20120504 7pm

7PM EZ News Intro

Good evening. It's 7 o'clock. I'm _____ and time for EZ News on ICRT.

Taiwan, France team up on robotics research project

National Taiwan University and three of France's top research institutes have teamed up to develop intelligent robots over the next five years NTU President Lee Si-chen announced the plan at the inauguration ceremony for an international center for intelligent robotics and automation research, which was established by the two sides at the Taipei-based university. Lee said universities should aim "not only to produce papers, but also to solve social problems" and cooperate with industries to carry out their creative ideas. Twenty five companies and local research institutes have signed agreements to cooperate with the center to develop intelligent robots, and NTU hopes to expand the number to 50 by the end of the year. (EG)

Woman not charged for cashing fake checks from 'CIA head'

Prosecutors say that no charges will be pressed against a woman who was caught cashing a fake travelers check she said was from her fiance, a man claiming to be the director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. According to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, no evidence was found during its investigation to prove that the woman, surnamed Liu, knew the travelers check was fake when she tried cashing it at a local bank. Liu was charged with counterfeiting securities after the bank notified the police. Liu said she received a package of 37 travelers checks totaling 18,500 euro along with a sales receipt from her fiance last September, who claimed to be CIA head David Petraeus. Because the man, whom Liu met online, had proposed to her and promised to come to Taiwan to marry her, the prosecutors said she thought the checks were genuine and were meant to be used to prepare their wedding. As a result, the office decided not to press charges against Liu for forging checks. (EG)

Syria

International envoy Kofi Annan believes his six-point peace plan for Syria remains ``on track'' as the truce monitoring team grows to a sixth of its U.N.-authorized size The assessment came a day after the Obama administration offered a bleaker view that it may be time for the world to acknowledge the cease-fire is not holding in Syria, and other approach might be needed. Annan's spokesman told a U.N. briefing in Geneva that negotiations are being ``conducted under the radar'' involving the Syrian government and its opposition to cease all hostilities. He also said that there are small signs of compliance, despite continuing violations of truce conditions such as heavy weapons in populated areas. Yesterday, the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters that ``if the regime's intransigence continues, the international community is going to have to admit defeat.'' Most observers and diplomats agree that the Annan plan has done little to stem the bloodshed, but so far other nations that back it have been unwilling to say it is dead. U.S. officials say the plan is failing mainly because of Syrian government violations.

EU

Sunday's general election in Greece has EU officials in Brussels on edge, amid fresh fears the results could prompt an exit from the eurozone. Nina-Maria Potts reports

Russia

A prominent Russian gay rights activist was convicted today of spreading ``gay propaganda'' among minors in the first such ruling in Russia's modern history. Nikolai Alexeyev said that a city court in St. Petersburg fined him 5,000 rubles, or about $170 dollars for breaching the law, which was controversially introduced by lawmakers in Russia's second-largest city in February. He pledged to appeal the decision. Gay rights activists say the legislation could be used to ban public demonstrations. Alexeyev was briefly detained last month after he picketed the city hall in St. Petersburg with a poster which said that ``homosexuality is not a perversion.''

Weather

Central Weather Bureau forecasters say it's going to be cloudy and rainy across all of Taiwan tonight, with chances of thundershowers in the southern half of the country. Lows tonight will be 20 or 21 in the north, 23 in the center, and 24 in the south. Tomorrow, more of the same, with highs peaking at 24 or 25 up north, 26 to 28 midisland, and 29 or 30 in southern Taiwan. Right now, it's 21 in Taipei, 24 in Taizhong, and 26 in Gaoxiong.

7PM EZ News Outro

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