20120509 10am

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10AM EZ News Intro

Good morning ..... it's 10 o'clock .. I'm Gavin Phipps w/ EZ news ....

10AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

The Tai-Ex opened down this morning from yesterday's close -- opening at 79.62-points at 7,466.09 on turnover of 2.702-billion N-T dollars. ------- The National Freeway Bureau is rejecting claims that the speed limit of 90-kilometers-an-hour was the cause of Monday's fatal accident in the Xueshan Tunnel. According to the bureau ... failure to observe safe driving practices was the main cause of the multi-vehicle pile-up that left two dead and over 20 others injured - seven seriously. Bureau officials say drivers should maintain a safe distance from the vehicles in front of them rather than having speed limits lowered. There have been calls to drop the current 90-kilometers-an-hour speed limit in the 12.9-kilometer long tunnel to 70-kilometers-an-hour. ----------- Vehicle owners who use hand-held mobile devices while driving will now face fines under an amendment to a statute governing road traffic safety. The amendment to the Road Traffic Management and Punishment Code cleared the Legislature yesterday - and stipulates that drivers who use mobile phones, computers or other devices that hamper driving safety will be fined up to 3-thousand N-T dollars. For motorcyclists, the fine will be 1-thousand N-T dollars. --------- Residents of central Taiwan had their analog TV signals cut off for good yesterday - as the National Communications Commission began shutting off analog signals in moves towards islandwide digital television coverage. Government spokesman - Philip Yang - expressed sympathy for people who lost their signals - and urged them to purchase new set-top boxes. Eastern Taiwan and the outlying islands will lose their analog signal on May 28-th --- the southern area will lose analog TV signals on June 11-th and the north on June 30-th. After June 30-th only digital TV signals will be available islandwide.

Bomb ...

In international news .... U-S officials say a plot by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to attack a U-S-bound plane using an updated "underwear bomb" was foiled by an insider infiltrating a terror cell. At the same time, concerns are increasing that there may be a second device. Priscilla Huff has more ..

Greece ...

The leader of Greece's left-wing Syriza bloc says he will try to form a coalition based on tearing-up the terms of the European Union International Monetary Fund bailout deal. Alexis Tsipras now has three days to reach a coalition deal --- and has told the two major parties to end their support for the austerity terms if they want to take part. The European Commission and Germany say countries must stick to budget cuts.

Syria ...

Special Envoy to the United Nations Security Council -- Kofi Annan -- says the full implementation of his peace plan is the last change to avoid all out civil war in Syria. Annan told the U-N panel that the continuing level of violence and abuse is unacceptable.

Ukraine ..

Ukraine's jailed opposition leader - Yulia Tymoshenko - will end her 19-day hunger strike. According to Tymoshenko's daughter ... her mother would be moved to hospital later today to be treated by a German doctor. She went on hunger strike accusing prison guards of beating her during an earlier attempt to move her to hospital for treatment for back pain. Ukraine has been forced to postpone a European summit after several leaders announced a boycott over the issue.

Libya ...

Former Libyan rebels launched an attack on the prime minister's office in the capital Tripoli yesteday --- leaving at least one person. Officials say some 200 armed men tried to storm the building but were repelled by security forces. The attackers - ex-rebels who fought to topple Momar Gaddafi last year - were demanding pay-outs promised under a reward scheme suspended last year.

WEATHER AM .....

Looking at the weather across Taiwan ... We can expect ..... cloudy skies, rain and possible afternoon thunder showers islandwide -- w/ a high of 32 in the Taipei area and a high of 33 in Taichong and Gaoxiong. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- Taichung -- Gaoxiong --

10AM EZ News Outro

That was the 10 o'clock EZ news on ICRT w/ me Gavin Phipps ....