**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 40-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

16,836 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T.

The market closed lower on Tuesday after giving up early gains - as selling

focused on large cap tech stocks.

Although the electronics sector was the main target of investor sell-offs,

some artificial intelligence development-related stocks bounced back from an

early downturn to give some support to the broader market.

**Aso Stresses Need for Japan and US to Show Resolve to Fight to Defend Taiwan **

Visiting former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso says he believes the best

way to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is for Japan, the U-S and other

like-minded countries to make it clear to Beijing that they would be willing

to defend Taiwan militarily.

Speaking during his key note address at the Ketagalan Forum in Taipei, Aso

reiterated that Japan and other G-7 countries seek peace and stability across

the Taiwan Strait, adding that China and Taiwan should resolve their

differences through peaceful means.

He also touched on (簡略提到) trade during his address - saying Japan

supports Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for

Trans-Pacific Partnership.

**CDC Warning of Dengue Case Rise **

The Centers for Disease Control says 264 new domestic dengue fever cases were

reported over the past week.

They include the first confirmed (確認) cases so far this year in Miaoli and

Chiayi.

According to the C-D-C, of the latest cases, 229 were in Tainan, 20 in

Yunlin, six in Kaohsiung, five Chiayi County, two in Pingtung and one each in

Taichung and Miaoli.

The latest cases bring the total number of domestic infections of the

mosquito-borne disease to 1,109 since the first such case was confirmed in

Tainan on June 13.

A majority of the cases have been reported in Tainan, where 920 infections

have been confirmed to date.

**Ukraine Accuses Russia of Double Tap **

Ukrainian officials are accusing the Kremlin’s forces of targeting rescue

workers by hitting residential buildings with two consecutive (連續的)

missiles — the first one to draw crews to the scene and the second one to

wound or kill them.

Officials said the strikes Monday evening in the downtown district of the

city of Pokrovsk killed nine people, including an emergency official.

The strikes also wounded more than 80 others, most of them police officers,

emergency workers and soldiers who rushed to assist residents.

The Russian missiles slammed into the center of Pokrovsk in the eastern

Donetsk region, which is partially occupied by Russia.

Emergency crews were still removing rubble on Tuesday.

**Trump Vows to Keep Talking About Criminal Cases **

Former US President Donald Trump is vowing (發誓) to keep talking about his

criminal cases.

The AP's Ed Donahue 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 _____.

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