**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 8.2-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

16,508, on turnover of $2.8-billion N-T.

The Tai-Ex bucked the regional downward trend and gained ground on Thursday,

despite notes from a U-S Federal Reserve meeting denting hopes that its

interest rate hike cycle is finished.

**FDA to Amend Regulations on Nutrition Labeling for Prepacked Food **

The Food and Drug Administration says it planning to change the regulations

regarding the nutrition labeling of carbonated beverages and other prepacked

food products.

According to the F-D-A, the amendments have been drafted due to health

concerns.

Deputy Director Lin Jin-fu says the amendments mean that carbonated beverages

(碳酸飲料) will no longer be permitted to use labeling with words such as

"rich in" Vitamin C or similar descriptions and the content of labeling will

be limited to related nutritional facts.

Lin also says the revisions will not limit nutrients that can be labeled on

food products.

Previously, only eight types of nutrients (養分) could be shown on packaging,

but that restrictions will be lifted when the new draft takes effect, in

accordance with international regulations on food products.

**Canada Evacuations as Wildfires Spread **

Residents in parts of Canada's Northwest Territories are being evacuated due

to wildfires threatening (威脅) their towns.

It's part of what has become the country's worst fire season on record, with

a warmer and drier spring and summer than normal.

Caroline Malone reports.

**DR ID on Dead Still Ongoing After Bakery Explosion **

Authorities in the Dominican Republic say it could take months to identify

all of the 28 victims who died in a powerful explosion near the country's

capital this week.

The announcement comes as friends and family keep trying to confirm whether

their loved ones died in Monday’s explosion in the city of San Cristobal.

Fifty-nine people were injured, with the majority (多數) of them still

hospitalized.

Forensics officials say only seven of the bodies found have been turned over

to their families so far.

The explosion took place mid-afternoon in a bustling (繁忙的) commercial area

in the city center, filled with businesses, including a bank and a hardware

store.

An investigation is still underway as to what caused the explosion, and

authorities have said they will hold accountable any business that was not

operating properly.

**Thailand Pangolin Scales Seized **

Thai authorities say they have seized more than a ton of pangolin scales

worth over $1.4 million US dollars that are believed to have been headed out

of the country through a land border.

P

olice say the pangolin scales, which have an estimated price of around $1,129

per kilogram, are suspected of being brought from Malaysia to Thailand, to be

transported to Laos, and then sold to clients in China.

Two male suspects, who were on a truck with the scales, were arrested and

charged with the illegal possession of carcasses (屍體) of protected animals.

Officiasl say the amount of scales is estimated to come from at least

3-to-4-thousand dead pangolins, adding that the scales will be tested to find

out the species of the pangolins.

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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