week. The announcement comes as friends and family keep trying to confirm whether their loved ones died in Monday’s explosion in the city of San Cristobal. Fifty-nine people were injured, with the majority (多數) of them still hospitalized. Forensics officials say only seven of the bodies found have been turned over to their families so far. The explosion took place mid-afternoon in a bustling (繁忙的) commercial area in the city center, filled with businesses, including a bank and a hardware store. An investigation is still underway as to what caused the explosion, and authorities have said they will hold accountable any business that was not operating properly. **Thailand Pangolin Scales Seized ** Thai authorities say they have seized more than a ton of pangolin scales worth over $1.4 million US dollars that are believed to have been headed out of the country through a land border. P olice say the pangolin scales, which have an estimated price of around $1,129 per kilogram, are suspected of being brought from Malaysia to Thailand, to be transported to Laos, and then sold to clients in China. Two male suspects, who were on a truck with the scales, were arrested and charged with the illegal possession of carcasses (屍體) of protected animals. Officiasl say the amount of scales is estimated to come from at least 3-to-4-thousand dead pangolins, adding that the scales will be tested to find out the species of the pangolins. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 【AD】 Johnnie Walker XR21年 蘇格蘭威士忌，淬鍊21年以上 使用三維立體工藝，珍稀·調和·喚醒陳釀 造就多層次細膩風味與醇厚酒體 是您聚會送禮最佳首選 https://bit.ly/3RowWUr 【禁止酒駕，未滿18歲禁止飲酒】 【本文內容涉及酒類產品促銷訊息，請勿轉發分享給未達法定購買年齡者】

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 35-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,411 on turnover of 4-billion N-T. The market closed virtually flat on Wednesday as investors were cautious after Wall Street fell overnight amid renewed speculation the U-S Federal Reserve could once again raise interest rates. Artificial intelligence development-related stocks remained popular despite the weakness of U-S markets overnight, but the financial sector struggled due to the debt issues faced by Chinese enterprises. **Military Refusing Comment on Test Launch of Cruise Missile ** The Ministry of National Defense is refusing to comment on reports that it test fired a new cruise missile earlier this week. However, local media is citing unnamed military source as saying a classified missile was test fired on Wednesday, as part of an ongoing three-day live-fire drill in waters off Pingtung's Jioupeng military base. Reports have been claiming the Air Force launched a Hsiung Feng IIE missile. According to the United Daily News, the missile flew for over an hour after it was launched from a base in Pingtung County. Defense officials didn't publicly acknowledge the existence of the Hsiung Feng IIE cruise missile system until March of last year. **Port Authorities Patch Hole in Sunken Container Ship ** The Taiwan International Ports Corporation says it has patched (修補) a hole in the engine room of a container ship which sank in Kaohsiung Harbor last month. According to the corporation, it now expects to finish the clean-up of a related oil spill and the removal of containers that fell from the vessel by later today at the earliest. The Palau-flagged "Angel" was anchored some 5-kilometers from shore when it began listing and taking on water on July 20 and it sank the following day. US President Joe Biden to travel to wildfire-ravaged Hawaii next week US President Joe Biden will travel with the First Lady to Maui on Monday, where they'll meet with first responders and survivors, and survey damage from wildfires which last week ravaged (嚴重破壞) the island. The death toll from the state of Hawaii's worst natural disaster in history, and the country's deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, has now topped 100 people. Officials say it's expected to rise further. ? Thousands others have been made homeless. Benji Hyer reports. **Germany Cabinet Approves Cannabis Decriminalization. ** Germany’s Cabinet has approved a plan to liberalize rules on cannabis. The plan foresees legalizing possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis for recreational purposes and allowing individuals to grow up to three plants on their own. The legislation is billed as the first step in a two-part plan and will still need approval by parliament. Officials hope their plan will help protect consumers (消費者) against contaminated (受污染的) products and reduce drug-related crime. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 加倍享受不必忍受，夜間代謝大躍進！ 全能天后楊丞琳連續3年強力推薦！ 只要睡前2顆【Simply新普利超級夜酵素】， 輕鬆幫助入睡、躺平照樣高代謝， 全台康是美販口碑熱銷中！ 線上買： https://bit.ly/47Xz8rD

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,438 on turnover of 4-billion N-T. The market tumbled 207-points on Monday amid investor concerns that debt-ridden Chinese property giant Country Garden will trigger a financial crisis and send regional currencies lower against the U-S dollar. The financial sector led the downturn, while the bellwether electronics sector also struggled as investors opted to dump large-cap tech stocks after a sell-off on Wall Street at the end of last week. **Lai in Paraguay Ahead of Pena Inauguration ** Vice President and D-P-P presidential candidate Lai Ching-te is in Paraguay to attend the inauguration of President-elect Santiago Pena. Lai and his delegation were greeted on their arrival by Taiwan's Ambassador to Paraguay Jose Han, Paraguay's Vice Foreign Minister Raul Silvero, and representatives from Paraguay's presidential office. Lai held talks with incumbent (現任者) Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez and Pena shortly after his arrival. Lai and his delegation will attend Pena's inauguration later today Taiwan time before heading back to the U-S for a brief transit in San Francisco on their return trip to Taiwan. **UK Seeking High-Tech Cooperation in Taiwan Trade Talks ** The U-K's Department for Business and Trade says London is hoping to deepen cooperation with Taiwan in high-tech fields through an enhanced trade partnership. The statement comes ahead of this year's bilateral trade talks and an announcement in late July that both sides plan to start talks on an "Enhanced Trade Partnership" to strengthen the bilateral trade relationship. A spokesperson for the U-K's Department for Business and Trade says the partnership will deepen engagement and take advantage of growing opportunities for British businesses. The talks will be held later this year in London and Taiwan's delegation will be headed by Deputy Economics Minister C.C. Chen. **US Montana Judge Hands Victory to Climate Activists ** A landmark climate decision out of Montana. A judge has ruled in favor of a group of young plaintiffs who have accused the state of violating their right to a healthy environment by supporting the use of fossil fuels, which are seen as a main driver (主要驅動力) of climate change. Toni Waterman has more. **Germany Foreign Minister Plane Trouble ** Germany’s foreign minister had to wait for hours in Abu Dhabi after a technical problem on her government plane forced it to return to the airport rather than continue to Australia. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was due to arrive in Canberra on Monday night. But her ministry said her German air force Airbus A340 had to return to Abu Dhabi after a refueling (加燃料，加油) stop because of “a mechanical problem with the landing flaps." It was the latest in a string of problems with Germany's government planes, some of which are aging, that have affected various senior officials. In May, Baerbock had to extend a trip to the Persian Gulf region by a day because of a damaged tire on an aircraft when she was in Qatar. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 15-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,585 on turnover of 3.7-billion N-T. The market closed the trading day in negative territory on Friday, as a technical rebound from the prevous session ran out of steam. The semiconductor industry led weakness in the market, while select artificial intelligence development-related stocks bounced back to give some support to the local main board. **Tourism Bureau 'Optimistic' about 6 Million Tourist Target for 2023 ** The Tourism Bureau says it's optimistic about hitting its goal of 6-million tourist arrivals by the end of the year. According to the bureau, firgure between January and June suggest it is likely to hit that target, as Taiwan saw a total of nearly 2.7-million visitors from January to June. That figure is almost half the amount from the same period of 2019, when nearly 6-million visitors were recorded. Acting bureau director-general Zhou Ting-chang says visitor numbers from countries including South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam are either on par with, or already exceed (超過) pre-coronavirus pandemic numbers. Data shows the largest number of visitors between January and June were from Hong Kong and Macau, followed by Japan and South Korea. **Tainan Reporting More Dengue Fever Cases ** More dengue fever cases are being reported in Tainan. The total number of cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the city now stands at 1,223 since June 13, when the first case of this year was confirmed. Most of the cases has have been reported in the city's Yongkang, Annan, Rende and East districts. Local government officials say this year's outbreak is being compounded (使加劇) by the recent heavy rains, which have resulted in an increase of potential mosquito breeding habitats - such as stagnant water sources. While the rains have also made disinfecting potential outdoor breeding sites impossible. **Russian Shelling Kills ** Russian shelling (砲擊) in southern Ukraine has killed at least seven people, and warning shots were fired by a Russian warship. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. **Greece Rescues Migrants from Sea ** Greek authorities say they have safely rescued 48 migrants from a rudderless (無舵的) inflatable boat off the island of Lesbos, close to the Turkish coast. A patrol vessel evacuated the migrants Sunday morning and took them to the port of Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos. Three of them remain hospitalized. The coast guard did not mention the ethnicities of the migrants, but a YouTube video it released shows most of them are Africans. The coast guard says the packed inflatable vessel then sank. Greece has seen a rise in migrant arrivals from Turkey, mostly by sea, in recent weeks amid more mild summer sailing conditions. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

【AD】 Johnnie Walker XR21年 蘇格蘭威士忌，淬鍊21年以上 使用三維立體工藝，珍稀·調和·喚醒陳釀 造就多層次細膩風味與醇厚酒體 是您聚會送禮最佳首選 https://bit.ly/3RowWUr 【禁止酒駕，未滿18歲禁止飲酒】 【本文內容涉及酒類產品促銷訊息，請勿轉發分享給未達法定購買年齡者】 －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ MOL Expected to Open Farming Sector to Indonesian Workers in September TASA Enters 2nd Phase of CubeSat Development Program At Least 17 Dead As Boat Carrying Rohingya Heading to Malaysia Breaks Up Russia's Moon Mission Australia jailed journalist in China

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 43-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,827 on turnover of 4.1-billion N-T. The market closed marginally lower on Wednesday as artificial intelligence development-related stocks continued to trend down and investors opted to pocket recent gains. Investors also remained cautious as the main board moved closer to the nearest technical resistance ahead of the 17,000 point mark, prompting many to stay on the sidelines throughout much of the trading day. **Hou Yu-ih Talks Restarting Nuclear Power Plants if Elected ** New Taipei Mayor and K-M-T presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih says he will not phase out nuclear power if elected, and will instead reopen decommissioned plants. The statement comes as Hou is laying out his energy policy platform and 2050 energy vision. According to Hou, his policies include ensuring (確保) environmental sustainability, national security, people's health and an orderly transition to renewables. Hou says he also plans to develop renewable energy sources as well as use nuclear power to replace coal-fired power and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to ensure environmental sustainability. **Air Force and Navy to Carry Out Precision Missile Drill on August 15-17 ** The Air Force and Navy will be holding their annual joint precision missile live-fire exercise in water off the southeast coast from August 15 through 17. According to defense officials, air-to-air and anti-ship missile systems will be tested during the exercise. Sources are being reported as saying the Air Force will be deploying Mirage 2000-5, I-D-F and F16V jet fighters. While the Navy will be test firing the Taiwan-made Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile at four decommissioned (退役的) vessels. The Coast Guard Administration will be participating in the precision missile drill for the first time this year. **Ecuador Presidential Candidate Shot and Killed ** Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot and killed by an unidentified gunman while at a political rally in the country’s capital of Quito. President Guillermo Lasso vowed that the crime "will not go unpunished". The 59-year-old politician was one of eight presidential candidates for the late August election. He also filed many judicial complaints (告訴) against high ranking members of the government of former President Rafael Correa. Early accounts show that several others were injured in the attack, though authorities did not confirm how many. The killing comes amid a wave of violence in the South American nation, with drug trafficking and violent killings on the rise. **World Bank Sanctions Uganda Over AntiGay Law ** Ugandan economists say the World Bank's move to halt loans to Uganda over the country's anti-gay law could reverse (倒轉，推翻) its economic gains. The country has just recorded the lowest inflation in the last fifteen months - which was considered an indication it was recovering from the COVID-19 Shocks. Hillary Ayesiga reports… That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 40-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,836 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market closed lower on Tuesday after giving up early gains - as selling focused on large cap tech stocks. Although the electronics sector was the main target of investor sell-offs, some artificial intelligence development-related stocks bounced back from an early downturn to give some support to the broader market. **Aso Stresses Need for Japan and US to Show Resolve to Fight to Defend Taiwan ** Visiting former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso says he believes the best way to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is for Japan, the U-S and other like-minded countries to make it clear to Beijing that they would be willing to defend Taiwan militarily. Speaking during his key note address at the Ketagalan Forum in Taipei, Aso reiterated that Japan and other G-7 countries seek peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, adding that China and Taiwan should resolve their differences through peaceful means. He also touched on (簡略提到) trade during his address - saying Japan supports Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. **CDC Warning of Dengue Case Rise ** The Centers for Disease Control says 264 new domestic dengue fever cases were reported over the past week. They include the first confirmed (確認) cases so far this year in Miaoli and Chiayi. According to the C-D-C, of the latest cases, 229 were in Tainan, 20 in Yunlin, six in Kaohsiung, five Chiayi County, two in Pingtung and one each in Taichung and Miaoli. The latest cases bring the total number of domestic infections of the mosquito-borne disease to 1,109 since the first such case was confirmed in Tainan on June 13. A majority of the cases have been reported in Tainan, where 920 infections have been confirmed to date. **Ukraine Accuses Russia of Double Tap ** Ukrainian officials are accusing the Kremlin’s forces of targeting rescue workers by hitting residential buildings with two consecutive (連續的) missiles — the first one to draw crews to the scene and the second one to wound or kill them. Officials said the strikes Monday evening in the downtown district of the city of Pokrovsk killed nine people, including an emergency official. The strikes also wounded more than 80 others, most of them police officers, emergency workers and soldiers who rushed to assist residents. The Russian missiles slammed into the center of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, which is partially occupied by Russia. Emergency crews were still removing rubble on Tuesday. **Trump Vows to Keep Talking About Criminal Cases ** Former US President Donald Trump is vowing (發誓) to keep talking about his criminal cases. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 【AD】 Johnnie Walker XR21年 蘇格蘭威士忌，淬鍊21年以上 使用三維立體工藝，珍稀·調和·喚醒陳釀 造就多層次細膩風味與醇厚酒體 是您聚會送禮最佳首選 https://bit.ly/3RowWUr 【禁止酒駕，未滿18歲禁止飲酒】 【本文內容涉及酒類產品促銷訊息，請勿轉發分享給未達法定購買年齡者】

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 10-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,006 on turnover of 4.6-billion N-T. The market gained more than 150 points in Monday following a slump at the end of last week, as investor interest in artificial intelligence development-related stocks resumed and the sector moved out of consolidation mode. The rise also came as investor sentiment improved amid eased concerns over further pending rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve on the back of the release of a weaker-than-expected American jobs report on Friday. **Carbon Exchange Opens in Kaohsiung ** President Tsai Ing-wen has overseen (監督) the opening of a carbon exchange at the Kaohsiung Software Park. The exchange is part of the government's ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. According to Tsai, the carbon exchange will work with its international counterparts to help Taiwan reach its goal of low carbon emissions, and those efforts are expected to bring in more than 4-trillion N-T in private investment. Tsai also says it will also bring in 5.9-trillion N-T in production value, while potentially create more than 550,000 jobs from 2023-2030. **New Military Police Battalion to be Garrisoned in South Taipei ** And, Military sources are saying the Ministry of National Defense plans to garrison a newly raised military police battalion in south Taipei. The move is reportedly part of efforts to step-up protection for the president and other top government officials. However, the specific location of the garrison (駐軍) has not yet been decided. The unit will be the sixth military police battalion under the 202nd Military Police Command stationed in Taipei. The military police command currently numbers 5,000 and teports have said that number could reach 11,000 in the coming years. **Pakistan Railway Service Partially Restored ** Officials say engineers have partially restored passenger rail service in southern Pakistan, a day after a passenger train derailed there, killing at least 30 people and injuring 90. Local authorities have handed over 27 bodies of the victims of Sunday's crash to their families for burials while three people were still unidentified. Engineers were still working at the crash site to fully restore rail service and dozens of injured remained in hospital on Monday. A probe into the train accident was also underway. Train accidents in Pakistan are common and often happen as the result of poor railway infrastructure and official negligence (疏忽). **US Texas Cost of Electricity Surges ** The price of electricity – crucial for air conditioning – has surged in the U.S. state of Texas in the last few days. Just as parts of the state continue to swelter (熱得難受) in a heatwave that is pushing temperatures well above 100 Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius. Caroline Malone reports from Austin. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 27-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,870 on turnover of 3.6-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Friday amid volatility (易變) on Wall Street, after ratings agency Fitch cut the U-S' credit rating Artificial intelligence development-related stocks bounced back from previous session, offsetting loses seen the semiconductor sector, while buying also rotated to select old economy stocks to lend further support to the broader market. **Agricultural Losses from Typhoon Khanun Estimated at NT$128 million ** The Ministry of Agriculture says agricultural losses (損失) caused by Typhoon Khanun currently stand at 129-million N-T. According to the minstry, farms in Miaoli, Taichung and Nantou have been the hardest hit. Agricultural damage in Nantou stands at 120-million N-T and accounts for 93-per cent of the total losses so far. Miaoli County is seeing 6-million N-T in loses, while Taichung has sustained 2.5-million N-T in storm-related agricultural losses. The Ministry of Agriculture is warning that those losses will likely rise, as more farms report further damage in the coming days. **Taoyuan Vietnamese Sandwich Stand Fined Following Mass Food Poisoning ** The Taoyuan City Department of Public Health says the owner of a Vietnamese sandwich stand at a traditional market in the Zhongli District has been fined 540,000 N-T following a mass food poisoning. The fine was issued after the health department received reports that over 400 people who purchased food from the sandwich stand fell ill. According to city health officials, it collected information regarding the food consumption (食用) history of 243 people who became ill, and discovered that 229 of them had developed symptoms after eating sandwiches purchased at the stand between August 2 and 3. Four of the victims have since tested positive for salmonella. **Pakistan Train Crash Toll Rises ** Railway officials say the death toll from a train derailment in southern Pakistan has risen to at least 30, with more than 90 others injured. Senior Railway officials said Sunday the train was on its way from Karachi to Rawalpindi when its 10 cars derailed. Police say that 30 bodies have been recovered from the overturned (翻倒) and damaged cars and more than 90 were injured, some of them very seriously. The minister for railways says the crash could be due to a mechanical fault or the result of sabotage. He says an investigation was underway. **US Trump Demands New Judge and Venue for Trial ** Former US President Donald Trump says there is "no way" he can get a fair trial in his case related to the 2020 election. Trump wrote on social media that his legal team (法律團隊) will ask for a new judge and to move the trial out of Washington DC. Trump is accused of trying to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election. Nick Harper reports from Washington. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Agricultural Losses from Typhoon Doksuri Exceed NT$300 million Firefighters Battle of Blaze at PChome Warehouse for 3 Hours Trump Indicted French Military Transport Plane Carrying Europeans Departs Niger Sweden to Step up Border Controls

Lawmakers Pass Amendments to the Act of Gender Equality in Employment TTP Removes 'Vote White, Vote Right' Slogan France Concern for Citizens in Niger OIC Calling for Action on Quran Desecration X Sign Removed from the San Francisco HQ

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 48-points this morning from Friday's close, at 17,341 on turnover of $6.3-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Friday as investors ignored the losses on Wall Street continued to pick up artificial intelligence related stocks to offset (抵消) weakness in large cap stocks such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. Buying also focused on select old economy stocks, in particular in the transportation industry in the wake of a rebound in freight rates by both container cargo and bulk cargo shipping companies. **Czech Republic Launches E-Gate Clearance System for ROC Passport Holders ** The Czech Republic has launched an automatic immigration clearance system or e-gate for R-O-C passport holders. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the reciprocal (互惠的) program to provide electronic immigration processing at both countries' respective airports makes the Czech Republic Taiwan's ninth e-gate partner. However, the ministry says even with the e-gate system at the Vaclav Havel Airport Prague, R-O-C passport holders will still need to have their travel documents stamped by Czech customs officers when entering the country's border. The announcement comes after the recent launch of direct flights by Taoyuan International Airport and Prague. **Pakistan Suicide Bombing Leaves Dead and Injured ** A suicide bombing at a political rally on Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan has killed at least 44 people and wounded nearly 200. The Bajur district near the Afghan border was a stronghold (勢力強大的地方，大本營) of the Pakistani Taliban — a close ally of Afghanistan’s Taliban government — before the Pakistani army drove the militants out of the area. Supporters of hard-line Pakistani cleric and political party leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman were meeting in Bajur on Sunday in a hall close to a market outside the district capital. Party officials said Rehman was not at the rally, but organizers added tents because so many supporters showed up. The Pakistan Taliban says the bombing was aimed at setting Islamists against each other. **US Heatwave Air Conditioning ** As parts of the US remain in the grips of (深陷于.) a heat wave, linked to global warming, it’s the lower-income families that suffer the most in hotter neighborhoods, without air conditioning. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn report. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 2.7-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,245 on turnover of $3.4-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday after the U-S Federal Reserve raised rates by a quarter of percentage point - a move that had been widely expected. **Female Students in Taichung Gain Easier Access to Sanitary Products ** The Taichung City Education Bureau says female students will be getting easier access to sanitary products at schools or receive vouchers to buy them at major retail chains from August 1. According to the bureau, students will also be able get sanitary products at health center in the city's 350 high schools, junior high schools and elementary schools. While some 10,000 female students from low-income households will be given two 100 N-T vouchers per month to purchase the products. The bureau says the 102-million N-T scheme aimed at increasing access to sanitary products in the city is being funded by the Ministry of Education as part of an islandwide program. Taichung received 11.89-million N-T from the ministry to expand its existing scheme (方案) to offer free sanitary products. **UN Calls for Peace in Middle East ** The United Nations says the deterioration of the security situation in the occupied West Bank once again undermines a possible two-State solution. Security Council members on Thursday heard from the Assistant Secretary General, Khaled Khiari who said the situation is becoming untenable (難以繼續的，難維持的). The occupied West Bank is currently experiencing a period of increasing violence and several members have once again raised concern. Jody Jacobs reports from New York… **Kuwait Executes Five Prisoners ** Kuwait says it executed five prisoners including an inmate convicted over the bombing of a Shiite mosque in 2015 that killed 27 people and was claimed by the Islamic State group. A statement from Kuwait’s Public Prosecution said the five inmates were hanged on Thursday. The 2015 bombing struck during midday Friday prayers inside one of Kuwait’s oldest Shiite mosques. The Islamic State group views Shiites as heretics (異教者). The country conducted its last mass execution in November 2022 when it put seven inmates to death. **Vietnam Agrees to Vatican Representative and Office ** Vietnam has formally agreed to let a Vatican representative live in the country and open an office. The Holy See announced the conclusion (結論) of an agreement during a visit to the Vatican by Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, who met with Pope Francis. A Vatican statement said the appointment of a resident representative of the pope to the communist country would support the local Catholic community, contribute to the development of the country and help serve as a “bridge to advance relations between Vietnam and the Holy See.” The agreement Thursday still falls short of full diplomatic relations, which have been strained for decades. But the two sides have held regular talks since at least 1990 studying the renewal of ties. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 27-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,189 on turnover of $3.9-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex closed slightly lower on Wednesday, as investors opted to stay on the sidelines awaiting the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's two-day policymaking meeting. Market watchers say movement throughout the session was dictated by (由… 影響) a tug-of-war between the bellwether electronics sectors, as investors looked-to cash in on profits earlier this week from for artificial intelligence, and financial sector related stocks. **Typhoon Doksuri 10AM Update ** The Central Weather Bureau has expanded its land warning for Typhoon Doksuri. The CWB says its warning has now been expanded to cover Miaoli and areas southward, as well as Hualien, Taitung, Penghu, and Kinmen. Now, only northern Taiwan remains outside of the land warning. The bureau says Doksuri is currently 170 km southwest of Eluanbi, at the island's southernmost tip, moving at a speed of 15-to-22 km per hour. Officials say the outer rim of the storm is now over southern and southeastern regions of the island, and rains are expected to ease off gradually starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, the CWB is also keeping a close eye on (密切關注) a tropical depression east of the Philippines. Forecasters say the system may form into the 6th typhoon of the season tonight or tomorrow, and will likely move toward Xiaoliuqiu. They say it remains to be seen whether that storm will affect the island. (NS) **Ukraine's CounterOffensive Reportedly Intensified ** The United States says Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia is now in full swing (正在進行中，正在活躍) in the country's southeast. Pentagon officials have told local media here in the US that thousands of reinforcements are being deployed into the battlefield, many of them trained and equipped by the West. Jody Jacobs reports… **Nigeria Soldiers Claim Gov Overthrown ** Mutinous soldiers claim to have overthrown Niger’s democratically elected president, announcing on state television that they have put an end to the government over the country’s deteriorating security. The announcement Wednesday night comes after a day of uncertainty (不確定) as members of Niger’s presidential guard surrounded the presidential palace, detaining President Mohamed Bazoum. It was unclear where the president was at the time of the announcement or if he had resigned. Threats to Bazoum’s leadership would undermine the West’s efforts to stabilize Africa’s Sahel region, which has been overrun with coups in recent years. Mali and Burkina Faso have had four coups since 2020. **Mexico Oil Spill Company says Leak "Natural" ** The head of Mexico's state-owned oil company contends oil washing up on the country's Gulf coast beaches could not have come from a spill of about 1,350 barrels caused by a pipeline leak. Instead, Octavio Romero suggested Wednesday the oil came from natural seepage (滲漏) from ocean-floor vents. The state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos company acknowledged last week that an aging underwater pipeline sprang a leak at the start of July. Because Pemex did not have the right size fitting on hand to repair the pipe, the leak continued for 18 days. The pipeline was finally fixed late last week. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 7-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,205 on turnover of $4.6-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex made solid gains on Tuesday - rising more than 160-points - as investor enthusiasm over the development of artificial intelligence continued to push up A-I-related stocks. Market watchers say momentum accelerated as investors rushed to pick up A-I-related stocks after opting to ignore the lackluster performance of the tech-heavy Nasdaq on Wall Street overnight. **10AM Land Warning Remains in Effect for Typhoon Doksuri ** A land warning remains in effect for Typhoon Doksuri, as it continues to approach (逼近) the island. The 5th typhoon of the season is currently 330-kilometers south of Eluanbi at the island's souternmost tip. The storm is moving in a northwesterly direction at a speed of 14-kilometers an hour. Doksuri is packing sustained wind speeds of 173-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 209-kilometers-an-hour. The Central Weather Bureau's land warning covers Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taitung, Pingtung, and the Hengchun Peninsula. According to the bureau, high waves are expected today in the Bashi Channel and along Taiwan's coast. Officials are warning the public to stay away from coastal regions. (NS) **UK Lawmakers Concerned About Wagner Mercenary Group ** British lawmakers say the U.K. has underestimated the threat posed by the Russian Wagner mercenary group and should ban it as a terrorist organization. The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee says the sanctions imposed by Britain on Wagner are “underwhelming” and U.K. authorities have done little to track the network’s activities outside of Ukraine. The committee said: “There are serious national security threats to the U.K. and its allies of allowing the network to continue to thrive.” Wagner has played a key role in fighting in Ukraine, and the committee said it has conducted (實施) military operations in countries including Syria, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique and Mali. **Taliban Announces Beauty Salon Ban Now in Effect ** The Taliban has announced that all beauty salons in Afghanistan must now close as a one-month deadline ended, despite rare public opposition to the edict (法令). A spokesman for the Taliban-run Virtue and Vice Ministry didn't say whether it would use force against salons that do not comply. The ruling that took effect on Tuesday is the latest curb on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls following edicts barring them from education, public spaces and most forms of employment. **US Biden Establishes Monument for Murdered Black Teen ** US President Joe Biden has signed a proclamation creating a National Monument for Emmett Till and his mother on what would have been his 82nd birthday. Emmett Till was black teenager who was lynched in 1955 — his death and the activism (社會運動) of his mother Mamie Till-Mobley helped galvanise the civil rights movement in America. With more, Benji Hyer reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 28-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,061 on turnover of 4.8-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Monday, as gains by artificial intelligence-related stocks offset ongoing losses by semiconductor heavyweights after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing announced that it's cutting its 2023 sales outlook. The Tai-Ex fluctuated within a narrow range throughout the session, as T-S-M-C dragged semiconductor shares lower, while gains posted by artificial intelligence server suppliers lent support to the main board towards the end of the day's session. **Tsai Urges Overseas Firms to Seek CPTPP Backing ** President Tsai Ing-wen is urging the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce to help seek support for her administration's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Speaking during a meeting with chamber members, Tsai said she hopes overseas Taiwanese businesses can exert (發揮) their influence to rally support for Taiwan's application to join the the trade bloc. According to Tsai, the joining the partnership will strengthen Taiwan's economic resilience. She's also calling on Taiwanese businesses based overseas to invest in Taiwan and build the nation into a key global industrial hub. **KMT Presidential Candidate Hou Yu-ih to Visit Japan ** The K-M-T's presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih will be traveling to Tokyo next week. According to Hou's campaign office, the three-day trip is aimed at (目的是) strengthening his foreign policy credentials. Hou is slated to meet with lawmakers and officials from the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. Hou's campaign office says he'll also be doing interviews with Japanese national broadcaster N-H-K and the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Hou will also be meeting with oversea's Taiwanese in the Japanese capital and will be accompanied by K-M-T think tank head Ko Zhi-yen, and Overseas Department head Chen Yi-xin. **UN Urges Russia to Revive Grain Deal ** The United Nations' highest official is urging Russia to revive a grain deal with Ukraine. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **Algeria Wildfires Leave Dead and Injured ** The Algerian government says wildfires raging across the country have killed 25 people and injured about 50. The Defense Ministry says Monday that includes 10 soldiers killed while trying to get the flames under control in the face of high winds and scorching (灼熱的) summer temperatures. The Interior Ministry says at least 1,500 people were evacuated. Wildfires, some spread by strong winds, moved across forests and agricultural areas in 16 regions. That caused 97 blazes in the north African country. The largest and deadliest fires ravaged parts of the Kabyle region east of Algiers. **Musk Reveals New Twitter Logo ** Elon Musk has unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he follows through with a major rebranding of the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year. The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday, but the bird was still dominant across the smartphone app. In response to questions about what tweets would be called when the rebranding (重塑形象) is done, Musk said they would be called Xs. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from Friday's close, at 17,036 on turnover of 5.7-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Friday, as regional indexes ended the week mixed after the latest rally on Wall Street fizzled, with big declines for Tesla, Netflix and other big tech-oriented stocks. **French Parliamentary Group Visits Taiwan ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a French parliamentary delegation has arrived on Taiwan for a five-day visit. The delegation is being led by Senator Andre Gattolin, who serves as the vice-chairman of the French Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and the Armed Forces. The foreign ministry says the delegation is slated to meet with senior government officials, including Vice President Lai Ching-te, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The talks are expected to focus enhancing (增強) bilateral economic and trade ties between the two countries and on cooperation on semiconductors. **Tai Tzu-ying Loses in Korea Open Final ** Tai Tzu-ying has failed to win to Korea Badminton Open after losing 21-9, 21-15 in the women's singles final to South Korea's defending champion An Se Young. Despite the lose at the Jin-Nam Stadium in Yeo-Su, Tai still recorded (記錄，得到) her best ever performance in the Badminton World Federation Super 500 event, bettering the semifinal she reached in 2019. World No. 2 An beat Tai in 38 minutes for her seventh win over the Taiwan player in their nine matches played. Tai is currently ranked word No. 4. Tai's next event is the Badminton World Federation Super 750-level Japan Open, which begins tomorrow. **China Flooding Leaves Dead and Missing ** Five people have died and three are missing after heavy rains caused flooding and a landslide in eastern China. State media reported Sunday the floods swept through part of Hangzhou city and engulfed (吞沒) many houses. The rain led to a partial mountain collapse and mudslide, affecting multiple areas. Seasonal flooding hits large parts of China every year, but some northern regions this year have reported the worst floods in 50 years. **US Heatewave Continues ** Pervasive heat continues to hit many parts of the United States, after what has already been a record-breaking few weeks: particularly in the South and South West. As the heatwave moves east, many usually cooler states are due to feel the intense (激烈的) heat in the coming week. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 59-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,106 on turnover of $4.5-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex closed slightly higher on Thursday, despite investor sentiment remaining cautious during the current earnings season pushing turnover down. Analysts say the market moved in a narrow range for the much of the trading day. as buying in old economy and financial sectors helped offset losses suffered by large cap tech stocks in the semiconductor industry. **Government to Donate US$2.5million to help Kyiv Build Bridge ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the government has pledged a donation of 2.5-million U-S dollars toward the construction of a bridge in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. According to the ministry, the bridge will connect (連接) Obolonksy Island with the city. The pledged donation will be given to the charitable fund, Future Kyiv. That organization has been designated by the Kyiv government, based on a memorandum of understanding signed between Taiwan's Representative to Poland, and the head of the fund earlier this week. **US Senate Advances Bill on Supreme Court Ethics ** From the US….. The Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced an ethics (道德) bill for Supreme Court justices in the wake of a series of reports about Justice Clarence Thomas's relationship with a wealthy Republican donor. However, the legislation has little chance of being approved in the House or the Senate. US Correspondent Ira Spitzer has more. **Brazil Homicides Fall but Attacks on Women Rise ** Researchers say the number of homicides in Brazil last year reached the lowest level in more than a decade. The Brazilian Forum on Public Safety is an independent group that tracks national crime statistics. It says in a report Thursday that about 47,500 people were killed in 2022, which was down 2.4% from the previous year. The downward trend has come amid a sharp rise in the number of firearms circulating (散佈,) in Brazil. Experts have come up with at least three factors to explain the dual trend, including a relative truce among gangs since 2018. On other violence, the report says that while homicides fell last year, violent attacks on women rose and there was a record number of rapes. **Bolivia Lithium Resource Estimates Increased ** Bolivia’s president says the Andean country's total lithium (鋰) resources have increased 2 million tons to a total of 23 million tons. The new estimate released Thursday further cements Bolivia’s position as the country with the most lithium resources in the world. Bolivia is stepping up its search for international partners to help develop its lithium reserves amid soaring global demand for the metal used in batteries for electric vehicles. Previous estimates placed Bolivia’s lithium resources at 21 million tons. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,105 on turnover of $3.12 -billion N-T. The Tai-Ex closed lower on Wednesday for a second consecutive session, as investors continued to lock-in recent gains on the back of lingering enthusiasm over artificial intelligence development. Market watchers say sentiment remained cautious ahead of the release of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's latest earnings report later today, as investors are still anxious ( 焦慮的) about inventory adjustments in the global semiconductor industry. **Taipei Zoo's Malayan Tapir Dies ** The Taipei Zoo says it will be holding a memorial for Malayan tapir, "Moko," following the animal's death earlier this week. According to the zoo, "Moko" died from undetermined causes after falling ill and running a high temperature since the weekend. The zoo said the animal was found lying next to a pool in its enclosure (圍場) on Tuesday morning but was unable to stand. A veterinarian then administered a blood test, provided a nutritional supplement (營養補充品) and other medical treatment throughout the day, but the tapir was found unresponsive (沒有反應) in the mid-afternoon. The zoo says an autopsy will be performed today to determine its cause of death. The seven-year-old Malayan tapir born in Prague Zoo in the Czech Republic and was sent to the Taipei Zoo in 2018 as part of a cross-institute breeding program. **NewZealand Gunman Kills Two at Construction Site Near ** A gunman has killed two people at a construction site in Auckland, New Zealand, as the nation prepared to host (主辦；主持) games in the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament. Authorities said the shooter was also dead and a police officer and four civilians were injured. The shooting took place near hotels where Team Norway and other soccer teams have been staying. New Zealand Prime Minster Chris Hipkins said the tournament would go ahead as planned. The opening match is scheduled for Thursday between New Zealand and Norway. **Mother of US Soldier in NKorea Appeals for his Return ** The mother of an American soldier being held in North Korea has appealed for her son to come home. Claudine Gates told US network ABC News that she was "shocked" when Army officials told her on Tuesday that her son had fled (逃跑). Private Travis King crossed the border while on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. Pyongyang has not commented on the incident so far. Sally Patterson reports from New York. **Russian Belarus Athletes Allowed to Compete as Neutral Athletes ** Gymnasts from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to take part in sanctioned (准許; 批准) competitions as “individual neutral athletes” from the start of 2024. The International Gymnastics Federation announced the move but said any decision on the Paris Games will be left to (留給，交給) the International Olympic Committee. Russian and Belarus gymnasts had been banned since last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus' military support. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

MAC to Open Limited Ferry Service to 'Designated' Chinese Nationals Defense Minister Confirms Plans to Purchase US NASAMS 2 Air Defense System US Solider Flees to North Korea Satellite Images Show Wagner Belarus Camp Canada Wildfires Burned Record Amount of Area in BC India's Space Chief Confirms Debris on Australian Beach is Part of a Rocket

Rent Index Hits Record High in June TIPC Touting More Cruise Liners Set to Stop in Taiwan Russia Halts Ukraine Grain Export Deal Biden Invites Netanyahu to Meet in the US Greece Issues Precautionary Evacuation Orders Lindsay Lohan Give Birth to First Child

DPP 'Adopts' Ban on Candidates with Criminal Records 2023 Green Appliance Subsidies to Continue Europe heatwave Putin Warns on Use of Cluster Munitions Jane Birkin Dies Aged 76

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 91-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,153 on turnover of $5.9-billion N-T. **Cabinet approves amendments targeting power-based sexual harassment ** Taiwan's Executive Yuan has approved a set of draft amendments, that say employers may face a fine of up to $1 million NT for sexual harrassment of their employees. The draft amendments aim to start an "effective" clampdown (鎮壓) on sexual harassment, and to strengthen protections for victims of sexual violence. The proposal mandates the local government to intervene when an individual is sexually harassed by their employer, or is not satisfied with their organization's handling of their sexual misconduct report. **Kaohsiung Factory Fire and Explosion ** Firefighters are working to put out a blaze at a factory in Kaohsiung. Officials say several explosions were reported by residents near the electronic components factory in Nan-zhi District at around 7am today, and emergency personnel were dispatched to (發送, 派遣) the scene. They say there have been no reports of any injuries or workers trapped so far, but firefighters are still fighting to contain the blaze through thick smoke. (NS) **ICC Investigating Darfur War Crimes ** The International Criminal Court prosecutor says he is investigating alleged new war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s western Darfur region. Karim Khan told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that fighting between government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Security Forces has spilled into Darfur which was wracked by (被毀壞) bloodshed and atrocities in 2003. He said the country is now “in peril of allowing history to repeat itself.” In 2005, the Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC and Khan said the court still has a mandate under that resolution to investigate crimes there. The current conflict in the region has killed over 3,000 and displaced more than 3 million. **US Justice Department Urges Judge Not to Postpone Trump Trial ** The Justice Department is urging a federal judge to reject Donald Trump’s efforts to postpone (推遲、延後) his trial in the classified documents case. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. **UAE Sultan on COP28 Plan ** The head of this year’s United Nations climate talks is calling for governments and businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (排放量) in all regions and sectors if they want to stop the planet from passing a key temperature limit agreed on more than seven years ago. Sultan al-Jaber of the United Arab Emirates told senior officials from Europe, Canada and China gathered in Brussels on Thursday that record-breaking heat seen across the world recently shows the need for urgent action to curb emissions. Al-Jaber laid out his strategy for the upcoming COP28 global climate talks in Dubai this fall. Al-Jaber urged governments to come forward with more ambitious national targets for cutting emissions in the next few months. He also named two veteran officials from South Africa and Denmark to lead negotiations on the first global stocktake of where the world stands in meeting the Paris goals. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 33-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,995 on turnover of $5.1-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed higher Wednesday as contract chipmaker TSMC got a boost from buying in the last few minutes of the session to climb out of its previous weakness. But the local main board remained in a narrow range throughout the session as market sentiment was cautious ahead of the release of the United States' June inflation figures, which are expected to influence (影響) moves by the Federal Reserve. **Military stages rehearsal for anti-takeover drill at Taoyuan airport ** According to the Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan's military on Wednesday morning held a rehearsal for an anti-takeover drill at Taoyuan International Airport. The drill at Taiwan's main international gateway is designed to test the armed forces' cross-branch coordination and emergency response capabilities, during a simulated Chinese invasion. In the rehearsal staged at a hanger of the Taoyuan International Airport, members of the Aviation and Special Forces Command and Army Airborne Special Forces acted as the red team invading force, with the blue team formed by ground troops from Sixth Army Corps serving as the defenders. The red team was originally set to arrive at the drill ground in Army helicopters, but decided to call them off, given the fact that nearby schools were hosting college entrance exams. After yesterday's rehearsal, the actual anti-takeover drill is scheduled to take place on July 26th, and will be the first such exercise staged at Taoyuan International Airport since it opened in 1979. **NKorea Kim Vows to Bolster Nuclear Capabilities ** North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to bolster (加固、提高) his country’s nuclear fighting capabilities as he supervised the second test-flight of a new intercontinental ballistic missile designed to strike the mainland U.S. North Korea's state media reported Kim’s comments a day after the launch of the Hwasong-18 missile. Kim was quoted as saying deepening U.S. and South Korean hostilities require "more intense efforts to implement the line of bolstering nuclear war deterrent.” According to KCNA, the Hwasong-18 missile was launched on a high angle to avoid neighboring countries. It flew a distance of about 1-thousand kilometers before landing in a targeted area in the open waters off the North’s east coast. The missile’s flight time is the longest recorded by any weapon launched by North Korea. **US VP Harris Makes History with Tiebreaking Votes ** **Return to **Table of contents US Vice President Kamala Harris has made history with tiebreaking votes in Senate. AP's Lisa Dwyer has more. **Kosovo to Reduce Police Numbers and Hold Mayoral Elections ** Kosovo’s government has decided to reduce by one-fourth the number of special police officers and also hold new mayoral elections in four Serb-majority municipalities. The move is a bid to defuse tensions with neighboring Serbia that flared anew in May. Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Wednesday that more officers would be withdrawn based on the continuous (連續的) evaluation of the situation. Kurti also said the government would formally declare holding new elections in the four Serb-majority municipalities. Violent clashes in late May sparked when new Albanian mayors took office left at least 30 international peacekeepers and more than 50 ethnic Serbs injured. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 4-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,903 on turnover of $4-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan moved sharply higher Tuesday amid renewed interest in tech heavyweights focused on artificial intelligence development and the financial sector. But old economy stocks were more mixed. **3 teenage boys drown near Taoyuan's Xiaowulai Skywalk ** Three junior high students drowned, while swimming in a restricted area in Taoyuan. The Taoyuan City Fire Department says it received a report from residents yesterday, that several teenage boys from a group of seven had fallen into the water under the Xiaowulai Skywalk. Emergency workers were dispatched to the scene, but three of the boys were pulled from the water with no vital signs, and later pronounced dead. Officials believe the boys had been caught in a whirpool (漩渦) underwater, and were unable to escape. The fire department says the spot where the drownings happened was restricted, and emphasized that people should not enter the deep-water zone. **SKorea: NKorea Lanches Ballistic Missile ** South Korea says North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward the North’s eastern waters. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says the launch was made this morning but gave no further details. The reported launch came a day after North Korea threatened “shocking” consequences to protest what it called a U.S. spy plane’s reconnaissance activity near its territory. The United States and South Korea dismissed the North’s accusations and urged it to refrain from any acts or rhetoric (言辭) that raises animosities. **US Charles Manson Follower Released from Prison ** A follower of cult (邪教) leader Charles Manson, Leslie Van Houten, has been released from a California prison. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **France Notre Dame Trusses Placed ** Work to rebuild the fire-ravaged Notre Dame has hit a new milestone. A crane hoisted massive oak trusses (桁架) from a barge and onto the Notre Dame Cathedral, as part of the operation to bring the Paris Monument back to life by December 2024. The operation involving the trusses, each weighhing up to 7.5 tons, drew crowds along a bridge over the Seine River and its banks Tuesday. France's transport minister says seeing the sight of the trusses placed on the cathedral was a "magic moment" for Parisians. Notre Dame was consumed by flames in 2019, and the French government determined it would be rebuilt using traditional techniques. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 23-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,676 on turnover of $3.4--billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed slightly lower Monday as earlier gains were eroded amid lingering concerns the U.S. Federal Reserve will resume its rate hike cycle in July. Investors seemed to ignore the losses on the U.S. markets on Friday, but selling set in as investors started to pocket their earlier gains, pushing down the Taiex to negative territory by the end of the sessions as select nontech stocks remained resilient on rotational buying. **Launch date getting closer for first locally built weather satellite ** The Taiwan Space Agency says a domestically engineered weather satellite will leave Taiwan on Friday for French Guiana, where it is scheduled to be launched into space in September, after all tests found it ready to go. TASA says the Triton will take off into orbit on an Arianespace Vega C rideshare mission. TASA Director-General Wu Jong-shinn said the Triton project was initiated (發起) in 2014 and that it has finally reached the launch phase after eight years of hard work. Wu said Triton was Taiwan's first domestically engineered weather satellite and was built with many domestic components, including Taiwan's own global navigation satellite system-reflectometry. TASA says the Triton will be launched into a circular low earth orbit at an altitude of about 550-650 kilometers. **Erdogan Biden to Meet After Turkey Approves Sweden NATO Bid ** US President Joe Biden will meet his Turkish counterpart (作用相同者，相對應者) on Tuesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit after Turkey lifted its opposition to Sweden's membership of the military alliance. Julia Chapman reports from the Lithuanian capital, where the summit is being held. **UN Envoy Warns of Strained Peace Efforts in Yemen ** A U.N. envoy says sporadic armed clashes between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and government forces are straining peace efforts, and the rivals are now also battling over revenue from ports, trade, banking and natural resources. The U.N. special representative for Yemen told the U.N. Security Council on Monday that the fight over economic wealth “has become inseparable from the political and military conflict.” Hans Grundberg says that fighting has decreased in Yemen markedly since an April 2022 truce, but that “continued sparks of violence" and threats to return to large-scale fighting have increased fear and tensions. He says that the “the situation on the ground remains fragile (脆弱的).” **Canada More Fires Started in British Colombia ** Lightning strikes over the weekend triggered more than 100 new wildfires in British Columbia, raising the total above 300 and leading authorities to order a ban on campfires for most of the province. The wildfire danger was high to extreme across most of British Colombia on Monday. The province’s Wildfire Service says almost 200 of the fires are ranked as out of control. Officials warn of challenging conditions, with lightning storms forecast for most of the week and above-average temperatures throughout the central interior (內部的) of the province. Last week, the Canadian Forest Service said wildfires raging across Canada had already broken records for total areas burned, the number of people forced to evacuate their homes and the cost of fighting the blazes. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 3.22-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,667 on turnover of $2.6-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed lower last week, amid concerns that the U.S. Federal Reserve will hike rates at its next meeting later this month. Contract chipmaker TSMC remained unchanged, however, preventing the bellwether electronics sector and the broader market from falling further, but old economy and financial stocks largely fell. **Taipei Sinkhole Continues to Cause Problems ** A large sinkhole in Taipei is continuing to cause problems. The city government dispatched personnel to the site, after the sinkhole appeared Saturday night in the middle of Nanjing West Road near its intersection with Gui-de Street. The hole, estimated to be about 1.5 meters long, 1 meter wide, and 1.5 meters deep was filled in with concrete after workers confirmed that there were no leaks in underground pipes. But officials say the sinkhole continued to expand, despite being supported by dozens of sandbags and concrete, and water services were shut off for 108 nearby households due to concerns over leaks and flooding. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an inspected the site earlier this morning, and city officials say they are working to rectify (改正) the problem as quickly as possible. (NS) **Venus to shine at its brightest so far this year Monday ** The Taipei Astronomical Museum says the night sky tonight will boast three celestial wonders. The museum says stargazers will be able to see a dazzling Venus that will shine at its brightest so far this year, the close alignment of the planet Mars and the star Regulus, and the passing of the International Space Station over Taiwan. Officials say Venus will reach its brightest and will be visible in the sky after sunset. The museum adds that the celestial conjunction (結合，聯合) of Mars and Regulus will be visible from around 4 p.m., but the two celestial bodies will only be visible through binoculars because they will shine 300 times less bright than Venus. Then at about 8:00 p.m., the ISS will travel across Taiwan's night sky from the southwest to the northeast and is expected to be visible for around seven minutes from Taiwan. **UN won't retract condemnation ** United Nations says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stands by his views which condemn Israel's attack on the Jenin refugee camp. This came after Israel’s United Nations ambassador called on Guterres to retract (撤回) his condemnation. Julie Walker reports. **Syria Cancels BBC Media Accreditation ** Syria’s Information Ministry has canceled the BBC’s media accreditation, accusing the British public broadcaster of biased (有偏見的) and fake news in its coverage of the war-torn country. The ministry late Saturday said the decision was made after “warning the channel more than once that it has broadcasted its misleading reports relying on statements and testimonies from terrorist entities and those hostile to Syria." The announcement came days after BBC Arabic released an investigative documentary about the illicit drug trade in Syria, pinpointing links between the blossoming of Captagon amphetamine pills and associates of President Bashar Assad. The Syrian government denies any involvement in the production of Captagon. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 25-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,737 on turnover of $4-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex plunged by more than 294-points on Thursday as investors await the outcome of a trip to China by U-S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and amid concerns America's central bank will continue to hike interest rates this month. **About Time Technologies Offering Free Checks after Smartwatch Fire ** A local smartwatch manufacturer says it will compensate the family of a 10-year-old schoolboy who sustained second-degree and first-degree burns after the device he was wearing caught fire. According to New Taipei-based About Time Technologies, it will also offer the family free testing of all models in its Herowatch series. The company has also issued apologizes to customers for the incident and says it will have the device examined by a third party to determine the reason it caught fire, if the customer agrees to that. The statement comes after the smartwatch caught fire on June 30. The 10-year old now requires skin grafts (植皮). The National Communications Commission says it could order a recall of the battery used in the smartwatch pending an investigation. **Pakistan Death Toll Rises Due to Monsoon ** Officials in Pakistan say the death toll from two weeks of monsoon rains rose to at least 55 on Thursday after at least 12 people died in weather-related incidents. The eastern city of Lahore had a record-breaking downpour the previous day, flooding many streets and disrupting normal life. Officials say since Wednesday, 19 people have died in the city due to collapsing roofs and electrocution (觸電死亡). Heavy rain also continued to lash Pakistan, overflowing the main rivers in the Punjab province, prompting the disaster management agency to be on high alert for fear of flash floods. **Twitter Threatens to Sue Meta Over Threads App ** Twitter has threatened (威脅) to sue rival Meta over its new Threads app, according to multiple media reports. Ira Spitzer reports. **Brazil Amazon Deforestation Drops ** New government data indicates that deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest dropped 33.6% in the first six months of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s term. From January to June the rainforest had alerts for possible deforestation covering 2,650 square kilometers, down from 4,000 square kilometers during the same period last year under former President Jair Bolsonaro. This year's data includes a 41% plunge in alerts for June, which marks the start of the dry season when deforestation tends to (傾向於) jump. Lula campaigned last year with pledges to rein in illegal logging and undo the environmental devastation under former President Jair Bolsonaro. Next month, Lula will preside over a meeting in Belem, bringing together heads-of-state from all Amazonian nations to discuss means to effectively cooperate in the challenging region. Lula has promised to end net deforestation in Brazil's Amazon by 2030. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Tai-Ex opening down 39 points MOFA to Open Rep. Office in Mumbai ITRI Marks 50th Anniversary IAEA says Japan's nuclear waste water is safe South Africa-Gas Leak Deaths

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 10 -points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,130 on turnover of 4-billion N-T. The market extended its gains from a session earlier on Tuesday - as investor interest remained focused on artificial intelligence-related stocks after tech stocks led Wall Street earlier this week. Although the local main board has fallen into consolidation (合併) mode, analysts says artificial intelligence server suppliers remain the target of investor interest, as the sector continues to dominate the trading floor. **CDC Reports First Severe Dengue Fever Cases in 3 Years ** The Centers for Disease Control is reporting the island's first domestic severe (嚴重) cases of dengue fever in three years. According to health authorities, four of the 101 cases reported between June 27 and July 3 have been classed as severe. All of the severe cases involve people living in Tainan, where a majority of this year's cases have been recorded. The C-D-C says 241 cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been reported so far this year. Of that total, 53 are imported, and some 188 other cases are domestic infections, with 177 of them being reported in Tainan. **Army Conducts Stinger Missile Firing Drill ** The Army's precision weapon live-fire exercise is on-going in Pingtung - with troops on Tuesday firing Stinger surface-to-air missiles. The drills include troops from the 11 Army units, including the 21st Artillery Command, the Kinmen and Penghu defense commands and the Marine Corps Air Defense Garrison Group. Defense officials say the precision weapon live-fire exercise is aimed at test the military's asymmetrical warfare (不對稱作戰) capabilities. The military earlier this week tested fired Sky Horse surface-to-surface missiles, the Thunderbolt 2000 multi-tube rocket system and Sky Bow surface-to-air missiles as part of the "Mighty Bow" exercise. **Tel Aviv Car Attack Leaves Injured ** Seven people have been injured, three seriously, after a car-ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv. The attack happened as Israeli forces entered the second day of the ongoing raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, which has drawn condemnation (譴責) from the United Nations and Washington. Ten people have died, including 3 children, and 120 have been injured. Mia Alberti has more. **Netherlands Luxembourg Leaders Call for Ties Btwn KosovoSerbia ** The leaders of the Netherlands and Luxembourg say normalizing ties between Kosovo and Serbia would serve not only regional peace and stability but also their prospects of further integration into the European Union. Prime Ministers Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg on Tuesday were on a trip to Pristina after visiting Belgrade on Monday. They called on Pristina and Belgrade to de-escalate recent tensions that have threatened to push the Balkan region into instability (不穩定) as Europe faces Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Pristina and Belgrade were also told to re-engage in EU-facilitated dialogue. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,055 on turnover of 8.2-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Monday to close above the 20-day moving average as investor interest was sparked by the gains on Wall Street at the end of last week. All sectors registered gains, but the big winners were the computer sub-index, which jumped 4.03-per cent and the transportation sub-index, which ended the day up 3.6-per cent. **Hou to Scrap Extension of compulsory Military Service ** K-M-T presidential candidate and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih says he plans to scrap the extension of compulsory military service if he wins next January's election. According to Hou, he'll restore the current four months of compulsory (強制性的) conscription for qualified male citizens of military age if elected in order to help "maintain peace and stability between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait." However, Hou's statement is being criticized by defense experts who argue that only by maintaining a sufficient military training regime can Taiwan hope to have an effective reserve force to increase the deterrence against a Chinese invasion. The government is set to extended compulsory military service from the current four months to one year on January 1, 2024. **Cost of Domestic Air Travel to Fall ** The Civil Aeronautics Administration says the cost of domestic air travel will fall by between 2.7 and 6.9-per cent from August 1 due to a decline in aviation fuel prices. The cost cuts will cover all 23 domestic routes. According to the administration, the Taipei to Kinmen route operated by Mandarin Airlines will see the largest decline - with the price of a one-way ticket falling by 6.9-per cent. While the smallest decrease will be on the Taitung to Green Island route, which will see 2.7-per cent decline. The announcement comes after the average price of aviation fuel (航空燃料) from May to July fell below the benchmark price of 21.74 N-T per liter. **Ukrainian Writer Dies After Russia Missile Attack ** The PEN America rights group says award-winning Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina has died from her injuries suffered after a Russian missile attack on a popular restaurant last week. The attack on the restaurant, frequented by journalists and aid workers and located near the front line, killed at least 11 other people and wounded scores more. Ukrainian authorities arrested a man a day later, accusing him of helping Russia direct the strike. The 37-year-old Amelina had expanded her work beyond literature following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and had documented Russian war crimes. Her first work of English nonfiction is expected to be published soon. **US Travel Chaos Due to HeatWave ** Travel chaos is plaguing US airports ahead of the Independence Day holiday, as over 100 million Americans are under extreme weather warnings. More than 1,000 flights were delayed or cancelled as of Monday morning. Our US correspondent Kate Fisher report **Senegal President Won't Seek Third Term ** Senegalese President Macky Sall says he will not seek a third term in the presidential elections set for February. Sall said Monday that he would not be a candidate “even if the constitution allows me to do so.” Top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko already had called for more demonstrations around the West African country in the event Sall had instead announced his intention (打算) to run again. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 31 -points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,946 on turnover of 4.4-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Friday, despite other regional indexes closing the day up after Wall Street ended higher overnight on the back of news that America's economy grew at a 2-per cent annual rate in the first three months of the year. That figure was much stronger than the 1.3-per cent rate earlier estimated. **Tainan Dengue Fever Cases Rise to 158 ** The Tainan Public Health Bureau says the number of dengue fever cases in the city has now risen to 158 after 28 new cases were confirmed on Sunday. According to city health officials, all of the new cases are related to areas with a high risk of transmission of the disease. City health authorities are now urging residents to clean up vector (昆蟲媒介) mosquito-breeding sites by getting rid of stagnant water, throwing out unused containers and destroying mosquito eggs. The total number of domestic dengue fever case since June 13 now stands at 211. Only 88 cases of the mosquito-borne disease were recorded for the whole of last year. **TPass Passengers Not Eligible for TRA Delay Compensation ** The Taiwan Railways Administration is stressing that passengers using the newly introduced regional T-Pass on its trains will not be eligible for compensation in the event of delays. According to the railways administration, as the contactless cards offer unlimited (無限) journeys on not only T-R-A trains but also other forms (形式) of public transport, it will be impossible to break down the cost. One of the T-Pass' covers Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan, another covers Taichung, Changhua, Nantou and Miaoli, and a third can be used on public transport in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung. The 30-day unlimited transport pass can be used for railway, M-R-T, bus, light-rail, and ferry journeys as well as YouBike rentals. **Syria Israel Exchanges Airstrikes ** The Syrian military says Israel carried out airstrikes on areas near the central Syrian city of Homs causing material damage but no casualties. A Syrian anti-aircraft missile exploded over Israeli territory, the Israeli military said, prompting another round of strikes early Sunday. Syrian state media quoted an unnamed military official as saying that the air defenses shot down some of the missiles fired by Israeli warplanes flying over neighboring Lebanon. Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment (牢固確立;) in Syria, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of neighboring Syria in recent years, but it rarely acknowledges them. **Australia Changes Psychiatrist Prescriptions ** Australia has become the first country to allow psychiatrists to prescribe certain psychedelic (迷幻的) substances to patients with depression or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports. **Thailand Elephant Returning for Medical Care ** An ailing elephant that Thailand presented to Sri Lanka more than two decades ago has returned to his native land for medical treatment Sunday following allegations the animal was badly abused while living at a Buddhist temple. The male elephant was flown directly from the South Asian island nation’s capital to northern Thailand on a cargo plane. A six-person team, including two veterinarians and four trainers, accompanied the elephant on the flight, which took about six hours. The 4-ton animal traveled in a specially built container. Video footage of his arrival in Chiang Mai province showed the elephant conscious and appearing calm. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 72-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,870 on turnover of $4.8-billion N-T. The market ended the day marginally higher on Thursday, as investors awaited the release of fresh economic data out of America and as major central banks announced they need to keep interest rates high to fight persistent inflation. **Maximum Fine for Failure to Yielding to Pedestrians Rises to NT$6,000 ** The fine for motorists caught failing to yield to (停車讓道) pedestrians on crosswalks in being raised to 6,000 N-T from today. Drivers who fail to allow pedestrians to pass first, either at pedestrian crossings or other designated areas for pedestrians to cross a road, will also be required to attend traffic-safety lectures. And those who fail to stop for pedestrians at crossings that results in injury or death, will face a maximun fine of 36,000 N-T and could have their driving license suspended for one year or revoked. The new traffic regulations also extend the traffic safety lecture requirement to motorists who refuse to stop at police checkpoints, and those who fail to properly secure cargo on vehicles, that results in items falling into and obstructing the road. **French Court Sentences Rwandan Policeman for Genocide ** A court in Paris France has found a former Rwandan military policeman guilty of genocide (種族滅絕) and crimes against humanity during the Rwanda 1994 murders. Daniel Kijo reports. **Italy Hunting Colosseum Defacer ** Italian police say they believe the man filmed while engraving (雕刻) his name last week on the ancient Roman Colosseum is a tourist who lives in Britain. Neither the name of the suspect nor his whereabouts were revealed in the statement. Italian officials have vowed to find and punish a tourist who carved names and numbers on the wall of the Colosseum in Rome, a crime that has resulted in hefty fines in the past. It was at least the fourth time this year that such graffiti was reported at the Colosseum. **Google To Remove Canada News Links ** Google says it will remove links to Canadian news on its platforms across Canada after a new law that forces digital giants to compensate (補償) media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose comes into force. Google has informed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government of its decision. It did not say exactly when it will remove news, but it will happen before the law comes into force. The law passed last week and will come into effect by the end of the year. Meta made a similar announcement last week, saying that it will remove news from its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram before the law comes into force. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,930 on turnover of $2.9-billion N-T. The market bounced back from loses in previous sessions this week on Wednesday, as investors were buoyed by reports suggesting that the American economy is in better shape than feared. **Vice Premier Meets with Japan's LDP Secretary-General in Tokyo ** Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan has held talks with the secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Cheng met with Toshimitsu Motegi at the party's headquarters in Tokyo. Speaking during the meeting, Motegi described Taiwan is an extremely important partner to Japan and a precious friend with shared values and the the two countries also enjoy close economic relationships and regular personnel (人員) exchanges. Cheng is leading a delegation of economics officials to Tokyo this week for talks on energy, net-zero emissions and 5-G wireless cellular technology. **World News Media Congress Opens in Taipei ** The World News Media Congress is taking place in Taipei this week and is bringing together more than 900 leaders in journalism and news media organizations from 58 countries. It's the first time since 2013 that the event has been held in Asia. Speaking at the opening ceremony at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, President Tsai Ing-wen told delegates that combatting (對抗) disinformation is a shared challenge all democracies must face, as disinformation directly influences people's way of life. According to Tsai, Taiwan has become home to many international media professionals in the past few years and that's testament to the island's "hard work on safeguarding media freedom and the right to free speech." **SKoreans Scrap Traditional Age System ** Millions of South Koreans are now one or two years younger, after the country abandoned (棄) a traditional system for giving people’s ages. Here’s Andrew Wood – who used to live in South Korea – to explain **Malta Eases Abortion Laws ** Maltese lawmakers have unanimously approved legislation to ease the the strictest abortion laws in the European Union. But a coalition of pro-choice campaigners say last-minute changes make the legislation “vague, unworkable and even dangerous.” The original bill allowing women access to abortion if the mother’s life or health was in danger was hailed as a step in the right direction for the nation. Under the amendments, though, a woman must be at risk of death to access an abortion, and then only after three specialists consent. The new law allows a doctor to terminate (終止) a pregnancy without further consultation only if the mother's life is at immediate risk. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 18-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,906 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market ended the trading day in negative territory again on Tuesday, following a steep decline in tech stocks on Wall Street overnight. Market watchers say investor sentiment this week will likely remain muted as they await the release of the latest U-S inflation data - which is due out on Friday. **Military Planning 'Anti-Takeover' Drill at Taoyuan Int. ** Defense officials say Taoyuan International Airport will suspend commercial air traffic for one hour late next month for a military anti-takeover drill. It will be part of the live fire phase of this year's Han Kuang exercises and will be the first time that such a drill will have ever been staged at the airport. The exercise has been set for July 26 and officials say it's likely to last less than an hour in order to avoid lengthy disruption (擾亂) to air traffic. According to defense officials, all major airlines will be informed of the event and an international air traffic broadcast will also be issued. **TAITRA Opens Taiwan Trade Center in Dallas ** And, The Taiwan External Trade Development Council has opened an office in Dallas, Texas. According to council chairman James Huang, the office has been opened to support Taiwanese businesses operating in the state at a time when the American south is fast becoming a manufacturing hub (中心). The opening of the Taiwan Trade Center in Dallas was attended by five U-S representatives - who all touted their belief in the need to boost commercial ties between the U-S and Taiwan. The opening of the center means the External Trade Development Council now has three offices in the United States. Pakistan IMF Close to Bailout Deal A senior official with the International Monetary Fund and Pakistan’s prime minister are indicating a deal could soon be reached on a much-needed $6 billon bailout package for the impoverished (貧困) south Asian country. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF on Tuesday, according to a government statement. Later, the IMF’s mission chief to Islamabad released a statement suggesting the sides were close to reaching an agreement. Talks between Pakistan and the IMF stalled in December, after the global lender delayed the release of a crucial tranche of $1.1 billion from the bailout **Scientists: Climate Change Made US Heat Dome More Likely ** With temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the US, scientists have found human activity is making these extreme (極端) weather events more likely. Southern US states have been under a heat dome for the last few weeks. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Klimt Painting Most Expensive Artwork Ever Sold in Europe ** A late-life masterpiece (傑作) by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt is now the most expensive artwork ever auctioned in Europe. "Lady with a Fan", sold at Sotheby’s on Tuesday for about the equivlanet of $108.4 million US dollars in London. The sale price exceeded the presale estimate of $80 million. It also beat the previous European auction record of $104.3 million for Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture “Walking Man I” at Sotheby’s in 2010. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Government Maintains 3-Meter Rule for Motorists on Crosswalks Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an to Visit Singapore Tai-Ex opening Greece Prime Minister Elections Guatemala Election Saudi Arabia Hajj Pilgrimage

MOFA Admits it Tope Envoy to Thailand Resigned Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations US Transit Passengers Could be Exempt From Security Screening at Taoyuan International Airport Tai-Ex opening Russian mercenaries' future and direction of Ukraine war remain uncertain China-Russia Talks Saudi Arabia Hajj Pilgrimage

