**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 38-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

15,819 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T.

The market gained ground on Tuesday on the back of rotational buying, as

investors opted to ignore lackluster (無生氣的) showings on Wall Street ahead

of an appearance before Congress by U-S Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.

Investors remained bullish on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, but chose

to pick-up stocks in electric machinery suppliers, due to optimism over

higher demand for energy storage equipment within the global electric vehicle

market.

**Defense Minister Affirms Military Would Fire at Chinese Forces Within Territorial Space **

Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng is stressing that comments he made earlier

this week concerning the military's opening fire on Chinese forces if they

enter Taiwan's territorial waters or airspace was "not meant as a provocation

(挑釁) to Beijing."

The minister says the comments were "simply a reaffirmation of the military's

job to protect the island's sovereignty."

Chiu also says that it's Taiwan's "armed forces' duty to mount an appropriate

response to such aggression."

The statements come after the defense minister earlier this week told

lawmakers that the military will fire at China's forces, including drones and

aircraft, if they enter Taiwan's 12-nautical-mile line.

**Taiwan Farm Produce on Display at Foodex Japan **

The External Trade Development Council says the Taiwan pavilion at Foodex

Japan is showcasing a wide range of special agriculture and aquaculture

(水產養殖) products.

According to the council, Taiwan's pavilion at the international food and

beverage exhibition features 136 exhibitors are operating 132 booths and it

is second largest national pavilion at the expo.

Nine county and city heads from Taiwan attended the opening of the food show

to promote farm produce.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai is heading a delegation of 13 agriculture and

aquaculture businesses from the city to the fair.

While Pingtung Magistrate Zhou Chun-mi is leading a delegation of 10

companies from the county to participate in the expo this week.

**France Protests Against Retirement Age Hik **

More than a million demonstrators have marched in cities and towns across

France in a new round of protests and strikes against the government’s plan

to raise the retirement age to 64.

Unions called for more protests on Saturday while warning that the situation

could become “explosive.”

The government “must withdraw its project now,” unions demanded after an

evening meeting Tuesday to decide their course of action.

Garbage collectors, utility workers, train drivers and others walked off the

job across the country to show anger at the reform (改革).

Unions asked for an urgent meeting with authorities, saying government

silence is growing dangerous.

**US Women Sue Texas for Abortion Ban **

Five women have sued the state of Texas over its near total ban on abortion -

the first such lawsuit since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade last

year.

The women say they, and countless other pregnant people, have been denied

necessary and potentially (可能地) life-saving care because doctors in Texas

are afraid of running afoul of the state's abortion laws.

Toni Waterman has more.

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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