The Tai-Ex opened up 382-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

19,861 on turnover of $8.6-billion N-T.

The market ended the day down on Thursday, as the market fell into

consolidation mode amid lingering concerns by investors about the impact of

U-S tariffs on Taiwan's semiconductor industry.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and Eswatini's King Mswati III have jointly

presided over an unveiling ceremony for an oil reserve facility project

Taiwan will build to enhance the energy resilience of its ally.

Lin attended the ceremony marking The Strategic Oil Reserve Facility project

as part of his ongoing visit to Eswatini.

According to Taiwan's embassy in Eswatini, the oil reserve facility project

is expected to be completed in three years and will ensure a 60-day fuel

reserve for the kingdom.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says prior to (之前) attending the oil

reserve facility project ceremony, Lin presented a letter from Lai and cows

as gifts while meeting the king and queen mother.

The foreign minister in the kingdom this week as a special envoy for

President Lai Ching-te to pariticpate in the king's 57th birthday

celebrations.

The Ministry of the Interior says a fire that destroyed some 4.5 hectares of

vegetation in Taipei's Yangmingshan could take about a year to recover.

The fire broke out on April 14 near the Xiao-You-Keng Recreation Area and

burned for about five hours - destroying silvergrass and portions of the

Yangmingshan National Park's arrow bamboo forest.

No deaths or injuries were reported.

Authorities have said the fire was likely caused by air quality monitoring

equipment belonging to the National Science and Technology Council installed

at the site.

Besides the vegetation, the fire also damaged various amenities (設施),

including ropes, sand-filled barriers and several wooden posts along the

forest trail.

Total estimated damage caused by the fire is being put at between 1.7 and

1.8-million N-T.

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte is in Washington for talks with senior

members of the Trump administration as Ukraine peace talks are stalling

(停滯).

He'll meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz at the state department on Thursday.

Kate Fisher reports.

The Vatican kept the doors St. Peter's Basilica open overnight, as lines of

mourners waited to pay their last respects (致敬) to the pope.

Officials closed the basilica for just an hour and a half Thursday morning

for cleaning, and by the evening that day, the Vatican says more than 90,000

people had paid their respects.

After three days of public viewing, a funeral Mass including heads of state

will be held Saturday in St. Peter's Square.

The pope will then be buried in St. Mary Major Basilica, near his favorite

Madonna icon.

New Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has announced that her

government will introduce free education at state universities and technical

colleges starting next year.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as Namibia’s first female leader last month.

Namibia already provides free education in public elementary and high

schools, though parents still typically have to pay for school uniforms,

stationery, books, and hostel fees.

There have been calls for years for all levels of education to be subsidized

(補貼的) by the government in the country of around 3 million people in

southern Africa.

Two of Namibia's seven universities are state run and will offer free

education under the policy.

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

--

Hosting provided by SoundOn