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Subject: E*Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,186 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market lost ground to close below the 17,200-point mark on Tuesday, as investor interest turned cautious after foreign institutional investors recorded a net sell during the previous session earlier, ending a six session buying streak. The bellwether electronics sector led the downturn, but old economy stocks, in particular those in the paper and electric machinery sectors, attracted strong rotational buying to give some support to the broader market. **MOE to Roll Out New Subsidy for Private College Students ** The Ministry of Education has announced that the cost of education for private college undergraduate students will be subsidized beginning next February. According to the ministry, the move is aimed at mitigating (減免) the tuition fee gap between private and public schools. Some 473,000 students are expected to benefit. The education ministry says it will cover at least 50-per cent of the tuition fee for private college students, with a minimum of 25,000 N-T per year. That payment will be deducted from the student's bill at the beginning of each academic year. **Coronavirus Cases Remain Flat for Second Consecutive Week ** The Centers for Disease Control says the number of serious coronavirus infections has remained high, but stable for a second consecutive week. Data shows the C-D-C recorded a daily average of 253 moderate to severe cases from June 14 and 20, which represented a 3-per cent increase over the previous week's daily average. According to the C-D-C, the number of infections is expected to continue to plateau (平穩期、停滯期) through the end of this month due to the increased risk of transmission during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday weekend. **Ukraine Shoots Down Russian Drones ** Ukrainian officials say the country's air defenses have downed 32 of 35 Shahed exploding drones Russia launched overnight. Most of them were taken down in the Kyiv region. The attack was part of a wider bombardment of Ukrainian regions that extended (延伸到) as far as the Lviv region in the west of the country near Poland. In other Ukraine news, the country's military intelligence chief claimed Russia has mined the cooling system of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The plant’s six reactors are shut down but still need cooling. **Tokyo Couple Convicted of Student Killing ** A Tokyo couple has been convicted of the brutal murder of an 18-year old high school girl. The pair were found to have abducted (綁架) the student before killing her in a remote location two years ago. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Norway to Open for Deep Sea Mining ** Norway says it wants to open parts of the Norwegian continental shelf for commercial deep sea mining. Norway’s minister for petroleum and energy says the country needs minerals to help transition to a more green economy. The Norwegian seabed is reportedly rich with minerals and metals including copper, zinc, manganese and cobalt. But the Norwegian government’s plan is controversial (有爭議的) and environmental groups are warning that mining the sea bed would threaten the biodiversity of the vulnerable ecosystems in the area. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 40-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,233 on turnover of 5.9-billion N-T. The market moved slightly lower on Monday after rebounding from an early low, as technical support was seen at around the 17,200 point mark. The bellwether electronics sector came under pressure, but rotational buying remained active, with a focus on tourism, aviation and financial stocks, to help the broader market recoup its early losses. **Premier Seeks to Reassure in US-China Talks ** Premier Chen Chien-jen says Washington has been keeping the government informed about the meeting between U-S Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China's Xi Jin-ping. According to the premier, the government here has been informed of details of those talks in regards Taiwan and communications channels on matter between the two sides are "running smoothly." However, Chen says the government will not be releasing details concerning its knowledge of the talks between Blinken and Xi based on "bilateral practices, mutual trust and longstanding tacit understandings." **Tainan Opens Dengue Fever Screening Station ** The Tainan City Health Bureau has established (成立) a dengue fever screening station in the city's Rende District. The move comes after health authorities in Tainan reported the city's 14th dengue fever infection. All of the cases of the mosquito-borne virus have been linked to the Rende District and city officials are advising residents showing symptoms of the disease to visit the screening station, which is located in the activity center in Cheng-Cong Village. City officials are also urging people to clean up possible mosquitoe breeding sites to prevent the further spread of the disease. The Kaohsiung City Government is taking similar action and has opened a dengue fever command center that covers six districts that border Tainan. **US Blinken on China Trip ** US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States remains "clear eyed" about the challenges posed by China, but insists there is agreement on both sides to stabilise the bilateral relationship. He was speaking off the back of a trip to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a sign of potentially thawing (解凍) ties between the two superpowers following months of tensions. Benji Hyer reports from Washington DC. **UAE Qatar Reopen Embassies ** The United Arab Emirates and Qatar have reopened their embassies following a yearslong rift. The two countries issued statements on Monday saying the Qatari Embassy in Abu Dhabi and a Qatari Consulate in Dubai, as well as an Emirati Embassy in Qatar’s capital, Doha, had resumed (恢復) operations. The UAE joined Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt in imposing a boycott and blockade of Qatar in 2017 in large part over its support for Islamist groups across the Middle East that the other Arab countries consider terrorist organizations. The boycott was officially lifted in January 2021. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 14-points this morning from Friday's close, at 17,274 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The market lost ground last Friday after hitting a 14-month high the previous session - as it bucked the regional upward trend despite a broad-based rally on Wall Street overnight. **EU Parliamentarians And Polish Lawmakers Visit Taiwan ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a seven-member delegation (代表團) from the European Parliament and a 10-member delegation from the lower house of the parliament of Poland are visiting Taiwan this week. According to the ministry, the European Parliamentary group is being led by by the vice-chair of the E-U Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defense and includes members from subcommittees of Foreign Affairs, Economic and Monetary Affairs, among others. Meanwhile, the Polish delegation is being led by the vice chairwoman of the Polish lower house's Foreign Affairs Committee. That delegation includes parliamentarians across from across Poland's major political parties. They are all slated to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials this week. **Temperatures Likely to Top 36 Degrees Today ** And, The Central Weather Bureau has issued "yellow" heat alerts for 13 cities and counties today, as the mercury is forecast to rise above 36-degrees. The heat alerts cover Taipei, New Taipei and Keelung, all areas south of Taichung as well as Hualien and Taitung. The heat alert will remain in affect through this afternoon. According to the weather bureau, sunny to partly cloudy skies can be expected across most of the island from today through Friday. However, occasional morning showers could affect areas in the center and south, while residents (住戶, 居民) of mountainous areas could see some thunderstorms. **Pakistan PM Declares Day of Mourning for Capsized Migrants ** Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared a national day of mourning (喪、哀) for citizens who died when a fishing trawler packed with migrants sank off the Greek coast. As many as 750 people from Syria, Egypt, the Palestinian territories and Pakistan were on board the vessel, trying to reach relatives in Europe. The Greek coast guard has defended its response to the tragedy that has left more than 500 migrants presumed drowned. The vessel sank Wednesday. Sharif expressed his grief over the tragedy and said today would be observed as a day of mourning, with the national flag flying at half-staff. **US Washington Shooting Leaves Dead and INjure ** Two people were killed and three injured in a shooting near a Washington state campground hosting people attending a nearby music festival. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. **Switzerland Votes for Climate Measures ** A majority of Swiss citizens have voted in favor of a bill aimed at introducing new climate measures to sharply curb the rich Alpine nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Sunday's referendum was sparked by a campaign by scientists and environmentalists to save Switzerland’s iconic glaciers, which are melting away at an alarming rate. Campaigners initially (最初) proposed even more ambitious measures but later backed a government plan that requires Switzerland to achieve “net zero” emissions by 2050. The nationalist Swiss People’s Party, which had demanded the popular vote, had claimed the measures would cause electricity prices to rise. Swiss glaciers experienced record melting last year, losing more than 6% of their volume and alarming scientists who say a loss of 2% would once have been considered extreme. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 8-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,343 on turnover of T$3.98-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained ground and hit a 14-month high on Thursday as investors continued to digest the U-S Federal Reserve's overnight decision to leave key interest rates unchanged. Market watchers say the tech sector led the main board higher. As investors took cues from a 1.52-per cent overnight rally on the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, old economy stocks also rose while the transportation sector extended (延長) its momentum from a session earlier. **New Regional Public Transport Passes Rolled Out ** The new regional monthly public transport passes serving the north, center and south have gone on sale ahead of the programs launch on July 1. The monthly "T-Pass" can be used to take unlimited (無限) journeys on most trains operated by the Taiwan Railways Administration, intercity buses, metro and light rail trains, local city buses, limited ferries as well as bicycle-sharing services. The pass is now available for purchase at M-R-T stations, T-R-A stations and intercity bus stations as well as other outlets including convenience stores. Commuters can also use their existing smartcards such as the EasyCard to purchase and sync to the "T-Pass" - but one card can only purchase the "TPass" service for one of the three regions each month. The monthly "TPass" for Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan costs 1,200 N-T, the pass for central Taiwan is 699 N-T for Taichung residents and 999 N-T for non-Taichung residents, while the monthly "TPass" for Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung costs 999 N-T. **US Charges Filed Over Pentagon Leak ** A grand jury has indicted the US air national guardsman accused of leaking military intelligence online. Jack Teixeira faces six counts of retaining (保留) and transmitting classified national defense information. Ira Spitzer reports. **Iran and Cuba Leaders Sign Cooperation Agreements ** Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has met with Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana. During a trade forum with local businesspeople in Cuba's capital on Thursday, the leaders said Cuba and Iran would seek opportunities to work together in biotechnology, mining, electricity generation and other areas. After the forum, Raisi and Diaz-Canel toured biotechnology production plants in the western part of Havana and then headed to an official reception at Cuba's Palace of the Revolution. The leaders also signed several agreements on customs (關稅), justice, telecommunications and diplomatic action. **Peru Mummy Found Next to Soccer Club Field ** Archeologists have found a pre-Hispanic mummy surrounded by coca leaves on top of a hill in Peru’s capital next to the practice field of a professional soccer club. Experts say the mummy was buried in a ritual that included coca leaves and seashells. The burial was on top of a destroyed U-shaped clay temple, a characteristic (特徵) of some pre-Hispanic buildings. Officials say the mummy has not yet been subjected to radiocarbon dating to determine its age. The hill is next to the training field and headquarters for the Sporting Cristal soccer club. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 21-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,259 on turnover of 5.3-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Wednesday despite investor interest in the bellwether electronics sector dropping off following gains in recent sessions. Analysts say many investors remained cautious ahead of the outcome (結果) of this week's policymaking meeting of the U-S Federal Reserve and the central bank's comments on America's economy. **Vice President of Italian Senate Arrives in Taiwan ** The vice president of the upper house of the Italian parliament has arrived in Taiwan for a six-day visit. The visit to Taiwan this week by Gian Marco Centinaio is the highest-level Italian parliamentary trip to Taiwan since 1970. Centinaio is heading a three member delegation that includes one senator. According to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Centinaio and his delegation will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen for formal (正式的) talks. The foreign minister says the delegation is seeking to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan and explore opportunities for bilateral collaboration in the fields of politics, trade, technology, and culture. **Rain Helping Further Ease Drought in South ** The Water Resources Agency says the heavy rain that has lashed parts of the island over the past few days has contributed some 23-million cubic meters of water to major reservoirs. According to the agency, the Xinshan, Feitsui, Shihmen, Second Baoshan reservoirs in the north have received an estimated 7.1-million cubic meters of rainfall. In central Taiwan, the Techi Reservoir is now at 74-per cent of capacity, and the Liyutan Reservoir has reached 73.6-per cent of its capacity. While in the south, the Tsengwen and Wushantou Reservoirs have now accumulated more than 100-million cubic meters of rain water in total. The Water Resources Agency says levels are expected to continue to rise as the current plum rain front is forecast to last until June 18. **Japan Investigating Defense Force Shooting ** Japan’s Self Defense Force is launching an investigation after a trainee shot and killed two others at a shooting range on Wednesday. The 18-year old was arrested and all shooting ranges (射擊場, 靶場) across the country shut down following the incident. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Myanmar Army and Resistance Clash Leaving Dead ** Reports say recent fierce fighting between Myanmar’s army and resistance fighters in an area east of the country’s capital has killed at least two dozen civilians. The fighting has taken place in Shan State’s Pekon township, a hotly contested (有爭議的) area of the armed struggle that arose after the army’s February 2021 seizure of power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. A local resident said at least 26 people were killed, either shot dead in their homes or when they went out onto the street, or killed by artillery strikes. **Pope and Imam Call for Human Fraternity ** Pope Francis and a leading Sunni imam have made calls for peace as the U.N. Security Council met to discuss the importance of human fraternity. The pope sent a statement calling for an end to war. Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, said in a virtual briefing that human fraternity was the key to global peace. After their appeals, council members adopted a resolution recognizing that hate speech, racism, xenophobia, intolerance and gender discrimination can contribute to conflict. he resolution urges all countries to condemn (譴責) these acts. It was adopted unanimously even though some of the council’s 15 members have been accused of some of the same actions they are condemning. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,190 on turnover of 5.1-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Tuesday to close at a 14-month high after Wall Street rallied overnight. Tuesday high came as buying remained focused on tech heavyweights due to continuing optimism (樂觀) over the development of artificial intelligence-related products. **MND Releases New Revised Civil Defense Handbook ** The Ministry of National Defense has released a revised version of its civil defense handbook. The moved comes after the original version was heavily criticized for being out of date when it was published in April of last year. According to the ministry's All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency, the updated version of the handbook has almost doubled (加倍) its content and been expanded from 28 pages to 48 pages. Agency head says Shen Wei-zhi, the new version consists of two main parts - "peacetime preparation" and "wartime responses" - and has far more descriptions of civil defense concepts and more detailed suggestions on how to respond to different types of emergencies. The original version focused more on identifying which government agencies were responsible for doing what during wartime. **Premier Declares War Drugs ** Premier Chen Chien-jen is declaring war on recreational drugs. Speaking at an event marking the conclusion of the government's "Eighth Wave Anti-Drug Program," Chen cited marijuana as being the main target of recent crackdowns (打擊；鎮壓). According to the premier, over 6,000 kilograms of illegal drugs have been seized over the past three months and that includes 900 marijuana plants, while 56 drug factories have also been shut down. Chen went on to describe recreational drugs as being the "root of all evils" and stressed that President Tsai Ing-wen attaches great importance to drug prevention and control operations. ***US House Resolution to Overturn Gun Regulation ** From the US….. The House has pushed through a resolution to overturn (改變, 推翻) a new federal gun regulation. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **AI Used to Record Beatles Song ** Paul McCartney says artificial intelligence has been used to extract (取出) John Lennon’s voice from an old demo to create “the last Beatles record," decades after the band broke up. McCartney told the BBC on Tuesday that the technology was used to separate (分離) the Beatles’ voices from background sounds during the making of director Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary series “The Beatles: Get Back.” He said the new song is set to be released later this year. McCartney didn't identify the name of the demo, but the BBC and others said it was likely to be an unfinished 1978 love song by Lennon called “Now and Then.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 180-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,136 on turnover of $6.9-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed higher Monday as interest in artificial intelligence pushed chipmaker TTSMC and iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. higher. Caution remained, however, ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policymaking meeting on June 13th and 14th, when the Fed is expected to hold rates steady. **White House on Reports of Citizen Evacuation Plan ** The White House is denying media reports that it is formulating an evacuation plan for Americans in Taiwan. US news outlet "The Messenger" published a report citing 3 anonymous sources, that the US government has been formulating the evacuation plan for citizens living in Taiwan for at least six months. The report claims an insider pointed out that Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 as a driving factor behind the development of the plan. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby stated during a routine White House briefing today that it is not standard U.S policy to evacuate American citizens from conflict zones, the U.S. has protocols "for any type of emergency". Kirby goes on to say that "there's no indication at this time that current conditions in Taiwan would warrant any reconsideration (重新考慮) of that policy". (NS) **CWB: Rain Continues for South ** Rainfall is set to continue for southern Taiwan. The Central Weather Bureau says a stationary front continues to linger (逗留, 徘徊) over the island today, likely causing showers or thunderstorms in central and southern Taiwan as well as brief periods of rainfall in Taitung. The CWB says the precipitation over southern regions will be more sustained, while northern and eastern Taiwan should see brief thundershowers in the afternoon. But forecasters say the unstable conditions could result in short periods of heavy or even torrential rain, and those heading out should take precautions, particuarly near coastal regions. (NS) **Trump in Florida for Court Appearance ** Former US President Donald Trump has arrived in Florda ahead of his scheduled court appearance. AP correspondent Eric Tucker has the details. < [CLIP] Slug: > **Pakistan India Brace for Severe Cyclone ** India and Pakistan are bracing for the first severe cyclone this year expected to hit their coastal regions later this week. Authorities halted fishing activities, deployed rescue personnel and announced evacuation plans. From the Arabian Sea, Cyclone Biparjoy is aiming at Pakistan’s Sindh province and the coastline of the western Indian state of Gujarat. It is forecast to make landfall on Thursday and could reach maximum wind speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. Disaster management personnel have been deployed to densely populated (人口密集) regions and cities in the storm's path. It will likely affect Karachi in Pakistan and two of India’s largest ports in Gujarat state. It's the first severe cyclone to hit Pakistan since last year when floods killed over 1,700. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **FM to Visit Prague for European Values Summit ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Foreign Minister Joseph Wu will be traveling to Europe this week. According to the ministry, Wu will be visiting the Czech Republic to deliver an address at the European Values Summit 2023 in Prague on Wednesday. He will give a speech titled "One Theater, One World and One Vision," which will focus on both countries' shared democratic values and human rights as well as their close partnership during the one-day summit. However, the foreign ministry is not releasing further details of Wu trip - including whether or not he will also travel to Brussels later this week. **Traces of Barbiturates Found in 8 Students at New Taipei Preschool ** The New Taipei City Government says blood tests have found trace amounts of barbiturates in eight students at a private preschool in the Banqiao District. According to New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-ran, the blood tests administered to 28 students on June 5 detected the barbiturate at a concentration (濃度) of 1 to 1.5-micrograms per milliliter in six of the students, Two other children showed higher concentrations of 1.5 to 2 and 3 to 3.5-micrograms per milliliter. Prosecutors opened an investigation into the preschool after several parents filed reports with police that a teacher had given their children unknown drugs and used improper physical methods to discipline them. **Colombia Children Survive Plane Crash ** Children from the ages of 13 down to a 1 year old have been found alive in thick jungle in Colombia, after they survived a plane crash. All the adults aboard the crash died when the Cessna aircraft came down on May 1st. A massive (大量、巨大的) search operation was successful with the siblings now back to safety. Caroline Malone reports. **Former Scottish First Minister Questioned by Police ** Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested and questioned by police investigating the finances of Scotland's pro-independence governing party. Police say a 52-year-old woman was detained Sunday “as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.” The force said she was “released without charge pending further investigation” after about six hours. A spokesperson for Sturgeon said the former first minister voluntarily attended (出席) an interview with police and would cooperate with the force’s investigation. Two former officials, the party treasurer and chief executive, have previously been arrested and questioned as part of the investigation. Neither has been charged. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 42-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,776 on turnover of $3.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday, after tech stocks slummed on Wall Street overnight - as the local main board lost momentum to close below the five-day moving average of 16,764. **Government Dismisses Calls for Three-Day Weekend ** The government has responded to a petition posted on an online public policy participation platform calling for a shorter workweek. The petition asking the government make Taiwan the first Asian country to implement a three-day weekend garnered more than 5,700 signatures meaning it passed the threshold requiring a government response. According to the Ministry of Labor, the government has rejected a proposal, as current labor shortages mean the proposal is impossible to implement and wholly (完全地) unsustainable. The Financial Supervisory Commission has also responded to the petition, arguing that the shorter week would result in the government facing a 30-billion N-T loss in stock transaction taxes. Officials say the proposal would result in increases in labor costs at public service institutes, including hospitals, while it would also have a negative affect on supply chains and agricultural logistics. **Ukraine: Russia Shelled Flooded Ukrainian City ** Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have shelled a southern Ukrainian city that was inundated in a catastrophic dam collapse. They said that forced a suspension of some rescue work hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to the area to assess (評估) the damage. At least 14 people have died, many are homeless, and tens of thousands are without drinking water after the Kakhovka dam’s destruction. Officials say more than 6,000 people have been evacuated on both sides of the river. Both sides blame each other for the destruction of the dam. **US Trump Indictment in Classified Doc Case ** Donald Trump says he's been indicted by a grand jury over his handling (處理) of classified documents. Trump is now the first former president in U.S. history to face federal charges. William Denselow reports. **Vatican: Pope Condition Stable ** The Vatican says Pope Francis' condition is stable and is following the regular post-operative course of recovery following a three-hour operation to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall. The Vatican says he is drinking liquids, received the Eucharist and even made a phone call Thursday. Most of the day, though, was spent resting. Doctors say Wednesday’s operation was successful and there were no complications or other pathologies ( 病狀, 病變) discovered. The pontiff is expected to remain in the 10th-floor papal suite at the Gemelli hospital for several days, and all papal audiences have been canceled through June 18. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 58-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,864 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Wednesday to close above the 16,900-point mark as semiconductor stocks attracted investor interest. While buying also focused on old economy stocks, in particular those in the tourism and green energy storage sectors, to lend additional (附加的) support to the broader market throughout the trading day. **Ko Dismisses Xi Meet Without Agenda ** Taiwan People's Party chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je says he has no plans to meet with China's Xi Jinping "just for the sake of it" and if such a meeting were to take place "there must be a clear aim for such talks." Speaking to reporters during his trip to Tokyo, Ko said he firmly believed there is "no problem" with cultural exchanges with China and he supports be economic cross-strait cooperation. Ko has been holding talks this week in Tokyo with former and current Japanese government officials and Taiwan business owners in Japan. He's slated to (定於) return to Taiwan today. **CDC Reports First Monkeypox Case in a Child ** The Centers for Disease Control says a four-year boy has tested positive for monkeypox. According to C-D-C Deputy Director General Philip Luo, its the first case in Taiwan of the the disease in a child. The boy is believed to have been infected by a family member, who had previously been confirmed as having contracted the disease. Health officials also say the boy had been absent from pre-school after coming down with the illness, and the risk of transmission (傳播) is low. However, people he had close contact with at home and at school have been ordered to closely monitor their health for 21 days. **SKorea National Security Strategy Targets North ** South Korea is highlighting (強調) Pyongyang as a main security threat in its newly unveiled National Security Strategy. The document highlights the risks of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo **Expedition Sights More Vaquitas ** A new research expedition (考察隊；探險隊) report suggests that the remaining handful of Mexico’s endangered vaquita porpoises are holding on in their only habitat in the Gulf of California. Experts on the expedition estimate they saw from 10 to 13 of the elusive porpoises during nearly two weeks of sailing in the gulf last month. That is a similar number to those seen in the last such expedition in 2021. Experts from Mexico, the conservation group Sea Shepherd and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said they sighted at least one and probably two calves. They said there may be more vaquitas out there, since the voyage covered only part of the creature’s habitat in the gulf. It lives nowhere else, and the species cannot be captured, held or bred in captivity. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

National Policy Adviser Quits Amid Sexual Harassment Accusation Three Private Universities Ordered to Halt Enrollments Russia and Ukraine Trade Barbs at UN Boeing Holding Up Deliveries of 787 Dreamliner Gooding Jr. Settles in Raped Case

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 1-point this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,712 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Monday after coming off an early high - as investors opted to lock in gains while the main board moved closer to the nearest technical resistance ahead of the 16,800 point mark. **AIT Chair 'Looking Forward to Meeting' Presidential Candidates ** American Institute in Taiwan Chair Laura Rosenberger has arrived in Taiwan for a six-day visit. According to Rosenberger, she plans to meet with the presidential candidates during her trip and is also reiterating that Washington will cooperate with whichever candidate wins January's election. It's her second visit to Taiwan since she assumed the post on March 20. Speaking to reporters, Rosenberger said she's looking forward to further "engaging (接洽) with leaders from across Taiwan's political spectrum" this week and plans to "spend time with each of the declared presidential candidates." And she went on to stress that "the United States will not take sides and we oppose outside interference or influence in Taiwan's elections." **Climate Institute Holds Plaque Unveiling Ceremony ** The newly established Climate Institute has held a plaque-unveiling ceremony. The event was attended by Vice President William Lai and the heads of several of Taiwan's leading tech companies. They included A-U-O chairman Paul Peng and Pegatron chairman Tong Zi-xian. Speaking at the ceremony, Lai reiterated the government's plans to achieve (達到) net-zero emissions by 2050 and hopes that the private and public sectors can further collaborate to reach that goal. The institute has been tasked with hosting training courses to promote sustainable development and tackle climate change and to offer assistance to private companies seeking to reduce their carbon footprint under the Taiwan Climate Partnership. **Haiti Flooding Death Toll Rises ** Authorities say the number of people killed by heavy floods that hit Haiti over the weekend has risen to 42 and that another 11 are missing. Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency says at least 85 people are injured, and more than 13,600 homes were flooded. The rains pelted Haiti’s western, northwestern, southeastern and central regions. The weather has since improved, but many crops were damaged amid a spike (激增) in starvation. Prime Minister Ariel Henry has said he has asked for international help. **SKorea Support for Nuclear Arsenal Falls ** Public support for South Korea to develop its own nuclear arsenal is plummeting (暴跌) according to new figures. Chris Gilbert reports. **British Princess Eugenie Welcomes Baby Boy ** Buckingham Palace says Princess Eugenie has given birth to a baby boy. Eugenie, the niece of King Charles III, and her husband, welcomed their son on May 30th. The baby is the couple’s second child. The child is 13th in line to the throne (王位繼承人). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 7-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,714 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher Friday after the U-S Senate voted to raise America's debt ceiling and avoid a default and turbulence (動盪) in global markets. Buying focused on both the bellwether electronics sector and old economy stocks as the Tai-Ex closed the session above the 16,700 point mark. **DPP and KMT 2024 Candidates Rally Supporters ** D-P-P presidential candidate William Lai has met supporters in Nantou and Miaoli counties. Speaking in Nantou, Lai criticized Beijing's 1989 crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square and said "the people of Taiwan must remain united in the face of China's threats and military intimidation." And speaking in Miaoli, Lai rejected Beijing's "one China" principle and the "1992 consensus" saying acceptance of both would be tantamount (等於) to Taiwan giving up its sovereignty. Meanwhile, the K-M-T's presidential candidate Hou You-yi has launched a campaign group in Taipei - where he told supporters that "peace is the main point of concern for next year's election" and cross-strait peace was the main he reason he chose to run in the election. **Grandriders Finish Annual Round Island Ride ** And, Members of the Hongdao Senior Citizens Welfare Foundation's "Grandriders" have finished their annual round island motorbike trip. According to the foundation, 32 riders made the 10-day, 1,106-kilometer trip this year - which began and finished in Taichung. The oldest rider was 99-year-old. The annual event has been held since 2006 and seeks to raise awareness and funds for disadvantaged (弱勢) elderly adults. It was the focus of a documentary titled "Go Grandriders" in 2012. The film became the first ever Taiwanese-made documentary to be submitted to the Academy Awards in 2013. **US Navy Claims Ship in Strait of Hormuz Harrassed by Iran ** The U.S. Navy says its sailors and the United Kingdom Royal Navy came to the aid of a ship in the crucial Strait of Hormuz after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard “harassed” (騷擾) it. A US Navy statement says Three fast-attack Guard vessels with armed troops aboard approached the merchant ship at a close distance Sunday afternoon. Black-and-white images the Navy said it took from overhead showed three small ships close to the commercial ship. The guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul and the Royal Navy’s frigate HMS Lancaster responded to the incident, with the Lancaster launching a helicopter. Iran did not acknowledge the incident. **Hollywood Writers Potential Deal ** A union representing many Hollywood writers is presenting an agreement to them to help them get back to work. Thousands of writers have been on strike for a month to push for (努力爭取) better wages and protection against AI. Here's U.S. Correspondent Caroline Malone. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,525 on turnover of $2.8-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday, despite the U-S House approving a debt ceiling and budget cuts package to avoid a default crisis. **Taiwan and Lithuania Ink MOU to Boost Bilateral Digital Resilience ** The National Institute for Cyber Security and Lithuania's Innovation Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding that seeks to mutually boost the digital resilience (數位韌性) of both nations. The agreement was signed remotely by institute head Ho Quan-de and the head of Lithuania's Innovation Agency using an external communication adapter during a virtual conference. According to Digital Affairs Minister Audrey Tang, the use of the external communication adapter marked a bilateral milestone as it was issued by Ministry of Digital Affairs and recognized by Lithuania. Along with strengthening mutual digital resilience, the M-O-U also aims to boost bilateral cooperation while seeking talent exchange. **UN Warns of Russia Blockage of Ukraine Ports ** The United Nations is warning of a new threat to global food security. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Russia is limiting the number of ships allowed to pick up Ukrainian grain at Black Sea ports in its campaign to get Kyiv to open a pipeline for a key ingredient of fertilizer to get to world markets. He expressed serious concern that only 33 ships departed from Ukrainian ports in May, half the number compared to April, and exports of grain and other foodstuffs (食品) totaled just 1.3 million metric tons last month, less than half the amount of the previous month. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted Wednesday that the port of Yuzhny is blocked and more than 1.5 million tons of agricultural products are waiting there for shipment to at least 10 countries. He urged everyone to pressure Russia to unblock food supplies. **US President "Fine" After Fall ** The White House says President Joe Biden is doing "fine" after he tripped and fell Thursday as he was handing out diplomas at a graduation ceremony at the US Air Force Academy. Toni Waterman has more. **Italy Florence Bans ShortTerm Vacay Rentals in City Center ** The city of Florence has announced an immediate ban on new short-term private vacation rentals in the city's historic center. The move is part of an effort to bring full-time residents back to one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations. Students in Italian cities, including Florence, Milan and Rome, have been camping out in tents on campuses to protest a lack of affordable housing. At the same time, art cities like Florence and Venice have seen their housing stocks depleted (耗盡) by short-term rentals, defined as covering any period less than 30 days. The Italian government is expected to adopt a plan that so far allows only the city of Venice to cap the number of days a property can be rented out at 120. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 67-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,511 on turnover of 3.4-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday as the electronics sector lost momentum following rallies in recent sessions. Buying rotated to select old economy stocks that offset losses in the tech sector, and bargain hunters also turned active in the afternoon session to pick up T-S-M-C shares. However, selling reemerged as passive mutual funds cut their holdings in local stocks in response to the downgrade of Taiwan's weighting in two of M-S-C-I's major indexes. **KMT Chair Denies Plans to Replace Presidential Candidate ** K-M-T Chairman Eric Chu is dismissing (駁回) speculation the party could move to replace Hou Yu-ih as its candidate for next January's election. The statement comes after a My-Formosa published its latest 2024 election poll. That survey found that Hou is running in third place with a support rating of 18.3-per cent. That's behind Taiwan People's Party candidate Ko Wen-je with a 25.9-per cent support rating and the D-P-P's Lai Ching-te who, according to the poll, is enjoying a 35.8-per cent support rating. According to Zhu, rumors of plans to replace Hou are "groundless" and are being disseminated by pan-green supporter with the sole aim of sowing disunity with the K-M-T. HAP Cites 32% of Retailers Caught Selling Cigarettes to Buyers in School Uniform And, The Health Promotion Administration says some 32-per cent of retailers were found to have sold cigarettes to buyers wearing school uniforms. According to the administration, the Consumers' Foundation sent undercover (臥底的) buyers dressed in school uniforms to 663 convenience stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets and betel nut stalls between April and October of last year. The survey found betel nut vendors were the least likely to carry out age verification, with the undercover buyers able to purchase cigarettes from 42.4-per cent of the stalls. Undercover buyers were able to purchase cigarettes from 40.3-per cent of grocery stores, 26.6-per cent of supermarkets or hypermarkets, and 18.8-per cent of convenience stores. **NKorea to Reattempt Satellite Launches ** North Korea is reaffirming its intention to put a spy satellite into orbit after a failed launch attempt on Wednesday. The projectile, fired by Pyongyang, triggered alarms in both South Korea and Japan, before crashing into the Yellow Sea. Chris Gilbert reports. **Scientists Say Climate Change Didn't Cause Italy Flooding ** A group of scientists say in a new study that climate change in itself wasn't responsible for a series of exceptional rain and resulting deadly flooding in northern Italy in recent weeks. Instead, the study concluded that the three cyclones hitting the Emilia-Romagna region in 21-day-period drove the flooding. Scientists used computer modeling to estimate (估計) that having such three heavy rainfalls so close together was an event that had a one-in-200 chance of occurrence in a given year. The study, unveiled on Wednesday, wasn't peer-reviewed since it was done so soon after the flooding. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,593 on turnover of 3.8-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday, as investor optimism about a deal on America's debt ceiling was dented (受打擊) by worries about the regional economy. **10AM - Typhoon Mawar ** Typhoon Mawar is be passing through waters off Taiwan's southeast and eastern coasts. The Central Weather Bureau says the storm is currently located some 430-kilometers east of Eluanbi, at the island southernmost tip, and moving in a north-northeasterly direction at between 9 and 13-kilometers-an-hour. Mawar still has a radius of 300-kilometers and is packing sustained wind speeds of 126-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 162-kilometers-an-hour. According to the weather bureau's forecast center, Mawar will move away from Taiwan tomorrow and begin to skirt (沿…的邊緣走) the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan. **Lawmakers Pass Amendments to Immigration Act to Retain Foreign Talent ** Lawmakers have passed amendments to the Immigration Act aimed at improving professional talent retention by easing residency restrictions for foreign nationals and their spouses and children. The amendments extend permanent residence rights to spouses (配偶), minor children, and adult children with disabilities of foreign nationals … …. who are high-level professionals, have won top professional awards, have made a significant contribution to Taiwan, or hold an investment visa. While Alien Permanent Resident Certificate holders will only need to spend an average of 183 days per year over the last five years in Taiwan to retain their permanent residency status, instead of the current 183 days each year for five years. **New US Aid Package for Ukraine ** A New US aid package for Ukraine will likely include munitions (彈藥) for drones. Lisa Dwyer has the details….. **UN Extends Arms Embargo on SSudan ** The U.N. Security Council has extended an arms embargo on South Sudan. The 10-0 vote with five abstentions (棄權) on the U.S.-drafted resolution was the same as the vote on the previous sanctions resolution adopted last May. The resolution welcomes “encouraging developments” in implementing some elements of a fragile 2018 power-sharing agreement including completing the first phase of training and graduation of a unified force. But it expresses concern “over the continued intensification of violence prolonging the political, security. economic and humanitarian crisis in most parts of the country." **Malaysia Reports Chinese Barge Plundering WWII Shipwrecks ** Malaysia’s maritime agency says a detained Chinese barge likely plundered (竊取，侵佔) two World War II British shipwrecks in the South China Sea. Malaysian media reported that illegal salvage (打撈) operators are believed to have targeted the HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, which were sunk in 1941 by Japanese torpedoes. Over 800 sailors perished, and the shipwrecks are designated war graves. The agency detained the barge on Sunday for anchoring without a permit. It found piles of scrap metal and an artillery shell believed to be from World War II. The agency said a thorough search Tuesday found another 100 artillery shells on the vessel. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,648 on turnover of 3.6-billion N-T. The market rose on Monday - gaining 131-points - as investors took cues from the news that U-S President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reached a final agreement on a deal to raise America's national debt ceiling. **10AM - Typhoon Mawar Wrap ** A sea warning is in affect for Typhoon Mawar. The warning currently covers the Bashi Channel and waters off southeastern Taiwan. The storm is currently located some 470-kilometers east-southeast of Eluanbi, at the island southernmost tip, and moving in a north-northwesterly direction at 7-kilometers-an-hour. Mawar has a radius of 300-kilometers and is packing sustained wind speeds of 155-kilometers-an-hour, with gusts of up to 191-kilometers-an-hour. The Central Weather Bureau says the storm is expected to veer in a more northerly direction and begin moving away from Taiwan. However, the storm's outer rim (外緣，邊緣) is forecast to bring a significant amount of rainfall to the Yilan and Hualien areas tomorrow. **TPP Confirms Ko Wen-je's Japan Visit ** The Taiwan People's Party has confirmed that its founder (創辦人) and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je will travel to Japan next week. According to party secretary-general Zhou Tai-zhu, Ko will visit Japan from Sunday through Thursday of next week and will be holding talks with senior administrative and legislative officials. Zhou has not released any further details concerning the names of the senior officials Ko will be meeting with, but says the talks will be focusing on international and cross-strait affairs. The T-P-P secretary-general also says he will be accompanying Ko along with former Taipei deputy mayor Vivian Huang. **China Launches Manned Mission ** China has doubled down (加倍下注) on its space ambitions with the launch of the Shenzhou-16 manned mission, saying it plans to put astronauts on the moon before 2030. Nina-Maria Potts reports from Hong Kong: **SAfrica Appoints Judge to Investigate Arms Supply to Russia Accusations ** South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a judge to oversee an inquiry into allegations that the country supplied arms to Russia on a ship that docked secretly at a naval base in December. The allegations were made this month by the United States’ ambassador to South Africa, who said he was sure that weapons and ammunition were loaded onto the Russian-flagged cargo ship when it docked at the Simon’s Town naval base near Cape Town. South Africa has denied there was any government-sanctioned deal to provide weapons to Russia, although it hasn’t categorically (斷然地) ruled out that an unofficial transaction took place involving another entity. South Africa could be in breach of international law and its own laws regarding weapons sales if it is found to have supplied arms to Moscow for the war in Ukraine. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 105-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,610 on turnover of 8.5-billion N-T. The market jumped by over 200 points on Friday to hit its highest level since June of last year. The rise was led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing - which attracted renewed investor interest after Nvidia - one of T-S-M-C's top clients - reported improved second-quarter guidance. **New Zealand Parliamentarians to Visit Taiwan ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says two New Zealand parliamentarians will visit Taiwan this week to meet with senior government officials. According to the ministry, Brooke van Velden, the deputy head of ACT New Zealand, and James McDowall, ACT spokesperson for Immigration, Defense, Tourism, Internal Affairs and Economic Development will discussing issues of mutual concern. They're slated to (預定) hold talks with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and other senior officials during their four-day visit. The foreign ministry says the trip comes as Taiwan and New Zealand are marking the 10th anniversary of the signing of an economic cooperation agreement. **Computex to Begin with Nvidia CEO Speech ** And, Computex 2023 will be taking place at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei - and the event will be getting a pre-opening keynote speech later today by Nvidia C-E-O Jensen Huang. According to the External Trade Development Council, demand for tickets for Huang's keynote address has surpassed 5,000. The council orginally (起初) opened the event to 1,000 ticket holders, but was forced to reopened registration this past weekend due to huge demand for tickets to the event. Huang will be delivering his keynote speech at Nangang Exhibition Center 2 today focusing on the future of artificial intelligence and smart technology. **Japan: NKorea Notification of Satellite Launch Plans ** Japan’s coast guard said North Korea has notified it that it plans to launch a satellite in coming days, which may be an attempt to put a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit. Japan’s coast guard said North Korean waterway authorities gave a launch window (發射時限) from May 31 and June 11th. They also indicated that the launch may affect waters in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island. Japan’s coast guard issued a safety warning for ships in the area during those days. Pyongyang said this month its first military spy satellite was ready for launch. **Subject: E*Turkey Erdogan Reelected ** Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection Sunday, extending his rule into a third decade. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. **Oman Sultan Arrives in Iran for Talks ** Iranian state media says Oman’s ruler has arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran for talks with President Ebrahim Raisi and other top officials. State media said Sultan Haitham was welcomed Sunday by Iran’s senior vice president at the airport. This is the sultan's first visit to Iran since he ascended the throne. Oman also recently hosted rounds of talks between Iran and its rival Saudi Arabia, facilitating an agreement to resume diplomatic relations after a seven-year rift (裂痕). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Taiwan shares open higher Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence in Arson Case NTCH Touting Rise in Online Ticket Sales Opposition party banned from Cambodia elections Founder of the extremist group the Proud Boys, Stewart Rhodes, was sentenced to 18 years in prison

Tai-Ex opening up Central Bank Governor Upbeat about Economic Rebound Latest Coronavirus Wave Expected to Last for a Month Typhoon Mawar hit Guam DeSantis' run for White House

Labor Ministry to Allow Hiring of 28,000 Additional Migrant Workers Serious Coronavirus Cases Jump 30% as 4th Omicron Wave Hits DeSantis to Announce 2024 Bid on Twitter France Bans Domestic Short-Haul Flights Ukraine Blames Russia for Preventing Black Sea Grain Deal Port from Operating

MOFA Protest Taiwan's Exclusion from WHA Taipei Mayor Announces Twin-City Forum Will be Held in China this Year White House debt ceiling meeting America's secretive bomb Taiwan's weather report

People March in Support of Taiwan in Geneva Ahead of WHA Computex 2023 to Highlight AI and High-Performance Computing More talks on U.S. debt crisis planned China summons Japanese ambassador over actions at G7 Canada's wildfires continue

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,146 on turnover of $3.84-billion N-T. The market continued its upward momentum on Thursday, as investors were encouraged by hopes U-S political leaders can reach an agreement to avoid a potentially disastrous default on government debt. **Taoyuan Households See Power Out Amid Rain and Thunder ** Tens of thousands of households in Taoyuan were without power earlier today, amid rough weather conditions. Taiwan Power Company says heavy rain and thunder early this morning caused power outages in the city's Zhong-li, Ping-zhen, Long-tan, and Yang-mei Districts. The state-run power company says up to 10-thousand-829 households were left in the dark. Officials say emergency repairs returned power to nearly 10-thousand customers before 5am, and the remainder were also reconnected by 7:30. (NS) **Torrential rain pounding Hsinchu ** Many streets in Hsin-chu city and county are flooded due to torrential rain that has kept pounding the area since early this morning. Four underground passes, including Yuan-pei and Tai-yuan underpass, are also inundated (淹沒) in water as high as the roof of sedans. The Central Weather Bureau issued an extremely heavy rain advisory for Hsinchu city and county before dawn, saying that accumulated rainfall in the western parts there has reached some 340 millimeters so far today. The CWB has also posted thunderstorm warnings for those in Taoyuan city and Hsinchu, saying people should watch out for lightning strikes, strong gusty winds, and flash floods. Xiang-shan High School in Hsinchu city has canceled today's classes. **Russia Fires Missiles at Kyiv ** Ukrainian officials say Russia has fired 30 cruise missiles against various parts of the country in the latest nighttime test of Ukrainian air defenses which shot down 29 of them. Kyiv officials said defense systems also shot down two exploding drones and two reconnaissance drones early Thursday. A military spokesman said one person died and two were wounded (受傷) by a Russian missile that got through and struck an industrial building in the southern region of Odesa. Loud explosions were heard in Kyiv as the Kremlin’s forces targeted the capital for the ninth time this month. **US Disney New Campus Plans Shelved ** Plans for a new Disney campus in Florida are off the table (不在考慮範圍內). AP's Lisa Dwyer has more. **Australia Doctor Freed After Kidnapping ** Australia says an 88-year-old doctor held captive in West Africa for more than seven years has been released. Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Kenneth Elliott was safe and well and had been reunited (團聚) with his wife and their children. Elliott and his wife were kidnapped by Islamic extremists in northern Burkina Faso in 2016 near the border with Mali and Niger, where they were running a medical clinic. Elliot's wife was released a month later. Wong said the Australian government and the Elliott family have worked tirelessly toward Elliott’s release. She did not detail the circumstances of his release. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 134-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,060 on turnover of 4.9-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Wednesday - jumping 1.6-per cent - as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing extended its gains from the previous session to lift other I-C stocks throughout the trading day. Buying also spread to old economy heavyweights in the auto and petrochemical sectors - giving an additional boost to the broader market. **MOL Warns Subsidies 'Only Way to Stabilize Labor Insurance Fund' ** Deputy Labor Minister Lee Chun-yi is warning that continued government subsidies are currently the "only way" to stabilize (穩定) the Labor Insurance Fund. According to Lee, subsidies are the only way to ensure the fund's sustainability due to a lack of consensus over how to proceed with the next stage of the government's pension reform. Speaking at a legislative hearing, Lee told lawmakers he believes the issue must be approached with caution as it involves 10-million workers and 600,000-employers, but so far, "the parties involved are still a long way from a consensus." The Cabinet has injected 147-billion N-T to stabilize the fund since 2020 and has earmarked 100-billion N-T in subsidies for the fund for next year. **Pre-Sales of New Regional Public Transport Pass Begins Today ** A commemorative stored-value card for two monthly public transport pass programs will be available for pre-sale from today One of the passes covers Taipei-New Taipei-Taoyuan and Keelung while the other is for Taichung-Changhua-Nantou and Miaoli. The "TPass" is going on pre-sale for 100 from 11AM today at branches of 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, OK Mart and Hi-Life. The cards will be available for pickup on June 15. Those not wishing to purchase the commemorative "TPass" will be able to use their regular EasyCards to register for the new monthly pass program after that date. The regional public transport pass program is currently slated to be (定為) launched at the beginning of July. **Pakistan Police Surround Khan Home ** Police have surrounded the home of former Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, claiming he is sheltering dozens of people who were allegedly involved in violent protests over his recent detention. Wednesday's police deployment raised concerns about possible new clashes (衝突) between them and the security forces. Last week, Khan supporters attacked public property and military installations after he was dragged out of a courtroom and detained. Ten people were killed in the violence, and more than 4,000 were arrested. The popular opposition leader was released over the weekend and returned to his home in Lahore. Human rights groups say they are alarmed by government plans to try those suspected of involvement in the protests in military courts. **G7 Leaders Arriving in Japan for Summit ** World leaders are arriving in Japan for the G7 summit being held in Hiroshima this week. The three day talks are expected to address global security and financial challenges, including enhancing (增加；增強) sanctions on Russia and reducing economic reliance with China. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 28-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,702 on turnover of 1.9-billion N-T. The market closed sharply higher on Tuesday, rising by almost 1.3-per cent, as the bellwether electronics sector led the rise after Wall Street made gains overnight. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing attracted (吸引) strong buying, despite Warren Buffett announcing that he's dumped all of his shares in the company because of concerns over geopolitical risks. **Former UK PM Liz Truss Arrives in Taiwan ** Former U-K Prime Minister Liz Truss is in Taiwan for a five-day trip. According to Truss, visiting Taiwan had been on her mind for some time but she had previously been "unable" to do so because she was in the U-K government. The former U-K prime minister is giving a talk today in Taipei entitled "Taiwan: On the Frontline of Freedom and Democracy," organized by the government-funded Prospect Foundation. She also scheduled to meet with senior government officials and other figures (人物) from Taiwan's political, business and academic circles during her visit. **Third Offshore Wind Farm Officially Inaugurated ** The Formosa 2 offshore wind farm project in Miaoli has been officially inaugurated. The wind farm consists of 47 wind turbines and covers an area of 68-square kilometers off the coast of Zhunan Township. According to developers, Formosa 2 has an installed capacity of 376-megawatts and is expected to supply power to approximately 380,000 households per year in the area. The wind farm is a joint development project by Japanese joint venture (企業) J-E-R-A, Australia's Green Investment Group under Macquarie Asset Management, and Taiwan's Synera Renewable Energy. Formosa 2 is the third offshore wind farm to enter into service here in Taiwan - and follows Formosa 1 in Miaoli and the Taiwan Power Company's Phase-1 Power Grid Construction for Offshore Wind Connection in Changhua County. **G7 Leaders To Pledge Nuclear NonProliferation ** G7 leaders are set to pledge extra support for nuclear non-proliferation agreements when they meet in Japan this weekend. The G7 summit is taking place in Hiroshima, one of the only places to have experienced a nuclear attack, and Japan is hoping it will set the stage for discussions on nuclear disarmament (解除或放棄武器的行為). Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Italy Cocaine Bust ** Italian authorities say customs police found more than 2,700 kilos of cocaine hidden in 70 tons of boxed bananas shipped from Ecuador. Police estimated the cocaine could have brought traffickers more than $900 million US dollars in street sales if it had reached its ultimate destination in Armenia. Customs police at a southern port became suspicious (懷疑), when a background check showed the banana shippers weren’t in the business of moving that much fruit. Officers used scanning machines and the dog to uncover packets of cocaine hidden in boxes already stacked meters-high in container trucks. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex ended the trading day down on Monday, despite gains in other regional markets, as investors here remain concerned about a possible recession in the U-S after Wall Street lost ground on Friday. **Taipei Mayor Vows to Hold Construction Company Accountable for Sinkhole ** Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an says he will hold a construction company and project contractor accountable (應負責任的) for damage caused by a massive sinkhole that appeared on a street next to a construction site in the city's Xinyi District. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting, Chiang says the sinkhole is believed to been caused by a nearby construction project, but the city government was still investigating the exact cause of the hole. City government officials say ground-penetrating radar is now being used to check the affected area for possible holes or soft soil layers and building examinations will be completed within a week. **Petitions on Shorter Workweek and Reduced Working Hours to Get Response ** Two petitions posted on an online public policy participation platform calling for a shorter workweek and reduced (減少) working hours have passed the 5,000 signature threshold required to get a government response. One of the petitions asks that the government make Taiwan the first country in Asia to implement a three-day weekend. While the other seeks to revise Article 30 of the Labor Standards Act to lower the number of working hours to six or seven daily, or to between 30 and 35 hours per week. The Ministry of Labor says discussions on both petitions will be held and responses issue in late June or early July. **Croatia Sees Flooding Amid Heay Rain ** Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed in Croatia to help people in parts of the country hit by floods. Heavy rain in recent days caused some rivers to overflow (溢出) their banks, flooding homes, roads and public buildings in some towns. Authorities said some 300 army troops stepped in on Monday to help people in need and to bolster flood defenses. Floods were also reported downstream in northwestern Bosnia. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said his government would provide all necessary funding and aid. Meteorologists in Croatia said more rain was expected in the coming days. **Japan Under Pressure to Improve LGBT Rights ** Japan is coming under mounting international pressure to improve LGBT rights ahead of this weeks G7 summit in Hiroshima. The government, so far, has declined (謝絕) to respond to a video by 15 diplomatic missions calling on it to take action on marriage equality. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 13-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,489 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Friday despite recouping most of early losses, following weakness on Wall Street overnight, as investors remained wary over the health of America's banking sector. **Protesters Take to Streets to Promote Pedestrian Safety ** In news from and about Taiwan this morning, Protests has been held in several cities demanding action to improve pedestrian safety. The rallies have been taking place after a three three-year-old girl was killed and her mother injured last Monday after being hit by car making a left turn as the were crossing a street in Tainan. Protesters in Tainan gathered at that intersection calling for the wider use of pedestrian scrambles at major junctions, which stop all traffic when pedestrians cross. Residents of Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung also took the streets - and congregated at (聚集在) crosswalks that have also been the sites of recent deadly traffic accidents. **Premier Tests Positive for Coronavirus ** And, Cabinet spokesman Luo Ping-cheng says Premier Chen Chien-jen has tested positive for the coronavirus. According to Luo, Chen took an at screening test at home on Saturday after experiencing a cough and the results of the test were positive. The Cabinet spokesman says Chen has been advised to follow the Center for Disease Control's current "0+N" guidelines for people who test positive for the virus, but only show mild symptoms. That means the premier will have to wear a face mask if he chooses to return to work today and monitor his health for up to 10 days, depending on the severity of the symptoms. **France Pledges More Military Support for Ukraine ** France has pledged additional military aid, including light tanks, armored vehicles, training for soldiers and other assistance for Ukraine as it gears up for a counteroffensive against Russian forces. French President Emmanuel Macron's office also says more Ukrainians will also be made battle-ready, with France aiming to train about 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers in France this year and nearly 4,000 others in Poland as part of a wider European effort. The fresh French support followed surprise talks Sunday in Paris between the Ukrainian and French presidents. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron met for three hours at the presidential Elysee Palace. The encounter was kept under wraps (保密) until shortly before the Ukrainian leader's arrival in Paris from Germany on a French government jet, extending a multi-stop European tour. Zelenskyy met earlier Sunday with Germany's chancellor, Olaf Scholz. **US App Allows Migrant Appointments for Asylum ** A new mobile app is allowing 1,000 would-be migrants per day to make an appointment to apply for asylum (庇護) in the United States. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 38-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,477 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday despite making early gains, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing saw its share price drop below 500 N-T on the back of concerns over over ongoing inventory (存貨) adjustments in the global tech industry. Although lower-than-expected U-S inflation data for April raised hopes that the America's central bank will not raise its key interest rates next month, investor sentiment remains haunted by a weakening global economy …. .. which pushed down the bellwether electronics sector and economy stocks during the trading day. **Costco Releases Compensation Plan for Berry Contamination ** Costco Taiwan has released a compensation package for customers who had purchased Kirkland Signature brand frozen mixed berry products that have been found to be contaminated (污染) with the hepatitis A virus. According to the plan, Costco members who bought the frozen berries at its Kaohsiung warehouse will be offered a full refund plus a consolation equivalent to the refund amount. Costco will also offer a subsidy of 500 N-T to any members who developed hepatitis A symptoms after consuming the contaminated frozen berries. That money can be used to pay for testing at healthcare facilities designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Costco says it will also pay the full medical bills of any member diagnosed with hepatitis A that could be traced to the contaminated berry products. **UN Adopts Resolution on Sudan ** The top U.N. human rights body has adopted a resolution concerning mounting (增長) civilian deaths and rights abuses in Sudan since a bloody conflict erupted between the African country’s two top generals last month. Member states of the Human Rights Council narrowly passed on Thursday the resolution with 18 states voting in favor, 15 against and 14 other nations abstaining. The main co-sponsors of the draft resolution were all European, in addition to the United States. The conflict erupted in mid-April between the chief of Sudan’s military, and a rival general who commands a powerful paramilitary group. So far, the violence has killed more than 600 people, and displaced hundreds of thousands. **China Pledges Trade Dialogue with Australia ** China says it’s committed to improving relations with Australia, ahead of a meeting in Beijing between the countries’ Trade and Commerce Ministers. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **French Prosecutors Sending Former President to Trial ** French prosecutors are seeking to send former President Nicolas Sarkozy to trial on charges that he received millions in illegal campaign financing from the government of late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The French national financial prosecutor’s office announced its decision Friday to seek a trial after a decade (十年) of investigation. Twelve others are also charged. It is now up to judges to determine whether to move ahead. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 24-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,666 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The market lost ground after coming under heavy pressure on Wednesday, as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of U-S inflation data for April and continued to watch negotiations on the government's debt ceiling in Washington. Selling focused on the electronics sector as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing led the downturn despite raising its cash dividend payments for earnings in the first quarter. **Kishida Reiterates Taiwan's Security is Global Issue ** Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is reiterated his belief in the importance of continuing peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait - telling Nikkei Asia that "it is a matter of importance not just to Japan, but the whole international community." Speaking ahead of the G-7 summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, Kishida said Tokyo's position has always been that the issue of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through dialogue," and he believes the Group of Seven is united on this." According to Kishida, the G-7 leaders will demand Beijing act as a responsible member of the global community and contribute to (貢獻) the development of stable international relations through constructive dialogue. **NCC to Appeal High Court Ruling on CTi Licence Renewal ** The National Communications Commission says it plans to appeal a ruling by the Taipei High Administrative Court, which overturned its 2020 ruling rejecting the renewal of CTi News' broadcast license. The statement comes after the court sided with CTi News' appeal and ordered the N-C-C to review the case based on the court's opinions. The N-C-C says the court ruling has come as a "surprise" and is "regrettable (令人遺憾的)". Although siding with CTi News' calls for a review of its broadcast license application, the court rejected a request for compensation from the government and the immediate reinstatement of the broadcast license. **Australia Trade Minister Calls for End to Curbs on China ** Australia is seeking to repair its strained economic ties with China. Australia’s Trade Minister is meeting his Chinese counterpart in Beijing to call for the end to all trade barriers (貿易障礙) on Australian exports. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **Nicaragua Orders Red Cross Closed ** Nicaragua has ordered the closure of the country's Red Cross, capping a crackdown that has seen the government toss out out religious orders (宗教組織), charities and civic groups. The legislature voted to shutter the Nicaraguan Red Cross, accusing it of "attacks on peace and stability" for helping treat injured protesters during antigovernment demonstrations in 2018. The legislature is dominated by President Daniel Ortega's Sandinista party. The legislature ordered the country's Health Department to create “a new Nicaragua Red Cross.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 19-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,708 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Tuesday as large-cap tech stocks once again attracted investor attention to offset losses suffered by the old economy sector. However, market sentiment remained cautious, as investors wait to see if Washington agrees to raise the government's debt ceiling to avoid (避免) a default, while the pending release of U-S consumer price index data also weighed on investor's minds. **Former UK PM Liz Truss to Visit Taiwan Next Week ** Former U-K Prime Minister Liz Truss will visit Taiwan next week to participate in a government-funded speaking engagement. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Truss, has been invited by the Prospect Foundation think tank to give a speech in Taipei on May 17. The ministry has not said on what topic Truss' speech would be on. The foreign ministry has also not released any information concerning possible meetings with senior government officials or other political and business figures (人物) during her four-day visit. Truss spent 49-days as the U-K's shortest event-serving prime minister last year. **Coronavirus Subvariant XBB to Drive New Surge Through July ** The Centers for Disease Control says the coronavirus XBB subvariant is likely to become dominant soon, creating a new surge of infections through early July. According to C-D-C Deputy Director General Philip Luo, the subvariant accounted for 40-per cent of the 70 local Omicron cases confirmed during the week of April 30 through May 6. Luo says it is now expected to replace the current BA.2.75 strain in the near future. The C-D-C reported a daily average of 116 moderate and severe coronavirus cases from May 3 through 9, which represented a slight increase in daily cases compared with the 114 the previous week. **Saudi Arabia Syria Embassies Resume Work ** Saudi Arabia and Syria say their embassies will resume work 11 years after they were closed as the two countries' relations improve. Tuesday's announcement comes nearly a month after Syria and Saudi Arabia said they were moving toward reopening embassies and resuming airline flights. Last month’s development followed a visit by Syria’s top diplomat to the kingdom, the first since Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic relations with Syria in 2012 and a visit by Syria’s foreign minister to Riyadh. On Sunday, the 22-member Arab League agreed to reinstate Syria, ending a 12-year suspension and taking another step toward bringing Syria back into the fold. **US Charges Filed Agains Congressman Who Lied on Resume ** US prosecutors have filed criminal charges against George Santos, the congressman who has admitted to (承認，供) lying about his resume. Sally Patterson reports. **Germany Proposes Law Name and Gender Change ** The German government has presented a proposal for a law that will make it easier for people to legally change their name and gender, ending decades-old rules that require them to get expert assessments and a court’s authorization. Under the planned “self-determination law,” adults would be able to change their first name and legal gender at registry offices without further formalities. The existing “transsexual law,” which took effect in 1981, currently requires individuals to obtain assessments (評估) from two ”experts" and then a court decision before they can change their gender on official documents. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher, rising 2-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,702 on turnover of 1.6-billion N-T. The market closed higher on Monday as buying was sparked by gains on Wall Street at the end of last week on the back of better-than-expected U-S jobs data for April. The bellwether electronics sector led the upturn in the wake of (在…之後) rising tech stocks on U-S markets, while buying was also seen among non-tech stocks, in particular in the electric engineering sector, to give additional support to the broader market. **Ko Wen-je Registers for TPP Presidential Primary ** Taiwan People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je has registered for the party's presidential primary. Ko registered at the party's headquarters in Taipei accompanied by T-P-P Secretary-General Zhou Tai-zhu and former Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang. Speaking to reporters after registering, Ko said he has until September to find a suitable running mate and while he believes Huang would be a good choice, the party is still hoping to garner (收集) more input from its supporters. A spokesperson for Ko's office says the T-P-P is now scheduled to officially announce its presidential nominee on May 17. **MOTC Calls on Starlux to Review its Scheduling ** Transport Minister Wang Kwo-tsai is urging Starlux Airlines to review is scheduling amid concerns recent expansion has left the carrier overstretched. The call comes after flight delays due to bad weather and a mechanical issue with one of its aircraft left 308 passengers and two of Starlux's three A-350 planes stranded (被困住) overnight at Tokyo's Narita Airport. Starlux was also forced to postpone flights on its Taoyuan to Los Angeles route due to those delays. According to the transport minister, Starlux's recent expansion into North America has come despite the airline only having only three large A-350 aircraft and shows the company needs to enlarge its fleet and hire more staff, and also review how it schedules its flights. **US Welcomes SKoreaJapan Summit ** The US is welcoming a summit held over the weekend between its key Indo-Pacific allies South Korea and Japan. Leaders from the two countries met in Seoul for the first time more than a decade, in an effort to boost bilateral co-operation and thaw historical tensions. Chris Gilbert reports. **Australia Forecasts Balanced Budget ** The Australian government has forecast the nation’s first balanced annual budget in 15 years. Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced the forecasted surplus today before releasing the government’s economic blueprint for next year. Chalmers did not say how big the surplus will be, but media reported a $2.7 billion surplus was expected. High prices for commodities including iron ore, coal and gas plus income tax revenue helped deliver the surplus, which was also buoyed by an extraordinarily low jobless rate. The government's budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year aims to ease financial hardships of the most needy without stoking (煽動，激起) stubbornly high inflation. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 22-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,648 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Friday despite investors remaining wary of possible volatility on Wall Street due to renewed concerns over problems in the American banking sector. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing returned to the 500 N-T mark during the session, as the bellwether electronics sector staged a mild technical rebound, which helped the broader market offset losses by non-tech stocks. **Nantou and Changhua See Most Rain During Passing Front ** The Central Weather Bureau says Nantou and Changhua received the most rainfall on Sunday - as a weather front passed over the island. According to the bureau, Nantou County's Ren-Ai Township recorded accumulated (積累) rainfall of over 10.5-centimeters from between midnight Saturday through Sunday evening. The Water Resources Agency says the island's reservoirs benefited from Sunday's rain, but it was still not enough to alleviate drought conditions in the south. **Starlux's Chang Kuo-wei Offers Full Refund to Passengers Stranded in Japan ** Starlux Airlines Chairman Chang Kuo-wei says his company will offering full refunds to passengers who had to spend the night at Narita Airport outside Tokyo because of a flight diversion and aircraft deployment problems. Chang flew to Japan early Sunday to apologize for the delay to the 308 affected passengers and made the pledge (保證) flying one of the two Starlux A350 planes stuck at Narita overnight back to Taiwan. According to airline, 183 of the 308 stranded passengers returned to Taiwan on Sunday afternoon on an Airbus 321, while 99 passengers were booked on regularly scheduled Starlux flights. The remaining 26 passengers caught flights back to Taipei on other airlines. The Civil Aeronautics Administration says it will review the case and request Starlux submit a full explanation and to make improvements. **US Biden Calls for Gun Reforms ** US President Joe Biden has once again called on Congress to pass gun reforms following a shooting at a Texas shopping mall. Authorities say the suspected gunman killed 8 people, injured 7 others, and then was himself killed by an officer who had been dispatched (派遣) to the area on a different call. Our US Correspondent Jagruti Dave reports. **Canada Wildfires Slow Amid Cooler Temp ** Fire crews battling wildfires threatening communities in western Canada are getting some relief from cooler temperatures and a bit of rain, but officials warn the reprieve (暫時緩解) is only in some areas. Officials in Alberta say there were 108 active fires in the province Sunday and the number of evacuees grew to about 29,000. A provincewide state of emergency was declared Saturday. Two out-of-control wildfires in neighboring British Columbia also have forced some people to leave their homes, and officials warn that they expect high winds to cause the blazes to grow bigger in the next few days. Officials in Alberta say that despite the current cooling, hot and dry conditions are predicted to return within a few days. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 19 points-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,628 on turnover of $2.3-billion N-T. **Cabinet approves NT$16 billion youth employment program ** The Cabinet on Thursday approved the second phase of a cross-agency youth employment program. Under the new phase, $16 billion NT will be earmarked to help 800,000 young people obtain (獲得) jobs over the next four years in industries experiencing labor shortage. The Ministry of Labor says the second phase will kick off in May and run until 2026, targeting people aged 15 to 29. The MOL says as part of 12 strategies and 48 measures devised jointly by various government agencies, career guidance sessions will be held on school campuses to help final-year students find opportunities that can eventually become full-time jobs. And the ministry says in addition, under the plan, training will be offered to young people to sharpen their professional skills. **Serbia DriveBy Shooting Leaves Dead and Wounded ** Serbian state television says at least eight people have been killed and 13 wounded in a drive-by shooting in a town close to Belgrade. State media reports that the suspected killer used an automatic weapon to shoot randomly at people near a town some 50 kilometers south of the capital. The report says the shooter is on the run. No other details are immediately available. This is the second mass killing in Serbia in two days. On Wednesday in Belgrade, a 13-year-old boy used his father’s guns in a school shooting rampage (狂暴行為) that killed eight of his schoolmates and a school guard. **Ｍore convicted over January 6 attack ** From the US… Four members of the far-right Proud Boys group, including their former leader, have been found guilty of seditious (煽動性的) conspiracy. Kate Fisher reports from Washington. **Canada Considers China Dipomats Expulsion ** Canada’s foreign minister said Thursday the country is considering the expulsion of Chinese diplomats over an intelligence agency report saying one of them plotted (密謀) to intimidate the Hong Kong relatives of a Canadian lawmaker. Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said her department was summoning China’s ambassador to a meeting to underline that Canada won’t tolerate such interference. She said the intelligence agency report indicated that opposition Conservative lawmaker Michael Chong and his Hong Kong relatives were targeted after Chong criticized Beijing’s human-rights record. Chong warns that not taking action would send a signalt that Canada is "open to foreign interference targeting Canadian citizens." Trudeau has ordered Canada’s intelligence agencies to immediately inform lawmakers of any threats against them, regardless of whether those threats are considered credible. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,548 on turnover of $2.2-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan moved lower Wednesday as turnover shrank ahead of the conclusion of a two-day policymaking meeting held by the U.S. Federal Reserve due later in the day. Caution continued throughout the session with many investors wary of financial woes (困難) in the U.S. banking sector, which pushed down shares on American markets overnight. **Taiwan ranked 35th in 2023 RSF press freedom index ** Taiwan has moved up three spots to 35th in the latest World Press Freedom Index released Wednesday. The 2023 edition of the index issued by Reporters Without Borders ranked Taiwan 35th out of 180 countries and territories evaluated based on the environment for journalism, compared to 38th the previous year. But RSF says the ranking does not represent (代表) improvement in Taiwan's media environment, and is actually due to the decline in press freedom in other countries. Taiwan's latest ranking placed it fourth in the Asia-Pacific region, behind New Zealand, Samoa, and Australia, but ahead of South Korea, Papua New Guinea, and Japan. The index's top three spots go to Norway, Ireland, and Denmark, in that order. The last three places are occupied by Asian countries, namely Vietnam, China, and North Korea. **Rwanda Flooding Leaves Dead and Missing ** A public broadcaster in Rwanda says at least 129 people have been killed in flooding amid torrential rain in the western and northern provinces of the country. The Rwanda Broadcasting Agency reported Wednesday that the death toll “continues to rise.” The governor of Rwanda’s Western province told reporters that a search for more victims was underway (正在進行的) following heavy rain Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Strong rainstorms last week caused flooding and mudslides that swept away several houses across the country. The Rwanda Meteorology Agency has warned that more rain is coming. Parts of East Africa also are seeing heavy rainfall. At least three people drowned in floods last week after a river burst its banks in Uganda. **US Fed Raises Interest Rates ** The US central bank has raised interest rates by a quarter percentage point - its 10th increase in 14 months. But it could be its last hike for a while as the Federal Reserve tries to calm (使鎮靜) fears about the stability of banks and the broader economy. Kate Fisher reports from Washington **Mexico Touts DomesticallyProduced COVID19 Vaccine ** Mexican officials are touting the country's domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine. The head of Mexico's government commission for science and technology said Wednesday the new vaccine would be approved for use as a booster shot. Mexico started developing the Patria vaccine in March 2020. But testing was slow, and the country wound up (最後) importing 225 million doses of vaccines. And vaccine uptake in Mexico dropped in late 2022 and 2023. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 7-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,630 on turnover of 18-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed higher Tuesday even as contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing remained weak amid lingering concerns over inventory adjustments in the global IC industry. Analysts say investors tended to exit large-cap tech stocks such as TSMC while buying into old economy stocks, including machinery companies involved in renewable energy development and companies holding large amounts of carbon credits, keeping the market in positive territory. **Taichung man confirmed with hepatitis A, in wake of Costco recall ** Taichung has reported a confirmed case of hepatitis A, involving a 40-year-old man who traveled to Mexico in March, and ate a frozen blueberry product from Costco after returning to Taiwan. The local government says the infected man's family members, who also ate the frozen blueberries from an online supermarket, have not displayed any symptoms. The Food and Drug Administration announced that the contagious hepatitis A virus was found earlier in April in a batch of the frozen fruit product "Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend", imported from Chile, and sold at a Costco supermarket in Kaohsiung. Two Costco stores in Taichung have removed more than 4,000 bags of berry products from shelves as a precaution (預防措施). The CDC has called on anyone who has eaten frozen berries sold by Costco to monitor their health for 60 days, starting from the last day of consumption. **Palestinian Missile Barrage After Prisoner Death ** The Israeli military says that Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired a barrage of rockets following the death of a high-profile Palestinian prisoner in Israeli custody after a nearly three-month-long hunger strike. The death on Tuesday of 45-year-old Khader Adnan, a prominent leader of the militant Islamic Jihad group, has outraged Palestinian militants and leaders, and raised fears of an escalation (加劇，（使）惡化). The Israeli military said that Palestinian militants in Gaza launched 26 rockets toward Israeli territory Tuesday, wounding three foreign nationals. Gaza-based Palestinian militant groups, led by the enclave’s Hamas rulers described the barrage as retaliation for Adnan's death. **UN Chief: World Cannot Be Silent on Afghanistan ** The United Nations Secretary General says the organisation will never be silent when women and girls' rights are under attack. Guterres was speaking to reporters in Doha, Qatar, after convening (召集) an international meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan. Jody Jacobs has more from the UN. **US EU Busts Dark Web Drugs ** Authorities in the U.S. and Europe have arrested nearly 300 people and seized over $53 million in the latest major takedown of a dark web marketplace. Most of the arrests in the operation targeting the “Monopoly Market” were made in the U.S., as well as Germany and the United Kingdom. They also seized firearms and drugs that included fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics. The U.S. is in the grips of an overdose crisis. Synthetic opioids (合成鴉片類藥物), mostly fentanyl, kill more Americans every year than died in the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. The FBI said investigators got leads in the case from local police investigating overdose deaths. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 9.5-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,589 on turnover of $1.5-billion N-T. **Latest step taken to pave way for Taiwan version of CHIPS Act ** Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs is soliciting public opinion, on rules to carry out and enforce Taiwan's version of the CHIPS Act. Over the next 30 days, the MOEA will collect opinions on the proposed rules, after which it will hold forums, to exchange views with businesses on the amendment's details, as it prepares to start taking applications from eligible companies next year. The notice was issued after a new amendment was passed in early January, which offers tax breaks to companies that develop innovative technologies domestically, and have a critical role in international supply chains. Following passage of the amendment, the revised law was dubbed (稱…為) the Taiwan-version of the United States' CHIPS and Science Act, aimed at subsidizing semiconductor investment in the U.S. market to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the global chip market. **Syria Reports Israeli Airstrikes at Airport ** Syrian state media says Israeli airstrikes have targeted the international airport in the northern city of Aleppo, killing one Syrian soldier and putting the airport out of commission (無法使用). SANA cited a military official, saying that two civilians and five other Syrian soldiers were wounded in the strike early today. The airport has been a key channel for the flow of aid into the country after the Feb. 6 earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, killing over 50,000 people, including more than 6,000 in Syria. There was no immediate statement from Israeli authorities on the strikes. Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment next door, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of neighboring Syria in recent years, but rarely acknowledges them. **US Philippines Strengthen Alliance ** The Philippines is strengthening its alliance (聯盟) with the US, amid increasing tensions with China. The Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Junior says South-east Asia is the most complicated geopolitical region in the world right now. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **Canada Gov Proposes Assault Firearms Ban ** The Canadian government is proposing a ban on assault-style firearms that would apply once legislation now before Parliament comes into force. Under the scheme announced Monday, the government would make regulations through the Firearms Act to ensure that guns are classified correctly before entering the Canadian market. Canada's public safety minister says the government also plans to recreate (重建) a firearms advisory committee that will make recommendations on the classification of guns now on the market. The minister says the committee will include rural and northern residents, Indigenous people, industry leaders, law enforcement and gun control advocates. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 65.9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,477 on turnover of $2.4-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained ground on Thursday, as other regional markets rose ahead of the release of U-S economic growth data. **Changhua Launches Factory Inspections ** The Changhua County government has ordered fire safety inspections at all local large-scale food processing (食品加工) factories. The move is in response to Tuesday's fire at the Lian Hwa Foods factory, the death toll from which now stands at eight. The bureau says a joint inspection team has been formed it includes fire service members as well as officials from the county government's economic and labor affairs departments. They will be jointly inspecting some 138 large food processing factories in Changhua. The county government says those inspections includes all factories with a floor area of 3,000 square meters or more that are equipped with large boilers for food processing. An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing. **Iran Seizes Marshall Islands Oil Tanker ** Iran’s navy has seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman amid wider tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program. The U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet identified the vessel as the Advantage Sweet. Satellite tracking data for the vessel from MarineTraffic.com showed it in the Gulf of Oman just north of Oman’s capital, Muscat, on Thursday afternoon. It had just come from Kuwait and listed its destination (目的地) as Houston. Iran claimed the ship had run into another, causing Iranian sailors to go missing and get hurt. Thursday's seizure represents the latest-such capture in a waterway crucial for global energy supplies. **US Pence Testifies in Trump Election Investigation ** According to multiple media reports, former US Vice President Mike Pence has appeared before the grand jury investigating Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Earlier this week, the former president lost a legal challenge to try and block Pence's testimony. US Correspondent Ira Spitzer has more **UK More Ceremonia Roles for Coronation ** Buckingham Palace has announced more than two dozen ceremonial roles at King Charles III's coronation. They include Francis Dymoke, a 67-year-old farmer from eastern England who will be the King’s Champion, like his ancestors (祖先) have been since 1066. Other roles announced Thursday include those who will carry the king’s regalia to the altar. Some of the jobs went to those with historic claims. Others will be carried out by senior military officers, bishops and politicians, or even relatively unknown individuals. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened flat this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,374 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed little changed on Wednesday after recouping early losses, and despite Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing continuing to lose ground on the back of lingering concerns over inventory adjustments in the global I-C industry. Tech heavyweights came off their day's lows on a technical rebound, while buying also rotated to large cap old economy stocks, to give an additional boost to the broader market. **NSB Head Stressing Sharing of Real-Time Intelligence with 'Five Eyes' ** National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen says Taiwan is maintaining "real-time" intelligence sharing with the all member states of the "Five Eyes" alliance. Confirmation of the regular intelligence sharing contact with United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand came as Tsai was be questioned during a legislative hearing about recent upgrades to the bureau's computer equipment. According to the N-S-B director-general, his office has allocated funds to establish an "instant online reporting and communication mechanism" with foreign countries and all intelligence is now shared via "a secure and encrypted (加密的) system." **CDC Reporting Highest Number of Severe Flu Cases this Year ** The Centers for Disease Control says 24 severe seasonal flu cases were reported last week, marking the highest single-week total so far this year. According to the C-D-C, the patients ranged in age from under 10 to over 90 and developed severe symptoms in the week ending April 22. All but four of the patients suffer from (患有) chronic illnesses and 18 have not received a flu vaccine. Three patients aged in their 50s to their 70s died from severe flu complications last week - all of whom suffered from chronic illnesses. A total of 114 cases of severe flu and 20 deaths from the disease have been reported since the start of the current flu season last fall. **US House Passes Bill to Cap Gov Spending ** A Republican bill aimed at capping government spending has narrowly (勉強地) made it through the U.S. House of Representatives. Nina-Maria Potts reports: **Brazil Orders Telegram Suspension ** A federal judge in Brazil on Wednesday ordered a temporary suspension of messaging app Telegram. The judge says the order was a result of the social media platform’s alleged failure to provide all information Federal Police requested on neo-Nazi chat groups. The judge also increased the daily fine for non-compliance (不合規) to the equivalent of about $200-thousand NT. The development comes amid a wave of school attacks, which the federal government is striving to stamp out. Brazil has seen almost two dozen attacks or violent episodes in schools since 2000, half of them in the last 12 months. **NZ PM Plants Native Tree to Mark UK King Coronation ** New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has planted a native totara tree in Parliament’s grounds to mark (紀念) the upcoming coronation of Britain’s King Charles III. The ceremony Wednesday was an early start to a campaign to plant 100,000 native trees around New Zealand. The government has donated 1 million New Zealand dollars toward the effort. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Teacher's Union Calls for Scrapping of Bilingual Nation Policy Virginia Touts Trade Office and MOU as Steps to Strengthen Ties with Taiwan Taliban Kill Senior Islamic State Group Leader WHO Fires Doctor for Sexual Misconduct Harris Kicks Off State Visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 20-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,606 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market bucked the regional downward trend on Monday and gained ground, as investors opted to ignore signs that America's economy is expected to show slower growth this year and on news of more possible interest rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve. **Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton to Visit Taiwan ** Former U-S National Security Adviser John Bolton is set to visit Taiwan later this month. Radio Free Asia is citing Bolton's office as saying he'll be visiting Taiwan to deliver speeches at two events. One of those events is the World Taiwanese Congress, which begins on April 29, while the other is an event marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs on May 1. Bolton has visited Taiwan on numerous occasions in the past. However, his upcoming visit comes after Bolton announced his bid to become the Republican Party's nominee (提名人) for president. Bolton has long called for Washington to officially recognize Taiwan as a country. **More Monkeypox Vaccine Doses to Arrive by Late May ** The Centers for Disease Control says it expects to take delivery of more monkeypox vaccine doses next month. The statement comes after the stock it currently holds was fully booked by people wishing to be inoculated against the disease. According to the C-D-C, it's currently in the process of signing a new contract for the vaccine that can be used for the vaccination of 60,000 people. C-D-C Deputy Director-General Philip Luo says the doses are expected to arrive in Taiwan in mid or late May and will be available islandwide one week after their delivery. The new doses are likely to be administer no later than early June. **US calls for Russia prisoner release ** The United States has called on Russia to immediate release several people it argues have been wrongfully detained (被拘留). The comments came during a United Nations Security Council meeting chaired by Russia's Foreign Minister. William Denselow reports from New York. **Mexico Liquid Meth In Tequila Bottles ** Inspectors from the Mexican Navy say they have found 11,520 tequila bottles bound for export that actually contained concentrated liquid meth. The Navy said Monday the bottles contained the equivalent of almost ten tons of methamphetamine. The discovery was made over the weekend at the Pacific coast seaport of Manzanillo. Tests indicated the bottles contained 8,640 kilograms of meth. Mexico has become a major producer of meth, and drug smugglers frequently are stopped at the border with liquid meth in containers in their cars. The liquid meth is usually recovered by the smugglers and taken to specialized (專門) facilities where the water is extracted and then returned to its usually crystal form. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 47 -points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,555 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Friday after giving up early gains, as investors locked in gains in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing following the company's investor conference a day earlier. Selling was also seen among non-tech stocks throughout the session on the back on lingering concerns over a recession (經濟衰退) in the United States, after an aggressive rate hike cycle by the Federal Reserve. **French Senate Vice President to Visit Taiwan ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says French Senate Vice President Alain Richard will be leading a parliamentary delegation to Taiwan for a five day visit. The delegation will be the second group of French lawmakers to visit Taiwan this month. According to the foreign ministry, it will be meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior officials to discuss cross-strait issues, democratic values, bilateral (雙邊) economic and trade relations and cooperation on semiconductors. The delegation will also visit Yilan County and Tainan City. Richard will be leading a delegation that includes three other members of the friendship group as well as the group's secretary. **Number of Black-Faced Spoonbills Hits Record High ** A survey by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society shows that the number of black-faced spoonbills wintering in Taiwan topped 4,000 for the first time this year. That figure accounted for nearly two-thirds of the endangered (瀕危) waterbird's global population. The number of black-faced spoonbills counted in Taiwan rose by 10.6-per cent from 2022 to a record 4,288, making up 64-per cent of the species' global population. More than 90-per cent of the wintering black-faced spoonbills in Taiwan were counted in the southwestern part of the island - with Tainan recording the highest number of spoonbills with 2,279, or around 54-per cent of the national total. **Evacuations from Sudan ** High stakes evacuations have been made by a number of nations including the United States of their diplomatic personnel from Sudan's capital Khartoum… …where fighting between the military and an opposing (對立的) armed group called the Rapid Support forces or RSF - shows no signs of abating after more than a week. Jagruti Dave reports from Washington. **Subject: Mexico Prez Suspends Tour Due to COVID19 ** Mexico’s president has suspended a tour of the Yucatan peninsula after acknowledging he tested positive for the coronavirus, having previously suffered two bouts of COVID-19. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrado wrote in his social media accounts Sunday that “it isn’t serious.” The comment came after reports in the local press that Lopez Obrador felt faint Sunday morning and had to cancel his tour, something his presidential spokesman later denied (否認). Lopez Obrador says he will isolate for “a few days” in Mexico City. The president was ill with COVID-19 in early 2021 and again in January 2022. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 69-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,777 on turnover of $2.7-billion N-T. The market ground on Thursday and moved in a narrow range throughout the session, as investors reacted to a lackluster (無生氣的) performance on Wall Street overnight. Although Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing bucked the downturn, to provide some support to the broader market, many other large-cap tech stocks as well as non-electronics stocks came under pressure. **FM No Committal on Tasi's APEC attendance ** Foreign Minister Joseph Wu says Taiwan will "discuss" President Tsai Ing-wen's possible attendance at November's APEC leaders' meeting in San Francisco "with other countries." The statement comes after U-S lawmakers called for Tsai to represent Taiwan at the annual summit by Tsai instead of a proxy. The letter to U-S Secretary of State Antony Blinken was signed by 21 House Republicans. Speaking on the sidelines of a legislative hearing, the foreign minister said Taiwan will hold talks with other countries involved "to make the best arrangements (安排)" for the island's participation at this year's APEC leaders' summit. **Rain Dumps Nearly 20million Tons of Water into Reservoirs ** The Water Resources Agency says the heavy rain that lashed the island on Thursday dumped 19.12-million tons of water into the island's reservoirs. According to agency deputy director Wang I-feng, the Li-Yu-Tan Reservoir in Miaoli saw the biggest inflow (流入), with 5-million tons of rain water. That was followed by the Shihmen Reservoir in Taoyuan, which registered an inflow of some 3-million tons of rain water. Wang says that means the Shihmen Reservoir will have a stable water supply until the end of June. **Sudan MIlitary Rules Out Negotiations ** Sudan’s military has ruled out negotiations with a rival paramilitary force, saying it would only accept its surrender. The two sides continued to battle in central Khartoum and other parts of the country. A tenuous (脆弱的) 24-hour cease-fire ran out Thursday evening with no word of an extension. The military’s statement raised the likelihood of a renewed surge in the nearly weeklong violence that has killed hundreds and pushed Sudan’s population to the breaking point. Many hospitals have been forced to shut down and others are running out of supplies. The truce had brought only marginal calm to some parts of the capital, Khartoum. **Uganda President Refuses to Sign Bill Against Homosexuality ** President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has refused to sign into law a controversial new bill against homosexuality that prescribes the death penalty in some cases, requesting that it should be amended. Museveni’s decision was announced late Thursday after a meeting of ruling party lawmakers, almost all who support the bill approved by lawmakers last month. A spokesman for the presidency said Museveni was not opposed to the proposed (提議) punishments but wanted lawmakers to look into “the issue of rehabilitation.” Museveni is under pressure from the international community to veto the bill, which needs his signature to become law. The U.S. has warned of economic consequences. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Hou Yo-yi Visits Singapore for 'Diplomacy' MAC Warns Against Ending ECFA Japan's highest trade deficit Spain's worsening drought K-pop star Moonbin dies aged 25

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,874 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday amid investor pessimism over global uncertainties despite China reporting better-than-expected economic growth data. Analysts also say that news that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing could report a 5-per cent decline in first-quarterly net profit also weighed on investors minds during the trading day. T-S-M-C is set to announce its first-quarter figures tomorrow. **G7 Foreign Ministers Issues Communique Warning China on Taiwan ** The G-7 foreign ministers are stressing their solidarity against China's moves to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait following talks in Japan. According to a communique, the G-7 "reminds China of the need to uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and abstain from threats, coercion, intimidation, or the use of force." The G-7 stated it "strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion" and said that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are "an indispensable (必不可少) element in security and prosperity in the international community.” And the communique also called for "peaceful resolution of relevant issues." **Monkeypox Cases See Marked Rise ** The Centers for Disease Control is reporting a new weekly high of 13 domestically transmitted monkeypox cases over the last week. C-D-C deputy head Philip Luo says, of the new domestic cases six are from New Taipei, five from Taoyuan and one from Taipei, while the other case is from Kaohsiung. According to Luo, the infected individuals have received medical treatment at hospitals and health officials have identified 19 high-risk close contacts, who have been asked to observe (遵守) self-health management for 21 days. Taiwan has reported a total of 31 domestic monkeypox cases and nine imported one since June of last year. **NKorea Kim Claims Spy Satellite ot Launch ** North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says his country has completed the development of its first military spy satellite and ordered officials to go ahead with its launch (發射). He didn't say when it would be, but an outside expert expects a launch in coming months. Putting a satellite into orbit requires a long-range missile launch. Kim was quoted in state media as saying space-based surveillance is needed to deal with U.S.-led security threats. The U.S. and South Korean militaries began a 12-day aerial exercise this week and also held a naval exercise with Japan. **US Fox News Settles with Dominion Voting System ** Fox News has settled with Dominion Voting Systems for $787 million, just ahead of the start of a much anticipated trial for defamation. As part of the settlement, the network admitted (承認) that some of the claims made on air related to voter fraud in the 2020 election were false. US correspondent Ira Spitzer has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,967 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market joined other regional indexes and gained ground on Monday, as investors opted to ignore continuing worries about economic growth and inflationary pressure and focused instead on upcoming earnings reports. **MOFA to open Second Representative Office in Italy ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it will soon establish a new representative office in the Italian city of Milan. When operational (運作，經營), the office which will be Taiwan's second the country. Foreign ministry officials the decision to open an office in Milan comes as the government is seeking to facilitate closer trade and economic links with that part of the country. The office will also offer consular and emergency services to Taiwanese expatriates living and working in the eight administrative regions in northern Italy. **Nine Hospitalized Following Gas Explosion in Taoyuan ** And, Nine members of a family have been hospitalized following a gas explosion at a residential building in Taoyuan. According to the city's fire department, it received a report at 8:45 last night of an explosion in a single story residence in the city's Zhongli District. Ten fire trucks and seven ambulances were dispatched (派遣) to scene. Fire fighters say two adults and seven children, ranging in age from 1 to 14 years old, were in the house at the time of the explosion. All nine family members managed to get out of the building, but the father and two of his sons sustained burns. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is now underway. **Yemen Prisoner Swap Carried Out ** A Saudi-led military coalition has freed 104 more prisoners captured in Yemen's war, a unilateral (單方的) release that followed an organized prisoner swap amid renewed diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it flew on Monday 96 released detainees from Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport heading to Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. Sanaa has been held for years by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Eight others went on a flight to Aden. **US Man Charged with Shooting Black Teen ** Prosecutors in the US state of Missouri have announced charges against a white man in his eighties, who is accused of shooting a black teenager. Ralph Yarl's family says the 16 year old - who remains in the hospital - rang the doorbell at the wrong house while trying to pick up his younger siblings (弟弟妹妹). US correspondent Ira Spitzer has more **Kuwait Crown Prince Orders ** Kuwait’s crown prince has ordered its parliament again dissolved and new elections for the country after a court decision reinstated lawmakers from 2020. Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al Jaber made the announcement in an address to the nation Monday, calling it the will of the Kuwaiti people. That's according to the state-run KUNA news agency. Elections were scheduled within the next two months. In March, Kuwait’s Constitutional Court threw out a 2022 election for parliament, citing “discrepancies” in the decree (法令) dissolving the 2020 parliament for its ruling. That briefly reinstated the former lawmakers. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 5-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,934 on turnover of 2.2-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Friday following a technical rebound from a slump the previous session, as investors took cues from a rally on Wall Street overnight on the back of moderating inflation figures out of America. The bellwether electronics sector led the upturn, while select "military concept" and tourism stocks also lent additional support to the broader market. **MODA to Invest NT$6billion in Wartime Telecommunications Resiliency ** The Ministry of Digital Affairs has announced plans to invest 6-billion N-T in a four-year Disaster Roaming program starting next year. The ministry says the move is part government efforts to strengthen telecommunication resiliency in cases of emergencies such as war. According to the ministry, the program will seek to enable (使能夠) domestic telecoms operators to "recognize" each other's customers in order to support each other with services that ensure Voice over Internet Protocol communication can continue in the event of a conflict. When completed, the program will only request adjustments from telecom companies, and customers will not be required to upgrade their devices. **New Taima to Begin Regular Keelung to Matsu Trips in June ** And, President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier Chen Chien-jen have attended a ceremony to marking the maiden voyage of the New Taima ferry from Keelung to Matsu. The ferry has the capacity to carry 642 passengers and 45 cars. It also has four 20-foot freezers to carry foodstuffs (食品) and other goods to the outlying islands. The ferry is now set to begin to regular services from Keelung to the islands of Nangan and Dongying on June 1. Speaking at the ceremony to marking the New Taima's maiden voyage, Tsai said she's aware that residents of the two island's having been waiting a longtime for a new ferry service, and her administration has been working hard to make that happen. G7 Reps Discuss China Assertiveness Top diplomats from G7 countries are agreeing to take a unified (統一) approach to growing military assertiveness from China. The foreign ministers are meeting in Japan ahead of next months G7 summit. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Germany on EUIndonesia Trade Agreement ** German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday that he will press for a trade agreement between the European Union and Indonesia as part of his country’s efforts to reduce its reliance on China for crucial raw materials. Speaking at the opening of the annual Hannover trade fair, Scholz told Indonesian President Joko Widodo that a trade deal between Southeast Asia’s most populous (人口眾多) nation and the 27-nation bloc would create an economic area with 700 million people. Scholz said of the negotiations, which have been ongoing since 2016, that he is “working to finally get this agreement across the finish line.” The German leader said he was similarly hopeful about talks between the EU and the Latin American Mercosur bloc, Mexico, Australia, Kenya and India would go well as well. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 50-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,854 on turnover of $3.2-billion N-T. The market bucked the regional upward trend and lost ground on Thursday, as investors remained cautious despite signs that U-S inflation is easing and the Federal Reserve expects fewer interest rate hikes this year. **MND to Recruit 5,000 More Military Police ** The Ministry of National Defense is seeking to double the number military police officers in the coming years in an effort to strengthen (加強) protection for the president and other senior government officials. Reports say of the 210,000 troops in Taiwan's armed forces, only 5,000 are military police offices. That number is set to rise to 10,000 pending central government approval. Taiwan's military police are a separate branch of the armed forces. They are tasked with protecting government leaders, guarding strategic facilities, and conducting counterintelligence operations. **US Air National Guardsman Arrested Over Intelligence Leaks ** 21-year-old US Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira has been arrested in connection with the unauthorized removal and transmission (傳播) of classified information. The leaked material includes sensitive information regarding the war in Ukraine, as well as on China and US allies. Kate Fisher reports from Washington. **UN Groups on Surge in Darien Gap Crossing ** Two U.N. groups say the number of migrants crossing the dangerous Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama could soar to as many as 400,000 this year. That would represent a huge increase from the 250,000 migrants estimated to have crossed the roadless, jungle-clad route in 2022. The U.N. agencies for refugees and migration said in a report Thursday that around 100,000 people have already made the crossing so far this year. If that trend (趨勢) keeps up, it could mean many more migrants seeking to reach the United States through Central America and Mexico. The groups called it “an unprecedented movement (of people) through the Americas.” **China Sandstorm to Continue Until Sunday ** Many areas in northern China are blanketed with floating sand and dust, and a sandstorm is expected to sweep through parts of Inner Mongolia. The National Meteorological Center says the sandy, dusty weather and strong winds will last until Sunday, advising the public to take precautionary (預防性的) measures to guard against poor air quality. It renewed a blue alert for sandstorms, the least severe warning in the country’s four-tier weather warning system. The center's chief forecaster says the sandy and dusty weather began Sunday in southern Mongolia. As cold air moved southward, the weather spread to various regions including northern and northeast China. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,888 on turnover of 3.6-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Wednesday, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's negative performance eroded gains made by select old economy stocks. U-S inflation concerns also resulted in local investors turning cautious and the trading day proved to be a tug-of-war between T-S-M-C and gaining non-tech stocks. **French Office Insisting Paris' Taiwan Position 'Unchanged' ** The French Office in Taipei is insisting that Paris' position on Taiwan "has not changed." The statement comes days after French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe cannot become a "follower" of either the United States or China on the issue of Taiwan. According to the French representative office, the government has been "in favor of peace and stability" in the Taiwan Strait and such position "has never changed." And the office says France has advocated (提倡) the rule of law and the freedom of navigation and Paris is "deeply aware"of its "global responsibilities." **VP Lai Picked as DPP's 2024 Presidential Candidate ** The D-P-P has officially selected Vice President Lai Ching-te as its candidate for the 2024 presidential election. The party's Central Executive Committee approved Lai's nomination nearly a month after he registered as the sole (唯一) candidate for the party's primary selection process. Speaking to reporters following his official nomination, Lai said the 2024 election is not a matter of "war and peace" but a choice between "democracy and autocracy." According to Lai, the election will also decide "Taiwan's direction, in terms of the continuity of its democratic system, the happiness of its future generations, and the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific." **Japan Withdraws Alerts After NKorea Missile Launch ** North Korea has fired a ballistic missile, triggering a false-alarm from Japan’s alert system on Thursday. Warnings and evacuation orders were issued throughout the country after the system wrongly predicted (預料，預報) the missile would land near its northern territories. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Prince Harry to Attend King Charles Coronation ** Buckingham Palace says Prince Harry will attend the Coronation service of his father, King Charles III, at Westminster Abbey on May 6. This ends months of speculation about whether the prince would be welcome after leveling charges of (控告) racism and media manipulation at the royal family. But Harry's wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain in California with the couple’s two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The coronation date coincides with their son’s birthday. Harry’s attendance comes despite the rift within the House of Windsor prompted by Harry’s decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling book, “Spare.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened flat this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,914 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Tuesday, despite Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing coming under heavy pressure and moving out of investor focus after reporting disappointing sales for the first quarter. **Global Parliamentary Group Slams Macron's Comments on Taiwan ** A group of cross-national parliamentarians have slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for what it's describing as his "ill-judged remarks" that sent a signal of "indifference (不重視)" over Taiwan. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China is expressing it's "dismay" over Macron's comment, which appeared in an interview with Politico and Les Echos. Speaking in the interview, Macron suggested Europe should avoid being "caught up in crises that are not ours" and said Europe cannot becom a "follower" of either the United States or China on the issue of Taiwan. According to the alliance, the comments are "severely out of step with the feeling across Europe's legislatures and beyond." **Two Tech Universities to Merger ** The National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and the Hua Xia University of Technology have agreed to a merger proposal. When completed it will be the first merger (合併) between a public and private university in Taiwan. Under the merger plan, the private Hua Xia University will not enroll students for the 2023-2024 academic year and will close after the 2025-2026 academic year. Hua Xia says it will come up with severance and retirement packages for employees on termination of employment, while the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology will hire some of them for project teacher and staff positions. The plan still has to approved by the Ministry of Education. **Brazil President Begins China Tour ** Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is beginning a tour of China to strengthen his country’s political and business ties with the world’s second largest economy. His trip comes just weeks after visiting President Joe Biden in the US. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **Iran President Reshuffles Cabinet ** State media says Iran President Ebrahaim Raisi has announced a Cabinet reshuffle, replacing the minister of agriculture and the head of the planning and budget office. The country’s dire (危急的) economic conditions, including inflation of nearly 50%, have contributed to widespread anger at the government. It was the fifth Cabinet reshuffle in less than two years since Raisi came to power. Meanwhile, Iran has seen waves of anti-government protests since the September death of a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who was detained by the morality police for allegedly violating Iran’s strict Islamic dress code. The protests rapidly escalated into calls for the overthrow of Iran’s ruling Shiite clerics, marking a major challenge to their four-decade rule. Iran has blamed the unrest on foreign powers without providing evidence. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 10-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,886 on turnover of $1.6-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday, after investors reacted (反應) positively to a report on the U-S jobs market, which was released after regional markets closed last Friday. **Canadian Parliamentary Delegation Visiting Taiwan ** A 10-member Canadian parliamentary delegation arrived in Taiwan for a week-long visit. According to the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, the multi-party delegation includes the chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Defense and the vice chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. The delegation will be hold talks with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials. It will meet with representatives of the business community and local N-G-Os. The Canadian lawmakers are also scheduled to visit the National Palace Museum. It is the second trip to Taiwan by a Canadian parliamentary group since last October. **New Taipei to Ban Disposable Plastic Ups at Drink Stores from May ** The New Taipei City Government has announced that beverage shops will be required to stop providing single-use plastic cups from next month. According to the city's Environmental Protection Department, the move is aimed at cutting down on plastic waste. The department says the 2,704 beverage shops in New Taipei will be banned from using disposable plastic cups, including those made from bioplastic polylactic acid, with effect from May 1. Under the regulation, beverage shops that continue to provide single-use plastic cups will face a fine of up to 6,000 N-T for violating the Waste Disposal Act. Officials say the ban is expected to reduce (減少) the use of disposable plastic cups in the city by about 368-million per year. New Taipei is the second city to ban single-use plastic cups, following a similar decision by Taipei City last December. **NKorea Leader Vows to Enhance Nuclear Arsenal ** North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to enhance his nuclear arsenal in “practical and offensive” ways. State media said Tuesday he made the remarks while meeting with military officials to discuss war preparations in the face of their rivals’ “frantic (瘋狂的)” military exercises. The commission discussed strengthening North Korea’s defense capacities and perfecting its war preparations. The U.S. and South Korean militaries conducted field exercises last month and naval and air force drills involving an aircraft carrier and U.S. bombers. KCNA claimed the drills simulated all-out war against North Korea. The United States and South Korea say their exercises are defensive. **US Classified Leak Origins ** More details are emerging (出現) about the origin of leaked classified documents. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **Slovenia French Citizens Rescued Off Mountain ** Slovenia’s emergency mountain teams say they have rescued four French citizens who were stuck in bad weather in the Alps. Monday’s operation on the Skuta mountain came a day after dozens of emergency officers used helicopters to rescue another five people swept away by an avalanche in an Alpine region further north. The five were part of a group of seven people attending a mountaineering (登山) course when the avalanche hit. Three people were seriously injured. The French citizens were unharmed. Slovenia’s rescue service has urged mountaineers to avoid climbing in bad weather. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 14 -points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,850 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market moved slightly higher on Friday, despite investors erring on the side of caution ahead of the release of a U-S job market update that traders are hoping will encourage America's central bank to ease off on plans for more interest rate hikes. **AIT Reports US Monitoring Chinese Military Drills Around Taiwan ** The American Institute in Taiwan says the U-S is closely monitoring China's military exercises around Taiwan. According to A-I-T, channels of communication with Beijing remain open and Washington has "repeatedly asked China to show restraint and refrain from unilaterally (單方地) altering the status quo." Reuters is citing an A-I-T spokesperson as saying the U-S is "comfortable and confident" that it has the means to maintain peace and stability in the region. The statements comes as Beijing is continuing to a conduct drills around Taiwan on response to President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U-S House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week. **Tai Tzu-ying Plans to Retire at End of 2024 ** And, Tai Tzu-ying has revealed that she plans to retire from badminton at the end of next year. According to Tai, she will cease playing on the professional circuit "even if she still can still play then." Tai has talked about retiring from time to time over the past two years, but this is the first time she has pinpointed an exact timeframe - and her plans imply that the Paris 2024 Olympics will probably be her last competition. The 28 year old is currently ranked fourth in the world in the Badminton World Federation women's singles rankings. Tai began competing internationally at age 15 and has won three All England Open titles and three B-W-F World Tour Finals titles. She also won silver at the Tokyo Olympics. **France Fire in Collapsed Building ** Officials say eight people remain missing after the building they lived in exploded and collapsed early Sunday near the port of Marseille. Mounds of burning debris hampered rescue operations Sunday. More than 100 firefighters worked to extinguish flames deep within the rubble, but more than 17 hours later, officials said the situation remained unstable. Five people suffered minor injuries from the collapse, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m. local time. A neighboring building also came down. Officials say the presence of the fire under the debris means both water and flame-extinguishing foam could also be danger to people trapped underneath. Robots were reportedly being deployed. **US Health Secretary Criticizes Abortion Pill Ruling ** A top US health official says nothing is off the table when it comes to making sure a commonly-used abortion pill remains available to women. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 45-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,856 on turnover of $1.7-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday, as investors turned their attention to upcoming earnings reports and other economic indicators. **Leofoo Village Fined Following Baboon Escape ** The Hsinchu County Government says it has fined the Leofoo Village Theme Park 50,000 N-T for negligence that resulted in the escape of one of its baboons. The county government's Agriculture Bureau says the theme park's operator failed to realize that an animal had escaped, failed to notify local authorities after discovering the baboon was missing and also failed to properly assist authorities in their search for the animal. The fine comes after the Forestry Bureau announced that it has given the Leofoo Village Theme Park one month to improve its baboon facility and six months to finish microchipping and registering all of its baboons The case is also still being investigated by prosecutors - and the park could face further fines and charges. **New Round of Online Monkeypox Vaccines Registration to Begin on Monday ** The Centers for Disease Control says online registration for a new round of monkeypox vaccine will begin next Monday. According to C-D-C Deputy Director-General Philip Luo, the online registration service will be available from Monday through Friday and the vaccine doses will be administered at 48 designated hospitals islandwide. As of Thursday, the C-D-C had recorded 23 confirmed cases, of which 16 were locally transmitted and seven imported. **Nigeria Village Clashes Leave 50 Dead ** Authorities say at least 50 people have died after two attacks on a village in north-central Nigeria. Local officials say three people had been killed on Tuesday, then gunmen returned to thei village in Benue state and killed 47 others when they opened fire at a market. While there was no claim of responsibility, authorities said suspicion fell on local herdsmen, who have clashed in the past with farmers over land disputes in north-central Nigeria. Benue state has been one of the hardest hit in the decades-long clashes between agrarian communities and nomadic cattle herders in the West African country. **US Republicans Oust Dem for Gun Protest ** Tennessee Republicans have voted to expel their Democratic colleague Justin Jones from the state's House of Representatives after he, and two other Democrats, joined a protest in favor of stronger gun regulation on the chamber floor last week. The demonstration came just days after six people, including three children, were killed at a Nashville elementary school. Lawmaker are now debating expelling the other two lawmakers. Toni Waterman has more. **Montenegro Elections Oust Djukanovic ** Official results have confirmed a crushing defeat for Montenegro’s long-time leader Milo Djukanovic in a weekend presidential election. That marks his departure from the small Balkan state’s political scene after more than 30 years in power. The state electoral commission said Thursday that Jakov Milatovic, an expert in economics but a political novice, won Sunday's presidential runoff. Djukanovic led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006 and to NATO membership in 2017, despite strong opposition from former Slavic ally Russia. Milatovic won around 59% of Sunday's vote, while Djukanovic had about 41%, according to the final official results. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,838 on turnover of 5.9-billion N-T. The market finished relatively flat last Friday as investors were cautious about possible negative leads emerging during the five-day Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday. **Tsai and McCarthy Reaffirm Strong Taiwan-US Bond ** President Tsai Ing-wen and U-S House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reaffirmed the strong partnership between Taiwan and the United States and their commitment to safeguarding regional stability. The statement follows their two-hour closed door meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Speaking after the talks, McCarthy said he believes the bond (關係) between the two sides is stronger now than at any time or point in his lifetime and America's cooperation with the people of Taiwan will "continue to expand through dialogue and exchange." Meanwhile, Tsai said the presence of bipartisan Congress members at the meeting and their unwavering support reassured the people of Taiwan that "we are not isolated, and we are not alone." **Additional Pork Imports Amid Price Rise ** The Council of Agriculture says it is not ruling out importing more pork due to fast rising prices. The statement comes after the hog trading price reached a record-high of 99.03 N-T per kilogram. According to council, current price rises are being caused by a decrease in domestic supply and a reduction (減少) in pork imports. The department says the international feed price has increased by 17-per cent over the past year and as a result of that hog prices are rising worldwide, discouraging local traders from importing pork. Data shows that Taiwan imported 9,913 metric tons of pork between January and February of this year. That was a decline of 48-per cent from the same two month period last year. **NKorea Criticizes US SKorea Drills ** North Korea is blasting joint US and South Korea military drills as pushing tensions to the brink of (邊緣) nuclear war. Chris Gilbert reports. **French President on China Engagement ** French President Emmanuel Macron says he wants to “engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace” in Ukraine when he meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week. French officials say Macron plans to urge Xi in talks Thursday to use Beijing’s influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin but didn’t expect a big shift in the Chinese position. Macron is accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Macron also said “several major deals” were due to be signed between French and Chinese companies during the visit. **Brazil Former Prez Undergoes Questioning About Gifts ** Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has undergone questioning about diamond jewelry gifts when he was in power, as part of an investigation into whether he engaged in any irregularities in bringing the items into Brazil. After Bolsonaro left the Federal Police headquarters in Brazil’s capital Wednesday, it wasn’t know if he answered investigator’s questions or exercised his right to stay silent. Federal police are investigating whether three sets of jewelry brought into the country from Saudi Arabia were public gifts that Bolsonaro improperly tried to prevent from being incorporated into the presidency’s public collection, or private gifts that Bolsonaro tried sneak into Brazil without paying taxes. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening  The Tai-Ex opened up 24.8 points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,849, on turnover of NT$2.66 billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained had gained ground on Thursday following a rally on Wall Street overnight as investor concerns over the health of America's banking sector subsided. However, turnover for the session fell below the 190-billion N-T mark and that decline is being attributed to (歸因於) a large number of investors opting to stay on the sidelines ahead of the five-day long weekend. Cabinet Approves Plan to Lower Preschool Teacher-Student Ratio  The Cabinet has approved a proposal to gradually lower the teacher-student ratio in preschools and provide funding incentives. The proposal was put forward by the Ministry of Education calls for all public preschools that cater to (迎合) children between the ages of three and six will be required to aim for a 1-12 teacher-student ratio beginning in August of this year. The ratio of 15 to 1 has remained unchanged since 1981 when it was implemented under the now defunct (不復存在) Kindergarten Education Act. The new policy will not be mandatory in private preschools. AIT Head Lauds Taiwan as Global Partner  American Institute in Taiwan Chair Laura Rosenberger is lauding Taiwan as being a "global partner" and says the U-S is working with all of its partners, including Taiwan, to uphold (捍衛) key principles of democracy. Rosenberger made the comments as she hosted President Tsai Ing-wen at a banquet in New York. During the event, Rosenberger hailed Taiwanese businesses and civic leaders in the United States - describing them as being critical to the "diversity and richness of American society and the stability of unofficial Taiwan-US relations." The A-I-T chair also stressed that Washington will work to ensure Taiwan's meaningful participation in international forums. UK to Join CPTPP  The U.K. has agreed to join an Asia-Pacific trade pact that includes Japan, Mexico and Australia. Britain says it's the biggest new trade deal it has struck since leaving the European Union three years ago. The agreement comes after almost two years of negotiations to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP. The government says membership will reduce tariffs on British dairy products and other goods and remove red tape for U.K. services. It's estimated it will boost the U.K. economy by 1.8 billion pounds ($2.2 billion) “in the long run.” Critics say the deal is insignificant (微不足道) compared to Britain’s trade with its neighbors in the EU. Wall St Journal reporter detained in Russian on espionage charges  A US reporter working for the Wall St Journal has been detained by Russian authorities on espionage (間諜活動) charges. The Federal Security Service arrested Evan Gershkovich in the eastern city of Yekaterinburg. Jackie Quinn reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Ma Mentions ROC During China Visit High Prosecutors Office Touts Record-High Seizures of Controlled Drugs Biden hosts Democracy summit Brazil Reports 700,000th Coronavirus Death New Cars Sold in EU Must be Zero-Emission from 2035

Ma Arrives in China and Talks 'Peace' Post-Coronavirus Mortgage Subsidy Program to Begin in June Nashville Shool Shooter had Drawn Maps and Done Surveillance Germany Sends Leopard MBTs to Ukraine UN Report Shows Evidence of Crimes Against Humanity in Libya

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 41-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,873 on turnover of 2.2-billion N-T. The market ended higher on Friday, as investors opted to shrug off concerns about America's banking sector despite risks of recession overshadowing gains on Wall Street overnight. **US Backs Engagement with Taiwan ** The United States is vowing to deepen its engagement with Taiwan and is encouraging all countries to do the same after Honduras severed formal diplomatic ties with the island. According to a statement issued by the National Security Council and the American Institute in Taiwan, "regardless of Honduras' decision, the U-S will continue to deepen and expand its engagement with Taiwan in line with its longstanding one China policy." The statement described Taiwan as "a reliable, likeminded, and democratic partner" and went on to say the U-S "strongly encourages all countries to expand engagement with Taiwan" and to continue to stand on the side of democracy. **Tainan Temple Head Detained as Part of Shooting Probe ** The Tainan District Prosecutors' Office has detained the head of the Ci-Ji Temple in connection with its investigation into November's shooting incidents on the city's Xue-Jia District. The shootings targeted the a technology company run by former D-P-P Central Executive Committee member Guo Tsai-qin and the local election campaign headquarters city councilor candidate Hsieh Shu-fan. According to the prosecutors' office, it has detained Ci-Ji Temple chairman Wang Wen-cong on charges of possession of illegal firearms and of harboring known criminals. Wang was first questioned in connection with the case late last month following the extradition from China of two other suspects. **US House Speaker on TikTok Legislation ** US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says "The House will be moving forward with legislation" on TikTok, following the platform's CEO's congressional testimony last week. McCarthy said the legislation would protect Americans from" what he called "the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party." Jagruti Dave reports from Washington. **Florence Invites US Parents Students to View David ** A Florence museum and the city's mayor are inviting parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit and see Michelangelo’s sculpture of David. The invitation comes after the school principal was forced to resign following parental complaints that an image of the nude Renaissance masterpiece was shown to a sixth-grade art class. The board of the Tallahassee Classical School pressured Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign last week after the image of the David was show to the art class. Carrasquilla has said two parents complained because they weren’t notified in advance that a nude would be shown, while a third called the iconic statue pornographic. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 5.9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,870 on turnover of $3.1-billion N-T. The market recovered from early loses on Thursday as the semiconductor, electronics and financial sectors rebounded to help the broader market to close higher despite heavy loses on Wall Street overnight. The rise came as foreign institutional investors continue to move more funds into the region and the New Taiwan dollar strengthened against the U-S dollar, which is making investors more confident that the U-S Federal Reserve has slowed the pace (速度；節奏) of its rate hike cycle. **Central Bank Raises Interest Rates by 12.5 Basis Points ** The central bank has raised its key interest rates by 12.5 basis points. The move comes after the bank held its quarterly policymaking meeting. It is the fifth consecutive quarter the central bank has raised interest rates, as it continues efforts to fight inflation. The latest rate hike means the bank's discount rate will rise to 1.875-per cent - and that's the highest level in eight years. The central bank has now raised its key interest rates by a total of 75 basis points since March of last year. **2023 Taiwan National Indigenous Games to Open Today ** The 2023 Taiwan National Indigenous Games is set to open later today. The games feature participants from 17 of Taiwan's indigenous tribes, and a delegation of New Zealand Maori athletes is participating this year. According to the Council for Indigenous Peoples, it's the first time a team from New Zealand has sent a delegation to the Games, which are organized to boost (提高) exchanges between Austronesian peoples of Taiwan and the Pacific region. The 37 member New Zealand Maori team arrived in Taiwan earlier this month. The 2023 Taiwan National Indigenous Games are taking place at the Taipei Expo Park's Expo Dome from today through next Monday. **France Protests Against Pension Reforms ** More than a million people have demonstrated across France against unpopular pension reforms, with violence erupting in some places. French unions are calling for new nationwide strikes and protests next week, coinciding with King Charles III’s planned visit to France. Violence marred a huge protest march in Paris as well as numerous (許多的) other demonstrations elsewhere Thursday. The Interior Ministry says the march in Paris drew 119-thousand people. That was a record for the capital during the pension protests. Polls say most French oppose President Emmanuel Macron’s bill to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64. He says it's necessary to keep the system afloat. **NKorea Tests Underwater Nuclear Drone ** North Korean state media said the country has tested a new nuclear-capable underwater attack drone with the ability to generate (產生) a radioactive tsunami. Analysts say it's designed to show North Korea has different means of launching a potential nuclear attack. Patrick Fok reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 48-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,711 on turnover of 2.2-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Wednesday following a rally on Wall Street overnight after U-S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the government will guarantee bank deposits. And buying emerged in local semiconductor heavyweights to lead the gains across the main board, while the financial sector also attracted strong bargain hunting. **US Chips Program Office Senior Officials to Visit Taiwan ** The U-S Department of Commerce has announced that officials from its Chips Program Office will visit Taiwan. According to chips program director Michael Schmidt, the delegation will also be visiting Japan and South Korea. Schmidt says the aim of the trip to Asia is to promote cooperation in the global semiconductor supply chain. The Chips Program Office has not disclosed (透露) any details about Schmidt's trip to Asia. However, a senior Department of Commerce official is being cited as saying the delegation will include the office's senior policy advisor and its director of international exchanges. **MOFA Announces New Monetary Donation to Turkey ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the government will make another financial donation to Turkey to help the country rebuild following the February 6 magnitude 7.8 earthquake. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yu, his office his office will soon allocate (分配) money from the relief fund to make a monetary donation to help the disaster relief effort in Turkey. The donations will include 1.17-million U-S dollars for Ankara to buy mobile food trucks to provide ready-to-eat food to people in the earthquake affected areas and another 5-million U-S dollars to the Turkish Red Crescent Society. **Brazil Bolsonaro Ordered to Return Diamonds ** A Brazilian government watchdog is giving former President Jair Bolsonaro five working days to return to authorities a set of jewels he received from Saudi Arabia in 2021. All nine members of the government watchdog voted Wednesday in favor of (贊成) requiring Bolsonaro to turn the jewels over to the state-owned bank in the capital city of Brasilia. Another set of jewels from Saudi Arabia estimated to be worth several million dollars and also sent to Bolsonaro, according to one of his former ministers, was seized by customs at Sao Paulo's international airport. Bolsonaro, who has been in the United States since he left office in January, is under preliminary police investigations at home since Brazilian media started reporting on the jewels earlier this month. Bolsonaro did not declare either set of jewels to tax authorities. Legal experts say he could face prosecution in the case. It is unclear whether the diamonds were a gift from Saudi authorities or not. **Beethoven's Death Being Researched ** Nearly 200 years after Ludwig van Beethoven's death, researchers are searching for clues about his health problems. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. ((opens with music)) That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 21-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,535 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Tuesday, as buying was sparked by a rally on Wall Street overnight as financial regulators' voiced strong support for financially troubled banks. The local financial sector got a boost from the recovery of U-S banking stocks - as it outperformed the broader market, rising 0.92-per cent. **MOFA Stressing 'No Notification' from Honduras Regard Termination of Ties ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has yet to receive any official communication from Honduras ending diplomatic relations and is continuing in its efforts to salvage (挽救) ties . The statement comes after Honduras' foreign minister was quoted as saying his country has already sent a communication to Taiwan's Embassy informing it of the severing of formal ties. However, the foreign ministry here is insisting that no such formal notification from Honduras dissolving the countries' diplomatic relations has been received. **DPP and LDP Exchange Views on Diplomacy and Defense ** Representatives from the D-P-P and Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party have held their first ever in-person talks in Taipei. The two hour closed-door meeting was attended by D-P-P lawmakers and the directors of the L-D-P's foreign affairs and defense divisions. According to D-P-P lawmaker Luo Zhi-zheng, the talks focused on the two party's diplomatic and national defense policies. Luo says both sides also touched on (提到) the issue of Taiwan joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The D-P-P and L-D-P previously held virtual talks in August and December of 2021. **French Journalist Freed and Returned Home ** French journalist Olivier Dubois has been welcomed home by President Emmanuel Macron, one day after he was released in Mali. Dubois was held hostage by Islamic extremists for nearly two years, after being kidnapped in April 2021 from northern Mali. Dubois was greeted by his sister and father at a military airport, southwest of Paris. The conditions of his release, including whether it involved a ransom, have not been disclosed (透露). An American aid worker was also freed in Mali on Monday. **US Man Sentenced for Capitol Riot Attacks ** From the US…. A man gets a 4 year prison sentence for attacking police during the Capitol riot. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **Mexico Monarch Butterflies Dropping ** The number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains of central Mexico dropped 22%, and the number of trees lost in their favored wintering ground more than tripled compared to last year. The director of Mexico’s nature reserves said Monday that frost and “extreme temperatures” in the United States may have played a role in the butterfly’s decline. The area occupied by the monarchs in the mountains west of Mexico City dropped to 2.2 hectares from 2.84 hectares a year earlier. Each year the monarchs return to the United States and Canada on an annual migration. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 17-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,437 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday after moving in narrow range throughout the session, as investor sentiment remained muted due the financial woes affecting the U-S and European banking sectors. Turnover for session dropped to below 200-billion N-T and market watchers say that decline came as investors await the outcome of a policymaking meeting by the U-S Federal Reserve, which is scheduled for today. Ma Foundation Stresses "No High-Profile Political Meetings" Planned for China Trip Ma Ying-jeou Foundation executive director, Xiao Xu-cen says the former president is not planning to meet with any top Chinese political figures or visit Beijing during his upcoming trip to China. The statement comes after it was announced that Ma will will travel to the Chinese cities of Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, Chongqing and Shanghai from March 27 through April 7. According to the foundation, Ma plans to worship his ancestors during the Tomb Sweeping holiday and will also be leading a delegation of around 30 Taiwanese students to meet with their Chinese counterparts. **Central Bank to Focus on Inflation at Policymaking Meeting ** Central bank deputy governor Yen Cong-da says the focus of this Thursday's policymaking meeting will be on inflation. Speaking in a hearing of the Legislative Finance Committee, Yen said the central bank wil be considering economic growth, financial stabilization and inflation when it adjusts (調整) its monetary policy later this week. According to Yen, inflation is weighing on consideration as the consumer price index has risen by more than the 2-per cent alert level for 19 consecutive months and that long period of high growth has boosted expectations that it will continue to rise. The C-P-I rose by 2.74-per cent over the first two months of this year compared to the same period of last year. **Japan PM Invites Indian Counterpart to G7 Summit ** Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the Group of Seven summit and announced a new action plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Kishida met Modi in New Delhi during his two-day trip to India. The Indo-Pacific plan is a Tokyo-led initiative aimed at curbing (抑制) China’s assertiveness and will include Japan’s assistance to emerging economies, support for maritime security, the provision (提供) of coast guard patrol boats and other infrastructure cooperation. Kishida also said Modi accepted his invitation to participate in the G-7 summit of major industrial nations, which will be held in Hiroshima in May. He told reporters later that he will also invite seven other heads of non-G-7 countries, including South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. **US Biden Signs Bill on COVID Origins Declassification ** US President Joe Biden has signed a bill concerning the origins of COVID-19. AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer has the details. **IMF Approves Sri Lanka Bailout Program ** The International Monetary Fund says its executive board has approved a nearly $3 billion bailout program for bankrupt Sri Lanka. President Ranil Wickremesinghe's office says the approval will unlock financing of up to $7 billion from the IMF and other international multilateral financial institutions About $333 million will be disbursed (支付) immediately, and the approval will open up support from other institutions. Sri Lanka last year suspended repayment of its debt amid a foreign currency crisis. The currency crisis created severe shortages of fuel and other essentials, leading to street protests that forced out then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 1-point this morning from Friday's close, at 15,454 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Friday as investors breathed a sigh of relief (鬆一口氣) after the U-S and Switzerland appeared to rescue financially troubled banks. The bellwether electronics sector got a boost from big gains by tech stocks on U-S markets overnight and served as an anchor to support the local main board during the trading day. **Australian PM Stresses No Deal to Help US Defend Taiwan ** Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says Canberra has not given the U-S any commitment to join Washington in defending Taiwan in the event of a cross-strait conflict. The statement comes amid reports that such an agreement was reached as part of the AUKUS negotiations. Marles was asked during an appearance on the A-B-C's "Insiders" program, whether Australia had explicitly (明確的) or implicitly (含蓄的, 不明言的) given the U-S a commitment that it would join the ally in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, in return for access to the submarines. The Australian deputy prime minister said he's heard Taiwan related "conjecture (推測) from a number of commentators and it's plain wrong." **Egg Wholesalers Slam Price Freeze and Threaten to 'Close Market' ** A group of wholesale egg suppliers in Taipei is threatening to stop sales "indefinitely" if the Poultry Association extends the current price freeze this week. The move comes a the association's production and marketing supervision committee backed the freeze of the wholesale price of domestically produced eggs. However, the wholesale egg suppliers argue that such a price freeze is "not sustainable (無法維持) and will hurt egg farmers and suppliers." The wholesale price of eggs currently stands at 55 N-T per 600-grams, while the farm gate price is 45.5 N-T per 600-grams. The Egg Marketing Cooperative says it will consider wholesale price adjustments, but that will depend on whether imported supplies are sufficient to meet market demand. **China Xi to Meet with Putin ** China is dismissing international concerns over its relationship with Russia, ahead of a high profile meeting between the countries’ leaders in Moscow. Beijing says the trip is designed to promote a peaceful end to the conflict in Ukraine. This comes after the Russian president visited the occupied city of Mariupol in Ukraine, and attacks continue across the country. AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports. **Croatia AntiShip Mine Safely Destroyed ** Croatian authorities have destroyed a huge anti-ship mine from World War II that was buried in the seabed near a key northern Adriatic Sea port. Local authorities in the port of Rijeka sounded emergency sirens early Sunday to mark the start of the operation. They earlier had evacuated parts of the city while also halting (停止) all traffic to secure the area during the removal of the bomb with 690 kilograms of explosives. Officials said that the bomb was first discovered last June. It was positioned too close to the city and it had to be moved further away before emergency teams performed the controlled detonation. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 117-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,338 on turnover of $2.7-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex joined other regional markets and lost ground on Thursday, after Wall Street tumbled overnight as a plunge in Credit Suisse shares reignited investor concerns about a possible bank crisis following the failure of two U-S lenders. **Cabinet Seeks to Stiffen Penalties for Illegal Export of Seedlings ** The Cabinet has approved a draft bill that could see those who illegally export certain types of seedlings or their derivatives (衍生物) fined or jailed for up to three years. The move is part of government efforts to keep high-value indigenous plant and fruit species in Taiwan. The draft bill is a proposed amendment to the Plant Variety and Plant Seed Act. The bill was introduced after China suspended imports of Tainong 17 pineapples, claiming that it has already cultivated the same variety of pineapples. The draft amendment states that anyone who imports or exports seedlings, the derivatives thereof or products made from such derivatives will face a maximum prison term of three years and/or a fine of up to 3-million N-T. Under the existing rules, such violations result in a maximum fine of 1.5-million N-T and no prison time. Deputy Agriculture Minister Chen Jun-ji says the smuggling of valuable species out of Taiwan to China and other countries undermining the island's trade. The draft amendment will now go the Legislative Yuan for review. **Japan SKorea Resume Diplomatic Visits ** Japan and South Korea are vowing to resume diplomatic visits amidst (在其中) warming ties between the two countries. It follows the first in-person summit between their leaders in more than a decade. Chris Gilbert reports. **Colombia Ends Mine Rescue Operations ** Rescue operations at a coal mine in central Colombia that collapsed earlier this week have ended and officials say the accident had left 21 workers dead. The mine near the town of Sutatausa collapsed late Tuesday following an explosion that blocked (擋、堵塞) several of its entrances. Rescue teams worked nonstop for more than 30 hours to find survivors and retrieve bodies. Provincial authorities say nine workers survived the accident, while the relatives of miners who were killed were receiving support. All of the workers who were at the mine at the time of the accident have been accounted for. **Montenegro President Dissolves Parliament ** Montenegro’s president has dissolved parliament and paved the way (做好準備) for an early parliamentary election. President Milo Djukanovic issued a decree dissolving parliament on Thursday, three months after Montenegro’s last government fell in a no-confidence vote. Djukanovic is expected to set a date for the early election today. He is running for reelection in Montenegro's presidential election on Sunday. Analysts predict the voting will not produce a clear winner and that the pro-Western incumbent will face one of several challengers in a runoff two weeks later. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 53-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,334 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Wednesday after giving up early gains amid ongoing investor concerns of a spate of bank failures in the United States following the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank. **China Lifts Import Ban on Taiwan Beltfish and Mackerel ** China has lifted its ban on imports of fresh chilled beltfish and frozen Atlantic horse mackerel from Taiwan. According to China's Taiwan Affairs Office, the lifting of the ban is due to the easing (緩和) of coronavirus restrictions and is aimed at "promoting the healthy development of cross-strait trade." China suspended imports of the two types of fish products from Taiwan on August 3 if last year citing a "consideration of biosecurity risk prevention" as it claimed that traces of the coronavirus were detected on the outer packaging. According to the Fisheries Agency, the Council of Agriculture has received the relevant documentation regarding the lifting of the import ban from Beijing and he's "happy to see China complying with international standards." **Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Tops Profit List Again ** The Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital generated (產生) the highest overall profit among healthcare facilities last year. It's the sixth consecutive year that the hospital has topped the profit list compiled by the National Health Insurance Administration. The annual report is based on the profits made by healthcare facilities that receive National Health Insurance funding in excess of 200-million N-T. Data shows the Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital reported 3.47-billion N-T in profit. The report also shows that the percentage of healthcare facilities that registered surplus revenue at the end of last year stood at 89.3-per cent, an increase from 2021's 86.3 percent. **Cyclone Freddy Dissipates After Destruction in Mozambique Malawi ** Monitors say Cyclone Freddy has dissipated after killing hundreds of people in Mozambique and Malawi but flooding still threatens both countries. At least 225 people have died in Malawi’s south and within and around Blantyre, the country’s financial hub. In neighboring Mozambique, at least 20 people have died since the storm made landfall in the port town of Quelimane on Saturday night. The cyclone has displaced 88,000 in Malawi and more than 45,000 are holed up (躲起來、避難) in shelters in Mozambique. The heavy rains are now flowing downriver and causing more flooding. An official with Doctors Without Borders says the number of casualties will increase. Cyclone Freddy developed near Australia, crossed the Indian Ocean and has caused destruction in southern Africa since late February. **US Trump Media Investigated for Money Laundering ** Federal investigators are reportedly expanding their Trump investigation. According to reports Federal prosecutors in New York are now looking at the former president's social media company examining whether it violated (違反) money laundering statutes. Our correspondent, Jody Jacobs has more from New York… That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 65-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,425 on turnover of 4.3-billion N-T. The market moved sharply lower on Tuesday. Analysts say although investors are anticipating the U-S Fed will hold back on its rate hikes to prevent liquidity risks following the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank, concerns are lingering that rate increases will not be strong enough to tame (馴服) inflation. **NCSIST Unveils 'Suicide Drone' ** The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology has unveiled nine domestically developed drones - including a loitering munition, or "suicide drone. The domestically made "suicide" drone is based on the U-S made AeroVironment Switchblade 300, which is currently being used by Ukrainian forces in the country's war with Russia. According to the institute's Aeronautical Systems Research Division, the miniature loitering munition drone has a range of 10-kilometers, can fly for 15 minutes and can be carried by a single soldier. It's equipped with a high-performance electro-optical and infrared sensor and can be used to destroy high-value and high-risk targets. **Limited Cross-Strait Ferry Services to be Expanded in Coming Week ** K-M-T lawmaker Chen Yu-zhen says the eligibility and scope of the limited ferry services between Kinmen and Xiamen in China will be expanded later this month. According to Chen, R-O-C passport holders from Taiwan proper and their spouses (配偶) will be able to use the ferry services, while daily trips between Kinmen and Xiamen will also be increased from two to 12. Chen says the expansion of ferry services follows talks between the Mainland Affairs Council and other related agencies - at which it was decided to bring forward the expanded service ahead of the five-day long weekend Tomb Sweeping Day holiday. However, Chinese independent travelers are still not included in the expanded service. **US Drone Crashes After Russian Jet Encounter ** The U.S. military says a Russian warplane struck the propeller (螺旋槳) of a U.S. drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday. The U.S. European Command said two Russian Su-27 fighter jets intercepted the drone while it was operating within international airspace. It said one of the Russian fighters struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to bring it down in international waters. US Air Force officials say the "unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash". Moscow says the U.S. drone maneuvered sharply and crashed into water following an encounter with Russian fighter jets scrambled to intercept it near Crimea, but insists its warplanes didn’t fire their weapons or hit the drone. **US Biden Takes Steps to Strengthen Gun Control ** US President Joe Biden has taken steps to strengthen (加強) gun background checks. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 42-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,517 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday after recovering from early loses, as investor sentiment improved following a decision by the U-S government to guarantee (保證) that all deposits taken by the financially troubled Silicon Valley Bank will be paid in full. Buying increased in select large cap stocks in the semiconductor and transportation sectors, while bargain hunters turned active late in the session to push the broader market back into positive territory by the end of the trading day. **MOEA Head Rules Out Extension of Second Nuclear Plant Service ** Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua says the government has no plans to extend the service of the second nuclear power plant. The statement comes amid calls for the government to suspend plans to decommission (退役) the plant's second reactor. Decommissioning of the No. 2 generator at the plant in New Taipei will begin today - on the expiration of its 40-year operating permit. According to Wang the spent fuel pools at the plant are full and no new storage facilities are available, making it impossible to continue to generate power there. **Science Parks See Record Revenue in 2022 ** National Science and Technology Council chief Wu Cong-zhong says Taiwan's three science parks posted revenue of 4.26-trillion N-T last year. That figure is a 14.75-percent year on year increase and all-time high. According to Wu, the Hsinchu Science Park's revenue stood at 1.61-trillion N-T, the Central Taiwan Science Park saw its revenue stand at 1.17-trillion N-T, while 2022's revenue at the Southern Taiwan Science Park hit 1.48-trillion N-T. Of the three parks, the Southern Taiwan Science Park registered the biggest year-on-year revenue rise of 35.48-per cent. Integrated circuits were the number one driving force (推動力) at the science parks last year, accounting for 77-per cent of the total revenue. **Russia extends grain deal ** A Russian delegation at talks with senior U.N. officials says Moscow is ready to accept an extension (擴大) to a grain export deal that has helped bring down global food prices amid the war with Ukraine. But it said it would accept only a 60-day extension as the Kremlin holds out for changes to how the arrangement is working. Jody Jacobs has more. **UK Steps Up Defense Spending ** In related news….. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to increase U.K. military funding by $6 billion over the next two years in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the challenge posed by China. The increase is part of a major update to U.K. foreign and defense policy, but is less than military officials wanted. The extra money will be used, in part, to replenish Britain’s ammunition stocks, depleted (消耗, 減少) from supplying Ukraine in its defense against Russia. Some will also go toward a U.K.-U.S.-Australia deal to build nuclear-powered submarines. Sunak met U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in San Diego on Monday to confirm next steps for the military pact. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 12-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,514 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market fell sharply on Friday as investors turned cautious ahead of the release of U-S February jobs data, which is seen as one of the most important factors expected to influence the Federal Reserve's ongoing rate hike cycle. The local bellwether electronics sector came under heavy pressure, led by large-cap semiconductor stocks, while a sell-offs were also seen in the old economy and financial sectors, adding more downward pressure on the local main board. **Premier Thanks US Congress for Taiwan Lend-Lease Bill ** Premier Chen Chien-jen is thanking members of the U-S Congress for re-introducing a bill aimed at authorizing Washington to lend or lease defense equipment to Taiwan to deter Chinese aggression. The "Taiwan Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2023," was put forth (提出) by Senator Marsha Blackburn late last week and co-sponsored by fellow Republicans Rick Scott and Marco Rubio. The content bill is the same as the one sponsored by Blackburn last year. That bill failed to make it through the Senate. **MOHW to Extend Coronavirus Herbal Drug EUA to June 2024 ** Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan says the emergency use authorization for a traditional herbal formula developed here in Taiwan to treat the coronavirus will be extended until June 2024. According to the health minister, the extension is aimed at buying more time for the availability of Ching-Guan Yi-Hau before it can obtain formal drug certification. Hsueh says an expert group will be formed in the near future to complete the drug certification process for the herbal formula before the E-U-A is terminated. The statement comes amid reports the Central Epidemic Command Center could be disbanded (解散) by the end in June. **SKorea US Begin Military Exercises ** The South Korean and U.S. militaries have begun their biggest joint military exercises in years. In apparent protest, North Korea said it conducted submarine-launched cruise missile tests. The launches on Sunday signal North Korea likely will conduct more weapons testing during the U.S.-South Korean drills that are to run for 11 days. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his troops to be ready to repel (擊退) its rivals’ “frantic war preparation moves.” The South Korean-U.S. drills include a computer simulation and several combined field training exercises. The allies had scaled back such drills in past years to make room for diplomacy and because of the pandemic. **Nicaragua Vatican Suspends Relations ** Nicaragua ’s government says it has proposed suspending relations with the Vatican days after Pope Francis compared President Daniel Ortega’s administration to a communist or Nazi dictatorship amid a crackdown on the Catholic Church in the country. Relations between the church and the Nicaraguan government have been deteriorating (惡化) since 2018, when authorities violently repressed antigovernment protests. Some Catholic leaders gave protesters shelter in their churches and the church later tried to act as a mediator between the regime and the opposition. Pope Francis had remained largely silent on the issue, but in a March 10th interview, he called Ortega’s government a “rude dictatorship” led by an “unbalanced” president. Nicaragua’s foreign ministry released a statement Sunday saying: “a suspension of relations between the Republic of Nicaragua and the Vatican State has been proposed.” Ortega branded Catholic figures he saw as sympathetic to the opposition as “terrorists” who had backed efforts to overthrow him. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Duck Egg Prices Climb Amid Chicken Egg Shortage Roger Ng sentenced to 10 years for 1MDB scandal Germany's shooting incident Tensions escalating in Korean Pennisula US actor Robert Blake acquitted

