In a July 21, 2026 decision, the D.C. Circuit struck down the National Labor Relations Board’s “successor bar” doctrine, holding that it is inconsistent with the National Labor Relations Act. In doing so, the majority opinion in Hospital Menonita de Guayama v. NLRB relied on Loper Bright and the court’s obligation to independently interpret statutes rather than to defer to an agency’s own interpretation of its statutory authority. The decision…
Quick Hits Employers must comply with obligations related to: (i) the prevention of discrimination and violence against women, (ii) NOM-035-STPS-2018 Psychosocial Risk Factors, and (iii) the Chair Law (“Ley Silla”). The government has increased workplace investigations, raising the importance of ensuring that employers are in compliance with employment-related laws. Key Obligations Prevention of discrimination and violence against women. As a result of several amendments to guarantee an environment free of…
24 July 2026By Ellen RyanAmid ongoing concerns over European productivity growth, this ECB Blog post looks at the relationship between macroprudential policy and productivity.Recent years have seen rising – and well-founded – concerns over European productivity growth. As these concerns grow a suspicion emerges: is regulation to blame for the sluggish economy? This post looks at this question in the context of macroprudential regulation and argues that macroprudential policy can…
After the employment termination, employers may wish to continue monitoring for potential workplace safety threats and have strategic communication and crisis-response plans in place to address them. Quick Hits A pre-termination risk assessment and a carefully planned employment termination meeting can protect the safety and dignity of everyone involved. Prompt revocation of a departing employee’s system and building access, along with a coordinated return of company property, can help prevent…
Quick Hits The NJDOL has issued long-awaited guidance/FAQs on recent NJFLA amendments, which became effective on July 17, 2026. The guidance clarifies that employees receiving TDI or FLI benefits, whether through the state or a private insurance plan, are entitled to job protection for as long as they receive those benefits while on an otherwise unpaid leave of absence. The job protection is separate from reinstatement rights already provided under…
Why the 2026 War Has Become a Reason to Revise the Analytical Model for Understanding Iran Part I Every war tests more than just armies. It also tests the analytical models through which states, societies, and international crises become objects of political analysis. Some wars change borders. Others reshape the balance of power. But there are wars that, above all, reveal the limits of the explanatory power of the analytical…
Co-author Dr Belén López-Pérez, Lecturer in Psychology at The University of Manchester, said: “Our findings suggest that what makes emotional support effective is less about who provides it, and more about how it is delivered. Providing people with specific, actionable steps, rather than general reassurance, is a key ingredient for effective support, whether that comes from a person or a chatbot.She added: “While a human might typically suggest going for…
WASHINGTON – Several nonprofit solar grantees have now filed claims against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Court of Federal Claims, challenging the agency’s decision to break grant agreements that had been awarded competitively under a nationwide program, Solar for All, meant to accelerate deployment of solar on residential homes and slash energy bills for millions of Americans. The Southern Environmental Law Center, Lawyers for Good Government, Seyfarth…
Quick Hits As of July 1, 2026, employers in Washington State with fifteen or more employees anywhere that inquire about or consider criminal history in employment decisions have significant new requirements under the Washington Fair Chance Act. The law applies to all sources of criminal history information. The amended law expands protections to current employees. The amendments also expand employer obligations to notify employees of their rights. The WFCA amendments…
Read an edited transcript of Sundar Pichai’s remarks from the Q2 2026 Alphabet earnings call.
Carnegie Mellon University, working with researchers, partners and collaborators at Department of Energy national laboratories and other universities, will lead three projects selected for funding(opens in new window) through the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Genesis Mission, positioning CMU at the forefront of a national effort to transform how scientific breakthroughs are made. Carnegie Mellon researchers will also contribute to five Genesis Mission projects led by partner institutions, extending the university's…
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University will develop a new artificial intelligence framework to better identify critical minerals in the ground, increasing America’s access to these valuable materials and reducing the cost and time for exploration and extraction. The CMU research team will work with Sandia National Laboratories, Colorado School of Mines and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center(opens in new window) to use AI to identify geologic and biological clues that could indicate…
Fathers who take sole responsibility for caring for their baby during parental leave are more likely to remain actively involved in childcare years later, according to major new research from The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.The five-year study found that periods of solo caregiving helped fathers develop confidence, practical parenting skills and a deeper understanding of the demands of childcare, leading to more equal sharing of work and…
Over the past decade, thousands of companies have taken public positions on climate change. Airlines, banks, tech giants, and consumer brands have pledged to reach “net zero,” promising to bring their greenhouse gas emissions down to nothing—or close to it—by some future date.But few companies can actually eliminate all of their emissions. Some activities—flying planes, making cement, running global supply chains—are difficult or impossible to fully decarbonize with today's technology.…
Quick Hits The EEOC has proposed rescinding federal EEO reporting requirements, including mandatory annual EEO-1 filings. As of the publication date of this article, the proposed rule has not yet been formally published in the Federal Register and remains subject to public comment. Current reporting obligations remain in effect unless and until the EEOC issues a final rule; the EEOC would retain authority to seek relevant records during investigations. The…
Dr Chris Blount at the UK Space Agency said: “The Long Baseline Multistatic Radar (LMBR) project has been a fantastic example of innovation and collaboration by incredible UK and international talent, and an exemplar case of the capability multiplication through collaboration the International Bilateral Fund (IBF) seeks to achieve. The LBMR team have taken the thorny challenge of real time on-demand monitoring of space objects on geostationary orbit, and through…
When discussing Russian values, concepts such as collectivism, service, the primacy of the spiritual over the material, and other concepts are often mentioned. Such values are more than significant for us. But they are also present in other civilisations and are common to many ethnic groups. They can be found in abundance even in the seemingly individualistic and materialistic West. Ultimately, any community is based, to varying degrees, on collective…
Quick Hits On July 20, 2026, DHS rescinded the 2022 public charge framework and restored broad discretion for officers to weigh all pertinent factors when assessing whether an applicant is likely at any time to become a public charge. The rule takes effect September 18, 2026. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), an applicant for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status is inadmissible if, in the reviewing officer’s…
Discover how college students can use Google AI tools, like Gemini and AI Mode, to prep for grad school, internships and fall courses.
A new study from The University of Manchester has offered the most comprehensive look to date at how the UK coordinates its response to economic crime, identifying the structural challenges that make this difficult to do well.The study examines the tensions that make these challenges resistant to easy resolution, and the enabling conditions needed for multi-agency collaboration to work more effectively. The research examined the work of the National Economic…
Forever chemicals are so prevalent in consumer goods that they can be detected in nearly everyone. But firefighters are exposed to these complex chemical compounds, also called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), more frequently than the general population. There are thousands of different kinds of PFAS, and they’re found in foam used to put out fires and in protective firefighting gear. Carnegie Mellon University’s Carrie McDonough(opens in new window), an associate professor in the Mellon…
Quick Hits New York City’s final rules for the amended ESSTA align with new requirements that employers provide an additional thirty-two hours of unpaid protected time off immediately upon hire and at the beginning of each calendar year. The final rules clarify that “protected time off” includes both paid and unpaid time for various circumstances, such as caring for a disabled household member or attending legal proceedings related to benefits.…
On June 3, 2026, the House of Commons completed second reading of Bill C-31, Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2 (Bill C-31) which will now proceed to study in the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance. Alongside numerous policy changes to Canada’s defence procurement strategy, Bill C-31 includes amendments to the Defence Production Act, RSC 1985, c D-1 (the DPA).1 The tabled amendments to the DPA reflect Canada’s prioritization of…
Researchers say children's rights and wellbeing must be placed at the heart of family court proceedingsChildren involved in private family law proceedings in England can experience serious harm to their mental and physical health because their voices are too often ignored or dismissed, according to new research led by the University of Manchester in partnership with SHERA Research Group members and The Survivor Family Network.The study argues that children are…
One of the key characteristics of the modern world is the trend toward the increasing internationalisation of higher education, particularly at the master’s level. More and more universities are entering the international market for education and establishing themselves. Competition for international applicants is becoming increasingly intense, both between countries and within individual universities. International university rankings have contributed to this. Russia plays a special role in providing international educational mobility.…
How to compare the parts of your business that matter most Most organisations can benchmark financial performance, but few can compare the performance of their own functions. This article explores why measuring efficiency and effectiveness separately, using common and function-specific ratios, gives leaders a clearer view of where value is created, where it’s lost, and where to focus improvement. Reading time: 6 minutes You can compare your share price to…
July 20, 2026 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP has further expanded its world-class Real Estate department by adding Chris McCoy as a partner in the firm’s growing Charlotte office. McCoy is the 12th Real Estate partner who has made a lateral move to Seyfarth since January 2025 – and the fifth partner since the beginning of 2026 to join Seyfarth’s Real Estate group, which ranks among the largest in the United…
In Decloedt v. Radnet Management, Inc., the California Second Appellate District affirmed the denial of an employer’s motion to compel arbitration, concluding that the plaintiff-respondent’s allegations of severe or pervasive sexual orientation harassment by a coworker fell squarely within the EFAA’s exemption from the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). Quick Hits In Decloedt v. Radnet Management, Inc., the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, held that harassment on the basis…
On July 17, 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada released its long-awaited decision in Pharmascience Inc. v. Janssen Inc., 2026 SCC 26, providing the most significant guidance in decades on the patentability of methods of medical treatment in Canada. While the Court ultimately upheld Janssen's patent, which the Court characterized as being for dosing regimens for formulations used to treat schizophrenia, the broader significance of the decision lies in its…
Andy Burnham became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom today.Styled as ‘King of the North’ for his successes as Mayor of Greater Manchester between 2017 and 2026, Burnham’s oversight of our region - which has been dubbed ‘Manchesterism’ - saw it become the fastest growing place in the UK. Now it is up to him to recreate the regional success of Greater Manchester on a national scale.As the eyes of…
On any given weekday, Dylan Provencher is up and running at Carnegie Mellon University long before most students hit snooze. By 5:30 a.m., the junior mechanical engineering major is already at physical training with the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC). Later in the morning or afternoon, he’s lifting weights or practicing with the Tartans football team. In between, he’s immersed in demanding engineering coursework — while also leading a…
This commentary was originally published in Fortune. The views expressed are the authors’ own.The FDA occupies a unique position at the intersection of science, medicine, public health, and innovation. Patients depend on the agency to evaluate therapies rigorously and fairly; innovators depend on predictable regulatory pathways; and investors depend on confidence that scientific evidence will guide decision-making.That’s why it’s so disappointing and disheartening to see that only about half of…
The Hine study, covered by media outletscalls for policy and legal reforms, including the development of school programmes to teach children how to identify so-called “parental alienating behaviours.” The study has also been cited within official Family Justice Council guidance raising questions about the robustness of the evidence appraisal and guideline development process of the guidance, particularly given the methodological concerns with the Hine study that have since been identified.…
The US attack on Iran sent shockwaves throughout oil markets as prices soared following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent critical disruptions in global energy flows. From the chaos emerged three energy leaders that are set to shape market dynamics for years to come, writes Konstantin Simonov, Director General of the National Energy Security Fund. Experts had already begun summing up the latest conflict surrounding Iran when…
By: Alison Silveira, Lilah Wylde, and Natalie Costero The House settlement was expected to bring long-awaited structure to college athletics. Instead, it has marked the beginning of a new phase of litigation, regulatory disputes, and legislative activity that will shape how Universities implement revenue sharing, manage NIL programs, and interact with third-party partners. For Universities now one year into the effectiveness of House, the challenge is no longer simply preparing…
On World Emoji Day, go behind the scenes of Noto 3D to learn how we redesigned thousands of emoji for modern communication.
Quick Hits The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of race discrimination and retaliation claims, ruling the employee failed to establish a prima facie case or overcome the employer’s legitimate business reasons for the elimination of his position. The court found no evidence of discriminatory animus, noting the employee was not replaced in a discriminatory manner during a company reorganization. Claims of “constructive demotion” were rejected, as the employee did not…
Honorary graduates 2026 Tim Booth[embedded content]Tim Booth is an acclaimed singer-songwriter, performer and author best known as the frontman of the band James. Over a career spanning more than four decades, James has sold more than 25 million records worldwide and earned recognition as one of Britain's most successful and enduring bands, receiving the Ivor Novello Legendary Award for songwriting. A former drama student in Manchester, Booth has also worked as…
Tactical and Targeted Expansion of Mine Warfare in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf Iran possesses dozens of types of naval mines, explosive traps, and remote-controlled mines that can be rapidly deployed along critical maritime routes, including moored mines, drifting mines, and limpet mines equipped with magnets. During the recent forty-day war—from February 28 to April 7—Iran made limited use of mine warfare to block, control, and reroute…
Quick Hits New York State lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban the enforcement of class action waivers in some circumstances and other waivers of workers’ rights under the Human Rights Law. The bill includes exceptions for bona fide settlements, post-employment agreements, and collective bargaining agreements, while also considering federal preemption under the Federal Arbitration Act. The bill has not yet been signed by the governor. On May 13,…