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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called the spread of deepfake nudes and revenge porn a "national emergency" and warned technology firms they risk fines and service blocks in the UK if they fail to remove nonconsensual images within 48 hours. Amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill will also regulate AI chatbots. Victims will be able to flag abusive content directly to platforms or Ofcom, which will oversee enforcement, explore digital watermarking, and target rogue sites hosting explicit material. Starmer said that tackling online abuse must shift from victims to perpetrators and platforms. Nonconsensual imagery will become a "priority offence" under the Online Safety Act, putting it on par with child abuse and terrorist content.

 

BBC News

The Guardian

The Times

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Shein for breaching the bloc’s rules on digital platforms, including the sale of illegal products such as childlike sex dolls, and the platform’s “addictive design” and lack of transparency in its recommendation algorithms. The move comes amid broader EU efforts to tighten oversight of the vast number of low-cost goods shipped from China into the bloc. Brussels is fast-tracking new fees on small online packages and has previously fined Shein €40m in France for misleading consumers over pricing and environmental claims. Pressure is also mounting on Shein over labour practices and its reliance on tariff exemptions for small parcels, factors that have complicated its stock market listing plans. While UK ministers have sought to attract Shein to list in London, regulatory scrutiny in Europe continues to intensify.

 

France 24

Financial Times

Reuters

Richard Howson, the former chief executive of Carillion, has been fined £237,700 by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for misleading the market about the company's financial status before the company's collapse in 2018. The FCA described Howson's actions as "reckless," saying he had failed to disclose serious financial issues to the board and audit committee. This lack of transparency contributed to significant job losses and chaos in public sector projects. Steve Smart, the FCA's executive director, stressed the importance of holding senior leaders accountable for their actions. 

 

Sky News

The Guardian

The Independent UK

The Times

Passports and other identity documents belonging to hundreds of attendees of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), Abu Dhabi’s flagship investment conference, have been exposed online. Scans of more than 700 such items, some belonging to prominent politicians and business leaders, were discovered on an unprotected cloud storage server associated with the state-sponsored event, which hosted more than 35,000 people in December. ADFW, in a statement to Reuters, said: "a vulnerability in a third-party vendor-managed storage environment relating to a limited subset of ADFW 2025 attendees . . . The environment was secured immediately upon identification, and our initial review indicates that access activity was limited to the researcher who identified the issue."

 

Financial Times

Middle East Eye

Reuters

Lloyds Banking Group CEO Charlie Nunn has acknowledged there have been concerns over the company's use of information from staff bank accounts as part of pay negotiations and announced an internal review. Nunn said "we have definitely listened" after the UK's biggest lender was criticised for comparing employees' spending habits to the wider public to show if they weathered the cost-of-living crisis better. The group was found to have looked at the data of staff who banked with Lloyds, along with the saving rates and salary increases of its lowest paid workers, and assessed them against its customers.

 

BBC News

The Guardian

The Times

German agrochemical giant Bayer has proposed a $7.25bn settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits claiming its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. The settlement aims to address around 65,000 claims from plaintiffs who allege they developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using the product. Bayer will make annual payments for up to 21 years, but it does not admit liability. CEO Bill Anderson said: "Litigation uncertainty has plagued the company for years, and this settlement gives the company a road to closure." The proposal requires court approval and a minimum number of plaintiffs to opt in.

 

Deutsche Welle (EN)

France 24

University College London (UCL) has agreed to pay £21m to settle claims from around 6,500 students who argued they did not receive the education they paid for during COVID lockdowns. Although UCL admitted no liability, the deal could see students receive roughly £3,000 each. The case is part of a wider campaign representing more than 200,000 students across 36 UK universities, potentially opening the door to further compensation claims nationwide. Lawyers say they will now pursue other institutions. The dispute centres on teaching moving online and campus facilities closing despite full tuition fees being charged. UCL said it settled to avoid further legal costs and disruption.

 

Financial Times

The Daily Telegraph

German economic think-tank Ifo has revised its forecast for a 1% population decline by 2050 to nearly 5% - a drop that would leave Germany with its smallest population since 1990.

 

Financial Times

Carlsberg has confirmed it is exploring a potential IPO of its India business as it seeks to unlock value in one of its fastest-growing markets, though no final decision has been made. The Danish brewer, which recently took full ownership of its Indian operations, reported high single-digit volume growth in India in 2025 and continued market share gains, driven by strong demand for premium brands. India accounts for about 5% of group sales and remains a key growth market amid intensifying competition.

 

Economic Times

Brussels plans to force electric-vehicle manufacturers benefiting from state support to ensure that at least 70% of the components in their cars are made in the EU, according to draft legislation.

 

Financial Times

European airlines have called on the European Commission to scrap an aviation deal with Qatar after the senior EU official who had overseen the negotiations was dismissed over corruption allegations. Henrik Hololei, the European Commission’s former director general for transport, was fired after an internal investigation found he had accepted free flights. The airline lobby ENAA, the European Transport Workers’ Federation and the European Cockpit Association pilots' union have all urged the deal to be scrapped.

 

Financial Times

Politico

AXA Digital Commercial Platform (DCP) has partnered with Planet to enhance its risk management capabilities. The collaboration aims to address the challenges posed by natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. AXA DCP will utilise Planet's near-real-time satellite data to improve prediction and prevention strategies. Pierre du Rostu, CEO of AXA DCP, said: "Natural disasters are now an ever-present danger, and the climate crisis is making them worse." Will Marshall, CEO of Planet, added: "This partnership provides AXA's customers with the objective data needed to navigate environmental volatility."

 

Reinsurance news

UK activist Palliser Capital has urged Toto, Japan's largest toilet maker, to highlight and expand its advanced ceramics division, arguing the toilet maker is an undervalued beneficiary of the AI boom. The unit, which makes electrostatic chucks used in Nand memory chip production, generates 40% of operating profit and could grow revenues by 30% or more in the next two years, according to Palliser. The fund believes the shares could rise over 55% if Toto improves capital allocation and invests more heavily in the business.

 

Financial Times

The Japan Times