Thursday, August 31, 2017

"No decisive progress" In Brexit talks

The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says there has been no decisive progress in this week's Brexit talks - while his British counterpart David Davis insists there has been. 
The two sides appeared further apart than ever at a press conference wrapping the third round of exit talks in Brussels. 
Elena Casas reports from Brussels. 

IN: "Every day brings us closer…"
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2:10


SCRIPT:
Every day brings us closer to the 29th of March 2019, the day Britain leaves the European Union, and it could crash out without a deal, says EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
The key sticking point is Britain's exit bill - Barnier says Britain seems to believe it has no legal obligation to abide by its financial commitments.

SOT Michel Barnier
"EU taxpayers should not pay at 27 for the obligations undertaken at 28. It would not be fair. In July, the UK recognized that they have obligations beyond the Brexit date,  but this week they explained their obligations will be limited to their last payment before departure."

The EU says it has spending commitments that Britain has signed up to until at least the end of the current budget cycle in 2020. 
The UK minister for Brexit, David Davis, says Britain accepts it will have to pay something after it leaves - but has not revealed how Britain thinks that should be calculated.

SOT David Davis
"The European Union made a claim on the UK taxpayer for a large sum of money - unspecified but undoubtedly large - on the basis of what it determines to be our legal obligations, so the proper approach to that is to go through line by line and see whether we believe those legal obligations are correctly codified."

Davis says some progress has been made on other topics - notably the Irish border - but the EU says Britain's proposals for a technical fix to avoid creating a customs border are unworkable. 
The original plan was for these withdrawal questions to be resolved on by October so that talks can begin on trade - but Barnier says there is a long way to go.

Elena Casas, Brussels 

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

UK CD Sales Improving



INTRO


Since the birth of digital music downloads, UK CD sales have been in decline.


But in the second quarter of the year - the UK has seen a slowdown in that decline, largely driven by strong album releases and a desire from consumers to own a physical product.


So, could this be the beginning of a CD revival in the UK, as we've seen take hold of the Vinyl format?


Our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell finds out…


SCRIPT


IN: In this independent

OUT: SOC

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In this independent music shop in London, music fans come in for the experience….


As well as flicking through the shelves of CDs and Vinyl on offer, there are regularly live bands in-store and a focus on delivering top customer service.


Here's Sam Jones from Rough Trade East:

"We let people open the records and listen to them here, we've got about 20 CD players here that staff has picked, you can come in here and listen to probably over 100 different records"


UK CD sales however have been dropping ever since digital music downloads appeared.


Yet this year the UK has seen that decline slow, as Gennaro Castaldo the Director of Communications at BPI, a trade association for record labels, explains.


"CD as well, which a lot of people had expected to be wiped from the face of the earth right now, is still hanging around, it has an amazing resilience. Last year nearly 50 million CDs were sold in the UK,  and it went down by about a tenth. Now this year 2017, that decline has slowed a little bit 6% or so, so it is still going down, however we may see a point where it really stabilises and it will become part of the fixed ecosystem of music."


That fixed ecosystem of music includes streaming, downloads, CDs and Vinyl. 


And experts believe that streaming - which has taken over from buying a digital download of a song or album - is changing  the music market once again.


The idea is that music fans will pay for a streaming service - but if they really love an album, they will also want to own a physical copy of it


UPSOT: "That'll be £6 Please"


Here's Gennaro Castaldo of the BPI again


Where as digital downloads when they were in their ascendancy were almost wiping out physical music, because you'd either buy the digital download or you'd buy the CD. However, streaming has come along… and it is a different approach to music, it is n't about ownership it is about access. It seems to be permitting this space for physical as well"


The want to own a physical copy of an album or single has had a huge impact on UK vinyl sales. The BPI says in 2007 there were 200 thousand sales, with an estimated 4 million sales expected this year. 


Over in the Rough Trade East store, they are selling slightly more vinyl than CDs, but General Manger Sam Jones says there is still a customer-base for CDs


"Vinyl is great. With CD the quality is still high, it can't warp it's a lot smaller It's definitely still going strong as a format.

There's just always going to be a market for it, it is quite a convenient format, it's … if people aren't going to buy vinyl, they're going to buy CDs, naturally it is a bit cheaper as well. I think it is a really good alternative to vinyl"


CDs also tend to be released ahead of the vinyl version - helping to boost sales. 


While big releases are another factor drawing people in to buying a physical copy of an album, as opposed to streaming it, as Gennaro Casaldo of the BPI explains.


" So CD loves Adele, it loves Ed Shreean, because it's typically when the wider public that don't regard themselves as core music fans but a couple of times a year they might make a purchase when a big release comes out and they become aware of it."


Most in the music industry agree that the CD is unlikely to have the same revival story that Vinyl has seen, but they also agree that this is certainly not the death of the CD either.

And the format is likely to exist as part of a music eco-system - which gives more choice to music lovers.

SOC



Friday, August 25, 2017

CROP ROT - THE US LABOUR SHORTAGE

INTRO:


Farmers across the US say their crops are rotting in the fields because there aren't enough workers to pick them. An immigrant labour shortage has lead to millions of dollars in losses every year.


Tighter border restrictions have been in place during both Barack Obama's and Donald Trump's presidencies. But farmers say the issues are more complex than immigration policies alone. Frances Read reports from California.


DUR: 1,52"

OUT: Santa Paula, California


http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0825CropRot-fr-gen.mp3


PKG:


VO1: It's the end of the lemon-picking season in Santa Paula. But farms here are losing money because they can't find enough workers to pick the produce. This lemon farm has more than a thousand acres of land in California and Arizona. For its owners - this has become a race against time. Pick the fruit before it falls. Or else it'll rot away.Alex Teague is from Limoneira Farms.


CLIP "As of two years ago just in Ventura County and 3000 acres we have here we lost about 100,000 boxes total loss is probably between 2-4 million dollars"


VO2: The labour here is mostly done by Mexican immigrants. Farmers say many Americans don't want this kind of work - and that a decade of heightened border security and visa bureaucracy has cut into immigrant recruitment. Carlos Gutierrez is a worker from Mexico.


CLIP: "It's very difficult, very difficult. They don't give visas to anybody. There are so many requirements for somebody coming here to get a visa."


VO3: That's part of the problem but a booming economy in Mexico also means many people there just don't want to work in the US anymore. But the labour shortage is about more than farm yields. It could affect what consumers eat as well. Will Terry is from the American Farm Bureau.


CLIP: "It really doesn't matter where you are in the country this is affecting everybody. We have demographics changing in Mexico, smaller families means less available people for our workforce and construction companies compete for the same workforce we do this is something that's going to continue to compound itself over time and you're going to see less and less fresh domestic products."


VO4: The government is looking at reform but the problem is complex. Farmers put their hearts and souls into this industry. And many of them say they can no longer afford to watch their livelihoods rot away on the ground. Frances Read, Santa Paula, California.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

After mass recall- Samsung launches new phone

The release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 marks the latest chapter in
the tech giant's battle with Apple for market superiority.

The product unveiling is also an opportunity for the company to
restore some confidence in the brand after a battery defect with the
Note 7 turned into a PR nightmare.

With heir Lee Jae-Yong facing a verdict on corruption charges, this
product unveiling is a chance for the company to restore some
confidence in the brand.

William Denselow reports from New York.

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Monday, August 21, 2017

Americans prepare for a total solar eclipse

The final countdown is on the the solar eclipse that will blot out the soon across many parts of the US.

For some spots in the heart of the country, it's the biggest event they've ever seen…. with tens of thousands of people pouring into their rural towns.

Mary MacCarthy reports from Nebraska:

IN: "This may…
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2:23

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SCRIPT: This may be the first traffic jam this road has ever seen.

INSERT: "It's just been crazy, guys, we've had a couple miles long of traffic several times, both directions over the road. We're just trying to keep everything moving."

Hotels and airbnbs here in western Nebraska have been sold out for months, which means the majority of eclipse tourists are camping…

INSERT: " It took me over three or four days because I stopped along the way. But of course I'm here for the eclipse. Hopefully it won't be cloudy, it won't be raining and we'll have a good one."

People here drove hundreds, some of them thousands of kilometres — and many are equipped with special telescopes.

INSERT: "We're going to hook up some cameras, get a lot of pictures, and take a look at them later."

This 79 year-old has seen two other total solar eclipses, and says he didn't hesitate to hop in his camper and rough it for two nights to see this one.

INSERT: "it's sunset in every direction around you, and it's just very amazing to see it when it goes into totality."

And this is the center of the excitement here in Nebraska: Carhenge.

It's a replica of Stonehenge, made out of automobiles. Thousands of people are flooding in from other states to watch the totality of the eclipse alongside the governor and other dignitaries.

Neighbours of Carhenge are cashing in by renting out their fields to campers, and selling souvenirs.

INSERT: "We had these ones made to look like old motel keys. And we had some solar eclipse ones made but they sold out so I can't show you those."

Meanwhile those lucky enough to get a hotel are staying in the nearby town of Nebraska.

INSERT: "Yeah we came in from Boston, flew into Chicago, stayed a night at my parents, took a train to Omaha where I met my friends, and picked up a Winnebago."

Alliance has just 9-thousand residents, and spent several years preparing for the influx of eclipse tourists - folk musician KK was on the preparation committee

INSERT: "Oh it's awesome. It's so great to see this come into our community for a universal event, see all these people come from so many countries, into Alliance."

After weeks and months that have been marked by political divisions in the U.S., an event like this might be exactly what everyone needs…

An opportunity to gather, have some fun, do some camping, and countdown to the eclipse.

Child obesity on the rise in India

Malnutrition remains a huge challenge in India. But paradoxically, child obesity is on the rise.

India has the most number of obese kids in the world after China, and there's not enough being done to address the problem.

Our India correspondent Neha Poonia reports.

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SCRIPT:

VO:
9-year-old Hansika Bhargava has just been diagnosed as obese. Her mother Namita Bhargava says she was always worried that her daughter wasn't active enough for her age but didn't ever think that it would get this bad, so quickly.

<<Bite: Namita Bhargava, Mother>>
We had a laid-back attitude. We didn't do anything despite the doctor warning us. We thought she's too young for something like this. Recently, she started having knee pain and headaches, that's when we knew all was not well.

VO:
Like Hansika, 14 million children in India are obese – more than double the number 25 years ago. Paediatrician Anupama Gupta says this increase cuts across the income divide.

<<Bite: Dr Anupama Gupta, Paediatrician>>
Surprisingly, this increase is not as per social status. You don't see that this is only in the urban population, it's also among the poor. There is obesity there as well which is another kind of malnutrition

VO:
Two years ago, India's Women and Child Welfare Ministry identified junk food as the biggest factor in the rise of child obesity.

Obesity puts children at the risk of cardiovascular diseases and even depression - and the government says, children in urban areas are more prone to early diabetes and hypertension than those in rural parts of India.

Ministry officials have said they hope all schools will ban the sale of junk food on and near the campus.

But schools are not duty bound to comply.

Genesis Global is among the few schools in India that doesn't allow the sale of junk food. All students have to eat meals cooked on campus- that have been approved by a nutritionist. The school's director Pramod Sharma claims the children aren't allowed to bring food from home either

<<Pramod Sharma, Director, Genesis>>
We were very clear that we didn't want any junk food- no aerated drink. That policy has been followed throughout and parents are very happy with this.

VO:
But unlike Genesis, most Indian schools don't have the resources needed to ensure children are eating nutritious meals during school hours.

And with the government leaving the responsibility of limiting access to such food entirely to schools, tackling child obesity remains an uphill task.

Sign Off.

ENDS


Friday, August 18, 2017

Shared housing trend aimed at NYC professionals

Moving to a new city can be a daunting prospect, especially if rents are high and space is limited.

But housing companies have come up with a solution: shared living.

While it's not a new concept, a number of firms are promoting ready-made roommates as an easy, affordable way to start in a new location.

But could capitalizing on convenience radically alter communities?

Nick Harper reports from New York.

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TAKE VO
This is an apartment that comes with friends included. They're thrown in with the rent to help kick-start your move to a new city.
upsound - Sophie

TAKE VO
Sophie Wilkinson works for Common, the company that provides this shared housing.
She lived in an apartment like this for a year when she came to New York.

SOT - Super: Sophie Wilkinson, Head of Construction and Design, Common
"I loved it, I really got to love my roommates. I was part of a strong Australian community in New York but I really wasn't that connected to much other strong groupings. So I really just felt part of a community and I really just loved that."

TAKE VO
This space in Brooklyn costs around $1,700 a month. It comes with shared living space, and a cleaning service and utilities are included.
Plus there are weekly community events.

Shared housing is not uncommon, especially for students. But the company saw a market for professionals who want companionship.

SOT - Super: Sophie Wilkinson, Head of Construction and Design, Common
"Room-mating is prevalent in cities all over the world, and definitely in cities like New York. It's already happening ad hoc, so we're basically just bringing a solution to a thing that's prevalent in real estate."

TAKE VO
In New York City, with its eight and a half million inhabitants, space is at a premium. Manhattan is the most expensive place to live in the US. And there are some who worry that commercializing shared living only exacerbates that problem.
TAKE VO
Urban planning professor Thomas Angotti says it has the potential to drive rental prices up and force diverse, local communities out.

SOT - Super: Professor Thomas Angotti, Hunter College Community Planning and Development
"What this does is jack up rents, it contributes to this general trend of gentrification and displacement throughout New York City, whose victims are people with modest incomes, new immigrants who don't have alternatives, and particularly in a city that is highly segregated, people of color."

TAKE VO
Common says it's simply meeting a demand. It gets and receives 500 new tenant applications every week for its 360 rooms nationwide.
But that solution of convenience and community may come at a cost.
SOC

ENDS

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Big Ben falls silent for four years

The residents of London might be forgiven for being late today (Monday 21st August) as the famous Big Ben clock tower will fall silent at midday.  The famous  chimes are are due to be quiet for the next four years.   This is to enable repair and restoration work on the famous 96 metre-tall Elizabeth Tower which houses the the bell and the clock.       

But some people, including MPs,  are very unhappy about the lack of bongs as Catherine Drew reports from London.   

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DUR: 3:11 secs


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SFX BONGS

SCRIPT:  

The sound is synonymous with the famous clock tower and Big Ben bell… ringing out across central London.     However these chimes are falling silent from Monday afternoon local time… as millions of dollars of work to repair and restore both the bell, the clock and the tower and the surrounding parliament building  gets underway.   The bell must be silenced to protect the hearing of the workers.  Chief architect of the project   Adam Watrobski says the repair work cannot be avoided. 

INSERT: 

SCRIPT:  

 In order to make future maintenance work easier, a lift and toilet are being installed in the tower, so workers can avoid the 334 steps up to it. 

The last major work carried out on possibly the worlds most famous clock tower was in 1983 when the bells fell silent for two years. 

But the rpsopect that they will be silent for the next four years has upset many MPs in the parliament.    Even Prime Minister Theresa May has commented that it can't be right that the regular bongs won't be heard until 2021.  Government Ministr david Davis was asked about the matter on London's LBC radio, and made clear he thought that timeframe was too long 

INSERT: 

And it's not just MP's who say they'll miss the chimes… visitors and residence taking in the views at westminster are also concerned 

INSERT:  

SCRIPT:  

The Big Ben chimes will be reconnected and ring out for a few select occasions before repairs are completed and these include seeing in the new year, and the days when the victims of World war One and Two are commemorated.    Until the repairs are completed, Londoners will have to make do without the famous bongs.  

Catherine Drew, sign off,  in London



Uganda Hits Over One Million South Sudanese Refugees

intro
Uganda has reached a milestone of receiving more than one  million south sudanese refugees fleeing to the country.

Aid agencies warn this landmark is an urgent reminder that Uganda needs more support to help host those fleeing war.

Isabel Nakirya reports.

IN: The UNHCR says ........
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DUR: 1min 10secs

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Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Trump blames 'both sides' for violence at far-right rally in Charlottesville

Donald Trump says violence was carried out by both White Nationalists and those opposing them during the weekend's bloody scenes in Charlottesville, Virginia.

His latest comments represent a return to his much-criticized initial response to the far-right rally and have once again triggered public and political condemnation.

Kevin McAleese has this from Washington...

IN: unlike monday's..'
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2:11 secs

Monday, August 14, 2017

Wall St 2017 record highs

2017 have seen surging US stocks, with a marked number of record highs for the Dow, S&P and Nasdaq. 

But what's behind the increases? A tweeting President, or company performance? 

Nick Harper looks at the reasons….. and the risks that lie ahead. 

IN: "Ringing in...." 
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2:25

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TAKE VO 
Ringing in the record highs. Wall St's three indexes heading higher has become a regular occurrence for broadly one reason, says Chief Economist at TS Lombard, Steve Blitz. 

SOT - Steven Blitz, Chief Economist, TS Lombard: "The global economy is doing better. Europe is turning, China has turned at a very strong first quarter, first half, the emerging markets are turning. And a larger percentage of S&P revenue comes from global sources as opposed to say 10, 15, certainly 20, 25 years ago."

TAKE VO 
As of last week, the Dow Jones had notched up 35 record closes in 2017
It's now half way to its best ever year, 1995's 70 record closes
And it's not just the Dow - the S&P has rung up 30 record highs
While the Nasdaq has managed 44 - the most since 1999
TAKE VO 
Strong US earnings have certainly helped. The S&P 500 is reporting two consecutive quarters of double-digit earnings growth - something not seen since 2011.
Plus low unemployment and low inflation have given extra confidence to invest on Wall St and spend on Main Street.
Businessman, turned President, Donald Trump has noted the market increases since he was elected.

TAKE VO 
But analysts like Douglas McIntyre from 24/7 Wall St say it's more a case of good timing for the President - that the markets would likely have reacted this way no matter who was in charge.

SOT - Douglas McIntyre, 24/7 Wall St: "I think it has nothing to do with him. Because you can't point to something and say that affected the economy, that affected employment, that affected earnings. Most of these things are driven by an economic engine that has been going for seven or eight years. So I don't know you could say he could either be faulted or that you could him credit for this."

TAKE VO 
But beware the black swans. Geopolitical tensions with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have been upsetting the markets.
While domestically more stalling over health care and tax reforms could create a sell off.
But although August and September are historically the worst two trading months of the year, for now the sound of success is expected to continue.
SOC

ENDS

Friday, August 11, 2017

PKG: Goat Yoga - America's new trend

INTRO:

Los Angeles may be known for its keep-fit fads, from diets to plastic surgery. But the latest craze that's catching on is Goat Yoga.

More than a thousand people have already tried it. And as Frances Read now reports, the benefits are proving popular.

IN: "I want you to become... "
OUT: LOS ANGELES (NAAAAAMASTE!)
DUR: 1,42"

http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811GoatYoga-fr-gen.mp3

PKG:

YOGA TEACHER: "I want you to become conscious of your breath so try to move with your breath."

VO: It may sound crazy to some, but LA's latest trend is catching on. Goat yoga does exactly what it says. You do yoga. With goats. And Meridith Lana is a goat yoga teacher.

CLIP: "The goats pretty much do their thing but it's funny because they'll come and jump on your back they'll give you a kiss, sometimes I be in downward facing dog and I'll have a goat crossing underneath me they are really loving creatures and they're coming into being a more therapeutic animal."

VO: And while it may be good for the mind and body here at Lavenderwood farm these animals work with all sorts of people. From those with illnesses like cancer, to military personnel with post traumatic stress. Danette McReynolds is the owner of Lavenderwood farm.

CLIP: "We've seen over a thousand people coming to have goat yoga here. They really connect with the animals the goats have a stare a look that's similar to a dog. Albeit they're a livestock animal they still connect to humans in a way most livestock animals do not."

VO: But at times, that connection can get a little too close for comfort. And the teacher, Meridith, says there's a lesson in that.

"The biggest challenge is they poop on your mat and they sometimes pee. But I equate that with life. Either you can sit in it which isn't very comfortable or it will force you to move on."

VO: And with that thought, the popularity speaks for itself. Frances Read, Los Angeles.

YOGA TEACHER: "NAAAAAAmaste!"

Dating is becoming an increasingly lucrative business

It's said that true love is priceless but sometimes making that
initial connection can come at a cost.

Online dating has taken off in recent years and according to
Marketdata Enterprises the industry is worth $2.5 bn. in the U.S.
alone.

And with love coming in all shapes and sizes- there's plenty of
opportunity to cash in on the dating game.

William Denselow reports from New York.

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PKG: Piezoelectricity - a "new" source of power

INTRO:

Los Angeles is the car capital of the world. But now the city's distinct car culture is being used to test a unique renewable energy source. Piezoelectricity (PRON: Pee-AY-zoh) converts the vibrations from traveling cars into electricity. Millions of dollars has been invested to test the technology and, if successful, it could go global. Frances Read reports.

IN: "Every day…
OUT: LOS ANGELES.
DUR: 1,53"


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PKG:

VO: Every day on Los Angeles' freeways, there are millions of cars, traveling trillions of miles. But according to some - they're an untapped source of power. California is the home of renewable energy - but here they're pushing for a brand new kind. Road power - otherwise known as piezoelectricity. Tiny battery cells would be embedded into the roadway converting vibrations from cars into power. Mike Gatto is a State Commissioner in California.

CLIP: "We're a very big car culture here, Californian's love to drive, our state is huge and it's criss-crossed with millions of miles of roads so makes sense to try to use Some of that excess energy. You can imagine how much they vibrate the ground beneath them and these little tiny devices actually capture those vibrations and turns them into electric power."

VO: Some say, a small stretch of highway here in California could be enough to power an entire city for a year. But using piezoelectricity has never been tried on that kind of scale before. And so now two million dollars is being invested to try to get it off the ground. But it's not without drawbacks. Rehan Kapadia is a professor of engineering at the University of Southern California. He says there's a reason it's always been kept small scale. Quite simply, you can't get enough power from it. At least not yet.  

CLIP: "You need to be able to generate enough current. That's not the strength of piezoelectricity generators. I don't think it will be the next solar or wind power I think that there's just been a lot more development in both of those areas so far."

VO: With its endless freeways and traffic jams that last for hours, if it's going to work anywhere it'll be here in LA. But even if successful - it could be several years before our cars power our homes. Frances Read, Los Angeles.

Mixed Martial Arts' newest star says the sport is taking off

Later this month Mixed Martial Arts star Conor McGregor will fight ring boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in a 500 million dollar boxing match.
 
For many years mixed martial arts or MMA was seen as a brutal, niche sport hobby with unregulated fights held in dingy bars and clubs.
 
But now the sport's main championship, Las Vegas-based UFC, says it's the fastest growing sports organization in the world.
 
Harry Horton has been to meet MMA's newest star who's helping grow the sport's audience in Asia...
 

IN: "They call him..."
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2"38



SCRIPT:

They call him the Burmese Python. His right hook causes quite a sting.

Aung La Nsang came to the US from his native Myanmar to study. He developed a passion for mixed martial arts and has never looked back.

In June he travelled to Yangon, Myanmar for the fight of his life. He beat Russia's Vitaly Bigdash to claim the middleweight title in Singapore-based One Championship.

Back there he's a superstar, but in Baltimore where he trains and lives, he's almost anonymous.

<<SOT: Aung La Nsang, MMA fighter / ONE Championship Middleweight World Champion>>
"I still feel like I'm a normal person, you know. I'm just a regular person. But over there people will stop and take pictures with you, they'll crowd you and make you feel real special!"

The One Championship broadcasts in 128 countries around the world, and says MMA's fan base in Asia exceeds 500 million people.

It's catching up with the Ultimate Fighting Championship - which says its fights reaches 800 million TV households worldwide.

Phoenix Carnavale is a former fighter turned journalist and says Aung has the potential to become a global star.

<<SOT: Phoenix Carnavale, Martial Arts Media Personality>>
"You get big in mixed martial arts not only by your skills but by your personality, who you are. When he won a championship this was an entire country that was behind him. So he can be very big."
Aung got his nickname during early fights in the bars and clubs of Indiana.

Organisers struggled to spell his name - so called him 'The Burmese Python' instead.

He says regulatory bodies have brought huge changes to the sport since he started fighting.

<<SOT: Aung La Nsang, MMA fighter / ONE Championship Middleweight World Champion>>
"The fight is commissioned, the fight is treated as a sport. It's on TV. That's not what is was when I first started. When I first started you were fighting in bars and clubs. It was a different story. It was still considered like cage fighting."

Whether in Myanmar or Maryland - Aung says his goal is to fight the very best in MMA… and be front and centre of the sport as it continues to grow.

SOC

Thursday, August 10, 2017

PKG: Trump says North Korean attack on Guam will spark US military response

US President Donald Trump has upped the ante once again in a war of words with North Korea that observers worry could lead to a real war.


The President says he's drawing a line in the sand on the beaches of Guam, the American territory in the Pacific that North Korea says it plans to attack.


Mr. Trump told reporters that any attack on Guam will be met with overwhelming US force against the North Korean regime.


Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.


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The President's comments on North Korea came after a  meeting with Vice President Mike Pence and National Security Adviser General HR McMaster….two of a host of top level Trump administration officials who have hot-footed it to the President's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey in a bid to understand precisely what his holiday thinking is about North Korea.

Before that meeting there was an indication that the President had no plan to back away from his threat to bring "fire and fury" to the Korean Peninsula.


AXX


But after the meeting….he went way, way further.


AXX


Those comments fly in the face of attempts by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to damp down the rhetoric and the risk of war in the Korean Peninsula.

As the President was making them….State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert was trying to assure reporters there's no risk of military confrontation because America's use of diplomatic pressure is working against North Korea.


AXX


But one of the President's advisers here in Washington, Sebastian Gorka, poured scorn on Rex Tillerson, saying the Secretary of State had no business discussing military options in North Korea.

That's further evidence of a rift ripping the Trump administration apart….just one week after we were all told new White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly was the man to bring order to chaos.

And there was more:  President Trump, for the first time, commented publicly on a decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to order the US to downscale its diplomatic presence in the country by 755 positions.

With scores of American diplomats being thrown out of Russia….would the President announce a tit-for-tat response?

You've got to be kidding.


AXX


Shameful….unbelievable….extroardinary:  the reactions of some foreign policy veterans in Washington to the President's remarks.

They have one again shown that when it comes to North Korea….he'll go toe-to-toe against Kim Jong Un.

But when it comes to Russia, he rolls over like a pussycat.


SOC

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Young Nigerian peace activist advises US government

A young man from north east Nigeria where terror group Boko Haram attack every day, has been sharing what he's learned about tackling violent extremism with US government officials and peace groups in Washington.
Imrana Buba is the founder of Youth Coalition Against Terrorism, a Nigerian youth-led peace-building organisation. 
His advocacy work has caught the eye of world leaders and now he's at the centre of discussions in the US about how to strengthen the role young people can play to reduce violence and oppose extremism in their countries. 
Kate Fisher reports from Washington

IN: Violent conflicts
OUT: soc
DUR: 2'26"


SCRIPT:
Violent conflicts are concentrated heavily in countries with large youth populations - like Nigeria and South Sudan - so the input of young people is vital to achieving peace - two years ago the United Nations security council adopted a resolution on youth, peace and security working towards just that. Experts have gathered in Washington to discuss its progress. Imrana Buba told them about his experiences in Nigeria:

SOT: Imrana Buba, Founder
Youth Coalition Against Terrorism (Nigeria)
"We have bomb attacks on daily basis and when i look at nature of conflict most of victims are young people and most of the perpetrators are young people at the same time. That is what redefined my vision and inspired me to do something. We have established peace clubs in 46 schools. In total we have 600 members and they meet regularly."

VO: Young people make up 72% of the population in war torn South Sudan - So it's crucial to engage them in promoting peace says youth worker Jacob Bul:

SOT: Jacob Bul, Youth worker, South Sudan
"Most of us were born in war so why don't we step up and create a future for oursleves and when is that future starting? It's today. And we help the youth of south sudan to take up the ownership of our country" 

VO: The panel all agreed that best way to turn young people away from violence was to involve them at every stage of the process:

SOT: Aubrey Cox, Senior Program Specialist, U.S. Institute of Peace 
 "The most effective programmes are youth developed, youth initiated, youth led. So the more that the internationalt community can support the more these youth led organisations will thrive"

SOT: Andy Rabens, Special Advisor, Department of State 

"We have this unique moment based on the gains of the past couple of years to try to deliver this knock out punch in certain parts of the glosbe to this extremist ideology. And if we're gonna do that i really think we need to a better job of enlisting young voices"

VO: Something the panel says is becoming more and more important with 1 billion young people affected by violence every year across the world.
kate fisher, Washington

PKG: Trump threatens North Korea with unprecedented "fire and fury"

US President Donald Trump has upped-the-ante in the war of words between Washington and North Korea.


