UK pumps ￡2.1B into no-deal preparations, ex-Audi boss charged with fraud, and more top news

The news professionals in Europe are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation on today's stories in the comments. 

Britain has earmarked an extra ￡2.1 billion to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. New finance minister Sajid Javid says the money will be put towards measures such as more border force officials, improved infrastructure at ports, a medicine stockpile and a nationwide advertising campaign. The move comes after new UK prime minister Boris Johnson, who took office last week, vowed the UK would leave the EU by October 31 without a deal unless the EU agreed to renegotiate on the Irish backstop. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler has been charged with fraud in relation to the ongoing probe into the VW diesel scandal. German prosecutors claim Stadler concealed the fact that software designed to cheat emissions tests had been installed in Audi, Porsche and VW cars around the world. He is one of four former employees charged yesterday over their role in the scandal. VW has so far spent around €30 billion in fines and settlements as prosecutors in Germany and the US continue their investigations. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Airbus' profit quintupled in the most recent quarter as US archrival Boeing posted its biggest loss ever following the global grounding of its 737 MAX planes. The latest numbers from the European aerospace company, driven by deliveries, position it to overtake Boeing as the industry leader, per The Wall Street Journal. Airbus must still deliver roughly 500 jets in the second half of the year to meet its financial targets, and Boeing continues to outsell Airbus in the larger wide-body jet category. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Also: Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary told employees in a video message to prepare for redundancies by the end of August, saying the airline has 1,500 more pilots and cabin crew than it requires. Meanwhile, British Airways pilots are once again set to strike over pay this summer after Court of Appeal judges denied the airline a temporary injunction.  

Spotify has narrowly missed its subscriber target for the last quarter. The Swedish music streaming service welcomed 8 million new paid subscribers, taking its total to 108 million, but was approximately 500,000 short of its forecast. Shares dropped 5% on the news. Spotify remains the most popular music streaming site in the world; Apple has 60 million paid subscribers, as of June, while in April Amazon signed up 32 million people to its music services, according to the Financial Times. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Hirsute Burger King workers of Catalonia are celebrating after local officials agreed that a ban on beards violated employees’ constitutional rights. The Workers’ Commissions union argued the ban on facial hair “undermined the dignity of its workers”, and the labour inspection committee concurred — adding the company policy stipulating male workers wear ties and women ribbons amounted to sexual discrimination. The union hopes to see the action extended beyond the Barcelona area, where Burger King employs 1,269 people across 46 restaurants. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: Although self-discipline is an important trait to have, don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a part of your routine once in a while, says Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis.

“All I can do is go to bed determined to do better when I wake up. Sometimes that is what it’s all about — changing one thing, making a better next decision, and making tomorrow a little bit better than today.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

—  Capucine Yeomans