Starmer to face legal action on Chinese embassy approval January 20, 2026 China’s new “mega” embassy near the City will face a legal challenge from campaigners and local residents despite receiving approval from Keir Starmer’s government after months of diplomatic wrangling and protests highlighting security concerns. Residents of the Royal Mint Court site, the location where China is planning to build its embassy, have confirmed they will [...]
SIRBAI Launches Middle East’s First AI-Powered Autonomous Drone Swarm Technology at UMEX 2026 January 20, 2026 New platform enables coordinated, autonomous drone operations designed for modern defense environments
Why We Gather: Hilton Reveals Behavioral, Emotional and Cultural Drivers Defining 2026 Meetings and Events January 20, 2026 Trends Report special section explores how the digital era is redefining in-person connection and the attendee motivations reshaping meetings and events According to new Hilton research, 84% of attendees say they love bringing their “authentic selves” to work events—highlighting the growing demand for genuine, in-person connection. Nearly half (49%) of respondents say meeting new people and bonding with their team will be the main reason they attend work events in 2026, underscoring the shift toward purpose-driven gatherings that fuel collaboration and career momentum. Two-thirds (67%) of attendees report feeling less engaged during events if they don’t get downtime, with 55% admitting they’ll skip sessions to decompress if breaks aren’t built in—making wellbeing a must-have in today’s event agendas. The report builds on Hilton’s World’s Most Welcoming Events initiative and last year’s Meetings Maximizer Report, which introduced new research and solutions to make meetings more welcoming across generations.
Simpro Group Appoints Raffi Tchakmakjian as Chief Product & Business Development Officer January 20, 2026 Disruptive leader and accomplished software executive to accelerate Simpro Group’s AI-first operating platform and product delivery for the trades
Miro Reveals ‘Engage’, a Meeting and Workshops Engagement Product Built Into the Miro Platform January 20, 2026 Engage turns passive meetings into dynamic experiences, capturing input at any scale and turning collective feedback into clear, actionable insights
Amentum and Rolls-Royce SMR Partner on Building First Small Modular Reactors in the UK and Czech Republic January 20, 2026 Amentum (NYSE: AMTM), a global leader in advanced engineering and technology solutions, has been selected as the program delivery partner for the first deployments of the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR). In the UK, Rolls-Royce SMR will deliver up to 1.5GW of low-carbon energy to the grid, supporting the UK’s net zero goals and creating [...]
European Utilities Accelerate Digital Transformation January 20, 2026 Rising electricity demand, technological innovation, regulatory requirements drive industry modernization, ISG Provider Lens® report says
Water firms to get ‘MOT checks’ in regulatory overhaul January 20, 2026 Water companies are set to receive “MOT checks” on the quality of their infrastructure in a fresh regulatory overhaul aimed at preventing crumbling pipes, mishandled sewage and unreliable services. Utilities businesses will receive “health checks” to assess the quality of pumps and pipes by a new water regulator set to be introduced under the government’s [...]
House affordability offers first time buyers boost but Londoners lag behind January 20, 2026 Improved house affordability has sparked an uptick in first time buyer activity over the last year, but those on lower incomes remain shut out of the housing market. Affordability constraints eased slightly, due to declining mortgage rates and wage growth surpassing house price growth, bolstering buyer demand, particularly among those taking the first step onto [...]
Reeves to overhaul visa system for talented migrants in Davos pitch January 20, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to talk up new visa schemes aimed at highly-skilled migrants working in tech in a pitch to business leaders and top researchers gathered at Davos. Reeves is set to talk up the Labour government’s new immigration policies as she hopes to get the attention of some of the world’s richest [...]