**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 13-points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,489

on turnover of 2.6-billion N-T.

The market closed slightly lower on Friday despite recouping most of early

losses, following weakness on Wall Street overnight, as investors remained

wary over the health of America's banking sector.

**Protesters Take to Streets to Promote Pedestrian Safety **

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Protests has been held in several cities demanding action to improve

pedestrian safety.

The rallies have been taking place after a three three-year-old girl was

killed and her mother injured last Monday after being hit by car making a

left turn as the were crossing a street in Tainan.

Protesters in Tainan gathered at that intersection calling for the wider use

of pedestrian scrambles at major junctions, which stop all traffic when

pedestrians cross.

Residents of Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung also took the streets - and

congregated at (聚集在) crosswalks that have also been the sites of recent

deadly traffic accidents.

**Premier Tests Positive for Coronavirus **

And,

Cabinet spokesman Luo Ping-cheng says Premier Chen Chien-jen has tested

positive for the coronavirus.

According to Luo, Chen took an at screening test at home on Saturday after

experiencing a cough and the results of the test were positive.

The Cabinet spokesman says Chen has been advised to follow the Center for

Disease Control's current "0+N" guidelines for people who

test positive for the virus, but only show mild symptoms.

That means the premier will have to wear a face mask if he chooses to return

to work today and monitor his health for up to 10 days, depending on the

severity of the symptoms.

**France Pledges More Military Support for Ukraine **

France has pledged additional military aid, including light tanks, armored

vehicles, training for soldiers and other assistance for Ukraine as it gears

up for a counteroffensive against Russian forces.

French President Emmanuel Macron's office also says more Ukrainians will also

be made battle-ready, with France aiming to train about 2,000 Ukrainian

soldiers in France this year and nearly 4,000 others in Poland as part of a

wider European effort.

The fresh French support followed surprise talks Sunday in Paris between the

Ukrainian and French presidents.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron met for three hours at the

presidential Elysee Palace.

The encounter was kept under wraps (保密) until shortly before the Ukrainian

leader's arrival in Paris from Germany on a French government jet, extending

a multi-stop European tour.

Zelenskyy met earlier Sunday with Germany's chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

**US App Allows Migrant Appointments for Asylum **

A new mobile app is allowing 1,000 would-be migrants per day to make an

appointment to apply for asylum (庇護) in the United States.

AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports.

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 _____.

--

Hosting provided by SoundOn