**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 34.86 -points this morning from yesterday's close, at

16,419 on turnover of $2.97-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan came under pressure, closing below the 16,500 point mark

Tuesday amid renewed fears over a hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve in the wake of

a spike in American treasury yields, pointing to higher interest rates.

The bellwether electronics sector, which served as a driver to a 1.24 percent

increase on the main board on Monday, reversed its previous gains and moved

lower, sending the broader market into negative territory.

**(10AM)Slowmoving Koinu Rim Soon to Reach Huadong Area **

The Central Weather Administration says the outer rim of Typhoon Koinu will

soon reach the Hua-dong area.

The CWA says the slow-moving storm is currently centered about 270 kilometers

east of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, and was moving in a

westerly direction at 11 km per hour.

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kph with gusts of up to 191 kph.

The CWA's land warning currently covers 15 cities and counties across the

center, east and south, as well as parts of the north.

Forecasters expect the storm to continue moving in a westerly direction, and

predict that the eye of the storm will pass over the Taitung area, and into

the Bashi Channel tomorrow.

(NS)

**Thai Shooting Suspect Explains Shooting to Police **

The teenage suspect arrested following a deadly gun rampage (狂暴行為) in a

luxury Bangkok mall told police someone was telling him to shoot others.

Two people were killed and five others were wounded in the shooting.

Patrick Fok reports.

**Italy Bus Crash Leaves Dead and Injured **

Italian authorities say at least 21 people have been killed and 18 injured in

a bus crash near Venice.

Local officials say the bus was carrying foreign tourists, including

Ukrainians.

The crash happened Tuesday when the bus fell from an elevated (高架) street

just northwest of Venice.

City officials say the bus was bringing tourists to a camping site.

Local media reports say the bus fell a few meters before crashing close to

railroad tracks, where it caught fire.

Multiple emergency crews are at the scene.

**Mexico Signs Agreement with Sea Sheperd to Proect Vaquitas **

The conservation group Sea Shepherd says it has signed an agreement with

Mexico to help expand the protection area for the endangered vaquita

porpoise.

Sea Shepherd helps the Mexican Navy to remove illegal gill nets that drown

the vaquita, the world's most endangered marine mammal.

Sea Shepherd said Tuesday that the expansion (擴張) will increase the area

work it works in the Gulf of California by about 60%.

The Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, is the only place where the

vaquita lives.

As few as ten vaquitas remain.

They cannot be held or bred in captivity.

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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