The Tai-Ex opened down 145-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

27,721 on turnover of 7.5-billion N-T.

The market took a beating on Monday, on the back of a decline in investor

interest in artificial intelligence-related stocks, as selling followed heavy

losses on Wall Street last Friday amid lingering concerns of an A-I bubble.

The Mainland Affairs Council is expressing his "deep regret" over the

conviction of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai under the territory's national

security law.

The council says it "strongly condemns the Hong Kong government for using the

malicious (惡意的) national security law to curb freedom of speech and press

freedom, and to politically persecute pro-democracy figures."

The statement issued by the council also says the ruling was "tantamount to

declaring to the world" that Hong Kong's freedom, democracy, and judicial

independence have been "gradually eroded."

The Administration of Commerce has announced plans to invest at 2.5-billion

N-T over the next two years to expand support for the adoption of artificial

intelligence within the island's commercial service sector.

According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the program will targets

businesses in wholesale, retail, food and beverage, and logistics as more

companies in those fields are seeking to adopt A-I tools.

The ministry says it expects to help over 30,000 businesses adopt A-I through

the funding program.

The Department of Commerce says the service will help businesses evaluate A-I

adoption conditions and provide guidance (指導) based on scale and digital

capability.

US authorities have arrested four people who were allegedly planning a New

Year's Eve terror plot (陰謀) in southern California.

Nick Harper reports.

A small plane has crashed in central Mexico while attempting an emergency

landing, killing at least seven people.

Mexican officials say the accident happened Monday in an industrial area near

Toluca airport.

The plane had taken off (起飛) from Acapulco.

Authorities say the private jet had eight passengers and two crew members,

but only seven bodies have been recovered.

The plane apparently tried to land on a soccer field but hit a nearby

business, causing a large fire.

The crash is under investigation, and the fire forced the evacuation of about

130 people.

South Sudan’s government has grounded four aircraft registered under the

United Nations mission there, alleging that they were used for illegal

surveillance and smuggling.

The U.N. denied it.

South Sudan’s foreign minister said a government committee was examining the

aircraft after intelligence reports raised security concerns, and two were

found with advanced (先進的) surveillance and intelligence recording systems.

A U.N. mission spokesperson said the mission has been talking with South

Sudan’s government “for a while now to resolve this issue” and said the

mission works transparently (透明地) with it on U.N. operations.

South Sudan's government in 2017 grounded U.N. aircraft after peacekeepers

were deployed to guard the country's main airport.

The government said that was not part of their mandate.

That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____.

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