20120618 3pm

Click here to download the EZ News audio file

10AM EZ News Intro

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

10AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

The Tai-Ex opened up 19.74-points this morning from yesterday's close - at 7,094.84 on turnover of 1.11-billion N-T. ---------- A series of 26 earthquakes rattled the east coast overnight - with the largest registering a 5.4 on the Richter Scale. That quake struck at 12:15AM - and was centered 31-kilometers west of Hualien County Hall at a depth of 10-kilometers. The earthquake registered a magnitude 6 in one part of the county - and between a 5 and 3 across the remainder of Hualien. The other earthquakes were all centered in the Hualien area and ranged from 4.9 to 2.9 in magnitude. Most were only felt in Hualien County. No injuries or major damage have been reported. ------------ The Central Weather Bureau says it is monitoring tropical storm Guchol - as it continues to gain strength. The storm is currently located approximately 18-hundred kilometers east of the island's southern tip - and is moving in a west-northwesterly direction at speeds averaging 21-kilometers per hour. Guchol could be upgraded to a typhoon later today. The weather bureau says a more accurate picture as to whether the storm will affect Taiwan directly in the coming days should be available late this afternoon. ------------- The parents of a 12-month girl were sentenced to seven-and-a-half years yesterday by the Taiwan High Court for causing the death of the infant last year through neglect. The court found the couple had been playing online games and left the child to die of malnutrition and dehydration. The couple - who both have learning difficulties - denied the charges. Yesterday's ruling overturned a reduced sentence handed down in March - which had cut the seven year sentence to five years and four months.

Egypt ....

In International News... An Egyptian court has ruled last year's elections unconstitutional -- and says the country's current Islamist-dominated parliament should be dissolved. Judges have also ruled that Hosni Mubarak's former prime minister is eligible to participate in this weekend's presidential run-off election. The Muslim Brotherhood warned that Egypt faces "dangerous days" ahead after the rulings.

Syria ....

United Nations monitors in Syria are now operating in the town of Haffa. They had tried to investigate a possible massacre in the town earlier this week -- but crowds turned them away and shots were fired in at their vehicles. The number of casualties from the alleged massacre remains unclear --- the U-N observers say bodies may have been removed or buried before their arrivial in Haffa.

US ...

U-S President Barack Obama and his Republican rival - Mitt Romney - have laid out competing visions for the country's road to recovery in back-to-back speeches in the state of Ohio. Obama offered what aides have called a "framing" of "two very different visions" facing U-S voters in November. While Romney accused the president of failing to deliver economic recovery. No Republican president has won without Ohio -- which Obama won by 5-per cent in 2008.

Argentina ....

Argentina's president took her country's claim over the Falkland Islands to the United Nations yesterday. Cristina Fernandez challenged Britain to "act more intelligently'' in regards the future of the archipelago. However ... Britain's Prime Minister - David Cameron - has said there will be "no negotiations" over the island's sovereignty.

Europe ....

A rock star welcome greeted Myanmar's opposition leader - Aung San Suu Kyi - as she embarked on her first trip to Europe in 24 years. However ... after a whirlwind of standing ovations, speeches and receptions, it all became too much --- and she fell ill yesterday during a news conference in Switzerland. Its not known how her apparent exhaustion will affect the rest of a tightly-packed schedule, --- which includes delivering her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo on Saturday. That speech will come 21 years after she won the award.

China

China has suspended three officials and apologized to a woman who was forced to undergo an abortion seven months into her pregnancy. The case sparked a public uproar after graphic photos of the mother and her dead baby were circulated online. The government of An-kang city had said the woman was not legally entitled to a second child under China's one-child limit and that late-term abortions are prohibited.

UK ...

Britain's Supreme Court has rejected Julian Assange's bid to re-open his appeal against extradition to Sweden ---- where he is wanted for questioning over sex assault and rape claims. The decision moves the founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, one step closer towards extradition

WEATHER AM .....

Looking at the weather across Taiwan ... We can expect ..... rain and possible thunder showers islandwide. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 29 Taichung -- 27 Gaoxiong -- 26

10AM EZ News Outro

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

20120618 9am

Click here to download the EZ News audio file

10AM EZ News Intro

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

10AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

The Tai-Ex opened up 19.74-points this morning from yesterday's close - at 7,094.84 on turnover of 1.11-billion N-T. ---------- A series of 26 earthquakes rattled the east coast overnight - with the largest registering a 5.4 on the Richter Scale. That quake struck at 12:15AM - and was centered 31-kilometers west of Hualien County Hall at a depth of 10-kilometers. The earthquake registered a magnitude 6 in one part of the county - and between a 5 and 3 across the remainder of Hualien. The other earthquakes were all centered in the Hualien area and ranged from 4.9 to 2.9 in magnitude. Most were only felt in Hualien County. No injuries or major damage have been reported. ------------ The Central Weather Bureau says it is monitoring tropical storm Guchol - as it continues to gain strength. The storm is currently located approximately 18-hundred kilometers east of the island's southern tip - and is moving in a west-northwesterly direction at speeds averaging 21-kilometers per hour. Guchol could be upgraded to a typhoon later today. The weather bureau says a more accurate picture as to whether the storm will affect Taiwan directly in the coming days should be available late this afternoon. ------------- The parents of a 12-month girl were sentenced to seven-and-a-half years yesterday by the Taiwan High Court for causing the death of the infant last year through neglect. The court found the couple had been playing online games and left the child to die of malnutrition and dehydration. The couple - who both have learning difficulties - denied the charges. Yesterday's ruling overturned a reduced sentence handed down in March - which had cut the seven year sentence to five years and four months.

Egypt ....

In International News... An Egyptian court has ruled last year's elections unconstitutional -- and says the country's current Islamist-dominated parliament should be dissolved. Judges have also ruled that Hosni Mubarak's former prime minister is eligible to participate in this weekend's presidential run-off election. The Muslim Brotherhood warned that Egypt faces "dangerous days" ahead after the rulings.

Syria ....

United Nations monitors in Syria are now operating in the town of Haffa. They had tried to investigate a possible massacre in the town earlier this week -- but crowds turned them away and shots were fired in at their vehicles. The number of casualties from the alleged massacre remains unclear --- the U-N observers say bodies may have been removed or buried before their arrivial in Haffa.

US ...

U-S President Barack Obama and his Republican rival - Mitt Romney - have laid out competing visions for the country's road to recovery in back-to-back speeches in the state of Ohio. Obama offered what aides have called a "framing" of "two very different visions" facing U-S voters in November. While Romney accused the president of failing to deliver economic recovery. No Republican president has won without Ohio -- which Obama won by 5-per cent in 2008.

Argentina ....

Argentina's president took her country's claim over the Falkland Islands to the United Nations yesterday. Cristina Fernandez challenged Britain to "act more intelligently'' in regards the future of the archipelago. However ... Britain's Prime Minister - David Cameron - has said there will be "no negotiations" over the island's sovereignty.

Europe ....

A rock star welcome greeted Myanmar's opposition leader - Aung San Suu Kyi - as she embarked on her first trip to Europe in 24 years. However ... after a whirlwind of standing ovations, speeches and receptions, it all became too much --- and she fell ill yesterday during a news conference in Switzerland. Its not known how her apparent exhaustion will affect the rest of a tightly-packed schedule, --- which includes delivering her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo on Saturday. That speech will come 21 years after she won the award.

China

China has suspended three officials and apologized to a woman who was forced to undergo an abortion seven months into her pregnancy. The case sparked a public uproar after graphic photos of the mother and her dead baby were circulated online. The government of An-kang city had said the woman was not legally entitled to a second child under China's one-child limit and that late-term abortions are prohibited.

UK ...

Britain's Supreme Court has rejected Julian Assange's bid to re-open his appeal against extradition to Sweden ---- where he is wanted for questioning over sex assault and rape claims. The decision moves the founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, one step closer towards extradition

WEATHER AM .....

Looking at the weather across Taiwan ... We can expect ..... rain and possible thunder showers islandwide. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 29 Taichung -- 27 Gaoxiong -- 26

10AM EZ News Outro

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

20120615 7pm

Click here to download the EZ News audio file

10AM EZ News Intro

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

10AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

The Tai-Ex opened up 19.74-points this morning from yesterday's close - at 7,094.84 on turnover of 1.11-billion N-T. ---------- A series of 26 earthquakes rattled the east coast overnight - with the largest registering a 5.4 on the Richter Scale. That quake struck at 12:15AM - and was centered 31-kilometers west of Hualien County Hall at a depth of 10-kilometers. The earthquake registered a magnitude 6 in one part of the county - and between a 5 and 3 across the remainder of Hualien. The other earthquakes were all centered in the Hualien area and ranged from 4.9 to 2.9 in magnitude. Most were only felt in Hualien County. No injuries or major damage have been reported. ------------ The Central Weather Bureau says it is monitoring tropical storm Guchol - as it continues to gain strength. The storm is currently located approximately 18-hundred kilometers east of the island's southern tip - and is moving in a west-northwesterly direction at speeds averaging 21-kilometers per hour. Guchol could be upgraded to a typhoon later today. The weather bureau says a more accurate picture as to whether the storm will affect Taiwan directly in the coming days should be available late this afternoon. ------------- The parents of a 12-month girl were sentenced to seven-and-a-half years yesterday by the Taiwan High Court for causing the death of the infant last year through neglect. The court found the couple had been playing online games and left the child to die of malnutrition and dehydration. The couple - who both have learning difficulties - denied the charges. Yesterday's ruling overturned a reduced sentence handed down in March - which had cut the seven year sentence to five years and four months.

Egypt ....

In International News... An Egyptian court has ruled last year's elections unconstitutional -- and says the country's current Islamist-dominated parliament should be dissolved. Judges have also ruled that Hosni Mubarak's former prime minister is eligible to participate in this weekend's presidential run-off election. The Muslim Brotherhood warned that Egypt faces "dangerous days" ahead after the rulings.

Syria ....

United Nations monitors in Syria are now operating in the town of Haffa. They had tried to investigate a possible massacre in the town earlier this week -- but crowds turned them away and shots were fired in at their vehicles. The number of casualties from the alleged massacre remains unclear --- the U-N observers say bodies may have been removed or buried before their arrivial in Haffa.

US ...

U-S President Barack Obama and his Republican rival - Mitt Romney - have laid out competing visions for the country's road to recovery in back-to-back speeches in the state of Ohio. Obama offered what aides have called a "framing" of "two very different visions" facing U-S voters in November. While Romney accused the president of failing to deliver economic recovery. No Republican president has won without Ohio -- which Obama won by 5-per cent in 2008.

Argentina ....

Argentina's president took her country's claim over the Falkland Islands to the United Nations yesterday. Cristina Fernandez challenged Britain to "act more intelligently'' in regards the future of the archipelago. However ... Britain's Prime Minister - David Cameron - has said there will be "no negotiations" over the island's sovereignty.

Europe ....

A rock star welcome greeted Myanmar's opposition leader - Aung San Suu Kyi - as she embarked on her first trip to Europe in 24 years. However ... after a whirlwind of standing ovations, speeches and receptions, it all became too much --- and she fell ill yesterday during a news conference in Switzerland. Its not known how her apparent exhaustion will affect the rest of a tightly-packed schedule, --- which includes delivering her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo on Saturday. That speech will come 21 years after she won the award.

China

China has suspended three officials and apologized to a woman who was forced to undergo an abortion seven months into her pregnancy. The case sparked a public uproar after graphic photos of the mother and her dead baby were circulated online. The government of An-kang city had said the woman was not legally entitled to a second child under China's one-child limit and that late-term abortions are prohibited.

UK ...

Britain's Supreme Court has rejected Julian Assange's bid to re-open his appeal against extradition to Sweden ---- where he is wanted for questioning over sex assault and rape claims. The decision moves the founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, one step closer towards extradition

WEATHER AM .....

Looking at the weather across Taiwan ... We can expect ..... rain and possible thunder showers islandwide. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 29 Taichung -- 27 Gaoxiong -- 26

10AM EZ News Outro

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

20120615 10am

9AM Intro

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

9AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

Premier Sean Chen has named former Deputy Finance Minister Zhang Sheng-ho as the new head of the Ministry of Finance. However .. the appointment is pending approval by President Ma. Zhang retired as deputy finance minister in February and is currently holds posts at the Kai-nan and National Taiwan universities. The appointment came two days after Christina Liu resigned as finance minister over differences between her proposal for a capital gains tax on stock transactions and a version submitted by the K-M-T. Meanwhile .... The Executive Yuan submitted a revised version of the capital gains tax plan late yesterday. The move followed a meeting earlier in the day between Premier Sean Chen and K-M-T lawmakers. The K-M-T's original proposal - which was drafted on Monday - had come under fire from tax reform groups. Three major revisions have now been made to the K-M-T caucus' original version. Under the new proposal ...tax payments based on the level of the weighted index will be scrapped in 2017 - wealthy individuals will be banned from using the index-based tax payment method - and only four categories of individual investors will need to pay securities capital gains tax. The K-M-T's legislative caucus is set to finalize this version later today. ------------ Vice Economics Minister Francis Liang says Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks with the United States could resume by year's end if the government can resolve the on-going U-S beef import dispute. The statement come a day after the American Institute in Taiwan said the issue of the import of U-S beef products containing ractopamine is the "only factor hindering" a resumption of the talks. TIFA talks have been stalled since 2007.

