EZ News

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from 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

MND Looking into Alleged Sale of Firearms Hou Hsiao-hsien Confirmed as having Alzheimer's Disease UN Security Council Fails Again to Pass Resolution on the Middle East Ukraine Evacuating Children From Front Line Areas Venezuela Probing Organizers of Weekend Presidential Primary Bud Light Returning to UFC -- 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 16,320 on turnover of 1.9-billion N-T. The market recovered from early losses and closed moderately higher on Tuesday, as late investor buying pushed up artificial intelligence development-related stocks on the back of their relatively low valuations. Taiwan and Canada Complete Negotiations on Investment Pact Taiwan and Canada have completed negotiations on a pact aimed at promoting investment and protection. According to the Office of Trade Negotiations, if ratified (正式批准), the deal "will be beneficial for Taiwanese small and medium-sized enterprises who want to expand their investment presence" in Canada and "support Taiwan's goal of achieving net-zero transformation." While Global Affairs Canada says completion of the talks highlights that Taiwan as an important trade and investment partner at a time when Canada is deepening its economic partnerships and relationships in the Indo-Pacific region. Both sides say a foreign investment promotion and protection arrangement will be formally signed after the completion of the legal text review and respective administrative procedures. DPP Lawmaker Apologizes for Affair D-P-P lawmaker Chao Tian-lin has issued a public apology and admitted to having an extramarital affair several years ago. The apology comes after photographs of Chao and a woman, who has been confirmed as being a Chinese national, were published earlier this week. Speaking to reporters at his office in Kaohsiung, Chao said his wife was aware of the affair and has forgiven him and he will not be seeking re-election in January's legislative election. Some opposition lawmakers are accusing Chao of being unfit to serve as a lawmaker while others are claiming that Chao's Chinese girlfriend was allowed to enter Taiwan under to guise (（尤指為了欺騙而裝出的）外表) of a medical-related visit. There are also calls for national security agencies to open an investigation into Chao's actions. China Replaces Defense Minister Chinese state media are reporting that the country has replaced Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu. He has been out of public view for almost two months with little explanation (解釋). The announcement of Li's removal was made Tuesday without further information being given. Li is the second senior Chinese official to disappear this year. Former Foreign Minister Qin Gang was removed from office in July with no explanation offered. There is no indication that the disappearances of Qin and Li signal a change in China’s foreign or defense policies. Horizon Air Pilot Pleads Not Guilty More charges are being filed against an off-duty pilot who tried to cut (關) the engines on a Horizon Aiir flight. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. Zimbabwe Missing Tourist Found Alive A German tourist who went missing in a national park in northern Zimbabwe has been found alive and in “good health” along with his rental car three days later. A national parks agency spokesperson says the tourist had last been seen buying a drink at the park shop before going for a game drive Saturday afternoon. The spokesman says the car rental company failed to locate him on its GPS tracking system and authorities deployed a helicopter, vehicles and sniffer dogs to search for him. There are no immediate details on how deep in the park the man had ventured (冒險去（或做）). That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,257 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market tumbled more than 180-points on Monday to reach its lowest level in five months after Wall Street took a hit at the end of last week on the back of a spike in Treasury yields. The bellwether electronics sector dragged prices lower, especially large cap stocks, as rising Treasury yields made tech stocks and their relatively low dividends less attractive. DPP Accuses China of Pressuring Terry Gou with Hon Hai Probe In news from and about Taiwan this morning, The D-P-P is accusing Beijing of opening "politically motivated" investigations into Hon Hai in an attempt to pressure Terry Gou into abandoning his independent bid for the presidency. According to the party's legislative caucus, the investigations are part of efforts by Beijing to push for and accelerate (加速) the cooperation of Taiwan's opposition parties. The statements follow reports that tax authorities in China recently searched Hon Hai offices in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, while the Ministry of Natural Resources inspected the company's offices in Henan and Hubei provinces. Gou has not publicly respond to the reports. NAMR Succeeds in Cultivating Giant Seaweed Species The National Academy of Marine