20120507 3pm

3PM Intro

Good afternoon. It's time for ICRT news at 3. I'm Mike Woodward.

Taiwan Beef Inspectors to Meet U.S. Official

in Taiwan news... Taiwan beef inspectors are slated to meet with a chief agriculture official later today ... as Taiwan looks to understand the latest case of mad cow disease in the U.S. An inspection group from Taiwan arrived in the U.S. yesterday to begin a two week trip with the aim of inspecting 35 slaughterhouses. On the agenda for today is a meeting with John Clifford, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief veterinarian, who will brief them on the details of the latest case. However, the U.S. has not agreed to let the Taiwanese officials inspect the dairy farm where the infected cow was raised. A South Korean inspection group that arrived in the U.S. for the same purpose last week was also denied entry to the farm. Taiwan has the authority to inspect beef slaughterhouses and processing plants in the U.S. as part of an agreement that allows the lifting of a ban on imports of U.S. bone-in beef imposed in 2009. (jm)

Vice Economics Minister As Taipower Head

Incumbent Vice Economics Minister Huang Rong-zhou confirmed today that he has been tapped to head the state-run Taiwan Power Company, amid complaints about lack of efficiency at the country's sole power supplier. In a hearing at the Legislature today, Huang said he will retain his current position for a while and serve concurrently as Taipower chairman. He said he will resign as vice economics minister at a later date. Huang said he agreed to take the post at the request of Economics Minister Shih Yen-Xiang ... adding he's confident he can continue the reforms at the company. Taipower's operations have come under close public scrutiny since the government announced in early April that electricity rates would be raised substantially in May to help the company offset its mounting losses. Meanwhile, lawmakers of both the ruling and opposition parties agreed that legislative review of Taipower's budget proposal should be postponed from Thursday to sometime next week in view of the fact that the budget was drawn up under the leadership of the current chairman. (jm)

hollande

in world news... Socialist Francois Hollande has claimed victory in France's presidential election, after defeating incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy with about 52 percent of the vote. Speaking in his political stronghold of Tulle in central France, the president-elect said the French people had chosen 'change.' He will be inaugurated later this month. Kate Moody reports from Paris.

headlines

in Asian news headlines.... Hoping to wean India from Iranian oil imports, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is urging Indian leaders to explore alternative suppliers as she opens a three-day visit. Asian stock markets spiralled downward as weekend election results in Greece and France heightened investor uncertainty of Europe's ability to solve its debt crisis. An Afghan soldier killed one U.S. Marine and wounded another before being shot to death in the latest attack against foreigners blamed on government forces.

weather

Taiwan weather forecast for tonight according to the Central Weather Bureau, clear skies island-wide this evening. Lows tonite north, center and south respectively: 23, 24 and 26. At the moment Taipei is clear with haze and 31, Taichung rather clear and 30, Gauhsiung clear with haze and 30.

3PM Outro

That's ICRT News at 3. Thank you for listening. I'm Mike Woodward.