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,827 on turnover of 1.8-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday despite recouping most of its early losses sparked by remarks from U-S Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell - who warned that America's central bank could continue its current rate hike cycle. Foreign institutional investors turned cautious about further rate hikes by the U-S Fed, but local investors remained willing to pick up bargains on the local main board during the day's trading session to lend some support to the broader market. **Kevin McCarthy Confirms Tsai Meeting ** U-S House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has confirmed that he will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen in the United States early next month. However, McCarthy says that meeting does not preclude (排除) a possible trip to Taiwan at a later date. The U-S House speaker is also dismissing reports that the meeting in California is being held to avoid possible confrontation with China and that both sides were uneasy that a visit would severely increase cross-strait tensions if he were to visit Taiwan According to McCarthy, Beijing can't tell him where or when to go and the Taiwan president just happens to be in America. U-S State Department spokesman Ned Price is describing Tsai's travel as "transit" rather than a "visit" to the United States. **More Newborns Eligible for NT$6,000 Cash Handouts ** The Ministry of Finance has announced that babies born to Taiwanese citizens before the end of this year will be eligible (有資格的) to receive one-off cash payments of 6,000 N-T drawn from the government's 2022 tax surplus. The ministry had previously said that only children born within six months following the starting of disbursement of the tax rebates would be included in the groups eligible for the payments. However, the eligibility criteria has now been expanded to cover newborns born by December 31, 2023. Reports say the expansion of the cash handout program will require around 200-million N-T in additional funding. **Malaysia Summons Former PM for Abuse Allegations ** Malaysia's anti-graft agency has summoned former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin following allegations of abuse in stimulus programmes launched under his leadership of the country. He's denied the accusations and described them as a political vendetta (仇殺、仇殺). Patrick Fok reports. **UN Criticizes Taliban Repression of Women and Girls ** The United Nations says that since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country has become the most repressive (嚴厲的, 強硬的) in the world for women and girls. The U.N. mission to Kabul said in a statement released Wednesday that Afghanistan’s new rulers have shown an almost singular ( 特別的，奇特的) focus on imposing rules that leave most women and girls effectively trapped in their homes. The special representative of the U.N. secretary-general and head of the mission to Afghanistan, says it's ""been distressing to witness their methodical, deliberate, and systematic efforts to push Afghan women and girls out of the public sphere.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 38-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,819 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Tuesday on the back of rotational buying, as investors opted to ignore lackluster (無生氣的) showings on Wall Street ahead of an appearance before Congress by U-S Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. Investors remained bullish on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, but chose to pick-up stocks in electric machinery suppliers, due to optimism over higher demand for energy storage equipment within the global electric vehicle market. **Defense Minister Affirms Military Would Fire at Chinese Forces Within Territorial Space ** Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng is stressing that comments he made earlier this week concerning the military's opening fire on Chinese forces if they enter Taiwan's territorial waters or airspace was "not meant as a provocation (挑釁) to Beijing." The minister says the comments were "simply a reaffirmation of the military's job to protect the island's sovereignty." Chiu also says that it's Taiwan's "armed forces' duty to mount an appropriate response to such aggression." The statements come after the defense minister earlier this week told lawmakers that the military will fire at China's forces, including drones and aircraft, if they enter Taiwan's 12-nautical-mile line. **Taiwan Farm Produce on Display at Foodex Japan ** The External Trade Development Council says the Taiwan pavilion at Foodex Japan is showcasing a wide range of special agriculture and aquaculture (水產養殖) products. According to the council, Taiwan's pavilion at the international food and beverage exhibition features 136 exhibitors are operating 132 booths and it is second largest national pavilion at the expo. Nine county and city heads from Taiwan attended the opening of the food show to promote farm produce. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai is heading a delegation of 13 agriculture and aquaculture businesses from the city to the fair. While Pingtung Magistrate Zhou Chun-mi is leading a delegation of 10 companies from the county to participate in the expo this week. **France Protests Against Retirement Age Hik ** More than a million demonstrators have marched in cities and towns across France in a new round of protests and strikes against the government’s plan to raise the retirement age to 64. Unions called for more protests on Saturday while warning that the situation could become “explosive.” The government “must withdraw its project now,” unions demanded after an evening meeting Tuesday to decide their course of action. Garbage collectors, utility workers, train drivers and others walked off the job across the country to show anger at the reform (改革). Unions asked for an urgent meeting with authorities, saying government silence is growing dangerous. **US Women Sue Texas for Abortion Ban ** Five women have sued the state of Texas over its near total ban on abortion - the first such lawsuit since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade last year. The women say they, and countless other pregnant people, have been denied necessary and potentially (可能地) life-saving care because doctors in Texas are afraid of running afoul of the state's abortion laws. Toni Waterman has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,763 on turnover of 2.4-billion N-T. The market rose on Monday as buying was sparked by the gains on Wall Street at the end of last week on the back of reduced concerns over rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve. The bellwether electronics sector led the broader market higher, while semiconductor stocks also rose as they enjoyed the upturn seen by U-S tech firms last Friday. **Defense Minister Warns China Could Enter 24-Nautical-Mile Limit ** Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng is warning that China could seek to use visit to Taiwan by high level foriegn officials as a pretext (藉口) to enter Taiwan's maritime baseline of 24-nautical miles. Speaking at a legislative hearing, Chiu said Beijing is actively looking for excuses to further encroach (侵犯) on Taiwan's territorial waters and airspace, and such visits could see China intensifying it's the military threat towards to the island. Chiu says along with entering Taiwan's maritime baseline, China could also seek to approach the island's territorial space of 12-nautical miles. The defense minister says that island's military is prepared for any possible military response from China and the armed forces will "restrain itself" from launching the first strike to avoid giving China an excuse to attack Taiwan. **Premier Attends Opening of Kaohsiung's New Cruise Terminal ** And, Premier Chen Chien-jen has attended (出席) the opening of Kaohsiung's new cruise liner terminal. The Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal is shaped like a whale and was built at a cost of 5-billion N-T. It took 10-years to complete and on Monday welcomed its first two cruise ships. The new cruise terminal will allow up 3,500 people to enter Taiwan every hour. It has automated voice-to-text translation kiosks in four languages and has 26 gates for customs inspection, up from 12 in the old terminal. **Iran Supreme Leader on Suspected Poisonings ** Iran’s supreme leader says that if a series of suspected poisonings at girls’ schools is proven to be deliberate, the culprits (罪魁禍首) should be sentenced to death for committing an “unforgivable crime.” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all matters of state, and Monday was the first time he spoke publicly about the suspected poisonings. The incidents began late last year and have reportedly sickened hundreds of children. Iranian officials only acknowledged them in recent weeks and have provided no details on who may be behind the attacks or what chemicals — if any — have been used. Unlike neighboring Afghanistan, Iran has no history of religious extremists targeting women’s education. **US FBI Offers Reward for Kidnapped Citizens in Mexico ** The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward to help find four US citizens who were kidnapped in a Mexican border city. The Mexican president says they crossed over from the US to buy medication (藥物) when they were attacked by gunmen on Friday. US correspondent Nick Harper reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 66-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,675 on turnover of 4.1-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Friday as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing gave up early gains amid lingering concerns over rising interest rates. Although semiconductor stocks lost momentum, buying rotated to select old economy stocks with transportation in focus, lending some support to the local main board, as it breached (沖破) the 15,700-point mark by the end of the trading day. **On-Campus Face Mask Mandate to be Relaxed Today ** The face mask mandate on campuses and at educational institutions has been relaxed from today. It means students are attending classes indoors without face masks for the first time in over 800 days. The mandatory face mask rules are being eased in schools at all levels, kindergartens, preschools, afterschool institutions and cram schools. According to Central Epidemic Command Center spokesperson Philip Luo, the move comes after a continuing decline in the daily number of domestic coronavirus cases. Luo says if the relaxation of face mask mandates in schools works, it will likely mean the current (現行的) five-day home isolation for individuals who have mild infections could be lifted by the end of this month at the earliest. **Malaysian-Chinese Writer Wins Newman Prize ** And, Malaysian-Chinese Taiwan-based writer Chang Gui-xing has been awarded the eighth Newman Prize for Chinese Literature at the University of Oklahoma. Chang migrated to Taiwan in 1976 and got his Taiwanese citizenship in 1982. He's the third Taiwanese author to win the biennial honor that recognizes "outstanding achievement in prose (散文) or poetry that best captures the human condition." According to Chang, despite having won many literary awards in Taiwan and overseas, the Newman Prize for Chinese Literature still means a lot to him "because of this word 'Chinese.'" **Greece Stationmaster Charged for Train Collision ** A stationmaster accused of causing Greece’s deadliest train disaster has been charged with negligent homicide and jailed pending trial. An examining magistrate and a prosecutor agreed Sunday that multiple counts of homicide as well as charges of causing bodily harm and endangering transportation safety should be brought against the railway employee. At least 57 people were killed when a northbound passenger train and a southbound freight train collided late Tuesday in central Greece. The 59-year-old stationmaster allegedly (涉嫌地、據稱) directed the two trains traveling in opposite directions onto the same track. Also Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized for any responsibility Greece’s government may bear for the tragedy. **Russian Forces Target Bakhmut ** Russian forces are continuing their push for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, a prime target (主要目標) for Moscow in eastern Ukraine. AP correspondent Sarah Naffa reports. **UK King Office in Touch with Harry About Coronation ** King Charles III’s office has been in touch with Prince Harry about the new monarch’s coronation. The move raises the possibility of the king's younger son attending the ceremony despite tensions within the royal family. A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan confirmed Sunday that Harry had received “email correspondence (通信聯繫)’’ from the king’s office about the coronation. Buckingham Palace didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 23-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,621 on turnover of $2.1-billion N-T. The market closed little changed on Thursday, as investors reacted to signs that lingering upward pressure on American consumer prices are adding to expectations the Fed could stick with higher interest rates for longer than expected. **CECC Could Downgrading Coronavirus Classification by May ** Central Epidemic Command Center head Victor Wang has announced plans to potentially downgrade (降級) the coronavirus alert level and officially disband the center in May. The coronavirus is currently listed as a category 5 communicable disease under the Communicable Disease Control Act. A category 5 virus calls for the "formulation of preventive and control measures or preparedness plans," including the establishment of the epidemic command center. According to Wang, the government may takes steps to ease epidemic protocols after observing a steady decline in the number of domestic cases since the 228 long weekend holiday. **Drought Operations Center Opens in Tainan ** The Tainan City Government has established a Drought Operations Center in response to the lack of rainfall since last year, which has forced it to lower water pressure. According to Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che, the south is experiencing its lowest annual precipitation for 30 years and as a result of that, the city government has been forced to raise its water alert level from "yellow" to the more severe "orange alert." The move means that supplies of water for commercial (商業的) use will be limited. According to the Water Resources Agency, levels at reservoirs that serve the Tainan are all below 50-percent of capacity. **Italy Pushes India on Russian War in Ukraine ** Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is urging India to play a central role in facilitating (促成) negotiations to end the Russian war against Ukraine. India, with the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 industrialized and developing countries, could represent the needs of less-developed nations, Meloni said following talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi reiterated his cautious stand by reaffirming that peace can be achieved only through diplomacy and dialogue. He said India is ready to support a peace initiative in that direction. Both sides called for expanding cooperation in defense, green energy, digital transition, cybersecurity and space. **US House Ethics Panel Investigating NY Representative ** From the US….. New York Representative George Santos is now under investigation by a House ethics panel. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **UN Names New World Food Program Head ** U.S. Ambassador Cindy McCain has been appointed the next head of the U.N. World Food Program, the world’s largest humanitarian organization which aims to help nearly 150 million people confronting (面對) conflicts, disasters and climate change impacts this year. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General Qu Dongyu on Thursday jointly announced the appointment of McCain. She has been the U.S. envoy to the Rome-based WFP and FAO since November 2021, and the U.N. and FAO chiefs called her “a champion for human rights. McCain will succeed David Beasley, who has led WFP over the last six years including through the COVID-19 pandemic and the global food crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 18-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,580 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market recouped its early losses on Wednesday to close higher, as investors were encouraged by news that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing will not be cutting its first-quarterly sales forecast. T-S-M-C saw its share price rise by 2.15-per cent to close at the day's high of 522 N-T. And that gain pushed up the electronics sector by 1.55-per cent, boosted the semiconductor sub-index by 2.38-per cent and contributed more than 90-points to the main board's overall rise for the trading day. **Agriculture Minister Sees End to Egg shortage by late March ** Agriculture Minister Chen Ji-chung says he's anticipating that the current national egg shortage could be over by the end of this month, as the government is introducing short and long-term measures to address the problem. According to Chen, up to 5-million eggs will be imported from Australia by the end of March to fill the current daily deficit of between 500,000 and 800,000 eggs Those eggs will be first allocated to food processors so they can release their stocks of locally grown eggs to meet domestic consumption. The Council of Agriculture has also earmarked 1.8-billion N-T this year to help local poultry farms renovate and modernize their operations -- which are seen as a key measure to achieve full self-sufficiency. The agriculture minister says more details of those plans will be published tomorrow. **Water Restrictions in Kaohsiung to Begin Next Week ** The central government announced that it will enforce water restrictions in Kaohsiung beginning next week due to a lack of rainfall. According to the Central Emergency Operation Center, the water alert level for Kaohsiung will be raised from green to yellow from March 8, meaning that water pressure will be reduced from between 10PM and 6AM. Kaohsiung has been placed on green alert level, indicating that water-storage levels are below normal. The ministry says it is coordinating with the Water Resources Agency, the Water Corporation and the local government to take water shortage alleviation measures. **Greece Search for Train Crash Survivors Continue ** Emergency workers are searching late into the night for survivors and bodies after a passenger train and a freight train crashed head-on in central Greece. The collision just before midnight Tuesday killed at least 43 people and injured scores. It was the country's deadliest rail crash on record. Greece's transport minister resigned Wednesday, saying he felt it was his duty (責任) to step down. The cause of the crash near the Vale of Tempe was not immediately clear, but the stationmaster at the train's last stop was arrested. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pledged a full, independent investigation. **Japan Vows to Pursue Return of NKorean Abductees ** Japan’s Prime Minister is vowing to pursue (追究, 追求) all measure possible to resolve historical abductions (綁架) of Japanese citizens by North Korea. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 68-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,435 on turnover of 7.6-billion N-T. The market lost ground last Friday despite Wall Street breaking its longest losing streak since December with a modest rally led by tech stocks. **Tsai Touts Need for Gov't 'Not to Make Same Mistakes' at 228 Memorial ** President Tsai Ing-wen has attended an event commemorating the 76th anniversary of the 228 Incident in Tainan. She was accompanied by government officials including Premier Chen Chien-jen and Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che. Speaking at the ceremony, Tsai said the government "must not make the same mistakes again" and she is determined to lead a free and democratic society so that Taiwanese people could live with dignity (尊嚴). Tsai praised the Taiwanese people for their courage, citing life stories displayed in the Tainan 228 Memorial Hall and said her administration has worked to promote transitional justice since she took office in 2016. Tsai went on to say that government has also identified 42 "historic sites of injustice" and that it's her goal to unveil history to foster more unity. **MOFA Seeking Assistance in Search for Missing Fishing Trawler ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says its requested assistance from authorities in the U-S, Palau, the Philippines, and Indonesia in the search of a missing fishing trawler (拖網漁船). The "Sheng Feng 128" lost contact while operating in waters some 414 nautical miles northwest of the port of Malakal in Palau. Palau's Coast Guard has been assisting in the search and Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency has also joined the search, While the foreign ministry says a Philippine fixed-wing aircraft has carried out searches of the areas where the "Sheng Feng 128" was last reported. **IAEA: Iran Enriched Uranium Particles Found ** Inspectors from the United Nations nuclear watchdog have found uranium particles enriched up to 83.7% in Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear site. That's according to a report seen Tuesday by The Associated Press. The confidential quarterly report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency distributed to member states likely will renew tensions between Iran and the West over its nuclear program. The IAEA report only speaks about “particles" and suggests that Iran isn’t building a stockpile (儲備物、囤積物 ) of uranium enriched above 60% — the level it has been enriching at from some time. **US Supreme Court Debates Student Debt Relief ** The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether to keep or get rid of President Joe Biden's plan on reducing student loan debt (學生貸款). The decision affects millions of people in the U.S. who have student debt, particularly those with the greatest financial need who could get relief of up to 20,000 dollars each. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **Dan David Prize Winners Announced ** Nine emerging scholars of history from around the world have been announced as winners of the prestigious Dan David Prize, with each awardee receiving $300,000 to help further their work. The Dan David Prize board said Tuesday it is recognizing the historians for “changing our understanding of the past” by delving into under-researched topics. The winning research topics include dust in ancient dental plaque (牙垢、牙菌斑) to illicit sexuality in colonial Nigeria. The award is administered by Tel Aviv University. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 54-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,670 on turnover of $3.5-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday, despite Wall Street seeing its biggest one-day decline in two months overnight, after notes from a recent U-S Federal Reserve meeting showed officials expect to keep interest rates high to fight stubborn (固執的) inflation. **MOTC Planning Public Transport Pass ** The government says it plans to introduce a 1,200 N-T monthly public transport pass serving Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan and Keelung. The pass that is likely to be launched in July and is aimed at encouraging the use of public transport, which the government says was negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic due to a decline in passenger volume. According to acting Cabinet spokesman Lo Ping-cheng, families in Taiwan spend about 12-per cent of their household income on public commutes, so the monthly pass will help alleviate some of that burden (負擔). The monthly pass will allow unlimited travel on public transport, including local city/intercity buses, M-R-T lines, Taiwan Railways Administration trains and bicycle-sharing services, in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan and Keelung. **FDA Plans to Make Trans-Resveratrol a Legal Dietary Supplement ** The Food and Drug Administration has unveiled a draft regulation on the use and labeling of a certain type of trans-resveratrol. The draft states that the substance shall be considered a dietary supplement (營養補充品) so long as the daily adults dose does not exceed 150-micrograms. The regulation covers the use and labeling of trans-resveratrol derived from the fermentation (發酵) of a genetically modified brewers' yeast, and states that the end product must go through a purification process to rid it of genetically modified organisms, or gene segments. Suppliers and vendors found to have used noncompliant trans-resveratrol as an ingredient will face a fine of up to 3-million N-T. **NKorea Claims Missile Test ** North Korea says it test-fired long-range cruise missiles in waters off its eastern coast a day earlier. The U.S. and South Korean militaries didn’t immediately confirm the exercise, which North Korea’s state media said were intended to verify the reliability of the missiles and the rapid-response capabilities of the unit that operates those weapons. The launches would have taken place as the United States and South Korea held a simulated military exercise in Washington aimed at sharpening their response to North Korean nuclear threats. KCNA said the exercise involved four missiles, which flew for nearly three hours, drawing oval (橢圓形) and figure-eight patterns above the sea, and showed that they can hit targets 2,000 kilometers away. The U.S. and South Korean militaries have another joint computer-simulated exercise and field training scheduled in March, which South Korean officials say would involve the allies’ biggest live-fire training in years. **China Carries Out Mine Safety Checks ** Chinese regulators are carrying out widespread safety inspections of coal mining operations, as rescue efforts continue to find survivors from a collapsed mine in Inner Mongolia. Six people are known to have died, and 47 are still missing. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Tai-Ex opening up 45-points US Federal Reserve in favor of slower rate hikes Ukraine Foreign Minister tells U.N General Assembly they will continue to fight Philippines Plane Crash Victims Found on Volcano

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 22-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,541 on turnover of $2-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed slightly higher Tuesday after moving in a narrow range throughout the session, after a lack of leads from overseas with U.S. markets closed on Monday for the President's Day holiday. The bellwether electronics sector remained weak on selling from foreign institutional investors, and the financial sector suffered sell-offs amid investors' unhappiness with E. Sun Financial Holding Co.'s dividend policy. In addition, buying rotated to select old economy stocks, in particular in the shipping industry, lending support to the broader market. Poll:Public increasingly optimistic about U.S. troops coming to Taiwan's aid A new opinion poll in Taiwan shows that the percentage of people who believe the U.S. will send troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion is increasing. According to the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, 42.8 percent of those surveyed in February this year said that they believed Washington would intervene (介入) militarily if Beijing attacked Taiwan, a rise of more than 8% compared with the same poll in 2022. Despite the rise, 46.5% said that they did not believe the United States will send troops to defend Taiwan, a year-over-year drop of 9%, while 5% percent said they were uncertain. The TPOF released the poll ahead of the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine on Feb. 24 to gauge whether public opinion in Taiwan has changed due to the conflict. **US Trump Election Probe Recommends Perjury Charges ** A spokesperson for a Georgia jury investigating former President Donald Trump and allies' election interference says they recommended indictments of multiple people on a range of charges. A report, partially (部分地) revealed last week, showed one or more witnesses lied under oath when they testified. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **HK Revokes Chinese Scientist's Visa ** Hong Kong has revoked a visa it granted to a Chinese scientist who set off an ethical debate five years ago with claims that he made the world’s first genetically edited babies. The Hong Kong government revoked He Jiankui's visa hours after he announced his research plans in the financial hub. He shocked the world in 2018 when he announced he had altered the embryos (胚胎) of twin girls, with many in the scientific community criticizing his work as unethical. He was convicted by a mainland Chinese court of practicing medicine without a license. He announced in Beijing on Tuesday that Hong Kong had granted him a visa to explore opportunities. But the Hong Kong government revoked the visa hours later. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 16-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,536 on turnover of $1.9-billion N-T. Most shares in Asia were subdued yesterday, as a holiday in the US led to a slow start for global stock markets. Investors were still awaiting minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting for a hint of what's to come for inflation and interest rates changes. **Rights groups urge government to ease migrant worker vacation rules ** Migrants rights groups rallied outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei yesterday, to demand the government overturn what they called discriminatory obstacles, faced by workers who vacation in their home countries. Dozens of migrant workers led by the Migrants Empowerment Network in Taiwan, and the Domestic Caretakers Union Taoyuan, held up banners and placards urging the government to abolish (廢除) complicated border regulations that they say target blue-collar migrant workers. The DCU secretary says that unlike foreign white-collar professionals and Taiwanese, blue-collar migrant workers have always needed to apply for a re-entry permit from the National Immigration Agency, to re-enter Taiwan and are required to enter Taiwan by the expiration date on the permit. In addition, when the worker arrives in Taiwan, they are not allowed to leave the airport on their own and must be signed for and collected by their employer or an individual assigned by the employer. **Turkey New Quake Leaves More Dead and Injured ** A new 6.4 magnitude earthquake has killed three people and injured more than 200 in parts of Turkey laid waste two weeks ago by a massive (巨大的) quake that killed tens of thousands. Officials said more buildings collapsed, trapping some people, while scores of injuries were recorded in neighboring Syria too. Monday’s earthquake was centered in the town of Defne, in Turkey’s Hatay province, one the worst-hit regions in the magnitude 7.8 quake that hit on Feb. 6-th. It was felt across the region and followed by a second, magnitude 5.8 temblor. Rescue efforts were underway in three collapsed buildings where six people were believed trapped. **US Supreme Court Mulls Tech Online Speech Law ** The US Supreme Court is set to hear a landmark case that could transform (改革) the Internet. Gonzalez versus Google is being brought by the family of a woman killed by an ISIS gunman in Paris in 2015. It will tackle whether tech companies should be liable for harmful content promoted by their algorithms. Kate Fisher reports from Washington **Egypt Unveils Newly Renovated Museum Wing ** Egypt’s ministry of tourism and antiquities has unveiled a newly renovated (重新裝修) wing of its oldest museum. The new wing is home to a 16-meter-long papyrus scroll unearthed last year. The refurbishment marks the first stage of broader renovations for the 120-year-old museum in downtown Cairo. The new papyrus contains around 113 spells from The Book of the Dead. The museum also has added modern glass protection and new interior lighting. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 28-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,452 on turnover of $2.4-billion NT. The market remained under pressure today, after swinging between gains and losses over the past several trading days, following forecasts for weak Asian markets due to continuing concerns over continued aggressive action from the US Federal Reserve. **Man fined NT$17m in fraud case involving resale of 3,525 phones ** A customer of Chunghwa Telecom Co. has been ordered to pay the company $17 million NT in damages. The New Taipei District Court says he was sued for reselling 3,525 cellphones he had obtained under Chunghwa's preferential contracts. The man, surnamed Lin, began running the scam in 2016, after he set up a one-man company that purportedly was conducting research into the wireless charging of iPhones, according to a court ruling issued on Feb. 13-th. With the subscription contracts, Lin obtained (獲得) 3,525 cellphones, including iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models, which he paid little or nothing for. He then resold the mobile phones to vendors and wholesale businesses at low prices, according to the ruling. In the civil case, the court ordered Lin to pay damages of $17.64 million NT, which would accrue an annual interest rate of 5 percent if it is not paid in full. The case is subject to appeal. **Lantern Fest Sees Over a Million Visitors on Closing Day ** The Taiwan Lantern Festival saw over a million visitors on closing day yesterday. Taipei's Department of Information and Tourism says as of 10pm last night, the four main festival display areas and 12 districts in the city saw more than a million visitors. And officials say the five MRT stations near the festival grounds recorded 180-thousand riders yesterday. The department says the city government mobilized over 50-thousand workers over the 19-day-long festival, including over 20-thousand police officers, and over 1-thousand medical and fire emergency personnel. Officials say the festivities brought an increase in business of 10-to-30 percent for many of the districts involved. (NS) **NKorea Fires Missiles and Artillery ** North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles and artillery shells toward its eastern waters. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected (發現，察覺) the two missile launches from a western coastal town, just north of Pyongyang, this morning. It said South Korea has boosted its surveillance posture and maintains a readiness in close coordination with the United States. Japan's Defense Ministry said both missiles landed in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. It said Japan condemned the launches as a threat to the peace and safety of Japan and the international society. Also this morning, North Korea's long-range artillery units on its western coast fired two rounds cross-country toward the eastern waters in response to what its state media called the U.S.-South Korean aerial drills on Sunday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA said the North Korean artillery rounds simulated strikes on targets up to 395 kilometers away. **Biden heads to Poland ** U-S President Joe Biden heads to Europe this week to mark a second year of war by denouncing (駁斥) Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. He's also expected to publicly declare that the United States will support Kyiv until the final moments of the conflict. Shelly Adler reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 46.8-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,504 on turnover of $2.7-billion N-T. **4.6 Earthquake in Eastern Taiwan ** A magnitude 4.6 earthquake has shaken parts of eastern Taiwan. The Central Weather Bureau says the tremors struck at 9:22am, and was centered 15.2-kilometers west-southwest of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 18.7-kilometers. The quake was felt most strongly in Hualien City and County, measuring an intensity of 4 on the CWB's intensity scale. The tremors were an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, and 2 in Taichung City. (NS) **Navy launches third domestically made missile corvette ** Taiwan's Navy on Thursday held a launch ceremony in Yilan County for its third domestically (在國內) built Tuo Chiang-class corvette, naming it the "Hsu Chiang" after a river in Keelung. The Tuo Chiang-class corvette is a class of Taiwanese-designed fast and stealthy multi-purpose corvette, built by Lungteh Shipbuilding Co. for the Taiwanese Navy. The Navy is set to build a total of 11 Tuo Chiang-class corvettes by the end of 2026. Based on a recent Ministry of National Defense report presented to the Legislative Yuan, aside from the prototype, five of the Tuo Chiang-class corvettes will be fitted with eight subsonic missiles, and four supersonic missiles. **Keelung Water Suspension After Burst Pipe ** Parts of Keelung are seeing their water services suspended today. The Water Resources Agency says leaks were discovered earlier this morning, resulting form a damaged pipeline, and repairs (維修) are underway. But in the meantime, the WRA says water stoppages are in place for some residents in Keelung City's Ren-ai, Xin-yi, Zhong-zhen, Zhong-shan, and An-le Districts until around 11am today. Officials say around 20-thousand households will be directly affected. And another 40-thosuand will see their water pressure lowered. (NS) **Japan Moves Toward Shooting Down Aircraft ** Japan’s ruling coalition is agreeing to empower (授權) the defense force to shoot down flying objects in its airspace. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo **Canada to Send Navy Vessels to Haiti ** Canada says it will send navy vessels to Haiti for intelligence-gathering as part of efforts to quell (制止，平息) worsening gang violence in the Caribbean nation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Thursday in the Bahamas at an annual meeting of Caribbean leaders. A key topic at the meeting has been Haiti’s surge in killings, rapes and kidnappings blamed on gangs emboldened since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Also at the meeting is Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry who has pleaded for a full-fledged international military intervention to stem the mayhem. Haiti requested help from the U.N. Security Council in October and has suggested the U.S. and Canada lead a force. No such intervention has come together. **Mexico Expedites Visa Application Process for Some Cubans ** Mexico has announced it will set up an expedited visa application process for Cubans who already have relatives in Mexico. The Foreign Relations Department said Wednesday the special visa appointments will be handled at the Mexican consulate in Havana. Economic and political problems in Cuba have caused an exodus from the island, and many Cubans cross into Mexico seeking to reach the U.S. border. Of the 40,000 Cubans who entered Mexico in 2020, 5,000 were returned to the island and 20,000 were given some form of residency or humanitarian visa in Mexico. It was not clear what happened to the remainder, though many enter the United States. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Government Extends Import Duty Reduction on 75%-Alcohol Product Materials ** The Customs Administration says the reduced import duty on materials used to produce 75-per cent alcohol products used as sanitizers or disinfectants has been extended (延長) for another six months. The import duty was first cut from 20 to 10-per cent in February 2020 at the start of the the coronavirus pandemic and it has since been extended several times. According to Customs Administration, the decision to extend the reduction is aimed at ensuring sufficient supplies of sanitizers and disinfectants due to the on-going coronavirus situation here in Taiwan. The reduced import duty will remain in place until August 26. Figures show that as of January 31 of this year, 45.47-million liters of raw materials have been imported since the duty was first reduced, resulting in tax relief of 118-million N-T. **Average Hotel Room Rate Hit Record High in 2022 ** The Tourism Bureau says the average daily room rate at international hotels in Taiwan hit a record high last year, despite relatively low occupancy due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to the bureau, data shows that the occupancy rate at international hotels averaged 48.06-per cent in 2022. That was the fourth-lowest in history. However, the average room rate increased for a third consecutive year to stand at a record setting 4,195 N-T. **EU Circulates Resolution on Russian Invasion of Ukraine ** The European Union is circulating the resolution to be voted on by the U.N. General Assembly on the eve of next week’s first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It calls for a cessation (停止) of hostilities and a peace that ensures Ukraine’s “sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.” There are no vetoes in the 193-member world body, so the resolution is certain to be adopted at the end of a high-level emergency special session of the assembly Feb. 23. The assembly has become the most important U.N. body dealing with Ukraine because the Security Council is paralyzed as a result of Russia’s veto power. While the assembly’s five previous resolutions on Ukraine are not legally binding — as council resolutions are — they are important as a reflection of world opinion. **Berlusconi Acquitted in 'Bunga-Bunga' Party Case ** Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been acquitted of bribing witnesses to lie about his notorious "bunga-bunga" parties. The 86-year old media tycoon had been accused of paying young showgirls and others to give false testimony about the allegedly raunchy (色情的) parties. The other 28 defendants have also been acquitted. Berlusconi has faced many court cases. However, he has denied any wrongdoing in all cases and accused prosecutors of pursuing a political vendetta against him. **Raquel Welch Dead at 82 ** And finally, Hollywood star Raquel Welch has died after a brief (短暫的) illness. She was 82. The A-P's Margie Szaroleta looks back at her career. < [CLIP] Slug: > That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 156-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,497 on turnover of 3.9-billion N-T. The market rebounded on Tuesday from the previous session on the back of a rally on Wall Street overnight. Investor interest in the bellwether electronics, financial and old economy sectors lent support to main board, and helped it clear technical resistance near the 15,600 point mark. However, turnover remained thin, as investors awaited the release of U-S inflation data for January. **President Tsai Ing-wen Reportedly Slated to Visit US ** Reports say President Tsai Ing-wen could travel to United States in May or June to give a speech at Cornell University. Tsai obtained a Master of Laws degree at Cornell in 1980. The Presidential Office has not confirmed that such trip is in the planning stage (規劃階段), but several D-P-P lawmakers have said it could take place in the first half of this year, prior to the run up to next year's presidential elections. Tsai last visited the U-S in January of 2017, when she transited there on the way to during a four country trip to Latin America. Reports are also saying Tsai could travel to Guatemala next month to co-host the event with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei. **Taiwan Search and Rescue Team in Turkey Finds Man 198 Hours After Earthquake ** Members of a Taiwan search and rescue team operating in Turkey's Adiyaman province have pulled an 18-year-old man out of the rubble and building, where he had been trapped for 198 hours following last week's earthquake. According to the information on the International Headquarters S.A.R's website, it took the team and local rescue workers, roughly four hours to pull the man from the rubble. Members of the two Taiwan search rescue teams sent to Turkey, along with their search and rescue dogs, are scheduled to arrive back in Taiwan this afternoon on a special EVA Airways charter flight. **Chinese Leader Expresses Support for Iran ** Chinese leader Xi Jinping has expressed support for Iran during a visit by its president as Tehran tries to expand relations with Beijing and Moscow to offset Western sanctions over its nuclear development. Xi expressed support for Raisi’s government, saying “China supports Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty” and “resisting unilateralism (單邊主義) and bullying” . Beijing says Xi and Raisi attended the signing of 20 cooperation agreements including trade and tourism. Those add to a 25-year strategy agreement signed in 2021 to cooperate in developing oil, industry and other fields. China is one of the biggest buyers of Iranian oil and a source of investment. **NATO Continues Military Support for Ukraine ** NATO will continue to send military support to Ukraine as pressure from Russia continues to build. Alex Cadier reports from Brussels **NZ Preps for Final Rescues After Cyclone ** New Zealand authorities expect to make the final rescues soon after a cyclone brought extensive flooding and landslides that claimed at least two lives. Cyclone Gabrielle struck the country’s north Monday and has brought more destruction to the nation of 5 million than any weather event in years. Emergency officials say the body of a volunteer firefighter had been retrieved (尋回) from a landslide that destroyed a flooded house near Auckland on Hawke’s Bay. They say a woman has also been killed by a landslide in the Hawke’s Bay area. Helicopters will help make the final 25 rescues of individuals and family groups today That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 40-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,584 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday and followed most other regional indexes lower, as investors awaited a U-S inflation update that traders worry might lead to more interest rate hikes by America's central bank. **Hsiao Bi-khim Touts More US Congressional Taiwan Visits ** Taiwan's top envoy to the U-S says American congressional representatives remain highly interested in visiting Taiwan and such delegations will continue to visit Taiwan, regardless of (無論如何，不顧) threats from China. The statement comes amid reports that members of a U-S House of Representatives special committee on China are planning to visit Taiwan in the coming months. Speaking to reporters following a meeting with members of the Legislative Foreign and National Defense Committee, Hsiao didn't say whether it has been confirmed that members of the U-S special committee on China will be holding "a field hearing in Taiwan." According to Hsiao, no details concerning such a visit have been discussed, but her office would help make the arrangements if need be. () **KMT Vice Chairman Touts Aims of China Trip Met ** K-M-T Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia says his visit to China has achieved the three main goals of its trip and expects more such exchanges in the future. Hsia says the main purposes of the trip were to look after the needs of Taiwanese based in China, convey the problems regulations have caused small and medium-sized enterprises and to get to know the new Chinese officials in charge of Taiwan affairs. Hsia arrived in China last Wednesday, and since then he has held talks with officials including Sung Tao, the head of the Taiwan Affairs Office. And he says he will continue to meet with Taiwanese businessmen in other Chinese cities to learn of their difficulties (困難). **Syrian President Approves More Border Crossings for UN ** Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has approved the use of two additional border crossings to be used by the United Nations. The U.N met with al-Assad on Monday to urge (敦促) him to open the crossings as they needed to get more to rebel controlled north-west Syria. Jody Jacobs has more from the UN. **Pakistan to Impose New Taxes for Bailout ** Officials and analysts say cash-strapped Pakistan will impose billions in new taxes to help secure a massive bailout, but they warned the move could cause inflation to escalate. The grim outlook came as the impoverished nation prepares to impose taxes of 170 billion rupees in a bid to convince the International Monetary Fund to revive a $6 billion bailout. Last week, the IMF delayed the release of a crucial $1.1 billion portion (]部分) of the bailout that has been on hold since December over Pakistan's failure to meet the terms of a previous deal. The stalemate in talks was seen as a blow to the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is struggling to avoid a default. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 21-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,564 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Friday as investor sentiment turned cautious after Wall Street lost ground amid renewed concerns over an aggressive (積極的)Federal Reserve. Although stocks across the board remained largely weak, select large-cap tech and financial stocks appeared resilient, providing some support to the broader market to prevent further losses by the close of Friday's session. **Taiwan Search and Rescue Teams to Leave Turkey ** The National Fire Agency says Taiwan's search and rescue teams that have operating on southern Turkey since last week are scheduled to arrive back in Taiwan on Wednesday afternoon. According to the agency, all 130 personnel and five search and rescue dogs are now leaving the disaster zone ( 災區) and heading to Adiyaman Airport in batches. They will fly out of Istanbul Airport Tuesday evening on a special EVA Airways charter flight. Taiwan's search and rescue teams are known to have pulled three people from the rubble of collapsed buildings since they arrived in southern Turkey last week. **Over 1 Million Visit Taiwan Lantern Festival ** The Tourism Bureau says more than 1-million people visited the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taipei on Saturday. That's the highest single-day figure so far for this year's event. The bureau is attributing the mild and dry weather over the weekend for the huge turnout and the surge (急遽上升) in volume of traffic across Taipei's 12 districts, each of which hosts a lantern display. Figures show that number of passengers using the five M-R-T stations that are near the major displays was more than 300,000 on Saturday - and that's an increase of around 130,000 from last year's Taipei Lantern Festival. The 2023 Taiwan Lantern Festival runs until February 19. **US Shoots Down Flying Object Near Great Lakes ** The United States military has brought down a fourth flying object over Lake Huron in Michigan near the US Canada border. The incident (事件) was confirmed by the state's governor who said she'd been in contact with the federal government. Our Washington correspondent Jagruti Dave has more. **Arab Islamic Leaders Condemn Israel Actions in West Bank ** Dozens of leaders and senior officials from Arab and Islamic countries have condemned recent Israeli measures in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, where violence has surged between Israel and the Palestinians. The meeting in Cairo on Sunday was hosted by the Arab League and attended by President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Speakers at the meeting condemned (譴責) Israel’s “unilateral measures” in Jerusalem and the West Bank, including home demolitions and expanding settlements. They also condemned visits by Israeli officials to the city’s contested holy site, which is sacred to both Jews and Muslims and has often been the epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian unrest. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,627 on turnover of $3.5-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex lost ground on Thursday, as other regional markets ended the trading day mixed amid lingering investor uncertainty over interest rate hikes and inflation. **iRent Fined for Data Leak ** The Ministry of Transport and the Taipei City Government have both fined vehicle rental and sharing services platform iRent for it failure to properly protect is users data. According to the Directorate General of Highways, it opened an investigation in to the company on February 4 and that probe found iRent had violated (違反) of the Personal Data Protection Act as well as other regulations related personal information security. The bureau, which operated under the transport ministry says it has fined the company 200,000 N-T for those violations. Meanwhile, the Taipei City Government has fined the platform's is operator, Ho Ing Mobility Service, 90,000 N-T for violating a city autonomous ordinance that regulates vehicle sharing services. The Taipei Department of Transport says it could also file a civil case against the company either under the Damages and Class Action of the Personal Data Protection Act or the Consumer Protection Act. **Ukraine President To Address Russia at Olympics ** Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to address a group of sports ministers meeting Friday to discuss Russian participation at next year’s Olympics. The International Olympic Committee is working on a plan to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes who have not actively supported the war to enter qualifying events (排位賽) for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris despite the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. As Ukraine pushes for Russian athletes to be barred and threats of a boycott mount, officials from 30 countries planned the summit to discuss how to respond. Zelenskyy has previously said any neutral flag for Russia would be “stained with blood.” He is due to address the online summit by video link. **US Biden Rally in Florida ** The US president holds a rally in Florida. AP correspondent Shelley Adler reports. **Twitter Fails to Provide EU Report on Combating Misinformation ** Twitter has failed to provide a full report to the European Union on its efforts to combat online disinformation, drawing a rebuke from top officials of the 27-nation bloc. The company signed up to the EU’s voluntary 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation last year — before billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk bought the social media platform. Under the code, online platforms including Google, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram parent Meta agreed to commit to measures (措施) aimed at reducing disinformation. They filed their first “baseline” reports last month showing how they’re living up to their promises. All who signed up to the code submitted complete reports except Twitter. Twitter didn't respond immediately to a request for comment Thursday. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 28-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,590 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Wednesday to close more than 1.4 percent higher, as investors were buoyed (受鼓舞) by a rally on Wall Street overnight on the back of further signals that the U-S Federal Reserve may ease off on its interest rate hikes. The bellwether electronics sector attracted a majority of investor attention to drive the gains throughout the session, while old economy and financial stocks closed the trading day day mixed. **KMT Vice Chairman Arrives in China ** K-M-T Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia has arrived in China for a multi-city 10-day visit. Hsia is being accompanied by K-M-T Mainland Affairs Department head Lin Zu-jia and National Policy Foundation members Gao Si-bo and Zhao Chun-shan. Speaking to reporters at Taoyuan International Airport prior to boarding a flight to Beijing, Hsia described the trip as being "apolitical" (非政治的) in nature and said it's aimed at looking after the welfare of Taiwanese living and working in China. According to Hsia, although he's not authorized to engage in any form of political negotiations or consultations in China, he still believes that trip will help improve understanding and dialogue across the strait. **Jeremy Lin Introduced as Member of Plus League Kaohsiung 17 Live Steelers ** Jeremy Lin has made his first public appearance since arriving here to play for the Plus League Kaohsiung 17 Live Steelers. Speaking at a press conference at which he was introduced as the latest member of the Steelers team, Lin said coming to Taiwan will give him a chance to rediscover "(重新發現) his passion for the game." According to Lin, he hasn't felt the passion for basketball for a long time - so he decided to join the Steelers, and he's really looking forward to the first game to "return to an environment with fans." Lin is expected to make his Steelers' debut on February 12, when the team plays the Formosa Taishin Dreamers. **US Walmart Shooter Pleads Guilty ** The man accused of killing 23 people at a Texas Walmart has pleaded guilty to federal hate crime and firearm charges. Toni Waterman has more from Texas. **SKorea Minister Impeached for Itaewon Crush ** South Korea’s opposition-controlled parliament has impeached Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, holding him responsible for government failures in disaster planning and the response that likely worsened (使惡化) a crowd crush that killed nearly 160 people in October. The impeachment Wednesday suspends Lee from his duties and the Constitutional Court has 180 days to rule on whether to formally unseat him or reinstate him to his job. He's a key ally of the president, whose office accused opposition lawmakers of abandoning legislative principles and creating “shameful history.” An investigation found police and public officials failed to use meaningful crowd control measures and ignored calls about the huge crowds in the Itaewon nightlife district hours before the deadly crush. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 137-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,538 on turnover of 4.2-billion N-T. The market closed little changed on Tuesday after moving in a narrow range throughout the session ahead of a scheduled speech by U-S Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Investor interest in the bellwether electronics sector, especially large-cap semiconductor stocks, was muted (淡漠的), but old economy stocks in the biotech and tourism sectors got a boost from rotational buying to lend support to the broader market. **Premier Calls for Increase in Coronavirus Vaccination Rate ** Premier Chen Chien-jen is calling on the Central Epidemic Command Center to step up efforts to increase the coronavirus vaccination rate among the island's elderly population. According to Chen, the center needs to work more closely with local governments to boost vaccination rates among the elderly and those at higher risk of severe illness from the virus. The statement comes after health authorities released data showing that first booster shot coverage rate stands at 76.3-per cent, but second booster shot coverage is only at 22.4-per cent. The epidemic command center has repeatedly (反复) warned that the majority of people aged 65 years or older who have died from the coronavirus were either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated against the disease. **Government Increases Donation to Turkey to US$2 million ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the government has increased its donation to Turkey to 2-million U-S following Monday's magnitude-7.8 earthquake. The government made a pledge of 200,000 U-S dollars in the immediate aftermath (後果) of the quake. According the foreign ministry, it chose to increase the donation after damage reports from areas devastated by the earthquake began to come in and as the death toll continues to rise. **NKorea Touts Military Strength ** North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lauded the “limitless strength” of his nuclear-armed military as he visited troops with his daughter to mark the 75th founding anniversary of his army. That's according to a state media account of his visit and its description of a speech Kim gave to encourage his troops. There have been signs North Korea is preparing to hold a massive (大量的) military parade, which could take place later today. The event could showcase the latest hardware of a growing nuclear weapons program that stokes the concern of North Korea's neighbors and the United States. **Google to Launch AI Chatbot ** Google has announced that it plans to launch a rival to the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT in the coming weeks. The tech giant has faced questions about whether its core (最重要的部分) search product will remain relevant given recent advances in AI technology. Silicon Valley correspondent Ira Spitzer reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 16-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,376 on turnover of 2.3-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex followed most other regional markets and lost ground on Monday, as investors were concerned that strong U-S jobs data could result in more interest rate hikes by America's central bank to cool inflation. **MAC Warning on China Visits ** The Mainland Affairs Council says any politicians choosing to visit China must reflect the will of Taiwan to maintain democracy and peace. The statement comes after the K-M-T announced that Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia will be traveling to China from February 8 through 17. According to the council, it has received notice of the trip from the K-M-T - but is stressing that any cross-strait exchange must be based on the principles of reciprocity (互惠) and dignity. The council says visiting politicians must also promote mutual understanding and cannot unilaterally agree to any political prerequisites or desired outcomes, while also voicing their opposition to the use of force to resolve cross-strait issues. **Government Donates US$200,000 to Turkey Following Earthquake ** And, The government has pledged to donate 200,000 U-S dollars to Turkey after the country was struck by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. According to the foreign ministry's Department of West Asian and African Affairs, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has conveyed his condolences (哀悼) to Turkey's representative in Taiwan on behalf of of the government Department head Anthony Ho says the 200,000 U-S dollars in funds will be used for disaster relief. **Syria Calls on UN to Help with Earthquake Rescue ** War-ravaged Syria is calling on the United Nations and all member states to help with rescue efforts, health services, shelter and food aid. That's following a massive earthquake that killed thousands in Syria and Turkey. The quake-damaged area in Syria is divided between government-held territory and the country’s last rebel-held enclave (飛地，被包圍在另外一個國家境內). Syria’s U.N. ambassador was asked by reporters whether Syria would allow the U.N. to deliver aid through other crossing points from Turkey. He didn’t respond directly, but said the government is ready to help and coordinate aid deliveries “to all Syrians in all territory of Syria. **US Ohio Toxic Leak Containment Continues ** Workers are dealing with an Ohio train derailment (出軌) involving toxic chemicals. APcorrespondent Norman Hall reports. **Spain PM Urges EU to Reindustrialize ** Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is urging the European Union to “reindustrialize” to end its dependence on energy, microchips and food from outside the bloc. On Monday, he called on the 27 EU nations to learn the lessons of shortages provoked (刺激、引起) by the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine. Sanchez announced that a joint research project with 25 EU countries would analyze reliance on other nations for energy, food, health and technology. The speech was given to outline Spain's policy priorities before assuming the rotating presidency of the EU council during the second half of 2023. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 87-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,514 on turnover of 3.5-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Friday as large-cap semiconductor stocks recovered from early losses on the back of ample liquidity, which offset the impact of disappointing results reported by some major tech companies on Wall street. While old-economy and financial stocks were weak as investors awaited the release of U-S jobs data for more clues about the state of the world's largest economy in the wake of (在之後) the current rate hike cycle. **Johnny Chiang Leading Delegation in UK for CPTPP Bid ** Members of legislative delegation are visiting the U-K this week in an attempt to boost support for Taiwan's bid to the join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The delegation is being led by K-M-T lawmaker Johnny Chiang, who heads the Taiwan-UK Inter-parliamentary Amity Association. The groups also includes K-M-T lawmaker Ma Wen-chun, Wen Yu-hsia, Wu Si-huai, Sandy Yu and Wu Yi-ding. Taiwan's Representative Office in London says it has also organized a series of (一系列) meetings. Those meetings include talks with several British think tanks, business representatives and the heads of the House of Commons' foreign affairs and defense committees. **Injuries Reported at Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival ** Emergency service personnel in Tainan say 12 people sustained injuries during last night's Beehive Fireworks Festival in the city's Yanshui District. Sunday was the conclusion to two-day event that see thousand of people packing the streets as fireworks are launched from palanquins (轎子). Officials say of the 12 injuries, one included a man who suffered multiple burns to some 37-per cent body after failing to wear proper protective gear, while another was a 13-year-old boy who was hit in the left eye by a firecracker. Both of them remain hospitalized. **US Gov Bickers Over Biden Balloon Response ** There is political bickering (爭吵) in Washington over the Biden administration’s response to the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down on Saturday. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. ((opens with actuality)) **Pope Planning India Visit Next Year ** Pope Francis is planning to visit India next year and is studying a possible trip to Mongolia later this year. Francis outlined his upcoming travel schedule during his flight back to Rome from South Sudan. The pope also confirmed that he would be in Lisbon, Portugal for World Youth Day the first week of August and in Marseille, France on Sept. 23. Francis spoke to reporters after a six-day visit to Congo and South Sudan, where he was joined in the South Sudanese capital by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the moderator of the Church of Scotland. The Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian leaders made a joint (聯合的) visit to push South Sudan’s political leaders to make progress on implementing a stalled 2018 peace accord that ended a civil war following the country’s 2011 independence from Sudan. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 3.2-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,592 on turnover of $3.95-billion N-T. The market continued to gain ground on Thursday from the session earlier, as investors reacted positively to the U-S Federal Reserve announcing that America's economy is moving toward lower inflation. The semiconductor sectors attracted strong buying, as foreign institutional investors continued to move funds into the region, which is expected to have positive effect on the local main board for the near future. **NT$6,000 Tax rebate to be Accessible at Most ATMs ** The Ministry for Digital Affairs says the government's planned one-off 6,000 N-T tax rebate payment will be available via most ATMs. According to the ministry, some 80-per cent of the ATMs islandwide will provide access to the payment. And the ministry says it is currently working on ways to directly deposit the funds into the bank or post office accounts without the need for recipients (領受者) to register first. **Traffic Control Plan for Wuling Farm's Cherry Blossom Season ** Police in Taichung say traffic control measures will be implemented for the cherry blossom season of Wuling Farm in the city's Heping District. The cherry blossom season begins next Tuesday. According to police, the daily number of visitors to the farm will be capped (限制) at 6,000 during the 22-day season. People will only be allowed to enter the farm run by the Veteran Affairs Council with a pass issued to those who have made a booking. The passes are issued to tour groups, people who have booked accommodation on the farm, and individual visitors who have purchased bus tickets bundled with tickets to the farm. Visitors are being encouraged to use public transport. **US: Chinese Spy Balloon Spotted ** The Pentagon says a Chinese spy balloon spotted over Western US. AP's Lisa Dwyer has details. **Guyana Death Sentence for Piracy Attacks ** A Guyanese court has handed down death sentences for two men found guilty of high seas piracy attacks that killed seven fishermen off the nation’s coast in 2018. Authorities say the men were found guilty of attacking a group of fishing vessels in waters near Suriname in a turf row over fishing grounds. Seven fishermen perished (滅亡), while about a dozen others were rescued after drifting on the waters for days. The men can appeal the ruling to the local court of appeals and also to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice, which is the final court for Guyana. **Brazil Bolsonaro Elections Plot Controversy Continues ** A Brazilian magazine has released audio of a senator claiming then President Jair Bolsonaro sought help in a plot to annul the October elections and keep himself in power. In the recording, Sen. Marcos do Val tells the magazine Veja that the idea was discussed at a meeting Dec. 9, three weeks before leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was set to take office. Veja released the audio after the senator issued denials following the magazine’s report Thursday morning about the purported (據稱) plot, which had not cited him as its source. Bolsonaro is already under investigation following the Jan. 8 riot in the capital by his supporters. He is in Florida and did not comment on any of his social media channels. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 88-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,508 on turnover of 4.4-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Wednesday following a slump the previous session - as buying was triggered by gains on Wall Street overnight. And the bellwether electronics sector was boosted by late-session buying, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in investor in focus as foreign institutional investors continue to move funds into the region. **Pavel Defends Phone Call with Tsai ** Czech Republic President-elect Petr Pavel is defending his decision to talk with President Tsai Ing-wen by telephone following his election victory. China lodged formal objections to the phone call. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters earlier this week Pavel's actions "persisted (堅持) in stepping on China's red line, seriously interfering in China's domestic affairs and hurting the feelings of the Chinese people." In a Czech-language tweet, Pavel said he understood that China had "reservations" about the phone call - but the Czech Republic is a "sovereign country and we do what we think is right." Pavel will assume the presidency in March. **CECC to Lift Coronavirus Testing for Overseas Arrivals from February 7 ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says overseas arrivals (到達的人) observing the seven-day self-health monitoring period will no longer be required to take coronavirus rapid tests from February 7. From next Tuesday, all arrivals will only be given a single at-home rapid test kit, instead of the current four. Under the new rules, arrivals will only need to take an at-home rapid test if they develop suspected symptoms during the self-health monitoring period. **US Philippines Officials to Discuss Military Cooperation ** US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has arrived in the Philippines where he will meet with the country's president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. They are expected to discuss expanding US access to military bases in the country, which would help Washington counter Chinese influence in the region. The two countries have been working on the defense agreement for almost a decade (十年) but have made little progress so far, as FSN's Nick Harper reports from Washington **Brazil Officials Reelected by Lawmakers ** Brazilian lawmakers have voted to reelect the heads of both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, bolstering President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s prospects for passing legislation and governing in the polarized nation. Chamber Speaker Arthur Lira won in the biggest landslide since Brazil returned to democracy almost four decades ago, with 91% of the votes. Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco secured victory with a sizeable margin, outdoing analysts’ expectations for a tight contest and even possible upset by his challenger. The two congressional leaders set the daily agenda for proceedings, choosing which bills are put up for debate and vote, and they have the power to greenlight congressional investigations. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Government Talks Up Idea of Tsai -Pavel Meeting CECC Set to Relax Indoor Face Mask Mandate PLA February 1 incursions United Nations warning about Myanmar Farewell, Boeing 747! Alec Baldwin charged with involuntary nanslaughter

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 75-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,419 on turnover of $3.6-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan lost some momentum after a strong opening yesterday, as Wall Street stocks also trended lower overnight. Investors are now reserved as they await announcements this week from the U.S Fed, as well as other key economic indicators. **China's partial lifting of import ban on Taiwan a political move ** China has lifted its ban on 63 products from Taiwanese food and beverage producers, which was imposed in December 2022. The lifting of the ban enables Taiwanese companies making the 63 items, including Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc., to export those products to China, effective from last Saturday, January 28th. The head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, Chiu Tai-san, has called the lifting of the ban a "political maneuver" (政治花招), as it violates international trade practices. Chiu says China's import ban on Taiwanese beverage suppliers in early December violated international trade practices, and that the lifting of the ban on some of their items on Sunday was politically motivated. **Free Taiwan Lantern Festival lanterns up for grabs from February 1st ** 80,000 Year-of-the-Rabbit-themed lanterns are to be made available to the public tomorrow. The 2023 rabbit light can held like a traditional lantern, or reassembled (重新組裝) into a luminous rabbit ear ornament and worn as a hat. The Taipei City government's Department of Civil Affairs says members of the public would be able to place preorders for 10,500 of the free lanterns via the festival's official website and TaipeiPASS app, starting from 10 AM tomorrow. **France Rail Operator Recommends Staying Home Amid Strikes ** France’s national rail operator is recommending that passengers stay home if possible today to avoid labor strikes. The strikes over pensions are expected to cause major transport woes but largely spare high-speed rail links to Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Labor unions mobilized massive street protests in an initial salvo (行動的第一炮) of nationwide strikes earlier this month. They're hoping for similar success Tuesday to maintain pressure on government plans to raise France’s retirement age. Rail operator SNCF warned that major network disruptions are expected from Monday night to Wednesday morning. It recommended passengers cancel or postpone trips and work remotely if possible. **US Biden to End COVID19 Controls ** US President Joe Biden is going to end the nation's coronavirus emergencies. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **Emirates Tests Boeing 777 on Sustainable Fuel ** Long-haul carrier Emirates has successfully flown a Boeing 777 on a test flight with one of its two engines entirely powered by so-called sustainable fuel. The flight lasted just under an hour over the coastline of the United Arab Emirates, after it took off from Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel. The fuel powered one of the Boeing’s two General Electric Co. engines, with the other running on conventional (傳統的) jet fuel for safety. Emirates described the sustainable fuel as a blend that includes compounds from plant-based sugars, and vegetable oils and animal fats. Those fuels reduce the release of carbon dioxide, but analysts suggest sustainable fuels can be three times or more the cost of jet fuel. It wasn't immediately clear how much the fuel used in the Emirates' test today cost per barrel. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 359-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,291 on turnover of $15.8-billion N-T. The Taiex opened strong today as the island returned after a long Lunar New Year holiday. Shares surged following a steep (急劇的)rise on Wall Street, let by tech stocks over the 10-day break, and Taiwan tech stocks followed suite, led by shares in semiconductors. **Legislative speaker You to attend U.S. National Prayer Breakfast ** Legislative speaker Yo Xi-kun will travel to the United States on Tuesday to speak at a summit on religious freedom and attend the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast. Yo would depart for the U.S. tomorrow and deliver a speech on Wednesday at the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit in Washington, D.C. Yo will then attend the Prayer Breakfast, an annual gathering of political and religious leaders in Washington, on Thursday, before taking a flight home from New York the next day. He had originally planned a nine-day visit to the U.S., but condensed (壓縮) his schedule due to domestic political factors, including the swearing in of a new Cabinet and the Legislature's review of a proposal to distribute surplus tax revenue to the public. The Legislature's new session will begin on Wednesday. **Iran Says Drone Attack Targets Defense Factory ** Bomb-carrying drones targeted (把…作為攻擊目標) an Iranian defense factory, amid heightened tensions in the Islamic Republic. AP correspondent Sarah Naffa reports. **Pakistan Road Accidents ** A passenger bus has fallen off a bridge and caught fire, killing 40 people in the crash in southern Pakistan. A government official in the town of Bela said the bus was speeding when it crashed into a pillar (柱子) and fell off the bridge Sunday. Four survivors are being treated in a hospital for their injuries. Separately, in Pakistan's northwest, at least 10 children died in a boating capsizing Sunday while they were on a picnic. Local police said the boat apparently overturned because it was too crowded. **Turkey May Approve Finland NATO Application ** Turkey’s president has suggested his country might approve Finland’s application for NATO membership before taking any action on Sweden’s. The two Nordic nations applied jointly to become members of the military alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a prerecorded video released Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated Turkey might sign off on only Finland. Turkey has accused Sweden of being too lenient (寬容) toward groups it deems as terror organizations or existential threats. The Turkish government late Saturday issued a travel warning for European countries due to anti-Turkish demonstrations and what it described as Islamophobia. The warning came after pro-Kurdish groups held protests and an anti-Islam activist burned the Quran in Stockholm. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **2022 GDP Growth Falls Below Government Forecast. ** Taiwan's year-over-year G-D-P growth for 2022 fell below the government's forecast. According to the an advanced estimate by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, the island registered growth of 2.43-per cent last year. That fell short of the original forecast of 3.06-per cent. The government is attributing the disparity (差距) to aggressive rate hike cycles by the major central banks that resulted in weakening global demand and inventory adjustments in many industries. **Shuttle Bus Service for Taiwan Lantern Festival ** The Taipei City Government says two shuttle bus services will be provided for the up-coming Taiwan Lantern Festival in the capital for those wishing to travel to the event's separate sites. According to city officials, the shuttle buses services will cost 5 N-T per journey and will be connecting the four main display zones. Those zones will be located in Taipei's Xinyi District, the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall park, and Taipei City Hall plaza. Shuttle bus No. 1 will mainly run between the Taipei Metro Blue Line and Red Line, while shuttle bus No. 2 will operate between the Taipei Metro Red Line and Green Line. The Taipei M-R-T will be increasing services on the Red and Blue lines beginning February 1 - but the metro operator is considering allowing passengers to only board trains, any not alight (下車) at the Taipei City Hall and Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall stations. The 2023 Taiwan Lantern Festival runs from February 5th through 19th. **NZ Ardern Not Contesting Elections ** New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she will not contest (競選) this year’s general elections. Ardern told reporters that Feb. 7 will be her last day as the country’s leader. Ardern said she is leaving because she no longer has "enough in the tank" to do the job justice. Ardern has called New Zealand’s next general elections for Oct. 14. She says she will remain a lawmaker until then. **US Finalizing Ukraine Military Aid ** The U.S. is finalizing a massive (巨大的) package of military aid for Ukraine. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **UN Environment Chief Reelected ** The U.N. General Assembly has elected Inger Andersen of Denmark to a second four-year term as executive director of the United Nations Environment Program. Wednesday's vote came after the assembly rejected a Russian-sponsored resolution that would have opened the job to other candidates. The decision extends her leadership (領導) of the U.N.’s environment agency, based in Nairobi, Kenya, until June 14th, 2027. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex Loses Ground in Year of the Tiger ** The Tai-Ex rose marginally (稍微地，略微地) higher on Tuesday, as it closed out the Year of the Tiger above the 14,900 point mark. However, figures show the local main board fell by 2,741-points, or 15.51-per cent, during the Year of the Tiger. That represent a loss of 8.08-trillion N-T in market value for the 12-month period. The Tai-Ex's first trading day of the Year of the Rabbit will be on January 30. **People Likely to Get NT$6,000 Cash Handouts by Early March ** National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin says Taiwanese citizens and eligible foreign nationals could receive a one-off 6,000 N-T tax surplus cash payment by late February or early March. Speaking at a legislative committee hearing, Kung said chances that the payments will be made before the Lunar New Year holiday are slim, as the Cabinet's special budget plan is unlikely to be submitted to the Legislature in time. According to Kung, if the Cabinet finalizes the special budget plan on February 2, sends it to the Legislature for review a day later, and it's approved within a week, it is possible the payments could begin on February 28. The statements come as lawmakers from across party lines are urging the government to speed up the special budgeting process. **Reports Claim NHIA Data May Have been Sold to China ** Mirror Media magazine is reporting that data allegedly stolen from the National Health Insurance Administration could have been given to China. According to publication, retired administration chief secretary Yeh Feng-ming likely sold the information during numerous trips to China, as there is evidence that large amounts of money were remitted to family bank accounts following those trips. The report comes a week after the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office announced it opened an investigation into the leaking of private information about government officials responsible for national security affairs from the insurance administration. **UNSC: Russia Accuses Ukraine of Religious Persecution ** The United Nations Security Council held another meeting on Ukraine on Tuesday, to discuss allegations by Russia that Ukraine is attempting to "destroy" the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Jody Jacobs has more on that story… **EU Pushes Clean Tech Plan Forward ** The European Union is pushing forward with a major clean tech industrial plan that also guarantee the EU's economic survival as it faces challenges from China and the United States. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the outlines for her “Green Deal Industrial Plan” on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum at Davos. The plan will make it much easier to push through subsidies for green industries and pool EU-wide projects that are boosted with major funding. The EU is pursuing the goal of being climate neutral by 2050. Von der Leyen said that the 27-nation bloc will more forcefully counter unfair trading practices. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 4-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,922 on turnover of 1.1-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday, after Wall Street ended last week on a high note, despite other regional indexes ending the day in mixed territory ahead of the release of the latest economic growth figures from China. Today is the is the Tai-Ex's final trading day before the Lunar New Year holiday - and it will reopen on January 30. **Taiwan-US Trade Talks Continuing ** The second round of talks under the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade are set to wrap-up later today in Taipei. The talks began on Saturday. Taiwan's delegation is being led by Deputy Trade Representative Yang Zhen-ni, while the U-S delegation is being headed by Assistant United States Trade Representative Terry McCartin. The Office of Trade Negotiations has yet to release (發布) many details of the on-going talks - saying only it will hold a media briefing after the negotiations are concluded today. The first round of talks under the initiative took place in New York in November of last year. **Exports of Integrated Circuit Chips Continued to Increase in 2022 ** The Ministry of Finance says exports of integrated circuit chips continued to increase in 2022 - marking seven consecutive years of growth. Data shows that Taiwan's chip exports rose by 18.4-per cent last year from 2021 earlier - and that was third consecutive year that exports registered double-digit growth. Bloomberg News is citing Barclays economist Son Bum Ki as describing Taiwan as being "irreplaceable in the near-term in the semiconductor industry." Son told Bloomberg that Taiwan's success in the sector is due to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's dominance, which accounts for over 50-per cent of the global foundry (晶圓代工或晶圓專工) market and an even higher percentage of the cutting-edge chip segment. **US Top General visits training site for Ukrainian soldiers ** Ukrainian soldiers are taking part in a U.S. military’s training program. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **UK to Block Scottish Gender Change Law ** The British government says it will block a law designed to make it easier for people in Scotland to legally change their gender. Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said he was vetoing the bill approved by the Scottish parliament because of concern it conflicts with “Great Britain-wide equalities legislation” which guarantees women and girls access to single-sex spaces such as changing rooms and shelters. The Scottish bill allows people 16 or older to change the gender designation on their identity documents by self-declaration, removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria (性別不安). The Scottish government is likely to challenge Monday's decision at the U.K. Supreme Court. **Italy Top Mafia Fugitive Arrested ** Italy’s No. 1 fugitive has been arrested. The Mafia boss was grabbed while he sought treatment at a private clinic in Sicily after three decades on the run. Matteo Messina Denaro was tried in absentia ( 缺席判決) and convicted of dozens of murders, including helping to mastermind a pair of 1992 bombings that killed top anti-Mafia prosecutors. He faces multiple life sentences. He is expected to serve them in a maximum security prison and under the particularly restrictive conditions reserved for top organized crime bosses. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 71-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,895 on turnover of 3.5-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Friday, but faced stiff technical resistance ahead of 15,000 point mark. Friday's rise was led by a rally by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, which finished at or above the 500 N-T per share mark for the for the first time since August of last year. Tomorrow is the is the Tai-Ex's final trading day before the Lunar New Year holiday - and it will reopen on January 30 . **VP William Lai Elected as DPP Chairman ** Vice President William Lai has been elected the D-P-P's new chairman - after winning the party's uncontested (無競爭的) election. Lai won with 41,840 votes, or 99.65-per cent of the total cast. According to the D-P-P's Acting Secretary-General Sidney Lin, turnout for the ballot was 17.59-per cent. However, that was slightly higher than the D-P-P's party previous chair election in 2019, which stood at 16.9-per cent, when Zhuo Rong-tai was elected. Speaking after being formally announced the winner, Lai said will officially take up the post on Wednesday during a D-P-P central standing committee meeting. His tenure will run until May 20, 2024, when Taiwan's next president will be inaugurated. **43% of TRA Tickets for LNY Holiday Sold ** The Taiwan Railways Administration says some 43-per cent of tickets for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday have so far been sold. The rail operator is laying on a total of 499 additional train services to meet the expected increase in passenger volume over the holiday period. Those additional (額外的) trains will run until January 30. According to the railways administration, the additional train services mean that some 450,000 more seats will available - increasing capacity by 12-per cent from last year. Tickets for January 19, 20, 28, and 29 are sold out. But the rail network says tickets for other days of the Lunar New Year holiday are still available. **US Cali Preps for More Rain and Snow ** The US state of California is preparing for more rain and snow after a severe (嚴重) storm killed at least 19 people and left millions of others under a flood watch. Our US Correspondent Jagruti Dave reports. **Oxfam Recommends Solidarity Tax On Wealthiest ** Anti-poverty group Oxfam says companies making big profits as inflation surges (急遽上升) should face windfall taxes to help cut global inequality. That's one of the recommendations in a report the group released today as the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting of political and business elites gets underway in Davos. Oxfam also says that over the past two years, the world’s super-rich 1% have gained nearly twice as much wealth as the remaining 99% combined. Meanwhile, at least 1.7 billion workers live in countries where inflation is outpacing their wage growth. That's even as billionaire fortunes are rising by $2.7 billion a day. To combat these problems, Oxfam urged higher taxes on the rich, through a combination of measures including one-time “solidarity” taxes and raising minimum rates for the wealthiest. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 191-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,923 on turnover of $6.9-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Thursday after moving in a narrow range as investors remained cautious ahead of an investor conference by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The release of U-S December inflation data also dictated (決定) market movements with many investors taking to the sidelines, pushing down turnover. **Coronavirus Home Care Consultations to Focus on High-Risk Groups ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says remote medical consultation services provided to all coronavirus patients during home quarantine are to be restricted to high-risk groups only. Health officials say the move is aimed more effectively allocating (分配) health resources. Beginning Sunday, only individuals aged 65 or above and 12 years or below with severe underlying health issues will be able to use the service during their five-day mandatory quarantine. According to the epidemic command center, those individuals will be able to consult their doctors and receive regular health evaluations remotely during the period. Other existing home care measures for patients with mild and asymptomatic infections remain unchanged. That includes remote prescription of medicines and their home delivery. **Japan Formal Charges for Abe Shooter ** A lawyer says Japanese prosecutors are expected to formally charge the suspect in the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with murder today. Tetsuya Yamagami was arrested immediately after allegedly shooting Abe with a handmade gun as the former leader was making a campaign speech in July. His five-month mental evaluation ended Tuesday, and he was reportedly deemed fit to stand trial. Police say Yamagami told them that he killed Abe because of Abe’s apparent links to a religious group that he hated. In statements and social media posts, Yamagami blamed the Unification Church for bankrupting his family and ruining (毀壞) his life. One of his lawyers, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he expects prosecutors to charge Yamagami with murder and gun control law violations. **US Online Asylum System Launched ** From the US…. The Biden administration has launched (開始, 啟動) an online system for migrants on the Mexican border seeking asylum. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **Sweden Identifies Deposits of Rare Earth Elements ** A Swedish government-owned iron ore mining company says it has identified “significant deposits” of rare earth elements in Arctic Sweden that are essential for the manufacture of electric vehicles and wind turbines. LKAB's CEO said Thursday that the quantity of rare earth metals exceeds 1 million tons and is the largest known deposit of its kind in Europe. But the company warned that it could take at least a decade before mining starts. Sweden's energy and business minister said that the European Union's “self-sufficiency (自給自足) and independence from Russia and China will begin in the mine.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,781 on turnover of $1.7-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Wednesday as selling focused on tech and financial stocks, which pushed the market lower after it gave up early gains. Investor sentiment has turned cautious after rally earlier this week, amid increasing concerns over a major pullback ahead of stiff technical resistance at around the 15,000-point mark. While many investors are opting to pocket profits ahead of the upcoming long Lunar New Year holiday. **Presidential Office Rules Out 'Immediate' Cabinet Reshuffle ** The Presidential Office says discussions on a possible Cabinet reshuffle will only take place after the end of the current legislative session. The statement comes amid reports Premier Su Tseng-chang is set to resign this week. According to the Presidential Office, Su and President Tsai Ing-wen have agreed to wait until the conclusion of the current legislative session before they begin discussions on a reshuffle. There has been speculation a reshuffle would be announced this week in response to the D-P-P's loses in November's local elections. However, a Presidential Office spokesperson says the President and the Premier have decided to hold off on any changes in order to focus on getting the central government's 2023 budget approved by the Legislature. The current legislative session is scheduled to end tomorrow. **US 2nd Batch of Classified Docs Found by Biden Aides ** Aides working for US President Joe Biden have found a second set of classified documents. This latest collection was found in a different, but so far undisclosed, location to the batch of documents that was disclosed on Monday. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Afghanistan Kabul Explosion Kills Five ** A police spokesman in Kabul says an explosion near the Foreign Ministry in the Afghan capital has killed five civilians and wounded a number of others. It is the second prominent attack in Kabul so far this year. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan has stepped up its attacks since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of the country’s Shiite minority. **Mexico President Praises Canada Investments ** Mexico’s president has lauded (稱讚) investments from Canada and says he will meet with Canadian companies that may have a problem with his energy policies. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador commented Wednesday after a private meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Their session came on the heels of the North American Leaders’ Summit a day earlier in which U.S. President Joe Biden also participated. The United States and Canada accuse Lopez Obrador of trying to favor Mexico’s state-owned utility over power plants built by foreign and private investors, something that is forbidden under the three countries’ free trade pact. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 20-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,822 on turnover of 1.9-billion N-T. The market continued to gain ground on Tuesday -- extending momentum from a session earlier, as the bellwether electronics sector continued to be the focus of investor interest. However, turnover for the session stood at 177-billion N-T - and that was a sharp decline from Monday's 225-billion N-T - as many investors were wary of a major technical pullback from the strong showing on the first trading day of the week. Climate Law and 2050 Net Zero Goal Passed Final Reading Lawmaker have passed a sweeping climate bill that seeks to establish a carbon fee system for large emitters and sets a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. The Climate Change Response Act was initially (起初，最初) approved by the Cabinet in April of last year. The final approved version of the act establishes a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The effort will be led by the National Council for Sustainable Development, which will coordinate with central government agencies and other stakeholders to draft climate "action plans." Under the Act, those plans will be reviewed a minimum of every four years and be implemented by local governments. **Taiwan and Japan to Resume Fisheries Meeting ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Taiwan and Japan are scheduled to resume annual fisheries talks later this month. The Taiwan-Japan Fishery Committee has not met since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic related travel restrictions. Both sides agreed the meetings needed to be held in a face-to-face format. According to the foreign ministry, the upcoming discussions will focus on resolve fisheries-related disputes between the two sides in overlapping (重疊) waters. The talks will be taking place in Tokyo. **US Trump CFO Sentenced to Jail Tim ** Former President Donald Trump's long-time chief financial officer has been sentenced to five months in prison. A New York judge jailed him for his role in a tax fraud scheme (詭計，計劃,) related to the Trump Organization. Jody Jacobs reports… **China Embassy Stops Issuing Visas for SKoreans and Japanese ** Chinese embassies stopped issuing new visas for South Koreans and Japanese in apparent retaliation for COVID-19 measures imposed by those countries on travelers from China. The embassies in Tokyo and Seoul announced the suspensions in brief online notices. The Seoul notice said the ban would continue until South Korea lifts its “discriminatory entry measures” against China. China’s Foreign Ministry threatened countermeasures (對策，應對措施) last week against countries that had announced new virus testing requirements. Officials in the countries that did so expressed concern about a lack of information about the Chinese outbreak. **Greece Former King Obit ** The former and last king of Greece has died at the age of 82. Doctors at a private hospital in Athens said Constantine died after treatment in an intensive care unit but had no further details. Constantine won an Olympic gold medal before entering politics in the 1960s as king and spent decades in exile (流放，流亡). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,796 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market added 378-points on Monday to breach (沖破) the 14,700-point mark, as buying was sparked by a rally on Wall Street at the end of last week on the back of eased concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle. The electronics sector led the upturn, as large cap semiconductor stocks were in focus amid an inflow of foreign funds, while buying also spread to the finance and old economy sectors, to push the main board higher. **Visiting Paraguayan Speaker Hopes Taiwan Ties Continue ** The visiting speaker of Paraguay's lower house is expressing his hope that Asuncion's diplomatic ties with Taiwan will continue and be supported by its people. Carlos Maria Lopez is heading a delegation of lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties for a five-day visit. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Lopez expressed his gratitude on behalf of his government toward Taiwan and said he sincerely hopes that the two sides' long-term diplomatic ties will be strengthened in years to come. That statement comes after a candidate running in Paraguay's April presidential election said he will sever ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing if elected. **Almost One in Five Arrivals from China has Coronavirus ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says some 19-per cent all arrivals from China have tested positive for the coronavirus since January 1 - the day testing of passengers from China began after Beijing ended its "zero COVID" policy. Health officials say the figure is comparable to that of other countries also testing arrivals from China. According to center head Victor Wang, a total of 8,259 passengers have arrived on direct flights from China over the first seven days of this month - and of that figure 1,571 of them tested positive for the coronavirus. Samples taken for genome sequencing show that 66-per cent of the passengers were infected with the Omicron BA.5 subvariant, while 34-per cent had the Omicron BF.7 subvariant. **US DOJ Reviewing Documents at Old Biden Office ** The US Justice Department is investigating the discovery of potentially (可能地) classified documents at an old office space used by President Joe Biden. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. **UN Security Council Votes to Keep Turkey Syria Crossing Open ** The U.N. Security Council has voted unanimously to keep key a border crossing from Turkey to Syria’s rebel-held northwest open for critical aid deliveries for another six months. Russia, whose support had been in doubt, joined in Monday’s 15-0 vote. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had warned that the already dire (危急的、嚴重的) humanitarian situation in Syria is worsening, and said if aid deliveries from Turkey to northwest Idlib aren’t renewed millions of Syrians might not survive the winter. Guterres said deliveries have increased across conflict lines within the country. But he said they cannot substitute for “the size or scope of the massive cross-border United Nations operation.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 131-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,504 on turnover of 3.9-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Friday as buying reemerged (重新出現) in the bellwether electronics sector, helping the main board recoup early losses on the back of a decline on Wall Street. However, turnover remained thin with many investors still opted to stay on the sidelines, awaiting upcoming December U-S non-farm payroll data. **Paraguay's Lower House Speaker Arrives in Taiwan for 5-Day Visit ** The President of the Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies Carlos Maria Lopez has arrived in Taiwan for a five-day visit. Lopez is meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen today. According to the Presidential Office, Lopez showed strong support for Taiwan during heightened (提高、增強) cross-strait tensions last August, when China held live-fire military exercises in areas around Taiwan. It's the first time that Lopez has visited Taiwan in his capacity as Paraguay's lower house speaker. Lopez is heading a parliamentary delegation that includes the chair of the committee on national defense, security and intelligence; the head of the committee on social development and housing; and the chair of the committee on childhood and youth development. **Lawmakers Invited to Join International Parliamentary Group ** D-P-P lawmaker Fan Yun says she and another lawmaker have been invited by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China to join the group and its decision-making body. According to Fan, she and Zhang Qi-lu from the Taiwan People's Party were invited to become the first Taiwanese members of I-PAC and co-chair the island's representation in the alliance. Fan says she will help about 40 "like-minded" Taiwanese lawmakers who have applied to participate in the group to secure ( 取得) membership, seeking a collective voice for Taiwan over issues regarding China. **Brazil Gov Buildings Back Under Contorl ** Authorities have reestablished control of Brazilian government buildings in the capital several hours after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro who refuse to accept his electoral defeat stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and presidential palace. The action was a week after the inauguration of his leftist rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The demonstrators bypassed security barricades, climbed on roofs, broke windows and invaded the buildings that were believed to be largely vacant on a Sunday. The country's justice minister said roughly 200 people had been arrested. Lula accused Bolsonaro of encouraging the uprising, while the former president said peaceful protest was part of democracy but vandalism and invasion of public buildings were “exceptions to the rule.” **US Speaker Now Faces Divided House ** Newly-elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is about to face his next big test with a divided House of Representatives -- that’s passing a rules package to govern the chamber. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 23-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,279, on turnover of $2-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday, following a rally on Wall Street overnight as investors assessed minutes from the U-S Federal Reserve's latest policymaking meeting and welcomed encouraging data on American jobs. **Fraud Rings Now Targeting Victims with NT$6,000 Rebate in Telephone Scams ** The Cabinet is warning people that fraud rings are now using the government's planned 6,000 N-T lump-sum tax surplus rebate in telephone scams. Officials says people have been receiving text messages claiming to be from the Ministry of Digital Affairs telling recipient to open an included link to redeem (贖回) their payment. According to Cabinet Spokesman Luo Bing-cheng, the government will not use text messages to inform the public of how to apply for and how to receive payments into their bank accounts. Luo says the Cabinet has ordered the National Police Agency to investigate all such telephone scams and to establish a series of preventive measures to ensure that members of the public are protected against fraud. The government says those who receive any text messages related to the lump-sum tax surplus rebate claiming to be from a government agency to call the 165 fraud prevention hotline. **Lunar New Year New Bank Note Exchange to Begin on January 13 ** The central bank says members of the public will be able to exchange old bills for fresh bank notes in the run up to the Lunar New Year. Old bills can be exchanged for new ones from January 13 through 19 at designated (指定的) branches of eight local financial institutions. The central bank says as demand is highest for 100 N-T bills, each individual will be allowed to exchange a maximum of 100 notes - while the supply of notes with other values will also be limited. According to central bank governor Yang Jin-long, between 3 and 4 billion N-T is allocated annually to print new bills. The central bank is also urging the public to consider using virtual transactions during the New Year. **US House Speaker Election now Longest ** The saga to vote in the next Speaker of the US House of Representatives continues - breaking records last set almost 165 years ago. Republican Kevin McCarthy has now lost 11 rounds of voting over three days - despite making major concessions (讓步) to the group of hardliners in his party voting against him. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Pakistan Attack Against Polio Vax Team ** Pakistani police say attackers armed with guns and hand grenades ambushed a police van assigned to guard polio workers in the country's northwest, wounding five officers. Police say they returned fire after coming under attack near a bridge on Thursday in a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. No group claimed responsibility for the attack but Islamic militants often target polio teams and police protecting them. They falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize (使絕育) children. The latest anti-polio campaign started this week in northwestern Pakistan and is the first in 2023. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 85-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,285 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday, as investor sentiment was hit by lingering concerns over a possible recession (經濟衰退) as major central banks around the world are continuing aggressive rate hikes. Buying rotated to the financial sector throughout much of the trading day, providing some support to the broader market to offset losses suffered by select large tech stocks, in particular those in the semiconductor industry. **Living Allowances for Disadvantaged Families Extended Through 2023 ** The Cabinet has extend the monthly living allowance of 750 N-T and 500 N-T for individuals in low income and middle-to-low income households for an additional year until the end of 2023. According to the Cabinet, the Ministry of Health will coordinate with local authorities to ensure eligible (有資格的) recipients receive the allowance for January before the Lunar New Year holiday. The living allowance plan is part of the government's coronavirus relief measures. A monthly cash payment of 750 N-T is given to those in low-income households and 500 N-T is given to individuals in middle-to-low income households. Those payments are on top of any existing allowances covering education, health insurance, housing and other related expenses. **Former NATO Head Touts Visit as a "Show of Support for Taiwan" ** Former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says his visit to Taiwan this week is a show of "strong support" for the island's self-determination and democracy. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Rasmussen said he's in Taiwan to show his support for the island's rights to decide the future of Taiwan for itself and to show support for its right to "exist (存在) in freedom and peace." The former NATO head arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday for a three-day trip and is visiting in his capacity as the founder of the Denmark-based Alliance of Democracies Foundation. **US McCarthy Loses 6th US Speaker Vote ** After six rounds of voting the US House of Representatives has still not agreed on a new House Speaker. Republican Kevin McCarthy has been repeatedly (反复) blocked from winning the majority of the votes by a group of hardliners (強硬派) in his own party. It's the first time in a hundred that the House has been unable to elect a Speaker. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Australia to Buy US Missile and Rocket Systems ** Australia announced Thursday it will boost its defense capabilities by buying advanced missile and rocket systems. The purchase includes U.S.-made HIMARS which have been successfully used by Ukraine’s military. The Australian government said the HIMARS it was buying included launchers, missiles and training rockets and would be in use by 2026. It said the system had a range of 300 kilometers, which may improve (提升、改進)with technological advances. It also signed a contract with Norway-based Kongsberg to buy new missiles for navy destroyers and frigates. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 37-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,186 on turnover of 1.9-billion N-T. The market bounced back from early losses on Tuesday, to close the first trading session of 2023 in positive territory, but turnover remained thin amid investor worries over a possible global recession this year. The bellwether electronics sector led the rebound, while old economy and new energy sector stocks also attracted buying on the back of government efforts to push renewable power development. **Tainan City Council Speaker Questioned in Vote-Buying Probe ** Newly-elected Tainan City Council Speaker Qiu Li-li has been questioned in connection with an investigation into vote buying. According to the Tainan District Prosecutors' Office, Qiu was questioned after authorities searched her residence and over 20 other locations. Those locations included the homes of Deputy Speaker Lin Zhi-zhan as well as city councilors Li Wen-chun, Zhang Shi-xian and Li Zhen-guo. Prosecutors says they opened the investigation into allegations of electoral manipulation after receiving a tip-off in November. Qiu beat incumbent Speaker Guo Hsin-liang in a vote on December 25 after in which Li Wen-chun, Zhang Shi-xian and Li Zhen-guo all broke party ranks with the K-M-T to back the D-P-P nominee. Reports at the time speculated that the three then-KMT councilors had been bribed. **Eslite to Close 24-hour Branch in Taipei's Xinyi District in December ** Eslite has confirmed that its 24-hour branch in Taipei's Xinyi District will close its doors in December. According to the bookstore chain, the pending (待辦的) closure comes after it failed to convince its landlord to extend the existing lease. Eslite says it will continue to promote (推廣) culture and humanities in Taiwan and provide a 24-hour service - and there is speculation that its nearby Songyan store will become Eslite's and Taiwan's only 24-hour bookstore. However, there has been no official confirmation of those reports. The Xinyi store first opened 24-hours a day in mid-2020 after the Eslite Dunnan store was closed. **China Criticizes COVID19 Requirements on Travelers ** The Chinese government has sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements being imposed on visitors from China and threatening countermeasures against countries involved. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a daily briefing Tuesday that China believes the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting passengers from China lack scientific basis. China abruptly (突然) eased strict anti-virus measures in December, leading to a surge in cases. Countries including the U.S., U.K., India, Japan and several European nations have announced tougher measures on travelers from China. Many are worried about a lack of data from China and fear that new variants may spread. **NYC Machete Attacker to be Arraigned ** The 19-year-old accused on attacking 3 police officers with a machete near Times Square on New Years Eve is expected to be arraigned (傳訊) tomorrow, meanwhile his mother reached out to police last month to express concerns about him. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. ((No Excerpting Sound)) That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 30-points this morning from last Friday's close, at 14,108 on turnover of $1.8-billion N-T. The market gained ground last Friday, on the final trading day of 2022, closing up 52.67-points, but turnover remained weak as foreign institutional investors were away for the seasonal holiday period. The Tai-Ex closed the year at 14,138-points, and that was down 22.4-per cent from the end of 2021, pushing down market capitalization to 44-trillion N-T. Data shows the local main board for whole of 2022 slumped on the back of geopolitical tensions, aggressive interest rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve and weaker demand in the electronics sector in the second half of the year. **New Round of Reservations for Coronavirus Vaccines to Begin in Taipei ** The Taipei Department of Health says those wishing to get a coronavirus vaccine can now make an appointment. The new round of reservations for the 73,000 available doses is now open through 9PM Friday on Taipei's vaccination reservation system. City health officials say the shots to be administered from between January 9-th and 15-th. Among the vaccines available will be the Pfizer-BioNTech shot for children aged from six months to 11 years old and for people aged 12 and older and the Novavax vaccine for people 12 years and older. The Moderna vaccines available will be the standard vaccine for people aged six months to 11 years old and the bivalent vaccines offered as a booster against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants for children aged six to 11 years old and those aged 12 and older. **US Divided Congress to Begin New Session ** A new session of the US Congress will begin on Tuesday with a return of a divided government. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **German Village Scuffles Over Mine Expansion ** Scuffles have broken out outside a village in western Germany that is to be razed to allow the expansion of a coal mine. German news agency dpa reported that activists on Monday threw fireworks, bottles and stones at police outside the village of Luetzerath before the situation calmed down and officers pulled back. Protesters previously had set up a burning barricade (路障), and one glued his hand to the access road. The hamlet is to be demolished to expand the Garzweiler lignite mine. Activists have been living in houses abandoned by former residents. The county administration has authorized police to clear the village from Jan. 10-th. **Mexico Elects First Female Chief Justice ** Mexico’s Supreme Court has elected the first female chief justice in its history. Justice Norma Lucia Pina was sworn in (宣誓就職) for her four-year term at the head of the 11-member court, pledging to maintain the independence of the country's highest court. As chief justice, Pina will also head the entire judicial branch. The 6-5 vote by her fellow ministers Monday came despite pressure by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on the ministers. Lopez Obrador had backed another female justice, Yasmin Esquivel, for the top post. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 99-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,184 on turnover of $1.92-billion N-T. **Ex-Denmark PM and NATO secretary general to visit Taiwan next week ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Former prime minister of Demark and ex-NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will visit Taiwan next week, to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen. MOFA says Rasmussen has been calling on democratic countries to enhance (提高、增強) cooperation with Taiwan, to build democratic reliance amid the expansion of authoritarianism, adding that his upcoming visit was a clear demonstration of his strong support toward Taiwan. Rasmussen in 2017 founded the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of democracy and free markets across the globe. In his current role, he hosts the annual Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which was first held in 2018. During his scheduled stay from January 3rd to 5th, Rasmussen will also meet with Vice President William Lai and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, as well as lawmakers and think tank scholars. (TT) **MOL expands scope of online work permit applications for foreign nationals ** A government online work permit application system for foreign nationals has been expanded to cover cram schools, art-related jobs, and the adult children of work permit-holding foreign professionals. The Workforce Development Agency's "EZ Work Permit" website has been handling applications from local companies to employ foreign managers, as well as from sports- and art-related agencies to hire international talents. Now, cram schools may also create an account on the EZ Work Permit website, to apply for work permits and to renew (更新) the permits of their foreign employees online. The Ministry of Labor says that unlike offices with regular government business hours, the online service is operational 24/7, and should take seven working days or less to process and issue permit applications. (TT) **US Biden Signs Bill ** US President Joe Biden has signed a $1.7 trillion bill funding government operations. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **Brazil da Silva Names Amazon Activist as Minister of Environment ** Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced Thursday that Amazon activist Marina Silva will be the country’s next minister of environment. The announcement signals the new administration will prioritize cracking down on illegal deforestation in the forest even if it means running afoul of powerful agribusiness interests. Lula has promised to end all deforestation by 2030. This would be a sharp turnabout (徹底變化) from the policies of the outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, who pushed for development in the Amazon. Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon reached a 15-year high in the year ending in July 2021, though the devastation slowed somewhat in the following 12 months. **Vivienne Westwood Obit ** English designer Vivienne Westwood has died at 81. Her fashion house announced her death Thursday on its social media platforms, saying she died peacefully in South London surrounded by friends and family. A cause was not immediately disclosed (公佈). Westwood’s fashion career began in the 1970s with the punk (龐克) explosion, when the onetime primary school teacher's radical approach to urban street style took the world by storm. But she went on to enjoy a long career highlighted by activism and a string of runway shows and museum exhibits. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 76-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,098 on turnover of $2-billion N-T. **Taiwan reports 6.2 percent year-on-year increase in road fatalities ** The Ministry of Transportation and Communications says Taiwan has reported more than 2,500 road fatalities in the first 10 months of 2022, up 6 percent year-on-year, and its highest level in nine years. MOTC officials say there were more than 300-thousand total traffic accidents in the first 10 months of this year, marking a 5.5 percent increase from the same period last year. In 2020, Taiwan reported 12.6 traffic fatalities per 100-thousand individuals… four times higher than Japan and Denmark, and six times higher than Sweden. The MOTC has attributed the high death toll in Taiwan to the high number of scooter-related accidents, and MOTC Minister Wang Kwo-tsai is calling on local governments to work with the ministry to improve road safety. (TT) **France Pledges Further Military Support ** France’s defense minister has pledged further military support for Ukraine, insisting his government’s backing is unflagging (永不減弱的) while efforts are also being made with Moscow to reach an eventual (最終的) negotiated end to Russia’s invasion. Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said support will include French army equipment and a 200 million euro fund that would allow Ukraine to purchase weapons. Lecornu said France was giving military equipment from the French army to the Ukrainian army, but highlighted that this would not weaken France’s defense. Officials have also said France could deliver a new air-defense system in the future, without revealing details, though Ukraine's defense minister added that France would immediately begin training Ukrainian air officers on how to use it. The minister said his trip to Kyiv was important to identify the priorities of the Ukrainian defense ministry. **US Trump Considered Pardons for Capitol Attackers ** Newly released transcripts from the U.S. House Committee on the events of January 6th, show how former President Trump was considering giving pardons (赦免) to numerous people involved in the Capitol riot. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **Armenia Protests Against Road Block ** Hundreds of opposition supporters have rallied in the Armenian capital, urging the government to act to unblock a vital road linking Armenia to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azeri protests have choked off (阻止) basic supplies to the territory. Both the protesters in Yerevan Wednesday and Armenian authorities have accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to the area of failing to take adequate steps to lift the blockade, something Moscow denies. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Yerevan since a separatist war there ended in 1994. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Extended military service to include higher pay, longer boot camp: President ** President Tsai Ing-wen has announced that compulsory military service in Taiwan will be extended from four months to one year, effective Jan. 1, 2024, to strengthen Taiwan's combat readiness against potential Chinese attacks. Tsai also promised to increase the monthly salary of conscripts, from the current starting salary of $6,510 NT to $26,307 NT, to make sure they earn enough to cover their basic daily expenses. The decision is expected to affect conscripts who were born on Jan. 1, 2005 and after. Tsai says conscripts will receive more intense (強烈的) and longer boot camp training to boost their combat preparedness, firing no less than 800 rounds of ammunition during their one-year service period. She says they will also be trained to fire Kestrel anti-armor rockets and FIM-92 Stingers, operate UAVs and engage in close-combat training, which have proven useful in modern day warfare, she said. The president stressed that "No one wants war," but Taiwan has faced increasing military coercion from China in recent years and needs to do its part by boosting self-defense. (NS) **New wage subsidy available to employers of live-in migrant caregivers ** The Ministry of Labor says employers of live-in migrant caregivers are eligible for a subsidy of up to $3,000 NT per month. Officials say the subsidies are aimed at covering the increase in the minimum wage for live-in migrant caregivers from $17-thousand NT to $20-thousand NT, that took effect on Aug. 10-th. The ministry says applicants (申請人) should provide the employment contracts showing that their employees are paid at least $20-thousand NT per month and a copy of the passbook cover of the employer's domestic bank account. Health officials say as of Dec. 15-th, there have been nearly 40-thousand applications, and the first subsidy payments were made on Dec. 5-th. (NS) **Pakistan Bombing Suspects Arrested ** Pakistan's interior minister says authorities have arrested five people suspected of involvement in last week’s suicide car bombing that killed a police officer in the capital of Islamabad. The minister says the detainees included the suicide bomber’s handler. He said the attacker arrived in the garrison (駐軍) city of Rawalpindi from a former tribal area of Kurram. The official did not disclose the identity of the detainees and no spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, which had claimed responsibility for the attack, was immediately available for comment. **US Trump Tax Returns Published Friday ** Former President Donald Trump's tax returns are expected to be made public on Friday. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports **Mexico President Appeals Against ** Mexico's president is appealing (呼籲) to the country's citizens not to accept holiday handouts and gifts from drug gangs. His comments came after videos posted online showed pickup trucks handing out loads of gifts while bystanders described the drivers as members of the Jalisco drug cartel. Authorities have not confirmed the source of the gifts, but President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed that some drug gangs were looking to resume such giveaways to gain the support of the local population. Lopez Obrador said that local residents in some communities have tried to protect traffickers, stop drug seizures or oppose the installation of National Guard bases intended to fight drug trafficking. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 25-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,310 on turnover of 1.34-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan edged slightly higher Monday after moving in a narrow range on low turnover as many foreign institutional investors were away for the Christmas holiday. Although the bellwether electronics sector finished little changed, contract chipmaker TSMC ended higher to stabilize the broader market, and buying also rotated to the biotech sector as COVID-19 infections spike in China. **CWB: Rains Coming for Northern Taiwan ** The Central Weather Bureau says rainy weather may be coming for northern Taiwan. The CWB says skies should remain clear to cloudy today, but moisture is gathering over the island, leading to possible rain over Keelung and other parts of the north coast. Lowest temperatures this morning were recorded in Hsinchu County's Er-mei Township, at 5.2 degrees Celsius, and in general, daytime temperatures remain relatively warm, between 18-22 degrees in the north and east, and 24 to 26 degrees in the center and south. And weather expert Wu Der-rong also says a cold front may pass over Taiwan from January 2nd to 5th next year, after a mild New Years' Day. **Dwight Howard to join Taoyuan's New Year countdown bash ** Eight-time NBA All Star Dwight Howard will be at the countdown party in Taoyuan to celebrate the New Year with his fans this coming weekend. The T1 LEAGUE's Taoyuan Leopards basketball team says Howard will be participating in the city's "2023 Show Taoyuan" this Saturday. The team says at the event, a lucky spectator (觀眾) will also be chosen from the crowd to get on stage for a photo with Howard. The countdown party will be held at the square outside the Taoyuan high-speed rail station from 7 p.m. that day, featuring firework displays and performances by artists from Taiwan and abroad. **Indonesia Rohingya Muslims Land on Beach ** A second group in two days of Rohingya Muslims has landed on a beach in Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh after weeks at sea. Police say at least 185 men, women and children disembarked (下船) from a wooden boat at dusk on a beach, weak from dehydration and exhaustion (虛脫). They were taken to the village hall and will stay there while they receive help from residents, health workers and others. Immigration officials and police are trying to identify the refugee to determine if they were from the group of 190 Rohingya who were reported by United Nations to be drifting in a small boat in the Andaman Sea for a month. The UNHCR on Friday urged countries to rescue the refugees, saying reports indicated they were in dire condition with insufficient food or water. **Aid Groups Suspend Work in Afghanistan ** Foreign aid groups are suspending (暫停) operations in Afghanistan following a decision by the Taliban leadership to ban women from working at international and local non-governmental organizations. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Tai-Ex opening nearly unchanged Taipei Mayor's priorities Dozens of Rohingya Refugees reachd Indonesia Iran protests ongoing Meta agrees to $750 million settlement over Cambridge Analytica scandal

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Subject: E*EZ NEWS DECEMBER 23, 2022 ** **Return to **Table of contents **Subject: E*Tai-Ex opening ** **Return to **Table of contents The Tai-Ex opened down 125-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,318 on turnover of $2.9-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained more that 200-points on Thursday, as investors welcomed a report showing U-S consumer confidence is holding up despite the Federal Reserve's campaign to fight inflation by raising interest rates. **Subject: E*New Traffic Laws Pass Initial LY Committee Review ** **Return to **Table of contents Lawmakers on the Legislative Transportation Committee have approved a series of amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act. The amendments set out to increase fines for drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians and the revoking (撤銷) of drivers' licenses in the event of a pedestrian (行人) death for failing to yield. Under the proposed amendments, drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians could face a fine of up to 3,600 N-T. The causing of injury by failing to yield to pedestrians will be punishable by a fine of up 36,000 N-T and vehicle owners will have their license suspended for one year. While drivers who cause severe injury or death will have their license revoked as well as facing criminal charges. **Subject: E*MOC Honors 3 Cultural Conservationists as 'National Living Treasures' ** **Return to **Table of contents The Ministry of Culture has honored three men who have dedicated their lives to the conservation of traditional culture as "national living treasures" in recognition of their efforts to preserve Taiwan's cultural heritage. The ministry has awarded Hsu Ming-he the title for preserving exquisite (精美的) traditional claywork techniques. While Li Qing-hai and Su Qing-liang have been recognized for their excellence at preserving traditional Han and foreign style building techniques. The title of "national living treasure" was first awarded by the the culture ministry in 2010. The title is based on the provisions of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. It has honored 10 national important cultural heritage conservation techniques and 16 cultural conservationists to date. **Subject: E*Ex EU Parliament VP In Custody Over Corruption ** **Return to **Table of contents The Greek member of the European Parliament accused of taking bribes from Qatar was in court on Thursday for a pretrial hearing. Eva Kaili is among four people charged with corruption, and money laundering. Alex Cadier reports from Brussels < [CLIP] Slug: > **Subject: E*Spain Scotland Pass Gender SelfDetermination Bills ** **Return to **Table of contents Lawmakers in Spain and Scotland have passed gender self-determination bills allowing citizens over 16 to change their registered gender (性別) without medical supervision. Spain’s lower house of Parliament approved a law on Thursday that requires children ages 12 and 13 to have a judge’s authorization to make the change and those between 14 and 16 have to be accompanied by their parents. The bill adopted by the Scottish Parliament makes Scotland the first part of the U.K. to endorse allowing people to transition by self-declaration. The new rules require applicants to have lived full-time in their declared identity for three months, or six months if they are ages 16-17. **Subject: C*OUTRO ** **Return to **Table of contents That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 147-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,381 on turnover of 15.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex staged a mild technical rebound on Wednesday from the previous session, but turnover remained moderate as investors opted to stay on the sidelines amid lingering concerns over the global economic slowdown.. Buying largely focused on old economy stocks, while the bellwether electronics sector saw its gains limited by investor worries over on-going inventory adjustments affecting the global tech sector. **MOHW Could Ease Molnupiravir Distribution Regualtions ** Health Minister Hsueh Rui-yuan says his office is considering expanding the distribution and use of the coronavirus oral antiviral agent molnupiravir. Speaking a hearing of the Legislative Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee, the minister said prescription restrictions could be eased, more medical personnel now have a better understanding of the usage of the drug. The statement comes after the Taiwan Medical Association complained that the procedure for prescribing and obtaining (獲得) molnupiravir is overly troublesome and as a result, some doctors are choosing not to prescribe it. **UNSC Adopts First Myanmar Resolution ** The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution calling for the immediate end to violence in Myanmar. A military coup (政變) in February last year led to violent crackdowns on pro-democracy protests and the arrest of the country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. **Russia Announces Plans to Beef Up Military ** Russia announced an ambitious plan to beef up its military from 1 million to 1.5 million and create multiple new units. It's an attempt to bolster the forces that have lost momentum (動力) and many soldiers in the war in Ukraine. Russia’s military chief cited NATO’s plans to incorporate Finland and Sweden as a factor in the buildup. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared Wednesday that the country needs a force of 1.5 million to guarantee Russia’s security. The Russian military currently has about 1 million soldiers. That compares with China’s force of 2 million and the U.S. force of 1.4 million. **European Rocket Launch Fails ** The launch of a European rocket carrying two Earth observation satellites failed and ditched (拋棄，丟棄) in the sea less than three minutes after lift-off from a spaceport in French Guiana on Wednesday. Arianespace, which provided the launch service, said in a statement that approximately 2 minutes and 22 seconds after liftoff a decrease in pressure was observed in the Vega C rocket’s second stage “leading to the premature end of the mission.” Arianespace said the launcher was destroyed with “no damage to persons or properties.” The launch was meant to take two earth observation satellites made by Airbus into orbit. The satellites would have been part of a constellation capable of taking images of any point of the global with a resolution of 30 centimeters. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 35-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,205 on turnover of 2.2-billion N-T. The market shed more than 250-points on Tuesday. Selling was seen across the main board as investors were spooked by heavy losses on the Nikkei following an unexpected decision by Japan's central bank to tighten its monetary policy. **Visiting European Parliament Delegation Calls for EU-Taiwan BIA ** Members of a visiting delegation of the European Parliament's international trade committee are expressing support for the signing of a bilateral investment agreement between the European Union and Taiwan. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office, committee vice chair Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou said the E-U recognizes its trade and investment partnership with Taiwan as a "strategic relationship with geopolitical implications (影響)." According to the Greek lawmaker, she also firmly believes that further bilateral cooperation on global supply chains will be mutually beneficial due to Taiwan's leading role in semiconductor production. The 13-member delegation arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a four-day visit. **Prosecutors Seek to Annul Miaoli Magistrate Election ** The Miaoli District Prosecutors' Office filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify (使無效、取消) the election of county Magistrate-elect Chong Dong-jin. The move comes amid allegations that Chong's supporters handed out cash bribes to voters. According to the prosecutors' office, one of Chong's campaign office directors allegedly engaged in vote-buying on behalf of the candidate - handing out cash bribe's of between 1,000 and 2,000 N-T to each voter. Chong is denying the charges. **Ukraine President to Visit Washington ** Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky is to visit Washington on Wednesday for face-to-face meetings with President Biden at the White House. He's also expected to make a speech before a joint session of Congress. It will be the first time he's left Ukraine since the war began, as our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports. **German Nazi Stenographer Senteced for Crimes ** A German court has convicted a 97-year-old woman of being an accessory to murder (謀殺案的同謀) for her role as a secretary to the SS commander of the Nazis' Stutthof concentration camp during World War II. The court in northern Germany gave the woman a two-year suspended sentence on Tuesday. The defendant was found to have known about and deliberately supported the killing of more than 10,500 prisoners through her work as a stenographer in the commander's office between 1943 and 1945. **UN Votes to Keep Peacekeepers to Congo ** The Security Council has voted unanimously to extend the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo with an eye to its eventual exit. It also voted to lift a notification requirement on some government arms purchases which Congo’s foreign minister recently called unjustified. The separate resolutions were approved amid worsening security in Congo’s mineral-rich east, which has seen an upsurge in violence and civilian killings that has uprooted tens of thousands of people. The resolution extends (延伸) the U.N. force until Dec. 20, 2023. It strongly condemns all domestic and foreign armed groups operating in the country and demands that they immediately stop all violence and exploitation of Congo's resources. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 22-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,410 on turnover of 2.4-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday, as selling was sparked by losses on Wall Street at the end of last week amid rising concerns over a possible recession due to the current rate hike cycle by the U-S Federal Reserve. Large cap stocks in the electronics, old economy, petrochemical and steel sectors were the targets of the sell-off, but the biotech sector bucked the downward trend, as investors sitting on ample (充足) funds rushed to park their money there during the trading day. **MAC Investigating Possible Illegal TikTok Activities in Taiwan ** The Mainland Affairs Council says it is investigating possible illegal activities by TikTok in Taiwan. According to the council, it launched the investigation after Cabinet spokesman Luo Bing-cheng told delegates at an interministerial meeting in Taipei that the Chinese social media application posed (構成) a cybersecurity threat to Taiwan. The council says it has also submitted information TikTok's activities that could be im violation of the Criminal Code to prosecutors for further investigation. Finance Minister Su Jien-rong says his office will issue a report on its investigation within three months, but to his knowledge TikTok has no business or taxation registration in Taiwan. **Taiwan Lantern Festival to Showcase Giant Rabbit ** The Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism has unveiled some of the highlights of February's Taiwan Lantern Festival. It will the first time in 23-years that Taipei will have hosted the event. According to city tourism officials, the themed of the event will be "Light up the Future." A total of 16 installations will be set up in Taipei's central, east and Xinyi districts. One of the main attractions (景點) will be a large rabbit lantern located on roof of one of the exits of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station. The 2023 Taiwan Lantern Festival will be taking place in Taipei from February 5 through 19. **Nigeria 20 Die of Suspected Cholera Outbreak ** At least twenty people have lost their lives to suspected cholera outbreak in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State, Southern Nigeria. Ten villages in the local Government Area have reportedly been affected since Thursday. Ajeck Mangut reports from Abuja. **Russia: Space Capsule Leak Doesn't Require Evacuation ** Russia’s space corporation Roscosmos says a coolant (冷卻液) leak from a Russian space capsule attached to the International Space Station doesn’t require evacuation of the crew. But the space agency is keeping open the possibility of launching a replacement capsule, if needed. Roscosmos said Monday that a panel of experts will determine later this month whether the Soyuz MS-22 capsule can be safely used by the crew for a planned return to Earth or if it should be discarded and replaced. Roscosmos says the next Soyuz is scheduled for a March launch but could be expedited, if necessary. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 50-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,478 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex fell by just over 200-points on Friday, after joining other regional markets and followed Wall Street lower as plans by the U-S Fed for more interest rate hikes rattled (使…不安) investor sentiment. **Incumbent KMT Chiayi Mayor Wins Reelection ** Incumbent Chiayi City K-M-T Mayor Huang Min-hui has won re-election in delayed election. Huang beat her main rival Lee Chun-yi, of the D-P-P by nearly 30-percentage points. Huang declared victory just 75 minutes after the polls closed. According to the Central Election Commission, Huang finished with 63.8-per cent of the total votes, to Lee's 35-per cent. Three other independent candidates combined (合計的) for the remaining 1.2-per cent of the total votes cast in the election. The election was delayed three weeks because of the death independent Huang Shao-cong, who died of a heart attack on November 2. Huang's victory means the K-M-T keep control of 14 of Taiwan's 22 cities and counties. **Lunar New Year TRA Ticket Sales to Begin Midnight Wednesday ** The Taiwan Railways Administration says ticket reservations for the Lunar New Year holiday will begin this week. Bookings for tickets on the Eastern Trunk Line will open at midnight Wednesday, while reservations for the Western Trunk Line will be available from midnight on Thursday. According to the rail network operator, additional services will be added to the regular schedule from January 18 through 30. A total of 287 trains are to be added to meet the expected high demand (需求) over week-long Lunar New Year holiday. The holiday begins on Friday, January 20. **NKorea Claims Test Satellite Fired ** North Korea says it fired a test satellite in an important final-stage test for the development of its first spy satellite. The North’s state media says today the test was done to assess ((評估) the satellite's photography and data transmission systems. It also released black-and-white photos showing Seoul and another South Korean city as seen from space in an apparent attempt to show the North is pushing to monitor its rival with its advancing technologies. A security analyst said the images weren't so impressive for military reconnaissance but that improvements in the North's capability were expected. **US COVID Hospitalization Rates Rising ** The White House COVID coordinator says there's been a substantial (重大的) increase in cases and hospitalizations since Thanksgiving. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. **UN Food Program Director to Step Down ** The executive director of the United Nations World Food Program says he will step down at the end of a six-year term heading the world’s largest humanitarian organization. David Beasley served one term as South Carolina’s governor from 1995 to 1999. He was appointed to the U.N. post in 2017 by then U.S. President Donald Trump. Beasley term was extended (延長) under the Biden administration for an extra year. The World Food Program won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for fighting hunger. Beasley says the process to select his successor has already begun. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 180-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,554 on turnover of 4.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex recovered most of its early losses to close marginally lower on Thursday, as investor interest in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing rebounded from an initial downturn after going ex-dividend. However, many large cap tech stocks remained weak as investors digested comments by U-S Fed Chair Jerome Powell overnight after America's central bank raised its key interest rates by an additional 50 basis points. **Taipei 101 NY Show to Feature 16,000 Fireworks ** The Taipei Financial Center Corporation says this year's New Year's eve event at the Taipei 101 will feature 16,000 fireworks being set off over the course of five minutes. While there will also be simultaneous light displays on all four sides of the building to mark the beginning of the New Year. According to the Taipei 101 owner, it expect some 1-million people to attend the event. Taipei 101 Chairman Zhang Hsueh-shun says the show will also feature a variety of patterns, including peace pigeons, smiley faces and the tree of life, designed to convey (傳達, 表達) the theme of the show -- "looking after the world and shining dreams." Zhang says the New Year fireworks display will cost 50-million N-T and has been paid for by sponsorship from the Tourism Bureau, the Taiwan Stock Exchange, Chunghwa Telecom, C-T-B-C Bank and Audi. **Malaysia Landslide Leaves Missing ** A Malaysia fire department official says some 50 people are feared buried after a landslide hit a campsite outside Kuala Lumpur early today. Local media cited police as saying initial information indicated that some 100 people may have been at the campsite in Batang Kali, around 40 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, when the incident occurred. A fire department official told The Associated Press that rescuers are searching for an estimated (估計的) 50 missing people. He provided no further details. **Russia Warns US Defense Systems in Ukraine Could be Targeted ** Russia has warned that US defense systems in Ukraine could be targeted for attacks. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports. **Peru Ousted President to Remain in Custody ** A Peruvian judge has ordered ousted President Pedro Castillo to remain in custody for 18 months, approving a request from authorities for time to build their rebellion case against him. The ruling Thursday came a day after the government declared a state of emergency as it struggles to calm violent protests. The protests erupted after Castillo was voted out of power by lawmakers last week, following his attempt to dissolve (解散) Congress ahead of an impeachment vote. Castillo and his legal team refused to participate in Thursday’s virtual hearing, arguing it lacked “minimum guarantees.” He was represented by a public defender. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 46-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,692 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Wednesday, as investor sentiment rebounded following the release of better than expected inflation data for November out of America. The bellwether electronics sector again served as a driver to the gains on the broader market on the back of fund inflows (流入) caused by a stronger New Taiwan dollar - and that pushed up the main board, despite turnover remaining moderate. **NSTC to Fund Fusion Nuclear Research ** The National Science and Technology Council says it plans to fund research into key fusion nuclear technologies, following the announcement of a significant breakthrough in the field by researchers in the U-S. According to the council it will provide grants (補助金) for research teams in the fields of theoretical and experimental studies about laser-plasma interactions and magnetically confined high-temperature plasmas. Both of those studies are essential to creating conditions required for nuclear fusion. The announcement comes after the U-S Secretary of Energy said Wednesday that a "milestone achievement" in producing a nuclear fusion reaction that resulted in a net energy gain has been made at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. **MOF Expected to Adopt 15% Minimum Corporate Tax in 2024 at Earliest ** The Ministry of Finance says it expects to adopt a 15-per cent minimum multi-national corporation tax rate on January 1 of 2024 at the earliest. The move comes after European Union member states reached agreement on the minimum tax rate earlier this week. According to the ministry, it is currently studying the possibility of raising the local minimum business tax rate from the current 12 to 15-per cent. The change requires no revision of existing laws - meaning the Cabinet can announce and implement (實施) the change without submitting the proposal to the Legislature for review. **UN Blocks Myanmar Junta Taking Seat at UN ** Two well-informed U.N. diplomats say a key U.N. committee has again blocked Myanmar’s military junta from taking the country’s seat at the United Nations. According to the Associated Press, the diplomats say the General Assembly’s credentials committee met this week and deferred action on the junta’s request. The decision means that the Myanmar diplomat who was serving as the country's ambassador at the United Nations when the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi nearly two years ago will remain on the job. The director of the London-based Myanmar Accountability Project says the deferral (延期) “has great diplomatic and symbolic significance, at a time when the illegal coup leaders are attempting to gain international recognition.” **TikTok Possibly Boosting Posts About Suicide ** TikTok may be boosting posts about eating disorders and suicide. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 34-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,557 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday despite a rally on Wall Street overnight, as investors opted to shift their attention back to the local export-oriented economy. The bellwether electronics sector remained concerned by worries over inventory adjustments (調整) in the global market due to rising inflation and rate hikes. And investors were also spooked following news that bicycle manufacturer Giant has asked its suppliers for payment postponement due to weakening global demand. **Cabinet to Approve Bill Barring Ex-Convicts from Public Office ** The Cabinet is set to approve a draft bill that seeks to ban individuals convicted of involvement in organized crime, money laundering, drug-related offenses, and illegal possession of guns or knives from running for public office. The move comes after Premier Su Tseng-chang announced the Cabinet would introduce a draft amendment to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act in order to meet public expectations of "integrity" (廉正) among public officials. Data from the Anti-corruption and Whistleblower Protection Association from August showed that of the 885 incumbent city and county councilors prior to the recent local elections, 136 had criminal records. **Yushan Likely to See First Snow this Winter at Weekend ** And, The Central Weather Bureau says Yushan could see the first snowfall of this winter this weekend, when a cold wave is forecast (預報) to send temperatures down to 10 degrees or lower. This winter's first snowfall was recorded on Xueshan earlier this week. According to the weather bureau's forecast center, snow is most likely late Saturday or early Sunday at altitudes of 3,000-meters and above. Snow could also fall in mountainous areas of northern Taiwan at altitudes of around 2,000-meters and above. **US Respect for Marriage Bill Signed ** US President Joe Biden has now signed the respect for marriage act into federal law. The act provides greater nationwide protections for same-sex couples. Chris Jones has more from Washington DC. **Ukraine President Urges NZ to Help on Environment Issues ** Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged New Zealand to take a leading role in focusing on the environmental destruction his country is suffering as a result of Russia’s invasion. Zelenskyy delivered his message via video link to lawmakers who packed the debating chamber today. He said some of the environmental effects of the war included poisoned groundwater, ravaged (毀壞) forests, flooded coal mines and huge areas of Ukraine that remain contaminated from unexploded mines. He is pushing for a 10-point peace plan that, as well as environmental protection, includes items such as nuclear safety and justice. New Zealand announced it was providing another $2 million US dollars in humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross, adding to the $5 million it had already provided. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,617 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market came under heavy pressure on Monday as investor sentiment continued to be overshadowed by (使（某事物）令人不快或減少樂趣) concerns about the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle ahead of a two-day policymaking meeting. And turnover for the session stood at 151-billion N-T -- which is the lowest level so far this year. **China's Beer and Liquor Imports Ban to Cost Taiwan Less than NT$1 billion ** Finance Minister Su Jien-rong says China's suspension of the imports of some shipments of beer and liquor from Taiwan is not expected to cost exporters more than 1-billion N-T. The ban on beer and liquor has affected several of Taiwan's leading suppliers (供應商) including the Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation, King Car Food Industrial and Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor. China has said the shipment ban is related to a new customs registration system which to effect on January 1 of this year. Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua says although many countries have been critical of the new Chinese customs registration system, Beijing has been targeting Taiwanese exporters before those of other countries. **Kaohsiung Mayor Meets with Tokyo Governor in Japan ** And, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai has met with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike in Japan Chen is leading a delegation of city officials from the Department of Administrative and International Affairs and Marine Bureau and arrived in Japan on Sunday for a three-day visit. According to the Kaohsiung City Government, Chen and Koike exchanged views on the coronavirus pandemic and other issues of mutual interest, including smart cities, energy saving and carbon reduction. It is Chen's first overseas trip since taking office in 2020. **FTX Founder Arrested in Bahamas ** Police in the Bahamas have arrested Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The arrest came at the request of (按照…的要求) US authorities. US Correspondent Ira Spitzer reports. **Intl Tribunal Asked by Island States for Opinion on Climate Change ** The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea says that small island states have asked it to provide an opinion on what impact a key U.N. treaty governing maritime activities has on efforts to curb climate change. The Hamburg-based U.N. tribunal says it received a request from Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu to render an advisory opinion on the climate obligations (義務) arising to parties from the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. The tribunal said it has added the request to its list of cases. It isn’t clear whether or when an advisory opinion could eventually be issued. But if the tribunal does provide the treaty’s 168 parties with legal guidance on the issue of climate change it could trigger further cases. **Mexico US Officials to Discuss Trade Issues ** Mexico's foreign secretary says he'll travel this week to Washington, D.C., in an effort to resolve a dispute over imports of genetically modified U.S. corn. The trip planned for Friday comes before a scheduled visit next month to Mexico City by U.S. President Joe Biden. Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard says he and other Mexican officials will be seeking (尋求、試圖) points of agreement with Washington on the corn, and on other issues. Mexico plans to ban imports of genetically modified corn for human consumption and perhaps eventually for animal feed. Biden and the leaders of Mexico and Canada are to meet Jan. 9 in Mexico City. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 46-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,658 on turnover of 1.5-billion N-T. The market closed higher on a technical rebound Friday after Wall Street rallied overnight and those gains were driven largely by semiconductor heavyweights, but buying was also seen in the shipping and biotech sectors. However investor sentiment remained cautious due to concerns over a recession (經濟衰退) in the United States. **Government to Assist Companies Affected by Partial China Import Ban ** The Ministry of Economic Affairs says it will use sales promotions, financing and professional training programs to help companies affected by China's decision to suspend imports of more products from Taiwan. The statement comes after Beijing announced bans last week on over 100 Taiwanese companies selling fishery products, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Beijing claims that have all failed to submit (提交) or incorrectly filled in documents needed to comply with new customs registration rules. Deputy Economic Minister C-C Chen says his office is planning to use programs such as the Bureau of Foreign Trade's Taiwan Global Food Initiative to help firms affected by the ban. That program was launched in August. **Japanese LDP's Senior Member Supports Taiwan's CPTPP Bid ** A visiting senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party says he fully supports Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. However, Koichi Hagiuda is raising concerns over Taiwan's partial ban on some Japanese food imports, calling for the removal of those bans as soon as possible. Although lauding Taiwan for partially lifting a decade-long ban on food imports from areas affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster earlier this year, he also says Taiwan's government needs to fully remove the ban "based on (以…為根據) science." Hagiuda is the first policy chief of the L-D-P to visit Taiwan in nearly 20 years. **Zambia Ethiopian Nationals Found Dead ** Zambian police say the bodies of 27 men believed to be Ethiopian nationals have been discovered in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka. Officers say investigations indicate the bodies found Sunday were “all males aged between 20 and 38, were dumped by unknown people.” The police say one man was still alive and was rushed to a hospital for treatment. They say the bodies have been taken for formal identification and postmortems (驗屍), while police and other security services are investigating. **China Expands Hospital Support ** China is expanding its medical facilities in rural areas, amid concerns from international health experts the country could face a surge in Covid-19 cases after scaling back (縮減、減少) its strict virus rules. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. ***Gaza Ancient Tombs Discovered ** Hamas authorities in Gaza have announced the discovery of over 60 tombs in an ancient burial site dating back to the Roman era. Work crews have been excavating (挖掘) the site since it was discovered last January during preparations for an Egyptian-funded housing project. Officials say a total of 63 graves have been identified. They say the ministry is working with a team of French experts, and that a set of bones and artifacts from one tomb was dated back to the second century. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Premier Accepts Interior Minister's Resignation DPP Announces Timeline for Chair Election Putin talks about using nuclear weapons Japan Q3 economy shrunk less than first thought but outlook murky *United Nations' NGO Accreditations

Two-Week Reservist Program to be Expanded Next Year Nursing Association Head Honored in Ireland Trump Org Guilty of Tax Fraud Indonesia’s Parliament unanimously voted to ban sex outside of marriage Hungary Cancels Fuel Price Cap

