The Tai-Ex opened up 127-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

35,584 on turnover of $12.3-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan closed slightly up at a new closing high Monday after

recouping earlier losses, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to

blockade the Strait of Hormuz after failing to reach an agreement with Iran.

The market moved underwater during most of Monday's session in the wake of

Trump's threats, but bargain hunters turned active in the late session,

helping the Taiex recover its earlier downturn, with contract chipmaker

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in focus.

Analysts say investors also have high hopes that TSMC will provide positive

leads at its investor conference slated for Thursday, after it reported a new

high in sales for the first quarter.

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung drew a crowd of fans and industry insiders to

Taipei's Xinyi district last night for a masterclass at the Golden Horse

Fantasy Film Festival.

The multiple Golden Horse best actor winner was accompanied by his wife

actress Carina Lau, as fans gathered outside the venue carrying movie posters

and merchandise hoping for autographs.

The masterclass was open only to film and television industry professionals

and students in related fields. Of the one thousand people who applied, just

300 were selected to attend.

Following the masterclass, Leung took part in a post-screening discussion

alongside Hungarian director Ildiko Enyedi, whose new film "Stille Freundin"

features (由…主演) Leung in a lead role.

The two shareed their experiences preparing for the film with the audience.

(NS)

A court in Paris has found the cement giant Lafarge guilty of financing

terrorism.

The company was ruled to have paid armed groups protection money to maintain

its business in Syria after the outbreak of civil war.

Ross Cullen reports.

Authorities in Haiti have arrested seven suspects, including five police

officers, after a fatal stampede (獸群或人群因恐懼引發的奔逃) killed at least

25 people at a historic mountaintop fortress over the weekend.

A police statement issued on Monday says that among the arrested are two

employees of Haiti’s Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage.

The institute oversees La Citadelle, a fortress in the northern town of Milot

built in the early 1800s where Saturday’s stampede occurred.

Dozens of people were injured, with 30 reported to still be in hospital on

Sunday.

It's not clear what caused the stampede. Authorities say the investigation is

ongoing.

Colombian officials have authorized a controversial plan to cull (限量捕殺)

dozens of wild hippos that are descendants of animals brought to the country

in the 1980s by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar.

They have been roaming freely around one of the country’s most fertile

areas, threatening villagers and displacing local species.

The animals are not native to South America.

Escobar brought in hippos as he built a private zoo at a gigantic ranch that

served as his rural abode.

Colombia's authorities say previous attempts to control the hippos'

population have been expensive and unsuccessful.

Because Colombia’s hippos come from a limited gene pool and could carry

diseases, taking them back to their natural habitat in Africa has been

considered unfeasible (不可行的).

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

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