Sunday, April 22, 2018

Gaming addiction clampdown could impact esports in China

It's estimated that over 50 million people in China play the mobile
game Honor of Kings everyday.

It's so popular that last year, the game's owner Tencent put a limit
on the amount of hours young people can play it.

But some fear such measures could strike a blow to the growing mobile
gaming industry.

William Denselow reports from Beijing.

IN: "The next competition..."
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Friday, April 20, 2018

Waste-free efforts underway for Earth Day

This year's Earth Day [Sunday 22nd April] comes amid growing calls to cut plastics out of our lives. 

The United Nations estimates up to 12 million tons of plastic waste end up the oceans every year - and by 2050 plastic in the seas will outnumber fish. 

Some people have already eliminated plastic from there lives. But how difficult is it to go waste-free? 

Nick Harper reports from New York. 

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TAKE PKG


TAKE VO
Worried that the planet is wasting away Annika Schimmer is going waste free.
She's part of the growing movement of people trying to eliminate plastic waste from their lives.

SOT - Annika Schimmer, Health coach
"In the beginning, if you're not used to it, it can be overwhelming because almost everything is in plastic. So what I would recommend for someone who wants to do that is definitely step-by-step. Maybe this week I'm going to avoid these tiny little bags for fruit and vegetables."

TAKE VO
She's changed her shopping habits and says it's helped her save money and eat more healthily. It means taking reusable cloth bags to the supermarket

SOT - Annika Schimmer, Waste-free consumer
"This one is for salad, kale, all that good stuff. These things, I use for nuts for example. You just put them in here instead of getting all this plastic stuff."

TAKE VO
Companies are also cashing in on waste-conscious consumers. Offering package-free items and alternatives to plastic products - like stainless steel straws and wooden toothbrushes.

TAKE VO
Others, like Bea Johnson, are using social media to spread the message.

upsound - "So this is the trash that my family produced in 2017."

TAKE VO
A year's worth of non-recyclable waste from the Johnson house fits in a small handheld mason jar. Her blog has turned her into a consultant - this year she's speaking at the United Nations about waste management.

SOT - Bea Johnson, Author 'Zero Waste Home'
"Every time we buy something we have the power to support the practice that is either sustainable or is not. So when we have the choice as the consumer to buy packaged or unpacked, well if you buy packaged it's a way for you to say 'I love packaging, and I dream of a world filled with packaging for our children' - and more packaging will be created."

TAKE VO
Globally, plastic trash is on rise. New research shows a giant area of floating plastic off the west coast of America is now three times the size of France.
But in fast paced cities like New York the need for convenience can make waste reduction difficult.
TAKE VO
New York City collects around 600,000 tons of recyclable products every year. But half of what gets thrown away could get recycled.
TAKE VO
The city is proposing a ban on plastic bags and styrofoam, commonly used in fast food containers. But companies are fighting back. Here's Gregory Anderson, from the NYC Department of Sanitation. 

SOT - Gregory Anderson, NYC Department of Sanitation
"There are other business that are focused on the bottom line. So business that manufacture plastic bags, they want those plastic bags to stay in use. So we have a lot of opposition from the plastics industry, from the makers of styrofoam, they want to see the status quo continue."

TAKE VO
New York ambitiously aims to send zero waste to landfills by 2030.
It now needs residents to waste no opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle.
SOC

ENDS


PKG: Is the U.S. ready for cyber warfare?

From accusations of meddling in the presidential elections, fake news on Facebook, and finding footholds to shutdown US power plants, security experts say countries like Russia could have the ability to wage cyber warfare on the US.

The US and UK have accused Russia of backing hackers to infiltrate their infrastructure - whether it be hospitals, businesses or the government.

Frances Read looks at whether the US is ready to deal with the threat - and if America needs to do more to protect itself.

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PKG SCRIPT:

VO1: Behind closed doors - the world has a new battleground. Cyber warriors specially trained to protect a country's infrastructure - but also to potentially attack another's. With tensions rising across the globe there are questions about the sophistication of this new warfare - and who would win a battle in cyberspace. This is not science fiction... The US blamed Russia for cyber attacks targeting American power grids. And it took sanctions against the country for interfering in the US presidential elections.

BOBBY CHACON, Former FBI Agent: "I have no doubt that all future warfare will contain a cyber element."

VO2: Bobby Chacon is a former FBI agent. He says the US was taken by surprise.

BOBBY CHACON, Former FBI Agent: "The US was a little behind the ball we didn't expect it so I think after the 2016 election it was a huge learning curve by the states and homeland security and they've gone to work on a lot of things to correct those mistakes and fast because the Russians realized they were successful to some degree in meddling in our elections that only encourages them to keep doing it."

VO3: In the developed world - so much relies on the internet - from our finances to our healthcare. And the question is just how vulnerable that makes us - could a cyber attack affect ordinary citizens - shutting down access to our money, our cities, and our lives with just the push of a button? Banking experts say that's not the case. And that they've adapted to stay ahead of the game. Bill Nelson is CEO at the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

BILL NELSON, FINANCIAL SERVICES INFORMATION SHARING AND ANALYSIS CENTER "I think the diversification of the banking industry means it's difficult to go after the entire banking industry you might be able to attack a few banks and we've seen some of that in the past attributed to nation states. Was it crippling, not exactly, was it inconvenient, yes. So we're seeing the volume and sophistication increase and as the attackers are raising their capabilities we're raising our bar too and creating better defenses."

VO4: But to really keep ahead of would-be hackers, security experts say we need a total revamp of the way we rely on the internet.

PROF CLIFFORD NEUMAN, USC'S CENTER FOR SYSTEMS SECURITY: "Clearly not enough is being done I think we need to rethink the way we design all our systems."

VO5: Professor Clifford Neuman from the University of Southern California say our current expectations are making us more vulnerable.

PROFESSOR CLIFFORD NEUMAN, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA  "Nowadays everyone is demanding instant access into all their information whether controlling their air conditioning in their home, which is tied into the power grid for example or access all of their bank accounts from their smartphone and when this gives them access it gives hackers access as well so in order to protect our systems is two things - we need to move back to some level of isolation. There should be certain things you can't do unless you are physically present ."

VO6: But that will inevitably mean change. And lot of what's going on behind closed doors is a secret. No country wants to say how far it is ahead, or behind, on the frontline of this very new combat zone. I'm Frances Read in Los Angeles.

First Sri Lankan museum rebuilds image

The island nation of Sri Lanka suffered almost three devastating
decades of civil war.

Now, almost ten years after the end of the violence Sri Lankans are
still trying to rebuild their country's image.

As part of that, a Sri Lankan cultural museum, believed to be the only
one outside of Sri Lanka, has opened in New York City.

It's the brainchild of a Sri Lankan-American teenager whose love of
art cultivated a longing to show her parents' home country to the rest
of the world.

Nick Harper reports from the New York borough of Staten Island.

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TAKE VO
Julia Wijesinghe requested a rather unusual present for her 18th
birthday: a museum.
She became interested in collecting Sri Lankan art four years ago
during a summer visit to her grandmother's home.
Last year she paid for a 7 meter shipping container to bring her
collection back to America.
Her mission is to bring the heritage of her ancestral island nation to
New York's Staten Island, where she grew up.

SOT - Julia Wijesinghe, Sri Lankan Art and Cultural Museum, Curator
"Everyday I learn something different and I educate myself and then I
share it with everyone else that comes by."

TAKE VO
Staten Island is home to one of the world's largest Sri Lankan communities.
Like Sri Lanka, it's a mix of ethnicities and religions in the
northern part of this New York borough.
Tilan Munachainghe and Roshan Werasingh are visiting the museum for
the first time.

SOT - Tilan Munachainghe
"This is like the small Sri Lanka right here. When you come here - I
feel like I'm in Sri Lanka right now. When I see all these Sri Lanka
people, it just makes me happy."

SOT - Roshan Werasingh
"A lot of people don't know about the culture that makes our way of
life the way it is. And it's very unique to see something like this,
especially in our neighbourhood."

TAKE VO
The exhibition includes Vesmuhunu, or devil masks, for curing
illnesses. As well as musicals instruments and traditional wedding
outfits.
And an array of deities from the island's different religions.
TAKE VO
At its heart this museum will help to teach people about the rich
cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. But it may also help them to overcome
any negative preconceptions that have been caused by the country's
more troubled recent history.

TAKE VO
It's a cultutal museum and does not mentioned the more than 25-year
civil war, through the 80s, 90s and 2000s. But Julia hopes to help the
image of her homeland.

SOT - Julia Wijesinghe, Sri Lankan Art and Cultural Museum, Curator
"I wanted to bring back unity, because Sri Lanka is known to have
Tamil, Hinduism, Muslim, and Sinhalese so unity is a big idea for me
here as well."

TAKE VO
And that idea of inclusiveness spreads beyond the museum, with a
chance for visitors to take away part of it with them.
Julia now plans to run her museum between her university studies. And
find time for more trips and more collecting back in Sri Lanka.
SOC

ENDS

Kung fu looks to fight off competition

The Shaolin Temple in China's Henan Province was founded in 495 AD and
is the home of Shaolin Kung Fu. A practice that combines martial arts
with Zen Buddhism.

People travel from around the world to be trained by its monks but
some fear younger generations are turning to other fighting styles
like Mixed Martial Arts.

But those that have studied the craft say Kung fu remains the ideal
escape from the modern day hustle and bustle.

William Denselow reports from Henan Province in China.

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

French lower food waste with supermarket law

Do you ever think about how much food you waste? Around the world, about a third of all food is thrown away. But in France, they're trying to stamp out food waste – through a progressive law passed in 2016, requiring supermarkets to donate unsold products to food banks. Our correspondent Lucy Taylor reports on how well it's working, two years on.


IN: In a small...
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Belt and Road Plan Impacting Lives of people in remote parts of China

By one estimate, China's Belt and Road Initiative could impact around
one-third of global gross domestic product.

And the Chinese are certainly eager to get the massive infrastructure
project off the ground. Officials in places like the province of Henan
hope it will get their economy humming, too.

It's traditionally been one of China's poorest regions, but as William
Denselow reports, its location in the center of the country has given
it a key role in the multi-billion dollar initiative. But not everyone
in the province is able to take advantage.



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China looks to grow green bus industry but pollution issues linger

China is promising to be a world leader on protecting the environment,
despite facing major challenges at home.

The government in Beijing is funding clean technologies such as
electric vehicles and solar panels.

But despite its investment, China continues to battle poor air and
water quality as one of the world's most polluted nations.

William Denselow reports from Zhengzhou, China.


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Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Despite strong growth, concerns over trade war high on agenda at IMF meetings

After years of slow growth, the US economy is showing signs of improvement.

The country is operating at full employment and job seekers are more confident that their search will be short lived. 

But now there are concerns about the implications of an impending trade war.

That's high on the agenda as the global financial sector gathers in Washington for the International Monetary Fund's Spring Meetings, as our US correspondent Kate Fisher reports.
 
IN: Deborah Mansfield
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DUR: 1'51"

Future U.S. role in international institutions under Trump administration

There's growing concern among supporters of the IMF and World Bank over Donald Trump's recent appointment of John Bolton as National Security Adviser.. 

The Former UN Ambassador has expressed strong opposition to aspects of these institutions and America's role within them.  

Bolton's tenure in the Trump Administration comes as Spring meetings at the IMF and World Bank get underway….

Our US correspondent Kevin McAleese reports….

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Tesla hopes softening trade relations will accelerate sales

China's electric vehicle market may be booming but green car makers
from the U.S. are struggling to get into gear there.

A trade dispute between Beijing and Washington is ongoing but as
William Denselow reports, the road may be clearing for foreign auto
makers to operate in the country.

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Barbara Bush dies age 92


Former Former US First Lady Barbara Bush has died at the age of 92. 

A statement from the office of her husband, President George HW Bush, described her as a "relentless proponent of family literacy".

Earlier this week Mrs Bush said she wanted to spend her last days in "comfort care" with her family.

Harry Horton looks back at her legacy.

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SCRIPT

She was wife to one president and mother to another - the straight talking matriarchal figure of the Bush political dynasty.

She was known for her snow-white hair and dubbed 'the enforcer' by her family.

A widely admired First Lady, she championed family literacy and civil rights.

She fiercely defended her husband in public - and supported her sons George and Jeb in their presidential campaigns.

When Jeb came under fire from Donald Trump in 2016, Mrs Bush wasn't afraid to hit back.

<<TAKE SOT: BARBARA BUSH, SPEAKING IN 2016 (CNN)>>

She was also known for her quick wit - on display at a University address when protesters complained she wasn't feminist enough.

<<TAKE SOT: BARBARA BUSH, SPEAKING IN 1990>>

Barbara and George HW Bush celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in January.

She said she wanted to be remebered as someone who worked hard to make America more literate. And as a wife, mother and grandmother.

<CLIP>

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

F1 aims for pole position in China

Formula One is under new management and the holders of the sport's
commercial rights have pledged to do more to attract people to the
sport.

The season has already begun but the Chinese Grand Prix is the first
race accompanied by a fan festival.

Officials at F1 now hope events like this can help drive the sport's popularity.

William Denselow reports from Shanghai.

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{TAKE PACKAGE}

TAKE VO:
A race to win over new fans is underway.
With the Chinese Grand Prix taking place just up the road from here-
this festival in downtown Shanghai provides another way to get people
involved. The race is shown on big screens and a series of interactive
driving games have been setup along the street too.
The idea is to get fans clo ser to the action.

TAKE VOX POPS:
VOX 1: We tried a simulation race game, a game in 3D, and another one,
all good fun!
VOX 2: When I got here, and dived into this culture, I now know why so
many people are attracted to this game.
VOX 3: The carnival has a strong interactive sense, participation is
good, weather is good too, so it's an enjoyable learning experience.

TAKE VO:
This is the first official F1 fan festival of the season with three
more planned in Marseille, Berlin and Miami.

U.S. company Liberty Media bought the sport's commercial rights last
year and pledge to make the fan experience a greater priority. China
is seen as a good venue to test whether their tactics are on the right
track.

The growth of Formula 1 in China hasn't been a one-way street. Races
attendances have dropped since the first Grand Prix held here back in
2004. But the hope is that events like this can start to rev up a
sustained interest in the sport.

TAKE VO:
Other initiatives are underway to try and accelerate the sport's
growth in China. McLaren driver Fernando Alonso has announced that 40
Go Kart tracks will be built here over the next five years.

Motorsport reporter Michael Butterworth says for the sport to thrive
in China, it needs to grow from the ground up.

TAKE SOT: Super-
Michael Butterworth, Motorsport Reporter
"There is a certain interest in China, you obviously see obviously
lots of people here this weekend but that's not going to change
overnight. The biggest thing that's going to get lots and lots more
Chinese fans is if you have a Chinese driver or a Chinese team. That's
the real thing I think."

TAKE VO:
The shakeup at the top of F1 is affecting the teams too. They've been
encouraged to embrace social media and create more buzz around the
sport.
Racing Managing Director for Renault Sport Cyril Abiteboul
acknowledges it's an expensive sport and say it's important to keep
connecting with fans.

TAKE SOT: Super-
Cyril Abiteboul, Racing Managing Director, Renault Sport
"As we're working on that aspect on the long term trying to make it
more affordable for everyone and have a business model that's more
sustainable for everyone, we're also working on ways to engage with
them and that's precisely the purpose of the fan festival."

TAKE VO:
Teams here say the sport still needs to be fine tuned. Plans are
underway to make it more competitive and unpredictable. The hope is
that initiatives like this can fuel interest in F1 for years to come.

William Denselow, Shanghai.

China boosts football with foreign players

China's domestic football clubs have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on foreign players but it's failing to translate into immediate success.

President Xi Jinping wants to see China rise in footballing ranks but they will be watching the 2018 Football World Cup from home after failing to qualify for Russia.

William Denselow in Shanghai reports now on how football officials hope a change in tactics will help make the president's hope a reality.

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{TAKE PACKAGE}

TAKE VO:
He's a teacher as well as a teammate.
This January Hebei China Fortune signed Javier Mascherano from Barcelona.
Fans here ahead of a match against Shanghai SIPG believe foreign players have had a positive impact but it hasn't yet translated into success for their national team. And some are losing patience.

TAKE SOT:
VOX 1: The national team improved a lot from the past. But the other teams improved faster.
VOX 2: I think they perform better for their clubs. I don't know why.
VOX 3: The national team are lying down on the job. I don't have other words to describe it.

TAKE VO:
Chinese clubs spent more than 400 million dollars during the 2016 winter transfer window. That's over 100 million dollars more than English teams. But the goalposts appear to be shifting after a rule change introduced by the Chinese Football Association.
Mascherano was the biggest star to come to China this winter but cost less than seven million dollars- pocket money in today's game. Clubs in China are now subject to a 100% tax on transfers more than seven million dollars and that cash goes towards developing the game at the grass-roots level.
Vítor Pereira- Shanghai SIPG's head coach says the experience from overseas players is still important.

TAKE VO: Super- Vítor Pereira, Head Coach, Shanghai SIPG
"If you come here to bring something different, to improve in the tactical behaviors, I think we can help this league, everybody, the national team also."

TAKE VO:
Founder of China Sports Insider Mark Dreyer says the failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia in June was a disappointment but not a surprise for many fans.

TAKE SOT: Super-
Mark Dreyer, Founder, China Sports Insider
"Towards the end of 2014 China decided that it wanted to grow its sports industry then at the beginning of 2015 there was a 50 point reform plan for soccer and that was really reforming the game from top to bottom."

TAKE VO:
Jin Yuxuan is captain of the Beijing Phoenix under 16s. She says these reforms are starting to kick in.

TAKE SOT: Super-
Jin Yuxuan, Captain, Beijing Phoenix Football Club, Under 16s
"Defiantly more kids are playing football in physical education classes. At present, football is the biggest sport."

TAKE VO:
President Xi Jinping wants China to win the World Cup by 2050. It's an ambitious plan and many hope the next generation will get their shot.

William Denselow, Shanghai.

Friday, April 13, 2018

UN chief urges unity on Syria

The United Nations chief is calling on members of the UN Security
Council to act "responsibly" regarding the recent alleged chemical
weapons use in Syria.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres instructed the body to create an
investigation team, warning a lack of compromise could lead to a "full
blown military escalation."

Nick Harper reports from New York.

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TAKE VO
On the fourth day this week of emergency Syria meetings, the UN chief
was like a weary parent admonishing his children. Antonio Guterres
expressed not his anger, but his disappointment that the Security
Council can not agree to work together.

SOT - Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General: "I urge all members to
act responsibly in these dangerous circumstances, and I appeal to the
Security Council to fulfill its duties and not give up on efforts to
agree upon a dedicated, impartial, objective and independent mechanism
for attributing responsibility with regard to the use of chemical
weapons"

TAKE VO
The US accused Syria of using chemical weapons at least 50 times.
While Russia accused western nations of orchestrating a regime change.
TAKE VO
And away from the meeting Russia's defence ministry blamed the UK for
faking the chemical weapons attack on Douma. Here's Spokesman for
Russia Defense Ministry, Major-General Igor Konashenkov.

SOT - Major-General Igor Konashenkov, Spokesman for Russia Defense
Ministry: "Today Russian military department has other evidence that
proves direct participation of Britain in organising this provocation
in eastern Ghouta."

TAKE VO
Back at the UN, the UK's ambassador Karen Pierce said that was flatly false.

SOT - Karen Pierce, UK ambassador to the UN: "This is grotesque, it is
a blatant lie, it is some of the worst piece of fake news we've yet
seen from the Russia propaganda machine."

TAKE VO
Images from the attack on the Damascus suburb last weekend provoked an
international outcry - and calls for the UN to investigate.
But a previous chemical weapons investigation team was disbanded last
November after Russia refused to renew its mandate. And forming a new
one is proving controversial.
Three proposals were voted down by the Council earlier this week.
Sweden has now put forward a fourth resolution to create an
investigation team. No word on when the Council will vote - but fears
are it will suffer the same fate as the other three vetoed
resolutions.
SOC
ENDS

PKG: Trump calls Comey an "untruthful slime ball" as book takes its toll

It's the best-selling book in America….and it hasn't even hit the book-shops yet.


The former FBI Director James Comey has been called an "untruthful slime ball" by President Trump for claims made in his memoir, "A Higher Loyalty".


Mr. Comey offers a devastating portrayal of life in Donald Trump's inner circle, calling the President "untethered from reality" and equating him with a Mafia kingpin.


Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.


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That President Trump and James Comey are on the outs is news to no one in Washington DC.

Ever since the President fired the FBI Director - accusing him of mishandling the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private e-mail server when she was Barack Obama's Secretary of State - the two men have been at loggerheads.

And so it was on President Trump's Twitter account, where America's Commander in Chief described Mr. Comey as an "untruthful slime ball" and a "terrible" Director of the FBI.

An opinion perhaps fueled by the release of excerpts by ABC News from the first TV interview Mr, Comey has given about his book….and his first conversation with the then President-elect about Russian meddling in the 2016 election.


Untitled 41


In his book Mr. Comey describes the President as "unthethered from reality"….and "fixated" on disproving the salacious claims, contained in a dossier authored by former British intelligence chief Christopher Steele.

