EZ News 12/20/23

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 32-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,608 on turnover of $3.1-billion N-T. Shares in Taiwan closed lower Tuesday after U.S. Federal Reserve officials made hawkish remarks which slashed hopes that the American central bank would cut rates next year. Selling was seen almost across the whole board but losses were capped after bargain-hunters began buying up select tech heavyweights after the main board dipped below the 17,500-point mark. Cases of new COVID-19 variant remain low in Taiwan: CDC The Centers for Disease Control say the number of JN.1 COVID-19 variant cases recorded in Taiwan remains relatively low in Taiwan, currently making up only 3 percent of COVID cases detected in the last four weeks. CDC spokesperson Lo Yi-chun says the JN.1 variant had been detected in over 40 nations around the world as of Dec. 18-th. Lo says JN.1 is the fastest-spreading variant in Western nations, but cases have remained relatively (相對地) low in countries close to Taiwan, with the variant being detected in less than 10 percent of COVID-19 cases reported in Japan. Lo explained that while JN.1 is equipped with immune avoidance capabilities that enable it to spread easily, there has been no significant increase in the number of severe cases from the variant, meaning it has a relatively low public health risk factor. China Earthquake Search Continues as Death Toll Rises Chinese media now say at least 131 people have been killed, after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in the country’s northwest. State broadcaster CCTV says 113 died in the province of Gansu and another 18 in neighboring Qinghai province. The quake struck just before midnight on Monday. More than 700 people have been injured. Emergency workers are still searching for the missing in collapsed buildings and at least one landslide. At least 4,000 firefighters, soldiers and police officers were dispatched in the rescue effort, and the People's Liberation Army Western Theatre set up a command post (指揮所) to direct its work. But authorities in Gansu issued an appeal for 300 additional workers for search and rescue operations. US Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump from Ballot The Supreme Court in the US state of Colorado has ruled that Donald Trump can't appear on the state's presidential primary ballot due to his role in the January 6th riot at the US Capitol. The former president says he plans to appeal (上訴) the decision to the federal Supreme Court. Ira Spitzer reports. Colombia Guinea Children Abandoned in Airport Colombian authorities say two children from the West African nation of Guinea were abandoned in Bogota’s airport and taken into government custody this week after spending several days on their own in the international departures terminal. Colombia’s national immigration department said the children, aged 10 and 13, had been travelling with separate groups and were left in the airport by their relatives earlier this month for reasons that have not been clarified (澄清、說明). The discovery of the children comes as migrants from Africa increasingly use South American and Central American airports as stepping stones on the long route to the United States. 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