An historic sporting challengeThe stakes were high for Oxford going into this year’s annual boat race against Cambridge, who have proved dominant over much of the past decade.A truly memorable and spirited contest on the river today. I could not be prouder of all our crews and coaches.The University of Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey CBE FRS FMedSciAn event harking back to 1829, this year marked the 171st men’s boat…
Quick Hits ViaQuest Residential Services recently agreed to pay $975,000 to settle claims it misclassified program managers as exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Ohio’s wage laws. The case, Simmons v. ViaQuest Residential Services LLC, No. 2:23-00201 (S.D. Ohio), centered on whether program managers’ “primary duty” was management or direct patient care. One hundred-six plaintiffs opted in after conditional certification, illustrating how quickly liability can…
Quick Hits As of January 1, 2026, Connecticut employers with eleven or more employees must provide paid sick leave to all nonseasonal workers, with full expansion to employers of any size expected by January 1, 2027. Connecticut’s Paid Family and Medical Leave maximum weekly benefit rose to $1,016.40 in 2026 while the employee contribution rate remains unchanged at 0.5 percent of wages. Connecticut employers may want to audit exempt employee…
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how scientists explore the universe — turning massive amounts of data into discoveries that were once out of reach. At Carnegie Mellon University, a new initiative will bring together experts in AI, statistics and astrophysics to accelerate that shift. Supported by the Simons Foundation, the Keystone Astronomy & AI (KAAI) Visiting Fellows Program will accelerate the use of AI in cosmological and astronomical research through an…
What a five-generation workforce means for culture, leadership, and performance Five generations now work side by side, creating both opportunity and tension. Drawing on insights from Oxford Elevate and Q5 workshops, this article explores how organisations can understand their culture, lead inclusively, and connect people through shared purpose to unlock collaboration, improve wellbeing, and enable the next generation to contribute and thrive. Reading time: 5 minutes Each year, Oxford Elevate…
Quick Hits The Superior Court of Québec found that an arbitration award that had overturned the dismissal of a heavy vehicle driver for failure to accommodate was unreasonable, thereby reinstating the dismissal. The court opinion confirms that zero-tolerance policies for alcohol consumption constitute a legitimate standard that is reasonably necessary to ensure public safety. The duty to accommodate was not triggered because the automatic dismissal took effect before the employer…
The concept of strategic stability evolved during the Cold War basically to better understand the dynamics of super powers nuclear rivalry so as to avoid stumbling into a catastrophic conflict. In South Asia, the dyadic conflictual relationship saw three major wars and some serious border clashes in the first 25 years of independence from the British colonial rule. In this period Pakistan tried to counter balance India’s numerical advantage with…
Insights from Innovation 2026: from ideas to impact Innovation in the public sector depends less on new ideas and more on creating the conditions for delivery. Leaders must focus on alignment, data, governance, and capability to turn ambition into impact. By strengthening systems, not just solutions, organisations can move from isolated pilots to sustained, system-wide performance improvement. Reading time: 5 minutes Innovation 2026 highlighted a familiar reality for senior leaders:…
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has put health care front and center in its enforcement agenda. On March 20, 2026, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson announced the creation of a “Healthcare Task Force” to align the agency’s competition and consumer‑protection work. The move reflects a core FTC concern: consolidation, exclusionary conduct, and deceptive practices are raising prices, weakening quality, and restricting access to care—especially for rural patients, seniors, and veterans. Chairman…
Quick Hits New Jersey lawmakers are currently considering several bills that would have significant implications for employers. Key proposals include the establishment of paid prenatal leave, an extension of pregnancy-related disability benefits, and amendments to ensure paid sick leave applies to employees bound by amendable collective bargaining agreements. Here is a summary of some notable employment law bills currently under consideration. Pregnancy-Related Employment Protections Assembly Bill (A) 113—Concerns bereavement leave…
Quick Hits Newly proposed AB 2321 would require Cal/OSHA’s Bureau of Investigations to “timely notify” the local district attorney’s office of any case “in which there is a serious injury or death,” unless “the bureau determines there is legally insufficient evidence of a violation of the law.” The referral requirement applies to fatalities and cases of permanent total disability. The term “permanent total disability”—language borrowed from the state’s workers’ compensation…
2 April 2026By Vagia Iskaki, Tobias Linzert, Yannik Schneider, Marta Skrzypińska and Olivier VergoteAs the Eurosystem normalises its balance sheet, central bank reserves – banks’ most liquid asset – keep declining. This post examines how banks adapt to lower levels of reserves and explains why take-up in the Eurosystem’s standard refinancing operations (SROs) is expected to increase.[1]Central bank reserves have almost halved from a peak of €4.9 trillion in 2022…
Scientists at the University of Oxford have demonstrated, for the first time, that a key emotional centre deep in the human brain directly influences how we interpret ambiguous social cues.In a new study, published in Neuron, researchers used low-intensity focused ultrasound to temporarily and non-invasively alter activity in the amygdala - a region known to be involved in emotion and affected in depression. They found that this changed how people…
The very logic of US–China rivalry increasingly pushes ASEAN to the periphery of decision-making processes. Issues of regional security, supply chain resilience, technological development, and infrastructure are more frequently discussed in bilateral formats, where the Association functions as diplomatic décor—or finds no place at all. A striking example is the signing of asymmetrical trade agreements between the United States and individual ASEAN member states in October 2025 on the sidelines…
As discussed in our prior alert on President Trump’s Executive Order, Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors, the President directed the Department of Labor (“DOL”) to clarify ERISA fiduciary duties and responsibilities when offering alternative investments in participant-directed defined contribution plans. The DOL has now taken a significant step toward implementing that directive with the release of a long-awaited proposed regulation titled Fiduciary Duties in Selecting Designated Investment…
Quick Hits Even “just for fun” April Fools’ jokes and pranks must not violate the rights of others or disrupt workplace harmony; in cases of serious violations, German labor law sanctions up to and including termination without notice are possible. Content that discriminates against or demeans others may constitute harassment—employers have duties to protect and prevent such behavior. What counts as an April Fools’ prank? April Fools’ jokes are defined…
Carnegie Mellon alumnae Justine Lee, right, and Tria Chang brought the structure of a typical Make America Dinner Again event to CMU's Rangos Ballroom on Sunday, March 29, inviting students of differing beliefs to engage in "radical empathy" over dinner. April 1, 2026 By: Alexander Johnson Email Media Inquiries Name Cassia Crogan Title University Communications & Marketing The Carnegie Mellon University community gathered together for “Listening, Learning and Leading Across…
More than 175 researchers, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders gathered at the Sister - Renold Innovation Hub in Manchester last week to explore how stronger regional collaboration can accelerate the journey from research to commercial impact.The event, Powering Research Commercialisation Across the North, hosted by the Innovate UK ICURe in partnership with The University of Manchester and NxNW Partners, marked a significant moment for the UK’s innovation ecosystem. It brought…
Quick Hits A Massachusetts federal court provisionally granted intervention in ongoing litigation challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s ACTS survey, for a limited purpose, to two higher-education associations seeking TROs against the survey deadlines. The TRO extends the deadline to complete the ACTS survey to April 14, 2026, for the proposed intervenor associations and their constituent institutions and restrains enforcement of the earlier March 18 and March 31 deadlines against…
The State Department’s AI Ecosystem Today AI has been integrated throughout the US State Department, which employs 80,000 diplomats across its headquarters and 270 diplomatic missions in 180 countries. The Department also oversees more than 600 American cultural centres in over 140 countries worldwide, equipped—with private sector funding from companies such as Amazon, Chevron, and Coupang—with AI-enabled programmes. The State Department states that it has taken steps to ensure a…
AB 1803 represents California’s latest effort to expand mandatory workplace training requirements—this time, to address what its sponsors describe as a gap in existing law with respect to hate-motivated conduct in the workplace. Quick Hits California is poised to expand mandatory workplace training requirements. AB 1803, introduced in February 2026, would require employers with five or more employees to incorporate anti-hate speech training into their existing workplace harassment prevention programs—a…
On March 10, 2026, the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in Bellefeuille v Tamarack Developments Corporation (Tamarack Homes), 2026 ONCA 170. The decision confirms that moving promptly to set aside the dismissal is not necessarily sufficient to save the action. The plaintiff must put forward cogent evidence to explain the delay. The decision also confirms that the primary responsibility for an action’s progress lies with the plaintiff. Background…
Quick Hits The DOL proposed a six-factor safe harbor to meet a fiduciary’s duty of prudence when selecting designated investment alternatives under participant-directed defined contribution plans. The proposed regulation does not apply to brokerage windows or self-directed brokerage accounts under defined contribution plans. This proposal follows President Trump’s executive order aimed at increasing access to alternative assets and reversing earlier Biden-era guidance that discouraged such investments due to risk concerns. …
Former Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh came face to face with the life-changing impact of her bandmate Sarah Harding’s legacy — meeting a mum whose breast cancer was detected early thanks to research funded in Sarah’s name carried out by The University of Manchester, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).During an emotional visit to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester and the Manchester…
31 March 2026By Benjamin Böninghausen, Léa Gosselin, Fabian Schupp and Andreea VladuInflation expectations are crucial for monetary policy as they shape economic decisions and feed through to inflation. While expectation surveys provide insights, they come with blind spots. We use a model to transform infrequent survey data into a dense grid of expectations.Measuring inflation expectations is crucial for monetary policy. What we expect tomorrow’s prices to be affects how we…
Quick Hits In Larkin v. Total Quality Logistics, LLC, a logistics firm was sued after it denied a work-from-home accommodation request from an employee with a high-risk pregnancy. A jury found the accommodation denial contributed to the baby’s premature birth and death. The case shows how an accommodation denial may create liability for employers if they aggravate a worker’s medical condition. Background on the Case In 2021, a claims associate…
Benjamin Franklin’s scientific legacy and diplomatic career as seen through original Royal Society documents.
On NFL draft day, every team has the chance to win — or lose — big. With millions of dollars on the line and just minutes to make a final decision on each pick, a single choice can shape a franchise for years. Carnegie Mellon University experts said those intense moments offer a window into how people make decisions when the stakes are highest.The science of choking under pressureThe draft…
Timofei Bordachev, Valdai Club Programme Director, explores the relationship between the Greater Eurasian space and its Middle Eastern segment—engulfed by crisis and instability; this region is bound to Eurasia yet still peripheral to its Sino-Russian core. While the likelihood of a grave threat to Eurasian security emerging from the Middle East is low, the author believes that events unfolding in the Gulf may still come to shape the contours of…
A 6-year-old girl is one of more than 80 people worldwide who has finally received a diagnosis of a new condition following a landmark breakthrough by scientists and doctors in Manchester.Ava Begley’s parents say they feel “deeply grateful” that the researchers, from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and The University of Manchester (UoM), have made this discovery, which is one of the most common genetic causes of severe epilepsy.Delivered…
30 March 2026By Jacopo Carmassi, Olivier Dumora Lemaire, Johanne Evrard, Zakaria Gati, Cyprien Milea, Laura Parisi, Clément Rouveyrol and Alessandro SpolaoreThe current supervisory framework for EU capital markets is complex and fragmented. Key market players would need integrated supervision, which would increase supervisory consistency, improve cross-border risk detection and support market integration, providing stronger foundations for the savings and investments union.The savings and investments union agenda has given fresh momentum…
A team of scientists from Manchester and London have, for the first time, decoded the full range of mutations that drive tumour growth, which could pave the way for a new era in precision medicine, offering more effective treatments for thousands of people with cancer. A team of cancer genomics* scientists from The University of Manchester and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, forensically examined the genetic make-up of tumours in…
Quick Hits Virginia’s General Assembly has passed legislation that would prohibit noncompete agreements for healthcare professionals. HB1 and SB1 would establish a multiyear schedule to increase Virginia’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by January 1, 2028, with further adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index starting in 2029. SB258 and SB790 would introduce workplace protections and health insurance coverage for menopause and perimenopause. Prohibiting Healthcare Noncompete Agreements (Senate Bill…
Quick Hits Smart glasses, which can record audio, video, and capture facial recognition data, present significant employment law challenges for retailers. Overly broad recording bans can be illegal under the National Labor Relations Act. Retail employers may want to engage in an interactive process for accommodation requests related to smart glasses to avoid potential lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Recording Problem: Know the State Laws Unlike cellular…
Quick Hits Germany’s Federal Labor Court ruled that recurring seasonal allergies like hay fever may be considered a continuation of the same underlying condition rather than new illnesses. Employers can contest sick leave claims for recurring seasonal allergies if the employee has been absent for more than six weeks within the relevant periods, shifting the burden of proof to the employee. Employers are generally protected against liability for allergic reactions…
Quick Hits Expanded worker protections are becoming the norm across nearly all jurisdictions. Reduced working hours are trending globally. AI regulation in HR is accelerating, from the EU AI Regulation affecting Germany, to Ontario’s AI disclosure rules in Canada, to the UAE’s use of AI for enforcement. Compliance and reporting standards continue to rise, including enhanced pay transparency requirements and contractor classification rules. From sweeping labor code consolidations to new…
Trade negotiations are in the air, everywhere you look around. They are launched, paused, restarted and concluded. Agreements are reached, then rescinded, ignored or revivified. This past year, the public airwaves have featured more mention of tariffs and negotiations and trade deals than the last thirty years combined. Not since 1988, the year when an entire election was fought over free trade with the United States, has “trade” been a…
Quick Hits Twenty states and the District of Columbia recently filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenging the USDA’s new funding conditions related to anti-DEI, gender ideology, and immigration requirements. Similar certification requirements are emerging across federal agencies, including a certification recently proposed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Federal grant recipients and contractors may wish to evaluate their DEI-related programs and monitor…
In this article, we take a step back to reflect on the developments that shaped the recent AI landscape in Canada and highlight the emerging trends organizations should focus on in 2026. Grouped under overarching themes, BLG lawyers selected the most important insights from the past year to offer a clear overview of what to anticipate for this year along with actionable takeaways. This complements BLG’s 2025 Privacy and Cybersecurity…
This commentary originally appeared in Fortune. The views expressed are the author’s own.I have been a scholar and professor of leadership for five decades, teaching at Harvard, Emory, and Yale. In my research, I study all kinds of leaders, from iconic heroes to failures and frauds, in sectors as diverse as business, entertainment, and politics. I have advised thousands of leaders along the way, including five U.S. presidents from both…