**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 82-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

13,556 on turnover of 3.8-billion N-T.

The market moved sharply higher on Wednesday as strong investor interest

pushed up Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by more than 4.5-per cent amid

liquidity-driven buying.

The semiconductor sector also got a boost from solid gains enjoyed by their

counterparts on Wall Street overnight as concerns ease over the possibility

of more aggressive rate hikes by the U-S Federal Reserve.

**Biden to Discuss Cross-Strait Stability at US-ASEAN Summit **

A senior White House official says U-S President Joe Biden will emphasize

(強調) the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait at a

meeting with leaders of ASEAN countries this weekend.

Biden will be traveling to Phnom Penh for the annual US-ASEAN summit and the

East Asia Summit this weekend, before continuing on to Bali, Indonesia for

the G20 leaders' summit next week.

According to the U-S official, Biden will highlight Washington's "enduring

commitment to the rules-based international order, including in the South

China Sea," and talk about the importance of peace and stability in the

Taiwan Strait at both summits.

**Amnesty International Slams Plans to Fine Coronavirus-Positive Voters **

Amnesty International's Taiwan office is slamming plans to fine coronavirus

patients who break their mandatory quarantine to vote in the upcoming local

government elections.

According to office secretary-general Qiu Yi-ling, prohibiting

coronavirus-positive voters from casting ballots is a violation of legally

protected political rights.

The statement comes after the Central Epidemic Command Center said patients

who break quarantine to vote will face a fine of up to 2-million N-T.

However, Amnesty International Taiwan says current laws cannot justify the

government decision's to prohibit an estimated 300,000 people from exercising

(應用) their voting rights.

**US Biden on Midterm Results **

US President Joe Biden says US Democrats are breathing a "sigh of relief"

after not suffering massive losses in America's mid-term elections.

But the race for the House of Representatives and the Senate remain evenly

poised (平衡的), despite the Republicans failure to mobilize the tidal wave

of voter support they were promising.

From Washington, Simon Marks reports.

**Cuba US Meeting on Consular Services **

Cuban and US State Department officials have met in Havana to discuss the

expansion of consular and visa services on the island.

Cuba issued a brief statement confirming the meeting took place Wednesday.

The U.S. Embassy closed in 2017 following a series of health incidents.

While a full reopening has yet to be announced, U.S. officials have said visa

processing would resume (恢復) in January.

A State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity told The

Associated Press that Washington's delegation also discussed concerns about

human rights in Cuba.

The official said the US "urged the Cuban government to unconditionally

release all political prisoners.”

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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