now they are blocking traffic as here in guadalajara. it's part of a protest against government policies, which they say on damaging their livelihoods and threatening the food supply in italy to agricultural workers have taken to the streets of the capital. without its own agriculture, the people cannot be free depending far away. foreign countries for food is negative for have our economy and for the environment, particularly if you think about transporting the products from one side of the go to the other. that's the view shed by many people across the continent in germany to the anger of the funding community is very clear. i'm standing here close to the porter with poland, which has been closed off to pretty much old traffic protests on this side of the border. but also on the polish side of the frontier in nearby pause, not as far as in tract is blocked, roads as punch of protests against some co,

uncontrolled impulse from ukraine. while the actual frontier between the 2 countries has been blocked by farmers with a clear message. if you just nothing, will have to stop talking openly about products that because we are a self sufficient country capable of producing good quality items. the e u has already show the proposal to hoff pesticide use across the continent and scrapped are recommended targets, the cutting agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. but many farmers say these measures do not go far enough and they need such and help now fall in a king. how to 0 on the german polish quote. because quote and malaysia has robust 16 is lama clothes which were created by state government on unconstitutional legislation passed and telecom punish defensive, such as sexual harassment, cross dressing and giving false evidence. protest as outside the federal pool

condemns the judgement. out could have major legal implications in the multi ethnic country that operates a jewel. traditional system for ceremony has been held and gone for the return of ancient artifacts stolen by british colonial forces. 150 years ago, they included an ornamental cheer, gold jewelry and an elephant tail whisk. they were taken from guns as ancient assigned to the kingdom and place it kept by museum in the united states. okay, so for now you can find more information on our website l just here, adult calm, counting, the cost is coming up. next, stay with us. the this is to took is the 1st country in the world to develop a comprehensive, sustainable tourism program in partnership with the global sustainable tourism comes this country holding small beauties that just looks like beaches,

historical and cultural bureau, velo reach, and michelin, green star, restaurants come and discover the natural, historical and cultural beauties. the hello i, my name's sight. this is counting the cost on al jazeera, your weekly look at the well, the business and economics this week, the american economy is on a wrong. why has it pulls so far ahead of the rest of the world on? is it a waiting for president biden? also this week eve bomb is a furious governance across the block have race to address the grievances on the european commission has given grounds. but is it enough on bod,

from exposing big money and it's like cold? north korea looks to false eyelashes, to show up it's economy. the 2 political tensions. the pandemic lingering off to shocks. high inflation. i'm steep borrowing cost. countries across the globe have faced multiple crises for months now. and just last year, the was biggest economy, the us among others, was at risk of recession. today, though, is g d p is growing faster than expected. stokes, all storing on the job market is called the american economy is not just strong. it's also piled ahead of the european union, the u. k. japan and all the advanced economies. but why is the us so resilience fenton model? how has we'll, or many had predicted the recession,

but the latest jobs data suggest the us economy may have whether the storm us present. joe biden is hailing the turnaround as a sign. his policies are working ration wakes are starting to see real evidence that america centers are facing real confidence in our economy. we're building the u. s. economy out of 353000 jobs in january, nearly double what some analysts expected. the math is predicting that the us economy will go to point one percent this year. that's far more than comparable, developed economies in europe or japan and another positive sign. the federal reserve says interest rates may come down within the next 12 months as a signal that inflation is coming under control subdued. we believe that our policy rate is likely at its peak for this tightening cycle, and that if the economy involves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint. at some point this year. the calls that the american success story is less clear,

some point to its young population making for a more flexible, unproductive workforce. the single biggest reason why the economy is growing, because you are the best workers in the world, and that's not high, preferably. now you really are really our life who does well everybody does better, but there are other factors toward ukraine disrupted supply chains that goes major economic shocks. but this in europe and other regions, much harder than the us of the american economy, is also been propped up by high government spending. stimulus packages, put money into the economy during the cobit $19.00 pandemic. and that's continue through biden's infrastructure initiatives. so i'm gonna call them as warrant. these policies are piling up debt both to the government and consumers. i think we need to remember that there still is a decent amount of the actual fiscal stimulus happening out of out of d. c y. there is a monetary policy that's just contracting

a credit of that fiscal policy still. ready is helping prob, up to, you know, the us consumer. and then unfortunately, a big part of is also consumer debt. if you will have credit card uses, it is, is well up on a year of your average. the challenge, though, facing us policy makers, is making the current economy sustainable and staying on course to avoid the recession since monahan. how does era for counting the cost? okay, joining us from st gallon in switzerland is saw him in evidence. he's an economics professor at the university of st. galyn. thank you for joining the program. so i'm in warranty. you think the us economy is powering ahead of the rest of the world. war 2 things will pull them into place. the 1st was the relief in global supply chain pressures. in the united states, i was, i think, a fact to which has enabled supply to expand that supply doesn't expand and this there is additional demand. as you have just heard, there was lingering fiscal stimulus. that's one factor 2023. so american consumers

spend off the trillion dollars more than they did the previous year. so that's a big boost. on top of that, you had a $100000000.00, sorry, $100000000.00 of extra manufacturing investment. and then a $100000000000.00 invest improvement in the net export balance. so you add those things together, you get a very help the economy. and that's exactly what the americans are beating drawing . what about when you compare the industrial composition of the 2 countries? but us, for example, is a very is focused on technology. it's seemed to be a head when it comes to the race on artificial intelligence, to what extent is not helping us. so the amazing developments in i t up being very tired, especially all special intelligence will be particularly important. i think for pushing up the stock market valuations all the relatively small number. ready firms, i don't think got that as get translated into a major problem based mac regional make improvement, which,

which would arise from productivity gains. so i think that a lot of the headline stop receiving the financial markets associated with a all right is laying the groundwork for future productivity increases. now those productivity increases don't necessarily have to be confined to the united states. europeans, japanese try these, people can use i tools as well. the key question will be how quickly those tools, those tools diffuse into productivity gains, which countries steal them off on that particular improvement. when, when you look at all the headline numbers that we're discussing here, consumer spending is up the job numbers up the employment market is called yet the, the, when, when it comes down to how people actually failing in the united states, they all still very conservative about the future that's right and that's something of a paradox is the over numbers that you've described are indeed moving. ready right direction, except the classic consumer sense would measure from the university of michigan, which is about 20 points below where it should be at

a similar point in the cycle. and that is, of course, the thing that's going away on the election outcome very is if you dig into that consumer sentiment index a big divergence between democratic voters to see things going pretty well. and a republican voters, what i need just now improving that can seem essential that numbers, but nowhere near to the left. ready democrats, and so you have this set, the section of reality mixed, mixed match. the interesting question will be whether that translates into a very different birching happens. and if it does, then of course it's gonna weigh on the truck to the president bivens re election to why all consumers spending so much if they don't actually feel rich to it's just a, it's a great question about, i think part of the answer to that question is yes, nominal wages and started to catch up with. ready inflation, which they was experiencing prize. secondly, americans do have a do have quite a lot of money still from the stimulus. checks that they received from the federal

government, which they have re running down. now, the money is almost gone up buddy 2023. a lot of that money was being spent, and as one of your comments, i just said earlier, people all borrowing more on their credit cards as well. so put that all together and you do get quite a half consumption expenditure increase, which is what we saw last year. what do you say policy wise going forward given, given we're seeing a, the sort of boost of numbers in, in the job market where we see a rate called a went rate. i think if we said it'll be towards the end of quarter 2, but not before. and then once we get it into the pre election here of the phase will be very reluctant to be seen to be customer interest rates or raising them for that matter. because it will be seen to be picking sides. so i suspect if anything happens it. ready actually happened before the end of the 2nd quarter, and even that will be fairly, a tepid. i think the main reason for this is the fed has a very low cost in waiting. there's lots about the section 2 in the water economy.

when you look at the different flash points, but you're out there grow fees, as you say their own, they're still growing quite strong. so there is a concern with inflation. why not the time you write this quickly. so all of his points to a cautious bread not want to interrupt about drink 2024. if we all comparing your to the us, what has been the biggest difference? do you think it is it inflation and how it's been tackled? why have the europeans locked behind? so europe is locked behind for at least 2 reasons. one, they haven't has the same consumption boost of it to be certainly united states. and that's largely because europeans save a lot more. in fact, multiples of. ready as some pictures of the west incumbent and then americans and so they have europeans and not run down their savings. and on top of this we've had a huge energy price shop which is really not a lot of you. ready manufacturing sideways. if you look at the numbers for german

industrial production, which were pretty sick before the invasion of ukraine, they've now really called into the negative territory and germany assessable hockey tube. there's the hall parts of the european manufacturing in front of me. so the combination of cautious consumers and manufacturing written up sideways by high energy prices goes a long way to explain why europe is some language and so on and where to get good to get your thoughts. so i'm an evidence economics professor at the university of st. galyn, thank you. thank you. the bomb is across europe say they can no longer make and living. they blame rising costs cheap and ports green policies and heavy regulation. they've left the fables and taking the grievances to the streets on the intense pressure the european commission has buckled on ease some of those environmental plans. national governments have also made concessions,

but many farmers say more needs to be done. culture lopez who to young has more all across europe, farmers have stage widespread protests, blocking roads with tractors and disrupting traffic near government buildings from france to germany, belgium in italy, they c e u regulations are making it impossible to get by with demonstrating against europe against the common echo cultural policy, the bureaucracy and the countries are the placing products inside the country without health controls. we just can't compete with the agricultural workers are angry about low wages, heavy regulations, and the influx of cheap imports. lower prices on foreign good. stacy is pushing them out of business would be avoided reprocessed even because we have very high agriculture. started in those funds to a long list of requirements. a, we demand the imported goods also know, you know,

the same standards and ports from ukraine is another issue. following bushes invasions that you issued a, tara free entry of the cranium, form products as a way to support keith farmers. a cheaper in ports are driving prices and their income down. agriculture accounted for nearly 1.5 percent of the use g. d p. in 2022, analysts say the figure may seem small, but it reflects the livelihood of millions of farmers throughout the continent. now the e. u is scrambling to address concerns ahead of the european parliament elections this year. the commission proposed sure, which is the worst, the aim to reduce the risk of chemical plant production products. but the sooner the proposal has become a symbol of polarization. it has been rejected by the european powers human. so we

have to do something. and that is why i will propose to the college to withdraw this proposal under pressure. some countries like greece and friends have announced concessions like protections against unfair competition and a freeze on diesel tax. some say it's not enough that you're all there is one year, right? and in europe, we should all have the same restrictions, the same norms and no on fact competition. farmers are calling for more concessions to manage the high costs of living. failure to do so, they say could lead to a loss of jobs and of billions of dollars in the agriculture industry. how to see a little bit of the un, which is 0 for counting the cost. joining us now from what getting done in the netherlands is to run in candle. he's associated professor of food on agricultural policy. i like a name then university. thank you so much for your time,

sir. so all farmers writes about all that grievances is the european funding industry in crisis. well, i think they're right in the sense that there's a lot of uncertainty. so we see that it's palm is that the bush to compete of the world markets that to produce against the lowest cost price. but at the same time, we also know that you have to go to a sector and the food system in a broader sense are responsible for about a 3rd of your being very nice gas emissions. and that's uh, it's farming is the biggest driver by diversity law. so they also phase another well and the grease of environmental regulation. and so many fall most that's just a makes that there's a lot of uncertainty about the future of the business of farming makes up such a tiny part of the g european g d p 1.4 percent to i believe. so are you surprised that we've seen such concessions from governments, but even though farming itself is, are of makes up the,

