Episode Details

Good afternoon, I'm _ with today's episode of EZ News.


Tai-Ex opening

The Tai-Ex opened down 391-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

45,234 on turnover of $17.4-billion N-T.


Shares in Taiwan closed little changed Thursday after contract chipmaker TSMC

rebounded from the day's low amid continued enthusiasm (熱情) over artificial

intelligence (AI), helping the broader market recover most of its earlier

losses, dealers said.




Taiwan's freedom, prosperity indicies rise in annual report


Taiwan's freedom and prosperity (繁榮) indicies have risen in an annual

international report.


Taiwan ranked 21st in the freedom index and 19th in the prosperity index out

of 171 countries surveyed.


Both those indices mark improvements from last year.


But around the world, political freedom and the rule of the law declined

overall, while prosperity growth slowed.


The only country to beat out Taiwan for freedom was Japan at number 14…


but Singapore was the only one to beat Taiwan for prosperity.


The indices from the Atlantic Council were established in 2022 and have been

published annually since.


(AH-CNA)




Qatar Warns Public amid Iranian Missiles

Qatar is warning the public to take shelter as a barrage of Iranian missiles

targets the nation.


People heard explosions overhead early today as air defenses fired to

intercept the missiles.


Iran earlier targeted Bahrain and Kuwait over U.S. airstrikes hitting bridges

in the Islamic Republic overnight.


Qatar is a key mediator with Pakistan in trying to reach an end to the Iran

war.


This comes as the United States intensified its strikes on Iran, hitting

targets farther north.


American forces also fired into a ship they accused of trying to break a U.S.

naval blockade (封鎖) on the Islamic Republic.


Iran retaliated Thursday with missile and drone fire targeting U.S. allies

Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait.


The interim ceasefire agreed to last month has collapsed and the region has

endured days of back-and-forth attacks by the U.S. and Iran as they battle

for control of the Strait of Hormuz.




CANADIAN WILDFIRE SMOKE** CHOKES 17 US STATES AS DETROIT'S AIR QUALITY INDEX**
HITS DOUBLE THE HAZARDOUS THRESHOLD

Canadian wildfire smoke has worsened sharply across the United States on

Thursday


Air quality alerts now covering at least 17 states and some 115 million

people.


The densest plumes are pushing south from the Midwest toward Washington and

New York, with forecasters warning conditions in the capital could

deteriorate (惡化) by Friday.


Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.




Japan to Pass Law Insisting on MaleOnly Imperial Heir


A law set to pass Friday by Japan’s parliament could doom its 1,500-year-old

hereditary institution by insisting that only men can be emperor, sparking

worry about the shrinking, fast-aging imperial family.


The revisions include adoption of distant male relatives to