**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 22-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

15,541 on turnover of $2-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan closed slightly higher Tuesday after moving in a narrow

range throughout the session, after a lack of leads from overseas with U.S.

markets closed on Monday for the President's Day holiday.

The bellwether electronics sector remained weak on selling from foreign

institutional investors, and the financial sector suffered sell-offs amid

investors' unhappiness with E. Sun Financial Holding Co.'s dividend policy.

In addition, buying rotated to select old economy stocks, in particular in

the shipping industry, lending support to the broader market.

A new opinion poll in Taiwan shows that the percentage of people who believe

the U.S. will send troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion

is increasing.

According to the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, 42.8 percent of those

surveyed in February this year said that they believed Washington would

intervene (介入) militarily if Beijing attacked Taiwan, a rise of more than

8% compared with the same poll in 2022.

Despite the rise, 46.5% said that they did not believe the United States will

send troops to defend Taiwan, a year-over-year drop of 9%, while 5% percent

said they were uncertain.

The TPOF released the poll ahead of the first anniversary of the war in

Ukraine on Feb. 24 to gauge whether public opinion in Taiwan has changed due

to the conflict.

**US Trump Election Probe Recommends Perjury Charges **

A spokesperson for a Georgia jury investigating former President Donald Trump

and allies' election interference says they recommended indictments of

multiple people on a range of charges.

A report, partially (部分地) revealed last week, showed one or more witnesses

lied under oath when they testified.

Caroline Malone reports from Washington.

**HK Revokes Chinese Scientist's Visa **

Hong Kong has revoked a visa it granted to a Chinese scientist who set off an

ethical debate five years ago with claims that he made the world’s first

genetically edited babies.

The Hong Kong government revoked He Jiankui's visa hours after he announced

his research plans in the financial hub.

He shocked the world in 2018 when he announced he had altered the embryos

(胚胎) of twin girls, with many in the scientific community criticizing his

work as unethical.

He was convicted by a mainland Chinese court of practicing medicine without a

license.

He announced in Beijing on Tuesday that Hong Kong had granted him a visa to

explore opportunities.

But the Hong Kong government revoked the visa hours later.

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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