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Revisions to New York’s Trapped at Work Act Already in the Works

Quick Hits New York Assembly Bill A9452 seeks to amend the newly enacted Trapped at Work Act, which prohibits stay or pay agreements that require employees to repay training expenses if they leave their job. The proposed chapter amendments would narrow the scope of the original law to apply specifically to employees, excluding independent contractors and other workers from the prohibitions on reimbursement agreements. The amendments would also allow employers…

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Ontario Court confirms strict enforcement of suit limitation periods in surety bond claims

In VanMar Constructors ON 1028 Inc. v Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, 2025 ONSC 6959, the Ontario Superior Court found that a performance bond action by a contractor was commenced after expiry of the bond limitation period, and dismissed the action. While the facts were straightforward, the court's analysis provides important guidance on the interpretation and enforcement of limitation periods under performance bonds. Background VanMar Constructors ON 1028 Inc. (VanMar)…

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Ania Jastreboff: Treating Obesity Without Shame

In this bonus episode, Howie and Harlan are joined by Ania Jastreboff, a Yale School of Medicine endocrinologist and an expert on the science of obesity. They discuss her new book, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, which reframes obesity as a treatable disease rooted in biology—not a failure of willpower. Show notes: Ania Jastreboff and Oprah Winfrey: Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It’s Like To Be Free Yale Obesity…

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India shows how urban forests can help cool cities – as long as planners understand what nature and people need

For many years, I lived in the Indian city of Chennai where the summer temperatures can reach up to 44°C. With a population of 4.5 million, this coastal city is humid and hot.Its suburbs are home to 600 Hindu temples and there’s a wildlife reserve called Guindy national park in the heart of the city. Trees line some of the streets but green parks are few and far between –…

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Fossils reveal ‘latitudinal traps’ that increased the risk of extinction for marine species

Professor Erin Saupe. Credit: Charlie Rex. The findings, published this week in Science, provide new insight towards understanding patterns of biodiversity distribution throughout Earth history to the present day, and highlight which modern species may be more at risk of extinction due to climate change.The researchers analysed over 300,000 fossils for over 12,000 genera of marine invertebrates, combining these with reconstructions of continental arrangements at different times in the past.…

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Expert Comment: Chatbot-driven sexual abuse? The Grok case is just the tip of the iceberg

Dr Federica Fedorczyk, Institute for Ethics in AI Over the past few weeks, Grok, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, has been in the eye of the storm for creating sexualised images of children and women without their consent in response to simple user requests.The mechanism is extremely straightforward. Users can upload a picture and ask Grok to remove the clothes of the person depicted, leaving them in underwear, bikinis, transparent attire,…

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New Jersey Department of Labor’s Employer Access Portal Is Live—Required and Optional Information

Quick Hits Employers must submit separation information through the NJDOL’s Employer Access portal. Previously, employers provided separation information to the NJDOL via a designated email address. Employers may want to register now for portal access and use it to make all timely separation submissions, despite some ambiguity about what separation-related information the NJDOL requires employers to provide. What the 2022 UCL Amendments Require The 2022 amendments to New Jersey’s Unemployment…

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The world’s first carbon border-adjusted tax enters its definitive phase: What it means for Canada

On January 1, 2026, the European Union (EU) formally launched the world’s first carbon border levy. After a transitional period of over two years and a flurry of additional legislation required to operationalize the levy in late 2025, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Measure (CBAM) is now in full force. Critics have disparaged CBAM for the costs imposed on producers outside of the EU and labelled it as a protectionist…

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Time spent on gaming and social media not to blame for teen mental health issues

A major new study from The University of Manchester has found little evidence that social media use or video gaming are causing mental health problems in young teenagers, challenging one of the most widespread concerns among parents and teachers today.The research - published in the Journal of Public Health - is based on the experiences of more than 25,000 pupils across Greater Manchester, and is one of the largest and…

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USCIS Broadens Scope of Adjudication Hold for Pending Benefit Requests of Certain Foreign Nationals

Quick Hits USCIS will place a hold on all pending benefit requests filed by or for foreign nationals who are citizens of or were born in countries listed in Presidential Proclamation 10998, issued in December 2025. USCIS will also re-review approved benefit requests of foreign nationals impacted by Presidential Procalamation 10998 who were approved on or after January 20, 2021, an expansion of scope from its December 2, 2025, memorandum.…

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Smart glasses at work: Heads-up innovation, head-on compliance for Canadian HR & legal

Artificial intelligence is making its mark across all sectors, including in the workplace. In the past year, AI-powered smart glasses have evolved from being a novelty to becoming the focus of serious pilot programs. Meta’s Ray-Ban lineup has introduced enhanced AI features, fuelling enterprise trials even amid ongoing privacy debates. Meanwhile, the augmented reality landscape is shifting: Microsoft has paused development of new HoloLens hardware, while Google, collaborating with XREAL,…

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Does a Company’s Collapse Hurt Workers’ Careers?

Every year, hundreds of thousands of firms in the United States go under, leaving millions of employees scrambling to find new jobs. What happens to their career trajectories? Is their previous company’s failure seen as a red flag or not?Surprisingly, there hasn’t been much research on a question that affects so many workers. Previous studies have found that executives’ careers often falter afterward, but the fates of average employees have…

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New Jersey Unemployment Update: Employers Must Report All Worker Separations

Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective December 8, 2025, New Jersey employers must report all employee separations (layoffs, terminations, resignations, or retirements) electronically through the state’s Employer Access portal. In 2023, amendments to New Jersey’s Unemployment Compensation Law took effect, which increased unemployment reporting obligations for employers.[1] As a result of these amendments, New Jersey employers are now required to report all employee separations—which includes layoffs, terminations, resignations, or retirements—electronically through New Jersey’s…

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New year, new compliance obligations: CRA releases updated CRS guidance

Canada’s implementation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Common Reporting Standard under Part XIX of the Income Tax Act (CRS) imposes due diligence and reporting obligations on financial institutions. Financial institutions with CRS obligations include a wide array of entities such as banks, credit unions, insurance companies, trust companies, custodians, securities dealers, portfolio managers and collective investment vehicles (including, but not limited to, mutual funds, exchange traded funds,…

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Manchester research reveals how global laws can give workers real power

A new study in the Journal of Economic Geography has revealed that European ‘due diligence’ laws designed to make multinational companies accountable for labour and environmental abuses are beginning to give a voice to some of the world’s most vulnerable workers.Focusing on South Africa’s wine industry, the research - led by Professor Matthew Alford from The University of Manchester’s Alliance Manchester Business School, in collaboration with colleagues from the University…

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Has a Transatlantic Split Occurred?

The White House’s diplomatic overtures to Moscow were met with a muted and sceptical reception in Brussels. The European Union maintained its adherence to the original paradigm of the conflict: that Russia’s position is illegitimate and must be reversed through comprehensive isolation; that Ukraine requires unwavering support by all available means; and that Kiev’s domestic political shortcomings, however disagreeable, must be temporarily set aside. The United States, in contrast, pivoted to a new and starkly pragmatic calculus: Russia is too resilient to be forced into…

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State Department’s Visa Bond Program: 32 New Countries and 6 New Airports Added to the List

Quick Hits On January 1, 2026, the State Department added seven countries to the visa bond program: Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan. On January 6, the State Department added an additional twenty-five countries to the visa bond list, including Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. The State Department expanded its list of designated ports of entry through which visa bond holds must enter…

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Netflix Will Win the Fight Over Warner—Even If It Loses

This commentary was originally published in Fortune. The views expressed are the author’s own.Eight strikes and Paramount’s out. Wait—isn’t it supposed to be three strikes? Paramount CEO David Ellison apparently did not get the memo. Ellison received official word last week that his company’s takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery had been rejected for the eighth time—and it won’t be trying a ninth time, as Ellison has just filed suit…

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Higher daylight exposure improves cognitive performance, study finds

A real world  study led by University of Manchester neuroscientists has shown that higher daytime light exposure positively influences different aspects of cognition.The first study of its kind, published in the journal Communications Psychology  and funded by Wellcome Trust, also showed that stable light exposure across a week and uninterrupted exposure during a day had similar effects.Participants in the study experienced improved subjective sleepiness, the ability to  maintain focused attention…

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Regius Professor Philip Withers takes up joint appointment between the Universities of Manchester and Monash

Over the next five years, Professor Withers’ joint appointment will support collaborative research programmes between Manchester and Monash, enable greater researcher and student exchange, and strengthen engagement with industry partners across both countries, particularly in the area of advanced materials manufacturing.Professor Chris Harcacre, Vice Dean and Head of School of Natural Sciences at The University of Manchester said: “This is an excellent opportunity to build on our existing links with…

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Greater Eurasia as a Common Home

This does not mean, of course, that the SCO plays the role of a universal arbiter between members, or has the ability to dictate the development of Eurasia’s states. Because in the contemporary world most states strive to increase their level of autonomy, the existence of such an institution is not even within the realm of possibility. Moreover, across Eurasia there is no single power capable of positioning its own…

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New York Federal Court Says Denial of Remote Work Not Equivalent to Disability Discrimination

Quick Hits The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that denying an employee’s request to continue working from home as a disability accommodation does not constitute disability discrimination. The ruling emphasized that an adverse employment action supporting a disability discrimination claim must be based on an employee’s disability. The ruling underscores the importance of the interactive process in accommodating employees and clarifies the difference between…

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Gender Pay Gap Reporting in Northern Ireland

Quick Hits Pay equity developments in the UK sit alongside the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which introduces new and additional reporting obligations in the Republic of Ireland, and the Employment Rights Bill, which introduces additional obligations in England, Scotland, and Wales. Gender pay gap reporting has been in discussion in Northern Ireland since the Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 2016, but has faced significant delays, largely due to the suspension of…

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Five Decision Gates Hyperscalers Use to Select Power Partners

Hyperscalers are reshaping the power market, and they are doing so faster than traditional utility planning cycles can accommodate. AI-driven data centers require massive load, compressed timelines, and execution certainty that utilities, constrained by regulation and legacy processes, often cannot guarantee. This gap has created a decisive opportunity for independent power producers (IPPs) who can move faster, allocate risk differently, and stand behind performance. Hyperscalers are highly selective counterparties. They…

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OSHAB Holds Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Procedural Changes and Improvements

Quick Hits On January 7, 2026, OSHAB hosted a roundtable discussion with stakeholders to exchange ideas on changing and improving Board processes and procedures. Several key members of Ogletree Deakins’ Workplace Safety and Health Practice Group attended the meeting and provided input. A variety of topics were discussed at the stakeholders’ roundtable, with invitations to provide commentary and suggestions, including feedback on the following subjects: improved practices and procedural rules…

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Are Leaders Responsible for Employee Wellbeing?

Has there been a shift in understanding of the relationship between work and wellbeing? Is more expected of leaders now?Yes, there has been a notable shift in how scholars and practitioners view the connection between work and wellbeing. Historically, work was seen primarily as a source of economic security and identity, with wellbeing considered a secondary outcome or the personal responsibility of the worker. Contemporary research, however, emphasizes that work…

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Two Oxford academics awarded first-ever Green Future Fellowships

Professor Robert House (Department of Materials) and Professor Moritz Riede (Department of Physics) have both been awarded one of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s first ever Green Future Fellowships. The first cohort of 13 Fellows will each receive £3 million over 10 years to develop solutions that tackle multiple causes of the climate crisis, as well as mitigate and adapt to its impacts. UK Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance said:…

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What Can We Counter Brute Force With? Three Models

Given emerging experience (including Greenland), the rationale for acquiring nuclear weapons is emerging for both US adversaries and allies. Among these adversaries, Iran is the most obvious candidate. US and Israeli special operations may have set back the nuclear programme. The country's political system is under pressure from internal protests and economic problems. But Tehran already has its own missile systems, as well as nuclear capabilities. If the current political…

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New York State Bans the Use of Credit Checks In the Employment Context

Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective April 18, 2026, New York State will prohibit employers from requesting or using consumer credit history for employment decisions, with only narrow exemptions. The law also prohibits background screening agencies from providing credit history information unless an exemption applies. This change aligns New York with a growing number of jurisdictions limiting employer use of credit information. On December 19, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul approved S03072, which amends…

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New study finds that stopping weight-loss drugs is linked to faster regain than ending diet programmes

The findings come as real-world data shows around half of people discontinue GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment within 12 months, and just months after NICE published quality standards recommending post-treatment support for at least one year.Across 37 studies including 9,341 adults, weight increased by an average of 0.4 kg (0.9 pounds) per month after weight management drugs were stopped. Researchers estimate that, at this rate, people would return to their starting…

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Washington State Employment Law in 2025: Year in Review

Quick Hits In 2025, Washington State passed thirty-nine new laws impacting all aspects of employment. State agencies increased and expanded enforcement tools and activity in 2025. Heading into 2026, employers may want to review their policies and practices for compliance as well as prepare for an increase in litigation and administrative enforcement. New Employment Laws Washington’s 2025 legislative session had a renewed focus on labor and employment that largely expanded…

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US v. Maduro: “State Capture” Doctrine

Let's cite a few characteristic quotes from the aforementioned indictment against Maduro. They clearly fit the logic of “state capture”. “For over 25 years, Venezuela's leaders have abused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tonnes of cocaine into the United States.” ”Nicolas Maduro Moros, the defendant, is at the forefront of that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority…

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Iran protests have put the country’s political system on trial

Protests that began in late December over rising prices and a collapsing currency have now spread to most of Iran’s 31 provinces, with demonstrators taking aim at the country’s rulers. The demonstrations signal a deep challenge to a political order that many Iranians see as incapable of delivering stability, dignity or a viable future.The unrest poses the most serious challenge to Iran’s political establishment since 2022. That year, nationwide protests erupted over…

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Oil Isn’t the Real Reason Behind the Venezuela Operation

During a triumphant Saturday press conference, President Donald Trump proudly boasted of a U.S. military operation removing the brutal Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. The news diverted attention from America’s affordability crisis, the loss of health care coverage for millions, and the Epstein files. Instead, all eyes turned to Venezuela.However impressively efficient the American strike may have been, the president’s motives have been muddled. Was it to curb drug trafficking? Halt…

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Expert Comment: The illegality of the US attack against Venezuela is beyond debate – how the world reacts is critical

Professor Janina Dill Four days after the United States bombed targets in Venezuela to capture President Nicolas Maduro, it is barely contested that the operation was a violation of international law.“Operation Absolute Resolve” – which by military standards was undoubtedly successful – violates one of the most fundamental rules of international law, the prohibition on the use of force in international relations, enshrined in Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter.US…

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Four Oxford researchers honoured in the Royal Astronomical Society’s 2026 Awards.

About the Oxford winners:Professor Suzanne Aigrain (Department of Physics) – Awarded the George Darwin LectureshipI am delighted and honoured to receive this award, which recognises both my research and my commitment to communicating it to a variety of audiences, something I very much enjoy. In the next decade, we hope to find habitable planets in the Solar neighbourhood, paving the way to searching for signs of life in their atmospheres,…

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Honorary degree recipients for the Chancellor’s ceremony announced

Following his admission as Chancellor of the University of Oxford in February 2025, Rt Hon The Lord Hague of Richmond, CVO, will confer honorary degrees on distinguished individuals at a Special Honorary Degree Ceremony on Tuesday 24 February 2026.The ceremony will take place at 11.30am in the Sheldonian Theatre, where honorary degrees will be awarded to Lady Elish Angiolini, John Kerry, Dinah Rose, Professor Irene Tracey, Professor Sir John Curtice, Christina…

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Why Does California Impose Such High Penalties for Rest Break Violations?

Quick Hits California employers face steep penalties for failing to provide compliant rest breaks, including additional pay, potential wage statement violations, waiting time penalties, and attorneys’ fees. The high penalties reflect the consensus among the legislature, courts, and labor commissioner that rest breaks are essential for employee health, safety, and productivity, benefiting both employees and employers. Employers may want to ensure they adopt clear policies, ensure breaks are duty-free, accurately…

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Seyfarth Makes Major Move to Expand National Trial Capabilities with Addition of Marc Mukasey and Team

January 5, 2026 - New York, NY — Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today that Marc Mukasey’s powerhouse trial practice is joining the firm. The Mukasey team, including partner Torrey Young and three other lawyers from Mukasey Young LLP, will join Seyfarth and continue their focus on representing clients whose business, reputation, or freedom is being challenged. Mukasey will serve as co-chair of the firm’s Trial practice alongside Boston partner Lynn…

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Global aviation emissions could be halved through maximising efficiency gains, new study shows

Published today in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, the researchers analysed more than 27 million commercial flights in 2023, covering 26,000 city pairs and nearly 3.5 billion passengers. This revealed enormous variability in emissions efficiency, with some routes producing nearly 900 grams of CO₂ per kilometre for each paying passenger - almost 30 times higher than the most efficient, at around 30 grams of CO₂ per kilometre.Our results clearly show…

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