The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 17,150

on turnover of 1.5-billion N-T.

The market lost ground on Monday, falling below the 17,200-point mark, as

investors opted to dump artificial intelligence development-related stocks

amid continuing concern over the U-S ban on chip sales to China.

The semiconductor sector also trended (轉向) lower on the back of news that

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing could cut the price of some of its more

advanced chips next year.

The High Prosecutors Office has indicted 10 people, including several active

duty military personnel, for allegedly spying for China.

Five of them are also facing more serious charges and remain in custody.

Prosecutors says the indictments follow an investigation into a former Army

major, who is believed to have been recruited (被招募) by China in 2021 to

carry out espionage activities in Taiwan.

According to the High Prosecutors Office, the former officer then recruited a

businessman to help in persuading both serving and retired military personnel

to collect military intelligence for China.

The other suspects include a serving Army lieutenant-colonel and three

active-duty soldiers, who stole classified military information.

EVA Airways is warning that airfares are expected to remain high until at

least the end of the first half of next year due to strong demand for air

travel.

According to the carrier, it is seeing strong demand for passenger flight

services from late January to mid-February and over 90-per cent of seats on

Japan-bound flights are already booked.

Speaking at an investor conference, EVA said the company's long-haul flights

have maintained 90-percent passenger loads (載客率) since the beginning of

the year - and the carrier firmly believes "the future is promising."

Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days

past Monday.

The announcement made by a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry came on

the final day of the original four-day truce (休戰) between the warring

sides.

As part of a fourth swap under the original deal, Hamas released 11 Israelis

on Monday night.

Then Israel released 33 Palestinians.

Monday’s releases bring to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the truce,

along with 19 hostages of other nationalities.

So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons.

But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military

capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its Oct. 7 attack

into southern Israel.

US President Joe Biden has announced plans to use a Cold War-era law to try

and ease (緩解) supply chain issues and counter inflation.

Ira Spitzer reports.

A Sumatran rhino has given birth to a male calf in Indonesia, a welcome

addition to a critically endangered species that numbers fewer than 50

animals.

The mother gave birth Saturday at a national park sanctuary on Sumatra, where

the entire species now lives.

Their tropical forest habitat is disappearing and poachers kill the animals

for their horns, which are used for ornaments (裝飾品) and in traditional

medicine.

The unnamed calf is healthy and able to walk and eat.

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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