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 25-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,955 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market closed relatively flat on Monday after tech stocks gave up early gains following a downturn on Wall Street at the end of last week. Rotational buying remained active, helping to give some momentum to select old economy stocks in the transportation and commodities (商品、貨物) sectors. However, selling was noticeable in the last hour of the trading day as investors opted to pocket earlier gains in semiconductor heavyweights. **Deputy Trade Rep. Cites Non-Tariff Taiwan-US Trade Deal Possible in 2023 ** Deputy trade representative Yang Zhen-ni says the government is hoping to sign a bilateral trade agreement with the United States by the end of next year. However, Yang is stressing that the deal will not cover the core (核心的，主要的) issue of tariff reduction. Speaking at a legislative hearing, Yang said her office is seeking to have a bilateral trade pact signed by the time the APEC meeting is held in the U-S in November 2023. According to Yang, the agreement will not include tariff reduction, as the U-S has not passed any legislation to authorize that, but it will include sections related to customs, agriculture, digital trade, and labor issues, climate change and state-owned enterprises. **Chiang Seeking to Open Taipei Dome Within a Year ** Taipei mayor-elect Chiang Wan-an says he plans to fulfill (實現) his policy promise and open the Taipei Dome within a year. Speaking an administration transition meeting at Taipei City Hall, Chiang said that he will negotiate with the central government to ensure the safety and engineering quality of the multi-purpose sports and recreational center. According to Chiang, his team will try to begin operations at the Taipei Dome within a year, as the central government has already finished the fire safety review. Chiang went on to say that if trial operations start in June next year, the grand opening could be held in September. **Russia Claims Air Bases Hit ** The Kremlin claims Ukraine has attacked Russian air bases, and it has responded with a barrage of missiles. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports. **Mexico President Changes Maya Train Plans ** Mexico's Maya Train tourist project will now include a 78 kilometer stretch of elevated (升高的) trackway through the jungle. The project has faced opposition from environmentalists who say the train will crush or contaminate the network of caves and sinkhole lakes around the resorts of Tulum and Playa del Carmen. But the president now says two-thirds of the line will be elevated on thousands of 25 meter pilings sunk into the soil and avoiding the caves, supporting pre-fabricate elevated sections 2.5 meters above the ground. The latest change also raised doubts about whether such an elevated trackway can be completed as the president has promised within one year. The 1,500-kilomete Maya Train line is meant to run in a rough loop around the Yucatan Peninsula, connecting beach resorts and archaeological sites. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 1-point this morning from Friday's close, at 14,972 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed the trading day lower on Friday after fluctuating (波動的) in consolidation mode ahead of the release of the U-S job data Semiconductor heavyweights came under pressure during the session, but Hon Hai lent some support to the broader market. **Tsai Meets with Senior DPP Officials to Talk "Way Ahead" ** President Tsai Ing-wen has held talks with senior government and D-P-P officials to discuss the party's losses in the local elections and plans for a possible Cabinet reshuffle. According to the Presidential Office, Tsai met with Vice President William Lai, Premier Su Chang-tseng, National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo, D-P-P legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming and acting party chair Chen Chi-mai. A Presidential Office spokesperson says the talks focused on in-depth discussions on both the domestic (國內的) and international political and economic situations and a review of the Cabinet as well as possible changes in government policy. The spokesperson says Tsai is also seeking to step-up communications between the government and opposition parties in areas related to national security. **Ironman and His 'Lucky Cap' Visit Changhua Temple ** And, Norwegian ironman Gustav Iden has revisited the Shunze Temple in Changhua County, where he thanked the deity there for bringing him good luck since winning a breakthrough world championship in 2019. Speaking at the event, the Norwegian athlete said "coming to Taiwan is always something special" and he's happy that the hat has created a strong bond ((感情的)聯結) between him and Taiwan. Iden found the cap on the ground in Japan before an Tokyo Olympic test event in early 2019 and then wore it when he won an Ironman World Championship in Nice in September of that same year. That set off a craze here in Taiwan for the "lucky" baseball cap from the temple. Iden has since worn the cap in 10 races - all of which he has won. **China Eases COVID19 Rules ** China is relaxing its strict COVID-19 policies and taking steps to reopen the economy. The country’s health authorities say that’s a response to the virus becoming less dangerous and vaccination rates increasing. But it’s also being seen as a concession (讓步) to mounting public protests against the rules. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **Indonesia Volcano Erupts ** Indonesia’s highest volcano on its most densely populated island has released gas clouds and rivers of lava in its latest eruption. Monsoon rains eroded and finally collapsed the lava dome atop (在頂上) Mount Semeru, causing the eruption Sunday. Columns of ash were blasted nearly 1,500 meters into the sky. Several hundred residents fled to temporary shelters or left for other safe areas. Several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun, but no casualties have been reported. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 79.6-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,933 on turnover of $3.7-billion N-T. The market once again ended the trading day in positive territory on Thursday, as investors were encouraged by a rally on Wall Street overnight after the head of the U-S Federal Reserve hinted at an easing in the pace of interest rate hikes to tame inflation. **COA Cites Data Showing Japan Now Surpasses China as Top Taiwan Fruit ** Importer The Council of Agriculture says Japan has overtaken (超車、超過) China to become the largest importer of fruit from Taiwan this year. According to the council, Japan took the number one spot after a Japanese-foodstuffs trading company pledged to purchase at least 5,100 tonnes of fruit from Taiwan. That deal was signed at a ceremony in Tokyo. Wismettac Foods is now promising to purchase at least 3,500 tonnes of pineapples, 1,500 tonnes of bananas and 100 tonnes of frozen pineapples annually. The company says it also hopes to purchase seafood from Taiwan in the future. The signing of that fruit deal came a day after Japanese sushi chain, Kura Sushi, signed an agreement with the Council of Agriculture to import 50,000 tonnes of grouper from Taiwan next year. **Biden Macron United Against Russia at WH ** French President Emanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden have praised (表揚、稱讚) the strong alliance between their two countries after a meeting at the White House. Kate Fisher reports < [CLIP] Slug: > **Canada Man Charged with Indigenous Women Deaths ** Police in Canada allege a man previously charged with murdering an Indigenous woman also killed three other women — two also confirmed to be Indigenous and one believed to be. Jeremy Skibicki was charged last May after the remains of Rebecca Contois were found near an apartment building. Skibicki is now charged with first-degree murder in three other deaths in the spring. Police say three of the four victims were Indigenous. The fourth victim has not been identified but police say it’s believed she was also Indigenous. **Spain Gov Pledges Funds for Donana Wetlands ** Spain’s government has pledged to invest 350 million euros in the country's Donana wetlands. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the pledge (承諾) on Thursday when he visited the Donana National Park. Ecologists have been calling for more action to help the UNESCO world heritage site that experts say is dying due to the misuse of water and climate change. A European Union court ruled last year that Spanish authorities had failed in their duty to protect the wetlands that are a stopover spot for millions of birds migrating from Africa to northern Europe. The World Wildlife Fund applauded the investment but demanded more from regional authorities to control the illegal extraction of water. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 180-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,060 on turnover of $5.1-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained ground to close above 14,800 point mark on Wednesday as investors chose to ignore a lackluster performance on Wall Street overnight. The weighted index ended the day up 169-points at 14,879 - and that was the market's highest close since September 13. The high closing figure came as foreign institutional investors returned to the local main board, while investor interest focused on I-C design heavyweights, as well as select old economy and financial stocks during the trading day. **Electric Bike Owners Now Required to Register Vehicles and get License ** Plates Owners of new electric bicycles are now required to register their vehicles, obtain a license plate and buy insurance. The move comes as revisions to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act take effect from today. Under those revisions, e-bikes are now formally described as being "mini electric two-wheel vehicles" - meaning they cannot be operated without a license plate. Owners of new e-bikes will have to formally register their vehicle and purchase a minimum of three years of compulsory (強制性的) automobile liability insurance. The news rules also state that only people aged 14 or older can ride an e-bike, and they must wear a helmet and ride at a speed of no more than 25-kilometers-an-hour. E-bike owners are also banned from carrying passengers, modifying their vehicles, or riding them on sidewalks or regular bike lanes. **Afghanistan Bomb Attack at Religious School ** A Taliban official says that at least 10 students were killed when a bomb blast hit a religious school in northern Afghanistan. AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports. **EU Wants UN Investigation into Russian War Crimes ** The European Union wants to set up a U.N.-backed specialized (專門) court to investigate possible war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday the EU will work with international partners to get “the broadest international support possible” for the tribunal while supporting the International Criminal Court. Investigations of military crimes committed during the war in Ukraine are underway around Europe, and the Hague-based International Criminal Court has already launched a probe (調查). Von der Leyen added that the EU wants to make Russia pay for the destruction it caused in neighboring Ukraine by using Russian assets frozen under sanctions. She estimated the damage to Ukraine at $617 billion US dollars. **EU Warns Musk to Beef Up Twitter Protections ** A top European Union official has warned Elon Musk that Twitter needs to beef up (加強) to protect users from hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content to avoid violating new rules. The EU's commissioner for digital policy told Musk on Wednesday that the social media platform will have to significantly increase efforts to comply (遵守) with the rules that threaten big fines or even a ban in the 27-nation bloc if tech giants don’t comply. The two held a video call to discuss Twitter’s preparedness for the rules. The commissioner says Musk told him that the new EU rules were “a sensible approach to implement on a worldwide basis.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 31-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,678 on turnover of 2.9-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Tuesday in a volatile (易變的) trading session, as investors were closely watching the situation in China. The market fluctuated by almost 300 points during the trading day. Semiconductor stocks led an initial downturn, but the local main board made a sharp rebound after investors opted to use temporary declines in the share prices to increase their holdings. **NHI Copayment Plan Could be Delayed ** Health Minister Xue Rui-yuan says plans to implement (實施) an increase in National Health Insurance copayments could be delayed depending on how the island's economy performs in the coming months. The plan is currently slated to be introduced sometime in the first quarter of next year. However, the health minister says an exact timeframe has not yet been decided, as the domestic coronavirus situation and how fast the island's economy can recover from the pandemic could affect the finalizing of an implementation date. Xue says his office will be making further assessments of the overall situation in the coming weeks. **Central Bank Head Cits Weak NT$ as Contributing to Inflation ** Central Bank Governor Yang Jin-long says the New Taiwan dollar will likely depreciate by around 6-per cent against the U-S dollar this year, driving up the price of imports and adding up to 0.3 percentage points to the consumer price index. According to Yang several factors have contributed to (成為因素) rising inflation in Taiwan over the last two years. They include coronavirus-era supply chain bottlenecks, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on food and energy prices, and Taiwan's vulnerability as a small economy to price fluctuations on international markets. While the other major factor is imported inflation, which has been driven up by both the rising costs of imported materials and products and by the depreciation of the New Taiwan dollar. **US Senate Passes SameSex Marriage Bill ** The U.S. Senate has passed a landmark (地標性的) bill protecting same-sex and interracial marriage across the country - and it did it with the support of both Democrats and Republicans. Toni Waterman has more. **Finland Calls for Weapons for Ukraine in NZ and Australia ** Finland’s leader says it must give more weapons and support to Ukraine to ensure it wins its war against Russia. Prime Minister Sanna Marin made the comments today in Auckland as she embarked on the first-ever visit by a Finnish leader to New Zealand and Australia. Among the aims of the visit are improving diplomatic relations and trade ties. Since the war began, both Finland and Sweden have abandoned their longstanding policies of military nonalignment and applied to join NATO. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Government Stresses the 'Close Monitoring' of China Protests Children Aged from 5 to 11 Soon Allowed to Get Coronavirus Booster Shot *U.K.: golden era with China is over Australia calling for more protection for Great Barrier Reef Indonesia's Aceh Province saw polio outbreak

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 141-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,636 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market closed flat on Friday, as it moved in a narrow range as Wall Street was closed for Thanksgiving and didn't provide any direction for local investors, who were worried about a technical pullback after recent solid gains. Many foreign institutional investors were also absent from the market due to the U-S holiday. **DPP Vows to Engage in Introspection ** The D-P-P says its poor showing in the local government elections is indicative (表示 … 的) of public opinion and the party will now seek "self-reflection." According to D-P-P Secretary-General Lin Hsi-yao, the party will squarely face the reasons for its setback at the polls, after it managed to secure only five of the 21 city and county leadership seats. The K-M-T secured 13 of the 21 seats up for grabs, while the D-P-P ended with two less seats than it had going into the local elections. The D-P-P's secretary-general says he believes the internal decision-making teams that shape major party policies should be held responsible, as the loss reflects public opinion of its performance. And Lin also says the D-P-P's chances of recovery will depend on how it acts going forward into two legislative by-elections and one mayoral election that will be taking place soon. **Arrivals Numbers Hit Nearly 100,000 in October ** And, The Tourism Bureau says nearly 100,000 tourists came to Taiwan in October, after the government lifted quarantine regulations. Data shows that a total of 93,206 people arrived in Taiwan in that month - and that's an increase of 560-per cent compared with October of last year. According to the Tourism Bureau, Taiwan saw the largest number of visitors based on the growth rate of other major regional tourist markets in October, and was followed by Japan. Of those arriving in Taiwan, 98.57-per cent came by air, with 90.49-per cent of that total landing at Taoyuan International Airport. The Tourism Bureau says most of the tourists stayed for between 8 and 15 nights. **Cameroon Landslide Leaves Dead and Missing ** Authorities say at least 14 people are dead in Cameroon's capital after a landslide at a funeral. Dozens of others remained missing as rescue crews continued digging through the rubble (瓦礫) with flashlights. The local governent says that the search for survivors in the Damas neighborhood of Yaounde would continue. About a dozen others injured in the landslide are being treated at local hospitals. **US Officials Criticize China COVID19 Policy ** US health officials have suggested that China's approach ( 方法，方式) to COVID-19 isn't realistic. This comes after widespread protests across China against the government's tough covid-19 containment measures. Jagruti Dave reports from Washington. **Yemen Signs Economic Aid Deal with Arab Monetary Fund ** State media says Yemen's internationally recognized government has signed an economic aid deal worth $1 billion with the Arab Monetary Fund. A state news agency said the country's Saudi-backed administration signed the deal on Sunday to push through wide-ranging economic reforms. Yemen's economy has been decimated by a civil war that has pitted (使…競爭) Houthi rebels against the government that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates back. The Arab Monetary Fund is based in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi and operates as a sub-organization of the 22-member Arab League. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 19-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,765, on turnover of $1.88-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained ground on Thursday, as most other regional markets closed the day higher. However, investor optimism about the U-S Federal Reserve holding back on aggressive interest rate hikes was countered by uncertainty over coronavirus lockdowns in China. **Three More Private High Schools Placed on MOE 'Watch List' ** The Ministry of Education has placed three more private high schools on its "watch list." The three schools include the Hong Ren Catholic Girls' High School in Chiayi City, the Yu Min Vocational School in Miaoli County and Yu-Ren Senior High School in Taitung. According to the education ministry, they were added the list because their "financial condition has markedly declined to the extent that the school cannot pay off its debt, or that financial problems has seriously impacted the running of the school." Schools place on the watch list are alloted (分配的) a two-year observation period to solve their problems. If they fail to properly address the issues, education authories can order their closure at the end of the period. **Venezuela and Opposition to Resume Negotiations ** The government of Venezuela and its opposition say they will resume over the weekend long-stalled negotiations meant to find a common path out of their country’s complex crisis. The announcement Thursday comes two weeks after delegates from both parties met to address the Venezuelan crisis, promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Norwegian diplomats will guide the negotiations. The talks formally began in September 2021 in Mexico but were suspended the following month when President Nicolas Maduro ordered his delegation to withdraw in protest of the extradition to the United States of a close ally. **UK Businesses Urge Gov Not to Scrap EU Laws ** UK businesses and unions are urging the government not to scrap a range of European Union laws. In a joint letter, several influential groups called on ministers to withdraw (撤) its Retained EU Law bill, warning it would put vital protections at risk. The legislation would see most EU laws expire by the end of 2023. The government says it is committed to 'taking full advantage of the benefits of Brexit'. Sally Patterson has more in London. **Egypt Announces Release of Political Activists ** Egyptian authorities have announced the release of 30 political activists from jail. The announcement late on Thursday marks the latest in a series of mass releases from detention amid intensifying international scrutiny over Egypt's human rights record. There was no word on the identities of the activists or how many had already been freed. Since 2013, Egypt has cracked down on dissidents (持不同政見者) and critics, jailing thousands, virtually banning protests and monitoring social media. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 41-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,650 on turnover of $2.7-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Wednesday on the back of investor interest sparked by gains on Wall Street overnight amid easing concerns over aggressive (積極強硬的) U-S Federal Reserve rate hikes. The bellwether electronics sector continued to gain ground, but still came off early highs, while buying rotated to financial and select old economy stocks throughout much of the trading day. **Single-Use Plastic Cups to be Banned in Taipei from Next Month ** The Taipei Department of Environmental Protection is reminding residents that beverage shops in the city will be prohibited from providing single-use plastic drinking cups from December 1. The department says the move is in line with international trends (趨勢) and the city government's implementation of plastic reduction policies. According to city hall, the ban includes eco-friendly cups made of biodegradable plastic materials. The Taipei City Government is also planning to introduce a new system for reusable cups on January 1st. The city's environmental protection office says the new regulations will result in a 900-ton reduction in plastics waste every year. **Ukraine President Addresses UN ** President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged members of the United Nations to do more to protect civilians in Ukraine. The latest escalation (（戰爭）逐步升級) of missile strikes by Russia has caused power outages across much of Ukraine and half of neighboring Moldova. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. **EU: Kosovo and Serbia Reach Deal on Licence Plates ** The European Union’s top diplomat says Kosovo and Serbia have reached a deal on a dispute over vehicle number plates, defusing rising tension between the two Western Balkan neighbors. The EU’s high representative, Josep Borrell, posted in his social media page that Kosovo’s and Serbia’s negotiators “have agreed to avoid further escalation and to fully concentrate on the proposal on normalization (正常化) of their relations.” Earlier this week Borrell had failed to convince the two countries' leaders to do that, raising concerns in Brussels. The EU-backed Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, which is aimed at normalizing relations between the former foes in the Western Balkans, has been at a virtual standstill for years. **WCup Germany Protests Gov Clampdown on One Love Armband ** Germany’s players covered their mouths for the team photo before their opening World Cup match to protest against FIFA following the governing body’s clampdown on the “One Love” armband. Germany coach Hansi Flick says it was a sign from the team "that FIFA is muzzling us.” The team lined up in the traditional formation before the game against Japan and all 11 players covered their mouths with their right hands. The gesture was a response to FIFA’s warning that players would be penalized (受到懲罰) if they wore the colorful armbands that stand as a symbol for inclusion and diversity. Qatar has been under scrutiny for its human rights record and laws criminalizing homosexuality. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 53-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,596 on turnover of $2.76-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex bounced back from early losses on Tuesday, but market sentiment remained cautious, as many investors opted to stay on the sidelines, awaiting the release of the minutes of the U-S Federal Reserve's last policymaking meeting. The bellwether electronics sector led the rebound, with large-cap semiconductor stocks in focus, while buying was also seen in financial and old economy stocks, particularly those in the petrochemical (石油化的) sector. **Japanese Firm Become First Foreign Company to Receive Travel Subsidies ** Japan-based Hiraiwa Construction has become the first foreign company to receive travel subsidies following the opening of Taiwan's border to quarantine free arrivals in mid-October. The Tourism Bureau says the subsidies were issued after the company chose Taiwan as the incentive travel destination for its employees this year. According to the bureau, Hiraiwa Construction kicked off this year's employee incentive (獎勵) travel on November 11 and is expected to bring about four groups with a total of about 100 employees to Taiwan before December 2. Each group will receive 30,000 N-T in subsidies for tourism activities in Taiwan. The subsidies have been issued under the Tourism Bureau's guidelines for foreign companies that bring in at least 100 employees to Taiwan stays of at least three days and two nights. **Palestinian Youth Killed in West Bank Raid ** The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli forces shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian during a nighttime raid in the occupied West Bank. It says Ahmed Shehada was killed by an Israeli bullet early today and four others were injured. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. A wave of Israeli-Palestinian fighting in the West Bank and east Jerusalem has killed more than 130 Palestinians this year, making 2022 the deadliest since 2006. **US Supreme Court Refuses to Block Trump Tax Returns ** The US Supreme Court has refused a request from former president Donald Trump to block (阻止) the release of his tax returns. It ends a three-year legal fight by Trump to prevent a House of Representative committee from reviewing his returns. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Germany Celtic Gold Coins Stolen from Museum ** Ancient gold coins dating back to around 100 B.C. has been stolen from a museum in southern Germany. Bavarian state police said the coins were stolen early Tuesday from the Celtic and Roman Museum, 60 kilometers north of Munich. The 483 coins were discovered in 1999 during excavations (發掘、) of an ancient settlement and are considered the biggest trove of Celtic gold found in the 20th century. The German news agency dpa reported that authorities estimate the value of the coins, which together weighed about 4 kilograms, at several million dollars. Police are appealing for witnesses who might have seen suspicious individuals near the museum. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm Hope Ngo with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 45-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,404 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday, amid a downturn in large cap semiconductor stocks on the back of fears of a pullback after recent gains, although the losses were limited by rebounds (彈回) in non-tech sectors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing lost 1.03-per cent and that dragged down the electronics sector by 0.77-per cent, while the semiconductor sub-index ended the trading day down 0.96-per cent. **Morris Chang Confirms that TSMC is set to Rollout 3nm Chips in US ** Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing founder Morris Chang has confirmed that his company will expand its investment in the U-S state of Arizona to produce chips made using the advanced 3-nanometer process. Chang's comments are the first confirmation of the next phase (階段) of the chipmaker's expansion plans following the current 12-billion U-S dollar plan to build a complex in Arizona. Production at the facility is scheduled to begin in 2024 using the 5-nanometer process. According to Chang, members of the U-S Congress and President Joe Biden have been invited to a ceremony on December 6 marking the installation of the first batch of production equipment at the Arizona plant. **'King of Protests' Ke Tsi-hai Dead of Natural Causes ** The Shilin District Prosecutors' Office says a forensic examination (法醫檢驗) has found that Ke Si-hai died of natural causes. Ke, who was dubbed the "King of Protests" for his frequent placard protests in the late 1990s and early 2000s, was found dead in a van on Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei on Monday. He was 66. Prosecutors says his body has been sent back to members of his family who accepted the conclusion that Ke died of natural causes. Ke was an activist who was notorious for showing up at the scene of news events with protest placards and appearing behind people speaking on camera in TV news reports. **China Locks Down Guangzhou ** The southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou has locked down its largest district as it tries to tamp down a major COVID-19 outbreak, suspending public transit and requiring residents to present a negative test if they want to leave their homes. The outbreak is testing China’s attempt to bring a more targeted approach to its zero-COVID policies while facing multiple outbreaks. China is the only major country in the world still trying to curb virus transmissions (傳播) through strict lockdown measures and mass testing. In Beijing, the capital reported two more COVID-19-related deaths. On Sunday, the city reported China's first COVID-19 death in over six months. **US VP to Fly to Palawan ** U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to fly to a western Philippine island province at the edge of the South China Sea to amplify (發揮，展示) America’s support to its treaty ally and underline U.S. interest in freedom of navigation in the disputed waters. Her visit comes as a new confrontation erupted in the contested waterway ahead of her visit… when the Philippine navy alleged a Chinese coast guard vessel had forcibly seized Chinese rocket debris as Filipino sailors were towing it to their island. Harris is to visit a small fishing community in Palawan and board a coast guard patrol ship. She will also speak about the importance of international law, freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in the South China Sea. **Carp-e- dine'em ** A roasted carp meal is helping scientists determine how long people have been using fire to cook their food. The new study, published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, is based on material from a watery site on the shores of an ancient lake in Israel. Jackie Quinn reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 9-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,514 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Friday after giving up early gains, as investors locked in profits from recent sessions amid eased concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle policy. **Major Parties Make Push Ahead of Local Elections ** The heads of Taiwan's three major political parties are continuing to stump (拉票) for their respective city and country government candidates with a week to go until voters head to the polls. President Tsai Ing-wen has been rallying for support for the party's Taipei mayoral candidate, Chen Shih-chung. K-M-T Chairman Eric Chu attended a rally in New Taipei's Xinzhuang District for incumbent Mayor Hou Yu-ih, who is seeking re-election. While Taiwan People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je attended a rally in Taipei Sunday evening, to call on voters there to cast their ballots for former Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang. **CTBC Brothers Celebrate Taiwan Series Win with Parade in Taichung ** The C-T-B-C Brothers have held a Chinese Professional Baseball League Taiwan Series victory parade in Taichung. The team's motorcade wound its way from city hall to the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium and members of the winning squad waved to fans from an open-top red double decker bus. Some 10,000 fans gathered along the route (路線) to cheer the team and wave banners. The Brothers won the Taiwan Series on November 9 in front of 20,000 fans in Taichung after completing a four-game sweep of the Rakuten Monkeys by wining 3-2 in Game 4. It was the second consecutive season that the Brothers have brought home the championship trophy. **G7 Foreign Ministers Condemn NKorea ICBM Launch ** G7 foreign Ministers have issued a statement condemning North Korea's launch last Friday of an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Group of 7 which includes the United States described the act as another blatant (明目張膽的) violation of UN Security Council resolutions. Our US Correspondent Jagruti Dave reports. **HK Leader Positive for COVID19 ** The Hong Kong government says leader John Lee tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Thailand. The government said Lee had negative test results throughout his four-day stay in Bangkok but his test upon his arrival at Hong Kong’s airport on Sunday night was positive. Lee is now in isolation and will work from home. During his trip, Lee met various leaders including Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. In some close-door sessions, seating arrangements had him next to Chinese President Xi Jinping. **Canada Expands Haiti Economic Sanctions ** Canada has expanded its economic sanctions freezing the Canadian assets of Haitian political elites to now include former president Michel Martelly and two former prime ministers. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly accused the trio this weekend of helping gangs undermine (破壞) Haiti’s current government and called on international partners to follow Canada’s lead. She made the announcement at a two-day summit in Tunisia. Haitian Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Victor Geneus said the new sanctions put real consequences (後果) on those causing a “nightmare” in his country. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 49-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,584 on turnover of $3.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex followed other regional markets and ended marginally (少量地) lower on Thursday. Market watchers say investors were spooked by a decline in Wall Street overnight amid concerns the U-S Federal Reserve might not ease up on its aggressive interest rate hike cycle aimed at curbing inflation. MOFA to Add Three More Countries to Scholarship Program for European Students The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it's adding three more European countries to the current Taiwan-Europe Connectivity Scholarship program for the 2023 school year. According to the ministry's Department of European Affairs, the addition of three more countries is due to the quota for the scholarship program having not been completely filled over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Department head Vincent Yao says the foreign ministry will be opening up 700 available slots to students from 29 European countries next year, by adding Iceland, Croatia, and Norway to the countries whose students are eligible (有資格的) for the program. Most opportunities for the scholarship program will go to students from the U-K, France, and Germany. However, slots are also being reserved for students from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Lithuania. **SKorea: NKorea Fired Ballistic Missiles ** South Korea says North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says the launch was made today, but gave no further details. The launch came a day after North Korea resumed its ballistic weapons tests and threatened fiercer (更激烈的) moves. **Subject: E*US Pelosi to Step Down as House Speaker ** U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced she will step down as Democratic leader, but stay on to represent her San Francisco district in Congress. She made the announcement as the Republican party took enough seats to gain control of the House after the midterm elections. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **Bill Gates Announces Funding for Africa ** Bill Gates, on a visit to Kenya, has announced his foundation will spend $7 billion to improve health, gender equality and farming in Africa. The new pledge will be spent over the next four years and is in addition to existing Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funding to strengthen health systems across the continent. Gates said in a statement that Africa’s young people have the talent and opportunity to accelerate (加速) progress and help solve the world’s most pressing problems. The new funding comes as countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa face the worst drought in decades. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 47-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,489 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The market closed little changed on Wednesday, after coming off major gains the previous session, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing continued to lend major support to the local broader market throughout the session. Although the recent rebound on the broader market was capped during the trading day, investor sentiment has still improved amid eased concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve rate hike cycle in the wake of moderating inflation data. **Cabinet to Discuss Raise in Tax Breaks for Local Chipmakers ** The Cabinet will discuss a proposal later today to raise the income tax break for eligible (有資格的) local tech companies to 25-per cent in order to better benefit large semiconductor manufacturers. The proposal has been drafted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. It seeks to add article 10-2 to the Statute for Industrial Innovation stipulating the proposed increase tax break, in addition to a 5-per cent income tax relief for the tech companies whose equipment investment reaches a predetermined level. Sources are being cited as saying the proposed amendment is aimed at encouraging leading semiconductor companies to step up their research and development into advanced manufacturing processes. **Civic Groups Call for Support for Lowering Voting and Candidacy Age ** And, A coalition of civic groups is calling for voters to support the referendum being held in tandem with (與、同時) the local elections to lower both the voting age and the age of candidacy to 18. The referendum needs at least 9.65-million voters to cast their ballots in favor of the referendum to pass and that figure represents 50-percent of the total number of eligible voters nationwide. And the call comes as recent reports have been saying support for the referendum currently stands at less than the 50-per cent threshold needed for it to pass. **US Republicans Take House by Slim Margin ** From the US….. Republicans have won a slim (非常小的) majority in the U.S. House. AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports. **Japan Marks Trade Deficit ** Japan marked a trade deficit for the 15th month in a row in October as both imports and exports reached record highs. It comes as the costs of energy and food soar and the yen stumbles (失足、受挫). The deficit at $15 billion, is the highest for the month of October, since comparable data started being compiled in 1979. The data released today showed the huge deficit came despite solid growth in exports, which rose 25.3% last month. The Finance Ministry says vehicles, medical products and electrical machinery boosted exports. **Brazil President-elect Promises to Fight Deforestation ** Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is promising to combat deforestation when he assumes office on Jan. 1. Da Silva, who defeated President Jair Bolsonaro in last month's presidential election, is participating at the U.N. climate summit in Egypt known as COP27. In two public appearances on Wednesday, da Silva said his administration would make combating deforestation a priority (優先、主要的). He also said he would suggest to U.N. officials that the climate summit in 2025 be held in the Amazon. Bolsonaro pushed economic development in the Amazon. Da Silva has several meetings planned with ministers from various countries over the next days. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 91-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,637 on turnover of 6.2-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Tuesday as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing saw its share price soared (驟升) by 7.8-percent on news that Berkshire Hathaway had taken a stake in the company. The electronics sector drove the broader market higher, as old economy and financial stocks seemed marginalized after a recent rebound. **Magnitude 4.5 Earthquake Rattles Southeast ** There have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries following this morning's magnitude 4.5 earthquake that rattled (搖晃) the southeast. That quake struck at 9:09 and was centered some 34-kilometers north of Taitung County Hall, at a depth of 14-kilometers. The quake was felt strongest in Taitung's Chishang, Luye, Donghe and Beinan townships, as well in parts of northestern Kaohsiung - where it measured 3 on the Central Weather Bureau's intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 2 in parts of Hualien County. **Nauru's Visiting President Touts Cooperation on Economic Recovery ** Nauru's visiting Nauru President Russ Kun says his country is looking forward to building cooperation with Taiwan in the area of economic development, as it seeks to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Kun made the statement shortly after President Tsai Ing-wen welcomed him and his delegation with military honors at the Presidential Office. Speaking during a meeting with Tsai, Kun said Nauru is keen to develop its transportation and shipping services, which would be "a conduit (管道) to successful trade and honest economic benefits." Kun and a 20-member delegation arrived in Taiwan on Monday for a six-day state visit. The delegation includes includes the country's justice minister, foreign minister, and deputy interior minister. **US Biden Calls Emergency Meeting of G7 and NATO Leaders ** US President Joe Biden called an “emergency” meeting of G7 and NATO leaders in Indonesia this morning for consultations after an allegedly “Russian-made” missile killed two people in the eastern part of Poland, near the Ukraine border. Biden, who was awakened overnight by staff with the news of the missile explosion, called Polish President Andrzej Duda early today, promising “full U.S support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation,” and “reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to NATO.” A statement from the Polish Foreign Ministry identified the missile as being made in Russia. But Duda was more cautious about its origin, saying that officials did not know for sure who fired it or where it was made. He said it was “most probably” Russian-made, but that is being still verified. If confirmed, it would be the first time since the invasion of Ukraine that a Russian weapon came down on a NATO country. The foundation of the NATO alliance is the principle that an attack against one member is an attack on them all. **US Judge Orders Halt to Asylum Restrictions ** From the US….. A judge has ordered a halt to Trump-era asylum restrictions at border. Lisa Dwyer has the details….. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 150-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,325 on turnover of 6.2-billion N-T. The market extended momentum from its previous session on Monday to close above the 14,100-point mark, as investor interest got a boost on the back of reduced concerns over the U-S Fed's rate hike cycle in the wake of moderating inflation for October. The local bellwether electronics led the rise, after Wall Street moved higher last Friday, while buying also rotated to large-cap old economy stocks to lend strong support to the broader market during the trading day. **Government to Raise Weekly Arrivals Cap to 200,000 from December ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says the government will raise the weekly cap on arriving visitors from abroad from the current 150,000 to 200,000 from December 1. The move comes as the number of domestic coronavirus cases has been registering a decline for five consecutive weeks. According to center head Victor Wang, his office opted to expand the weekly capacity of inbound (入境) travelers in anticipation of increasing demand, driven by the gradual easing of border restrictions both here in Taiwan and many other countries. Wang says the government also expects to see an increased need for travel with the approach of the Christmas and year-end holiday season as well as the Lunar New Year. **Ceremony Held in Ukraine to Honor Killed Taiwanese Soldier ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a farewell ceremony in honor of a Taiwanese man killed earlier this month fighting for Ukraine has been held at a church in the city of Lviv. Tseng Sheng-guang flew to Ukraine in June to join the International Legion of Ukraine's territorial defense forces and was confirmed to have been killed in fighting near Luhansk on November 2. The ministry says hundreds of people turned out at the ceremony, which took place at the Garrison Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The attendees included Tseng's mother, wife and sister, who are being accompanied by foreign ministry personnel while in the Ukraine. **Israel Condemns US Probe into Journalist Killing ** Israel's Defense Minister says the United States government has started an investigation into the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Israel is condemning the probe as a “grave (嚴重的) mistake” and vowing not to cooperate. Defense Minister Benny Gantz made the statement on Twitter Monday, saying Israel has made it clear to the U.S. “that we won’t cooperate with any external investigation.” Palestinian officials, Abu Akleh’s family and Al Jazeera accuse Israel of intentionally targeting and killing the 51-year-old journalist, a claim Israel denies. **Bezos Promises to Give Away Most of Wealth ** Jeff Bezos, founder of online retail giant Amazon says he plans to give away most of his $124 billion fortune during his lifetime. He's been criticised in the past for not promising to donate his wealth (財富) to charitable causes. Our US correspondent Kate Fisher reports That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 73-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,080 on turnover of 5.1-billion N-T. The market gained over 500-points on Friday, to close the session above the 14,000-point mark, as global indices rebounded after inflation in America eased more than had been expected. Market capitalization on the Tai-Ex surged almost 7.5-per cent over the past week to top 43-trillion N-T driven by strong buying, amid a decline in investor concerns that the U-S Fed will continue its aggressive (積極的) interest rate hikes. The weighted index gained 980.85 points, or 7.53-per cent, last week. **DPP Lawmaker Calls for Support of Voting Age Referendum ** D-P-P lawmaker Hong Shen-han is calling for voters to support the up-coming national referendum to lower the voting age to 18. Hong is describing the referendum as "a matter of equity (公平) and keeping up with the times." The referendum on whether to ratify a Constitutional amendment to drop the voting age from 20 to 18 will be held alongside the local government elections on November 26. The main political parties have all voiced their support for the proposal. However, several civic groups have been warning there is a chance that it could fail, as it requires around 9.65-million votes in its favor to pass. **Ghost Hawks Approach Carmelo Anthony ** And, Tainan T-S-G Ghost Hawks head coach Liu Meng-zhu says the team has approached N-B-A free agent Carmelo Anthony to play in the T-1 League. According to Liu, the team has opened talks with representatives of the former L-A Laker's power forward. The Ghost Hawks head coach says Taiwan Steel Group Chairman Hsieh Yu-min has been enthusiastically trying to make a deal happen for the sake of the team and the future of Taiwanese basketball in the international market. Anthony is a 10-time N-B-A all-star and is a free agent (自由球員) after being released by the Lakers at the end of the 2021-2022 season. U-S North Korea, and Japan The U.S., Japan and South Korea have vowed a unified response to North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile program. This arose after a meeting on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia. Karen Chammas reports. **Twitter-Musk ** Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk is further gutting the teams that battle misinformation on the social media platform as outsourced moderators learned over the weekend they were out of a job. Twitter and other big social media firms have relied heavily on contractors to track hate and other harmful content. But many of those content watchdogs have now headed out the door, first when Twitter fired much of its full-time workforce by email on Nov. 4 and now as it moves to eliminate an untold number of contract jobs. Twitter hasn't said how many contract workers it cut. The company gutted (損毀內部裝置) its communications department and hasn't responded to media requests for information since Musk took over. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 375-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,879 on turnover of $10.1-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday after moved sharply higher the session earlier, as investors opted to step back following a decline on Wall Street overnight in the wake of America's indecisive mid-term elections. The bellwether electronics sector led the downturn throughout the session amid lingering concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve's hawkish rate hike cycle and ahead of the release of America's October inflation data. **Nauru's Newly Elected President to Visit Taiwan Next Week ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Nauru's newly elcted President Russ Joseph Kun will visit Taiwan next week. Kun will be heading a 20-member delegation of cabinet ministers and other officials for a six-day state visit. The delegation includes the country's justice minister, foreign minister, and deputy interior minister. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou says Kun and other members of his delegation will be holding talks with President Tsai Ing-wen, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and other senior government officials. According to Ou, the talks will focus on bilateral cooperation projects and topics of mutual interest. It will be Kun's first visit to Taiwan since assuming (就任) the presidency in late September. **Kuai Kuai Launches Grouper-Flavored Ricepuffs ** Local snackmaker Kuai Kuai has teamed up with the Pingtung County government to release a new grouper-flavored version of its popular ricepuffs. The move is the latest effort to boost domestic sales of the fish after China banned imports in June. China announced the suspension of grouper imports from Taiwan in June, citing prohibited chemicals and excessive (過多的) levels of a banned antibiotic in imports of the fish since last December. The Pingtung County government is praising the snackmaker for "breaking with tradition" to "bring grouper to the masses" and also lauding its support for the island's aquaculture industry. **UN Resolution Accuses Taliban of Violating Human Rights ** The U.N. General Assembly has adopted a resolution accusing the Taliban of violating the human rights of Afghan women and girls. It also says the Taliban have failed to establish a representative government and plunged the country into “dire (急迫的、悲慘的) economic, humanitarian and social conditions.” The resolution also points to persistent violence in the country since the Taliban takeover 15 months ago and the presence of terrorist groups such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State. Germany facilitated the resolution and had hoped the 193-member assembly would approve it by consensus. But a vote was requested and it was adopted 116-0, with 10 countries abstaining — Russia, China, Belarus, Burundi, North Korea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. **Twitter Sees Rise in Racial Slurs Since Musk Takeover ** A report finds that Tweets with racial slurs (種族污辱) have soared since Elon Musk took over Twitter. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 82-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,556 on turnover of 3.8-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Wednesday as strong investor interest pushed up Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by more than 4.5-per cent amid liquidity-driven buying. The semiconductor sector also got a boost from solid gains enjoyed by their counterparts on Wall Street overnight as concerns ease over the possibility of more aggressive rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve. **Biden to Discuss Cross-Strait Stability at US-ASEAN Summit ** A senior White House official says U-S President Joe Biden will emphasize (強調) the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait at a meeting with leaders of ASEAN countries this weekend. Biden will be traveling to Phnom Penh for the annual US-ASEAN summit and the East Asia Summit this weekend, before continuing on to Bali, Indonesia for the G20 leaders' summit next week. According to the U-S official, Biden will highlight Washington's "enduring commitment to the rules-based international order, including in the South China Sea," and talk about the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait at both summits. **Amnesty International Slams Plans to Fine Coronavirus-Positive Voters ** Amnesty International's Taiwan office is slamming plans to fine coronavirus patients who break their mandatory quarantine to vote in the upcoming local government elections. According to office secretary-general Qiu Yi-ling, prohibiting coronavirus-positive voters from casting ballots is a violation of legally protected political rights. The statement comes after the Central Epidemic Command Center said patients who break quarantine to vote will face a fine of up to 2-million N-T. However, Amnesty International Taiwan says current laws cannot justify the government decision's to prohibit an estimated 300,000 people from exercising (應用) their voting rights. **US Biden on Midterm Results ** US President Joe Biden says US Democrats are breathing a "sigh of relief" after not suffering massive losses in America's mid-term elections. But the race for the House of Representatives and the Senate remain evenly poised (平衡的), despite the Republicans failure to mobilize the tidal wave of voter support they were promising. From Washington, Simon Marks reports. **Cuba US Meeting on Consular Services ** Cuban and US State Department officials have met in Havana to discuss the expansion of consular and visa services on the island. Cuba issued a brief statement confirming the meeting took place Wednesday. The U.S. Embassy closed in 2017 following a series of health incidents. While a full reopening has yet to be announced, U.S. officials have said visa processing would resume (恢復) in January. A State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press that Washington's delegation also discussed concerns about human rights in Cuba. The official said the US "urged the Cuban government to unconditionally release all political prisoners.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 62-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,410 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Tuesday for a second consecutive session, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing continued its momentum in the wake of a further upturn by semiconductor stocks on Wall Street overnight. Buying was also seen among old economy stocks, in particular in the transportation sector, but many investors still opted to stay on the sidelines ahead of the release of U-S inflation data for October later this week. **Chung Shan Hospital Executives Indicted in Fake Chinese Checkups Case ** The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted former and current executives of the Chung Shan Hospital for allegedly facilitating fake high-end health checkups used by Chinese nationals to enter Taiwan. Those indicted include former hospital presidents Lee Wei-cheng and Hsieh Shi-ming, as well as current hospital vice president Lee Shi-ming. Three other travel agency operators have also been indicted (被起訴) for working with the hospital to forge health checkup receipts for Chinese nationals to facilitate entry applications to Taiwan between 2016 and 2020. According to the prosecutors' office, the defendants earned 17-million N-T from the fake checkups that helped 24,600 Chinese national come to Taiwan during the four-year period. **Family of Taiwanese Man Killed in Ukraine Leaves to Bring Him Home ** And, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says relatives of a Taiwanese man killed fighting in Ukraine are heading to the country to identify his body and deal with related matters. According to ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou, officials issued the family members with the necessary travel documents and helped them book a flight to Eastern Europe in order to help members of Tseng Sheng-guang's family reach Ukraine as soon as possible, Ou also says that foreign ministry personnel in Ukraine will be assisting the family complete the necessary procedures (程序) in as quicker time as possible. Tseng flew to Ukraine in June to join the International Legion of Ukraine's territorial defense forces and was confirmed to have been killed in fighting near near Luhansk on Novmber 2. **US Midterm: Exit Polls Show Inflation Top Issue ** Polls are starting to close in the US Midterm elections, with exit polls showing inflation and abortion (墮胎) are the top issues for voters. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **NASA Postpones Moon Rocket Launch ** NASA is again postponing the launch of its new moon rocket because of a storm threatening the Florida coast. Fuel leaks have kept the rocket grounded since August. Then Hurricane Ian forced the rocket back to the hangar at Kennedy Space Center. NASA was aiming to launch the test flight early next Monday. But the space agency said Tuesday said it was moving the next attempt to at least next Wednesday because of Tropical Storm Nicole, which could hit Florida's Atlantic coastline as a hurricane. The rocket will send an empty crew capsule (太空艙) around the moon and back in a flight test before astronauts climb aboard in a couple years. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Subject: E*Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 51-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,274 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday as investor sentiment got a boost from a rise on Wall Street at the end of last week on the back of reduced concerns over future interest rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve. The bellwether electronics sector led the upturn, while investor interest also spread to old economy and financial sector stocks to push the market over the 13,200-point mark by the close of the trading day. **St. Kitts and Nevis PM in Taiwan ** The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis is visiting this this week for talks with senior government officials. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this talks will be focuing on bilateral cooperation projects. Terrance Drew will be meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Premier Su Tseng-chang and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. Drew will also be visiting the Mainland Affairs Council, the Environmental Protection Administration and the National Health Insurance Administration during his four-day trip. Speaking at Taoyuan International Airport on his arriva, Drew decribed Taiwan and St. Kitts as being "friends and partners in international development" and said his visit aims to "strengthen the bonds (團結在一起) of friendship between the two allies." **CECC to Receive Shipment of Moderna Updated Coronavirus Vaccine ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says it will take delivery of a shipment of 600,000 doses of Moderna's second-generation coronavirus vaccine tomorrow. The vaccine targets the original (原本) virus and the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. According to epidemic command center head Victor Wang, new vaccine's rollout is likely to start on November 18 and the doses will be made available as a booster for people aged 12 years are older. Wang says the government has so far only ordered 600,000 doses of the new Moderna vaccine, and he's not saying whether more doses will be ordered in the future. **American Aid Worker Shot Dead in Iraq ** Two police officials say assailants shot dead an American aid worker in Baghdad. The man was shot as he drove through the capital's central Karrada district on the east bank of the Tigris River but the reason for the killing was not immediately clear. No one immediately claimed (認領) responsibility for the killing. U.S. Embassy officials when contacted by The Associated Press said they had only just heard about the shooting and had no information. Two security officials confirmed a U.S. citizen who worked for an international aid organization had been killed without giving his name. **Greece Exxon Mobil Set for Gas Prospecting Project ** Greece's prime minister says U.S. energy giant Exxon Mobil is poised to start a delayed gas prospecting project off southwestern Greece. The move comes amid tensions over offshore rights between Greece and Turkey and as Europe seeks alternative energy sources due to the war in Ukraine. The exploration project has been heavily criticized by environmental groups, which argue that the deep-sea prospecting would have unbearable (不堪忍受) consequences to endangered Mediterranean whales and dolphins. Critics also highlight the potential risk of spills, and say the project, if successful, would increase Greece use of fossil fuels amid the planet climate change crisis. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 83-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,109 on turnover of $3.5-billion N-T. **Traffic jams have eased on number 1 freeway ** Traffic jams have eased on the southbound lanes from Wu-du to Xi-zhi, in New Taipei, on number one freeway as both lanes finally opened at 3:30 AM today. Highway officials say while serious congestion still appeared at around 7 AM, the situation has since improved a great deal. The real-time freeway map online is flashing green for the section right now. The road was blocked by tens of thousands tons of fallen rocks last Tuesday and Wednesday as the embankment collapsed due to torrential rain, forcing officials to close the entire section on Thursday. But the closure caused huge traffic jams in Keelung city and the Xi-zhi District as drivers tried to get onto alternative road. Officials opened one lane of the section on Friday, but congestion persisted (續) through the weekend. Transport Minister Wang Guo-cai says it'll take 6 months to shore up the slope along the freeway, but it won't affect traffic. (JL) **Pakistan Khan Says Protest March to Resume Tuesday ** Pakistan's former prime minister says a protest march (遊行) towards the capital will resume on Tuesday, despite his being wounded by gunfire last Thursday. AP correspondent Naomi Schanen reports. **Mexico Fireworks Explosion Leaves Injured ** Officials in Mexico say a fireworks explosion at a Day of the Dead celebration injured 17 people. The accident occurred Saturday in the township of Huejutla in Mexico's Gulf coast region. The municipal government says residents of the village of Tehuetlan were celebrating the end of a regional (地區性) holiday when a pile of fireworks was set alight and exploded, showering the surrounding crowd in sparks and explosions. The township says two pregnant women and three children were among the injured. One of the girls suffered second-degree burns. **Migrant Ship Still in Italy Port ** The captain of a charity-operated migrant rescue ship has refused Italian orders to leave a Sicilian port after authorities refused to let 35 migrants disembark. Italy’s new far-right-led government is targeting foreign-flagged rescue ships. The Humanity 1 was ordered to vacate (空出、離開) the port of Catania on Sunday after disembarking 144 rescued migrants. They included women with children, more than 100 unaccompanied minors and people with medical emergencies. The German charity that operates the vessel said the captain refused “until all survivors rescued from distress at sea have been disembarked.” Another ship with 572 rescued migrants arrived at the port for the same vetting process, but two other ships carrying hundreds are still at sea. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 45-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,942on turnover of $2.83-billion N-T. **Taiwan to further ease border rules for China, Hong Kong, Macau residents ** The Mainland Affairs Council says Taiwan will further relax its entry restrictions on Chinese students and Hong Kong and Macau residents with effect from Nov. 7-th, as part of its gradual lifting of its COVID-19 control measures. The council says starting Nov.7-th, Chinese students will again be allowed to enter Taiwan for short-term study and exchange program. Meanwhile, people from Hong Kong and Macau will be allowed entry for work in office-based positions and for participation in religious activities. The MAC says Taiwan will also reopen its borders to tour groups of five to 40 people from Hong Kong and Macau, for visits of up to 15 days. Currently, only Chinese students in undergraduate or graduate programs in Taiwan are allowed into the country, while Hong Kong and Macau residents can obtain entry permits only to visit relatives or attend family funerals. **IEA Warns EU of Energy Shortages ** The International Energy Agency has warned that Europe could run low on gas in the next year. The agency warned that unless drastic (劇烈的) measures are taken, the continent could see shortages (短缺) as early as summer 2023. Our correspondent Alex Cadier reports from Brussels. **Australia Offers Million for Indian National Whereabouts ** Australian police have offered a 1 million Australian dollar reward for information on the whereabouts of an Indian national who is suspected of murdering a woman on a tropical beach four years ago before returning to his homeland. Police say Queensland state officers who speak Hindi and Punjabi are waiting in Cairns to be contacted (聯繫) from India via WhatsApp or online about where 38-year-old Rajwinder Singh can be found. Singh was a nurse working at Innisfail, south of Cairns, when the body of 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley was found on a beach north of Cairns in October 2018. Singh flew home to India the day after Cordingley’s body was found and police believe he remains there. **NATO Urges Turkey to Allow Finland Sweden to Join ** NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is urging Turkey to set aside its reservations over Finland and Sweden joining the military alliance. He insisted on Thursday that the two Nordic countries have fulfilled their security commitments to Ankara. Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in the months after Russia invaded Ukraine, abandoning their longstanding policies of military nonalignment. Turkey has threatened to block the process unless the Nordic neighbors meet its demands to crack down on individuals the Turkish government considers terrorists. Turkey's foreign minister says his government wants to see more concrete steps from the candidate countries. All 30 NATO member countries must ratify (批准) Finland and Sweden's accession. Only Turkey and Hungary haven't yet done so. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 115-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,986 on turnover of $2.93-billion N-T. **2.3 million households set to benefit from hiked tax ceiling ** The Ministry of Finance has announced that it is raising Taiwan's basic living expense tax deduction for 2022. The deduction is now $196-thousand NT. Taiwan's 2017 Taxpayer Rights Protection Act stipulates that individuals should not be taxed on the amount they need to cover basic expenses, which is set at 60 percent of the median per capita disposable income (可支配所得) from the preceding year. The MOF estimated that 2.3 million households will benefit from the tax-deductible allowance for basic living expenses, saving over $1.5 billion NT, when they file an income tax return in May next year. **Leopard cat Lulu confirmed as having given birth to 2 new cubs ** Researchers have confirmed that a young adult leopard cat named Lulu has given birth to two new cubs after recent images showed them in Nantou County. The Endemic Species Research Institute says images of the leopard cat family were taken on October 12th by motion-activated cameras installed by the institute. The images showed Lulu with the two young cubs in a mountainous area of Nantou's Xinyi Township. It was the first time the three leopard cats were filmed together since Lulu was electronically tagged and released into the wild in February 2019 in Xinyi Township, one of the native leopard cats' original habitats where the institute operates a rehabilitation center. **NKorea Fires Missiles ** North Korea has fired at least three missiles including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile, after firing more than 20 missiles yesterday. The Japanese government initially said at least one of the missiles flew over its northern territory, but later revised its assessment, saying there were no overflies (飛過. vi. 飛越上空). The government did issue evacuation alerts and temporarily halted trains as a result. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the North firing a missile it presumed as an ICBM from an area near its capital Pyongyang around 7:40 a.m. Then two short-range missiles were fired from the nearby city of Kacheon that flew toward its eastern waters. **UK Food Prices Surge ** Food prices in the UK are surging (快速上漲) at their fastest rate on record. The figures, published by the British Retail Consortium (財團), deal another blow to the public who are already facing increased energy costs. Laura Makin-Isherwood has more. **US Seeks to Oust Iran from UN Gender Equality Body ** The United States says it will seek to oust Iran from the U.N.’s premiere global body fighting for gender equality. Vice-President Kamala Harris made the announcement of the U.S. intention to work with other countries to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women on Wednesday. She said Iran is “unfit” to serve on the commission and its presence “discredits the integrity (正直、廉正)” of its work. The US accused Iran of systematic violation of the rights of women and girls, pointing out as proof its ongoing brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators who took to the streets in September after the death of a 22-year-old woman taken into custody by the morality police. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 4-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,033 on turnover of $2.1-billion N-T. **Chinese panda experts arrive to examine Taipei Zoo's Tuan Tuan ** Two panda experts from China have arrived at Taipei Zoo to examine the health of an 18-year-old male giant panda, Tuan Tuan, diagnosed with a brain lesion in September. The Taipei Zoo says the Chinese veterinarians from the Wolong National Nature Reserve in China's Sichuan Province went directly to examine Tuan Tuan after arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Tuesday evening. The Zoo says the experts will explain the results of their examination of Tuan Tuan at a 2 p.m. press conference today. The zoo said a recent MRI scan showed that a lesion on Tuan Tuan's brain had grown and was also exerting (施加) pressure on other parts of the panda's brain. **Award-winning actress Ma Chi-chin dies at 80 ** Veteran screen performer Ma Chi-chin has died at the age of 80. Those close to her say she passed peacefully and her family was with her. Ma had a storied (歷史上有名的) career following her on-screen debut in 1959, winning Best Leading Actress at the 20th Golden Bell Award in 1985 for her performance in "Last Night Stars." Semi-retired in recent years, Ma's last film appearance was in 2006's "Silk," where she played the mother of "Dune" star Chang Chen. More recently, the veteran actress made a cameo in the TV series "The Love Song" in 2016. **NKorea Fires Missiles ** North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, prompting South Korea to issue an air raid alert on its eastern island. The launches came hours after North Korea issued a veiled (不明言的) threat to use nuclear weapons to get the U.S. and South Korea to “pay the most horrible price in history”. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said one of the missiles landed in the international waters 26 kilometers south of the Koreas’ eastern sea border and 167 kilometers northwest of South Korea’s Ulleung island. It said it has issued the air raid alert on the Ulleung island. **Brazil Bolsonaro Speaks After Election Defeat ** Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro has finally addressed the country nearly two days after losing a presidential runoff race to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro didn't say that he would contest (爭辯) the election but also didn't acknowledge he was defeated. William Denselow reports from Rio de Janeiro. **Canada Plans to Increase Immigrant Numbers ** Canada has unveiled plans for a big increase in the number of immigrants entering the country, as it seeks to address a critical labor shortage. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser revealed the new plan which puts a heavy emphasis on admitting more permanent residents with needed work skills and experience. The new plan envisions (想象、預想.) a flood of new arrivals that will see 465-thousand people come in from outside the country in 2023. And that will rise to 500-thousand in 2025. By comparison, the immigration department says 405,000 permanent residents were admitted last year. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 17-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,933 on turnover of 2.4-billion N-T. **12 Crew Members Missing from Panama-flagged Freighter ** A Panama-flagged cement freighter has sunk off the coast of Changhua, and 12 crew members are reported missing. The freighter experienced engine failure east of the Changhua Offshore Wind Farm in the afternoon yesterday. Its 17 Indonesian crew members abandoned the ship before it sank later that evening. No oil leak was reported. The Maritime and Port Bureau says five crewmen have been located, while the Coast Guard has dispatched (派出) ships to search and rescue the remaining 12 missing people. **Taiwan's fertility rate to fall to world's lowest by 2035: NDC ** The National Development Council is forecasting that Taiwan is set to replace South Korea as the country with the world's lowest fertility rate in the next decade. The NDC predicts that the average number of children women have during their childbearing (生育) years could fall to a historic low of 0.8 in 2022, and reach 1.12 by 2035. That's lower than the 1.18 forecast in South Korea. In addition, the NDC indicates although the share of the population in Taiwan aged 15 to 64 is still at its peak, it is set to decline rapidly. As the median age of the population rises, the low birth rate will cause a decline in the ratio of the working-age population, leading to a shortage of workers, while increasing the burden on the younger generations who support the dependent population. **India Arrests 9 After Bridge Collapse ** Police in western India have arrested nine people as they investigate the collapse of a newly repaired 143-year-old suspension bridge. The collapse Sunday evening in Gujarat state plunged hundreds of people into a river, killing at least 134. Security video showed hundreds of people clinging (緊緊抱著) to the broken structure and trying to make their way to safety. The pedestrian bridge had reopened just four days earlier after more than six months of repairs. Officials said it was overloaded with people drawn to the attraction during the Hindu festival season. **US Pelosi Husband Attacker Charged ** Federal prosecutors have charged the man accused of attacking the husband of US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi with a hammer at the couple's San Francisco home. The attack sent Paul Pelosi to the hospital with a fractured skull (顱骨骨折) although he expected to recover. Ira Spitzer reports from San Francisco. **China Module Docks at Space Station ** China’s third and final module docked with its its permanent space station. Mengtian was blasted into space on Monday from a launch center on the southern island province of Hainan aboard a Long March-5B Y4 carrier rocket. Mengtian is the second laboratory module for the space station, connecting to a core (核心) module where the crew lives and works. The module is currently populated by two male and one female astronauts. Monday's launch is uncrewed. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 74-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,862 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. Asian shares opened with some gains today, after a rally on Wall Street Friday last week, as investors await interest rate decisions from central banks, including the Federal Reserve. (NS) **Number of SMEs in Taiwan hits new high in 2021: MOEA ** The Ministry of Economic Affairs has issued a white paper reporting that the number of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Taiwan hit a new high in 2021. That's up more than 3 percent from a year earlier. According to the MOEA, the number of firms with paid-in capital of no more than $100 million NT or fewer than 200 regular employees totaled 1.5 million in 2021. SMEs also accounted for nearly 99-percent of Taiwan's total 1.6 million enterprises in 2021. Around 80 percent of SMEs were in the service sector, with 46 percent in the wholesale or retail businesses. Meanwhile, manufacturing, wholesale/retail, and construction were the top three employers among SMEs. The MOEA said the government was determined to provide assistance, including financing, technology research and development, courses for business start-ups, and export promotions to SMEs while encouraging them to attain (至少) net-zero emissions and digital transformation goals. **India Bridge Collapse Death Toll Rises ** Local media say at least 60 people have died and many are feared injured after a cable bridge collapsed into a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday evening. The Gujarat state minister says 60 people have died so far and 17 people were admitted to hospitals. Local media reports said over a hundred people plunged into the Machchu river when the bridge in the state’s Morbi district collapsed. The 19th-century, colonial-era bridge had reopened four days ago after renovation (裝修). Officials said the bridge gave way because it could not handle the number of people on it. **US Biden Congratulates Brazil's LuladaSilva ** US President Joe Biden has congratulated Brazil's former left wing leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after he narrowly beat the incumbent (現任) president Jair Bolsonaro in the country's election. Jagruti Dave has more from Washington. **NMacedonia Pushes Back Migrants from Greece ** Police in North Macedonia say nearly 400 migrants have been prevented from entering illegally into the country from neighboring Greece in the past four days during a joint operation led by the European Union’s law enforcement agency. Police said in a statement that a total of 389 migrants, most of them from Syria and Afghanistan, were pushed back to Greece from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29, after having been spotted (看見、認出 ) in the border area between the countries. North Macedonia’s interior minister said during the first nine months of 2022, attempts to cross illegally from Greece increased by 7% compared to the same period last year. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 52-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,874, on turnover of $2.1-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday, to edge closer to a return to the 13,000 point mark, as investors awaited an update on the U-S economy. **Government Plans to Review Online News Revenue Proposals ** Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang says the government is set to review proposals for the distribution of revenue for news content published on digital platforms. According to Tang, her office will be meeting with representatives from local news media outlets and international digital platforms to discuss the issue in the coming weeks. The statement comes as media outlets and lawmakers have been pushing the government to introduce legislation aimed at ensuring that news media companies receive payment for content published online. Tang says the planned talks will be focusing on issues related to how much digital platforms should pay in compensation (賠償) for the revenue losses. The Ministry of Culture is currently looking into how much revenue local broadcast news outlets have lost due to their content having been published on online platforms. **Moscow Accuses Kiev of Making Bio Weapons ** Russia has accused Ukraine and the United States of operating a biological weapons program. At a United Nations Security Council meeting Washington's representative firmly (斷然、堅決的) rejected the accusations as an attempt to justify its war in Ukraine. UN members also met to discuss nuclear issues in Ukraine including allegations that Kiev is developing dirty bombs. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. **US Blinken on Haiti Crisis ** Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. and Canada will work together to “cut the insecurity knot” that has allowed gangs to create a humanitarian crisis in Haiti. But neither Blinken nor Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly committed (承諾) their country to leading a military force to the Caribbean nation. Blinken told a news conference in Ottawa during his first visit to Canada, that the issue is a "work in progress" Blinken said Canada and the U.S. agree that “more likely needs to be done” to support the Haitian national police to restore their grip on security. **IMF Announces Loan Agreement with Egypt ** The International Monetary Fund has reached a deal with the Egyptian government that paves the way for the country to access a $3 billion loan. IMF officials on Thursday announced a staff agreement between the Egyptian government and IMF leaders. The 46-month deal includes a series of agreed-upon economic policies that Egypt would implement that would, in turn, allow it to access a loan of around $3 billion. In the hours before the announcement, Egypt’s central bank announced a series of key rate increases. The Egyptian economy has been hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, events that have disrupted (打亂了) global markets and hiked oil and food prices worldwide. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 79-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,808 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex closed in positive territory on Wednesday, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing staged a technical rebound and other tech stocks also made gains following a rally on Wall Street overnight. Market watchers say bargain hunters also opted to pick up some financial and old economy stocks, which helped to prop up the broader market. However, investor sentiment remained cautious amid lingering concerns over a possible further aggressive rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve. **Kinmen Bridge to Open to Traffic Sunday ** Transport Minister Wang Kuo-tsai says the Kinmen Bridge will open to traffic this Sunday. A final inspection was carried out Monday and the Kinmen County Government was informed about its findings on Tuesday. The Freeway Bureau says the inspection covered areas such as road drainage (引流), traffic engineering, traffic control systems, and lighting. And according to the transport minister, all relevant requested improvements will be completed by tomorrow. The 4.8-kilometer Kinmen Bridge is Taiwan's first cross-sea bridge and runs west to east from Hou-Tou in Lie-Yu Township to Ci-Hu in Jin-Ning Township. **France Macron Vows Pension Reform ** French President Emmanuel Macron is vowing to implement (實施) a pension reform that would eventually raise the retirement age by three years to 65 and make younger generations work longer. In an interview, Macron said the changes will start being applied next year and the minimum retirement age to get full pension will be gradually increased from 62 now to 65 by 2031. Yet he says he is “open” to discussion with workers' union the retirement age and making potential amendments to the proposals. A proposed pension overhaul sparked nationwide strikes and protests at the end of 2019 during Macron’s first term. Macron was reelected for a second term in April. Gambia Lawmakers Call for Compensation for Child Deaths Caused by Cough Syrup Gambian lawmakers are calling for compensation (賠償) for the families of 70 children who authorities believe may have died after taking a contaminated cough syrup imported from India. The special legislative session on Wednesday comes several weeks after the World Health Organization issued an alarm about four cold and cough syrups that were sold in Gambia. Authorities began investigating back in August after a number of children died from acute kidney injuries. The WHO says the cases “have been potentially linked” to medicine made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited in India. Gambia's Select Committee on Health, said if a link is confirmed “Gambia must sue.” **US Woman Sues Over Homeless Feeding Ban ** From the US…. A woman is suing over a ban (禁止) against feeding homeless people in parks. Lisa Dwyer has that story. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

MOFA Welcomes New UK PM Rishi Sunak Taiwan Delegation Eyeing Tech Cooperation with Latvia and Lithuania Italy-Politics Brittany Griner's prison sentence Chlorox recall Pine-Sol products

Tai-Ex Opening Vice President to Visit Palau to Boost Two-Way Travel Man Ordered to Pay Damages for Paint Attack on Denise Ho China Huawei Britain Politics Russia Ukraine Dirty Bomb Leslie Jordan

