20120430 9am

9AM Intro

Good morning, it's 9 o'clock. I'm Bill Thissen

9AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

Former health minister - Yang Zhi-liang - in warning in his new book that social injustice is creating a vicious circle of social collapse -- and Taiwan has, he said, become a "country of schizophrenia." In the book, Yang gives a blunt comment on why he believes social injustice is pushing Taiwan on the verge of disintegration. According to Yang ... people are selfish and short-sighted, populist politicians work for self or clan interests, a lousy parliament hijacks government policy-making --- and government policies often do not result in fairness or justice for the population. Yang also says the wealth gap is widening because the government is like a broken auto-vending machine into which the people insert their tax money without ever getting social justice in return. Yang's book - "Taiwan's Grand Collapse" - will be released today. -------- A former diplomat says President Ma Ying-jeou's China policy could lead the UnitedStates and Japan to alter their defense strategies in the Asian region. Former representative to Japan Luo Fu-chen .... said Ma's policy, which seems to lean toward China, could imply a change in the status quo in Asia -- meaning Washington and Tokyo may need to alter their defense strategies in the region. Lo's statement comes as controversy continues to surround comments by honorary K-M-T chairman - Wu Bo-xiong -- who used the term "one country, two areas" to describe cross-strait ties during a meeting with China's Hu Jin-tao in Beijing in March. Luo said idea of "one country, two areas" raises concerns of whether the Ma administration is leaning toward China in an attempt at unification. ------- A Taiwan-made product show in the Chinese Province of Guang-xi posted orders worth over 100-million U-S dollars on its opening day. On Saturday, the Taiwan product exposition in Nan-ning recorded purchases of 137-million. The expo displayed various types of Taiwan-made products from luxury products, clothing, beauty products to food.

nigeria

Gunmen attacked worship services at a university campus and a church Sunday in northern Nigeria. At least 21 people in coordinated assaults that saw panicked Christians gunned down as they tried to flee. The deadlier attack targeted an old section of Bayero University's campus in the city of Kano where churches hold Sunday services. Gunmen killed at least 16 people and wounded at least 22 others. No group claimed responsibility, but the attacks bore similarities to others carried by a radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram.

france

Former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi apparently helped fund French President Nicolas Sarkozy's bid for re-election. Kate Moody has more from Paris. Kate Moody

murdoch

Britain's prime minister has denied making a pact with the Murdoch family for their attempted takeover of broadcaster B-Sky-B. Shanshan Dong reports.

yacht

A 37-foot racing yacht was reduced to debris that one searcher said looked it ``like it had gone through a blender.'' The boat apparently collided with a larger vessel, killing three sailors and leaving a fourth missing. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Mexican navy and civilian vessels scoured the waters off the shore of both countries for the missing sailor. The yacht was taking part in a 124-mile race that began Friday from Newport Beach, Calif., to Ensenada, Mexico.

nba

In the NBA... The top-seeded Spurs beat the Utah Jazz 106-91 in Game 1 of their first-round series. And the Lakers scored a 103-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets. The Memphis Grizzlies host the Los Angeles Clippers their Western Conference series opener.

WEATHER AM .....

partly cloudy skies and possible thunder showers islandwide -- w/ a high of 31 in the Taipei and Taichong areas and a high of 32 in Gaoxiong. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 24 Taichung -- 24 Gaoxiong -- 27

9AM Outro

That's the ICRT News at 9. I'm _____