the spanish economy minister luis de guindos has put the cost of the catalan independence crisis at aroundor $1.2 billion. he told spanish radio that it was due to the slowdown in the catalan economy after the unauthorised independence referendum in october. the uk's economy will slow further in 2018 as business spending stalls, interest rates rise and indebted consumers curb their spending. that's the gloomy view of more than 100 leading economists in the financial times annual predictions survey. china has long been one of the world's biggest markets for ivory, but as of 2018, all trade in ivory and ivory products in the country is now illegal. the move is being hailed as a major development in efforts to protect the world's elephant population. that story is popular on bbc.com. and now, what's trending in the business news this morning: in business insider, there's a 40% chance apple will snap up netflix, thanks to president trump's corporate tax cuts, which give the tech giant a bigger stash of cash to buy new companies. 0n bloomberg, 2018 started badly for bitcoin. for the first time

the spanish economy minister luis de guindos has estimated the dispute over catalan independence hasis was due to the slowdown in the catalan economy after the unauthorised independence referendum. dr stephanie hare is an independent political risk analyst. shejoins me in the she joins me in the studio. shejoins me in the studio. a she joins me in the studio. a warm welcome to you, happy new year. thank you very much for coming in. what you make of this figure, $1 billion? this is obviously going over several months, but it is hugely damaging to spain's economy. there's only started in october and there have been drumbeats of catalan separatism for a while and it really escalated in october and then we have just had the vote on december 20 one. to have1 billion euros fallout, i would want to see the numbers, and to see if it is actually jobs numbers, and to see if it is actuallyjobs orjust a number of companies... yeah, i suppose we want to put this in context too. this is spain's economy minister, spain has not want to see catalonia breaking away. yeah, i would like to see the catal

minister says the catalan independence crisis has cost the economy more than a billion dollars luis de guindos told spanish radio that the slowdown and get alone is growth was being felt across the country the region accounts for around a fifth of spain's gross domestic product in october spain was plunged into a constitutional crisis from catalan politicians declared independence from the druid following and outlawed referendum the conflict in south sudan is threatening not only the country's population but also its historical heritage thousands of documents have been collected from the nineteenth century but historians fear many more will be lost before they're even discovered here morgan reports from juba every piece he goes through takes uses on your back to the past. these files around the room are archival records of africa's youngest nation records of south sudan's history have archives for. tribal one have. have governments. roads will have the documents on. gram of criminal cases and then will have documents a lot of documents that have the intelligence and culture and education thous

minister says the catalan independence crisis has cost the economy more than a billion dollars luis de guindos told spanish radio that a slowdown in catalonia is growth was being felt across the country to the region accounts for around a fifth of spain's gross domestic product in october spain was plunged into a constitutional crisis when catalan politicians declared independence from madrid following and outlawed referendum isin the start of the new year becoming the first country in the world to legalize equal pay between men and women companies and government agencies face fines if they can't prove pay parity firms of at least twenty five employees must have government certification of the equal pay policy. being ranked by the world economic forum as the most gender equal country for the past nine years but in other countries worldwide discrimination is getting worse the world economic forum says for the first time since two thousand and six parity gaps widened in the workplace as well as health education and politics don't ask other adults opinion does a board member of the icelandic wome

says the castle and then the pendants crisis has cost the economy more than a billion dollars luis de guindos told spanish radio that a slowdown in catalonia is growth is being felt across the country the region accounts for around a fifth of spain's gross domestic product in october spain was plunged into a constitutional crisis when catalan politicians declared independence from madrid following an alkaloid referendum. now new rules making it legal to buy marijuana for recreational use have been introduced in the u.s. state of california customers were queuing up when the shop in oakland opened at six am waiting for the first chance to buy the drug legally without a medical prescription and about ninety stores were not to start something kind of this new this day. let's talk to sam who treat he's the director of the drug policy project at the institute for policy studies he joins us via skype from washington d.c. mr tree how significant is this kind of this legislation and is this good news for consumers and the state of california it's certainly good from a criminal justice point of view i

minister says the catalan independence crisis has cost the economy more than a billion dollars luis de guindos told spanish radio that a slowdown in catalonia is growth was being felt across the country the region accounts for around a fifth of spain's gross domestic product in october spain was plunged into constitutional crisis when catalan politicians declared independence from madrid following an outlawed referendum thousands of people marched in hong kong to express their frustration that china's tightening grip on the territory they accuse beijing of eroding freedoms which were guaranteed when british colonial rule ended twenty years ago and is difficult pollin reports many if it twenty eighteen will be another disappointing year for the democracy movement. defend hong kong the theme for this year's rally those taking part say the protest has particular resonance after year when people's rights were violated repeatedly is really cautious about history because of hong kong soil i'm afraid that a pop up becoming and other parts at china. where you are just as threatening up on top by the g