**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened up 83-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 13,109

on turnover of $3.5-billion N-T.

**Traffic jams have eased on number 1 freeway **

Traffic jams have eased on the southbound lanes from Wu-du to Xi-zhi, in New

Taipei, on number one freeway as both lanes finally opened at 3:30 AM today.

Highway officials say while serious congestion still appeared at around 7 AM,

the situation has since improved a great deal.

The real-time freeway map online is flashing green for the section right now.

The road was blocked by tens of thousands tons of fallen rocks last Tuesday

and Wednesday as the embankment collapsed due to torrential rain, forcing

officials to close the entire section on Thursday.

But the closure caused huge traffic jams in Keelung city and the Xi-zhi

District as drivers tried to get onto alternative road.

Officials opened one lane of the section on Friday, but congestion persisted

(續) through the weekend.

Transport Minister Wang Guo-cai says it'll take 6 months to shore up the

slope along the freeway, but it won't affect traffic.

(JL)

**Pakistan Khan Says Protest March to Resume Tuesday **

Pakistan's former prime minister says a protest march (遊行) towards the

capital will resume on Tuesday, despite his being wounded by gunfire last

Thursday.

AP correspondent Naomi Schanen reports.

**Mexico Fireworks Explosion Leaves Injured **

Officials in Mexico say a fireworks explosion at a Day of the Dead

celebration injured 17 people.

The accident occurred Saturday in the township of Huejutla in Mexico's Gulf

coast region.

The municipal government says residents of the village of Tehuetlan were

celebrating the end of a regional (地區性) holiday when a pile of fireworks

was set alight and exploded, showering the surrounding crowd in sparks and

explosions.

The township says two pregnant women and three children were among the

injured.

One of the girls suffered second-degree burns.

**Migrant Ship Still in Italy Port **

The captain of a charity-operated migrant rescue ship has refused Italian

orders to leave a Sicilian port after authorities refused to let 35 migrants

disembark.

Italy’s new far-right-led government is targeting foreign-flagged rescue

ships.

The Humanity 1 was ordered to vacate (空出、離開) the port of Catania on

Sunday after disembarking 144 rescued migrants.

They included women with children, more than 100 unaccompanied minors and

people with medical emergencies.

The German charity that operates the vessel said the captain refused “until

all survivors rescued from distress at sea have been disembarked.”

Another ship with 572 rescued migrants arrived at the port for the same

vetting process, but two other ships carrying hundreds are still at sea.

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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