the small percentage of the economy you can say to broader i, me food sector. so the whole industry around this much larger. and traditionally the coastal sector, as always, how much political influence vote and brussels and international capitals. and we see that the influence is now to be used to try to water down some of the environmental uh, legislative proposals that have been made by brussels. right. as you say, we've just seen the plans being scrapped to be on t pesticide proposal. what does that tell us about the, the blog foundations when it comes to green policies for personal, worried by how quickly the commission is withdrawing some of these, a legislative 1st proposal that they've been negotiating about for years now. and european union has committed to international improvements on biodiversity, on climate change, and it's not tracked to meet those commitments and the fact that there's no skill back, some of its legislative proposals on pesticide use on climate change appointment

policy. and we see that you had to go to the sector as lot to be an extent that's from, for example, do use private policies. i think that's pretty wordy. animals are no longer to make that problem as will well uh, continue to face as uncertainty. inflation across europe has been a big issue and governments have been trying to bring down the price of food. but that's coming out. the cost of farm is how, how difficult is it, uh, for policy makers to, to get that balance right between a, you know, making everyone happy. essentially, it is a challenge definitely. um, but we see to pull the patients now seems to suggest that inflation is a, is a result of sustainability measures. and i think as legal evidence for the claim. so we see that inflation at this moment is already being driven by the, by the effect of climate change. but also because the food industry has as increase

its prices of beyond installation over the last few years. and so we see that farmers in general have relatively little bargaining power in relation to the for the industry and every day. that's and i think that is one of the main reasons why why his face is these are these insecurities. the other issue, of course, is trade deals that you're is making with all the partners around the world who are not necessarily a facing the same sort of environmental costs as the ones in europe. again, another tricky balancing act and you called me really blame farm is for being upset about that. yeah, you know, many public groups complaining that, well, the us is raising standards for its own farm. is that at the same time it's negotiating trade agreements, for example, with macro sure, a group of, of latin american countries that do not necessarily comply with the same environmental standards. and that's also why the french president my goal and was

faced the many of these problem abroad. this is now putting a break on democracy, your trade negotiations. so you see that uh yeah, there is a bad that the father controlled was these bills over into trade policy? definitely. yeah. are you touched on this already? i mean, agriculture accounting for i been a fast 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. i mean, that's pretty huge. it is, you know, it's pretty necessary, but farming practices all going to have to change if we are to meet those targets. so how do we go forward from this point? i fully agree with the international federal employment changes is quite clear that we really need to radically change of our production, but also consumption practices if we're going to meet these, these, these climate targets. so i think what is needed is, is really that the governments provide legal so to do the farmers that they come up with be long term goals of the greenhouse gas emissions of the technical the 2nd

need to comply with. and then then the then uses public money because a 3rd, a bi, you're being purchased, spend on culture or the logic goes to the status quo. oh, so many sizes propose that you use that money to help us make that transition rather than just subsidizing them for or having lance as is certainly being done. so you could health problems to transition to businesses and to provide public goods to society. okay, really good to get your perspective jerome candle, associated professor of food on agricultural policy at within the university. thank you to now, north korea is known for the manufacturing of ms. solves the sector, is one of the nation's largest employers and contribute significantly to its economy. appeal in young is tending to a less destructive product to raise hod cards. the i'm scope sanctions imposed on

its nuclear program. millions of dollars in sales of false eyelashes have helped revive the nations exports and last year they all marketed around the world as made in china. chinese funds actually import the semi finished products from north korea . and once complete, they are exported to the west, japan and south korea. beauty products like false eyelashes on subjected to international sanctions, but they may violate bonds imposed by the united states. according to chinese customs, dates of north korea expose it around 1680 tons of false eyelashes bids and wings to china in 2023. now those exports were wes around a $167000000.00. wiggs, eyelashes make up almost 60 percent of all, declared north korean exports to china. joining us now from she's woke up in japan as a general type of sheet. he's professor of school of management at the university of

she's woke up many thanks for joining a program. so north korea cool is having nice people is known for its nuclear weapons, but it turns out it's biggest exports a lot more innocuous. and the fullness eyelashes in whigs. i mean it's an extraordinary amount of explosives that they are sending to china. absolutely. um, because of the strong sanction they're utilizing this methodology as a loophole. and as you just mentioned, it is a large sum. and the fact that they're utilizing china means that they are trying to get away with various issues including, you know, the corporate csr, corporate social responsibility. many of the western nations think the japan shouldn't be able to use these products because they violate, you know, human rights. obviously these north korean workers are under forced labor. some suggest that, you know, 90 percent of the income is taken to king john you. so basically,

uh they are utilizing this and utilizing your ties with the china to basically ward off the sanctions that are being imposed on them. a seizure just to be clear, a lot of the jump in demand that we've seen that's come only since the pandemic wise that well, there has been a hold of trade between china and north korea because of the pen demik is you just pointed out, but that's been lifted and then there's been a boost of increase that is taking place. and obviously this allows us, made in north korea is a lot cheaper and also a very high quality, even from the chinese point of view who are used to low pricing. so obviously there is a very strong demand by the chinese in these products. the 2 types of sanctions at stake here on the sanctions from the united nations. and then they're separate sanctions that are coming from the us against north korea and products which is become an issue. well, actually, both, it should be, you know, the former, the,

the latter we're seeing, you know, the world again many between the united states in china and obviously china is utilizing north korean is a recognizance dog. but you know, the bigger picture is, of course, the universal sanction that you come through, especially, you know, on issues like human rights and many of the other issues that north 3, it's a violating. but at this point, you know, because it is such a close border country that it has virtually all the ties of trade with china. it's very difficult to pass a sanction to north korea. so how lucrative is this trade to north korea? i mean, a $167000000.00 worth of exports doesn't. uh, it sounds like a lot, but it's not actually that much. is it? well, from our perspective, from the for you world perspective, it is very small, but from north korean point of view, as you pointed out, it consists over 60 percent of their total export. that is, of course, the official, you know, disclose number. and we all know that, you know,

they do have a lot of arms and that is basically legally, you know, exported to many other countries. so i think we should see this number with more more than just a grain of salt. right. and you, you mentioned force labor. i mean, what do we know if at any benefits on the korean, north korean people to toil from this income some estimate that they probably get something like 10 percent, but obviously is better than nothing. it is a country that has basically been starving so, and at the same time there is no option for, you know, the north green workers to go otherwise. so, you know, i think they just don't have any other way. that is why it is labeled as a forced labor, i think. okay, so you are really good to talk to your so jared, talk a, she's a professor of the school of management at the university of she's working on that as off so. so this week get in touch with us on the x,

only known as wish at mullins site. do use a hash tag, a j, c t c. when you do or you can drop, send e mail counting the cost. announce, is there a don't net is the address on this multi online, i'll just say or a dot com slash ctc, which will take you straight to a page which has individual reports, links in time episode for you to catch up. that is it. so this edition of counting the cost i my name's site from the whole team. thanks for joining us. the news on al jazeera coming on the the latest news as it breaks, they have actually came to the civilian medical facility and what seems to be a target to assess the nation with detailed coverage. this is not the only school that has been targeted schools and because of just not only schools, there shelters and graveyards,

and phyllis journalism allegations of georgia has increased during, as well as will in garza from be things to withholding medication. president biden says one to 2 state solution for palestinians and israelis. what does anybody believe it's doable? what this is real for? i'm gonna say it back to us foreign policy. and what are the long term consequences for the region and the world? a quizzical look at us politics. the bottom line. the,

[000:00:00;00] the sentiment in sensation of ross, of israel's prime minister asks me for plans to push into the city of vermilion palestinians of sheltering the, until mccrae, this is just a live from the also coming up the you in error. the group calls with us to ask before is where i live, tex rafa is. they look to avoid the force displacements, hundreds of thousands of palestinians, sony prime minister. now,