EZ News 04/23/25

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 370-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 19,163 on turnover of 6.4-billion N-T. The market extended its losses from a session earlier on Tuesday to close down by more than 300-points. However, investors this morning reacted positively to rise on Wall Street overnight - where indexes made up for the sharp declines seen during the previous session. Lai touts safety and social consensus as prerequisites for any nuclear policy shift President Lai Ching-te has been meeting with environmental groups and is seeking to assure them that his administration's position on nuclear power remains unchanged. Speaking a closed-door meeting with representatives from a dozen environmental groups, Lai said any changes to the government's nuclear policy must meet "three prerequisites." Those prerequisites (玡矗兵ン) include ensuring nuclear safety, achieving proper nuclear waste management and securing social consensus on the issue. Lai also stressed that the government "maintains an open attitude toward new and advanced nuclear technologies" as it works to provide stable energy supply and meet its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Civil servants to receive pay raise starting in May And, Premier Cho Jung-tai has announced that civil servants, military personnel and public school teachers will have a 3-per cent pay raise issued beginning in May. The pay rise was approved by the Cabinet in July of last year. Cho says the pay hike was delayed because the Cabinet believed it was inappropriate to allocate the funds before its efforts to overturn ( 崩陆) the 3.1-trillion central government budget plan approved by the Legislature were resolved. He he went on to say that a decision was finally made Tuesday morning to start dispensing the 3-per cent salary raise for civil servants starting next month. UN Appoints Head of Review of UNRWA The United Nations chief has appointed a British human rights activist to carry out a strategic review of the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced the review on Tuesday. He said Ian Martin, a former head of Amnesty International, will also be looking at the ¨consequences and risks for Palestinian refugees〃 of UNRWAˇs operations. The purpose is to assess its impact under the "present political, financial, security and other constraints (兵ン).〃 Israel has banned the agency, known as UNRWA, from operating on its territory. But its Palestinian staff have still been key to delivering aid and running medical clinics in Gaza, even though Israel has cut off all humanitarian deliveries since March 2. IMF Slashes US Growth Forecast The International Monetary Fund has slashed the United States' growth forecast for this year, warning that tariffs are creating a "major negative shock ( 侥阑)" worldwide. Nick Harper reports from Washington. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn