THE HOT STORY

Pilots' union agrees process to resolve labour disputes

Lufthansa and its pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) have agreed a framework which seeks to resolve protracted labour ‌disputes through arbitration and mediation, reducing the risk of further pilot strikes. The agreement includes arbitration procedures covering Lufthansa's core airline, Lufthansa Cargo, CityLine and Eurowings, VC ⁠said. The German carrier said that industrial action cost the group nearly €200m ($230.74m) in the first half ⁠of 2026.

Reuters

LEGAL

Crackdown on zero-hours contracts could cost UK firms up to £3bn per year

Labour's proposed crackdown on zero-hours contracts under the Employment Rights Act could cost UK businesses between £350m and £2.9bn a year, depending on which threshold is decided upon with regard the number of hours staff can work before employers have to legally offer them a contract with guaranteed hours. The government's own analysis suggests approximately £1.2bn of these costs stem from new requirements to compensate workers for cancelled shifts. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said the new figures significantly exceed the previous £1bn estimate for the entire employment reform package. The BCC and CBI have called for a "proper tripartite negotiation" between government, unions and business on how to implement any proposals.

Financial Times

The Daily Telegraph

The Times

ECONOMY

Russian economy to resume growth

Russia's economy likely grew in the second quarter after its first contraction in three years. Gross domestic product expanded by 0.9% in April-June from a year earlier, according to the median estimate of economists polled by Bloomberg, after declining in the first three months of the year. The country's wartime economy has been driven by increased government spending and double-digit wage growth. Growth has also been lifted by a favourable calendar with more working days. Bloomberg says the rebound may be short-lived as Ukraine steps up the intensity and reach of attacks on critical sites.

Bloomberg

WORKFORCE

Unions threaten Schiphol with security guard strike

Trade unions CNV and FNV have issued an ultimatum to Schiphol Airport and its three security companies, demanding improvements in working conditions by noon on August 19. The unions claim that security staff have faced increased workloads and uncertainty since a recent reorganisation. High absenteeism has exacerbated the situation, leading to concerns about adequate staffing during peak travel times. CNV negotiator André Quist said: "We have run out of negotiations . . . If the situation does not improve quickly, security guards will go on strike this month." The unions are seeking better schedules, breaks, and measures to support female security guards.

NL Times

Global youth unemployment increased in 2025

Global youth unemployment increased to 12.4% in 2025, up from 12.3% in 2023, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). The ILO's report notes that youth unemployment worsened in eight of the world's 11 subregions, with the highest rate of youth joblessness being in the Arab States, at 26.2%. The ILO warned that AI could exacerbate job losses, particularly in middle-skilled occupations, potentially impacting 5.6 million young workers. "The picture is worsening almost universally," the report said.

Zawya EN

RISK

NATO neighbours fear Russian 'false flag' strike

Baltic states are enhancing security around critical infrastructure amid fears of a potential "false flag" attack by Russia using Ukrainian drones. Lithuania's Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said: "We are increasing the security of our critical infrastructure, we constantly exchange information with our intelligence on what to do next . . . We are clearly signaling that, if needed, we will be defending ourselves." Poland, Latvia, and Estonia are also on high alert, with increased military presence at key sites. Concerns centre on the political chaos a Russian attack could trigger within NATO as the alliance's response is debated.

U.S. News

TECHNOLOGY

Spotify to begin identifying artist profiles created by AI

Music streaming platform Spotify is to label AI artists and exclude them from algorithm recommendations as part of a crackdown on fake performers. The company is creating a label for AI-generated artist identities called “AI personas” that will appear on the artist profile and on track listings on playlists. Spotify said it will use human review and AI tools to determine whether someone’s profile, including their name and image, “appears to represent photorealistic AI-generated identities.” The company said in announcing the initiative: “Listeners have been clear in telling us that they don’t like seeing an artist profile that seems human, only to find out that the persona is AI-generated . . . Listeners need to be able to trust that the artist behind the music is who they say they are. That’s more essential than ever in the age of generative AI.”

Bloomberg

The Verge

The Guardian

REGULATION

Switzerland pushes ahead with post-Credit Suisse crackdown

Switzerland has proposed stronger powers for financial regulator Finma and new rules on bankers’ bonuses, as the country pushes ahead with its regulatory overhaul following the collapse of Credit Suisse.

Financial Times

INTERNATIONAL

Trump administration sued over its targeting of ICC

Four human rights groups, the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, and the Open Society Institute, have filed a lawsuit in US federal court challenging the Trump administration’s sanctions against International Criminal Court prosecutors and judges, a UN human rights expert, and three Palestinian human rights groups. The groups say that the sanctions regime, and the executive order on which it is based, undermines access to justice for victims of serious international crimes around the globe. The US state department and justice department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Asharq Al-Awsat

The Guardian

DR Congo faces fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed 2,011 lives from 4,381 confirmed cases, making it the fastest-growing outbreak on record. Declared on May 15, the outbreak has spread rapidly, with the death toll doubling in just three weeks. Sania Nishtar, chief executive of the Gavi global vaccine alliance, said the latest surge of the highly contagious disease "could well become the largest outbreak ever." Many health workers have gone on strike to protest lack of payment for their work since the outbreak was declared.

France 24

Aeon to revise earthquake procedures after fatal Kumamoto mall explosion

Aeon has said some workers were permitted to re-enter its Kumamoto shopping mall following evacuation after the July 28th earthquake, shortly before an explosion killed seven employees who had returned to the building. The retailer, which said its disaster response rules did not cover retrieving personal belongings after evacuation, will revise its procedures and has established an external expert committee to investigate the incident.

The Japan Times

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