EZ News 12/03/24

EZ News

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News.
Tai-Ex opening
The Tai-Ex opened up 235-points this morning from yesterday's close, at
22,972 on turnover of $8.3-billion N-T.
Labor Funds Earn NT$20.9 Billion in October
The Ministry of Labor reports that Labor Funds grew by $20.9 billion NT in
October.
That brings total gains for 2024 to $93.91 billion NT.
The funds, managed by the Bureau of Labor Funds, are valued at $6.88 trillion
NT with a 14.96 percent return rate for the first 10 months of the year.
Key funds include the Labor Pension Fund, with a 14.59-percent return, and
the Labor Retirement Fund, at 17.92-percent.
The National Pension Insurance Fund also saw a strong performance, reaching a
16.01-percent return.
Over the past decade, these funds have delivered an average annual return of
6.7-percent.
Officials warned of global market uncertainty (不確定) due to interest rate
policies, uneven growth, and geopolitical tensions, but noted Taiwan’s stock
market remained solid in October.
Rain and Cooler Weather in Northern Taiwan
The northeast monsoon is bringing cooler weather and rain to northern Taiwan
today.
Greater Taipei, Yilan, Hualien, and Matsu could see showers, with heavy rain
expected in northeastern mountains.
Other areas, including Penghu and Kinmen, will stay mostly dry and sunny.
Drivers in central and southern Taiwan should watch for thick morning fog
that’s reducing visibility (能見度) to under 200 meters in some places.
Strong winds are hitting coastal areas, including Taoyuan and Hsinchu, and
islands like Penghu and Matsu.
Air quality in western Taiwan is worsening due to pollution buildup.
Central and southern areas are under an “Orange Alert,” with some spots
reaching “Red Alert” levels.
Israel Launches Airstrikes After Hezbollah Projectiles
Israel has unleashed its largest wave of airstrikes across Lebanon since
agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last week, killing at least 11 people.
The strikes came after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of
projectiles earlier on Monday as a warning over what it said were Israeli
truce (休戰) violations.
This was apparently the first time Hezbollah took aim at Israeli forces after
the 60-day ceasefire went into effect last week.
The increasingly fragile ceasefire aims to end more than a year of war
between Hezbollah and Israel — part of a wider regional conflict sparked by
the devastating Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Guinea Football Stampede Leaves Dozens Dead
There's growing anger in Guinea after dozens were killed in a stampede at a
football match.
Officials say clashes broke out among football fans at the stadium after a
contested (有爭議的) goal.
Correspondent Nabil Ahmed Rufai reports.
NZ SpadeToothed Whale Dissection
Scientists and culture experts in New Zealand have begun the first-ever
dissection of a spade-toothed whale, the world's rarest whale species.
The creature, which washed up dead on a beach on New Zealand's South Island
in July, is only the seventh specimen (樣本) ever found.
None has ever been seen alive at sea.
Over the next week, researchers will study the 5-meter-long male at an
agricultural research center near the city of Dunedin.
Almost nothing is known about it but scientists, working with Maori cultural
experts, hope to answer some of the many lingering questions this week,
including where they live, what they eat, how they produce sound and how this
specimen died.
That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____.
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