EZ News 12/29/22

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 76-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,098 on turnover of $2-billion N-T. **Taiwan reports 6.2 percent year-on-year increase in road fatalities ** The Ministry of Transportation and Communications says Taiwan has reported more than 2,500 road fatalities in the first 10 months of 2022, up 6 percent year-on-year, and its highest level in nine years. MOTC officials say there were more than 300-thousand total traffic accidents in the first 10 months of this year, marking a 5.5 percent increase from the same period last year. In 2020, Taiwan reported 12.6 traffic fatalities per 100-thousand individuals… four times higher than Japan and Denmark, and six times higher than Sweden. The MOTC has attributed the high death toll in Taiwan to the high number of scooter-related accidents, and MOTC Minister Wang Kwo-tsai is calling on local governments to work with the ministry to improve road safety. (TT) **France Pledges Further Military Support ** France’s defense minister has pledged further military support for Ukraine, insisting his government’s backing is unflagging (永不減弱的) while efforts are also being made with Moscow to reach an eventual (最終的) negotiated end to Russia’s invasion. Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said support will include French army equipment and a 200 million euro fund that would allow Ukraine to purchase weapons. Lecornu said France was giving military equipment from the French army to the Ukrainian army, but highlighted that this would not weaken France’s defense. Officials have also said France could deliver a new air-defense system in the future, without revealing details, though Ukraine's defense minister added that France would immediately begin training Ukrainian air officers on how to use it. The minister said his trip to Kyiv was important to identify the priorities of the Ukrainian defense ministry. **US Trump Considered Pardons for Capitol Attackers ** Newly released transcripts from the U.S. House Committee on the events of January 6th, show how former President Trump was considering giving pardons (赦免) to numerous people involved in the Capitol riot. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **Armenia Protests Against Road Block ** Hundreds of opposition supporters have rallied in the Armenian capital, urging the government to act to unblock a vital road linking Armenia to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azeri protests have choked off (阻止) basic supplies to the territory. Both the protesters in Yerevan Wednesday and Armenian authorities have accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to the area of failing to take adequate steps to lift the blockade, something Moscow denies. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Yerevan since a separatist war there ended in 1994. 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