Human Times

European Edition

30th July 2026

THE HOT STORY

Audi workers protest over threatened plant closure

An estimated 6,000 Audi workers have demonstrated against the possible closure of the ‌German automaker's Neckarsulm plant as parent Volkswagen pushes ahead with a group restructuring in the face of increased competition from China and US tariffs. Oliver Blume, Volkswagen's CEO, has warned Neckarsulm is among four German plants that could close after 2030 if no alternative solution is found. "The staff wants clarity because they're worried about coming to work. Many families are worried, too," Audi trainee Frank Wojko said. Local mayor Steffen Hertwig told Reuters that closing Neckarsulm ⁠"would be a disaster" and have far-reaching consequences for the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, a traditional automaking region.

Daily Sabah

Reuters

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STRATEGY

BMW cuts 8,000 jobs in Germany

BMW plans to offer voluntary redundancy to nearly half of its 85,000 German staff, aiming to cut 8,000 white-collar jobs by the end of next year. The decision follows a profit warning due to declining sales in China and increased cost pressures. The restructuring aims to reduce overheads while maintaining vehicle assembly efficiency. "BMW is now responding to the slump in the Chinese market whilst simultaneously working to strengthen the competitiveness of its German sites," said Horst Ott, head of the Bavarian branch of the IG Metall union, who sits on BMW's supervisory board under a German system which gives labour representatives half the seats.

LEGAL

Greece expands maternity protection

The Greek government has enacted a new Ministerial Decision to enhance maternity protection for working mothers. The reforms extend eligibility for special maternity leave and benefits, addressing existing gaps. Key changes include continued benefits for adoptive mothers, inclusion of additional working hours for part-time employees, and support for women with multiple jobs. The government said: "The measures are designed to expand maternity support, improve fairness across different forms of employment, and strengthen equal opportunities for working mothers in Greece." Seasonal workers and those previously self-employed are also included in the new protections.

GreekCitytimes

CYBERSECURITY

Cyber attackers take 607,000 records from UK government department

Hackers have stolen more than 600,000 records from the UK's Department for Education, including names and email addresses belonging to officials, school leaders and university staff. The attack targeted the department’s help desk and the Turing Scheme database, which tracks British students studying abroad. Cybercriminal group ExfilSquad has claimed responsibility. Some headteachers’ details have reportedly been published on the dark web. The DfE said it had acted quickly to contain the breach, referring the incident to the Information Commissioner, and is working with the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Centre. Both affected portals have temporarily switched to telephone contact. Nationally significant cyberattacks rose from 63 in 2022 to 204 last year, driven by advanced tools, artificial intelligence and reliance on third-party suppliers.

CORPORATE

Air France-KLM and Lufthansa bid for Portugal's TAP

Air France-KLM and Lufthansa have submitted bids to acquire a controlling stake in TAP Air Portugal, which is being re-privatised. The Portuguese government aims to sell a 49.9% stake. Both airlines have previously made non-binding offers. Air France-KLM is seeking a 44.9% to 49.9% stake, as it aims to establish Lisbon as its southern European hub. Lufthansa has also expressed interest in making Lisbon a strategic hub but did not specify its desired stake. Portuguese officials hope to finalise the privatisation by late August or early September. TAP was renationalised in 2020 and employs around 7,700 staff.

France 24

ECONOMY

French consumer confidence rises to highest level since March

French consumer confidence improved more than expected in July, reaching its highest level since March, as households became more optimistic about their personal finances and living standards despite ongoing economic challenges. According to Insee, France's consumer confidence index rose to 86 from 84 in June, exceeding economists' expectations of 85. The improvement marks a partial recovery after sentiment weakened following the outbreak of the Iran war, although the index remains well below its long-term average of 100. The survey also showed that households' inflation expectations eased, with fewer respondents reporting rising prices over the past year or anticipating further acceleration in inflation.

Bloomberg

INTERNATIONAL

Israeli manufacturers struggle to attract skilled foreign workers

Israeli manufacturers are finding it difficult to attract skilled foreign workers to maintain imported machinery amid heightened criticism of the country by some international governments after three years of war, which has strained business links with foreign companies and partners. Companies are increasingly saddled with imported machinery that has stopped functioning or can’t be installed, and they require foreigners to attend to it. Ron Tomer, the owner of Israeli pharmaceutical company Unipharm, which has invested in a €20m ($17m) European-produced machine, observes that unions with certain political affiliations have banned their members from traveling to Israel.

Bloomberg

Former JPMorgan Chase banker expands harassment and racism lawsuit

Chirayu Rana, the former JPMorgan Chase banker whose lurid ⁠sexual ⁠harassment lawsuit went viral, has added new claims and ⁠defendants. He says the bank's acceptance of racism and sexual coercion destroyed his career, alleging in his 82-page complaint that his South Asian heritage was mocked, and colleagues referred to him as a "monkey" and a "brown boy." Rana also accuses executive director Lorna Hajdini of coercing him into sexual acts, repeatedly saying she "owned" him. The lawsuit adds new defendants, including managing directors Brandon Graffeo and Jon Wolter, who are accused of damaging Rana's reputation in the industry. Rana has been "effectively blackballed," the complaint said. "His reputation has been destroyed, his professional relationships shattered, and the career he spent years building reduced to rubble. This ⁠was not ⁠an unintended consequence of defendants' misconduct. ⁠It was its intended result."

U.S. News

HSBC hiring spree to boost Singapore hub

HSBC is to hire more than 100 artificial intelligence specialists and 100 wealth managers as the bank moves to launch a new AI centre in Singapore in the second half of 2026. Talent will be recruited across natural language processing, data science, AI governance and human-centred design, HSBC said. The ⁠Singapore centre will initially focus on personalising customer wealth management conversations, introducing agentic treasury solutions, and expanding AI-enabled digital payments.

Reuters

OTHER

Life satisfaction has 'fallen off a cliff' for England's young

Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has found that just 44% of 16- to 24-year-olds in England feel satisfied with their lives at the moment, down from 62% in 2010. The figure is as low as 34.7% in the most deprived areas. The IPPR's Conor Carleton said life satisfaction and belonging "have fallen off a cliff for young people in England." He said: "Fewer and fewer feel safe, supported or connected to the people and places around them . . . and fewer still are getting to enjoy being young. This is not a minor wobble. It reflects a wider shift in which growing up in England has become more pressured, isolating and less enjoyable than it was even a decade ago."

The Guardian

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