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 15-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,931 on turnover of $1.9-billion NT. The Tai-Ex followed other regional markets and lost ground on Thursday, after Wall Street fell, reversing course after two days of gains. **CEC Defends Voting Ban on People in Coronavirus Quarantine ** The Central Election Commission is defending its decision not to allow people with the coronavirus and their close contacts from casting ballots in next month's local elections. Speaking at a legislative hearing, commission chairman Lee Jin-yong said the bans are not unconstitutional, as restrictions on the movement of positive cases and their contacts are in accordance with the Communicable Disease Control Act. According to Lee, the Council of Grand Justices has previously ruled that such restrictions do not violate the Constitution. The statements comes as lawmakers have been debating whether the ban infringes (侵權) on voter's rights and contravenes Article 23 of the Constitution on protecting individual's rights and freedoms. **US Military Has Proof of Iranian Forces in Crimea ** The U.S. military says it has proof that Iranian forces are on the ground in Crimea, supporting the Russian military attacks against Ukrainian targets. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. **Chad Protesters Clash With Security Forces ** Chadian security forces have opened fire on anti-government demonstrators in the country’s two largest cities killing at least 60 people. Authorities imposed a curfew after Thursday’s violence, which came amid protests in the central African nation against interim leader Mahamat Idriss Deby’s two-year extension of power. France, the African Union and others swiftly condemned (譴責) the security crackdown on the demonstrators. A Chadian government spokesperson says 30 people were dead in the capital. Organizers of the march, though, placed the toll higher, at 40, with many wounded by bullets as well. There was no independent corroboration of the figures given by the two sides.. Another 32 protesters were killed in Chad’s second-largest city, Moundou, according to an official in the city’s morgue. **WHO Investigating Complaints Against Syrian Office ** Staffers at the World Health Organization’s Syrian office have alleged that their boss mismanaged millions of dollars, plied government officials with gifts, and acted frivolously as COVID-19 swept the country. More than 100 confidential documents, messages and other materials obtained by The Associated Press show WHO officials told investigators that the agency’s Syria representative engaged in abusive behavior, and consistently (一貫的) misspent taxpayer funds. Some of the allegations include the representative throwing a party that cost more than $10-thousand US dollars of WHO funds, mostly to honor her own achievements, as well as hiring underqualified relatives of government officials, and meeting with Russian military officials, which would violate the W-H-O's neutrality as a UN organization. Complaints from at least a dozen personnel have triggered one of the biggest internal WHO probes in years, at times involving more than 20 investigators. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 64-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 12,913 on turnover of $4.2-billion N-T. The market lost ground to fall below the 13,000-point mark on Wednesday on the back of futures-led selling throughout the session despite a rise on Wall Street overnight. The decline came as foreign institutional investors opted to once again to dump Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing shares in the spot market in a bid to profit in futures trading. T-S-M-C's share price fell below 400 N-T, after losing 2.83-per cent to drop to 395.5 N-T during the trading day. **27 Undocumented Migrant Workers and 3 Employers Arrested in Hsinchu ** The National Immigration Agency says 27 undocumented migrant workers have been detained in Hsinchu County as they were about to leave their homes to go to work. According to the agency, they were living in rented units in small secluded (僻靜) alleys in the county's Zhubei City and Hukou Township, and they were hiring private vehicles to take them to work. Along with detaining the undocumented migrant workers, three of their employers have also been arrested. The immigration agency says the undocumented migrants were illegally employed at construction sites, and the employers are facing charges of violating the Employment Service Act. Arrangements are currently being made to deport the 27 undocumented migrant workers. **Gov and Enterprises Celebrate Sanitation Workers ** Several local governments and businesses celebrated their sanitation workers yesterday. New Taipei held a ceremony yesterday and thanked its 5-thousand sanitation staff, with New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi personally awarding over 100 workers for excellence on the job. The Changhua County government also expressed gratitude for its cleaning crews, and held a competition for sanitation-related (與衛生有關的) designs, such as remote-controlled trash compactors, and creating fertilizer from garden waste. (NS) **Ukraine Accuses Iran of Violating UN Ban ** Ukraine is accusing Iran of violating a U.N. Security Council ban on the transfer of drones capable of flying 300 kilometers. Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador invited U.N. experts to visit the country to inspect Iranian-origin drones being used by Russia against civilian targets. Russia and Iran denied Wednesday that the drones are Iranian. The UN reportedly held a closed council meeting yesterday, requested by Britain, France, and the United States on Iran's sale of drones to Russia. Russia is believed to have sent waves of Iranian-made Shahed drones into Ukraine to strike at power plants, residential buildings and other infrastructure (公共建設) in Kyiv and other cities. **US Trump Knowledge of Capitol Riot Claims ** From the US….. A judge says Trump knew his voter fraud claims were false. AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 28-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,096 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Tuesday to close above the 13,100 point mark, as investors were encouraged by a rally on Wall Street overnight. Buying was seen almost across the board, led by contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and the bellwether electronics sector as a whole, as tech stocks on U-S markets made a significant (明顯的) bounce-back. **Premier Tests Positive for Coronavirus ** Premier Su Tseng-chang has tested positive for the coronavirus. According to the Cabinet spokesman Luo Bing-cheng, the Premier tested positive after feeling ill while at the Legislative Yuan. He is now at home and will quarantine for seven days and is only showing mild symptoms of the disease. The Cabinet spokesman says Su will be conducting (進行) any subsequent responsibilities virtually. The Presidential Office says Su last met with President Tsai Ing-wen on October 15 at the Central Epidemic Command Center - and Tsai remains in good health. **King Mswati III of Eswatini to Visit Taiwan for 18th time ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says King Mswati III of Eswatini will visit Taiwan later this week. It will be his 18th trip to the island, but his first since the beginnig of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the foreign ministry, King Mswati III will arrive in Taiwan tomorrow. He will be welcomed by President Tsai Ing-wen with a military salute (軍禮) before holding talks at the Presidential Building and meeting with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The delegation will also meet with officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The foreign ministry has not said how long the king and his delegation will stay in Taiwan. **NKorea Fires Artillery Near SKorea Sea Boundaries ** North Korea fired artillery shells near its sea boundaries with South Korea late Tuesday, a day after the South began annual military drills. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says today that North Korea fired about 100 shells off its west coast and 150 rounds off its east coast. It said the South Korean military broadcast (播放) messages several times asking North Korea to stop the firing, but there were no reports of violence between the rivals. An unidentified spokesperson for the North Korean People’s Army’s General Staff issued a statement describing the latest artillery firings as a response to South Korea’s own artillery training that it claimed took place earlier Tuesday in an eastern border region. Seoul didn’t immediately confirm it had conducted any artillery drill near the border on Tuesday. **US Biden Promises Abortion into Law if Dems Keep Congress' ** U.S. President Joe Biden is promising to put the right to an abortion into law if the Democrats keep control of Congress. It comes three weeks before Americans head to the polls in the midterm elections..which could shift (轉移) the balance of power in Washington. U.S. correspondent Gabrielle Fahmy reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 109-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,075 on turnover of 3.4-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday as investors opted to move to the sell side following heavy loses on Wall Street at the end of last week on renewed fears of a further aggressive rate hike by the U-S Federal Reserve. The bellwether electronics sector led the downturn, as government-led funds are believed to have stepped in, picking up large-cap non-tech stocks in the petrochemical and financial sectors to limit losses by the end of the session. **Cabinet Setting Out Tougher Rules Restricting Use of China Tech ** The Cabinet is reportedly working on a series of regulations aimed at tighten protocols restricting the use of China-made tech by government agencies. Reports say the equipment being targeted by the regulations includes China-made telecom hardware and software as well as digital billboards and video display systems used by state-owned and affiliated (附屬) agencies. The move is being backed by the Ministry of Digital Affairs. According to the ministry, the stepped-up restrictions will be based on amendments to current laws that already limit the use of products by government agencies that pose a threat to national information security. **CEOC Reports 414 Cases of Damage as Rain Battered Island ** The Central Emergency Operation Center says 414 cases of damage to public infrastructure and private property have been reported since Tropical Storm Nesat moved away from Taiwan on Monday. The incidents included damage to roads and infrastructure facilities. A total 243 were reported in Taipei and 126 cases reported in New Taipei cities. The center has now lowered disaster level to Level 2 as the rains are now easing (緩和). However, the Central Weather Bureau is warning that chances of extremely heavy rain or heavy rain remain high in regions north of Taoyuan and in the northeast into today. **US House panel: Trump's bills to Secret Service 'exorbitant' ** Documents released by House committee shows Donald Trump's private companies charged (收費) high rates for the Secret Service to stay at Trump properties during his presidency. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **UN Chief Calls for End of Hostilities in Tigray ** The United Nations chief is demanding an immediate end to hostilities in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region and withdrawal of Eritrean forces fighting alongside the government. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Monday that “violence and destruction have reached alarming levels” and “civilians are paying a horrific price.” He warned that “the situation in Ethiopia is spiraling (不斷上升) out of control" and stressed that “there is no military solution” to the nearly two-year conflict between Tigrayan forces and the federal government. Guterres called for an urgent resumption of talks between the two sides and said the U.N. will support African Union efforts. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 139-points this morning from Friday's close, at 12,988 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market closed up over 300-points on Friday, as it followed other global indexes and gained ground after Wall Street rebounded from a slump caused by higher-than-forecast inflation numbers. **Government Reaffirms Sovereignty in response to Xi Speech ** The Presidential Office is reiterating that it represents a "sovereign (統一) and democratic country." The statement comes in response to comments by Xi Jinping in a major speech at the opening of the 20th congress of the Communist Party of China. Xi said Beijing will continue to strive for peaceful "reunification" with Taiwan, but will never promise to renounce the use of force and the "one country, two systems" model remains "the best means" of achieving "reunification." The Presidential Office says President Tsai Ing-wen's national security team is closely monitoring the Party Congress and stressed that mainstream public opinion here in Taiwan has clearly rejected the "one country, two systems" idea. **CEOC Reports 268 Incidents as Rain Batter Island ** The Central Emergency Operation Center reported a total of 268 incidents, mostly concerning flooding and roadside trees, as the periphery of Tropical Storm Nesat batter (重擊) the island with heavy rains on Sunday. According to the center, 208 of those incidents were reported in the north and in Yilan. The Ministry of Transport says landslides required the closure of sections of the Northern Cross-Island Highway, the Central Cross-Island Highway and the Southern Cross-Island Highway. While the Council of Agriculture issued mud and landslide warnings for 69 areas in Taipei, New Taipei City, Yilan, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu and Hualien counties. **Salvadoran Judge Orders Arrest for Dutch Journalists Killings ** A Salvadoran judge has ordered the provisional arrest of several retired high-ranking members of the armed forces accused of having participated in the killings of four Dutch journalists in 1982. According to the Associated Press, those facing arrest orders include a former a defense minister and former director of the now-defunct treasury police. The killings took place during the height of El Salvador's civil war between the government and rebel guerrillas. The Dutch TV journalists had linked up with leftist rebels and planned to spend several days behind rebel lines reporting. But Salvadoran soldiers armed with assault rifles and machine guns ambushed (伏擊) them and the guerrillas. In March, relatives of the victims, and representatives of the Dutch government and the European Union demanded that El Salvador bring to justice those responsible for the murders. **Gates Foundation Pledges 1.2Billion to Eradicate Polio ** The Gates Foundation wants to end polio worldwide. AP correspondent Shelley Adler reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 213-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,024 on turnover of $3.9-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex came under heavy pressure on Thursday - to close at its lowest level in two years. Market watchers say investors opted to cut their holdings ahead of the release of September's U-S consumer price index amid lingering concerns over the Federal Reserve hawkish rate hike cycle. While investor sentiment also remained cautious about the tech sector ahead of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's investor conference - that opened after the market closed. **TPP Lawmaker's Master's Degree Revoked ** The De-Ming University of Science and Technology has revoked a master's degree conferred on Taiwan People's Party lawmaker Tsai Bi-ru for improper citations. According to the university, the thesis violated (違反) academic ethics. Tsai received the degree from a part-time master's program at the university's Management Information System Department in 2019. The moves comes after former Taoyuan City councilor Wang Hao-yu claimed in mid-August that he had notified the university that there were improper citations in Tsai's master's thesis. The university said it received an anonymous report that Tsai's thesis was extremely similar to an article published by one other person and immediately formed a seven-member committee to conduct a review. Four review meetings were held and the committee determined there was a violation of academic ethics in Tsai's thesis and recommended Tsai's master's degree be revoked. Tsai says she respects the decision, but is accusing the committee of failing to provide sufficient explanations on how she had violated academic ethics. **US Jan 6th Committee Votes to Subpoena Trump ** The committee investigating the Jan 6th attack on the US Capitol has voted to subpoena former president Donald Trump. The committee says it has enough evidence to push for criminal charges, against multiple individuals, relating to the attempts to overturn (翻轉) the 2020 presidential election. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **UN Guterres Letter to Financial Leaders ** The United Nations chief has sent a letter to finance ministers and central bankers from the world's 20 leading economies. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in Thursday's letter that the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the war in Ukraine and escalating climate emergencies ``are wreaking havoc on economies across the globe.'' Guterres urged financial leaders to change course and steer a global economic recovery that includes developing countries that have been hardest hit by these events, along with the rising cost of living, tightening financial conditions, and unsustainable (不可持續的) debt burdens. The letter comes ahead of next month's Group of 20 summit in the Indonesian resort of Bali. Guterres says the U.N. system and its partners have proposed a ``stimulus'', which calls for ``a massive increase in public sector commitments towards development, humanitarian and climate mitigation and adaptation by just 2% of global GDP''. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 27-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,108 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday as government-led funds were believed to have intervened ( 介入、調解) to lend support to the local main board amid ongoing global volatility. However, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing still saw its share price fall below 400 N-T for the first time in more than two years. **MND Vows 'No More Teslas' Following Musk China Comments ** Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng says the military will not purchase any more Teslas following comments by Elon Musk last week that the island become a Chinese special administrative zone. Speaking at a legislative hearing, Chiu told lawmakers that the military currently owns seven Tesla Model 3s and 12 other electric vehicles, which were acquired from local carmaker Luxgen brand e-cars for environmental reasons. Chiu said if the decision to purchase the Teslas is causing concern, the defense ministry will not buy anymore of those cars. Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics Major General Hsu Jin-teng has said all the Teslas used by the military had their eight cameras disabled (使無效使失去能力,) for security reasons. **WBSC Under 23 Baseball World Cup to Begin at Tianmu Stadium ** And, The opening ceremony of the W-B-S-C Under 23 Baseball World Cup takes place this evening at the Tianmu Stadium in Taipei. The ceremony begins at 5:45PM and will be followed by the opening game at 6:30 -- when Taiwan meet Colombia. Twelve teams are participating in the Under 23 Baseball World Cup - which begins with a two group round-robin stage and the top three teams from each group advance to the next round. Taiwan is in Group A with Colombia, Germany, Japan , South Africa, and defending champion Venezuela. Group B consists of Australia, Cuba, South Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico. Games will be played at the Tianmu Stadium in Taipei, the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium and at the Dou-Liou Stadium in Yunlin County. **NKorea on Missile Tests ** North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has supervised tests of long-range cruise missiles, which he described as a successful demonstration of his military's expanding nuclear strike capabilities and readiness for ``actual war.`` The comments were carried in state media today. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said the two missiles during Wednesday's tests flew for nearly three hours above its western seas, and showed that they can hit targets 2,000 kilometers away. Kim after the tests praised (稱讚) the readiness of his nuclear combat forces, which he said were fully prepared for ``actual war to bring enemies under their control at a blow'' The tests on Wednesday extended a record number of weapons demonstrations this year by North Korea. South Korean officials say Kim may also conduct a nuclear test in the coming weeks or months. **UN Passes Resolution Condemning Russian Annexation ** Members of the United Nations General Assembly have overwhelmingly (壓倒性地) passed a resolution condemning Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian territories. The vote comes after Russia vetoed a similar resolution at the UN Security Council late last month. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,077 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex tumbled to its lowest close in two years on Tuesday as investors scrambled to dump large cap electronics stocks on the back of heavy losses seen in the tech sector on Wall Street overnight. Market watchers say investors were once again concerned about possible further rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve. While the announcement last week by the U-S Department of Commerce that it would expand restrictions (限制) on exports of I-C and related production equipment also placed downward pressure on the local tech sector. **20 Tour Groups Scheduled to Arrive in Taiwan Tomorrow ** The Tourism Bureau says 20 tour groups will be arriving in Taiwan tomorrow, the day the government lifts all coronavirus quarantine border restrictions. According to the bureau the tour groups are from Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia. They have a combined total of 244 tourists. Central Epidemic Command Center head Victor Wang says the government has no plans to reverse (撤銷) its coronavirus policies, despite concerns that the current domestic outbreak is "still at a plateau." **Taiwan Lantern Festival to Return to Taipei ** The Taiwan Lantern Festival is returning to Taipei for the first time in 23 years next year. The Tourism Bureau says it believes the festival will be one of the first major events held in the capital after mandatory quarantine regulations are lifted for arrivals and the island welcomes back tourists. According to the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism, the festival will be taking place from February 5th through 19th and is expected to be the biggest in the event's more than 30-year history. City officials say it will have four exhibition areas, one central installation (裝置物) and six other major installations as part of a 300-lantern collection covering 168 hectares. **Russia Launches New Attacks on Ukraine ** Russian forces have carpeted Ukraine with a fresh barrage of missiles and munition-carrying drones. The bombardment came a day after strikes across the country killed at least 19 people and knocked out power across the country. The U.N. human rights office says the ``particularly shocking'' attacks could amount to (相當於) war crimes. The leaders of the Group of Seven industrial powers also condemned the attacks and said they would ``stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes.'' Their pledge defied Russian warnings that Western assistance would prolong the war and the pain of Ukraine's people. Russia launched the attacks in retaliation for a weekend explosion that damaged a bridge linking Russia to the Crimean Peninsula. **Dame Angela Lansbury Obit ** Dame Angela Lansbury — star of the US TV crime series 'Murder, She Wrote' — has died at the age of 96. Jody Jacobs looks back at her career. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 308-points this morning from Friday's close, at 13,394 on turnover of 5.2-billion N-T. The market tumbled almost 190-points last Friday as investor sentiment turned cautious prior to the release of U-S September jobs data and concerns that Federal Reserve will continue to implement (實施) its rate hike cycle policy. Selling focused on large-cap tech stocks on the local main board, in particular in the semiconductor industry amid fears over an increase in fund flight caused by a stronger U-S dollar. **Tsai Urges Respect for Taiwan's Sovereignty in National Day address ** President Tsai Ing-wen says military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option" and is calling on Beijing to respect the island's sovereignty. Speaking outside the Presidential Building as she market National Day, Tsai said Beijing should not make any misjudgment (誤判) on account of Taiwan's vigorous democratic system," nor should it attempt to "exploit (利用) the competition between our political parties." According to Tsai, such actions will not benefit cross-strait relations and will only push the two sides further apart. Tsai went on to stress that "armed confrontation is absolutely not an option for our two sides." **National Day Fireworks Display in Chiayi Attracts 250,000 ** And, Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Zhang-liang some 250,000 people saw last night's National Day fireworks display. The fireworks display was held at the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum - where some 53,000 people gathered to see the show - while some 200,000 others watched it from surrounding (周圍) areas. According to the county government, the 25,000 fireworks were set off, while attendees also got to see 360-degree water dance featuring a light sculpture projection together with a sound and light show. Six-hundred drones were also used to used to light-up what the Chiayi County's Tourism Bureau is calling the largest R-O-C flag to have ever been displayed at the event. **UN States Ｍeet on Russia Annexation of Ukraine Territories ** An emergency session is being held at the United Nations General Assembly to debate what a number of countries say is Russia's illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories. William Denselow has more from UN headquarters in New York. **Philippines Rights Activsits Call for Release of Opposition Senator ** Human rights activists have pressed their call for the immediate release of a former Philippine opposition senator after she was taken hostage in a rampage by three Muslim militants in a failed attempt to escape from a maximum-security jail. Police killed three militants linked to the Islamic State group behind Sunday's rampage in which a police officer was stabbed and former Sen. Leila de Lima briefly held hostage. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International on Monday expressed deep alarm over the jail violence in the national police headquarters. De Lima has been detained since 2017 on drug charges she says were fabricated (捏造的) by former President Rodrigo Duterte and his officials in an attempt to muzzle her criticism of his deadly crackdown on illegal drugs. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

TaiEx opening down International Student '0+7' Policy Set for October 13 Airport Travelers to See Discounted Fares on MRT Lines Fired police sergeant attacks Thai day care center, kills 36 Biden announces sweeping softening of US marijuana laws

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 64-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,865 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market extended gains from a session earlier on Wednesday, rising more than 200 points, as investors took cues from another surge on Wall Street overnight. Buying focused on top stocks in terms of market capitalization, in particular those in the bellwether electronics sector, which pushed up share prices across the board, as sentiment improved amid eased fears over aggressive U-S Federal Reserve rate hikes. **Over 50,000 New Coronavirus Cases Reported for the First Time Since June ** The Central Epidemic Command Center is reporting 54,874 new domestic coronavirus infections. That's the first time the daily number has exceeded (超過) 50,000 since late June. The daily tally has now risen week-on-week for 10 consecutive days. Epidemic command center head Victor Wang says the increase shows that the current wave of infections is peaking and could rise further. However, Wang is insisting the rise in new cases will not affect the government's plans to lift mandatory quarantine for arriving travelers from next Thursday. **Three Allies Call for Taiwan's Inclusion in ICAO ** The representatives of three of Taiwan's allies are calling for the island's participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization. Representatives from Belize, Eswatini and Tuvalu spoke up in support of Taiwan during a plenary (全體出席的) session of agency's triennial assembly, which is on-going in Montreal. Belize's representative called for Taiwan to "be given the opportunity to have meaningful participation" - arguing that "no country should be left behind." Eswatini's representative told delegates that his country believes that "all international civil aviation stakeholders that administer any political airspace should be part of such an organization." While Tuvalu's representative said his country fully supports "the full inclusion of all nations in assemblies as we need to advocate a joint community for the betterment of our world." **US Russia China Faceoff Over NKorea ** North Korea has launched another ballistic missile just days after sending one over Japan for the first time in five years. It came as members of the United Nations Security Council clashed over North Korea's recent military activity. The UN Secretary-General has called this week's missile launch reckless (魯莽) and a violation of UN resolutions. William Denselow has more from UN headquarters in New York. **Nobel Prize Chemistry Announced ** This year's Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded to Americans Carolyn R. Bertozzi and K. Barry Sharpless, and Danish scientist Morten Meldal for developing a way of ``snapping molecules together`` that can be used to design better medicines. They were cited for their work on click chemistry, which has been used to make cancer drugs, map DNA and create materials that are tailored (量身定制) to a specific purpose. A week of Nobel Prize announcements kicked off Monday, and will continue today with literature. The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday and the economics award on Monday. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 151-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,727 on turnover of $4-billion N-T. The market made a strong comeback on Tuesday, as a rally on Wall Street overnight and expectations the U-S Federal Reserve will ease the pace of its rate hike cycle both sparked heated buying. Investors rushed to pick up large-cap tech stocks with a focus on semiconductors, which drove the local board higher throughout the session. **Indonesians Stuck on Cargo Ship in Kaohsiung to Allowed to Disembark ** The Maritime and Port Bureau says eight Indonesian crewmen on a cargo ship that has been docked in Kaohsiung Port since February will be allowed to leave the vessel once a relief crew arrives in Taiwan. According to the bureau, nine Burmese sailors will relieve (換班) the Indonesian crewmen, who have been stuck on the vessel for over seven months. The Ministry of Transport says the Burmese nationals are currently having their visas processed by Taiwan's representative office in Myanmar and are expected to arrive in Taiwan soon. However, the ministry has not given an approximate date for their arrival. The Indonesian crewmen have been on the Togo-registered "Jian Ye" since it was towed into Kaohsiung Port in February after the vessel lost power near Taiwan's territorial waters. **Passport Applications Surge ** The Bureau of Consular Affairs says the number of passport applications and renewals has soared (飆升) since the government announced that quarantine regulations for arrivals would be lifted on October 13. According to the bureau, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, it processed an average of 1.7 million passport applications per year. However, that number has fallen to 300,000 a year - with the lowest number of applications and renewals being 233,000 reported in 2021. The bureau says it processed 386,000 passport applications as of September 30 his year and there's been an average of around 3,000 applications per day. And the bureau has been seeing an average of 5,300 applications over the past week. **Estonia PM on Moscow's Nuclear Threat ** Estonia's prime minister says the West mustn't give in to Moscow's nuclear threats or premature (過早的) peace proposals but stand firmly in support of Ukraine as the invaded country fights to rid its occupied territories of Russian soldiers. Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told The Associated Press in an interview that ``very dangerous'' calls for negotiations and peace in Ukraine have come from ``very prominent people.'' She didn't specify anyone by name, but her comments followed Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeting a contentious proposal for ending the war. Kallas says Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats to defend Russian territory ``with any means at our disposal'' must be taken seriously but not lead to attempts at appeasement. **SKorea Missile Malfunctions During Drill ** South Korea says one of its missiles malfunctioned (故障) and fell during a drill. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **Bangladesh Power Out ** A failure in Bangladesh's power grid plunged much of the country into a blackout. The state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board said power transmission (輸電系統) had failed in the eastern part of the country, cutting electricity in Dhaka and other big cities. Officials said restoring power could take hours. Bangladesh has seen several power shortages since the government suspended operations of all diesel-run power plants to reduce costs for imports as prices have soared. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 146-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,447 on turnover of 4.-billion N-T. The market extended losses from Friday's session on Monday, losing more than 120 points as investor concerns continued over the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle. The slump also came despite the Financial Supervisory Commission announcing measures at the end of last week to tighten short-selling rules amid global market volatility (易變). **German Lawmaker Lauds Taiwan's Democratic Development ** The visiting chairman of the German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group says Taiwan should be proud of its democratic development. Klaus-Peter Willsch made the statement during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office. The German lawmaker also lauded (讚美) Taiwan for playing a major role in the world's semiconductor industry - saying "the world's industries will face serious problems without Taiwan's semiconductors." Willsch is heading a seven-member delegaiton to Taiwan consisting of lawmakers from six different political parties on a five-day visit. The delegation will also be meeting with lawmakers and visit the Tainan Science Park for talks on trade and investment, high-tech industry, and supply-chain security. **National Day Fireworks Display to Feature 25,000 Fireworks ** Chiayi County Tourism Bureau Director-General Hsu You-ren says this year's National Day fireworks at the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum will feature 25,000 fireworks. According to Hsu, in addition to the fireworks the event will feature a 360-degree water dance featuring a light sculpture projection together with a sound and light show during the 45-minute performance. Hsu says the audience will also be entertained by drone acrobatics with musical accompaniment from Taipei Sinfonietta & Philharmonic Orchestra. Some 12,000 free parking spaces are being made available near the museum, as county government officials are expecting a large turnout (到場人數). **NKorea Launches Missile Over Japan ** North Korea has reportedly fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan. The Japanese prime minister's office said at least one missile fired from North Korea flew over Japan and was believed to have landed into the Pacific Ocean. Officials say the missile landed in waters outside the country's exclusive economic zone after a 22-minute flight. Japanese authorities issued a ``J-alert'' to residents in northeaster regions to evacuate to buildings nearby, the first such alert since 2017. Trains were temporarily suspended in Japan's Hokkaido and Aomori regions before their operations were resumed after a government notice that the North Korean missile appeared to have landed into the Pacific. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida strongly condemned the launch, calling it a "reckless (魯莽) act". South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol has called a National Security Council meeting to discuss the launch and says the North's ``reckless nuclear provocations'' would meet the stern response of the South and the broader international community. **Swedish Geneticist Wins Nobel for Physiology ** A Swedish geneticist has won the Nobel Prize for medicine. Svante Paabo pioneered (首創) the use of ancient DNA to unlock secrets about human evolution. Jody Jacobs has more from New York. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 65-points this morning from Friday's close, at 13,359 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market fell by over 100-points on Friday, as other regional indexes sank again after German inflation spiked higher, Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss defended a tax-cut plan that rattled investors and data showed that Chinese manufacturing has weakened. **More than 141,000 Free Flu Shots Administered on First Day of Rollout ** The Centers for Disease Control says more than 141,000 people received a flu shot on Saturday, when the government launched this year's free vaccination program. That figure was a 14-per cent increase from last year. C-D-C Deputy Director-General Zhuang Ren-xiang is attributing the higher number to there being less conflict with the administration of coronavirus vaccines. People being vaccinated against the coronavirus at this time last year were advised (建議) to wait at least seven days before getting a seasonal flu shot. However, the C-D-C this year has said that flu shots can be given at the same time as other vaccines, including coronavirus vaccines, but not on the same limb. **Mercury to Drop in North this Week ** The Central Weather Bureau says a seasonal northeasterly wind system is expected to begin affecting (影響) the north from Wednesday - when daytime temperatures are expected to drop by between 7 and 8 degrees. According to the weather bureau, the mercury in northern Taiwan is forecast to range from between 25 and 26 degrees - and that'll be a marked decline from the daytime highs of 34 to 35 degrees seen over the past week. The seasonal northeasterly wind is also expected to bring brief showers to areas north of Taoyuan as well as to northeastern Taiwan, while sporadic rainfall is forecast for Hualien and Taitung from Wednesday. Those weather conditions will last into the weekend. **Haiti Sees Cholera Outbreak ** Haiti's government says at least eight people have died from cholera for the first time in three years. The cases are raising concerns about another potential catastrophic epidemic like the one that broke out a decade ago and killed nearly 10,000 people. The cases were reported in a community in southern Port-au-Prince and in a seaside slum (貧民窟) where thousands of people live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. The deaths announced Sunday come as a lack of fuel and ongoing protests shut down the availability of basic services across Haiti, including medical care and clean water, which is key to helping fight cholera and keep patients alive. **Brazil Presidential Candidates Head into Runoff Vote ** Brazil's top two presidential candidates will face each other in a runoff vote after neither got enough support to win outright. With 98.8% of the votes tallied on Sunday's election, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had 48% support. Incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro had 43.6% support. Brazil's election authority said the result made a second round vote between the two candidates a mathematical certainty (必然的事). Nine other candidates were also competing. **King Charles Not to Attend Climate Summit ** King Charles III has decided not to attend (參加) the international climate change summit in Egypt next month. AP correspondent Zerya Shakely reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 125-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,410 on turnover of $3.1-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday following a rise on Wall Street overnight on the back moves by the Britain's central bank to forcefully to stop a budding financial crisis. **CECC Receives 4th Shipment of Second-Generation Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine ** The Central Epidemic Command Center has taken delivery of the fourth shipment of Moderna's second-generation coronavirus vaccine. Command center head Victor Wang says the 605,000 doses will be part of a new rollout plan scheduled for October 3, when it the second-generation coronavirus vaccine will be made available to more people. From next Monday, the booster vaccine will also be available to frontline medical workers, airport personnel and flight crews, everyone aged between 50 and 64, as well as those 18 and above who need to travel abroad (國外) for work or diplomatic reasons. **EPA to Ban PVC in E-Commerce Packaging Next July ** The Environmental Protection Administration says online retailers will be banned from using packaging materials containing P-V-C from July of next year. The ban comes amid a rise in environmental concerns over the surge (上升) in online shopping packaging waste. According to the E-P-A, materials containing P-V-C will be banned in packaging for e-retail businesses, and all packaging materials must contain a certain amount of recycled paper or recycled materials beginning July 1, 2023. The E-P-A says online shopping sales produced over 3,000 metric tons of plastic packaging waste and 54-thousand metric tons of paper packaging waste. All those sales and packaging emitted a total of 78-thousand metric tons of carbon dioxide. **UK PM Defends Cutting Taxes ** The UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has defended (辯護) her government's decision to cut taxes - saying Ministers took action at a difficult time. Laura Makin-Isherwood reports from London. **Nigeria Presidential Candidates Sign Peace Accord ** Presidential candidates in Nigeria have signed an accord (協議) committing to a peaceful campaign for the 2023 election. Nearly all of the 18 candidates for president signed the pact at an event in Abuja, the nation's capital, on Thursday. Similar peace accords have been struck in every general election cycle since 2015. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is due to leave office in May after completing his second term and has promised peaceful voting to elect his successor. **UK Reveals First King Charles Coins ** Meanwhile…. Britain's Royal Mint has unveiled the first coins to feature (使…成為主要的特征) the portrait of King Charles III. Britons will begin to see Charles' image in their change from around December, as 50-pence coins depicting him gradually enter circulation. The Royal Mint says the new monarch's effigy was created by British sculptor Martin Jennings and has been personally approved by Charles. In keeping with a centuries-old tradition, the king's portrait faces to the left, the opposite direction to his mother's, Queen Elizabeth II. A separate memorial 5-pound coin remembering the life and legacy of Elizabeth will be released Monday. Charles ascended to the throne Sept. 8 upon the death of his mother, Britain's longest-reigning monarch. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 84-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,550 on turnover of 3.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex joined other regional markets and lost ground on Wednesday, following a wobbly session on Wall Street overnight, as markets churned over the prospect of a possible recession. **US Speaks Up for Taiwan's Participation at ICAO Assembly ** The U-S Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is calling for Taiwan's inclusion (包括、加入) in the International Civil Aviation Organization on the opening day of the agency's assembly in Montreal, According to Buttigieg, the U-S believes "all of international civil aviation's most important stakeholders, particularly those who would administer critical aerospace, like Taiwan, should have the opportunity to participate meaningfully. Germany's Ministry for Digital and Transport, Stefan Schnorr, also called on the global aviation body to include all parties involved - saying it should "include those that are not members." However, he did not mention Taiwan by name. Civil Aeronautics Administration Director-General Lin Jun-liang is heading a delegation to Montreal this week, to promote Taiwan's inclusion in the International Civil Aviation Organization. **Inbound Visitors can Travel if Tour Group Members Contract Coronavirus ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says members of inbound tour groups will be allowed to continue traveling in Taiwan, even if other members of their group test positive for the coronavirus during their trip. However, they will need to take a rapid test and obtain (獲得) a negative result every two days. The statement comes as the ban on inbound and outbound tour groups as well as for mandatory quarantine for arriving visitors is set to be lifted as part of a new "0+7" policy on October 13. The "0+7" policy will replace the current "3+4" policy - but all arrivals must observe seven days of self-conducted epidemic prevention measures, and will be allowed to outside if a test taken within the past two days returned a negative result. **Iran Drone Bombing Leaves Dead and Wounded ** An Iranian drone bombing campaign targeting the bases of an Iranian-Kurdish opposition group in northern Iraq has killed at least nine people and wounded 32 others. The Kurdish Regional Government's Health Ministry said the strikes Wednesday came as demonstrations continued to engulf (吞噬) the Islamic Republic after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who was detained by the Iranian morality police. Local officials say Iran's attacks targeted Koya, some 65 kilometers east of Irbil. Iraq's Foreign Ministry and the Kurdistan Regional Government have condemned the strikes. Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall in Florida Florida's governor Ron De Santis is warning that "nasty" days are ahead as Hurricane Ian makes landfall in the US state. Forecasters said cities at the heart of the storm were facing extremely (極其) dangerous winds and rains, as officials warned it was too late to evacuate in some places. Our US correspondent Kate Fisher reports That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Tai-Ex opening down Premier Expresses Condolences to Families of Coronavirus Victims Tourism Bureau Could Issue Subsidies to Quarantine Hotels Ukraine's president: No talks with Putin if its land annexed Hurricane Ian knocked out power across all of Cuba

Weekly Coronavirus Infections Decline by 3% New Taipei Seeking Gold Label Designation for Marathon Security tightens in Tokyo NASA's DART mission successfully slams into an asteroid

Third Batch of Moderna Next-Gen Vaccine Arrives in Taiwan Government Thanks Marcos for Cross-Strait Peace Appeal AI Educational Center in New Taipei Italian far-right leader strikes moderate tone after vote US Box office reports

Taipei MRT Wenhu Line glitches CWB Warning Two Tropical Depressions Could Develop into Tropical Storms *Pompeo to Make Second Trip to Taiwan Next Week Mexico proposed that India and the Vatican lead dialogue to seek a peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine US and S. Korea Joint Military Drills

Novavax Coronavirus Vaccine Shipment Arrives FSC Touts Banks Growing Bilingual Services Putin orders partial military call-up, sparking protests Trump inflated his wealth Federer on GOAT debate in AP Interview: How can you compare?

Magnitude 4.7 Quake Rattles South and Southeast Quake Simulation Our world is in peril': At UN, leaders push for solutions Official: Canada likely to drop vaccine requirement to enter United Airlines grounds 25 planes after missed inspections

CECC Forecasting Latest Coronavirus Wave to Peak Next Week Number of People Injured in Weekend Earthquakes Rises to 164 Ukraine warns of 'nuclear terrorism' after strike near plant Leaders call for action to address global education Nigeria battles worst floods in years; 300 killed in 2022

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 68-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,602 on turnover of $2.6-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Thursday, after Wall Street posted modest gains overnight. **Pig Carcass Found in Kinmen Tests Positive for African Swine Fever ** The Council of Agriculture has imposed a one-week ban on the transport of pork products from Kinmen to other parts of Taiwan. The move comes after a pig carcass that washed up on the outlying island tested positive for African Swine Fever. According to the Kinmen County government, a Coast Guard patrol found the carcass of a on the shoreline near Jinning Township's Housha Village. Disease control officials collected samples from the carcass, and then burned and buried it on site. Tests of those samples by the National Institute for Animal Health showed it had been infected with African Swine Fever. Animal health officials have been inspecting pig farms located within a 3-kilometer radius of where the carcass was found, but no trace of the disease has been found. The Kinmen County government says it's not unusual to find pig carcasses among garbage that occasionally washes ashore (上岸) in Kinmen, due to its close proximity to China. **US Judge Rejects DOJ Request to View MaraLago Material ** A federal Judge has rejected the US Justice Department's request to resume reviewing classified material it seized from former president Donald Trump's Mar a Lago home. The Florida court also appointed a neutral (中立) third party suggested by Trump's legal team to oversee the process. US correspondent Ira Spitzer has more. **Haiti Investigates Police Killings ** Haiti's National Police says it is investigating the recent slaying of three officers that it blames on gang members. The agency says a gang called ``Ti Makak,'', killed the officers Tuesday in Laboule, a largely gated community just south of Port-au-Prince. The area is also the site of recent turf wars (地盤爭奪) between gangs that have led to other killings in the area, including two journalists in January and a former senator who worked for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor in August. Police said Wednesday that they had opened an investigation into the killings of the officers. **Mexico Gov: Train Poses No Threat ot Skeleton ** Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History says a prehistoric human skeleton found recently in a flooded cave system along the country's Caribbean coast was actually registered by the institute in 2019 and will not be threatened by a nearby tourist train project. Earlier this week, archaeologist Octavio del Rio said he and fellow diver Peter Broger saw the shattered skull and skeleton partly covered by sediment (沉積物) in a cave. They reported it to the institute, which had not publicly spoken of the find until its statement Thursday. The institute says that scientific analysis has still not been carried out on the remains, but that it is 400 meters from the path of the government's Maya Train project and not threatened. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 11.3-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,647 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. The market lost over 230-points on Wednesday as investors reacted to disappointing inflation data from the U-S that sent the Dow Jones plunging by nearly 1,300 points on Wall Street overnight. Large cap tech stocks, in particular those in the semiconductor industry, led the decline on the main board, amid expectations the U-S Federal Reserve will adopt (採納) a more aggressive approach on interest rates as it takes steps to fight inflation. **US Senate Committee Passes Taiwan Policy Act ** The U-S Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed the Taiwan Policy Act. Lawmakers voted to pass the bill after about 2-hours of discussions. The bill is aimed at increasing America's support for Taiwan, both militarily and economically, and it was introduced in June by Senates Bob Menendez and Lindsey Graham. Speaking after lawmakers voted, Menendez said there were only minor changes to the approved version and those changes were mainly symbolic (象徵性的). And he's stressing that the substance of Taiwan Policy Act remains unchanged. **CECC Approves Guidelines for Overseas Tour Groups ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says it has approved a series of guidelines for travel agencies organizing overseas tours. The statement comes after local media reported that that operating guidelines have been finalized, despite the continuing ban on organizing tour groups for overseas travel. The guidelines will not be implemented until the current domestic coronavirus outbreak has peaked and the ban on group overseas travel will only be lifted in full accordance with the government's border re-opening plan. According to center head, Victor Wang, the guidelines for overseas tour groups have been approved "in preparation" for future policy changes, which will be implemented (實施的) at later dates. **SKorea Arrests Woman Wanted in NZ ** Authorities say a woman has been arrested in South Korea on two murder charges from New Zealand, where the bodies of two long-dead children were found in abandoned (遺棄) suitcases. Authorities didn't immediately say if the 42-year-old suspect was the victims' mother. New Zealand police earlier told their South Korean counterparts that the mother might be in South Korea. South Korean police said they detained the woman after New Zealand requested her extradition. A court will now review whether she should be extradited. The bodies were discovered last month after a New Zealand family bought abandoned goods from a storage unit. Police said the children were between 5 and 10 years old and the suitcases had been in storage at least three or four years. **Macau Begins Negotiations for Casino Licenses ** The government in Macau is beginning negotiations with casino operators for new licenses in the world’s biggest gambling hub. But analysts say the process is facing unprecedented (史無前例) complications due to China’s strict COVID-19 restrictions. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **Czech Gov Unveils Plan to Help Businesses with Energy Costs ** The Czech government has unveiled a plan to help businesses cope with surging energy costs. Prime Minister Petr Fiala says the government is ready to use up to $1.2 billion US dollars for the program, which mainly aims to assist (幫助) larger firms with a high consumption of electricity or gas. The government already announced another plan to cap to cap electricity and gas prices for households, small businesses and the public sector. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 199-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,695 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. This morning's decline comes after renewed (重新開始的) inflation fears in the U-S triggered the biggest selloff on Wall Street in two years overnight. The Tai-Ex extended gains from the previous session on Tuesday, but turnover remained thin and the main board also met with stiff technical resistance ahead of the 15,000-point mark. **US Senate Committee Expected to Pass Taiwan Defense Bill ** The U-S Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to pass Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 early tomorrow morning Taiwan time. The bill is aimed at increasing America's support for Taiwan and was introduced in June by Senates Bob Menendez and Lindsey Graham. The bill promotes the renaming of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington to the "Taiwan Representative Office" and requires the appointment of the director of the American Institute in Taiwan to be subject to (以……為條件的) the approval of the Senate. It also calls for the "negotiating" of a bilateral free trade agreement with Taiwan and the use of a Foreign Military Financing Program and other measures "to accelerate the modernization of Taiwan's defense capabilities." **Japan to Relax Entry Rules for ROC Passport Holders Today ** Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that R-O-C passport holders living in Taiwan will be able to apply online for visas to travel there on business or for family visits or group travel from today. Under the new rules, Taiwanese nationals will need a Japanese organization, such as a company, school or a private group, to register their personal information and vouch for them in Japan's Entrants, Returnees Follow-up System. After receiving a "certificate of completion" for registration, people will be able to use the Japan eVisa website to complete the rest of their visa application. The application can be processed (處理) in around five working days. **Queen Elizabeth Arrives at Buckingham ** The body of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived at Buckingham palace where thousands of people had gathered (聚集) in the rain to watch the arrival of the UK's longest serving monarch, who died last week at the age of 96. She will remain at the palace overnight Tuesday before moving to Westminster Abbey on Wednesday, where she will lie in state for four days ahead of her funeral on Monday. Olly Barratt is at Windsor castle… **Canada Makes Queen Funeral Day Holiday ** Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Sept. 19 will be a holiday so that federal employees can mourn Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her state funeral. Trudeau also said he's working with the provinces on a possible public holiday for other workers but Canada's two most populous provinces declined (拒絕) to make it a holiday. The late queen was the head of state for 45% of Canada's existence and visited the country 22 times as monarch. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 88-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,895 on turnover of 2.9-billion N-T. The market gained more than 200 points on Monday as investor sentiment (情緒) improved on the back of gains on Wall Street at the end of last week. Those gains were led by large cap tech stocks, in particular semiconductor heavyweights, which moved higher amid eased investor concerns over another rate hike by the U-S Federal Reserve later this month. **Economics Minister Pledges 2.5GW of New Solar Power Capacity ** Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua says the government will add 2.5-gigawatts of solar power generation capacity (容量) this year. If the government managed to achieve that goal, it will be the most installed in a single year. According to Wang, a total of 1.1-gigawatts of solar capacity was installed in the first seven months of this year and it's hoped that 1.4-gigawatts can be installed in the final five months of the year. Wang says adding new solar power capacity of 2.5-gigawatts this year would top the previous annual high of 1.883-gigawatts in 2021 Data shows that solar power accounted for 2.7-per cent of all electricity produced here in Taiwan in 2021 and 3.3-per cent of all power produced in the first seven months of this year. **Number of Furloughed Workers Falls ** The Ministry of Labor says the number of furloughed workers fell by 3,020 last week on the back of a tentative (暫定的) recovery in domestic tourism. According to the ministry, figures show that the number of workers placed on furlough programs stood at 16,872 as of Wednesday of last week and that was down from the 19,892 from the previous week. While the number of companies implementing (實施) unpaid leave programs fell to 2,605 from 2,990 during the same period. The decline is being attributed to a slight recovery in domestic tourism, due to the summer vacation, and the easing of concerns over the coronavirus situation. **Kremlin Faces Questions Amid Ukraine Offensive ** The Kremlin, facing mounting questions about the country's invasion of Ukraine, has sidestepped questions about whether Vladimir Putin has confidence in his defense minister. Russian officials now say their forces are outnumbered 8 to 1 by the Ukrainian army in some parts of the country and are conceding (承認) that they have lost territory they previously seized there. In Moscow, there's been growing criticism of the Russian army's performance in Ukraine on state television, and questions raised about Vladimir Putin's decision to invade. Julia Chapman has more from Kyiv. **ExAfghan Parliament Member Calls on UN to Push for Women's Rights ** A former member of Afghanistan's parliament is urging the world to label the Taliban a ``gender apartheid'' regime because of its crackdown on human right. Naheed Farid, a women's rights activist who was the youngest-ever politician elected to parliament in 2010, told a U.N. news conference Monday that as a result of severe (苛刻的) restrictions on women's rights, she is hearing more stories of Afghan women choosing to take their life out of hopelessness and despair. She expressed hope that world leaders meeting next week for their annual gathering at the U.N. General Assembly would make time to meet and listen to Afghan women living in exile. Farid accused the Taliban of using women as a ``bargaining chip'' to demand legitimacy, funds, and aid from the international community. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 127-points this morning from last Thursday's close, at 14,711 on turnover of 3.5-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday three-day weekend - closing up 173-points as investor optimism got a boost from a rally on Wall Street, as it was on track to break a three-week losing streak. **Typhoon Muifa 10AM ** The Central Weather Bureau says the periphery of Typhoon Muifa will bring heavy rain to the north and center today, as its passes the island. New Taipei and Taoyuan could see "extremely heavy rain," while "heavy rainfall" is expected in Taipei, Taichung, Keelung, Yilan, Hsinchu County, Miaoli, and Nantou. The weather bureau says the storm is not forecast to make landfall here and will be closest to the island today and tomorrow. Muifa is currently located some 300-kilometers south-southeast of Taipei and is moving in a northerly direction at 7-kilometers-an-hour. Muifa is forecast to have moved away from Taiwan tomorrow evening at the earliest, as it moves into the East China Sea to threaten (威脅) the Shanghai area. **Tsai Lauds U18 Women's Basketball Team ** President Tsai-Ing-wen is lauding the performance of Taiwan's Under 18 women's basketball team for its performance at the Asian Youth Women's Basketball Tournament in India. Writing on her Facebook page, Tsai described the team's performance as "brilliant (傑出的)" -- saying although they failed to beat Australia and Japan, she believes the squad will do better next year at the under 19 Youth Women's World Cup next year. Tsai went on to say the team is the "pride of Taiwan." Taiwan finished second in Group B with a 2-1 record, and beat New Zealand 77-67 in the semifinal match. However, they lost 70-61 to Australia in the semi-final. **US Marks 9/11 ** Events are taking place across the United States marking the 21st anniversary of the attack on 9/11. William Denselow has more from New York. **Mexico Fireworks Explosion Leaves Dead and Injured ** One person is dead and 39 are injured after a stray fireworks explosion at a town festival just west of Mexico City. The township of Tianguistenco said Sunday the blast occurred late Saturday during an annual village celebration. The municipal government said at least five people were in serious condition, and seven others were still hospitalized. The remaining 27 people injured in the blast were treated (治療) and released. **Sweden Election Votes Counting ** An exit poll projected that Sweden's ruling left-wing Social Democrats have won the most votes in a general election while a right-wing populist party had its best showing yet. The exit poll published by Swedish public broadcaster SVT projected (預計) that the left had a slight edge over the right, with 176 seats to 173. The center-left Social Democrats are Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson's party. There are eight parties running to win seats in Sweden's 349-seat parliament. The final outcome will only be known once votes are counted. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **E*Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 37-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,447 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The market tumbled on Wednesday, losing more then 260-points, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing came under heavy pressure amid speculation that its major clients have cut chip orders. T-S-M-C's losses contributed to about 135-points alone to the decline on the main board. **Another Delegations of US Lawmakers Arrives in Taiwan ** A delegation of U-S lawmakers has arrived in Taiwan on a previously unannounced trip and is meeting with senior government officials today - including President Tsai Ing-wen. The eight-member delegation is being led by Representative Stephanie Murphy, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee. According to the American Institute in Taiwan, the delegation will be staying in Taiwan until tomorrow as part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region. A-I-T says delegation will be discussing "US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, global supply chains and other significant issues of mutual (相互的) interest." It is the seventh U-S congressional delegation to have visited Taiwan so far this year. **Death Penalty Sought in Police Murder Case ** The Tainan District Prosecutors' Office says it is seeking the death penalty for a man charged with the killing of two police officers last month. According the prosecutors' office, it has charged Lin Hsin-wu with aggregate larceny, murder, robbery, and illegal use of firearms and knife. Prosecutors says Lin showed no sympathy for the two police officers he had stabbed, but instead chose to steal a firearm and two magazines of bullets from one of them, before walking away and leaving them to die. Office spokesman Hsu Chia-long says Lin admitted the he was aware (知道的) he had killed the police officers during questioning. Justice Minister Tsai Qing-xiang is voicing his support for the prosecutors' decision to seek the death penalty. **SKorea Proposes Restarting Family Reunions ** South Korea has proposed a meeting with North Korea to resume reunions of families separated by war. Seoul's unification minister said Thursday that South Korea hopes that responsible officials of the two Koreas will meet in person as soon as possible for a candid (坦率) discussion. It's unclear if North Korea would accept the offer because it has already rejected the new South Korean government's offer to provide massive aid in return for denuclearization. The two Koreas ban millions of people separated since the 1950-53 Korean War from visiting each other. Reunions were last allowed in 2018. **Canadian Stabbing Suspect Arrested ** After a 4 day manhunt, Canadian police have arrested the suspect in a series of (一系列) knife attacks over the weekend that left ten people dead. Most of the victims belonged to an indigenous community. North American correspondent Ira Spitzer has more **Philippines Ends Outdoor Mask Mandate ** Philippine officials say President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a recommendation (擬議) to end the mandatory wearing of masks outdoors across the country. The interior secretary says Philippines and Myanmar are the last countries in Southeast Asia to ease the compulsory wearing of masks outdoors, though he encouraged the elderly and those with other illnesses to continue masking up in public areas. The Philippines imposed one of the longest lockdowns in the world, which caused its worst economic recession in decades and deepened poverty, hunger and unemployment. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 119-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14, 557 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Tuesday despite lingering investor concerns over increased fund outflows and a hawkish U-S Federal Reserve continuing to affect market sentiment. The market breached the five-day moving average of 14,778-points early in the session, but quickly leveled off as investors sought to lock in gains. **MOFA Calls on Countries to Support UN Inclusion ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the government will again be calling on Taiwan's diplomatic allies and like-minded countries to voice their support for the island's inclusion (被包括) in the United Nations system. The statement comes as the annual U-N General Assembly is set to begin next week in New York. Foreign ministry Secretary-General Lily Hsu says her office is asking 'friendly nations' to speak up during the upcoming General Assembly and send a letter to U-N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Hsu says delegation of lawmakers will visit New York to advocate for Taiwan's U-N, while Taiwan's representative office in New York will be holding a series of events promoting inclusion in the U-N system. **Police Detain Suspect in Dismemberment Case ** Police in New Taipei have detained a suspect wanted in connection with the dismemberment of a man, whose torso (軀幹) and left foot were found in an apartment in the city's Yonghe District. According to the police, the suspect has confessed to killing his 54-year-old brother on September 1 after being repeatedly asked to lend him money. Law enforcement authorities say they believe the suspect stabbed his brother to death in his sleep, before dismembering him and later dumping his limbs and head into a garbage truck. The suspect is expected to be charged with homicide, tampering with and the illegal disposal of a dead body. **UN Security Council Meets to Discuss Zaporizhzhia Concerns ** The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said recent attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine are unacceptable (不可接受). William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. **Australia Navy Given Clearance to Visit Solomon Islands ** Australia says its navy ships have been given clearance to resume visits to the Solomon Islands, which had last week announced a temporary block on all military vessels during a review of its approval processes. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that military ships from New Zealand and Fiji would also be allowed to visit the South Pacific nation. But that means military ships from the U.S., Britain and other countries still won't be able to dock (停靠) at a time that many nations are concerned about the Solomon Islands increasing security ties to China. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,705 on turnover of 1.5-billion N-T. The market closed marginally lower on Monday, as it entered consolidation (合併) mode on the back of lingering investor concerns over a pending rate hike by the U-S Federal Reserve. And although the main board failed to rebound after it came off a high, large-cap semiconductor stocks showed resilience, preventing the market from falling further. **ACIP Approves Updated Moderna Vaccine as Booster ** The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has approved the use of Moderna's second-generation coronavirus vaccine as a booster shot for recipients at high risk of infection or severe disease. The updated vaccine targets both the original virus from 2020 and the Omicron BA.1 subvariant. According to committee convener (召集人) Lee Bing-ing, experts have agreed to recommend the vaccine for use as a booster for two types of "vulnerable groups." Those "vulnerable groups" are people aged 65 and abov, adults aged 18 and above with compromised immune systems and for use among people at high risk of infection, such as front-line medical workers and airport and port employees. **CTiTV to Sue Robert Tsao, as UMC Threatens Counter Suit ** Chung Tien Television has filed a defamation lawsuit against United Microelectronics founder Robert Tsao. The lawsuit seeks 500-million N-T in damages and comes after Tsao referred to the media group last week as a "bandit station" during a press conference. Tsao was asked by a Chung Tien reporter whether his description of China's zero-coronavirus policy as "extremely stupid" also applied to Taiwan's former Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, who had maintained a similar policy for much of the pandemic. Tsao dismissed that question as a "trap" and went on to describe Chung Tien as "bandit station" and refused to answer anymore questions from the reporter. Tsao says he plans to countersue (反訴) Chung Tien for 5-billion N-T for making false accusations against him. **Canadian Police Continue Hunt for Other Stabbing Suspect ** Police in Canada say 31-year-old Damien Sanderson, one of the suspects wanted in connection with a series of stabbings in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, has been found dead and that the wounds did not seem to be self-inflicted. Police say they are still hunting for his brother 30-year-old Myles Sanderson who may have sustained (承受、受到) injuries. Here's Rhonda Blackmore, commanding officer of the Saskatchewan Royal Canadian Mounted Police Ten people were stabbed to death on Sunday and 18 others were injured in what's being described as one of Canada's deadliest attacks. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared his condolences yesterday. Authorities have said some of the victims were targeted and others appeared to have been chosen at random on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the town of Weldon in Saskatchewan province. They have given no motive for the crimes. **Venezuela Drug Bust ** The armed forces of Venezuela have carried out what authorities say is the largest marijuana bust of the last 10 years in the South American country. Officials say members of the armed forces intercepted (截獲) a vessel carrying more than 2-thousand-800 kilos of marijuana, as well as almost 8 kilograms of cocaine, and extra motors. They say the vessel had departed Colombia and was en route to the island of Martinique. Twelve men traveling on the boat were arrested. Hernandez says all are Venezuelans. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 2.9-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,670 on turnover of $2.9-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan extended (延長) their weakness from a session earlier to fall more than 120 points Friday as market sentiment was hurt by lingering concerns over the potential for ongoing interest rate hikes in the United States. The bellwether electronics sector led the downturn, with the sell-off focusing on large cap semiconductor stocks, while shipping stocks also came under pressure to push the broader market down further. **Taipei mayor candidate slammed for tone deaf public toilet policy ad ** A campaign video to promote DPP Taipei mayor candidate Chen Shih-chung's plan to upgrade the city's public toilets sparked controversy was blasted (批評) by critics for making light of sexual harassment. The video, released on Saturday, features internet celebrity Si-cha-mao using a public toilet and discovering that there is no toilet paper, and shows Chen peeking over the stall and lowering an electronic bidet toilet seat down on a string. The video is drawing criticism from some, including rival candidates. KMT nominee Jiang Wan-an called on Chen to apologize for the video, which he said violated the "basic concept" of opposing sexual harassment and voyeurism. Vivian Huang, running for Taipei Mayor's office as an independent took aim at the content of Chen's policy, which she criticized as "(overly) luxurious and unpractical." **US Mississippi Still Lacks Clean Water ** The US's Federal Emergency Management Agency says it's too early to say when clean water will be restored Jackson, Mississippi. Last week flood waters damaged the city's water treatment plant. As our US correspondent Jagruti Dave reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 11-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,790 on turnover of $2.6-billion N-T. Taiwan's benchmark stock index plunged 1.94 percent to close below 15,000 points on Thursday after U.S. stocks finished lower overnight for a fourth straight session. The sell-off took a toll on the bellwether electronics sector, which led the broader market down, losing 2.35 percent. Contract chipmaker TSMC, the most heavily weighted stock on the local market, led the market downturn, falling 2.87 percent to close at its lowest in nearly one month. Analysts say the decline reflects recent hawkish (鷹派的) comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell who reiterated the American central bank's commitment to contain inflation by tightening the economy. **Typhoon Hinnamnor Weakens After Sea Warning (10AM Update) ** The CWB says Typhoon Hinnamnor has weakened, after the bureau issued a sea warning earlier this morning. The Central Weather Bureau says the storm is currently located 470-km east of Eluanbi, moving north-northwest at a speed of 6 to 11-km per hour. Hinnamnor currently has a radius of 250-km, and forecasters say the storm may increase in size. The bureau says if the storm veers (轉向) westward in its path, a land warning may still be issued, but much depends on the the size of the typhoon at that time. The CWB has also issued an extremely heavy rain advisory for the northern cities of Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, as well as Hsinchu County. And a heavy rain advisory has been issued for Keelung City, Yilan County and Miaoli County. The advisories are expected to remain in effect through tonight. **Golden Horse Awards winners named lifetime achievement awards recipients ** **Return to **Table of contents Filmmakers Lai Cheng-ying and Chang Chao-tang will be honored with lifetime achievement awards at the 59th Golden Horse Awards. The award's Executive Committee made the announcement yesterday, for the event scheduled for Nov. 19-th. Both filmmakers are masters of their craft with a total of five Golden Horse Awards combined. The 92-year-old Lai, 92, is one of the pioneers helping Taiwan's movie industry transition (轉變) into shooting in color after being sent to Japan to learn color filming techniques. He won three Golden Horse Awards for Best Cinematography. And 78-year-old Chang Chao-tang transitioned from film cinematography to documentary filmmaking and videography education, influencing the likes of Australian-born Hong Kong cinematographer Christopher Doyle and Taiwanese directors Chung Mong-hong and Huang Hsin-yao. He is also the one of the founders of the biennial Taiwan International Documentary Festival . **US Capitol Riot ** The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection (暴亂) is seeking information from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich about his communications with senior advisers to then-President Trump in the days leading up to the 2021 attack on the Capitol. AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports. **Peru Investigates Transgender Man's Death ** Prosecutors in Peru have opened an investigation into the death of a Peruvian transgender man who died this month after being detained on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali. Peru's Public Ministry said Wednesday that the probe by prosecutors who specialize in (專門從事) human rights will include an autopsy on Rodrigo Ventocilla. That has been demanded by LGBTQ activists amid allegations by the man's family that he was tortured by Indonesian police. Authorities in Indonesia deny those claims, saying Ventocilla was not abused or mistreated. They say he died in a hospital Aug. 11 after complaining of stomach pains and showing signs of depression while in detention. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 114-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,981 on turnover of $4.3-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan moved higher to end above the 15,000-point mark Wednesday as the electronics sector recouped early losses, helping the broader market climb out of its previous doldrums (低迷). Turnover remained thin, however, as investors remained cautious amid lingering concerns over possible volatility among tech stocks in the U.S., which could be affected by expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes. **Typhoon Hinnamnor (Update 10AM) ** The CWB Taiwan will see more significant impact from Typhoon Hinnamnor tomorrow and Saturday, when the storm will likely be closest to the island. The Central Weather Bureau says as of 2am, the storm was located about 520-km east of Taipei and is moving in a southwesterly direction at a speed of 27-km-per-hr. A strong wind advisory is up for most regions across Taiwan's coastal regions in the north, west and east, due to the influence of the typhoon's outer periphery (周邊). Forecasters say a sea warning may come tomorrow morning, but the bureau is still monitoring the path of the storm before determining whether a land warning should be issued as well. **Taiwan Expo in Thailand focuses on environmental sustainability ** Taiwanese and Thai officials are touting (宣傳，讚揚) the potential for greater collaboration between the two countries on the manufacture of electric vehicles and the creation of a "green" economy, during the opening of the annual Taiwan Expo. The expo is being held in a hybrid format, with the physical site located at Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok. This year's Taiwan Expo featured "smart" medical services and manufacturing, low-carbon economy, domestic demand and consumption, and culture and tourism, at the 11 pavilions set up at Siam Paragon shopping mall. The deputy executive director of the Thailand Trade and Economic Office expressed hopes that the expo will open up new possibilities for cooperation between the two sides in the fields of science, industrial development, and environmental sustainability. **UN Report: Uighur Torture Claims "Credible" ** The United Nations long awaited report into allegations of human rights violations against the Uighur Muslim population in China's northern Xinjiang region has been released. In it the United Nations says the claims of torture are "credible" (可信的). William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. < [CLIP] Slug: > **SKorea Conducts Survey for BTS Miltiary Service Exemption ** South Korea may conduct a public survey to help determine whether to grant exemptions to mandatory military service to members of the K-pop boyband BTS. The defense minister told lawmakers he ordered officials to implement (實施) a survey quickly. He said his ministry will also look into various other factors such as BTS's economic impact, the importance of military service and the overall national interest. By law, all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve 18-21 months in the military. But exemptions are granted to certain athletes, musicians and artists. BTS' oldest member, Jin, faces enlistment in December, when he turns 30. **OUTRO ** That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Taiwan, Palau sign MOUs on joint criminal investigation and forensics ** Taiwan and Palau have signed memorandums of understanding to provide mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and forensic assistance between the two countries. The MOUs were signed virtually by Justice Minister Tsai Ching-hsiang and Palauan Vice President and Minister of Justice J. Uduch Sengebau Senior, who is in quarantine after arriving in Taiwan on Saturday on a five-day visit. This marks the first time Taiwan has signed an MOU on mutual forensic assistance with another country. Tsai says the MOU will allow Taiwan to send medical examiners to Palau at the request of the latter to perform autopsies and forensics as well as train medical examiners. **Woman Dies After Being Struck by Train ** A woman has died after being struck by an out-of-service train in New Taipei. Police say the 72-year-old woman was grazed by a Taiwan Railways Administration train as it was traveling on an elevated part of the track just past midnight. They say the woman was found without vital signs, lying next to the tracks with broken bones in her hands and feet. Officials are looking into the cause of the incident. (NS) **Gorbachev Dead at 91 ** Mikhail Gorbachev, the 8th and last leader of the Soviet Union has died in Moscow at the age of 91. Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks was based in Moscow in the 1990s and interviewed Gorbachev after he left power. **UN Official Warns of Libya Chaos ** The U.N. political chief is warning that failure to resolve Libya's political crisis and hold delayed elections poses a growing threat in the country. Rosemary DiCarlo pointed to violent clashes Saturday that killed at least 42 people and injured 159 others according to Libyan authorities. She told the U.N. Security Council Tuesday that the clashes between armed groups supporting rival claimants to be prime minister involved the indiscriminate use of medium and heavy weapons. DiCarlo says the violence also displaced 50 families, significantly damaged five health facilities, and affected two detention centers for migrants and refugees, involving a total of 560 people. Libya has plunged into chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The oil-rich county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments **OUTRO ** That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 6.5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,920 on turnover of $2.3-billion N-T. **Taiwan receives shipment of 600,000 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says Taiwan took delivery of a shipment of over 600-thousand doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine yesterday. The shipment will be prioritized for use as booster shots for children aged 12 to 17. CECC head Victor Wang says the 602,550 Pfizer-BioNTech doses arrived at Taoyuan International Airport on Monday morning, and were transferred to a cold chain logistics center to undergo inspection. Wang said the new batch of vaccines expires (到期) on March 21, 2023, and will be used primarily as booster shots for children aged 12-17, many of whom received first and second shots of the same brand in the second half of 2021. **Pakistan Flooding Causes Widespread Death and Damage ** Disaster officials say nearly a half million people in Pakistan are crowded into camps after losing their homes in widespread flooding caused by unprecedented (史無前例的) monsoon rains in recent weeks. Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said floods this summer have killed more than 1,136 people and injured 1,636 as well as damaging 1 million homes. At least 498,000 people in the country are in relief camps after being displaced, and many more displaced are believed to be living with relatives, friends or outside. The country's climate minister tells The Associated Press that new monsoons were expected in September. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said the rains so far have been the heaviest Pakistan has seen in three decades. He says the government would provide housing to all those who lost their homes. **Dutch Soldier Dead After US Shooting ** One of three Dutch soldiers shot in the US city of Indianapolis over the weekend has died. The Dutch Defense Ministry said the two other commandos (突擊隊員) are conscious and remain stable in hospital. US correspondent Kate Fisher reports **Greek Lawmakers Vote to Investigate Wiretaps ** Greek lawmakers have voted for a parliamentary investigation into the surveillance by the country's secret service of an opposition party leader's phone. On Monday, 142 lawmakers voted for the parliamentary investigation, easily exceeding (超過) the 120-vote threshold needed. The scandal broke after revelations that Nikos Androulakis, a European Parliament member, was put under surveillance for three months last year. At the time he was running for his party's leadership, which he subsequently won. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has denied any prior knowledge of the surveillance, which he said was wrong, and pledged to overhaul the EYP secret service. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Three Taiwanese from Myanmar Human Trafficking Ring Arrested ** The Criminal Investigation Bureau says three people have been detained on connection with a human trafficking ring in Myanmar. The three were allegedly involved in organ harvesting and sex trafficking. They were arrested after it was confirmed they were fugitives and are likely members of a telecom extortion ring in Myanmar. The three Taiwanese nationals were detained after they returned home from Myanmar this past weekend. One of them was on Taiwan's most wanted list for forgery (偽造罪) and currency counterfeiting, but police have not indicated that that individual was involved in human trafficking operations. **KMT Vice Chair Touts China Trip as 'Helping Taiwanese People' ** K-M-T Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia says his recently concluded 17-day trip to China was aimed at looking after the needs of Taiwanese people based in the country. Speaking after returning to Taiwan, Hsia said used his meetings with Chinese officials to convey (表達) concerns over Beijing's recent military drills in areas surrounding Taiwan. According to Hsia, he told Chinese officials that the military exercises were of no help to peaceful development, and that the vast majority of people in Taiwan were uneasy, worried, and dissatisfied with the drills. Hsia says he also exchanged views with them on job scams in Cambodia, cross-strait flights, the reopening of the "mini-three links" and rumors of the termination of the ECFA accords "early harvest" list. **Army Fires Warning Flares at Chinese Drone in Kinmen ** The army says it has fired warning flares after a Chinese drone after it was spotted over a small island in Kinmen County. According to the Kinmen Defense Command, a civilian-operated drone from China appeared over Lieyu Township and troops responded by firing warning flares based on standard operating procedures. Defense officials say troops refrained from takiing more aggressive (挑釁的) measures, such as shooting the drone down, in order to avoid further escalating cross-strait tensions. A clip of the drone's flight was posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo and shows it flying close to and filming a military lookout post, including its facilities and soldiers and ship and aircraft identification charts. The Ministry of National Defense says it is work on a defensive system against drones for installation by 2023 in Kinmen and Matsu. **Serbia opposition, rights groups condemn EuroPride decision ** In Serbia, opposition parties and international rights groups have denounced (斥責) a decision by the President to cancel next month's LGBTQ EuroPride events. President Aleksandar Vucic explained that the Balkan nation could not handle EuroPride because of a political crisis with Serbia's former breakaway province of Kosovo, and economic problems amid Russia's war in Ukraine. Most of the groups say they would ignore the ban announced Saturday by Vucic and go ahead with the September 12-18 events scheduled in Belgrade. **NASA moon rocket on track for launch despite lightning hits ** NASA's new moon rocket is expected to launch later today, despite a series of lightning strikes at the launch pad. Officials say neither the rocket Artemis 1 nor ground equipment suffered (受到) any damage. Five lightning strikes hit the 600-foot towers surrounding the rocket at Florida's Kennedy Space Center this past weekend. The 322-foot rocket is the most powerful ever built by NASA. It plans to send an empty crew capsule into lunar orbit, 50 years after NASA's Apollo program. Astronauts could return to the moon in a few years, if this six-week test flight goes well. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