He's threatening Kim Jong Un with American "fire and fury" unless the North Korean regime steps back from the nuclear brink.


The President's comments have raised possibility that the US may take unilateral military action in a bid to reverse the progress North Korea has been making developing a military nuclear capability.


Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.


IN:  "The words were….."

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The words were astonishing….and if you saw them written down on a piece of paper, you might have thought they were uttered by Kim Jong Un, not President Trump.

But interrupting what he insists is a "working" holiday in New Jersey, the President issued a stark warning to North Korea:  back off, or prepare to face the consequences.


AXX


Quite what the President means by that is unclear:  The world, after all,  witnessed two nuclear strikes by the United States on Japan at the end of the Second World War….not to mention the kind of scorched-earth warfare that pockmarked Vietnam….Bosnia…and more recently Iraq and Afghanistan.

But the President's comments, even if they were hyperbole, were the first indication that he is serious about the possibility of taking military action against North Korea….even though his own Sectetary of State, Rex Tillerson, said last week that America's options there are "limited", and do not include the deployment of force north of the 38th parallel.

But other voices here…..perhaps even voices President Trump is hearing….take a different view.

Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters is a military analyst on the President's favorite television channel, Fox News.


AXX


Those comments, and the Preisdent's,. came amid reports that North Korea has now miniaturized a nuclear warhead that could, theoretically, be mounted on missiles that could, in turn theoretically reach US shores.

But there are voices here urging calm….and some of them belong prominent Republicans.


AXX


That's Senator John McCain….who told KTAR Radio in his home state of Arizona that he thinks…as they say in Arizona….that President Trump's comments were all hat and no cattle.


AXX


But there's no denying that the war of words between Washington and Pyongyang has at least entered a new, deeply unstable phase.

Two world leaders….Donald Trump and Kim Jongh Un…each of them of deeply unpredictable…each of them apparently relishing confrontation…..and possibly each of them now with their fingers on a nuclear button.


SOC


Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Refugee chefs bring new flavors to Washington

A new food delivery service is aiming to bring Americans a taste of their country's immigrant and refugee communities. 
The company is called Foodhini – and it's now offering Syrian and Laotian cuisine in the US capital.  Andrea Arenas has this report.


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TAKE PACKAGE


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UPSOUNDS - KITCHEN NOISES 

TRACK

Eight months ago,  Noobstaa Philip Vang - the son of two Hmong refugees - opened Foodhini in Washington, a food delivery startup that he says is unlike any other.

SOT:
Noobstaa Philip Vang, Founder and CEO, Foodhini
"It really kind of circled back to my mom's story, coming here as a refugee. Not having opportunities for work, but already having a great skill which is cooking her native cultural foods."

TRACK
One of Foodhini's missions is to employ immigrants and refugees. At a time when the Trump administration has acted to limit the number of refugees allowed to enter the U.S. -- and is pushing further restrictions on immigrants, Vang sees the value in diversity.

SOT
Noobstaa Philip Vang, Founder and CEO of Foodhini
"We really value and understand that what makes a meal really special is the person behind it. I think that some of the best meals I have ever had is when I go to my friend's house, or my grandma's house, or an auntie, and I know that they put their time and their energy into making that meal... for some reason it always just tastes better."

TRACK
Chef Majed, escaped war-torn Syria two years ago, and has been employed by Foodhini for the past eight months.
Although he is still learning English, he says he's been working hard over the past two years to find success in America.

SOT 
Chef Majed, Syrian Refugee
"My dream, open restaurant for me, make a menu special for Chef Majed."
TRACK
Every week Foodhini prepares about 150 three-course meals. Each one costs about 40 dollars.
But Foodhini does more than just provide a job for immigrants and refugees. It forges a relationship between the chefs and their customers. 
Included in every meal is a note explaining how best to enjoy the food.
Alix Haber, Business Strategist for Foodhini describes one note from Chef Majed.

SOT: 
Alix Haber, Business Strategy, Foodhini 
"It talks about how he ended up becoming a chef //So like this customer ordered Fattoush - And he recommends that you eat the Fattoush with the pita chips that come along with it."

TRACK
Noobsta Vang hopes as he expands his business he will soon be able to add more world flavors to this local kitchen... and bring opportunity to more people like Chef Majed.
Andrea Arenas, Washington

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