**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 20-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

15,606 on turnover of 2-billion N-T.

The market bucked the regional downward trend on Monday and gained ground, as

investors opted to ignore signs that America's economy is expected to show

slower growth this year and on news of more possible interest rate hikes by

the U-S Federal Reserve.

**Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton to Visit Taiwan **

Former U-S National Security Adviser John Bolton is set to visit Taiwan later

this month.

Radio Free Asia is citing Bolton's office as saying he'll be visiting Taiwan

to deliver speeches at two events.

One of those events is the World Taiwanese Congress, which begins on April

29, while the other is an event marking the 40th anniversary of the founding

of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs on May 1.

Bolton has visited Taiwan on numerous occasions in the past.

However, his upcoming visit comes after Bolton announced his bid to become

the Republican Party's nominee (提名人) for president.

Bolton has long called for Washington to officially recognize Taiwan as a

country.

**More Monkeypox Vaccine Doses to Arrive by Late May **

The Centers for Disease Control says it expects to take delivery of more

monkeypox vaccine doses next month.

The statement comes after the stock it currently holds was fully booked by

people wishing to be inoculated against the disease.

According to the C-D-C, it's currently in the process of signing a new

contract for the vaccine that can be used for the vaccination of 60,000

people.

C-D-C Deputy Director-General Philip Luo says the doses are expected to

arrive in Taiwan in mid or late May and will be available islandwide one week

after their delivery.

The new doses are likely to be administer no later than early June.

**US calls for Russia prisoner release **

The United States has called on Russia to immediate release several people it

argues have been wrongfully detained (被拘留).

The comments came during a United Nations Security Council meeting chaired by

Russia's Foreign Minister.

William Denselow reports from New York.

**Mexico Liquid Meth In Tequila Bottles **

Inspectors from the Mexican Navy say they have found 11,520 tequila bottles

bound for export that actually contained concentrated liquid meth.

The Navy said Monday the bottles contained the equivalent of almost ten tons

of methamphetamine.

The discovery was made over the weekend at the Pacific coast seaport of

Manzanillo.

Tests indicated the bottles contained 8,640 kilograms of meth.

Mexico has become a major producer of meth, and drug smugglers frequently are

stopped at the border with liquid meth in containers in their cars.

The liquid meth is usually recovered by the smugglers and taken to

specialized (專門) facilities where the water is extracted and then returned

to its usually crystal form.

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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