spacious representation methods, we haven't had the best representation of africans though for us it's about. so when i put it to representation for our kids with fresh perspectives from less are heard, voices the stream, explores the key issues of our time on algebra. the hello, i'm adrian said again, this is counting the cost on, i'll just see or you'll, we can look at the business of economics. this reach a good deal, or extortion ukraine has agreed to con, access to a revenue from its mineral wealth to the us boss. when it gets up a ton of the deal. help washington reduce its dependence on china. germany is stocked in stock nation manufacturing. the main driver of its economy is culturing

. so installations business model in danger of breaking up kind of new tough and much success. the possibility of this, i'm asked most of the combined wells to book tours of the world's population. and that isn't just the 1st month of the year. so what's behind the extreme inequality gap of china? the bridge they are seen as a foundation of the economy of the future. critical minerals are crucial for the production of high tech products, including electric vehicles, mobile phones, a on infrastructure, and weapons. it's estimated that many 5 percent of the world's ro, elements are renew, crane keeps agreed to jointly develop its riches, including oil and gas, with the us and setup an investment funds the ukraine's reconstruction. ukraine also wants guarantees on security of money for weapons. the us wants to break china is grip on the world's middle supply chains. boss. what does that deal will be signed remains to be seen off to the route between the leaders of the 2 nations at

the white house. alexandra bias reports for decades, ukraine's been known as the bread basket of europe. but it's also one of the consonants. most mineral rich nations holding vast reserves of elements needed to power technology like lithium and titanium. essential for batteries, aviation, and military industries. anything with a micro chip needs a rare earth mineral, and rapid advances are powering a global raise to develop and source these key raw materials. on the ground beneath ukraine is believed to hold 5 percent of the world's total reserves worth an estimated 12 trillion dollars. the u. s. has just a fraction of that. and for years china's been the world's number one supplier for america, the world's biggest economy, that's become more and more of

a problem. and he can on a national security risk, they all know so many american companies was able to mine and produce rats within the us. and in order to avoid the chinese will take over britain in raf commodities and build up potentials mine. there is an option for the americans, but more than half of those deposits are now in russian occupied territory where the worst of the fighting still rages. last year, the ukranian president presented a victory plan to western partners. foreign firms could gain access to that mineral wealth in exchange for continued support and help bringing an end to the war to meet what on the maya, these deposits a priceless state with huge amounts of money is huge. that is why we need to protect it. so if we're talking about the deal, that's what the americans want. then let's do

a deal. us president donald trump had been pushing for access, but he wanted it to be in return for aid. he claims the us has already given keith by the way, throwing money around like it's cotton, candy and. busy it's a very big deal. it could, it could be a trillion dollar deal. it could be whatever, but it's rivers and other things. and even the lensky refuse to sign an agreement that would have given the us $500000000000.00 worth of ukraine's resource wealth. but no security guarantees, but then democratic republic of congo and russia made offers of their own looks. that's a good yes. yes to us. we would be ready to all follow american partners when i say partners. i mean, not certainly governmental and administrative structures, but also companies an opportunity for joints work if they showed interest. we on file to be have significantly more results of this kind of then ukraine. trump says

he'd be willing to do deals with russia to only out into european fears over warming ties between washington and moscow. the minerals deal is that the heart of zelinski is pushed to win us support. he's made it clear, his priority is peace and security for his country, but any agreement has to benefit both sides and protect the future of generations of ukrainians. alexander buyers, alda 0 for counting the cost of a full, that contentious meeting between the us president donald trump, a new brains president for a lot of me is landscape. so place. i spoke with griffin bhaskar, and she's the director of the critical mineral security program at the center for strategic and international studies. i began by asking if it was a win win for both sides, or if you train is being exploited, does it have a choice? i asked, thank you so much for having me here today. it's definitely a very exciting time in the world of minerals diplomacy. so i think there's one

really big point worth noting, which is that the deal now looks very different to the deal that was going to initially be negotiated originally. for example, president trump wanted to read be repaid for $500000000000.00 of military and a through, you know, mineral resources. however, there was a lot of controversy around and figure pressing zalinski wouldn't agree to it because he said, well, we haven't spent, you haven't given us a 500000000000. we know that figure to be closer to a 128000000000. now present zelinski however, didn't see any fear security guarantees included which he was really hoping for. so the final agreement is a much softer landing spot that you know, a fund will be set up. we're future resources, so not things that are currently being mind. but future resources, 50 percent of the revenue, the generate will go into the find. but again, it can be used for investment in ukraine. personally, while i think that, you know, present to lensky, didn't really have a choice if you wanted to continue kind of having the support he needs in,

in the face of conflict. but i do think that he came out with a much better deal. the us is not going to secure minerals from this in the next year or 2, because he negotiated that it's only for future asset. that means that not only do we sold a lot of mapping to do of ukraine, but on average from the time that we identify a deposit to the time that it's producing is 18 years. so the us is kind of in it for the long run here, but in a shorter term, president zalinski has an agreement with support from the us. is there any kind of precedent for this sort of deal hasn't been done before? you know, it's not really a tool out of the u. s. foreign policy play, but, but what we've seen is already that president trump has a very aggressively incorporated minerals into foreign policy. annex and research canada going mr. greenland for red, or is ukraine for? there is precedent from other countries. however, so when we look at the democratic republic of congo,

back in 2007 after the conflict, trying to negotiate a $3000000000.00 infrastructure deal, whereby they gave the t or c $3000000000.00 in exchange for 9, for access to $93000000000.00 a cobol and copper inc. busy lazy and obviously we've seen that the geography is become of, it's been a very strategic place for china where they've established that dominant. so there's something precedent elsewhere, but it's new for america. what are the implications of the fact that many of these minerals are under territories that is currently occupied by russia? so there's a lot of minerals and occupied land. there's a lot of minerals non occupied land, so there's minerals all around ukraine. ukraine is mineral rich. you have a country that has about point 4 percent of the world land and 5 percent of the world's resources. now it's important to note a couple of things. one of the big, big red flags that you know, we've seen in the last couple days is that person who is looking to cut his own minerals deal, not only with minerals and russia,

but in russian occupied territory. that's not actually his own done, but it has a lot of resources, but we know at least a 3rd of which sits on that land is probably cold, which is a little bit less of a resource that you know are chasing after you know, fiercely at this moment, but more broadly is the resources are across ukraine. the question is, is, will the private sector go and given the challenges on the land? and if the us is able to source these resources from ukraine, what does this mean for china? ultimately, china has currently we're going to, let's look at rear versus an example because it's, we are a lot of the, the rhetoric is focused in the negotiation. rare is obviously being vital for, you know, national security. and because they're in defense technologies, it'd be a semi conductors and energy technologies like wind turbines. china, currently volt processing capabilities for 90 percent of the world's rare earth. but they don't actually have gone much. they have about

a 4th of the world's rivers, and then they strategically source from across the world and process them. a project like this starts to create a come competitor, rear or is processing facilities are extremely expensive to build. but in the last 5 years, the us government has spent $300000000.00 under trump one invited to build rare or separation facilities in texas in california. however, because we have less than 1.5 percent of those are rare. are we are sourcing them or looking to source them from other places? what we're hoping to do is have an alternate supply to china. the china will still be dominant for many decades to come. grace on, it's been great to talk to accountants. the cost bodies, thanks, and thanks for being with us. thank you for having me. the german economy, the wealth, 3rd largest, was once the n v of europe. it's now seeing global rivals waste positive. g d. p has barely grown since the pandemic and the nation has been a recession for the past 2 years. the manufacturing sector,

which was traditionally considered europe's powerhouse, is faltering exports are falling, and companies are flushing thousands of jobs as they struggle with rising costs. many experts say the german economic business model is broken, but it will discuss, start with, i guess, shortly. but 1st on it came reports from the city of bites law as the crowd is continental workers gathers outside the workplace, invents law. many of them have been told the jobs that the complex jobs are going over. they are trying to fight the decision. this is last year, we still felt about $300.00 employees would be transferred to other locations. button house, in frankfort event. in january, the decision was made not to do any more to complete, eliminate over jobs here, which means the police out. so many of these people look over the people here. they pull. house is all made plans. people's lives and families depend on it and is

