20120517 10am

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10AM EZ News Intro

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

10AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

The Tai-Ex opened up 60.99-points from yesterday's close at 7,295.56 on turnover of 2.53-billion U-S dollars. -------- President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday said the island should push for inclusion in a planned Northeast Asia trade bloc being considered by Japan, China and South Korea. The three countries plan to begin talks trilateral free trade pact this year - a move Ma says "has put pressure to Taiwan." According to Ma .... Taiwan could "play an important and constructive role" in the regional bloc - and he hopes Japan will consider signing a free trade agreement with the island to off-set possible repercussions of the trilateral free trade pact. Ma also expressed the hope of joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement within eight years. ------ The deputy chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation says his office is looking to finalize further details of the Ma administration's ECFA accord with by the end of next year. According to Gao Kang-lien - the additional talks are aimed at off-setting the possible impact of an expected trade partnership between China, Japan and South Korea. Speaking to reporters .. Gao said the island could lose advantages gained from the ECFA accord if it fails to complete the agreement with China before the three countries reach a trade accord by mid-2014. The next round of high-level cross-strait talks are slated to take place in Taipei towards the end of June. ------- Lady Gaga arrived in Taipei yesterday. The popular pop singer disembarked at the Taipei International Airport wearing a long-sleeved neon green maxi dress and sporting big wavy hair - and was fast-tracked through immigration. She did not speak to the media on her arrival -- spoke to fans and signed autographs outside her hotel. The singer will give two concerts at the Nangang Exhibition Hall in Taipei tonight and tomorrow.

Greece ...

In international news .... The head of Greece's left-wing bloc - Syriza - has accused the European Union and German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "playing poker with European people's lives" by insisting on austerity measures. The Syriza bloc is predicted to come first in new elections slated for June 17-th. Syriza wants to renegotiate Greece's international bailout - and has refused to join any government which would continue with the austerity measures demanded by the E-U and International Monetary Fund in return for a bailout package.

Syria ...

U-S officials have confirmed the Obama administration is trying to deepen contacts between opposition groups in Syria and regional partners .... and that those ties may help improve the rebels' access to weapons. Priscilla Huff has more on the story ...

Serb ...

Judgesr at the war crimes trial of former Bosnian Serb army commander - Ratko Mladic - have heard that he intended to "ethnically cleanse" Bosnia -- on the opening day of his trial yesterday. He faces 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity --- including genocide, in connection with the brutal 1992-95 Bosnian war. Prosecutors in The Hague say they will show he played a major role in the war crimes. However ... Mladic has called the charges "monstrous" --- and the court was forced to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. He is accused of orchestrating the massacre of more than 7-thousand Bosnian Muslim in 1995 and in the 44-month siege of Sarajevo -- during which more than 10-thousand people died.

Lybia ...

Seven people have been killed and more than 20 injured in clashes in a western desert town in Libya. Unconfirmed reports say the clashes were between residents and Tuareg tribesmen. The fighting erupted over control of a checkpoint on the edge of a town located on a route often used for smuggling. Libya's interim government is struggling to control the country following the ousting of former leader Muammar Gaddafi last year.

WEATHER AM .....

Looking at the weather across Taiwan ... We can expect ..... cloudy skies, rain and possible thunder showers islandwide. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- Taichung -- Gaoxiong --

10AM EZ News Outro

That was EZ News at 10 on ICRT w/ me Gavin Phipps ....