The Tai-Ex opened up 30-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 33,720

on turnover of $8-billion N-T.

The market fell by over 650 points on Thursday on the back of a sell-off

sparked by a spike in international crude oil prices duen to Donald Trump's

Middle East war and the U-S Federal Reserve's alert over rising inflation.

Taiwan maintained its status as a "free" country and the second freest in

Asia in the latest annual report released by the US-based democracy watchdog

(監督組織), Freedom House.

Taiwan has an overall score of 93 out of 100.

That was down one point from last year.

Taiwan also ranked second in Asia behind Japan, which scored 96.

The "Freedom in the World 2026: The Growing Shadow of Autocracy" report

assessed access to political rights and civil liberties in 195 countries and

13 territories from January 1 to December 31 last year.

Taiwan scored 38 out of 40 in political rights and 55 out of 60 in civil

liberties.

Freedom House says Taiwan's vibrant (活躍的) and competitive democratic

system has enabled regular, peaceful transfers of power since 2000, while

protections for civil liberties remain generally strong.

However, it also flagged concerns, including insufficient protections for

migrant workers and efforts by the China to influence policymaking, media,

and democratic institutions.

The Kremlin says US-mediated Russia-Ukraine talks have been put on pause, but

bilateral talks between Moscow and Washington continue.

As the focus of the White House appears to have shifted to the Middle East in

recent weeks, fears are rising the situation around Iran may distract

(使分心) it from Kiev's urgent needs for Western arms supplies.

Daria Bondarchuk reports from Moscow.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter have ridden a tank

together, days after they watched rocket launches and fired pistols.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that Kim oversaw

(監督) training involving tank units and infantry troops on Thursday.

KCNA images showed Kim and his daughter, both wearing black leather jackets,

riding in an olive-green tank.

The images show the girl sticking her head out of the tank'ss hatch, while

Kim sitting on its top.

The girl has accompanied her father to many high-profile events since 2022,

sparking outside speculation that she is her father's likely heir.

Brazil now enforces a sweeping new law that aims to make the internet safer

for children and teens.

On Tuesday, the digital statute takes effect after Congress backs it and

President Lula signs it in September.

The law requires accounts for minors under 16 to link to a legal guardian.

It also bans addictive design tricks like endless scrolling and autoplay.

Platforms must use real age checks, not just a box that says “over 18.”

Lula says online abuse and exploitation (剝削) can no longer hide behind “freedom.”

WhatsApp and Google already roll out (推出) parent tools.

That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____.

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