syria

Syria yesterday blamed up to 800 rebel fighters for the massacre in central Syria last week that killed more than 100 people, nearly half of them children, in its most comprehensive explanation to date of the bloodshed. The narrative starkly contradicted accounts of witnesses who blamed ``shabiha'' or the shadowy gunmen who operate on behalf of President Bashar Assad's regime. The U.N. also said it has strong suspicions those pro-regime gunmen were responsible for much of the carnage on Friday in a cluster of villages known as Houla. Facing international outrage over the killings, Damascus launched its own investigation into the deaths and announced that special prayers for the victims would be held at mosques across the country on Friday. A Houla-based opposition activist said its clear that there had been no government investigation.

paks

The U.S. military has taken another small step toward improving American relations with Pakistan. The APs Sagar Meghani reports from the Pentagon.

john

John Edwards talks about his 'sins,' after his mistrial. The APs Sandy Kozel reports.

ireland

Ireland's debt-burdened voters confronted a dilemma yesterday as they decided in a referendum whether to ratify the European Union's deficit-fighting treaty. Pro-treaty forces stress that Ireland could lose its access to European bailout loans next year unless the treaty passes, leaving Ireland no reasonable choice but to say yes. Opponents say it would be better to pursue a showdown with EU partners now, and demand better debt-reduction terms at the risk of triggering a worse eurozone crisis, rather than commit to new rules requiring tougher deficit targets that Ireland simply can't meet. Saying yes could mean dooming Ireland to more long, hard years of austerity. But saying no could mean national bankruptcy next year.

WEATHER AM .....

mostly cloudy skies and showers in the north w/ a high of 28 in the Taipei area .... mostly cloudy skies in the center w/ a high of 29 in Taichong cloudy skies w/ possible thunder showers in the south w/ a high of 30 in Gaoxiong. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 24 Taichung -- 27 Gaoxiong -- 30

9AM Outro

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

20120614 7pm

9AM Intro

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

9AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

Premier Sean Chen has named former Deputy Finance Minister Zhang Sheng-ho as the new head of the Ministry of Finance. However .. the appointment is pending approval by President Ma. Zhang retired as deputy finance minister in February and is currently holds posts at the Kai-nan and National Taiwan universities. The appointment came two days after Christina Liu resigned as finance minister over differences between her proposal for a capital gains tax on stock transactions and a version submitted by the K-M-T. Meanwhile .... The Executive Yuan submitted a revised version of the capital gains tax plan late yesterday. The move followed a meeting earlier in the day between Premier Sean Chen and K-M-T lawmakers. The K-M-T's original proposal - which was drafted on Monday - had come under fire from tax reform groups. Three major revisions have now been made to the K-M-T caucus' original version. Under the new proposal ...tax payments based on the level of the weighted index will be scrapped in 2017 - wealthy individuals will be banned from using the index-based tax payment method - and only four categories of individual investors will need to pay securities capital gains tax. The K-M-T's legislative caucus is set to finalize this version later today. ------------ Vice Economics Minister Francis Liang says Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks with the United States could resume by year's end if the government can resolve the on-going U-S beef import dispute. The statement come a day after the American Institute in Taiwan said the issue of the import of U-S beef products containing ractopamine is the "only factor hindering" a resumption of the talks. TIFA talks have been stalled since 2007.

syria

Syria yesterday blamed up to 800 rebel fighters for the massacre in central Syria last week that killed more than 100 people, nearly half of them children, in its most comprehensive explanation to date of the bloodshed. The narrative starkly contradicted accounts of witnesses who blamed ``shabiha'' or the shadowy gunmen who operate on behalf of President Bashar Assad's regime. The U.N. also said it has strong suspicions those pro-regime gunmen were responsible for much of the carnage on Friday in a cluster of villages known as Houla. Facing international outrage over the killings, Damascus launched its own investigation into the deaths and announced that special prayers for the victims would be held at mosques across the country on Friday. A Houla-based opposition activist said its clear that there had been no government investigation.

paks

The U.S. military has taken another small step toward improving American relations with Pakistan. The APs Sagar Meghani reports from the Pentagon.

john

John Edwards talks about his 'sins,' after his mistrial. The APs Sandy Kozel reports.

ireland

Ireland's debt-burdened voters confronted a dilemma yesterday as they decided in a referendum whether to ratify the European Union's deficit-fighting treaty. Pro-treaty forces stress that Ireland could lose its access to European bailout loans next year unless the treaty passes, leaving Ireland no reasonable choice but to say yes. Opponents say it would be better to pursue a showdown with EU partners now, and demand better debt-reduction terms at the risk of triggering a worse eurozone crisis, rather than commit to new rules requiring tougher deficit targets that Ireland simply can't meet. Saying yes could mean dooming Ireland to more long, hard years of austerity. But saying no could mean national bankruptcy next year.

WEATHER AM .....

mostly cloudy skies and showers in the north w/ a high of 28 in the Taipei area .... mostly cloudy skies in the center w/ a high of 29 in Taichong cloudy skies w/ possible thunder showers in the south w/ a high of 30 in Gaoxiong. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 24 Taichung -- 27 Gaoxiong -- 30

9AM Outro

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

20120614 3pm

9AM Intro

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

9AM TAIWAN NEWS ....

Premier Sean Chen has named former Deputy Finance Minister Zhang Sheng-ho as the new head of the Ministry of Finance. However .. the appointment is pending approval by President Ma. Zhang retired as deputy finance minister in February and is currently holds posts at the Kai-nan and National Taiwan universities. The appointment came two days after Christina Liu resigned as finance minister over differences between her proposal for a capital gains tax on stock transactions and a version submitted by the K-M-T. Meanwhile .... The Executive Yuan submitted a revised version of the capital gains tax plan late yesterday. The move followed a meeting earlier in the day between Premier Sean Chen and K-M-T lawmakers. The K-M-T's original proposal - which was drafted on Monday - had come under fire from tax reform groups. Three major revisions have now been made to the K-M-T caucus' original version. Under the new proposal ...tax payments based on the level of the weighted index will be scrapped in 2017 - wealthy individuals will be banned from using the index-based tax payment method - and only four categories of individual investors will need to pay securities capital gains tax. The K-M-T's legislative caucus is set to finalize this version later today. ------------ Vice Economics Minister Francis Liang says Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks with the United States could resume by year's end if the government can resolve the on-going U-S beef import dispute. The statement come a day after the American Institute in Taiwan said the issue of the import of U-S beef products containing ractopamine is the "only factor hindering" a resumption of the talks. TIFA talks have been stalled since 2007.

syria

Syria yesterday blamed up to 800 rebel fighters for the massacre in central Syria last week that killed more than 100 people, nearly half of them children, in its most comprehensive explanation to date of the bloodshed. The narrative starkly contradicted accounts of witnesses who blamed ``shabiha'' or the shadowy gunmen who operate on behalf of President Bashar Assad's regime. The U.N. also said it has strong suspicions those pro-regime gunmen were responsible for much of the carnage on Friday in a cluster of villages known as Houla. Facing international outrage over the killings, Damascus launched its own investigation into the deaths and announced that special prayers for the victims would be held at mosques across the country on Friday. A Houla-based opposition activist said its clear that there had been no government investigation.

paks

The U.S. military has taken another small step toward improving American relations with Pakistan. The APs Sagar Meghani reports from the Pentagon.

john

John Edwards talks about his 'sins,' after his mistrial. The APs Sandy Kozel reports.

ireland

Ireland's debt-burdened voters confronted a dilemma yesterday as they decided in a referendum whether to ratify the European Union's deficit-fighting treaty. Pro-treaty forces stress that Ireland could lose its access to European bailout loans next year unless the treaty passes, leaving Ireland no reasonable choice but to say yes. Opponents say it would be better to pursue a showdown with EU partners now, and demand better debt-reduction terms at the risk of triggering a worse eurozone crisis, rather than commit to new rules requiring tougher deficit targets that Ireland simply can't meet. Saying yes could mean dooming Ireland to more long, hard years of austerity. But saying no could mean national bankruptcy next year.

WEATHER AM .....

mostly cloudy skies and showers in the north w/ a high of 28 in the Taipei area .... mostly cloudy skies in the center w/ a high of 29 in Taichong cloudy skies w/ possible thunder showers in the south w/ a high of 30 in Gaoxiong. Current Temperatures .... Taipei -- 24 Taichung -- 27 Gaoxiong -- 30

9AM Outro

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