hoping wiped out and one stroke because that's done. like everyone else, i'm losing my job. i started training here and never imagined this. i thought i could carry on working here for a while because i was enjoying it and it was going well with job losses. here are some domestic of the problems. the fulton, most of industry is being facing. in recent times. it doesn't stop that. many german industries are struggling to remain competitive with millions of people unemployed and millions more worried about the future. at the time when germany is falling behind a new technologies, while labor costs remain high, many german experts say the economy is stagnating. so what kind of incoming government do about it? so it be great expectation of german phones is that is a more to the it can with policy. so when we look at the policy last month's research, we have seen

a lot of uncertainty among firms and firms are looking forward to see a picture of this perspective policy. that's what firms are looking for. the political policies agree something must be done, but not what dominant came out. his era in western germany, it was running us now from brussels, is natalia spouse who is director and senior economist at the european center of international political economy. good to have you with us again because the incoming government certainly has a lot on its plates. what should its priorities be? economically speaking of the city you is in the driving seat and you know, having a coalition negotiation with the social democrats, much of what it will be suggesting real strongly rely on its agend 20 for t, which foresees text cuts. it cuts um a good next ation or for oak received a few tweaks here and there as concerns as single market. and it will be very

challenging to press through these the monster with his own democrats in my eyes. we should not so much talk about the realization of the dep rate, but really as to why for cold, potentially unprecedented reforms. meaning that structural reforms should be set on the very up on the priority list of reforms takes costs for workers, takes costs for businesses, reduction, social security contributions, energy security, leading to the lower energy prices compared to what we see right now. all that will be where we cost too small. oh, for the social democrats, but i think this is watched digital and government the next german government, if there will be the next german government composed by the conservative centers over democrats. needs to to do is to push for some of the highest what's going

wrong for china is the german economic model, broken why has joined the industry failed to remain competitive? yeah. okay. i'd be a small company company, economic model. it's of course, a, a big feeling these days in germany being widely discussed, many germans, my fellow citizens here in germany. they're very much concerned about the state of germany's economy and where it is heading to in the future. i wouldn't say that everything is bad, so we still have many companies that do well. export companies, service and sector companies. smaller, medium sized companies, including large companies that are still leading in global in each market. we still have a well functioning labor market, high employment, rising view of wages, but at the same time, over the past 12 months or so, we've seen many select ship companies, you know,

the big names and it wants to manufacturing the big names in germany's automotive industry. starting to lay off people in germany starting to close down. barnes and not only postponing investments in germany, but also announcing that they will in the future interest more outside bureau then in your own country or fed warner. and many people in germany hearing these stories, they are increasing the feeling insecure. do you see germany returning to its, its status as the economic powerhouse of, of you or any time soon? germany will most likely remain the economic powerhouse of europe. but it will never get back into position that, you know, it's, it how in the decades full like world war 2, the growth has changed. so germany will probably manage to main, maintain

a solid industrial base. there will be a few industrial leaders here and there and menu fix during the automotive industry of the service industry. but global competition is going to intensify for there will be much more internationally competitive companies that will be much more competitive than germany companies alone for the reason that companies in these 2 jurisdictions, china and the united states, they have in front of their doors strip a large single market where companies can scale too competitive notice to international competitiveness and that's a very different story in germany. we do not have a single mama to you but to us manufacturing date to be with us on counting the cost super. thank you very much. what i mean? well, i'll jump it is economy as faltering portugal is expected to be

a clear out performer in europe. this year. economic growth is accelerating, mainly driven by the tourism industry, the nation's aiming to attract foreign investment to grow its economy even further . however, like the rest of the e u, it faces potential us terrace, the portuguese permit us to have slammed donald trump strengths. but how much clout does portugal really have globally? i spoke earlier with ricardo out all coffee chapman and c o. i set the portuguese trade and investment agency. i began by asking him the very question we are rising enough terms of our importance on the level sites. indeed, portugal today can be a platform for global outreach. so many different countries may different customers . we have the traditional sectors which we have specialize over the previous decades. and at the same time we have increasingly use sectors which are more than izing, which are becoming ever more competitive onto the national scene. so at this current time, i think the course you as a no great opportunity to bridge that role from being

