EZ News

Taiwan shares rose slightly Newly unveiled carbon pricing formula gets mixed industry response Number of days off work from public holidays to total 11 in 2024 Japan Earthquake update NYC sues bus companies over migrants row -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Taiwan congratulates new Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine Kaohsiung MRT rider gets 3 months in jail for attacking station master Israel Palestine latest Russia Ukraine war update Mickey Mouse Horror movies -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

MND Confirms 5,000 Military Personnel will be Unable to Vote Culture Points Cash to be Available for 16-22-Year-Olds from January 20 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for bolstered war readiness NYT sues OpenAI and Microsoft Oil prices retreat -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

First Indictment Handed Down for Organizing Election Related China Tours CDC Urges People to get XBB Vaccine Amid Rise in COVID-19 Cases Israel's war against Hamas deepens Police are investigating incidents involving Colorado justices North Korean leader touts achievements -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

EVA Airway Vows to Hike Wages and Give Year-End Bonuses Yang Yung-wei Nabs Sports Elite Award for Best Male Athlete of 2023 Israel-Palestinians war with no end in sight Ukraine has celebrated Christmas and continues its battles with Russian forces Plane Grounded in France -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Environmental Groups Rally in Taichung Survey Finds Over 88% of Employers to Give Year-End Bonuses Czech shooting memorial Ukraine moves Christmas to Dec. 25 and Russian attacks Billionaire bought part of Premier League -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally down this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,356 on turnover of 1.6-billion N-T. The market retreated from an early rise to end the day slightly higher on Wednesday - as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing saw its gains eroded ( 削弱) ahead of the release of its November sales data. Investor sentiment also turned cautious ahead of the release of U-S nonfarm payroll data tomorrow, as many are waiting for more guidance on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. Environment Minister in Dubai for COP28 Environment Minister Xue Fu-sheng is in Dubai for the COP28 meeting. According to Ministry of Environment, Xue is leading a delegation of other government officials to the two-week United Nations's annual climate change conference. Taiwan hasn't been formally invited to attend the conference, but officials are attending peripheral (週邊) meetings and holding talks on the sidelines of the event. The environment minister says he's been highlighting Taiwan's plans to reach climate goals and showcasing the government's resolution to pursue efforts to limit the average global temperature rise during those meetings in Dubai. Pufferfish that Killed 1 and Hospitalized 8 Others was "Inedible" And, The Food and Drug Administration says a poisonous pufferfish that was served by a restaurant owner in Nantou County last month has been identified as an lunartail puffer. The meal left one person dead and resulted in eight other people being hospitalized. According to the F-D-A, samples of the fish were sent for testing immediately following the man's death and D-N-A samples identified it as a lunartail puffer - which is an inedible (不可食用的) variety of the fish. The F-D-A says the lunartail puffer can be easily confused with species in the same genus that are edible when properly prepared. The sale, processing and producing of food stuffs made with pufferfish are illegal under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. US Ukraine Funding Stalls in Senate US President Joe Biden's push to pass tens of billions of dollars in new aid for Ukraine has stalled in the Senate. Republican lawmakers blocked the funding - which also includes help for Israel - in a protest over a dispute (爭議) about border security policy. Kate Fisher reports from Washington France Charges for Man Who Killed Tourist Near Eiffel Tower Prosecutors say a man accused of fatally stabbing a tourist and injuring two other people over the weekend near the Eiffel Tower has been placed under investigation on charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist organization. The suspect went before an investigating magistrate Wednesday who ultimately decides preliminary charges. The stabbing over the weekend killed a German-Filipino tourist at a bridge near the tower. It has drawn special concern from French authorities less than a year before the 2024 Paris Olympics, whose opening ceremony is planned along the Seine river. The man had been under surveillance for suspected Islamic radicalization. Mexico Supreme Court Overturns Bullfighting Ban Mexico's Supreme Court has overturned (推翻) a 2022 ban on bullfighting in Mexico City, opening the way for events to resume, possibly as soon as this month. A panel of justices voted to overturn a May 2022 injunction that said bull fights violated city resident’s rights to a healthy environment free from violence. The panel did not explain their arguments for overturning the ban, but fight organizers claimed it violated their right to continue the tradition. The capital had a history of almost 500 years of bullfighting, but there had been no fights since the 2022 injunction. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 17,340 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday, to close below the 17,400 point mark as investors opted to move to the sell side following losses on Wall Street overnight and the bellwether electronics sector led the downturn. NSTC Lists Critical Technologies to Face Tougher Controls The National Science and Technology Council has unveiled a set of key technologies that it says will be subject to tougher controls to prevent (防止) technology leaks and boost industrial competitiveness. The 22 key technologies cover five industries. Those being defense, aerospace, agriculture, semiconductors and information and communications technology. According to the council, the term "key technologies" refers to tech that, if exported to China, Macau, Hong Kong or "external hostile forces," would significantly harm national security, industrial competitiveness, or economic development. MOFA Opens 4th Representative Office in Canada The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially opened a news representative office in Montreal. The office is Taiwan's fourth in Canada. The foreign ministry says it chose Montreal as the site for the office because it is the largest city in French-speaking Quebec, and is known as a technology hub, notably (尤其) in video game and artificial intelligence development. Foreign Minister Joseph Wu says the latest office in Canada showed Taiwan's determination to expand its relations with the North American country on all fronts. Taiwan's main representative office is in Ottawa, while other branches are located in Toronto and Vancouver. UN: Adrift Rohingya in Danger The United Nations refugee agency says as many as 400 Rohingya Muslims could be adrift (漂流) in the Andaman Sea without adequate supplies. It's warning they could die if more is not done to rescue them. Patrick Fok reports. Peru Fujimori Allowed Humanitarian Release Peru’s constitutional court has ordered an immediate humanitarian release for imprisoned former President Alberto Fujimori. The 85-year-old former leader has been serving a 25-year sentence in connection with the death squad slayings of 25 Peruvians in the 1990s. The court ruled in favor of a 2017 pardon that had granted the former leader a release on humanitarian grounds but that later was annulled (被廢除). Fujimori was sentenced in 2009 to 25 years in prison on charges of human rights abuses. Venezuela Maduro Orders Immediate Exploration of Essequibo Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is ordering the country’s state-owned companies to “immediately” begin to explore and exploit the oil, gas and mines in Guyana’s Essequibo region. Maduro’s announcement comes a day after Venezuela's electoral authorities announced that the five questions with which the government wanted to claim sovereignty over Essequibo were approved in Sunday’s referendum. Guyana has denounced the referendum as pretext (藉口) to annex the land. The International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ top court, has ordered Venezuela not to take any action to change the status quo until the panel can rule on the two countries’ competing claims, which could take years. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 19-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,401 on turnover of 2.4-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Monday as the bellwether electronics sector lost ground on the back of growing concerns the U-S will tighten controls on chip sales to China. Despite the slump in investor interest in the bellwether electronics sector, the transportation sector, in particular bulk cargo shippers, trended higher, due to increasing freight rates, which lent some support to the broader market. ---- AIT Head Stresses Need to Combat Election Disinformation American Institute in Taiwan Director Sandra Oudkirk is stressing that Washington and Taipei are "on the frontlines" as they seek to tackle the spread of disinformation. Speaking at the National Taiwan University, where she delivered her End-of-Year policy address, Oudkirk said both sides are working closely to combat online information manipulation, as such threats are especially worrisome in the context of democratic elections. Oudkirk also said Washington and Taipei and other democratic partners recently participated in the Global Declaration on International Information Integrity Online and that declaration has now been joined by more than 30 countries. The declaration was launched by Canada and Netherlands in September. ---- Academia Sinica scholar Awarded Germany's Humboldt Research Award A distinguished research fellow at Academia Sinica has been awarded the 2023 Humboldt Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany. Wang Fan-sen, of the Institute of History and Philology, received the award in recognition of his achievements and impact on historical scholarship. Along with being a research fellow at Academia Sinica, Wang also currently serves as chair professor at the National Cheng Kung University, National Chengchi University, the National Taiwan Normal University and the National Sun Yat-sen University. The Humboldt prize is for internationally renowned scientists and scholars who work outside of Germany in recognition of their lifetime's research achievements. ---- Putin Plans to Visit the UAE and Saudi Arabia Russian media outlets are reporting that President Vladimir Putin plans to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia this week. Russian state news agencies say that Putin will travel to the two countries for a working visit, during which he will meet the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. The U-A-E is currently hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference. However, it's unclear whether Putin will attend the conference. Putin currently risks arrest if he leaves Russia after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in March for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. ---- UN Concerned about Rohingya Muslims aboard Two Boats The United Nations refugee agency is raising the alarm for an estimated 400 Rohingya Muslims believed to be aboard two boats reported to be out of supplies and adrift in the Andaman Sea. The agency is worried that all those aboard could die without efforts to rescue them. The captain of one of the boats says he had 180 to 190 people on board and that the engine was damaged. There is a seasonal exodus of Rohingyas, usually coming from overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. About 740,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh since 2017 after a brutal counterinsurgency campaign. ---- CBC to Cut 600 Jobs And Canada's public broadcaster says it will cut 600 jobs and reduce its English and French programming budgets. The move comes as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is struggling with monetary pressures. The bulk of the layoffs will come from corporate divisions such as technology and infrastructure. The broadcaster says it has also identified 200 vacancies that will go unfilled as it contends with 125-million Canadian dollars in budget pressures. Along with the job cuts, C-B-C will be reducing its English and French programming budgets, resulting in fewer renewals and acquisitions, fewer new television series and less episodes of existing shows. -- 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 17,451 on turnover of $2.8-billion N-T. The market closed little changed last Friday after recovering from earlier losses, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing recovered from its previous weakness. However, the electronics sector remained muted, as investors took their cue from the downturn suffered by tech stocks on Wall Street overnight, while buying rotated to select old economy industries, providing support to the broader market. Value of Taiwan's Top 25 Brands up 5% The Ministry of Economic Affairs says the combined brand value of Taiwan's 25 most valuable brands has risen by 5-per cent so far this year. According to the ministry's 2023 Best Taiwan Global Brands survey, the aggregate (總計的) brand value of Taiwan's 25 largest brands totaled 13.84-billion U-S in 2023. That marks the fourth consecutive year of the total value surpassing the 10-billion U-S dollar mark. The ministry says despite the global economy facing headwinds, which has impacted demand, the brands remained resilient. Asustek Computer remains in the No. 1 spot. Trend Micro took second place with its brand value rising 5-per cent from a year earlier. While MediaTek was third, after seeing its its brand value rising 33-per cent from a year earlier. US warships, commercial ships under attack The Pentagon says one of its warships as well as multiple (多個) commercial ships came under attack in the Red Sea. Sally Patterson reports. ICC Vows to Intensify Investigations into IsraelHamas War The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says his office will “further intensify its efforts to advance its investigations” of possible crimes by Hamas and Israeli forces. His statement Sunday came after he visited the region for the first time since his appointment. There have been widespread claims of breaches of international law by Hamas and Israeli forces since the deadly Oct. 7 attacks by Palestinian militants set off the bloody Israel-Hamas war. The Hague-based court has been investigating crimes in the Palestinian territories committed by both sides since 2021 but has yet to announce (宣告) any charges. Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognize its jurisdiction. Indonesia Mt Marapi Eruption Indonesia’s Mount Marapi has erupted and is spewing (噴出) white-and-gray ash plumes more than 3-thousand meters into the air. No casualties have been reported. Two routes for climbers were closed after the eruption Sunday and about 1,400 people living on the mountain's slopes were advised to stay away from the crater’s mouth because of potential (可能的) lava. About 70 climbers started up the mountain Saturday and became stranded. So far, 49 have been evacuated with the rest still awaiting rescue. Several villages were blanketed with falling ash that blocked sunlight, and authorities distributed masks and urged residents to wear glasses to protect them from volcanic ash. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,422 on turnover of $2.06 -billion N-T. The market continued its winning streak on Thursday, joining other regional indexes to close the trading day higher ahead of the release of U-S consumer inflation data. Cabinet Approves Fire Safety Reform Amendments The Cabinet has approved a series of draft amendments to the Fire Services Act aimed at improving fire safety in the workplace The draft amendments were proposed by the Ministry of the Interior and will now be sent to the Legislative Yuan for review. The draft bill adds a provision that imposes a maximum prison sentence of up to seven years on company officials whose failure to formulate and implement a fire safety management plan is deemed responsible for fire-related deaths. The also states that the storing excessive dangerous materials in the workplace in contravention (違反) of related rules resulting in fire-related deaths will result in the same penalty. In the event of serious injuries resulting from a workplace fire, company officials will be liable to a prison term of up to five years. Failure to comply with those regulations is punishable with a maximum fine of between 3 and 10-million N-T. 8 Israeli Hostages Freed from Gaza The Israeli military says a total of eight Israeli hostages have been released from captivity in the Gaza Strip on Thursday. The army said the Red Cross transferred six hostages to Egypt, and they were being brought to Israel to be reunited with their families. Two additional hostages were turned over earlier in the day. It marked the seventh straight night of hostage releases under a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Israel was to free 30 Palestinian prisoners later in the evening under the deal. The cease-fire is set to expire early Friday, though international mediators (調解者) are working to extend it. Roughly 140 hostages are believed to remain in Hamas captivity. US Blinken Warning on Gaza Violence Spreading US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned efforts must be made to prevent violence in Gaza from enveloping (籠罩) the region. The US' top diplomat met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday. Sally Patterson has more. Giant Pandas Leaving Edinburgh Zoo Visitors to the Edinburgh Zoo had their final chance to see and bid farewell to a pair of popular giant pandas who are returning home to China after more than a decade in Scotland. Yang Guang and Tian Tian are leaving in early December. They have been a popular attraction since people lined the road outside the zoo to greet them when they arrived in 2011. The pair, which are the only pandas in the U.K., are the latest to leave the West after exchange agreements have expired ((期限）終止) and not been renewed by China. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Taiwan's EU Envoy Appointed Top US Representative MOA Head Stresses Government Monitoring Bird Flu Blinken Heading Back to Middle East Canada Reaches Deal with Google on News Industry Payments Elton John Address Britain's Parliament -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Hsiao Bi-khim's Resignation Approved Weekly Dengue Fever Cases Drop to Below 1,000 CIA Director in Qatar for Hostage Release Talks Rescuers Free 41 Trapped Workers in India Finland to Close Russian Border Amid Migrant Surge -- 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 17,150 on turnover of 1.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday, falling below the 17,200-point mark, as investors opted to dump artificial intelligence development-related stocks amid continuing concern over the U-S ban on chip sales to China. The semiconductor sector also trended (轉向) lower on the back of news that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing could cut the price of some of its more advanced chips next year. 10 Indicted on Charges of Spying for China The High Prosecutors Office has indicted 10 people, including several active duty military personnel, for allegedly spying for China. Five of them are also facing more serious charges and remain in custody. Prosecutors says the indictments follow an investigation into a former Army major, who is believed to have been recruited (被招募) by China in 2021 to carry out espionage activities in Taiwan. According to the High Prosecutors Office, the former officer then recruited a businessman to help in persuading both serving and retired military personnel to collect military intelligence for China. The other suspects include a serving Army lieutenant-colonel and three active-duty soldiers, who stole classified military information. EVA Air Expects Airfares to Remain High into 2024 H1 EVA Airways is warning that airfares are expected to remain high until at least the end of the first half of next year due to strong demand for air travel. According to the carrier, it is seeing strong demand for passenger flight services from late January to mid-February and over 90-per cent of seats on Japan-bound flights are already booked. Speaking at an investor conference, EVA said the company's long-haul flights have maintained 90-percent passenger loads (載客率) since the beginning of the year - and the carrier firmly believes "the future is promising." Israel Hamas Agree to Extend Ceasefire Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday. The announcement made by a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry came on the final day of the original four-day truce (休戰) between the warring sides. As part of a fourth swap under the original deal, Hamas released 11 Israelis on Monday night. Then Israel released 33 Palestinians. Monday’s releases bring to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel. US Biden to Invoke ColdWarEra Law to Lower Prices US President Joe Biden has announced plans to use a Cold War-era law to try and ease (緩解) supply chain issues and counter inflation. Ira Spitzer reports. Sumatra Rhino Calf Born in Indonesia A Sumatran rhino has given birth to a male calf in Indonesia, a welcome addition to a critically endangered species that numbers fewer than 50 animals. The mother gave birth Saturday at a national park sanctuary on Sumatra, where the entire species now lives. Their tropical forest habitat is disappearing and poachers kill the animals for their horns, which are used for ornaments (裝飾品) and in traditional medicine. The unnamed calf is healthy and able to walk and eat. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 17,291 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market closed little changed on Friday on low turnover, due largely to the absence (不在場的, 缺席) of foreign institutional investors because of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. CDC on Alert for Mycoplasma Pneumonia Risk The Centers for Disease Control has issued a health warning - instructing medical professionals to be on alert to the risk of mycoplasma pneumonia spreading to Taiwan. The warning comes amid a surge in respiratory infections such as influenza and clusters (群集) of pneumonia among children in northern China. C-D-C Deputy Director-General Philip Luo says China began reporting mycoplasma pneumonia outbreaks in May, but an epidemic usually reaches its peak in 2 to 3 months, and there could be multiple known pathogens circulating there. Doctors are being asked to closely monitor cases of respiratory illness to prevent cluster infections at hospitals here in Taiwan. TRA to Add 116 train services for New Year's Day holiday And, The Taiwan Railways Administration says it will be providing 116 additional train journeys to meet the expected spike in demand during the New Year's Day holiday from December 29 through January 2. Passengers will be able to book tickets for the weekend holiday from December 1. According to the T-R-A, the extra train services will include 23 EMU-3000 and Puyuma limited express train journeys, and 12 EMU 900 local express train services along the east and west coasts. Four extra Tze-Chiang express trains will also be added to the east coast line. The highest daily number of passengers during the holiday is expected to exceed (超過) 80,000. Israeli Ship Seized and Let Go Attackers have seized and later let go a tanker linked to Israel off the coast of Yemen. The attackers seized the Liberian-flagged Central Park in the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s internationally recognized government blamed (指責) the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, which followed at least two other recent maritime attacks linked to the Israel-Hamas war. Early Monday morning, Zodiac said the vessel carrying phosphoric acid and its crew of 22 sailors from multiple nations were “unharmed.” The Pentagon said that the vessel was “currently safe” without elaborating on what happened to the attackers. The Houthis did not acknowledge the attack. Netanyahu Earlier… Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has visited troops (軍隊) inside the Gaza strip. Mimmi Montgomery reports. Booker Prize Won by Irish Writer Irish writer Paul Lynch has won the Booker Prize for fiction with his dystopian novel “Prophet Song.” The judges said it was a “soul-shattering” novel about a woman’s struggle to protect her family as Ireland collapses into totalitarianism (極權主義) and war. Lynch was awarded the $63-thousand US dollar literary prize at a ceremony in London on Sunday. He beat five other writers from Ireland, the U.K., the U.S. and Canada. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 yesterday's close, at 17,305 on turnover of $1.3-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday, after Nvidia fell even after reporting blowout profits on Wall Street overnight. CWA Study Finds Taiwan's Temperature Rising Faster than World Average The Central Weather Administration says Taiwan's average temperature is rising higher than the global average. According to the administration, Taiwan's average temperature rose 0.29-degrees in each of the three 10-year periods from the beginning of the 90s until 2020. And that's higher than the global average increase of 0.21-degrees. Data from 13 of the weather administration's low-elevation weather observation stations shows that from 1898 to 2020, Taiwan's temperature rose by an average of 0.11-degrees per decade, significantly lower than the 0.29-degrees per decade between 1991 and 2020. Meanwhile, the weather administration says although data shows there has been no significant change in overall annual precipitation over the same period, the intensity of extreme rain has increased. Russia Deepens Ties with Mali Russia is deepening bilateral and economic ties with Mali as Western influence in the West African nation declines. Mali has signed a deal with Russia to build a gold refinery (精煉廠) in the capital Bamako to improve the nation's economy. Correspondent, Nabil Ahmed Rufai reports. WHO Requests Info From China on Pneumonia in Children The World Health Organization says it has made an official request to China for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children. On Thursday, the U.N. health agency said Chinese officials told them they did not detect any “unusual or novel (新的)” diseases. The emergence of new new flu strains or other viruses capable of triggering pandemics, typically starts with undiagnosed clusters of respiratory illness. Both SARS and COVID-19 were reported as unusual types of pneumonia. Outside scientists said the situation warranted close monitoring, but were not convinced that the recent spike in respiratory illnesses in China signaled the start of a new global outbreak. Britain Crane Operator Rescues Man from Burning Building A crane operator has played down tributes paid to him after he lifted a man to safety from a burning high-rise building in England. Video from the scene in the town of Reading in southern England showed a man being rescued by a crane cage from the roof of a building under construction as thick plumes of dark smoke and flames billowed around him. The man was lifted in the air and then lowered to the ground. A 65-year-old crane operator Glen Edwards described the situation as a “close call” (千鈞一髮) because of windy conditions. Officials said that more than 50 firefighters arrived at the scene to tackle the blaze and another man was also lifted from the building by crane. The fire was extinguished later Thursday. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 91-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,325 on turnover of 4.1 -billion N-T. The market trended sharply higher on Tuesday to close above the 17,400-point mark on the back of ample liquidity and a strong New Taiwan dollar - which prompted foreign investors to move funds into Taiwan. The bellwether electronics sector led the upturn, as artificial intelligence development-related stock garnered investor interest due to expectations that Nvidia will give positive leads in its investor conference. Legislature Passes Restraining Orders to Tackle Intimate Image Abuse Lawmakers have passed a bill allowing courts to issue restraining orders to prevent the dissemination (散佈，傳播) of explicit images. The provisions are aimed at both the abuser and online service providers. The bill is an amendment of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act. It will allow courts to issue civil protection orders prohibiting the remaking, dissemination, broadcast, delivery, or publication of intimate images of the protected individual. Perpetrators will be required to return any images to victims and law enforcement authorities will be allowed to order them to delete the content if necessary. MOFA Slams Racists Comments about Indian Migrant Workers The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is slamming racist (種族主義的) comments that have been appearing on social media sites over the past week concerning Indian migrant workers. According to the ministry's Department of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, the government strongly opposes any form of discrimination or bias against specific groups, as Taiwan is a multiethnic country that respects human rights. Officials are calling on the public to refrain from posting or reposting any derogatory comments on social media targeting Indians and the Indian community. The statements comes after it was confirmed that talks are underway way to allow the employment of migrant Indian workers in Taiwan. SKorea Suspends Military Agreement with North South Korea is suspending a military agreement with North Korea in retaliation to Pyongyang firing a rocket on Tuesday. North Korea says it successfully launched a satellite into orbit (軌道, 繞軌道運行). South Korea, the US, and Japan are working to verify the claim. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo Congo UN Agree to End Peacekeepers Mission Congo’s foreign minister and the head of the U.N. stabilization mission in Congo have signed agreements to end the presence of U.N. peacekeepers after more than two decades. Congo's president in September called for them to leave a year earlier than planned. While no date was publicly given for the U.N. withdrawal to begin, observers say it's unlikely to start before Congo's Dec. 20 presidential election. Eastern Congo has long been overrun by dozens of armed groups seeking a share of the region’s gold and other resources. Frustrated Congolese say that no one is protecting them from rebel (反叛) attacks. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,239 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market's recent gains were halted on Monday, as the main board ended unchanged amid high technical resistance. Large cap tech stocks trended lower throughout the trading day preventing the broader market from moving higher, while the tourism sector also came under heavy pressure. Gou Campaign Says 'Anything Possible' After Ko Meeting A spokesman for Terry Gou's presidential campaign office says "anything - including a potential joint ticket - is possible" following a meeting with Taiwan People's Party presidential nominee, Ko Wen-je. Spokesman Huang Shih-hsiu said K-M-T Chairman Eric Chu's dealings with Ko mirrored the "promise-breaking and breach (違反) of trust" he had engaged in … when Gou unsuccessfully sought the party's presidential nomination in May. Huang says given those actions, "the K-M-T may be on its own" in the election. However, Gou's campaign office spokesman has refused to give any concrete details of the meeting with Ko. Over 100 German Students Apply for 30 TSMC Training Slots The Dresden University of Technology says more than 100 German students have applied for 30 spots on a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing-backed training program. The university said a total of 124 students from universities in the state of Saxony in eastern Germany applied for the training program… Students will depart (出發) for Taiwan in February and begin their study in a Taiwanese university to learn basic semiconductor theories in March. They will then spend time at T-S-M-C's training center for newcomers and work in the chipmaker's factory for two months from June. The training program was announced shortly after T-S-M-C made public its plans to set up a 12-inch wafer fab in Dresden. Australia PM reveals "dangerous encounter" between Chinese, Australian warships Australia's prime minister has criticized China for what he calls a “dangerous” encounter between Chinese and Australian warships but declined to say whether he raised the issue with President Xi Jinping. He said one diver was injured when a Chinese destroyer used sonar (聲波定位儀) while near an Australian frigate in international waters last Tuesday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke with Xi last week on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in San Francisco. Albanese says his discussions with Xi were private rather than a formal bilateral meeting. China’s Defense Ministry dismisses Australia’s allegations as “completely untrue.” Citigroup continues layoff plan Citigroup has begun a major overhaul of its management structure with sweeping layoffs expected. It's part of a broader reorganization and seen as the American bank's biggest reshuffle (改組、重新安排) in nearly 20 years. William Denselow reports from New York. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 15-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,156 on turnover of $2.5-billion N-T. The market continued its winning ways on Thursday, but buying was weaker and the gains were muted compared with earlier this week. Investors were closely watching the outcome (結果) of the meeting between U-S President Joe Biden and China's leader Xi Jin-ping for guidance throughout much of the day's session. Cabinet Approves NT$1.34 billion for Infrastructure Data Encryption The Cabinet has approved a proposal to spend 1.34-billion N-T for the cryptographic splitting of cloud-stored data from 18 key infrastructure management systems. According to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, establishing a cryptographic splitting mechanism (機制) will ensure key infrastructure management systems can continue functioning during disasters. The ministry says cryptographic splitting of data is part of a multiyear plan to transfer data to cloud-based storage. The first stage of the program is to transfer data from 29 infrastructure systems to a public cloud between 2021 and 2025, while the second stage will see the establishment of a cryptographic splitting mechanism between 2024 to 2027. The Ministry of Digital Affairs says data covered by the proposal includes the National Health Insurance management system, the vehicle management system, and the entry and exit management system. Israel Claims Tunnels Found Under Gaza Hospital Israel says it has found a tunnel shaft (隧道) and weapons in the Al-Shifa hospital, as its forces continue to search Gaza's main hospital. Sarah Coates reports from Tel Aviv. Syria Amnesty for Criminals Syrian President Bashar Assad's office and state media are reporting that Assad has issued a decree granting amnesty and reducing sentences for several categories of crime committed prior to Thursday. No reason was given for the amnesty but it came on the anniversary of the 1970 coup that brought Assad's father and predecessor (前任者) to power. Assad has issued similar amnesties since the country’s deadly conflict that has killed half a million people began in March 2011. The decree granted a complete pardon for misdemeanor convictions and people serving prison sentences who have reached the age of 70, or those who have incurable diseases. Reparation Fund for Slavery to be Established Delegates at a reparations summit in Ghana have agreed to establish a Global Reparation Fund to push for overdue compensation for millions of Africans enslaved centuries ago during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The agreement announced Thursday adds to the growing demands for reparations after about 12 million Africans were forcefully taken by European nations from the 16th to the 19th century and enslaved (被奴役的). Delegates to the conference in Accra did not say how such a reparation fund would operate. A report by a special U.N. forum said people of African descent continue to be victims of systemic discrimination and it supported reparations as “a cornerstone of justice in the 21st century.” That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 17,136 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market moved higher again on Wednesday, as reduced investor concerns about further interest rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve triggered strong buying across the board. Lai Talks Higher Wage Requirements for Future Listed Companies D-P-P presidential candidate Lai Ching-te says if elected he will make it a requirement that companies seeking to go public have to provide salaries higher than the government's minimum wage. Speaking at a youth forum in Taipei, Lai said companies wishing to be listed on Taiwan's securities market and raise funds publicly ought to offer their employees more competitive wages. Lai says he will also make the minimum wage prerequisite (必須的) - meaning minimum monthly wages in future listed companies should be set at no less than 30,000 N-T. Coldplay Concerts Make NT$550million for Kaohsiung And, Government officials in Kaohsiung say this past weekend's Coldplay concerts generated about 550-million N-T in revenue (收入) for the city. The band performed at the Kaohsiung National Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. According to city officials, the stadium and neighboring areas were visited by more than 170,000 people over the two days, which boosted sales at night markets by at least 30-per cent. The influx of people also lifted the downtown hotel occupancy rate to 90-per cent. Data released by the Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau shows 70-per cent of those who came to see Coldplay were from other cities, counties, and overseas. XiBiden Meeting The leaders of the United States and China have concluded their meeting in San Francisco this morning. US President Joe Biden spoke to the press after what he called a "most constructive and productive" meeting, and highlighted several key issues he discussed with Xi Jin-ping. Biden says they have agreed to resume (恢復) high-level military communications, indicating that a lack of communication is how "misunderstandings" and "accidents" happen. Biden also says the two sides discussed several world issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. Biden says he gave the Chinese president names of hostages in Gaza whom he hoped would be released, but no firm agreement was reached on that issue. And Biden also stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, telling Xi that he does not wish to change the status quo of US-Taiwan relations. UN Security Council Passes Gaza Resolution The United Nations Security Council has called for 'urgent and extended (長期的) humanitarian pauses' in fighting between Israel and Hamas. Sally Patterson has more. Pakistan IMF Reach Preliminary Agreement on Bailout Officials say Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund have reached a preliminary agreement on releasing $700 million from a $3 billion bailout fund approved in July. The standby credit set up by the IMF is meant to save cash-strapped Pakistan from default. In a statement, the IMF says the two sides reached the staff-level agreement following talks in Islamabad. The deal still must be approval by the IMF's management and its executive board, though such approvals are generally a formality (例行公事). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 45-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,884 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market closed sharply higher on Monday, as the bellwether electronics sector was the focus of investor interest following gains by tech stocks on Wall Street at the end of last week. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing drove the tech sector's upturn, boosted by optimism over its strong sales report for October However, investors showed an unwillingness to chase prices as the main board closed in on the 17,000 point mark, which resulted in the Tai-Ex trading within a narrow range towards the end of the session. John Deng Points to APEC Focus on CPTPP Bid Taiwan's top trade negotiator John Deng says the main aim of bilateral talks at this week's APEC forum is to build up support for Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Deng is attending the APEC forum in San Francisco and participating in the APEC Economic Leaders' Week meetings. According to the trade negotiator, the forum is expected to serve as an important opportunity for Taiwan's delegates to meet with representatives from trade bloc member countries. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing founder Morris Chang is serving as President Tsai Ing-wen's envoy to the APEC summit and is scheduled to arrive in San Francisco tomorrow. CGA Denies US and Chinese Ships Entered Taiping Island Waters The Coast Guard Administration is denying reports that U-S and Chinese ships entered Taiwan's territorial waters around Taiping Island in the South China Sea earlier this month. The denial comes after K-M-T lawmaker Chen I-hsin accused the administration of attempting to cover-up the intrusions, which he said occurred on November 3. The administration has confirmed that a Chinese warship and an American warship were near the island. However, it says they were operating in waters some 21-nautical miles northeast of Taiping Island and neither vessel entered territorial waters. Indonesian President Visits White House US President Joe Biden is today hosting his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo at the White House to "reaffirm" their joint commitment to the "nearly 75-year-long partnership between the world's second and third largest democracies." The meeting, though, is at risk of being overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war — a conflict erupting thousands of kilometres away, but one that matters hugely to both states. Benji Hyer reports. < [CLIP] Slug: > SKorea President to Discuss NKorean Weapons at APEC South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says he will discuss international response to the purported North Korean-Russian weapons deal during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco this week. In written responses to questions from The Associated Press, Yoon says the North Korean-Russian agreement not only poses a serious threat to the security of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and Europe but also undermines the universal rules-based international order. Yoon says provocations by North Korea will only result in strong retaliation from South Korean and U.S. forces. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 19.7-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,726 on turnover of $1.8-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Thursday, as other regional indexes ended the day mixed and investors reacted to recent big swings on Wall Street. Economics Minister Opens Taiwan Expo in Tokyo Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua has opened the first-ever Taiwan Expo in Japan. The opening of the event in Tokyo was attended by Taiwan's top envoy to Japan Frank Hsieh, External Trade Development Council Chairman James Huang and Kazuyuki Katayama, a representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Frank Hsieh said the Taiwan Expo provides an opportunity to showcase Taiwan's diversity and creativity in technology, culture, arts and other fields, reflecting the importance Taiwan attaches to Japan. The economics minister is leading a delegation to Japan for a four-day visit as part of efforts to deepen the partnership (合作關系) between the two countries and to forge a Taiwan-Japan technology partnership. Rights Group Calls for ICC to Arrest Israeli Leaders Three Palestinian rights groups have filed a lawsuit against Israel over the Gaza conflict at the International Criminal Court. The human rights organisations Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights have asked for the court's urgent (緊迫的) attention, and issue arrest warrants for Israel's leaders. Jody Jacobs reports… Colombia Diaz Father Released Safely Colombia’s government has announced that the father of Liverpool striker Luis Diaz has been released by members of a guerrilla group who kidnapped him in northern Colombia. The release ends a 12-day ordeal for the family. Luis Manuel Diaz’s kidnapping on Oct. 28 in the small town of Barrancas had quickly drawn international attention and appeals (呼籲) for his release. The guerrilla group National Liberation Army, or ELN, acknowledged some of its members carried out the kidnapping but have said it was a mistake. The release was announced by the government’s delegation that currently is in peace negotiations with the ELN. Japan New Island Formed After Volcanic Eruption An undersea volcano's eruption off Japan three weeks ago has provided a rare view of the birth of a tiny new island, but experts say it may not last long. The undersea volcano just off the southern coast of Iwo Jima started its latest series of eruptions on Oct. 21-st. The Japan Meteorological Agency says that by early November, a new island had formed that is about 100 meters in diameter and as high as 20 meters above the sea. Volcanic activity at the site has since subsided (減少、消退了), but the agency says the newly formed island has somewhat shrunk because its “crumbly” formation is easily washed away by waves. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 0.33-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,741 on turnover of $2.3-billion N-T. The market extended gains from the previous session on Wednesday, to close above the 16,700-point mark as bargain hunters snapped up weakened artificial intelligence development-related stocks. However, the main board remained in consolidation mode despite the gains, as investors were cautious about a possible major technical pullback as other regional markets lost ground during the trading day. FDA Warns on Online Drug Purchases The Food and Drug Administration is warning people about the dangers of purchasing medicines online. According to F-D-A Deputy Director General Cheng Hui-fang, the number of online sellers of pharmaceuticals is continuing to increase and its common that such "pharmacies" operating without a license sell substandard or counterfeit products. Cheng says such medicines can contain no active or potentially harmful ingredients and are often sold by overseas-based websites, some of which pose (假充) as if they're operating in Taiwan. Even individuals who unknowingly purchase such drugs delivered from overseas face a fine of 30,000 N-T. Online pharmacies caught operating without a license face a fine of up to 2-million N-T, while importers of unlicensed pharmaceuticals can face a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a possible maximum fine of 100-million N-T. Australian Firefighters Donate to New Taipei Dog Refuge A group of visiting Australian firefighters have donated 235,000 N-T to a stray dog shelter in New Taipei. The 10 firefighters made the donation during a visit to the PACK Taiwan shelter in the city's Shan-Zhi District at the the invitation of the trade and Investment office for the Australian state of Queensland. The shelter is home to some 200 sick, disabled, abused, old and neglected (被疏于照?的) dogs. The donation was made a day after the firefighters from "the Australian Firefighter Calendar" joined a charity auction in Taipei where they raised the money for the New Taipei shelter. The calendar's director, David Rogers says the calendar has a history of supporting animal refuges and Australian wildlife. US Launches More Airstrikes in Syria The U.S. has launched another airstrike on a site in Syria. AP's Lisa Dwyer explains. UN Nuclear Power Could Help Tackle Climate Change The U.N. nuclear chief says nuclear energy must be part of the equation to tackle climate change. The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency said climate-warming hydrocarbons still supply more than 80% of the world’s energy, even after the green transition of the past 20 years. Rafael Grossi told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that more than 400 nuclear reactors are supplying global electricity and over 50 are under construction. But nuclear power's share of global electricity production decreased in the past two decades. Grossi said there is growing interest in nuclear energy but it needs investment that takes into account its benefits (好處). Hollywood Reaches Tentative Deal to End Strike Hollywood's actors union has reached a tentative deal with studios to end its strike. The contract agreement reached Wednesday still must be approved by the union's board and its members, but the deal brings an end to the months of labor strife (衝突) that has hobbled production in Hollywood. The union says the strike will be over today. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,691 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The market edged higher on Tuesday, bucking a regional downturn. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing helped anchor the broader market throughout the session, while buying towards the end of the trading day moved the main board above the 120-day moving average of 16,679-points. Subject: E*Military Officers Indicted in Corruption Case Return to Table of contents The Shilin District Prosecutors' Office has indicted two Military Intelligence Bureau officers on charges of corruption and document forgery. According to the prosecutors' office, the two fraudulently obtained millions of N-T from the bureau beginning in 2018 by fabricating interactions with a Chinese intelligence operative named "Liang Fan." Prosecutors say the two also forged multiple pieces of information to support their claims about the network they pretended to have created around Liang and his operations. Both suspects have been detained (被拘留) since June and have been charged with violating the Anti-Corruption Act. CDC Reporting Taiwan's First Monkey Pox Death The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed Taiwan's first monkey pox-related death. According to the C-D-C, the patient was a man in his 30s from northern Taiwan, who was also infected with H-I-V. Health authorities say the man sought medical attention for a skin ulcer in August, and returned to see a doctor again in early September after his condition had deteriorated (惡化). Subsequent tests confirmed that he had contracted (感染) the monkey pox. The man was pronounced dead on November 1. The C-D-C designated monkey pox as a Category 2 communicable disease in June of last year. A total of 355 cases have been reported here in Taiwan since then. Elysee Palace to Bring Back Changing of Guard Ceremony The Elysee Palace in Paris, where the president lives and works, has brought back its public changing of the guard ceremony for the first time in 27 years. The presidential office says the formal (正式的) ceremony will take place on the first Tuesday of every month. Rebecca Bundhun reports from Paris. Japan Unification Church to Set Up Compensation Fund The Unification Church’s Japanese branch plans to set aside up to $67 million to cover possible compensation for people seeking damages they say were caused by the group’s manipulative fundraising tactics. The move announced Tuesday was seen as an attempt to allay (緩和) suspicion that the group would try to avoid later payouts by hiding assets overseas while a government-requested dissolution order is pending. The group’s fundraising and recruitment tactics, as well as its cozy ties with Japan's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party, surfaced in an investigation after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination last year. The accused shooter allegedly was motivated by Abe’s links to the church and blamed it for bankrupting his family. Brazil Neymar Partner's Parents Taken Hostage Thieves entered the home of Brazilian soccer star Neymar’s partner and took her parents hostage early Tuesday morning, Bruna Biancardi, the mother of Neymar's baby girl, wrote on her verified Instagram account. Local media reported that her parents’ home is located in Cotia, a city in Sao Paulo’s metropolitan area, and that one of the three armed robbers, a neighbor of Biancardi’s parents, has been apprehended. Biancardi says “Material things are recovered, the important thing is that everyone is OK and that the people involved are being found”. Neymar also lamented (哀嘆) the attack on his own Instagram account, without providing any details. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 64-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,572 on turnover of 3.9-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Friday, extending gains from a session earlier as investors took cues (提示) from a rally on Wall Street overnight driven by expectations that the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle has concluded. Senior Economics Official in London for Taiwan-UK Trade Talks Deputy Economics Minister C.C Chen has been attending the 26th UK-Taiwan Trade Talks in London. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the talks are focusing on enhancing economic resilience (彈性) and supply chain collaboration between the two countries. The meeting is being being jointly hosted by Chen and the U-K Minister of State for International Trade Nigel Huddleston and is also covering cooperation in the field of of energy, semiconductor, scientific research, net-zero policies and offshore wind power. The deputy economics minister is also meeting with Taiwanese business people and local industry representatives while in London to exchange views and promote investing in Taiwan. Ko Calls for 'Patience' Amid Electoral Pact Questions Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is calling on his supporters to remain "patient," as talks on an electoral pact with the K-M-T appear to have stalled. According to Ko, party officials are continuing to seek consenus on a method to decides on process to select a joint presidential candidate. The statement comes after K-M-T Chairman Eric Chu is insisting (堅持) that cross party negotiations will continue. Ko is backing a public poll to decide the presidential ticket - saying such a poll would not give equal weighting to a cross-party vote among legislative candidates, as has been proposed by the K-M-T. But the K-M-T chairman has said Ko's proposed polling method would have "no statistical meaning at all." US Blinken in MidEast to Discuss IsraelHamas War US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the weekend crisscrossing (縱橫交錯) throughout the Middle East, engaging in shuttle diplomacy over the Israel-Hamas war. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. Russia ICBM for Nuclear Warheads Successfully Tested The Russian military has reported a successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to carry nuclear warheads from a new nuclear submarine. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Sunday that the strategic missile cruiser fired the Bulava missile from an underwater position in Russia’s northern White Sea, and hit a target in the far-eastern region of Kamchatka. The report comes as tensions are soaring between Russia and the West over the fighting in Ukraine. Adding to those tensions, President Vladimir Putin last week signed a bill revoking (撤銷) Russia’s ratification of a global nuclear test ban in a move that Moscow said was needed to establish parity with the United States. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,413 on turnover of $3.4-billion N-T. Trash in Tamsui River Basin Doubles From 2020-2023 The Society of Wilderness says a survey has found that the amount of garbage along the Tamsui River and its tributaries has doubled in the past three years. According to the society, nearly 70-per cent of the garbage is comprised of single-use plastic items. Society marine specialist Hsu Hsiao-chun says the waste screening survey was carried out by 36 volunteers and covered the entire Tamsui River basin, estuaries (河口) and nearby areas, totaling 283-kilometers. Hsu says a total of 56,600 14-literbags were cleared from river bank and coastal areas during the survey. Data shows that 80-per cent of the garbage was concentrated along 6-per cent of the riverbank and was mostly accumulated in the areas of the Guandu Bridge, New Taipei's Luzhou District and on the right side of She-Zi Island in Taipei. The New Taipei Environmental Protection Department says the city government will continue to strengthen the promotion of waste reduction, such as promoting the reduction of online shopping packaging. US House Pushes Through Israel Military Assistance but no House Republicans have pushed through $14.5 billion in military assistance for Israel without humanitarian aid for Gaza. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. Colombia Diaz Father Kidnapped by Guerrilla Group Colombia’s government says the guerrilla group National Liberation Army, known as ELN, has kidnapped the father of Liverpool and Colombian national soccer team striker Luis Diaz. The peace delegation of the government, which is currently in negotiations with ELN, said in a statement it was “officially aware” that the kidnapping had been “perpetrated (犯下的) by a unit that belongs to ELN.” Both of Diaz's parents were kidnapped by armed men on motorcycles on Saturday at a gas station in the small town of Barrancas. The footballer's mother was rescued within hours by police. Diaz's father remained missing, which triggered special forces to search for him in a mountain range that straddles (橫跨) both countries and is covered by forest. Police also offered a $48,000 reward for information leading to Diaz’s father. Diaz currently plays for Liverpool in the English Premier League, which he joined last year in a deal worth $67 million. Rwanda Announces VisaFree Travel Rwanda announced Thursday that it will allow all Africans to travel visa-free to the country, becoming the latest nation on the continent to announce such a measure aimed at boosting free movement of people. President Paul Kagame made the announcement on Thursday and highighted the potential of Africa as “a unified tourism destination (目的地)”. Other countries that allow Africans to enter their territories without visas are Gambia, Benin and Seychelles. Kenya’s President William Ruto announced Monday plans to allow all Africans to travel to the East African nation visa-free by December 31. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,094 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The market closed moderately higher on Wednesday as investor sentiment remained cautious ahead of the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's policymaking meeting. Large cap tech stocks pushed the main board higher, while tourism and airline related stocks also gained ground on hopes that this weekend's Taipei International Travel Fair will boost revenue. TPP's Ko Outlines Energy Policy Platform Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is outlining his energy policy platform - calling for sustainable energy transition and the extended use of two of the island's nuclear power plants. According to Ko, under his policy, by 2030 Taiwan's energy will will come from 45-per cent gas, 30-per cent renewables, 15-per cent coal and 10-per cent nuclear power. Ko says nuclear power is necessary for the country's energy transition (過渡時期) and he says the most pragmatic is only setting a deadline for an end to nuclear power, when renewable energy sources have been sufficiently developed. The T-P-P 2024 nominee is also proposing the establishment of a "Climate Change and Sustainability Committee." Talent Taiwan Office Foreign Professionals Opens The government has launched the Talent Taiwan Office. The National Development Council says the service center is dedicated to recruiting foreign professionals and helping them get accustomed (習慣、適應) to life in Taiwan. The center is an extension of the Taiwan Employment Gold Card Office, that was set up in October 2020 to provide professional consultation and assistance to Employment Gold Card holders. The N-D-C says, the launch of the talent office means that services will be expanded from only being available to the 8,348 gold card holders to being accessible to those holding the Taiwan Entrepreneur Visa and other employed foreign professionals. Thousands at Gaza Border with Egypt Thousands of people remain in Gaza at the Rafah border point hoping to cross over into Egypt. Earlier around 400 people were able to leave as Egypt opened up the crossing for the first time since fighting began more than three weeks ago. Sarah Coates in Tel Aviv reports that a UN official managed to cross in the other direction, and enter Gaza. Israel Criticizes SAmerican Countries In related news… Israel has criticized Bolivia, Chile and Colombia after the South American countries undertook a series of diplomatic moves to protest Israel's military operations against Hamas in Gaza. Other Latin American countries, including Argentina and Brazil, have also increased their criticism of the impact that Israel’s military operations are having on civilians. Israel on Wednesday called on Colombia and Chile to “explicitly condemn the Hamas terrorist organization, which slaughtered (殘殺) and abducted babies, children, women and the elderly.” The call came hours after Chile and Colombia both recalled their ambassadors to Israel on Tuesday evening amid criticism of the killing of civilians in Gaza. Russia Volcano Ash Forces Schools Closed Ash columns have erupted from Eurasia’s tallest active volcano and forced authorities to close schools in two towns on Russia’s sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula. Officials said the eruptions from the volcano on Wednesday sent ash as high as 13 kilometers above sea level. There were no reports of injuries, but officials ordered schools in the two towns closed as a precaution. The 4,650-meter volcano has been active in recent years and released lava in June. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 26-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,176 on turnover of 3.1-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday ahead of a U-S Federal Reserve decision later this week on interest rates and as oil prices fell. European Parliamentary Delegation Visiting Taiwan The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a delegation of European parliamentarians is visiting this week as part of efforts aimed at strengthening the European Parliament's relations with Taiwan. The three-member delegation is led by being led by the vice chairman of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group. According to the foreign ministry, the delegation will be holding talks with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials, including Legislative Speaker You Si-kun and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu during its six-day visit. The foreign ministry says the talks will focus on the economy, democracy and disinformation (虛假資訊). Tsai Meets and Thanks Paralympic Team And, President Tsai Ing-wen has met with members of Taiwan's Asian Paralympic Games team. Speaking at an event at the Presidential Building, Tsai thanked the athletes for their fighting spirit and said her administration will continue to support sporting events for those with disabilities. She also said athletes and coaches preparing for next year's Paris Paralympic Games will get additional support to ensure (確保) they can "earn glory" for Taiwan next summer in the French capital. Taiwan has finished in 13th place in the medals table - bringing home four gold, four silver and 12 bronze. Those medals included Taiwan's first-ever in taekwondo, archery, and Go at the Asia Paralympics. Subject: E*Israel Offensive Pushes Further into Gaza Israeli armoured vehicles including a tank have been seen on Gaza's main road as Israel expands (擴大) its ground offensive. It comes as Hamas released a video of three female hostages. Sarah Coates reports from Tel Aviv. Jamaica Earthquake Leaves Infrastructure Damage A 5.4 magnitude earthquake has hit Jamaica and prompted people to flee buildings amid heavy shaking that knocked out power in some areas. The tremor caused panic (恐慌) on the island Monday, but the prime minister says there have been no reports of deaths, injuries or serious damage. The epicenter of the quake was about 10 kilometers west-northwest of Hope Bay. The U.S. Geological Survey says it occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. Australia ThinkThank: Beijing Targeting SPacific Allies with Aid An Australian think tank says Beijing has increasingly targeted its South Pacific political allies with its shrinking aid budget Sydney’s Lowy Institute report in its latest annual analysis that Chinese economic influence in the region is losing ground to better loan deals offered by U.S. allies to 14 aid-dependent Pacific Island nations. Strategic competition in the South Pacific has escalated since China struck a security pact with the Solomons Islands last year that raised the prospect (前景) of a Chinese naval foothold being established in the South Pacific. The decline in Chinese aid has been driven mainly by a lack of Pacific government interest in Chinese loans that have left Pacific countries including Tonga heavily in debt. The United States has warned that Chinese finance is a debt trap for poor countries that threatens their sovereignty. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 Friday's close, at 16,142 on turnover of 1.4-billion N-T. The market staged a mild technical rebound on Friday from a downturn the previous session following an uptick (上升) in U-S tech stocks in after-hours trading. However, turnover was limited, as many investors were reluctant to chase prices amid concerns the U-S Federal Reserve will keep interest rates high for longer than expected after economic growth in the third quarter beat expectations. TPP's Ko to Hold Election Pact Talks with KMT Chair Today Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is and K-M-T chairman Eric Chu are holding talks this hour as both parties are seeking to come to an agreement on plans to cooperate in January's election. The closed-door meeting is taking place at the Mayor's Residence Art Salon in Taipei. The talks will are focusing on issues including how to select the strongest opposition presidential candidate, how best to establish (建立) a coalition government and ways to maximize their numbers of lawmakers in the legislature. Party officials say the meeting is expected to last about an hour and Ko and Chu will hold a joint press conference to announce any finalized plans after it concludes. TRA Banking on 'Diversification' to Solve Debt Crisis The Taiwan Railways Administration says it will work to diversify into other businesses after corporatization next year to stem an escalating (逐步升級) debt crisis. According to director-general Du Wei, the administration is looking to learn from Japanese railroad companies, that have successfully diversified service types to generate (產生) "substantial profits." Du says the railways administration plans to expand its current scale of affiliated businesses, from mostly meal box catering to train carriage and station cleaning services - generating capital of 1.1-billion N-T per year. Du also says similar strategies could apply to train maintenance and more, to reduce human resource outsourcing. Gaza Receives Aid Shipment Gaza has received the largest aid shipment since the start of the war, but humanitarian workers say it's not enough to meet the people's needs. AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports. German Chancellor Meets Nigerian President German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has met with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as part of a West Africa tour as the European country looks to diversify (多樣化) its trade partners and expand economic partnerships in the energy-rich region. In his third trip to Africa since he took office in 2021, Scholz pushed for further development of Nigeria’s capacity to meet local needs, even as Germany seeks improved trade relations with its second-largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa. Germany-Nigeria trade volume is estimated to be about 3 billion euros annually. Scholz says Germany can work with Nigeria to help tackle issues such as migration, security and rampant coups in West and Central Africa. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 39-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,113 on turnover of $2.7-billion N-T. The market tumbled on Thursday, as investors reacted to a decline on Wall Street overnight and after some of the most influential (有影響力的) companies turned in mixed profit reports. MOHW Proposing Stipend Plan to Retain Long-Term Caregivers The Ministry of Health has unveiled a proposed staff retention program that aims to encourage young people to stay in the long-term care services. The plans seeks to provide a monthly stipend of 5,000 N-T to those who opt to remain working in the long-term care sector. Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan says the plan is geared towards to both attracting and retaining young people, in particularly those with a relevant degree, to work in residential care facilities. To be eligible to receive the 5,000 N-T monthly stipend, those who have recently graduated with long-term care qualifications will have take an additional week-long training program such as on disaster emergency response. Graduates specializing in long-term care services will also need to work as a caregiver in a residential care facility for at least one year before being eligible for the stipend (助學金), which will be paid for up to four years,. US Blinken China FM Meet U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Washington on Thursday in a flurry of (一陣) diplomacy between the two nations. The U.S. wants China to help make sure the Israel-Gaza conflict doesn't spill over into other countries; and Beijing has expressed a willingness to work together. Caroline Malone reports from Washington Sudan and Rival Forces Resume Peace Talks Saudi Arabia say the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary force have resumed peace talks. It says the talks between the army and the Rapid Support Forces are underway in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah and are being brokered by both Riyadh and Washington. The RSF and the army have both confirmed they would participate in the talks. Sudan was plunged into chaos in mid-April, when simmering (充滿勢將爆發的) tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open warfare. Previous peace talks were held in Jeddah earlier this year but broke down in late June. The Saudi foreign ministry says it hopes the fresh negotiations will lead to another cease-fire, and to a political agreement. UN Forms AI Advisory Panel U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of a 39-member global advisory panel to report on international governance of artificial intelligence and its risks, challenges and key opportunities. The U.N. chief told a news conference Thursday the gender-balanced, geographically diverse (多種多樣的) group which spans generations will issue preliminary recommendations by the end of the year and final recommendations by the summer of 2024. The U.N. said the formation of the body marks a significant step in its efforts to address issues of AI international governance and will help bridge existing and emerging initiatives. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn