EZ News 08/01/25

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 224-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 23,318 on turnover of $6.3-billion N-T. The market bucked a regional downward trend on Thursday and moved higher, as investors shrugged off a decline on Wall Street overnight caused by concerns that U-S Federal Reserve may not deliver interest rates cuts by September. Turnover also bounced back (恢復) from the decline seen during the previous session - as investor concerns over U-S tariff polices on Taiwan appeared to weaken. MOC launches new cultural program in tandem with Expo 2025 Osaka The Ministry of Culture says cultural program organized for Expo 2025 Osaka will premiere this weekend with a special exhibition featuring 50 selected picture books about various aspects of life in Taiwan. According to the ministry, the "We TAIWAN" cultural program is designed to partner with and make the most of the 2025 World Expo. The ministry says teams that left for Osaka last week have been setting up exhibitions (展覽) and rehearsing for the program - and the main "We TAIWAN" visual display has been set-up at the Grand Green Osaka venue. The first event of the program will be an exhibition of 50 picture books by Taiwanese writers and illustrators. The show will also feature elements from Taiwan's Indigenous Peoples, local folklore, daily life, as well as Taiwan's food culture, religions, arts and natural scenery (自然風光). The "We TAIWAN" program features 38 groups of artists from Taiwan and Japan who will put on a total of 129 performances from August 2 through 20. US special envoy meets Netanyahu as Gaza "famine" unfolds US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem as global outrage intensifies over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Canada is the latest Western power to say it will recognise (正式認定) a Palestinian state. Kate fisher reports from Washington Macao ExDemocracy Lawmaker Arrested Under Security Law Macao police say they have arrested a man on suspicion of colluding with forces outside the Chinese casino hub to endanger national security. It was the first publicly known arrest under the city’s national security law. Local media outlets report former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San is the suspect. Police said Thursday the 68-year-old Macao resident with the surname Au allegedly colluded (串通;勾結;) with an anti-China group outside of the city and provided false and seditious materials for public display online or abroad. He also is accused of maintaining long-term contact with multiple anti-China entities outside of Macao and repeatedly providing unfounded information to them or their media outlets for dissemination. Peru PreIncan Tombs Discovered Utility workers in Peru's capital have discovered two pre-Incan tombs while expanding underground gas networks. One tomb was empty, but the other contained remains about 1,000 years old, along with clay and pumpkin shell vessels (容器, 器皿). Archaeologists say the vessels' (容器, 器皿) design links them to the pre-Incan Chancay culture. Lima, a city with over 400 archaeological sites, often reveals such finds during construction projects. The company responsible for the gas network has made over 2,200 discoveries in two decades. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn