elections this weekend — we take a snap—shot of the country's economy today and how it could look with a new government. and sustainability on the runway at london fashion week. how the next generation of designers have been given while the future of the israel—gaza ceasefire

in the first three. with a fragile ceasefire and differing interests in the region, it's all a delicate balancing act. joining me now is gregg carlstrom, middle east correspondent at the economist. hejoins me from riyadh. thank for being us. do you for beingwith usewhat do expect these you for beingwith usuulhat do expect these arab to we expect these arab leaders to on the table and who will put on the table and who will be among — put on the table and who will be amon: together 7 together all of the bring together all of the that have countries that have real influence when it comes to the palestinians, so egypt, jordan, the gulf states and then the palestinian authority the palestinians. representing the palestinians. they are going to talking i they are going to be talking i think mostly about an egyptian think mostly about an, egyptian that think mostly about an egyptian that has proposal that has been circulating for months, for not just rebuilding in but

just rebuilding in gaza but also for who is also for governance, who is going to gaza after the 77 {and so the egyptian view that is to set up a of that is to set up a committee of technocrats who oversee rebuilding. hamas would oversee rebuilding. hamas would oversee rebuilding. hamas would be marginalised at yvguld be marginalised at least running civil yvggld be marginalised at least running civil affairs wggld be marginalised at least running civil affairs in from running civil affairs in gaza, it is not clear if they could be convinced to design but they would be pushed out of bgt thgygwould be pushed out of governance. a pot of be made available money would—be maderavailable reconstruction and then the for reconstruction and then the rebuilding process would probably happen in it start in the south of would start in the south of gaza and sort �*work its way gaza and sort of work its way towards the over a period towards the north over a period of five ten years. so that of five to ten years. so that is what will discuss is what they will discuss the and help is comeup come up with a that to come up with a proposal that can be presented to the full at a meeting in arab league at a meeting in cairo in weeks. arab league at a meeting in cairo in - weeks.- cairo in two weeks. indeed. there are — cairo in two weeks. indeed. there are political - cairo in two weeks. indeed. j there are political decisions be th§f§ §f§ efil'f'5§l §§el§lfifi§ be made ti55f5 5f5 551'5'551555'5'555 be made here. we are a to be made here. we are a business programme, we are ff: fff are people and recognise there are people and homes at question here, homes at question. here. but trump sees the president trump sees the of gaza as a redevelopment of gaza as a business opportunity. if a plan business eagertueitu. lfa dlé't~ .. , ,, ,,. to be put togetherfor a

is to be put together for a more humane redevelopment, do you will be f the intecestjrom the ki,nd,,of were looking to make investors were looking to make a profit, �*will thisjust be a profit, or will thisjust be charitable exercise? i a profit, or will thisjust be l charitable exercise? a charitable exercise? i think there is a _ a charitable exercise? i think there is a profit _ a charitable exercise? i think there is a profit motive - a charitable exercise? i think there is a profit motive but i | there is a profit motive but i don't think it will be on the part of investors. i think part of investors; lthinisferf’ . ,,, countries part of investors; lthinisferf’ . ~ , countries likely put money f f put money for f to put up money for in gaza, they reconstruction in gaza, they are going to look at this as a territory even before territerg that seen. befereth’sf ,,,,,,,,,,,m, it territer'g that steer; laefefe'thrs-z” ' ~ ' ' ~ �* it was territarg that 52's"; aefaratha” ' ~ ' ' ~ �* it was deeply impoverished, siesfseeeeiffeifyffffff f siesfsezeeiffei'yffffff fan f was almost entirely reliant on foreign aid to i don't foreign aid to survive. i don't think is their think anyone is expecting their contributions to be anything more than donations, charitable exercise, as you say. i think where there expectation profit is on the part of the of profit is on the part of the companies that will actually do companies? that will actually do work to you the work to rebuild gaza. you look at egypt, which borders gaza, has a big construction gaaa. has a laid construction * 777, it tiaaal has a big constructions * ~ "' ,,, it lots of sector. it has lots of overcapacity not in f fffffbuft f f f fff but related but related sectors. produces pfroduces fine white 55555 ef55�*1555 f'fil5 ilifh't5f ff fff f ff ffff ff than 55555 ef55�*1555 f'fil5 ilifhlt5f ff fff f ff ffff ff thanit 55555 ef55�*1555 f'fil5 ilifhlt5f ff fff f ff ffff ff than it could cement than it could possibly use. there is, when you talk to

