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Nine Cambridge scientists elected as Fellows of the Royal Society 2024

The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists drawn from all areas of science, engineering and medicine.The Society’s fundamental purpose, as it has been since its foundation in 1660, is to recognise, promote and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity. This year, over 90 researchers, innovators and communicators from around the…

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Building Resilience: Strategies for Countering Terrorism in Central Asia

Terrorism poses a serious threat to the peace and stability of any country. It is a challenge that requires collective action, as it knows no boundaries and has no values or principles. Whatever its outer garb, the innate objective of any form of terrorism reflects enmity towards humankind in general. In combating terrorism and extremism, it is critical to recognise the formidable barriers to establishing a regional or multilateral framework…

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How to de-risk: European economic security in a world of interdependence

Over a period of just 15 years, Europe has been confronted with a financial shock that originated in the United States, a pandemic shock that originated in China but could have come from anywhere, and an energy shock provoked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These events have prompted a re-examination of efficiency/security trade-offs that arise as a result of international integration, and particularly as a result of specialisation in international…

  • Post category:Bruegel
  • Reading time:27 mins read
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Singapore 4.0

Lawrence Wong, a US-trained economist, was sworn in as Singapore’s fourth Prime Minister yesterday. He has big shoes to fill. Under long-time former PM Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore became a bona fide growth miracle and is now one of the richest countries in the world. But Wong is also taking over at a time of heightened uncertainty. As a small and open economy, Singapore is uniquely vulnerable to global shocks like…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:7 mins read
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Tap Employee-Creators to Transform Your Social Media Strategy

Frontiers Businesses that help employees become social media stars have a cost-effective way to generate enormous brand visibility. Aaron Dinin May 15, 2024 Reading Time: 9 min  Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series James Yang/theispot.com On Jan. 2, 2023, 19 refugees from Cuba who were adrift on a makeshift boat in the Straits of Florida were spotted…

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A Major Roadblock for Autonomous Cars: Motorists Believe They Drive Better

Think you’re a better driver than most people? You’re not alone. And you may be one reason self-driving cars haven’t taken off.About 77 percent of participants surveyed in a new study rated themselves superior to automated vehicles, while 60 percent thought other people were worse. Drivers’ egos may be bridling widespread acceptance of automation, says Julian De Freitas, an assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, and one…

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Assessments that go beyond ‘How often do you feel blue?’

One way to find out how someone is feeling is to ask them. “In the past two weeks, how often have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?” begins a standard questionnaire for depression. “How often have you felt afraid, as if something awful might happen?” inquires one questionnaire for anxiety. “Several days? Nearly every day?” Self-reporting is how most psychiatric disorders are diagnosed and monitored today, but…

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Find A Way… Letting Life Experience Call You in

This season we've been taking on HOW to learn through experience which fundamentally challenges the brain-bound assumption that learning starts and stays in the brain. We aren't so great at honoring the wisdom, expertise, and leadership that emerges from lived experience, but our own life may guide us – especially if we tap into learning practices, like reflection and challenging our perspective. My guest on this episode is a shining…

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Mexico’s 2024 Elections: Workers Entitled to Holidays for Voting on June 2 and Presidential Inauguration on October 1

Quick Hits June 2, 2024, and October 1, 2024, are mandatory holidays due to federal elections in Mexico and the presidential inauguration day. Employees who work on mandatory holidays are entitled to two times their daily wage in addition to their normal salary for that day. Employers must respect and grant employees time to exercise their voting rights, in order to comply with the FLL. Under Article 74 of the…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:2 mins read
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Consumer credit: Who’s applying for loans now?

15 May 2024By Omiros Kouvavas and Athanasios TsiortasDespite rising interest rates, more consumers are applying for loans. This demand comes mainly from households with lower income. The ECB Blog takes a closer look into credit applications and how they affect banks’ credit standards and credit issuance to households.Recent results from the ECB’s Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) show a substantial increase in the share of consumers who applied for credit. This…

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Russia and Central Asia: Bilateral and Multilateral Relations

Since the previous Central Asian conference in Tomsk, there have been significant changes in the system of bilateral and multilateral relations in the region. These changes have been prompted by various factors, including internal developments within the five countries, as well as the actions of external actors nearby, such as Russia, China, and Iran, as well as those of states that see Central Asia as a strategic region rather than…

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Flawed Feedback: The Problem with Peer Reviews

When it comes to performance reviews, managers have traditionally held the reins, assessing employee contributions based on their observations and insights. But this approach can be flawed, as managers may harbour biases or lack a complete picture of each team member’s efforts. To address these limitations, some companies have adopted peer evaluations, where colleagues provide feedback on each other. Many are likely familiar with the concept of providing 360-degree feedback. This practice is…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:5 mins read
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The Promise of Brazil’s Green Economy

In his 1941 non-fiction work Brazil: Land of the Future, Austrian author Stefan Zweig waxes lyrical about the South American country’s lush and fertile landscapes, astute city planning and melting pot of cultures living in harmony. These, he believes, could help Brazil become a leader on the global stage.“Brazil’s importance for the coming generations cannot be assessed even by the most daring calculations,” Zweig writes in the introduction. “Wherever in our…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:7 mins read
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Building a Data-Driven Culture: Three Mistakes to Avoid

Topics Data, AI, & Machine Learning Data & Data Culture Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images When one of the largest global telecom companies grappled with high customer attrition, the marketing team used a heuristics-driven approach to retain customers. For example, if a customer hadn’t made any…

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6 ways for educators to use Microsoft Copilot for end-of-school year tasks

The end of the school year is a hectic time for educators everywhere. Between reviewing content, completing assessments, and maintaining classroom management, it’s easy to feel the pressure of too many responsibilities and not enough time to accomplish everything.Whether closing out the academic year in the northern hemisphere or preparing for the next one in the southern hemisphere, Microsoft Copilot offers innovative and efficient ways to complete many of the…

  • Post category:Microsoft
  • Reading time:7 mins read
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How Generative AI Is Remaking UI/UX Design

As former developers and product managers, we’ve lived the grueling dance between designers and developers, where questions such as “Is this design technically feasible?” and “Can you add another screen for this step?” take place in every meeting. All too often, this aspiring creative exchange resulted in a Jira-filled, time-consuming process comprised of iterations, compromises, and, ultimately, a disconnect between the designer’s vision and the developer’s execution. In the last…

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2023 was the hottest summer in two thousand years

Although 2023 has been reported as the hottest year on record, the instrumental evidence only reaches back as far as 1850 at best, and most records are limited to certain regions.Now, by using past climate information from annually resolved tree rings over two millennia, scientists from the University of Cambridge and the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz have shown how exceptional the summer of 2023 was. Even allowing for natural climate…

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Connecticut Expands Paid Sick Law to Establish Entitlements for Most Employees by 2027

 Current LawExpansion Under Public Act No. 24-8 Effective January 1, 2025 (Unless Otherwise Noted)Covered EmployeesThe current law applies to “service workers,” who are defined as employees in certain occupations identified in the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Standard Occupational Classification system.The expanded law applies to all employees, including seasonal employees who work 120 days or fewer during a year.Covered EmployersThe current law applies to employers with 50 or more service…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:5 mins read
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Introducing GPT-4o: OpenAI’s new model in preview on Azure

Microsoft is thrilled to announce the launch of GPT-4o, OpenAI’s new flagship model on Azure AI. This groundbreaking multimodal model integrates text, vision, and audio capabilities, setting a new standard for generative and conversational AI experiences. GPT-4o is available now in Azure OpenAI Service, to try in preview, with support for text and image. Azure OpenAI Service A step forward in generative AI for Azure OpenAI Service GPT-4o offers a…

  • Post category:Microsoft
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Over 20,000 people join search for new dementia treatments

Using the resource, scientists have already been able to show for the first time that two important bodily mechanisms – inflammation and metabolism – play a role in the decline in brain function as we age.By 2050, approximately 139 million people are expected to be living with dementia worldwide. In the UK, in 2022, UK Prime Minister launched the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission, part of the government’s commitment to…

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How AI Skews Our Sense of Responsibility

Frontiers Research shows how using an AI-augmented system may affect humans’ perception of their own agency and responsibility. Ryad Titah May 13, 2024 Reading Time: 5 min  Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Matt Chinworth/theispot.com As artificial intelligence plays an ever-larger role in automated systems and decision-making processes, the question of how it affects humans’ sense of…

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June 2024 Visa Bulletin Shows No Advancement in Employment-Based Categories

Quick Hits The EB-1 and EB-2 final action dates remain unchanged for all countries of chargeability. The EB-3 final action date for India retrogressed eight days, while all other countries of chargeability remain unchanged. USCIS has confirmed it will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the final action dates chart for the June 2024 Visa Bulletin. Family-based applications may continue to use the dates for filing chart. Based…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:3 mins read
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Microsoft announces investment in France to accelerate AI

The company will invest 4 billion euros in cloud and AI infrastructure, AI skilling, and French Tech acceleration, aiming to train 1 million people and support 2,500 AI startups by 2027. Today, during Choose France summit, Microsoft announced its largest investment in France in its 41-year history in the country. This broad investment package is designed to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies, increase the country’s…

  • Post category:Microsoft
  • Reading time:10 mins read
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Picture This: Why Online Image Searches Drive Purchases

In a visual world, most online retailers still rely on consumers to define and enter their own search keywords. But using images to help shoppers sharpen their queries could push them to buy more, spend more, and feel happier about their purchases.“For a long time, consumers have been asking things like, 'When can I find a coat that I like by simply snapping a picture of somebody wearing that coat…

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Is Space Becoming the Next Front for War—and Traffic Jams?

Q: Are national security issues showing up in space? National security issues have shown up in space since the Cold War. Militaries around the world are enabled by space. They’re applying space technology for communications, for positioning—when you drop a bomb, you want to be able to precisely hit a target—and for situational awareness. Intelligence gathering or reconnaissance from space is very important for understanding the world they’re operating in.…

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AI’s Second Order Effects

Here’s a math puzzle: A good salesperson can sell 50 widgets a year, earns $100,000 a year, and will not take a pay cut. A company has an amazing new widget that needs to be sold (people will not find it on their own/aren’t looking for it). Prospective customers of this company’s new widget will happily pay $500/year, but not a dollar more. How will this company do? To quote…

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Scoring Big: Growing Sports Interest and the Rise of Sports Management Software

Sports management software in the U.S. is a ~$8-10B market expected to grow by double digits over the next five years. Broadly, the space can be divided into two segments: professional sports and non-professional/community sports. Both segments can be further split into performance, competition, and engagement; though the main customer groups would naturally vary (e.g., fan engagement vs. member engagement). While professional sports management software presents a viable opportunity, this…

  • Post category:Stax Consulting
  • Reading time:7 mins read
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Will disputes are on the rise. Here are 7 pragmatic steps you could take to minimise conflicts

A will is an important way of outlining what you’d like to happen to your assets when you pass away. Yet, figures suggest will disputes are on the rise. If you’re worried about potential conflicts when you pass away, read on to discover some useful steps you might want to take. According to a report in the Guardian, thousands of families have been embroiled in disputes dubbed “ruinously expensive” by…

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Building Your First Board: Lessons for Founders

Sooner or later, every successful entrepreneur confronts the challenge of establishing a board of directors. Yet many founders approach this task too casually, relying on intuition rather than learning from empirical research or other entrepreneurs’ experience. Such founders tend to become disillusioned with the board they assembled, losing faith in its capacity to empower management to create shareholder value and foster sustainable organisations.It doesn't have to be this way. Over…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:5 mins read
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Birth by C-section more than doubles odds of measles vaccine failure

A study by the University of Cambridge, UK, and Fudan University, China, has found that a single dose of the measles jab is up to 2.6 times more likely to be completely ineffective in children born by C-section, compared to those born naturally.Failure of the vaccine means that the child’s immune system does not produce antibodies to fight against measles infection, so they remain susceptible to the disease. A second…

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A New Formula for Security in West Africa: Alliance of Sahel States

Bound by a common destiny on issues of instability, security, the threat of terrorism, economic backwardness, etc., the Republics of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger decided to unite primarily because they were faced with the threat of ECOWAS military intervention in Niger, and also because it was necessary to act against these evils. On September 16, 2023, a new military bloc in West Africa appeared on the world map –…

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4 compelling reasons you might want to consolidate your pension

It’s been more than a decade since auto-enrolment was introduced, and now most workers automatically become members of their employer’s pension scheme. While more people saving for retirement is excellent news, it could mean you end up juggling multiple pots. One option is to transfer one pension to another, known as “consolidation”. It’s usually simple to do and there are many reasons why you might want to transfer a pension.…

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Student-Athletes Excel In and Out of the Classroom

Tartan linebacker Kevin Cooke is a Chicago Bears fan who enjoyed watching Brian Urlacher play defense for his favorite football team, but his real hero is his older brother Sean, who also played football for CMU. “Sean was always the person I looked up to on the football field. He was a running back, but I was able to learn so much from him,” he said. Cooke, who will graduate…

  • Post category:Carnegie Mellon
  • Reading time:5 mins read
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3 practical reasons to check your State Pension forecast before you retire

The State Pension is often a useful foundation when you’re creating an income in retirement. Yet, a survey from Just Group found that a third of people didn’t check their State Pension forecast before stopping work. While the State Pension might not be your primary income in retirement, it’s often valuable because it’s reliable – you’ll receive a regular income when you reach State Pension Age for the rest of…

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1 in 5 people expects to be paying their mortgage in retirement

Affordability challenges mean more people could near retirement with outstanding mortgage debt. It could affect your retirement plans or mean your income once you give up work doesn’t stretch as far as you expect. If you’re approaching retirement with a mortgage, read on to find out what your options may be. The effect rising house prices and interest rates have on first-time buyers is covered in the news.  New figures…

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New tactics for new talent: Closing US semiconductor labor gaps

Fueled by record-high investment from semiconductor players and once-in-a-generation federal backing, semiconductor manufacturing capacity is poised for a massive expansion in the United States. This strategy aims to rebalance the country’s supply and demand profile to establish greater autonomy in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and intellectual property rights; as the US secretary of commerce has stated, one of the goals is to propel the United States to produce 20 percent of…

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Layer 2, Rollups, and Building Onchain (with Base)

“Layer 2” rollups are computer networks that are designed to help scale “layer 1” blockchains such as Ethereum — and they’ve been bustling with activity recently, especially since Ethereum implemented its scaling-related EIP-4844 (“Dencun”) upgrade in March. Jesse Pollak, who is Coinbase’s head of protocols and who founded and leads the popular layer 2 rollup Base, joins a16z crypto engineer Noah Citron and host Robert Hackett to discuss bottom-up vs.…

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104,000 panel solar farm set to power The University of Manchester

The University of Manchester has signed a landmark new deal that will see up to 65% of its electricity demand supplied through a brand-new renewables project. In a major move towards achieving its 2038 zero carbon ambitions, the University has partnered with leading UK clean energy company Enviromena to buy electricity generated from its brand-new solar farm based in Medebridge, Essex. Once complete, Medebridge Solar Farm will comprise 104,000 solar…

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The art you must see to celebrate the National Gallery’s 200th anniversary

Did you know that the National Gallery turns 200 this year? Originally founded in 1824, the museum in Trafalgar Square, London houses an impressive collection of over 2,300 paintings. Displaying art from the mid-13th century to 1900, it’s home to many famous paintings that people travel across the world to see. Whether you’re a London local or a tourist excited to see the best culture our capital city has to…

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