THE HOT STORY

Lufthansa cabin crew union calls one-day strike in Germany

Lufthansa cabin crew union UFO is calling on staff at the core brand and its ‌subsidiary airline Cityline to hold a one-day strike tomorrow. The union said the airline had shown no flexibility in talks over working conditions for the 19,000 cabin crew members or the redundancy package for roughly 800 employees of Cityline, ‌which ⁠is set to wind down. “This situation could have been avoided – the responsibility lies with Lufthansa, which has so far not even managed to put forward a proposal suitable for negotiation,” UFO chief Joachim Vázquez Bürger said.

Reuters

REGULATION

New UK watchdog gains police-like powers

The UK's Fair Work Agency (FWA) has been granted extensive surveillance powers typically associated with police and intelligence services, the Times reports. New documents show the agency's officers will have powers under the Investigatory Powers Act. These include access to communications data to investigate serious labour market offences such as exploitation and modern slavery. Powers under the act are most widely used by police forces, the National Crime Agency and the intelligence services. A government spokesperson said: "The Fair Work Agency needs the ability to apply for access to communications data to investigate the most serious and organised forms of labour exploitation, where victims may be unable or too frightened to come forward. These powers are not new and will be limited to serious criminal cases, independent authorisation, and oversight by the investigatory powers commissioner."

The Times

Greece to ban social media for under-15s

Greece will implement a social media ban for children under 15 starting 1 January. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cited rising anxiety and sleep issues linked to excessive screen time. He said: "We have decided to go ahead with a difficult but necessary measure." The ban is expected to pass in parliament this summer, making Greece one of the first European countries to adopt such legislation. A recent YouGov poll showed strong support for similar measures across Europe, with 79% of respondents in France backing a ban.

Sky News

The Guardian

STRATEGY

Revolut to open Paris office

London-headquartered fintech Revolut is to open its Western European headquarters in Paris, in the Bourse business district, as it pursues growth by expanding on the continent. Revolut has committed to hire more than 400 employees. Many of the roles in France are in risk and compliance, which Bloomberg notes is a key focus for the firm since it submitted its banking license application in the country last year.

Bloomberg

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Denmark's teachers seek lower pay for fewer sick days

Research from the Rockwool Foundation reveals that many teachers in Denmark are leaving public schools for jobs that offer lower salaries but improved working conditions. Those who switch earn about 2,000 DKK less monthly, yet their likelihood of needing sickness benefits decreases by 12%. Research professor Jacob Nielsen Arendt said: "Teachers are willing to trade salary for better working conditions."

Copenhagen Post

LEGAL

Intesa Sanpaolo fined €31.8m for data breach

The Italian Data Protection Authority has imposed a €31.8m fine on Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's biggest bank, for significant lapses in personal data security. The fine follows an investigation into a data breach reported in July 2024, where an employee accessed the banking information of 3,573 customers without justification. Over 6,600 searches were conducted between February 21, 2022, and April 24, 2024, and these unauthorised accesses went undetected by the bank's internal control systems.

ANSA.it

INTERNATIONAL

Some firms in Saudi Arabia extend work from home

Reuters reports that some Western and Saudi firms in Riyadh extended work-from-home advisories earlier this week amid mounting concern over the US-imposed deadline for Iran ‌to open the Strait of Hormuz or face "hell." The advisories, which were sent out on Monday and Tuesday, related to work in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District, Faisaliah Tower, Business Gate and Laysen Valley, people familiar with the matter said. The locations are home to offices for major US banks and tech firms including Microsoft and Apple, and also Saudi entities such as the sovereign wealth fund. The US and Iran have now agreed a two-week ceasefire that would open the Strait of Hormuz shortly before Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to meet his demands or face strikes that he said would kill “a whole civilisation.”

Reuters

Kmart faces class action over alleged systemic wage underpayment

A class action has been filed against Kmart in Australia’s Federal Court, alleging the retailer systematically underpaid salaried store managers over the past six years by failing to comply with workplace laws and industry awards. The claim alleges managers were required to work significantly beyond rostered hours -sometimes up to 60 hours per week - without receiving overtime, penalty rates, or allowances, and were often expected to perform unpaid work outside shifts and during breaks. The case, which focuses on salaried managers rather than hourly staff, follows similar legal actions against major retailers and raises concerns over the use of annualized salaries without proper reconciliation to actual hours worked.

ABC News

Sony Pictures Entertainment to cut hundreds of film and TV jobs

Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced a shift in business strategy, precipitating job cuts across its film, TV and corporate divisions. “As we lean into those priorities, we need to operate with greater focus, speed, and alignment to strengthen our differentiated capabilities,” Chief Executive Officer Ravi Ahuja wrote in a note to staff. “To support our growth, we are aligning our organisation with where the business is going - not where it has been. That requires changes to how we are structured and where we invest.” The company declined to specify how many would lose their jobs.

Bloomberg

Los Angeles Times

Indonesia launches one-day remote work in energy-saving push

Indonesia is rolling out a remote work policy for civil servants to conserve energy amid rising global prices linked to the Middle East conflict. Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto announced the initiative during a presidential visit to Seoul. The measure is part of the “eight-point work culture transformation policy” aimed at energy savings. Additional measures include limiting fuel sales, reducing the use of official vehicles by 50%, and cutting official travel budgets. Hartarto said: "This is essential for our energy conservation efforts."

Straits Times

OTHER

Russia lures students to join drone units

Students in Russia are being offered substantial financial packages to join drone units in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The recruitment effort targets students, particularly those in technical fields, with incentives including salaries of up to 7m roubles (US$87,000) and exemptions from education fees. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Security Council, has claimed that over 400,000 people signed up last year.

South China Morning Post

Straits Times

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