|£55 ti55f5 '5f—; iii4555 558 t5l5 5.5 in |155 ti55f5 i5; iii4555 $59 t5l5 e5 in egypt, |155 ti55f5 i5 5555 $59 t5l5 e5 in egypt, an businessmen in egypt, an expectation they are going expectation that they are going to make a of money out of to make a lot of money out of of gaza. i think reconstruction of gaza. i think not unlike we have seen in turkey the past few turkey over the past few months, where the stock prices of construction firms in turkey after the fall of the surged after the fall of the assad regime syria in assad regime in syria in december there an december because there was an that they were expectation that they were going to heavily involved in going to be heavily involved in rebuilding post—war in syria. i rebuildingepost—ewar in syria. ! something very similar in think something very similar in egypt think something very similar in e, -t , ., , ., think something very similar in e. -t , ., , ., ., am in riyadh, fffffffff in riyadh, thank the economist in riyadh, thank you very much. europe's biggest economy also faces high energy prices to discuss the economic backdrop and potential outcomes, i'mjoined by carsten brzeski, global head of macro for ing research.

important to i m po rta nt to stress important to stress that is also important to s huge :hat is also important to s huge issue is also important to s huge issue in is also important to s huge issue in this is also important to s huge issue in this election, o a huge issue in this election, is why we are seeing a a huge issue in this election, in why we are seeing a a huge issue in this election, in supportare seeing a a huge issue in this election, in support for seeing a a huge issue in this election, in support for the ng a a huge issue in this election, in support for the afd. surge in support for the afd. despite fact that germany despite the fact that germany suffering from labour is suffering from labour shortages. how much i they contributing to that economic slowdown? i contributing to that economic slowdown?— slowdown? i think the immigration, - slowdown? i think the i immigration, especially, eimmigration, especially. from illegal is something dbminated ff dbminated the ff dbminated the electfion has dominated the election over the last couple campaign over the last couple of weeks. it has made it in topic number one. topic number two is the economy. two is clearly the economy. where we do have a lack of qualified i think the f page; f f f fpfrbbfiéefi is, f f ff fpfrobflemf is, like f ff fpfrobflemf is, like you :—= e too high energy mentioned, too high energy prices and competition from china. �* , , china. assuming the next government _ china. assuming the next government is _ china. assuming the next government is at - china. assuming the next government is at least. china. assuming the next| government is at least led

china. assuming the next - government is at least led by f cou as the fcofufanfthe fpfollsfff ff fcofuf fanfthfe fpfollsf fsugfgfegtf, ' ffchanges " changes in economic policy , ,ii ' ' ' what c..angeseineeconomic—policy they what,changeseineeconomic—policy they are proposing if lthey are proposing if they to power? are to take power? this campaign _ are to take power? this campaign has _ are to take power? this campaign has not - are to take power? this campaign has not been | are to take power? this - campaign has not been very �*in ff ffifanfrsiléssfist f f ff fffifanfroposaflsf.fwatch the would christian democrats would like to do is cut taxes, also on energy to bring down energy zf:_02 they wfould like ff they would like to ff ff they would like to open options f options of a return to up options of a return to nuclear power and on the investment side would to f to do f to do is f to do is also f to do is also cut f like to do is also cut taxes there to more the big question —f: fff�* to pay �* to pay for f �*to pay for it f �* to pay for it afnd �*to pay for it afnd cdu, how to pay for it and cdu, as so many other parties. eyes are also on the everyone's eyes are also on the support for the far right afd suppertferthe far fight'éfil” ' 5 ,, ' ~ 5” the main suppertferthe far rightzéfté'” ' 5 5 5 5 555 the main parties suppertferthe far right5éf5555 5 55 55 5 55 5555 the main parties have party. the main parties have said they will not work with saidthey will—not—work with i wonder, a risk them. i wonder, is there a risk of prolonged political 5 555 after this election? stalemate after this election? there definitely is. the big

question be will this question will be what will this look like? will it be coalition look like? will it be a 2—party coalition, or a three to add to the party coalition? to add to the complications, the voting complications; the aerating— — ,, in complications; the—crating” ,, in germany means we have 5% ftfngetff ff 5°), f f ffftoffgffetfifntof ff this 53’s threshold to get into on sunday evening parliament. on sunday evening we could have a which f155 55555 5555 5 5555555 53555 four f155 55555 5555 5 5555555 fi5i55 four or 535 55555 5555 5 5555555 535i55 four or up to eight either four or up to eight parties eitherfour or up to eight parties may be in parliament. do the it will very difficult to find a afterwards so i don't coalition afterwards so i don't we will have coalition think we will have coalition anytime soon so i expect it to at the end of april, even may. in the meantime, olaf scholz remains _ even may. in the meantime, olaf scholz remains as _ even may. in the meantime, olaf scholz remains as a _ even may. in the meantime, olaf scholz remains as a caretaker? . scholz remains as a caretaker? that exactly how it would work, ca reta ker caretaker the a caretaker government. the of it would stay on as current of it would stay on as a minority government, which also means they would be no decisions made. the that mam; expectations that so many people have for to people have for investments to to unleash also private come, to unleash also private this will again be which also the stalled, whichealso means the economy would not get

german economy would not get of this current out of this current state of stagnation at least the stagnation at least until the summer. stagnation at least until the summer- — stagnation at least until the summer. . , 5 ., summer. 0k, carsten brzeski of research summer. 0k, carsten brzeski of - research in _ summer. 0k, carsten brzeski of - research in frankfurt, - ing research in frankfurt, thank for that. support for anti—immigration parties has grown but many germany's labour shortage, which is one of the reasons my colleague ben thompson has been speaking to the chair of he asked her if germany is ready to change gears i would say we definitely have a talent shortage in the key sectors like ai, software development — i think it's such bad news that with the afd, we are sending

kind of the signal to the world like, "we don't want you here." and so i hope that that narrative will definitely change after the election. yes, and do you have any hope that, whatever that new government looks like, they have got that message — skills — whether that's reskilling or upskilling — if you apply for a visa here in germany — if we take so long to accept degrees

from other countries and kind not realistic any longer. of the big drivers of economic growth at the moment. what is behind that increase? doesn't flow as much as in very good times, that's when i think entrepreneurs are at their best. if you look back in history, sap was founded in the �*70s like zalando or getyourguide were founded just after the lehman crisis in 2009. so i believe this is one factor, but the other one founders have an idea, they have a team, they want and then they start off.

was so low over here. entrepreneurs who still dare. about germany's economic future on talking business this weekend right here on bbc news — the first airing is at 22:30 gmt on friday. often seen as a safe haven asset in times of turbulence, and its partners.

into the us before any such tariffs come into effect. worth are kept in its vaults, staff have grappling with the physical challenge of moving, heavy gold bars at consumer investment platform wealthify. thank for being with us today. let's talk about the wider picture to begin wider market picture to begin with. that's milestone with. that's $3000 milestone gold is for, just that gold is heading for, just shy of it when i last checked. how significant is it? the - rice how significant is it? the price of— how significant is it? the price of gold _ how significant is it? the price of gold has - how significant is it? the price of gold has been i how significant is it? tue price of gold has been bouncing the last five years around over the last five years from the $2000 from around the $2000 level, but it really started to take

off last year. the price last year was about 25% and this year was about 25% and this year it up around 12% so it ; quif si-nfaificant.sf quif si-nasyificant.f is quite significant. as you say, there are a number of reasons �*that movement, not reasons for that movement, not least tariffs, prior to least tariffs, but prior to that you had a lot of by that ecru had“ a iat at�* “pairing 55 �*central that gap had“ a iat at�* “paying his �*central and right other central banks. and right �*you have this opportunity now you have this opportunity whereby price of gold in is less fis less than f fis less than t5e price london is less than the price of the futures contract traded than having pfrice london is less than the price of the futures contract traded new york. as you say, you in new york. as you say, you have these people in the bank have these people in the bank: england scrambling around of england scrambling around of england scrambling around trying to get these bars trying to get these gold bars trying to get these gold bars ready for delivery to new york ready for delivery to new york so it is all a little bit so it is all a little bit ready for delivery to new york archaic.— so it is all a to .e bit ready for delivery to new york so it is all a -it _ ready for delivery to new york so it is all a — so it is allalittle bit archaic. , . . archaic. talking about a speculative archaic. just to be clear, we are talking _ archaic. just to be clear, we are talking about _ archaic. just to be clear, we are talking about a speculative play here, idea you can buy are talking about a - archaic. just to be clear, we i are talking about a speculative play here, the idea you can buy play here, the idea you can buy a gold bar in london today and a gold bar in london today and the futures market in the us the futures market in the us you will much more suggests you will get much more suggests you will get much more for in a week or a month. so for it in a week or a month. so for it in a week or a month. so we are putting it on a plane. we are putting it on a plane. absolutely. this further quirk, tfiis ff ffff tfiisturthefrff

