**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened up 65.9-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

15,477 on turnover of $2.4-billion N-T.

The Tai-Ex gained ground on Thursday, as other regional markets rose ahead of

the release of U-S economic growth data.

**Changhua Launches Factory Inspections **

The Changhua County government has ordered fire safety inspections at all

local large-scale food processing (食品加工) factories.

The move is in response to Tuesday's fire at the Lian Hwa Foods factory, the

death toll from which now stands at eight.

The bureau says a joint inspection team has been formed it includes fire

service members as well as officials from the county government's economic

and labor affairs departments.

They will be jointly inspecting some 138 large food processing factories in

Changhua.

The county government says those inspections includes all factories with a

floor area of 3,000 square meters or more that are equipped with large

boilers for food processing.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

**Iran Seizes Marshall Islands Oil Tanker **

Iran’s navy has seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of

Oman amid wider tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet identified the vessel as the

Advantage Sweet.

Satellite tracking data for the vessel from MarineTraffic.com showed it in

the Gulf of Oman just north of Oman’s capital, Muscat, on Thursday

afternoon.

It had just come from Kuwait and listed its destination (目的地) as Houston.

Iran claimed the ship had run into another, causing Iranian sailors to go

missing and get hurt.

Thursday's seizure represents the latest-such capture in a waterway crucial

for global energy supplies.

**US Pence Testifies in Trump Election Investigation **

According to multiple media reports, former US Vice President Mike Pence has

appeared before the grand jury investigating Donald Trump's attempts to

overturn the 2020 election results.

Earlier this week, the former president lost a legal challenge to try and

block Pence's testimony.

US Correspondent Ira Spitzer has more

**UK More Ceremonia Roles for Coronation **

Buckingham Palace has announced more than two dozen ceremonial roles at King

Charles III's coronation.

They include Francis Dymoke, a 67-year-old farmer from eastern England who

will be the King’s Champion, like his ancestors (祖先) have been since 1066.

Other roles announced Thursday include those who will carry the king’s

regalia to the altar.

Some of the jobs went to those with historic claims.

Others will be carried out by senior military officers, bishops and

politicians, or even relatively unknown individuals.

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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