20120516 7pm

Click here to download the EZ News audio file

7PM EZ News Intro

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

Kinmen rated happiest place to live in Taiwan

The outlying island of Kinmen has been ranked the happiest place to live in Taiwan, followed by Hsinchu County and Lienchiang County A survey conducted by the Taiwan Competitiveness forum puts the happiness index among residents in Kinmen at 77.3, while that of the two runners-up was around 73. Rounding out the top 10 were Miaoli County, Penghu County, Taitung County, Hualien County, Hsinchu City, Kaohsiung City and Yilan County, with their happiness indexes ranging from 72 to 69. Eleven indicators were used to measure the sense of happiness among respondents, including their family relationships, family income, job situation, interpersonal relationships and health. Nationwide, the happiness index averaged 67.4, with the highest scores seen in family and interpersonal relationships, at 83.5 and 75.3, respectively. The lowest score was in family income, at 46.9. (EG)

Chen stymies Yankees to get 4th win of year

Taiwanese pitcher Chen Wei-Yin maintained his strong early season form and improved his record to 4-0 in leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees. In his second encounter against the defending American League East champion, the rookie left-hander kept the Yankees off balance for much of the game with excellent command of his fastball and an effective change-up. Chen held the Yankees scoreless for six innings before yielding a two-run home run on a ball that barely cleared the left-field wall. The homer did not diminish Chen's masterful seven-inning performance, in which he gave up only four hits and two walks and struck out four. He was given a standing ovation when he walked off the mound at the start of the eighth inning after being pulled when the Yankees sent up a pinch hitter. (EG)

Syria

A team of international observers that came under fire in northern Syria was apparently stranded in the area overnight, and United Nations officials said they hope to evacuate the group within hours. A roadside bomb struck the team's vehicles yesterday during a mission in a northern town, but none of the observers was wounded. The attack, which came minutes after witnesses said regime forces gunned down mourners at a funeral procession nearby, dealt a fresh blow to international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan. Activists said the violence continued today with regime forces opening fire from the outskirts of the same town. The U.N. said rebel forces had given the observers shelter. Maj. Gen. Robert Mood, the Norwegian head of the U.N. team, told reporters that he had spoken with the observers by telephone and that they ``told us that they are happy and safe where they are.''

China

A blind Chinese activist who sparked a diplomatic crisis by fleeing into the U.S. Embassy last month filled out a Chinese passport application and posed for a photo today, moving forward in his bid to study in the United States. Paperwork for Chen Guangcheng, his wife, and two children was completed in the hospital where the family of four has stayed since he left the embassy in Beijing two weeks ago. Chen said the officials who handled the paperwork were sent by the central government. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said Chen is free to study abroad like any other Chinese citizen, but security officials have kept him under virtual house arrest in his hospital room for two weeks. Until today, there had been no clear sign that the government would let him apply for a passport. Chen made a dramatic late night escape from abusive house arrest in Shandong province last month and after several days hiding from security officials in Beijing wound up in the protection of U.S. diplomats.

UK

British Prime Minister David Cameron is reportedly considering a new round of cuts to the UK's welfare budget worth

Weather

Central Weather Bureau forecasters say it's going to be partly cloudy islandwide tonight with chances of showers or thunderstorms. Lows tonight will be 23 in the north and center, 25 in the south. Tomorrow, more of the same, with highs hitting 26 in the north, 28 midisland, and 30 in southern Taiwan. Right now, it's 27 in Taipei, 27 in Taizhong, and 26 in Gaoxiong.

7PM EZ News Outro

That's EZ News at 7. I'm _____