EZ News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 5-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,874 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday amid investor pessimism over global uncertainties despite China reporting better-than-expected economic growth data. Analysts also say that news that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing could report a 5-per cent decline in first-quarterly net profit also weighed on investors minds during the trading day. T-S-M-C is set to announce its first-quarter figures tomorrow. **G7 Foreign Ministers Issues Communique Warning China on Taiwan ** The G-7 foreign ministers are stressing their solidarity against China's moves to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait following talks in Japan. According to a communique, the G-7 "reminds China of the need to uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and abstain from threats, coercion, intimidation, or the use of force." The G-7 stated it "strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion" and said that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are "an indispensable (必不可少) element in security and prosperity in the international community.” And the communique also called for "peaceful resolution of relevant issues." **Monkeypox Cases See Marked Rise ** The Centers for Disease Control is reporting a new weekly high of 13 domestically transmitted monkeypox cases over the last week. C-D-C deputy head Philip Luo says, of the new domestic cases six are from New Taipei, five from Taoyuan and one from Taipei, while the other case is from Kaohsiung. According to Luo, the infected individuals have received medical treatment at hospitals and health officials have identified 19 high-risk close contacts, who have been asked to observe (遵守) self-health management for 21 days. Taiwan has reported a total of 31 domestic monkeypox cases and nine imported one since June of last year. **NKorea Kim Claims Spy Satellite ot Launch ** North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says his country has completed the development of its first military spy satellite and ordered officials to go ahead with its launch (發射). He didn't say when it would be, but an outside expert expects a launch in coming months. Putting a satellite into orbit requires a long-range missile launch. Kim was quoted in state media as saying space-based surveillance is needed to deal with U.S.-led security threats. The U.S. and South Korean militaries began a 12-day aerial exercise this week and also held a naval exercise with Japan. **US Fox News Settles with Dominion Voting System ** Fox News has settled with Dominion Voting Systems for $787 million, just ahead of the start of a much anticipated trial for defamation. As part of the settlement, the network admitted (承認) that some of the claims made on air related to voter fraud in the 2020 election were false. US correspondent Ira Spitzer has more. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 15,967 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market joined other regional indexes and gained ground on Monday, as investors opted to ignore continuing worries about economic growth and inflationary pressure and focused instead on upcoming earnings reports. **MOFA to open Second Representative Office in Italy ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it will soon establish a new representative office in the Italian city of Milan. When operational (運作，經營), the office which will be Taiwan's second the country. Foreign ministry officials the decision to open an office in Milan comes as the government is seeking to facilitate closer trade and economic links with that part of the country. The office will also offer consular and emergency services to Taiwanese expatriates living and working in the eight administrative regions in northern Italy. **Nine Hospitalized Following Gas Explosion in Taoyuan ** And, Nine members of a family have been hospitalized following a gas explosion at a residential building in Taoyuan. According to the city's fire department, it received a report at 8:45 last night of an explosion in a single story residence in the city's Zhongli District. Ten fire trucks and seven ambulances were dispatched (派遣) to scene. Fire fighters say two adults and seven children, ranging in age from 1 to 14 years old, were in the house at the time of the explosion. All nine family members managed to get out of the building, but the father and two of his sons sustained burns. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is now underway. **Yemen Prisoner Swap Carried Out ** A Saudi-led military coalition has freed 104 more prisoners captured in Yemen's war, a unilateral (單方的) release that followed an organized prisoner swap amid renewed diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it flew on Monday 96 released detainees from Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport heading to Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. Sanaa has been held for years by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Eight others went on a flight to Aden. **US Man Charged with Shooting Black Teen ** Prosecutors in the US state of Missouri have announced charges against a white man in his eighties, who is accused of shooting a black teenager. Ralph Yarl's family says the 16 year old - who remains in the hospital - rang the doorbell at the wrong house while trying to pick up his younger siblings (弟弟妹妹). US correspondent Ira Spitzer has more **Kuwait Crown Prince Orders ** Kuwait’s crown prince has ordered its parliament again dissolved and new elections for the country after a court decision reinstated lawmakers from 2020. Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al Jaber made the announcement in an address to the nation Monday, calling it the will of the Kuwaiti people. That's according to the state-run KUNA news agency. Elections were scheduled within the next two months. In March, Kuwait’s Constitutional Court threw out a 2022 election for parliament, citing “discrepancies” in the decree (法令) dissolving the 2020 parliament for its ruling. That briefly reinstated the former lawmakers. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened flat this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,914 on turnover of 2.1-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher on Tuesday, despite Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing coming under heavy pressure and moving out of investor focus after reporting disappointing sales for the first quarter. **Global Parliamentary Group Slams Macron's Comments on Taiwan ** A group of cross-national parliamentarians have slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for what it's describing as his "ill-judged remarks" that sent a signal of "indifference (不重視)" over Taiwan. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China is expressing it's "dismay" over Macron's comment, which appeared in an interview with Politico and Les Echos. Speaking in the interview, Macron suggested Europe should avoid being "caught up in crises that are not ours" and said Europe cannot becom a "follower" of either the United States or China on the issue of Taiwan. According to the alliance, the comments are "severely out of step with the feeling across Europe's legislatures and beyond." **Two Tech Universities to Merger ** The National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and the Hua Xia University of Technology have agreed to a merger proposal. When completed it will be the first merger (合併) between a public and private university in Taiwan. Under the merger plan, the private Hua Xia University will not enroll students for the 2023-2024 academic year and will close after the 2025-2026 academic year. Hua Xia says it will come up with severance and retirement packages for employees on termination of employment, while the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology will hire some of them for project teacher and staff positions. The plan still has to approved by the Ministry of Education. **Brazil President Begins China Tour ** Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is beginning a tour of China to strengthen his country’s political and business ties with the world’s second largest economy. His trip comes just weeks after visiting President Joe Biden in the US. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **Iran President Reshuffles Cabinet ** State media says Iran President Ebrahaim Raisi has announced a Cabinet reshuffle, replacing the minister of agriculture and the head of the planning and budget office. The country’s dire (危急的) economic conditions, including inflation of nearly 50%, have contributed to widespread anger at the government. It was the fifth Cabinet reshuffle in less than two years since Raisi came to power. Meanwhile, Iran has seen waves of anti-government protests since the September death of a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who was detained by the morality police for allegedly violating Iran’s strict Islamic dress code. The protests rapidly escalated into calls for the overthrow of Iran’s ruling Shiite clerics, marking a major challenge to their four-decade rule. Iran has blamed the unrest on foreign powers without providing evidence. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 15,886 on turnover of $1.6-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday, after investors reacted (反應) positively to a report on the U-S jobs market, which was released after regional markets closed last Friday. **Canadian Parliamentary Delegation Visiting Taiwan ** A 10-member Canadian parliamentary delegation arrived in Taiwan for a week-long visit. According to the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, the multi-party delegation includes the chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Defense and the vice chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. The delegation will be hold talks with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior government officials. It will meet with representatives of the business community and local N-G-Os. The Canadian lawmakers are also scheduled to visit the National Palace Museum. It is the second trip to Taiwan by a Canadian parliamentary group since last October. **New Taipei to Ban Disposable Plastic Ups at Drink Stores from May ** The New Taipei City Government has announced that beverage shops will be required to stop providing single-use plastic cups from next month. According to the city's Environmental Protection Department, the move is aimed at cutting down on plastic waste. The department says the 2,704 beverage shops in New Taipei will be banned from using disposable plastic cups, including those made from bioplastic polylactic acid, with effect from May 1. Under the regulation, beverage shops that continue to provide single-use plastic cups will face a fine of up to 6,000 N-T for violating the Waste Disposal Act. Officials say the ban is expected to reduce (減少) the use of disposable plastic cups in the city by about 368-million per year. New Taipei is the second city to ban single-use plastic cups, following a similar decision by Taipei City last December. **NKorea Leader Vows to Enhance Nuclear Arsenal ** North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to enhance his nuclear arsenal in “practical and offensive” ways. State media said Tuesday he made the remarks while meeting with military officials to discuss war preparations in the face of their rivals’ “frantic (瘋狂的)” military exercises. The commission discussed strengthening North Korea’s defense capacities and perfecting its war preparations. The U.S. and South Korean militaries conducted field exercises last month and naval and air force drills involving an aircraft carrier and U.S. bombers. KCNA claimed the drills simulated all-out war against North Korea. The United States and South Korea say their exercises are defensive. **US Classified Leak Origins ** More details are emerging (出現) about the origin of leaked classified documents. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **Slovenia French Citizens Rescued Off Mountain ** Slovenia’s emergency mountain teams say they have rescued four French citizens who were stuck in bad weather in the Alps. Monday’s operation on the Skuta mountain came a day after dozens of emergency officers used helicopters to rescue another five people swept away by an avalanche in an Alpine region further north. The five were part of a group of seven people attending a mountaineering (登山) course when the avalanche hit. Three people were seriously injured. The French citizens were unharmed. Slovenia’s rescue service has urged mountaineers to avoid climbing in bad weather. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 14 -points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,850 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market moved slightly higher on Friday, despite investors erring on the side of caution ahead of the release of a U-S job market update that traders are hoping will encourage America's central bank to ease off on plans for more interest rate hikes. **AIT Reports US Monitoring Chinese Military Drills Around Taiwan ** The American Institute in Taiwan says the U-S is closely monitoring China's military exercises around Taiwan. According to A-I-T, channels of communication with Beijing remain open and Washington has "repeatedly asked China to show restraint and refrain from unilaterally (單方地) altering the status quo." Reuters is citing an A-I-T spokesperson as saying the U-S is "comfortable and confident" that it has the means to maintain peace and stability in the region. The statements comes as Beijing is continuing to a conduct drills around Taiwan on response to President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U-S House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week. **Tai Tzu-ying Plans to Retire at End of 2024 ** And, Tai Tzu-ying has revealed that she plans to retire from badminton at the end of next year. According to Tai, she will cease playing on the professional circuit "even if she still can still play then." Tai has talked about retiring from time to time over the past two years, but this is the first time she has pinpointed an exact timeframe - and her plans imply that the Paris 2024 Olympics will probably be her last competition. The 28 year old is currently ranked fourth in the world in the Badminton World Federation women's singles rankings. Tai began competing internationally at age 15 and has won three All England Open titles and three B-W-F World Tour Finals titles. She also won silver at the Tokyo Olympics. **France Fire in Collapsed Building ** Officials say eight people remain missing after the building they lived in exploded and collapsed early Sunday near the port of Marseille. Mounds of burning debris hampered rescue operations Sunday. More than 100 firefighters worked to extinguish flames deep within the rubble, but more than 17 hours later, officials said the situation remained unstable. Five people suffered minor injuries from the collapse, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m. local time. A neighboring building also came down. Officials say the presence of the fire under the debris means both water and flame-extinguishing foam could also be danger to people trapped underneath. Robots were reportedly being deployed. **US Health Secretary Criticizes Abortion Pill Ruling ** A top US health official says nothing is off the table when it comes to making sure a commonly-used abortion pill remains available to women. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 15,856 on turnover of $1.7-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Thursday, as investors turned their attention to upcoming earnings reports and other economic indicators. **Leofoo Village Fined Following Baboon Escape ** The Hsinchu County Government says it has fined the Leofoo Village Theme Park 50,000 N-T for negligence that resulted in the escape of one of its baboons. The county government's Agriculture Bureau says the theme park's operator failed to realize that an animal had escaped, failed to notify local authorities after discovering the baboon was missing and also failed to properly assist authorities in their search for the animal. The fine comes after the Forestry Bureau announced that it has given the Leofoo Village Theme Park one month to improve its baboon facility and six months to finish microchipping and registering all of its baboons The case is also still being investigated by prosecutors - and the park could face further fines and charges. **New Round of Online Monkeypox Vaccines Registration to Begin on Monday ** The Centers for Disease Control says online registration for a new round of monkeypox vaccine will begin next Monday. According to C-D-C Deputy Director-General Philip Luo, the online registration service will be available from Monday through Friday and the vaccine doses will be administered at 48 designated hospitals islandwide. As of Thursday, the C-D-C had recorded 23 confirmed cases, of which 16 were locally transmitted and seven imported. **Nigeria Village Clashes Leave 50 Dead ** Authorities say at least 50 people have died after two attacks on a village in north-central Nigeria. Local officials say three people had been killed on Tuesday, then gunmen returned to thei village in Benue state and killed 47 others when they opened fire at a market. While there was no claim of responsibility, authorities said suspicion fell on local herdsmen, who have clashed in the past with farmers over land disputes in north-central Nigeria. Benue state has been one of the hardest hit in the decades-long clashes between agrarian communities and nomadic cattle herders in the West African country. **US Republicans Oust Dem for Gun Protest ** Tennessee Republicans have voted to expel their Democratic colleague Justin Jones from the state's House of Representatives after he, and two other Democrats, joined a protest in favor of stronger gun regulation on the chamber floor last week. The demonstration came just days after six people, including three children, were killed at a Nashville elementary school. Lawmaker are now debating expelling the other two lawmakers. Toni Waterman has more. **Montenegro Elections Oust Djukanovic ** Official results have confirmed a crushing defeat for Montenegro’s long-time leader Milo Djukanovic in a weekend presidential election. That marks his departure from the small Balkan state’s political scene after more than 30 years in power. The state electoral commission said Thursday that Jakov Milatovic, an expert in economics but a political novice, won Sunday's presidential runoff. Djukanovic led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006 and to NATO membership in 2017, despite strong opposition from former Slavic ally Russia. Milatovic won around 59% of Sunday's vote, while Djukanovic had about 41%, according to the final official results. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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