Research says it has successfully cultivated two types of native giant seaweeds. According to academy, the success in cultivation of the macroalgae species will enable it to restore some marine habitats, give it a stable supply of seedlings (幼苗) and the ability to enhance ocean carbon sinks. And as part of the project, researchers collected 48 native species of large seaweeds in waters off southern Taiwan and moved the fresh algae to land-based tanks for cultivation in large amounts. Hamas Releases Two Hostages The International Committee of the Red Cross says Hamas militants have released two hostages it had been holding captive in the Gaza Strip. It was the second time the group has freed hostages seized in its bloody Oct. 7 cross-border incursion (侵入) into Israel. The two freed women, 85 and 79 years old, were taken out of Gaza at the Rafah crossing into Egypt, where they were put into ambulances. Hamas reportedly received nothing in exchange for the release of the two hostages, who were freed days after an American woman and her teenage daughter A U.S. official said Monday that Washington has advised Israel to delay a possible ground invasion to allow more time to try and secure the release of more hostages. US Senator Pleads Not Guilty to Foreign Agent Charge US Senator Bob Menendez has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to act as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. The lawmaker appeared in a Manhattan court on Monday for a brief hearing, which lasted less than five minutes. Last month the lawmaker pleaded not guilty to accepting bribes to benefit Egypt and interfere with law enforcement (執法官員) investigations. Sally Patterson has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 49-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,391 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex lost ground on Friday along with other regional markets, as investors reacted to the prospect of a 5-per cent yield on 10-year U-S Treasury bonds for the first time since 2007, which added to pressure on Wall Street overnight. Ko Eyes Cross-Party Committee to Review Electoral Pact Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je is reportedly seeking to establish a cross-party committee to review and oversee plans for a electoral pact with the K-M-T. Ko says the committee will communicate with K-M-T presidential candidate Hou You-yi on issues concerning the forming a cross-party consultative (諮詢) group sometime this week. According to a spokesperson for Ko's office, the committee will seek to help the two parties discuss how to allocate government posts if they win the presidential election. Tsai Calls for More Diverse and Heart-Touching Taiwanese TV Dramas President Tsai Ing-wen is expressing her gratitude to film and television workers -- and acknowledging the impact (影響) of their work on people's lives and called for more diverse and heart-touching programs. Taking to social media following this past weekend's 58th Golden Bell Awards, Tsai congratulated those who won awards, while thanking those in the broadcasting and TV business for their "companionship." She also praised their consistent efforts to produce high-quality and diverse content, including entertaining variety programs, trendsetting reality shows and dramas that touched on many issues. US "Ready to Protect Personnel in Middle East" Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States is ready to protect U.S. personnel in the Middle East, should the Israel-Hamas war escalate (升級). AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. ((opens with actuality)) Congo Boat Capsizing Local authorities in Congo say st least 28 people drowned after a boat capsized in the Congo River in Equateur province. An administrator for the territory says the boat was traveling from Ngondo, about 120 kilometers from the province’s capital and crashed Saturday night in Bolomba village. He said Sunday that about 200 passengers were rescued and an unknown number of others were missing. It was the second boat wreck (沉船) on the Congo River within a week. On October 14-th, another boat capsized, killing at least 47 people and leaving more than 70 missing. Iran Sentences Female Journalists to Prison A court in Iran has sentenced two female journalists to up to seven years in prison for collaborating with the U.S. government and other charges. Both have been imprisoned for over a year following their coverage (新聞報道,) of the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody in Sept. 2022. They can appeal the sentencing within 20 days. The journalists broke the news of Amini’s death for wearing her headscarf too loosely was sentenced to seven years in jail, while the other who wrote about Amini's funeral was sentenced to six. Amini’s death touched off months-long protests in dozens of cities across Iran, and nearly 100 journalists were arrested during the demonstrations. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,434 on turnover of $2.46-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Thursday as tech heavyweights staged a technical rebound from a the previous session, as investors opted to shrug off a plunge on Wall Street overnight. However, turnover remained capped, as investors remained cautious about escalating tensions in the Middle East after the U-S vetoed a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council urging a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip. Lithuanian Officials to visit Taiwan to Talk Fintech Exchanges The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a delegation of officials and business representatives from Lithuania will visit Taiwan next week. The visit will be focusing on discussions aimed at advancing bilateral exchanges in financial technology and other fields. According to the foreign ministry, the delegation will also meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials during its four-day stay. The delegation will be led by the speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, and will include her foreign policy advisor and the country's deputy finance minister. The foreign ministry says members of the delegation will participate in a financial technology forum and visit the Ultrafast Laser Technology Research and Innovation Center in Tainan. While the speaker of the Lithuanian parliament is scheduled to address the Legislative Yuan. Canada Recalls Diplomats from India Canada's foreign minister says the country has recalled 41 of its diplomats from India after the Indian government said it would revoke their diplomatic immunity, escalating ( 惡化、 加劇) a spat over the slaying of a Sikh separatist in Canada. The moves come after Canadian allegations that India may have been involved in the June killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in suburban Vancouver. India has accused Canada of harboring separatists and “terrorists." But it has dismissed the allegation of its involvement in the killing as “absurd” and has taken diplomatic steps to express its anger over the accusation. Indonesia ExGovernors Kick of Presidential Race Two prominent ex-governors are first to put their hats in the ring (宣佈參選) for the race to become Indonesia's next president. The southeast Asian nation goes to the polls in February next year in the world's largest direct presidential vote. Patrick Fok reports. EU Demands Meta TikTok Curb Disinformation The European Union has demanded Meta and TikTok detail their efforts to curb illegal content and disinformation during the Israel-Hamas war. The 27-nation bloc’s executive branch on Thursday formally requested that the social media companies provide information on how they’re complying (遵守) with pioneering new digital rules aimed at cleaning up online platforms. Meta and TikTok were asked to explain what they've done to reduce the risk of spreading and amplifying terrorist and violent content, hate speech and disinformation. The Israel-Hamas war is putting the new digital rules to the test. Elon Musk’s social media platform X faced the EU's first formal request under the rules last week. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 24-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,416 on turnover of 3.5-billion N-T. The market tumbled 200-points on Wednesday as the bellwether electronics sector led the losses after the the Biden administration cut off shipments of chips designed by Nvidia and other American semiconductor designers to China. Investors also remained cautious about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing stock ahead of an investor conference later today, at which the company will release its third quarterly results and give guidance for the fourth quarter. Visiting Belgian Lawmaker Expresses Concern over China's Military Sorties Visiting Belgian parliamentarian Els Van Hoof is expressing concern over China's increasing military sorties near Taiwan. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Van Hoof said Belgium is concerned of the growing crossing of Taiwan's air defense identification zone and also the medium line by military vessels and jets" by the Chinese military. According to Van Hoof, who chairs the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, "the importance of this week's parliamentarian visit cannot be underestimated (被低估)" as it shows that "Taiwan is not standing alone against these threats." Van Hoof arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a six-day visit heading a delegation that includes seven other members of the Belgian parliament. Labor Minister Stressed 'No Timetable' for Opening Hotel Industry to Migrant Workers Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun is denying recent reports that the government is seeking to opening the island's hotel industry to overseas migrant workers. According to Hsu, the government currently has "no timetable" for such a move and her ministry's top priority remains the welfare of Taiwanese workers. The statement comes after it was reported the Cabinet is planning to approve a plan to allow the hiring of migrant workers in the hotel sector, possibly beginning next year, in order address an ongoing (正在進行的) labor shortage. Government data shows the hotel industry is currently facing a shortage of more than 1,000 workers. Japan Saudi Arabia to Work Together on Palestinian Crisis Japan and Saudi Arabia are agreeing to work together to address the humanitarian crisis (人道危機) facing Palestinians in Gaza. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. Liberia Presidential Election Headed for Runoff Liberia’s presidential election appears headed for a run-off, with the top candidates neck and neck (不相上下，旗鼓相當) and the votes nearly fully counted. President George Weah, who is seeking a second term, had 44% of the vote Wednesday with his main challenger Joseph Boakai at 43%, according to the National Elections Commission. A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to win. Once the votes from this round are finalized, the run-off will take place within 15 days. The Oct. 10-th election is the tightest in the nearly two decades since the end of the West African country’s civil war that killed some 250-thousand people. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 34-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,608 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market closed marginally (稍微地) lower on Tuesday - that, as investors opted to lock in profits almost across the board following an initial upturn after Wall Street rebounded overnight. However, the semiconductor sector brought some stability to the broader market, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in focus ahead of an investor conference tomorrow that will offer third quarter results and fourth quarter guidance. CDC Reporting Decline in Dengue Fever Cases The Centers for Disease Control is reporting a marked (明顯的) decline in the number of new dengue fever cases for last week - with the figure dropping to below 2,000 for the first time since early September. According to the C-D-C, it recorded 1,521 local cases of the mosquito-borne disease from between October 11 and 16. That was down from the 2,527 cases reported the previous week. A majority of the new cases are still being reported in Tainan. The C-D-C has recorded a total of 17,084 local dengue fever cases and 32 deaths from the disease so far this year. Tsai Honors Presidential Culture Awards Winners And, President Tsai Ing-wen has conferred Presidential Culture Awards on five individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions (貢獻) to society. Taiwanese opera performer Liao Qiong-zhi was honored with the Arts and Culture Award. The Kavalan Development Association of Hualien County took the Community Building Award. The Humanitarian Dedication Award went to the Transasia Sisters Association. Contemporary artist Zhang Xu-zhan won the Creative and Innovation Award. While the long-running docuseries produced by Taiwan Public Television Service, "Our Island" received the Public Advocacy Award. The Presidential Culture Awards is now in its 12th year. Biden Summit with Arab Leaders Called Off US President Joe Biden's Mideast trip now faces setbacks (挫折). AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports Uganda Tourist and Guide Killed National Park Attack A wildlife official in Uganda and the police say two foreign tourists and their Ugandan guide have been killed in an attack by unknown assailants near a national park. Officials say the attackers set on fire the vehicle in which the group was traveling just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park, located in a remote (偏僻的) area of western Uganda near the Congo border, is one of the most popular conservation areas in Uganda. The Uganda Wildlife Authority and the security agencies are working “to establish who is responsible for the attack. Sweden Reports Partial Damage to Undersea Telecom Cable Sweden has reported partial damage to an undersea telecom cable in the Baltic Sea running to Estonia. Authorities believe it happened at the same time as damage to an undersea gas pipeline and telecom cable from Finland to Estonia. Finland has launched an investigation into possible sabotage after reporting the damage to its gas pipeline to Estonia last week. Sweden’s Civil Defense Minister says that the damage to the cable between Sweden and Estonia appeared to happen at the same time but that it’s unclear what caused it. He says the cable was not severed and that there was only partial damage to it. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,678 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market lost ground and closed below the 16,700-point mark on Monday, as investor sentiment was muted due concerns about Mid-East tensions and a rise in international crude oil prices at the end of last week. Investors opted to shift funds to U-S dollar-denominated assets for hedging purposes .. … while large-cap tech stocks, led by the semiconductor sector came under heavy pressure, leading the broader market to trend lower throughout the trading day. Visiting AIT Chair Praises Taiwan Defense Reforms Visiting American Institute in Taiwan Chairwoman Laura Rosenberger is reiterated Washington's pledge to help Taipei defend itself with a "full range of tools." Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Rosenberger said the U-S "is seizing upon the full range of tools authorized by Congress, such as Presidential Drawdown Authority and Foreign Military Financing to reach that goal." Rosenberger also praised the government's ongoing efforts to enhance (提高) the island's self-defense capabilities through initiatives that include increasing defense spending and reforming its reserve forces, conscription and mobilization systems. Rosenberger arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a five-day visit. Taipei Eying November Test Events for Dome The Taipei Department of Sports says a baseball game is being planned as a test event for the Taipei Dome. The venue is scheduled to open for trial operations next month. According to department commissioner Wang Hong-xiang, tickets for the closed-door test event in early November will be available for free. Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan last week announced that the stadium had passed fire safety tests and was expected to receive its operating license in later this month. However, the sports department commissioner says the Dome is primarily (主要是) a sports venue that will be used mostly for baseball games, and future events outside of that purpose will require separate operating license applications. Ukraine: Russian Push to Take Avdiivka Slowing Ukrainian officials say a dayslong attempt by Russian forces to storm a strategically important city in eastern Ukraine appears to be running out of steam. The Ukrainian General Staff said Monday that Ukrainian forces repelled 15 Russian attacks from four directions on Avdiivka over the previous 24 hours. That compared with what another official were up to 60 attacks a day in the middle of last week, suggesting the Russian push was weakening. A Washington-based think tank broadly concurred with that assessment. As the Kremlin’s war entered its 600th day and with the looming onset of winter that will limit military operations, both sides have been seeking battlefield breakthroughs that could invigorate their efforts and raise morale. SCOTUS Orders Gun Makers to Comply on Ghost Guns From the US….. The Supreme Court has ordered makers of gun parts to comply (遵守) with rules on ghost guns. AP's Lisa Dwyer has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 10-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,816 on turnover of $4-billion N-T. Kinmen set for 1st taxi fare hike in 13 years Taxi fares in outlying Kinmen County will be increased from January 1st 2024 for the first time in 13 years. The Kimen County government said it approved the increase proposed by the association of local taxi drivers due to the rising cost Each journey will charge an additional $5 NT for every 200 meters after the first 1,000 meters and for every accumulated (累積) two minutes during which the taxi travels slower than 5 kilometers per hour. The basic fare for each journey is currently $100 NT for a journey of less than 1,000 meters, with journeys at night charging 20 percent more than during the day. NKorea Calls US Carrier "Provocation" North Korea is lashing out at the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in South Korea, calling it a provocation and again raising the specter (對於…的恐懼（或憂慮）) of using nuclear weapons to defend itself. The North's state media issued that threat today, a day after the USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived at South Korea’s southeastern port of Busan following a U.S.-South Korean-Japanese naval exercise in international waters earlier this week. South Korean defense officials said the carrier is to be docked at Busan for five days as part of an agreement to increase the temporary deployments of powerful U.S. military assets in response to the North’s growing nuclear program. UN Warns Gaza Situation Now Dire The World Food Programme is warning that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is "dire" after Israel said it will not life its blockade of the territory until Hamas frees all the Israeli and foreign hostages that it seized (抓住) last weekend. Meanwhile, Jewish community sites worldwide are on alert after the former leader of Hamas called for Friday to be a day of jihad against Jewish targets. Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports. IOC Suspends Russian Olympic Committee The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended by the IOC for breaching the Olympic Charter by incorporating sports bodies in four regions in eastern Ukraine. Russian Olympic officials provoked (激起，引起) the dispute last week by accepting the councils in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia as its members. The suspension does not immediately affect any Russians who are returning to compete in international sporting events as neutral athletes. The Russian Olympic Committee can challenge the IOC decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 34.86 -points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,419 on turnover of $2.97-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan came under pressure, closing below the 16,500 point mark Tuesday amid renewed fears over a hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve in the wake of a spike in American treasury yields, pointing to higher interest rates. The bellwether electronics sector, which served as a driver to a 1.24 percent increase on the main board on Monday, reversed its previous gains and moved lower, sending the broader market into negative territory. **(10AM)Slowmoving Koinu Rim Soon to Reach Huadong Area ** The Central Weather Administration says the outer rim of Typhoon Koinu will soon reach the Hua-dong area. The CWA says the slow-moving storm is currently centered about 270 kilometers east of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, and was moving in a westerly direction at 11 km per hour. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kph with gusts of up to 191 kph. The CWA's land warning currently covers 15 cities and counties across the center, east and south, as well as parts of the north. Forecasters expect the storm to continue moving in a westerly direction, and predict that the eye of the storm will pass over the Taitung area, and into the Bashi Channel tomorrow. (NS) **Thai Shooting Suspect Explains Shooting to Police ** The teenage suspect arrested following a deadly gun rampage (狂暴行為) in a luxury Bangkok mall told police someone was telling him to shoot others. Two people were killed and five others were wounded in the shooting. Patrick Fok reports. **Italy Bus Crash Leaves Dead and Injured ** Italian authorities say at least 21 people have been killed and 18 injured in a bus crash near Venice. Local officials say the bus was carrying foreign tourists, including Ukrainians. The crash happened Tuesday when the bus fell from an elevated (高架) street just northwest of Venice. City officials say the bus was bringing tourists to a camping site. Local media reports say the bus fell a few meters before crashing close to railroad tracks, where it caught fire. Multiple emergency crews are at the scene. **Mexico Signs Agreement with Sea Sheperd to Proect Vaquitas ** The conservation group Sea Shepherd says it has signed an agreement with Mexico to help expand the protection area for the endangered vaquita porpoise. Sea Shepherd helps the Mexican Navy to remove illegal gill nets that drown the vaquita, the world's most endangered marine mammal. Sea Shepherd said Tuesday that the expansion (擴張) will increase the area work it works in the Gulf of California by about 60%. The Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, is the only place where the vaquita lives. As few as ten vaquitas remain. They cannot be held or bred in captivity. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,520 on turnover of $3.9-billion N-T. **U.K. commissioner visits Taiwan to strengthen trade ties ** The newly-appointed U.K. trade commissioner for Asia Pacific is visiting Taiwan. The British Office Taipei says Martin Kent is currently in Taiwan for a 5-day visit to broaden (擴大) trade and investment links between the U.K. and Taiwan. The office says the main purpose of his visit is to meet with the International Trade Administration under Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs and prepare topics for the 26th annual U.K.-Taiwan Trade Talks due to take place in London in November. In addition, the commissioner will meet with Taiwan's chief trade negotiator, Minister without Portfolio John Deng, to continue talks on the U.K.-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership announced earlier this year. And the office says during his visit, Kent will also meet with key representatives of U.K. businesses in Taiwan to understand local market opportunities, as well as key Taiwanese companies, including China Airlines and silicon wafer supplier GlobalWafers, to explore collaboration. **Taiwan tennis star Hsieh's father dies at age 70 ** Hsieh Tzu-lung, the father of Taiwanese professional tennis star Hsieh Su-wei, died Sunday at his home at the age of 70, according to a friend of his wife. Hsieh's mother disclosed (透露) the news on Monday through the friend, saying that he died peacefully. Hsieh Tzu-lung had seven children, all of whom except for the oldest were tennis players. Su-wei is the most accomplished of them, with six Grand Slam titles in women's doubles. UN Security Council approves sending a Kenya-led force to Haiti There could soon be an international boost on the ground to help combat (對付) the violence in Haiti. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports ((Wrap)) **Brazil Amazon Dolphins Die Due to Drought and High Temp ** More than 100 dolphins have died in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest in the past week due to a severe drought, and many more could be affected if water temperatures remain high. A research group of Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, said two more dead dolphins were found on Monday in the region around Tefe Lake, which is key for mammals and fish in the area. Thousands of fish have also died, according to local media. Experts believe high water temperatures are the most likely cause of the deaths. The Brazilian government said last week it had sent teams of veterinarians and aquatic (水棲的) mammal experts to investigate the deaths. **NZ Early Voting Begins in Election ** Early voting has begun in New Zealand for the nation’s Oct. 14-th general election, with conservative contender Christopher Luxon casting his ballot. Early voting also began on Monday in some parts of Australia in a referendum on the Indigenous people's “Voice” in Parliament. The measure would enshrine in Australia’s constitution a mechanism (體制) for Indigenous people to advise Parliament on policies that affect their lives In New Zealand, the campaign of Prime Minister Chris Hipkins faced a setback on Sunday when he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he's isolate for five days or until he returned a negative test. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened marginally lower this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,273 on turnover of 1.4-billion N-T. The market took a beating on Tuesday to close at a four-month low amid investor concerns about a spike in U-S treasury yields. Rising interest rates made tech stocks on the local main board less attractive, and investors opted to dump (甩賣,) those stocks for U-S dollar denominated assets throughout the trading day. **Government to Raise Child Care Subsidies to Boost Birth Rate ** Premier Chen Chien-jen says the government plans to raise child day care allowances by at least 1,500 N-T per month starting next year. The move is part of government efforts to boost Taiwan's fast declining birth rate. According to the premier, subsidies (補貼、補助金) for parents with children under the age of 3 attending public care centers will be increased to 7,000 N-T per month. Those using publicly subsidized private day care centers or home babysitting services will receive 13,000 N-T a month. Chen says additional child day care subsidies will also be offered to parents with two or three children and those from low-income or lower-middle-income families. **CDC Confirms 3 More Dengue Fever Deaths as Cases Surpass 10,000 ** The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed three more dengue fever-related deaths - bringing the total number of such fatalities so far this year to 15. The confirmation comes as the number of domestic cases of the mosquito-borne disease islandwide have now surpassed 10,000. Most the cases have been reported in Tainan. And figures show of the total number of 10,496 cases recorded this year, 9,463 have been in Tainan. A joint CDC-central government task force has been operating in Tainan since September 18 in an attempt (試圖) to bring an end to the outbreak. **Iraq Wedding Fire Leaves 100 Dead ** A fire that raced through a hall hosting a Christian wedding in northern Iraq killed at least 100 people and injured 150 others, and authorities warn the death toll could rise higher. The fire happened in Iraq’s Nineveh province, some 300 kilometers northwest of the capital, Baghdad. There was no immediate official word on the cause of the blaze but initial (最初的) reports by the Kurdish television news channel Rudaw suggested fireworks at the venue may have sparked the fire. Iraq's prime minister has ordered an investigation into the fire and asked the country's Interior and Health officials to provide relief **US Congress Puts Forward ShortTerm Spending Bill ** Members of U.S. Congress have put forward a short-term spending proposal to try and avoid a government shutdown (政府停擺、政府關門). Late on Tuesday, Senators voted on what's called a 'continuing resolution' which they could send to the House later this week, to vote on before a September 30th deadline. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 yesterday's close, at 16,440 on turnover of 1.6-billion N-T. The market gained more than 100-points on Monday, as the bellwether electronics sector continued to rebound from previous sessions after tech stocks on Wall Street showed signs of stabilizing (穩定) at the end of last week. However, turnover was limited as many investors remained cautious ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend holiday, while foreign institutional investors sold a net 3.08-billion N-T worth of shares on the main board during the session. **Tsai Hoping to Deepen Trade and Energy Cooperation with UK ** President Tsai Ing-wen says she believes that "there is more room for Taiwan and the U-K to deepen (深化) cooperation in areas such as trade and energy." The comments come as Tsai has been holding talks with visiting U-K Trade Envoy to Taiwan Richard Faulkner. Faulkner arrived in Taiwan last week for trade talks and to attend the 18th UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Conference in Taipei. Speaking during a meeting with the U-K trade envoy, Tsai touted the opening of official talks on the Taiwan-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership in July, and cited Faulkner's strong support for that agreement. The agreement focuses on energy and net-zero emissions, and digital trade. **Premier Touts More Funding for Firefighters ** Premier Chen Chien-jen says the Cabinet plans to allocate an additional 8-billion N-T for the island's fire service. According to the premier, the additional funding will be used to purchase new equipment and protective gear. The premier is also insisting (堅持、強調) that the Tsai administration is "fully committed to protecting the rights of all firefighters." The statements comes days after the deadly fire at a golf ball factory in Pingtung, which left four firefighters dead. Opposition lawmakers are calling for the government to provide fire departments with new generation firefighting robots and new fire hoses with enhanced range and water capacity. There are also calls for the government to allow firefighters to be unionized. **Japan SKorea, China Eye Resuming Trilateral Talks ** Japan, South Korea, and China are holding high-level talks on Tuesday to discuss resuming trilateral leader summits. Deputy foreign ministers from the three countries are meeting in Seoul to pave the way for the annual talks which haven’t been held since 2019. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. **Bahrain Officer Soldier Killed by Drone Attack ** Bahrain's military command says a drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed a Bahraini officer and soldier who were patrolling Saudi Arabia’s southern border. The statement, carried by the official Bahrain News Agency, says “a number” of Bahraini soldiers were also wounded in Monday's attack, without elaborating. The island nation of Bahrain is a close ally of Saudi Arabia, which has been at war with the Iran-aligned (結盟) Houthi rebels for several years. A cease-fire had largely stopped the violence, and the two sides have appeared close to a peace agreement in recent months. It was unclear if the attack would derail those efforts or prompt retaliation by Saudi Arabia and its allies. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 16,345 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market ended the trading day higher on Friday, as other regional markets finished the day mixed following a broad retreat on Wall Street overnight on the back of concerns over more possible interest rate hikes in America. **More Diplomatic Allies Speak-Up for Taiwan at UN ** Three more diplomatic allies have spoken up in support of Taiwan's inclusion in the United Nations system during the on-going General Debate at the 78th General Assembly. The prime minister's of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as Belize's foreign minister all made similar appeals (懇求，訴請) in their respective addresses in New York. It means that 11 of Taiwan's 13 diplomatic allies have so far voiced their support for allowing Taiwan to participate in the U-N system during this year's General Assembly. The Vatican is scheduled to speak later today, but only has observer status at the U-N and rarely speaks on political issues. While Haiti's prime minister, Ariel Henry, spokes on Friday, and focused on the continuing unrest in his country in his address and did not touch on Taiwan this year. **Competitor Dies at Annual Sun Moon Lake Swimming Festival ** A 25-year-old man participating in the Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival has died. According to the Nantou County Government, the man fell ill soon after entering the water and signaled distress (危難), about 100-meters into the annual 3,000-meter swimming competition across the lake. Emergency service personnel pulled the man out of the water, but he was pronounced dead at the Puli Christian Hospital. Officials say the man didn't drown and the cause of his cause of death was still under investigation. The event has been held annually since 1983 and this year drew more than 24,000 competitors from 33 countries. **France to End Military Presence in Niger ** President Emmanuel Macron says France will end its military presence in Niger and pull its ambassador out of the country now that its democratically elected president has been deposed (廢黜的) in a coup. France has maintained some 1,500 troops in Niger since the July coup and refused a request by the new junta for its ambassador to leave. But with tensions mounting, Macron says he told the ousted President Nohamed Bazoum on Sunday that “France has decided to bring back its ambassador. He also says France is ending its military cooperation with Niger. French troops have pulled out of neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso in recent years after coups there. France had stationed thousands of troops in the Sahel region at the request of African leaders to fight Islamic extremist groups. **NASA Collects First Asteroid Sample in Space ** The first asteroid sample collected in space by US Space Agency, NASA, has arrived on Earth. Scientists say the asteroid, Bennu, could tell us more about how life began. They're also keen (渴望的) to learn more about it as there's an outside chance (微弱的可能性) it could hit Earth in the next 300 years. Kate Fisher reports That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn