**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened up 27-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,108

on turnover of 2.5-billion N-T.

The market closed slightly lower on Wednesday as government-led funds were

believed to have intervened ( 介入、調解) to lend support to the local main

board amid ongoing global volatility.

However, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing still saw its share price fall

below 400 N-T for the first time in more than two years.

**MND Vows 'No More Teslas' Following Musk China Comments **

Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng says the military will not purchase any more

Teslas following comments by Elon Musk last week that the island become a

Chinese special administrative zone.

Speaking at a legislative hearing, Chiu told lawmakers that the military

currently owns seven Tesla Model 3s and 12 other electric vehicles, which

were acquired from local carmaker Luxgen brand e-cars for environmental

reasons.

Chiu said if the decision to purchase the Teslas is causing concern, the

defense ministry will not buy anymore of those cars.

Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics Major General Hsu Jin-teng has said all

the Teslas used by the military had their eight cameras disabled

(使無效使失去能力,) for security reasons.

**WBSC Under 23 Baseball World Cup to Begin at Tianmu Stadium **

And,

The opening ceremony of the W-B-S-C Under 23 Baseball World Cup takes place

this evening at the Tianmu Stadium in Taipei.

The ceremony begins at 5:45PM and will be followed by the opening game at

6:30 -- when Taiwan meet Colombia.

Twelve teams are participating in the Under 23 Baseball World Cup - which

begins with a two group round-robin stage and the top three teams from each

group advance to the next round.

Taiwan is in Group A with Colombia, Germany, Japan , South Africa, and

defending champion Venezuela.

Group B consists of Australia, Cuba, South Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands and

Puerto Rico.

Games will be played at the Tianmu Stadium in Taipei, the Taichung

Intercontinental Stadium and at the Dou-Liou Stadium in Yunlin County.

**NKorea on Missile Tests **

North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has supervised tests of long-range cruise

missiles, which he described as a successful demonstration of his military's

expanding nuclear strike capabilities and readiness for ``actual war.``

The comments were carried in state media today.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said the two missiles

during Wednesday's tests flew for nearly three hours above its western seas,

and showed that they can hit targets 2,000 kilometers away.

Kim after the tests praised (稱讚) the readiness of his nuclear combat

forces, which he said were fully prepared for ``actual war to bring enemies

under their control at a blow''

The tests on Wednesday extended a record number of weapons demonstrations

this year by North Korea.

South Korean officials say Kim may also conduct a nuclear test in the coming

weeks or months.

**UN Passes Resolution Condemning Russian Annexation **

Members of the United Nations General Assembly have overwhelmingly (壓倒性地)

passed a resolution condemning Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian

territories.

The vote comes after Russia vetoed a similar resolution at the UN Security

Council late last month.

William Denselow reports from UN headquarters in New York.

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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