The Tai-Ex opened down 221-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

22,948 on turnover of $8.5-billion N-T.

The market closed moderately higher on Wednesday after initial (最初的)

losses registered early in the trading day as market sentiment remained

cautious ahead of the conclusion of the U-S Federal Reserve's policymaking

meeting.

National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen says the

government plans to launch (發射) a key initiative aimed at fostering

domestic production of drones and other advanced technologies.

According to Wu, the initiative will bring together companies specializing in

advanced I-C design and chip manufacturing to support the system needs of

Taiwanese firms developing drones.

Wu says the establishment of the so-called "Chip Team Taiwan" comes, as

although Taiwan has a well-developed supply chain encompassing I-C design,

wafer manufacturing, testing and packaging, most of those products and

services are being exported overseas.

According to the science and technology minister, the planned initiative

reflects the government's efforts to build up domestic markets for drones,

robotics and communications satellites while reducing reliance on Chinese

suppliers.

Wu - who also serves as the Cabinet's minister without portfolio - also says

more details concerning the "Chip Team Taiwan" initiative will be unveiled in

the coming months.

Ahead of the latest UN Security Council meeting, Israel's Permanent

Representative to the UN told reporters he was hopeful (充滿希望) for a

ceasefire agreement with Hamas before the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah - next

week.

Correspondent Mitch McCann reports from New York:

France’s highest court has upheld an appeal court decision which had found

former President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling.

Sarkozy, who faces one year in prison, is entitled to ask to be detained at

home with an electronic bracelet — as is the case for any sentence of two

years or less.

He was found guilty of corruption and influence peddling (權力叫賣) by both a

Paris court in 2021 and an appeals court in 2023 for trying to bribe a

magistrate in exchange for information about a legal case in which he was

implicated.

Sarkozy says he will seek to bring the case to the European Court of Human

Rights.

Alberta's premier says millions of American jobs and companies rely on

affordable imports from Canada.

Danielle Smith says "affordable raw materials from Canada" help "make

trillions of dollars of wealth" in the US.

The premier of oil rich Alberta was responding to US President-elect Donald

Trump's claims that the United States “subsidizes” Canada, and his threat

of a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods.

Smith ignored Trump’s other claims that "many Canadians want Canada to

become the 51st State", and pointed out that Alberta sends 4.3 million

barrels of oil and gas to the U.S each day.

Her comments come a day after Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Trump’s plan to

impose sweeping 25% tariffs on all Canada products would be a “disaster”

(災難) that would hurt U.S. stock markets.

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

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