EZ News 11/18/22

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 49-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,584 on turnover of $3.2-billion N-T. The Tai-Ex followed other regional markets and ended marginally (少量地) lower on Thursday. Market watchers say investors were spooked by a decline in Wall Street overnight amid concerns the U-S Federal Reserve might not ease up on its aggressive interest rate hike cycle aimed at curbing inflation. MOFA to Add Three More Countries to Scholarship Program for European Students The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it's adding three more European countries to the current Taiwan-Europe Connectivity Scholarship program for the 2023 school year. According to the ministry's Department of European Affairs, the addition of three more countries is due to the quota for the scholarship program having not been completely filled over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Department head Vincent Yao says the foreign ministry will be opening up 700 available slots to students from 29 European countries next year, by adding Iceland, Croatia, and Norway to the countries whose students are eligible (有資格的) for the program. Most opportunities for the scholarship program will go to students from the U-K, France, and Germany. However, slots are also being reserved for students from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Lithuania. **SKorea: NKorea Fired Ballistic Missiles ** South Korea says North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says the launch was made today, but gave no further details. The launch came a day after North Korea resumed its ballistic weapons tests and threatened fiercer (更激烈的) moves. **Subject: E*US Pelosi to Step Down as House Speaker ** U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced she will step down as Democratic leader, but stay on to represent her San Francisco district in Congress. She made the announcement as the Republican party took enough seats to gain control of the House after the midterm elections. Caroline Malone reports from Washington. **Bill Gates Announces Funding for Africa ** Bill Gates, on a visit to Kenya, has announced his foundation will spend $7 billion to improve health, gender equality and farming in Africa. The new pledge will be spent over the next four years and is in addition to existing Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funding to strengthen health systems across the continent. Gates said in a statement that Africa’s young people have the talent and opportunity to accelerate (加速) progress and help solve the world’s most pressing problems. The new funding comes as countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa face the worst drought in decades. 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