**Tai-Ex opening **

The Tai-Ex opened down 47 -points this morning from Friday's close, at 15,555

on turnover of 2-billion N-T.

The market lost ground on Friday after giving up early gains, as investors

locked in gains in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing following the company's

investor conference a day earlier.

Selling was also seen among non-tech stocks throughout the session on the

back on lingering concerns over a recession (經濟衰退) in the United States,

after an aggressive rate hike cycle by the Federal Reserve.

**French Senate Vice President to Visit Taiwan **

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says French Senate Vice President Alain

Richard will be leading a parliamentary delegation to Taiwan for a five day

visit.

The delegation will be the second group of French lawmakers to visit Taiwan

this month.

According to the foreign ministry, it will be meeting with President Tsai

Ing-wen and other senior officials to discuss cross-strait issues,

democratic values, bilateral (雙邊) economic and trade relations and

cooperation on semiconductors.

The delegation will also visit Yilan County and Tainan City.

Richard will be leading a delegation that includes three other members of the

friendship group as well as the group's secretary.

**Number of Black-Faced Spoonbills Hits Record High **

A survey by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society shows that the number of

black-faced spoonbills wintering in Taiwan topped 4,000 for the first time

this year.

That figure accounted for nearly two-thirds of the endangered (瀕危)

waterbird's global population.

The number of black-faced spoonbills counted in Taiwan rose by 10.6-per cent

from 2022 to a record 4,288, making up 64-per cent of the species' global

population.

More than 90-per cent of the wintering black-faced spoonbills in Taiwan were

counted in the southwestern part of the island - with Tainan recording the

highest number of spoonbills with 2,279, or around 54-per cent of the

national total.

**Evacuations from Sudan **

High stakes evacuations have been made by a number of nations including the

United States of their diplomatic personnel from Sudan's capital Khartoum…

…where fighting between the military and an opposing (對立的) armed group

called the Rapid Support forces or RSF - shows no signs of abating after more

than a week.

Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.

**Subject: Mexico Prez Suspends Tour Due to COVID19 **

Mexico’s president has suspended a tour of the Yucatan peninsula after

acknowledging he tested positive for the coronavirus, having previously

suffered two bouts of COVID-19.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrado wrote in his social media accounts

Sunday that “it isn’t serious.”

The comment came after reports in the local press that Lopez Obrador felt

faint Sunday morning and had to cancel his tour, something his presidential

spokesman later denied (否認).

Lopez Obrador says he will isolate for “a few days” in Mexico City.

The president was ill with COVID-19 in early 2021 and again in January 2022.

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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