**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 29-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

17,055 on turnover of 8.2-billion N-T.

The market moved sharply higher on Monday to close above the 20-day moving

average as investor interest was sparked by the gains on Wall Street at the

end of last week.

All sectors registered gains, but the big winners were the computer

sub-index, which jumped 4.03-per cent and the transportation sub-index, which

ended the day up 3.6-per cent.

**Hou to Scrap Extension of compulsory Military Service **

K-M-T presidential candidate and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih says he plans to

scrap the extension of compulsory military service if he wins next January's

election.

According to Hou, he'll restore the current four months of compulsory

(強制性的) conscription for qualified male citizens of military age if

elected in order to help "maintain peace and stability between the two sides

of the Taiwan Strait."

However, Hou's statement is being criticized by defense experts who argue

that only by maintaining a sufficient military training regime can Taiwan

hope to have an effective reserve force to increase the deterrence against a

Chinese invasion.

The government is set to extended compulsory military service from the

current four months to one year on January 1, 2024.

**Cost of Domestic Air Travel to Fall **

The Civil Aeronautics Administration says the cost of domestic air travel

will fall by between 2.7 and 6.9-per cent from August 1 due to a decline in

aviation fuel prices.

The cost cuts will cover all 23 domestic routes.

According to the administration, the Taipei to Kinmen route operated by

Mandarin Airlines will see the largest decline - with the price of a one-way

ticket falling by 6.9-per cent.

While the smallest decrease will be on the Taitung to Green Island route,

which will see 2.7-per cent decline.

The announcement comes after the average price of aviation fuel (航空燃料)

from May to July fell below the benchmark price of 21.74 N-T per liter.

**Ukrainian Writer Dies After Russia Missile Attack **

The PEN America rights group says award-winning Ukrainian writer Victoria

Amelina has died from her injuries suffered after a Russian missile attack on

a popular restaurant last week.

The attack on the restaurant, frequented by journalists and aid workers and

located near the front line, killed at least 11 other people and wounded

scores more.

Ukrainian authorities arrested a man a day later, accusing him of helping

Russia direct the strike.

The 37-year-old Amelina had expanded her work beyond literature following

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and had documented Russian war

crimes.

Her first work of English nonfiction is expected to be published soon.

**US Travel Chaos Due to HeatWave **

Travel chaos is plaguing US airports ahead of the Independence Day holiday,

as over 100 million Americans are under extreme weather warnings.

More than 1,000 flights were delayed or cancelled as of Monday morning.

Our US correspondent Kate Fisher report

**Senegal President Won't Seek Third Term **

Senegalese President Macky Sall says he will not seek a third term in the

presidential elections set for February.

Sall said Monday that he would not be a candidate “even if the constitution

allows me to do so.”

Top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko already had called for more

demonstrations around the West African country in the event Sall had instead

announced his intention (打算) to run again.

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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