tom: gemma godfrey with us this morning.ng up, a conversation with the german deputy economy minister, matthias machnig. ♪ tom: good morning from london and new york, anna edwards with us this morning. right now to our bloomberg first word news. vonnie: the united nations is asking for iraqi troops and islamic state fighters to spare children in the battle for falluja. estimates 20,000 children are still trapped in the city. prime minister is offering rare praise for a peace plan from saudi arabia. the plan is 14 years old and would require israel to withdraw from most of the west bank and other territory captured in 1967. more pressure on venezuela's embattled president. have come out in favor of a recall referendum. venezuela is suffering through its worst recession in decades. is blasting reporters for questioning him about donations to veterans groups. than 100 checks to veterans last week as he was being asked what happened to money taken in, in january. california governor jerry brown has sent a message to democrats --