EZ News 02/19/24

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 46-points this morning from Friday's close, at 18,561 on turnover of 7.3-billion N-T. The market bucked a global upturn on Friday, and lost ground - that, despite Wall Street setting a fresh record following some mixed reports on America's economy overnight. China Vows to "Enhance Maritime Law Enforcement" Around Kinmen and Matsu China's coast guard says it plans to "strengthen its law enforcement activities" and carry out more patrols in waters around Kinmen and Matsu. The statement comes as Beijing is continuing to blame Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration for the deaths of two Chinese nationals who were killed when their boat overturned while trying to flee a coast guard ship near Kinmen. China's coast guard says it will also carry out regular "inspections" in waters around the two outlying islands. The Mainland Affairs Council is slamming China for the move - saying Taiwan will continue to enforce the rules on banning unauthorized (未經授權的) Chinese access to waters around Kinmen. According to the council, maritime laws will continue "to be enforced" based on the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. NTU Drama Department Founding Chair Hu Yao-heng Dies at 87 And, The National Taiwan University has announced the death of the founding chairperson of its Graduate Institute of Drama and Theatre. According to the university, Hu Yao-heng passed away last Friday. He was 87. No cause of death has been given. Hu was born in the Chinese province of Hubei in 1936. He graduated from N-T-U's Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures before earning a master's degree in drama from Baylor University and a doctoral degree in drama and comparative literature from Indiana University. He founded the N-T-U's Graduate Institute of Drama and Theatre in 1995. Russia Takes Avdiivka Russia takes control of a key city in eastern Ukraine after Ukrainian troops withdraw The fall of the town of Avdiivka in Ukraine's Donbas region is seen as Russia's biggest victory since last year's capture (攻下) of Bakhmut. AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports Yemen Houthis Target BelizeFlagged Ship Yemen’s Houthi rebels are suspected in an attack on a Belize-flagged ship traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The ship targeted in the assault Sunday reported sustaining (承受) damage after “an explosion in close proximity to the vessel.” That's according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. It said that the ship's crewmembers were safe. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israel’s war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Germany Lufthansa Labor Union Calls for Strike A labor union in Germany has called on ground staff for Lufthansa to walk off the job at seven airports on Tuesday following a similar strike earlier this month. The Ver.di union said Sunday that the one-day strike will affect the airports in Frankfurt and Munich, Lufthansa’s two main hubs (中心), and several other cities. A 27-hour strike at five of the same airports that started Feb. 7 prompted the airline to cancel hundreds of flights. The union is seeking pay raises of 12.5%, or at least 500 euros more per month, in negotiations for about 25-thousand employees. 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