
Israel's economy has weathered the Covid-19 pandemic better than most, with a contraction in GDP of only 2.4 percent in 2020. Demand for Israeli technology exports plus its rapid vaccine rollout helped to reduce the economic impact, but there are fears that employment may take years to return to pre-pandemic levels. Also today, we look at efforts in France to push more employers to boost remote working arrangements, as lockdown is imposed in several regions of the country. Local officials are to increase inspections of businesses to ensure their compliance with government guidance.