The Tai-Ex opened down 69-points this morning from Friday's close, at 16,712

on turnover of 2.8-billion N-T.

The market moved lower on the final day of last week's session as investor

sentiment was muted (不熱烈的) due to higher-than-expected U-S consumer price

index data for in September, raising fears that inflation in America remains

a major issue.

The K-M-T and the Taiwan People's Party are criticizing each other for the

failure (失敗) to reach consensus on plans for a joint opposition ticket for

January's presidential election.

The spat comes after K-M-T and T-P-P campaign officials held talks this past

weekend aimed at exploring a possible electoral pact between the two parties

as they're both seeking to remove the D-P-P from power.

The T-P-P is pushing for a poll to see whether voters back either the K-M-T's

Hou Yu-ih or its presidential candidate, Ko Wen-je to represent the two

parties.

While the K-M-T is proposing an open primary to select the candidate.

And,

The Ministry of the Environment says poor air quality in northern and western

parts of the island is expected to last until tomorrow.

The warning comes after a northeasterly monsoon began to pick-up strength on

Sunday, carrying high concentrations (濃度) of pollutants from China into

Taiwan proper.

Monitoring stations on in Keelung, Chiayi City, and Tainan all flashed orange

alerts on Sunday, mainly due to PM2.5 particulate pollution, indicating that

the air quality poses a health risk to sensitive groups.

People with allergies are being advised to wear face masks and avoid vigorous

outdoor activities.

While another wave of the northeast monsoon is forecast to arrive on Friday,

rising the possibility of more poor air quality.

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has struck western Afghanistan, just over

a week after strong quakes and aftershocks killed thousands of people and

flattened entire villages.

Aid agency Save the Children said four people died in Sunday's temblor in

Herat province, with the regional hospital receiving more than 150 injured.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was about 34 kilometers

outside Herat, the provincial capital, and eight kilometers deep.

Earthquakes on Oct. 7 flattened villages in the province in what was one of

the most destructive (破壞性的) quakes in Afghanistan’s recent history.

United Nations officials say more than 90% of the people killed a week ago

were women and children.

The Walt Disney company is 100 years old as of Monday – marking the start by

brothers Walt and Roy Disney on October 16th in 1923.

Caroline Malone 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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