tfiis further quirk, fffffftiftfth than having f rather than having the right to any bar in the bank of england vaults, holders must take delivery of a specific bar. so you can imagine what the staff running around, trying to locate and shifting stacks of thousands of pallets of gold, trying to find the exact ones. and furthermore you have a situation as a somewhat

trade tariffs as a somewhat archaic, so how much of which you 75555 you think is by that do you think. isdriven lay that that we have been concern that we have been talking about, donald talking about, that donald will put �* on gold trump will put a tariff on gold itself as opposed to that's conventional that gold conventional wisdom that gold is a safe asset is a safe haven asset in general times of turbulence? i think it is a of a mixture as i mentioned, gold been as i mentioned, gold been very nentioned, gold been very strong. ed, gold been very strong. last |old been very strong. last year has been very strong. last year it was one of the best performing and performing commodities. and year main thrust of last year the main thrust of rise was to with this f7_f5ff to safety, this concern flight to safety, this concern around geopolitical and flight to safety, this concern aroi had, sopolitical and flight to safety, this concern aroi had, as iolitical and flight to safety, this concern aroi had, as i litical and flight to safety, this concern aroi had, as i mentioned, and you had, as i mentioned, although central banks buying this year it has shifted f arfid certainly the slightly, and certainly the tariffs are coming play and specifically this potential 25% i on and and specifically this potential 25% �*on and it's 25% tariff on gold, and it's really ratcheting up concerns that people want the gold out london and delivered to the of london and delivered to the states. ., ~ . states. 0k, colleen mchugh, chief investment _

states. 0k, colleen mchugh, chief investment officer - states. 0k, colleen mchugh, chief investment officer at i chief investment officer at wealthify. not sure if you are packing any bags of gold yourself! if you do, get ready for the excess charges. for the excess baggage charges. thank for us. investors in the asia—pacific region are assessing inflation survey. alibaba has announced plans to invest more in e—commerce and ai—powered cloud computing. three months of 2024just above estimates, boosted by strong year—end sales. the latest financial report comes days after a widely publicised meeting between president xi and china's tech bosses, including

alibaba founderjack ma. profile, after his criticisms of the government in late 2020. walmart shares have fallen by around 6% after the retail the boss of the retail giant said it was an uncertain time and potential tariffs on imports into the us. despite the measured outlook — it wasn't all bad news — of any company worldwide. when we come back, sustainability on the runway at london fashion week. how the next generation of designers have been given a brief to reduce pollution.

around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

you are welcome back to business its policies promoting a more diverse and inclusive donald trump's return to the white house has and inclusion targets, prompting companies to abandon goals put in place only a few years ago. from new york, here's ritika gupta. citigroup is reportedly rolling back its diversity, equity the trump administration.

the bank will rename its diversity, equity management and engagement. network domestically and internationally, to the administration's scrutiny. and legal pressures. large companies like walmart, target and mcdonald's have already retracted their diversity programmes, while the president can't actually compel private he can amp up the partisan political pressure. and some companies have cited

those political shifts when scrapping dei programs. talent incubation programme have to describe how their a ban has also been introduced on wild animal skins and furs. of the arts london. i understand you have a shell yourself up. a shell yourself coming up. does feature in does sustainability feature in what you are putting onto the

fsustainabilityfand all? does. sustainability and fashion are really the ilelllstr? has topics. the industry has the topics. the industry has the to be very impactful potential to be very impactful but also a lot of the most in fashion is innovative work in fashion is now being done in response to ff challangeff f challefane to make it more the challenge to make it more sustainable. all of our students at london college fffffengage engagewith fashion engage with” .. ~ as part of their sustainability as part of their training, it is through f sustainable f f sustainable materfials work with sustainable materials and dyes, and and dyes, the reuse and recycling of business prove na nce provenance and understanding provenance and of materials the impact of the materials they use, local suppliers, and advocating change in the advocating for change in the industry. and we have also at couege industry. and we have also at college of fashion hour centre for fsustainable which conducts fashion, which conducts research and exchan-e and knowledge exchange and and is a sustainability and is a powerful body advocacy in pognerful body for advocacy in sector. so sustainability ffif'efafllef f f reallyembedded fif'efafllef embedded in f f fif'efafllef embedded in the f is really embedded in the practice of the next generation

