EU officials accuse bloc of taking ‘little to no meaningful action’ on Gaza

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EU Staff for Peace letter accuses institution bosses of failing to exert influence to help Palestinians

A group of EU officials has written to the leaders of the European institutions criticising the bloc for “little or no meaningful action” in response to the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The group EU Staff for Peace said that more than 2,000 officials working for the European Commission, European parliament and EU agencies had signed a letter drafted in May 2024 which accused the EU of apathy to the plight of Palestinians.

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About £1bn in car loan compensation at risk because data deleted, lawyers warn

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Lenders’ routine purging after six years means details of some car buyers due compensation may have been lost

Consumers are at risk of losing £1bn of compensation over inflated car loans because high street banks and specialist lenders deleted their data, claims lawyers have warned.

Borrowers, banks and the government are anxiously awaiting a ruling from the supreme court that could spark one of the biggest redress schemes since the £50bn payment protection insurance (PPI) saga.

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Taxpayers set for £10bn loss on NatWest as disgraced ex-boss takes £600k-a-year pension

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Government expected to sell last shares in banking group this week, drawing a line under 2008 financial crisis bailout

Fred “the Shred” Goodwin, the disgraced ex-boss of Royal Bank of Scotland, is estimated to be receiving an annual pension worth nearly £600,000, as the government prepares to declare a £10bn loss after selling its final stake in the bank as early as this week.

The banking group, now known as NatWest, is expected to return to full private ownership within days, drawing a line under a £45bn state bailout that saved the bank from the brink of collapse at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

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Estonia eschews phone bans in schools and takes leap into AI

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Country at top of education charts aims to equip students and teachers with ‘world-class artificial intelligence skills’

While many schools in England have banned smartphones, in Estonia – regarded as the new European education powerhouse – students are regularly asked to use their devices in class, and from September they will be given their own AI accounts.

The small Baltic country – population 1.4 million – has quietly become Europe’s top performer in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s programme for international student assessment (Pisa), overtaking its near neighbour Finland.

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Marcel Ophuls, Oscar-winning film-maker of The Sorrow and the Pity, dies aged 97

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The German-French documentarian, who fled the Nazis twice as a child, spent his career exploring wartime atrocities and conflicts around the world

Marcel Ophuls, the Oscar-winning French film-maker whose documentary The Sorrow and the Pity uncovered the truth of the Vichy government’s collaboration with Nazi Germany during the second world war, has died aged 97.

Ophuls “died peacefully” on Saturday, his grandson Andreas-Benjamin Seyfert confirmed on Monday.

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Head of US-backed Gaza aid group resigns, saying he will not abandon ‘principles’

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Jake Wood’s resignation comes after the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation faced criticism from the UN and other aid groups

The head of a US-backed private humanitarian organisation that is tasked with distributing aid in Gaza using an Israeli-initiated plan has resigned, saying that the operation could not fulfil its mission in a way that adhered to “humanitarian principles”.

Jake Wood, the executive director, announced his resignation in a statement from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), adding fresh uncertainty to the operation’s future.

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Emmanuel Macron touts France as ‘reliable’ partner for south-east Asia – Financial Times

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  1. Emmanuel Macron touts France as ‘reliable’ partner for south-east Asia  Financial Times
  2. France, Vietnam sign Airbus, satellite deals as Macron visits Hanoi  Reuters
  3. Vietnam, squeezed between America and China, looks for new friends  The Economist
  4. Macron Kicks Off Asia Tour in Vietnam With Focus on Energy  Bloomberg
  5. Macron pitches France as reliable trade and defence partner on Vietnam visit  France 24
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Trump says he wants to end the war in Gaza “as quickly as possible” – Axios

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  1. Trump says he wants to end the war in Gaza "as quickly as possible"  Axios
  2. Trump wants to end war in Gaza 'as quickly as possible,' close to reaching ceasefire - report  The Jerusalem Post
  3. Trump: U.S. Talking With Israel About Ending Gaza War 'As Quickly as Possible'  Haaretz
  4. Trump frustrated by Gaza war, wants Netanyahu to "wrap it up": White House officials  Axios
  5. Opinion | Suddenly Trump Is No Longer Buying What Bibi Has Been Selling  The New York Times
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EU president secures tariffs delay after talk with Trump

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Enactment of 50% tariffs postponed until July so both sides can ‘reach a good deal’ after pressure from European leaders

Donald Trump has announced that he will pause his threatened 50% tariffs on the European Union until 9 July, after a “very nice call” with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.

The European Commission president announced in a social media post that she had spoken with Trump and secured the delay to give the two sides more time to negotiate.

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New Zealand will not be ‘guilt-tripped’ over environment, resources minister says

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Shane Jones is unapologetic about his plan to double mineral exports to $3bn over the next decade despite criticism over potential environmental impacts

New Zealand’s minister for resources, Shane Jones, said he will not be guilt-tripped by “apocalyptic images” of mining and its effects on the environment put forward by his critics, as he embarks on a major mining push.

Jones, a member of the minor populist coalition party New Zealand First, wants to double mineral exports to $3bn over the next decade, to boost economic growth and minimise the country’s reliance on imported resources, even if it results in environmental trade-offs.

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