**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened up 25-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 14,310

on turnover of 1.34-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan edged slightly higher Monday after moving in a narrow range

on low turnover as many foreign institutional investors were away for the

Christmas holiday.

Although the bellwether electronics sector finished little changed, contract

chipmaker TSMC ended higher to stabilize the broader market, and buying also

rotated to the biotech sector as COVID-19 infections spike in China.

**CWB: Rains Coming for Northern Taiwan **

The Central Weather Bureau says rainy weather may be coming for northern

Taiwan.

The CWB says skies should remain clear to cloudy today, but moisture is

gathering over the island, leading to possible rain over Keelung and other

parts of the north coast.

Lowest temperatures this morning were recorded in Hsinchu County's Er-mei

Township, at 5.2 degrees Celsius, and in general, daytime temperatures remain

relatively warm, between 18-22 degrees in the north and east, and 24 to 26

degrees in the center and south.

And weather expert Wu Der-rong also says a cold front may pass over Taiwan

from January 2nd to 5th next year, after a mild New Years' Day.

**Dwight Howard to join Taoyuan's New Year countdown bash **

Eight-time NBA All Star Dwight Howard will be at the countdown party in

Taoyuan to celebrate the New Year with his fans this coming weekend.

The T1 LEAGUE's Taoyuan Leopards basketball team says Howard will be

participating in the city's "2023 Show Taoyuan" this Saturday.

The team says at the event, a lucky spectator (觀眾) will also be chosen from

the crowd to get on stage for a photo with Howard.

The countdown party will be held at the square outside the Taoyuan high-speed

rail station from 7 p.m. that day, featuring firework displays and

performances by artists from Taiwan and abroad.

**Indonesia Rohingya Muslims Land on Beach **

A second group in two days of Rohingya Muslims has landed on a beach in

Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh after weeks at sea.

Police say at least 185 men, women and children disembarked (下船) from a

wooden boat at dusk on a beach, weak from dehydration and exhaustion (虛脫).

They were taken to the village hall and will stay there while they receive

help from residents, health workers and others.

Immigration officials and police are trying to identify the refugee to

determine if they were from the group of 190 Rohingya who were reported by

United Nations to be drifting in a small boat in the Andaman Sea for a month.

The UNHCR on Friday urged countries to rescue the refugees, saying reports

indicated they were in dire condition with insufficient food or water.

**Aid Groups Suspend Work in Afghanistan **

Foreign aid groups are suspending (暫停) operations in Afghanistan following

a decision by the Taliban leadership to ban women from working at

international and local non-governmental organizations.

The AP's Ed Donahue reports.

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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