**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 18-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

15,580 on turnover of 2.7-billion N-T.

The market recouped its early losses on Wednesday to close higher, as

investors were encouraged by news that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

will not be cutting its first-quarterly sales forecast.

T-S-M-C saw its share price rise by 2.15-per cent to close at the day's high

of 522 N-T.

And that gain pushed up the electronics sector by 1.55-per cent, boosted the

semiconductor sub-index by 2.38-per cent and contributed more than 90-points

to the main board's overall rise for the trading day.

**Agriculture Minister Sees End to Egg shortage by late March **

Agriculture Minister Chen Ji-chung says he's anticipating that the current

national egg shortage could be over by the end of this month, as the

government is introducing short and long-term measures to address the

problem.

According to Chen, up to 5-million eggs will be imported from Australia by

the end of March to fill the current daily deficit of between 500,000 and

800,000 eggs

Those eggs will be first allocated to food processors so they can release

their stocks of locally grown eggs to meet domestic consumption.

The Council of Agriculture has also earmarked 1.8-billion N-T this year to

help local poultry farms renovate and modernize their operations -- which are

seen as a key measure to achieve full self-sufficiency.

The agriculture minister says more details of those plans will be published

tomorrow.

**Water Restrictions in Kaohsiung to Begin Next Week **

The central government announced that it will enforce water restrictions in

Kaohsiung beginning next week due to a lack of rainfall.

According to the Central Emergency Operation Center, the water alert level

for Kaohsiung will be raised from green to yellow from March 8, meaning that

water pressure will be reduced from between 10PM and 6AM.

Kaohsiung has been placed on green alert level, indicating that water-storage

levels are below normal.

The ministry says it is coordinating with the Water Resources Agency, the

Water Corporation and the local government to take water shortage alleviation

measures.

**Greece Search for Train Crash Survivors Continue **

Emergency workers are searching late into the night for survivors and bodies

after a passenger train and a freight train crashed head-on in central

Greece.

The collision just before midnight Tuesday killed at least 43 people and

injured scores.

It was the country's deadliest rail crash on record.

Greece's transport minister resigned Wednesday, saying he felt it was his

duty (責任) to step down.

The cause of the crash near the Vale of Tempe was not immediately clear, but

the stationmaster at the train's last stop was arrested.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pledged a full, independent

investigation.

**Japan Vows to Pursue Return of NKorean Abductees **

Japan’s Prime Minister is vowing to pursue (追究, 追求) all measure possible

to resolve historical abductions (綁架) of Japanese citizens by North Korea.

Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo.

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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