20120524 7pm

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7PM EZ News Intro

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

Legislature extends session to June 15

Legislators from across party lines reached an agreement today to extend the current legislative session to June 15. The legislators also agreed to schedule a policy report by Premier Sean Chen for June 1. According to one KMT lawmaker, the extension will allow lawmakers time to deal with legislation related to imports of U.S. beef containing residue of the leanness-enhancing drug ractopamine. However, he said that it is unlikely that legislation about imposing a proposed capital gains tax on stock investments will be passed within the extended session. (EG)

Cabinet Proposes Changes to Parade and Assembly Law

The Cabinet today passed the first review of changes to the Parade and Assembly Law that would make it easier for people to take their grievances to the street. The Cabinet's proposal would change the current requirement for people to apply to hold a protest march in advance to only requiring that protesters report their intention to do so. If the proposed protest routes have problems, organizers can negotiate with authorities to work out one that will be to everyone's satisfaction. Premier Sean Chen says other changes are mainly meant to improve safety, traffic, and peace, while protecting people's rights to public gatherings and protests. (EG)

Tunisia

The prosecution of a military tribunal demanded the death penalty for Tunisia's former dictator over his role in the deaths of protesters during the popular uprising that overthrew him a year ago. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is being tried in absentia by both military and civilian courts in Tunisia for alleged crimes committed during his 23-year iron-fisted rule of the country. The state news agency reported that Ben Ali is on trial for the deaths of protesters during the early weeks of the month-long uprising that began in December 2010. Tunisia's uprising sparked a wave of pro-democracy movements across the Middle East and North Africa that overthrew several governments. Ben Ali has already been convicted of drug trafficking, illegal arms trading and abuse of the public funds and sentenced to 66 years in prison. A second military trial is also underway over the deaths of protesters in the north of the country. Tunisia has repeatedly asked Saudi Arabia for Ben Ali to be extradited to face the charges in person.

UK

The UK economy shrank 0.3% in the first quarter of 2012 according to the latest figures, more than previously estimated. Olly Barratt reports from London.

France

A leading French Muslim group says three mosques have been vandalized over the past week and is urging authorities to punish the perpetrators. The French Council of the Muslim Faith said racist insults and Nazi slogans were scrawled on the mosques. In a statement, the council expressed concern about what it called the ``multiplication of these cowardly and hateful acts'' and warned against complacency. Muslim and Jewish graveyards and religious buildings around France have long suffered sporadic vandalism. The group urged authorities to track down and punish those responsible ``with all the necessary severity.''

Plane

An experimental solar-powered airplane took off from Switzerland on its first transcontinental flight today, aiming to reach North Africa next week. Pilot Andre Borschberg plans to take the jumbo jet-size Solar Impulse plane on its first leg to Madrid, Spain, by Friday. His colleague Bertrand Piccard will take the helm of the aircraft for the second stretch of its 2,500-kilometer journey to the Moroccan capital. The team has been invited to Morocco by the country's King Mohammed VI to showcase the cutting edge of solar technology. Morocco is about to start construction on a massive solar energy plant. The plant will form part of a country-wide solar energy grid with a capacity of 2000 megawatts by 2020. The mission is described as the final dress rehearsal for a round-the-world flight with a new and improved aircraft in 2014. That trip will include stops in the United States

Weather

Central Weather Bureau forecasters say it's going to be mostly clear across much of Taiwan tonight, with lows of 24 in the north and center, 25 or 26 in the south. Tomorrow, it'll stay fair for much of the country, though there may be some afternoon thundershowers in the New Taipei and Taoyuan areas. Highs then will hit 33 across Taiwan. Right now, it's 29 in Taipei, 29 in Taizhong, and 28 in Gaoxiong.

7PM EZ News Outro

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