a great to risk destination and to being also. busy a very good place, excellent place to do business. you export more to germany than you. it was how important to portugal is, is germany as an economy. how important do you think germany is still to the you would sense of economic the gross smell? germany is obviously still a major power house in terms of the economy and will remain so because the i was gonna say you, you say it will remain. so do you do think it really kind of we just couple election yes. vehicle. so what do you think the priorities which for germany's new government will be well approached in germany is more or less a common theme around the, your europe for the, you know, previous that kids have specialized and so called mid technologies. and the challenge for european countries is indeed to migrate some mis acknowledges into high technology in which the u. s. and china had been able to focus more in the recent sort of past. although when you look at the conceptual condition and background conditions, what you see is that in the, in your,

you have highly qualified people and you have a borderless market in the you. so it's a huge market, and then you have these countries that provides us what should i provide plucking for other consumers for other and you know, regions of the world where they are comfortable affinities, where there is, uh, their passports, the length. and that in that process perspective, i think that there is a competitive force and who will remain. so that's obviously we have to have more investments. and then these frontier technology is that's mental technology assessments and type in biology such as robotics such as a i know the things that to the public perception today associates more with the us in china. but that indeed in portugal. and now overall across here, if we can also do totes, you go, may be a dynamic, expand the growing economy right now. i mean, can, can not be said the whole of the you to a certain extent, as you say, is playing catch up behind the us and china kind of ever, you think, be equal in terms of economic talents of the us and china. well, we all understand that to the admins that says the background,

the deal is different from the west and always it's in china as well. so they are the think us in europe that must always be, you know, understood. but that said, what we see in portugal is that, you know, the export side of our economy has gone from 30 percent of g, d p to new as it goes to 60 percent. the g d p. as of today, you know, the form direct investment is still confused to flow. and indeed in the past, the recent past, we've been able to attract investments from countries that until now we're not, you know, having portugal really on their radar. and that today the, our president trump seems intent on offending will economic or just political see that as a price or an opportunity when we see that the current trade between us in europe is very dynamic between the 2 countries. we have the most favored nation principal . so basically we have very little terrace from both sides. and so there's nothing to reciprocate about. and, but indeed, what you see is that the,

the linkages economic linkage is between the 2 constants are very strong. so you don't see president trump to make america great again, protectionist policies as dangerous in any way. i think that said, well should remain, uh, you know, as cooperative as possible. so free trade benefits all in the and then se protectionism, as you read, tells us. and as history has told us, is indeed a tax on it companies on consumers. so unfortunately, we strive to remain open, very friendly and attract some smart as well because it is be great to talk to you on counting the cost many things to the for the wireless. thank you. in 2024, on average of newly for new 1000000000 as women to each week, bringing the total to more than $2700.00 super rich people globally. the wealth is ballooning. it's searched by $314000000000.00 in january alone. that's an increase of $10000000000.00 a day. that's more than the combined wealth of 2800000000 people who make up the

pores. 3rd of humanity, the tax, the super rich movement says that it would take $15000000.00 work cuz i didn't tie a year to collectively on that same amount of money. but more than 50 international organizations, a cooling on g 20 of months to follow through on the plan is to ensure the super rich of text. last year, the group's finance ministers agreed to cooperate to tax the wealthy more fairly. the organizations also urging g 20 leaders to invest the billions of dollars raised in factoring poverty, climate crises, and ending extreme in equality south africa, which now hose the g, 20 presidency. that's cool for equality reduction to be placed at the heart of economic policy making. joining us now from grand canal area is alex called him, he's the chief executive of the tex justice network. good to have you with us, alex. why is it the fortunate few have been able to a mass such a huge amount of wealth?

