20120528 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 2.31-points this morning from Friday's close --- at 7,073.94 on turnover of 1.01-billion N-T dollars. --------- Former Premier - Su Zhen-chang - was elected the main opposition D-P-P's chairman -- after taking 50.47-per cent of the ballots cast. Su received 55,894 votes - with his closest rival - former Tainan Magistrate Su Huan-zhi - taking 23,281 votes. Former Vice Premier Wu Rong-yi received 16,315 votes, followed by former lawmaker - Cai Tong-rong with 12,497. Former party Chairman Xu Xin-liang was last in the five-way race - taking only 2,763 votes. --------- A delegation of officials from the Council of Agriculture and Ministry of Health concluded a visit to the United States this weekend - where they had been checking the safety of U-S beef. According to Council of Agriculture counselor Watson Sung ... the delegation has concluded that beef products imported from the U-S to Taiwan are safe to eat. The 23-day trip was organized following the discovery of a case of mad cow disease case in California in late April. Speaking to reporters ... Sung said measures taken by U-S authorities to guard against the export of tainted beef were "very rigorous and efficient." He added that although an oversight was found at a Kansas-based slaughterhouse, U-S authorities took immediate action on the isolated issue. -------- And in news about Taiwan players in the U-S major league ..... Baltimore Orioles pitcher - Chen Wei-yin - went six innings with no-decision Saturday U-S time against the Kansas City Royals. Chen gave up two runs on six hits, struck out five and had given the team a 3-2 lead when he walked off the mound. Meanwhile .... Washington Nationals right-hander - Wang Jien-ming - will return to the team's rotation as the fifth starter on May 30-th against the Florida Marlins.

Syria ....

In international news .... The United Nations Security Council has condemned the use of heavy weapons by Syrian government forces during an assault last Friday on the town of Houla - which resulted in the killing of 108 people. Some 34 children were killed in Friday's massacre and more than 300 people injured. The massacre has sparked international outrage. The U-N says those responsible for the killings must be held accountable. The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad is denied any involvement in the killings - and is blaming "terrorists" for the deaths.

Morocco ...

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets of Morocco's largest city - Casablanca - Sunday. The rally, organised by trade unions, is the largest since a new government took office in January. Organizers accused the country's new prime minister of failing to deliver on promised reforms.

Egypt ....

Three candidates for running president of Egypt are appealing the results. The A-Ps Mark Lavie reports from Cairo.

Greece ...

Three weeks before Greece goes to the polls, again ---- opinion polls published Sunday indicate the election will result in no single party gaining a majority in parliament. However ... the two parties that favor implementing Greece's bailout programs could be able to form a coalition government. The polls show that Greek voters -- tired of more than two years of austerity -- want to keep the euro and not revert to its own currency -- the drachma.

UK

Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair will be grilled by the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics later today. Olly Barratt reports from London.

WEATHER AM .....

Looking at the weather across Taiwan ... We can expect ..... cloudy skies, rain and scattered thunder showers islandwide -- w/ a high of 27 in Taipei - and a high of around 31 in Taichong and Gaoxiong. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- Taichung -- Gaoxiong --

10AM EZ News Outro

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