EZ News 03/22/23

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 21-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 15,535 on turnover of 1.7-billion N-T. The market staged a technical rebound on Tuesday, as buying was sparked by a rally on Wall Street overnight as financial regulators' voiced strong support for financially troubled banks. The local financial sector got a boost from the recovery of U-S banking stocks - as it outperformed the broader market, rising 0.92-per cent. **MOFA Stressing 'No Notification' from Honduras Regard Termination of Ties ** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has yet to receive any official communication from Honduras ending diplomatic relations and is continuing in its efforts to salvage (挽救) ties . The statement comes after Honduras' foreign minister was quoted as saying his country has already sent a communication to Taiwan's Embassy informing it of the severing of formal ties. However, the foreign ministry here is insisting that no such formal notification from Honduras dissolving the countries' diplomatic relations has been received. **DPP and LDP Exchange Views on Diplomacy and Defense ** Representatives from the D-P-P and Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party have held their first ever in-person talks in Taipei. The two hour closed-door meeting was attended by D-P-P lawmakers and the directors of the L-D-P's foreign affairs and defense divisions. According to D-P-P lawmaker Luo Zhi-zheng, the talks focused on the two party's diplomatic and national defense policies. Luo says both sides also touched on (提到) the issue of Taiwan joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The D-P-P and L-D-P previously held virtual talks in August and December of 2021. **French Journalist Freed and Returned Home ** French journalist Olivier Dubois has been welcomed home by President Emmanuel Macron, one day after he was released in Mali. Dubois was held hostage by Islamic extremists for nearly two years, after being kidnapped in April 2021 from northern Mali. Dubois was greeted by his sister and father at a military airport, southwest of Paris. The conditions of his release, including whether it involved a ransom, have not been disclosed (透露). An American aid worker was also freed in Mali on Monday. **US Man Sentenced for Capitol Riot Attacks ** From the US…. A man gets a 4 year prison sentence for attacking police during the Capitol riot. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **Mexico Monarch Butterflies Dropping ** The number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains of central Mexico dropped 22%, and the number of trees lost in their favored wintering ground more than tripled compared to last year. The director of Mexico’s nature reserves said Monday that frost and “extreme temperatures” in the United States may have played a role in the butterfly’s decline. The area occupied by the monarchs in the mountains west of Mexico City dropped to 2.2 hectares from 2.84 hectares a year earlier. Each year the monarchs return to the United States and Canada on an annual migration. 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