Mr. Steele said the Kremlin had videotape of the President consorting with prostitutes in Moscow, and the President told Mr. Comey that his wife Melania was worried that the tape might exist.


Untitled 42


The White House has gone full bore dismissing the book, and its author.

The President's spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders…..


Untitled 40


And there's even a website:  lyincomey dot com where the President's supporters have placed a video in which Democrats - at the time furious with Mr. Comey for re-opening the investigation into Mrs. Clinton  - rail against him.


AXX


But all the video in the world isn't depressing sales of Mr. Comey's book:  he's already the best-selling author in America, based on preorders.

His tome isn't even in the bookshops yet.

More concerning for the White House:  poll numbers that show in a straight match-up more Americans trust Mr. Comey to be telling the truth than the President.


SOC


Thursday, April 12, 2018

PKG: US government seeks to reverse vehicle emissions standards

In the US - the Trump administration is looking to reverse rules which cut back on greenhouse gas emissions. 

The rolling back of vehicle exhaust standards, set by the Obama administration, puts the government on a legal collision course with the state of California... as Frances Read reports from Los Angeles.

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PKG:

TRUMP CLIP: "Obama is talking about all of this with the global warming and a lot of it is a hoax - it's a hoax."

VO1: Even before he was president - Donald Trump made his feelings on climate change known. It's angered scientists and environmentalists around the world - and his government's latest move won't do much to placate them… rolling back vehicle emission standards that were designed by Obama's government - with the aim of cutting oil consumption and making the US more environmentally friendly.

PRUITT CLIP: "What was done in 2012, as we evaluate it now, is not appropriate going forward."

VO2: Scott Pruitt, is the administrator of the environmental protection agency…. and announced that the EPA would review the standards set by the last government.

PRUITT CLIP: "This president has shown tremendous courage in saying to the American people that America is going to be put first. The importance of auto manufacturing in this country - the president is saying once again saying - we are going to put America first and we have nothing to be apologetic about in respect to the progress we've made we've led the world in reduction of GHG. Through technology and innovation and the auto sector has been the leader of that through better design and better technology."

VO3: But the announcement to reverse vehicle emissions policies puts the US federal government on a collision course with California. Almost 15 million cars are registered here. And the state says it will fight to retain the current standards... legally, if necessary. Mike Gatto is a state commissioner and says California has been the leader in pushing for greener standards.

MIKE GATTO CLIP: "I don't think clean air is a Democratic or Republican issue or a liberal or conservative issue, I think clean air is just about being able to tell your child that he or she can go outside and play and not worry about their lungs getting hurt. California has a tremendous car culture, we believe driving is a birthright. With the high number of miles the average Californian drives it's very important those miles are not that polluting. People know California as the 6th or 7th biggest economy in the world, we represent over one tenth of the US so we carry some heft. And what we do here in California matters profoundly not just for the US but the rest of the world."

VO4: But any fight will not be easy. It could split the US into two separate markets - with weaker rules in some states than others… and causing yet more divides in Donald Trump's America. I'm Frances Read in Los Angeles. 

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

PKG: Zuckerberg faces rough ride on Capitol Hill on second day of testimony

The founder and CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg faced a second day of tough questions on Capitol Hill about whether his firm can be trusted to protect the privacy of the social media platform's users.


He was testifying before members of the House of Representatives, and had much rougher ride than he faced 24 hours earlier in the US Senate.


Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.


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For a total of 10 hours over two days Mark Zuckerberg sat before members of Congress and faced the music.

Sometimes, it almost seemed like he was schooling his grand-dad in some of the basics surrounding Facebook and social media in general.

There was this exchange with a remarkably uniformed Republican Senator Orrin Hatch.


AXX


But in the House of Representatives yesterday a younger generation of American politicians came after him.

Among them, Republican Congressman Greg Walden from Oregon.


AXX


And New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone.  


AXX


The news of the day was made by a Congresswoman from California, Democrat Anna Eshoo who had the presence of mind to ask Mark Zuckerberg this question about the data breaches that have dogged his company and millions of its users.


AXX 


And she wasn't finished there.


AXX


That prevarication when answering a pretty straightforward question about Facebook's responsibilities left many members of Congress scratching their heads.

And Congresswoman Jan  Schakowsky from Illinois reciting a long litany of previous apologies voiced by Mark Zuckerberg over his company's conduct.


AXX


She scoffed at the idea that self-regulation of Facebook could work, and wanted to know how long Congress, and everyone, will have to wait before the company knows just how many people had their privacy breached by the 9 millions apps within the Facebook ecosystem.


AXX


Mark Zuckerberg also faced a barrage of questions about whether Conservatives have been disproportionately targeted for sanction by Facebook.

He described regulation of his industry as "inevitable"….a seeming nod to the idea that after these hearings, something is going to be done.

But what that proves to be is now in the lap of politicians….some of whom revealed that they have a very limited understanding of the role social media plays in contemporary societies.


SOC


France: Businesses count the cost of strikes

Businesses in France are starting to count the costs of rolling national strikes by railway workers. The state-owned rail company SNCF says it has already lost more than 120 million dollars. And the damage could be felt by many other sectors of the economy.


IN: On strike days..
OUT: Lucy Taylor, Paris

Friday, April 6, 2018

U.S. job growth slows in March

The U.S. economy showed modest job numbers last month

Just over 100,000 were added, well below analysts' forecasts

In Washington Kevin McAleese has the details...

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Thursday, April 5, 2018

Russia & UK trade blows at UN over poisoning

Russia and the Western members of the United Nations Security Council
have clashed over the alleged poisoning of a former Russian spy.

In a bizarrely theatrical meeting the Russian ambassador ran through a
litany of reasons why his country could not have carried out the
attack.

The UK and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
are currently investigating last month's attack in the UK town of
Salisbury.

The UK and Western nations say Moscow sanctioned the attack.

Nick Harper reports from the UN in New York.

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TAKE VO
This was one of the strangest meetings of recent times.
There was lots of squabbling, lots of dramatics, and lots of cultural
references never normally mentioned in the UN Security Council.
In a 40 minute speech the Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzya said
mass media turned people into zombies, referenced Dostoevsky's Crime
and Punishment, spoke knowledgeably about the UK TV crime drama
Midsomer Murders, and spent several minutes reading from a copy of
Alice in Wonderland.
He again denied that his country was behind the attack on Sergei
Skripal and his daughter last month.
And lashed out at the Western nations unified response of expelling
Russian diplomats.

SOT - Vassily Nebenzya, Russia's Ambassador to the UN:
"This is a coordinated, very well prepared campaign, prepared in
advance. It's not by chance. The main goal is clear, it is to
discredit and even delegitimize Russia.

TAKE VO
The UK's new ambassador Karen Pierce questioned Russia's decision to
call this emergency meeting.
She said the independent investigation by the Organisation for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was not yet complete.
And she shot back at Moscow's suggestion to partner with the UK to
jointly investigate the incident.

SOT - Karen Pierce, UK Ambassador to the UN:
"Mr. President there are several ways to view this joint
investigation. I think the metaphor that I find most apt is that of an
arsonist turned firefighter, but in this particular instance, the
arsonist wishes to investigate his own fire."

TAKE VO
The US representative criticized Russia for putting forward what she
called "conspiracy theories" and "disinformation".
Indeed some may see Russia's response in this meeting - at times
flippant, at times playful - as a way to bury the whole affair in a
multitude of denials and pure theatrics. Leading people down the same
rabbit warrens found mentioned in Alice in Wonderland.

ENDS

US tourism drops amid suspected 'Trump slump'

The United States is struggling to attract international tourists.

Government figures show an almost 4% drop off in visitors in the first
six months of last year, at a time when international tourism
worldwide grew.

To explain the decline some have pointed to the new US President - as
the decline coincides with Donald Trump entering the White House.

The tourism industry has signaled its concern by launching a Visit
U.S. Coalition to counter falling figures.

Nick Harper reports from tourist favorite New York.

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TAKE VO
Open for business but struggling to draw in the tourists.
Last year New York saw its first fall in international visitors in
almost a decade.
USA Guided Tours says its business suffered immediately after the
election, but has picked up since. Pedro Hidalgo is the company's
Operations Manager.

SOT - Pedro Hidalgo, USA Guided Tours, Operations Manager
"New York City is like a magnet. People always want to come to New
York City. We have clients that have saved for years to come to New
York City because it is an expensive city to come to. It's a place
everybody wants to be at some point in their life."

TAKE VO
In other parts of the US, numbers are also down. Globally, tourists
coming to America dropped 4% in the first six months of 2017. Visitors
from Asia fell by 7%.
Los Angeles bucked the trend, experiencing a record year, with the
biggest gains coming from South Korea and China.
The President has even felt the pinch. His New York hotels have
slashed prices by as much as a quarter to fill rooms.
TAKE VO
President Trump's critics believe his anti-immigration policies have
hurt America's global standing, pushing it into third place as the
'most popular country to visit', behind France and now Spain. But can
the President alone be blamed for this 'Trump Slump'?

TAKE VO
Other factors can influence travelers - like gun crime, a stronger
dollar, and for some Asian tourists in particular terrorism, according
to industry reports. Dan Peltier is a Tourism Reporter at Skift.

SOT - Dan Peltier, Skift, Tourism Reporter
"With China definitely - there's been a lot of research that shows
that when choosing a destination security is very top of mind. So
Chinese travelers will look negatively upon that and that will deter
many of them from coming."

TAKE VO
Travel industry experts say tariffs and trade wars may also do little
to promote an open door policy.
The US government is predicting an almost 4% rise in international
tourists this year.

SOT - Dan Peltier, Skift, Tourism Reporter
"I would be surprised. I think they're being very optimistic. It just
seems so insurmountable almost. We've had two years of declines so
3.7% growth would be a big turnaround."

TAKE VO
For now, tour operators continue to hustle for tourists dollars.
And the industry hopes, long term, Manhattan's gleaming towers will
prevent others factors from taking a bite out of the Big Apple's
tourist trade.
SOC

ENDS

Monday, April 2, 2018

America's Liberian community prepares for deportation

Liberians are the latest community impacted by the U.S. government's
crack down on legal and illegal immigration

Tens of thousands of Liberians escaped their country's civil war in
the 80s and 90s, finding refuge in the United States.

But U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered an end to a special
temporary protected status program, meaning more than 4,000 Liberian
immigrants will be deported in 12 months time.

Nick Harper reports from one of America's largest affected
communities, in New York's Staten Island.

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TAKE VO
Learning to live with the consequences. At this education center on
Staten Island the Liberian community is working out what the
immigration changes mean, and coordinating action against the
proposals. Lawrence Cooper is one of those here who'll be affected.

SOT - Lawrence Cooper, Liberian national: "It's in uproar right now to
every community across the US. Staten Islanders to Minnesota, you've
got places in Georgia, you've got places in Trenton, New Jersey,
Philadelphia."

TAKE VO
Emmanuel Wheagar has spent the last two decades helping Liberian
immigrants settle in the United States.
He says the deportations will hurt many people here.

SOT - Emmanuel Randolph Wheagar, Community Leader: "You build a life
for 20 years - you have to undo that in one year. // To have Liberians
who are business owners who are family people here to have their
children in college. Just to up and leave to go back to Liberia is
devastating."

TAKE VO
New York City's 'Little Liberia' is a community built off the back of conflict.
The thousands who fled here to escape civil war were granted Deferred
Enforced Departure, or D.E.D.
Rufus Arkoi has spent 27 years building up the Liberian community in
Staten Island through sports and education programs.

SOT - Rufus Arkoi, Leader, Roza Promotions: "They are productive
citizens. They have served this country in different ways, supporting
the economy, providing and paying taxes, being good citizens, staying
away from trouble, going to school, bettering themselves. Extend to
them the next step from the D.E.D., that is permanent residency."

TAKE VO
Many argue their length of time in the US under D.E.D. should make
them eligible to stay permanently.
But the conditions of the program don't allow for automatic transition
to a longer-term visa.
The Trump administration says conditions in Liberia have improved
enough in recent years to allow safe return. Liberians like Lasannah
Gray a soccer coach in the community.

SOT - Lasannah Gray, Soccer coach: "I would say yes it's peaceful now,
they're on the right track, everybody's mind is staying away from
violence. But the economy is not set to host all these people going
back to Liberia. Liberia might be, is there home, but they've been
away for so many years, some of them don't even have homes there."

TAKE VO
And while Liberia's economy remains fragile they say they're helping
from afar, by sending money to relatives back home, assisting their
homeland's rebuilding efforts.
The clock is now ticking for Staten Island's Little Liberia. In 12
months time, if government rules stay the same, this community will be
significantly impacted. The people here say they'll do everything they
can before then to make sure that doesn't happen.
SOC


ENDS