**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened marginally higher this morning from Friday's close, at

16,345 on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T.

The market ended the trading day higher on Friday, as other regional markets

finished the day mixed following a broad retreat on Wall Street overnight on

the back of concerns over more possible interest rate hikes in America.

**More Diplomatic Allies Speak-Up for Taiwan at UN **

Three more diplomatic allies have spoken up in support of Taiwan's inclusion

in the United Nations system during the on-going General Debate at the 78th

General Assembly.

The prime minister's of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Kitts and

Nevis, as well as Belize's foreign minister all made similar appeals

(懇求，訴請) in their respective addresses in New York.

It means that 11 of Taiwan's 13 diplomatic allies have so far voiced their

support for allowing Taiwan to participate in the U-N system during this

year's General Assembly.

The Vatican is scheduled to speak later today, but only has observer status

at the U-N and rarely speaks on political issues.

While Haiti's prime minister, Ariel Henry, spokes on Friday, and focused on

the continuing unrest in his country in his address and did not touch on

Taiwan this year.

**Competitor Dies at Annual Sun Moon Lake Swimming Festival **

A 25-year-old man participating in the Sun Moon Lake International Swimming

Carnival has died.

According to the Nantou County Government, the man fell ill soon after

entering the water and signaled distress (危難), about 100-meters into the

annual 3,000-meter swimming competition across the lake.

Emergency service personnel pulled the man out of the water, but he was

pronounced dead at the Puli Christian Hospital.

Officials say the man didn't drown and the cause of his cause of death was

still under investigation.

The event has been held annually since 1983 and this year drew more than

24,000 competitors from 33 countries.

**France to End Military Presence in Niger **

President Emmanuel Macron says France will end its military presence in Niger

and pull its ambassador out of the country now that its democratically

elected president has been deposed (廢黜的) in a coup.

France has maintained some 1,500 troops in Niger since the July coup and

refused a request by the new junta for its ambassador to leave.

But with tensions mounting, Macron says he told the ousted President Nohamed

Bazoum on Sunday that “France has decided to bring back its ambassador.

He also says France is ending its military cooperation with Niger.

French troops have pulled out of neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso in recent

years after coups there.

France had stationed thousands of troops in the Sahel region at the request

of African leaders to fight Islamic extremist groups.

**NASA Collects First Asteroid Sample in Space **

The first asteroid sample collected in space by US Space Agency, NASA, has

arrived on Earth.

Scientists say the asteroid, Bennu, could tell us more about how life began.

They're also keen (渴望的) to learn more about it as there's an outside

chance (微弱的可能性) it could hit Earth in the next 300 years.

Kate Fisher 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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