Category: 3. Business

Web publishers and news organisations could be given the power to stop Google scraping their content for its AI Overviews, under measures announced by the UK competition watchdog to loosen its grip on online search.

Media organisations have experienced a drop in click-through traffic to their websites – and therefore their revenue – since Google started posting AI summaries at the top of search results, which many people read without clicking through to the original journalism.

Sites have been unable to opt out of their content being scraped for those overviews without also withdrawing from traditional Google search, which, given the company’s market dominance, would hugely affect the visibility of their journalism.

On Wednesday, the Competition and Markets Authority proposed “a fairer deal” over how their content was used and launched a month-long consultation on allowing publishers to “be able to opt out of their content being used to power AI features such as AI Overviews or to train AI models outside of Google search”.

In the first measures to be announced under the UK’s new digital markets competition regime, the CMA also said Google would have to rank its search results fairly, including not uprating organisations with which it has commercial relationships or potentially punishing websites for speaking out against it. Google says it does not provide special treatment based on an organisation’s relationship with it.

News media organisations hope the changes will increase their leverage to get paid if their content is used in Google’s AI mode. However, there was disappointment that the CMA also announced it would wait a year to decide whether to take further action to ensure publishers receive fair and reasonable terms for their content.

Owen Meredith, the chief executive of the News Media Association trade body, welcomed the moves. He said the CMA had recognised Google was “able to extract valuable data without reward, harming publishers and giving the company an unfair advantage over competitors in the AI model market, including British startups”.

Google said: “Any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience.” But added that it was “working on ways to let news sites opt out of AI Overviews”.

The CMA is also expected to legally require Google to install “choice screens” to allow users to more easily switch to other search services on Android mobiles and introduce them on the Google Chrome browser.

This month a report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found media executives around the world feared search engine referrals would fall by 43% over the next three years amid the rise of AI summaries and chatbots.

Google search is down 33% globally, according to data for more than 2,500 news sites sourced by Chartbeat, with lifestyle, celebrity and travel content more heavily affected than current affairs and news outlets.

Sarah Cardell, the CMA chief executive, said the moves would give UK businesses and consumers more control over how they interacted with Google search, unlock opportunity for innovation across the UK tech sector and “provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google’s AI Overviews”.

Ron Eden, Google’s principal for product management, said: “Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. We look forward to engaging in the CMA’s process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic.”

In brief

On December 22, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added all foreign produced uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drones) and critical drone components to the FCC Covered List (“Covered List“), a designation that prohibits them from gaining FCC authorization on the ground that they pose an unacceptable risk to US national security or the security and safety of US persons. That rule could have effectively prohibited the sale in the US of foreign-manufactured drones or critical drone parts.

On January 7, 2026, however, the FCC modified the ban by exempting foreign UAS and critical UAS components that are already on the “Blue List” maintained by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), as well as components considered “domestic end products” under the Buy American Standard.

Please contact us for more information about the UAS ban and its exemptions.

Key takeaways

• Companies that sell UAS in the United States must promptly evaluate their supply chains to ensure that all products destined for the US market are either (a) fully domestically produced or (b) fall within one of the two exemptions to the Covered List
• The exemptions, created through a National Security Determination from the Department of War, underscore the administration’s efforts to promote domestic manufacturing and guard against the risk US adversaries can exploit technology sold in the US by introducing vulnerabilities.
• Regular communication with counsel is important to ensure compliance, identify and mitigate supply chain risks, and prevent potential enforcement actions.

In more detail

Drones have emerged as a major US national security concern. In a recent Executive Order, the President recognized that drones can be designed with backdoors and vulnerabilities that allow US adversaries to divert them to engage in covert activities. Also, the extensive deployment of drones in the Ukraine war highlights their varied kinetic military applications.

Last year, the White House convened an interagency body to review national security risks posed by foreign UAS products. On December 21, 2025, this body released a National Security Determination (“December Determination“) stating that foreign UAS products pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States and called on the FCC to add such products to its Covered List. The FCC responded by issuing its new policy on December 22, 2025.

Inclusion on the Covered List prevents a product from receiving FCC equipment authorization, 47 C.F.R. § 2.903(a), which is a requirement for radio frequency devices to be marketed in or imported to the US, 47 C.F.R. § 2.803(b). Thus, the December Determination had the practical effect of preventing any new foreign UAS products from gaining approval to enter the US market. This sweeping ban was particularly significant because a large proportion of US commercial drones are manufactured overseas in whole or in part.

The December Determination stated that both the DoW and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may issue supplementary National Security Determinations exempting UAS products. Shortly thereafter, on January 7, 2026, the DoW invoked this authority to issue a supplemental Declaration (“January Declaration“) creating two categories of exemptions to the ban.

The first category exempts UAS and critical components on the DCMA’s Blue UAS Cleared List of drones approved for use by DoW. Critical Components include “data transmission devices, communications systems, flight controllers, ground control stations and UAS controllers, navigation systems, sensors and cameras, batteries and battery management systems, and motors.”The second category exempts UAS and critical components that qualify as “domestic end products” under the Buy American Standard, which deems a product as domestic if the cost of its US-made components exceeds 60% of the total cost of all components. Both exemptions are set to expire on January 1, 2027. The FCC also released guidance for requesting a case-specific “Conditional Approval” for covered products that will be forwarded to DoW and DHS for review.

This development has implications beyond the drone ban:

• First, this marks the first time the Covered List has been used to ban an entire category of foreign-produced products, rather than targeting specific products from specific companies.
• Second, the White House’s creation of a body to review and restrict an entire category of products may be applied to other industries.
• Third, it signals that the US Government is expansively using regulatory tools to pursue its policy goals of expanding US manufacturing and mitigating foreign influence.

Companies that market products with capabilities that may implicate US national security concerns should stay informed about emerging regulatory developments. Baker McKenzie is uniquely positioned to assist clients in navigating this shifting environment by tracking potential policy changes, assessing and validating critical supply‑chain dependencies for compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and implementing proactive strategies to minimize the risk and impact of enforcement actions.¹

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1 Ethan Primeaux assisted in drafting this alert.

NEW YORK, January 28, 2026 ­─­ Marsh (NYSE: MRSH), a global leader in risk, reinsurance and capital, people and investments, and management consulting, today announced the launch of its global Digital Infrastructure Contract Advisory Group, designed to help clients manage and streamline strategic service contracts throughout the lifecycle of their digital infrastructure assets.

The digital infrastructure ecosystem—including data centers, fiber and wireless networks, AI/cloud platforms, and their service providers—relies on numerous contracts like service-level agreements and power purchase agreements, each with specific insurance and contractual risk-transfer terms. Given the scale of the operations and the evolving technologies they depend on, these contracts can be especially complex. Reviewing and managing them is not only time-consuming but, if not properly managed, can tie up processes and lead to significant financial, legal, and operational risks.

Marsh’s new Digital Infrastructure Contract Advisory Group eases this burden for clients. Comprised of former contract attorneys, risk managers, and insurance experts, the team delivers comprehensive contract review and negotiation support across the acquisition, construction, and operational phases of digital infrastructure assets. By aligning contractual language with insurance obligations, resolving coverage gaps, and securing best-in-class insurance for potential claims, the team enables clients to safeguard their balance sheets and unlock capital.

Commenting on the new group, Mike Mathews, Global Digital Infrastructure Leader, Marsh, said: “Contract reviews demand deep expertise, careful coordination, and significant time investment, making them a complex and often burdensome process for our digital infrastructure clients, many of whom do not have dedicated risk management teams to support the process.  

“Our team of experienced contract specialists alleviates this burden for clients, delivering peace of mind while also enabling them to move at pace. It is the latest example of how Marsh is bringing industry-leading value and solutions to clients investing in this dynamic, rapidly evolving industry.”

Earlier this week, Marsh expanded its global Nimbus data center insurance facility dedicated to large-scale data center construction. The expansion doubles Nimbus’ capacity to $2.7 billion, inclusive of delay in start-up and business interruption coverage for major data center construction projects in the UK, US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.   

Paris, France – January 28, 2026

Atos, a global leader of AI-powered digital transformation, today announces its recognition as a Best-In-Class in the PAC Innovation Radar for IT/OT Cybersecurity Services France 2025. PAC highlights Atos’ strong market position and the breadth of its OT security services, which include auditing, consulting, field operations, and managed services. The report also emphasizes Atos’ international capacity and deep-rooted OT expertise, supported by dedicated OT Security Operations Centers, a vulnerability operations center, and qualified field teams. Atos’ recognized OT certifications, combined with proprietary IT cybersecurity threat intelligence feeds and 6,500 cybersecurity professionals, further reinforce its leadership in securing critical infrastructures.

Eric Domage, lead analyst cybersecurity, PAC, said: “Atos presents one of the most advanced and robust sovereign postures. From authentication to threat detection, from risk assessments consulting to AI & Post-Quantum Cryptography advanced features, Atos owns, operates, and secures its intellectual property.”

Farah Rigal, Head of cybersecurity France, Atos, said: “As OT and critical infrastructures become increasingly software defined, security must protect industrial processes and IT seamlessly. Atos supports this shift through converged IT/OT architectures, strong network segmentation, identity-driven controls, backed by a global SOC able to operate within industrial constraints. Through Eviden, our cyber product brand, we also bring the cryptographic and digital identity foundations required to safeguard telemetry and authenticate connected assets. This enables our clients to strengthen operational resilience and compliance—without slowing innovation or disrupting production and field operations.”

PAC is the leading European consulting and analyst firm supporting software & IT service vendors worldwide. PAC provides market research and analysis in more than 30 countries worldwide, delivered through its SITSI® research platform.

To download a copy of the report, please go to https://atos.net/en/lp/pac-cyber-services

 

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Note to editors – Atos Group’s cybersecurity products and services

As a global cybersecurity leader with more than 6,500 experts and 205 cybersecurity patents, Atos Group helps organizations navigate the evolving threat landscape with end-to-end, AI-powered security—enabling their pursuit of digital sovereignty and trust.

Under its Eviden brand, the Group offers a sovereign portfolio of cybersecurity products built on three complementary areas of expertise: data encryption, identity and access management, and digital identity.  Developed and manufactured in Europe, these products comply with the highest European certification standards to safeguard sensitive data, secure digital access and protect the identities across users, systems, and connected devices.

 

Cybersecurity services, delivered under the Atos brand, offer an integrated blend of strategic consulting, solution integration and continuous managed security services – spanning the entire security lifecycle. With a global network of 17 security operations centers (SOCs) processing more than 31 billion security events per day and serving over 2,000 trusted customers, Atos delivers a proactive, globally informed approach to securing operations. Its teams operate with deep industry expertise across all sectors, ensuring robust data protection, regulatory compliance, and business continuity worldwide.

 

Download the PDF document

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About Atos Group

Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 63,000 employees and annual revenue of c. €8 billion, operating in 61 countries under two brands — Atos for services and Eviden for products. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos Group is the brand under which Atos SE (Societas Europaea) operates. Atos SE is listed on Euronext Paris.

The purpose of Atos Group is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

 

Press contact

Isabelle Grangé | isabelle.grange@atos.net | Tel: +33 (0) 6 64 56 74 88

London, United Kingdom – January 28, 2026 – Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), today announced the successful completion of an upgraded reliability package at the 812MW natural gas-fired gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power generation plant at Damhead Creek Power Station, which is owned and operated by leading power company VPI.

The package for the facility at Damhead Creek consists of different elements which combined will achieve better start up response, increased performance and improved reliability. It also includes an upgrade to the turbine control system.

These efficiency and reliability upgrades are vital for gas turbines, given that gas-fired power plants are increasingly being used as essential flexible assets that support intermittent renewable energy. This is especially true in countries like the UK, which have a high degree of renewable penetration and where these plants are required to frequently start and stop generation as and when the system needs it.

Javier Cavada, President and CEO for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Mitsubishi Power , commented: “In today’s power grid, GTCCs are crucial – not only for keeping the lights on for homes and businesses – but also for the scale-up of renewable energy, by delivering flexible and reliable power generation. There is no renewable energy without thermal generation providing the reliability, flexibility and security of supply.

This evolved role for gas fired generation is critical – but it is also one that places significant stress on GTCC plants generally and on the gas turbines specifically. The completion of the Upgraded Reliability Package at Damhead Creek will ensure that the plant is able to deliver power to homes in a more efficient and more reliable way for years to come, and in doing so, will ensure a more sustainable grid by supporting the integration of more renewable energy sources.”

The turbines at the GTCC plant were originally delivered to Damhead Creek by Mitsubishi Power in 2000. After purchasing the plant in 2021, VPI signed a service agreement with Mitsubishi Power to deliver a major programme of investment in the site to improve its efficiency and reliability. This included maintenance, management, parts supply and remote monitoring services for the gas turbines at the GTCC plant, and the delivery of the upgraded reliability package.

Damhead Creek Power Station is a natural gas-fired power plant located on the Hoo Peninsula in Kent, England. Commissioned in 2001, Damhead Creek is a key source of flexible power for the South-East of England, serving around 1.1 million households. It is owned and operated by VPI.

For more information about Mitsubishi Power and its innovations in the energy sector, please visit:
https://power.mhi.com/regions/emea/

Toulouse, France, 28 January 2026 – Delta Air Lines has placed a firm order  for 31 latest generation aircraft including 16 A330-900s and 15 A350-900s. Once delivered, Delta’s widebody fleet will have grown to 55 A330neo and 79 A350s. 

“As we grow our international footprint and prepare our fleet to serve expanded long-haul markets, these aircraft will enhance our capabilities and elevate our premium offerings,” said Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer. “We value our long-standing partnership with Airbus, and with these widebody aircraft we will see additional operational efficiencies and long-term cost benefits in the years to come.”

“Delta’s renewed confidence in both the A330neo and the A350 is a testament to our enduring partnership and the excellence of the Airbus widebody family performance,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. “These aircraft offer the range, capacity, and premium cabin experience Delta requires to grow into new markets and connect more of the world.”

Delta Air Lines currently operates more than 500 Airbus aircraft from all of the Airbus product families from the A220 to the A350-900. Delta Air Lines’ current Airbus backlog is around 200 aircraft and includes the A350-1000 aircraft.

Powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330neo is designed to fly up to 8,100 nautical miles / 15,000 kilometers non-stop and reduces fuel burn, CO2 emissions and operating cost by 25% compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. The A350 is the world’s most modern widebody aircraft, designed to fly up to 9,700 nautical miles / 18,000 kilometres non-stop, setting new standards for intercontinental travel. The aircraft includes state-of-the-art technologies and aerodynamics delivering unmatched standards of efficiency and comfort. Its latest generation Rolls-Royce engines and use of lightweight materials bring a 25 per cent advantage in fuel burn, operating costs and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. 

The A330neo and A350’s unique Airspace cabin offers passengers and crews the latest modern in-flight products for a comfortable flying experience.

As with all Airbus aircraft, the A330neo and the A350 are able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus is targeting to have its aircraft up to 100% SAF capable by 2030. 

At the end of December 2025, the A350 Family had won over 1,500 orders from 67 customers and the A330 Family had won over 1,900 orders worldwide.

The Award Ceremony（Left: MHI Thermal Systems, Right: MHI）

　

Tokyo, January 28, 2026 – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has been recognized with awards at the 2025 Energy Conservation Grand Prize awards, organized by the Energy Conservation Center, Japan (ECCJ) and sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd. (MHI Thermal Systems), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, the highest award in the Products and Business Models Category (Business Field), for its JHT-Y/JHT-YI series of large-capacity centrifugal chillers adopting a low-GWP refrigerant. In addition, the Oye Plant at the Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works, part of MHI’s Commercial Aviation Systems segment, received the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Commissioner’s Award in the Energy Conservation Case Study Category (Transport Field) for its “Energy Conservation Activities to Achieve MISSION NET ZERO: Endeavors at an Aerospace Parts Factory.” The award ceremony was held in Tokyo on January 28th.

The Energy Conservation Grand Prize awards are presented to Japanese companies, local governments, and educational institutions, recognizing examples of initiatives for energy savings, as well as highly energy-efficient products and business models. The awards aim to foster greater awareness of energy conservation, promote the widespread adoption of energy-saving products, and contribute to the realization of an energy-efficient world. MHI Thermal Systems has received awards numerous times, including the 2024 Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Commissioner’s Award for its TEJ35AM electric-driven transport refrigeration unit for the ELF electric truck.(Note1)

Encouraged by these awards, MHI Thermal Systems and MHI will continue to develop technologies and products that further reduce CO₂ emissions and contribute to energy efficiency. In addition, MHI Group will leverage the synergies generated by its broad range of business areas to further focus on providing optimal solutions that meet the diverse needs of customers.

• 1 For further information on MHI Thermal Systems’ 2024 Energy Conservation Grand Prize, see the following press release.
  https://www.mhi.com/news/25013002.html
• 2 Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a coefficient of the greenhouse effect of a gas relative to carbon dioxide (CO₂), which has a fixed GWP of 1.0. Smaller values indicate a lower greenhouse effect, and better environmental performance. For further information on the JHT-Y/JHT-YI series, see the following press release.
  https://www.mhi.com/news/220405.html
• 3 Coefficient of performance (COP) is a performance coefficient calculated based on Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). Higher values indicate greater energy efficiency.
• 4 Integrated part load value (IPLV) is an indicator of the efficiency of air conditioning equipment during partial load operation. Higher values indicate greater energy efficiency.
• 5 Oil equivalent reduction of 2,074 kiloliters per year. The standardization of the practices at the Oye Plant and implementation at other MHI Group production facilities in Japan is expected to provide total reductions of up to 12,000 kiloliters per year.

US technology giant Amazon has informed employees of a new round of global layoffs in an email apparently sent in error.

A draft email written by Colleen Aubrey, a senior vice president at Amazon Web Services (AWS), was included as part of a calendar invite sent by an executive assistant to a number of Amazon workers late on Tuesday.

In the email, Aubrey refers to a swathe of employees in the US, Canada and Costa Rica having been laid off as part of an effort to “strengthen the company.”

The message, which has been seen by the BBC, was apparently shared by mistake, as it was quickly cancelled. An Amazon spokesman declined to comment.

The title of the invite was “Send project Dawn email,” an apparent reference to Amazon’s code name for the job cuts.

While the email made clear that layoffs were happening at Amazon, employees had not yet been officially informed.

“This is a continuation of the work we’ve been doing for more than a year to strengthen the company by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy, so that we can move faster for customers,” the email said.

“Changes like this are hard on everyone. These decisions are difficult and made thoughtfully as we position our organization and AWS for future success,” it added.

Amazon announced 14,000 job cuts in late October.

This second round of layoffs had been expected by Amazon employees for weeks, according to a former employee who asked not be identified.

The broad understanding among employees had been that bosses intended to cut a total of around 30,000 roles, added the former employee, who left the company as part of the cuts in October.

The firm was expected to reach that number of job cuts with another major round of layoffs this month, followed by further redundancies until the end of May.

While laid-off workers were invited to reapply for open positions at Amazon, the number of such roles was limited. People who did not move to another role received severance pay based on how long they had worked at the company.

Since 2022, major tech companies like Amazon, Meta, Google, Microsoft and others have slashed their workforces by laying off tens of thousands of people each year.

Across the entire tech industry, an estimated 700,000 people have been laid off over the last four years, according to Layoffs.fyi, which tracks job cuts.

So far this year, Facebook owner Meta has cut more roles, impacting several hundred employees. As has Pinterest, which this week cut around 700 jobs.

Since Amazon founder Jeff Bezos stood down as its chief executive four years ago, his successor Andy Jassy has led the company through several rounds of layoffs in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Jassy has also attempted to bring a more strict work culture to the firm.

In-office work is now mandatory five-days a week, making Amazon one of the only major tech companies to require its employees to be in the office full-time.

Amazon is also focused on reducing costs, even monitoring corporate mobile phone use by AWS employees, according to a report in Business Insider, in an effort to limit a long-standing $50 per month reimbursement.

In an email Jassy sent to employees before the Thanksgiving holiday viewed by the BBC, the CEO said he was thankful for the “challenges at opportunities at work” as “the world is changing at a very rapid rate.”

Jassy called this era at Amazon “a time to rethink everything we’ve ever done.”