4 d. ago Postwar Gaza authority potentially led by Tony Blair ‘would sideline Palestinians’

Draft plan’s critics say it hands power to international figures and splits Gaza from Palestinian Authority in West BankA plan for a postwar Gaza governing authority potentially headed by the former UK prime minister Tony Blair would sideline key Palestinian political figures, while giving significant authority to its chair on most key issues, according to a leaked confidential proposal.The 21-page draft document, seen by the Guardian and Haaretz in Israel, envisions the governance and reconstruction of postwar Gaza being led by international officials, with Palestinians relegated to subsidiary roles. It also proposes a Gaza investment promotion and economic development authority involving “public-private partnerships and blended finance instruments” aimed at delivering “commercially viable returns” for investors. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Google announces £5bn AI investment in UK before Trump visit

Rachel Reeves says move is a ‘vote of confidence’ in British economy as she prepares to open firm’s first UK datacentreBusiness live – latest updatesGoogle has said it will invest £5bn in the UK in the next two years to help meet growing demand for artificial intelligence services, in a boost for the government.The announcement, which comes as Google opens its new datacentre in Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, is expected to contribute to the creation of thousands of jobs, the US tech company said. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors

French borrowing costs have climbed above those of Greece and close to Italy’s

Economics

3 w. ago Why is France on the brink of collapse – again? PM loses key confidence vote as economic turmoil deepens

François Bayrou ousted, further plunging country into political crisis

Economics

3 w. ago French government collapses as PM François Bayrou loses confidence vote

President Emmanuel Macron will look for a replacement who can break the budget impasse

Politics

3 w. ago Why is France on the brink of collapse, again? PM faces crucial confidence vote as economic turmoil deepens

François Bayrou is widely expected to lose the vote, further plunging the country into political crisis

Economics

3 w. ago French PM François Bayrou expected to be ousted in confidence vote

Opposition parties planning to remove centrist and bring down minority government after just nine monthsThe French prime minister, François Bayrou, is expected to be ousted in a confidence vote on Monday afternoon, plunging the eurozone’s second biggest economy into political crisis.Opposition parties from the left to the far right have made clear they will vote against the 74-year-old centrist, meaning he and his minority government would fall after only nine months in office. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago France is plunged into 'disorder and chaos' with second PM in a year set to be ousted by no

French MPs will debate a vote of no confidence in prime minister Francois Bayrou after just nine months of him in office.

Events

3 w. ago France’s political crisis reveals deep rift between the people and their politicians

The likely fall of prime minister François Bayrou exposes a political malaise that is likely to sour French politics well beyond the 2027 presidential election as the far right exploits the momentAs the French government faces likely collapse in a confidence vote on Monday, plunging the eurozone’s second biggest economy and key diplomatic power into a domestic political crisis, Jonathan Denis, a 42-year-old a bank manager and health rights campaigner, was concerned about the terrible impact it will have on France’s dying and terminally ill.The centrist president Emmanuel Macron had promised assisted dying and improved palliative care would be the biggest social reform of his second term but the bill, which had been scheduled to go before the senate next month, now risks being delayed once more by the unpredictable revolving door of four prime ministers in just over three years. Continue reading...

Politics