Human Times

European Edition

5th October 2026

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THE HOT STORY

Europe’s data centre hiring surges

European data centre recruitment is accelerating as AI investment, cloud expansion and new infrastructure projects increase demand for technical workers. Indeed data show postings more than doubled from pre-pandemic levels in Spain, Italy and Ireland by August 2026, while broader technology hiring remained weaker across most countries analysed. Data centre roles also typically command higher salaries, including premiums of 65% for management positions in Italy and 49% in the UK. Indeed economists Aubrey Woessner and Pawel Adrjan said these jobs “ask for more skills, on average” than comparable positions, including IT systems, cybersecurity and English-language capabilities. Hiring spans more than 500 European companies, with IT infrastructure, software development, management, maintenance and project management dominating recruitment. Skills shortages could intensify as the EU seeks to triple data centre capacity within five to seven years.

euro news

GLOBAL HIRING & COMPLIANCE

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WORKFORCE

Greeks flock to Iceland for work

A small but growing Greek community is establishing itself across Iceland, with around 1,100 Greeks working there during the summer tourism season and 400-500 remaining through winter. Many are drawn by higher wages, respectful working conditions and the chance for greater financial stability, particularly in hospitality and tourism. However, experiences are mixed. Some workers praise employers for offering breaks, free meals, time off and a calmer workplace culture, while others highlight Iceland’s extremely high living costs, limited professional opportunities and difficulties progressing into careers matching their qualifications. Greek filmmaker Nikos Skoulidas said earnings may be roughly three times higher than in Greece, but living costs can be “3.5 times higher.” Despite these challenges, Greek workers and entrepreneurs are building stronger community ties and introducing Greek businesses and culture across Iceland.

GreekCitytimes

TAX

UK opposition vows to scrap 'tax trap' for UK’s higher earners

The UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has promised to abolish the £100,000 childcare tax threshold, under which earning just £1 above the limit can leave parents substantially worse off by removing key support. Speaking ahead of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, she said a future Tory government would eliminate the cliff edge entirely. Badenoch framed the pledge as part of broader tax reforms intended to ensure that taking on more work and earning more always leaves people better off. The measure would be funded by cutting the headcount at various quangos, saving £1.6bn a year. Badenoch has also suggested that cutting inheritance tax could be on the cards, arguing that it was "morally right that people don’t get taxed twice." In an interview with the Sunday Times, she explained: "It is morally right that if you work hard and want to give something to your children the government doesn’t take it away."

The Sunday Telegraph

The Sunday Times

Dutch ditch wealth tax plans

The Dutch government has abandoned plans for a wealth tax on unrealised gains. Officials proposed taxing increases in asset values, including shares and cryptocurrencies, before sale. Critics warned this could force investors to sell assets to cover tax bills on profits not yet realised. Instead, a conventional capital gains tax will be introduced, effective from 2028, taxing only realised gains at a rate of 36%.

Daily Mail

Billionaire investor joins wealth exodus

David Reuben, a billionaire property investor and Newcastle United shareholder, has relocated to Monaco, joining a trend of wealthy individuals leaving the UK. With an estimated wealth of £28bn, Reuben's move follows increased taxes under the Labour Government. Reuben's departure reflects broader concerns about the UK's tax environment, as other high-net-worth individuals, like Sir Jim Ratcliffe, express similar sentiments about the country's economic climate.

Daily Mail

HEALTH & SAFETY

Schools shut as protests escalate

Up to 500 schools in France will be closed or partially closed today due to ongoing protests by high school students, said Education Minister Edouard Geffray. He noted that 24 schools have been "burned or ransacked" since the protests began on September 17. Students are voicing concerns over high teacher absences and poor facilities. Geffray claimed that activists have infiltrated the movement, leading to violence against education staff, with 78 injuries reported. Protests are set to continue on Tuesday, with over 5,000 arrests made since the movement started.

France 24

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Turkey's universities boost life skills training

Yükseköğretim Kurulu (YÖK) is expanding education programs in Turkey's universities to enhance students' skills in family life, communication, and financial planning. The initiative, in collaboration with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, aims to strengthen students' personal and social competencies. Key components include the Premarital Education Program and the Modular Family Education Program, which offers various training modules. A new course titled "Life Skills for Young People" is also proposed, focusing on essential skills like problem-solving and time management. YÖK stated: "Universities are expected to carry out activities aimed at strengthening students’ personal, social and family-related skills."

Daily Sabah

CYBERSECURITY

OpenAI says rogue agents may have affected more than 100 organisations

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has informed more than 100 organisations about incidents involving unauthorised activity tied to its AI agents. "In some cases, models used internet access in unintended ways or, in retrospect, did not have the ideal restrictions applied. Over the last several months, we have ⁠been applying new technical and operational measures to avoid similar problems, or catch them very early, and will continue this work," ⁠OpenAI wrote in a blog post.

Reuters

Washington Post

OpenAI safety leader resigns over culture

David Robinson, a safety leader at OpenAI, has resigned, citing a broken culture within the company. In his essay for Atlantic magazine, he expressed concerns that AI firms are not exercising sufficient caution in technology development. He highlighted incidents like autonomous OpenAI agents attacking Hugging Face as indicative of the industry's reckless pace. Robinson stated: "We need to talk about culture," emphasising the need for a cultural overhaul. OpenAI has recently shown signs of caution, pausing model training and scrapping a new AI release after safety concerns were raised.

The Guardian

CORPORATE

Schroeder joins Hyperglobus board

Hyperglobus has appointed former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to its supervisory board, where he will support the strategic development of the Russian supermarket business, according to Russian news outlet RBC. Hyperglobus, which continues to operate supermarkets under the Globus brand, separated from Germany’s Globus Holding in 2025 and is owned by its former head Thomas Bruch. Globus Holding said its former Russian hypermarkets are now legally and operationally independent. The appointment comes days after Russia placed the local assets of another German retailer, Metro, under temporary administration.

Reuters

INVESTMENT

Uber's bold move in Munich

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, announced significant investments in autonomous vehicle infrastructure, with a pilot project set to launch in Munich. Initially, the project will feature a safety driver to ensure the vehicles navigate safely. Khosrowshahi expressed optimism about the German market, stating: "We believe the potential in Germany and Europe is enormous." He highlighted the need for specialised infrastructure and mentioned that Uber aims to lower prices for customers while expanding its services. The company is also pursuing a €13 bn acquisition of Delivery Hero to enhance its delivery business.

Handelsblatt

INTERNATIONAL

Lyft to pay $272.5m to settle California driver wage theft claims

Lyft is to pay $272.5m to settle claims by the state of California and the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego that the company mislabeled drivers as independent contractors rather than employees to save money. Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general, described the agreement as a “landmark win for workers” and said it was the largest settlement involving wage theft claims in the state’s history. “Rideshare companies like Lyft have enjoyed massive growth and profits on the backs of drivers over the past decade, many of whom are from immigrant communities and communities of colour,” Bonta said. “Lyft’s success would not be possible without the drivers Lyft sought to unfairly short-change.” The settlement, which subject to court approval, covers alleged violations between April 2016 and December 2020.

Reuters

The Guardian

China expands overseas travel restrictions for top AI professionals

China has expanded travel restrictions for top artificial intelligence professionals to include their families. Key personnel, including startup founders and executives in AI, must now obtain approval from Beijing for family members to travel abroad. The move broadens existing curbs on the movement of the country's influential tech talent, which has faced increasing restrictions since early 2026. The government aims to prevent the outflow of critical technology and expertise, particularly in light of recent foreign acquisitions. Affected individuals have been notified of the new requirements.

Business Times SG

Unions want levy to build Australian-owned AI

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and leading AI academics say that tech giants who want to build data centres in Australia should have to pay a levy to help fund a local AI industry. Leading AI researcher Sue Keay from UNSW said: "If AI is going to shape our health care, public services, workplaces and economy, Australians need genuine influence over how those systems are developed, governed and deployed." A letter signed by the UNSW AI Institute, the Australian Institute for Machine Learning at Adelaide University and the Kingston AI Group as well as the ACTU, states: "Australia has the talent, sector expertise and demand to build substantial AI capability. What it lacks is a funded national ambition and coordinated access to compute, skills, research support and patient capital."

ABC Online

South Africa's formal sector sheds 14,000 jobs in Q2

Total employment in South Africa's formal non-agricultural sector fell by 14,000 (-0.1%) in Q2 2026, according to the Statistics SA Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q2:2026) report. The decline was primarily due to losses in manufacturing, business services, trade, and transport. However, community services, electricity, mining, and construction saw increases. Year-on-year, total employment decreased by 95,000. Full-time employment dropped by 96,000, while part-time employment rose by 26,000. Gross earnings also fell by R4.8bn, although basic salaries increased by R15.5bn.

Zawya EN

OTHER

Walking to school cuts anxiety symptoms

Research indicates that walking to school can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and low mood in young adolescents. A study by King's College London (KCL) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst involving US adolescents who wore fitness trackers for three weeks measured their daily step counts. Findings suggest that increased physical activity correlates with improved mental health outcomes. An extra 1,000 to 2,000 steps a day, from any starting point, was associated with better mental health outcomes and differences in brain structure, said Amanda Paluch of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "The goal is finding realistic, sustainable ways to move more," she added.

The Daily Telegraph

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