EZ News 07/31/23

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 48-points this morning from Friday's close, at 17,341 on turnover of $6.3-billion N-T. The market moved higher on Friday as investors ignored the losses on Wall Street continued to pick up artificial intelligence related stocks to offset (抵消) weakness in large cap stocks such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. Buying also focused on select old economy stocks, in particular in the transportation industry in the wake of a rebound in freight rates by both container cargo and bulk cargo shipping companies. **Czech Republic Launches E-Gate Clearance System for ROC Passport Holders ** The Czech Republic has launched an automatic immigration clearance system or e-gate for R-O-C passport holders. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the reciprocal (互惠的) program to provide electronic immigration processing at both countries' respective airports makes the Czech Republic Taiwan's ninth e-gate partner. However, the ministry says even with the e-gate system at the Vaclav Havel Airport Prague, R-O-C passport holders will still need to have their travel documents stamped by Czech customs officers when entering the country's border. The announcement comes after the recent launch of direct flights by Taoyuan International Airport and Prague. **Pakistan Suicide Bombing Leaves Dead and Injured ** A suicide bombing at a political rally on Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan has killed at least 44 people and wounded nearly 200. The Bajur district near the Afghan border was a stronghold (勢力強大的地方，大本營) of the Pakistani Taliban — a close ally of Afghanistan’s Taliban government — before the Pakistani army drove the militants out of the area. Supporters of hard-line Pakistani cleric and political party leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman were meeting in Bajur on Sunday in a hall close to a market outside the district capital. Party officials said Rehman was not at the rally, but organizers added tents because so many supporters showed up. The Pakistan Taliban says the bombing was aimed at setting Islamists against each other. **US Heatwave Air Conditioning ** As parts of the US remain in the grips of (深陷于.) a heat wave, linked to global warming, it’s the lower-income families that suffer the most in hotter neighborhoods, without air conditioning. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn report. 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