**EZ NEWS AUGUST 26, 2022 ** **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 21-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,226 on turnover of $2.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex followed other regional markets and gained ground on Thursday, as investors waited for a highly anticipated speech from the U-S Federal Reserve chair about interest rates. **8 Associates of Cambodia-Based Fraud Ring Figure Arrested ** **Return to **Table of contents Law enforcement officials say eight associates of a Taiwanese national believed to be a senior figure in a Cambodia-based fraud ring have been detained. According to the Kaohsiung Criminal Investigation Corps, the eight were working for a Taiwanese national who has been identified as the head of a telecoms fraud ring operating out of Phnom Bokor in southern Cambodia. Corps head Hong Sung-tien says the man reportedly instructed his associates here in Taiwan to find people to work for the ring, offering a reward of 3,000 U-S per person sent to Cambodia. The eight detained suspects are known to have conned at least six individuals in Taiwan to travel to the Cambodia on the promise of fake jobs. Police say those six victims paid a ransom (贖金) of 20,000 U-S dollars each to secure their release and have since returned to Taiwan. Officials say an investigation into this case is ongoing and authorities here in Taiwan are seeking the arrest of more suspects in Cambodia. **CWB: Overcast Skies with Sudden Showers and Gusts ** **Return to **Table of contents Forecasters say rainfall will be more limited today, after torrential downpours and thundershowers yesterday afternoon. The Central Weather Bureau says most parts of the island are seeing overcast to clear skies today, as the amount of moisture in the air tapers off (逐漸停止). But mountainous regions and low-lying areas nearby may still see sudden rainfall accompanied by thunder and gusts of wind, particularly in the afternoon. The CWB is reminding people in those areas to be on the alert for rough weather. (NS) **WHO: Global Monkeypox Cases Dropping ** A World Health Organization report says the number of monkeypox cases reported globally dropped by 21% in the last week, reversing a month-long trend (trend) of rising infections. AP correspondent Zerya Shakely reports. **NKorea: Border Fever Cases Not Coronavirus ** North Korea says the latest fever cases detected in its border region with China were tested to be influenza, not coronavirus infections as initially feared. The report today by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency came a day after the North said it locked down unspecified areas in Ryanggang province after four people had fevers that were suspected to be COVID-19. North Korea maintains there have been no confirmed coronavirus cases in the country since Aug. 10, when leader Kim Jong Un declared a widely disputed victory over the virus, just three months after the country acknowledged (承認) an omicron outbreak. **Latvia Brings Down SovietEra Monument ** Latvia has taken down the centerpiece of a Soviet-era monument in the capital of Riga. The nearly 80-meter high concrete obelisk topped by Soviet stars commemorated (紀念) the Red Army's victory over Nazi Germany. Latvian media broadcast its removal live on Thursday. The monument was built in 1985 while Latvia was still part of the Soviet Union. It had stirred controversy since Latvia regained independence in 1991. Lawmakers voted in May to take it down after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. **OUTRO ** That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening  The Tai-Ex opened up 36-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,105 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex closed slightly lower on Wednesday after initial gains were wiped out (去除; 消滅) on the back of lingering investor concerns about the U-S Federal Reserve's hawkish outlook on inflation and interest rate hikes. The bellwether electronics sector gave up early gains amid fears over further volatility in tech stocks on Wall Street, which prompted investors to lock in profits, or move funds to the biotech and select old economy sectors towards the end of the trading day. **CECC Expects Omicron Subvariant-Induced Outbreak to Peak Earlier ** The Central Epidemic Commander Center is forecasting that new coronavirus cases induced by the Omicron BA. 5 subvariant are expected to peak (達到高峰) in mid or late September. That's some 10 days earlier than had previously been forecast. Epidemic commander center head Victor Wang says Taiwan is continuing to see an upward trend in infections, with Wednesday's daily cases increasing by 15.1-per cent compared with last week. According to Wang, the increase in case numbers is an indication that a peak is close and the number of new infections could start to break 30,000 per day from early next week. **TRLU Drops Strike Plans Amid Progress in Pay Talks ** The Taiwan Railway Labor Union says its members won't be pushing for strike action on public holidays later this year following progress in negotiations with the Taiwan Railways Administration on pay issues. The union had been threatening (威脅) to call a strike on the Mid-Autumn Festival in September and Double Ten Day in October. However, union representatives say it members will be reporting for work on both days after the railways administration agreed to raise the minimum monthly salary for railway employees to 30,000 N-T. The pay raise affects 1,300 employees and was one of the key issues the union hoped would be addressed before it is turned into a state-run corporation in 2024. **US WH Announces Student Debt Relief ** US President Joe Biden has forgiven a part of student debt (學生貸款) for most borrowers in the United States. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **WHO: COVID19 Deaths Worldwide Falling ** The World Health Organization says the number of coronavirus deaths reported worldwide has fallen by 15% in the last week while new infections dropped by 9%. In its latest weekly assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were 5.3 million new cases and more than 14,000 deaths reported last week. WHO said the number of new infections declined in every world region except the Western Pacific. It said the predominant (最普遍的) COVID-19 variant worldwide is omicron subvariant BA.5, which accounts for more than 70% of virus sequences shared with the world's biggest public viral database. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

Tai-Ex opening Yilan County Chief Charged with Corruption Lawmakers Urged to Expedite Law Relaxing Rules on Police Use of Weapons Ukraine fears stepped-up attacks around national holiday Bolsonaro welcomes emperor's heart for Brazil bicentennial

Tai-Ex opening Suspect Arrested in Connection with Police Deaths Tropical Storm Ma'On to Bring Rain to South and East Trump seeks special master to review Mar-a-Lago documents South Korean link suspected to New Zealand suitcase deaths Brazil's da Silva says Bolsonaro taking low road in campaign

Tai-Ex opening NCC Could Change Controversial Digital Law Taoyuan International Airport Lagging Behind Other Top Asian Transit Hubs Polio Viruses Possibly Mutated from Vaccines Serbia warns it will protect Kosovo Serbs if NATO doesn't

Ottawa "Respects" Lawmakers Plans to Visit Taiwan Southern Taiwan Reefs Facing Serious Coral Bleaching Risk NKorea Rejects SKorean Offer US Judge Denies Bail for Rushdie Attacker Brazil Environment Agency Director Removed

Tai-Ex opening KMT Announces New Taipei and Taichung Mayors to Seek Reelection Korean Air Force Aerobatic Team to Refuel in Kaohsiung UN Investigator: Contemporary Slavery Widely Practiced US CDC Announces Shake-up Bulgaria Heroin Bust

Tai-Ex opening NSB Head Pulls Out of NTU Amid Plagiarism Controversy Pilots Union Calls for Easing of Quarantine Rules for Flight Crews Abroad US Warning on Monkeypox Spreading to Pets Palestinian President Expresses No Regret for Munich Athletes Attack

Tai-Ex opening US Senator Praises Taiwan for 'Restraint' Amid Beijing Coercions CECC Confirms First Domestic BA.4 Subvariant Case UN Envoy for Myanmar Visits London Airport to Extend Cap on Daily Passengers

Tai-Ex opening Pfizer-BioNTech Coronavirus Vaccine for Young Children Set to Arrive Tsai Attends Peng Ming-min Memorial Service Palestinian Gunman Wounds 8 in Jerusalem Kenya Elections Japan Economy Ekes Out Growth

Tai-Ex opening Labor Advocate Questions Migrant Worker Wage Hike UN Warning on Ukraine Nuclear Plant HK Population Sees Record Drop Mexico Raises Interbank Interest Rate

Tai-Ex opening KMT Vice Chairman on Controversial Visit to China Ban on New Owners of Formosan Macaques Slated to Take Affect in September Iranian Operative Charged in Bolton Murder Plot NKorea Declares Victory Over COVID19

Tai-Ex opening FDA Plans to Ban Use of Eucalyptus as Raw Material in Food Products Russia Air Base Sees Explosions HK Flights Surge Amid Quarantine Relaxation Brazil Monkey Killings Amid Monkeypox Outbreak

Tai-Ex opening Lithuania Seeking Electric Bus Cooperation with Taiwan SKorea Heavy Rains Leave Dead and Missing US Trump Says FBI Raided MaraLago Greece PM Denies Wiretap Involvement

Tai-Ex opening China Sends 66 Warplanes and 14 Warships Around Taiwan Nanzih Technology Industrial Park Ground Broken US Senate Passes Health Tax Climate Package UK Museum to Return Benin Bronzes

Tai-Ex opening MAC Issues China Travel Advisory in Wake of Activist Arrest Government to Raise Minimum Wage for Migrant Caregivers UN: NKorea Preparing for More Nuclear Tests

Tai-Ex opening MOEA Allays Energy Concerns Mexico Miners Trapped in Northern Mexico US Biden Signs Order to Protect Abortion Rights WHO COVID19 Case Numbers and Deaths Stable

Tai-Ex opening Pelosi Visits LY US DOJ Sues Idaho for Abortion Laws Guatemala Arrests Alleged Migrant Smugglers Cyprus Confirms First Case of Monkeypox

Tai-Ex opening Blinken Calls on China Not to Raise Tension Amid Pelosi Taiwan Visit Chatter Taiwan Advanced to U-12 Baseball World Cup Super Round US Confirms al Qaeda Leader Killed Alibaba Responds to US Announcement of Possible Delisting

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan not Mentioned in Pelosi's Asia Itinerary Low Pressure System to Affect Taiwan from Today Beirut Grain Silo Collapses After Fire NBA Celtics Legend Bill Russel Obit

Tai-Ex opening Motorcycle Deaths Spike nearly 5% Biden Xi Hold Talks French President Welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Argentina Appoints Economic "Super Minister"

Tai-Ex opening Police Arrest of 50 in Cross-Border Charity Scam Ukraine Hits Key Russian Bridge US Offers Prisoner Swap for Griner French President Promises Cooperation with Benin

Four More BA.5 Subvariant Cases Reported in Shipyard Wanan Air Defense Drill Set for South this Afternoon 7.3 earthquake shakes northern Philippines, felt in capital Trump focuses on his new agenda Pope in Canada prays for healing for 'terrible' colonization

DPP Demands NTU Ethics Committee Head Step Down Food and Drink Revenue Soars by 61.7% in June Guatemala's president visits Ukraine, expresses solidarity Tribal leaders, members react to pope's apology on schools

Tai-Ex opening CDC Could Receive Monkeypox Medication and Vaccine in August Four-Day Wanan Air Defense Drills to Start Today US Cali Oak Fire Continues to Burn Albania New President Sworn In

Tai-Ex opening FA Stressing Most Ports Have Facilities for Foreign Fishing Crews Hot Weather to Last Until Weekend EU Moves Closer to More Sanctions on Russia US Texas District Police Chief to be Fired after School Shooting

Tai-Ex opening MOFA Refuses to Confirm Pelosi Visit CECC Relaxes Face Mask Mandate for Bicycle and Scooter Riders Greece Evacuates Residents Amid Wildfire Threat US House Approves Marriage Protection

Tai-Ex opening Tourism Bureau Could Lift Ban on Tours Taiwan finishes World Games with 13 Medals UN Syria Talks Suspended Over Swiss Neutrality US Touts Falling Gas Prices

Tai-Ex opening Contacts in Suspected BA.5 Subvariant Cluster Test Negative Chou Chieh-yu Win's Silver in World Games Pool Competition EU Scorched by Wildfires NMacedonia Bulgaria Leaders Meet

Tai-Ex opening Pingtung to Sets 'Bounty' on Invasive 'Mile-a-Minute Vine' CHK Plans for Increase in New Homes Pakistan Army Officer Abducted and Killed Malawi Elephants Relocated to New National Park

Tai-Ex opening Woman Contracts Hantavirus During Rodent Waste Cleanup US ExCIA Convicted After Classified Info Theft Mexico Migrant Bodies Being Returned SAfrica Mandela Boxing Belt Stolen

Tai-Ex opening CDC Reporting Second Case of Monkeypox Wanan Air Defense Drills Slated for July 25-28 US Trump Tried to Contact Witness Brazil NPO Sounds Warning on Deforestation in Amazon

Tai-Ex opening Cabinet to Pick New CECC Head FDA to Expand Certification Requirements for Imported Meats US Biden Faces Pushback from Shooting Victims' Families Mali Arrests Soldiers Working for Contract Company of UN Mission

Tai-Ex opening Health Minister Accepts DPP Taipei Mayoral Nomination MND Denies Claims Taiwan is Providing Ukraine with Mortar Shells Ukraine Search for Survivors After Russian Rocket Attack Portugal Wildfire Fight Continues Canada Network Failure Paralyzes Mobile and Internet Services

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan reveals genome sequencing of nation's first monkeypox case Cabinet monitoring inflation but insists economy remains strong Russia Warns Kyiv to Accept Moscow's Terms US Chauvin Sentenced for Violating Floyd Civil Rights Uruguay Halts Vaccinations for Under 13

Tai-Ex opening Migrant workers, employers can now access employment documents online UK PM Refuses to Resign Nigeria Families Protest Kidnapping Denmark Plane Evacuated After Fire

Tai-Ex opening Moderna for Children Under 5 Arrives in Taiwan Chicago Shooting Death Toll Rises to 7 UN Peacekeepers Killed by Mali Mine Canada to Throw Out AZ Vaccines

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan's FDA recalls mouthwash, ointments Chicago Parade Shooting Suspect Arrested Iraq Chlorine Gas Leak Injures Hundreds Canada to Compensate First Nations Children and Families

Tai-Ex opening Orchid Island graffiti Songshan Cultural Park extends opening hours to 10 p.m. on trial basis SAfrica Sees Powercuts Across Country Pope Holds Mass with Congolese British Theater Film Director Peter Brook Obit

Tai-Ex opening CIP Launches Joint Trade Pact for Indigenous Entrepreneurs US Swears in Ketanji Brown Jackson as SCOTUS UN Extends Arms Embargo on Armed Groups in Congo UK NZ Leaders to Meet

Tai-Ex opening CECC to Takes Delivery of Novavax Vaccine Shipment Tropical Storm Could Form Today Amnesty Intl: Russian Airstrikes Targeted Ukrainian Theater US Committee Subpoenas ExWH Counsel

Tai-Ex opening First Shipment of Novavax Coronavirus Vaccine to Arrive in Taiwan Soon CWB Expecting 'Normal' Typhoon Season Colombia Prison Fire Leaves Dead and Injured Maxwell Sentenced to 20 Years for Sex Trafficking

Tai-Ex opening MOE Hikes Electricity Rates by 15% for Large Industrial Users More Free Rapid Tests for Children in July UK MPs to vote on overturning Northern Ireland Protocol Toxic gas leak at Jordan port kills 13, injures some 250 UN urges Libya's rivals to agree on elections this week

Tai-Ex opening MOEA to Decide on Electricity Rate Hike Today Guatemala's President Vows to Stick with Taiwan US Pride Parades Continue Amid Fears for Marriage Equality SAfrica Nightclub Deaths Under Investigation

Tai-Ex opening National Police Agency Chief to Retire on June 30 Taipei Drops 20 Places in Economist 'World's Most Livable Cities' Ranking India Sends Team to Afghanistan US to Compensate Havana Syndrome Victims Vatican Releases Canada Trip Itinerary

Tai-Ex opening Orchid Island School Holds Graduation Ceremony for One Student Myanmar Suu Kyi Transferred to Capital C*US Uvalde Police Chief Put on Leave Mexico Blackout Hits Yucatan Peninsula

Tai-Ex opening lower Aftershocks Continue Following Hualien Magnitude 6 Earthquake Local Governments to Receive Children's Pfizer-BioNTech Coronavirus Vaccines Russia warns Lithuania of serious consequences US Congress on gun control

Tai-Ex opening Study Show 30% of Coronavirus Cases are Protected for 500 Days after Aftershocks Possible Following Hualien Magnitude 6 Earthquake UK Rail Strikes to Go Ahead Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Arrives in Cairo

Tai-Ex opening Magnitude 6 Quake Rocks Island Apple Employees Vote to Unionize FINA Bans Transgender Women from Women's Events

Tai-Ex opening Military Officers Attend US-Japan Security Forum in Tokyo US Capitol Riot Hearings Continue France: Islamic Extremists Killed Near Niger Border UN Envoy Warns of Haiti Gang Violence

Tai-Ex opening Arrivals Allowed One Quarantine Location Change Under '3+4' policy Central Bank Highlights Commemorative Polymer Banknotes Brazil Identifying Bodies as Search Continues for Journalist and Expert US FDA Advisors Recommend Authorizing Vaccine for Under 5s

Tai-Ex opening Lithuanian Delegation Discusses Cooperation in Semiconductor and Laser Motorcycles Allowed to Ply Some Sections of Suhua Highway Brazil 2nd Suspect Arrested as Search Continues for Missing Pair US FDA Advisors Back Moderna Vaccine for Older Kids

Tai-Ex opening Lithuanian Delegation Meets with Science Ministry TAITRA Vice Chairman Named as New Envoy to Thailand US Capitol Riot Hearings Continue Congo Accuses Rwanda of Invasion

Tai-Ex opening Health Minister Tests Positive for Coronavirus Man Arrested for Spray Pillar of Shame replica in Taipei US Capitol Riot Committee Considers Indictment Against Trump NATO Works to Resolve Turkey Finland Sweden Standoff

Tai-Ex opening Tour Groups May be Allowed to Travel Overseas in September US House Approves "Red Flag" Bill UN New Security Council Members Elected Nicaragua Authorizes Presence of Russian Troops

Tai-Ex opening CECC Expects Coronavirus Surge to Slow Next Week Transport Minister Touts Round Island HSR Service US Trump to Undergo Questioning Brazil Search for Missing Journalist and Indigenous Official Continues Algeria Suspends Spain Friendship Treaty

Tai-Ex opening CSBC Denies Report on Submarine Technology Leak CWB Warns Rain will Last for Remainder of Week US Woman Pleads Guilty of Leading IS Battalion Hungarian Ambassador Elected UN Gen Assembly President France Hospital Workers Protest

Business Groups Call for Complementary Measures for Wage Hikes Sports Administration Protests Asian Games' Description of Taiwan US Warns Russia on Stolen Ukrainian Grain Cyprus Warns on Turkey Seeking Control of North Dominican Republic Minister Shot Dead in Office Harry and Meghan share photo of Lilibet on first birthday

Tai-Ex opening Health Minister Cites June 10 as Possible Turning Point Date for First-Dose Vaccine Coverage Rate Reaches 90% Russia Warns Ukraine on Western Arms Pakistan Clashes with Militants UK Queen Appears for Platinum Jubilee

Tai-Ex opening MOT Announces Stimulus Package for Tourism Sector Taipei Book Fair Preview Highlights France and Ukraine China Southwest Hit by Two Earthquakes US NY Considers Gun Detectors in Subways Denmark Voters Back Abandoning Optout from EU

MOFA Pledges Additional US$4 million to Ukraine New Look International Driving Permit has 'Taiwan' on Cover Shanghai lockdown lifted Hurricane Agatha kills 10, leaves 20 missing in south Mexico *BTS met US President Joe Biden

Air Force AT-3 Wreckage and pilot's body Found Transitional Justice Commission Disbanded EU countries agree partial oil embargo on Russia France blames ticket fraud for Champions League final chaos Canada to cap the market for handguns with new law

Tai-Ex opening Taipei Schools to Resume In-Person Classes on June 6 Agricultural Damage from May Rains Estimated at Over NT$15 million US Biden Visits Texas to Mourn Shooting Victims Nepal Searching for Downed Passenger Plane Sri Lanka PM Invites Youth Groups to Join Gov

Taiwan remote learning National Police Agency establishes stalking and harassment response teams China and Russia veto new UN sanctions on North Korea New York Court Rules Trump Must Testify Chile apologizes to woman forcibly sterilized for HIV status

MOFA defends itself in Taiwan's exclusion from IPEF Samsung won't displace TSMC Taiwan shares opened up 24 points North Korea launched missiles Haitian boat heading for US ended up in Cuba

Tai-Ex opening up 30 points KMT lawmaker Ye Yu-lan tested positive for COVID Taiwan street view on Google Biden's speech after Texas shooting NKorea Launches Suspected Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan not planning to buy vaccine that protects against monkeypox: Chen Jobless rate falls in April, but May figure could rise amid COVID-19 Ukraine: Desna Attack Kills 87 Yemen Drone Crash Kills 3 Argentina President 1st Lady to Pay Fine for Party During Lockdown

Tai-Ex opening Same Sex Marriage Support US Biden on Monkeypox Concerns US NY Shooting German Chancellor Visits Senegal

Tai-Ex opening Saliva Rapid Tests to go on sale at Watsons and Hi-Life Today US Accuses Russia of Withholding Grain Twitter to Roll Out Crisis Misinformation Policy Germany Rare Car Auctioned Off

Tai-Ex opening NGO Solicits Donations of Rapid Test Kits for Orphanages UN Chief Sounds Warning on Global Hunger Shanghai HK Further Ease COVID19 Restrictions Sri Lanka Protesters Remember Civil War Victims

Tai-Ex opening CECC Tightens Coronavirus Hospital Admissions policy Polish Government Welcomes Taiwan Investment NKorea "Fever" Surge Continues US Looks to Address Baby Formula Shortage

Tai-Ex opening Coronavirus Antiviral Drug Eligibility Simplified for Elderly NSB Warns Taiwanese Youtubers on Beijing Payroll North Korea Confirms More "Fever" Cases US VP Leads Delegation to UAE

Tai-Ex opening CECC Eyeing Loosening Isolation Rules for Boosted People City and County Vaccination Incentives NKorea COVID19 Outbreak Continues Spreading US Biden to Visit NY After Mass Shooting

Tai-Ex opening Medigen Stage 3 Clinical Trial Results to be Announced by WHO N. Korea reports 6 deaths after admitting COVID-19 outbreak UNICEF: Ukraine War is "Child Rights Crisis" 1st Milky Way Black Hole Images Captured

Taiwan Pledges US$1.5 million Donation at Second COVID-19 Summit 5,000 households in Zhonghe and Yonghe experienced power outage 2022 Golden Melody Awards to be Held in Kaohsiung North Korea raises alarm after confirming 1st COVID-19 case Efforts to codify Roe versus Wade as federal law failed in Senate

Tai-Ex opening US Official Says Website Change Reflects Rock-Solid US-Taiwan Ties Taiwan Registers New Pineapple Variety with Japanese Fruit Authorities Musk Open to Allowing Trump Back on Twitter El Salvador Woman Sentenced to 30 Years for Obstetric Emergency

Tai-Ex opening down 157-points Easing of Face Mask Mandate and Border Controls Possible in July FM Touts Taiwan's Invitation to Second Virtual Global Coronavirus Summit Rare cases of COVID returning pose questions for Paxlovid Official: 8 Turkish citizens kidnapped from bus in Haiti

Tai-Ex opening CECC Could Downgrade Coronavirus Tsai Lauds 'Superhero' Moms on Mother's Day Ukraine US First Ladies Meet US Senate to Vote on Abortion Rights Egypt IS Claims Suez Canal Attack

Tai-Ex opening Cabinet Approves Plans to Upgrade Environment and Agriculture Agencies UN Pledges Funds for Nigeria Humanitarian Efforts China Collapsed Building Death Toll Rises Guinea to Prosecute Former President and Officials

Tai-Ex opening Keelung Authorities Address Rapid Test Profiteering Claims US SecretaryofState Contracts COVID19 Armenia Protests Against PM Venezuela SAmerican Countries Discuss Energy Cooperation

Tai-Ex opening Opposition Parties Call on Government to Step-Up Coronavirus Testing Tzu Chi University to Sponsor 30 Ukrainian Students and Scholars UN Secretary-General Visits Nigeria US Police Arrest AntiAbortion Activist

Tai-Ex opening Baby Under 1 Becomes Youngest Patient with Severe Coronavirus KMT Deputy Envoy Meets with Blinken US Biden to Tour Missile Factory UK Reports More Channel Crossings El Salvador Criticized for Gang

Tai-Ex opening Government Finalizes New Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Deal Ukrainians being turned back at US-Mexico border under new refugee policy Turkey President Lands in Saudi Arabia Twitter Reports Rise in Revenue

Tai-Ex opening Kaohsiung Shaken by Mag 4 Earthquake HK Actor Death Investigated Canada Census Provides Insight on Transgender Population CAR Allows Use of Cryptocurrency

Tai-Ex opening MND to Add Lessons Russia's Ukraine Invasion to Han Kuang Exercise MOFA Touts WHA Hopes UN Calls for Humanitarian Corridors in Ukraine Turkey Eases More COVID19 Restrictions

Tai-Ex opening No Replacement Found for CTS Head Taipei Senior Citizen Card Could be Used on TRA Trains in Future Russia Hits Rail and Fuel Targets in Ukraine Mexico Court Strikes Down Cellphone Personal Data Registry

Premier Backs '3+4' Proposal to Shorten Home Isolation Taiwan-Belgium Business Meeting to Focus on Semiconductors Emmanuel Macron re-elected President of France Green fences in Shanghai Nicaragua says it is closing OAS offices, expelling staff

Tai-Ex opening WMA Urges WHO to Allow Taiwan's Participation at WHA Changhua Offshore Wind Farm Begins Feeding into National Grid Ukraine Thanks US for Aid Haiti Grounds Private Aircraft After Crash Honduras ExPresident Extradited to US

Tai-Ex opening New Saint Lucia Ambassador Vows to Further Ties Russia Navalny Urges France to Vote Macron US DoJ to Appeal Mask Mandate Overturn East Timor Elections

Tai-Ex opening Home Isolation for Mild Coronavirus Cases to Launch Islandwide Taiwan and US Hold High-Level Virtual Bilateral Trade Talks US Biden on Mask Mandate Yemen Swears in Presidential Council

Tai-Ex opening Government Could Allow Quarantine-Free Entry from July You Si-kun Checking Out Proposed Sites for Legislative Yuan Sri Lanka President Acknowledges Mismanagement US Migrant Crossings Spike

Tai-Ex opening E*FDA Approves Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine for 6-11 Year Olds E*Tunghai University to Accommodate 18 Ukrainian Students E*Ukraine President Calls on Biden to Visit E*Turkey Launches Offensive Against Iraq Kurdish Militants E*Spain Drug Haul 

Tai-Ex opening Tsai to End Self-Isolation and Meet Visiting US Delegation US Subway Attacker Held Without Bail SAfrica Flooding and Damage After Rains Caribbean Sea Urchin Deaths Worry Scientists

Tai-Ex opening Details on Government Rapid Test Requisition to be Released Soon A-mei's Remaining Taipei Concerts to go Ahead US New York Shooting Suspect Arrested SAfrica Flooding Leaves Dead and Damage

Tai-Ex opening Health Minister Warning Coronavirus Cases Could Soon Hit 1,000 a Day MOFA Aims to Secure Deal to for San Francisco Office by Year's End Biden Accuses Putin of Genocide Brazil ExPrez Promises Indigenous Rights

Tai-Ex opening 350,000 Courses of Pfizer's Paxlovid to Arrive by June Supreme Court Rejects Appeal in Meihe City Corruption case Austrian Chancellor Meets with Russian President US Biden Cracks Down on GhostGuns

CECC Urging Use of Contact Tracing App Taiwan and Poland to Hold concert for Ukraine Shanghai lockdown update Macron and Le Pen to fight for presidency Queen chats with COVID-19 patients, nurses at UK hospital

Tai-Ex opening CECC Planning to Purchase More Paxlovid Coronavirus Drug Xue-shan Tunnel closed due to accident Israel Shooting Leaves 2 Dead US Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed as SCOTUS Puerto Rico Power Outage Continues

Tai-Ex opening CECC Considering Home Quarantine for People with Light Coronavirus Symptoms Tropical Depression East of Philippines Likely to have Limited Effect on UN to Vote on Suspending Russia from Human Rights Council US Fed Signals More Aggressive Steps to Fight Inflation

CECC Warns Domestic Coronavirus Cases Yet to Peak Stable Weather to Continue for Most of this Week Whole of Shanghai entered lockdown Zelenskyy at the UN accuses Russian military of war crimes US Congress on COVID spending bill

Tai-Ex opening Tsai Picks New Supreme Prosecutors Office Head 11 Uniform Invoice Receipts Win NT$10 million Special Prize Ukraine: Russian Forces Withdraw from Chernobyl US Gov to Require Valves on Pipelines WWF: Myanmar Illegal Wildlife Trade Growing

Tai-Ex opening Government Seeking to End Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars and Scooters by 2040 Lawmakers Demand John Peng be Removed from SEF Seat HK Slams UK as British Judges Quit Court Tunisia President Dissolves Parliament

Tai-Ex opening MOEA Postpones Decision on Electricity Rates Taiwan Takes First at 2022 Bakery World Cup in Paris UN Food Chief Warns of Food Catastrophe US FDA Approves BNT Moderna Booster

DPP and KMT Butt Heads Over Timing of Referendum on Lowering the Voting Age Central Bank Warning of Crypto Asset Investment Fraud Involving BTMs Doubts about North Korea's missile test Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock for Oscars slap

Tai-Ex opening down AEC Experts Return from Fukushima Plant Visit Taiwan and Vatican Officials Plant Trees in Support of Ukraine US Secretary of State on nuclear deal with Iran

Tai-Ex opening Eastern Taiwan Rocked by Tremors Parents Shun Outdoor Activities for Kids During Coronavirus EU Moving to Rein In Tech Firms Ethiopia Gov Announces Truce in Tigray Peru Former Presidnet Banned from Leaving Country

Tai-Ex opening 5.3 Magnitude Quake Rattles Much of Island Badminton Ace Tests Positive for Coronavirus in England Russia UN Resolution Rejected SKorea ExPrez Released from Prison Nigeria ExVP Announces Run for President

Tai-Ex opening Earthquake Latest 10AM Tsai Holds Virtual Talks with Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Ukraine Alleges Russia Blocked Aid Convoy US Hillary Clinton Contracts COVID19 German Parliament Pays Tribute to Nazi Survivor Killed in Russian Shelling

Tai-Ex opening Second-Gen Moderna Vaccines Tsai Reaffirms Government's 250 Net Zero Plans US Expands Travel Bans on Chinese Officials Israel AbuDhabi Egypt Leaders Meet to Discuss Ukraine Apple Services Hit by Outages

Tai-Ex opening CECC Reporting 121 New Coronavirus Cases Whale Shark Dies After Russia Demands Mariupol Lay Down Arms for Safe Passage US to Label Myanmar Military Actions "Genocide"

Tai-Ex opening FDA to Require Artificially Marbled Meat to be Labeled from July 1 Biden, Xi to speak Ukraine Theater Search Continues for Survivors Peru Fujimori Approved for Prison Release

Tai-Ex opening Adjusted Co-Payment Plan for NHI Medical Services Announced HPA Seeking Larger Tobacco Warnings British Nationals Land After Release from Iran Japan Earthquake Death Toll Rises Netflix to Rebroadcast Zelenskyy Series

Tai-Ex opening Tsai Draws Parallels Between Holocaust and War in Ukraine New Round of Coronavirus Booster Shot Reservations Begins Today NKorea Fires Unidentified Projectile Biden to travel to Europe for NATO summit next week NZ Reopens for Some Tourism

Tai-Ex opening Mechanical Malfunction Likely Cause of Mirage Crash CPC Warns of Heavy Loses Due to Crude Oil Price Rise OSCE Warns of Russian Terrorism in Ukraine Mexico US Meet to Discuss Immigration

Tai-Ex opening Several Hundred People Rally in Solidarity with Ukraine in Taipei Five Rescued After Fishing Boat Capsizes US Alleges Russia Asked China for MIlitary Assistance Indonesia Earthquake BAFTA Awards

Taiwan shares open lower US Assistant Secretary of Defense: Taiwan needs to get ready Former KMT Chair Backs Eric Chu Kim seeks to expand launch pad amid worry about ICBM firing Losses on Wall Street as the U.S. stock market continues to swing

Tai-Ex opening Amphetamine haul CWB: Warm Weather Continues with Scattered Showers in East US: Russia May Use Chemical Biological Weapons in Ukraine Indonesia Evacuates Residents on Volcano Slopes

Tai-Ex opening Taoyuan Metro Sees Delays Due to Malfunction US Bans Russian Oil Turkey Women's Day Protests German Court Ruling for AfD

Tai-Ex opening Senior vaccination campaign French Forces Kill alQaida Official US Jury Deliberating Capitol Riot Trial Rio de Janeiro Relaxing Use of Masks

Tai-Ex opening CNFI blackout IAEA: Russia Interfering at Ukraine Nuclear Plant Denmark to Hold EU Defense Referendum Mexico Soccer Brawl

Tai-Ex opening Government Account to Help Ukraine Raises NT$80 million in a Day EPA Approves Revised LNG Terminal Plan US Officer Not Guilty on Breonna Taylor Charges Russia Shelling Ukraine Nuclear Power Station Mexico Weapons Seizure

Power Out Tai-Ex opening Mike Pompeo Arrives in Taiwan UN Demand Russia Halt War in Ukraine Germany Removes List of Coronavirus 'High-Risk' Areas

Tai-Ex opening Biden Delegation Begins Taiwan Visit New Round of Bookings for Coronavirus Booster Shots to Begins Today US Biden Bans Russia from US Airspace US Sanctions SAfrican Men Accused of Aiding IS Pope Grants Paternity Leave for Vatican Workers

Tai-Ex opening Tsai Touts New Stage for Transitional Justice Severn Chinese Military Planes Enter ADIZ Ukraine Hospitals Struggling to Treat Patients Myanmar Suu Kyi Pleads Not Guilty in Corruption Case

Tai-Ex opening Cabinet Approves Tougher Traffic Penalties for Failure to Yield to UN Allocates Funds for Ukraine Humanitarian Aid US Former Officers Convicted in Floyd Rights Case Honduras Supreme Court Denies ExPrez Appeal Against House Arrest

Economic Experts Warn Taiwan Could See Inflation Amid Ukraine Crisis Taichung Considering Tougher Penalties for Child Abuse at Care Centers Russia-Ukraine: What to know as world awaits next moves In dramatic late-night speech, Zelensky tells Ukrainians to brace for war

Yilan County Magistrate Detained in Corruption Probe Bookings for Next Round of Coronavirus Vaccine Booster Begins Today Russia-Ukraine: What to know about Europe's security crisis Hong Kong orders compulsory Covid tests for all its citizens

Premier Touts Moves to Ease Coronavirus Prevention Measures NDC Approves Study on New Light Rail Line (輕軌) for New Taipei Ukraine latest Myanmar seeks to have Rohingya case thrown out of UN court Iran returns donated vaccines because they were made in US

Tai-Ex opening Team Taiwan Takes Part in Beijing Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony Parents of Deceased Air Force Pilot Establish Scholarships US Fears Russia Attack at Anytime Credit Suisse Faces Allegations of Unsavory Clients

Tai-Ex opening European Parliament Adopts Security policies with Taiwan Provisions Taiwan to Send 11 Olympic Athletes to Universiade Brazil Mudslide Death Toll Continues to Rise US: Risk of Russian Invasion Still High

Tai-Ex opening CECC Could Allow Mild Omicron Variant Cases to Isolate at Home HPA Looking to Set Up More Fitness Center for the Elderly Countries Pledge Aid for Haiti PostEarthquake US CDC Considers Easing Guidelines

Tai-Ex opening New Round of Coronavirus Booster Shot Reservations Begins Today 28 Taiwan Nationals Remain in Ukraine Russia Putin Welcomes Dialogue on Ukraine US Sandy Hook Families Agree to Remington Settlement

Tai-Ex opening Natural Gas Supply to Taiwan Secure Despite Ukraine Crisis Medigen Coronavirus Vaccine Receives EUA in Paraguay Canada Invokes Emergencies Act for Protests Britain Reaffirms Sovereignty Over Chagos Islands

Tai-Ex opening New Coronavirus Cases See Classes Suspended at two New Taipei Schools Chinese Plane Didn't Enter Dongsha Island Airspace US Canada Bridge Reopens After Blockade Afghanistan Former President Calls for Asset Unfreeze

Tai-Ex opening Kaohsiung Delays Start of Elementary School Spring Semester Taiwan Ranks as Top 'Full Democracy' in Asia Germany on Iran Nuclear Talks US Purchases COVID19 Antibody Treatment US Files Complaint Against Mexico Over Vaquita

Tai-Ex opening Gov't Welcomes EU Chips Act NCSIST Denies Fraud Reports US Investigates Trump Document Handling El Salvador Releases Woman Imprisoned After Miscarriage

Tai-Ex opening City Proposing Local Rules after Fukushima Food Ban Lifted NT$180 Nillion Proposed for Forward-Looking Infrastructure Plan Phase 4 Israel Attacks Syrian Targets After Rocket Attack US Crytocurrency Laundering Couple Arrested

Tai-Ex opening CECC to Lift Entry Ban on Migrant Workers from 4 Countries NDC Forecasting G-D-P Growth of 4% for 2022 Canada Reminds US Officials to Keep Out of Domestic Affairs US Warns Midterms Could Spark Violence

Tai-Ex opening CECC Confirms that all 14 New Domestic Coronavirus Cases Linked to Existing Tsai Praises Women's National Soccer Team US Officials on Ukraine Invasion Canada Capital Declares State of Emergency Over Protests

Taiwan, U.S. vice presidents briefly interact in Honduras Adult children apply for work permits NKorea Vows to Speed Up Warhead Development US Weighs Stopping Russian Pipeline Amid Ukraine Tensions India Hosts Working Group for Afghanistan Aid

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan gets praise Final Batch of BNT Arrives at Taoyuan Airport Ukraine Talks End With No Breakthrough Tropical Storm Ana Hits Southern Africa UAE Summons Sharers of Intercepted Missile Footage

Tai-Ex opening VP Speaks with US Officials Online Polish Targets Hacked with Pegasus Pfizer Begins Omicron Vaccine Trial Thailand Decriminalizes Marijuana

Taiwan records first imported COVID-19 cases from Palau First batch of Pfizer's COVID-19 pills to reach Taiwan soon US Troops on Heightened Alert Belarus hacktivists target railway in anti-Russia effort Japan to subsidise oil distributors to curb fuel prices

Tai-Ex opening Warning online shopping scams Russia Rejects Accusations of Replacing Ukraine's Government Brussels AntiCOVIDRestrictions Protests Armenia President Resigns

Tai-Ex opening Cabinet Approves Draft Copyright and Trademark Law Amendments 39th Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies Opens in Czech Republic Peru Declares Environmental Emergency Amid Oil Spill US George Floyd Jurors Selected UN Calls for Members to Observe Olympic Truce

Reservation for Moderna Boosters Full Taiwan Lantern Festival Main Displays Unveiled Biden Predicts Russia Will Invade Ukraine First aid flight leaves for Tonga after big volcano eruption Jon Stewart to receive Mark Twain lifetime award for comedy

DPP Lawmaker Touts Japanese 'Taiwan Relations Act' at Security Meeting Lantern Festival to Take Place as Scheduled Russia moves more troops westward amid Ukraine tensions Tonga volcano disaster US mobile carriers agree to delay 5G rollout near airports

Tai-Ex opening Lin Zi-Miao Touts Innocence in Corruption Investigation Asian Baseball Championship Postponed Again US Texas Rabbi Describes Escape from Attacker Sudan Protesters Killed and Wounded Tonga Volcano Causes Oil Spill in Peru

Tai-Ex opening Lawmakers Likely to Pass Revisions to Local Government Act Online Bookings for Coronavirus Vaccines to Reopen Tomorrow FBI Identifies Texas Hostage Suspect Australia Tennis latest

Tai-Ex opening Prosecutors Question Yilan County Magistrate in Corruption Probe NKorea Criticizes US Sanctions Tech Giants Subpoenaed by Jan. 6 Panel Nobel Committee Admonishes Ethiopian PM

Tai-Ex opening Tsai Invited to Honduran President-Elect's Inauguration MOTC Seeking to Name Drunk Drivers Egypt President Urges Sudan Talks US Additional Charges Against Christmas Parade Attacker

Search Continues for Missing F16V Pilot CWB Issues Another Cold Surge Advisory WHO Warning of Omicron Groceries Shortage in U.S.

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan-Canada Talks NKorea Reportedly Fires Ballistic Missile US Fed Vice Chair Quits Amid Scandal Mexico President Contracts COVID19 Again

Tai-Ex opening More Schools Closes Amid Confirmed COVID19 Case US Bronx Fire Leaves 19 Dead Russia US Officials Hold Working Dinner UK Preps for Platinum Jubilee

Tai-Ex opening Snow Pellets Fall on Hehuanshan HK Officials in Quarantine After Party UN Warns of Aid Ending if Supplies Not Allowed into Tigray Sri Lanka Indonesia Sign Oil Terminal Agreement

Tai-Ex opening Taoyuan Steps Up Measures Amid Spreading Airport Cluster HK Gov Faces Calls for Subsidies Amid COVID19 Rules Lebanon Group Scuffles with Peacekeepers Italy Government Mandates Vaccination for 50 and Older

Tai-Ex opening CECC Suggesting Incentives to Speed-Up Vaccinations Tsai Calls for Vigilance Against Spread of Coronavirus SKorea Reports Possible NKorea Missile Launch US CDC on Shortened Isolation Lebanon Currency Hits New Low

Tai-Ex opening DPP Seeking Extra LY Session Taiwan Buying Lithuanian Rum Colombia Rebel Clashes Leave Dead US Prince Andrew Settlement

Tai-Ex opening CECC Reporting Another Potential Hotel Coronavirus Cluster Infection Temperatures to See Up and Downs this Week Sudan PM Resigns US CDC Considers Changes to COVID19 Guidance

Tai-Ex opening Constitutional Enshrinement of Animal Protection Gets Opposition Support Ghislaine Maxwell Found Guilty Russia and Belarus to Hold Joint War Games Next Year Mexico More Cracks Found on Elevated Subway Line

Tai-Ex opening KMT Chairman to visit US in Early 2022 Security Being Stepped-Up at Taoyuan International Airport HK Police Arrest Online Media Company Staff US Judge Refuses to Dismiss Alleged Proud Boys Leaders' Charges Mexico Announces Cruise Ships Allowed to Dock with Infected

Tai-Ex opening DPP's Lin Pledges Not to Run for Mayor of Hsinchu Municipality Kaohsiung DUI Suspect Ordered Detained Lebanon President Calls for End to Gov Deadlock US Trucker Hearing for Resentencing

Tai-Ex opening Government Delivers 10-tons of Aid for Filipino Typhoon Victims EVA Airways Suspends flights from to Shanghai Pudong Desmond Tutu Obit Brazil Broken Dams Threaten Flooding Germany Reaches YearEnd Vaccination Target

CWB Warning Cold Front to Push Mercury Down Next Week FM Defends Losing Diplomatic Allies Eggs to be Stamped with Traceability Code from 2022 Pingtung Breaks Ground on King Boat Cultural Museum SKorea ex-President Park, jailed for corruption, is pardoned The CDC sets shorter COVID-19 isolation rules for health workers

Tai-Ex opening CECC Stepping-Up Quarantine Hotel Coronavirus Prevention Measures CPC Inks Oilfield Deal in Somaliland Putin blames West for tensions, demands security guarantees Wall Street Rallies

Tai-Ex opening KMT Blast DPP Over Budget Bill Committee Bypasses Strongest Cold Air Mass of this Winter to Arrive China Orders Lockdown in XiAn US Approves COVID19 Antiviral Drug Israel Shipwreck with Artifacts Found

Tai-Ex opening Report Cites Safety Violations for Academia Sinica Coronavirus Case DPP and LDP to Hold Trade Talks Omicron Sweeps across US Pandemic again forces delay in plans for next Davos meeting Peng Shuai tells paper she never wrote of being assaulted

Tai-Ex opening Site for Yilan HSR Station Finalized French Delegation Leaves Taiwan US Dem Senator Against Biden's Bill Mexico Pedestrian Bridge Collapse Japanese Billionaire Departs ISS

Tai-Ex opening MAC Tells China Not Interfere in Referendums Hospitality Sector Accounts for Over Half of Furloughed Workers Haiti Kidnapped Missionary Group All Freed UN Guterres Urges Vaccination Progress FB Bans 7 Surveillance Companies

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan Embassy Staff in Nicaragua Given Two Weeks to Leave Cabinet to Review New China Tech Bill Syria Reports Israeli Rocket Attack US Faces Double Surge of COVID19 NZ Honors Mosque Shooting Heroes

Tai-Ex opening Visiting Intel Boss Talks-Up Taiwan Investment Police Nab Suspects in ATM Heist US Passes New COVID19 Death Toll Colombia Investigating Explosions Mali Military Leaves Timbuktu

CECC Extends Level 2 Coronavirus Alert Intel CEO Arrives in Taiwan to talk with TSMC US Secretary of State Blinken visits Indonesia Putin urges guarantees on Ukraine in call with Johnson No Punishment for U.S. Errant Drone Strike

Tai-Ex opening German Parliament Passes Taiwan Resolution to Deepening Ties Vaccinations at Taipei Main Station to be Extended Israel Forces Kill Palestinian During Raid US Tornadoes

Tai-Ex opening EY: China Influence in Nicaragua Severing of Ties Government Pledges to US$1 Million to Support Independent Journalism Mexico Migrant Smuggling Truck Crash US Jussie Smollett Found Guilty Brazil to Require Quarantine for Unvaccinated International Travelers

Tai-Ex opening MOL Could Soon Allow More Migrant Workers to Enter Taiwan Taipei New Year's Eve Countdown Party to Feature All Star Cast HK Makes ContactTracing App Mandatory Canada Announces Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Olympics

Tai-Ex opening Government Yet to decide on Beijing Winter Olympics Boycott Lawmaker Pass Amendments on Reportable Traffic Offenses Mexico Fireworks Explosion IG Adds Tool Urging Breaks Stellantis Announces AI Software Strategy

Tai-Ex opening List of Those Required to be Fully Vaccinated to be Extended Level 3 Coronavirus Alert' Biggest Yahoo New Story of Year in Taiwan Syria Confirms Israeli Airstrikes US Announces Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Olympics Scientists Accuse German Newspaper of Fomenting Hostility

Tai-Ex opening US Defense Secretary Warns in Chinese Military Flights Fines to be Issued Following Douliu Drag Racing Event Women activists call for more rights in Afghanistan Sudan Inter-Tribal Clashes Leaves Dozens Dead Gambia President Wins Re-election

PX Mart Branches Could Serve as Vaccination Venues Court Detains Suspect in DPP Lawmaker Hotel Room Attack Mercury Forecast to Drop for Coming Couple of Days GERMANY CLAMPS DOWN ON UNVACCINATED WITH NEW RULES Multiple cases of omicron virus variant detected in NYC IOC Claims Second Call with Peng Shuai

Tai-Ex opening Abe Warns China on Taiwan Invasion //update// HK Tightens International Borders SAfrica New COVID19 Cases Rise Canada Narrows Down Jet Fighter Choices

Tai-Ex opening Health Minister Lays Out Initial Booster Shot Plan Lawmakers Amend Act to Make Seatbelts Mandatory on Long Distance Buses Canada Bans Arrivals from More Countries Due to Omicron CNN Suspends Chris Cuomo France Inducts Josephine Baker into Pantheon

Tai-Ex opening CECC Recommending Coronavirus Booster Shots Lithuanian Lawmakers Tells Tsai that 'We are Here to Express Solidarity Brazil Gold Miners Boats Burned US House Schedules Contempt

Tai-Ex opening Government to Reserve Rooms for High-Risk Countries Visitors due to Omicron Lithuanian Parliamentarians Arrive for Democracy Forum Canada Confirms First Cases of Omicron Variant US Fauci: 2Weeks for Definitive Omicron Information

Tai-Ex opening MOE to Spend NT$20 billion to Improving Digital Learning Taipei 101 to Extend New Year's Eve Fireworks Show Myanmar Earthquake Causes No Major Damage HK Preps to Reopen to China Australia Sends Toops to Solomon Islands Amid Riots

Tai-Ex opening Digital Minister and Washington Envoy to Attend US 'Summit for Democracy' Number of Furloughed Workers Register Decline US Prioritizes Prosecution of Crimes on Commercial Aircraft Haiti Swears in New Cabinet

Taiwan and US Pan Bilateral Science and Tech Meeting MOFA Stresses Respect for Outcome of Honduras' Election Europe Faces More COVID-19 Deaths Bus crashes, catches fire in Bulgaria; at least 45 dead Mixed day on Wall Street with tech stocks falling again

Tai-Ex opening China Warns Taiwan Companies on Independence Annual Taipei-Shanghai Forum to be Held Virtually on December 1 Nicaragua Former Ambassador Wife Alleges Kidnapping US House Subpoenas Stone and Jones Germany Amazon to Cut Plastic Packaging

Tai-Ex opening Store Clerk Killer Detained Local Runner Wins New Taipei Marathon Two Hostages Released After Kidnapping in Haiti Israel Palestinian Group Belgium Protests Ends in Clashes

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan's Office in Lithuania Opens Despite Chinese Protests 4% Wage Hike to Benefit One Million Public Sector Employees: Officials UN Condemns Seizure of US Embassy in Yemen US Rittenhouse Jury Deliberations Continue Israel Charges Defense Minister Housekeeper with Espionage

Tai-Ex opening Hunt for Naval Base Trespasser Ends with Retired Major's Arrest Three Held Incommunicado in Student Information Hacking, Selling Case One Dead, Thousands Evacuated In Canada Flooding U.N. demands that Yemen's Houthi rebels free detained staffers Greeks Hold Peaceful March On Deadly Uprising Anniversary

Tai-Ex opening Navy Holds Ceremony to Mark Progress in Indigenous Submarine Program U.S. FDA Approves Taiwan-Developed Drug to Treat Rare Blood Disease Canada Mudslide Victim Found US Jury Debates Rittenhouse Case Russia Rejects Accusations of Endangering ISS

Cabinet approves bill to extend EV commodity tax exemption period Trans woman's landmark victory in sex identity case finalized Biden and Xi meet virtually Philippine leader runs for Senate after vow to retire

Tai-Ex opening DPP chair to pick municipality mayoral candidates for 2022 elections Xi Biden Prepare for Summit Egypt Rainfall Causes Flooding and Scorpion Stings Israel Approves COVID19 Vaccine for Children

Tai-Ex opening Honduran President to Visit 4,000 Participants Enroll in WHO Medigen Trial Russia Sends Bombers Over Belarus California Extends State of Emergency Slovakia Narrowly Rejects Tightening Abortion Acess

Tai-Ex opening US Sec. State Warns US and Allies Will 'Take Action' if Taiwan is Attacked Second Pfizer-BioNTech Dose for 12-17 Age Group On Hold China Warns Against IndoPacific Tensions at APEC HK Mulls Tightened Aircrew COVID19 Rules

Tai-Ex opening, Bookings for New Coronavirus Vaccination Round to Begin Tomorrow, Premier Vows to Reactivate Fourth Nuclear Power Plant if Referendum Passes

Tai-Ex opening TSMC Responds to US Requests Lithuania Seeking to Establish Charter-Flight Tours to Taiwan UN Nations Concerned on Israel Designation of Palestinian Terrorist Groups Robinhood Announces Major Data Breach EU Reviewing Merck's COVID-19 Pill

Tai-Ex opening Combat Readiness Week Civic Groups Use Landmarks to Raise Climate Change Awareness Iraq Troops Deployed Following Failed Assassination US to Lift Travel Restrictions Migrant Rescue Ship Granted Permission to Land in Italy

Tai-Ex opening Participants in Medigen Phase 3 Clinical Trials Receive First Shot US Sues Texas Over Voting Law Sudan Orders Release of Detained Ministers Mexico Seizes Biggest Batch of Fentanyl

Tai-Ex opening Pingtung Clinic Administers Wrong Vaccine Doses MOFA Cites "Cautious Optimism" Regards Honduras Ties HK to Administer COVID19 Booster Shots Global Carbon Pollution Back to 2019 Levels

Tai-Ex opening Defense Minister Confirms Taiwan-US Joint Marine Training in Guam Taoyuan International Airport Cargo Volume Growing HK Police Investigate Fake COVID19 Tracing App Australia Missing Girl Found

As Chu backs nuclear plant though KMT mayor has concern Medigen to partner with U.S. company on COVID-19 vaccine patch Leaders Promise to End Deforestation Queen urges world leaders at COP26 to 'rise above politics' Facebook cancels 937 accounts linked to Nicaragua government

Tai-Ex opening US Donates 1.5million more Coronavirus Vaccine Doses to Taiwan Taipei Zoo Ready to Ship Pangolins to Prague for Loan Japan Train Stabbing Attack Leaves Dozen Injured G20 Wraps Up with Mild Pledges Morocco Protests Against Vaccine Passport

Tai-Ex opening First-Dose Vaccination Rate Passes 70% Reports Claiming Foreign Minister Plans to Visit Brussels HK Gov Dismisses Election Representation Concerns UK Lawmakers Question FB on Online Safety Vatican Trims Biden Visit Live Broadcast

Tsai Warns of China Threat in CNN Interview Foreign Minister Opposes Authoritarianism in Prague Address Net zero goals aren't the solution, says India before COP26 HK Calls for Booster Shots for Sinovac Recipients

The Tai-Ex opened up 3-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,037 on turnover of 4.1-billion N-T. WHO Selects Medigen Coronavirus Vaccine for International Trial TPP Ahead of KMT in Support Poll US FDA Authorizes Pfizer Vaccine for 5~11 Years Old Gag order in Myanmar keeps Suu Kyi's testimony restricted Brazil senators recommend Bolsonaro face charges over COVID

Tai-Ex opening MOHW Complete Digital Coronavirus Certificate System Changhua Seeking Municipality Status HK Security Bureau Dismisses Amnesty Criticism UN Announces New Myanmar Envoy Turkey President Steps Back from Threat to Expel Ambassadors

Tai-Ex opening MOI Introduces Draft Bill to Improve Building Fire Safety First Indigenous AJT off Production Line Makes Debut Test Flight China Evergrande Faces Deadline in Bond Payment Nepal and India See Flooding and Landslides Britain Queen Elizabeth Spends Night in Hospital

Tai-Ex opening Medigen Expects Results from Phase 3 Vaccine Trial in Paraguay in Q4 HK Activists Welcoem US Safe Haven Details Mexico Reaches Deal to Rebuild Subway Line EU Awards Navalny Top Human Rights Prize

Tai-Ex opening Passengers at Taoyuan Airport could drop to below 1 million in 2021 Guatemala ExSoldiers Raid Congress Building US Ports See Record Backlog Brazil Committee on President's Pandemic Response

Tai-Ex opening Puyuma Derailment Driver Sentenced to 4 1/2 Years in Prison Border Controls See Rise in Furloughed Worker Numbers NKorea Fires Unidentified Projectile Ethiopia Fighting Continues

Tai-Ex opening Level 2 Coronavirus Alert Extended Reports Say Taiwan Could Soon Begin to Receive F-16Vs Haiti Missionaries Kidnapped UK Prince Earthshot Prize Ceremony

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan Crucial Partner in EU's Indo-Pacific Strategy: Trade Official Kaohsiung Mayor Apologizes for Deadly Fire Thousands protest for Georgian ex-president's release Microsoft Shutting Down China LinkedIn U.S. California oil spill likely 25,000 gallons

Tai-Ex opening Kaohsiung Fire Rescue Hampered by Clutter HK Gov Dismisses UN Criticism of National Security Law Norway Bow and Arrow Attack UN Investigator Warns of NKorea Food Crisis

Tai-Ex opening School Closures in Hualien Chile Declares State of Emergency Amid Mapuche Clashes London Apartment Fire Leaves Injuries Australia Signs Agreement with NASA

Tai-Ex opening Sea Warning for Kompasu Lifted Six Rescued from River in Hsinchu NKorea Kim Vows to Build 'Invincible' Army California Surf City Reopens After Oil Spill Moderna Has No Plans to Share Vaccine Recipe

Tai-Ex opening Two Soldiers Injured During Training Drill The Falls' to Represent Taiwan at 2022 Oscars China Energy Crisis to Hit Global Economy Russia Enforcing Collection of Facebook Fines Jordan Gov on Monarch's Luxury Home Purchases

Tai-Ex opening French Senate Delegation to Meet Tsai More Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Doses Arrive French Senate Delegation to Meet Tsai Pakistan Earthquake Leaves Dead and Injured HK Under Pressure to Relax COVID19 Rules Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded

Tai-Ex opening Tsai Talks Tough Amid Chinese Incursions Olympic Team to feature in National Day Parade Australia Preps for Booster Shots Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded

Tai-Ex opening Taipei Marathon to Take Place on December 19 US Mandates Vaccines for Civilian Workers UNICEF Calls for Funds for Young Mental Health Canada US Border Reopens After Bomb Scare

Tai-Ex opening US Urging Beijing to Cease Provocation Tsai Pledges Support for Showcasing Taiwanese TV Dramas on Global Stage Pandora's Papers Raise Questions About Leaders' Finances Oman Cyclone Causes Deaths and Damage Vatican Swiss Guards Refuse Vaccine and Leave Corps

MOE Advising Flexible Deadlines for High School Portfolios EPA to Require Recycling at Lunch Box and Buffet Stores from Today Taiwan NOW to Debut in Tokyo Bangkok braces for possible flooding as rains continue Australia Tornado Destroys Homes

Tai-Ex opening First Batch of Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccines With Customized Label Arrives in Tsai Congratulates Japan's Fumio Kishida on Winning Party Vote Bangladesh Rohingya Refugee Representative Killed Britney Spears Father Suspended as Conservator Youtube Shuts Russian RT German Channels

Tai-Ex opening Hospital Loses Right to Administer Coronavirus Vaccines Taipei MRT Employee Killed in Construction Site Accident Thailand Under Flood Warning NY Vaccination Surge Ahead of Mandate France to Fund Psychological Treatment Starting Next Year

Tai-Ex opening CECC Eases Some Coronavirus Restrictions Taiwan Firms in China Could Face Regular Power Rationing US GOP Blocks Bill to Keep Gov Going SKorea Claims NKorea Fired Missile Cuba Exports Its Vaccines to Vietnam and Venezuela

Tai-Ex opening Slovakia-Donated AstraZeneca Vaccines Arrive in Taiwan Premier Orders Comprehensive Inspection of IT Protocols at Schools Palestinians Killed in Shootout with Israeli Forces US Investigates Amtrak Train Derailment Germany Capitol Voters Back Taking Over Apartments

The Taiex opened up 52 points at 17,130 today on turnover of $3.66 billion NT Central Bank Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged for 6th Consecutive Quarter Electricity Rates Remain Unchanged Japan PM Arrives in US for Quad Summit UN summit seeks to fix food's many problems, but draws fire

Tai-Ex opening Su Touts Vaccination Coverage Rate Minimum Wage Review Committee to Meet in Early October US FDA Signs Off on Pfizer Booster Recommendation DrugResistant Malaria Found in Africa Poland Region Revokes AntiLGBT Resolution

Tai-Ex opening Tsai Touts Lessons Learned from 921 Earthquake Mid-Autumn Festival Sees 'Real' Full Moon Australia Earthquake Causes Slight Damage China to Stop Funding for Coal Power Plants Libya Legislature Passes No Confidence Vote in Transitional Gov

Tai-Ex opening Cabinet Approves Special Bill for Domestic Arms Procurement MOTC Cites Need for Agreement for Yilan HSR Link Haiti PM Responds to Moise Killing Investigation US Florida Surpasses COVID19 Death Milestone Obama Endorses Trudeau in Canada Election

Tai-Ex opening Swiss Lower House Passes Motion for Deeper Ties with Taiwan Dine-in Services Resume in New Taipei China Earthquake Leaves 2 Dead US FDA Preps for Vaccine Booster Meeting Cuba Releases Draft of New Family Code

Tai-Ex opening Japan Pledges More AstraZeneca Vaccine Doses Siemens Gamesa Wind Turbine Plant Inaugurated US California Recall Could Depend on Turnout Mexico Government on Vaccination Efforts

Tai-Ex opening Foreign Spouses and Underage Children Entry Ban Partially Lifted Central Bank Expected to Keep Interest Rates Unchanged US California Ready for Recall Election Haiti President Assassination Investigation Continues

Tai-Ex opening Han Kuang Exercise Live Fire Drill Begins Today Taipei Film Festival Ticket Sales to Begin Today Japan Detects Suspected Chinese Sub NKorea Claims Successful Missile Test

Tai-Ex opening New AstraZeneca Vaccine Appointment Round Begins Today Annual LGBTQ Pride Parade to Move Online Afghanistan Flight Leaves Kabul Airport EU Reinstates Japan Travel Ban ISS Smoke Alarms Go Off on Russian Segment

Tai-Ex opening CWB Could Issue Sea warning for Super Typhoon Chanthu National Day Celebrations to be Scaled Down NMacedonia Fire at COVID19 Hospital Causes Deaths and Injuries Labor Unions Criticize Cathay Pacific Sacking Unvaccinated Crew

Tai-Ex opening 4,800 Students Affected by Class Suspensions Due to Coronavirus Cases in Premier Touts Science and Technology Investment US Texas Governor Defends Abortion Bill Mexico Flooding Kills Hospital Patients Canada Trudeau Hit by Gravel Thrown by AntiVaxxer

Tai-Ex opening CECC Extends Level 2 Coronavirus Alert CWB Monitoring Tropical Depression Sudan Seizes Russian Weapons Bound for Ethiopia Chile Approves Sinovac Vaccine for 6Yr and Older Spain Panda Twins Born

Tai-Ex opening Pfizer-BioNTech Jab to be Rolled out in Schools on September 23 Tsai Urges Calm when Getting CECC Message HK Media Group Directors Resign Amid Investigation Guinea President Detained by Military

Tai-Ex opening European Parliament Passes Report on Enhancing Taiwan-EU Relations Oppressed Tibetans are Warning to Taiwan: Tibetan Representative HK Preps to Ease China Travel Restrictions Pakistan Urges New Approach to Afghanistan Mexico President Urges US to Fund Development

Tai-Ex opening 932,000 BNT vaccines have arrived Push to Evacuate Afghanistan Girls Soccer Team Congo Rebels Ambush Civilian Convoy Ontario to Require Proof of Vaccination for Public Venues

Tai-Ex opening Taiwan to Stage Wanan Air Defense Drill Sept. 15 Taiwan Ranks Joint First with Australia in Earth Science Olympiad UN Appeals for Afghanistan Aid US Cali Nevada Evacuations Due to Wildfire Venezuela Opposition to Participate in Elections

Tai-Ex opening Latvian convict involved in ATM heist deported 82 Taiwan clinics allowed to offer COVID-19 test kits US Evacuation Amid Wildfires Colombia Tribunal Refuses Trial for ExGeneral

Tai-Ex opening Shredded chicken laced with pork tests positive for ASF virus Japan-based author first Taiwanese to win Akutagawa Prize US Drone Strike Against IS Attackers Hurricane Nora Weakens Along Mexico Coast Denmark Scientists Discover Northernmost Island

Vice President Receives Medigen Jab Groups to Donate Clothing to Haiti Taipei Zoo Welcomes Endangered Turtle Hatchlings US evacuations from Afghanistan to continue Gunmen release students in northern Nigeria 3 months later

Tai-Ex opening Stimulus Voucher Plan to be Finalized Tsai Wishes Taiwan's Paralympic Team Good Luck WHO Scientists Delayed in COVID Origin Search Australia Runaway Aircraft Crashes Nicaragua Settlers Attack Indigenous Communities

Tai-Ex opening Conflicting Reports Concerning Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Arrival Customs to Manually Check all Air Freight from Vietnam Airbnb to House Afghan Refugees Colombia Student Advocate Slain

Tai-Ex opening Report Finds Taroko Express Crash Occurred After Removal of Project Palau Travel Bubble Unaffected US Imposes Sanctions Over Tigray Conflict Australia Experts Against Zero COVID19 for Opening Mexico Gulf Fire Leaves Dead and Missing

Tai-Ex Opening Tsai to Gets Local Coronavirus Jab Taiwan Paralympic Team Arrives in Tokyo Iran Japan Officials Meet in Tehran US Biden Promises Accelerated Afghanistan Evacuation Qatar Announces Date for Shura Council Election

Tai-Ex opening Ruling Parties from Taiwan and Japan to Hold Security Talks Electricity Price Hike Likely US Diplomats Warned of Afghan Gov Collapse Haiti Doctors Kidnapped Amid Shortage of Medical Staff Hurricane Grace Strikes Mexico Caribbean Coast

Tai-Ex opening Appointments for Medigen Coronavirus Vaccine Open to More People NCC Sees Increase in Telecom Service Complaints Haiti Quake Death Toll Rises R Kelly trial gets underway in New York

Tai-Ex opening Over 390,000 People Sign-Up for Medigen Jab Appointments Government Donates Emergency Supplies to Haiti DRC Authorizes US Troops to Help Fight Armed Group Peru Foreign Secretary Resigns

Tai-Ex opening Stimulus Vouchers to be Issued Without Upfront Payment Navy Preparing Amphibious Vehicles for Disaster Relief Operations UN Criticizes Ethiopia Accusations Mexico Gas Explosion Leaves Dead and Injured

Tai-Ex opening Another Batch of Moderna Vaccine Arrives Agricultural Losses from Recent Rain Reaches NT$577million Taliban Enter Kabul Haiti Quake Death Toll Rises Canada PM Triggers Snap Election

Tai-Ex opening Seven Chinese Warplanes Enter ADIZ Hou and Cheng Take Five Stars in Global Views' Leadership Survey Canada May Send Troops to Afghanistan for Evacuation US Population Diversifying Mexico Reaches Deal with Mennonites

Tai-Ex opening Palau Travel Bubble to Resume on Saturday Johnny Chiang Touts Advisory Committee on Cross-Strait Policy Russia Helicopter Crash Leaves Missing US California Mandates Vaccines for Educators

Tai-Ex opening More Moderna Jabs to be Released for Frontline Medical Workers Tsai Meets with New AIT Director NKorea Repeats Threats Against US SKorean Drills US Infrastructure Bill Clears Senate Brazil Stages Military Convoy Through Capitol

Tai-Ex opening Coronavirus Vaccination Rate at Around 37% NASC Helicopters Ferrying Supplies to Villages Cut off due Bridge Collapse Canada Reopens US Border Guinea Confirms Marburg Virus Case UK Preps for COP26

Rain Continuing in South Art and Culture Subsidies to be Launched Soon Fire devours Greek island's forests; residents urged to flee Taliban advance in 3 regional capitals in Afghanistan

New Round of Stimulus Vouchers Still in Planning Stage Historian Yu Ying-shih dies at 91 IOC cancels accreditation of two Belarusian coaches Canadian justice lawyer: US didn't mislead in Huawei arrest

Tai-Ex opening US Announces Sale of Self-Propelled Artillery to Taiwan Olympians Thrilled by Military Escort on Return Flight ASEAN Picks Special Envoy to Myanmar US to Require Vaccination for Foreign Visitors Macao Takes Measures After Cluster Infection

Tai-Ex opening Medigen Touts Vaccine Offering 80 to 90% Protection MOFA Slams China Over Arab Times Article Greece Fights Fires Near Athens US New York to Require Proof of Vaccine for Indoor Venues Tunisia President Appoints Economy Minister

Tai-Ex opening CECC Warns Coronavirus Restrictions Unlikely to be Further Relaxed in Near MAC Taking Steps to Protect Trade Secrets US Vaccination Rates Up in Hard Hit States Poland Grants Visa to Belarusian Sprinter