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UK unveils £210m Cyber Action Plan to enhance digital security. The initiative aims to safeguard critical public services from increasing cyber threats, overseen by a new Government Cyber Unit to coordinate defences and enforce accountability across departments.
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IWG is expanding its West Yorkshire presence with a new Regus workspace. The flexible office provider will open at 1 Godwin Street, Bradford, in partnership with Nice Leisure, as demand for hybrid and platform working models continues to accelerate across the region.
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Claire’s and TOFS face administration, risking 2,500 jobs. Both retailers, owned by Modella Capital, are entering insolvency proceedings due to unprofitable trading conditions. Administration will impact 1,355 Claire’s and 1,220 TOFS employees.
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Thirty global HR leaders outline a new people agenda. Their insights form the foundation of workplace expert David Liddle’s new book, People and Culture: A Practical Guide for HR Professionals and Leaders, published this week by Kogan Page.
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China introduces a new climate disclosure standard for companies. The trial standard aligns with IFRS climate reporting and supports China’s green goals. Initially voluntary, it aims for eventual mandatory disclosure, enhancing transparency and guiding capital to low-carbon projects.
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UK faces economic challenges as unproductive firms collapse. The Resolution Foundation predicts a “zombie apocalypse” due to rising interest rates, energy prices, and minimum wages, resulting in increased unemployment and economic uncertainty.
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Senior lawyer hiring surged in City law firms in 2025. Employment rose above 5% as London firms hired 668 partners, a 21% increase. US firms led the trend, focusing on private capital teams, with high demand expected to continue.
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December’s US M&A docket favoured scale, infrastructure, and control decisively. Netflix’s $82.7bn Warner Bros. deal set the tone, while IBM paid up for Confluent’s data-streaming backbone. ServiceNow’s $7.75bn Armis move underscored platform-driven security consolidation. Private equity returned via Clearwater Analytics, and Alphabet’s Intersect purchase highlighted power as an AI constraint.
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Clinichub reports record UK patient numbers in 2025. The Turkish cosmetic surgery provider expects another year of double-digit growth as global medical tourism continues to surge and UK patients seek affordable, full-service treatment packages abroad.
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NHS staff in the North East are set to benefit. Serve and Protect Credit Union has awarded a £2,478 grant to Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) to create new wellbeing spaces that support employees facing financial stress and mental health challenges.