**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened up 3.22-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,667

on turnover of $2.6-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan closed lower last week, amid concerns that the U.S. Federal

Reserve will hike rates at its next meeting later this month.

Contract chipmaker TSMC remained unchanged, however, preventing the

bellwether electronics sector and the broader market from falling further,

but old economy and financial stocks largely fell.

**Taipei Sinkhole Continues to Cause Problems **

A large sinkhole in Taipei is continuing to cause problems.

The city government dispatched personnel to the site, after the sinkhole

appeared Saturday night in the middle of Nanjing West Road near its

intersection with Gui-de Street.

The hole, estimated to be about 1.5 meters long, 1 meter wide, and 1.5 meters

deep was filled in with concrete after workers confirmed that there were no

leaks in underground pipes.

But officials say the sinkhole continued to expand, despite being supported

by dozens of sandbags and concrete, and water services were shut off for 108

nearby households due to concerns over leaks and flooding.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an inspected the site earlier this morning, and city

officials say they are working to rectify (改正) the problem as quickly as

possible.

(NS)

**Venus to shine at its brightest so far this year Monday **

The Taipei Astronomical Museum says the night sky tonight will boast three

celestial wonders.

The museum says stargazers will be able to see a dazzling Venus that will

shine at its brightest so far this year, the close alignment of the planet

Mars and the star Regulus, and the passing of the International Space Station

over Taiwan.

Officials say Venus will reach its brightest and will be visible in the sky

after sunset.

The museum adds that the celestial conjunction (結合，聯合) of Mars and

Regulus will be visible from around 4 p.m., but the two celestial bodies will

only be visible through binoculars because they will shine 300 times less

bright than Venus.

Then at about 8:00 p.m., the ISS will travel across Taiwan's night sky from

the southwest to the northeast and is expected to be visible for around seven

minutes from Taiwan.

**UN won't retract condemnation **

United Nations says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stands by his views

which condemn Israel's attack on the Jenin refugee camp.

This came after Israel’s United Nations ambassador called on Guterres to

retract (撤回) his condemnation.

Julie Walker reports.

**Syria Cancels BBC Media Accreditation **

Syria’s Information Ministry has canceled the BBC’s media accreditation,

accusing the British public broadcaster of biased (有偏見的) and fake news in

its coverage of the war-torn country.

The ministry late Saturday said the decision was made after “warning the

channel more than once that it has broadcasted its misleading reports relying

on statements and testimonies from terrorist entities and those hostile to

Syria."

The announcement came days after BBC Arabic released an investigative

documentary about the illicit drug trade in Syria, pinpointing links between

the blossoming of Captagon amphetamine pills and associates of President

Bashar Assad.

The Syrian government denies any involvement in the production of Captagon.

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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