20120522 9am

9AM Intro

Good morning, it's 9 o'clock. I'm Bill Thissen

9AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

Special prosecutors are alleging that former President Chen Shui-bian collected classified government documents after leaving office in 2008. Prosecutors say he planned to use the documents as evidence against former President Lee Teng-hui and other politicians - including James Soong and Lien Zhan. Chen was indicted by prosecutors yesterday for violating the Classified National Security Information Protection Act. Prosecutors say they found that Chen had over 17-thousand documents -- of which 3,419 were classified. The documents were sent to his personal office in Taipei after he lost the 2008 presidential election. Chen said the documents were to help him write a memoir, but prosecutors there are indications that he had other intentions. --------- The head of the National Security Bureau - Cai Der-sheng - says it is currently impossible for Taiwan to cooperate with China on issues related to disputed areas in the South China Sea. Cai is also dismissing claims the Ma administration could take China's side in the event of conflict in the region -- saying such a move is "impossible" The N-S-B head added that countries including Vietnam and the Philippines have asked Taiwan not to cooperate with China on South China Sea issues. Recent confrontations in the region include an ongoing standoff between China and the Philippines that erupted in April 10 over the Scarborough Shoal off the coast of the Philippines. ------- The Mainland Affairs Council says China's new leadership is unlikely to change its course towards Taiwan. According to the council .... Beijing is expected to maintain its general approach to cross-strait policies when its fifth generation leader takes power. Council officials say China's new leader is expected to follow Beijing's current mantra of "economics first, politics later" in talks with Taiwan and will put easier issues before the tougher ones.

yemen

A Yemeni soldier detonated a bomb hidden in his military uniform during a rehearsal for a military parade, killing 96 fellow soldiers and wounding at least 200 yesterday in one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in years. The bombing left a scene of carnage, with scores of bleeding soldiers lying on the ground as ambulances rushed to the scene. Al-Qaida's branch in Yemen claimed responsibility, saying the suicide attack was intended to avenge a U.S.-backed offensive against al-Qaida in an area of southern Yemen seized by the militant movement last year.

wrap

President Obama has wrapped up a two-day summit with NATO leaders in Chicago that locks in a two-year phaseout of America's war in Afghanistan. The APs Mark Smith reports.

paks

NATO's top official is optimistic Pakistan will re-open key supply routes to Afghanistan. The APs Sagar Meghani has more on the story

obama

President Obama is defending his campaign's attack on Mitt Romney's past as a venture capitalist. The APs Mark Smith reports.

biz

A Chinese conglomerate says it will buy a major U.S. cinema chain, AMC Entertainment Holdings, for $2.6 billion in China's biggest takeover of an American company to date. The US Supreme Court refuses to hear an appeal by a former Boston University student who was ordered to pay $675,000 for illegally downloading and sharing 30 songs on the Internet

WEATHER AM .....

cloudy skies in the north w/ a high of 29 in the Taipei area partly cloudy skies in the center and south w/ a high of 30 in Taichong and 32 Gaoxiong. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 24 Taichung -- 25 Gaoxiong -- 27

9AM Outro

That's the ICRT News at 9. I'm _____