The Tai-Ex opened up 178-points this morning from yesterday's close to surge

past the 19,500-point mark and hit 19,678 on turnover of 10

-billion N-T.

The market ended the trading day at yet another record high on Wednesday,

after recovering earlier losses, as investors opted to ignore a downturn on

Wall Street overnight.

The bellwether electronics sector led the broader market higher - with

artificial intelligence development-related stocks continuing to be the main

focus of investor interest.

The U-S State Department is calling for China to cease its pressure campaign

against Taiwan and "engage in meaningful dialogue."

The statement comes after China's Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang

Xiao-gang reiterated Beijing's sovereignty over Taiwan during a press

conference - and went on to say "there is no so-called 'central line' across

the Taiwan Strait."

According to a State Department spokesperson, the United States has

"consistently urged restraint and no change to the status quo," a policy that

has preserved (保護，維護) peace in the region for decades and is a matter of

global concern.

The Mainland Affairs Council has banned group travel to China after June 1 -

saying such tours will not be allowed unless China allows group travel to

Taiwan.

According to the council, the reopening of group travel to China is

unacceptable, as it would widen Taiwan's tourism deficit with China.

The council says prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Taiwan's tourism deficit

with China stood at 6.6-billion N-T and if tour groups are allowed to travel

there after June 1 that deficit will substantially (在很大程度上) increase.

Speaking at a legislative hearing council minister Chiu Tai-san told

lawmakers the decision to ban such tours is also related to China's

unilaterally changing its M-503 flight route, as it is clearly a political

move aimed at interfering with Taiwan's affairs.

The U.N. migration agency says more than 8,500 migrants died on land and sea

routes worldwide last year, a record high since it began counting deaths a

decade ago.

The International Organization for Migration says the biggest increase in

deaths last year was on the Mediterranean Sea crossing, with more than 3,000.

It said most of the deaths last year came from drowning.

The count also includes migrants who vanished — often while trying to cross

by sea — and are presumed (假定，假設) dead.

The armourer who loaded the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna [HA LEEN

A] Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust has been found guilty of involuntary

manslaughter.

The actor Alec Baldwin who was holding the weapon when it discharged

(開（槍）), faces the same charges at a trial set to take place this summer.

Ira Spitzer reports.

SpaceX is set to acquire (購得) public land from Texas after the Texas Parks

and Wildlife Commission approved a land-swapping deal that would cede 17

hectares to entrepreneur Elon Musk's company in exchange for about 190

hectares that are yet to be bought.

The business is looking to expand its rocket-launch operations in the

property close to Brownsville, Texas.

Local stakeholders voiced their opposition to the deal, but the commission

voted unanimously in favor of it.

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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