EZ News 12/23/24

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 301-points this morning from Friday's close, at 22,812 on turnover of $5.7-billion N-T. The market tumbled over 400-points on Friday, as investors opted to sit on the sidelines (場邊) awaiting the release of U-S personal spending data for November. Health ministry previews tighter betel nut regulations The Ministry of Health has previewed a proposal to tighten regulations on the sale and use of betel nut. The regulations are similar to tobacco control laws. The draft proposal is titled the Betel Nut Hazard Prevention Act and is now undergoing a 60-day period for soliciting (徵求) public opinion. The draft bill bans the use of betel nut by pregnant women and people under the age of 18. Venders found to have sold betel nut to pregnant women and people under the age of 18 face a fine of up 250,000 N-T. The proposal also seeks to discourage images of betel nut use in films and television programs. High Speed Rail on track to break ridership record this year The High Speed Rail Corporation says the number of journeys taken on the network this year is set to exceed (超過) the all-time-high recorded in 2023. According the rail company, the number of journeys taken reached 71.1 million in November - exceeding the figure of around 66.4 million for the same 11-month period last year. While in terms of the average daily ridership, there were 224,000 journeys in November 2024, an increase of 7-per cent compared to the 209,000 journeys recorded in November of 2023. Data shows apart from a dip during the COVID pandemic, the annual number of journeys has grown steadily (穩定) from around 15.6-million in 2007 to 73.1-million in 2023. US 2Navy Pilots Shot Down The US military says 2 US Navy pilots were shot down, then rescued over the Red Sea in apparent 'friendly fire' incident. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports Germany Christmas Market Attacker Tipoffs German authorities say they received tipoffs last year about the suspect in a car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg as more details emerged (出現了). Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006. He was reportedly a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy. Authorities say he does not fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks. Italy Trevi Fountain Returns Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain reopened Sunday after three months of renovations on the 18th-century monument that’s one of the Italian capital’s main attractions. The opening is just in time for the inauguration of the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year that is expected to draw millions of visitors. To manage the overwhelming number of visitors, Rome City officials have been devising a plan to block off the area around the fountain. Visitors will be required to book online and pay 2 euros ($2.20) to enter. Once inside, they will have 30 minutes to enjoy the fountain. City lore has it that tossing a coin into the Baroque fountain will ensure (確保) a return trip to Rome. The tradition generates an estimated 1.5 million euros annually, which has been donated to charity for the past 15 years. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn