The Tai-Ex opened up 15-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,574

on turnover of $2.8-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan took a beating Wednesday, tumbling nearly 300 points, as

investors took their cue from heavy losses suffered by tech stocks on U.S.

markets overnight by trimming holdings in large electronics stocks on the

local main board.

Contract chipmaker TSMC led the downtrend as it failed to withstand stiff

selling and fell below the nearest technical support at around its 20-day

moving average by the end of the trading session.

Testing conducted by an NPO finds that over 30-percent of fresh vegetables

failed checks for pesticide residue (殘留物).

The Consumer's Foundation says it purchased 12 randomly chosen vegetables in

August 2023 at wet markets and traditional night markets in Taipei, New

Taipei and Taichung, and pesticide residue testing resulted in a failure of

33-percent.

And 67 percent of produce labeled or advertised as "organic" were found to

contain large amounts of pesticide residue.

The foundation says it used a rapid pesticide screening method recommended by

the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

It noted that suppliers of farm produce incorrectly labeled as organic can

face fines up to $300-thousand NT according to government regulations.

The foundation urged consumers to check whether vendors selling organic

vegetables have a certificate indicating they have been certified to sell

such produce and that it contains the name of the certification body and a

registration number.

Rescuers in Japan are braving the cold in a race against time as they search

for survivors along the country's western coastline after a powerful

earthquake earlier in the week left at least 77 people dead and 35 missing.

A downpour (傾盆大雨) and possible snow are expected, raising the risk of

landslides.

A list of those officially missing grew from 15 to 35 people, including a

13-year-old boy.

Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas were shaken by more aftershocks, adding

to the dozens that followed Monday’s magnitude 7.6 temblor.

Nearly 33-thousand people are staying at evacuation centers, and local

officials are encouraging everyone ot use masks and take precautions against

the spread of infectious diseases.

A well-known gay rights activist in Uganda has been stabbed by unknown

assailants, and police say he has been hospitalized in critical condition

(病危).

A police spokesperson says two attackers who arrived on motorcycle attacked

Kabuye, and nearby residents found him after the attack.

According to a fellow activist, Kabuye had claimed the attackers had been

following him for several days, and intended to kill him.

Ugandan rights activists have expressed fears that a new law against

homosexuality enacted in May would increase attacks against the gay

community.

San Francisco finally has installed (安裝) nets to stop suicides off the

Golden Gate Bridge.

The AP's Ed Donahue reports.

That was the I.C.R.T. news,

Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded

every day in the afternoon.

Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

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