you know, we live in a, a time when compared to 50 or 80 years ago. we've seen this public narratives pushed by, you know, the corporate little this. and then we'll see individuals, particularly controlling loud pumps for the media. but somehow, we need very significant extreme wells in order for our economies to work better. in fact, all the evidence shows exactly the opposite. our economies would it best to deliver stronger, grows better outcomes for us as human beings when we have low really quality. and that's why we used to have a very high marginal tax rates on extreme wells, on very large and corporate profit rates as high as 1890 percent. even in some countries they've come right down. we've got this race to the bottom of a decades, particularly since the 1980s. and the effect of that is not the we've seen high groups. of course we haven't in front of the in groups has slowed them,

stagnated them over that period. what we've seen is a wrong using run prints in a quality used in the qualities that are associated with all sorts of worst comes for us as society's increasing fulls and life expectancy and, and reductions and the rate of progress and things like public education availability. this inequality all the sensitivity qualities late by the extreme wealth of a building as it really damaging on societies. and increasingly now we see that damaging of democracy is to, you only have to look at around the world to see effective countries where that political power associated with the extreme wealth ability. is it really starting to undermine all of our abilities to choose governments and to hold those governments to account? so how do you go about texting the super rich, when wealthy individuals are able to the highest the wells across various

jurisdictions? and then incredibly complicated financial structures, an, an on tax favorites. how do you get rid of tech savings? so look at all of these issues are about basic transparency. all we able to see who is the ultimate beneficial and the won't let each human being behind a company or a trust or a foundation of a partnership or another legal difficult. once we have that information in the public domain, then we come through all of this. it's almost impossible for places to operate. he says tax havens, you know, cuz it's not just offering a low tax rate to money that's being brought from somewhere else. it's. it's ensuring secrecy. so the potential thursdays in those other countries count, see who the owner is. if we end up secrecy we, we really talk through this. so that means we need public registers of the

beneficial learners, of companies, every company that the set top or trust of the other legal vehicles. and so we need that information in the public domain. and look, we need that update cli anyway, because markets don't work best to when some of the participants in markets are hiding through the, you know, we know this is a recipe for corruption and market reading and so on. so both for the market and for the state to work properly for states to be able to tax everybody fairly, instead of letting some of the wealthiest people step out of taxation, even a state benefit from being active on societies and simply isn't sustainable. and you know, because they don't your really address those because he's, he's buying sure and transparency and making sure that goes across jurisdiction. alex has been great to have you on counting the cost many thanks indeed for being with us. thanks very much. i and that's

a show for this week. if you'd like to comments on anything that you've seen, i'm at a, sitting at the point x, trying to remember to use the hash tag h a c t c. or you could drop us a line, comes in the cost to l, just 0, don't net is our email address. as always, there's plenty more, few online houses 0 don't. com, slash ctc. that takes you straight to a page that you'll find individual reports. links at a time, additions for you to capture, but that's it for this edition of counting the cost. i'm adrian so they've gone from a whole team here. and so how, thanks for being with us. the news on al jazeera is next too much on houses, era from freight was to size make shifting us policy on gaza and ukraine. president donald trump is shaking of global politics. stay updated with the latest development. rigorous debate on the flynn st question. upfront costs through the headlines to challenge conventional wisdom. on the 14th anniversary of the city and

revolutions, the fall of the asset regime has ushered in a new era. as soon as we build their nation, made his hand case head to head with almost reluctant president, running from a single china. it sets out its vision for its future as far as those of delegates gather for the so called to sessions. so much on alex's era in origin team football is a way of life local club. so the country, so the communities with a crisis, assuming with a struggling economy, the government wants to open the doors to private investors. dividing the nation, come to the clubs, protect their routes, or would they have to reshape the game to survive? people empower investigates argentina, football for the people on the jersey. there are some of the media stories, a critical look at the global news media. on how to 0 government shut off

access to social media, the kind of city ends in gaza and victims of another strike phone as well continues to book food medicine and fuel from entering the strip. the kind of them are a kyle, this is officer, a live from doha. also coming up to people who have died off to a contract through a pedestrian area in the west in german city of mannheim.