Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 356-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 33,128 on turnover of 10.8-billion N-T. The market rebounded on Tuesday and added 661-points on Tuesday, but investors remained wary of the continuing tensions in the Middle East, despite international crude oil prices finally falling. Taichung to head to US for 11-day US visit tomorrow Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen is heading to the U-S today for an 11-day visit. Lu has said the trip is aimed at strengthening city-to-city exchanges and engaging with (與…互動) Taiwan expats. According to Lu, her March 11 to 21 trip will cover five states, primarily on the U-S East Coast, with planned stops including Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Seattle. Lu is slated to meet members of the U-S House of Representatives and sign a memorandum of understanding with the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America. Lu also says the issues to be discussed with U-S officials include energy stability, regional security and global trade. Brief snow on Jade Mountain as mercury hit -8.9 The Central Weather Administration says there was brief snowfall on Jade Mountain earlier this morning -- as the mercury at its weather stations there dropped to minus 8.9-degrees. The weather administration says accumulated snow was only minimal (極少的) and quickly turned to ice or frost. However, the administration has issued cold surge advisories today. Very cold or cold advisories are in effect for areas of New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, and Kinmen - where there's the chance of temperature remaining, or dropping below 10-degrees. The advisories are in effect through late this morning. US Claims Irainian Vessels Taken Out The U.S. says it has taken out multiple Iranian vessels as the Islamic Republic vows to block the region’s oil exports. The U.S. destroyed 16 mine-laying Iranian vessels, though President Donald Trump said in social media posts that there were no reports of Iran planting explosives in the Strait of Hormuz. The American military released the figure, along with unclassified (非機密的) footage of some of the vessels, after Trump earlier warned Iran against laying mines in the strait. The escalation came Tuesday as concerns grew about Iran's threats to stop tankers from using a waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil is shipped. DRC Landslide at Mine Leaves Dead and Missing A landslide at a mining site in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has forced hundreds of people to flee the area. Locals say nine people have died and several houses have been destroyed. The landslide was triggered by (觸發於) heavy rainfall at the Rubaya coltan mines. Chris Ocamringa has more from Kinshasa… Americas Press Freedom Drops in 2025 A monitoring watchdog says press freedom across the Americas dropped sharply in 2025, with more killings, arrests and intimidation (恐嚇) of media workers. The Inter American Press Association on Tuesday released its annual Chapul-tepec Index of Freedom of Expression and the Press covering 23 countries. It ranked Venezuela and Nicaragua as countries without freedom of speech. The group links rising attacks to more authoritarian leaders. It says Venezuela sees widespread self-censorship, and Nicaragua locks censorship into law. It says El Salvador uses lawsuits and probes to pressure reporters. It describes worsening violence in Ecuador and Haiti. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. ----以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告---- 🧧 農曆新年限定活動來囉 🧧 你是否渴望個人數位資產,能被24H自動化管理呢? 【派網🤖】帶你深度剖析,最新RWA項目並結合網格技術,精準捕捉市場每一波震盪走勢! 立刻點擊下方連結👇閱讀「金融技術文章」並領取「獨家專屬新年好禮🎁」 🔗https://sofm.pse.is/8thx9t -- 【遠雄樂元】 台中北屯捷運X好市多 雙首排 ➤早鳥首付55萬起 旗艦級新地標21-39坪,台中北屯機捷總站20米,好市多60米,出站即到家。2147坪新世代遊園宅,全齡化公設✦ 早鳥輕入住 https://sofm.pse.is/8trqaf -- Hosting provided by SoundOn