EZ News 02/16/24

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 4.9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 18,640 on turnover of $5.6-billion N-T. The market opened in consolidation mode today after record gains on the first trading session of the Year of the Dragon. Shares in Taiwan surged almost 550 points and by more than 3 percent, despite stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation figures. Buying included stocks in the bellwether electronics sector, led by chipmaker TSMC American depositary receipts, which steamed ahead by more than 11 percent when the stock market was closed over the New Year holiday, due to enthusiasm about AI development. Woman gives birth during flight from Tokyo to Taipei: EVA Airways A woman gave birth to a baby after going into labor on board a flight from Tokyo to Taipei on Thursday, according to EVA Airways. The airline says flight attendants and four doctors who happened to be on board the morning flight assisted with the birth. It adds that the plane landed at Taipei Songshan Airport at 1:11 p.m., with the mother and her newborn son taken to a local hospital. Details regarding the passenger, including her nationality, or how many weeks she was pregnant, were not disclosed (公佈) by the airline. US Biden Informant Charged with Lying to Authorities An FBI informant has been charged with lying to authorities about a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme between President Joe Biden, his son Hunter and a Ukrainian energy company. The claim is central to a Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress. Prosecutors say Alexander Smirnov falsely told FBI agents in June 2020 that executives associated with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid Hunter and Joe Biden $5 million each in 2015 or 2016. The allegations became a flashpoint in Congress over the summer as Republicans demanded the FBI release the unredacted (內容沒有被刪減的) form documenting the allegations as they pursued investigations of President Biden and his family. An attorney for Smirnov declined to comment on the allegations. Greece Legalizes SameSex Civil Marriage Greece has become the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex civil marriage. AP's Lisa Dwyer has more. Senegal Voids Postponement of Presidential Election Senegal’s top election authority has voided the president’s postponement of a presidential election scheduled for Feb. 25 and its rescheduling in December, saying the moves were unconstitutional. A judgement approved by seven members of Senegal’s Constitutional Council cancelled the decree signed by President Macky Sall that postponed the election. The judgement also said that the National Assembly’s move on Feb. 5 to reschedule the vote for Dec. 15 also was “contrary to (與之相反) the constitution." That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn