EZ News 02/10/26

Good afternoon, I'm Jacob Ingram with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opens higher on Wall Street rally The Tai-Ex opened up 35 points this morning from yesterday's close, at 32,440 on turnover (成交額) of $5.9 billion NT. Shares in Taiwan closed more than 600 points higher Monday, as a strong rally (大漲) in the United States late last week prompted investors to buy large-cap (大型股) electronics stocks. Contract chipmaker TSMC failed to hold onto all of its earlier gains, with analysts saying investors turned cautious ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, amid concerns over possible negative developments overseas. Old-economy stocks (傳產股) were largely overshadowed by the technology sector, although some industries tied to AI development attracted interest. TaiDoc union protests interference; company blames 'outsider' involvement The union at TaiDoc Technology protested Monday outside the Ministry of Labor. It's accusing the medical device maker of undermining (破壞) its operations, including illegally dismissing its chair, Filipino worker Elizabeth Basas. Notices posted around the workplace allegedly humiliated her and warned other employees against joining the union. Union director Lennon Wang said the group, formed six months ago with about 30 Filipino members, has faced ongoing pressure from management and claimed the company forced employees to join the union, announcing over 100 new members unilaterally (單方面地). TaiDoc's chair has denied the accusations, calling Wang an "outsider" illegally interfering (非法干預) and questioning the legitimacy (合法性) of a recent strike vote. The Ministry of Labor said it has received a request to investigate the allegations and urged employers to respect union independence (工會自主權) and avoid improper interference (不當干預). Taiwan's Zhang Bo-ya wins gold at Asian Indoor Athletics Championships Taiwan's top hurdler Zhang Bo-ya (張博雅) secured gold in the women’s 60-meter hurdles at the 2026 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tianjin, setting a new national record of 8.12 seconds. The 22-year-old star broke her own national record twice in a single day. After an initial record-breaking run in the heats, Zhang surged past her Japanese competitors in the final to take Taiwan’s first gold of the meet. Her victory capped off a successful weekend for the national team, which earned one gold and three silver medals. Notable performances included Chen Wen-pu (陳玟溥), who smashed a 38-year-old national record in the men’s 60-meter sprint, alongside silvers from long jumper Lin Yu-tang (林昱堂) and sprinter Liao Yan-jun (廖晏均). Coach Wang Kuo-hui (王國慧) said the result confirms Zhang’s peak condition as she prepares for the upcoming outdoor season and Asian Games qualifiers (亞運資格賽). Maxwell remains silent to Epstein questions, pleads for clemency In international news, Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker for Jeffrey Epstein, has refused to answer US lawmakers' questions at a closed-door hearing, asserting her Fifth Amendment right (保持緘默權). She used the session to ask for clemency (寬赦), saying she would "speak fully" if pardoned (特赦) by US president Donald Trump. Nick Harper reports from Washington. Cuba Aviation Officials Warn of Fuel Shortage Cuban aviation officials have warned airlines of a fuel shortage (燃料短缺) for refueling on the island. This is part of energy rationing (能源配給) as the Trump administration cuts Cuba off from its fuel sources. The shortage stems from U.S. political pressure severing Cuba’s access to oil from Venezuela and Mexico. Shorter flights may not be affected, but long-haul routes face challenges. The energy crisis has led to reduced bank hours, suspended cultural events and halted public transport. U.S. sanctions (制裁) have long impacted Cuba, but recent measures have intensified the situation. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn