in flip phones in the uk. welcome to business today. germany's chancellor, olaf scholz, is hosting the british prime minister, sir keir starmer, in berlin today where a potential new bilateral treaty will be discussed. the new labour government wants to reset relations with the eu reset with barriers to trade high up on the agenda. alicia garcia—herrero is a senior fellow at bruegel. and she gave us her analysis on what could be achieved. well, it all depends on what starmer means by resetting relations. i think there's a lot of room for resetting what has been quite, quite, you know, acrimonious relations since brexit. but that doesn't really mean going all the way to, of course, rejoining the eu or even a single market. i mean, the customs unions could be perhaps the trophy and even that i think has been denied already by starmer. so we have room, but the room is limited and i think that's what he's

going to pursue in germany. let's not forget that germany was always the country in the european union, or at least the largest country um, supporting brexit to the very end. sorry, supporting britain, not brexit to the very end. so i think germany is the place to go to get some gains without going all the way into eu participation. in the news today... lego, the world's biggest toy maker, is outperforming the wider toy market. in its half year results out today, revenue climbed by 13% between january and june reaching the equivalent of 4.65 billion dollars. joining me now is niels christiansen, ceo of lego. thank you forjoining us. so lego is outperforming the wider toy market, what do you think it is setting your

retail strategy apart from others in the sector? i retail strategy apart from others in the sector? ~ , retail strategy apart from others in the sector?— the sector? i think it is probably not one silver— the sector? i think it is probably not one silver bullet, _ the sector? i think it is probably not one silver bullet, it's - the sector? i think it is probably not one silver bullet, it's a - not one silver bullet, it's a combination of a very strong lego brand right now combined with a broad portfolio of products that caters for different ages and interests, and then of course on the retail side we are still opening stores and investing heavily behind also online sales, so i think the combination of that really has worked very well for us. there are not many toy _ worked very well for us. there are not many toy brands _ worked very well for us. there are not many toy brands that - worked very well for us. there are not many toy brands that have - worked very well for us. there are | not many toy brands that have their own stores in the way lego does, but you are slowing down the pace of opening new stores in china, refocusing your efforts on europe and north america. how concerned are you about the outlook for the in china? i you about the outlook for the in china? ~ , , you about the outlook for the in china? ~' , , ., china? i think it depends on the -e ou china? i think it depends on the type you are _ china? i think it depends on the type you are looking _ china? i think it depends on the type you are looking at. - china? i think it depends on the type you are looking at. we - china? i think it depends on the | type you are looking at. we have enjoyed very high growth in china over the last four or five years. this year looks more flat. if i

looked a couple of years forward, i think the potential for the looked a couple of years forward, i think the potentialfor the lego brand in china is still very large and the opportunity for us to bring the lego brand out to cities where it is not yet strong is still there, so we are still investing in china, opening stores, but to your point at a slightly lower pace right now given that we see the market is rather flat this year. you mentioned earlier creating _ rather flat this year. you mentioned earlier creating toys _ rather flat this year. you mentioned earlier creating toys for _ rather flat this year. you mentioned earlier creating toys for all - rather flat this year. you mentioned earlier creating toys for all ages. . earlier creating toys for all ages. some of your biggest growth has been in your sets for more advanced builders, the icon series i'm thinking of in particular. for you, is the toy business really no longer just about children? ida. is the toy business really no longer just about children?— is the toy business really no longer just about children? no, it's a good cuestion, just about children? no, it's a good question. and _ just about children? no, it's a good question, and basically— just about children? no, it's a good question, and basically we - just about children? no, it's a good question, and basically we serve i question, and basically we serve everybody but really we would like to get into the universe of lego bricks and it caters for both kids and adults. very often they are building together, the family is

building together, the family is building together, the family is building together, so it may actually say 18 plus on the set and be complicated to build, but you would be amazed at how good kids are even into the teens, how capable they are off building, so it's fantastic the way it caters for everybody and brings families together, so we are super happy with this development. we together, so we are super happy with this development.— this development. we will have to leave it for — this development. we will have to leave it for now, _ this development. we will have to leave it for now, but _ this development. we will have to leave it for now, but thank - this development. we will have to leave it for now, but thank you - this development. we will have to leave it for now, but thank you for joining us. we don't have lift off. the latest spacex mission — polaris dawn — has been delayed for the second time this week. this time, it was because the weather forecast did not look good for the astronauts planned return to earth. the mission's four astronauts intend to complete the world's first private spacewalk and "advance the future of spaceflight". joining me now is drjill stuart of the london school of economics who is a space exploration expert. thanks for being with us today. it's

disappointing but we know these things do happen with space travel. when it comes to the economics of this, does each aborted take—off cost a lot of money? this, does each aborted take-off cost a lot of money?— this, does each aborted take-off cost a lot of money? there will be financial implications _ cost a lot of money? there will be financial implications for - cost a lot of money? there will be financial implications for sure. - financial implications for sure. space activity is very expensive anyway, so when you have these delays, it adds to the cost. as you say, it is common for there to be delays like this. safety is of paramount importance so they will make sure they have the right time to go. make sure they have the right time to no. ~ , , make sure they have the right time toao. ,,, make sure they have the right time toao. ,, , ., make sure they have the right time toao. ,, ., , to go. why is polaris dawn and its mission so _ to go. why is polaris dawn and its mission so significant? _ to go. why is polaris dawn and its mission so significant? it - to go. why is polaris dawn and its mission so significant? it is - to go. why is polaris dawn and its mission so significant? it is a - mission so significant? it is a commercial— mission so significant? it is a commercial space _ mission so significant? it is a commercial space flight - mission so significant? it is a commercial space flight and l mission so significant? it is a i commercial space flight and as mission so significant? it is a - commercial space flight and as you mentioned, the first ever private space walk by two separate astronauts so it's interesting for those reasons. it's a collaboration between spacex and another private company so for those reasons it is something we haven't seen before. anyone in the sector or any of the commercial companies involved, spacex for example, they are investing today in the hope of

making profits tomorrow. is there a risk that the interest or even the patients of their billionaire backers runs out? in patients of their billionaire backers runs out?- patients of their billionaire backers runs out? , u, , backers runs out? in this case, the lead person _ backers runs out? in this case, the lead person on _ backers runs out? in this case, the lead person on board _ backers runs out? in this case, the lead person on board is _ backers runs out? in this case, the lead person on board is i _ backers runs out? in this case, the i lead person on board is i understand it funding a lot of this himself, and he is going up himself. it is his second mission going up, so i think there is often going to be money available because people like the idea of space. so there is hopefully eventually a financial payoff but also a sense of investing for the sake of investing in science in the future of humanity. obviously it was due to — in the future of humanity. obviously it was due to take _ in the future of humanity. obviously it was due to take off— in the future of humanity. obviously it was due to take off from - in the future of humanity. obviously it was due to take off from cape - it was due to take off from cape canaveral in florida. when it comes to the involvement of nasa, the american taxpayers' involvement in space exploration, are we have are likely to go back to the heyday of the 19605? likely to go back to the heyday of the 1960s? the likely to go back to the heyday of the 1960s?— likely to go back to the heyday of the 19605? ,, ., , the 1960s? the us government is still investing _ the 1960s? the us government is still investing large _ the 1960s? the us government is still investing large amounts - the 1960s? the us government is still investing large amounts of i still investing large amounts of money in space activity, and it's worth bearing in mind that for a lot

of the activities like spacex going up of the activities like spacex going up to the international space station, they will be partly funded by the us government so it's not like this a complete disaggregation between commercial and private. also they are legally responsible, according to international outer—space law, for the objects up there and any damage they might cause. there is a liability chain that goes back to the launching state rather than the company. jill stuart from the london school of economics, thanks for that. you might think he was busy running an election campaign. that hasn't stopped donald trump attempting to cash in on his image. he's just launched his fourth collection of digital trading cards with some depicting him as a hero and motorcyclist. with the details from new york, here's the bbc�*s ritika gupta. in an attempt to win over crypto—friendly voters ahead of november's election, donald trump is offering a fourth collection of non—fungible tokens.

