EZ News 09/19/23

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened opened up 8-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,706 on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T. The market tumbled more than 200-points on Monday, to close below the 16,700 point mark, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing came under pressure following heavy losses for tech stocks on Wall Street at the end of last week. While investor sentiment also remained cautious ahead of a two-day policymaking meeting of the U-S Federal Reserve, which is slated to begin today. **French Senator Olivier Cadic on 3rd Visit to Taiwan ** French Senator Olivier Cadic has arrived in Taiwan for a four-day visit to meet with senior government officials. Cadic is the vice-president of the French Senate's permanent committee on foreign affairs and defense issues. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cadic's agenda includes a visit to the Ministry of Digital Affairs to discuss issues concerning Indo-Pacific politics, democracy, human rights, and digital and information security. The senator will also be meeting with French business representatives and expatriates (外籍人士) in Taiwan. It's Cadic's third visit to Taiwan and the fourth by a French parliamentary delegation this year. **Central Bank Expected to Leave Interest Rates Unchanged ** The central bank is expected to leave its key interest rates unchanged at its quarterly policymaking meeting later this week due to eased inflationary pressures. Economists say the bank is likely to keep it rates unchanged on Thursday and again its next policymaking meeting in December, unless the local consumer price index growth surpassed (超過) the 3-per cent mark again. The central bank raised rates by 75 basis points to combat inflation beginning in March of last year, with the discount rate currently set at 1.875 percent. It chose to keep rates unchanged at its last policymaking meeting in mid-June, but the rates remain at an eight-year high. **Canada Expels Indian Diplomat Amid Activist Slaying ** Canada is expelling (驅逐) a diplomat from India as it investigates India's possible link to the death of a Sikh activist. The AP's Ed Donahue reports. **Libya Facing Disease Outreak Post Flooding ** Officials are warning that a disease outbreak in Libya’s northeast, where floods have killed thousands, could create “a second devastating crisis” as adults and children fell ill from contaminated (受汙染的) water. The mission said the World Health Organization sent 28 tons of medical supplies to the devastated country. Libyan officials say at least 150 people suffered diarrhea after drinking contaminated water in Derna, and at least 55 children got sick after drinking polluted water in Derna. **Guatemala Protests for PresidentElect ** Thousands of indigenous supporters have protested in Guatemala City to defend Guatemala’s president-elect as government prosecutors seek to ban his political party. Many of the protesters carried banners or chanted slogans demanding the resignation of government officials who have sought (尋求)to prosecute Bernardo Arevalo and ban his Seed Movement party. Protesters threatened to keep demonstrating until the efforts against Arevalo are stopped. Arevalo won the Aug. 20 presidential runoff in a landslide, but prosecutors have continued pursuing multiple investigations related to the registration of Arevalo’s Seed Movement party, and alleged fraud in the election. International observers have said that's not supported by evidence. 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