**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 46-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,658

on turnover of 1.5-billion N-T.

The market closed higher on a technical rebound Friday after Wall Street

rallied overnight and those gains were driven largely by semiconductor

heavyweights, but buying was also seen in the shipping and biotech sectors.

However investor sentiment remained cautious due to concerns over a recession

(經濟衰退) in the United States.

**Government to Assist Companies Affected by Partial China Import Ban **

The Ministry of Economic Affairs says it will use sales promotions, financing

and professional training programs to help companies affected by China's

decision to suspend imports of more products from Taiwan.

The statement comes after Beijing announced bans last week on over 100

Taiwanese companies selling fishery products, as well as alcoholic and

non-alcoholic beverages.

Beijing claims that have all failed to submit (提交) or incorrectly filled in

documents needed to comply with new customs registration rules.

Deputy Economic Minister C-C Chen says his office is planning to use programs

such as the Bureau of Foreign Trade's Taiwan Global Food Initiative to help

firms affected by the ban.

That program was launched in August.

**Japanese LDP's Senior Member Supports Taiwan's CPTPP Bid **

A visiting senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party says he

fully supports Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive

Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

However, Koichi Hagiuda is raising concerns over Taiwan's partial ban on some

Japanese food imports, calling for the removal of those bans as soon as

possible.

Although lauding Taiwan for partially lifting a decade-long ban on food

imports from areas affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster earlier

this year, he also says Taiwan's government needs to fully remove the ban

"based on (以…為根據) science."

Hagiuda is the first policy chief of the L-D-P to visit Taiwan in nearly 20

years.

**Zambia Ethiopian Nationals Found Dead **

Zambian police say the bodies of 27 men believed to be Ethiopian nationals

have been discovered in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka.

Officers say investigations indicate the bodies found Sunday were “all males

aged between 20 and 38, were dumped by unknown people.”

The police say one man was still alive and was rushed to a hospital for

treatment.

They say the bodies have been taken for formal identification and postmortems

(驗屍), while police and other security services are investigating.

**China Expands Hospital Support **

China is expanding its medical facilities in rural areas, amid concerns from

international health experts the country could face a surge in Covid-19 cases

after scaling back (縮減、減少) its strict virus rules.

Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong.

***Gaza Ancient Tombs Discovered **

Hamas authorities in Gaza have announced the discovery of over 60 tombs in an

ancient burial site dating back to the Roman era.

Work crews have been excavating (挖掘) the site since it was discovered last

January during preparations for an Egyptian-funded housing project.

Officials say a total of 63 graves have been identified.

They say the ministry is working with a team of French experts, and that a

set of bones and artifacts from one tomb was dated back to the second

century.

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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