these cards show me dancing and even me holding some bitcoins. the new batch features 50 nfts selling for $99 each, with additional trading cards showing trump as a boxer, dancing, and even as a superhero. the release includes packages that promise physical gifts to buyers. purchases of 15 nfts can get a piece of trump's debate suit, while buyers of 75 nfts will have dinner with trump in florida. trump says his previous sales have generated more than $4 million in revenue per release, though his cut isn't clear. the nft sale is happening as trump builds on the growing interplay between crypto and politics. trump has vowed to support bitcoin mining in the us and to work against creating a central bank digital currency in the country. last summer, millions

across the world donned pink as barbie, the movie dominated the box office and became a cultural phenomenon. now, makers of the nokia phone, hmd global, have teamed up with the toymaker mattel, to create a barbie flip phone. as many parents grapple with how to give their children phones whilst protecting them against the harms of social media. our technology editor, zoe kleinman has been taking a look. barbie, a 65—year—old brand which was given a new lease of life last summer when the star—studded film hit cinemas, is back again. hi, barbie! this time it's in the form of a flip phone made by the mobile phone company hmd, the same budget brand behind nokia. it's a feature phone, also sometimes called a dumb phone, meaning there's no access to social media and it can only perform basic functions like texting and calling. as concerns about the pressures of digital life on young people grows, hmd hopes devices like this might prove popular with children and indeed adults looking for a digital detox. i asked the firm whether the handset

will live up to expectations among young people as it tries to compete with smartphones. we are very clear when we say, like, this phone comes without social media, and because we've seen this surge in actually young people wanting to have a digital detox, no, this is actually delivering on what they're demanding right now. i think when we are talking about barbie, that's also like there's a lot of good values with barbie. it convinces the parents about like, yes, you believe in the brand. i made this my phone for one day, and it certainly was an effective digital detox because there really isn't a lot you can do on it. you can get online, but it's impossible to read. there's no app store, no front facing camera, and only one game. and while you can text, the barbie phone doesn't recognise the default message setting that's on plenty of smartphones, so you might not get any replies. while this will undoubtedly appeal to some parents, some industry experts question its broader appeal.

perhaps in that kind of 7 to 10 year old before you go to secondary school, and there's an expectation that smartphones are almost a birthright, that's an opportunity. however, the grim reality is when i talk to people who've got smartphones and explain to them the implications of giving up their smartphone for something much more basic, it's a pretty tough sell. yeah, i already have tiktok. we decided to put the phone to the test with its key target audience. so i'd like if there was things like google and you could take pictures, and more games. i probably wouldn't use a phonel like that because it doesn't have all the apps that i usually like to use. _ personally, something that i'm really worried about for my daughter in terms of introducing children to using a phone with restricted kind of access to social media, i get on board with that. hmd says it would welcome apps like whatsapp on board with barbie, but whatsapp says not all operating systems work with its service.

for now, texting and calling is going to have to be kenough. markets now: european indices moving higher...big focal point of markets for next 2a hours are results from al chip designer nvidia offering some insight about profitability of that emerging sector. until next time, goodbye.

hello from the bbc sport centre. iam tanya i am tanya arnold. the opening ceremony for the paralympics takes place in paris later with the city promising a games to remember. after covid saw no fans in tokyo and rio was dogged by financial issues, the pressure is on for paris to rival, or even better, london 2012. well, our reporter sally hurst is there, and sally, is there

a confidence they'll deliver? there is certainly a feeling here among paralympics gb that we could be on the brink of something special with these games because of course in rio we had the problems with the finances, in tokyo the covid crisis, so this is a chance to reset. we were talking actually tojonnie peacock this printer a few days ago, and he said the feeling he gets is on a part of what he experienced before london which was such a breakthrough games for the paralympic movement in terms of elevating the paralympians to the level of the 0lympians. we also spoke to dave clarke, the ceo of paralympics gb, and asked how important it is that these games are a success. ., ., ., , ., ., a success. london was amazing, it was a new — a success. london was amazing, it was a new benchmark— a success. london was amazing, it was a new benchmark in _ a success. london was amazing, it was a new benchmark in how - a success. london was amazing, it was a new benchmark in how we i was a new benchmark in how we operate — was a new benchmark in how we operate at — was a new benchmark in how we operate at the paralympics but we don't _ operate at the paralympics but we don't want — operate at the paralympics but we don't want to be talking about london — don't want to be talking about london forever is the best and nothing — london forever is the best and nothing would please me more than

having _ nothing would please me more than having paris as the best