EZ News 05/08/26

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 48-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 41,886 on turnover of $11-billion N-T. The market continued to rally on Thursday - with the main board briefly surpassing the 42,000-point mark for the first time to hit yet another new intraday high, as investors were buoyed by hopes the Strait of Hormuz will soon reopen to shipping. Government seeking separate, tougher penalties for drug driving Transport Minister Chen Shih-kai says the government is considering treating drug-impaired driving as a distinct offense separate from drunk driving - potentially leading to harsher penalties. According to Chen, officials from the transport and interior ministries are scheduled to meet next Monday to discuss possible amendments to current laws, including tougher penalties and joint liability provisions for drug-impaired driving. Chen says while drug use itself is already a criminal offense, driving a vehicle under the influence of narcotics - especially when it results in injury or death - should carry tougher penalties than drunk driving. The statements come amid growing concern over a recent spate of (一連串) serious traffic accidents involving drivers under the influence of narcotics. Those incidents include a drug-driving crash on May 4 that resulted in the deaths two people. Several lawmakers have voiced their support for criminal liability for drug driving to be made different from that for drunk driving. Iran Creates Gov Agency to Control Tax Vessels in Strait Iran has created a government agency to control and tax vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. That's according to the shipping data company Lloyd's List Intelligence, which reported the move Thursday. The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping as hundreds of commercial ships remained bottled up (圍困，困住) in the Persian Gulf, unable to reach the open sea. A spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry said officials in Tehran are still reviewing messages from Pakistan, which is mediating peace proposals between the Islamic Republic with the U.S. Court strikes down Trump 10% global tariffs A US federal trade court has struck down President Donald Trump's global 10% tariff, declaring it illegal. The White House imposed (強制實行,) the rate in February after the Supreme Court ruled against the administration's Liberation Day tariffs. Nick Harper reports from Washington. El Salvador News Outlet Assets Froze Salvadoran investigative news outlet El Faro has announced that its members’ assets have been frozen. The outlet on Thursday accused the government of President Nayib Bukele of escalating political persecution. El Faro has clashed (不相容，相牴觸) with Bukele over its investigations into corruption, including alleged negotiations with gangs. Bukele, who came to power in 2019 on an anti-corruption platform, has faced criticism for cracking down on dissent. The outlet learned of the asset freeze through a bank and property registry. El Faro has been audited (查賬目) since 2020 over alleged tax evasion, which it denies. Many of its members now live in exile. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn