**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 76-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

14,098 on turnover of $2-billion N-T.

**Taiwan reports 6.2 percent year-on-year increase in road fatalities **

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications says Taiwan has reported

more than 2,500 road fatalities in the first 10 months of 2022, up 6 percent

year-on-year, and its highest level in nine years.

MOTC officials say there were more than 300-thousand total traffic accidents

in the first 10 months of this year, marking a 5.5 percent increase from the

same period last year.

In 2020, Taiwan reported 12.6 traffic fatalities per 100-thousand

individuals… four times higher than Japan and Denmark, and six times higher

than Sweden.

The MOTC has attributed the high death toll in Taiwan to the high number of

scooter-related accidents, and MOTC Minister Wang Kwo-tsai is calling on

local governments to work with the ministry to improve road safety.

(TT)

**France Pledges Further Military Support **

France’s defense minister has pledged further military support for Ukraine,

insisting his government’s backing is unflagging (永不減弱的) while efforts

are also being made with Moscow to reach an eventual (最終的) negotiated end

to Russia’s invasion.

Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said support will include

French army equipment and a 200 million euro fund that would allow Ukraine to

purchase weapons.

Lecornu said France was giving military equipment from the French army to the

Ukrainian army, but highlighted that this would not weaken France’s defense.

Officials have also said France could deliver a new air-defense system in the

future, without revealing details, though Ukraine's defense minister added

that France would immediately begin training Ukrainian air officers on how to

use it.

The minister said his trip to Kyiv was important to identify the priorities

of the Ukrainian defense ministry.

**US Trump Considered Pardons for Capitol Attackers **

Newly released transcripts from the U.S. House Committee on the events of

January 6th, show how former President Trump was considering giving pardons

(赦免) to numerous people involved in the Capitol riot.

Caroline Malone reports from Washington.

**Armenia Protests Against Road Block **

Hundreds of opposition supporters have rallied in the Armenian capital,

urging the government to act to unblock a vital road linking Armenia to the

separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azeri protests have choked off (阻止) basic supplies to the territory.

Both the protesters in Yerevan Wednesday and Armenian authorities have

accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to the area of failing to take adequate

steps to lift the blockade, something Moscow denies.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of

ethnic Armenian forces backed by Yerevan since a separatist war there ended

in 1994.

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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