EZ News

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,796 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T. The market added 378-points on Monday to breach (沖破) the 14,700-point mark, as buying was sparked by a rally on Wall Street at the end of last week on the back of eased concerns over the U-S Federal Reserve's rate hike cycle. The electronics sector led the upturn, as large cap semiconductor stocks were in focus amid an inflow of foreign funds, while buying also spread to the finance and old economy sectors, to push the main board higher. **Visiting Paraguayan Speaker Hopes Taiwan Ties Continue ** The visiting speaker of Paraguay's lower house is expressing his hope that Asuncion's diplomatic ties with Taiwan will continue and be supported by its people. Carlos Maria Lopez is heading a delegation of lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties for a five-day visit. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Lopez expressed his gratitude on behalf of his government toward Taiwan and said he sincerely hopes that the two sides' long-term diplomatic ties will be strengthened in years to come. That statement comes after a candidate running in Paraguay's April presidential election said he will sever ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing if elected. **Almost One in Five Arrivals from China has Coronavirus ** The Central Epidemic Command Center says some 19-per cent all arrivals from China have tested positive for the coronavirus since January 1 - the day testing of passengers from China began after Beijing ended its "zero COVID" policy. Health officials say the figure is comparable to that of other countries also testing arrivals from China. According to center head Victor Wang, a total of 8,259 passengers have arrived on direct flights from China over the first seven days of this month - and of that figure 1,571 of them tested positive for the coronavirus. Samples taken for genome sequencing show that 66-per cent of the passengers were infected with the Omicron BA.5 subvariant, while 34-per cent had the Omicron BF.7 subvariant. **US DOJ Reviewing Documents at Old Biden Office ** The US Justice Department is investigating the discovery of potentially (可能地) classified documents at an old office space used by President Joe Biden. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. **UN Security Council Votes to Keep Turkey Syria Crossing Open ** The U.N. Security Council has voted unanimously to keep key a border crossing from Turkey to Syria’s rebel-held northwest open for critical aid deliveries for another six months. Russia, whose support had been in doubt, joined in Monday’s 15-0 vote. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had warned that the already dire (危急的、嚴重的) humanitarian situation in Syria is worsening, and said if aid deliveries from Turkey to northwest Idlib aren’t renewed millions of Syrians might not survive the winter. Guterres said deliveries have increased across conflict lines within the country. But he said they cannot substitute for “the size or scope of the massive cross-border United Nations operation.” 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 131-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,504 on turnover of 3.9-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Friday as buying reemerged (重新出現) in the bellwether electronics sector, helping the main board recoup early losses on the back of a decline on Wall Street. However, turnover remained thin with many investors still opted to stay on the sidelines, awaiting upcoming December U-S non-farm payroll data. **Paraguay's Lower House Speaker Arrives in Taiwan for 5-Day Visit ** The President of the Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies Carlos Maria Lopez has arrived in Taiwan for a five-day visit. Lopez is meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen today. According to the Presidential Office, Lopez showed strong support for Taiwan during heightened (提高、增強) cross-strait tensions last August, when China held live-fire military exercises in areas around Taiwan. It's the first time that Lopez has visited Taiwan in his capacity as Paraguay's lower house speaker. Lopez is heading a parliamentary delegation that includes the chair of the committee on national defense, security and intelligence; the head of the committee on social development and housing; and the chair of the committee on childhood and youth development. **Lawmakers Invited to Join International Parliamentary Group ** D-P-P lawmaker Fan Yun says she and another lawmaker have been invited by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China to join the group and its decision-making body. According to Fan, she and Zhang Qi-lu from the Taiwan People's Party were invited to become the first Taiwanese members of I-PAC and co-chair the island's representation in the alliance. Fan says she will help about 40 "like-minded" Taiwanese lawmakers who have applied to participate in the group to secure ( 取得) membership, seeking a collective voice for Taiwan over issues regarding China. **Brazil Gov Buildings Back Under Contorl ** Authorities have reestablished control of Brazilian government buildings in the capital several hours