Democracy is an illusion! It’s become a political system fostered by the élite, for the élite, in order to fool the people that they have a stake in the system. In actual fact, they have virtually none. The whole political system in the modern era, despite having noble beginnings, is now used to benefit the few at the expense of the many. – Mark Alexander, June 29, 2018
Donald Trump's administration has set out its terms for a US-UK trade deal.
The terms of a post-Brexit trade deal between the US and the UK have been published. The paper calls for the removal of 'unwarranted barriers' to agricultural products and suggests tariffs might need to be adjusted due to exchange rates. Our economics editor, Ben Chu reports.
In the studio, Mark Urban is joined by Shanker Singham from the Institute of Economic Affairs and Sir Martin Donnelly, former permanent secretary at the Department of International Trade.
July 19, 2012
Global Impact as Drought Wilts US Crops
At least 29 states in the United States'' Midwest are feeling the heat of the Big Dry as oppressive heat and a worsening drought are pushing grain prices near or past records. Corn is a mega-crop and a bad year drives up the price everything from beef to cereal and auto fuel. As crops continue to wilt and falter, farmers and consumers across the globe are hoping for more rain, despite forecasts of dry days ahead. Al Jazeera's John Hendren reports from Rensselaer, Indiana.