In 2 I guess the Kurds have wanted they cannot continue holding thousands of i.a.s. Militants and their families meanwhile in the past hours Syria's state news agency says the Syrian army has started to move troops north to counter what it calls Turkish military aggression. The Kenyan runner Brigitte Kosgei has set a new world record for the women's marathon easily beating a record that stood for 16 is it was set by the British athlete Paula Radcliffe don't ruin her for more than 16 years Paula Radcliffe swirled marathon record has proved unbeatable but in perfect conditions in Chicago it was not so much supine asked but smashed by an astonishing 81 seconds as project cost sky made history by the time of 21404 to put the dominance of her performance into perspective she was almost 7 minutes quicker than her nearest rival the Chinese president Xi Jinping has issued a strong warning against dissent as anti Beijing protests continue in Hong Kong state media quoted Mr Xi as saying that those who try to divide China risk crushed bodies and shattered bones is Will Leonardo since the anti-government protests began in Hong Kong 4 months ago the police have been accused of using brutal tactics to disperse them Mrs comments evoking broken bodies weren't go down well with the hundreds of people who've been injured by batons and rubber bullets x. Rays of broken bones allegedly sustained in police custody were plastered to the ground at one rally on Saturday Sunday's process have turned violent again Pro Beijing businesses were attacked and one police officer was slashed in the neck with trust between the 2 sides at rock bottom the latest remarks from the Chinese leader will sound almost as to many in Hong Kong well to use from the b.b.c. . Emergency teams in Japan are working through the night as the scale of the damage caused by Typhoon Huckaby's becomes clear huge swathes of land in several prefectures are underwater after record rainfall in some places up to a meter cause rivers to break their banks more than 30 people have died many others are missing Hunter Biden the son of the former American vice president Joe Biden is stepping down from the board of a private equity company backed by China Chris Buckley has more in a controversial phone call Donald Trump tried to press Ukraine's president into launching an investigation into Joe Biden and his own homes are under little publicly said that China should do the same or ever President Trump has not provided any evidence of wrongdoing and in a statement Hunter Biden's lawyer said that in the 5 years that he had served in the board of the Ukrainian energy firm the Red be no allegations of impropriety by law enforcement agencies despite extensive scrutiny votes he has not decided to step down from the management company of a Chinese equity funds and he's pledged not to serve on boards of foreign companies if his father becomes president to ensure there are no conflicts of interest Britain's prime minister and the European Union's chief negotiator have both said there's a lot of work needs to be done to reach a revised Breck's a deal following further technical talks in Brussels neither side has commented on the details of the discussions which center on the contentious issue of the Irish border. The American Simone violence has become the most decorated gymnast in world championships history winning had 25th medal gold with a stunning performance in the floor competition in the German city of stood guard after earlier taking another gold on the balance beam she has passed the previous overall record of $23.00 medals held by the male loosen gymnasts be tallied. B.b.c. News. Hello you're listening to the newsroom from the b.b.c. World Service with me some pivotal we begin the program in northern Syria where a Turkish incursion against Kurdish fighters has been progressing rapidly since the u.s. Announced a partial troop withdrawal less than a week ago now the Americans have announced they're planning to pull out all their remaining troops the u.s. Secretary of defense Mark esper told c.b.s. News that it was draw was the only reasonable option despite our opposition they decided to make this incursion into Syria and at this point in time in the last 24 hours we learned that they likely intend to expand their tact further south than originally planned and to the west we also have learned last 24 hours that the Kurdish forces the s.d.f. Are looking to cut a deal if you will if they Syrians and the Russians to counter attack against the Turks in the north and so we find ourselves as we have American forces likely caught between 2 opposing advancing armies and it's a very untenable situation well our Washington Correspondent Chris buckler joins us now for more of this Chris this seems to suggest that the u.s. Weren't anticipating that events on the ground would move quite so quickly Yeah I was looking back at the statement that came from the Weiss always last week whenever they said that Turkey were planning this well they still scrubs a long planned operation to go into northern Syria and at that stage the u.s. Essentially was washing its hands of it saying that you know as far as it was concerned it had defeated the Islamic state grip it wasn't going to be involved but it essentially allied Turkey to go ahead with its operation license than we have seen the State Department the Pentagon become increasingly concerned by what they're saying they also feel that President Trump is perhaps not being hard enough in trying to strike back at Starkey saying you've got to restrain yourselves and what you're doing and certainly if you listen to the u.s. Defense secretary Marcus but today he was saying that he believes talkee is looking to go further south than they had planned and certainly there is a great deal of nervousness as they watch. The chaos and conflict from afar not least because the Kurdish forces that are involved in this and are being attacked by talking used to be u.s. Allies and ultimately they do feel abandoned the President Trump seems rather pleased with the decision still he's tweeted It's very smart not to be involved in the intense fighting along the Turkish border for a change those that mistakenly got us into the middle east wars he says are still pushing to fight and they have no idea what a bad decision they have made so he still seems like he's pushing on with this idea but is there growing political opposition in Washington towards this president the believes in America 1st has never wanted to be inside the Middle East he doesn't want to be involved in these drawn not conflicts and doesn't think that there is a merit to that those in Washington feel quite differently including some trump loyalists some inside Congress who normally stand alongside the president when he sometimes makes decisions that other people find uncomfortable and that is for 2 reasons 1st of all there is a question of being smart and also a question of they feel that they do have a responsibility to the cards who did walk with them in tackling i-s. Beyond that there is also the concerns about Islamic state going forward they are watching the chaos amid this conflict and saying there is a danger of some people who are within the Islamic state group who have been captured being released amid all of this and potentially that grip emerging as a threat again and it includes some very influential people including a former u.s. Defense secretary Jim out as he was speaking this morning Chris buckler in Washington thank you well let's move away from the politics and get the view now from the Turkish Syrian border where the fighting is going on I asked our correspondent there Martin patience what difference the American withdrawal will make on the ground I think you'll make a huge difference because. America has given up all the cards in the northeast of the country and. Turkey's offensive will continue it will feel that is. Because as far as. Washington wants to bring the boys back significantly from the Kurdish. There's been no support in the face of the Turkish offensive and I think they are some suggestions that they are perhaps looking to deal with the Syrian regime and I think that's an indication of just. The battlefield in Syria but the Kurds from their point of view they'll do whatever it takes to get. The Kurds linking up with. The Russians. For the Kurds if it goes. Through and their dream is reached. A degree of protection because Turkey a. Kurdish positions where Syrian government control. Means is attacking the Kurds and the Syrian government but also their backers Russia and Iran and I think from the Turkish point of view they'll think twice about. Forget the reason this offensive started was because American troops Kurdish units were withdrawn Turkey had a free hand because the Kurds without the repercussions of killing an American soldier we've also heard of families escaping from where they were being held the Kurds be using them and the forces that they're also holding Could they be using them as leverage. If we're fighting the Turkish military we simply want to reach. Shore seems to look after all these fighters and my family says and they can no longer prioritize it now where they separate breakout place was to run 10000 people according to Kurdish officials they say that camp was. By Turkish warplanes Turkish officials have also says that the people inside the camp attacked the gates of face is confirms and in fact. Chose one of the children kind of strolling down the street with some suggestions the guards simply let. A fact was the case then clearly Kurdish authorities were sending a message to the west that this is no longer our problem is going to be yours as well Martin patience at the Turkish Syrian border more than 30 people dead many more missing in vast areas left under water that's the devastating impact the typhoon has had in Japan before it finally moved away on Sunday over 100000 emergency workers including soldiers have been deployed across the country and recovery work has been going on through the night the Japanese prime minister she said the government would do its best to get the country back on its feet now. This is a phony I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives and for the well being of everyone affected by the storm as well as personnel from the police the fire department and the coast and we've deployed 27000 self-defense force members and rescue operations. Cause the suspension of electricity and transportation service is affecting people's lives the government will do is to resume as soon as possible these people told the b.b.c. About their experiences in the storm doesn't mean. I have left. Is the 1st time I. I've seen anything like this I was shaking with air last night we will call. You know I mean I watched the live camera with the river and I could see it coming up and up getting closer and closer to the top I never thought something like this would happen in my neighborhood I was so surprised from our go in north of Tokyo Here's our correspondent report Winfield Hayes the town worst hit by Typhoon Hagi bass isn't on the coast of Japan but 100 miles inland in the Japanese Alps on Saturday night the levees in the town of chicken a burst unable to withstand the onslaught from the typhoon rains all day military helicopters have been plucking people from the roofs of their homes north of Tokyo the city of colored Goa has also been hard hit. You can hear me wading through the water here this where I'm standing yesterday would have been a field now it is a vast expanse of brown murky flood waters beside me here is a half submerged tractor and in the distance there is a large old people's home that is now completely stranded surrounded by the floodwaters the really extraordinary thing about this typhoon is its scale there are rescue operations going on and at least 8 different prefectures across the main island of Japan Japan is also starting to count the economic cost of this single storm outside the city of Nagano a row of $5.00 shiny bullet train stands swamped by the floodwaters each one costs 20 $9000000.00 u.s. Dollars Wingfield pays a listening to the news room on the b.b.c. World Service Now Julie has the headlines President Trump is planning to withdraw the remaining u.s. Troops in northern Syria as the Turkish offensive against cads intensifies Kurdish forces say the families of Islamic state militants are among hundreds of people who've escaped from a camp for displaced people. But it cost a of Kenya has set a new women's world record for the marathon in Chicago thanks Julie Tennesseans are voting for a new president in the decisive final round vote between 2 political new governors a flamboyant media mogul and a conservative law professor. And. Swept aside 24 other candidates in the 1st round striking a blow to the country's political establishment Well let's go live now to Tunis and our correspondent Rhonda Jawad is there runa So these 2 candidates are outsiders and they're fighting it out. Yes they are they are the so-called anti establishment candidates and you know if you think about it this is the trend that we've seen in Europe and also in the us in recent years they have come as a surprise making it to the 2nd round of this presidential election the turnout today up until about 3 pm local time was at 39 percent of the electorate we still don't have the latest figures the polls have not now closed but we're expecting another news conference by the Election Commission to tell us that final number of the turnout but they're expecting it some are speculating earlier that it could be higher than the primary round that was held in mid September which saw a voter turnout of some 50 percent and why is this election important. Well it's important because it shows that things were able to run smoothly very soon after the former president or rather late president suddenly passed away he was in office so they had to move the presidential election forward by about 2 months they were able to hold basically 3 rounds of elections over the last month and a half and they also had their. Legislative elections just last week and it's also important because they need as many Tennesseans will say fresh blood new politicians to come on to the scene and fix what is a chronic economic problem in the country and of course that is not the job of the president per se but rather the cabinets but there is that view that the president is that figure who might be able to bring together politicians and maybe offer a plan that will help take them out of this economic crisis run into this thank you is it about the economy is so the Polish general election today might help the right wing Law and Justice Party to hold on to power unemployment is at a record low and business is booming but opposition parties accuse the government of authoritarian tendencies and of promoting division our correspondent in Warsaw is Adam Riess. Saying this is the most important elections in 30 years since the end of communism and that's because the governing law and Justice Party has a very particular political vision which even though it's 30 years ago they believe that communists and former communists imposed communist still wield far too much influence in this country and what they've done is they have promised to it stole their own cultural political and business elite and how they've done that is essentially to increase political control over things. The judiciary over things like situations museums the civil service and the public media now that has led to accusations from many liberal opponents here in Poland but also the European Commission that their weakening democracy the other thing that has proved very popular with just this is even though it's a very socially conservative party it's very left wing in its economic policy and that has been its very generous welfare benefits program which all opposition parties have copied to some extent because it's pretty self popular but the other major opposition is divided into sort of 4 main blocs and they're pretty much just can't see Lauren justice with various degrees of being perhaps a more socially liberal from the centrists on the left wing and also perhaps more environmental issues as well the more prominent in their campaigns especially on the left also to a certain extent with the centrists and in Warsaw and will end within the next hour we'll bring you the latest in our next edition 22 hours g.m.t. And now Julie has some of the stories from our news desk a black American woman has been shot dead by the police through her own bedroom window in Texas after a neighbor made her request to check on her welfare the police said Did the officer who is White had perceived a threat when he drew his weapon he's been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People called the Death unacceptable. A report by Imperial College London has recommended that air miles should be banned because they encourage excessive flying The report commissioned by the Committee on Climate Change says that frequent flyer loyalty schemes are particularly damaging because they can result in people taking extra flights simply to maintain their privileged traveler status. They have more than $2500.00 pet rabbits taken to events in Britain found that long term disorders were common. Thank you David Grann claws and teeth and erect Seann me ISIS and often fatal condition caused by flies laying eggs on a rabbit skin the role of at my college said many of the animals were also extremely lonely as they went suited to being kept in isolation having pet rabbits has been a popular British hobby for about 200 he is with breeders establishing pedigrees for more than 50 prayed Thanks Julie It's official she is now the most decorated gymnast in World Championship history the American Simone Biles has now won a 25th medal on the floor at the World Championships in Stuttgart in Germany after earlier taking another gold on the balance beam. Serious feat there I found out more from David backdate of b.b.c. Sport who's been covering the championships there cheap minutes just keep coming and coming at the start of the week of all this talking about these new skills that she was going to perform that would be named in her own or in the in gymnastics court appoints and then later we turn to Hart becoming the most successful female gymnasts ever least the world gymnastics so we know he is officially the most decorated gymnast male or female sever lived in the world gymnastics championships you know so you know has 25 medals that's 2 more than Vitale shareable of Belarus who until now it was the the record holder all those 25 medals 19 of them are gold she won 5 this week it's just our performances just seem to be getting better and better and the records just keep tumbling and what is it about her performances because you see on the t.v. Coverage you see famous for merger Miss marveling at what she's doing so also what is it that she's doing that just takes it to that next level it's just to make sure of. Power and grace on the floor she's so compact she managed to get such height and hard tumbles and her flips on things like the beam she has such balance that she can do a triple turn on her foot and just stay on this for this actually 10 centimeter white she just doesn't come off it she can do skills that no one else can and that just comes from years and years of practice she did a triple double They call it on the floor which is a new skill and a double double just went off the beam 4 foot 11 and she's just so coordinated as well all of these things come together the power the coordination the grace to make her probably the best gymnasts ever lived and her life story is one of her coming adversity isn't it yeah absolutely as a young girl she was taken into the care of her biological grandparents she been adopted since and calls them her parents her biological mother had problems with substance abuse and someone was taken by the grandparents and then more recently in recent years she's obviously been at the center of the abuse scandal that's rocked USA Gymnastics Dr Lotty nastar who's been in prison for many years over numerous counts of sexual abuse of gymnasts over the years and then he just this summer we had the story of her brother who had been charged with assault by firearm and murdering people in another part of the country she's had many many difficulties to cope overcome but being so good at gymnastics and being able to focus on that has helped her as well so yes she has overcome adversity and is such an inspiration I'm sure to many people around the world David back Cade on Monday the winner of this year's Booker Prize will be announced here in London 6 people on the shortlist for one of the world's most prestigious literary awards one of them is Salman Rushdie who earned his 5th shortlist domination with his new novel The short having previously won the prize in 1981 arts correspondent Vincent Dow. Spoke to him some on Rushdie is when a previous book a prize of the 993 book of because award and the 2008 best of book but at home in Manhattan he's been watching a lot of trash t.v. . It was all research in aid of his new 15th novel he shot since I have a character whose mind is being poisoned by reality t.v. I had to do my due diligence so I actually did watch really upsetting quantities of Real Housewives and car dash eons about you as a bachelor ets I think all of the Real Housewives the ones from Atlanta are the most adorable I want to thank you I do not have to follow you to is the result of years old and age young people can nominate a key shots tells a story based on donkey hotel Sam to show is a hack writer writing about is Miles smile or key shot he is an Indian American pharmaceutical sales rep who falls in love with a t.v. Star and drives across America to find her in New York the city the authors called home for 20 years so he's now a New Yorker or still deep down and Indian Well I mean there's a lot of us Indians in New York you know I've always identified with cities in a way more than with countries you know so I feel very much a sense of belonging in Bombay which I still call that and in London and in New York they're all places where I feel I have very deep roots in key shot to what extent is some to show you and to what extent is is Miles smile you they both have a back story in exactly the same small neighborhood of Bombay where I grew up they're both people of approximately my age and wrestling with questions of mortality key shots actually has something which I deliberately used the quality of mine which is a kind of stupid optimism I found it very. To despair so he's a kind of exaggerated version of me in that regard and his ostensible author Well I'm not somebody who's spent my life writing 2nd rate spy novels although I've always kind of wanted to write a spy novel when you're trying to give a big as it was Cinema Scope picture of America it's interesting that you say Cinema Scope because I use that kind of film metaphor all the time to myself even while I was writing the previous novel The Golden House I was saying to myself next time you have to get out of the 212 area code and explore this huge and varied problematic country it's an attempt to write about old age but facing what kind of life you've led and discovering in that old age a lost access of crazy improbable love and believing that that love will find a way so it's a book about optimism it's a book about being determined to have your last chance what I feel is that when reality becomes as strange as it has become when it becomes a kind of unreality you can't go on writing classically realist novels to describe a very classic all an unrealistic world the novelist and Rusty speaking there to our correspondent with the doubt a reminder of our main news President Trump is planning to withdraw the remaining u.s. Troops in northern Syria as the Turkish offensive against the Kurds intensifies That's all from us you are listening to the newsroom. Distribution of the b.b.c. World Service of the us is made possible by American Public Media producer and distributor of award winning public radio content a.p.m. American Public Media which supports the investments taking a personalized approach to helping clients grow preserve and manage their wealth more and more it for the dot com. For the brokerage services. Business on the b.b.c. . And this week I'm in the small West African nation of Liberia and I'm telling the story of Liberia's strange faces one of the world's poorest countries and many have really benefit from the country's says. I'll be meeting every Californian call. Around. Business after the nice. B.b.c. News virtually Candler the us is planning to withdraw its remaining troops in northern Syria as the Turkish offensive against the Kurds gathers momentum the Pentagon described the situation is untenable and said up to a 1000 soldiers would leave the area as quickly as possible President Trump tweeted that it's very smart not to be involved in the latest fighting state media in Syria say government troops are moving north to confront Turkish forces family members of his La mixtape fighters are reported to have escaped a camp hours in thousands of displaced people Kurdish officials say hundreds of people fled as Turkish forces targeted the area. The Kenyan runner Brigitte Kosgei has set a new world record for the women's marathon she finished the race in Chicago in 2 hours 14 minutes and 4 seconds easily beating a record that stood for 16 years it was said by the British athlete Paula Radcliffe the Chinese president Xi Jinping has issued a strong warning against dissenters anti Beijing protests continue in Hong Kong state media quoted as to she is saying that those who tried to divide China risked crushed bodies and shattered bones. It could all as president is due to begin talks with Indigenous leaders after nearly 2 weeks of violent street protests over austerity measures the crisis broke out in early October after President Moreno announced fuel subsidies would be cut under a $4000000000.00 loan deal with the International Monetary Fund human rights activists in Egypt say that a blogger and journalist who played a significant role in the 2011 uprising has been arrested a fellow activist said Ezra Abdel Fattah was picked up by officers on Saturday her whereabouts account we are known and voting is drawing to a close in Poland where people have been choosing a new parliament incumbent right wing Law and Justice Party is hoping to retain its absolute majority b.b.c. News. Welcome to global business on the b.b.c. Well it's that us with Josefina casting from Africa's oldest republic snipe area and head to investigate the rabbit industry and I'm starting off at the rally time markets in the capital Monrovia. That public market with a problem you know if. You produce a robot you know you don't have enough money for their equipment and yet returned it to finish goods for the public to live news updates as a primary vote for their large group. The story of Liberia's rabbit industry is in many ways the story of the country itself. This is one of the world's poorest countries yet it's rich in natural resources such as gold diamonds and rubber. Rubber makes up 65 percent of the country's exports and employs whole peoples and. And you have a sector apart from the state and yet there's no rubber manufacturing base to there's never been so much as an elastic band made in Liberia. Liberia wasn't always covered in rather time technicians the industry is less than a century old and it all started with an I hired farm boy 10 tie a tycoon on the other side of the Atlantic Harvey Fierstein with its auto industry booming the United States was consuming around 70 percent of the world's record. Really important from British colonies from the Far East. Are the fires was determined to find his very own shores forever. And I urge upon. Me. That they will get relieved by investing in a country under their own control to get a big break in the library of Liberia wasn't actually under u.s. Control at that time but the 2 nations have always been closely intertwined in 822 Liberia was founded as an American colony where freed slaves and African-Americans could settle 25 years later Liberia gained its independence becoming Africa's feste Republic but in Liberia was ideal the country was an ally of the United States it had a large untapped labor pool Yes Miles and miles of land for planting rubber trees in 1986 Firestone negotiated a contract with the Liberian government which would go down in history as the sweetest of sweetheart deals Liberia gave the right to lease up to $1000000.00 acres that's roughly 10 percent of the country's our bill lands they pay only $0.06 per acre and for an astonishing 99 years why on earth did they agree. I asked Liberian economist Samuel p. Jackson 2 reasons a lack of sophistication and lack of forward thinking on the part or librarian of fissures and the objective conditions of the time Liberia was a very is general poor country and needed money Samuel recently wrote a book called rich land poor country which asks why so few Liberians have benefited from the country's abundant resources the Firestone deal was convenient for the cash strapped government when it needed money Firestone would pay future revenues up front it began with a $5000000.00 but Firestone customer officials to oversee the finances of Liberia and that really began the domination of the lab you're about it American vested interest so they were overseeing the government's finance for Exactly there were monitoring and then dispensing government revenue and they did awful long a 1000000 elaborate couldn't pay and there was a lot of confrontation between our bureau in Firestone Firestone went to the White House several times trying to use gone but the promises to force Liberia into paying the money Liberia did eventually pay its debt and by the late fifty's Robbo was beaming the country had the 2nd highest growth rate in the world beaten only by Japan but it had little to show for it money continued to pour out of the country like latex pouring out of rubber trees the way. It was. During the Liberian civil war paid taxes to the rebel leader and former President Charles Taylor who's now serving a life sentence for war crimes in my 10 tailless soldiers guarded the plantation to protect fire stands assets the company says it did so under threat of violence to protect its employees and property was the industry never quite recovered from the 14 year conflict and production is still only a quarter of what it was in the 1990 s. . But since a peace deal was signed in 2003 many Liberians he'd left during the wool have returned home on one of them wants to revolutionize the rabbit industry. It's. Force from it survival is based on discipline and attention to detail and focus. Our marginal officer in California as a police officer in California. James cave and don't be fooled by the accident James is Liberian although he was a cop in the States for over a decade I just missed home seriously there's something about Liberia and when you talk to Liberians or even people that are not my views but have visited here this country there's a book that by. James written time in 2006 and went back to the rubber farm to his parents and since $956.00 as a kid this is where we would come on weekends we would spend holidays and this was like a special place for us but this is a place that was serene before the and so when I moved back home this was the choice James is in his sixty's now he's a big guy it's hardly surprising that he used to be a cop but he's extremely warm and also very determined as you head and do you remember the moment when you 1st came back to the phone Yeah I do the house here there was no roof there were no windows there was nothing here there was one toilet of one tub and trees with a horse brought out of the House James found that the rubber trees had been slaughtered taps chairing the wool they'd been franticly in callously harvested until they could no longer produce but that wasn't all when I came back home there were 17 x. Combatants that had taken over here and were living here and had I not had the law enforcement background I may have been as it is to come out I'm sure I would have because one of the things that being along for. Teaches you is that there's a lot to do with how you treat people as to how they treat you and says e.g. Full relationships with the combatants the rebels here in the house we did we did actually it was so interesting because they had his thing all written up is it here we want to you know the rules of who perform 1st of all no loud music after a certain time and then number 2 you know no trace and somebody else's wife and then number 3 no use of drugs number 4 no violence I mean they had a whole list of things that was important to them in terms of building community and so we used their rules to establish a new framework for living here many of them became part of the workforce on the farm and with the help James began replanting his rubber trees had to cut all the trees down throughout the 400 acres by sections and do the replanting this year we will be harvesting our 1st portion of 10000 trees so use your 1st harvest how you feel you must be quite excited very much so very much so. They were just waiting on a growing to be very much running very fast lane I'm. Way behind and I think Johnny just to see a train back. With the cheek stuck in the mud you know this is I had the option to walk and who I have to go to prison because good grief did you do right you were already pulled. You out there for you you were. Back on dry land we continued hacking away through the undergrowth. And suddenly this loads of trees that are old planted in lines. I mean he's responsible for the replanting some. To be operating on top they're already ready for she doesn't want to say this this tree in front of us it's got this cut down the side of the bark so it looks like a scar like a way and there's a white liquid that Ok this is like milk a creamy liquids easing out of that and does it a little. And then it drips down and then there's a piece of metal. Spout that takes it. And then did I begin to through it's very beautiful isn't it looks like most old kind of white colors that looks like it's almost a patent on it yeah so how much rubbish is one tree for Chase song give. Me a year and. Then I've got your mind on the way back through the jungle John and his colleagues break into song. And I've heard people over. There they tell me rubber tappers have sung this for generations that I've never been and I'm. Glad I got you. Going I love you. I never. Met James intended to sell this text to fire as his parents had but 2 years ago he visited shoreline crown a business trip and his perspective completely changed. They have an established rather manufacturing industry there provides rubber made goods not only domestically but be explored to manufacture rubber products to India and other countries where they receive. Return on their investment on the page. And there are close to $500.00 or over products that we could be manufacturing in country. But these are our new prototypes. To me by James keepit Genia James the son he's been working with his dad since he was 14 what we're learning to be a nice to manufacture. Finished rubber on its Nigeria to show. It is an issue for. The want to get into process and further evaluation of. The case has managed to find a Sri Lankan investor and they've already begun processing the latex is put into trusts and he to. Until the water evaporates and the rubble becomes solid. Very. Little square is becoming. Less like a country and if yes when from the machine it silk. Sticks together the keeper of a plant is the only librarian a business doing this processing other produces just take vats of liquid latex to send in other multinationals who process it themselves and then exposed it to manufacturing plants Oh you mean we go into the French are in trouble this big factory that James is showing me around is eerily empty. The bales of rubble collecting dust and they only run the machines from time to time to stop them rusting in the rain. In the last 9 months James has had to lay off 140 people he's brought some of them to meet us in his office he wants to show us one impact the business made in this region. Business is the. I mean. She was the business manager hey until she lost her job that must be ready hard how are you managing for money. To nothing is going tedious and. We try. Every. And to receive any money from the government when you haven't got a job. So how are you how are you surviving did you have savings. Conceiving. On the. Business so. This is. You skills you. See in the market. She's also struggling with rising prices inflation here is that percent how do you cope with prices rising. That's really raising these school fees and that increase how much is taken out by. One foot to say $146.00. And how much was it before it was very close to 90 where in bomi County the poorest part of a poor country if you are you'll likely have dozens of extended family members depending on you do you have any relatives who work at The Farm is there years there might not be directly related to the war. As differently. And need to Vincent is 20 she lives in the area and is studying to be a nest but she's struggling to pay her tuition fees before she would lose Esther there really it is that. As you see you know working that I was working on the call before any certainty know what gives all of you so it is very beautiful it is very and Anita says that as poverty is worsening more attending to crime when you. Get to sort of going to get will be your your dream was just at the end of the close year. When local businesses closed every family has affected. It's challenging times for the industry the price of rubble on the world market. Is not the reason why James has had to shut up shop. Last year James had very nearly secured a multi. $1000000.00 investment for his move into manufacturing it would have allowed him to employ $200.00 more people. Then he ran into trouble with a high level politician. Upped it in the local press and it escalated until James was taken to court on charges of terroristic threat and criminal malevolence. James was initially convicted but he appealed the charges successfully and eventually his name was k. It but he says his foreign investor got cold feet about putting money into such a politically volatile environment. James needed the money to consolidate existing debts and without its operations ground to a halt and there's a lot of noise around here reflecting instability. On the political and. Doesn't reduce will be facing some serious challenges now and in the future economist Samuel p. Jackson says that Liberia's political instability and widespread corruption is off putting for investors the view so we have to minimize corruption make less laws that negatively impact businesses and to give some sort of confidence for the. Capital because private finance capital doesn't like instability and Liberia's economy is already facing multiple challenges the budget is suffering today because of several reasons. The reduction in the price for Robert and I and all that Steve to overproduction in Southeast Asia and the slowdown in China the withdrawal of un peacekeeping troops has also had an impact on the economy $17000.00 troops there was a lot of consumption associated with that there was a lot of spending so the hotels the restaurants the bars the dry cleaners and all the services were full the Liberian president and Nobel Peace Prize. Alan said is revered by much of the international community but what the government of leave did not do is did not prepare the economy for the eventual withdrawal of the peacekeeping forces and un related activities and that is undermining macroeconomic stability today you have lower taxes lower revenues you have a serious problem in terms of budget budget gaps and you have serious problems in terms of funding for social infrastructure all if this combined with the Ebola outbreak in 2014 which left thousands dad has sent Liberia's economy into freefall inflation is dangerously high and food prices a soaring that even if the current crisis is brought under control the economy needs to change fundamentally says Samuel Euro News did a versified is outport manufacturing is only 11 percent of g.d.p. Liberia needs to do more to diversify its economy in terms of tourism hospitality industry manufacturing agro processing value addition and all of those and if it continues just to rely upon Firestone the concessions it will all will be held hostage to is passed. Yet to see on our way all of the new trees that maybe they just like take me out of the ground if you leave something you know just there for you. It's really did that very green and lush and you see the hills in the background and we went through a little checkpoint a little way and Harry did what did they say they were they were reminded also of our speed limits so of course. So maybe you. Know. Where in the finest concession. It's like a country within a country the plantation is the size of Singapore so we're just driving down an area that's all straight with houses on either side that Major Fred brick and I look very mean tiny Davis hedges out the front with some nice orange flowers on the side dishes next to houses it's a much higher standard of housing than we've seen in nice prices and then right here. There's some women sitting underneath the trees here selling drinks and snacks and old feels very serene and very peaceful but under the surface this is a troubled place because the rubber prices falling on the world market is suffering and wants to cut its workforce by 13 percent already over 700 people have been laid off I'm off to meet the president of the trade union. I'm the president for the fire stroke or joy because you know Liberia. Or 4 dollars in workers great Denecke is alive the man in a leather jacket he's phone never stops ringing he really has his hands full at the moment of people worried about losing that jobs is there a fan they could be next. Who they were fired or is there are people beyond additional more and if you were given a month's notice to leave and pack up your whole life move your kids' school is Dove is is all is is or is issued people can hardly comprehend it gave the go or help it we go there for us it is doubting where are the. People who are protected from the harsh reality of life outside this bubble you wait to give your seeing. Your children going to school when you are sit you go to hospital if you go are all of a minute is out to get you know Harvey in 2008 that then President Allen said leaf put pressure on fire stand to provide free education free medical cat and higher quality housing for their employees wages had a $67.00 us cents an hour it may not sound like much but in a country where 2 thirds of the population live on less than $2.00 a day it's worth sticking around for in south Georgia start Josie I said to live in the government she is difficult to involve people it's all more like a frustration of people a big disappointment people know who No harm no me. No me to even survive do you think that business is going to pick up again 5 percent in life area or is this the beginning of the kind of business we resume. If there were. Plenty. Of business we improve. That. James is trying to get back on his feet and he's in negotiations with investors in Liberia and he could support him to expand into manufacturing but for now it's a waiting game. Do you ever have moments where you think I wish I never got myself into this. You know again I go back to my faith I have moments where I get tired or that I feel wow you know but I have always loved this is my heritage this is where I was born you know one of the things that for me is so important my parents always taught me if you're not making a positive difference in this world you're just taking up space on the planet and I know for fact that whatever little difference I can make all we can make it is significant here in Liberia compared to any other country like the difference between dropping a pebble in the ocean and dropping a pebble in a pond is so its immediate You see the impact right there today. This edition of Business was presented by me. And produced by Lisa. 5 Public Radio for the north coast of California and the southern coast of Oregon you're listening to. Crescent City and k h s g Garberville. Used translators r k 260 b.q. Willow Creek and k 20 for. From. Hollywood movie direct to Gavin Hood. Reveal how has story became an acclaimed film. I was very aware of the fact that what I was doing was against the world. But I wasn't really thinking about the consequences because for me it was kind of. I wanted to. Have the risk of losing my. Film is really. Yes they will see all kinds of. Doing their work doing their work but the real question I think that draws the audience is walked with. Mackintosh with the b.b.c. News Hello Syrian government forces are reported to be heading towards northern Syria where Kurdish fighters are facing a Turkish invasion the remaining u.s. Troops in the region of poised to withdraw Sebastian Usher reports events to move fast with this day of the Turkish offensive against the Kurds. The skate to come for the displaced in the wake of the attackers Turkish forces and the local allies have captured more towns and villages and cross announcement that is going deeper into Syrian territory than previously declared appears to have prompted a more rapid withdrawal of the remaining u.s. Forces in the region into the vacuum Syrian government forces are now being mobilized and in a flurry of reports of negotiations between Damascus and the Kurds on a possible deal to try to stop the Turkish offensive that could see because handover big towns like Kabbani and manage to the government and what they see as the lesser of 2 evils the Kenyan runner Brigid cuz guy has set a new world record for the women's marathon easily beating a record that stood for 16 years it was said by the British athlete Paula Radcliffe Dan Ronan has more this record wasn't just the past it was absolutely demolished there been whispers all week here in Chicago that the Kenyans 25 year old was seriously planning to make a very very determined attempt to break the record and sell it through she sets off an incredible pace and managed to maintain it almost all the way round it was on from very near the start of her nearest rival was almost 7 minutes behind her would you believe the only 22 of the men today in the men's race managed times quicker than Brezik cost. The Chinese president Xi Jinping has issued a strong warning against.