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US, Ban Ki-moon intensify rhetoric on Syria

Suggested intro: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says Syria is heading towards what he called a "catastrophic" civil war in the aftermath of the latest killings in the country.

Speaking in Turkey, he said that the United Nations had not deployed monitors to Syria for them to witness a "slaughter of innocents", and he warned that the world body would not be a "passive observer" to atrocities.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accused the Russian government of contributing to a potential civil war in Syria by failing to take a tougher line on the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

As our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports, in the past 24 hours, the Obama administration's position on Syria has notably hardened.

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For months now the Obama administration has been predicting the eventual fall of Bashar al Assad from the Syrian Presidency.

And for months, Bashar al Assad has hung on….despite the gradual worsening of the situation in his country.

Now, President Obama's top foreign policy officials say they believe Syria is heading inexorably towards a full-scale civil war.

The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said as much in a series of

comments on the social media site Twitter.

It's time, she said, to discuss Syria in "stark terms", noting that the failure of Kofi Annan's peace plan and an intensification of violence was "most probable now".

And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on a visit to Denmark, rounded on the Russian government….accusing Moscow of enabling the Assad regime's crackdown by refusing to back tough action in the UN Security Council.

AXX: CLINTON

At the White House, spokesman Jay Carney put it another way as he relayed the content of discussions the US is having with the Russians and the Chinese - both of whom vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for Bashar Al-Assad to go.

AXX: CARNEY

That focus on Syria as a moment in history has been underscored by the recent violence there.

US officials say they were shaken by the images of children executed over the weekend in the city of Houla.

And on Wednesday, the United Nations confirmed the discovery of another 13 bodies in the eastern part of the country….their hands bound, they'd been shot at close range.

And so, Ban Ki-Moon…the UN General Secretary…has also picked up the rhetoric on Syria…..telling an audience in Turkey that his organization did not deploy ceasefire monitors so that they could watch Syria's descent into darkness.

AXX: BAN

Mr. Ban once again urged the Syrian government and the rebels to embrace Kofi Annan's peace proposals.

But in Washington, they are now considered so frayed as to be tattered….and the Obama administration clearly has no confidence that hostilities can be brought to an end without fresh action at the United Nations.

The Russians say that action would be "premature"….leaving Washington and Moscow on a collision course over Syria….and the country's people poised to pay the price.

SOC

Posted on May 31, 2012 at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wikileaks' Julian Assange loses extradition appeal

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has lost his appeal to the UK's highest court against his extradition to Sweden over sex offence allegations.

However, his extradition will be delayed while his legal team challenge the ruling.

UK correspondent Nina-Maria Potts reports.

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden to face sex crime allegations- that's the ruling from Britain's Supreme Court.

Seven judges examined the appeal, but the decision was delivered by Lord Phillips, during a televised hearing.

TAKE CLIP- JUDGE

Mr Assange's lawyers had appealed to the UK's highest court to block his removal, arguing that a European arrest warrant issued against him was "invalid".

But the court ruled the extradition request had been "lawfully made".

The Swedish authorities want the 40 year old ex-hacker, to answer accusations of raping one woman and sexually molesting and coercing another, in Stockholm in August 2010.

Julian Assange has always insisted the sex was consensual, and that the claims against him are politically motivated.

His legal team say they will take the unusual step of applying to have the Supreme Court reopen the case on the basis that its majority decision was made on legal points not argued during the appeal.

A lawyer for the maverick Australian, emerged from the hearing to confirm they would be appealing.

TAKE CLIP - LAWYER

Outside the court, Julian Assange's supporters insisted the case against him was politically motivated.

TAKE VOXES

" It's nothing more than a smear campaign, it's politically motivated nothing more...even the woman that claimed that Mr Assange had raped her, refused to sign her statement, because she felt bad that Mr Assange had been hounded by the police. This is clearly wrong. And I personally believe that Mr Assange has done nothing wrong."

" I think it's a travesty, I think it's a public spectacle, that's been made of this, when he has voluntarily submitted himself to questioning in Sweden for five weeks, and when he could also have been questioned here, and tried to make that contact, and has been open to questioning all along. //

" I am sad and sorry for Julian, and I can't imagine what he will suffer, and yet I have to say that, if it wasn't for the suffering of Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning, all the things that the leaks have revealed, all the war crimes, the torture, the vast human rights abuses, would be forgotten about."

Julian Assange's legal team have 14 days to appeal. If that bid fails, he is nearing the end of the road in his extradition appeal- and his days in Britain may be numbered.

SIGN OFF

Posted on May 30, 2012 at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Irish to vote on new EU fiscal treaty, amid eurozone jitters

SUGGESTED LEAD

On Thursday, the Irish will vote whether or not to approve the new European Union fiscal treaty- aimed at reigning in spending and tightening the bloc's budget rules.

Ireland is the only country among the treaty’s 25 signatories that requires a national vote.

Rejection could block Dublin from accessing loans from the EU's future eurozone rescue fund, complicating efforts to emerge from its current bailout.

From Dublin, Nina Maria Potts has this report:

SCRIPT

Ireland- which has clawed its way back from the heart of the Eurozone crisis- faces a choice: whether to support or reject the EU's new fiscal treaty.

Fears of a eurozone break-up are threatening to muddy the vote, amid fears Greece could exit the euro, and Spain and Italy are teetering on the edge.

On the streets of Dublin, the mood is mixed.

TAKE VOXES

The new treaty forces EU countries to reign in spending or face automatic sanctions.

But the tide in Europe is turning away from austerity causing a growing gulf between Eurozone heavyweight France and belt-tightening Germany.

Now Irish voters will have to vote on a deal no-one is sure will work, especially if the Eurozone itself is under threat.

The key, say analysts is to convince voters, Europe is intent on balancing austerity with growth.

Guntram WOLFF is DEPUTY DIRECTOR of the European think tank, BREUGEL:

" Let's have a debate about structural funds, and have them better targeted and offset the fiscal adjustment."

SCRIPT

Some warn a no vote would damage Ireland's efforts to attract multinational investment, which generates almost ten per cent of the country's workforce-

The yes camp warns a no could also stop Ireland from a accessing key loans from a new permanent EU bailout fund.

The University of Bradford's Professor Tom Gallagher:

" There is a fear that if the compact is rejected, that the EU would simply cut Ireland adrift and would cancel the funding that has been going to Ireland since 2010 so there is real demoralizatoin in Ireland about the future, and there is a reluctance to take a radical stance."

But there is a growing consensus the EU's austerity policies aren't helping.

Again, Professor Tom Gallagher:

"The EU is pushing unwelcome tough policies on increasing numbers of eurozone countries, they don't seem to be working very well, so there is room for opposition, the EU is struggling to impose its legitimacy- and the gulf has never been sharper./

SCRIPT

As Irish voters go to the polls, many say they are confused by this new EU fiscal treaty. The No camp, says voting yes would mean a vote for austerity- the yes camp says it wants, investment, recovery and growth.

SIGN OFF

Posted on May 29, 2012 at 01:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

U.S. to host NATO summits

The 28 member countries of NATO - the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - will gather in Chicago, Illinois (May 20 and 21st) to discuss the future of the alliance and specifically, the allies role in Afghanistan.

At the same time, experts note, key members of the treaty alliance are concerned about the Obama administration's growing emphasis on Asia.

Priscilla Huff has a preview of the meetings:

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Ahead of the Chicago meetings, NATO leaders are busy on figuring out how to coordinate the plans to withdraw from Afghanistan
In his Oval Office meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande discussed how to maintain a committment to Afghanistan when he'd promised to pull out all French troops by the end of the year.
Stephen Flanagan, a scholar of diplomacy and National Security at the Center for Strategic and Economic Studies says, things are not clear cut for the French.

TAKE BITE CSIS
"They've all assured me that Hollande does not want a problem with either Obama or other allies on this and they will fudge this commitment, but how they will do this, I do not know."

TRACK
U.S. President Barack Obama has already reiterated his promise to President Hamid Karzai that American combat forces will be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
But, NATO is a Euro-centric allianace and President Obama's so-called 'pivot' to Asia has led to concerns in Europe, says Stephen Flanagan

TAKE BITE CSIS
"European leaders are a bit concerned about about the administration's reduction of the military presence in Europe and the realignment of diplomatic and military assets toward East Asia and that might leave them to fend more to deal with regional disputes on their periphery by themselves and a sense of a dimishing common purpose."

TRACK
NATO IS finding its role expanding in some cases - such as working on piracy off the coast of Africa....but Stephen Flanagan does not expect further expansion of the alliance's role

TAKE BITE CSIS
"There's no support, certainly among European allies to have NATO go global in the fullest sense of the word, but a recognition that it may have to, in order to protect alliance territory, it may have to act outside the North Atlantic Region in some cases."

TRACK
Turkey - a member of the alliance - is worried that the crisis in Syria spilling over the shared border...but so far, Istanbul has not asked for help.
For now, Afghanistan remains NATO's biggest military commitment.
Central to the future of Afghanistan is neighboring Pakistan.
And that's why, this week, NATO issued an invitation to Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari to participate in the summit, which he has reportedly accepted.
Priscilla Huff, Washington

***ENDS***

Posted on May 19, 2012 at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

U.S. to host G8 summits

U.S. President Barack Obama is set to host most of the leaders of the G8 nations at Camp David, in the mountains north of Washington, DC.

Topping the agenda for the leaders will be the global economy, and specifically the continuing eurozone crisis will top the agenda.

Our U.S. correspondent Priscilla Huff has a preview:

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At the summit at the president's retreat at Camp David
The leaders of the G8 wealthiest nations, the agenda will be broad, says Matthew Goodman, who used to organize summits for the Obama administration.

TAKE BITE MATTHEW
"First and foremost, is the global economy. That's always true at a G8 summit, but this year,// as Heather said,// the EuroZone is going to dominate. I mean, there's also concerns about growth in China and the U.S. and Japan, so there's a broader story as well about the global economy, but certainly, the EuroZone is going to dominate."

TRACK
However, following the announcement of new round of elections for Greece on June 17, after talks on a coalition government failed, the director of European programs for the Center for Strategic and International Studies Heather Conley says, it is likely the G8 talks will focus on one region.

TAKE BITE HEATHER
"This is a Euro-crisis Summit, it will be dominated by the crisis. We have a new configuration of leaders, however, it'll be the first G8 in quite a while where Mr. Berlusconi will not be a participant and we'll work closely with Mario Monti and we'll have a new dynamic, a new European triangle of President Hollande, Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Monti."

TRACK
Immediately after his inauguration, French President Francois Hollande flew to Germany for meetings with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
discussing how to balance the need for growth with the call for austerity.
Their decision-making could have profound implcations for Washington says Heather Conley

TAKE BITE HEATHER
"In a worst case scenario, should the European crisis begin to rapidly deteriorate, the impact on the U.S. economy, six months before has profound implications for our economy and for our elections."

TRACK
Syria...may prove to be more difficult to tackle by the G8 leaders...in part because Russian President Vladimir Putin is not attending the meetings.
Again, Heather Conley of CSIS:

TAKE BITE HEATHER
"The opportunities are lost because President Putin will not be there and Syria is the most directly impacted on that, in a small group setting to try to find a way to allow Moscow, at the UN. Security Council and with others at least play a more helpful role."

TRACK
The situation in Syria has gotten even more complicated with the man who was just elected head of the Syrian National Council saying, he will step down as the opposition leader as soon as a replacement can be found.

The leaders of the G8 summit have a lot to discuss, but the Obama administration is trying to keep expectations low, saying now is a time for quiet conversation.
It will also be the first time the American president's mountain retreat, Camp David, will be used for a major international summit.
Many already are hoping those conversations will continue - first in Chicago at the NATO summit just days later...and then in Mexico for the G20 summit in June.

****ENDS***

Posted on May 17, 2012 at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

British frustration grows at eurozone inaction

Calls from Britain are increasing for European leaders to act quickly to try and ease the eurozone crisis.

Prime Minister David Cameron has warned Europe it is running out of time to deal with the continent's financial problems.

Concerns over the abilities of economies from Greece to Italy to Spain to pay their debts continue to mount.

And Mr Cameron has also called on the European Central Bank to be more active as speculation persists Greece may have to leave the euro.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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Britain is getting increasingly frustrated with European inaction.

And while Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledges those inside the eurozone do not enjoy getting advice from those outside the eurozone, he has clearly decided to make louder noises in an attempt to encourage solutions.

CLIP

As Greece heads to new elections and the possibility of an exit from the euro.

With Spain and Italy seeing rising borrowing costs and consumers pulling savins out of banks.

And with the European Central Bank unwilling to print money, it's not just politicians in London calling for action.

Bank of England Governor Sir Mervyn King says Britain's economy can't return to healthy growth until the eurozone sorts itself out.

CLIP

David Cameron says he agrees with new French President Francois Hollande that more has to be done to promote growth in the eurozone.

But he will not be easing off Britain's deficit cutting programme.

CLIP

But after two years without a meaningful solution to the eurozone crisis, many in the city of london, such as Michael hewson of CMC Markets, remain sceptical European leaders will suddenly come up with one now.

CLIP

So with few in Britain convinced Europe is in control of the eurozone crisis, the Bank of England and the UK government say they have contingency plans in place for a partial or more wholesale, break up of the euro.

SOC

Posted on May 17, 2012 at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Swaziland exiles take to London streets to protest King's visit

Around 30 protestors gathered outside London's exclusive Savoy Hotel Wednesday to demonstrate against the visit of King Mswati the third of Swaziland. King Mswati, the continent's last absolute monach rules the landlocked kingdom which lies between South Africa and Mozambique. He is in Britain ahead of a banquet for the world's monarchs hosted by Queen Elizabeth the second to mark the Diamond Jubilee year.... her sixty year reign on the throne.

But exiles, joined by protestors from Zimbabwe and British trade unions staged a demonstration outside the hotel, calling for greater democracy in the country and an end to what they called his autocratic rule. From London, Catherine Drew reports.

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SFX SINGING.

It wasn't a large demonstration, around 30 people gathered in one of hte busier parts of central london to sing songs and wave placards......but they tried to make their voices heard outside one of london's most exclusive hotels.

King Mswati along with an estimated 30 strong delegation is staying at the savoy, where the price of rooms start at five hundred euros a night,

Flora Dlamini, one of hte organisers of the Swazi vigil group, which demonstrates regularly in London, said the group wanted the King to allow real democracy in Swaziland.

INSERT:

SCRIPT:
The model Flora refers to is one that is in practise in Britain, Queen Elizabeth is the ceremonial head of state but independent of political parties. Like Queen Elizabeth, King Mswati,has great personal wealth. Forbes magazine estimates the 44 year old King has a fortune of 100 million US dollars. He and his 13 or so wives enjoy lavish lifestyles...this in a country which has great poverty, the highest rate of HIV infection in the world and a life expectancy of 32.

Margaret Dlamini, who is not related to Flora, came to britain from Swaziland 10 years ago after her husband died. she persuaded some of her children to sell their cattle and move to the UK, however her son remained at home and died a few years ago from HIV. As she told her story, she became upset at the conditions that many people live under in her homeland.

INSERT:

SCRIPT:

The swazi vigil has written to Queen Elizabeth to ask that she speak with King Mswati privately to urge he introduce true democracy and observe international human rights.

Buckingham Palace was unable to comment on the protest or the letter merely saying that all monachs have been invited to the banquet at Windsor Castle. However a source at the Palace said the situation could be described as difficult to avoid since all crowned heads of state are invited to the event.

That does not sit well with Tony Dykes, head of the pressure group Action for Southern Africa

INSERT:

SCRIPT:

King Mswati is not the only royal whose invitation to the Windsor Castle Banquet does not sit well with human rights activists. The king of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa will also attend the windsor castle luncheon along with other monachs from the the Middle East.

The swazi vigil are determined to send a message and will continue their pro-democracy protests through the weekend.

Catherine Drew, sign off, London

Posted on May 16, 2012 at 05:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rebekah Brooks charged

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks has been charged by UK police with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Her husband Charlie has also been charged, along with four other people.

They're the first charges resulting from an investigation into allegations of phone-hacking and inappropriate payments to public officials.

The scandal led to the closure of Rupert Murdoch's News of the World newspaper last year and continues to cause discomfort for senior figures in the UK government.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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Alison Levitt, QC, of the Crown Prosecution Service announced the decision to charge Rebekah Brooks, her husband Charlie, her former assistant and chauffeur, and News International security boss Mark Hanna.

CLIP

Rebekah Brooks is accused of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

It's claimed she and others conspired to conceal material from Met Police officers relating to the phone-hacking inquiry.

And further, it's claimed.

CLIP

Rebekah and Charlie Brooks released a statement saying they 'deplore this weak and unjust decision.'

And her former PA Cheryl Carter 'vigorously' denies the charges.

They relate to alleged offences in July last year - the same month Rebekah Brooks quit as News International Chief executive.

The 43 year-old is a former editor of the News of the WOrld editor but has always denied any knowledge of phone-hacking that took place while she was in the job.

The Crown Prosecution Service though is mindful of the huge attention focused on this case and the discussion of it on new media sites like twitter.

CLIP

Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice is a more serious offence than perverting the course of justice, and can carry a lengthy jail sentence.

Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie are old friends of Prime Minister David Cameron.

She appeared at the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics only last week and revealed she and the prime minister had been on texting terms before the scandal broke.

CLIP

Shortly after quitting as News International boss last year Rebekah Brooks was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and corruption as part of the phone-hacking investigation.

She remains on bail without charge in relation to those allegations.

Mrs brooks was re-arrested in March on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and, now charged, her case will be tried in a Crown Court, before a jury.

OB, SOC

Posted on May 15, 2012 at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

French presidential elections 2012: preview

SUGGESTED LEAD

France wakes up to a new president on Monday morning, assuming Sunday's presidential election goes the same way as the latest polls, which hand 53 per cent of the vote to French Socialist, Francois Hollande.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says Sunday's run-off against Socialist Francois Hollande is too close to call.

Europe correspondent Nina-Maria Potts reports:

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The French presidential rivals took part in a heated TV debate on Wednesday night, watched by some 17.9 million people.

Mr Hollande, who leads in the polls,has said voter turnout could affect the result- as both candidates wrap up months of campagining.

Both are appealing to voters who supported the Far Right leader Marine Le Pen, and centrist Francois Bayrou in the first round.

Ms Le Pen, who attracted 6.4 million voters, said on Thursday that the election was over as Mr Sarkozy was "beaten a long time ago".

The debate centred on France's struglling economy and soaring budget deficit, with Mr Sarkozy claiming he had kept France out of recession while insisting he would cut spending and debts.

Analyst for the think tank Open Europe,Vincenzo Scarpetta says no matter who wins France could well become a more difficult and assertive EU partner but a win for Francois Hollande could spell trouble for Germany.

" Should he win the second round, he will come in with new ideas, and most importantly he will question Angela Merkel of Germany's vision of how the Eurozone crisis should be handled, so that would be interesting. It obviously wouldn't mean the end of the Franco-German axis, but things may well change."

He also predicts both candidates will struggle to deliver on their various promises to take on Europe, such as re-negotiating a pact to tighten the bloc's fiscal rules, and tougher border controls.

Immigration features high in the public debate over France's future- and is a key issue for the far right National Front's Marine Le Pen.

The key question now is how her voters will vote, but she has yet to advise them.

Radio France Interational's EU correspondent Pierre Benazet says Wednesday's final tv debate between the two rivals, failed to reveal which way the swing vote will go.

" Nicolas Sarkozy has had a very rightist stance since the results of the first round were announced and he has addressed the Le Pen electorate, that he was a true rightist leader and that his policies in the next five years, would be on the right side but that is still unclear."

The row over the economy, and whether to deliver the spending cuts Brussels and the EU would like to see, has both candidates at loggerheads.

" Hollande is insisting a lot more - or at least more than Sarkozy- on tax increases- while Sarkozy is more focused on cutting red tape, and especially cutting public spending "

Depite Nicholas Sarkozy's pledge to reign in spending, his record says otherwise, according to RFI's Pierre Benazet. He says the perception of Nicholas Sarkozy as a president with a lavish lifestyle and celebrity wife, did not do him any favours during his tenure- but that's not the only reason he is deemed to have failed.

" Those kind of things did not speak for the candidate of the people, they spoke of a candidate for the higher classes and that's an impression- and that image has stuck to him, and the measures he has taken have not convinced the French, that he was really rooting for them."

The French election is being closely watched in Brussels which is keen to know how a new president will affect the Eurozone.

EU officials are bracing themselves for a political shift in France which might shake the political scene in France but the wider EU landscape as well.

SIGN OFF

Posted on May 04, 2012 at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

White House: Talks on Chen's Future "Continue"

CHEN TALKS CONTINUE

Suggested intro: The White House has confirmed that more talks are underway with Chinese officials over the future of activist Chen Guangcheng, who now says he wants to leave the country and travel to America.

US officials won't characterize the nature of the discussions, and they say that Mr. Chen had a change of heart after he left the US Embassy on Wednesday and entered a hospital in Beijing.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr. Chen has told reporters he was coerced into leaving the US Embassy, after Chinese officials threatened to kill his wife.

The Obama administration denies that US officials ever heard that threat, or communicated it to Mr. Chen.

But, the Chinese activist community in the United States is piling pressure on the Obama administration not to abandon Mr. Chen to his fate, as Simon Marks reports from Washington.

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VO At the White House, the questions are piling up for Obama administration officials about the plight of Chen Guangcheng, and how US attempts to help him went so badly wrong.

It was left to spokesman Jay Carney to represent the administration's position: Mr Chen, he said, simply changed his mind after agreeing a deal with the Chinese…and the US is still trying to help him.

TAKE CARNEY SOUNDBITE

VO But that position remains at odds with the story told by Mr. Chen and his supporters.

They claim the activist was told unless he accepted the deal on the table, his wife would be returned to Shangdong province, where his family members were previously abused.

Mr. Chen now says that was an explicit threat…and his supporters like Bob Fu of non-governmental organization China Aid argue that in hospital, he and wife are essentially now political prisoners.

TAKE FU SOUNDBITE 13:10:45

WORDS TBA

With the Chinese government still demanding a formal apology from the US for allowing Mr. Chen to enter the Embassy, more details emerged of how he got there in the first place.

US Ambassador Gary Locke described what he called a "Mission Impossible" endeavor, now believed to have involved a US embassy car with Mr. Chen in it, being pursued at high speed through the streets of the capital by Chinese security agents.

IN: "When he first…."

OUT: "….stay in China"

Mr. Locke…whose personal involvement in this episode redefines the role conventionally played by US Ambassadors….says he remains hopeful that he can still help Mr. Chen achieve his aspirations.

But US officials have reportedly been barred from visiting Chen Guangcheng in hospital, where he's being treated for an injury to his foot incurred during his escape from home detention.

From there, he told the website "The Daily Beast" that he wants to "leave for the US on Hillary Clinton's plane"

That is a tough bar for the US to meet…now that Mr. Chen is out of the Embassy and no longer in American protective custody.

But if Hillary Clinton comes home without him, the Obama administration - already accused by likely Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney of presiding over a "day of shame" in US foreign policy - will also be accused of abandoning a beacon of dissent in China.

Posted on May 03, 2012 at 10:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fragile Dutch coaltion 'committed' to spending cuts [ report from Maastricht, 'birthplace' of the Euro]

SUGGESTED LEAD

The budget deal rapidly hammered out this week by Dutch leaders, has preserved the country's credit rating- for now- and held together a German-led alliance of European nations committed to austerity.

But with elections looming, following the recent collapse of the Dutch government over spending cuts, there are fresh fears the deal is on shaky ground.

Nina-Maria Potts has this report from the Dutch city of Maastricht- the birthplace of the Euro.

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It's been a critical week for the Netherlands, marked by what the Dutch media has described as decisive action.

A budget aimed at reigning in spending was delivered to the European Commission's door ahead of Monday's deadline.

Holland's fragile coalition has agreed to cuts worth $15.9 billion dollars, but not before the government collapsed.

But politicians in the border city of Maastricht insist the deal will stick.

ALEX MEIJ,is a MAASTRICHT CITY COUNCILLOR for the VVD PARTY:

" The majority in parliament took the responsibility and they will make sure that the agreement for the budget deficit so there is no risk. The message to Brussels is that the Netherlands can do it."

SCRIPT

In the city of Maastricht, residents are proud of their city's role in shaping the future of the Euro.

It was here in 1992 that the Treaty of Maastricht was signed - by the then 12 core members of the shared currency.

But today the EU's tightening grip on budget deficit rules presents a deepening dilemma for many Eurozone members, including the Netherlands.

GUNTRAM WOLFF is DEPUTY DIRECTOR, for the European think tank BREUGEL

" I think it's a big conflict that we see in the Netherlands and in other countries…between what the European rules ask for and what the national policy making process and also voters, by the way, would like to have."

SCRIPT

Twenty years ago- even ten years ago, the city of Maastricht was a symbol, of European unity and solidarity- and the Netherlands was a key driving force behind the birth of the Euro.

Today, the Dutch government is struggling to implement austerity measures, the Eurozone is under mounting pressure, and a stronger vein of euroscepticism is surfacing- and that aspiration of economic unity, is rapidly fading.

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Posted on May 02, 2012 at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dutch coffee shops shut their doors in anger over drug tourism ban

SUGGESTED LEAD

The Netherlands' era of drug-tourism has come to an end in the country's south, where cannabis sales have been restricted in 'coffee shops' to Dutch residents only.

In the border city of Maastricht, coffee shop owners have shut their doors in protest at the ban on selling soft drugs to foreigners, insisting the new law [which takes nationwide effect next year, and was upheld by a judge on Friday]- amounts to discrimination, and they're taking their case to court.

Nina-Maria Potts has this report from Maastricht:

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Fantasia was once a discreet coffee shop in downtown Maastricht: now it's one of many shut in protest at a law which has made its sales illegal.

Waiters can still serve coffee to foreigners, just not soft drugs- a privilege now reserved for Dutch residents only.

360 coffee shop workers across Maastricht have lost their jobs since the crackdown on drug tourism- and they are going to court- because they say their customers are being discriminated against.

JO SMEETS, is spokesman for the SBCN (COFFEE WORKERS' ASSOCIATION)

" You can come to the Netherlands to drink a beer, but if you come to smoke a joint, you can't go to a coffee shop- and that's crazy."

If foreign tourists arriving in Maastricht can no longer buy drugs across the coffee table, some say they will still go in search of them.

But SOME Dutch residents- who will need to prove they are residents to buy cannabis say it was high time the Netherlands cleaned up its act.

TAKE BITE [VOX]

" It causes sometimes behavioral problems, that Dutch society has to pay for, and I think it's really important that the Maastricht municipality does take action."

Local government officials reject claims they are taking away the income of Maastricht's coffee shops- which now have to operate on a membership basis, with a cap on 2000 members- effectively turning them into a private club.

They say 2.7 million tourists visited Maastricht last year alone- and not all the drugs sold to them stayed here.

TAKE BITE

ALEX MEIJ is a COUNCILLOR with the VVD PARTY

" Drugs all over the world are forbidden, and also in the Netherlands, and we are not the export country for drugs, so foreigners should not be coming to the Netherlands for drugs- we don't want to be that kind of country."

But some fear a ban on drug tourists will only fuel the illegal drug trade, across Holland's open borders.

" Local politicians say foreign tourists are welcome in Maastricht but the Netherlands is saying no to drugs. But coffee shop workers who have lost their jobs because of the ban, say their rights are being violated, their customers are being discriminated against and they are preparing to battle it out in the courts."

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Posted on May 02, 2012 at 08:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Boris vs Ken

Londoners go to the polls on Thursday in a bitterly fought Mayoral election.

Incumbent Conservative Boris Johnson is favourite to beat Labour candidate Ken Livingstone - who is also his predecessor.

But the election has implications far beyond the capital city with analysts watching for signs as to what the public make of the two main parties, two years into a national coalition government.

Boris Johnson is also seen as a possible next leader of the Conservative Party, so Prime Minister David Cameron will be looking on with extra interest.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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It has not been a friendly campaign between Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone.

In an LBC radio debate, and elsewhere, they went for each other over tax arrangements.

CLIP

Moments after calling Ken Livingstone a liar on the radio, Boris Johnson and his opponent squared up to each other in a lift, using rather less broadcastable language.

At the Evening Standard Mayoral debate Ken Livingstone put the case that in his previous stint in City Hall he'd helped turn London into one of the world's greatest cities - in contrast to some of its European neighbours.

CLIP

Conservatives like Boris because they see him as a true conservative, perhaps in contrast to David Cameron who has never been a favourite with the right of his party.

He's been prepared, for example, to stick up for London's bankers, when others have been blaming them for almost all of the country's problems.

CLIP

The election comes with the Conservatives - who lead the country's coalition government - doing disastrously in the polls, way behind Labour after a difficult few weeks containing a badly received budget, a self-created petrol shortage, and the news the UK is back in recession.

So many are looking for signs in the London vote of a resurgent Labour, and damage to Boris Johnson the conservative.

Academic and politics writer Tony Travers says local council elections, which take place on the same day, are potentially much more indicative.

CLIP

And Patrick Dunleavy of the London School of Economics says Boris is certainly one to watch for the future - as he seems to have unshackled himself from current negative feelings towards Conservatives.

CLIP

And perhaps the person with most to lose in Thursday's elections is Ed Miliband, the leader of the Labour Party.

Labour are ahead in the polls but his personal ratings are pretty disastrous so if despite public disaffection with the conservatives Labour fail to unseat Boris Johnson in London and fail to make huge gains in local polls, his leadership will again be called into question.

SOC

Posted on May 01, 2012 at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chen supporters claim asylum deal near

Supporters of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng say they believe the US and China are negotiating an agreement that could see the blind dissident allowed to leave the country.

Mr. Chen is believed to be under US diplomatic protection in Beijing after escaping from house arrest more than a week ago.

President Obama refused to be drawn on the case but told reporters at the White House that China will be "stronger" when it liberalizes.

US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell is in the Chinese capital, discussing Mr. Chen's case with the authorities there.

Bob Fu of US-based China Aid is a prominent supporter of Mr. Chen, and told our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks that he believes the diplomatic crisis could be resolved soon.

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Posted on April 30, 2012 at 09:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

US/China "hold talks" on Chen

Suggested intro: The US and China are reportedly holding sensitive negotiations concerning the future of human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest in China a week ago.

Though neither side is commenting publicly, it's believed that Mr. Chen is being protected by US diplomats in Beijing.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are due to hold previously-scheduled talks with Chinese leaders later this week.

Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks says efforts appear to be underway to prevent the issue from undermining the entire US relationship with China.

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It has all the ingredients of a best-selling thriller.

A blind activist evades Chinese security agents who were keeping him under house arrest….releases a video on the internet demanding that China's national leaders protect his family…..drives 300 miles to the capital Beijing…and there is granted some level of protection by American diplomats.

Unfortunately, for the Obama administration it also has all the ingredients of a major crisis in US-China relations, which is why officials here in Washington are remaining tight-lipped about the whereabouts of Chen Guangcheng, and whether they're engaged in negotiations about his future.

BRENNAN

That's John Brennan, the President's top adviser on counter terrorism speaking to America's Fox News on Sunday.

He refused to confirm that Mr. Chen is in the American embassy in Beijing, but did indicate some kind of conversation is underway with the authorities there.

BRENNAN

Attempting to strike that balance, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell who arrived in Beijing over the weekend….although the State Department didn't officially announce or acknowledge his visit.

He was spotted in one of the city's Marriott Hotels, and is believed to be engaged in urgent conversations with the Chinese over how to handle Mr. Chen…an activist who has led moves to combat the government's policy of forced sterilization and abortion.

The existence of talks was confirmed by Bob Fu, of the non-governmental organization China Aid based in Texas.

He's told America's NBC television network that he's been in contact with friends of Mr. Chen in Beijing.

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But the Obama administration does not have an entirely free hand in its discussions with the Chinese.

First, there's the immediate timetable: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are due to hold previously-scheduled talks with Chinese officials later this week and can be presumed not to want the Chen issue to overshadow an already busy agenda.

Then there's America's electoral timetable: Mitt Romney, the likely Republican candidate in this November's Presidential election, has already said the White House must "take every measure" to protect Mr. Chen and his family.

And other Republicans, like Congressman Chris Smith, who has championed Mr. Chen's cause on Capitol Hill, are also waiting and watching in the wings.

SMITH

There are only limited options for the White House: negotiate some kind of safe passage for Mr. Chen out of China…although he's reportedly indicated no willingness to leave the country.

Try to secure guarantees of his personal safety and that of his family members…although that would require China agreeing to US influence over the country's internal affairs.

Or simply wait…and try to de-link Mr. Chen's case from all the other issues that the US discusses with China.

From the perspective of the White House, then, a pretty unsavory range of choices….but the alternative is to see Mr. Chen's case cause major damage to Washington's relationship with Beijing….and domestic complications for President Obama as he campaigns for-re-election.

SOC

Posted on April 30, 2012 at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hague Court finds Liberia's Taylor guilty

Liberia's former president Charles Taylor has been found guilty of aiding and abetting Revolutionary United Front rebels in Sierra Leone, during their reign of terror.

That's the verdict from the UN's Special War Crimes Tribunal for Sierra Leone at the Hague, in a highly complex ruling in which the prosecution failed to prove every charge against him.

Charles Taylor will not be sentenced until May 30, and could appeal the ruling in a process likely to last months.

Nina-Maria Potts reports from the Hague:

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SCRIPT
Charles Taylor's has been found criminally responsibly for aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity, during the decade-long war in Sierra Leone.
A panel of three-judges delivered their verdict, in a ruling watched closely around the world.
His conviction was applauded by prosecutors at the UN Special War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague.

PROSECUTOR OF THE SPECIAL COURT FOR SIERRA LEONE, BRENDA J HOLLIS
" Today is for the people of Sierra Leone who suffered horribly at the hands of Charles Taylor and his proxy forces. This judgement brings some measure to the many thousands of victims who paid a terrible price for Mr Taylor's crimes"

TRACK
But defence lawyer Courtenay Griffiths called the verdict a "major blow to the prosecution" as it had failed to show that Taylor was part of a plot led by Libya to take over West Africa.

SCRIPT
The court found Charles Taylor had significant influence over Revolutionary United Front rebels in Sierra Leone, who waged a campaign of terror he knew about.
Judges said he had supported rebels by providing them with arms and ammunitions in return for smuggling blood diamonds out of Sierra Leone, at a time when Liberia's diamond exports far exceeded its own production.
But the prosecution failed to prove Taylor's direct involvement in the atrocities committed by rebels- beyond reasonable doubt, during a lengthy four-year trial.
For those who want Taylor behind bars, it's the sentencing- not the trial, that's the issue.

ALEX VINES FORMER UN SANCTIONS INSPECTOR IN LIBERIA, and heads up the Africa program at CHATHAM HOUSE -
" The question is how long he'll be sentenced for…he's spent quite a lot of time in remand- so that will be taken into consideration, and we'll have to see how the prosecution has succeeded because that's a key issue in this trial as in any trial. If he has a short sentence then he could still enter the political frey in West Africa."

TRACK
Human rights activists here at the Hague insist this verdict is a victory for international justice- marking a watershed in holding former heads to states to account.
But they also note, that this verdict is only for crimes committed in Sierra Leone, and they are calling on Liberian victims who suffered under Charles Taylor, to see justice served as well.
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Posted on April 26, 2012 at 05:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rupert Murdoch answers Leveson questions

Rupert Murdoch has denied ever asking a British Prime Minister for favours, on the stand at the Leveson Inquiry.

He also faced tough questions about his company's now-dropped bid to take control of the entirety of broadcaster BskyB.

It is that issue that leaves a cabinet minister fighting for his life and Prime Minister David Cameron also under pressure.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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The Leveson Inquiry was set up in response to the controversy surrounding phone-hacking at Rupert Murdoch's News of the World newspaper - which he's since closed.

But much of his first day of testimony at the inquiry was taken up with questioning about his relationships with a series of British prime ministers.

CLIP

Even with Tony Blair - he insisted, a Prime Minister with whom the Murdoch family is still close.

CLIP

Rupert Murdoch was also grilled on News Corp's bid to take over the entirety of broadcaster BskyB - a bid dropped because of the phone-hacking scandal.

He says he was given no guarantees by the Conservative Party before the last general election and that the the announcement of News Corp's bid was not timed based on political concerns.

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But it's that bid which has the government in hot water with a special adviser to the culture secretary resigning over his contacts with Rupert's son James Murdoch and his advisers, while the takeover was being considered.

In the house of commons, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he acted correctly.

CLIP

Prime Minister David Cameron is sticking by his minister.

CLIP

But leader of the opposition Ed Miliband says the prime minister is not being honest about links between him, his government and the Murdochs.

CLIP

Rupert Murdoch, meanwhile, is due back at the Leveson Inquiry for a second day of evidence on Thursday.

He's likely to face more questions about what he knew and when of phone-hacking at the News of the World - the story that first prompted an inquiry into press ethics.

SOC

Posted on April 25, 2012 at 04:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Verdict due in Charles Taylor trial at the Hague

SUGGESTED LEAD

Charles Taylor- Liberia's former president- awaits a verdict on Thursday [11am local time] on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in a historic case that has taken several years to conclude.

It will be the first time a head of state has been indicted and tried by an international court since the Nuremberg trials after the Second World War.

UK correspondent Nina-Maria Potts reports:

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Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor's fate will be sealed when a panel of three judges delivers a long-awaited verdict in a trial that's taken years.

For ex UN sanctions inspector Alex Vines, now the head of the Africa programme at Chatham House, the issue is not whether he'll be sentenced but for how long.

TAKE BITE:

Those charges involve arming Sierra Leone's rebels in return for 'blood diamonds' and helping the Revolutionary United Front wage a campagin of terror in a civil war that claimed 120,000 lives between 1991 and 2001.

The trial has heard more than 120 witnesses, and the judges have had to trawl through more than 50,000 documents, in a highly complex case involving a witness protection program, and flying witnesses to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

The trial which finally wrapped up in March 2011, saw model Naomi Campbell testify she had received diamonds from Charles Taylor after initially saying she had not known they were from him.

TAKE BITE

The supermodel's former agent Carole White confirmed the gift of diamonds had come from the Liberian leader.

TAKE BITE

During the trial, prosecutors told the court Charles Taylor had created, armed, supported and controlled the Revolutionary United Front in a ten year campagin of terror in Sierra Leone.

But the real challenge, according to Alex Vines, is proving those charges beyond reasonable doubt.

TAKE BITE

Charles Taylor has pleaded not guilty to the charges, rejecting the allegations as politically motivated lies.

The rebels, often fuelled by drugs, murdered, raped and maimed many of their victims, using machetes to amputate hands and arms with machetes.

Alex Vines who was in Liberia as a UN inspector at the tail end of the war, argues, his frustration is not with how long the trial took, but the timing of the indictment.

TAKE BITE

If Charles Taylor is convicted his sentencing could take place four to six weeks later,.

It's a verdict being closely watched in London, since the UK has promised to house Charles Taylor on its soil in a high-security prison.

And the ruling is also being watched closely in Sierra Leone, Liberia and the wider international community- in a case which sets a historic precedent in international justice, in making heads of state accountable.

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Posted on April 25, 2012 at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Murdoch denies hacking knowledge, outlines govt contacts

Former News International chairman James Murdoch has insisted to the Leveson Inquiry he did not see a pivotal email revealing phone hacking went beyond a single reporter.

Mr Murdoch told the inquiry he thought hacking a 'thing of the past' when he took over the running of his father's UK newspaper operations in 2007.

And he's repeated his previous claim he did not know of the 'For Neville' email, which outlined more widespread hacking, until 2010.

James Murdoch is being questioned by the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics, which was prompted by the scandal surrounding hacking at the Murdochs' now defunct News of the World.

His father Rupert will be grilled tomorrow (Wednesday).

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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James Murdoch has been questioned before about what he knew and when of phone-hacking at the News of the World.

But this time it was in a courtroom, under oath.

CLIP

Mr Murdoch has previously told a committee of MPs his executives at News International had assured him hacking was not widespread at the News of the World.

And he stood by that claim under questioning at the Leveson Inquiry.

CLIP

He took over his father Rupert's newspaper operations in the UK in 2007 but says he did not become aware of the now infamous 'for neville' email detailing more widespread hacking than that of a single reporter - until 2010.

That looks bad, whichever way you consider it, suggested counsel.

CLIP

Mr Murdoch was also questioned on his relationships with senior politicians, right up to the prime minister, david cameron - for whom there are are now some difficult questions to answer over what he discussed with the Murdochs about their controversial desire to buy the entirety of broadcaster BskyB.

But James Murdoch denied News International newspapers provided positive coverage of ministers willing to look favourably on the now withdrawn takeover bid.

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James Murdoch no longer holds a top job in the British media having resigned from News International and broadcaster BskyB over the phone-hacking scandal.

On Wednesday his father takes the stand.

When he was questioned by MPs he described the occasion thus.

CLIP

Since then, however, the media tycoon has taken to twitter to criticise the British government and forcefully defend his own companies.

So perhaps it will be Murdoch senior who provides the fireworks this week.

SOC

Posted on April 24, 2012 at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NATO Summit: A wrap on discussions about the future of forces in Afghanistan

Ministers of NATO member states have been meeting in Brussels in preparation for a key summit in Chicago to discuss the future of Afghanistan.

There have been no changes in withdrawal dates, and no big decisions on how the Afghan Security Forces will continue to be funded by the international community.

But NATO officials and foreign and defence ministers have attempted to appease fears that Afghan authorities will not be able to cope with security issues in the face of an ongoing battle against the Taliban.

SCRIPT:

Talks this week have been described as a paving of future discussions on the financing of Afganistan security efforts after US and NATO troops have ended their mission in 2014.

In May, NATO leaders will gather in Chicago and come closer to an agreement on how countries will split annual contributions of around 4 billion dollars in the continued training of the Afghan National Army.

Some members like Spain, France and more recently Australia have already accelerated their withdrawal and set 2013 as their leaving date - though NATO says international commitment to Afghan forces will remain.

Nato Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

TAKE BITE: NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN
"No concrete decisions yet - but it is in the interest of the international community to have a secure afghan force, and it makes more sense economically to finance afghan troops as opposed to deploying international troops in Afghanistan. "

Recent attacks in Kabul though have called current stability in Afgnaistan into question - but US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton says Afghan forces have proven their capabilities.

TAKE BITE: US SECRETARY OF STATE HILARY CLINTON
"The attacks in Kabul this week show us that while the threat remains real, the transition can work. The response by the Afghan national security forces were fast and effective and the attacks failed."

Fears of revenge attacks though have again surfaced, and on Wednesday journalists asked US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta to respond to the publishing of photos showing US soldiers posing with the corpses of Afghan Militants.

BITE LEON PANETTA:
"I've strongly condemned what we see in those photos, as has General Allen. That behavior that we see in those photos absolutely violates both our regulations and our core values.This is not who we represent when it comes to men and women in uniform."

During additional talks, Russia renewed it's commitment to facilitating NATO access into Afghanistan after Pakistan closed its routes following a NATO attack that killed 26 soldiers... Talks of basing an Eastern European Missile shield on Russian territory were also had.

But the key decisions of how fund Afghanistan after troops have left are yet to be made.

President Khamid Karzai has called for a more solid commitment from the US to make good on its pledges to continue yearly subsidies.

There's been some headway made this week with the UK's promise of 70,000 million pounds but how the rest of the international community will chip in remains to be agreed.

Sign off.

Posted on April 19, 2012 at 07:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

London venues tested ahead of 2012 Olympics

The organisers of the London 2012 Olympics say they are on schedule and may even come in under budget.

But with the Games just over three months away, there is much work still to do to make sure they run smoothly.

And a big part of that is running tests on venues - As Olly Barratt reports from London.

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The Olympic Park in east London is no longer a building site.

Venues are up, and now it's time to test them.

For that you need athletes, staff, and spectators.

The Aquatics Centre is hosting synchronised swimming Olympic qualifiers as part of its testing programme.

CHARLOTTE O'NEILL is AQUATICS MANAGER for LONDON 2012

"It's a brand new venue and it's really important to get elite athletes in the building. So they can use their flows around the building, where they're gonna set up their massage tables, physic, how they use the building, how they operate. So it's really important for us to know that the flows that we've put in place work and they get tested with a lot of athletes."

The spectators are a mix of synchro swimming supporters, and people who just wanted to see something in a shiny new Olympic venue.

"I think it's absolutely amazing, yeah, brings tears to my eyes. I don't know it's an emotional thing, I think.

I wanted to see the Olympic Park and especially the aquatics centre. I sent off for some tickets for the Olympics but I wasn't lucky so this was instead.

I feel immensely privileged to be able to be here, to have the olympics in my home country. And I just wanted to be a part of it. I couldn't get tickets for the main events but I could get them for this."

And in the same way the athletes hope to perfect their preparations by games time in July, CHARLOTTE O'NEILL says the organisers know they can learn now from any mistakes.

"No one gets it right on the first day, so it's like being in the theatre, you know, you rehearse, you rehearse, you rehearse, you eradicate all the errors, you make all the tweaks you need to make, so that come that first opening night, everything's perfect, and that's what we're doing."

But the clock is ticking with less than 100 days until London 2012 gets underway for real.

SOC

Posted on April 19, 2012 at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

US condemns and investigates latest Afghan abuse pictures

Senior US officials are scrambling to try and head off anger in Afghanistan, after another series of photographs emerged showing US soldiers abusing the bodies of suspected Afghan militants.

The graphic pictures, taken in 2010, were published in Wednesday's edition of the Los Angeles Times.

The commander of international forces in Afghanistan has condemned the images.

The US Ambassador to Afghanistan has called them "morally repugnant".

And US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says a full investigation is now underway into the activities of certain members of the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division.

From Washington, Simon Marks reports.

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One day the White House is dealing with Secret Service agents consorting with prostitutes in Colombia.

The next, it's facing another scandal involving US forces in Afghanistan.

It is becoming a sadly familiar tale in Washington.

Men who are supposed to embody the finest in American values, embarrassing their nation….being investigated for criminal activity overseas…and leaving the Obama administration scrambling to avoid the fallout.

And so it fell to Leon Panetta, the country's Defence Secretary, to lead a chorus of repugnance over the 18 photographs.

Splashed on the front pages of the Los Angeles Times, they show members of the 82nd Airborne Division posing alongside the body parts of slain Islamic militants.

AXX PANETTA

And so, said Mr. Panetta an investigation is now underway into the pictures which were reportedly taken in a southern Afghan province where there remains a strong Taliban presence.

Following the release of a video in January showing 4 American Marines urinating on the corpses of dead Taliban fighters….and an incident in Afghanistan in which the Pentagon acknowledged that US soldiers burned copies of the Koran….there is great fear that these latest images will lead to another upsurge in violence in Afghanistan.

For that reason, the US government asked the Los Angeles Times not to publish the photographs.

It declined the request…and Leon Panetta excoriated the newspaper for putting them into the public domain.

AXX PANETTA

The photographs' publication comes just days after the Taliban launched what it called its "spring offensive" in Afghanistan….a series of attacks on Kabul last weekend in which Afghan security forces killed at least 14 militants.

It also comes at a time when the Obama administration is trying to negotiate an agreement with President Hamid Karzai governing the future of Washington's relationship with Afghanistan AFTER US forces leave the country.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking in Brussels, said the latest events notwithstanding…the US and NATO remain on track in Afghanistan.

AXX: CLINTON

But there's no question the publication of the photographs at least complicates matters for US policymakers….risks sparking widespread public anger in Afghanistan….and makes it harder for the US government to continue maintaining that bad behavior by US forces can simply be blamed on a handful of bad apples.

SOC

Posted on April 18, 2012 at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anders Breivik sheds light on growing far-right political support in Europe

The Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik begins a ten week trial today for the killing of 77 people in the bomb and shooting spree of 2011.

He was recently declared mentally sane by medical experts who had initially diagnosed him as psychotic.

Breivik may receive Norway's maximum prison sentence of 21 years, and is expected to plead not-guilty to terrorist charges to better defend his political motives.

Many beleive Breivik to have shed a light on existing far-right activity in Europe which has raised some concern.

Although still outnumbered on the political stage, a handful of European nationalist parties are becoming increasingly vocal against immigration, and muslim minorities in Europe - a very small minority even hold seats in the EU parliament.

EU officials in Brussels are now under pressure to redraft existing rules on the kinds of parties that are able to participate in European politics and receive EU funding.

Our correspondent in Brussels, Sandra Gathmann has this report:

SCRIPT:

Anders Breivik faces a lengthy jail sentence, but aside from his personal freedom, it's a political message he wants to get out.

Hours before carrying out his attacks Breivik posted his personal manifesto on the web, detailing his beliefs that multiculturalism and Islam were Europe's greatest enemies.

But while Anders Breivik is considered a terrorist, these ideas are shared by an increasing number of politically active far-right groups in Europe, like the UK's street movement the English Defence League or parties like Finland's true Finns, Belgium's Vlaams or Hungary's Jobbik parties who are largely Eurosceptic, against mass immigration and what they describe as the Islamification of Europe.

The radical right has largely been fragmented, but recent events like the Toulouse shootings in France by an Islamist gunman has fueled right wing support.

European leaders are also under pressure to address issues of violent extremism.

Which is why Europe's liberal and left-wing parties have taken issue with a recent approval of funding by the European Parliament's presidency to a European Alliance of National movements, on grounds that far-right parties do not support core European values of integration.

EU officials are now tackling the difficult question of how to redraw the rules that decide which political groups qualify for EU money.

HELGA TRUPEL is a Green Spokesperson for the EU Parliaments Budget Committee

TAKE BITE
"Let us take one example, Jobbik in hungary - they are xenophobic, they don't protect minorities, and so we have to find ways to be arbitrary - and say they get money, and they don't, because you can imagine under given circumstances where left and right wing parties are hostile to European level we'll say we cant subsidize you anymore"

Cuts to parties like the British National Party who are part of the Nationalist Alliance, the BNNP says are unfair… but Nick Griffin, a BNP Minister of the European Parliament says being counted out - is an underestimated political driver.

TAKE BITE
"If there is a point at which Breivik really connects with politics in Europe I would say it's that people who do express concerns about mass immigration, about Islamisation and so on have been repressed and hindered from making our views heard politically, through being an effective political opposition to the liberal elite, if the liberal elite don't want more Anders Breiviks, they need to make it clear that people can make their voices heard in the ballot box"

There are real fears that radical right wing ideas can drive individuals like Anders Breivik to turn to violence and terrorism, but

It'l be somewhat of a test of European democracy if even the voices of the radical-right are silenced through a change in qualifying rules for seats in and funding from the European parliament.

Their opponents though will continue to argue that while there is room for free-thinking, nationalist views directly threaten the very make up of the European Union. Sign off.

Posted on April 15, 2012 at 06:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chinese firms queue to list in London

A growing number of Chinese companies are looking to list in London as a way to raise cash for expansion - and boost their profiles abroad.

There are several major Inital Public Offerings (IPOs) in the works in London - and the city is actively pursuing Chinese companies to float in Britain.

Naibu, the Chinese sportswear brand and Rare Earths Global, the mining firm have recently come to market in the British capital and plenty more are in the queue.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

*****

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The London Stock Exchange is a truly international marketplace and currently a bit of a favourite with Chinese companies looking to list.

This is in no small part due to the pro-active way in which it is going after firms from China according to JON EDWARDS from the London Stock Exchange

"I think we're gonna build on our emerging markets strength and we're going to go after markets like China, it's just you have to. You can't be in the emerging markets space and not go aggressively after good, quality Chinese companies."

The London Stock Exchange therefore has offices in Hong Kong and Beijing trying to attract firms to list in London.

On offer here an abundance of experts in sectors like mining for companies such as Rare Earths Global Limited.

And for companies like Naibu the chance to bolster a brand internationally in a market of established names.

MATT TURNER, from FINANCIAL NEWS says it can also be quicker for firms looking to raise capital for expansion to do so in London, than at home in China.

"In London you can come to market, there's I guess a six month timetable it can take to come here. In China the government controls the number of companies that comes to market each year so there's a quite a significant backlog that's built up there, and so London has the potential to kind of take some of the pressure out of that pipeline."

Foreign interest in London is one thing though - achieving a floatation in the city is another matter.

Jon EDWARDS from the LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE says Chinese firms - and others from abroad - need to prove they can meet high standards of corporate governance if they are to list here, and attract adequate levels of investment.

"Investors are there, they have money, they are looking for opportunities, but they're going to be very demanding in terms of the information that's presented to them and the quality of the management team that is presented to them."

And analysts expect that a run of successful Chinese IPOs in London now - is likely to boost the number of firms looking to float here, despite the high corporate governance requirements.

So it's not necessarily easy for Chinese companies to list here in London - But it is proving an attractive option for an increasing amount of them.

And London is on the hunt for new customers.

SOC

Posted on April 12, 2012 at 02:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Santorum quits Presidential race

Rick Santorum, the former US Senator from Pennsylvania, has suspended his campaign for the Republican Party's Presidential nomination, and is offering to help Mitt Romney beat Barack Obama in this November's election.

Mr. Santorum's decision to quit the race came after his young daughter, who suffers from rare genetic condition, spent the weekend in hospital.

It also came amid growing indications that Mitt Romney was now unstoppable in his quest for the Republican nomination.

Mr. Santorum told reporters in Pennsylvania that while he's dropping out of the race for the White House, he intends to continue promoting the conservative issues that propelled his campaign.

From Washington, Simon Marks reports.

IN: "The scene…."

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The scene was Gettysburg in Pennsylvania….it's no stranger to critical moments in American history.

But this particular Gettysburg address…while attracting headlines for at least one news cycle…is unlikely to be chiseled in marble and memorialized for the rest of time.

It was - simply put - Rick Santorum moment's in time to drop out of the race for the Presidency…and bow to the inevitable: he will not be the Republican Party's nominee in 2012 to battle Barack Obama in November.

AXX - SANTORUM

Even in acknowledging defeat, Mr. Santorum attempted to claim victory.

He'd won 11 states, he said….millions of votes…and more counties than any other candidate seeking the Republican nomination.

And lest anyone thought otherwise…he put the country on notice: he's not going to stop fighting for the conservative causes he championed on the campaign trail, even as he implied that he will fight for a Republican victory…even though the party's standard bearer will be the far more moderate Mitt Romney.

AXX - SANTORUM

Mr. Santorum said he made his decision over the weekend….a weekend he spent in hospital alongside his young daughter, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder and is in very fragile health.

There is speculation that the seriousness of her condition influenced his decision to leave the race…..but it's also likely that Mitt Romney, winning more than half the delegates he needs to become the Republican's candidate….was an even more compelling factor.

Two other candidates say they're staying in the race.

Newt Gingrich, who last week scaled back his own campaign activities and - over the weekend - acknowledged he won't win.

And Ron Paul, the libertarian Congressman from Texas.

Both of them say they'll run all the way to the Party's convention in Tampa…where they will hope to exercise influence over its manifesto for the November election.

TAKE OBAMA

Barack Obama, who now knows he'll be facing Mitt Romney in November…was on the campaign trail in Florida when Mr. Santorum announced his withdrawal.

A development that marks the formal beginning of the November campaign was accompanied by a fire-and-brimstone performance by the US President in a critical battleground state.

TAKE OBAMA

There will be much more of that in the months ahead…..and for Mitt Romney now, a need to pivot away from worrying about his Republican opponents….and start re-tooling his campaign to win the Presidency.

By getting out of the race, Rick Santorum has done him an enormous favor…clearing the way for the Romney campaign to go head-to-head against the man he hopes to turf out of the White House.

Posted on April 10, 2012 at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 4: Mitt Romney wins three more primary contests

Mitt Romney has scored a hat-trick in the latest Republican presidential primaries in the United States.

The former Massachusetts Governor has won contests in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington, DC.

The three victories push Mr Romney closer to securing his party's nomination to take on President Obama in November's election.

Our Washington Correspondent Priscilla Huff reports.

IN: 'Wisconsin, Maryland
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SCRIPT: Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia - the city of Washington - all went for Mitt Romney

SOUND UP ROMNEY - we won 'em all!

The majority of 89 delegates in the column for Mitt Romney, extending his lead over the three remaining candidates, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum.
Mitt Romney has now collected more than 50 percent of the delegates necessary to win the nomination...

TAKE ROMNEY - I'm asking folks ot joing me...

and, the numbers favor him collecting most of the rest...
But that's not stopping Rick Santorum from continuing his campaign.

TAKE CLIP - halftime - or, the full sports metaphor...

For reporters on the ground in states such as Wisconsin, they are hearing one message from the voters....they are tired of the Republican nominating contest.
Susan Page is the chief political writer for USA Today,
she spoke with the PBS NewsHour.

TAKE SUSAN

That feeling - that its time to focus on a single candidate - is true for the Democrats as well.
Mitt Romney is not the official Republican nominee...but the Democrats are starting to treat him that way.
In what some are terming the first speech of the national campaign, U.S. President Barack Obama singled Mitt Romeny out for criticism for his support of the Republican budget proposals on capitol hill.

TAKE OBAMA

For Barack Obama, his nomination race is over.
The Wisconsin, Maryland and District primaries officially put him over the top for the Democratic race.
On the Republican side, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich continue to vow to remain in the race until the party Convention in Tampa, Florida in August.
Rick Santorum has moved his focus to his home state of Pennsylvania and to the contests in May.
And, Mitt Romney is worrying less and less about his three remaining rivals and more and more about the developing national election.

Posted on April 04, 2012 at 03:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UK and Argentina mark 30th anniversary since Falklands War

SUGGESTED LEAD

Britain and Argentina are marking the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War, amid deepening tensions over the disputed South Atlantic islands whose some 3000 people, are determined to remain British.

Thirty years after the conflict erupted, emotions on both sides still run high: Argentina has recently accused the UK of 'militarising' the dispute by deploying one of its most modern warships, as well as a reported nuclear submarine. Buenos Aires also objected to Prince William's recent posting to the Falklands as an RAF rescue helicopter pilot.

UK correspondent Nina-Maria Potts reports:

SCRIPT

It's been 30 years since the- then Prime Minister of Britain, Margaret Thatcher, sent 27,000 troops and more than a 100 ships to retake the Falkland Islands after Argentina invaded.

TAKE BITE
MARGARET THATCHER:

''After several days of rising tension, in our relations with Argentina, that country's armed forces attacked the Falkland Islands yesterday, and established military control of the islands, The government has now decided that a large task force will set sail as soon as all preparations are complete.''

Thatcher's decision was supported by the majority of the British public; her decisiveness arguably won her the next election; and it was a victory that allowed her to push on with her free market revolution.

But the Falklands War was a risk at the time- with Argentina intent on sinking British ships and landing craft.

Rear Admiral Jeremy Sanders was a naval commander with the British task force deployed to the aircraft carrier, HMS Hermes.

'' The Argentines were extremely threatening// we knew the capabilities of some of their ships, some of the aircraft were fairly modern French aircraft, missile systems, and in parcicular the Exocet that we had and they had submarines too, so they posed a very considerable threat, and their main airforce bases were oinly 400 miles away and they had a very potent airforce too''

The government had been caught by surprise when Argentina invaded in April 1982. Historians say London's mistake had been to allow Argentina to think Britain didn't care about the Falklands- giving Argentina's increasingly unpopular military junta to seize the opportunity to launch a sudden attack on Britain's tiny garrison on the islands- even the country's top military brass was uncertain it could retake the islands, but it was Margaret Thatcher's determination that took Britain to war- and won it.

''There was a huge resolve, once we were on our way, and it was clear that all the diplomatic efforts were not going to force us to turn back, the resolve was unquestionably there to see it through.''

The war lasted ten weeks, and ended with Argentina's surrender. But it came at a human cost.

Argentina lost 649 of their soldiers; the British lost 255 men. Three Islanders were also killed.

Here, at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, in the town of Pangbourne, west of London, their names are remembered in stone.

But not everyone understood the extent of the sacrifice at the time, according to Rear Admiral Sanders.

'' We were home within about 24 hours of leaving the Falkland Islands and that was really quite an emotional contrast, from leaving the place where we had been on the line for 90 days, to a couple of days later walking on the seafront, with people in their shorts and shirts and eating candy floss, and feeling, 'you have no idea what we have
just been through,.. there isn't even an inkling of thoughts about that, and I felt quite angry.''

Tensions over the islands' sovereignty have increased in the lead up to the 30th anniversary . Recent exploration for oil in nearby waters and a tour of duty by RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, prompted Argentina to accuse Britain of colonialism.

Buenos Aires has recently persuaded its South American neighbors to close its ports to ships flying the Falkland Islands flag amongst other commercial pressures to persuade Britain to enter talks on sovereignty.

However London has no interest in opening talks, insisting on the islanders' right to self-determination.

George Grant is a research fellow with the Henry Jackson Society. He says Argentina's claim is based on geographical proximity and historical wishful thinking.

" If the Canadian government turned round tomorrow and said they werelaying claim to Alaska on the basis of geographical proximity, we would dismiss that as absurd and rightly so// it's laid out very
clearly in Article 1.2 of the UN charter, if President Kirchner wereto read it, it stipulates that the right of peoples to individual self- determination to choose the form of government under which they live is absolutely paramount.''

While another military conflict is thought unlikely, some fear increasing commercial pressure on the Falklands could make life difficult for islanders. However, few in Britain believe Argentina's claims have any merit.

Here, at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, anniversary thoughts are of a more personal nature and with the 258 men who gave their lives to the conflict.

SIGN OFF

Posted on April 01, 2012 at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chris Cairns wins twitter libel case

Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns has won his match-fixing libel case against former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi.

The case at London's High Court centred around a tweet of Modi's from January 2010.

Modi has been ordered to pay £90 000 and Mr Cairns's £400 000 in costs.

The judge ruled Mr Modi had failed to provide any evidence that Mr Cairns had ever been involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing.

The case is being seen as a significant legal precedent because it is the first in England involving a libel claim arising from a statement made on social networking site Twitter.

London correspondent Olly Barratt reports.

IN: "Outside...
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Outside the High Court in London Chris Cairns's solicitor Rhory Robertson relaid his client's relief at the verdict.

CLIP

Neither Chris Cairns nor Lalit Modi were in court as Justice David Bean, who'd been considering his verdict for 8 days, delivered his ruling.

He said Modi had failed to come up with any reliable evidence that Chris Cairns had been involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing, awarding the former New Zealand cricketer significant damages and costs, that MR Robertson expects him to receive in full.

CLIP

The twitter element is just one which made this case significant and closely watched around the world.

Mr Modi's tweet in 2010 contained a match-fixing allegation relating to Mr Cairns's spell with the Chandigarh Lions in 2008 in the Indian Cricket League - a rival to Mr Modi's Indian IPL.

It's estimated it was only initially seen by a few dozen people but was then picked up by the Cricinfo website - which later withdrew its report, apologised and paid damages.

Nick Hoult, cricket writer at the Daily Telegraph, says this shows the law does apply to Twitter.

CLIP

The case was hard fought by both sides with angry exchanges at times and Chris Cairns's adviser Andrew Fitch-Holland says the hefty damages reflect the conduct of the Modi legal team.

IN: "The way...
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DUR: 17 seconds

Modi's team lined up a series of witnesses including former Chandigarh Lions players but the judge dismissed their evidence as unreliable.

Mr Modi was recently declared bankrupt but cricket writer Richard Edwards, who was in court for the ruling, says that shouldn't stop Cairns receiving his damages and costs.

IN: "The way...
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DUR: 15 seconds

And Richard Edwards says many in the game will be relieved at the result.

IN: "This I...
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DUR: 25 seconds

The case hasn't put Lalit Modi off twitter though - he tweeted to say he had seen the judgement and would be appealing.

The judge only granted Modi permission to appeal over the amount of damages, not over the question of liability but his lawyers look set to pursue the matter direct with the Court of Appeal.

SOC

Posted on March 26, 2012 at 04:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

State of the UK economy - wrap of Budget week

SUGGESTED LEAD

The state of Britain's economy was under scrutiny again this week, with the unveiling of the 2012 annual budget by UK Chancellor George Osborne on Wednesday.

If there was a single message the government wanted the global money markets to hear, it's that it has no intention of abandoning its ambitious programme to cut the deficit and balance the annual budget by 2016/17 - a strategy that opposition politicians say risks stifling growth by cutting government spending too far and too fast.

The budget carried a controversial domestic message too, with a tax cut for Britain's highest earners.

UK correspondent Nina-Maria Potts reports:

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SCRIPT

British Chancellor George Osborne has cut the top rate of UK income tax in a budget aimed at stimulating growth.

He's also increased the amount of money people can earn before they start paying tax, and increased property taxes for the wealthiest.

The Chancellor therefore claims his budget will see more money raised from the wealthy, not less.

CLIP

The Chancellor warned despite the multi-billion pound spending cuts his government has already announced, there are likely to be more needed.

And he resisted some wild giveaway, claiming instead tax and other reforms can make the UK economy more competitive, as it cuts its budget deficit.

CLIP

But despite an increase in the personal tax allowance - meaning people can earn more now before paying any income tax - leader of the opposition ED miliband slammed the 50p tax rate cut- which has been cut to 45, as hard to believe.

TAKE BITE

Mr Osborne, who has always promised voters that "we are all in this together" as the country endures tough austerity measures, does appear to have taken a political gamble with this budget.

But economists say the sums being saved and given away are relatively small, and will make little difference at all- they say the tax reductions pale in comparison to the government's ongoing spending cuts.

London South Bank University's Brian Ardy, worries the British public has not realised the full impact of spending cuts, even though ministers have been talking about belt tightening for nearly two years.

TAKE BITE

" I think the British public is beginning to realize how serious they will be. But they haven't fully realized it yet. Because it's bigger than anything that's been attempted before in the UK, and in any other country as well."

Some accuse the UK Chancellor of trying to use the budget to repackage bad economic news after two years in power.

Britain's national output is forecast to grow by just 0.8 per cent this year while the economy is still struggling to come out of the steepest recession in decades.

Youth unemployment is at a 17-year high- at 22.5 per cent for those aged between 16 and 25.

Some economists argue the austerity plans may remove demand from the economy just when households and companies are themselves holding back from spending in a dangerous spiral of fear.

Again, Brian Ardy:

" The economy came out of the recession, the new government was elected, and it started cutting the deficit, and since then the economy has not really been growing."

Other financial analysts see green shoots on the horizon, arguing the UK is in better shape than its neighboring Eurozone economies-.

Even a recent warning from two leading credit rating agencies, Fitch and Moody's, that the UK's top notch AAA credit rating may yet be downgraded has failed to make waves, with government supporters saying that the ratings agencies' concerns merely reinforce the government's message that this is no time to take risks with the public finances.

David Jones is with IG Index:

" Some people are seeing it as a small vote of confidence in what the government is doing because the government has been very fixed, on saying look , 'our target, is to get the deficit down, and really reign in our costs."

But not everyone agrees- with many British households running up huge debts during the boom years, very low interest rates have been a key plank of the Bank of England's own efforts to shore up the economy.

Such low borrowing costs are grim news for the nation's savers, especially older people and pensioners who own their homes outright and were counting on savings to provide them with a reasonable standard of living.

Simon Rose is with the campaign group 'Save Our Savers'

" What we want to see is a return to an environment of more normal interest rates. The problem is that by having them at almost at zero, at 0.5 per cent which is the base rate, in the UK, and by having all this quantative easing, pumping money they've conjured up out of thin air into the economy, all that's happening is that it's gumming up the works- of course there's no growth, because there's no incentive, for people to save."

With British belt-tightening, comes the Coalition's desire to export more to fast-growing emerging markets in Asia and elsewhere. But that is a long-term goal.

Pessimistic analysts point out that troubled Europe remains Britain's biggest trading partner. As for the rising powers like China, they say Britain does not have a solid enough manufacturing base for producing exports like like machine tools that have proved so profitable for rivals like Germany.

British ministers say we need to give other emerging powers a bit more time, and they will start wanting the sort of sophisticated services, like financial products and legal services in which Britain enjoys an edge.

Before Britain can get to that point, it has to survive the next few years without a major loss of international confidence. No wonder that the 2012 annual budget was, above all, about signaling that the British are sticking to their self-imposed diet of austerity.

SIGN OFF

Posted on March 23, 2012 at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UK budget cuts top rate of tax

British Chancellor George Osborne has cut the top rate of UK income tax in a budget aimed at stimulating growth.

He's also increased the amount of money people can earn before they start paying tax, and increased property taxes for the wealthiest.

The Chancellor therefore claims his budget will see more money raised from the wealthy, not less.

But the opposition Labour Party claim it proves he is more concerned about millionaires, than the average voter.

The Chancellor claimed the budget was 'fiscally neutral' so doesn't require any extra borrowing at a time of austerity.

UK correspondent Olly Barratt reports from London.

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****

It's George Osborne's decision to cut the top rate of income tax from 50p in the pount to 45p from next year that has attracted the most headlines - before and after his budget.

He says it is raising little money and harming Britain's competitiveness.

He also claims other measures like an increase in property taxes on the most valuable homes, mean this budget is perfectly fair.

CLIP

The Chancellor warned despite the multi-billion pound spending cuts his government has already announced, there are likely to be more needed.

And he resisted some wild giveaway, claiming instead tax and other reforms can make the UK economy more competitive, as it cuts its budget deficit.

CLIP

But despite an increase in the personal tax allowance - meaning people can earn more now before paying any income tax - leader of the opposition ed miliband focused on the 50p tax rate cut, insisting it is hard to believe.

CLIP

And the debate continues about whether the british government's austerity drive is even the correct path - growth has effectively stalled and many, like Brian Ardy from London South Bank University, say the coalition can be blamed for that.

CLIP

And with many of the already announced spending cuts not even biting yet - the British public is still not feeling the full squeeze of austerity.

The next year or so will be very difficult for the government to navigate if the UK economy does not start to noticeably improve, and fast.

SOC

Posted on March 21, 2012 at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

21st March: Mitt Romney handily wins Illinois Primary

Mitt Romney emphasized his economic experience and proposals on his way to winning the Illinois primary.

In contrast, his main rival Rick Santorum spoke about "freedom" while the other two men still in the race for the Republican nomination barely made a showing.

Priscilla Huff reports from Washington:

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For Mitt Romney, the win in Illinois was a moment to be gracious.

TAKE CLIP

For Rick Santorum, the race to be the Republican nominee is about something different.

TAKE CLIP

For Newt Gingrich, in an interview on the FOX News Channel, the details of winning are not what matters.

TAKE CLIP

Rick Santorum continues to argue, he is the only consistent conservative in the race, with energy prices being just one example.

TAKE CLIP

But Rick Santorum's problem is that he's not just losing races, he's losing out on delegates he could win, because his campaign has failed to fill out paperwork correctly.
That said, all of the men still in the race to be the Republican candidate are vowing, they are taking the nomination battle all the way to the convention in Tampa in August.
Even as they try to make the argument, their campaigns should continue, Mitt Romney is turning to close the nomination and focus on the national election.

TAKE CLIP

And, as much money is being spent right now - Newt Gingrich claims Mitt Romney is outspending his rivals seven to one - the national election will be even costlier, something the Obama campaign is well aware of
In an interview with CNN, Obama campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt said, the political landscape is changed.

TAKE CLIP

And, the pace of the campaign is picking up for Barack Obama as well.
The American president is heading out to Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Ohio to highlight his energy agenda...a trip which looks an awful lot like a campaign tour.

***ENDS***

Posted on March 21, 2012 at 03:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Queen 'rededicates' herself to service of the UK and Commonwealth

The Queen has praised the strength of the UK and the Commonwealth in a speech to parliament to mark her Diamond Jubilee.

She promised to 'rededicate' herself to the 'service of the UK' and its people.

And she thanked her family for its support as she celebrates 60 years on the throne.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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Hundreds of dignitaries gathered for the Queen's address at Westminster Hall to both houses of parliament.

Before she spoke, tributes from the Speakers of both houses, first Lords Speaker Baroness D'Souza who gave a particular focus to the Queen's work in building the Commonwealth over the last 6 decades.

CLIP

Commons Speaker John Bercow praised the Queen for being a source of stability in a period of immense change.

CLIP

The Queen - only the second monarch to celebrate a diamond jubilee after Queen Victoria in 1897 - used her address to salute the characteristics of her country and promise to keep serving it.

CLIP

The Queen also praised her family for its role.

Particularly her husband, whose face did not move a muscle as he received one of those dreaded compliments.

CLIP

The tradition of both houses of Parliament making addresses to the monarch and the sovereign replying dates back to the 16th Century.

To mark this occasion the Queen was presented with a specially commissioned stained glass window by members of both houses of parliament.

Diamond Jubilee celebrations will peak in June with a four day series of public events.

SOC

Posted on March 20, 2012 at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Romney seeks win in Illinois to cement nomination claim

Republicans in the American state of Illinois are preparing to vote in Tuesday's primary election that will serve as a further test of Mitt Romney's ability to win the party's Presidential nomination.

The former Governor of Massachussetts easily beat his main rival, former US Senator Rick Santorum, in a weekend contest in Puerto Rico.

But in Illinois, he's got a fight on his hands.

From Washington, Simon Marks reports.

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DUR: 1:28

For the Romney campaign, there is barely a moment to breathe.
No sooner had he celebrated victory in Sunday's primary contest in Puerto Rico....

...than he found himself having to focus once again on Illinois, where voters go to the polls in a few hours time.
Mr. Romney needs to win every convention delegatge he can find if he's eventually to secure the nomination...and Illino is has 54 of them up for grabs.
But Rick Santorum, his main, more conservative rival is trying to woo traditionally moderate voters there....and polls show that despite being hugely outspent by Mr. Romney...he's made some headway with a more conservative message this year in traditionally moderate Illinois..

Lest the Republicans forget it...Barack Obama calls Illinois home...just happened to be in Chicago on Friday raising some money for his own re-election warchest....and reminded his supporters what he says is at stake this November.

So, Tuesday is Illinois' day in the political spotlight...as the cross-country race for the Republican nomination trundles on and on.

Posted on March 19, 2012 at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

World Water Forum 6 - Marseille

Governments, NGOs and campaign groups have gathered in Marseille for the 6th World Water Forum.

The event has seen the United Nations issue a warning that strains on the world's water supply are increasing -
and that a radical rethink of water policy is needed.

Olly Barratt reports from the south of France.

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People have come from all over the globe to discuss the problems the world faces securing its water supply, in the face of
exploding populations and climate change.

The UN says climate change will drastically affect food production - particularly in south Asia - between now and 2030, with
Asia being home to 60 per cent of the world's population but only around a third of water resources.

So the continent is well represented here in Marseille - Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore's Environment and Water Resources
Minister says it's an important moment.

"The sense that I get from this event so far is that there's a greater sense of urgency that the problems are looming and
are going to become more acute in the future"

The forum is not just about explaining the difficulties the world faces with water - it's also about showing off some
possible solutions.

Grant Gibbs is here from South Africa with his hippo water roller which is something like a closed wheelbarrow so water
can be rolled from place to place in a big drum, rather than carried.

"....."

Rapidly growing urban populations pose challenges for water supply too, so Singapore - as a city state - feels it has valuable
experiences to share on that front according to Dr Balakrishnan.

CLIP

It's not all optimism here in Marseille though.

Frederic Benard from SOlidarites International, which works to improve access to drinking water and sanitation, says
progress is being over-estimated on some issues.

CLLIP

But the world's top players in these issues have come to the 6th World Water Forum in their droves.

The next world water forum is in South Korea in 2015 but organisers insist huge progress must have been made before then.

SOC

Posted on March 13, 2012 at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Greece: Still Broke?

As European leaders hail the success of Greece's debt swap deal designed to avoid a messy bankruptcy and secure its next bailout, investors seem less convinced.

UK correspondent Olly Barratt spoke with Michael Hewson, Senior Market Analyst at CMC Markets.

He insists Greece is still broke and may even be the next country to default. Again.

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http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0309greece-hewsonintv.mp3

Posted on March 09, 2012 at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What next after Super Tuesday?

This package available now:

The "Super Tuesday" primary contests in the United States have failed to give any of the candidates seeking the Republican Party's Presidential nomination the edge they need to claim victory in the race.

Mitt Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts, won 6 of the 10 states holding primaries and caucuses....including the crucial battleground of Ohio, where he saw off a strong challenge from former Senator Rick Santorum.

But Mr. Santorum demonstrated strength in the South, winning in Oklahoma and Tennessee, as well as North Dakota in the mid-west.

And Newt Gingrich took his home state of Georgia.

Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks says the candidates are now scrambling to secure the 1144 delegates they need at the Republican Party's convention later this year where the Presidential nominee will be anointed.

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AIR: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-air.mp3

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FRONTIER: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-frontier.mp3

GENERIC: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-generic.mp3

ICRT: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-icrt.mp3

KISS: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-kiss.mp3

NIGERIA: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-von.mp3

RNZ: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-rnz.mp3

VATICAN: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-vat.mp3

ZIZ: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0307results-sm-ziz.mp3

SCRIPT:

It is the morning after the night before in American politics….and habitually the Wednesday after Super Tuesday sees some candidates celebrating their monumental advance towards the nomination…and others throwing in the towel.

This was not that kind of Super Tuesday.

Rather, there was something for everyone in the results….and a determination by all to continue slogging away in the battle to secure the Presidential nomination, and take on Barack Obama in November.

AXX: ROMNEY

Mitt Romney, celebrating with his supporters in the state he once governed after winning 6 of the ten states up for grabs on Super Tuesday.

And expressing confidence that he's making progress on the road the the Republican convention, where delegates will anoint the party's eventual standard-bearer.

AXX: ROMNEY

But to get there…Mr. Romney and his team now have to demonstrate not just political adroitness…but mathematical skill as well.

1144 convention delegates are needed to secure the nomination, and while Mr. Romney has about one-third that number locked up….Rick Santorum, his main conservative rival, won three states and scores of delegates himself last night.

AXX: SANTORUM

Mr. Santorum's staff say he'd be doing better if only Newt Gingrich would get out of the race.

But after winning his home state - Georgia - Mr. Gingrich politely declined.

AXX: GINGRICH

Ron Paul, the libertarian congressman from Texas, didn't win a single Super Tuesday state…hasn't won a primary anywhere….but he's also staying in the race.

He's already notched up 61 valuable convention delegates thanks to a new, proportional representation system being used in many states…..delegates he can use to to secure a prominent, prime-time role at the Republican convention.

So on they go…with no end in sight…unless you're Mitt Romney's senior adviser Eric Ferhnstrom.

AXX: FEHNRSTROM

Wishful thinking, or prescient analysis?

We probably won't know the answer for several weeks to come.

SOC

Posted on March 07, 2012 at 04:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

EU leaders meeting amid more 'summit madness'

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels for more talks on the debt crisis and economic downturn in Europe.

It’s the latest meeting in the three-year long crisis, that started off in Greece and which is STILL not resolved.

For hundreds of journalists in the EU capital, the debt crisis has been both a blessing and a curse - a major news story that refuses to die and one that eats away into evenings and nights.

Our own Brussels correspondent Vanessa Mock reports now on Eurozone fatigue... and hopes for a cure!

IN: FX (Coffee cups) "It's 3am and.."
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DUR: 4:40 (can be cut down)

FX sound of coffee

It’s 3am here in at the EU Council and the coffee is flowing... At this time of night it’s the lifeblood for dozens of bleary eyed journalist as they wait for weary ministers to share the outcome of this latest round of crisis talks

CLIP JOSH CHAFFIN "My name is Josh Chaffin I work for the FT in Brussels. I’ve been here for three years... It has been one endless stretch of very long meeting in a long windowless room, it’s like going to the synagogue but worse"

PLAY UP STEVEN CASTLE CLIP, international herald tribune

Arthur Beesley from the Irish Times is one of the die-hard followers of the Eurozone saga. And it says a lot that even he is now suffering from crisis fatigue

CLIP ARTHUR " Well you do hope that the thing would be sorted. Its going on for an extraordinary amount of time. On the eve of the second summit this year after 8 summits last year, the 7 the previous year, it does seem we are not making much progress."

After clocking up sixteen crisis summits, Philippe Ricard from the French daily Le Monde has learned the art of summitry, snatching valuable hours of sleep even when they are in full swing

"CLIP last meeting was not so bad for me/… I went home to sleep! Back at 4.30a,m"

But aside from staying awake, the big challenge is how to keep the story alive. Last week, after 13 hours of marathon talks, a second aid package worth 130 billion euros was agreed for Greece, thereby averting a default. Big news – except that this is now the fourth mega bail out in three years – and everyone is getting a little jaded. Steven Castle from the International Herald Tribune

PLAY UP CLIP STEVEN "Story is both terrifying and boring…"

Many journalists compare the eurozone crisis to a slow motion disaster, as they watch Eurozone leaders unable or unwilling to put a stop to it - or not knowing what to do.

FADE UP TALKING HERE " ROAD TO NOWHERE"

PLAY CLIP ATHUR I think there are some people in these quarters... ... the answer is these questions throw up v difficult political questions. For leaders of big EU countries to move forward... sign a rather big cheque."

For journalists, the ordeal is far from over, More checks will be signed and amre late night talks will be held – and where will it all end? No one knows. SOC +++

Posted on March 01, 2012 at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

London marks 150 days until the Olympics

SUGGESTED LEAD

This week city of London has marked 150 days to go until the start of the much-awaited summer Olympic games.

A small-scale ceremony featured giant Olympic rings being floated on the river Thames, a procession of red double-decker buses and an appearance by the Mayor himself, announcing a cultural programme would run alongside sporting events.

This, on the back of officials announcing that the London games so far are under-budget.

Our correspondent Sandra Gathmann reports from London.

IN: "Standing in...
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Standing in Trafalgar Square the Olympic countdown ticks away as preparations for the London games continue - but this week London took a moment to mark 150 days to go.

Eleven meter tall Olympic rings were towed under Tower Bridge - a glimpse of what'll be a familiar feature on the London landscape come games time - when theyl light up the Thames River at night.

Outside city hall, the Mayor of London, accompanied by a steel drum band, announced the city would also see a series of cultural events, free of charge, in every London borough.

The message is one of inclusion, against criticism that tickets to sporting events are scarce, expensive and that the system of distribution was too random ... awarding some people more than one ticket, while leaving others with none.

And while the world's eyes are on London, there's a big incentive to nudge in British artistic talent under the spotlight too.

Ruth Mackensie, Director of the 2012 Festival

TAKE BITE

And it's the overseas visitors that Mayor Boris Johnson is keen to continue bringing in.

TAKE BITE

In a recent display of security preparations, officials also hoped to show the world London would be ready in the event of a terror attack in one of London's underground stations - testing everything from evacuations to staging a terrorist manhunt.

These security operations are costing Britain over 553 million pounds or over 880 us dollars - double the initial quote.

But it's true organisers are clamping down on over-spending, announcing recently that total costs are still under-budget.

Officials also hope that the London games - priced at around 17 billion us dollars will display a certina degree of sensitivity toward the current economic climate - in the shadow of the 44 billion spent in Beijing in 2008.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

TAKE BITE

It's certain that what London doesn't want to fall short of is a sense of excitement... at the Olympic Rings countdown ceremony - young Olly from the whitehouse school in streatham said he had lots to look forward to ...

TAKE BITE

Sign off.

Posted on March 01, 2012 at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympic sailing competition in Weymouth

London's Olympics events will largely be concentrated within the capital, except for one.

The UK's seaside towns of Weymouth and Portland will be playing host to the country's proudest sport-the sailing competitions.

Team GB has scooped up top medals in past Olympic games for sailing, and due to Weymouth harbour's optimal conditions, the team hopes to add to their medal count - and organisors to host a successful international competition.

Our correspondent Sandra Gathmann travelled to Weymouth and has this report.

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AIR: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-air.mp3
ARN: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-arn.mp3
FRONTIER: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-frontier.mp3
ICRT: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-icrt.mp3
KISS: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-kiss.mp3
NIGERIA: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-von.mp3
RNZ: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-vatican.mp3
ZIZ: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0227Weymouth-sg-pack-ziz.mp3

SCRIPT:

Like many island nations Britain takes its sailing seriously - It's also the most successful nation in Olympic sailing history, and Team GB has won more gold medals than any other nation, topping the medal table at the last three Games.

Which is why officials are keen to create a legacy too, for the town hosting the competitions.

Weymouth, a seaside village of just over 60,000 inhabitants has always been a sailing hotspot.

Sir Keith Mills, Deputy Chair of London's Olympic Authority and a sailor himself, says the Weymouth and Portland Harbour boasts optimal conditions.

TAKE BITE "in Sailing competitions you want as fair a race course as possible and here in Weymouth we have pretty flat water because the bill- or the land mass protects it from the prevailing swell that comes up the channel and we have a very low causeway and the wind is fairly constant, we have a westerly wind.

The National Sailing Academy perched on the harbour itself has been integral to the preparations of the games, helping to win the 2003 Olympic bid

CEO of the academy JOHN TWEED, says hosting the sailing competitions is doing wonders for the sport across the UK - and young sailing hopefuls training here, are getting front row seats to witness their sporting heroes in action.

TAKE BITE: " This is one of those very unusual opportunities where a child taking their first sailing lesson can actually be on the slipway, next to an Olympic sailor// so we want to use 2012 to inspire a generation of young people to choose sport and here, we want them to choose sailing."

Recently, an impressiv athletes village was unveiled offering 77 residential units that developers will later sell as affordable housing -

Quite a change from initial plans that suggested the 1000 plus sailors and their coaches board on a cruise ship due - to limited accomodation on the Island.

The town has had to undergo major changes in order to host the big event, but Mayor of Weymouth Graham Winter insists preparations have been part of a positive lead-up to the games.

TAKE MAYOR's bite
I think a lot pof people were a bit ancious but i think it is important, and its put wmouth back on the map as far as the sailing venue is concerned, and the other positive thing is its done a lot of work to imporve the town, for the olympics which fo course is a benefit to the borough as a whole.

The Olympics Sailing event is made up of ten different games-six for men and four for women- there'll be races for everything from dinghies to windsurfs.

It's the biggest event being staged outside London- and there's a sense of history and tradition too- sailing's been part of the Olympics for more than a hundred years- which is why so Many royals and VIPS are expected to attend.

SIGN OFF

Posted on February 27, 2012 at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

World leaders agree action needed to help Somalia shed its failed-state label

In London a high level conference on Somalia has been taking place, with key figures from the country, the region and the international community agreeing a seven-point plan vowing more aid and help to fight terrorism and piracy in the war-torn country.

Leaders from across Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and the African Union joined others from 50 countries and organizations, including UN head Ban Ki moon for the day-long gathering. South Africa's Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said it was a promising start to a process which is bound to be a long one.
The conference comes after gains on the ground in Somalia in fighting the Al Shabab Islamist group which holds much of the country, but no longer the capital, and as the mandate for Mogadishu's transitional government approaches its end in August.
From London, Catherine Drew reports.

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After a day of talks, world leaders reached agreement on seven key in a bid to help Somalia move away from its grim past, this included new help to tackle terrorism and piracy, and increased aid for the 2 million somalis still affected by famine.
African leaders welcomed the commitments. Somalia's President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said he hoped the promises would amount to more than they had done in the psat.

INSERT:

SCRIPT:
The gathered leaders urged Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since the early 90s, to move quickly to install a permanent government and write a new constitution to coincide with the end of the transitional governments mandate in August. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admitted this was an ambitious timeline but must be met. other leaders, like South Africa's Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane said the international community must be cautious in this matter.

INSERT:
Whatever efforts we put in, whatever deadlines we put in, we should make sure we don't' leave a vacuum and lose space in continuing to support the people of Somalia to help reclaim their lives

SCRIPT:
while there is concern internationally about the humanitarian situation in Somalia, western nations also have increasing concerns about the nation's Al Shabab islamist grou p. More Britons, including Somali born Britons are estimated to be in terror training camps in Somalia than any other country.

And US secretary of State reminder the leaders that Al shabab had brought misery to tends of thousands of somalis.
INSERT:

SCRIPT;
Somalia's complex problems will not be solved by one conference, over the years, there have been many conference... but those gathered here are hopeful this could be the start of helping Somalia shed it's failed state label.
For XX I'm Catherine Drew, in London

Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Concerns for small town ahead of Olympics

SUGGESTED LEAD

The seaside town of Weymouth- host to the Olympics' sailing events- is coming under mounting pressure to improve the state of its high-street, ahead of the international event.

Business-owners claim they are being strangled by the upheaval caused by the Games, while officials insist they're doing all they can to make sure the town is ready.

UK correspondent Nina-Maria Potts traveled to Weymouth to find out what the row is about.

SCRIPT

It's not easy for any city hosting the Olympics during a recession, let alone a small town.

Weymouth's facelift has been going on for several years.

Now many here blame the Olympics for strangling their businesses- already struggling because of the faltering economy.

Patrick Riechoff owns Rossini's restaurant in Maiden Street, near Weymouth's seafront in the town centre.

He says several businesses nearby have gone under, and lots of businesses will be affected by the Olympics' disruption.

" The car park at the back, right behind the restaurant is closed. My customers are not going to be able to come down during the Olympic period. There's nowhere to park, taxis are not able to come down Maiden Street, between 10 in the morning, and 10 at night,- a lot of people come by taxi, and leave by taxi- so it is going to affect my local customers, and I am very concerned about that."

SCRIPT

For local officials, it's been hard separating the facts from fiction.

They insist claims the sailing races would be blocked from view for those that haven't got tickets are simply not true- pointing to two large screens that will be mounted on the beach for people to watch.

Simon Williams heads up operations for 2012 for the Weymouth and Portland area.

" Some people aren't in favor of the Olympic Games, they don't think it's worthwhile.That's absolutely fine, they are quite entitled to have that view. I think what we say to people is if you do have an opinion about the Olympic Games, please make sure you base your judgement on the facts. And not rumor and myths. We do spend our time trying to dispel some of those rumors and myths."

SCRIPT

There is evidence on the high-street though, that not all is well with Weymouth.

Shops are closing- and local authorities have been criticized for not doing enough to improve the town centre.

Still people here are overwhelmingly optimistic the games themselves will be good for Weymouth.

" Weymouth needs something, because nothing much ever happens here, so the Olympics will be good/ it will benefit the town in the long-run, and especially the young people/ it has been hard to get to town because of the roadworks, but I think overall the road will be better."

SCRIPT
Along the sea-front, there are already signs of improvement.

The promenade has been tidied up, there are new bus-stops and freshly painted statues.

There are still fears though the economic downturn's beginning to bite, with hotels uncertain how many bookings they'll get for the summer.

But the real pain is being felt among businesses in the town-centre.

The row over the Olympics disruption has been bitter at times.

But officials here insist the sailing competition will be a major boost to Weymouth, and are telling people NOT to expect 'business as usual' for this once in a lifetime event.

SIGN OFF

Posted on February 23, 2012 at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sunday Times reporter killed in Homs

Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin has been killed in heavy shelling in the Syrian city of Homs.

Marie Colvin had spent the last twenty years reporting on the Middle East and conflicts around the world.

Activists say several others were killed in the attack, including French photo-journalist Remi Ochlik.

Tributes have been paid in Britain to Colvin who was one of the country's most respected foreign correspondents.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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Only on Tuesday Marie Colvin had described to the BBC what she called a 'sickening' situation in Homs.

CLIP

And the news of her death as she attempted to cover the ongoing uprising in Syria and the crackdown on it by President Bashar al Assad's government - led to tributes from all quarters.

In the House of Commons, Prime Minister David Cameron.

CLIP

And his opposite number, Labour leader Ed Miliband.

CLIP

Marie Colvin, who was in her 50s, had been a foreign correspondent for the SUnday Times for 20 years and had reported from many war zones.

She wore a patch over one eye after being hit by shrapnel in Sri Lanka in 2001.

And as she spoke to the BBC on Tuesday, she described how close she was to danger.

CLIP

Marie Colvin was American-born but at the time of her death was the only journalist from a British newspaper in the city of Homs.

SOC

Posted on February 22, 2012 at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday preview: London conference on Somalia

A major conference on Somalia gets underway in London later (on Thursday).

The British government says a 'step-change' is needed in efforts to help the country.

The conference will discuss issues around governance, the humanitarian situation, security and piracy.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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*****

Lancaster House in London could not feel more removed from Somalia.

But a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace top officials from over 40 governments and multi-lateral organisations will gather to discuss the troubled country.

And it certainly is troubled, according to Adjoa Anyimadu, Africa Programme, Chatham House

"The country's been without a functioning government since 1991 and that has led onto all sorts of problems including the complete lack of a formal economy which means there's very little employment opportunities for people - it's difficult to make money and feed families. It's also really prone to drought which means that famine has occurred regularly over the past 20 years and it's become a hotbed for terrorism."

On the agenda in London, a wide range of subjects:

Security and tackling the al shabaab militant group which operates in Somalia - should there be more African Union peacekeepers in the country?

Piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Governance and and how to progress when transitional institutions in the capital Mogadishu expire in August.

And humanitarian concerns and social issues - which many activists say should be right at the top of the list of priorities.

And Campaigners like Dr Hany El Banna, President of The Humanitarian Forum also say plans concocted by the west alone will never succeed.

"If we keep imposing international solutions to a society which cannot buy it, it will not work. No matter how many more billions of dollars they spend."

Which is why Adjoa Anyimadu from Chatham House welcomes the fact that Somali representatives will attend the conference in London - from Mogadishu and beyond.

"By bringing all of these people to the table, i think, it's a first opportunity for the international community almost as a whole to talk to almost all of the regional representatives of somalia and i think that's the key component that might make this conference successful."

The foreign office hopes this conference can kick-start a real engagement by the international community with somalia and its problems, and not just for un-selfish reasons:

The British government warns repeatedly that the chaos inside Somalia and along its coast pose serious dangers to Britons, British interests, and those of other countries too.

Posted on February 21, 2012 at 02:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

EU may not welcome an independent Scotland

British Prime Minister David Cameron has set out his defence of more than 300 years of political union between Scotland and England.

His speech is being seen as the start of a campaign to get the Scots stay within the United Kingdom, when the issue will be put during a referendum during the second half of 2014.

But among the many arguments that Scottish nationalist use for breaking away is Scotland’s relationship with the European Union. As a wealthy, pro-European nation, they would expect to be welcomed by the EU with open arms.

But as Vanessa Mock reports, many in Brussels say it’s not that straight forward

IN: {FX Scottish Athem}"This could.."
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FADE UP ANTHEM

This could soon become the national anthem of the EU’s newest member state: Scotland.
A referendum of Scottish independence has now been set for the end of 2014. And already the leader of the Scottish national party is campaigning hard for a Yes:

CLIP SALMOND
It would be governed as the people of Scotland would wish it to be governed. Raise our own taxes, decide our own spending priorities and decide if we want to go to illegal wars in Iraq - the answer would be no- so there would be very substantial differences

Originally, Alex Salmond wanted a referendum on more devolution from London. But now British Prime Minister David Cameron says it has to be all of all or nothing. Alyn Smith, a member of the European Parliament from the Scottish National Party, says that’s no bad thing

CLIP SMITH MEP
How people are going to vote, well that’s crystal ball gazing but we are seeing growing support for more support for more power for Scotland. The latest opinion poll has Yes at 51 pc, no at 49pc. But things are moving…

The assumption in Edimbourg is that if Scots do split from the rest of Great Britain, they would automatically become a member of the EU. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, an independent Scotland would become the world’s fifth richest nation - so a huge asset to the EU. MEP Alan Smyth again

CLIP
We’re already subject of the EU, I’m already a member of the EU. This is mechanical rearrangement of our membership. The idea that Scotland, as a net contributor with oil and gas and fish and wind and waves, a rich and prosperous nation would need to go out and then go back out is not a serious proposition.

But officials in Brussels are doubtful if it would be that straightforward. Fabian Zuleeg is from the European Policy Centre:

CLIP Zuleeg accession
The suggestion is that Scotland would leave the UK and if that’s the case it would have to have some form of accession talks with the EU...

It’s up to existing EU countries to approve the entry of a new member. But already Spain and Belgium are looking with some unease at developments in Scotland, fearing repercussions on their own separatist regions. Madrid has already signalled it could block Scotland’s EU bid for fear it could reinvigorate the basque separatists, as Fabian Zuleeg explains

CLIP
There would be worries about how this could serve as a positive precedent for other movements within the EU. Scotland would have to convince other partners.. That their case is special one that wouldn’t be a precedent for others.

Joining the EU comes with strings attached. Eurocrats points out that any new member of the EU must automatically commit to eventually becoming part of the monetary union, the Eurozone. Scotland may be pro-European - but it’s NOT pro-Euro. And many argue it would be madness to ditch the British pound. Lewis McDonald, a Labour Party member of the Scottish parliament

CLIP We have enjoyed a relationship with our neighbour of the kind that other European nations are still striving to do. Fiscal union, a single market underpinning the largest free trade area when it was first established, monetary union and a single currency, one of the most successful in history

For Britain, the loss of Scotland would mean far less power within the EU. Fewer voting rights, fewer politicians in Brussels, less clout vis a vis France and Germany. And during these Eurosceptic times, that could unleash a far bigger debate, as Fabian Zuleeg of the European Policy Centre explains;’

CLIP Zuleeg UK
I think there will be pressure within the Uk - if there are any fundamental changes in the relationship of UK with EU, there would be pressure from Euro sceptics to put that to a referendum. That would be about whether UK should be part of EU. I’m not sure such a referendum would be won by pro-Europeans.

FADE UP ANTHEM

At the moment, at least a fifth of Scotland’s three million inhabitants are undecided about how they would vote. Officials here in Brussels say for now they have not yet begun to think about Scottish accession. But they’ll to, soon enough.
SOC

***

Posted on February 17, 2012 at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anger over bankers' bonuses - making UK anti-business?

In Britain, rising anger over bonuses paid to bankers has caused some executives to reject theirs this year.

Vast payments to bosses at banks bailed out by the UK taxpayer during the financial crisis have been particularly unpopular.

The government insists it will act on the problem.

But many industry leaders fear the rhetoric is making the UK seem anti-business and may scare off potential investment.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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Bankers' bonuses have attracted criticism from many quarters in 2012 - such has been the anger this year that several executives have decided to forego their payments.

RBS was bailed out during the financial crisis.

Its chief executive Stephen Hester was going to accept a bonus in the hundreds of thousands

of dollars but was forced by the reaction of the public to decide to turn it down, even

though he was not at the bank when it collapsed and is thought by many to be doing a good

job of turning it round.

And many in the City of London are scratching their heads about the reaction says Allister Heath, editor of City AM newspaper.

CLIP

That message is clearly not getting through to the public - and even if bonuses are down,

they sill seem outrageously large to many, including those still camped at the Occupy London Stock Exchange protest outside St Paul's Cathedral.

CLIP

The government says it will act on bonuses so that failure cannot be rewarded, as it was

for many bankers during the financial crisis.

But in the City, and in business circles more widely, many now feel the atmosphere in the

UK towards the highly paid is toxic, and potentially harmfully so to the British economy.

Among them, Allister Heath.

CLIP

This is a tricky issue for the British government to handle.

They know there is a great deal of public anger about bonuses and huge levels of pay for

bankers and they say they want to make the system fairer.

But at the same time, they know that business here in Britain and around the world is

watching closely and they do not want to scare any money away.

SOC

Posted on February 16, 2012 at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ai WeiWei and Birds Nest architects reunited for London commission

The team behind the design of the Beijing Olympic Stadium, the Birds Nest which included Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, have been commissioned to create a temporary pavilion by London's Serpentine Gallery.

Each year the gallery, which lies in Hyde Park, commissions the creation of a pavilion which is one of the most popular architectual exhibits in the world in terms of visitor numbers. The commission has come in the Olympic year and Gallery organisers say the exhibit will be something of an answer to the so called Birds Nest stadium.

However the project may not be smooth sailing, as currently Ai Weiwei is not allowed to travel outside China. From the British capital, Catherine Drew reports.

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It may not look like much now, but come the summer, the patch of lawn outside the serpentine gallery in hyde park will be turned into a very intriguing structure as it has for the last
11 years….as architects from around the world have taken turns to create their
designs. The design for this Olympic year has been awarded to Ai Weiwei and the
swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

Director of the serpentine gallery, is Julia Peyton Jones

INSERT:
"Herzog, de Meuron and Ai Weiwei were the architects, are the architects of the Birds Nest, one of the seminal images of the Beijing Olympics, so this Beijing-London axis is a very nice counterbalance and we wanted to invite them to come together, to work together, they're very old friends, they're close colleagues to design something, design our pavilion, which is a kind of response to the Birds Nest."

SCRIPT:
No images have yet been released although a few details of the planned
exhibit have emerged. We know that the site of the pavilion is that it will be excavated for five feet underground to reveal the columns of previous summer pavilions. A new column will also be built that will support a transparent roof which will collect rainwater, the roof will then be emptied from time to time, like a bath to provide a performance space or dancefloor."

Ambitious plans, but are those at the Serpentine Gallery nervous that Ai Weiwei, who is currently under investigation for alleged tax irregularities in China, may not be able to travel to Britain to put his design into action. Director Julia Peyton Jones again.

INSERT:
"What's so marvelous about this point in time is that you don't need to be in the same room with someone or a group of people in order to work. So Skype is a great medium for this Ai Weiwei and the architect Herzog and de Meuron in Switzerland and because they are so familiar with each other, this isn't a forced marriage, it's a marriage of friends and colleagues, it's a very natural thing."

SCRIPT:

Ai Weiwei is a well known figure in Britain where his sunflower seeds
exhibit at the Tate Modern museum was a popular and critical success. Locals enjoying Hyde park welcomed his involvment in the summer pavilion, which is hugely popular with visitors.

VOX:
"I think everyone is very aware of who he is and what he stands for and what he's had to go through for the sake of his art and so many people see this building every summer and I think it's really exciting that he's been given it and if they're doing it on Skype, maybe they can have him on Skype in the pavilion itself."
"I think it is a good thing that the gallery has given this to him because it does highlight freedom of expression and freedom of artistic movement particularly if he's unable to come here in person and has to do it all by Skype I think that it will definitely highlight that kind of thing, yes. "

SCRIPT: exteriors
The Serpentine Gallery is keen to avoid any politicising of the
commission, saying they hope the new structure will pay tribute to the Beijing Olympic stadium and create a bond between the two Olympic cities....however there there will be worldwide interest in whether Al Weiwei will be allowed to come to London to work on his design creation.

Posted on February 13, 2012 at 04:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pearce takes temporary charge of England, Redknapp coy

Stuart Pearce has been named interim England manager after the resignation of Fabio Capello.

England striker Wayne Rooney is leading calls for Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp to take over as permanent boss of the national side.

This after Capello quit as England coach over the stripping of the captaincy from John Terry because of racism charges.

The Football Association says it would prefer to hire a British or English manager next.

But England are currently without a manager or a captain just months before Euro 2012.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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Such is the English obsession with football that even the Prime Minister is required to comment on the resignation of the national side's manager.

David Cameron says, despite everything, he's still optimistic ahead of Euro 2012.

CLIP

Fabio Capello quit after publically expressing his anger that the FA had stripped John Terry of the England captaincy as he awaits trial over allegations he racially abused QPR player ANton Ferdinand during a game last year.

But FA chairman David Bernstein said he and Capello parted on good terms.

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OUT: ...handshake."
DUR: 33 seconds

As for who's up next, Stuart Pearce takes temporary charge but the FA signalled it would prefer an English-speaker this time.

Capello was frequently criticised over his communication skills and lack of English.

FA chairman David Bernstein would not be drawn on whether Harry Redknapp is first choice.

IN: "Clearly...
OUT: ...key people."
DUR: 21 seconds

Redknapp is clear frontrunner though and it's even possible he could carry on managing Spurs until the end of what is so far a successful season, while taking on the England job.

But the man himself insisted his mind is on other matters.

IN: "Not even...
OUT: ...you know."
DUR: 7 seconds

He is though the fans' choice, and it seems, the players'.

England stars Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand have both tweeted to say they think Redknapp should get the job.

It's a famously difficult job though with England having under-achieved for years.

SOC

Posted on February 09, 2012 at 02:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Santorum confident he can challenge Romney nationally

Rick Santorum, the former US Senator from Pennsylvania who scored upset victories in 3 Republican party primary contests on Tuesday night, says he's bracing himself for fresh attacks from Mitt Romney, the former Governor of Masachussetts.

Mr. Santorum beat Mr. Romney in all three states holding contests on Tuesday night: Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado.

He says he's now the conservative candidate who can beat Mr. Romney, and take on Barack Obama this November….even though Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, remains in the race.

Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks spoke to David Chalian, the Washington Bureau Chief of Yahoo News about the latest results…and what they mean for the future of the Republican race.

IN: "David Chalian…."

OUT: "…..in a year".

DUR: 5:33

http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0208elex-chalian.mp3

Posted on February 08, 2012 at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Feb 6: Paul, Santorum look to West for campaign boost

The race for the Republican presidential nomination has shifted to several western states.

Mitt Romney is hoping to build on his decisive victories in Florida and Nevada by securing wins in Colorado and Minnesota on Tuesday.

But underdogs, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum believe several upcoming contests could help resuscitate their campaigns.

Steve Mort reports from Denver.

IN: [SFX] "Rallying the...
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2:28

AIR: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-air.mp3
ARN: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-arn.mp3
ICRT: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-icrt.mp3
KISS: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-kiss.mp3
NIGERIA: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-von.mp3
RNZ: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-vat.mp3
ZIZ: http://featurestorynews.com/feeds/0206Colorado-sdm-ziz.mp3

SCRIPT: Rallying the conservative base, Rick Santorum greets voters at Colorado Christian University in Denver.

INSERT: "On Tuesday, you can go out in Colorado and re-set this race all over again."

As the focus of the Republican presidential contest shifts west, it's make or break time for candidates like Santorum who needs religious and social conservative voters to bring credibility back to his campaign, as well as much needed cash.

Donald Chase is a student at Colorado Christian University...

INSERT: "He's not // willing to sacrifice what he believes in and his principles just for the sake of a win. He is much more concerned with staying true to who he is than just being a push over."

Ron Paul - currently in third place in the race - is also banking on some Colorado mountain air to breathe new life into his campaign.

Aaron Harber - a Denver-based political TV talk show host - says Paul should do well here.

INSERT: "Ron Paul has a very strong core constituency in Colorado. His libertarian bent appeals to a lot of Coloradans and actually beyond the Republican Party."

Historically, Colorado voters have shown a strong independent streak, often refusing to take their marching orders from party establishment figures.

Analysts say that gives hope to those looking to challenge frontrunner Mitt Romney who is campaigning across Colorado ahead of Tuesday caucus.

INSERT: "Colorado Republicans are very independent // if those leaders say you should endorse or support Mitt Romney, most Republican rank and file are going to say 'you know, we'll make up our own mind.'"

While polls show Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich leading in the west, some states allocate delegates on a proportional rather than a winner-take-all basis.

So Rick Santorum and Ron Paul are spending money on television advertising in the region, hoping for a share of the spoils.

INSERT: "Rick Santorum for President. He doesn't just talk a good conservative game, he lives it."

INSERT: "Later bureaucrats, that's how Ron Paul rolls. Want to drain the swamp? Ron Paul. Do it."

In 2008, Barack Obama was able to boost his delegate tally over the perceived frontrunner Hillary Clinton, by racking up delegates in key western states, including Colorado.

This time underdog Republicans hope to summon some of the same frontier spirit to help push them over the line in 2012.

Posted on February 06, 2012 at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UK guns for Yuan trading hub status

The UK is hoping to secure for London the position of leading international centre for trading the renminbi.

London and Hong Kong have launched a partnership working towards plans to make the British capital a major yuan trading centre outside China and Hong Kong.

And for the UK, it represents a potentially lucrative opportunity at a time of low growth.

Olly Barratt reports from London on why the city is in pole position.

IN: "The City...
OUT: SOC
DUR: 3:20

The City of London likes to think of itself as the financial services capital of the world.

What is beyond doubt is that it is the world's foreign exchange capital.

And so the city insists it is perfectly placed to become an offshore hub for the trading of China's currency.

Katie Martin is Europe Currencies Editor at DOW JONES.

"It's really a natural extension of what we excel at already. Foreign exchange kind of lives in London. Around a third of all the flows in the world in the currency markets pass through London, it really is a global hub so it makes natural sense for us to expand into the Chinese yuan and other currencies."

The partnership with Hong Kong puts London in pole position when it comes to becoming a renminbi trading hub.

Over other European financial centres like Frankfurt, for example, London has the advantages of its expertise in currency markets, and the English language.

Conservative MP DOUGLAS CARSWELL, is very keen.

"It's fantastic. It's really exciting that this country is open for business, it's fantastic that we're partnering so closely with a great Asian nation and you know - this is all part of the same theme, making ourselves open for business, open for business with Asia."

The incentive is obvious - one recent report suggested trade transactions settled in the yuan will reach around a trillion dollars by 2020.

And as China's ecomony continues to grow, it's expected strict controls on the renminbi's flows and value will continue to be gradually relaxed.

And Dow Jones's KATIE MARTIN says that's good news for London.

"I think in many senses the currency is becoming an international currency slightly faster than people give it credit for. You do still have to bear in mind that globally it accounts for a tiny share of transactions, it's something like 0.3 per cent of global transactions are in the yuan - because it is a currency that's difficult to do your invoicing in and whatnot. But nonetheless it's growing very fast, the potential is enormous, obviously because of China's trade and investment flows - so the potential's huge."

The coalition government says it wants to rebalance the British economy so it is less reliant on financial services.

But at a time of economic stagnation it is not about to turn down an opportunity for billions of dollars in new revenues.

And that's why it is so keen to get this deal with China signed off.

SOC

Posted on February 03, 2012 at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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