The Tai-Ex opened up 370-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

19,163 on turnover of 6.4-billion N-T.

The market extended its losses from a session earlier on Tuesday to close

down by more than 300-points.

However, investors this morning reacted positively to rise on Wall Street

overnight - where indexes made up for the sharp declines seen during the

previous session.

policy shift

President Lai Ching-te has been meeting with environmental groups and is

seeking to assure them that his administration's position on nuclear power

remains unchanged.

Speaking a closed-door meeting with representatives from a dozen

environmental groups, Lai said any changes to the government's nuclear policy

must meet "three prerequisites."

Those prerequisites (玡矗兵ン) include ensuring nuclear safety, achieving

proper nuclear waste management and securing social consensus on the issue.

Lai also stressed that the government "maintains an open attitude toward new

and advanced nuclear technologies" as it works to provide stable energy

supply and meet its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

And,

Premier Cho Jung-tai has announced that civil servants, military personnel

and public school teachers will have a 3-per cent pay raise issued beginning

in May.

The pay rise was approved by the Cabinet in July of last year.

Cho says the pay hike was delayed because the Cabinet believed it was

inappropriate to allocate the funds before its efforts to overturn ( 崩陆)

the 3.1-trillion central government budget plan approved by the Legislature

were resolved.

He he went on to say that a decision was finally made Tuesday morning to

start dispensing the 3-per cent salary raise for civil servants starting next

month.

The United Nations chief has appointed a British human rights activist to

carry out a strategic review of the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced the review on Tuesday.

He said Ian Martin, a former head of Amnesty International, will also be

looking at the ¨consequences and risks for Palestinian refugees〃 of

UNRWAˇs operations.

The purpose is to assess its impact under the "present political, financial,

security and other constraints (兵ン).〃

Israel has banned the agency, known as UNRWA, from operating on its

territory.

But its Palestinian staff have still been key to delivering aid and running

medical clinics in Gaza, even though Israel has cut off all humanitarian

deliveries since March 2.

The International Monetary Fund has slashed the United States' growth

forecast for this year, warning that tariffs are creating a "major negative

shock ( 侥阑)" worldwide.

Nick Harper reports from Washington.

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

--

Hosting provided by SoundOn