EZ News 05/19/23

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened up 44-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,146 on turnover of $3.84-billion N-T. The market continued its upward momentum on Thursday, as investors were encouraged by hopes U-S political leaders can reach an agreement to avoid a potentially disastrous default on government debt. **Taoyuan Households See Power Out Amid Rain and Thunder ** Tens of thousands of households in Taoyuan were without power earlier today, amid rough weather conditions. Taiwan Power Company says heavy rain and thunder early this morning caused power outages in the city's Zhong-li, Ping-zhen, Long-tan, and Yang-mei Districts. The state-run power company says up to 10-thousand-829 households were left in the dark. Officials say emergency repairs returned power to nearly 10-thousand customers before 5am, and the remainder were also reconnected by 7:30. (NS) **Torrential rain pounding Hsinchu ** Many streets in Hsin-chu city and county are flooded due to torrential rain that has kept pounding the area since early this morning. Four underground passes, including Yuan-pei and Tai-yuan underpass, are also inundated (淹沒) in water as high as the roof of sedans. The Central Weather Bureau issued an extremely heavy rain advisory for Hsinchu city and county before dawn, saying that accumulated rainfall in the western parts there has reached some 340 millimeters so far today. The CWB has also posted thunderstorm warnings for those in Taoyuan city and Hsinchu, saying people should watch out for lightning strikes, strong gusty winds, and flash floods. Xiang-shan High School in Hsinchu city has canceled today's classes. **Russia Fires Missiles at Kyiv ** Ukrainian officials say Russia has fired 30 cruise missiles against various parts of the country in the latest nighttime test of Ukrainian air defenses which shot down 29 of them. Kyiv officials said defense systems also shot down two exploding drones and two reconnaissance drones early Thursday. A military spokesman said one person died and two were wounded (受傷) by a Russian missile that got through and struck an industrial building in the southern region of Odesa. Loud explosions were heard in Kyiv as the Kremlin’s forces targeted the capital for the ninth time this month. **US Disney New Campus Plans Shelved ** Plans for a new Disney campus in Florida are off the table (不在考慮範圍內). AP's Lisa Dwyer has more. **Australia Doctor Freed After Kidnapping ** Australia says an 88-year-old doctor held captive in West Africa for more than seven years has been released. Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Kenneth Elliott was safe and well and had been reunited (團聚) with his wife and their children. Elliott and his wife were kidnapped by Islamic extremists in northern Burkina Faso in 2016 near the border with Mali and Niger, where they were running a medical clinic. Elliot's wife was released a month later. Wong said the Australian government and the Elliott family have worked tirelessly toward Elliott’s release. She did not detail the circumstances of his release. 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 _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn