Online businesses in the UK are expected to move quickly. New tools, AI systems and cloud services appear almost daily, and companies that hesitate risk falling behind competitors.

At the same time, the regulatory landscape is becoming more demanding, forcing businesses to slow down and consider compliance before rolling out new features.

This tension is particularly critical for the backbone of the British economy. UK SMEs numbered 5.49 million in 2024, representing 99.8% of all private sector businesses. These smaller entities often lack the dedicated legal departments and compliance officers that their blue-chip counterparts possess, yet they are held to similar standards regarding data protection, financial reporting, and operational resilience. The conflict between the need for speed and the requirement for safety has become the defining operational struggle of 2026.

The UK’s Expanding Online Regulations

Recent legislation shows how much the environment is changing. New duties under the Online Safety Act came into force in January 2026, placing stronger obligations on digital platforms to monitor toxic content, carry out formal risk assessments and document how their services manage online safety. For companies building social platforms, messaging tools or recommendation systems, compliance can no longer be treated as an afterthought.

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 is being phased in across 2025 and 2026. The law introduces new frameworks around smart data sharing, digital identity and updated rules for how organisations handle personal data. While parts of the reform are designed to support innovation, they also add new governance and reporting requirements that businesses must keep up with.

Similar pressures can be seen in highly regulated digital industries such as online gambling. Recent UK reforms have introduced stronger affordability checks, forcing operators to redesign payment systems, onboarding processes and promotional tools to remain compliant. Additionally, new LCCP SR Code 5.1.1 rules on promotions ban “mixed‑product” offers such as “bet on sports, get free spins,” and cap wagering requirements on bonuses; these apply to sports‑betting promos.

However, this also shows that the competitive environment in online marketplaces may also change as a result of regulatory tightening. Many globally based platforms operate under various legal frameworks and so offer larger betting markets or fewer product limitations and are not subject to the country’s self-exclusion program (source: https://www.gamblinginsider.com/uk/non-gamstop-betting-sites). UK-licensed operators must adjust to stake limits, affordability checks, and tougher advertising guidelines. This leads to a scenario where customer choice and product design are influenced by regulatory protections. In actuality, it draws attention to the continuous conflict between preserving a competitive atmosphere that still encourages innovation and safeguarding users through regulation.

While these measures are intended to strengthen consumer protection, they also showhow digital businesses must constantly adapt their technology and product design to operate within evolving legal frameworks.

Taken together, these changes illustrate the balancing act facing many digital firms. Innovation is still encouraged, but it now happens within a much denser network of rules covering data use, online safety and consumer protection.

Rising Compliance Costs Challenge Small Business Scalability

The administrative burden placed on growing companies has moved from a periodic annoyance to a constant operational drag. Before, compliance was often a box-ticking exercise conducted annually, but today’s digital-first environment demands continuous monitoring. Regulations such as the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and strict ICO data enforcement mean that businesses must constantly prove their cyber posture.

This redirects critical resources away from research and development. It forces founders to choose between hiring a new developer to build features or a compliance manager to ensure those features do not violate emerging protocols.

Nowhere is this contention more apparent than in the government’s own incentive schemes designed to foster growth. While tax reliefs are intended to fuel innovation, the complexity of accessing them has created a barrier for many legitimate businesses. For the 2022-2023 tax year, 62,015 SMEs made R&D tax relief claims, with the majority coming from information & communication and manufacturing sectors.

However, the administrative layers added to prevent fraud have inadvertently slowed down the funding cycle for honest innovators. When the cost of compliance begins to approach the value of the incentive itself, businesses naturally pull back on the risky, forward-thinking projects that the economy desperately needs to thrive.

Strategies For Maintaining Agility Amidst Bureaucratic Constraints

To survive heavy regulation, successful SMEs are changing how they view compliance. Rather than treating it as a final hurdle to clear before launch, forward-thinking leaders are integrating “compliance by design” into their workflows. This involves using automated regulatory technology (RegTech) that can monitor data flows and report anomalies in real-time, effectively outsourcing the heavy lifting to software.

By automating the evidence-gathering process, businesses can free up their human talent to focus on creative problem-solving and strategic growth, ensuring that innovation continues despite the red tape.

The relationship between large enterprises and their smaller suppliers will most likely dictate the pace of digital adoption. Large corporations are increasingly pushing their own regulatory obligations down the supply chain, demanding that their vendors meet the same high standards they do.

New regulations mean SMEs must provide real-time security evidence to larger clients, moving beyond annual audits to 24/7 resilience demonstrations by 2026. For the UK’s small business community, the path forward involves embracing these standards not as burdens, but as quality markers that can unlock lucrative contracts in a risk-averse world.

What does it mean to build a life around ideas instead of outcomes?

For Mara Naaman, it means choosing process over praise. It means writing, teaching, and thinking in ways that resist shortcuts. And it means leading in a field where cultural work still matters.

Naaman is an independent scholar, writer, and editor based in New York. She is a former professor of Comparative Literature and Arabic at Williams College. She is also at work on a novel.

But her path to this point did not follow a straight line.

Early Life and Education: From Dance to Arabic Literature

Mara Naaman was born in Oakland, California. She grew up in Michigan with a single mother who painted at night. She is an only child. Her grandparents were Iraqi immigrants. Family gatherings were filled with Iraqi cousins, large tables of food, and stories.

Art came early.

She trained seriously as a dancer through high school and college. She attended Interlochen Arts Academy, a boarding school for the performing arts. There, she studied dance and won a Young Artists Award in creative writing.

The shift from dance to literature was gradual, not dramatic.

“I don’t like to think in terms of success or outcomes,” Naaman says. “Being invested in process means being able to learn for the sake of our own enlightenment.”

At Wesleyan University, she majored in English, while continuing to dance. She began studying Arabic. She wrote her senior thesis on Magical Realism in Arabic Literature and graduated with honors in 1996.

That decision shaped the rest of her career.

She later entered a PhD program in Arabic Literature at Columbia University. She lived in Cairo for several years. She traveled across the Middle East to deepen her language skills. Her dissertation focused on literary representations of downtown Cairo. It received high honors in 2008.

Today, she is also pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing at the City College of New York.

Academic Career: Teaching, Research, and Leadership

After completing her PhD, Naaman built a strong academic career.

She served as Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature and Arabic at Williams College from 2007 to 2014. She also held roles at Columbia University, Hofstra University, and New York University. From 2015 to 2017, she worked as Associate Director of Programs at the Modern Language Association in New York.

In 2022, she received a University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award.

Her research focuses on contemporary Arabic and American cultural production. She also studies gender and working-class identity. Her work connects literature to daily life. It asks how cities, labor, and identity shape the stories we tell.

“I consider myself a culture worker,” she says. “What we contribute to this world, how we treat others, and human connection are what’s most important.”

That mindset guides both her scholarship and her teaching.

She does not frame education as a race. She sees it as immersion.

“Thinking beyond a ‘success mindset’ means fully immersing ourselves in our lives,” she explains. “It means seeking fulfillment and a sense of purpose.”

Fulbright Scholar and Global Experience in Cairo

Naaman’s career includes several major fellowships. She was a Fulbright IIE Scholar in Cairo from 2006 to 2007. She also earned multiple fellowships through Columbia University, including a President’s Fellowship and a FLAS Fellowship in Arabic.

Her time in Cairo was not just academic. It was lived experience.

She studied at the Center for Arabic Study Abroad at The American University in Cairo. She walked the streets she later wrote about in her dissertation. She observed how literature reflects real neighborhoods and real lives.

That mix of scholarship and lived context defines her work.

She does not separate theory from experience.

“Being who I want to be in the world means a willingness to embrace uncertainty,” she says. “To accept that the world is tragic and that I am deeply flawed but to still go on seeking inspiration and trying to be a force for good.”

Writing, Process, and Life in New York

Today, Naaman lives in New York with her husband and two children. She balances teaching, writing, and family life.

Her routines are simple.

“Write lists, look at my calendar, keep screen time to a minimum,” she says.

She runs. She practices yoga. She cooks when time allows. She reads widely. She is a member of the Association of Writers and Poets.

When asked what keeps her going, she points to her mother.

“I remember how much my mother has had to fight to survive all her life,” she says. “I keep reading.”

Her focus now includes fiction. She is working on a novel while continuing her scholarly and editorial work. The move toward creative writing feels like a return, not a pivot. After all, she began as a dancer and a young writer.

Why Mara Naaman’s Work Matters Today

In a culture driven by metrics and visibility, Naaman offers a different model of leadership.

She resists efficiency language. She questions the idea that worth equals output. She encourages students and readers to slow down and think deeply.

“Being ‘success-oriented’ distracts us from what is most important,” she says. “The journey matters.”

Her influence spans classrooms, conferences, and cultural institutions. She has trained students in Arabic language and literature. She has shaped programs at the Modern Language Association. She continues to publish, teach, and write fiction.

Naaman’s leadership is quiet but steady. It is rooted in human connection. It is grounded in scholarship. And it is shaped by a belief that culture is not a luxury. It is essential.

In her words, “What we create and how we treat others are what’s most important.”

That idea defines her career. And it may define her legacy.

The future of Corey Lewandowski, the controversial senior advisor to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), remains in flux following President Donald Trump’s decision this week to remove Kristi Noem as the agency’s secretary.

The departure of Noem, the first cabinet-level shake-up of Trump’s second term, has sent shockwaves through the department and raised immediate questions about the standing of her closest aides. While the White House has announced that Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin will be nominated to succeed Noem, official word on the status of Lewandowski—who served as an unpaid special government employee (SGE) and Noem’s top aide—has yet to be finalized.

A Tumultuous Tenure Ends

President Trump announced on social media Thursday that he was replacing Noem, citing a desire for new leadership while also thanking her for her service. Noem, who has been at the center of the administration’s aggressive immigration and deportation agenda, is slated to transition to a newly created role as a “special envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a security initiative the administration plans to unveil in the coming days.

Noem’s tenure, which began in January 2025, was marked by intense scrutiny. Her final week as secretary included two days of grueling testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she faced sharp, bipartisan criticism regarding the management of her department, including the handling of a $220 million advertising campaign and allegations of mismanagement within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The “Shadow” Role of Corey Lewandowski

Throughout Noem’s time at DHS, Lewandowski’s presence was a frequent flashpoint for congressional investigators and internal critics. Despite holding a position as an unpaid advisor rather than a traditional political appointee, reports from ProPublica and other news outlets indicated that Lewandowski exerted significant influence over department operations.

Internal DHS records reviewed by investigators revealed that Lewandowski frequently signed off on multimillion-dollar equipment contracts and policy changes, appearing to wield authority that went well beyond the typical scope of an informal advisor. His unusual status as an SGE allowed him to retain outside interests while serving in a de facto leadership role, leading to ongoing clashes with oversight committees who questioned the transparency of his influence.

Reports also emerged of a strained internal culture, with allegations of berating staff and the use of polygraph tests to enforce loyalty. Furthermore, rumors regarding a personal relationship between Noem and Lewandowski persistently circulated, further fueling the political pressure surrounding the pair. Both Noem and Lewandowski have consistently dismissed those allegations.

Transition and Lingering Questions

Following the announcement of Noem’s removal, Lewandowski reportedly told reporters that “no decisions have been made” regarding his own future at the department. However, multiple sources close to the administration suggest his departure is imminent, as the transition to the incoming secretary, Sen. Mullin, is expected to include a broader assessment of the agency’s leadership team.

The nomination of Mullin, a fierce defender of the president’s agenda, is viewed by political analysts as a strategic effort to stabilize a department that has been mired in controversy and stalled by a congressional funding deadlock. Democrats in Congress, who have been vocal in their opposition to the department’s direction under Noem, welcomed her firing while signaling that significant policy shifts remain their primary objective for the incoming leadership.

“Secretary Noem’s tenure at DHS was a trainwreck marked by mismanagement,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said in a statement following the announcement. “Her departure is overdue, but it doesn’t solve the deeper problems at Trump’s DHS.”

Looking Toward the Senate

The confirmation of Sen. Mullin will now become the administration’s immediate priority. While Republicans hold the majority, the nomination is expected to be a contentious focal point on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers look to exert more control over the department’s controversial immigration enforcement operations.

For now, the hallways of the DHS headquarters in Washington remain in a state of transition. As the agency prepares for a change at the top, the uncertainty surrounding Lewandowski serves as a coda to a tenure defined as much by internal turmoil as it was by the administration’s sweeping policy goals.

TOKYO — The 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) began in emphatic fashion at the Tokyo Dome on Friday, as defending champion Japan signaled its intent for a repeat title with a commanding 13-0 mercy-rule victory over Chinese Taipei.

In front of a sold-out crowd of 42,414, the contest quickly evolved into a showcase for global superstar Shohei Ohtani. The Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter, who famously closed out the 2023 tournament by striking out his then-teammate Mike Trout, proved once again that he thrives under the brightest international lights.

An Explosive Second Inning

The decisive moment of the night arrived in the top of the second inning, which saw Japan erupt for 10 runs—a staggering display of efficiency that all but ended the competitive phase of the matchup.

After Chinese Taipei starter Hao-Chun Cheng loaded the bases, Ohtani stepped to the plate with two outs. He connected on a hanging curveball, driving it deep over the right-field wall for a grand slam. The blast sent the Tokyo Dome into a frenzy and served as the centerpiece of a record-setting inning that effectively buried the opposition.

By the time the inning concluded, Ohtani had already recorded a double in his first at-bat and a stinging single later in the second, finishing his night 3-for-5 with five RBIs. He fell just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, a testament to his dominance in a game that was called after seven innings due to the tournament’s 10-run mercy rule.

Pitching Prowess and Defensive Stability

While the offense grabbed headlines, Japan’s pitching staff was equally surgical. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the 2025 World Series MVP, took the mound for his first start of the 2026 season. Though he battled minor command issues—walking three batters and leaving the game in the third inning after 53 pitches—he surrendered no hits.

Yamamoto and a trio of relievers—Shoma Fujihira, Hiroya Miyagi, and Koki Kitayama—combined to hold Chinese Taipei to just a single hit throughout the entire evening. The lone hit, a loopy single into right field by Yu Chang in the sixth inning, offered a brief moment of respite for the visitors, but the Japanese defensive unit remained unfazed.

“It was a complete team effort,” Japan manager said after the game. “We wanted to set the tone early, and the players executed the game plan perfectly.”

A Mountain to Climb for Chinese Taipei

For Chinese Taipei, the loss compounds a difficult start to the tournament. Having fallen to Australia 3-0 in their opener on Thursday, the team now faces an uphill battle to advance out of the highly competitive Pool C.

The disparity in the score reflected the gap between the two programs; while Japan utilized its depth of MLB talent and elite domestic stars, Chinese Taipei struggled to find an answer for the relentless offensive pressure. They will look to regroup quickly as they prepare for their next matchup against the Czech Republic.

Looking Ahead: The Rivalry Continues

With the tournament’s round-robin phase now fully underway, Japan turns its attention to the next marquee matchup in Pool C. On Saturday, they will face arch-rival South Korea in a game that historically carries massive implications for the tournament bracket and national pride.

For fans in Tokyo and beyond, Friday’s performance was more than just a victory; it was a statement. With Ohtani leading the charge and a pitching staff that appears to be in mid-season form, the path to the 2026 WBC title remains firmly centered on the Samurai Japan squad.

As the tournament shifts to venues across the Americas—including Houston, San Juan, and Miami—the pressure will only increase. But for one night in Tokyo, the spotlight belonged to Ohtani and a Japanese team that looks ready to defend its crown.

The annual event, organised by The Business Culture Hull and East Yorkshire, is set to be the largest yet with thousands of businesspeople and entrepreneurs expected to attend

In the coming weeks, Hull city centre is set to welcome thousands of business professionals and entrepreneurs for the Hull Business Expo. The annual event’s organisers, networking group The Business Culture Hull and East Yorkshire, anticipate this year’s edition will be the biggest yet.

Each year, the networking and exhibition event draws an estimated 7,000 attendees from across Yorkshire. Co-founder Tony Bowler stated: “This is the most exhibitors we’ve ever had and we can’t wait for another successful event centred around connection, engagement and support.

“We listened to feedback from businesses and adapted to make sure we’re ticking the right boxes for everyone – so we don’t have speakers, as they can often detract from the stands. It’s more important than ever that the business community works together and supports each other, and this is another way of bringing everyone together.

“We’ve built a fantastic community over the last 10 years and we want people to realise what Hull has to offer from its people, its businesses and its culture.”

Exhibitors who convene at the expo are known to frequently collaborate, with the event not restricting participation to one business per sector. This year’s headline sponsors include Hull City Council, John Roe Group, 107FM, the Federation of Sport and Leaflet Delivery UK, reports Hull Live.

Tony continued: “We’re one big support network and a business community of friends. We bring people together from a huge range of sectors. We love the high energy, the support and the sense of community our events create, and we’ve built a system that ensures every visitor sees every stand.

“You usually have to register to go to an expo but we know this creates a barrier and we want everyone to come along whilst extending that support to the city centre economy and local businesses.”

Councillor Mike Ross, leader of the city council, commented: “I’m pleased to support the Hull Business Expo 2026. Hull is a tremendous place to do business and I’m keen to see the council do all it can to support the local business community. We recognise just how important the strength of the local economy is for the residents of Hull and we want to work with it to attract more for the city. Supporting the expo is just one way we can do that.

“We want to see Hull be somewhere local businesses can flourish. It’s hard to find a place where the local business community is as supportive of each other as Hull and that is a credit to those in the city.”

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Hull-based Scott Dixon Inc, which manufactures flight cases for the touring music industry, including protective cases for instruments, band equipment, stage lights and more, will be exhibiting at the expo for a second consecutive year.

Tracy Hutty, the company’s chief financial officer, said: “60% of our products are exported and the expo offers us the chance to tell local people about what we do. There are a lot of great things going on in Hull that people don’t necessarily know about.

“The location at Princes Quay is what makes the expo unique because most events of this kind are in hotels or out of the way. It’s really good for the city and anyone can come.”

This year’s event takes place on the ground floor of the Princes Quay Shopping Centre from 10am on March 25.

It has acquired a 155,000 sq ft site in Newport

One of the UK’s largest independent tyre wholesalers is expanding into Wales after acquiring a warehouse formally used as a TV studio for £7.75m.

Oak Group Holdings has acquired a 155,150 sq ft site on the Queensway Meadows industrial estate in Newport. Previously occupied by production company Urban Myth Films, the warehouse was used for TV projects such as the Lazarus Project and The Undeclared War.

The company supplies over 6,000 tyre fitters and retailers with tyres, consumables and accessories from a portfolio that includes established brands such as Davanti, Landsail, and Envoy. With seven warehouses across the UK, it is able to hold over 900,000 tyres in stock for its customers.

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Property advisory firm JLL acted on behalf of sellers, Freshwater Group of Companies on the transaction for the property.

The warehouse will be Oak Group Holdings’ first premises in Wales, marking an expansion for the business that will help to create 75 jobs The business will also benefit from the strong transport links Queensway Meadows will provide to its delivery fleet of over 150 vehicles,

Kate Openshaw, industrial and logistics associate at JLL, said: “Vacancy rates across Wales’ industrial market are moving to the lowest levels we have seen this decade. That brings challenges as the continued lack of new high-quality stock means supply levels are constrained against a background of continued occupier demand.

“Increasingly we are seeing occupiers look to purchase buildings in a market where grade A options are limited, prioritising outright ownership where investment is required to adapt the space to meet their needs. It’s important that occupiers like Oak Group Holdings are able to act fast when they spot an opportunity like this, and it was great to help them complete this expansion into Newport.”

Peter Cross, commercial director at Oak Group Holdings, said: “Oak Group Holdings is delighted to add this new distribution facility to our network. The site is exceptionally well located, with excellent access to the M4 and M5.

“We look forward to bringing the facility online in the near future, where it will play a key role in enhancing the availability of our brand portfolio and strengthening our service capabilities across the UK.”

Avison Young’s Cardiff and Bristol offices acted for Oak Group Holdings.

Paul Hobbs, director in the industrial agency team at Avison Young, said: “We were delighted to assist the North West based team in their strategic acquisition. Since the removal of the toll, Newport creates some excellent value property opportunities when compared to Bristol and it’s great to be part of one of the largest property deals in Wales during 2025.”