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EU Pay Transparency Directive Implementation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Quick Hits Slovakia remains further ahead than the Czech Republic with transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive into national law, with a dedicated draft law already in the legislative process. The Czech Republic published a draft Labour Code amendment and has explicitly opted for a “minimalist transposition” mirroring the directive’s minimum requirements. In both countries, employers may want to begin reviewing pay structures, transparency practices, and internal governance now. Slovakia…

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From Salford to Shanghai: how cities around the world are taking back control of housing

A major new international study led by The University of Manchester has revealed how policymakers around the world are becoming far more active in constructing affordable housing. Drawing on evidence from cities including Salford, Shanghai, Nairobi and Paris, the research shows how governments are stepping in where private markets have failed - reshaping housing systems, markets and state institutions in the process.Key findingsGovernments across the global North and South are…

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New book examines the rise of Africa’s ‘model nation’ – and considers its future

A new book by The University of Manchester’s Dr Pritish Behuria explores how Rwanda rebuilt its economy after the 1994 genocide to become one of Africa’s most frequently cited development success stories, while questioning whether its current growth model can deliver long-term prosperity.Key findingsRwanda has achieved rapid economic growth and built a reputation for effective state-led development, but the book argues that long-term prosperity may depend on deeper industrial transformation…

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A Whole Civilisation Will Die Tonight: Dehumanisation and Imperial Decline

What imperialism consistently fails to grasp is that the very cultures it seeks to dehumanise are precisely where peoples draw their strength, Tings Chak writes. The turn from liberal universalism to open civilisational supremacy is not a sign of renewed Western confidence, it is a symptom of hegemonic decline. When an order can no longer lead through the attractiveness of its ideas, it reaches for cruder instruments: military force and…

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Teen substance use linked to peer pressure and wellbeing, study finds

Researchers at The University of Manchester have identified a range of key risk and protective factors influencing whether young people vape, drink alcohol, smoke or use drugs. Based on data from more than 30,000 pupils aged 12-15, the study provides one of the most comprehensive pictures to date of adolescent substance use in England, highlighting the importance of social, emotional and environmental influences.Key findingsPeer pressure, bullying and emotional difficulties are…

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Valdai Club and Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University to Hold Annual Russian-Chinese Conference

On April 26–27, the Valdai Discussion Club, in partnership with the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University, will hold its next annual Russian-Chinese Conference. The theme is “The Era of Multipolarity: New Horizons of Russian-Chinese Cooperation.” The event will bring together more than 40 experts from Russia and China, many of whom participate in bilateral expert meetings, regional conferences, and the Valdai Club’s annual sessions. At the opening of the Russian-Chinese Conference, welcoming addresses will be delivered by Andrey…

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What Will Hungary’s New Course Be?

On April 15, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion titled “Elections in Hungary and the Transformation of Central and Eastern Europe.” Moderator Anton Bespalov noted that these elections have attracted an unusual amount of attention in Europe and around the world due to the clearly mythologised figure of Viktor Orbán, who, during his 16 years in power, has branded Hungary as a bastion of right-wing conservative values ​​in a…

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Washington Governor Ferguson Signs Key Employment Bills Into Law

Quick Hits Washington State Governor Ferguson recently signed a wide range of labor and employment legislation into law, including bills that address reductions in force, pregnancy accommodations, noncompete agreements, traditional labor relations, behavioral health in the construction industry, and wage and hour claims. HB 1155, which bans noncompetition agreements with employees and independent contractors, will take effect on June 30, 2026; the other laws will take effect on June 11,…

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Seizing opportunity in the Canadian M&A market amid cross-border trade policy uncertainty

Despite early optimism, 2025 was a mixed year for Canadian M&A. The aggregate value of deals rose by over 70 per cent to approximately C$530 billion between 2024 and 2025. However, the overall number of deals dropped around 8 per cent, from 2,673 deals in 2024 to 2,454 deals in 2025.1 A key constraint facing the M&A market, and one that persists in the early part of 2026, is the…

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CMU Teams Recognized in Moonshots AI Competition

From the lab to deployment, Carnegie Mellon University researchers build tools designed to make tangible differences in how people live, learn and work. That research recently earned top recognition in the Laude Institute(opens in new window)'s Moonshots competition, which concentrates on applying AI to some of society’s most pressing challenges, from workforce reskilling to expanding access to education.The top award went to “ARISTOS: Reskilling for a Physical Workforce,” a pioneering CMU…

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Why Trump Puts His Name on Everything

This commentary was originally published in Fortune. The views expressed are the author’s own.In a relentless, unprecedented branding exercise, the sheer volume of entities now bearing the name of President Donald Trump strains credulity. We now live in a world of Trump RX and Trump accounts, of Trump coins and Trump fighter jets. We have seen the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts slapped with his name, the…

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Designing ‘audience-first’ newsrooms that work

Can you design an ‘audience-first’ newsroom without increasing cost and complexity? Newsrooms have added layers of roles, workflows, and formats to keep up with change, but many are now paying the price in cost and complexity. Download our latest report below to see how an audience-first approach can simplify decision-making, sharpen focus, and improve long-term performance. Reading time: 4 minutes Modern newsrooms didn’t become complex by accident. Over the past…

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Key Takeaways From Oregon’s 2026 Legislative Session

Quick Hits Oregon enacted HB 4089, which expands criminal penalties for wage theft offenses and increases penalties for hiring unlicensed construction labor contractors or misusing contractor license numbers, with violations ranging from Class A misdemeanors to Class C felonies. Several measures (HB 4111, HB 4079, and SB 1570) strengthen protections related to immigration status—restricting its use in civil lawsuits, prohibiting employer retaliation for updating work authorization, requiring schools and healthcare…

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Data sovereignty and the CLOUD Act: What Canadian organizations should know

Data sovereignty has re-emerged as a central concern for Canadian organizations navigating an increasingly complex geopolitical and regulatory environment. At present, the underlying concern involves the power of U.S. government authorities, through the 2018 U.S. Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (CLOUD Act), to access the personal information of Canadians. At its core, the issue of data sovereignty raises a practical and pressing question: to what extent can foreign…

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What We Have, We Do Not Keep; Having Lost It, We Weep: On the Role of the EU in the Decline of International Law

Having encountered insufficient resistance, the Court of Justice predictably moved from undermining the foundations of the international legal order to what Carl Schmitt described as the subordination of law to abstract value-based imperatives.   A vivid example is the recent 2025 judgment in Commission v Malta.  The Court applied Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union   to restrict national competence in matters of citizenship, disregarding Declaration No. 2 annexed to…

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Rethinking performance: it’s not as neat as we pretend

Why sustainable performance requires balancing people, purpose and systems Organisational performance can no longer be defined by financial outcomes alone. It emerges from the interaction of people, purpose and systems, shaped by constant trade-offs. High-performing organisations do not eliminate tensions, they navigate them deliberately, making clear choices to sustain long-term value, resilience and meaningful outcomes for employees, customers and stakeholders. Reading time: 4 minutes “Performance” is a commonplace word in…

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Massachusetts Federal Court Tees Up Broader Preliminary Injunction of ACTS Survey

Quick Hits A federal court in Massachusetts has temporarily halted the Education Department’s ACTS survey for a group of higher education institutions that intervened in a legal challenge brought by seventeen states. The latest temporary restraining order extends the compliance deadline for intervening institutions to April 24, 2026, while prohibiting enforcement of previous deadlines. The order follows a preliminary injunction blocking the ACTS survey as likely “arbitrary and capricious,” limited…

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CMU Partners With Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra To Foster World-Class Musical Experience

A new four-year partnership between Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Music(opens in new window) and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra(opens in new window) will give CMU students direct, on-campus access to world-class musicians and conductors.The agreement also provides PSO Go Pass(opens in new window) subscriptions for all music majors, and it creates for School of Music students a valuable connection with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Milton Laufer “None of this happens without leadership that believes…

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Justice Department Targets Visa Preference in Job Ads

Quick Hits The DOJ and a New Jersey-based IT staffing firm reached a $313,420 settlement over allegations that the firm’s job postings discriminated against U.S. citizens. Federal law protects applicants and employees from discrimination and harassment based on race, ethnicity, citizenship status, and national origin, including U.S. nationality. This settlement reflects the Trump administration’s emphasis on anti-American bias and addressing discrimination against majority groups. Title VII of the Civil Rights…

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The Iranian Conflict and US-China Power Play

The USand Israel-led military campaign against Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, has evolved from a series of surgical decapitation strikes into a wide-ranging regional conflict that is reshaping the global order. The war has dealt a dual blow to China's energy security and its regional partnership network in the Middle East. US strategists view the war as a blow to China’s reliance on what former official Matt Pottinger…

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California High Court Reinforces Sliding Scale Arbitration Provision Unconscionability Analysis

Quick Hits The Supreme Court of California ruled that the formatting of an arbitration agreement does not influence its substantive unconscionability, but courts must still evaluate the agreement’s legibility and context for potential unfairness. The court emphasized the sliding scale analysis of unconscionability, stating that excessive procedural unconscionability can render even minimally substantively unconscionable agreements unenforceable. The court said the appellate court had erred in applying a presumption in favor…

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How Public Health Transformed Human Life

This commentary was adapted from episode 217 of the Health & Veritas podcast. The views expressed are the author’s own. Subscribe for weekly doses of expert insight on health and the healthcare industry.We hear a lot about what’s going wrong with health in this country—and in the world. But step back 200 years, and the story is one of the most extraordinary triumphs in human history. Life expectancy in 1800…

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Why monetary policy hits harder after big shocks

13 April 2026By Alina Bobasu, Matteo Ciccarelli, Alex Grimaud, Martin Mandler and Andrejs ZlobinsDuring the latest tightening episode, interest rate hikes were especially effective. This ECB Blog finds a strong policy transmission to inflation during 2022 and 2023, a forceful response to supply-driven shocks and a low “sacrifice ratio”.The effects of monetary policy in the euro area differ across countries, sectors and time.[1] These differences depend on prevailing economic conditions,…

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Depoliticisation of Cultural and Humanitarian Cooperation: How Do We Preserve the Common Space of Humanity?

On April 10, 2026, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion titled “The challenges of Depoliticisation of Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Ties in the Modern World.” Moderator Oleg Barabanov called this topic important and pressing, given the current international climate. Geopolitical divisions, conflicts and acute contradictions between states inevitably affect the cultural sphere. Humanitarian and cultural ties, as well as connections between people find themselves at the centre of geopolitical…

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The future is now: CIRO’s compliance report for 2026

The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) released its latest annual compliance report (the Report) which details areas of focus for CIRO-regulated dealers in 2026 and beyond. As always, we encourage firms to use the Report as a checklist to conduct a gap analysis of regulatory and compliance priorities. Where Dealer Members may wish to focus In anticipation of CIRO’s enhanced focus on the following topics in upcoming CIRO dealer member…

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Relief for venture issuers: CSA adopts semi-annual reporting pilot

Venture issuers who meet certain conditions and criteria can now file financial statements and related MD&A on a semi-annual basis (the SAR Pilot) under the Canadian Securities Administrators’ (CSA) new Coordinated Blanket Order 51-933 – Exemptions to Permit Semi-Annual Reporting for Certain Venture Issuers (the Blanket Order). The Blanket Order introduces a voluntary pilot project that is intended to reduce the regulatory burden and costs associated with frequent interim reporting…

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Want to deal with Canadian clients or investors? What you need to know before you cross the border

Canada’s unique regulatory environment can present opportunities and challenges for U.S. firms looking to offer their funds or services to Canadians. Even the simple task of marketing your fund to a Canadian investor can put you offside Canadian securities law if you do not have a dealer that is authorized or exempt in the relevant jurisdiction of Canada with you at the pitch meetings. Exemptions from Canadian dealer, adviser and…

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Major access to information and privacy reform comes to Ontario

Bill 97 (the Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2026) will introduce significant amendments to Ontario’s freedom of information and privacy framework by updating both the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). For municipal institutions, school boards, colleges and universities, hospitals, and Crown agencies, these reforms are best understood as a legislative response to…

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Valdai Club to Discuss the Elections in Hungary

On April 15 at 12:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion titled “Elections in Hungary and the Transformation of Central and Eastern Europe.” On April 12, Hungary will hold parliamentary elections, in which Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, in power since 2010, could lose to MEP Péter Magyar’s Tisza party. During his 14 years as prime minister, Viktor Orbán has transformed Hungary into the…

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Ontario introduces cyber and educational technology regulations

On March 23, 2026, the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement published two regulations under the Enhancing Digital Security and Trust Act, 2024 (EDSTA). O. Reg. 51/26 (Cyber Security) and O. Reg. 52/26 (Digital Technology Affecting Individuals Under Age 18) will both come into force on July 1, 2026. These regulations impose new governance, reporting, and transparency obligations on a broad range of Ontario public sector institutions,…

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Historical Memory Issues in Relations between Russia and Serbia

In a context where historical facts and the events of the past century are being distorted in certain countries and international forums, the fight against the falsification of history has taken on particular importance. The need to resist such trends, particularly those of a purely political nature, at the state level by upholding historical truth and preserving historical memory has become fundamental for the Russian Federation and the Republic of…

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Why do people loathe London? (and how can we stop them?)

Q5 panel event: The nation’s ‘cash cow’ We recently convened a cross-sector panel to examine London’s role in the UK economy and the roots of anti-London sentiment. The discussion challenged zero-sum thinking, highlighted the impact of over-centralisation, and explored how stronger regional empowerment and collaboration could support more balanced, inclusive growth across the country. Listen to the podcast below. Reading time: 2 minutes We recently hosted a panel at The…

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The Intersection Between Whistleblowers, Compliance, and the New DOJ Declination Policy

Quick Hits The DOJ will not prosecute companies when they voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate with the DOJ’s investigation, and correct the misconduct in a timely and appropriate manner. Companies will be eligible for a declination even if a whistleblower reports to the DOJ first, if the company self-reports to DOJ within 120 days of receiving an internal report. The new policy became effective immediately. The DOJ investigates a wide…

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Bill C-15 receives royal assent: What it means for Canada’s transfer pricing rules

On March 26, 2026, Bill C-15 (Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1) received Royal Assent, bringing into force significant amendments to Canada’s transfer pricing rules under section 247 of the Income Tax Act. These changes have been anticipated since Budget 2025 was released in November 2025, but Royal Assent marks the point at which the proposals become binding law and provides certainty as to how transfer pricing audits and disputes…

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Carnegie Mellon University and AI Strike Team to Showcase the Future of Physical AI During NFL Draft Week

Carnegie Mellon University(opens in new window) and the AI Strike Team today unveiled new details for the Powering the Future of Sport: A Draft Week Showcase(opens in new window) — an invite-only gathering that will bring together global investors, founders, innovators and sports leaders to Carnegie Mellon during one of professional football’s most high-profile weeks. Meredith Meyer Grelli “This showcase reflects the spirit of Pittsburgh, a City of Champions where excellence…

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How CMU Powers Pittsburgh’s Innovation Economy

A century of transformative research Carnegie Mellon’s influence on Pittsburgh’s innovation economy was built over decades of sustained investment in research that’s foundational to modern technology.   Theresa Mayer CMU’s research enterprise spans more than 100 interdisciplinary institutes and centers, including  the Software Engineering Institute(opens in new window) — which has shaped how the federal government approaches cybersecurity — and the Robotics Institute(opens in new window), the first of its kind in the world…

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Knock on Wood: A Different Spin on Carnegie Mellon’s Buggy Race

At Carnegie Mellon University students anticipate the Spring Carnival(opens in new window) and century-old annual Sweepstakes(opens in new window) race by spending months building sleek, carbon-fiber buggies to push a driver around the hills behind campus.Sam Radziwon had an idea akin to long-ago races: The mechanical engineering senior built a wooden buggy, named Balsa, which will roll in an exhibition race Friday morning.Two years ago, Radziwon served as Booth(opens in new window)…

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