EZ News

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

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 34-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,557 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Tuesday despite a rally on Wall Street overnight, as investors opted to shift their attention back to the local export-oriented economy. The bellwether electronics sector remained concerned by worries over inventory adjustments (調整) in the global market due to rising inflation and rate hikes. And investors were also spooked following news that bicycle manufacturer Giant has asked its suppliers for payment postponement due to weakening global demand. **Cabinet to Approve Bill Barring Ex-Convicts from Public Office ** The Cabinet is set to approve a draft bill that seeks to ban individuals convicted of involvement in organized crime, money laundering, drug-related offenses, and illegal possession of guns or knives from running for public office. The move comes after Premier Su Tseng-chang announced the Cabinet would introduce a draft amendment to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act in order to meet public expectations of "integrity" (廉正) among public officials. Data from the Anti-corruption and Whistleblower Protection Association from August showed that of the 885 incumbent city and county councilors prior to the recent local elections, 136 had criminal records. **Yushan Likely to See First Snow this Winter at Weekend ** And, The Central Weather Bureau says Yushan could see the first snowfall of this winter this weekend, when a cold wave is forecast (預報) to send temperatures down to 10 degrees or lower. This winter's first snowfall was recorded on Xueshan earlier this week. According to the weather bureau's forecast center, snow is most likely late Saturday or early Sunday at altitudes of 3,000-meters and above. Snow could also fall in mountainous areas of northern Taiwan at altitudes of around 2,000-meters and above. **US Respect for Marriage Bill Signed ** US President Joe Biden has now signed the respect for marriage act into federal law. The act provides greater nationwide protections for same-sex couples. Chris Jones has more from Washington DC. **Ukraine President Urges NZ to Help on Environment Issues ** Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged New Zealand to take a leading role in focusing on the environmental destruction his country is suffering as a result of Russia’s invasion. Zelenskyy delivered his message via video link to lawmakers who packed the debating chamber today. He said some of the environmental effects of the war included poisoned groundwater, ravaged (毀壞) forests, flooded coal mines and huge areas of Ukraine that remain contaminated from unexploded mines. He is pushing for a 10-point peace plan that, as well as environmental protection, includes items such as nuclear safety and justice. New Zealand announced it was providing another $2 million US dollars in humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross, adding to the $5 million it had already provided. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 14,617 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market came under heavy pressure on Monday as investor sentiment continued to be overshadowed by (使（某事物）令人不快或減少樂趣) concerns about the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle ahead of a two-day policymaking meeting. And turnover for the session stood at 151-billion N-T -- which is the lowest level so far this year. **China's Beer and Liquor Imports Ban to Cost Taiwan Less than NT$1 billion ** Finance Minister Su Jien-rong says China's suspension of the imports of some shipments of beer and liquor from Taiwan is not expected to cost exporters more than 1-billion N-T. The ban on beer and liquor has affected several of Taiwan's leading suppliers (供應商) including the Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation, King Car Food Industrial and Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor. China has said the shipment ban is related to a new customs registration system which to effect on January 1 of this year. Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua says although many countries have been critical of the new Chinese customs registration system, Beijing has been targeting Taiwanese exporters before those of other countries. **Kaohsiung Mayor Meets with Tokyo Governor in Japan ** And, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai has met with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike in Japan Chen is leading a delegation of city officials from the Department of Administrative and International Affairs and Marine Bureau and arrived in Japan on Sunday for a three-day visit. According to the Kaohsiung City Government, Chen and Koike exchanged views on the coronavirus pandemic and other issues of mutual interest, including smart cities, energy saving and carbon reduction. It is Chen's first overseas trip since taking office in 2020. **FTX Founder Arrested in Bahamas ** Police in the Bahamas have arrested Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The arrest came at the request of (按照…的要求) US authorities. US Correspondent Ira Spitzer reports. **Intl Tribunal Asked by Island States for Opinion on Climate Change ** The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea says that small island states have asked it to provide an opinion on what impact a key U.N. treaty governing maritime activities has on efforts to curb climate change. The Hamburg-based U.N. tribunal says it received a request from Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu to render an advisory opinion on the climate obligations (義務) arising to parties from the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. The tribunal said it has added the request to its list of cases. It isn’t clear whether or when an advisory opinion could eventually be issued. But if the tribunal does provide the treaty’s 168 parties with legal guidance on the issue of climate change it could trigger further cases. **Mexico US Officials to Discuss Trade Issues ** Mexico's foreign secretary says he'll travel this week to Washington, D.C., in an effort to resolve a dispute over imports of genetically modified U.S. corn. The trip planned for Friday comes before a scheduled visit next month to Mexico City by U.S. President Joe Biden. Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard says he and other Mexican officials will be seeking (尋求、試圖) points of agreement with Washington on the corn, and on other issues. Mexico plans to ban imports of genetically modified corn for human consumption and perhaps eventually for animal feed. Biden and the leaders of Mexico and Canada are to meet Jan. 9 in Mexico City. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 25-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,955 on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T. The market closed relatively flat on Monday after tech stocks gave up early gains following a downturn on Wall Street at the end of last week. Rotational buying remained active, helping to give some momentum to select old economy stocks in the transportation and commodities (商品、貨物) sectors. However, selling was noticeable in the last hour of the trading day as investors opted to pocket earlier gains in semiconductor heavyweights. **Deputy Trade Rep. Cites Non-Tariff Taiwan-US Trade Deal Possible in 2023 ** Deputy trade representative Yang Zhen-ni says the government is hoping to sign a bilateral trade agreement with the United States by the end of next year. However, Yang is stressing that the deal will not cover the core (核心的，主要的) issue of tariff reduction. Speaking at a legislative hearing, Yang said her office is seeking to have a bilateral trade pact signed by the time the APEC meeting is held in the U-S in November 2023. According to Yang, the agreement will not include tariff reduction, as the U-S has not passed any legislation to authorize that, but it will include sections related to customs, agriculture, digital trade, and labor issues, climate change and state-owned enterprises. **Chiang Seeking to Open Taipei Dome Within a Year ** Taipei mayor-elect Chiang Wan-an says he plans to fulfill (實現) his policy promise and open the Taipei Dome within a year. Speaking an administration transition meeting at Taipei City Hall, Chiang said that he will negotiate with the central government to ensure the safety and engineering quality of the multi-purpose sports and recreational center. According to Chiang, his team will try to begin operations at the Taipei Dome within a year, as the central government has already finished the fire safety review. Chiang went on to say that if trial operations start in June next year, the grand opening could be held in September. **Russia Claims Air Bases Hit ** The Kremlin claims Ukraine has attacked Russian air bases, and it has responded with a barrage of missiles. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports. **Mexico President Changes Maya Train Plans ** Mexico's Maya Train tourist project will now include a 78 kilometer stretch of elevated (升高的) trackway through the jungle. The project has faced opposition from environmentalists who say the train will crush or contaminate the network of caves and sinkhole lakes around the resorts of Tulum and Playa del Carmen. But the president now says two-thirds of the line will be elevated on thousands of 25 meter pilings sunk into the soil and avoiding the caves, supporting pre-fabricate elevated sections 2.5 meters above the ground. The latest change also raised doubts about whether such an elevated trackway can be completed as the president has promised within one year. The 1,500-kilomete Maya Train line is meant to run in a rough loop around the Yucatan Peninsula, connecting beach resorts and archaeological sites. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 14,972 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed the trading day lower on Friday after fluctuating (波動的) in consolidation mode ahead of the release of the U-S job data Semiconductor heavyweights came under pressure during the session, but Hon Hai lent some support to the broader market. **Tsai Meets with Senior DPP Officials to Talk "Way Ahead" ** President Tsai Ing-wen has held talks with senior government and D-P-P officials to discuss the party's losses in the local elections and plans for a possible Cabinet reshuffle. According to the Presidential Office, Tsai met with Vice President William Lai, Premier Su Chang-tseng, National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo, D-P-P legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming and acting party chair Chen Chi-mai. A Presidential Office spokesperson says the talks focused on in-depth discussions on both the domestic (國內的) and international political and economic situations and a review of the Cabinet as well as possible changes in government policy. The spokesperson says Tsai is also seeking to step-up communications between the government and opposition parties in areas related to national security. **Ironman and His 'Lucky Cap' Visit Changhua Temple ** And, Norwegian ironman Gustav Iden has revisited the Shunze Temple in Changhua County, where he thanked the deity there for bringing him good luck since winning a breakthrough world championship in 2019. Speaking at the event, the Norwegian athlete said "coming to Taiwan is always something special" and he's happy that the hat has created a strong bond ((感情的)聯結) between him and Taiwan. Iden found the cap on the ground in Japan before an Tokyo Olympic test event in early 2019 and then wore it when he won an Ironman World Championship in Nice in September of that same year. That set off a craze here in Taiwan for the "lucky" baseball cap from the temple. Iden has since worn the cap in 10 races - all of which he has won. **China Eases COVID19 Rules ** China is relaxing its strict COVID-19 policies and taking steps to reopen the economy. The country’s health authorities say that’s a response to the virus becoming less dangerous and vaccination rates increasing. But it’s also being seen as a concession (讓步) to mounting public protests against the rules. Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong. **Indonesia Volcano Erupts ** Indonesia’s highest volcano on its most densely populated island has released gas clouds and rivers of lava in its latest eruption. Monsoon rains eroded and finally collapsed the lava dome atop (在頂上) Mount Semeru, causing the eruption Sunday. Columns of ash were blasted nearly 1,500 meters into the sky. Several hundred residents fled to temporary shelters or left for other safe areas. Several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun, but no casualties have been reported. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 141-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,636 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market closed flat on Friday, as it moved in a narrow range as Wall Street was closed for Thanksgiving and didn't provide any direction for local investors, who were worried about a technical pullback after recent solid gains. Many foreign institutional investors were also absent from the market due to the U-S holiday. **DPP Vows to Engage in Introspection ** The D-P-P says its poor showing in the local government elections is indicative (表示 … 的) of public opinion and the party will now seek "self-reflection." According to D-P-P Secretary-General Lin Hsi-yao, the party will squarely face the reasons for its setback at the polls, after it managed to secure only five of the 21 city and county leadership seats. The K-M-T secured 13 of the 21 seats up for grabs, while the D-P-P ended with two less seats than it had going into the local elections. The D-P-P's secretary-general says he believes the internal decision-making teams that shape major party policies should be held responsible, as the loss reflects public opinion of its performance. And Lin also says the D-P-P's chances of recovery will depend on how it acts going forward into two legislative by-elections and one mayoral election that will be taking place soon. **Arrivals Numbers Hit Nearly 100,000 in October ** And, The Tourism Bureau says nearly 100,000 tourists came to Taiwan in October, after the government lifted quarantine regulations. Data shows that a total of 93,206 people arrived in Taiwan in that month - and that's an increase of 560-per cent compared with October of last year. According to the Tourism Bureau, Taiwan saw the largest number of visitors based on the growth rate of other major regional tourist markets in October, and was followed by Japan. Of those arriving in Taiwan, 98.57-per cent came by air, with 90.49-per cent of that total landing at Taoyuan International Airport. The Tourism Bureau says most of the tourists stayed for between 8 and 15 nights. **Cameroon Landslide Leaves Dead and Missing ** Authorities say at least 14 people are dead in Cameroon's capital after a landslide at a funeral. Dozens of others remained missing as rescue crews continued digging through the rubble (瓦礫) with flashlights. The local governent says that the search for survivors in the Damas neighborhood of Yaounde would continue. About a dozen others injured in the landslide are being treated at local hospitals. **US Officials Criticize China COVID19 Policy ** US health officials have suggested that China's approach ( 方法，方式) to COVID-19 isn't realistic. This comes after widespread protests across China against the government's tough covid-19 containment measures. Jagruti Dave reports from Washington. **Yemen Signs Economic Aid Deal with Arab Monetary Fund ** State media says Yemen's internationally recognized government has signed an economic aid deal worth $1 billion with the Arab Monetary Fund. A state news agency said the country's Saudi-backed administration signed the deal on Sunday to push through wide-ranging economic reforms. Yemen's economy has been decimated by a civil war that has pitted (使…競爭) Houthi rebels against the government that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates back. The Arab Monetary Fund is based in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi and operates as a sub-organization of the 22-member Arab League. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 14,765, on turnover of $1.88-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained ground on Thursday, as most other regional markets closed the day higher. However, investor optimism about the U-S Federal Reserve holding back on aggressive interest rate hikes was countered by uncertainty over coronavirus lockdowns in China. **Three More Private High Schools Placed on MOE 'Watch List' ** The Ministry of Education has placed three more private high schools on its "watch list." The three schools include the Hong Ren Catholic Girls' High School in Chiayi City, the Yu Min Vocational School in Miaoli County and Yu-Ren Senior High School in Taitung. According to the education ministry, they were added the list because their "financial condition has markedly declined to the extent that the school cannot pay off its debt, or that financial problems has seriously impacted the running of the school." Schools place on the watch list are alloted (分配的) a two-year observation period to solve their problems. If they fail to properly address the issues, education authories can order their closure at the end of the period. **Venezuela and Opposition to Resume Negotiations ** The government of Venezuela and its opposition say they will resume over the weekend long-stalled negotiations meant to find a common path out of their country’s complex crisis. The announcement Thursday comes two weeks after delegates from both parties met to address the Venezuelan crisis, promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Norwegian diplomats will guide the negotiations. The talks formally began in September 2021 in Mexico but were suspended the following month when President Nicolas Maduro ordered his delegation to withdraw in protest of the extradition to the United States of a close ally. **UK Businesses Urge Gov Not to Scrap EU Laws ** UK businesses and unions are urging the government not to scrap a range of European Union laws. In a joint letter, several influential groups called on ministers to withdraw (撤) its Retained EU Law bill, warning it would put vital protections at risk. The legislation would see most EU laws expire by the end of 2023. The government says it is committed to 'taking full advantage of the benefits of Brexit'. Sally Patterson has more in London. **Egypt Announces Release of Political Activists ** Egyptian authorities have announced the release of 30 political activists from jail. The announcement late on Thursday marks the latest in a series of mass releases from detention amid intensifying international scrutiny over Egypt's human rights record. There was no word on the identities of the activists or how many had already been freed. Since 2013, Egypt has cracked down on dissidents (持不同政見者) and critics, jailing thousands, virtually banning protests and monitoring social media. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 49-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,584 on turnover of $3.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex followed other regional markets and ended marginally (少量地) lower on Thursday. Market watchers say investors were spooked by a decline in Wall Street overnight amid concerns the U-S Federal Reserve might not ease up on its aggressive interest rate hike cycle aimed at curbing inflation. MOFA to Add Three More Countries to Scholarship Program for European Students The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it's adding three more European countries to the current Taiwan-Europe Connectivity Scholarship program for the 2023 school year. According to the ministry's Department of European Affairs, the addition of three more countries is due to the quota for the scholarship program having not been completely filled over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Department head Vincent Yao says the foreign ministry will be opening up 700 available slots to students from 29 European countries next year, by adding Iceland, Croatia, and Norway to the countries whose students are eligible (有資格的) for the program. Most opportunities for the scholarship program will go to students from the U-K, France, and Germany. However, slots are also being reserved for students from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Lithuania. **SKorea: NKorea Fired Ballistic Missiles ** South Korea says North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says the launch was made today, but gave no further details. The launch came a day after North Korea resumed its ballistic weapons tests and threatened fiercer (更激烈的) moves. **Subject: E*US Pelosi to Step Down as House Speaker ** U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced she will step down as Democratic leader, but stay on to represent her San Francisco district in Congress. She made the announcement as the Republican party took enough seats to gain control of the House after the midterm elections. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **Bill Gates Announces Funding for Africa ** Bill Gates, on a visit to Kenya, has announced his foundation will spend $7 billion to improve health, gender equality and farming in Africa. The new pledge will be spent over the next four years and is in addition to existing Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funding to strengthen health systems across the continent. Gates said in a statement that Africa’s young people have the talent and opportunity to accelerate (加速) progress and help solve the world’s most pressing problems. The new funding comes as countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa face the worst drought in decades. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 yesterday's close, at 14,489 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The market closed little changed on Wednesday, after coming off major gains the previous session, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing continued to lend major support to the local broader market throughout the session. Although the recent rebound on the broader market was capped during the trading day, investor sentiment has still improved amid eased concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve rate hike cycle in the wake of moderating inflation data. **Cabinet to Discuss Raise in Tax Breaks for Local Chipmakers ** The Cabinet will discuss a proposal later today to raise the income tax break for eligible (有資格的) local tech companies to 25-per cent in order to better benefit large semiconductor manufacturers. The proposal has been drafted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. It seeks to add article 10-2 to the Statute for Industrial Innovation stipulating the proposed increase tax break, in addition to a 5-per cent income tax relief for the tech companies whose equipment investment reaches a predetermined level. Sources are being cited as saying the proposed amendment is aimed at encouraging leading semiconductor companies to step up their research and development into advanced manufacturing processes. **Civic Groups Call for Support for Lowering Voting and Candidacy Age ** And, A coalition of civic groups is calling for voters to support the referendum being held in tandem with (與、同時) the local elections to lower both the voting age and the age of candidacy to 18. The referendum needs at least 9.65-million voters to cast their ballots in favor of the referendum to pass and that figure represents 50-percent of the total number of eligible voters nationwide. And the call comes as recent reports have been saying support for the referendum currently stands at less than the 50-per cent threshold needed for it to pass. **US Republicans Take House by Slim Margin ** From the US….. Republicans have won a slim (非常小的) majority in the U.S. House. AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports. **Japan Marks Trade Deficit ** Japan marked a trade deficit for the 15th month in a row in October as both imports and exports reached record highs. It comes as the costs of energy and food soar and the yen stumbles (失足、受挫). The deficit at $15 billion, is the highest for the month of October, since comparable data started being compiled in 1979. The data released today showed the huge deficit came despite solid growth in exports, which rose 25.3% last month. The Finance Ministry says vehicles, medical products and electrical machinery boosted exports. **Brazil President-elect Promises to Fight Deforestation ** Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is promising to combat deforestation when he assumes office on Jan. 1. Da Silva, who defeated President Jair Bolsonaro in last month's presidential election, is participating at the U.N. climate summit in Egypt known as COP27. In two public appearances on Wednesday, da Silva said his administration would make combating deforestation a priority (優先、主要的). He also said he would suggest to U.N. officials that the climate summit in 2025 be held in the Amazon. Bolsonaro pushed economic development in the Amazon. Da Silva has several meetings planned with ministers from various countries over the next days. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 27-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,108 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday as government-led funds were believed to have intervened ( 介入、調解) to lend support to the local main board amid ongoing global volatility. However, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing still saw its share price fall below 400 N-T for the first time in more than two years. **MND Vows 'No More Teslas' Following Musk China Comments ** Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng says the military will not purchase any more Teslas following comments by Elon Musk last week that the island become a Chinese special administrative zone. Speaking at a legislative hearing, Chiu told lawmakers that the military currently owns seven Tesla Model 3s and 12 other electric vehicles, which were acquired from local carmaker Luxgen brand e-cars for environmental reasons. Chiu said if the decision to purchase the Teslas is causing concern, the defense ministry will not buy anymore of those cars. Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics Major General Hsu Jin-teng has said all the Teslas used by the military had their eight cameras disabled (使無效使失去能力,) for security reasons. **WBSC Under 23 Baseball World Cup to Begin at Tianmu Stadium ** And, The opening ceremony of the W-B-S-C Under 23 Baseball World Cup takes place this evening at the Tianmu Stadium in Taipei. The ceremony begins at 5:45PM and will be followed by the opening game at 6:30 -- when Taiwan meet Colombia. Twelve teams are participating in the Under 23 Baseball World Cup - which begins with a two group round-robin stage and the top three teams from each group advance to the next round. Taiwan is in Group A with Colombia, Germany, Japan , South Africa, and defending champion Venezuela. Group B consists of Australia, Cuba, South Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico. Games will be played at the Tianmu Stadium in Taipei, the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium and at the Dou-Liou Stadium in Yunlin County. **NKorea on Missile Tests ** North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has supervised tests of long-range cruise missiles, which he described as a successful demonstration of his military's expanding nuclear strike capabilities and readiness for ``actual war.`` The comments were carried in state media today. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said the two missiles during Wednesday's tests flew for nearly three hours above its western seas, and showed that they can hit targets 2,000 kilometers away. Kim after the tests praised (稱讚) the readiness of his nuclear combat forces, which he said were fully prepared for ``actual war to bring enemies under their control at a blow'' The tests on Wednesday extended a record number of weapons demonstrations this year by North Korea. South Korean officials say Kim may also conduct a nuclear test in the coming weeks or months. **UN Passes Resolution Condemning Russian Annexation ** Members of the United Nations General Assembly have overwhelmingly (壓倒性地) passed a resolution condemning Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian territories. The vote comes after Russia vetoed a similar resolution at the UN Security Council late last month. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- 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 13,077 on turnover of 3-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex tumbled to its lowest close in two years on Tuesday as investors scrambled to dump large cap electronics stocks on the back of heavy losses seen in the tech sector on Wall Street overnight. Market watchers say investors were once again concerned about possible further rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve. While the announcement last week by the U-S Department of Commerce that it would expand restrictions (限制) on exports of I-C and related production equipment also placed downward pressure on the local tech sector. **20 Tour Groups Scheduled to Arrive in Taiwan Tomorrow ** The Tourism Bureau says 20 tour groups will be arriving in Taiwan tomorrow, the day the government lifts all coronavirus quarantine border restrictions. According to the bureau the tour groups are from Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia. They have a combined total of 244 tourists. Central Epidemic Command Center head Victor Wang says the government has no plans to reverse (撤銷) its coronavirus policies, despite concerns that the current domestic outbreak is "still at a plateau." **Taiwan Lantern Festival to Return to Taipei ** The Taiwan Lantern Festival is returning to Taipei for the first time in 23 years next year. The Tourism Bureau says it believes the festival will be one of the first major events held in the capital after mandatory quarantine regulations are lifted for arrivals and the island welcomes back tourists. According to the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism, the festival will be taking place from February 5th through 19th and is expected to be the biggest in the event's more than 30-year history. City officials say it will have four exhibition areas, one central installation (裝置物) and six other major installations as part of a 300-lantern collection covering 168 hectares. **Russia Launches New Attacks on Ukraine ** Russian forces have carpeted Ukraine with a fresh barrage of missiles and munition-carrying drones. The bombardment came a day after strikes across the country killed at least 19 people and knocked out power across the country. The U.N. human rights office says the ``particularly shocking'' attacks could amount to (相當於) war crimes. The leaders of the Group of Seven industrial powers also condemned the attacks and said they would ``stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes.'' Their pledge defied Russian warnings that Western assistance would prolong the war and the pain of Ukraine's people. Russia launched the attacks in retaliation for a weekend explosion that damaged a bridge linking Russia to the Crimean Peninsula. **Dame Angela Lansbury Obit ** Dame Angela Lansbury — star of the US TV crime series 'Murder, She Wrote' — has died at the age of 96. Jody Jacobs looks back at her career. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

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

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