of graduates and this make a ultimately will make it a more employable industry because it employaolee—industry—brocae'se it those omployabloiadustry - f. those ~ ., ., omployabloiadustry - f. those . ., ., , ., needs those skills. what do you make of the _ needs those skills. what do you make of the scale _ needs those skills. what do you make of the scale of— needs those skills. what do you make of the scale of the - make of the scale of the ambition that have ambition that they have at london fashion week in making requirement of the next this requirement of the next generation of designers? why only them? why not the other only fia'em?'why notthe other established why more established designers, why not it front and centre not put it front and centre there, as well? i not put it front and centre there, as well?— not put it front and centre there, as well? i think you have to — there, as well? i think you have to start _ there, as well? i think you have to start with - there, as well? i think you have to start with the - there, as well? i think you have to start with the next in that context generation, so in that context it is really great to see fashion council fashfion council driving industry f industry towardsfa the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future by adopting those minimum sustainability standards and it's great that london fashion :-= f is the first ff isthefffir;t ffftheff f f f �* to formally f �* to formally adopt f �* to formally adopt thofse four to fonally adopt those they were introduced in after they were introduced in copenhagen in 2023. and i think desiuners, and in fact all 5. :-— of the fashion aspects of the fashion industry, including fashion f needs tfo be thinking

business, needs to be thinking about these sustainability but i making objectives. but i think making sure pipeline of new sure that the pipeline of new designers, in the fashion designers, both in the fashion that we offer, and in education that we offer, and in initiatives that the british fashion council is leading is critical. ~ ., fashion council is leading is critical. , . critical. boers preaches aha ' ' ’ from the world critical. poole presets; aha - from the world of away from the world of couture, thatis away from the world of couture, that is all about london week, we are often told fashion week, we are often told fashion is of most industries in the balloting indaat-"ies in the 5 5 55 and it is that balloting indoatsias in the 5 5 55 and it is that ultracheap world and it is that ultracheap fast that we pick up fast fashion that we pick up on certain websites and certain high—street chains. the biggest offenders. has offenders. sustainability has become a talking point but i do think the big become a talking point but i ino think the big become a talking point but i in that think the big become a talking point but i in that sector the big become a talking point but i in that sector are big players in that sector are doing enough?— players in that sector are doing enough? players in that sector are doinu enou~h? ., . ., doing enough? no, they are not doinu doing enough? no, they are not doing enough- _ doing enough? no, they are not doing enough. fast _ doing enough? no, they are not doing enough. fast fashion - doing enough. fast fashion is very, very damaging business practice. it is leading to large of waste and large amounts of waste and some very damaging environmental impacts. so i think raising the

impact; so! thinkaraising the of need impact55ol thinkaraising the of need for profile of the need for through london week and f week and chrough week and through the fashion week and through the work of the british fashion council is a really important gi all beginning to raise way of beginning to raise awareness of that impact the need for change. drive the need for change. and what about _ drive the need for change. and what about that _ drive the need for change. and what about that - we - what about that practice we have seen luxury brands, unsold goods so they destroying unsold goods so they, 7 end up on the don't end up on the sale racks. - .- -- . , . .- 55 discount shops as you don't end up on the sale racicc - .- -- . . — .- --.- discount shops as you like of discount shops as you like is still happening? i .it , it probably still does think it probably still does happen. i am think it probably still does happen. iam not think it probably still does happen. i am not aware in detail of what .. in detail of what happens in the industry in that respect. certainly the way we work with our students to ensure our students is to ensure that they are aware of the university arts the university arts london. 5 university that is business today. stay with us here on bbc news. hello, there.

replaced by something milder, but unfortunately some wet in fact, we've got gale—force gusts of winds arriving and heavy rain to come as well. where we've got the mildest of the air with that southerly wind. so, double figures first thing in the morning across parts start for all of us. it will be windy. some rain arriving later on in the afternoon if that happens, we could see temperatures peaking at 16 the end of november.

the latter stages of friday. slightly fresher air tucking in behind as well. east anglia and kent. sunny spells and scattered showers developing into of saturday into sunday, another significant low until the end of the day. now, looking a little bit further ahead, we keep a slightly fresher theme,

but it will stay unsettled to the far north and west, with the best of the sunshine still see double figures.

this is bbc news. israel says the remains of two child hostages have been identified,

but the third body handed over yesterday is not their mother, as hamas claims. the war with russia. white house officials have accused president zelensky of "insulting" president trump. there needs to be a deep appreciation for what and what we have done since. amazon takes over the entire james bond franchise, is this a skyfall moment for 007? coming up on business today — arab leaders meet to discuss how to rebuild gaza,

in a counter—move to president