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More than 300,000 Interrail passengers have had their personal data compromised in a security breach of Eurail BV's systems. The leaked information includes passport numbers, contact details, and health information, which is now being sold on the dark web. Eurail has completed its investigation and is notifying affected customers, saying it does not store bank or credit card details. Eurail urges customers to stay alert for suspicious communications and to monitor their bank accounts.

 

The Independent UK

Brunello Cucinelli has strengthened compliance procedures after allegations it breached EU sanctions on Russia. The company introduced stricter monitoring and screening across wholesale and retail operations following an external legal review. The move comes after claims it continued sales in Russia, which it denies. Cucinelli said it remains fully compliant with EU rules. Russia accounts for less than 2% of revenue, and no further write-downs were recorded despite geopolitical risks.

 

Reuters

The European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to maintain its interest rates at 2% this week, amid rising inflation concerns linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. Inflation in the eurozone reached 2.6% in March, surpassing the ECB's target. ING economist Carsten Brzeski said the ECB's belief before the conflict - that it was in a "good place" on rates - was "no more," observing "The bank is back in crisis mode, shifting its focus from longer-term projections to actual developments and back to a 'driving at sight' approach."

 

France 24

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has called for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to establish a new cabinet committee focused on enhancing the UK economy's resilience against global disruptions. The BCC highlighted that recent crises, including Brexit and the Ukraine war, have exposed the UK's lack of contingency plans. Director-General Shevaun Haviland said: "The UK's inadequate economic security has become a drag on growth." The BCC's report suggests creating an economic security committee to manage trade disputes and recommends adopting measures similar to the EU's "anti-coercion instrument" to protect UK interests.

 

Daily Mail

The Guardian

The Times

Workers at Inditex’s Zara stores in A Coruña have urged the company to halt a proposed industry-wide labour agreement, warning it could reduce pay and benefits in the retailer’s home region. Employee representatives argue that standardising conditions across Spain would erode locally negotiated terms, potentially cutting new hires’ salaries by up to €5,000 annually and removing benefits, despite the company’s strong financial performance.

 

Bloomberg

Workplace stress is a significant global issue, causing nearly 900,000 deaths annually, according to a report by the United Nations' International Labour Organisation (ILO). The study, titled “The psychosocial working environment: Global developments and pathways for action,” highlights factors such as long hours, job insecurity, and bullying as key contributors to serious health problems. Manal Azzi, ILO team lead, stated: "Psychosocial risks are becoming one of the most significant challenges in the modern world of work." The ILO urges action to address these risks and improve workplace safety for better health and productivity.

 

ILO	Gulfnews.com

The UK government is considering establishing a defence bank to support its Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies against threats from Russia. The initiative may mirror a €150bn (£130bn) EU loan scheme for weapon purchases. The proposed JEF Bank would enable the ten northern European NATO nations to borrow at lower interest rates for joint security projects. Discussions are still in the early stages. A UK government spokesperson said: "We have committed to a £270bn investment in defence over this Parliament to ensure that the UK is prepared to respond to growing threats."

 

The Daily Telegraph

Moscow's Eksmo publishing house faces scrutiny as authorities question staff over alleged "LGBT propaganda" in its catalogue. Raids by the Investigative Committee targeted Eksmo's offices, leading to the questioning of general director Evgeniy Kapiev and three employees. The investigation relates to titles published by Popcorn Books, which was acquired by Eksmo in 2023, and whose titles feature LGBT themes. Eksmo said that no books were seized and that the questioning is linked to testimony from former Popcorn employees. The Kremlin has not commented on the situation.

 

U.S. News

The Bank of England (BoE) has urged financial firms to enhance their cybersecurity in response to threats from advanced AI models, particularly Anthropic's Mythos bot. During a meeting held by the BoE's Cross Market Operational Resilience Group (CMORG), banks, insurers, and payment firms were advised to use AI to identify vulnerabilities and automate threat responses. The AI Security Institute (AISI) warned that Mythos could autonomously execute complex cyberattacks. CMORG plans to convene again in May to address these escalating risks.

 

The Daily Telegraph

AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot has told ⁠Handelsblatt that Germany ⁠risks missing out on new drugs that the ​company plans to launch if the country's coalition government sticks with plans to keep ‌spending on pharmaceuticals in check. “When ‌we can't launch some of those products, it's really a problem . . . It's going to be ​very hard for us, we're going to be attacked, but in the end we will have no choice, also because of the pressure in the US.” Under proposals announced by the government to reform ⁠the statutory ⁠health insurance system to ⁠reduce ​a looming €20bn funding gap, an existing ​mandatory discount on patented ⁠drugs could become steeper under a variable mechanism that depends on overall drug expenditures and on contributions paid. "The proposed regulation is a dangerous backward step," Soriot said.

 

U.S. News

Ryanair plans to close its Berlin base and halve its winter schedule, reducing annual passenger numbers from 4.5m to 2.2m. The airline cites soaring aviation taxes in Germany as the reason for this decision. The German trade union Verdi condemned the move as a "purely profit-oriented corporate strategy."

 

The Guardian