Mo&euml;t Hennessy workers set to strike in France

HR SUMMIT

Exclusive Networking & Learning Event!

The HR Summit provides an invaluable opportunity for senior professionals responsible for their organisation’s HR requirements and forward-thinking suppliers.

11th February 2026 –Radisson Blu Hotel Manchester Airport

For buyers, attendance is complimentary and includes:

A personalised itinerary of one-to-one meetings with solution providers
Access to expert-led seminars on the latest trends
Ample networking opportunities throughout the day
Complimentary lunch and refreshments

This summit is the ideal platform to form new business relationships and stay up to date with key industry developments. Spaces are limited, secure your place today!

Book here

or contact Contact K. Barrett
_________________________________________________________________________________

For suppliers, the forum offers exclusive access to senior professionals through pre-scheduled, one-to-one meetings in a hassle-free, pre-built stand—an effective way to showcase solutions and build valuable connections.

Contact Contact L. Rose

TECHNOLOGY

AI companies' safety practices 'fail to meet global standards'

A new edition of the Future of Life Institute's AI safety index says the safety practices of artificial intelligence companies including Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI and Meta are "far short of emerging global standards." Max Tegmark, MIT professor and Future of Life president, observed: "Despite recent uproar over AI-powered hacking and AI driving people to psychosis and self-harm, US AI companies remain less regulated than restaurants and continue lobbying against binding safety standards."

LEGAL

UK employees set to get unlimited compensation for unfair dismissal

The UK government plans to remove the £118,000 (€135,000) cap on unfair dismissal compensation, raising concerns among employment experts that bosses will become "more cold blooded" during probation periods. Colin Leckey from Lewis Silkin warned that uncapped compensation could lead to increased claims and discourage hiring. He said: "This does not sound like a recipe for growth." Elsewhere, Dan Pollard, a partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, said: "Today's development is frankly bonkers . . . unless introduced overnight it has the potential to create a bloodbath as employers seek to exit underperforming senior staff ahead of time."

Five suspected of insider trading in shares of Swiss company SoftwareOne

Authorities have conducted searches at the Leipzig, Germany and Stans, Switzerland offices of Swiss technology firm SoftwareOne as part of an investigation into potential insider-trading violations involving five non-executive current or former employees. The five unidentified people are alleged to have sold “large quantities” of shares before the firm published two pre-market press releases that would negatively impact the share price, according to a Eurojust statement.

Adidas defeats appeal of lawsuit regarding Ye collaboration

Adidas has defeated an appeal from shareholders who accused it of hiding misconduct by rapper-entrepreneur Kanye West, otherwise known as Ye, before their partnership broke down in 2022. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said the German firm did not mislead shareholders in its annual reports by saying improper behaviour by partners from the entertainment industry could have a negative spill-over effect on business. The shareholders said Adidas continued the partnership despite being "fully aware" since at least 2018 that Ye routinely made improper comments to its employees and employees at his Yeezy design shop.

BBC News

REGULATION

TikTok and LinkedIn face probe from Irish regulator

Ireland's media regulator has launched investigations into TikTok and LinkedIn amid concerns regarding their reporting mechanisms for illegal content, particularly the difficulty in reporting child sexual abuse material anonymously. The probes are part of the regulator's oversight under the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates that online platforms implement user-friendly reporting processes. John Evans, Ireland's digital services commissioner, said that "there is reason to suspect" the platforms may not comply with the DSA, which could precipitate fines of up to 6% of annual turnover if violations are confirmed.

EU to launch antitrust probe into Meta over use of AI in WhatsApp

The Financial Times reports that the European Commission is planning to open an antitrust investigation into Meta over the integration of its artificial intelligence system in WhatsApp. Meta AI, a chatbot and virtual assistant, has been built into WhatsApp's interface since March 2025 across European markets.

WORKFORCE

Orange Poland agrees with unions for voluntary release of 1,000 employees

Orange Polska's new social agreement for 2026-2027 allows up to 1,000 employees to take voluntary departures, equating to about 12% of its workforce. The programme is estimated to cost PLN 150m, reflecting higher severance costs. The deal includes salary increases of 5.5% in 2026 and at least 5% in 2027, along with enhanced retirement compensation and job search support. Medical benefits and training budgets will remain intact under the Lead the Future strategy.

Warsaw Business Journal

ECONOMY

Brussels pushes for 70% of critical goods content to be ‘made in Europe’

Brussels is considering setting “made in Europe” targets of up to 70% for the content of some products as it pushes to prioritise domestic goods and cut reliance on China.

INTERNATIONAL

AT&T to cease DEI activities to appease FCC

US wireless carrier AT&T has confirmed its decision to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes in order to secure approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its $1.02bn acquisition of wireless spectrum assets. The move aligns with similar actions taken by T-Mobile and Verizon, which have also ceased DEI initiatives while pursuing regulatory approvals for major deals. AT&T said in its letter to the FCC that it “does not and will not have any roles focused on DEI.”

CNN

Banks and fintechs at odds over Milei's labour reforms

Argentine President Javier Milei's planned labour reform could allow salaried workers to choose whether to have their paychecks deposited to a virtual wallet or a bank. Banks argue that fintechs would be riskier destinations for paychecks and pensions; fintechs say banks are trying to defend a "captive business." Bloomberg says the dispute is indicative of broader tensions across Latin America as rapidly expanding fintechs seek to encroach on services long dominated by traditional lenders.

India reverses order to install government app on all smartphones

The Indian government has reversed a policy mandating the installation of a state-run cyber security app on citizens' mobile devices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government had privately told companies including Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi that their products would have to carry an app called Sanchar Saathi, which would be able to access call logs and memory systems. The initiative was met with opposition from privacy advocates, as well as the tech companies themselves. The Internet Freedom Foundation called the reversal a “welcome development,” and thanked all parties who “raised their voice, reported on the issue or pushed back against this mandate.”

The economic miracle of China’s midday naps

The midday nap, or wuxiu, is growing in popularity in China. Workers need at least an hour’s snooze at midday because, very likely, they will work (an illegal) three shifts.