EZ News

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 20,228 on turnover of 5.9-billion N-T. The market closed higher on Friday, even though it lost some momentum from gains made in previous sessions. Wall Street tapped fresh records overnight, led by big gains for chipmakers. MOFA Releases Details of Hsiao Bi-khim's European Trip The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim visited the European Parliament at the invitation of lawmakers there last week. The statement comes as Hsiao has been making low-key (低調) tours of the U-S and Europe in recent weeks. According to the foreign ministry, Hsiao was welcomed by the president of the European Parliament and the European Parliament's first minister. Hsiao is now the first vice president-elect of Taiwan to have visited the European Parliament. Hsiao also visited Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Poland. Man Detained Following shooting at Taoyuan Police Station The Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office has detained a 43-year-old man wanted for firing several shots into a police stations this past weekend. Police exchanged gunfire with the suspect as he fled the scene. One officer sustained (遭受) a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. Police managed to arrest the suspect after stopping his vehicle and seized two handguns and a submachine gun. Authorities say the man was recently investigated for the illegal possession of firearms and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Prosecutors says they are investigating how the man came into possesion of the weapons. Russia Men Accused of Concert Hall Attack Appears in Court Four men accused of staging the Russia concert hall attack that killed more than 130 people have appeared before a Moscow court to face formal terrorism charges. Russian media had reported that the men were tortured during interrogation by the security services. According to the Associated Press, one appeared to be barely (幾乎沒有) conscious during Sunday's hearing. A court statement says two of the suspects accepted their guilt after being charged in the preliminary hearing. The court formally charged the men with committing a group terrorist attack resulting in deaths. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The court ordered that the men, all of whom are citizens of Tajikistan, be held in pre-trial custody until May 22. US Japan to Announce Security Pact Update The US and Japan are expected to announce a major security pact (協定) update when leaders from the two countries meet in Washington next month, according to the Financial Times. Reports expect it to be the biggest security upgrade in 60 years as both countries look to counter China’s military positioning in the region. 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 20,232 on turnover of $8.7-billion N-T. The market rose more than 400-points on Thursday to close above the 20,000-point mark and hit yet another record high - as buying was sparked by a rally on Wall Street overnight. Gains were seen across the board - as investor sentiment got a major boost following the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's latest policymaking meeting, at which America's central bank hinted that interest rates will be cut three times this year. Poisoned Black-Faced Spoonbill Released into the Wild A poisoned black-faced spoonbill has been released back into the wild in Chiayi County. The county's Agriculture Department says over the past four years it has rescued and rehabilitated (使康復；使恢復) 13 black-faced spoonbills, attaching satellite trackers to them before releasing them into the wild. One of those rescued black-faced spoonbills was previously sighted along the county's coastline. The most recently released black-faced spoonbill was rescued on March 9 after the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society reported finding the bird, which was sick and unable to fly. The bird was taken to the agriculture ministry's Biodiversity Research Center for treatment. The Taiwan Wild Bird Federation says as of November of last year here were 3,905 black-faced spoonbills in Taiwan, representing some 59-per cent of the global population. UN Warns More Funding Needed for Haiti The United Nations' humanitarian coordinator in Haiti has warned that without more money, aid in the country will be at risk. Addressing the media remotely from Port-au-Prince on Thursday, Ulrika Richardson said it would be a 'catastrophe' (災難) if the international body was unable to hand out meals to Haitians. This comes as foreign nationals continue to be evacuated from the country, as violence rips through the capital. Sally Patterson has more. EU to Open Membership Negotiations with BosniaHerzegovina European Union leaders have agreed in principle to open membership negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 27 leaders gave the political green light at a summit in Brussels after the European Commission last week agreed to start talks in spite of deep lingering (揮之不去) ethnic divisions in the nation with 3.2 million inhabitants. But the officials emphasized the need for Bosnia to keep on taking “all relevant steps set out” by the Commission that include economic, judicial and political reforms as well as better efforts to tackle corruption and money laundering. Australia Invest in UK Industry for Subs Australia is set to provide $3 billion to British industry to support the construction of nuclear-powered submarines and ensure (確保) its new fleet arrives on time. The announcement at an annual gathering today comes a day after the two countries signed a defense and security pact to better meet such challenges as China's increasing presence in the South China Sea and South Pacific. The 10-year deal will boost capacity at a Rolls-Royce factory in the United Kingdom to build the nuclear reactors that will propel the submarines being built by BAE Systems in Adelaide, Australia. The Virginia-class submarines will be primarily from a U.K. design and will have a U.S. weapons system onboard. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened flat this morning at 19,784 on turnover of 5.5-billion N-T. The market closed lower on Wednesday - as early gains lost momentum amid investor caution ahead of the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's two-day policymaking meeting. Selling emerged as the Tai-Ex closed in on the 20,000-point mark, which took a toll on large-cap semiconductor stocks, as investors opted to pocket gains form recent sessions to push down the broader market to negative territory. Foreign Minister Stresses Taiwan's Presence in Haiti Unaffected by Unrest Foreign Minister Joseph Wu says Taiwan's projects in Haiti are continuing as normal and there are no signs that unrest in Port-au-Prince will affect bilateral relations. According to Wu, diplomatic cooperation with Haiti also appears to be solid (堅固的), as political leaders there likely to take charge following the establishment of a transitional council are all in close contact with Taiwan. Speaking at a legislative hearing, the foreign minister told lawmakers that his office has evacuation contingencies ready and rehearsed, but there is currently no need to withdraw Taiwan nationals from the county. Central Bank Releases Presidential Inauguration Commemorative Coins The central bank has has released commemorative coins to celebrate the upcoming May 20 inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te and Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim. The coins feature images of Lai and Hsiao on one side and the insignia (徽章) of the Presidential Office on the other. The gold coin costs 72,000 N-T, while the silver version is priced at 1,800 N-T. However, only 10,000 gold coins and 50,000 silver coins are being made available. According to the central bank, the images embossed (浮雕的) on the coins are based on photographs provided by the offices of the incoming president and vice president. Japan Opposition Calls for Testimony in Fundraising Skimming Case Opposition lawmakers in Japan are calling for ruling LDP members to give a sworn testimony (宣誓證詞) before parliament over allegations of skimming from fundraising proceeds. Senior LDP members are accused of failing to report more than four million dollars of ticket sales to fundraising events. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. UN Warning on EWaste U.N. agencies have warned that waste from electronics is piling up worldwide while recycling rates remain low and are likely to fall even further. The agencies are referring to “e-waste,” which is defined as discarded devices with a plug or battery, including cellphones, e-cigarettes, laptop computers and solar panels. It does not include waste from electronic vehicles. In a new report released Wednesday, the U.N.’s International Telecommunications Union and research arm UNITAR said nearly 62 million tons of “e-waste” was generated in 2022. They said some contained hazardous (危險的) elements like mercury, as well as rare Earth metals coveted by tech companies. And they say it’s on track to reach 82 million tons 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 22-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,879 on turnover of 4.8-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday as the main board moved in consolidation for most of the session as investor sentiment turned cautious, as they await the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's two-day policymaking meeting. Legislative Committee to Travel to Taiping Island The convener of the Legislative Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee says its members will be traveling to Taiping Island in the South China Sea. According to K-M-T lawmaker Ma Wen-chun, the trip will be taking place on May 16 and is aimed at inspecting a new wharf, reviewing other ongoing maintenance (維護、保養) projects and getting a better understanding of the garrison's combat readiness. The announcement comes as K-M-T lawmakers are calling on President Tsai Ing-wen to travel to Taiping Island as a sign of support for Taiwan's sovereignty over the island. The Coast Guard Administration and the Ministry of National Defense earlier this week held a ceremony marking the opening of the new wharf on Taiping Island. E*Smart City Net Zero City Expositions kick off in Taipei And finally, The 2024 Smart City Summit & Expo and the 2050 Net Zero City Expo are underway in this week in Taipei. According to the Taipei Computer Association, the two events are welcoming some 495 city heads and city administrators from 112 cities in 46 countries and over 1,697 international professional buyers. Association chairman Paul Peng says the two expositions (博覽會) have been held together since last year, and involve enterprises and government departments sharing how 5-G and artificial intelligence of things have been applied to building smarter and cleaner cities. The smart city expo will also be taking place in Kaohsiung tomorrow. SCOTUS Allows Texas Immigration Law The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed a controversial immigration law in Texas to come into effect. Senate Bill 4 gives police the power to detain (扣留) people suspected of crossing the border illegally. The Biden administration has tried to block the legislation. William Denselow reports from Austin, Texas. UN Weather Agency Warning on Climate Change The U.N. weather agency is sounding a “red alert” about global warming. The World Meteorological Organization, in its “State of the Global Climate” report, ratcheted up concerns that the world may not be able to limit planetary warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels. The report finds that in 2023, over 90% of ocean waters experienced heat wave conditions at least once. Glaciers monitored since 1950 lost the most ice on record. Antarctic sea ice retreated to its lowest level ever. But the U.N. agency also acknowledged “a glimmer of hope”, saying renewable energy generation capacity (容量) from wind, solar and waterpower rose nearly 50% from 2022 The report comes as climate experts and government ministers are to gather in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, on Thursday and Friday to press for greater climate action, including increased national commitments to fight global warming. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 81-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,798 on turnover of 6.7-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Monday to close the trading day up 197-points on the back of investor interest in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing - which returned to its prior ex-dividend level shortly after the market opened. TSMC to Build Advanced IC Packaging Plants in Chiayi Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan has announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing will build two advanced I-C packaging plants in Chiayi County. According to the Vice Premier, T-S-M-C's first -IC packaging plant using the sophisticated Chip on Wafer on Substrate technology in Chiayi is scheduled to break ground in May. Construction of the first Chiayi plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 with mass production scheduled to begin in 2028. T-S-M-C says the Chiayi investments seek to meet strong growing market demand for sophisticated (精密的，複雜的) I-C packaging services for chips related to artificial intelligence applications. Lawmakers Establish Czech Republic and Austria Parliamentary Friendship Group Lawmakers from across party lines have established a new parliamentary friendship group for the Czech Republic and Austria. The group is a reorganization of the parliamentary friendship group for Czechia, which was established during the previous (以前的) Legislature. The newly formed group covering the two European countries is headed K-M-T lawmaker Wan Mei-ling and includes 11 other lawmakers as vice-chairs - who come from the K-M-T, the D-P-P and the Taiwan People's Party. According to Wan, some 50 members of the Legislature have so far joined the group, and more expected to join in the coming weeks. Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chong-guang is thanking lawmakers for their efforts to promote friendship with their foreign counterparts - saying friendship group could help his office boost practical collaborations and interactions with the two countries. Bank of Japan to Announce End of Negative Rates The Bank of Japan is widely expected to end negative interest rates when a two day policy meeting concludes today. Analysts believe record wage hikes recently announced by large companies have created the conditions the bank needs to begin phasing out (逐步廢除) quantitive easing. Chris Gilbert reports from Japan. UK Banksy Unveils New Artwork A new Banksy mural has drawn crowds to a London street. The artwork in the Finsbury Park neighborhood covers the wall of a four-story building and shows a small figure holding a pressure hose beside a large cherry tree. Banksy claimed the work by posting before and after photos on his official Instagram account. The new attraction drew on Monday a stream of onlookers (圍觀者) who took photos and snapped selfies. Many discerned an environmental message in the vibrant green artwork, which appeared on St. Patrick’s Day. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

I'm _______, with today's episode of EZ News. ---- Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 23-points this morning from Friday's close, at 19,706 on turnover of 8-billion N-T. The market tumbled by over 250-points on Friday, following the release of a mixed batch of data on the U-S economy - which dashed investor hopes that America's central Bank will ease off on interest rate hike anytime soon. ---- Flash Mob Protesters Slam MOTC's Amendments to Traffic Act Road safety activists have been taking to the streets of seven cities and counties to protest a decision by the government to amend the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act and ease punishments for some traffic violations. People to the streets of Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Yunlin County for around 30 minutes. The protests were organized by the Taiwan Vision Zero Alliance. And participants called for improved road construction, adequate complementary measures to the law, retraining procedures for drivers, reform of how traffic regulations are enforced, and for the amendment draft to be retracted. The Cabinet approved the amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act two weeks ago. ---- Tsai Joins Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage for 6th Year President Tsai Ing-wen has joined the annual Bai-Sha-Tun Mazu Pilgrimage for a sixth consecutive year after it got underway at just past midnight in Miaoli County. Prior to the event getting underway , Tsai participated in a cleansing ritual for the palanquin that bears a statue of the sea goddess Mazu on a nine-day procession to the Chao-Tian Temple in Yunlin's Bei-Gang Township and back. Holding a pot of burning incense, Tsai circled the palanquin several times to cleanse it before the procession got underway. Organizers say some 180,000 people have registered to participate in the approximately 400 kilometer pilgrimage this year. ---- NKorea Fires Ballistic Missiles North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters, days after the end of the South Korean-U.S. military drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a parliamentary session today that North Korea fired “a number of” ballistic missiles into the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. He said no damage or injuries has been reported and denounced North Korea’s repeated tests as acts that threaten the region. ---- C*US Biden and Trump Trade Barbs US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump took aim at each other in speeches delivered over the weekend, as the two men prepare for a widely expected rematch for the White House. Our Washington correspondent Jagruti Dave has more ---- Uber to Settle with Australian Cabbies Global rideshare giant Uber will pay $178 million to settle a long-running dispute with Australian taxi and hire car drivers who lost out when the company entered the Australian market. A class action suit against Uber had been expected to go to trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria today, but lawyers acting on behalf of 8,000 taxi and hire car drivers said the case will be dropped because Uber agreed to the financial settlement. It’s the fifth-largest class action settlement in Australia’s history and comes five years after the action was launched. ---- That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 92-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,845 on turnover of $9.6-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan inched up Thursday to close at a new high, after recovering from early losses in the bellwether electronics sector, even as sentiment remained cautious ahead of the United States' release of its February producer price index later in the day. The financial sector was the main anchor, helping to stabilize the market as some financial firms offered attractive dividend policies, and buying also rotated to some old economy stocks, giving the main board additional support. Decision on carbon fee rates could be delayed: Minister Minister of the Environment Shieu Fuh-sheng says a decision on carbon fee rates (費率) by a review committee may be delayed. Shieu announced in February that a decision on the rates would be made by the end of March, but now says there were now "no guarantees" due to changes to the "wider environment." The minister cited the expected raising of electricity rates in Taiwan in April, and difficulties in Taiwan's petrochemical industry as factors. Many Taiwanese companies in the petrochemical industry are included in the 550 big emitters emitting more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year that are to be charged carbon fees by the government. Shieu says the review committee is meeting for the first time today, and will not yet have any final decisions. Nigerian School Children Kidnappers Demand Ransom Gunmen who kidnapped about 300 school children in Nigeria's Kaduna state last week are demanding a ransom (贖金) for their release. Tesem Akende reports. Haiti Presidential Council Plans Moving Forward Caribbean officials say a plan to create a transitional presidential council is moving forward after a majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country. Officials said Thursday that the names were provided to a regional trade bloc known as Caricom that is helping lead the transition. The names were submitted a day after Haitian politicians and influential figures bickered (爭吵) publicly about the plan and what names to submit, seemingly putting creation of the council at risk. Prime Minister Ariel Henry pledged to resign once the council is created. UK Court Rules Against Claim to Cryptocurrency Fame Britain’s high court has ruled that an Australian computer scientist is not, as he claimed, the mysterious creator of the bitcoin cryptocurrency. Craig Wright has for eight years claimed that he was the man behind “Satoshi Nakamoto,” the pseudonym that masked the identity of the creator of bitcoin. His claim was dismissed Thursday following a trial brought forward by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance, a non-profit group of technology and cryptocurrency firms. The organization claimed Wright had created an “elaborate (詳盡的，複雜的) false narrative” and forged documents to suggest he was Satoshi and had “terrorized” those who questioned him. Wright, who attended the start of the five-week trial, denied the allegations. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 7.9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,921 on turnover of $7.4-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed slightly higher on profit taking Wednesday as investors shifted to the sell side after seeing the main board hit a fresh intraday high of more than 20,100 points. Market sentiment turned cautious due to higher than expected U.S. February inflation data, which created more uncertainties about when and how the Federal Reserve will start its rate cut cycle. Chinese Vessel Capsized Off Kinmen, CGA Search Underway Search and rescue operations are underway, after another Chinese fishing vessel capsized off Kinmen this morning. Media reports say the boat sank 1.1 nautical miles southwest of Dong-ding Island in Kinmen at around 6am, and the Coast Guard Administration says 4 of its vessels have been dispatched to the scene. The reports say China has also dispatched (派遣) helicopters and rescue ships, and at least 5 crew members were on board, with some news outlets reporting that 2 have died while two others have been rescued. The coast guard has also reportedly notified local fishing associations to call nearby commercial ships and fishing boats to join in rescue efforts. The Ministry of National Defense says it has also instructed the Air Force, Navy, and Kinmen Defense Command to continue monitoring the situation. (NS) NKorea Kim Joins Troops in Tank Training North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has joined his troops in training to operate newly developed battle tanks and called for bigger efforts to prepare for war. The North’s tank training was seen as a response (反應) to the annual 11-day South Korean-U.S. military drills that are to end later Thursday. The North’s official Korean Central News Agency says the training happened on Wednesday to inspect tankmen’s combat capabilities and involved the new-type main battle tank. It says Kim mounted one of the new-type tanks and drove it himself. Japan US to Return Osprey to Service Japanese officials say the U.S. and Japanese militaries will resume flights of Osprey aircraft in Japan after completing necessary maintenance and training following a fatal crash last November. Japan’s Defense Ministry says the two countries have discussed the resumption of Osprey flights in Japan since the U.S. announced last Friday that the aircraft has been approved to return to service after an “unprecedented” (史無前例的) part failure led to the deaths of eight U.S. service members in the crash in Japan. The entire U.S. Osprey fleet was grounded on Dec. 6, a week after that crash, while Japan's military also grounded all of its 14 Ospreys. Japan's Defense Ministry said that each of the U.S. forces will have separate return-to-flight schedules, but the Osprey flights will be limited to areas around their bases for the time being. US Trump to Attend Florida Hearing Over Classified Documents Donald Trump is expected to attend a hearing today [THURSDAY] in the federal case over his handling of classified documents after leaving office. The former president's lawyers are seeking to have the criminal charges dismissed (駁回) ahead of a trial. 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 110-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 20,025 on turnover of $10.5-billion N-T. No plans for absentee voting for elections in Taiwan: Premier Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said the government has no plans at present to allow for absentee voting. Opposition parties in Taiwan have been pushing for absentee voting after the recent presidential election saw the second lowest voter turnout in history. Chen said election systems would need to be strengthened and further planning and research would be needed before absentee voting could be implemented in Taiwan. Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang echoed Chen's sentiments, stating that while absentee voting could be suitable for referendums, it poses challenges for regular elections. In February, a draft bill allowing absentee voting for referendums was approved, but it does not apply to citizens living abroad. The opposition KMT proposed extending this measure to presidential elections and including mail-in ballots, but ruling DPP lawmakers expressed concerns about potential interference (干涉) from China. Turnout in recent elections in Taiwan has been declining, with factors such as the inconvenience of traveling to vote contributing to this trend. (CNA-IG) IAEA Inspects Discharge at Fukushima The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says he’s satisfied with Japan’s handling of the release of treated, nuclear contaminated wastewater from Fukushima. He is inspecting the discharge (釋放) site on Wednesday, his first visit since Japan began the project in August. Chris Gilbert reports. UN Food Agency Sounds Alarm for Haiti The U.N. food agency’s director in Haiti says that 4 million people face “acute food insecurity” and one million of them are one step away from famine. Jean-Martin Bauer told a virtual press conference that he’s “ringing the alarm bell” because the recent increase in gang violence has made a very bad situation even worse and displaced (流離失所) an additional 15-thousand people — just over the first weekend in March in the capital, Port-au-Prince. He says that brings the total number of displaced people in Haiti to over 360-thousand, and the U.N. says half of them are children. Romania President to Enter Race as NATO Leader Romania’s president says he will enter the race to become the next leader of the 32-nation NATO military alliance, emphasizing his country’s proximity to Ukraine and the threat from Russia. President Klaus Iohannis wants to succeed Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who has been NATO’s top civilian official since 2014 and has made clear he will not be staying. Romania, a NATO member since 2004, borders Ukraine and has played an increasingly prominent (著名的) role in the alliance throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion. NATO officials and envoys want the nomination for Stoltenberg's successor wrapped up by the end of April. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 19,673 on turnover of $7.9-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed lower Monday, led by large cap semiconductor stocks, in particular contract chipmaker TSMC, with selling sparked after U.S. chip stocks suffered a tumble at the end of last week. However, buying rotated to other tech stocks in the downstream segment with iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. in focus, while select old economy industries as well as the financial sector also attracted bargain hunting due to their relatively low valuations. Moon rock display from U.S. back at National Museum of History The National Museum of History says it has retrieved (取回) lunar samples which had been gifted to Taiwan by the late U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1969. It was first exhibited at the museum in Taipei in 1970, one year after Nixon gave it to Taiwan. The display and moon soil samples that came with it were then relocated to Academia Sinica's Institute of Physics for safekeeping, before being given to Taichung's National Museum of Natural Science in 1994. Those samples are now back at the Taipei museum and are part of a show marking its reopening on February 21st after a nearly six-year renovation. The wooden case display contains four moon rock fragments encased inside a piece of acrylic lucite semi-sphere. In the display, the lunar specimens are mounted above a flag of the Republic of China, Taiwan's legal name, which was flown to the moon and back on the Apollo 11 mission. (CNA-IG) US Assessing Export Controls on China The U.S. Commerce Secretary says Washington is constantly reviewing the need to expand export controls (出口管制) to stop China from acquiring advanced computer chips and manufacturing equipment that can be used to boost China's military. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports. UNESCO on Rebuilding Ukraine The United Nations cultural and scientific agency says Ukraine will need more than a billion dollars to rebuild its scientific infrastructure that was damaged or destroyed during two years of Russia's war on its neighbor. UNESCO says that some 1,443 scientific facilities, many attached to universities, have been damaged or destroyed along with 750 pieces of vital technical equipment, most of which is beyond repair. The war, now in its third year, has also depleted (耗盡的) the science sector of funds and dispersed Ukraine’s scientists, displacing many within the country and sending others into exile (流放). The report says the cost of rebuilding the sector currently stands at $1.26 billion US dollars. Sweden Flag Raised at NATO Headquarters Sweden’s national flag has been raised at NATO headquarters to cement the Nordic country’s place as the 32nd member. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Crown Princess Victoria and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg attended the ceremony in Brussels. Sweden set aside decades of post-World War II neutrality (中立性) when it formally joined NATO on March 7-th. This comes more than two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine which persuaded Sweden's reluctant (勉強的、不情願的) public to seek safety under the alliance’s security umbrella. Finland joined last year in another historic move ending years of military nonalignment (不結盟狀態). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 113-points this morning from Friday's close, at 19,672 on turnover of $9.3-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed moderately higher after a volatile session Friday, coming off a fresh intraday high with the main board hitting 20,000 points for the first time in history. Contract chipmaker TSMC remained an anchor on the back of the continued frenzy over artificial intelligence, preventing the broader market from falling into negative territory when stiff technical resistance arose ahead of 20,000 points, while the old economy sector largely moved in weakness with funds squeezed by tech stocks. Tuvalu prime minister to attend Taiwan presidential inauguration The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Tuvalu's new Prime Minister will be attending the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Tien Chung-kwang visited the island nation last week as part of a delegation. MOFA said Tien extended an invitation to Prime Minister Feleti Teo, who accepted. Tuvalu officials said the Taiwan delegation was the first to visit and congratulate Tuvalu on its formation (形成) of a new government, and that it will keep supporting Taiwan's global involvement and strengthen bilateral ties. (CNA-IG) Crowd of 1 million at Taiwan Lantern Festival closing night Local officials say as many as one million visitors descended on Tainan for the closing night of the Taiwan Lantern Festival Sunday. The city government said annual traveling lantern display hosted in Tainan is set to record total visits of more than 15 million. Organizers of the 2023 edition of the event in Taipei said it attracted a record high of over 12 million visits. This year's event officially opened on Feb. 24, when President Tsai Ing-wen turned on the main dragon display to mark the Lunar New Year of the Dragon. 1.07 million visits to the Anping site and the site were recorded near Taiwan High Speed Rail's Tainan Station on the penultimate (倒數第二的) day of the event. US Flies Forces to Haiti for Security The U.S. is flying forces to Haiti for embassy security and some evacuations (疏散). AP correspondent Julie Walker reports Tibetans in India Protest Against China Hundreds of Tibetans in exile have held a protest march in New Delhi to commemorate the 65th Tibetan National Uprising Day against China. Over 300 protesters gathered near India’s Parliament House and marched . The protesters carried Tibetan flags and photographs of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who has made the Indian hillside town of Dharmsala his headquarters since fleeing (逃跑) from Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. India considers Tibet to be part of China, though it hosts the Tibetan exiles. Saudi Arabia Declares Start of Ramadan Officials in Saudi Arabia have declared the start of the fasting month of Ramadan after sighting the crescent moon Sunday night. The announcement marks the beginning of Ramadan for many of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. The sacred month sees those observing abstain (戒絕) from food and water from sunrise to sunset, and take part in family gatherings, religious reflection (深思), and giving. Some Asia-Pacific countries like Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, will begin Ramadan on Tuesday after failing to see the crescent moon. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 273-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,966 on turnover of $13.1-billion N-T. The market once again ended the trading at a new record high on Thursday - as it neared the 19,700-point mark on the back of strong investor interest in the electronics sector. The electronics index drove the market's gains - finishing up 1.51-per cent - while the semiconductor sub-index closed the day up 2.91-per cent. Use of Chili and Curry Powder Banned in School Lunches Islandwide All of Taiwan's cities and counties have now introduced temporary bans on the use of chili and curry powder in school lunches amid concerns over the presence of banned industrial dyes. The move comes after the Food and Drug Administration announced that a total of 15 shipments of chili powder imported from China were found to contain Sudan dyes during test carried out February 9 through March 2. That has resulted in the recall of a total of 122,588-kilograms of chili powder and related food products, including curry powder. Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan says he respects the local government's decision to temporarily ban the use of chili and curry powder in school lunches - and says that investigation into the distribution (分發) of the problematic substances wil be completed in about a month. US Building Port for Gaza Aid Deliveries US President Joe Biden will announce in his State of the Union speech that US forces will create a temporary port on Gaza's coast to increase humanitarian aid deliveries. Biden has been under pressure from within his own party to do more to alleviate (減輕) the suffering of Palestinians stuck in the Gaza Strip. Nick Harper reports from Washington. UK to Provide More Drones to Ukraine Britain says it's providing 10-thousand drones to arm Ukraine in its fight against Russia. U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps made the announcement Thursday during a visit with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. The investment includes $160 million of new funding on top of $256 million previously committed for drones. The weaponry will include 1,000 kamikaze (自殺式的) drones and models that target ships. Ukrainian sea drones reportedly sank another Russian warship in the Black Sea this week, the latest in a series of strikes that has crippled Moscow’s naval capability. US Woman Completes Global Solo Challenge Cole Brauer became the first American woman to race nonstop around the world by herself when she arrived Thursday in A Coruna, Spain. The 29-year-old is one of more than a dozen sailors competing in the Global Solo Challenge. Brauer was the youngest and only woman in the group that set sail (啟航) in October from A Coruna. The race took Brauer around Africa's Cape of Good Hope and past Australia. The race took her 130 days to complete. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 178-points this morning from yesterday's close to surge past the 19,500-point mark and hit 19,678 on turnover of 10 -billion N-T. The market ended the trading day at yet another record high on Wednesday, after recovering earlier losses, as investors opted to ignore a downturn on Wall Street overnight. The bellwether electronics sector led the broader market higher - with artificial intelligence development-related stocks continuing to be the main focus of investor interest. US Urges Beijing to 'Engage in Meaningful Dialogue' with Taiwan The U-S State Department is calling for China to cease its pressure campaign against Taiwan and "engage in meaningful dialogue." The statement comes after China's Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiao-gang reiterated Beijing's sovereignty over Taiwan during a press conference - and went on to say "there is no so-called 'central line' across the Taiwan Strait." According to a State Department spokesperson, the United States has "consistently urged restraint and no change to the status quo," a policy that has preserved (保護，維護) peace in the region for decades and is a matter of global concern. MAC Bans Group Travel to China from June 1 The Mainland Affairs Council has banned group travel to China after June 1 - saying such tours will not be allowed unless China allows group travel to Taiwan. According to the council, the reopening of group travel to China is unacceptable, as it would widen Taiwan's tourism deficit with China. The council says prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Taiwan's tourism deficit with China stood at 6.6-billion N-T and if tour groups are allowed to travel there after June 1 that deficit will substantially (在很大程度上) increase. Speaking at a legislative hearing council minister Chiu Tai-san told lawmakers the decision to ban such tours is also related to China's unilaterally changing its M-503 flight route, as it is clearly a political move aimed at interfering with Taiwan's affairs. UN: Migrant Deaths Hit New High Last Year The U.N. migration agency says more than 8,500 migrants died on land and sea routes worldwide last year, a record high since it began counting deaths a decade ago. The International Organization for Migration says the biggest increase in deaths last year was on the Mediterranean Sea crossing, with more than 3,000. It said most of the deaths last year came from drowning. The count also includes migrants who vanished — often while trying to cross by sea — and are presumed (假定，假設) dead. Rust Armourer Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter The armourer who loaded the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna [HA LEEN A] Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The actor Alec Baldwin who was holding the weapon when it discharged (開（槍）), faces the same charges at a trial set to take place this summer. Ira Spitzer reports. SpaceX to Acquire Land from Texas SpaceX is set to acquire (購得) public land from Texas after the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved a land-swapping deal that would cede 17 hectares to entrepreneur Elon Musk's company in exchange for about 190 hectares that are yet to be bought. The business is looking to expand its rocket-launch operations in the property close to Brownsville, Texas. Local stakeholders voiced their opposition to the deal, but the commission voted unanimously in favor of 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 103-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,283 on turnover of 5.7-billion N-T. The market closed at yet another historic high on Tuesday, driven by artificial intelligence development-related stocks. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing only managed slight gains, after leading the market higher during the previous session. However, other AI-related stocks saw increased investor interest. MOFA's Tien in Tuvalu to Congratulate New Government Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang is visiting Tuvalu this week in his capacity (職位,) as a special envoy for President Tsai Ing-wen to congratulate the Pacific islands' new government. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tien will be attending a series of events following the appointment of Feleti Teo as Tuvalu's new prime minister late last month and his newly formed Cabinet. The ministry says along with holding talks with Teo, Tien is also scheduled to meet with Tuvalu's governor-general and foreign minister to discuss bilateral cooperation projects. Dumpling and Instant Noodle Makers Report Tainted Chili Powder Health authorities in Kaohsiung says restaurant chain Bafang Dumpling and instant noodle maker Wei Lih Foods both purchased (購買) chili powder from importers that have since been found to contain Sudan industrial dye. According to Kaohsiung City Health Department, prosecutors were asked to seize 32,739 kilograms of chili powder imported from China by the two companies after tests found samples contained the banned chemicals at a concentration of 4 to 8 parts per billion. Chia Guang International and Gin Zhan International have been issued with fines totaling 3.06-million N-T for violations of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. Those violations include entering false information in the government's food product tracing system. ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Russian Military Officers The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for two high-ranking Russian military officers on charges linked to attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. The court announced warrants Tuesday for a Russian lieutenant general who was commander of the Long-Range Aviation of the Aerospace Force at the times of the alleged crimes. Also wanted is a Russian navy admiral who is the commander of the Black Sea Fleet. They are wanted for the war crime of directing attacks at civilian objects, causing excessive (過多的) incidental (附帶的) harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects, and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts. Italian lawmakers approve Red Sea shipping mission Italian lawmakers have given the green light to the country's involvement in Operation Aspides. The joint EU mission will see naval vessels (海軍艦艇) deployed in the Red Sea, protecting commercial shipping from attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Giles Gibson has more from Rome. France Announces Scaled Back Opening Ceremony Plans The French government says tourists won’t be allowed to watch the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics for free. Organizers had planned a large-scale opening ceremony along the Seine River on July 26-th for up to 600-thousand people. But security and logistical concerns have led the government to progressively scale back ambitions. Now, Interior Ministry officials said 222-thousand spectators can watch for free from the upper embankments (堤岸). But access will be allocated via quotas, primarily to select residents or employees of towns hosting Olympic events. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 93-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,398 on turnover of 7.9-billion N-T. The market closed at yet another new all-time high on Monday, led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing after its American depositary receipts soared on Wall Street at the end of last week. Audio of Kinmen Boat Collision Turned over to Prosecutors The Coast Guard Administration says it has handed over audio recordings of the February 14 fatal capsizing of a Chinese speedboat in waters near Kinmen to prosecutors. Confirmation that recordings have been give to the Kinmen District Prosecutors' Office were made by Coast Guard Director-General Zhou Mei-wu during a Legislative hearing. According to Zhou, along with handing over audio records, his office has also provided prosecutors with radar information showing the vessels' exact (精確的) movements. Zhou also denied reports the Coast Guard patrol boat had "rammed and overturned the Chinese vessel. Michigan Governor Arrives in Taiwan to Open State Office The governor of the U-S state of Michigan has formally opened office to facilitate exchanges between the state and Taiwan in areas such as commerce, culture and education. According Gretchen Whitmer, the opening of the Michigan Taiwan Office "is an extension of a partnership that has been built over the years between Taiwan and United States." Whitmer says Taiwan's world leading expertise in the fields of semiconductors and clean energy make it a perfect match for cooperation with the Michigan State government, which is currently pursuing (追求) clean energy by transitioning to electric vehicles. France becomes fist country to enshrine abortion in Constitution French parliamentarians have voted to enshrine the right to access abortion services into the constitution. Lawmakers and senators overwhelmingly (壓倒性地) approved the changes in a rare joint session of parliament at the Chateau of Versailles. Ross Cullen reports. Greece Rescues 100 Migrants in Distressed Vessel Greek authorities say they have rescued 100 migrants found on a smuggling vessel in distress off the country’s southern mainland. The coast guard says the migrants were taken off their vessel by a tugboat that had been ordered to the area and safely carried them to a southeastern village on Monday. No injuries have been reported. The area where the incident occurred is on a route used by smugglers to send migrants in overcrowded sailing yachts from Turkey to Italy, skirting southern Greece and avoiding the heavily patrolled (巡邏的) waters off the eastern Aegean Sea islands. EU Fines Apple Over Subscription The European Union has fined Apple nearly $2 billion by forbidding rivals like Spotify from telling users how they could pay for cheaper subscriptions outside of iPhone apps. Monday's move is the 27-nation bloc’s first antitrust penalty against the U.S. tech giant. The EU's executive commission says Apple muzzled streaming services from telling people about payment options available through their websites. That would avoid the 30% fee charged when people pay through apps downloaded with the iOS App Store. A complaint from Spotify triggered the investigation amid a years-long feud with Apple over music streaming supremacy. Apple says the EU didn't “uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm” and vowed to appeal (上訴). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 93-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,398 on turnover of 7.9-billion N-T. The market closed at yet another new all-time high on Monday, led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing after its American depositary receipts soared on Wall Street at the end of last week. Audio of Kinmen Boat Collision Turned over to Prosecutors The Coast Guard Administration says it has handed over audio recordings of the February 14 fatal capsizing of a Chinese speedboat in waters near Kinmen to prosecutors. Confirmation that recordings have been give to the Kinmen District Prosecutors' Office were made by Coast Guard Director-General Zhou Mei-wu during a Legislative hearing. According to Zhou, along with handing over audio records, his office has also provided prosecutors with radar information showing the vessels' exact (精確的) movements. Zhou also denied reports the Coast Guard patrol boat had "rammed and overturned the Chinese vessel. Michigan Governor Arrives in Taiwan to Open State Office The governor of the U-S state of Michigan has formally opened office to facilitate exchanges between the state and Taiwan in areas such as commerce, culture and education. According Gretchen Whitmer, the opening of the Michigan Taiwan Office "is an extension of a partnership that has been built over the years between Taiwan and United States." Whitmer says Taiwan's world leading expertise in the fields of semiconductors and clean energy make it a perfect match for cooperation with the Michigan State government, which is currently pursuing (追求) clean energy by transitioning to electric vehicles. France becomes fist country to enshrine abortion in Constitution French parliamentarians have voted to enshrine the right to access abortion services into the constitution. Lawmakers and senators overwhelmingly (壓倒性地) approved the changes in a rare joint session of parliament at the Chateau of Versailles. Ross Cullen reports. Greece Rescues 100 Migrants in Distressed Vessel Greek authorities say they have rescued 100 migrants found on a smuggling vessel in distress off the country’s southern mainland. The coast guard says the migrants were taken off their vessel by a tugboat that had been ordered to the area and safely carried them to a southeastern village on Monday. No injuries have been reported. The area where the incident occurred is on a route used by smugglers to send migrants in overcrowded sailing yachts from Turkey to Italy, skirting southern Greece and avoiding the heavily patrolled (巡邏的) waters off the eastern Aegean Sea islands. EU Fines Apple Over Subscription The European Union has fined Apple nearly $2 billion by forbidding rivals like Spotify from telling users how they could pay for cheaper subscriptions outside of iPhone apps. Monday's move is the 27-nation bloc’s first antitrust penalty against the U.S. tech giant. The EU's executive commission says Apple muzzled streaming services from telling people about payment options available through their websites. That would avoid the 30% fee charged when people pay through apps downloaded with the iOS App Store. A complaint from Spotify triggered the investigation amid a years-long feud with Apple over music streaming supremacy. Apple says the EU didn't “uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm” and vowed to appeal (上訴). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 16-points this morning from Friday's close, at 18,952 on turnover of 4.6-billion N-T. The market closed marginally lower on Friday, despite Wall Street climbing to all-time high overnight. New Taipei to Fine Tainted Chinese Chili Powder Importer The New Taipei City Department of Health says it will fine the company responsible for importing chili powder from China found to contain a carcinogenic dye 2-million N- T for violating the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. According to city officials, Bao Hsin Enterprises imported chili powder containing Sudan III from China and supplied it to downstream (下游) food companies islandwide. Officials say Bao Hsin was informed that its imported chili powder was substandard by some of those companies, but failed to take any action to initiate a product recall, which could have prevented the tainted powder from being used in food products. The New Taipei District Prosecutors' Office took Bao Hsin head, Liu Ching-shih into custody this past weekend. Tourism Development Fund to End Debt Financing if Target are Met The Tourism Administration says the government's tourism promotion fund is expected to end debt financing one year ahead of schedule, if the tourist arrival target of 12-million visitors for this year is met. The Tourism Development Fund generated (產生的) 5.866-billion N-T in revenue last year excluding the special government budget, which was about 70-per cent of the pre-coronavirus pandemic average revenue of 6.1-billion N-T. The fund's current book debt is 400 million N-T. Data shows that more than 6.48-million tourists visited Taiwan last year. Hong Kong, Macau, Japan and South Korea were the largest sources of visitors. US VP and Israeli to Discuss Gaza Ceasefire The Vice President of the United States is due to meet with a member of Israel's war cabinet in Washington later today to discuss how to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. Kamala Harris and Benny Gantz are also expected to talk about the need for a temporary (暫時的) ceasefire. According to Gantz's office he will also meet US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Our US correspondent Jagruti Dave has more. Malaysia Gov Considers New Proposal for MH370 Search Malaysia’s government says it may renew the search for MH370 after a U.S. technology firm proposed a fresh search in the southern Indian Ocean where the Malaysia Airlines plane is believed to have crashed. The plane with 239 people aboard vanished a decade ago while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Malaysia's transport minister says that Texas-based Ocean Infinity proposed (提議) another “no find, no fee” search, expanding from the site where it first looked in 2018. He said he has invited the company to meet him to evaluate new evidence it has to find the plane’s final resting place. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 19-thousand-21 on turnover of $6.3-billion N-T. The market closed at yet another new high on Thursday - as buying on the broader market largely came before M-S-C-I's quarterly index adjustments went into effect after the market closed. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing bucked the upturn and declined by 0.94-per cent due to the stock's American depositary receipts falling on Wall Street overnight. Gender Pay Gap Narrowed in 2023 The Ministry of Labor says this year's Equal Pay Day fell on February 23, four days earlier than in 2023, based on its estimate that women needed to work until this point in 2024 to achieve the same 2023 salary as men. According to the ministry, women had to work an average of 54 more days than men to earn the same income because their salaries were on average 14.7-per cent lower than their male counterparts (對應的人或物) in 2023. The average hourly salary for female employees in 2023 was 318 N-T compared with 373 N-T for men. Ukraine: Russia Pushing Hard Against Defensive Position Kyiv officials say Russian forces are pushing hard against more Ukrainian towns and villages in eastern and southeastern Ukraine as Moscow tries to press its current advantage (優勢) in weapons and troops. Ukraine said Thursday it has shot down 13 Russian warplanes this month despite Russia’s apparent offensive momentum on the ground. Russian forces have been striking some Ukrainian defensive positions by deploying overwhelming amounts of artillery and troop numbers in an effort to punch through defensive lines at targeted points. US Poll: Democats Want Leader Who Doesn't Support Israel Military Aid Most voters in President Joe Biden's party want a leader who does not back U.S. military aid for Israel, according to a new Ipsos/Reuters poll. The President's full support for Israel, in its war against Hamas in Gaza, has angered many people, as the death toll there grows to 30,000. Caroline Malone reports. Brazil Amazon Fires Hit New High Data from Brazil's space agency says the state of Roraima in the Amazon rainforest has been hit with more than 2,000 fires in recent weeks. The National Institute for Space Research said Thursday that satellite sensors detected the blazes between Feb. 1 and Feb. 28. That’s far above the monthly average of 376 fires. And the number is the second-highest registered in a single month since the institute began collecting data in mid-1998. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. The Tai-Ex opened down 58-points this morning from Tuesday's close, at 18,797 on turnover of $5.3--billion N-T. The Tai-Ex lost ground on Tuesday, as most other markets moving higher despite Wall Street edging back from its record peaks overnight. CDC Reports Rare Measles Cluster The Centers for Disease Control is reporting a rare domestic measles cluster. The cluster involves two people and confirmation comes after the C-D-C identified a patient who contracted (感染) the disease from the index case at a northern Taiwan hospital. According to C-D-C Deputy Director General Philip Luo, the new case is a medical worker in his 30s who tested positive for the disease on Tuesday of this week. Luo says a total of 306 people have been identified as close contacts of the man, who is currently being isolated at home. The C-D-C says people who visited B-2 food court in Terminal 2 of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on February 22 and Liang's Rice Noodle Soup in New Taipei's Zhonghe District on February 25, should monitor their health until March 15-th. Israel Claims Aid Convoys Reach Northern Gaza Israeli officials say aid convoys carrying food reached northern Gaza this week. The delivery on Wednesday is the first major one in a month to the devastated (被摧毀的) area, where the U.N. has warned of worsening starvation. The officials say 31 trucks carrying food entered northern Gaza on Wednesday, and nearly 20 other trucks entered the north on Monday and Tuesday. Associated Press footage showed people carrying sacks of flour from the distribution site. It was not immediately clear who carried out the deliveries. A spokesperson for the U.N.’s humanitarian coordination office said that the United Nations was not involved. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been working on a ceasefire deal that would release some of the hostages still held by Hamas and open the door to a greater influx (湧進) of aid to Palestinians. Families of the hostages have launched a four-day march from southern Israel to Jerusalem to demand their loved ones be set free. Oil Spill off Trinidad and Tobago Reaches Dutch Island Authorities say an offshore oil spill that led Trinidad and Tobago to declare a national emergency earlier this month has reached the shores of the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire hundreds of miles away. It's the first sign of how far the leaked oil has traveled. Officials say a minimum of 1.6 million liters of oil mixed with water have been vacuumed from where a barge (平底載貨船) capsized. But officials warned the number is likely larger since it does not include oil picked up with sand and seaweed. A preliminary probe found the barge was being tugged to Guyana when it overturned off Tobago. Odysseus Space Craft to Power Down The team behind the Odysseus spacecraft says their mission has 'changed the economics of landing on the moon'. Speaking on Wednesday, representatives of Intuitive Machines said the lander will be "put to sleep" before being powered up again in the next two to three weeks. Last week it became the first privately developed spacecraft to soft land (緩慢著陸，軟著陸) on the lunar surface. 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 18,964 on turnover of 4.2-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday, despite fluctuating in early trading. Analysts say investors this week are awaiting updates on the pace of growth in the U-S economy, inflation and what central banks may do on interest rates. CSBC to Conduct Final Harbor Acceptance Tests on "Narwhal" C-S-B-C has announced that it will begin conducting a series of final tests on its first domestically built submarine prototype today. According to the shipbuilder, the assessments are part of its ongoing (正在進行的) harbor acceptance test before it moves onto the sea acceptance test. The "Narwhal" has been undergoing harbor acceptance tests since October of last year at a C-S-B-C factory in Kaohsiung. The shipbuilder says the submarine will be moved to a nearby a floating dock before being transferred to a dry dock where it will undergo the final phase. The submarine was officially named by President Tsai Ing-wen during its launch ceremony in late September. Taiwan Remains 4th in Global Economic Freedom Index Taiwan has once again been ranked fourth in the 2024 Index of Economic Freedom. It means the island maintain its best ranking achieved last year in the annual report released by the Washington-based Heritage Foundation. The report assesses 184 countries on four key aspects comprising (包括) 12 sub-factors. Those are then equally weighted and averaged to produce an overall score. Taiwan scored higher than the global average in all 12 subcategories. And its overall score of 80, means that Taiwan's economy is categorized as "free" along with that of Singapore, Switzerland and Ireland. Fukushima to Begin Discharging Treated Wastewater Japan is set to begin a fourth discharge of treated, radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean from Wednesday. The owner of the wrecked (被毀的) Fukushima nuclear power plant, TEPCO, has been releasing the water in batches since August last year. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo China Overseas Bloggers Claim Police Investigating Followers Two prominent Chinese bloggers in exile said that police were investigating their millions of followers on international social media platforms. Former state broadcaster CCTV journalist Wang Zhi’an and artist-turned-dissident (批評政府者) Li Ying said separately that police were interrogating (審問) their followers, and urged followers to take precautions such as unfollowing their accounts, changing their usernames, avoiding Chinese-made phones and preparing to be questioned. Li shared screenshots of private messages he received from followers over the past few months, which claimed that police had interrogated individuals, and that one person had even lost their job. This comes after a recent leak of documents from I-Soon, a private contractor linked to China’s top policing agency and other parts of its government, describing tools used by Chinese police to curb dissent on overseas 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 10-points this morning from Friday's close, at 18,899 on turnover of 5.1-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Friday, as it joined other regional indexes and ended the day higher following Nvidia's delivering of another set of blowout (陡峭上漲) quarterly results, setting off a rally in tech companies. More Food Products Recalled for Containing Banned Dye In news from and about Taiwan this morning, The Miaoli County Public Health Bureau says it has recalled and pulled more food products and store shelves islandwide for containing a banned industrial dye. The latest products include carrot cookies and white pepper biscuits. According to the bureau, it has asked Miaoli-based Hsin Hao Foods to recall 4,302 boxes of carrot cookies and 192 boxes of white pepper biscuits found to contain Sudan III. Health bureau officials say the origin (起源，源頭) of the chemical has been identified as coming from a Chinese chili powder supplier that shipped the product to a New Taipei raw material dealer. Kaohsiung Rubber Ducks Draw 9-Million Visitors in a Month The Kaohsiung City Government says the two giant rubber ducks created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman have drawn more than 9-million visitors since they went on display at the Love River Bay on January 27. The ducks were the centerpiece (最重要的部分；最吸引人的部分) of the city's 2024 Wonderland festival, which wrapped-up on Sunday. A special event was held in the square in front of the Kaohsiung Music Center last night to give the two ducks a send-off (歡送). The city government says more than 200,000 people visited the Love River Bay each day the ducks were on display there and that gave Kaohsiung's economy a boost of more than 10-billion N-T. Ukraine Troop Losses Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy is refuting (反駁) Putin's claims on military losses since the start of Russia's invasion. AP correspondent Rica Ann Garcia reports. France Eiffel Tower Reopens The Eiffel Tower has reopened to visitors after a six-day closure because of striking employees demanding better maintenance of the historic landmark and salary hikes. The operator of the 330-meter tower said Sunday it reached an agreement with unions representing the workers after promising to allocate (分配) about $412 million investment by 2031 for renovation work. This week, it also launched salary negotiations, expected to be finalized next month, after employees on strike demanded an increase proportionate to revenue from ticket sales. The 135-year-old tower will feature prominently in the Olympics and Paralympics starting in July. The Olympic and Paralympic medals in Paris are being embedded with pieces from a hexagonal chunk of iron taken from the historic landmark. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 97-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 18,950 on turnover of $8.6-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex closed at an all-time high on Thursday .. … as investor's looked to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing on the back of Nvidia's financial results - which showed the artificial intelligence chip designer reported 12.29-billion U-S dollars in net income during the fourth quarter of last year. Lawmakers Urge Friendly Farming Environment for Egg-Laying Hens Lawmakers from across party lines are urging the government to speed-up efforts to build a friendly environment in which to farm egg-laying hens. The call comes after the release of a report on progress made in assisting the industry shift to cage-free farming across Asia. Taiwan ranked sixth out of 17 countries surveyed in the report by Open Wing Alliance - a global coalition of 100 organizations from 72 countries. Lawmakers say Taiwan has made no progress in phasing out (淘汰) battery cages in the farming of egg-laying chickens and say the government to come up with effective measures as soon as possible. They're also calling for a policy to help cooperative egg farmers gain access to land and loans and for subsides to be granted to farmers who adopt an animal-friendly egg production model. UN Gaza Aid Agency at Breaking Point The Commissioner General of the UN aid agency in Gaza, UNRWA says the agency has reached breaking point (失控點；極限). Jody Jacobs reports from the United Nations in New York… Canada Man Found Guilty for Killing Muslim Family A man found guilty of using his pickup truck to kill four members of a Muslim family has been sentenced to life in prison as a Canadian judge ruled that the actions of the “admitted white nationalist” amounted to terrorism. Nathaniel Veltman has also been sentenced to a concurrent (並行) life sentence for the attempted murder of a boy who survived the 2021 attack. Veltman was found guilty in November of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for hitting the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a walk. The case was the first time Canada’s terrorism laws were put before a jury in a first-degree murder trial. Japan Whale Body to be Buried for Skeleton A whale as long as a train car that died after straying into a Japanese bay is set to be buried until it naturally becomes a skeletal specimen for a local museum. It’s the third year in a row that whales have become stranded in Osaka Bay, raising questions about the reasons why and the cost of handling the incidents. The animal that was confirmed dead Monday is believed to be a male sperm whale, about 12 meters long and weighing an estimated 20 tons. The whale was spotted several times in the bay and port since mid-January. Tidal fluctuations (起伏不定), diseases and climate change are among the possible reasons it became stranded. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 18,827 on turnover of $6.8-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Wednesday as investors chose to pocket gains from the previous session when the main board closed at an historical high. The bellwether electronics sector led the downturn, as large cap semiconductor stocks were in focus after artificial intelligence chip designer Nvidia fell by more the 4-per cent on Wall Street overnight. Activists Calls for Addressing Surrogacy Separately from Sperm and Egg Donation Women's rights groups are urging the government to address single women and lesbian couples' access to sperm and egg donation separately from surrogacy (代孕) when amending the Assisted Reproduction Act. According to Taiwan Women's Link director Huang Shu-ing, the government should give single women and lesbian couples access to assisted reproduction services already available to heterosexual couples. Huang says as surrogacy is far more complicated than simply allowing access to sperm and egg donation, discussing both issues together would delay the amendment. A joint statement issued by the Taiwan Women's Link and 26 other groups in the fields of women's rights, gender, labor and medicine also calls for protecting single women and lesbian couples' right to access sperm and egg donation services. The Ministry of Health is slated to hold its first public hearing regarding amendments to the Assisted Reproduction Act next Tuesday. US Increases Port Security Over Chinese Hacking Fears US president Joe Biden has signed an executive order to increase cybersecurity at America's ports. It comes in response to fears of hackers gaining access to vital (必不可少的) infrastructure in the US that is Chinese-made. Nick Harper reports from Washington. UN Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Only 10Percent Funded The U.N’s top representative in Ukraine says the U.N.’s humanitarian appeal to meet needs there is only 10% funded for 2024. That puts in jeopardy crucial assistance needed to reach those in need across frontline areas. Denise Brown says an estimated 8.5 million Ukrainians who are living in dire (危急的) conditions near combat zones risk going without basic humanitarian deliveries, including food and water. The U.N.’s annual appeal for Ukraine is $3.1 billion. Ukraine’s economy is still suffering the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion two years ago. France Eiffel Tower Closed Again Due to Strikes Striking workers have again closed down the Eiffel Tower. It's the third day running that the landmark expected to be at the heart of celebrations for the Paris Olympics has been off-limits to visitors. A message Wednesday on the tower’s website also warned of more possible disruptions (中斷、 擾亂) today, if strikers continue their push for salary hikes and other concessions. One of the strikers’ representatives has previously warned that their protest action “could go on for several days, even weeks.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 79-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 18,673 on turnover of 4.9-billion N-T. The market closed at a new high on Tuesday on the back of futures-led buying - as investors pushed up the spot market in a bid to profit in the futures market, where February contracts are scheduled to be settled later today. Electricity Rate Hikes Yet to be Finalized Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua says no final decision has been made on possible electricity rate hikes. The statement comes as the Ministry of Economic Affairs' electricity price review committee is scheduled to meet next month to decide on rates for the next six months. According to Wang, her office is considering adjusting rates even for users of less than 330-kilowatt-hours a month, but large electricity users will bear the brunt (首當其衝) of the rate increase in order reduce the impact on the general public. There have been reports claiming electricity rates could increased by more than 10-per cent for some users. Shrimp Snack Removed from Store Shelves Several local government have issued orders to remove a popular brand of spicy-flavored shrimp snack from store shelves. The move comes after it was confirmed that Yu Zong Foods had used a dye supplied by a Yunlin County-based food manufacturer that contains a carcinogenic (致癌的) dye. The Kaohsiung Department of Health says it has ordered Yu Zong Foods to remove all packaged of its "Wei Hsien" spicy shrimp chips from store shelves that used red chili powder supplied by the Yunlin County-based food manufacturer. A batch of chili powder from the company was recently found by the Yunlin Public Health Bureau to contain Sudan III, an industrial dye that is not allowed in food products. US Two Charged with Murder in SuperBowl Shooting Police in Kansas City have charged two people with murder following a mass shooting (大規模槍擊事件) at the Super Bowl celebration parade. The violence last week left one person dead and almost two dozen injured. US correspondent Nick Harper reports. Russia FM Expresses Support for Venezuela's Maduro Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has reaffirmed his government’s support for the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during an hours-long visit to the South American country. Lavrov on Tuesday expressed Russia’s commitment to strategic cooperation in numerous (很多的) sectors, including technology, energy and culture. His meetings with Venezuela's vice president and foreign minister in the capital, Caracas, took place as Venezuela’s government and a U.S.-backed faction of the opposition continue to negotiate conditions to level the playing field ahead of this year’s presidential election. UK Bust Ransomware Syndicate Law enforcement agencies say they have infiltrated and disrupted a prolific ransomware syndicate behind cyberattacks around the world. Britain’s National Crime Agency says it led an international operation targeting LockBit, which provides ransomware as a service to so-called affiliates (附屬機構) who infect victim networks with the computer-crippling malware and negotiate ransoms. The group has been linked to thousands of attacks since 2019. Hours before the announcement, the front page of LockBit’s site was replaced with the words “this site is now under control of law enforcement." The operation aimed to steal all of LockBit’s data and then destroy its infrastructure. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 18,610 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Monday as buying rotated to non-tech stocks, as the bellwether electronics sector came under heavy pressure following losses seen in artificial intelligence development-related stock on Wall Street at the end of last week. New Legislature Forms French and Polish Parliamentary Friendship Groups The new Legislative Yuan has formed two parliamentary friendship groups to promote closer exchanges with France and Poland via their respective lawmaking bodies. Both of the parliamentary friendship groups are being headed by (為首) D-P-P lawmaker Lin Chu-yin. According to Lin, the establishment of the groups is aimed at continuing and also further developing wide-ranging exchanges with the French and Polish parliaments. The new Legislature is expected to announce the establishment of another parliamentarian friendship group later today to promote exchanges with ASEAN member countries. CDC Reports First Local Measles Case Since 2022 The Centers for Disease Control has reported Taiwan's first locally acquired case of measles since September of 2022. According to C-D-C Deputy Director General Philip Luo, the infected individual was a man in his 30s who sought emergency treatment at hospital on February 13 and was diagnosed with measles two days later. He remains in a hospital isolation ward. The C-D-C deputy director says the origin of the infection is still being investigated. A total of 199 people, including family members and those whose hospital visits overlapped (重疊) with the man's have been identified as close contacts. Crew Abandons Ship After Houthi Missile Attack The crew of a British registered cargo vessel have abandoned (棄船) ship, after reportedly being hit by two missiles off the coast of Yemen. John Bevir reports. Gaza Reports 29Thousand Palestinians Killed Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 29-thousand Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said on Monday that 107 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants (戰鬥人員) in its records, but says most of those killed were women and children. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage. After a round of exchanges for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel in November, around 130 remain captive, a fourth of them believed to be dead. France Eiffel Tower Strikes Cause Disruptions Visitors to the Eiffel Tower are being turned away because of a strike over poor financial management at one of the world’s most-visited sites. Visits to the hugely popular landmark in central Paris have soared in the lead-up to the Summer Olympics in the French capital. But tourists planning to visit the Eiffel Tower on Monday were warned of disruptions (中斷、擾亂) in multiple languages on its website. Visitors were advised to check the website before heading to the monument or to postpone their trip. In December, the Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors for an entire day during Christmas and New Year’s holidays because of a strike over contract negotiations. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 18,561 on turnover of 7.3-billion N-T. The market bucked a global upturn on Friday, and lost ground - that, despite Wall Street setting a fresh record following some mixed reports on America's economy overnight. China Vows to "Enhance Maritime Law Enforcement" Around Kinmen and Matsu China's coast guard says it plans to "strengthen its law enforcement activities" and carry out more patrols in waters around Kinmen and Matsu. The statement comes as Beijing is continuing to blame Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration for the deaths of two Chinese nationals who were killed when their boat overturned while trying to flee a coast guard ship near Kinmen. China's coast guard says it will also carry out regular "inspections" in waters around the two outlying islands. The Mainland Affairs Council is slamming China for the move - saying Taiwan will continue to enforce the rules on banning unauthorized (未經授權的) Chinese access to waters around Kinmen. According to the council, maritime laws will continue "to be enforced" based on the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. NTU Drama Department Founding Chair Hu Yao-heng Dies at 87 And, The National Taiwan University has announced the death of the founding chairperson of its Graduate Institute of Drama and Theatre. According to the university, Hu Yao-heng passed away last Friday. He was 87. No cause of death has been given. Hu was born in the Chinese province of Hubei in 1936. He graduated from N-T-U's Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures before earning a master's degree in drama from Baylor University and a doctoral degree in drama and comparative literature from Indiana University. He founded the N-T-U's Graduate Institute of Drama and Theatre in 1995. Russia Takes Avdiivka Russia takes control of a key city in eastern Ukraine after Ukrainian troops withdraw The fall of the town of Avdiivka in Ukraine's Donbas region is seen as Russia's biggest victory since last year's capture (攻下) of Bakhmut. AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports Yemen Houthis Target BelizeFlagged Ship Yemen’s Houthi rebels are suspected in an attack on a Belize-flagged ship traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The ship targeted in the assault Sunday reported sustaining (承受) damage after “an explosion in close proximity to the vessel.” That's according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. It said that the ship's crewmembers were safe. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israel’s war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Germany Lufthansa Labor Union Calls for Strike A labor union in Germany has called on ground staff for Lufthansa to walk off the job at seven airports on Tuesday following a similar strike earlier this month. The Ver.di union said Sunday that the one-day strike will affect the airports in Frankfurt and Munich, Lufthansa’s two main hubs (中心), and several other cities. A 27-hour strike at five of the same airports that started Feb. 7 prompted the airline to cancel hundreds of flights. The union is seeking pay raises of 12.5%, or at least 500 euros more per month, in negotiations for about 25-thousand employees. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 4.9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 18,640 on turnover of $5.6-billion N-T. The market opened in consolidation mode today after record gains on the first trading session of the Year of the Dragon. Shares in Taiwan surged almost 550 points and by more than 3 percent, despite stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation figures. Buying included stocks in the bellwether electronics sector, led by chipmaker TSMC American depositary receipts, which steamed ahead by more than 11 percent when the stock market was closed over the New Year holiday, due to enthusiasm about AI development. Woman gives birth during flight from Tokyo to Taipei: EVA Airways A woman gave birth to a baby after going into labor on board a flight from Tokyo to Taipei on Thursday, according to EVA Airways. The airline says flight attendants and four doctors who happened to be on board the morning flight assisted with the birth. It adds that the plane landed at Taipei Songshan Airport at 1:11 p.m., with the mother and her newborn son taken to a local hospital. Details regarding the passenger, including her nationality, or how many weeks she was pregnant, were not disclosed (公佈) by the airline. US Biden Informant Charged with Lying to Authorities An FBI informant has been charged with lying to authorities about a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme between President Joe Biden, his son Hunter and a Ukrainian energy company. The claim is central to a Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress. Prosecutors say Alexander Smirnov falsely told FBI agents in June 2020 that executives associated with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid Hunter and Joe Biden $5 million each in 2015 or 2016. The allegations became a flashpoint in Congress over the summer as Republicans demanded the FBI release the unredacted (內容沒有被刪減的) form documenting the allegations as they pursued investigations of President Biden and his family. An attorney for Smirnov declined to comment on the allegations. Greece Legalizes SameSex Civil Marriage Greece has become the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex civil marriage. AP's Lisa Dwyer has more. Senegal Voids Postponement of Presidential Election Senegal’s top election authority has voided the president’s postponement of a presidential election scheduled for Feb. 25 and its rescheduling in December, saying the moves were unconstitutional. A judgement approved by seven members of Senegal’s Constitutional Council cancelled the decree signed by President Macky Sall that postponed the election. The judgement also said that the National Assembly’s move on Feb. 5 to reschedule the vote for Dec. 15 also was “contrary to (與之相反) the constitution." That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 568-points this morning on the first trading day of the new Lunar New Year, at 18,664 on turnover of $24-billion N-T. Taiwan CDC reports sixth year of decline in new HIV infections The Centers for Disease Control says Taiwan is marking another year of decline in the number of new HIV infections. Officials say 944 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus were reported on the island in 2023, marking a sixth consecutive (連續的) year of falling case numbers. The CDC says it marks a decrease of nearly 12 percent from 2022, and the figure was the lowest since 2004. The agency encouraged individuals who have ever had sex to take at least one HIV test and those who have sex without using a condom to take a test annually. Two lotto players win NT$1 million prizes at same Taipei shop on same day Two lottery players recently won $1 million NT prizes on scratch lotto tickets they purchased (購買) on the same day at the same store in Taipei's Ximending neighborhood. According to Taiwan Lottery Co., the lotto wins both happened on "Super Red Envelope" scratch cards sold at a shop on Kunming Street in Ximen District on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday last Thursday. The first of the winners was a married couple, while the second winners were two young men who put their money together to the scratch card. Taiwan Lottery released five new scratch cards for the Year of the Dragon, of which the $2,000 NT Super Red Envelope -- with eight top prizes of NT$20 million -- is the most expensive. NKorea Kim Supervises New Missile Tests North Korea state media says leader Kim Jong Un has supervised a test of new surface-to-sea missiles and warned that the country would take a more aggressive (積極進取的) military posture in disputed sea boundaries with war-divided rival South Korea. Kim lso accused South Korea of frequently violating what he decried as North Korean territorial waters with its maritime patrols and interdiction of third-party ships. He ordered his navy to strengthen its defense posture in waters near the South Korean border islands of Baekryeong and Yeonpyeong. The report today by North Korea’s state media came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected the North firing multiple cruise missiles in waters off its eastern coast. Some experts say Kim may seek to further dial up pressure in an election year in South Korea and the U.S. US SuperBowl Victory Parade Shooting Police say there are several casualties (傷亡) in Kansas City, after shots were fired during a Super Bowl victory parade. Thousands of fans had gathered on Wednesday in the US state of Missouri to celebrate the Kansas Chiefs's victory in America's National Football League game. Benji Hyer has the latest. Haiti Kenya Discuss Police Force Deployment Haiti’s government has announced that it is working on an official agreement with Kenyan officials to secure the long-awaited deployment of a police force from the east African country. The government said Wednesday that high-ranking officials from both countries met in the U.S. for three days this week to draft a memorandum of understanding and set a deadline for the arrival of Kenyan police forces. The closed-door meetings included top U.S. officials and were held weeks after a court in Kenya blocked the U.N-backed deployment of police to help Haiti fight a surge (急遽上升) in gang violence. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. MOFA Plays Down Guatemala's China Trade Ties The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says plans by Guatemala's new government's to develop trade ties with China does not conflict with the country's policy of maintaining diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The statement comes after Guatemala's foreign minister earlier this week told Reuters that his country "cannot ignore the weight and power China represents" - but will "continue working with Taiwan at the levels we have been doing." According to the foreign ministry here in Taiwan, the report "did not come as a surprise" as President Bernardo Arevalo has "consistently (始終如一地) maintained a policy" of maintaining formal ties with Taiwan while also developing trade links with China. TSMC Announces Employees' Business Performance Bonus Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing says its board has approved a plan to distribute employees' business performance bonus and profit sharing totaling about 100.1-billion N-T for 2023. That total includes a business performance bonus of 50.09-billion N-T distributed (分配) following each quarter of 2023 and profit sharing of 50.09-million N-T to be distributed in July this year. The board meeting also approved a plan to issue a 3.5 N-T per share cash dividend for the earnings of the fourth quarter of 2023, which hit 9.21 N-T. The ex-dividend date has been set for June 13 and the dividends will be distributed on July 11. MOA Warning on Carrying of Meat Products into Taiwan And, The Ministry of Agriculture is warning public not to bring meat products into Taiwan from other countries due to the risk of African swine fever. The annual Lunar New Year holiday reminder (提醒) comes as African swine fever has now been found in 79 countries since the first reports of the virus emerged in China in August of 2018. Data shows that between August of 2018 and January of this year, of the 6,795 meat seizures tested, 639 came back positive for the virus. Eighty-three percent of the meat products that tested positive for African swine fever came from China. Those caught entering Taiwan carrying pork and other meat products face fines of between 200,000 and 1-million N-T. Israel Arrests Palestinian American Woman in West Bank Israeli forces have arrested a 46-year-old Palestinian American woman in the West Bank. Relatives say that Samaher Esmail was pulled out of bed by soldiers late Monday and they still don't know where she is. The army says she was arrested for “incitement” (煽動) on social media. Esmail's arrest comes just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on a diplomatic visit. A U.S. government spokesperson said the State Department was aware of reports that a U.S. citizen had been detained and was “seeking additional information" about the incident but had no further comment. Late Tuesday, Blinken arrived in Israel, where he is expected to press ahead with efforts to at least pause Israel's offensive in Gaza and curb violence in the West Bank. US Homeland Security Secretary Survives Impeachment Attempt US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has survived an impeachment attempt in the House of Representatives after several Republicans broke ranks with their party. Congressional Republicans had sought to oust (逐出) Mayorkas over the surge in migration at the US's southern border. 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Cities and Counties Removing TaiSugar Pork Davis Cup Journey Ended by France Europe Israel Palestinians Middle-East Tensions El Salvador Elections Britain-Magritte-Auction -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn