Specialist news and analysis on legal risk and regulation

Character.AI bankruptcy showcases high stakes of competition in AI markets

Heineken to pay €111m to Greek rival after Dutch court rethinks interest

US DOJ clarifies basis for forced labor tariffs

US hits the brakes on Russia sanctions law, waiving tariffs, enforcement

Local retail markets under scrutiny in EU probe of XXXLutz-Porta deal

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A person plays a gambling game on a smartphone.

Data Privacy and Security

October 22, 2026 | Mike Swift

North America

Google, TikTok, Meta won't get stay in challenge to Calif. 'addictive' feed law
US FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson

DealRisk®, Mergers and Acquisitions

October 22, 2026 | Ilana Kowarski

North America

US FTC prioritizing labor concerns during merger reviews, Ferguson says
Susan Li, Meta's chief financial officer

Artificial Intelligence, Data Privacy and Security, Technology

October 22, 2026 | Mike Swift

North America

Meta says youth-related legal costs drove 68% expense growth; more trials loom
Google, TikTok, Meta won't get stay in challenge to Calif. 'addictive' feed law
US FTC prioritizing labor concerns during merger reviews, Ferguson says
Meta says youth-related legal costs drove 68% expense growth; more trials loom

Antitrust View More

Coupang's courtroom battles put South Korean antitrust investigations to test

October 23, 2026 | Jenny Lee

Asia

Coupang’s court challenge to an on-site inspection has exposed how much South Korean antitrust enforcement depended on companies choosing to cooperate, and the legislative response will reach well beyond the e... (more story)

New Zealand competition watchdog cuts commercial-card fees

October 23, 2026

Oceania

MLex Summary: New Zealand’s antitrust watchdog has announced that it will cap interchange fees on Mastercard and Visa commercial credits cards, reducing businesses’ costs. In a statement on Thursday, New Zeala... (more story)

China's competition rules face test on curbing local-market barriers

October 23, 2026 | MLex Staff

Asia

China is tightening scrutiny of local government policies that may restrict competition, but lasting progress against local protectionism requires changes to the fiscal and performance incentives driving offic... (more story)

Artificial Intelligence View More

New Zealand cyber agency urges immediate patching of critical PHP vulnerabilities

October 23, 2026

Oceania

MLex Summary: New Zealand’s cybersecurity agency has urged organizations to immediately patch critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language widely used in websites and web services. In a statement on... (more story)

South Korea pledges to strengthen support for AI data-center projects

October 23, 2026

Asia

MLex Summary: South Korea plans to strengthen support for artificial intelligence data-center businesses, including developing a 200 billion won ($151.2 million) program in 2027 to support companies in the sec... (more story)

Indonesia sets four priorities to strengthen digital sovereignty

October 23, 2026

Asia

MLex Summary: Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Ministry has set four priorities to strengthen digital sovereignty: mapping national digital infrastructure within 30 days, piloting technology adoption, de... (more story)

Mergers and Acquisitions View More

Sun Pharma's bid for Organon under review in Australia

October 23, 2026

Oceania

MLex Summary: India-based pharmaceutical company Sun Pharma’s proposed acquisition of US-based Organon is under review by Australia's competition watchdog. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission on T... (more story)

US Treasury proposes updates to Outbound Investment Security Program

October 22, 2026

North America

MLex Summary: The US Treasury Department issued a notice of proposed rulemaking with updates to the Outbound Investment Security Program, in an effort to restrict certain outbound investments into dual-use str... (more story)

Deutsche Börse files Allfunds takeover for EU approval

October 22, 2026 | Jean Comte

Europe

Deutsche Börse has requested the European Commission approval for its planned takeover of funds distribution platform Allfunds. The regulator has set a Nov. 27 provisional deadline to decide on the deal.

Data Privacy and Security View More

Japan's Park24 details Times Car breach, offers payments

October 23, 2026

Asia

MLex Summary: Park24, a Japanese parking and car-sharing operator, said Friday that a forensic investigation found that a vulnerability in its Times Car web system was exploited in a breach involving 6.6 milli... (more story)

Meta faces Australia class action over social-media harms after US settlement

October 23, 2026 | Saloni Sinha

Oceania

Meta Platforms is facing a class action in the Federal Court of Australia over alleged social media harms and the addictive design of Facebook and Instagram, just months after agreeing to a US settlement of up... (more story)

Australian privacy complaints surge 60 percent, watchdog reports

October 23, 2026

Oceania

MLex Summary: Australia’s privacy watchdog on Friday said it received 5,268 privacy complaints in 2025–26, a 60 percent increase from the previous year, as concerns grew over personal-data protection, artifici... (more story)

Intellectual Property View More

This week at the UPC: Oct. 16-22

October 22, 2026 | MLex Staff

Europe

This week at the Unified Patent Court, Align Technology won an injunction covering 17 UPC countries, while Gucci and Alpina Coffee Systems defeated infringement claims and largely secured patent revocations. O... (more story)

US DOJ antitrust policy 'gone too far' in favor of patent holders, NY enforcer says

October 22, 2026 | Khushita Vasant

North America

The Department of Justice's shift on competition policy in relation to standard essential patents during the second Trump administration is disappointing as it has "gone too far" in favor of patent holders, a ... (more story)

IP licensing and business: Oct. 9-Oct. 22

October 22, 2026 | Steve Scherer

Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America, Oceania

Drugmakers struck licensing deals for cancer and metabolic treatments, while technology companies broadened agreements covering mobile communications, wireless charging and AI infrastructure, and Nokia saw pat... (more story)

Financial Crime View More

Coinbase Ireland fined €3.2m over safeguarding issues

October 22, 2026 | Martin Coyle

Europe

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase’s Irish unit has been fined €3.2 million by the country’s central bank, over breaches of Ireland’s e-money regulations around safeguarding. This fine follows a €21.4 million pe... (more story)

Güralp Systems wins more time to find UK plea-deal cash amid prospect of sale

October 22, 2026 | Martin Coyle

Europe

Güralp Systems has been given more time to negotiate with the UK fraud agency over its failure to pay £2 million agreed in a plea deal to avoid prosecution over allegations of bribery in South Korea. The UK se... (more story)

EU anti-money laundering, fraud bodies deepen ties to tackle financial crime

October 22, 2026

Europe

MLex Summary: The EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority and Anti-Fraud Office have signed an agreement to strengthen their cooperation against financial crime. The deal will allow the agencies to share informat... (more story)

Financial Services View More

Meta’s Muse prompts cooperation among UK regulators, FCA chief says

October 22, 2026

Europe

MLex Summary: Meta Platforms' personal AI agent Muse is being scrutinized by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority through the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, the FCA's chief executive said in a speech on... (more story)

Split remains in digital euro fee talks as EU Commission floats middle ground

October 22, 2026 | Helena Freitas

Europe

Negotiations on the digital euro continue to be complicated by disagreements over merchant fees, with the European Commission suggesting a possible middle ground between EU lawmakers and governments. It will p... (more story)

Securitization revamp agreed by EU governments, lawmakers

October 21, 2026 | Fanny Roux

Europe

EU governments and lawmakers struck a deal on a revamped EU securitization framework Wednesday night in Strasbourg, France. They adjusted the capital rules initially proposed by the European Commission, change... (more story)

Trade View More

China warns of countermeasures over US restrictions on research institutions

October 23, 2026

Asia, North America

MLex Summary: China has urged the US to stop imposing discriminatory restrictions on Chinese research institutions and warned that it will take necessary measures to protect their legitimate rights and interes... (more story)

China eases reporting deadlines while expanding outbound-investment oversight

October 23, 2026 | MLex Staff

Asia

China has finalized expanded reporting requirements for outbound investments while easing two deadlines proposed in August, giving investors more flexibility in reporting investments through controlled foreign... (more story)

Indonesia, Australia launch $294m economic partnership with competition policy focus

October 23, 2026

Asia

MLex Summary: Indonesia and Australia have launched a 10-year, A$420 million (US$294.3 million) economic partnership covering competition policy, trade, investment and digital governance, as both countries see... (more story)

State Aid View More

Iberian power-price aid approval survives Spanish manufacturers’ EU appeal

October 22, 2026 | Lewis Crofts and Anna Lauwereys

Europe

Five Spanish industrial manufacturers saw their challenge of a state aid measure for power prices dismissed at the EU top court on Thursday. PGI Spain, Berry Superfos Pamplona, Promens Packaging, RPC Envases a... (more story)

PGI Spain, others, lose appeal over Iberian power at EU top court

October 22, 2026

Europe

MLex Summary: PGI Spain, along with companies including Berry Superfos and RPC Envases, failed to challenge a previous court defeat over a Spanish and Portuguese measure to back the input costs of fossil-fuel ... (more story)

Romanian port pilotage monopoly isn’t state aid, EU court rules

October 22, 2026

Europe

MLex Summary: Romania's decision to reserve mandatory port pilotage services for public entities is not state aid where those services are inseparable from public duties involving maritime safety and environme... (more story)

Energy View More

EU methane reporting requirements delay should be three years, lawmakers agree

October 22, 2026 | Louis de Briant

Europe

Fossil-fuel importers would get three additional years to meet EU methane requirements rather than one year as proposed by the European Commission, under a position adopted by the European Parliament on Thursd... (more story)

‘Be more robust’ to tackle cost of living, UK energy minister urges regulators

October 22, 2026 | Jon Menon

Europe

The UK's energy minister has urged regulators to have a “more robust” approach, as part of broad efforts to tackle the cost of living. The challenge across all the regulators is to be “a bit more intentional,”... (more story)

EU, Vietnam seek closer energy, trade ties, critical raw materials cooperation

October 22, 2026

Asia, Europe

MLex Summary: The EU and Vietnam agreed to deepen cooperation on energy, trade and critical raw materials, following talks in Brussels on Thursday between Vietnamese President Tô Lâm, European Commission Presi... (more story)

Technology View More

Meta faces Australian class action over claims of social media harms, addictive design

October 23, 2026

Oceania

MLex Summary: Meta Platforms is facing a class action filed on behalf of children and teenagers allegedly harmed by the addictive design of Facebook and Instagram, an Australian law firm said. In a statement o... (more story)

Meta, TikTok, X data reveal how platforms police content harmful to UK children

October 22, 2026 | Patricia Figueiredo

Europe

Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp, X and YouTube have provided data on their handling of content harmful to children, for a report published on Thursday by UK online safety regulator O... (more story)

TikTok’s community guidelines changes scrutinized by UK regulator

October 22, 2026

Europe

MLex Summary: TikTok’s changes to its community guidelines are under scrutiny by the UK online safety regulator. In an update published on Thursday, Ofcom said it had used its formal powers to request informat... (more story)