EZ News

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 129-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,522 on turnover of 9.4-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan extended their momentum from a session earlier to close above the 23,600 point level Tuesday, with the bellwether electronics sector continuing to drive the broader market higher after a rally by tech stocks in the United States overnight. Analysts say "Investors continued to chase TSMC amid optimism over artificial intelligence development", but "Non-tech stocks largely moved in weakness and also capped the gains on the broader market". UK Launches Electronic Travel Authorization The UK has introduced its Electronic Travel Authorization system, now required for visa-exempt (免除，豁免) travelers, including Taiwanese nationals with a National ID number. Starting today, visitors must apply online or via the UK ETA app before entering the UK. Each application costs ￡10 Pounds, or around 410NT, and takes about three working days to process. Approved ETAs are valid for two years, allowing multiple entries, with each stay capped at six months. Meanwhile, the EU's European Entry/Exit System, initially planned for November 2024, has been delayed due to unfinished upgrades at Schengen airports. No new launch date has been announced. Taiwanese passport holders can still enter Schengen countries visa-free for now. Updates on the EES will follow as details become available. (PB) LA Evacuations Amid Fastmoving Wildfire Thousands of people in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood west of Los Angeles have been ordered to evacuate (撤離) due to a fast-moving wildfire. Dangerous windy conditions are forecast to continue into Wednesday. Ira Spitzer has more from California. Australia Plane Crash Leaves Dead and Missing Officials say three people have been seriously injured and another three are missing after a seaplane crashed off an Australian tourist island. Police say only one of the seven people aboard the Cessna 208 Caravan was rescued without injury after the crash during takeoff from Rottnest Island on Tuesday afternoon. The plane was returning to its base in Perth. Officials say specialist (專家) investigators are being sent to the scene. The three injured people were flown to a Perth hospital in serious but stable conditions. Britain Hearing on Shein Labor Practices A lawyer for Shein summoned to a British parliamentary hearing has evaded questions on whether the fast-fashion giant sells products containing cotton from China. That angered lawmakers seeking answers on the retailer’s labor practices and allegations of forced labor in its supply chains. Executives from Shein and its rival Temu were grilled on their labor rights compliance and how they source their products at Parliament’s business and trade committee Tuesday. Committee officials say statements by the Shein lawyer have given lawmakers “zero confidence” in the integrity (正直，誠實) of Shein’s supply chains. The hearing came amid reports that Shein is preparing for a $62 billion US dollar listing in London. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. MND: China Rocket Launch Passes Over Central Taiwan The Ministry of National Defense says a Chinese rocket launched earlier this morning posed no threat to Taiwan. Officials say the rocket was launched from Sichuan at 4am, and its flight path passed over central Taiwan en route to the western Pacific, at an altitude above Earth's atmosphere. The MND says the military closely monitored the launch using intelligence and surveillance systems, maintaining appropriate (適當的) alerts and responses. Officials emphasized that there is no danger to Taiwan from the launch. (NS) Miaoli Records Lowest Temp for Flatlands This Winter The coldest temperature of the winter season has been recorded in Miaoli County. Monitoring stations in the county's San-wan Township recorded lows of 4.2 degrees early this morning, and Meteorologist Wu De-rong confirms that this is the lowest recorded temperature for flatland areas, so far this season. Wu says the current cold front combined with radiative (輻射的) cooling has significantly lowered temperatures, with parts of Miaoli County dropping below 6 degrees this morning. The Central Weather Administration has issued cold surge advisories for 13 cities and counties, mostly in northern, and central Taiwan, as well as parts of the south. Wu says athe cold front will continue, with lows dipping to 5 degrees in some areas. And from this Thursday, the cold will intensifying, with stronger winds, and wet, chilly weather. He says northern Taiwan could see highs of just 13 degrees, and mountain snowfall is possible above 2,000 meters. (NS) NKorea Claims New Hypersonic Missile in Test North Korea says its latest weapons test was a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile designed to strike targets in the Pacific. The North Korean state media report came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected North Korea launching a missile that flew 1,100 kilometers before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. North Korea demonstrated multiple weapons systems last year that can target its neighbors and the United States, including solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles. There are concerns that its military capabilities could advance further through technology transfers from Russia, as the two countries align (使結盟；使密切合作) over the war in Ukraine. Kim reiterated that his nuclear push was aimed at countering threats posed by hostile forces but didn't directly mention the U.S. Nigeria Activates Quaratine for Visitors from China Nigeria says it is activating (啟動) surveillance measures on people coming into the country from China. This follows the outbreak of a virus in the country, causing respiratory problems especially among children. Tesem Akende reports. Indonesia Gains BRICS Membership Brazil has announced that Indonesia has been admitted as a full member of BRICS, the bloc of developing economies. Brazil holds the group’s presidency for 2025. Indonesia’s candidacy was endorsed (贊同的) by BRICS leaders in August 2023, according to Brazil’s Foreign Ministry. However, the Asian nation opted to formally join the bloc only after the formation of its newly elected government in 2024. BRICS was formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009, and added South Africa in 2010. Last year, the alliance expanded to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 224-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,132 on turnover of 7.1-billion N-T. PM2.5 haze from China to affect Taiwan in coming week: MOENV The Ministry of Environment says Taiwan will experience poorer air quality and visibility (能見度) from today through Thursday due to fine particulate matter moving in from China. The ministry says air quality across Taiwan is expected to range from "moderate to orange" warning levels on those days, with the orange warning level meaning that air quality is "unhealthy for sensitive groups" . Officials say PM2.5 concentrations measuring 40-50 micrograms per cubic meter possible in northern parts of the country today, with the haze then sweeping southward across the island. The World Health Organization has recommended in its air quality guidelines that 24-hour average exposures to PM2.5 particulates should not exceed 15 micrograms per cubic meter. Air quality in areas north of Hsinchu and Miaoli counties is expected to improve from Tuesday, though other areas will continue to be affected until at least Thursday, when another wave of pollution from China may also roll into Taiwan. HeHuanShan Sees Season's Heaviest Snowfall Hehuanshan saw its heaviest snowfall of the winter overnight, drawing crowds of snow chasers despite freezing temperatures. Local officials say snowfall began at around 8 p.m. yesterday and continued into the early morning. Workers at Songxue Lodge reported about 0.5 centimeters of accumulation. Cold air combined with moisture caused snow and sleet to blanket roads and slopes. The snowfall led the Directorate General of Highways to restrict (限制) access to Hehuanshan’s main route, Provincial Highway 14A. As of early this morning, parts of the road between Kunyang and Xiaofengkou remained icy, prompting continued snow chain requirements. Drivers were urged to proceed cautiously and follow traffic and safety advisories. SKorea Requests Police Takeover Impeached President Arrest Attempt South Korea’s anti-corruption agency has requested that police take over efforts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after its investigators failed to bring him to custody following a standoff with the presidential security service last week. The agency and police confirmed the discussion today, hours before the one-week warrant for Yoon’s detention was to expire (到期). The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials will likely seek a new court warrant to extend the window for Yoon’s detention, according to police. Venezuela Opposition Leader Urges Protests Against Maduro Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has urged supporters to demonstrate across the country, telling them in a video message that President Nicolas Maduro will not step down on his own and they “must make him leave.” Machado on Sunday instructed supporters to demonstrate Thursday, the day before Venezuela’s next presidential term is set to begin. Her message came hours after the government again made clear its intention (意圖) to arrest retired diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, who claims to have defeated Maduro in last year’s election. Gonzalez left Venezuela for exile in Spain in September after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. US NYC Congestion Toll New York City now has a toll (收費) to enter the heart of the Big Apple. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 187-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,019 on turnover of $5.7-billion N-T. Women over 50 seeking assisted reproduction grew by 45% in 2022 The Health Promotion Administration says data shows that number of women over the age of 50 seeking (尋求) assisted reproduction treatment grew by 45-per cent in 2022. According to the administration's latest report, a total of 58,476 married women received assisted reproduction that year, marking an increase of 8,824 from 2021. Of those women, 36.1-per cent were aged between 35 and 39, 33.3-per cent between the ages of 40 and 44 and 19.9-per cent were aged between 30-34. The administration says although there were only 355 women aged over 50, that figure represented a 45-per cent increase from the previous year. The report shows that a total of 11,549 babies were born in 2022 due to assisted reproduction - 1,775 more than the previous year. UK Government Unveils New Laws To Tackle Suspected People Smugglers The U-K Government has announced new laws aimed at tackling (對付) suspected people smugglers. It comes after figures showed a 25-per cent increase in the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in 2024. The measures form part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill and look to curb the activity of smuggling gangs responsible for channel crossings. Simon Gaitan has more. Australia Surfer Missing After Shark Attack Authorities say a surfer missing in Australia is believed dead in a shark attack and they are searching the waters where the man disappeared. The 28-year-old was at a popular surf beach in South Australia where a man was killed by a white shark in 2023. A witness who saw the shark attack on Thursday evening local time at Granites Beach, near the coastal town of Streaky Bay, rode into the sea on a jet ski and retrieved the man’s surfboard, police told local media, but there was no sign of the victim. Shark attacks in Australia are rare, but the state of South Australia has registered more episodes (一連串事件) in the past two years than usual. There were five shark attacks off the state’s coast in 2023, three of them fatal. Scientists at the time said they did not know the reason for the cluster. Sports Piracy Network Dismantled A Europol operation during last summer’s European Championship and Paris Olympics dismantled a network of several hundred providers of illegal streaming of sports and other pirated (盜版的) content. Spain’s top soccer league announced the results Thursday. La Liga says it cooperated in the investigation. The European Union’s law enforcement agency identified more than 560 resellers of pirated content that included streaming of movies, series and TV channels. More than 100 suspects were identified and 11 were arrested. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Taiex Opening Down The Taiex opened down 59 points this morning on the first trading day of the year, at 22,975, on turnover of $3.87 billion NT. Lai proposes talks with Beijing to ease tourism restrictions President Lai Ching-te is describing China as the "real barrier" to cross-strait exchanges - not Taiwan - and he is urging Beijing to hold talks with Taipei to ease restrictions on tourism. Speaking at the Presidential Office following his New Year's Day address, Lai said if China is genuinely sincere about reopening tourism links … … then the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and the Association for Tourism Exchange across the Taiwan Straits should begin negotiations to ease those restrictions." Lai cited government data - saying the number of Taiwanese traveling to China for tourism or business reached 2.05-million between January and November of last year - while only 285,000 Chinese tourists visited Taiwan during the same period. He also criticized Beijing for banning Chinese students from pursuing (追求) degrees in Taiwan. Tamkang Bridge makes CNN's architecture projects set to shape the world in 2025 list The under construction Tamkang Bridge linking New Taipei City's Bali and Tamsui districts has made CNN's list of the top 11 architecture projects set to shape the world in 2025. The 920-meter long road, light rail and pedestrian bridge was designed by Iraqi-British architect architect Zaha Hadid. When completed it will be the world's longest single-tower, asymmetric (不對稱的) cable-stayed suspension bridge. It ranks 11th in CNN's list of architectural projects set to shape the world this year. CNN describes it as featuring "a surprisingly slender profile, with the entire structure supported by just a single concrete mast - which the firm's project description says minimizes the bridge's visual impact on its surroundings." The bridge is set to open for traffic in the first half of next year. Montenegro Shooting Leaves 10 Dead Montenegro’s interior minister says at least 10 people, including two children, were killed in a shooting in the western city of Cetinje. The shooter, who was on the run, also seriously wounded four people in the attack on Wednesday. Police dispatched (發送，派遣) special troops to search for the attacker in the city, located some 30 kilometers northwest of the capital, Podgorica. A statement said the man fled the scene armed after opening fire at the bar. US Las Vegas Police Investigate Trump Towers Vehicle Fire Police in Las Vegas are investigating a vehicle explosion outside the city's Trump Towers hotel complex. Videos circulating online show a Tesla cyber truck exploding (爆炸) in front of the hotel entrance. Ira Spitzer reports. Puerto Rico Power Partially Restored Electric power has been restored to nearly all affected customers across Puerto Rico after a sweeping blackout plunged the U.S. territory into darkness on New Year’s Eve. By Wednesday afternoon, energy officials said power was back up for 98% of Puerto Rico’s 1.47 million utility customers. Luma Energy, the private company overseeing transmission and distribution of power in the archipelago, said lights returned to households as well as Puerto Rico’s hospitals and water and sewage facilities after the massive outage that exposed the persistent electricity problems plaguing (困擾) the island. Still, the company warned that customers could still see persistent temporary outages. It said full restoration across the island could take up to two days. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 96-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,094 on turnover of 3.7-billion N-T. The market lost ground on Monday as a decline on Wall Street at the end of last week resulted in the selling of large cap electronics stocks. Turnover also remained thin as foreign institutional investors remain away from the market for the New Year's Day holiday, making it hard for the main board to rally - leaving the Tai-Ex in consolidation mode. Government revises 2030 carbon reduction target upwards The government has revised its 2030 target for the reduction of carbon emissions upwards - but is warning that uncertainties over electricity usage and climate change technologies remain. According to Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming, the government will now pursue (追求) a goal of reducing carbon emissions by between 26 and 30-per cent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. That's up from the previous goal of between 23 and 25-per cent set in December of 2022. Peng says the wider margin of error than the previous forecast is due to several uncertainties - including international political and economic developments - which could affect progress on climate change issues differently across countries. Institute publishes new batch of Chiang diaries Academia Historica has published the fourth batch of Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo's diaries. The diaries were formerly a part of a collection at Stanford University The were returned to Taiwan in September of last year following years-long legal battle over their ownership. Academia Historica has since been digitizing them and making them publicly available in chronological (時間順序) order. The fourth and latest set to been released includes Chiang Kai-shek's diaries from 1930 to 1933 and Chiang Ching-kuo's diaries from 1943 to 1944. South Korean Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol South Korea's anti-corruption agency says that a court has issued warrants to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and search his office. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said in a statement that the Seoul Western District Court issued warrants Tuesday to detain Yoon over his stunning (令人驚嘆的) yet short-lived martial law decree earlier this month and to search the presidential office in central Seoul. The agency said it is investigating whether his declaration of martial law amounted to rebellion. Yoon's powers have been suspended since the opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14. The Constitutional Court is to determine whether to dismiss Yoon as president or reinstate him. US: Treasury Targeted by Chinese Hackers US Treasury officials say Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached the department's systems this month, stealing unclassified documents in a "major incident (事件)". Ira Spitzer has more. Greece to Launch GovOperated App Greece says it will enhance parental oversight of mobile devices in 2025 by building a government-operated app, that will help get digital age verification and browsing controls. The country's minister of digital governance said the Kids Wallet app will launch in March and is aimed at safeguarding children under the age of 15 from the risks of excessive and inappropriate internet use. He said the initiative will help hold social media platforms more accountable (應負責任的) for enforcing age controls. The app could be pre-installed on smartphones sold in Greece by the end of next year. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened flat this morning from Friday's close, at 23,274 on turnover of 3.2-billion N-T. The market closed slightly higher Friday as turnover stayed low with many foreign institutional investors still away from the market for the New Year's holiday Turnover fell below the 300-billion N-T level, but select large-cap stocks in both the electronics and non-tech sectors appeared resilient, helping the broader market end above the previous close. MAC to investigate allegations of Taiwanese citizens holding Chinese ID The Mainland Affairs Council says it will open investigations into allegations of Taiwanese citizens holding Chinese I-D cards. The statement follows claims made by Taiwanese YouTubers in a recent documentary. According to the council, the holding of Chinese I-D cards by Taiwanese citizens is evidence of Beijing's United Front efforts and is not about "making friends, but about 'offering benefits (好處)". The move comes after YouTubers Ba Jiong and Chen Po-yuan released a 60-minute video this past weekend … .. in which they interviewed an unnamed intermediary who claimed that approximately 100,000 Taiwanese citizens currently hold a Chinese ID card. Black-faced spoonbill sets record by returning to Taiwan 9 years straight And, A single black-faced spoonbill has broken Taiwan's record for the most documented visits by one of the migratory species. The female bird has been identified by its leg band as T-69 and broke the record after being found to have traveled to Taiwan for nine consecutive (連續的) years. The Taijiang National Park Headquarters says the bird has returned to Tainan annually every October since 2015. The migratory bird's repeated presence has resulted in bird watchers dubbing it "Daughter of Tainan" and "Daughter of Taijiang." Of the 4,100 spoonbills counted in Taiwan, 2,088 were spotted in Tainan. SKorea Jetliner Crash Leaves Dead and Injured A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. Officials said all but two of the 181 people on board were killed Sunday in one of the country’s worst aviation (航空) disasters. The 737-800 operated by Jeju Air plane arrived from Bangkok and crashed while attempting to land in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers south of Seoul. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, evidently with its landing gear (起落架；起落裝置) still closed. Officials were investigating the cause of the crash, including whether the aircraft was struck by birds, Lee said. Investigators retrieved the jet's flight data and cockpit voice recorders, but they say it may take months to complete the probe into the crash. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 as storm system moves across southern U.S. Tornadoes and severe (劇烈) storms have ripped through the U-S States of Texas and Mississippi, killing at least four people over the weekend. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 4-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,251 on turnover of $2.95-billion N-T. Presidential Office simulation shows need for better government coordination National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General, Lin Fei-fan says central and local governments need to improve their coordination to better defend Taiwan. The statement follows a "tabletop simulation" at the Presidential Office. According to Lin, although emergency response protocols are well established, various government agencies at different levels need to enhance their ability to coordinate and communicate more effectively during emergencies. Lin says currently, each agency tends to approach issues separately without considering how they can collaborate (合作) with each other and improve their "response to complex threats" …. .. and the "tabletop simulation" exposed potential manpower shortages affecting entities overseen by the Ministry of the Interior - including law enforcement agencies, fire departments, the air service corps and others. It was carried out during the second meeting of the Presidential Office's Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee and included the participation of Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and other top central and local government officials. Azerbaijan Day of Mourning for Plane Crash Victims Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the air crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation ( 猜測) has been mounting about a possible cause of the crash … .. with reports saying it was likely hit by Russian air defence systems. The A-P's Rica Ann Garcia reports … Finland Detains RussianLinked Ship After Cable Damage Finnish police say authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables. It was the latest incident involving disruption (破壞) of key infrastructure. Police and border guards boarded the Eagle S and took control as they investigate damage to the Estlink-2 undersea power cable. The cable brings electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea. The cable went down on Wednesday. The incident follows damage to two data cables and the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Both have been termed sabotage. US FDA Proposes New Testing Rules For Asbestos in Cosmetics From the US… The Food and Drug Administration is proposing a rule that cosmetic (化妝品) companies would need to take extra steps to ensure that any products containing talc are free of asbestos. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports Subject: C*OUTRO Return to Table of contents That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened opened up 56-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,276 on turnover of $23-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed higher Wednesday on the back of a rally in the United States overnight, but turnover shrank further as many foreign institutional investors spent Christmas Day off the trading floor. Contract chipmaker TSMC contributed about 80 points to the Taiex's rise, and sent the electronics index higher by 0.62 percent. Taiwan's consular affairs chief named as new envoy to Greece Taiwan's top diplomat in charge of consular affairs has been named as the country's new representative to Greece. Calvin Ho will now fill a post that has been vacant (空缺) for more than six months. Former representative to Greece Sherman Kuo vacated the post after his resignation was approved by the Presidential Office on June 19. The foreign ministry at the time said Kuo resigned for personal reasons. Calvin Ho previously served as the ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and as an ambassador on home assignment in the foreign ministry's Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs … …. before heading the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Ho was responsible for pushing for an online passport renewal application service that will soon complete a four-month trial run before being fully implemented next year. US Trump Suspect Trial Date Pushed Back The trial of man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump has been pushed back. AP correspondent Shelley Adler reports Japan Energy Policy to Bolster Renewables A Japanese government panel has largely supported a draft energy policy calling for bolstering renewables up to half of Japanese electricity needs by 2040. It also recommends maximizing the use of nuclear power to accommodate the growing demand for power in the era of AI while meeting decarbonization targets. The Cabinet is expected to formally approve the plan by March following a period of public consultation (商議). The policy says nuclear energy should account for 20% of Japan’s energy supply in 2040, with renewables expanded to 40-50% and coal-fired power reduced to 30-40%. UK King Charles Annual Christmas Message King Charles III used his annual Christmas message to hail the selflessness of those who have cared for both him and Kate, the Princess of Wales this year, after both were diagnosed with cancer. The 76-year-old monarch said he and his family are “continually” impressed by those who dedicate their lives to help others. The broadcast Wednesday was the king’s third Christmas speech since he ascended the throne after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died. It's the first since he was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February. He was joined by Prince William, Kate and other family but his scandal-plagued (備受醜聞困擾) brother, Andrew, was absent. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 106-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,226 on turnover of 2.4-billion N-T. The market closed marginally higher on Tuesday despite rising by over 200-points early in the session - as investor uncertainty kicked-in over Donald Trump's pending return to the White House. Analysts say Trump's possible tariffs have spooked many investors - which has led to uncertainty in the local market. Lawmakers reject Lai's justice nominees Lawmakers have rejected all seven justice nominees selected by President Lai Ching-te to fill the vacancies on the Constitutional Court. None of the seven nominees, including law professor Chang Wen-zhen and former lawmaker Yao Li-ming received the necessary 57 votes in the 113-seat Legislature for approval. Chang and Yao had also been nominated by Lai to serve as the head and deputy head of the Judicial Yuan. The K-M-T has argued that all of Lai's nominees were partisan (偏袒的). Flu epidemic expected this week And, The Centers for Disease Control says over 90,000 flu-like cases were reported last week - and influenza will enter an epidemic phase later this week. According to the C-D-C, total of 94,882 visits to emergency departments and outpatient clinics (門診) for flu-like symptoms were reported from December 15 through 21. That was a 16-per cent increase compared to the number of cases recorded the previous week. The C-D-C is saying based on predictions, the flu epidemic phase is expected to begin this week, with a peak in the number of cases likely to be seen around the Lunar New Year holiday period. Haiti Journalists Killed by Gangs in Hospital Reopening Two reporters were killed in Haiti, as authorities tried to reopen Port-au-Prince’s biggest public hospital after it was shut down by gangs earlier this year. AP's Lisa Dwyer reports Kurds Launch Counteroffensive in Syria Kurdish-led fighters in Syria, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, say they have launched a counter-offensive against the Ankara-backed Syrian National Army to take back areas near Syria’s northern border with Turkey. The Kurdish-led force is Washington’s critical ally in Syria, targeting sleeper cells (秘密行動人員) of the extremist Islamic State group scattered across the country’s east. Since the fall of Bashar Assad earlier this month, clashes have intensified (加劇的) between the U.S.-backed group and the SNA, which captured the key city of Manbij and the areas surrounding it. A Britain-based opposition war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says that since the SNA’s offensive in northern Syria against the Kurds started earlier this month, dozens from both sides have been killed. Russia Baby Mammoth Remains The 50,000-year-old remains of a baby mammoth uncovered by melting permafrost have been unveiled to the public by researchers in Russia’s Siberia region. They call it the best-preserved mammoth body ever found. The female mammoth nicknamed Yana weighs more than 100 kilograms and is 120 centimeters tall. Her remains are one of seven mammoth carcasses recovered worldwide. Yana will now be studied by scientists at Russia's North-Eastern Federal University, which called the find “exceptional” (特殊的). The university has a dedicated (專門的) mammoth research center and museum. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 156-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,260 on turnover of 7.5-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Monday and recouped most of the losses seen in the previous two sessions after Wall Street rose at the end of last week. Monday's point gains were the seventh most for a single day and the sixth most this year - and also helped the Tai-Ex recover from a 658-point tumble in the previous two trading sessions last week. TRC could see NT$12 billion loss in 1st year as company The Taiwan Railway Corporation says it will likely post losses of 12-billion N-T this year - its first year as a state-owned corporation after having been a government agency for decades. According to the rail operator, the projected loss will exceed (超過) the estimated loss of over 7.4-billion N-T budgeted last year and the 11.4-billion N-T loss that the former Taiwan Railways Administration posted for 2023. The railway corporation says it will also be saddled with an additional 2-billion N-T in expenses that were needed to convert the former government agency into a commercial company. However, corporation Chairman Du Wei is remaining upbeat about the company's future - saying its operating income could turn positive by as early as 2026. Two acquitted of endangering flights with drone near Taoyuan Airport The Taoyuan District Court has acquitted two men of endangering flight safety when they repeatedly flew a drone near Taoyuan International Airport. They were found to have operated a U-A-V in the vicinity of the airport at least 10 times between June 24 and July 25 of last year. Traffic at the airport was disrupted on several occasions - with the most serious incident leading to a temporary suspension of takeoffs and landings at around on June 29. However, the court ruled there was insufficient (不足的) evidence to prove that their conduct met the requirements for criminal conviction under Article 101 of Taiwan's Civil Aviation Act. The court ruling can be appealed. UN Syria Open to Investigating War Crimes The U.N. organization assisting in investigating the most serious crimes in Syria says the country’s new authorities were “very receptive” to its request for cooperation during a just-concluded visit to Damascus — and it is preparing to deploy (展開行動). The visit was the first since the organization was established by the U.N. General Assembly in 2016 to assist in evidence-gathering and prosecution of individuals responsible for possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide since Syria’s civil war began in 2011. UN officials Monday highlighted the urgency of preserving documents and other evidence before it is lost. Slovenia Hiker Rescue Resumes Amid Heavy Snow A rescue of hikers in Slovenia resumes (重新開始, 恢復) as snow brings traffic chaos and power outages across the Balkans AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Greece Royal Family Granted Greek Citizenship Members of Greece’s former royal family have expressed “deep emotion” after being granted Greek citizenship, ending a decades-old dispute with the country's government. Greece abolished the monarchy in a 1974 referendum and the former royal family was stripped of its citizenship two decades later during a dispute over the former royal estate that passed to state control. Now, the ten descendants (子孫，後代) of the late King Constantine II, who died last year aged 82, formally recognized Greece’s status as a presidential parliamentary democracy and renouncing any claims to royal authority or titles. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 301-points this morning from Friday's close, at 22,812 on turnover of $5.7-billion N-T. The market tumbled over 400-points on Friday, as investors opted to sit on the sidelines (場邊) awaiting the release of U-S personal spending data for November. Health ministry previews tighter betel nut regulations The Ministry of Health has previewed a proposal to tighten regulations on the sale and use of betel nut. The regulations are similar to tobacco control laws. The draft proposal is titled the Betel Nut Hazard Prevention Act and is now undergoing a 60-day period for soliciting (徵求) public opinion. The draft bill bans the use of betel nut by pregnant women and people under the age of 18. Venders found to have sold betel nut to pregnant women and people under the age of 18 face a fine of up 250,000 N-T. The proposal also seeks to discourage images of betel nut use in films and television programs. High Speed Rail on track to break ridership record this year The High Speed Rail Corporation says the number of journeys taken on the network this year is set to exceed (超過) the all-time-high recorded in 2023. According the rail company, the number of journeys taken reached 71.1 million in November - exceeding the figure of around 66.4 million for the same 11-month period last year. While in terms of the average daily ridership, there were 224,000 journeys in November 2024, an increase of 7-per cent compared to the 209,000 journeys recorded in November of 2023. Data shows apart from a dip during the COVID pandemic, the annual number of journeys has grown steadily (穩定) from around 15.6-million in 2007 to 73.1-million in 2023. US 2Navy Pilots Shot Down The US military says 2 US Navy pilots were shot down, then rescued over the Red Sea in apparent 'friendly fire' incident. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports Germany Christmas Market Attacker Tipoffs German authorities say they received tipoffs last year about the suspect in a car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg as more details emerged (出現了). Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006. He was reportedly a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy. Authorities say he does not fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks. Italy Trevi Fountain Returns Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain reopened Sunday after three months of renovations on the 18th-century monument that’s one of the Italian capital’s main attractions. The opening is just in time for the inauguration of the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year that is expected to draw millions of visitors. To manage the overwhelming number of visitors, Rome City officials have been devising a plan to block off the area around the fountain. Visitors will be required to book online and pay 2 euros ($2.20) to enter. Once inside, they will have 30 minutes to enjoy the fountain. City lore has it that tossing a coin into the Baroque fountain will ensure (確保) a return trip to Rome. The tradition generates an estimated 1.5 million euros annually, which has been donated to charity for the past 15 years. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 134-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,798 on turnover of $5.02-billion N-T. The market came under heavy pressure on Thursday - as it tumbled more than 230 points to close below the 23,000 point mark - due to selling sparked by a plunge on Wall Street overnight after the U-S Federal Reserve implied it plans to slow the pace of its rate cut cycle. Selling was seen across the board with the bellwether electronics sector in focus before its losses were trimmed in the afternoon session, which managed to cap the downturn by the end of the trading day. Police officer suspended from duty for leaking secrets A police officer has been detained for allegedly leaking secrets about President Lai Ching-te's itinerary while he was seconded to the National Security Bureau. According to the Sixth Special Police Corps, an investigation found that the police officer likely leaked undisclosed (未公開的) information related to Lai to his friends during his tenure at the N-S-B which began in May. The police officer was discharged from the N-S-B and returned to the Sixth Special Police Corps on December 8. A court approved a request by prosecutors to detain him for allegedly leaking secrets and violating the Classified National Security Information Protection Act on December 9. The police corps says it has also suspended the officer in accordance with the Police Personnel Management Act. UN Chief warns 'AI arms race' could have major security implications The UN's top official is warning artificial intelligence is evolving faster than our ability to govern it. Antonio Guterres said on Thursday there's an urgent need for global governance (治理) frameworks. He joined US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a Security Council meeting to discuss the opportunities and risks of AI. Sally Patterson reports from New York, where the United Nations is headquartered. Kenya Declares GenderBased Violence Most Pressing Security Threat The Kenyan government has declared gender-based violence the nation’s most pressing (緊迫) security threat, with 100 women killed in the past four months alone, most of them by men who were known to them, including intimate partners. Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary referred to the escalating crisis as “the elephant in the room,” and said authorities have investigated most of the cases, which are pending in court. The official says since September 2023, a staggering 7,107 cases of sexual and gender-based violence have been reported in Kenya. He adds that the police inspector general has formed a specialized unit to combat femicides — the killing of girls or women because of their gender. Kenya's Cabinet this week approved the setting up of a presidential working group to provide recommendations on how to stop gender-based violence. Wright Contempt of Court An Australian computer scientist who falsely claimed to be the founder of the bitcoin cryptocurrency has been found to have committed contempt of court by breaching an order of London’s High Court. In a judgment on Thursday, the justice on the case said Craig Wright had committed “a clear breach” of an order in March that barred him from launching or threatening further legal action related to bitcoin. Wright, who is not in the U.K., has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years For eight years, Wright had claimed that he was the man behind “Satoshi Nakamoto,” the pseudonym (筆名;假名) that masked the identity of the creator of bitcoin. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 221-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,948 on turnover of $8.5-billion N-T. The market closed moderately higher on Wednesday after initial (最初的) losses registered early in the trading day as market sentiment remained cautious ahead of the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's policymaking meeting. Top tech, science official pledges to build 'Chip Team Taiwan' National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen says the government plans to launch (發射) a key initiative aimed at fostering domestic production of drones and other advanced technologies. According to Wu, the initiative will bring together companies specializing in advanced I-C design and chip manufacturing to support the system needs of Taiwanese firms developing drones. Wu says the establishment of the so-called "Chip Team Taiwan" comes, as although Taiwan has a well-developed supply chain encompassing I-C design, wafer manufacturing, testing and packaging, most of those products and services are being exported overseas. According to the science and technology minister, the planned initiative reflects the government's efforts to build up domestic markets for drones, robotics and communications satellites while reducing reliance on Chinese suppliers. Wu - who also serves as the Cabinet's minister without portfolio - also says more details concerning the "Chip Team Taiwan" initiative will be unveiled in the coming months. Israel Hopeful of Ceasefire Agreement Before Hanukkah Ahead of the latest UN Security Council meeting, Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN told reporters he was hopeful (充滿希望) for a ceasefire agreement with Hamas before the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah - next week. Correspondent Mitch McCann reports from New York: France Highest Court Upholds Sarkozy Corruption Conviction France’s highest court has upheld an appeal court decision which had found former President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling. Sarkozy, who faces one year in prison, is entitled to ask to be detained at home with an electronic bracelet — as is the case for any sentence of two years or less. He was found guilty of corruption and influence peddling (權力叫賣) by both a Paris court in 2021 and an appeals court in 2023 for trying to bribe a magistrate in exchange for information about a legal case in which he was implicated. Sarkozy says he will seek to bring the case to the European Court of Human Rights. Alberta Premier Responds to Trump Claims About Canada Subsidies Alberta's premier says millions of American jobs and companies rely on affordable imports from Canada. Danielle Smith says "affordable raw materials from Canada" help "make trillions of dollars of wealth" in the US. The premier of oil rich Alberta was responding to US President-elect Donald Trump's claims that the United States “subsidizes” Canada, and his threat of a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods. Smith ignored Trump’s other claims that "many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State", and pointed out that Alberta sends 4.3 million barrels of oil and gas to the U.S each day. Her comments come a day after Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Trump’s plan to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on all Canada products would be a “disaster” (災難) that would hurt U.S. stock markets. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally down this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,014 on turnover of 7-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Tuesday as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing fell into negative territory and as investors are being cautious ahead of the conclusion of this week's two-day policymaking meeting of the U-S Federal Reserve. New Examination Yuan head confirmed by Legislature Lawmakers have confirmed the appointment of Chou Hung-hsien and Hsu Shu-hsiang as the new president and vice president of the Examination Yuan. The appointments of six members of the Examination Yuan have also been confirmed following a vote in the Legislative Yuan. Chou is the incumbent Examination Yuan vice president, and was confirmed by a vote of 59 to 53. Chou has worked in public office for the past 16 years, serving in various (各種各樣的) positions including in the Examination Yuan and the Executive Yuan. Supreme Prosecutors Office prosecutor Ker Li-ling is the only one of President Lai Ching-te's seven nominees for the Examination Yuan not to have been be confirmed by the Legislature. The president, a vice president, and between seven and nine members of the body responsible for administering (施行) national civil servant exams and appointing, training and protecting the rights of civil service personnel are appointed by the president to four-year terms. CDC reporting decline in enterovirus cases The Centers for Disease Control is reporting a decline (減少) in the number of enterovirus case being reported to health authorities. According to the C-D-C, outpatient and emergency visits from between December 8 and 14 totaled 17,508 a decline of 21.4-per cent from the previous week. However, C-D-C Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui is warning that that the enterovirus epidemic remains at its highest level in a decade for this period despite the decline in the number of weekly cases. Health officials say monitoring over the past four weeks has found that the coxsackie-virus A-16 strain was the most prevalent (流行) circulating here in Taiwan. And that was followed by the A-6, A-2, and enterovirus D-68 strains. US Mangione Faces Murder Charges in NY The suspect accused of (被指控) killing a top healthcare insurance official has been charged with murder in New York Luigi Mangione was indicted on 11 counts on Tuesday, including first-degree murder and murder as an act of terrorism. His lawyer says he plans to plead not guilty to the charges. Sally Patterson has more. Denmark AntiWhaling Activist Freed from Prison Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson will not be extradited to Japan after being freed from prison in Denmark, his lawyer said. The Canadian-American citizen is now planning to return home to be reunited with his family during the festive season after spending five months in custody in Greenland. Japan had asked Denmark to extradite Watson, who was arrested earlier this year under a Japanese warrant. The former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whose high seas confrontations with whaling vessels have drawn support from celebrities and featured in a reality television series, said he is “quite relieved” (鬆了口氣) to be free. Watson's foundation said he faced a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison in Japan, which does not have an extradition treaty with Denmark. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 23,131 on turnover of 8.7-billion N-T. The market bucked the regional downward trend and traded marginally higher on Monday - as investors shrugged off a decline on Wall Street at the end of last week. Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum Taking Place Today The Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum has gotten underway. Shanghai's delegation is being led Vice Mayor Hua Yuan - who arrived in Taiwan yesterday Hua is leading a delegation of about 90 people to attend today's event. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has said he believes the forum can help promote peace across the Taiwan Strait and that it's a rare platform for official cross-strait dialogue, which could help ease tensions (緊張局勢) between Taiwan and China. The Mainland Affairs Council announced last Friday that it had denied entry applications for 10 members of Shanghai delegation. The two cities are expected to sign memorandums of understanding on smart medical care and zoo animal exchanges during today's forum. Taichung mayor to Visit Japan Taichung City Mayor Lu Shiow-yen says she plans to visit Japan next year. According to Lu, her itinerary is still be worked out, but she's likely to travel to Miyazaki Prefecture - which recently formed a sister city relationship Taichung. The mayor's announcement came after K-M-T Taichung City Councilor Liu Shih-chou made public that the city has proposed a budget of just over 4-million for city exchange visits next year. Liu also said the city government should organize ( 安排，籌劃) a visit to Japan. Lu Shiow-yen made her first overseas visit in four years in April - when she traveled to Singapore. She also traveled to the U-S in July. Israeli Leader Phone Call with Trump Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President-elect Donald Trump had a "very warm" phone call according to the Israeli leader. He said they spoke about the need to complete Israel's victory, and bring home the hostages being held in Gaza - something Trump has said must happen before his inauguration (就職典禮). Kate Fisher reports from Washington India Zakir Hussain Obit Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to a global audience, has died at the age of 73. His family said the Indian classical music icon died on Sunday from chronic lung disease at a hospital in San Francisco. Hussain was considered the greatest tabla player of his generation and his career spanned six decades, during which he collaborated (合作) with the likes of singer-songwriter George Harrison, jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In 2024, Hussain became the first musician from India to win three Grammy awards in the same year. Hussain is survived by his wife and two daughters. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 186-points this morning from Friday's close, at 23,207 on turnover of 6.7-billion N-T. The market closed marginally lower on Friday, following Wall Street's decline overnight in response to potentially discouraging data on the U-S economy. First Batch of M1A2 MBTs Arrive in Taiwan The first shipment of M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks have arrived in Taiwan. The shipment of 38 tanks arrived at the Port of Taipei. Unloading operations began late last night and the tanks were then transported an Army base in Hsinchu County. They are the first batch of 108 Abrams tanks that the U-S State Department approved (核准) for sale with related equipment to Taiwan in 2019. The defense ministry has said Taiwan will take delivery of 42 more Abrams main battle tanks next year and 28 in 2026. Environmental Groups Call for More Citizen Involvement in Green Initiatives And, Environmental groups have been rallying in Taichung calling for greater citizen involvement in green initiatives. The rally in front of Taichung City Hall was organized by groups including Air Clean Taiwan and the Changhua Medical Alliance for Public Affairs. According to Air Clean Taiwan, the passing of environmental impact evaluations of two planned nongreen energy facilities in the last 40 days are examples of the need for more citizen involvement (公民參與). Air Clean Taiwan says the conversion of a Taipower coal power station into a gas-fired plant and C-P-C's plans for a liquid natural gas receiving terminal project in Kaohsiung should not have passed their environmental impact evaluations. SKorea Authorities to Request Impeached President Appear for Questioning South Korean law enforcement authorities will request that impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appear for questioning this week over his short-lived martial law decree as they expand a probe into whether his actions amounted to rebellion. Police say a joint investigative team plans to convey a request to Yoon’s office that he appears for questioning on Wednesday. Yoon was impeached by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Saturday over his martial law enforcement on Dec. 3. His presidential powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to formally remove him from office. If Yoon is dismissed (被解僱、終止工作), an election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Ukrainian Drone Hits Russia A Ukrainian drone has struck Russia's Chechnya as Kyiv continues pushback (反對，反抗) after Moscow bombardment AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports. NMacedonia Arrest Suspects in Planned Terrorist Attacks North Macedonian authorities say four people suspected of planning terrorist attacks have been arrested. Officials say the arrests came during raids on several locations in the western towns of Struga and Gostivar on Sunday. They say the detained men are suspected of being “part of terrorist organizations (and) have been under surveillance for a long time,” All four are Macedonian citizens and were expected to face an investigating magistrate. The officials say they aimed to recruit (招募) people from other Balkan countries to commit terrorist acts, without giving details. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 44 points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,002 on turnover of 3.4 billion NT. The market rebounded on Thursday, after Wall Street resumed its upward climb as an update on inflation in America appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the U-S Federal Reserve. AIT says Chinese Activity Not Response to Lai's US Stopovers The American Institute in Taiwan says it doesn't believe increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan this week was a response to President Lai Ching-te's recent stopovers in the United States. The institute believes the "elevated activity in the East China Sea and South China Sea follows a broader increase in China's military posture (姿態) and military exercises over the last several years .. .. and it does not see this wider activity as a response to Lai's transit (轉機)." An A-I-T spokesperson says the United States continues to call on Beijing to "avoid any destabilizing or escalatory actions (升級動作) that might undermine regional peace and stability… and will continue coordinating with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns." The statement was issued by A-I-T following China's designating of seven areas east of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces from Monday to Wednesday as "temporary reserved areas" of airspace (空域保留區). Government Seeking Private Investment in Public Infrastructure The National Development Council says it's seeking private investment in public infrastructure (基礎建設) projects. According to the N-D-C's Economic Development Department, the government is set to create a ministerial-level mechanism (機制) to encourage such investment in order to "boost cooperation between the government and the private sector in jointly building Taiwan." Department head Chiu Chiu-ying says the mechanism will bring together officials from the N-D-C, the Ministry of Finance and the Financial Supervisory Commission to work with private enterprises … .. who are interested in investing in "major public infrastructure projects" projected to "yield stable returns." Chiu also says it's hoped that bringing in private capital (私人資金) for public projects will help alleviate financial burdens on both central and local governments. Lows of 11°C Forecast for North and Center The Central Weather Administration says a continental cold air mass is forecast to bring temperatures in the north and center down to 11 degrees early Sunday morning. According to the administration's forecast center, cold air mass will affect Taiwan from tomorrow through Sunday. The effects of the cold front will be the strongest on early Sunday morning - with lows of between 11 and 13 degrees forecast for the north and center, while other areas could see lows of between 14 and 15 degrees. The mercury will rebound slightly on Monday. However, another cold air mass is forecast to begin affecting the island next Friday. Nato calls on nations to ramp up defense spending In global news, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is urging European nations to shift to a wartime mindset… He also pointed up a need to ramp up (增加) defense spending to counter an aggressive Russia… as Sagher Meghani reports. US Mideast Initiatve Meanwhile… Top U.S. officials are in the Middle East pressing for stability in Syria and an end to Israel’s 14-month war in the Gaza Strip in a last-ditch diplomatic push by the outgoing Biden administration. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Jordan and Turkey on Thursday for talks on how to ensure a peaceful transition of power in Syria following the ouster of longtime President Bashar Assad. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is in Israel in a bid to wrap up a ceasefire with Hamas militants. Sullivan expressed cautious optimism that conditions are ripe for halting (中止) the conflict. South Korea latest And… The leader of South Korea's ruling party is expressing support for impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeoul over his martial law declaration. Local media reports say Han Dong-hoon now says removing Yoon is the only viable option left to restore politicial stability (恢復穩定政治). On Thursday, the embattled president defended his martial law declaration, which some media reports considred a confession of treason. Han voiced his support days before South Korea's National Assembly holds a second vote calling for Yoon to be impeached. -- 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 23,050 on turnover of $5-billion N-T. The market's downward momentum continued on Wednesday - but at a greater pace compared with the previous session - after Wall Street declined overnight as investors awaited the latest update on inflation in America. New Taipei's Tamkang Bridge Heading for Completion Transport Minister Chen Shi-kai is touting the progress being made in construction of the Dan-Jiang Bridge in New Taipei - which he says is nearing 80-per cent completion. Speaking during a inspection tour of the bridge's main section, Chen said when completed, it will not only ease (緩解) traffic congestion on the Guandu Bridge and improve travel between Tamsui and Taipei .. but will also become a landmark tourist attraction The transport minister also praised the bridge's design - saying New Taipei City could use its 70-story-high tower to launch New Year's fireworks. The bridge has been designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, who died in 2016, and a connects New Taipei's Tamsui and Bali districts. When completed it will be the world's longest single-tower, asymmetric cable-stayed suspension bridge. The New Taipei City Government says it expects construction of the bridge to be completed by next year and it is currently slated to open to traffic in 2026. UN General Assembly Votes in Favor of Gaza Ceasefire The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted in favour of a ceasefire in Gaza. While this vote is not legally binding (並不具有法律約束力), it's a strong political signal. The United States has once again voted against the ceasefire. Jody Jacobs has more from the United Nations in New York. SKorea President Defends Martial Law Decree The South Korean president has defended his martial law decree as act of governance and denied rebellion charges. Yoon Suk Yeol’s televised statement today came hours before the main liberal opposition Democratic Party submits a new impeachment motion against Yoon. The opposition party plans to put the motion on a floor vote this Saturday. Its earlier attempt to impeach Yoon fell through last Saturday, with ruling party lawmakers boycotting a vote at the National Assembly. Yoon’s Dec. 3 martial law decree has generated political chaos (混亂) and protests calling for his ouster. Paris Olympics Less Polluting but Not Carbon Neutral The Paris Olympics says it was far less polluting than recent Games but is not claiming to have been “carbon neutral” despite funding projects to compensate for its emissions. Organizers said Wednesday that this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics generated 1.59 million tons of climate-warming carbon dioxide. That's including everything from the food athletes ate and construction of their rooms to flights that spectators (觀眾) took and energy that powered events. According to a French government carbon-impact calculator, "that many tons of CO2" is equivalent to driving a car 182-thousand-675 times around the globe. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 16-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,108 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market closed the day down on Tuesday after Nvidia pulled Wall Street lower overnight - and that resulted in the main board retreating to just above the 5-day moving average. First Agreement Under Taiwan-US 21st-Century Trade Initiative Takes Effect The first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade has officially come into effect. The Office of Trade Negotiations says the move marks a "significant milestone" in bilateral trade relations between Taipei and Washington. The agreement covers commitments to customs administration and trade facilitation, regulatory ( 監管) practices, rules for running domestic service industries, anti-corruption and small- and medium-sized enterprises. According to the Office of Trade Negotiations, the initial agreement received unanimous support from the U-S Congress and both sides will continue to discuss implementation (執行) details and share any concerns. Taipei Mayor Stressed Taipei-Shanghai Forum Aiming to Maintain Cross-Strait Peace Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an is stressing that his administration will be hosting Shanghai officials at next week's Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum to help promote peace across the Taiwan Strait. Speaking at a city government meeting, Chiang described the annual forum as a rare platform for official cross-strait dialogue (對話), which could help ease tensions between Taiwan and China. According to Chiang, Taiwan has had limited exchanges with China in recent years and he firmly believes it's "better to understand each other than to misunderstand." The 102-member Shanghai delegation to this year's forum is being led by Hua Yuan, one of the city's eight vice mayors. Israel Airstrikes Across Syria Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops advanced deeper into the country. That's according to a Syrian opposition war monitor. Elsewhere on Tuesday, the Israeli defense minister announced that his forces had destroyed Syria’s navy. Israel acknowledged pushing into a buffer zone inside Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. But it remained unclear if its soldiers had gone beyond that area, which was established more than 50 years ago. Israel denied it is advancing on the Syrian capital of Damascus. Israeli officials have said they are striking military assets to prevent (防止) them from falling into the hands of extremists. US Files War Crimes Charges Against Syrian Military Officials The United States has filed war crimes charges against two high-ranking Syrian military figures who it accuses of torturing American citizens. It comes after the government of Bashar al-Assad collapsed (瓦解), with the former president fleeing the country. Nick Harper reports from Washington. NMacedonia Protests Against Air Pollution Protesters across North Macedonia have taken part in demonstrations to demand better air quality in cities that are among the most polluted in Europe. In the capital, Skopje, the protesters gathered Tuesday outside the Environment Ministry, some wearing gas masks to highlight the problem blamed by authorities for some 3,500 premature deaths annually. According to European Union health authorities, pollution levels in Skopje and other Macedonian cities often exceed World Health Organization's limits by more than four times. Pollution levels often spike during the winter months, with many urban households unable to afford (買得起) central heating, burning wood, old tires, plastic, and other waste materials. Protest organizers called for national action, demandingstricter government regulation of traffic and industry, citing decades of neglect. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,228 on turnover of 6.7-billion N-T. The market rose on Monday as investors reacted to Wall Street hitting new records on Friday following the release of positive U-S jobs data. FTC Extends Uber Eats-Foodpanda Merger Review The Fair Trade Commission is extending its review of a Uber Eats' proposed acquisition (獲得, 收購) of Foodpanda and the results of the review will now be released in March at the at the latest. The commission had previously said it planned to issue the results of it review into the merger on December 19. The commission says it chose to delay the release due to concerns the merger could impact market dynamics as well as the economy. Commission deputy chairperson Chen Zhi-min says the greatest concern is that if Uber Eats acquires Foodpanda, the combined entitly would have market share of between 80 and 90-per cent and that could increase restrictions on market competition. Former President and Tech Heavyweights Attend Morris Chang Memoir Event And, Former President Tsai Ing-wen has joined some of the tech world's biggest names at a book launch (新書發布) event for the second installment of Morris Chang's memoir. Tsai was joined by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing C-E-O C.C. Wei, Quanta Computer Chairman Barry Lam and Acer C-E-O Jason Chen at the presentation in Taipei. Chang has been working on his autobiography since retiring in 2018. The second installment covers Chang's life until his retirement. US Police Question POI in CEO Killing Police are questioning a man in connection with the killing of a health insurance boss in New York. 26 year-old Luigi Mangione was detained (被拘留) on firearms charges at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania on Monday. US correspondent Kate Fisher reports Nobel Peace Prize Winner Calls on Putin to Stop Making Nuclear Threats Terumi Tanaka, a survivor of the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan and the representative of an organization that won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop making nuclear threats (威脅). The 92-year-old spoke at a news conference in Oslo, Norway, a day before the award ceremony where he is to deliver a lecture on behalf of Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of survivors of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that won this year’s prize. He said that his organization’s message to Putin is that “nuclear weapons are things which must never be used.” Greece Ancient Statue Discovered Work to lay natural gas pipelines near the foot of the Acropolis has uncovered an ancient marble statue of a young man buried almost upright (直立) in a brick-lined pit. Greece's Culture Ministry says in a statement that the nude statue resembles ancient representations of messenger of the Greek gods Hermes and may have decorated the townhouse of a wealthy Roman-era Athenian. The ministry suggested it could be a Roman-era copy of a fifth century B.C. original. The ministry says the statue has been taken to a conservation workshop for further examination. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 94-points this morning from Friday's close, at 23,287 on turnover of 6-billion N-T. The market lost ground last Friday to close below the 23,200 point mark as investors awaited U-S November jobs data. Although semiconductor stocks traded down, analysts say gains (增加) for artificial intelligence development related stocks lent support to the wider tech sector to stem the downturn on the main board. Former Legislative Speaker Proposes New Cross-Strait Narrative Former Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng has unveiled a new cross-strait narrative - advocating for "separate governance without division" between Taiwan and China. Speaking during the launch of the Moral Peace Union cross-strait think tank, Wang said "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other in terms of governance (治理) but share sovereignty without division." According to Wang, his proposal acknowledges the reality that the two sides across the Taiwan Strait are governed separately while keeping avenues open for fostering peaceful relations. Taiwan-Made E-Buses Heading to Paraguay And, A shipment of domestically made electric buses is heading to Paraguay - with Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung describing it as milestone in Taiwan's efforts to help the South American country go green by exporting local technology. The shipment left Taipei Port this past weekend. Taking to Facebook, the foreign minister said he, Paraguay's Ambassador to Taiwan Carlos Jose Fleitas, and Master Transportation Bus Manufacturing Chairman Wu Ting-fa were at the port to see off the batch (批次) of 30 e-buses. The buses are expected to arrive in Paraguay by the end of February. Biden on Assad Ousting US President Joe Biden has offered his nation's ongoing support for Syria following the ousting of Bashar Al Assad by opposition forces. But it's not clear Biden's approach will be shared by his successor (接班人) Donald Trump, who takes over in January. Our Washington correspondent Jagruti Dave has more… Notre Dame Hosts First Mass Since Reopening Notre Dame Cathedral has hosted its first Mass since the catastrophic fire of 2019. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich presided over the Mass, including consecrating a new bronze altar. The public Mass came after the official reopening of the building Saturday with Donald Trump and other VIPs. Notre Dame’s journey from ruin to resurrection was defined by extraordinary (非凡的) craftsmanship and nearly $1 billion in global donations. The liturgy was attended by 2,500 people, including French President Emmanuel Macron, clergy, dignitaries and a few lucky members of the general public who stood in long lines to enter. The cathedral, which previously welcomed 12 million annual visitors, is expected to draw 15 million in its new chapter. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Earthquake off of Hualian Anti-Surrogacy Protester Bemoan Bill South Korea Martial Law Aftermath Tsunami warning called off in California NASA Moon Missions delayed -- 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 23,308 on turnover of 5.7-billion N-T. The market bucked the regional downward trend and traded higher on Wednesday, after tech stocks pushed the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to more record highs on Wall Street overnight. Market watchers say the upwards momentum on the main board entered a third day, as investors shrugged off the short-lived martial law period in South Korea and amid continuing net purchases of stocks by foreign investors. Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum Scheduled for December 17 The Taipei City Government has announced that the 15th Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum will be be taking place in the city on December 17. The announcement was also made simultaneously by the Shanghai City Government. The city says delegation of around 100 people from Shanghai will attend the event - which will be taking place at the Regent Hotel under the theme of "Smart governance (治理), sustainable future." The delegation from China will be led by Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan and will engage in exchanges with Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an. The Taipei City Government has previously said two sides will sign memorandums of cooperation in "smart medical care" and "zoo animal exchanges" at the forum. Taipei and Shanghai have taken turns hosting the forum every year since 2010. MOL Could Establish Hotline for Filing Bullying Complaints Labor Minister Hung Sun-han says his office is considering establishing a hotline for the general public to report workplace bullying after his office sets up a dedicated (專用) complaint channel for its own agencies. Speaking a legislative hearing, Hong said the move is aimed at prevent workplace bullying in the private sector. According to Hong, the labor ministry is also assessing the feasibility of creating a hotline for filing complaints and providing counseling regarding workplace bullying that would be available to the public. SKorea Defense Minister Resigns After Martial Law Fiasco South Korea’s defense minister is resigning following the president's failed attempt at imposing (強制實行) martial law on Tuesday. There are also sustained calls for leader Yoon Suk Yeol to step down as he faces impeachment over the fiasco. Chris Gilbert reports. Canada Vancouver Stabbing Leaves Two Injured and Suspect Dead Police say a stabbing suspect is dead after being shot by police in the Canadian city of Vancouver in a convenience store. Vancouver Police say the suspect has died in hospital. Authorities say two people suffered injuries that are not thought to be life threatening. Witnesses say a man stole liquor and a knife from a restaurant then used the weapon across the street to stab (刺) people in a 7-Eleven store. UNESCO Lists Zinc Roof Restoration Techniques as Intangile Cultural Heritage UNESCO has listed the restoration techniques for the zinc roofs of Paris as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. The art involves removing old pieces of zinc, then measuring and custom-cutting new pieces using a Parisian folding machine, and assembling and fixing the pieces onto the roof. And the United Nations agency says "with nearly 80 percent of the roofs in Paris covered in zinc, the city is a living archive (檔案) of these skills that shape the unique identity of its urban landscape." Roofers are hoping the UNESCO recognition will inspire others to join their ranks and improve their working conditions. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Tai-Ex opening up Government to Continue Seeking Support for CPTPP Bid Health Ministry to Address Surrogacy Issue in Separate Amendments South Korea's opposition party calls on President Yoon to step down UN Security Council convenes urgent meeting on Syria -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 235-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,972 on turnover of $8.3-billion N-T. Labor Funds Earn NT$20.9 Billion in October The Ministry of Labor reports that Labor Funds grew by $20.9 billion NT in October. That brings total gains for 2024 to $93.91 billion NT. The funds, managed by the Bureau of Labor Funds, are valued at $6.88 trillion NT with a 14.96 percent return rate for the first 10 months of the year. Key funds include the Labor Pension Fund, with a 14.59-percent return, and the Labor Retirement Fund, at 17.92-percent. The National Pension Insurance Fund also saw a strong performance, reaching a 16.01-percent return. Over the past decade, these funds have delivered an average annual return of 6.7-percent. Officials warned of global market uncertainty (不確定) due to interest rate policies, uneven growth, and geopolitical tensions, but noted Taiwan’s stock market remained solid in October. Rain and Cooler Weather in Northern Taiwan The northeast monsoon is bringing cooler weather and rain to northern Taiwan today. Greater Taipei, Yilan, Hualien, and Matsu could see showers, with heavy rain expected in northeastern mountains. Other areas, including Penghu and Kinmen, will stay mostly dry and sunny. Drivers in central and southern Taiwan should watch for thick morning fog that’s reducing visibility (能見度) to under 200 meters in some places. Strong winds are hitting coastal areas, including Taoyuan and Hsinchu, and islands like Penghu and Matsu. Air quality in western Taiwan is worsening due to pollution buildup. Central and southern areas are under an “Orange Alert,” with some spots reaching “Red Alert” levels. Israel Launches Airstrikes After Hezbollah Projectiles Israel has unleashed its largest wave of airstrikes across Lebanon since agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last week, killing at least 11 people. The strikes came after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles earlier on Monday as a warning over what it said were Israeli truce (休戰) violations. This was apparently the first time Hezbollah took aim at Israeli forces after the 60-day ceasefire went into effect last week. The increasingly fragile ceasefire aims to end more than a year of war between Hezbollah and Israel — part of a wider regional conflict sparked by the devastating Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Guinea Football Stampede Leaves Dozens Dead There's growing anger in Guinea after dozens were killed in a stampede at a football match. Officials say clashes broke out among football fans at the stadium after a contested (有爭議的) goal. Correspondent Nabil Ahmed Rufai reports. NZ SpadeToothed Whale Dissection Scientists and culture experts in New Zealand have begun the first-ever dissection of a spade-toothed whale, the world's rarest whale species. The creature, which washed up dead on a beach on New Zealand's South Island in July, is only the seventh specimen (樣本) ever found. None has ever been seen alive at sea. Over the next week, researchers will study the 5-meter-long male at an agricultural research center near the city of Dunedin. Almost nothing is known about it but scientists, working with Maori cultural experts, hope to answer some of the many lingering questions this week, including where they live, what they eat, how they produce sound and how this specimen died. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. TSMC Boosts Taiwan Stocks Above Key Level Taiwan stocks are up this morning, with the TAIEX index jumping over 350 points to 22-thousand-614, recovering key quarterly and six-month averages. The rally was led by TSMC, which climbed back above $1,000 NT, rising $24 NT to $1,020 NT. Other blue-chip stocks also gained, with Hon Hai up $4 NT to $199.5 NT and MediaTek rising to $1-thousand-285 NT. Analysts say TSMC remains the main driver of the market, though concerns linger (徘徊) over U.S. tariffs and tech bans targeting China. They believe the AI trend continues to provide strong momentum but warn that potential policy changes in the U.S. under Donald Trump could bring fresh challenges. (PB) Taiwan CDC announces free shipping for HIV tests until end of December Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control has announced a free shipping incentive (優惠) for home HIV tests until the end of the month… The CDC said members of the general public are entitled to a free shipping subsidy until Dec. 31 for Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) home tests ordered through the program's official website. The program was announced in observation of the international World AIDS Day which falls on Dec. 1 since it was first introduced in 1988. Those who purchase kits from the site have to just pay NT$200 for each test kit, which can be delivered to partnering outlets such as FamilyMart and 7-Eleven. CDC statistics show Taiwan experienced an increase of 834 HIV positive patients from the beginning of the year until the end of October, which was a 4.8 percent increase compared to the same time frame last year. Syria Rushes in Reinforcements as Insurgents Seize Aleppo The Syrian military rushed reinforcements to the northwest and launched airstrikes Sunday in an attempt to push back insurgents who seized the country’s largest city of Aleppo. The insurgents launched a two-pronged attack on Aleppo and the countryside around Idlib, before moving toward neighboring Hama province. On Sunday, government troops created what they called a “strong defensive line” in northern Hama, according to Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Meanwhile, jets struck the cities of Idlib and Aleppo, killing at least 15 people. Syrian President Bashar Assad's office says Iran has pledged to help the government counter the surprise offensive (進攻). Arab leaders, including Jordan’s King Abdullah II and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, have also called Assad to express their solidarity. Canada on Communicating Border Difference to Trump Canada’s ambassador to the United States says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was successful in getting President-elect Donald Trump and some key cabinet nominees to understand that lumping Canada in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the U.S. is unfair. Kirsten Hillman says Trudeau’s dinner with Trump on Friday was a very important step in getting Trump to back away from threatened tariffs on all products. Trump threatened (威脅) to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. Hillman says Trudeau's message that the Canadian border is vastly different from the Mexican border was really understood. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 96-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,202 on turnover of 4.9-billion N-T. The market closed lower on Thursday, following losses for big tech stocks on Wall Street overnight. Cabinet Proposes Ban on Corporal Punishment by Parents The Cabinet has approved draft legal amendments aimed at rescinding the right of parents to use physical force to punish their children. The draft amendments were proposed by the Ministry of Justice. They seek to change Article 1085 of the Civil Code, which currently states that parents "may, within the limit of necessity, inflict punishment upon their children." The revised version of the article will instead state that parents should "give consideration to (充分考慮) their children's age and level of development, respect their personalities, and not engage in mentally or physically violent behavior against them." Court Bans Kaohsiung City Councilor from Leaving Country The Kaohsiung District Court has banned city councilor Huang Shao-ting from leaving the country for eight months as he remain under investigation in a corruption case. The ruling came after the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office charged Huang with violating the Criminal Code and Anti-Corruption Act. Prosecutors also charged 13 other individuals, including Huang's wife with embezzlement (貪污) related offenses. The prosecutors' office says Huang is believed to have embezzled some 14-million N-T during his three-terms as a Kaohsiung City councilor. Mexico President Clarifies Immigration Stance Mexico's President Claudia Shienbaum is clarifying (澄清) her country's stance on immigration - after Donald Trump claimed she "had agreed to stop migration through Mexico - into the United States." Toni Waterman has more. Russia Sentences Human Rights Lawyer A Russian human rights group says a court in Russia convicted a prominent (著名的) lawyer and sentenced him to seven years in prison for speaking out against the war in Ukraine on social media. The verdict in the case of Dmitry Talantov, who once chaired a regional association of lawyers in Russia’s central Udmurtia republic, is the latest in the Kremlin crackdown on dissent after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Talantov is one of dozens of Russians arrested under a law adopted just over a week after the invasion that essentially bans any public expression about the war that deviates from the official narrative. According to the rights group OVD-Info, some 1,100 people have been implicated in criminal cases over their anti-war stance since February 2022. A total of 340 of them are currently behind bars or have been involuntarily committed to medical institutions. Canada Antitrust Watchdog Suing Google Canada’s antitrust watchdog is suing Google over alleged anticompetitive conduct in the tech giant’s online advertising business and wants the company to sell off two of its services and pay a penalty. The Competition Bureau says that such action is necessary because an investigation it conducted into Google found that the company “unlawfully” tied together its ad tech tools to maintain its market dominance (主導地位). The matter is headed for the Competition Tribunal, a quasi-judicial body that hears cases brought forward by the competition commissioner about non-compliance (不合規) with the Competition Act. The bureau is asking the tribunal to order Google to sell its publisher ad server, and its ad exchange. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 45-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,380 on turnover of 5-billion N-T. The market plunged on Wednesday losing more than 370-points, as foreign institutional investors increased short futures positions to hedge against potential risks in the spot market. Investor sentiment remained cautious after U-S President-elect Donald Trump's threats of tariffs on goods from China, Canada and Mexico - which pushed down large-cap tech stocks. While foreign institutional investors appeared cautious and selling was focused on tech heavyweights - as it was seen as the most effective way to drive down the spot market and profit from futures. Chinese Student Group Arrives in Taiwan for 9-Day Visit A group of 40 Chinese college students and faculty members have arrived in Taiwan for a nine-day trip at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation. Foundation C-E-O Hsiao Hsu-tsen is describing the the visit as an exciting event at a time when the cross-strait relationship faces challenges and he believes a common dialogue between the two sides and can help improve relations. Hsiao is also thanking the government for allowing the visit to take place. The delegation is made up of students from seven Chinese universities and includes six-time Olympic table tennis champion Ma Long of the Beijing Sport University, and 2020 Tokyo Olympic shooting gold medalist Yang Qian, who studies at the Tsinghua University. Sunny Skies and Low Temperatures Forecast through Sunday And, The Central Weather Administration says a cold front has pushed temperatures down islandwide - and the current conditions will persist through the weekend According to the administration's forecast center, the lowest temperature in low lying areas this morning was recorded in Miaoli County's Sanwan Township, where the mercury dropped to 8.4-degrees. The mercury fell to 8.8-degrees in New Taipei's Shiding District and to 9.2-degrees in Hsinchu County's Emei Township. Meteorologist Daniel Wu says the current weather system will likely qualify as this winter's first "continental cold air mass" -- meaning that it will bring temperatures of 10 degrees or below in some low-lying areas, or possibly below 14 degrees at the Taipei weather station. G7 condemns Russia's "irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric" after talks in Italy The G7 has condemned Russia's "irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric" after two days of talks in Italy. It was the final meeting for foreign ministers from the group, which includes the U.S., U.K. and Japan, before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Giles Gibson reports from Rome. Canada Mulls Retaliatory Tariffs After Trump Threat A government official says Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across southern and northern borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. A Canadian government official said Canada is preparing for every eventuality (可能性) and has started thinking about what items to target with tariffs. The official stressed no decision has been made. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally lower this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,665 on turnover of 4.3-billion N-T. The market fell sharply on Tuesday following U-S President-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose (施) steep tariffs on goods made in Canada, Mexico and China - and the downturn was led by the bellwether electronics sector. Ticker-Tape Parade for Premier 12 Winning Team Taiwan's Premier 12 Championship title winning baseball team has been welcomed home with a ticker-tape parade in Taipei. The parade saw players and coaches driven in a convoy of vehicles from the intersection of Ketagalan Boulevard and Gongyuan Road - before passing through Xiangyang Road and the Canyon of Heroes" along Guanqian Road .. …. where confetti (五彩碎紙) were released to pay tribute to the team. The convoy then turned left onto Zhongxiao West Road before turning onto Chongqing South Road and ending at the Presidential Office. The jeeps and trucks in the convoy were driven by uniformed military personnel and included both civilian and military vehicles. It was escorted along the route by police officers on electric scooters. The parade attracted tens of thousands of flag waving and screaming fans who came out to get a glimpse of the tournament winning players and coaches. Core Pacific City Corruption Case Suspect Remains Detained The Taipei District Court has extended a detention order for a key suspect in the Core Pacific City corruption case. The court approved the extension after the Taipei District Prosecutors Office said there was concern that Lee Wen-tsung could destroy evidence or collude (串通) with others if released from detention. Lee previously ran Ko Wen-je's office during his second term as Taipei mayor. Prosecutors have said they believe Lee was involved in the allegedly corrupt real-estate dealings. Lee was first ordered detained in late September. Biden Confirms IsraelHezbollah Ceasefire Deal US President Joe Biden has confirmed a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Thousands of people have been killed - and more than a million displaced (流離失所) - in the latest round of the conflict, which began following the October 7th attacks by Hamas in Israel. Ira Spitzer reports. Colombia to Impose Visa Requirement on UK Citizens Colombia's President Gustavo Petro says that his country will impose visa requirements on British citizens. The announcement Tuesday comes after the United Kingdom removed Colombia from a list of countries whose nationals can visit Britain without tourist visas. The British embassy in Colombia said that over the past two years, there has been a “significant” increase in the number of Colombians who arrive at UK airports and make “unjustified” asylum claims. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 158-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,789 on turnover of 5.7-billion N-T. The market gave up most of its initial gains on Monday, but still managed to end the marginally higher with expanded turnover before regular index adjustments by M-S-C-I took effect after the close of trading. Main Suspect in Taiyen Green Energy Fraud Case Turns Himself In Former D-P-P lawmaker Chen Qi-yu has turned himself in to prosecutors as part of an investigation into allegations of fraud at a state-linked green energy enterprise in Tainan. He arrived at the Tainan District Prosecutors' Office with his lawyer three weeks after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Prosecutors says they believe Chen violated the Securities and Exchange Act for breach of trust (違反信託) offenses and the Criminal Code for knowingly causing a public servant to publish an official document containing false information. A court has now ordered Chen to be detained as prosecutors continue their investigation. Surgeon Indicted over China Organ Transplants The Changhua District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a surgeon and four accomplices for allegedly facilitating illegal organ transplants conducted in China. The prosecutors' office says the transplant specialist orchestrated (精心策劃的) a criminal ring that profited from sending 10 Taiwanese patients to China to undergo organ transplant surgery between 2016 and 2019. According to prosecutors, the group charged patients between 5 and 7.5-million N-T for liver transplants and between 3 and 3.5-million N-T for kidney transplants that were conducted in China's Shandong and Hunan provinces. Prosecutors are seeking a six-year sentence for the surgeon and three year sentences for the four accomplices. US Federal Criminal Cases Against Trump Dropped US President-elect Donald Trump looks set to escape trial for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election result after investigators filed a motion to drop the case. Special counsel Jack Smith on Monday moved to dismiss (駁回（指法官因證據不足而）) the charges against the former President due to a long-standing Justice Department policy that bars the prosecution of a sitting President. Benji Hyer reports. Turkey Detains Dozens Joining Rally for Women Protection Police have detained dozens of people in Istanbul who tried to join a rally calling for greater protection for women in Turkey, where more than 400 women have been murdered this year. The demonstrators tried to enter the main pedestrian street to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Monday. But there is a ban on all protests in the area. Many demonstrators protested President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision in 2021 that withdrew (退出) Turkey from a landmark European agreement to protect women from violence. The agreement was signed in Istanbul and is named for the city. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 Friday's close, at 22,996 on turnover of 5.3-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Friday - jumping more than 300 points as buying was sparked by rally on Wall Street staged by tech stocks overnight. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing continued to serve as an anchor for the upturn, but gains were still capped ahead of technical resistance at the 20-day moving average of around 22,984 points. Taiwan Wins Premier 12 at Tokyo Dome Taiwan has made history after beating Japan 4-0 in the Premier 12 Championship Game at the Tokyo Dome. Taiwan took an early 4-0 lead thanks to two home runs in the top of the fifth inning - a solo by catcher Lin Chia-cheng and a three-run homer by team captain, center fielder Chen Jie-hsien. Taiwan's starter pitcher Lin Yu-min cruised through four scoreless innings - giving up only one hit, three walks and striking out three. While Taiwan's three relievers were able to contain (遏制) the Japanese batters for the rest of the game to seal the historic win. Taiwan was rated second to last by Japanese media before the Premier12 tournament began and was widely considered an underdog. Premier Asks Mew Labor Minister to Revamp Policies Premier Cho Jung-tai says newly appointed Labor Minister Hong Shen-han has been asked to devise a comprehensive labor policy following the suicide of a Ministry of Labor employee. According to the premier, Hong must develop an "inclusive (包容性) labor policy" that protects workers while addressing the demands of various industries, while also creating a supportive and equitable workplace for his colleagues while boosting their morale. Hong was appointed to succeed Ho Pei-shan on Friday. Ho's resignation was accepted by the premier earlier that same day following criticism over her handling of the suicide case. The premier says he chose Hong to lead the labor ministry because he used to be a civil rights activist and is trusted by many workers. WFP says in 2025 hunger will reach alarming highs The World Food Programme says global food hunger is set to increase by ten percent. WFP made the announcement on Friday as it began an appeal close a funding gap of 17 billion dollars that it needs to address the escalating (不斷升級) global hunger crisis. Jody Jacobs reports from the United Nations in New York. Russian Plane Lands Safely in Turkey After Fire Turkey's transportation ministry says the engine of a Russian plane with 95 people on board caught fire after landing at Antalya airport in southern Turkey. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated. The flight from Sochi was carrying 89 passengers and six crew members Sunday. The pilot made an emergency call after the aircraft landed at 9:34 p.m. local time, and airport rescue and firefighting crews quickly extinguished (熄滅) the fire. Efforts were underway to remove the aircraft from the runway. Arrivals at the airport have been temporarily suspended while departures were taking place from a nearby military-run runway. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 244-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,800 on turnover of $5.09-billion N-T. Education Ministry-Funded Youth Overseas Program to Start Next Year The Ministry of Education says a program designed to encourage young people to participate in volunteering, internships, and other learning activities overseas with government funding will begin receiving applications next year. According to Deputy Education Minister Yeh Bing-cheng, the program is being supported by the newly established Youth Overseas Dream Fund and aims to help young people go abroad and "broaden their horizons." Yeh says the government hopes to select around 550 young people in 2025 for the program - which is open to Taiwan nationals aged between 15 to 30. The deputy education minister is encouraging young people with "good ideas," regardless of their family's financial status, to apply. Selected applicants (申請人) will receive grants of up to 2-million N-T for their own proposals. Projects currently being negotiated included student tours to the central government agencies in France as well as to different Indigenous villages in Canada. UN Condemns Iran Nuclear Noncompliance The U.N. nuclear watchdog’s board has condemned Iran for failing to cooperate fully with the agency, the second time it has done so in just five months. The International Atomic Energy Agency also called on Tehran to provide answers in a long-running investigation into uranium particles found at two locations that Tehran has failed to declare as nuclear sites. Diplomats say that 19 members of the IAEA board voted for the resolution, while Russia, China and Burkina Faso opposed it, and 12 abstained and one did not vote, according to diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the outcome of the closed-doors vote. The resolution comes on the heels of a confidential report earlier this week in which the IAEA said Iran has defied international demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile (儲存，逐步積累的東西) of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. Nigeria Calls for Military Partnerships in Africa Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has called on military formations in African countries to strengthen alliances in the bid to defeat insecurity (不安全) on the continent. Tesem Akende reports from Jos. Canada PM Announces Tax Break Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to temporarily lift the federal sales tax off a slew of items and send checks to millions of Canadians who are dealing with rising costs as a federal election looms. The measures come as an inflation-driven affordability (負擔能力) crunch (困難) has left voters unhappy with the Trudeau government. The federal goods and services tax break would begin Dec. 14 and end Feb. 15. It will apply to a number of items including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals and beer and wine. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Labor Minister Apologizes Following Workplace Suicide Severe Cases and Deaths from Flu Reach 10-Year High HK National Security Law Sentences UN Secretary General concerned about the escalation of Russia's war on Ukraine Brazil's Police Arrested Five Accused over Coup Plot Flanagan Win's Britain's Leading Nonfiction Book Prize -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 68-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,614 on turnover of 4-billion N-T. The market tumbled on Monday, falling almost 200 points, as the bellwether electronics sector trended lower after a decline on Wall Street at the end of last week sparked by fears the U-S Federal Reserve is set to slow down the pace of its current rate cut cycle. Court Rules Women's League has KMT Links The Taipei High Administrative Court has ruled that the National Women's League was an affiliate of the K-M-T before 2004 and as such has been ordered pay 17.89-billion N-T to the state. The ruling comes after the women's group sued the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee in 2018. The lawsuit was filed shortly after the committee classified (分類) the National Women's League as a K-M-T affiliate in February of that year. The women's league had argued it had not been controlled or run by the political party and the committee's classification was incorrect. The committee also froze the assets of the women's group, including 38.5-billion N-T in cash. Man Involved in High Speed Rail Knife Incident Released on Bail The Taipei District Court has released man who punched a woman on a high speed rail train and damaged a tray table with a knife on 29,000 N-T bail. The court ruling comes after the Railway Police Bureau's Taipei branch announced it had arrested in Nantou. The suspect was then referred to the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office for further investigation on suspicion of threatening members of the public, assault (攻擊) and damaging private property. The incident occurred while the train was traveling between Banqiao Station in New Taipei and Taipei Station. The Railway Police Bureau says it will increase the number of patrols to ensure passenger safety. Biden Pledges Funding to Fight Poverty US President Joe Biden has pledged $4 billion for the world's poorest countries. The announcement came after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva launched a global alliance (全球性聯盟) to fight hunger and poverty at the G20 meeting of the world's leading economies in Rio de Janeiro. Kate Fisher reports Finland Germany Undersea Cable Severed German and Finland have expressed deep concern over the discovery of a severed undersea cable between the countries through the Baltic Sea. The two countries say it raises suspicions of sabotage and that an investigation is underway. Finnish authorities say the severed data cable was detected Monday in the cable that runs nearly 1.200 kilometers from the Finnish capital, Helsinki, to the German port city of Rostock. They say Finland’s international data and telecommunications connections are secured by running them through several redundant (額外的，重複的) lines, and the effects of a single cable failure would depend on the security level of service providers’ connections. Greece to Make Early Repayment on Debt Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says Greece is set to make an early repayment of $5.3 billion in bailout-era debt in 2025. Mitsotakis on Monday described the move as a signal of the nation’s fiscal recovery. Finance Ministry officials say they plan to reduce debt through primary surpluses, loan repayments and combating tax evasion. Mitsotakis’ center-right government was elected for a second term in 2023. It's struggling to address a cost of living crisis that has sapped (削弱了) Greeks’ spending power. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 40-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,694 on turnover of 4.6-billion N-T. Advocacy group calls for stricter licensing after fatal bus collision A road safety advocacy group is calling for reforms to Taiwan's driver licensing and retraining system.. .. after a pedestrian was killed and 15 other people were injured in a two-bus collision in Taipei over the weekend. Taiwan Vision Zero Alliance says that "Taiwan's driver's licenses are among the easiest to obtain in the world, and there is no mandatory retraining system for drivers". The alliance said that under current regulations, individuals who have held a standard car driver's license for two years and have completed a driver training course are eligible to take a test to obtain a commercial bus driver's license, putting inexperienced bus drivers on the road and endangering vulnerable road users. The group said it had previously submitted (已提交) a report to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, urging the government to reform its driver licensing and retraining systems. Temperatures in the north could drop to 16 degrees next week: CWA The Central Weather Administration says that temperatures in northern and northeastern Taiwan could drop to as low as 16 degrees Celsius Monday and Tuesday, due to monsoon effects. Forecasters say it could drop to 18 degrees in low-lying areas and 16 degrees in open coastal areas or areas near mountains … during these two days. Temperatures are expected to rebound on Wednesday, with lows of 20-21 degrees in the north and northeast. Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon and the periphery (外圍) of Typhoon Man-yi are expected to bring rain to northern and northeastern Taiwan next week, especially to mountainous areas in greater Taipei, Keelung North Coast and northeastern Taiwan. Ukraine: Russian Strike Leaves Dead and Wounded A Ukrainian official says a Russian strike on a nine-story building in the city of Sumy killed eight people and wounded dozens, as Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack described by officials as the largest in recent months. The official says among the eight killed in Sumy, 40 kilometers from the border with Russia, were two children. More than 400 people were evacuated from the building. The rescuers are checking every apartment looking for people who might be still in the damaged building. The attack targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as fears mount about Moscow’s intentions to devastate Ukraine’s power generation capacity (容量) before winter. Biden Visits Amazon Joe Biden becomes the first sitting US president to visit the Amazon rainforest AP correspondent Julie Walker reports That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 52-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,767 on turnover of $5.8-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed lower Thursday as heavyweights across the board came under pressure to push down the broader market after a mixed performance of the U.S. markets overnight,. Market sentiment weakened amid growing fears that the U.S. Federal Reserve will slow down its pace in a rate-cut cycle following the return to the presidency of Donald Trump, who has threatened to raise tariffs when he takes office in January, which could boost inflation. NGO calls for universal affordable childcare, flexible parental leave The Childcare Policy Alliance is calling on the government to establish universal affordable childcare and more flexible parental leave systems… …to help boost Taiwan's low birth rates. The NGO argued that the existing childcare allowance is inadequate for long-term childcare expenses and often pressures women to leave the workforce, as it doesn't fully support the costs associated with (與 相關聯) quality childcare. It also emphasized that flexible leave policies encourage more men to participate in childcare, which could help counter traditional gender roles and promote a "dual income, dual childcare" model. The alliance critiqued the government' s current policies, including the rigid 30-day minimum parental leave block, which is too rigid for parents needing to take leave on an ad-hoc basis. UNRWA Chief: Agency Facing Darkest Hour The UN's aid agency in Gaza is facing its '"darkest hour", according to its top official. Philippe Lazzarini says the situation in the strip has become "dystopian", and urged member states to increase spending on UNRWA. Sally Patterson reports from New York, where the United Nations is headquartered. Philippines Transports Supplies to Disputed Shoal The Philippine navy has transported food and other supplies to a territorial ship outpost in a shoal in the South China Sea without any confrontation with Chinese forces guarding the area. The Philippine delivery of supplies and military personnel to the Second Thomas Shoal was the third such trip without any violent clash since July, when Chinese and Philippine diplomats signed a rare deal to halt a spike in violent confrontations (對抗). It’s the first known agreement by China with any one rival claimant country in a specific shoal in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. The Philippines occupied the shoal by permanently beaching a navy ship in its shallows in 1999, prompting China, which also claims it, to surround the atoll with its coast guard and naval forces in what has been a continuing territorial standoff. Italy Colosseum to Host Gladiator Fights The ancient Roman Colosseum will be the venue of gladiator fights for the first time in two millennia under a $1.5 million sponsorship deal with Airbnb. Under the deal announced by Airbnb and the Colosseum on Wednesday, the sponsorship by the short-term rental giant will cover the renewal of an educational program inside the ancient Roman amphitheater (露天劇場) covering the history of the structure and gladiators. Eight of the platform’s users and their plus-ones will be able to participate in faux gladiator fights after the Colosseum’s closing time on May 7-8, taking the same underground route used by gladiators in ancient Rome to reach the arena. The “gladiators” will be chosen from the applicants by lottery. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 39-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,821 on turnover of $6.3-billion N-T. Zombie drug' set to be reclassified as Category 2 narcotic: Premier Taiwan's government is planning to reclassify etomidate, or the "zombie drug", as a Category 2 narcotic today. That means illicit use of etomidate could result in a prison sentence of up to 3 years. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said the move is likely to proceed (繼續) after today's narcotics review committee under the Ministry of Justice … … and is intended to bolster frontline law enforcement efforts and combat the spread of emerging drugs. Statistics from the Criminal Investigation Bureau show that from July to November this year, there were over 2 thousand 600 cases involving etomidate, with some 3 thousand individuals involved. Number of Japanese visitors to Taiwan grows nearly 50%: Agency Over 1 million Japanese travelers visited Taiwan in the first 10 months of this year -- over 50 percent more than that of last year. With this growth, the Tourism Administration projects that the number of Japanese visitors will reach a new high in the fourth quarter, the largest Q4 total since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data shows that Japan was the second-largest source of inbound (入境) visitors to Taiwan in the first eight months of the year, accounting for 16 percent of all arrivals. This follows Hong Kong, which contributed 16.2 percent. US Trump Nominates Rubio for Secretary of State US President-elect Donald Trump will nominate Florida Senator Marco Rubio to be his secretary of state. Trump also announced the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard as his Director of National Intelligence. Ira Spitzer has more Sudan Keeps Chad Border Crossing open for Aid Sudan’s military-controlled government says a key border crossing with Chad will stay open to keep much-needed humanitarian aid flowing into the western Darfur region which has been a center of fighting in the country's ongoing war. Sudan's ruling Sovereign Council says the decision on the Adre crossing followed a meeting with United Nations agencies and local and international aid groups. The border crossing was closed earlier this year but reopened in August for three months by the Sovereign Council to address the catastrophic (災難性的) humanitarian situation in Darfur. The U.N. welcomed the government's announcement that the Adre crossing will remain open for another three months. Denmark Royal Court Phasing Labeling System Denmark’s royal court says it will phase out a labeling system dating to the 1800s that grants companies the right to use the image of the Danish crown on their letterhead, packaging and labels. The palace says the five-year renewable designations, including “Holder of the Royal Warrant” and “By Appointment to the Royal Danish Court” and others, will be phased out by Dec. 31, 2029. Currently, there are 104 Danish suppliers and five foreign companies who can use such designations (稱號) and images of the Danish crown on their products. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 86.9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,894 on turnover of $8.4-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan took a beating Tuesday as the bellwether electronics sector came under heavy pressure amid growing angst over United States-China trade ties after Donald Trump becomes U.S. president in January. Contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. led the downturn as investors feared Trump will impose more restrictions on chip shipments to China, sending the Taiex below the 23,000-point mark by the end of the trading session. Celebrity anti-fraud ambassador questioned in fraud investigation A Taiwanese singer who served as an anti-fraud ambassador for the Criminal Investigation Bureau was recently questioned in a fraud investigation, though police have said she is not a suspect. Singer Shara Lin revealed in a video on social media that she had been summoned (被召喚) for questioning by the Chiayi City Police Department, where the alleged fraud victim lived. Chiayi police say Lin was summoned because illicit cash flows from the alleged fraud were connected to her bank account. Lin says the case involved a suspect who had defrauded a victim of tens of thousands of dollars, and then transferred the illicit money into several different accounts, one of which belonged to her friend. Lin did not explain why her friend had received money from the alleged fraudster, but she urged viewers to be aware of potential scams and to use the government's 165 hotline if they have any questions. US Prohibits Airlines from Flying to Haiti The Federal Aviation Administration is prohibiting U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti for 30 days after gangs shot two planes. The United Nations also said Tuesday that it temporarily (暫時地) suspended flights to the capital, limiting humanitarian aid coming into the country. Bullets hit a Spirit plane when it was about to land Monday in the country’s capital, injuring a flight attendant and forcing the airport to shut down. JetBlue and American Airlines said that their planes had also been shot while leaving the airport. The shootings were part of a wave of violence that erupted in Haiti as the country swore in its new prime minister after a politically tumultuous (混亂的) process. US Northeast Fire Warnings A fire warning for much of America's northeast is back in effect, as a major wildfire burns across the border of New York state, and New Jersey. Rainfall has brought little relief (緩和) amid drought-like conditions and high winds. Mitch McCann reports: British Writer Samantha Harvey Wins Booker Prize British writer Samantha Harvey has won the Booker Prize for fiction with “Orbital,” a short novel set aboard the International Space Station. Harvey was awarded the $64-thousand US dollar prize for what she has called a “space pastoral” about six astronauts circling the Earth, which she began writing during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Harvey has written four previous novels and a memoir about insomnia. She is the first British writer since 2020 to win the Booker. Harvey beat five other finalists (入圍者) from Canada, the United States, Australia and the Netherlands, chosen from among 156 novels submitted by publishers. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 253-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,277 on turnover of 10.7-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed slightly lower Monday despite a late rally in which Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing recovered most of its early losses due to its sound fundamentals. The Taiex had strong technical support as it tested the five-day moving average, and bounced back well above that level by the end of the trading session. Deputy speaker departs for U.S., France Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang from the opposition KMT departed Taiwan late on Sunday for a trip to the United States and France where he will conduct exchanges with American and French lawmakers. Chiang's office says he is scheduled to attend a round of meetings which will be held by the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While in the U.S., the deputy speaker will also meet with American congresspersons to discuss the result of the U.S. presidential election and how Taiwan could be impacted. After a two-day stay in the U.S., Chiang will head to France and join a cross-party delegation consisting of (由…組成) ruling Democratic Progressive Party and opposition Taiwan People's Party lawmakers visiting the French Senate. His office says the trip to the French Senate will focus on Taiwan's participation in international organizations and combating disinformation. Protesters Demand Justice After Station Roof Collapse Anti-government protesters in Serbia are demanding arrests and the resignations of top officials over the deadly collapse of a concrete roof at a railway station that killed 14 people in a northern city this month. The rally in Belgrade blamed the collapse on rampant (猖獗的，泛濫的) corruption and sloppy renovation work on the station building in Novi Sad. The work was part of a wider deal with Chinese state companies involved in a number of infrastructure projects in the Balkan country. Authorities have opened an investigation and Serbia’s construction minister submitted his resignation last week, but no one has been charged or detained. Scientists Predict 2024 Hottest Year on Record Scientists are "virtually certain" that 2024 will be the warmest year on record. The Copernicus Climate Change Service, a European agency, made the announcement on Monday, reinforcing (加固) predictions made earlier in the year. It comes as world leaders gather in Azerbaijan for the United Nations' annual climate conference. Sally Patterson reports. Emperor Penguin Found in Australia An emperor penguin found malnourished far from its Antarctic home on the Australian south coast is being cared for by a wildlife expert. A government statement says the adult male was found earlier this month on a popular tourist beach in southwest Australia — about 3,500 kilometers north of the icy waters off the Antarctic coast. Researchers say the largest penguin species has never been reported in Australia before. And they have no idea why the penguin traveled to the Australian town. Experts are focusing their efforts on rehabilitating (使康復) the bird, but say "options are still being worked through" on if the penguin could potentially be returned to Antarctica. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 23,478 on turnover of $7.2-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan moved higher by more than 140 points Friday after the Federal Reserve cut its key interest rates as expected, sparking a rally among tech stocks on the U.S. markets overnight. The local bellwether electronics sector attracted most of the market's attention throughout the trading session, while old economy and financial stocks largely lost their luster, capping the gains on the broader market. Thousands march in Taipei for better wildlife conservation Animal rights groups took to the streets on Sunday to appeal for better stray animal management and improved wildlife conservation. According to Taiwan Walk for Wildlife, around 2-thousand people participated in the event in Taipei. The 2024 Walk for Wildlife, a one-hour march that looped (環行) through streets near the Legislative Yuan, began after TWW members, wildlife conservation experts, and legislators from across party lines delivered remarks. T-W-W says the goal of the march was to get the government to improve the management and reduction of stray dogs and cats and strengthen the management of stray dogs in ecological hotspots. The protesters presented a petition to the head of the Ministry of Agriculture's Animal Welfare Department, who responded by saying that authorities "respect and understand" the demands and will promote those that have gained social consensus, while also tightening stray dog control in some areas. Washington Post: Trump Tells Putin to Avoid Escalation in Ukraine US President-Elect Donald Trump has told his Russian counterpart to avoid an escalation in Ukraine according to a Washington Post report. The conflict (戰爭，衝突) could be one of the topics US President Joe Biden discusses when he meets Donald Trump at the White House this week. Our Washington Correspondent Jagruti Dave has more. Netherlands Demonstrators Detained After Soccer Clashes Police have detained dozens of people for taking part in a demonstration in central Amsterdam that had been outlawed following violent clashes targeting fans of an Israeli soccer club. Amsterdam's mayor banned all demonstrations over the weekend in the aftermath of the scenes of youths on scooters and on foot attacking Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters (支持者) on Thursday and Friday. It was widely condemned as a violent outburst of antisemitism in the Dutch capital. Local media reports showed police detaining one man Sunday who was taking part in a small demonstration on the central Dam Square. Police said on X they detained more than 50 people. UK Jamie Oliver Children's Book Withdrawn A children’s book written by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been withdrawn from sale after it was criticized for causing offense to Indigenous Australians. The Guardian newspaper reported that the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation blasted “Billy And The Epic Escape” for employing a series of tropes about Indigenous Australians, including their relationships with the natural and spiritual worlds. The group criticized one of the subplots (次要情節) of the fantasy novel, which tells the story of an Indigenous girl living in foster care, for contributing to the “erasure, trivialisation (使顯得不重要), and stereotyping of First Nations peoples and experiences.” Following the criticism, Oliver apologized “wholeheartedly.” That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 199-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,608 on turnover of $8-billion N-T. Economics Minister Upbeat on Taiwan's Future Despite Trump Tariff Threats Economics Minister Kuo Jyh-huei says he believes U-S President-elect Donald Trump's mooted 10-per cent tariff on all U-S imports will have a limited effect on Taiwan. However, Kuo is warning that Trump's proposed 60-per cent levy on Chinese-made products will have an impact on Taiwanese firms operating in China. According to Kuo, he agrees with media speculation that Trump's election win could result in more Taiwanese businesses in China to return to Taiwan, and the government has policies planned to assist supply chains with overseas market arrangements (安排). Kuo says Trump's claim that Taiwan "stole" America's chip industry was a "misunderstanding" .. and many experts on the matter believe that the U.S. and Taiwan complement each other in the semiconductor supply chain. National Taiwan University Ranks 26th in Asia in Latest QS Rankings The National Taiwan University remains Taiwan's top-ranking institution in the latest Q-S 2025 Asia University Rankings - despite dropping five places from last year. The N-T-U earned 85.5-points to be tied for 26th place in the rankings with a Malaysian university. It scored highest among Taiwanese universities in the "Academic Reputation" and "Employer Reputation" categories, which account for 30 and 20-per cent of the overall score. The N-T-U fell to 21st place in the 2024 rankings, marking its first drop after peaking (達到尖峰) at 19th from 2021 to 2023. France: Israeli Police Forcibly Enter FrenchOwned Church in Jerusalem The French foreign ministry says armed Israeli police forced their way into a French-owned church compound in the contested city of Jerusalem. Two consulate members were briefly detained and a top French diplomat abandoned (棄) his planned visit to the site. The incident Thursday threatened to further strain relations between Israel and France weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for an arms embargo on Israel prompted backlash from right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The French Foreign Ministry said it would summon the Israeli ambassador in protest in the coming days. Aid Groups Report Concerns After Trump Victory Migrant aid groups say they are fielding a high number of calls from people anxious after Donald Trump's victory in Tuesday's elections. The president-elect has vowed mass deportations in his second term in office. Toni Waterman has more Australia Man Sentenced to Prison for Nazi Salute A self-described Nazi has become the first person in Australia to be sentenced to prison for performing an outlawed salute. Jacob Hersant was ordered by a magistrate to spend one month behind bars. The gesture is outlawed nationwide. He performed the salute before news cameras outside the Victoria County Court last year. Hersant’s lawyer says the sentence will be appealed. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 38-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,180 on turnover of $7.3-billion N-T. The market closed moderately higher on Wednesday as investors waited for the outcome of the U-S presidential election. The bellwether electronics sector once again acted a driver for the broader market, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in focus. Conscripts Test Domestically Made Portable Launchers A group of conscripts drafted following this year's lengthening of mandatory military service has fired domestically made portable (便於攜帶的) rocket launchers during a media event. The live-fire exercises took place at that Southern Taiwan Military Training Center in Tainan. Conscripts who spent several weeks training with man-portable shoulder-launched Kestrel and fired several rounds from the domestically built weapon system. Defense officials say most of the rockets hit targets some 200-meters away, however, one of the conscripts' launchers failed to fire due to a malfunction. The deputy commander of the training center says the launcher that failed to fire has been handed over the the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology for further examination. The conscripts were part of the first group that began their compulsory service earlier this year after the government extended military service for men to one year from the previous four months. US Trump Presidency for Supreme Court Looking ahead after the US election, Donald Trump's presidency could assure (保證) a conservative Supreme Court majority for decades AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports… Canada Orders TikTok Dissolution The Canadian government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media app but said it won’t block access (使用或看見某物的權利或機會). Canada's industry minister says it is meant to address risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc. TikTok is wildly popular with young people, but its Chinese ownership has raised fears that Beijing could use it to collect data on Western users or push pro-China narratives and misinformation. Amazon Deforestation Drops Amazon rainforest loss in Brazil dropped by one-third compared to the previous year, according to official monitoring. The statistics were announced Wednesday in Brazil’s presidential palace, That is the lowest level of destruction in nine years. Moreover, deforestation in Brazil’s vast savannah (稀樹草原) also decreased by 25.7%, the first decline in five years. The area destroyed reached 8,174 square kilometers. The results sharply contrast with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion and weakened environmental agencies. Deforestation hit a 15-year high under his term. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,112 on turnover of 5.2-billion N-T. The market moved moderately higher on Tuesday, but turnover remained thin as many investors opted to stay on the sidelines as they await the outcome of the U-S presidential election. Two Hometown Association Heads Indicted for China-Funded Trip The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted the heads of two Chinese hometown associations for organizing a China-funded trip to Anhui Province for local K-M-T officials in the run-up to January's elections. According to the prosecutors' office, the presidents of the Taiwan and Taipei Anhui Province hometown associations have been charged with violating (違反) the Anti-Infiltration Act. Prosecutors says the two defendants acted at the request of the head the Anhui Province Taiwan Affairs Office to recruit 24 K-M-T party officials and ward chiefs from Taipei's Wanhua and Nangang districts for the trip. Former Police Officer Acquitted in Fatal Shooting Incident The Taoyuan District Court has acquitted a former police officer who accidentally shot and killed a passenger in a vehicle that failed to pull over after being ordered to do so in March of 2020. The vehicle instead sped off, sparking a chase in which the driver reversed into the police officer's patrol car twice. The former police officer, who was the deputy head of the Taoyuan Police Department's Bade Precinct when the incident occurred, discharged his hand gun five times - aiming at the moving vehicle's back tire - but two bullets hit a female passenger (乘客) in the car's back seat. She was struck in the leg and back and later died in a nearby hospital. The former police officer had been charged with negligent homicide. Netanyahu fires Yoav Gallant… Benjamin Netanyahu has fired Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The Israeli Prime Minister said he was forced to remove Gallant from his post due to a "crisis of trust" between the two men. Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds (意見不一致，不和) over the war in Gaza. Giles Gibson reports from Tel Aviv. Netflix Offices Raided in France Netherlands Judicial officials say prosecutors and police investigators who specialize in fighting major fraud and corruption have raided Netflix offices in France and the Netherlands. The raids on Tuesday are part of a French probe of suspected financial wrongdoing. French and Dutch authorities have been working together for many months on the investigation centering on the suspected laundering of tax fraud and off-the-books (不入賬的,未經登錄的) work. In France, police investigators carried out searches of the streaming giant’s French headquarters. In the Netherlands, Dutch prosecutors also raided Netflix’s European headquarters in Amsterdam. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 95-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 22,870 on turnover of 4-billion N-T. The market gained ground on Monday - rising more than 180-points - as it rebounded from a session earlier after buying was sparked by gains on Wall Street at the end of last week. The bellwether electronics sector led the upturn, but turnover was low amid lingering investor caution ahead of the U-S presidential election. Agricultural Losses from Typhoon Kong-Rey Top NT$1.3 billion The Ministry of Agriculture says losses (損失) due to damage to farms and agricultural facilities caused by Typhoon Kong-Rey currently stand at 1.32-billion N-T. According to the ministry, farms in Yunlin County were the hardest hit - suffering estimated losses of 365-million N-T. That was followed by Hualien County, where farming losses stand at 317-million N-T, Taichung which has reported losses of 296-million N-T, and Taitung County, where agricultural losses stand at 179-million N-T. Broken down by crops, pears grown on 640 hectares of farmland in Taichung suffered losses of at least 233-million N-T - the most of any crop. Frank Wu Takes Office as SEF Chairman Former Control Yuan member Frank Wu has assumed the chairmanship of the Straits Exchange Foundation. Wu was elected to the post by the foundation's board of directors and supervisors. He replaces acting chair Rock Hsu. Hsu had served as the interim head of the foundation following the resignation (辭職) of Cheng Wen-tsan, who stepped down from the post in July after being charged in a corruption case related to his tenure as Taoyuan mayor. Speaking after being elected, Wu said he hopes that the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits will show reciprocal goodwill and work collaboratively to improve bilateral relations. US Election Day Eve in the US It's Election Day eve in the US and both Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are campaigning Monday in Pennsylvania, the battleground state with the largest number of electoral votes at stake (處於危急關頭). Kate Fisher reports from Washington Russia Rocket Carries Iranian Satellites into Orbit A Russian rocket has blasted off successfully to carry a pair of Iranian satellites into orbit. The Soyuz rocket lifted off as scheduled today from a launchpad (（火箭）發射台) in far eastern Russia and put its payload in a designated orbit nine minutes later. It carried two Russian Earth observation satellites and several dozen smaller satellites, including the two Iranian ones. Iran’s two satellites were the first launched on behalf of the country’s private sector. French Groups on Displacement After Paris Olympics A coalition of over 100 organizations has reported that nearly 20,000 individuals were displaced from informal housing in Paris and surrounding areas during preparations for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The group claims these evictions are part of “social cleansing,” citing evidence including government documents that reference the Olympics as justification. Eviction operations surged by 41% compared to the previous year, with over 4,500 minors affected. French officials, including President Emmanuel Macron, have stated that every displaced person was offered alternative (可供選擇的) housing and emphasized the creation of a social legacy linked to the Games. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 59-points this morning from Friday's close, at 22,839 on turnover of 5.4-billion N-T. The market closed slightly lower on Friday as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing recouped most of its early heavy losses following a plunge by I-C stocks on Wall Street at the end of last week. Work to Restore Power and Access to Typhoon-Hit Villages Continues The Central Emergency Operation Center says efforts to repair the damage caused by Typhoon Kong-Rey are ongoing. The statement comes as more than 8,000 households remain without power and access to several rural communities remains blocked following last week's storm. According to the center, 8,164 households across Taiwan are still without power and work to restore electricity expected to wrap-up later today. A total of 965,342 households experienced power outages as the typhoon battered Taiwan and several locations remain cut off due to damage to access roads, which continues to hinder progress in restoring (恢復) power. Water supplies have been restored to all 63,016 households affected by the storm. 2nd Taiwanese Volunteer Soldier Killed in Ukraine The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the death of a second Taiwan national in Ukraine. Deputy spokesman Hsiao Guang-wei says his office was able to confirm the death through the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine. According to Hsiao, the foreign ministry has contacted the man's family and will offer assistance (協助) to them should they need any in dealings with matters related to his death. D-P-P lawmaker Puma Shen has named the volunteer soldier as Wu Chong-da. Shen says the 44-year-old Kaohsiung native was a veteran of Taiwan's Army Special Forces Command and was killed fighting on the frontline in Ukraine. Israel Military Seizes Syrian Citizen The Israeli military says it has carried out a ground raid into Syria, seizing a Syrian citizen involved in Iranian networks. It was the first time in the current war that Israel announced its troops operated in Syrian territory. Syria did not immediately confirm the Sunday announcement. The Israeli military said the seizure was part of a special operation “that took place in recent months,” though it did not say exactly when it occurred (發生). It says the man seized had been under military surveillance for many months and was involved in Iranian initiatives targeting areas of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. US Trump and Harris on Campaign Sprint White House hopefuls Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are tearing through (匆忙行動) a number of swing states in the last days of the US election campaign - whose undecided voters could ultimately decide the result of this race. Our US Correspondent Jagruti Dave has more. Congo MPOX Shows Signs of Stabilizing Some health officials say mpox cases in Congo appear to be “stabilizing.” It's a possible sign that the epidemic for which the World Health Organization made a global emergency declaration in August might be on the decline. WHO says Congo has reported about 200 to 300 lab-confirmed mpox cases every week recently, which is down from nearly 400 cases a week in July. But the U.N. health agency acknowledges (承認) that only 40% to 50% of suspected infections in Congo were being tested. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 382-points this morning from Wednesday's close, at 22,439 on turnover of 18-billion N-T. Government Cites Importance of US-Korea Communique on Cross-Strait Stability The government is thanking the U-S and South Korea for expressing their concern about the security of the Taiwan Strait in a joint communique for the fourth consecutive year. According to the government, Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded countries such as the U-S and South Korea to contribute to "peace, stability and prosperity (繁榮) in the Taiwan Strait and the region. The statement comes after Washington and Seoul issued the joint communique earlier this week - in which both sides stated that their respective governments have taken note of the importance of maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait … …. and reaffirmed security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. It was issued following talks between U-S Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Korean counterpart Kim Yong-hyun at the 56th Security Consultative Meeting in Washington, D.C. CWA Says Footage May Show Tornado Touching Down in Hualien The Central Weather Administration says it's not ruling out the possibility that video footage (片段) posted to the internet on Thursday showed a tornado touching down in Hualien County's Xiu-Lin Township. The 20-second video has been widely shared on social media .. .. and it appears to show a rotating column of wind and rain in Hualien's Jia-Wan Village, and was taken as Taiwan was being battered by Typhoon Kong-Rey. The weather administration's office in Hualien initially said that it was difficult to judge whether it was tornado based on the brief footage, which could just show low clouds being blown along quickly at ground level. The administration's forecast center later issued a statement saying it had reviewed the footage and determined that it showed a circulating motion similar to a tornado. However, the forecast center went on to say it's not ruling out the possibility that a tornado had formed, although additional evidence is be needed to confirm that. Spain Flooding Leaves Over 100 Dead Crews are searching for bodies in stranded cars and buildings following flash floods in Spain that claimed at least 158 lives. The death toll could rise more as search efforts continue Thursday. An unknown number remains missing. Spain's transport minister says dead bodies remain inside some of the hundreds of stranded (被困住的) vehicles. Officials say 155 people have died in the eastern region of Valencia. Elon Musk May Continue Cash Prize Giveaway for Election Elon Musk can continue to give away money to US voters, following a ruling from a Philadelphia judge. The billionaire is facing a lawsuit over the controversial million-dollar prizes he's awarded to swing state voters. Legal action has been put on hold. Musk, who is publicly backing Republican nominee Donald Trump, denies any wrongdoing (不當行為). Sally Patterson has more. Canada Busts Drug SuperLab Canadian police dismantled what they say is the largest, most sophisticated illicit drug “super lab” in the country. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police believe organized crime ran the operation where there was mass-production and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine across Canada and internationally. Officers served search warrants (搜查令) last week on the drug lab in Falkland, British Columbia and associated locations in Surrey, in Metro Vancouver. Police said they seized 54 kilograms of fentanyl, “massive” amounts of precursor chemicals, 390 kilograms of methamphetamine, and smaller amounts of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. CWA: Typhoon Kong-rey Strengthens May Make Landfall Hualien or South Tomorow Noon to Evening The Central Weather Administration is expanding its land warning, as Typhoon Kong-rey continues to pick up strength. The CWA says the storm's maintaining its radius of 300 kilometers, and the land warning now includes Hualien, Taitung, Pingtung, and the Hengchun Peninsula. Officials say the storm is moving quickly, and could make landfall sometime between tomorrow noon and evening, with the eye of the storm arriving south of Hualien County. Kong-rey is currently about 520 kilometers southeast of Eluanbi, but forecasters say the storm's periphery (外圍) could hit southeastern Taiwan early tomorrow morning. The CWA says based on the typhoon's current path and speed, the entire island may be included in the land warning as soon as late tonight. Kong-rey is packing sustained wind speeds of 184 kilometers per hour, with gusts of up to 227 kilometers per hour. A heavy rain advisory is also in effect, for Keelung North Coast, as well as mountainous areas in Taipei, New Taipei, and Yilan. (NS) Taiwan donates 500 metric tons of rice to storm-hit Philippines Taiwan donated 500 metric tons of rice to the Philippines in the wake of recent destruction caused by Tropical Storm Trami and Typhoon Gaemi in late July, at a ceremony held in the city of Makati on Tuesday. Wallace Chow, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, handed over a bag of rice printed with a Republic of China (Taiwan) flag and "Love from Taiwan" to Philippine officials during the ceremony. Chow also says the Taiwan Technical Mission in the Philippines will soon begin projects in Isabela and Cagayan provinces in northeastern Luzon to increase rice production, in a bid to ensure (確保) no one will suffer from hunger when the Southeast Asian country is hit by natural disasters in the future. Philippine officials say their country appreciates the generosity of Taiwan for the donation, which will go a long way in easing the burden of victims and the poorest in the communities. UK Teen Accused of Stabbing Attack Also Made Ricin Police say a British teen accused of fatally stabbing 3 girls also made poison and had a terror manual (手冊). AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports Argentina Hotel Collapse Authorities say a 10-story hotel under renovation in Argentina has collapsed, leaving one person dead and at least seven trapped in the debris. Firefighters searching for survivors rescued a woman who was alive from the rubble of the Dubrovnik Hotel in Villa Gesell, 350-kilometers south of the capital Buenos Aires. Officials say an 80-year-old man died in the collapse, and between seven and nine people, presumably (據推測) masons working on the hotel's restoration, remain trapped. A prosecutor opened an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse, but Villa Gesell’s municipality said in a press release the hotel was undergoing a renovation without the proper permits. China Launches 3 Astronauts to Orbiting Space Station China launched a new three-person crew to its orbiting space station today, as the country seeks to expand (擴張) its exploration of outer space. The team of two men and one woman will replace the astronauts who have lived on the Tiangong space station for the last six months. They are expected to stay until April or May of next year. The new mission commander went to space in the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022, while the other two, are first-time space travelers, born in the 1990s. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 150-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,048 on turnover of $4.7-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan saw initial gains eroded (侵蝕) and closed in negative territory, falling more than 150 points, Monday as the bellwether electronics sector encountered profit taking leading the broader market to move lower Analysts say ahead of the upcoming United States presidential election on Nov. 5, local investors appeared reluctant to chase prices for the moment despite gains in the early morning session with turnover staying low. Detention extended for city councilor The Taipei District Court on Monday approved an extension of detention for Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei, while the Taiwan High Court rejected real estate tycoon Sheen Ching-jing's appeal to have his detention ended. The two individuals are both in custody as part of an alleged corruption case, known as the "Core Pacific City Case," that has embroiled (捲入其中) TPP leader Ko Wen-je. Ying, of the opposition KMT, is accused of acting as a go-between between Sheen and high-ranking city government officials in the construction project, including then-Taipei City Mayor Ko. Sheen, founder and chairman of the Core Pacific Group, is alleged to have bribed Taipei city officials to illegally increase the floor area ratio f a site formerly occupied by Core Pacific City, in order to raise the property's financial value. Ying is to be held incommunicado for two more months as of Oct. 29, as ruled by the Taipei District Court. Sheen's attorney applied for the suspension of his detention, citing his poor health, a request that has now be rejected for the second time by the High Court. NATO confirms North Korean forces in Russia’s Kursk NATO's Secretary-General has confirmed that North Korean forces are in the Russian territory of Kursk. That region is partially (部分地) controlled by Ukraine signaling that they are now or soon to be in direct combat. William Denselow reports from Brussels where NATO is headquartered. Israel Passes Laws Restricting UN Aid Agency Israel’s parliament has passed two laws that severely restrict the U.N. agency responsible for distributing aid in Gaza. The first bill passed Monday bans the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, from conducting “any activity” or providing any service inside Israel. The second cuts ties with the main U.N. provider of aid to Gaza and designates (指定) it a terror organization. The votes followed a fiery debate between supporters of the laws and its opponents, mostly members of Arab parliamentary parties. Brazil Fines Meatpacking Companies and Suppliers Brazil's environmental agency levied $64 million in fines against 23 meatpacking and their suppliers companies for buying and selling cattle raised illegally on deforested land in the Amazon. The operation tracked 18-thousand head of cattle raised in 260 square kilometers of pasture that was under embargo (禁運) due to illegal deforestation. The companies targeted included JBS, the largest meatpacking company in the world. Cattle raising is the Amazon’s main deforestation driver, with 90% of the total cleared area converted to pasture. That represents an area of 590-thousand square kilometers, slightly larger than France. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, 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 107-points this morning from Friday's close, at 23,455 on turnover of 5.5-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Friday, rising more than 150 points after a slump a session earlier. The bellwether electronics sector led the gains in the wake of gains posted by the tech heavy Nasdaq on Wall Street overnight. However, turnover was reduced as many investors stayed on the sidelines as they were reluctant (不願意，不情願的) to chase prices. Foreign Minister Invites Guatemalan President to Visit Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has invited Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo to visit Taiwan. Lin made the offer at the end of his trip to the country this past weekend. Guatemala was the first stop on Lin's trip to five of Taiwan's Caribbean and Latin American diplomatic allies. He is now in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where he attend the country's 45th Independence Day celebrations (慶祝活動) on Sunday. Lin is also scheduled to visit St. Lucia, Belize and St. Kitts and Nevis. Golfer Pan finishes 6th at Zozo Championship in Japan And, Taiwanese golfer Pan Cheng-tsung has finished sixth at the 2024 Zozo Championship in Japan after finishing on a 13-under par 267 over four days. Pan put in his best performance on the last round on Sunday to end on a 4-under par 66 that was paced by six birdies at the Narashino Country Club in Chiba Prefecture's Inzai City. Pan took only two bogies on the front nine to finish the tourney in a tie for sixth with four other players. Aside from the three birdies and no bogey performance on the back nine, Pan also took only two strokes off the tee to the green on the 18th hole. The four-day event was co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and the P-G-A Tour. Report: Chinese Hackers Intercept US Political Figures Calls Chinese state-affiliated hackers intercepted (截取) audio from the phone calls of US political figures, including an unnamed campaign adviser of Donald Trump, according to the Washington Post. The FBI and the US cybersecurity and infrastructure security agency are investigating, as Laura Westbrook reports. Laura Westbrook. UK Jamie Oliver on Stolen Cheddar British chef Jamie Oliver has issued a plea to his social media followers to help solve the mystery of nearly 22 metric ton of award-winning cheddar that was stolen in a scam. Oliver told his 10.5 million Instagram fans to be on the lookout for “lorry loads of very posh cheese." Nearly 1,000 wheels artisanal cheddar worth $390-thousand US dollars were swiped from Neal’s Yard Dairy in London by a con artist posing as a (假扮) wholesale distributor for a major French retailer. London police and international authorities are investigating. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn