The Tai-Ex opened up 107-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

27,517 on turnover of 8.3-billion N-T.

The market gained solid ground once again on Wednesday - rising by nearly

500-points - after Wall Street surged overnight on hopes the U-S Federal

Reserve will soon opt to cut interest rates.

President Lai Ching-te is proposing a 1.25-trillion N-T special defense

budget to fund the construction of a multilayered T-Dome air defense network

and strengthen Taiwan's overall defense posture over the next eight years.

Speaking at the Presidential Office, Lai said the T-Dome will provide all

altitude air defense, incorporate artificial intelligence to improve

detection and decision-making and enhance Taiwan's ability to intercept

(截距) threats to protect military assets, critical infrastructure and

civilians.

Lai also called on opposition lawmakers to support his plan saying the

proposed military investment is "necessary" given the growing threat Taiwan

was facing from China and he hopes opposition parties can support Taiwan's

national security regardless of political stance (政治立場).

products

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says the government plans to add Sudan dyes

to its routine post-market inspections and tighten controls on cosmetic

products.

The statement comes after the banned colorants were detected for the first

time in cosmetic (化妝品) items sold domestically.

According to Shih, the health ministry will also fully implement mandatory

Good Manufacturing Practice requirements for all cosmetics manufacturers

starting from July 1 next year - which will strengthening oversight of

production processes.

The issue came to light after authorities traced problematic Chinese cosmetic

products sold online and found that a local importer had sourced raw

materials from Singapore that contained Sudan dyes.

Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in years is still burning.

It has left at least 44 people dead and 279 reported missing with rescuers

pulling residents from blazing (炙熱的，強烈的) high-rise apartment buildings

into the morning.

Police had arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with

fire which began Wednesday afternoon in a housing complex in Tai Po district,

a suburb in the New Territories.

By this morning local time, the fire was yet to be put out and rescues

continued with the death toll reaching 44.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated as the fire spread across seven of the

eight buildings in the complex.

Authorities suspected some materials on the exterior walls of the high-rise

buildings did not meet fire resistance standards, as the rapid spread of the

fire was unusual.

In the United States Thanksgiving travelers are facing added delays (延誤)

this year from winter storms and freezing weather.

Millions are under weather alerts amid the country's busiest travel period.

Nick Harper reports from Washington.

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

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