The Tai-Ex opened up 237-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

20,094 on turnover of $6.4--billion N-T.

The Tai-Ex lost ground on Thursday, as other regional closed mixed.

Investors awaited the release of a flood of global earnings reports,

including updates from leading U-S tech companies.

The National Science and Technology Council says statutory animal testing

could be significantly reduced if alternative testing introduced in

regulations is more widely adopted.

According to council head Wu Zheng-chong, the amount of animal testing could

be cut by an average of 60 to 80-per cent.

Wu says he believes using a large number of animals for testing is a matter

of concern for many people.

He says as a developed country, Taiwan has a responsibility to replace,

reduce and refine animal testing.

And he also says to achieve that objective, the government established the

Inter-ministerial Platform for Alternative Technology of Animal Testing in

October 2022.

The platform aims to improve related regulations, cultivate talent in the

field, and facilitate the development of relevant (相關的) technologies.

The National Laboratory Animal Center says 102 alternatives to animal testing

have so far been introduced for pesticides, chemicals and cosmetics.

Ukraine is seeking to reverse the drain of potential soldiers from the

country.

It has announced that men of conscription age will no longer be able to renew

(更新) their passports from outside the country.

Ukraine is working to get much-needed new supplies of weapons and ammunition

from a huge U.S. aid package to the front line.

Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country since Russia’s full-scale

invasion in 2022.

Poland's defense minister said Warsaw was ready to help ensure “those who

are subject to compulsory military service go to Ukraine".

But he did not specify how.

Many of the US's fossil fuel plants could close after sweeping (廣泛的) new

rules to limit pollution from power stations issued by the US Environmental

Protection Agency.

The Biden Administration says the new regulations will significantly reduce

pollution.

It could also bring hundreds of billions of dollars in climate and public

health benefits.

Kate Fisher reports from Washington

Congo’s government is questioning Apple about the tech company’s knowledge

of “blood minerals” from a conflict zone in the African country.

A group of international lawyers representing Congo said Thursday it sent

letters to Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and its French subsidiary this week.

They raised concerns about human rights violations involving the minerals

extracted (提取的) from mines in the country’s east.

They say those minerals might end up being used in the company’s products.

They included a list of questions challenging Apple to show how it monitors

its supply chains in a troubled region where more than 100 armed rebel groups

operate.

It's demanding answers within three weeks.

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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