The Tai-Ex opened up 151-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

27,063 on turnover of 6.5-billion N-T.

The market moved sharply higher on Tuesday - adding just over 400-points - on

the back of investor hopes that the U-S Federal Reserve will initiate more

rate cuts next month and that led to a surge in interest for large cap

semiconductor stocks.

A group of Panamanian lawmakers have arrived in Taiwan in apparent defiance

of reported Chinese requests that they cancel the trip.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the nine-member delegation (代表團) will

meet with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu and

attend a banquet hosted by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung during their stay.

An Associated Press report citing a Panamanian daily newspaper as saying

Chinese embassy staff in Panama asked a total of 10 lawmakers to "immediately

cancel" plans to visit Taiwan.

The foreign ministry here is condemning (譴責) Beijing for trying to

intervene in what it's calling Taiwan's "normal exchanges with other

countries."

And,

The Central Weather Administration says Tropical Storm Koto will not have a

direct impact on Taiwan.

The storm formed yesterday evening and is currently located west of the

Philippines.

Based on the weather administration's latest tracking chart, the storm will

approach (逼近) the coast of Vietnam in the coming days before veering in a

northerly direction towards China's Hainan Island on Saturday.

Koto is the 27th tropical storm of this year Pacific typhoon season.

with Putin

Donald Trump says he's sending his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia to

meet with President Vladimir Putin - as he tries to finalize a Ukraine peace

deal.

The US president says he believes a deal is close, but that he won't

personally (親自) meet with the leaders of Ukraine or Russia until the deal

is final or in its final stages.

Toni Waterman has more.

Italy’s parliament has approved a law that introduces femicide (殺害女性)

into the country’s criminal law and punishes it with life in prison.

Tuesday's final vote saw bipartisan support.

The law is backed by the conservative government of Premier Giorgia Meloni.

It comes in response to a series of killings and other violence targeting

women in Italy.

Italy’s statistics agency recorded 106 femicides in 2024, with over half of

them committed by partners (伴侶) or former partners.

The law includes stronger measures against gender-based crimes including

stalking and revenge porn.

While the center-left opposition supported the law in parliament, it stressed

that the government approach only tackles the criminal aspect of the problem

while leaving economic and cultural divides unaddressed.

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

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