The fourth distinctive feature of Turkmen foreign policy is the desire to diversify markets for natural gas exports. In particular, in the second half of the 2000s, dependence on Russia as a buyer of Turkmen gas increasingly came to be seen by Ashgabat as problematic. Accordingly, in the mid-2000s Turkmenistan began increasing exports of natural gas to China. However, from the mid-2010s onwards, the geography of Turkmen gas exports began…
Quick Hits The Third Circuit allowed a white police officer’s discrimination lawsuit to proceed, predicting that the Supreme Court of New Jersey would drop the “Background Circumstances Rule” requiring heightened proof for reverse discrimination claims. The ruling reflects a 2025 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that rejected higher standards for majority-group plaintiffs in discrimination cases. A concurrence further criticized the “Background Circumstances Rule” as discriminatory and…
If you are a consumer-facing business in the United States or are in the field of advising them on privacy matters, you are aware of the importance of privacy and data protection compliance. Despite this awareness, too many companies and counsels tend to overlook the need to consider Canadian privacy laws when engaging in cross-border commercial transactions, also overlooking that Québec privacy law has a strict regime comparable to the…
According to established tradition, the Russian-Uzbek conference is held alternately in Russia and Uzbekistan. Since 2019, when the partnership memorandum between Valdai and ISRS was signed, Russian and Uzbek experts have met in Moscow, Samarkand, Tashkent, and Khiva. This year’s venue is the city of Termez, located near the Friendship Bridge on the border between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. Programme of the Russia-Uzbekistan conference of the Valdai Discussion Cluband the…
China’s global attractiveness is built on a new, win-win type of globalisation based on inclusiveness, completely different from the hegemonic logic of Americanisation, writes Wang Wen. In 2026, the international political research community may not have noticed the popularity of “Chinamaxxing” on social media. This internet neologism, a combination of “China” and the gaming term “maxxing,” has become a new trend among young netizens. Coupled with the fact that the…
Quick Hits USCIS will continue to accept adjustment of status filings based on the Dates for Filing chart in April 2026. EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 categories are current on the Dates for Filing chart for all countries other than India, China, and Philippines (only EB-1 and EB-2 categories are current for Philippines). EB-1 category final action dates advance for China and India. EB-2 and EB-3 categories for India advance significantly…
There are many Canadian tax benefits associated with starting a business in a corporation created under Canadian federal or provincial law, which is a necessary (but not sufficient) condition for a corporation to qualify as a “Canadian-controlled private corporation” (CCPC): CCPC status is one of the requirements for a corporation’s shares to constitute “qualified small business corporation shares”, which Canadian-resident individuals may claim the lifetime capital gains exemption (LCGE) of…
Professor Edward Harcourt Given the surge of recent interest in AI ethics – which comes on the back of understandable worries about AI itself - most people are now familiar with the term ‘ethics-washing’. Trickling into a linguistic channel already worn smooth by ‘green washing’ and before it of course ‘whitewashing’, ethics-washing means something like this: appearing to take some ethical anxiety about AI seriously and then tactfully dismissing it by…
BackgroundThe Accord of March 4, 1951, was a watershed event in Federal Reserve independence. Such independence is critical to effective monetary policy and improved economic outcomes. Without independence, monetary policymakers will be subject to short-term political considerations, which can lead to higher inflation. One risk is that the benefits of easier policy—higher output and employment—come sooner than the costs in terms of higher inflation. So a short-term perspective can create…
Dr Athol Williams & Professor Mette Morsing, Saïd Business School Dr Williams, a Senior Fellow of Management Practice in Strategy at Saïd Business School and an established South African poet, will use the honorary position to integrate poetry more deeply into teaching and learning at the School. While Poet Laureates traditionally compose and advocate for poetry linked to an institution, Dr Williams intends to extend the role to support leadership…
Life evaluations among under 25s in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have dropped dramatically (by almost one point on a 0-10 scale) over the past decade, while the average for the young in the rest of the world has increased, according to Gallup World Poll data.One international survey of 15-year-olds in nearly 50 countries suggests heavy social media use is associated, on average, with a significant drop…
In Thomas v. EOTech, LLC, the court aligned with Sixth Circuit jurisprudence in holding that judicial enforcement of such agreements would “disrupt the relevant statutes’ carefully integrated and uniform remedial schemes.” For employers with provisions in employment agreements shortening the statutes of limitations for such claims, this decision is a warning to review those documents and reassess the risk of litigation. Quick Hits Agreements that prospectively shorten the statutory filing…
Employers in Ontario are increasingly operating in a termination landscape that feels uncertain. A recent Ontario Superior Court (the Court) decision, Adelman v. IBM Canada Limited (Adelman), illustrates how common‑law notice exposure, discretionary compensation, and equity‑based incentives can intersect to produce significant liability where contractual protections are absent or unclear. While the case involved a senior executive at a large organization, the Court’s reasoning has broader implications for employers managing…
A new study has suggested that the transformation of Twitter into X under Elon Musk marks the rise of a new, illiberal regime of governing social media platforms, which can be controlled by one person and used to push their own political agenda.Alongside researchers from the WZB Berlin Social Science Center and the Weizenbaum Institute, Dr João C. Magalhães of The University of Manchester studied over 1,500 events to track…
Quick Hits The California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, affirmed the trial court’s order compelling arbitration of individual employment claims, finding the parties’ arbitration agreement was governed by the FAA. The court upheld the dismissal of class claims, as the arbitration agreement expressly prohibited class, collective, or representative proceedings. The decision clarifies that parties may voluntarily elect to have the FAA govern their arbitration agreement, regardless of whether the…
In 1789, during the first session of the first U.S. Congress, lawmakers issued a requirement: every bill, order, resolution, or vote must be published in public newspapers. States followed suit with similar laws requiring notifications of government actions in the local papers—typically short announcements about public hearings or possible changes in areas such as construction, taxes, or education.More than two centuries after the passage of that first statute, some policymakers…
The legal rights designed to protect Afro-Colombian communities are not lifting them out of economic precarity - and are leaving them vulnerable to the illegal drug trade and illicit mining as a result - according to new research from The University of Manchester.For decades, Colombia’s Pacific coast has been a battleground for ‘extractive capitalism’ - a world of illegal gold mining, industrial palm oil and drug smuggling. In 1993, a…
At The Check Up, Google announced a $10M investment in clinician AI training and how AI is upgrading Search and Fitbit for better health data.
The Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Innovation Center(opens in new window) (RIC) hummed with energy on Monday as it partnered with Hazelwood Local to host a family-friendly open house. The event, on the heels of the RIC’s opening celebration(opens in new window) last month, showcased robot demonstrations, offered guided tours and built direct connections with CMU to explore programs, relationships and resources.Zoie Pitzarella of Hazelwood watched her 6-year-old son, Kyng, use a video…
A first‑of‑its‑kind scheme is helping Greater Manchester residents experiencing long-term unemployment to overcome oral health barriers and move closer to work, with dental students delivering treatments.Working Well: Roots to Dental Jointly led by University of Manchester, University Dental Hospital of Manchester, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The scheme has already shown how addressing oral health can make a real difference to people’s…
The asynchronicity of the present world order manifests itself not only in the spheres of finance, technology, or institutions, but to no lesser degree in the realm of direct human communication. Despite the end of the unipolar moment, representatives of the World Majority paradoxically continue to communicate with one another in English—a language foreign to each of them. Moreover, it is not the English of H. G. Wells or Arnold…
Established by the Norwegian Parliament in 2003, the Holberg Prize is one of the largest annual international research prizes awarded for outstanding contributions to research in the humanities, social science, law or theology. Professor Roper will receive the award of NOK 6,000,000 (approx. £466,00) during a ceremony at the University of Bergen on 4 June. Professor Roper is internationally recognised as one of the leading scholars of early modern European history.…
The results of the PRUDENCE trial, published in The Lancet Primary Care took place in 13 European countries. Part of the randomised controlled trial with 2,639 patients in all 13 countries was an in-depth qualitative evaluation involving clinicians and patients in six countries.Together, the studies provide the most comprehensive evaluation to date of whether rapid diagnostic testing can meaningfully decrease antibiotic use in real-world primary care settings without having a…
Quick Hits High-Income Threshold: Employees earning NZD 200,000 or more in total remuneration will lose unjustified dismissal protections. Remedies Reduced or Eliminated for Certain Conduct: Available remedies in personal grievance claims are limited where an employee’s conduct contributed to the situation, and authorities can reduce or eliminate compensation entirely where the employee engaged in serious misconduct, even if the employer’s process was flawed. Procedural Fairness Standard Loosened: A dismissal will…
It also determines how these peoples and their states respond to the decisions and actions of others, where they perceive the limits of their possibilities, and where, on the contrary, they believe that cultural proximity creates the foundation for deeper political cooperation. The interaction of cultures becomes particularly important when we are dealing with enormous spaces—continents that are home to dozens of states carrying their own cultural traditions. In this…
Five macro trends shaping the next three years Our first Sports Report, From strategy to delivery in a maturing sports ecosystem, explores five macro trends shaping UK sport over the next three years. Drawing on insights from 40+ senior leaders, it examines how clubs, leagues and investors are evolving to balance performance, governance and long-term sustainability. Download the full report below. Reading time: 2 minutes UK sport is entering its…
Washington State has long taken a skeptical view of noncompetition agreements—and that skepticism is now on the brink of becoming a complete ban. Both chambers of the Legislature have approved Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 1155, and the bill now awaits Governor Bob Ferguson’s signature, which is widely expected. If signed, the law will dramatically reshape Washington’s restrictive covenant landscape. It would also position Washington State within a growing national trend to…
Quick Hits Seventeen states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin), led by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have sued the U.S. Department of Education (ED) over IPEDS’s Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS), alleging violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and the E-Government Act. On March 13, 2026, the U.S. District Court…
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing new technology that could lower how much energy data centers need to operate, reducing the strain on the energy grid that Americans rely on.Why it mattersThe electricity required to run data centers, specifically those powering artificial intelligence, is straining the U.S. energy grid. AI energy demands are projected to double or triple(opens in new window) in the next few years, according to the U.S.…
The headlines are focused on the effects of rising oil prices on rich countries like the United States. How does volatility in the energy markets affect developing countries, where individuals and governments may have less of a financial cushion?The Middle East is not only a source of oil to run cars but also an important source of other forms of energy, like natural gas used for electricity generation. For example,…
Today, Carnegie Mellon University researchers are directly advancing the next generation of energy innovation by helping to design resilient, transportable microreactors. This work builds on the Pittsburgh region's century-long legacy as a leader in energy, from the nation's first commercial nuclear power plant to Westinghouse's global reactor technology breakthroughs.“As we work to cut air pollution from fossil fuels and reduce the greenhouse gases driving climate change, small modular reactors offer…
Google introduces new features in AI Studio to enable developers to set monthly spend caps and scale effectively.
As we all look toward the AI era, we’re sharing what we learned in a new report.
Announcing AI Works for Europe, our new initiative to provide AI skills and training to help people and businesses across the continent.
Seyfarth Synopsis: In a recent Massachusetts Superior Court decision, the Court held that there is no individual liability or aiding and abetting claim under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA). In Laughlin v. Binstar, Inc., et al., Binstar’s former CEO claimed that the company and its board members and investors violated the PFMLA by contacting him and asking him to perform work during his protected medical leave.…
Quick Hits A New Jersey federal court granted a request to transfer venue in an age discrimination lawsuit involving a remote employee, transferring the lawsuit to a federal court in a district where the employer was located. The court determined that venue was appropriate where the employer is headquartered and where the alleged discriminatory decisions were made, rather than where the employee resides, and emphasized that litigation convenience weighed in…
An overview of how Google Earth AI is supporting the global health community’s work to predict outbreaks and deliver proactive care.
Research published in Science Advances has uncovered new insights into why the most aggressive oesophageal cancers are so difficult to treat and how the body’s own defence systems are helping them to thrive. The study, led by Professor Eileen Parkes and her team in the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford, analysed patient-donated tumour samples and found that the most dangerous types of oesophageal cancers share a key…
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University attest that while the United States needs to lower system-wide costs and air pollution to shape the future of energy, the core priority should be ensuring individuals can afford and access that energy. Destenie Nock Destenie Nock(opens in new window), assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering(opens in new window) and engineering and public policy(opens in new window), leads a research group comprised of graduate students at CMU…
The University of Manchester, together with six leading UK universities and 22 industry partners, has secured £9.6 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to launch SATURN-2, a major expansion of the national nuclear doctoral training pipeline that will help deliver the skills required for the UK’s clean energy, security and defence ambitions.SATURN-2 (Skills and Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear) builds on the success of the original SATURN Centre…