after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro who refuse to accept his electoral defeat stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and presidential palace. The action was a week after the inauguration of his leftist rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The demonstrators bypassed security barricades, climbed on roofs, broke windows and invaded the buildings that were believed to be largely vacant on a Sunday. The country's justice minister said roughly 200 people had been arrested. Lula accused Bolsonaro of encouraging the uprising, while the former president said peaceful protest was part of democracy but vandalism and invasion of public buildings were “exceptions to the rule.” **US Speaker Now Faces Divided House ** Newly-elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is about to face his next big test with a divided House of Representatives -- that’s passing a rules package to govern the chamber. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 23-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,279, on turnover of $2-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Thursday, following a rally on Wall Street overnight as investors assessed minutes from the U-S Federal Reserve's latest policymaking meeting and welcomed encouraging data on American jobs. **Fraud Rings Now Targeting Victims with NT$6,000 Rebate in Telephone Scams ** The Cabinet is warning people that fraud rings are now using the government's planned 6,000 N-T lump-sum tax surplus rebate in telephone scams. Officials says people have been receiving text messages claiming to be from the Ministry of Digital Affairs telling recipient to open an included link to redeem (贖回) their payment. According to Cabinet Spokesman Luo Bing-cheng, the government will not use text messages to inform the public of how to apply for and how to receive payments into their bank accounts. Luo says the Cabinet has ordered the National Police Agency to investigate all such telephone scams and to establish a series of preventive measures to ensure that members of the public are protected against fraud. The government says those who receive any text messages related to the lump-sum tax surplus rebate claiming to be from a government agency to call the 165 fraud prevention hotline. **Lunar New Year New Bank Note Exchange to Begin on January 13 ** The central bank says members of the public will be able to exchange old bills for fresh bank notes in the run up to the Lunar New Year. Old bills can be exchanged for new ones from January 13 through 19 at designated (指定的) branches of eight local financial institutions. The central bank says as demand is highest for 100 N-T bills, each individual will be allowed to exchange a maximum of 100 notes - while the supply of notes with other values will also be limited. According to central bank governor Yang Jin-long, between 3 and 4 billion N-T is allocated annually to print new bills. The central bank is also urging the public to consider using virtual transactions during the New Year. **US House Speaker Election now Longest ** The saga to vote in the next Speaker of the US House of Representatives continues - breaking records last set almost 165 years ago. Republican Kevin McCarthy has now lost 11 rounds of voting over three days - despite making major concessions (讓步) to the group of hardliners in his party voting against him. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Pakistan Attack Against Polio Vax Team ** Pakistani police say attackers armed with guns and hand grenades ambushed a police van assigned to guard polio workers in the country's northwest, wounding five officers. Police say they returned fire after coming under attack near a bridge on Thursday in a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. No group claimed responsibility for the attack but Islamic militants often target polio teams and police protecting them. They falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize (使絕育) children. The latest anti-polio campaign started this week in northwestern Pakistan and is the first in 2023. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 85-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,285 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday, as investor sentiment was hit by lingering concerns over a possible recession (經濟衰退) as major central banks around the world are continuing aggressive rate hikes. Buying rotated to the financial sector throughout much of the trading day, providing some support to the broader market to offset losses suffered by select large tech stocks, in particular those in the semiconductor industry. **Living Allowances for Disadvantaged Families Extended Through 2023 ** The Cabinet has extend the monthly living allowance of 750 N-T and 500 N-T for individuals in low income and middle-to-low income households for an additional year until the end of 2023. According to the Cabinet, the Ministry of Health will coordinate with local authorities to ensure eligible (有資格的) recipients receive the allowance for January before the Lunar New Year holiday. The living allowance plan is part of the government's coronavirus relief measures. A monthly cash payment of 750 N-T is given to those in low-income households and 500 N-T is given to individuals in middle-to-low income households. Those payments are on top of any existing allowances covering education, health insurance, housing and other related expenses. **Former NATO Head Touts Visit as a "Show of Support for Taiwan" ** Former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says his visit to Taiwan this week is a show of "strong support" for the island's self-determination and democracy. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Rasmussen said he's in Taiwan to show his support for the island's rights to decide the future of Taiwan for itself and to show support for its right to "exist (存在) in freedom and peace." The former NATO head arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday for a three-day trip and is visiting in his capacity as the founder of the Denmark-based Alliance of Democracies Foundation. **US McCarthy Loses 6th US Speaker Vote ** After six rounds of voting the US House of Representatives has still not agreed on a new House Speaker. Republican Kevin McCarthy has been repeatedly (反复) blocked from winning the majority of the votes by a group of hardliners (強硬派) in his own party. It's the first time in a hundred that the House has been unable to elect a Speaker. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **Australia to Buy US Missile and Rocket Systems ** Australia announced Thursday it will boost its defense capabilities by buying advanced missile and rocket systems. The purchase includes U.S.-made HIMARS which have been successfully used by Ukraine’s military. The Australian government said the HIMARS it was buying included launchers, missiles and training rockets and would be in use by 2026. It said the system had a range of 300 kilometers, which may improve (提升、改進)with technological advances. It also signed a contract with Norway-based Kongsberg to buy new missiles for navy destroyers and frigates. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 37-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,186 on turnover of 1.9-billion N-T. The market bounced back from early losses on Tuesday, to close the first trading session of 2023 in positive territory, but turnover remained thin amid investor worries over a possible global recession this year. The bellwether electronics sector led the rebound, while old economy and new energy sector stocks also attracted buying on the back of government efforts to push renewable power development. **Tainan City Council Speaker Questioned in Vote-Buying Probe ** Newly-elected Tainan City Council Speaker Qiu Li-li has been questioned in connection with an investigation into vote buying. According to the Tainan District Prosecutors' Office, Qiu was questioned after authorities searched her residence and over 20 other locations. Those locations included the homes of Deputy Speaker Lin Zhi-zhan as well as city councilors Li Wen-chun, Zhang Shi-xian and Li Zhen-guo. Prosecutors says they opened the investigation into allegations of electoral manipulation after receiving a tip-off in November. Qiu beat incumbent Speaker Guo Hsin-liang in a vote on December 25 after in which Li Wen-chun, Zhang Shi-xian and Li Zhen-guo all broke party ranks with the K-M-T to back the D-P-P nominee. Reports at the time speculated that the three then-KMT councilors had been bribed. **Eslite to Close 24-hour Branch in Taipei's Xinyi District in December ** Eslite has confirmed that its 24-hour branch in Taipei's Xinyi District will close its doors in December. According to the bookstore chain, the pending (待辦的) closure comes after it failed to convince its landlord to extend the existing lease. Eslite says it will continue to promote (推廣) culture and humanities in Taiwan and provide a 24-hour service - and there is speculation that its nearby Songyan store will become Eslite's and Taiwan's only 24-hour bookstore. However, there has been no official confirmation of those reports. The Xinyi store first opened 24-hours a day in mid-2020 after the Eslite Dunnan store was closed. **China Criticizes COVID19 Requirements on Travelers ** The Chinese government has sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements being imposed on visitors from China and threatening countermeasures against countries involved. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a daily briefing Tuesday that China believes the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting passengers from China lack scientific basis. China abruptly (突然) eased strict anti-virus measures in December, leading to a surge in cases. Countries including the U.S., U.K., India, Japan and several European nations have announced tougher measures on travelers from China. Many are worried about a lack of data from China and fear that new variants may spread. **NYC Machete Attacker to be Arraigned ** The 19-year-old accused on attacking 3 police officers with a machete near Times Square on New Years Eve is expected to be arraigned (傳訊) tomorrow, meanwhile his mother reached out to police last month to express concerns about him. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. ((No Excerpting Sound)) 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 30-points this morning from last Friday's close, at 14,108 on turnover of $1.8-billion N-T. The market gained ground last Friday, on the final trading day of 2022, closing up 52.67-points, but turnover remained weak as foreign institutional investors were away for the seasonal holiday period. The Tai-Ex closed the year at 14,138-points, and that was down 22.4-per cent from the end of 2021, pushing down market capitalization to 44-trillion N-T. Data shows the local main board for whole of 2022 slumped on the back of geopolitical tensions, aggressive interest rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve and weaker demand in the electronics sector in the second half of the year. **New Round of Reservations for Coronavirus Vaccines to Begin in Taipei ** The Taipei Department of Health says those wishing to get a coronavirus vaccine can now make an appointment. The new round of reservations for the 73,000 available doses is now open through 9PM Friday on Taipei's vaccination reservation system. City health officials say the shots to be administered from between January 9-th and 15-th. Among the vaccines available will be the Pfizer-BioNTech shot for children aged from six months to 11 years old and for people aged 12 and older and the Novavax vaccine for people 12 years and older. The Moderna vaccines available will be the standard vaccine for people aged six months to 11 years old and the bivalent vaccines offered as a booster against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants for children aged six to 11 years old and those aged 12 and older. **US Divided Congress to Begin New Session ** A new session of the US Congress will begin on Tuesday with a return of a divided government. Nick Harper reports from Washington. **German Village Scuffles Over Mine Expansion ** Scuffles have broken out outside a village in western Germany that is to be razed to allow the expansion of a coal mine. German news agency dpa reported that activists on Monday threw fireworks, bottles and stones at police outside the village of Luetzerath before the situation calmed down and officers pulled back. Protesters previously had set up a burning barricade (路障), and one glued his hand to the access road. The hamlet is to be demolished to expand the Garzweiler lignite mine. Activists have been living in houses abandoned by former residents. The county administration has authorized police to clear the village from Jan. 10-th. **Mexico Elects First Female Chief Justice ** Mexico’s Supreme Court has elected the first female chief justice in its history. Justice Norma Lucia Pina was sworn in (宣誓就職) for her four-year term at the head of the 11-member court, pledging to maintain the independence of the country's highest court. As chief justice, Pina will also head the entire judicial branch. The 6-5 vote by her fellow ministers Monday came despite pressure by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on the ministers. Lopez Obrador had backed another female justice, Yasmin Esquivel, for the top post. 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 99-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,184 on turnover of $1.92-billion N-T. **Ex-Denmark PM and NATO secretary general to visit Taiwan next week ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Former prime minister of Demark and ex-NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will visit Taiwan next week, to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen. MOFA says Rasmussen has been calling on democratic countries to enhance (提高、增強) cooperation with Taiwan, to build democratic reliance amid the expansion of authoritarianism, adding that his upcoming visit was a clear demonstration of his strong support toward Taiwan. Rasmussen in 2017 founded the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of democracy and free markets across the globe. In his current role, he hosts the annual Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which was first held in 2018. During his scheduled stay from January 3rd to 5th, Rasmussen will also meet with Vice President William Lai and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, as well as lawmakers and think tank scholars. (TT) **MOL expands scope of online work permit applications for foreign nationals ** A government online work permit application system for foreign nationals has been expanded to cover cram schools, art-related jobs, and the adult children of work permit-holding foreign professionals. The Workforce Development Agency's "EZ Work Permit" website has been handling applications from local companies to employ foreign managers, as well as from sports- and art-related agencies to hire international talents. Now, cram schools may also create an account on the EZ Work Permit website, to apply for work permits and to renew (更新) the permits of their foreign employees online. The Ministry of Labor says that unlike offices with regular government business hours, the online service is operational 24/7, and should take seven working days or less to process and issue permit applications. (TT) **US Biden Signs Bill ** US President Joe Biden has signed a $1.7 trillion bill funding government operations. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. **Brazil da Silva Names Amazon Activist as Minister of Environment ** Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced Thursday that Amazon activist Marina Silva will be the country’s next minister of environment. The announcement signals the new administration will prioritize cracking down on illegal deforestation in the forest even if it means running afoul of powerful agribusiness interests. Lula has promised to end all deforestation by 2030. This would be a sharp turnabout (徹底變化) from the policies of the outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, who pushed for development in the Amazon. Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon reached a 15-year high in the year ending in July 2021, though the devastation slowed somewhat in the following 12 months. **Vivienne Westwood Obit ** English designer Vivienne Westwood has died at 81. Her fashion house announced her death Thursday on its social media platforms, saying she died peacefully in South London surrounded by friends and family. A cause was not immediately disclosed (公佈). Westwood’s fashion career began in the 1970s with the punk (龐克) explosion, when the onetime primary school teacher's radical approach to urban street style took the world by storm. But she went on to enjoy a long career highlighted by activism and a string of runway shows and museum exhibits. 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 76-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,098 on turnover of $2-billion N-T. **Taiwan reports 6.2 percent year-on-year increase in road fatalities ** The Ministry of Transportation and Communications says Taiwan has reported more than 2,500 road fatalities in the first 10 months of 2022, up 6 percent year-on-year, and its highest level in nine years. MOTC officials say there were more than 300-thousand total traffic accidents in the first 10 months of this year, marking a 5.5 percent increase from the same period last year. In 2020, Taiwan reported 12.6 traffic fatalities per 100-thousand individuals… four times higher than Japan and Denmark, and six times higher than Sweden. The MOTC has attributed the high death toll in Taiwan to the high number of scooter-related accidents, and MOTC Minister Wang Kwo-tsai is calling on local governments to work with the ministry to improve road safety. (TT) **France Pledges Further Military Support ** France’s defense minister has pledged further military support for Ukraine, insisting his government’s backing is unflagging (永不減弱的) while efforts are also being made with Moscow to reach an eventual (最終的) negotiated end to Russia’s invasion. Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said support will include French army equipment and a 200 million euro fund that would allow Ukraine to purchase weapons. Lecornu said France was giving military equipment from the French army to the Ukrainian army, but highlighted that this would not weaken France’s defense. Officials have also said France could deliver a new air-defense system in the future, without revealing details, though Ukraine's defense minister added that France would immediately begin training Ukrainian air officers on how to use it. The minister said his trip to Kyiv was important to identify the priorities of the Ukrainian defense ministry. **US Trump Considered Pardons for Capitol Attackers ** Newly released transcripts from the U.S. House Committee on the events of January 6th, show how former President Trump was considering giving pardons (赦免) to numerous people involved in the Capitol riot. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **Armenia Protests Against Road Block ** Hundreds of opposition supporters have rallied in the Armenian capital, urging the government to act to unblock a vital road linking Armenia to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azeri protests have choked off (阻止) basic supplies to the territory. Both the protesters in Yerevan Wednesday and Armenian authorities have accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to the area of failing to take adequate steps to lift the blockade, something Moscow denies. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Yerevan since a separatist war there ended in 1994. 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. **Extended military service to include higher pay, longer boot camp: President ** President Tsai Ing-wen has announced that compulsory military service in Taiwan will be extended from four months to one year, effective Jan. 1, 2024, to strengthen Taiwan's combat readiness against potential Chinese attacks. Tsai also promised to increase the monthly salary of conscripts, from the current starting salary of $6,510 NT to $26,307 NT, to make sure they earn enough to cover their basic daily expenses. The decision is expected to affect conscripts who were born on Jan. 1, 2005 and after. Tsai says conscripts will receive more intense (強烈的) and longer boot camp training to boost their combat preparedness, firing no less than 800 rounds of ammunition during their one-year service period. She says they will also be trained to fire Kestrel anti-armor rockets and FIM-92 Stingers, operate UAVs and engage in close-combat training, which have proven useful in modern day warfare, she said. The president stressed that "No one wants war," but Taiwan has faced increasing military coercion from China in recent years and needs to do its part by boosting self-defense. (NS) **New wage subsidy available to employers of live-in migrant caregivers ** The Ministry of Labor says employers of live-in migrant caregivers are eligible for a subsidy of up to $3,000 NT per month. Officials say the subsidies are aimed at covering the increase in the minimum wage for live-in migrant caregivers from $17-thousand NT to $20-thousand NT, that took effect on Aug. 10-th. The ministry says applicants (申請人) should provide the employment contracts showing that their employees are paid at least $20-thousand NT per month and a copy of the passbook cover of the employer's domestic bank account. Health officials say as of Dec. 15-th, there have been nearly 40-thousand applications, and the first subsidy payments were made on Dec. 5-th. (NS) **Pakistan Bombing Suspects Arrested ** Pakistan's interior minister says authorities have arrested five people suspected of involvement in last week’s suicide car bombing that killed a police officer in the capital of Islamabad. The minister says the detainees included the suicide bomber’s handler. He said the attacker arrived in the garrison (駐軍) city of Rawalpindi from a former tribal area of Kurram. The official did not disclose the identity of the detainees and no spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, which had claimed responsibility for the attack, was immediately available for comment. **US Trump Tax Returns Published Friday ** Former President Donald Trump's tax returns are expected to be made public on Friday. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports **Mexico President Appeals Against ** Mexico's president is appealing (呼籲) to the country's citizens not to accept holiday handouts and gifts from drug gangs. His comments came after videos posted online showed pickup trucks handing out loads of gifts while bystanders described the drivers as members of the Jalisco drug cartel. Authorities have not confirmed the source of the gifts, but President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed that some drug gangs were looking to resume such giveaways to gain the support of the local population. Lopez Obrador said that local residents in some communities have tried to protect traffickers, stop drug seizures or oppose the installation of National Guard bases intended to fight drug trafficking. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 25-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,310 on turnover of 1.34-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan edged slightly higher Monday after moving in a narrow range on low turnover as many foreign institutional investors were away for the Christmas holiday. Although the bellwether electronics sector finished little changed, contract chipmaker TSMC ended higher to stabilize the broader market, and buying also rotated to the biotech sector as COVID-19 infections spike in China. **CWB: Rains Coming for Northern Taiwan ** The Central Weather Bureau says rainy weather may be coming for northern Taiwan. The CWB says skies should remain clear to cloudy today, but moisture is gathering over the island, leading to possible rain over Keelung and other parts of the north coast. Lowest temperatures this morning were recorded in Hsinchu County's Er-mei Township, at 5.2 degrees Celsius, and in general, daytime temperatures remain relatively warm, between 18-22 degrees in the north and east, and 24 to 26 degrees in the center and south. And weather expert Wu Der-rong also says a cold front may pass over Taiwan from January 2nd to 5th next year, after a mild New Years' Day. **Dwight Howard to join Taoyuan's New Year countdown bash ** Eight-time NBA All Star Dwight Howard will be at the countdown party in Taoyuan to celebrate the New Year with his fans this coming weekend. The T1 LEAGUE's Taoyuan Leopards basketball team says Howard will be participating in the city's "2023 Show Taoyuan" this Saturday. The team says at the event, a lucky spectator (觀眾) will also be chosen from the crowd to get on stage for a photo with Howard. The countdown party will be held at the square outside the Taoyuan high-speed rail station from 7 p.m. that day, featuring firework displays and performances by artists from Taiwan and abroad. **Indonesia Rohingya Muslims Land on Beach ** A second group in two days of Rohingya Muslims has landed on a beach in Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh after weeks at sea. Police say at least 185 men, women and children disembarked (下船) from a wooden boat at dusk on a beach, weak from dehydration and exhaustion (虛脫). They were taken to the village hall and will stay there while they receive help from residents, health workers and others. Immigration officials and police are trying to identify the refugee to determine if they were from the group of 190 Rohingya who were reported by United Nations to be drifting in a small boat in the Andaman Sea for a month. The UNHCR on Friday urged countries to rescue the refugees, saying reports indicated they were in dire condition with insufficient food or water. **Aid Groups Suspend Work in Afghanistan ** Foreign aid groups are suspending (暫停) operations in Afghanistan following a decision by the Taliban leadership to ban women from working at international and local non-governmental organizations. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Tai-Ex opening nearly unchanged Taipei Mayor's priorities Dozens of Rohingya Refugees reachd Indonesia Iran protests ongoing Meta agrees to $750 million settlement over Cambridge Analytica scandal -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Subject: E*EZ NEWS DECEMBER 23, 2022 ** **Return to **Table of contents **Subject: E*Tai-Ex opening ** **Return to **Table of contents The Tai-Ex opened down 125-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,318 on turnover of $2.9-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex gained more that 200-points on Thursday, as investors welcomed a report showing U-S consumer confidence is holding up despite the Federal Reserve's campaign to fight inflation by raising interest rates. **Subject: E*New Traffic Laws Pass Initial LY Committee Review ** **Return to **Table of contents Lawmakers on the Legislative Transportation Committee have approved a series of amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act. The amendments set out to increase fines for drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians and the revoking (撤銷) of drivers' licenses in the event of a pedestrian (行人) death for failing to yield. Under the proposed amendments, drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians could face a fine of up to 3,600 N-T. The causing of injury by failing to yield to pedestrians will be punishable by a fine of up 36,000 N-T and vehicle owners will have their license suspended for one year. While drivers who cause severe injury or death will have their license revoked as well as facing criminal charges. **Subject: E*MOC Honors 3 Cultural Conservationists as 'National Living Treasures' ** **Return to **Table of contents The Ministry of Culture has honored three men who have dedicated their lives to the conservation of traditional culture as "national living treasures" in recognition of their efforts to preserve Taiwan's cultural heritage. The ministry has awarded Hsu Ming-he the title for preserving exquisite (精美的) traditional claywork techniques. While Li Qing-hai and Su Qing-liang have been recognized for their excellence at preserving traditional Han and foreign style building techniques. The title of "national living treasure" was first awarded by the the culture ministry in 2010. The title is based on the provisions of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. It has honored 10 national important cultural heritage conservation techniques and 16 cultural conservationists to date. **Subject: E*Ex EU Parliament VP In Custody Over Corruption ** **Return to **Table of contents The Greek member of the European Parliament accused of taking bribes from Qatar was in court on Thursday for a pretrial hearing. Eva Kaili is among four people charged with corruption, and money laundering. Alex Cadier reports from Brussels < [CLIP] Slug: > **Subject: E*Spain Scotland Pass Gender SelfDetermination Bills ** **Return to **Table of contents Lawmakers in Spain and Scotland have passed gender self-determination bills allowing citizens over 16 to change their registered gender (性別) without medical supervision. Spain’s lower house of Parliament approved a law on Thursday that requires children ages 12 and 13 to have a judge’s authorization to make the change and those between 14 and 16 have to be accompanied by their parents. The bill adopted by the Scottish Parliament makes Scotland the first part of the U.K. to endorse allowing people to transition by self-declaration. The new rules require applicants to have lived full-time in their declared identity for three months, or six months if they are ages 16-17. **Subject: C*OUTRO ** **Return to **Table of contents 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 147-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,381 on turnover of 15.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex staged a mild technical rebound on Wednesday from the previous session, but turnover remained moderate as investors opted to stay on the sidelines amid lingering concerns over the global economic slowdown.. Buying largely focused on old economy stocks, while the bellwether electronics sector saw its gains limited by investor worries over on-going inventory adjustments affecting the global tech sector. **MOHW Could Ease Molnupiravir Distribution Regualtions ** Health Minister Hsueh Rui-yuan says his office is considering expanding the distribution and use of the coronavirus oral antiviral agent molnupiravir. Speaking a hearing of the Legislative Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee, the minister said prescription restrictions could be eased, more medical personnel now have a better understanding of the usage of the drug. The statement comes after the Taiwan Medical Association complained that the procedure for prescribing and obtaining (獲得) molnupiravir is overly troublesome and as a result, some doctors are choosing not to prescribe it. **UNSC Adopts First Myanmar Resolution ** The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution calling for the immediate end to violence in Myanmar. A military coup (政變) in February last year led to violent crackdowns on pro-democracy protests and the arrest of the country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi. William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York. **Russia Announces Plans to Beef Up Military ** Russia announced an ambitious plan to beef up its military from 1 million to 1.5 million and create multiple new units. It's an attempt to bolster the forces that have lost momentum (動力) and many soldiers in the war in Ukraine. Russia’s military chief cited NATO’s plans to incorporate Finland and Sweden as a factor in the buildup. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared Wednesday that the country needs a force of 1.5 million to guarantee Russia’s security. The Russian military currently has about 1 million soldiers. That compares with China’s force of 2 million and the U.S. force of 1.4 million. **European Rocket Launch Fails ** The launch of a European rocket carrying two Earth observation satellites failed and ditched (拋棄，丟棄) in the sea less than three minutes after lift-off from a spaceport in French Guiana on Wednesday. Arianespace, which provided the launch service, said in a statement that approximately 2 minutes and 22 seconds after liftoff a decrease in pressure was observed in the Vega C rocket’s second stage “leading to the premature end of the mission.” Arianespace said the launcher was destroyed with “no damage to persons or properties.” The launch was meant to take two earth observation satellites made by Airbus into orbit. The satellites would have been part of a constellation capable of taking images of any point of the global with a resolution of 30 centimeters. 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 35-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,205 on turnover of 2.2-billion N-T. The market shed more than 250-points on Tuesday. Selling was seen across the main board as investors were spooked by heavy losses on the Nikkei following an unexpected decision by Japan's central bank to tighten its monetary policy. **Visiting European Parliament Delegation Calls for EU-Taiwan BIA ** Members of a visiting delegation of the European Parliament's international trade committee are expressing support for the signing of a bilateral investment agreement between the European Union and Taiwan. Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office, committee vice chair Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou said the E-U recognizes its trade and investment partnership with Taiwan as a "strategic relationship with geopolitical implications (影響)." According to the Greek lawmaker, she also firmly believes that further bilateral cooperation on global supply chains will be mutually beneficial due to Taiwan's leading role in semiconductor production. The 13-member delegation arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a four-day visit. **Prosecutors Seek to Annul Miaoli Magistrate Election ** The Miaoli District Prosecutors' Office filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify (使無效、取消) the election of county Magistrate-elect Chong Dong-jin. The move comes amid allegations that Chong's supporters handed out cash bribes to voters. According to the prosecutors' office, one of Chong's campaign office directors allegedly engaged in vote-buying on behalf of the candidate - handing out cash bribe's of between 1,000 and 2,000 N-T to each voter. Chong is denying the charges. **Ukraine President to Visit Washington ** Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky is to visit Washington on Wednesday for face-to-face meetings with President Biden at the White House. He's also expected to make a speech before a joint session of Congress. It will be the first time he's left Ukraine since the war began, as our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports. **German Nazi Stenographer Senteced for Crimes ** A German court has convicted a 97-year-old woman of being an accessory to murder (謀殺案的同謀) for her role as a secretary to the SS commander of the Nazis' Stutthof concentration camp during World War II. The court in northern Germany gave the woman a two-year suspended sentence on Tuesday. The defendant was found to have known about and deliberately supported the killing of more than 10,500 prisoners through her work as a stenographer in the commander's office between 1943 and 1945. **UN Votes to Keep Peacekeepers to Congo ** The Security Council has voted unanimously to extend the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo with an eye to its eventual exit. It also voted to lift a notification requirement on some government arms purchases which Congo’s foreign minister recently called unjustified. The separate resolutions were approved amid worsening security in Congo’s mineral-rich east, which has seen an upsurge in violence and civilian killings that has uprooted tens of thousands of people. The resolution extends (延伸) the U.N. force until Dec. 20, 2023. It strongly condemns all domestic and foreign armed groups operating in the country and demands that they immediately stop all violence and exploitation of Congo's resources. 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 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