EZ News 04/22/24

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 60-points this morning from Friday's close, at 19,466 on turnover of 6-billion N-T. The market fell to a record single-day drop on Friday amid rising tensions in the Middle East. This is despite Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing reporting its highest-ever first-quarter sales a day earlier. The weighted index ended the session down a record 774-points. Tai-Power President Asked to Remain in Office after Announcing his Resignation Premier Chen Chien-jen is urging Tai-Power President Wang Yao-ting to remain in his post. Wang announced his resignation this past weekend following a series of power outages in Taoyuan. Wang was taking responsibility for the power outages over the past few days and a tight power supply on April 15 due to generator trips. However, Cabinet spokesman Lin Zi-lun says the premier called Wang and left him a text message in an effort to persuade (說服) him to continue in his post. The Ministry of Economic Affairs says it is also working convince Wang to stay on. AUO Chairman Says Computex will be a Reflection of Tech Sector's Evolution A-U-O Chairman Paul Peng says this year's Computex will be the biggest since the coronavirus pandemic. Peng also serves as the chairman of Computex's co-organizer, the Taipei Computer Association. He says the theme of "Connecting AI" will boost the show's popularity. According to Peng, this year's event will feature some 1,500 exhibitors. There will be keynote speeches from people leading the A-I boom, including Nvidia's Jensen Huang, A-M-D's Lisa Su and Intel's Pat Gelsinger. Peng says new opportunities related to the emergence (緊急狀況) of A-I personal computers have ensured that those C-E-Os will be showing up. He says "especially with the growth of the I-T industry in the first half of 2024 being a bit lackluster." Iran Supreme Leader Dismisses Discussion on Israel Attack Iran’s supreme leader has dismissed any discussion of whether Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel hit anything there. It's a tacit acknowledgment that few projectiles actually made it through to their targets despite launching a massive assault. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments Sunday before senior military leaders didn’t touch on the apparent (貌似) Israeli retaliatory strike Friday on the central city of Isfahan. Air defenses opened fire and Iran grounded commercial flights across much of the country. But analysts say recent moves suggest both are trying to dial back tensions following a series of escalatory attacks between them. Argentina Sees Violence A town in Argentina is seeing an unprecedented (史無前例的) wave of drug-related violence. AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports Brazil Conservatives Praise Musk Conservative Brazilians heaped praise on Elon Musk at a rally in the capital of Rio de Janeiro state supporting far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro. Musk is a target in an ongoing (不斷的) investigation over the dissemination (傳播) of fake news by supporters of Bolsonaro. Musk said the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, wouldn't comply with a high court justice’s order to remove certain accounts accused of spreading disinformation. Musk recently accused the justice of suppressing free speech and violating Brazil’s constitution. At Sunday's rally Bolsonaro and other speakers praised Musk as a defender of Brazil's freedom. They say he faces censorship by a crusading high court justice. 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