EZ News 03/20/23

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 1-point this morning from Friday's close, at 15,454 on turnover of 2-billion N-T. The market moved sharply higher on Friday as investors breathed a sigh of relief (鬆一口氣) after the U-S and Switzerland appeared to rescue financially troubled banks. The bellwether electronics sector got a boost from big gains by tech stocks on U-S markets overnight and served as an anchor to support the local main board during the trading day. **Australian PM Stresses No Deal to Help US Defend Taiwan ** Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says Canberra has not given the U-S any commitment to join Washington in defending Taiwan in the event of a cross-strait conflict. The statement comes amid reports that such an agreement was reached as part of the AUKUS negotiations. Marles was asked during an appearance on the A-B-C's "Insiders" program, whether Australia had explicitly (明確的) or implicitly (含蓄的, 不明言的) given the U-S a commitment that it would join the ally in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, in return for access to the submarines. The Australian deputy prime minister said he's heard Taiwan related "conjecture (推測) from a number of commentators and it's plain wrong." **Egg Wholesalers Slam Price Freeze and Threaten to 'Close Market' ** A group of wholesale egg suppliers in Taipei is threatening to stop sales "indefinitely" if the Poultry Association extends the current price freeze this week. The move comes a the association's production and marketing supervision committee backed the freeze of the wholesale price of domestically produced eggs. However, the wholesale egg suppliers argue that such a price freeze is "not sustainable (無法維持) and will hurt egg farmers and suppliers." The wholesale price of eggs currently stands at 55 N-T per 600-grams, while the farm gate price is 45.5 N-T per 600-grams. The Egg Marketing Cooperative says it will consider wholesale price adjustments, but that will depend on whether imported supplies are sufficient to meet market demand. **China Xi to Meet with Putin ** China is dismissing international concerns over its relationship with Russia, ahead of a high profile meeting between the countries’ leaders in Moscow. Beijing says the trip is designed to promote a peaceful end to the conflict in Ukraine. This comes after the Russian president visited the occupied city of Mariupol in Ukraine, and attacks continue across the country. AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports. **Croatia AntiShip Mine Safely Destroyed ** Croatian authorities have destroyed a huge anti-ship mine from World War II that was buried in the seabed near a key northern Adriatic Sea port. Local authorities in the port of Rijeka sounded emergency sirens early Sunday to mark the start of the operation. They earlier had evacuated parts of the city while also halting (停止) all traffic to secure the area during the removal of the bomb with 690 kilograms of explosives. Officials said that the bomb was first discovered last June. It was positioned too close to the city and it had to be moved further away before emergency teams performed the controlled detonation. 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