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Germany’s Federal Labor Court Rules on Probationary Periods in Fixed-Term Contracts

Quick Hits On October 30, 2025, the Federal Labor Court of Germany ruled that probationary periods in fixed-term contracts must be proportionate to the duration and type of work, with no rigid limits. The Federal Labor Court upheld a four-month probationary period for a one-year fixed-term contract, considering it is proportionate due to a sixteen-week training plan. The Federal Labor Court clarified that even if a probationary period is deemed…

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OSFI responds to the growing use of AI: Key updates to guideline E-23

Globally, attempts at AI governance continue to evolve: On September 26, 2025, Canada’s federal government announced the launch of a new AI Strategy Task Force, whose preliminary recommendations are expected to be released later this month and are expected to inform Canada’s anticipated federal AI legislation. South of the border, California became the first U.S. state to enact a comprehensive suite of AI laws, which will govern a wide range…

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Market Update 16 April 2025

 View the full PDF document including total return indices, click here.The outlook for interest ratesBond yields have been in a trading rangeLooking at bond returns over the quarter, one might think that yields were fairly static during this period, but in fact the 10 year US treasury yield moved between a low of 4.2% and a high of 4.7%, before settling at 4.4% at the end of June. This reflected the…

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When State Neglect Turns Weather into Revolution

Why do some independence movements succeed while many others fade or are crushed? The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 is a rare case in which a separatist movement not only gained mass support but also prevailed in open conflict against a powerful state. Explaining that success is not just a historical exercise. It also clarifies how states lose legitimacy and how climate shocks can transform diffuse frustration into coordinated political…

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Managed Complexity as Eurasia’s Way

The Eurasian countries’ desire for strategic autonomy and their quest for alternative development paths clash with their dependence on inherited systems – be they technological platforms, financial mechanisms, or the language used to describe the world. Chaos is frightening, evoking nostalgia for a lost order and a desire to build a new one using familiar templates. But this is hardly possible. The key challenge for Eurasia is to find the…

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Oxford research reveals how papal dithering supercharged Henry VIII’s Reformation

Published in History Today ahead of the 487th anniversary of the excommunication on 17 December, the research offers the first ever account of how an event that might have changed the course of England's religious history was botched by indecision and delay. Professor Paulina Kewes and Dr Frederick Smith trace the extraordinary eight-year saga that finally saw Pope Paul III acting against Henry in December 1538 – long after the King had created the Church of England in his own image. The potency of Paul…

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FAMLI Values: Maryland’s Reissued Proposed Regulations on Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Claims

Quick Hits Starting no later than January 3, 2028, the FAMLI program will provide most Maryland employees up to twelve weeks of paid leave for certain family and medical reasons, with a possible additional twelve weeks for parental bonding, per benefit year. After several legislative delays to the program’s effective date, the MDOL has now reissued proposed regulations to implement the FAMLI program. The proposed Claims chapter offers additional key…

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Global Outlook – April 2025

© 2025 W1M Wealth Management Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission from W1M Wealth Management Limited. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments and the income derived from them may rise as well as…

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Luis de Guindos: Stress testing at the ECB: mastering risk analyses and impact assessments with top-down models

19 November 2025By Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECBOur 2025 macroprudential stress test report shows that banks are resilient. But when we look at risks not included in the EU-wide stress test, we see some pockets of vulnerability. These findings support a cautious approach to capital buffers.Broadening the 2025 EU-wide bottom-up stress testThis year’s EU-wide stress test[1] showed that banks are resilient under the adverse scenario,[2] thanks to strong…

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EEOC Enforcement Recharged: What In‑House Counsel Can Do Now

Quick Hits With the EEOC’s quorum restored, employers can expect more high-profile investigations, broad data requests, and pattern-or-practice litigation targeting hiring, promotion, compensation, DEI programming, and accommodations. Employers may want to consider conducting adverse impact and pay studies to identify and remove barriers to equal employment opportunity. Employment decisions that are made based on objective job-related criteria buttressed by ample documentation will likely be strongest and most defensible; it therefore…

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Managing the Tax Tail: How Gilts Can Aid Inheritance Planning

© 2025 W1M Wealth Management Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission from W1M Wealth Management Limited. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments and the income derived from them may rise as well as…

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New project aims to reveal nature’s quantum compass

Our project seeks to elucidate the fundamental principles that govern the light-dependent animal magnetosense, and to explore how we might exploit the underlying mechanisms to engineer technologies in biomedicine.Professor Christiane Timmel, Department of ChemistryThe ‘Quantum sensing in nature and synthetic biology’ project is funded through BBSRC’s Strategic Longer and Larger (sLoLa) grants scheme, which supports curiosity-driven research that has the potential to transform our understanding of biology and spark innovation…

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Expert Comment: How concerned should we be about ‘carebots’?

Dr Caroline Emmer De Albuquerque Green, Institute for Ethics in AI Imagine a world in which a humanoid robot cares for you when you need help and support with daily activities.This robot would not only take on mundane tasks like cooking or cleaning, but also be your conversational partner and help you with maintaining your personal hygiene etc. This idea of robots as caregivers – ‘carebots’ - especially for older people,…

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Rajasthan and Manchester launch global health and education partnership

The Manchester team met with Indian business and academic partners and shared the work the University has led in the state to help identify other possible collaborative education and research projects.Planned early projects will address mental health and wellbeing among youth, rural communities, and frontline law-enforcement and healthcare workers.As part of the visit, the Manchester team visited the Rajasthan Police Academy where they met the Director to hear about the…

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Ape ancestors and Neanderthals likely kissed, new analysis finds

This is the first time anyone has taken a broad evolutionary lens to examine kissing. Our findings add to a growing body of work highlighting the remarkable diversity of sexual behaviours exhibited by our primate cousins.Lead author Dr Matilda Brindle (Department of Biology) Kissing occurs in a variety of animals, but presents an evolutionary puzzle: it appears to carry high risks, such as disease transmission, while offering no obvious reproductive or survival advantage.…

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Two Visions of AI Governance—And the Real Test That Will Decide the Winner

In July 2025, Washington and Beijing rolled out competing roadmaps for artificial intelligence—and, with them, two philosophies of global tech governance. America’s AI Action Plan, introduced by the Trump administration, prizes speed and market dynamism, wrapped in national-security guardrails and an explicit push to tear down domestic barriers to AI deployment. China’s Global AI Governance Action Plan along with an initiative to launch a World AI Cooperation Organisation in Shanghai, China, casts AI as…

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Delaware Supreme Court Weighs Enforceability of Noncompete Agreements After Forfeiture of Equity Shares

Quick Hits The Delaware Supreme Court is reviewing a case on whether noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements remain enforceable after the forfeiture of equity units due to violations of the noncompete agreement by a former executive. The Delaware Court of Chancery ruled that because the executive’s equity units were automatically forfeited under the agreement when he was terminated for cause, the restrictive covenants lacked the necessary consideration at the time the…

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The Court holds that the duty to defend is not a bridge too far

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently released its decision in His Majesty the King v RSA, confirming a duty to defend on the part of two insurers that provided historical comprehensive general liability (CGL) coverage to the Province of Ontario from 1975 to 1984, notwithstanding that the bridge collapse at issue did not occur until 2018. The allocation of defence costs was based on time on risk, thereby limiting…

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Sir Paul Nurse officially opens the Life and Mind building

The Life and Mind building, a £200 million world-class teaching and research facility, has been officially opened by Sir Paul Nurse, Principal Group Leader, The Francis Crick Institute, President Elect of the Royal Society, and 2001 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine.  The special opening event was hosted by Oxford University's Chancellor, Lord Hague of Richmond, and the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey. It brought together many of the people involved in the delivery of the building…

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Oxford and GSK launch Experimental Medicine Collaboration

GSK invests £10 million over five years to establish the Experimental Medicine Collaboration with the University of Oxford. The GSK and University of Oxford Experimental Medicine Collaboration (EMC) is a pioneering partnership that aims to redefine the approach to studying and treating immune mediated inflammatory diseases. Through the integration of cutting-edge molecular insights with clinical advancements, the EMC will allow testing of multiple medicines across cellular mechanisms in parallel.The EMC…

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Proof of Existence

The most pressing problem facing many small and medium-sized states today is the collapse of the international order that made their emergence as sovereign states possible. There's reason to believe they will have to spend the coming years convincing history of their right to exist. Things are somewhat easier in this regard for states that emerged during the collapse of the colonial system the West created at the turn of…

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Employers Grapple With GLP-1 Coverage for Weight Loss

Quick Hits Generally, employers aren’t required to cover weight loss drugs in their health plans. More employers are voluntarily covering weight loss medications to recruit and retain talent. Demand for weight loss drugs is growing among workers. The medications are expensive—typically about $617 to $766 per month, according to the Employee Benefits Research Institute. In most cases, employers are not legally required to cover GLP-1 drugs in their health plans.…

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A big win for Ontario: Court of Appeal decision allows international “pooled liquidity” in online gaming

What you need to know On Nov. 12, 2025, in one of the most consequential cases in the Canadian gaming sector in decades, the Court of Appeal for Ontario (the Court) released its long-awaited decision on Ontario’s reference question regarding international “pooled liquidity”. A strong majority of the Court (4:1) ruled in favour of Ontario’s position and agreed that legal online gaming (or iGaming) would remain lawful under the Criminal…

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How Millions of Simulated Maps Can Help Us Make Electoral Districts That Feel Fair

Partisan gerrymandering is having a heyday. Politicians in at least 16 states are enacting or considering new congressional maps designed to advantage one party over the other; most recently, California voters approved a map designed to increase Democratic seats, in order to counter a Republican-leaning map in Texas. Democrats and Republicans are locked in a zero-sum game—and democracy itself seems to be the only guaranteed loser.Is there a path to…

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Expert Comment: Digital literacy on the curriculum is an opportunity for a more proactive response to AI in schools

The recent curriculum and assessment review recommends strengthening digital literacy at each key stage of the curriculum, to equip pupils for an era of rapid social and technological change. It includes recommendations to improve the clarity of the contents of the computer curriculum; to replace the much-critiqued GCSE Computer Science with a Computing GCSE that is broader in focus; and to map the teaching of digital literacy and the use…

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Psychedelics might help terminal patients find peace

In clinical trials around the world, a surprising treatment is showing promise for people with terminal illnesses: psychedelic therapy.For many, the hardest part of dying isn’t physical pain but the fear, anxiety and sense of meaninglessness that often accompany it. While palliative care in the UK is rightly praised for easing pain and managing symptoms, patients’ emotional and spiritual suffering is often less well addressed.Standard treatments – such as antidepressants,…

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Public land, private boundaries: Adverse possession and the reassertion of legislative supremacy in Kosicki v. Toronto (City)

This article was originally published in the Ontario Expropriation Association’s Newsletter. Introduction Few decisions in recent times have meaningfully challenged long-held assumptions about the security of public land as Kosicki v. Toronto (City), 2025 SCC 28 ("Kosicki").1 For generations, municipalities, conservation agencies and the provincial Crown have acted on the assumption that once land had been expropriated or otherwise dedicated for public use, it was effectively immune from private use through…

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Study exposes cancer care deficit for patients with learning disabilities

People in England with a learning disability have a higher risk of cancer, especially before age 50 , according to a study by researchers from The University of Manchester and The ChristieNHS Foundation Trust . Their symptoms are investigated less often, they receive less treatment, and have a poorer prognosis according to the study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration…

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Shutdown’s Over—IRS Wastes No Time Reminding You You’re Still Not Saving Enough

Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS is back to work and just announced the 2026 annual limits that will apply to tax-qualified retirement plans.  But wait, there’s more – a surprise increase in the inaugural FICA wage limit for purposes of the mandatory Roth catch-up requirement. Employers maintaining tax-qualified retirement plans will need to make sure their plans’ administrative procedures are adjusted accordingly. In Notice 2025-67, the IRS announced the various limits…

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Ready for the Holidays? Stay Out of the Legal Hotseat With Time Off Requests

Quick Hits Workers who are Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist will mark religious celebrations in December 2025. Employers must grant valid religious accommodation requests unless it would impose a substantial burden on the business. In considering time off requests, employers balance business demands with legal obligations. Employees might ask for time off or breaks for religious observances or to complete prayers at designated times. Typical religious accommodations during the holiday…

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What Are the Consequences of Resuming Nuclear Testing?

Is there a strategic argument for the U.S. resuming nuclear testing?What’s going on is very scary. Nuclear weapons of the major powers have not been tested since the early 1990s. Now there are signs the Russians may test a bomb. I think this would be for political shock effect, an escalation over the Ukraine war. Washington wants to deter them from doing this, so we threaten to test if they…

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Oxford’s TIDE Centre launches Nature’s Intelligence Studio at COP30

In the heart of the Amazon, COP30 reminds us that nature holds the key to innovation — and the Nature’s Intelligence Studio embodies this new approach: protecting nature while learning from its intelligence.Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, President of COP30Nature-inspired innovation means learning from and emulating ideas from nature, which is a billion years of R&D ahead of us and has learned to adapt to changing environments.Professor Amir Lebdioui, Director,…

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Remembering Dr Lee Kai Hung CBE DL 1935 – 2025

“If there is no dialogue, there is no understandingIf there is no understanding, there is no trustIf there is no trust, there is no harmonyIf there is no harmony, there is no peace” ~Dr Lee Kai Hung~It is with deep sadness that we have learnt about the passing of Dr Lee Kai Hung CBE DL, a close friend, wise advisor and Honorary Graduate of The University of Manchester. Dr Lee was…

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The Future of Africa: Toward Technological Sovereignty or Digital Colonialism?

African countries strive to secure digital and technological sovereignty because it is the only path to independence, true equality, and control over their resources and infrastructure in the modern world. However, the active participation of foreign tech companies in building Africa’s digital infrastructure could entrench the continent’s dependence on external platforms, lead to data leaks, and limit opportunities for local innovation, writes Marina Krynzhina, Associate Professor at the Department of…

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Title VI Oversight Meets Data Reality: Comments on the ACTS Proposal Analyzed—Key Takeaways for Higher Education

Quick Hits The comment period on the Education Department’s proposed Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) to IPEDS closed on October 14, 2025, drawing thousands of comments by universities, higher education associations, community and technical colleges, career schools, graduate and professional programs, civil rights and policy organizations, researchers, and individual citizens. Commenters recommended limiting ACTS to truly selective institutions and treating graduate/professional programs separately. Institutions anticipate risk-based reviews tied to…

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The EU’s Strategic Autonomy: A Journey to Independence, Driven by Crisis

There are compelling reasons to believe that, despite the bellicose rhetoric directed at Russia, the EU’s strategic priority remains gaining independence from the United States. However, the strategic “liberation of Europe” process is currently stagnating, and it is premature, if not impossible, to talk about the emergence of signs of genuine EU sovereignty in the near future, Dmitry Ofitserov-Belsky  writes. The concept of the EU’s strategic autonomy has rapidly evolved in recent years from a theoretical idea to a key priority. Its essence lies in the EU’s ability to act independently…

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New Jersey Federal Court Says Remote Employee’s Retaliation Claims Belong in Pennsylvania

Quick Hits A federal judge transferred a lawsuit by a former cancer center employee from a New Jersey federal court to a federal court in Pennsylvania, ruling that the case belonged in the employer’s home state rather than where the employee remotely worked.  The court determined that the employee’s claims under the ADA had minimal connection to New Jersey, emphasizing that key decisions about her employment were made in Pennsylvania.…

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Two Oxford academics receive ERC Synergy Grants to tackle major scientific challenges

HomeNewsTwo Oxford academics receive ERC Synergy Grants to tackle major scientific challenges Two Oxford University academics are to co-lead ambitious new research projects backed by European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grants, part of the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. Synergy Grants foster collaboration between outstanding researchers, enabling them to combine their expertise, knowledge and resources to push the boundaries of scientific discovery.   Of the 712 proposals submitted this year,…

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South Africa’s Coalition Foreign Policy: Reluctant Cooperation?

Clearly, the differences are fundamental. There is a gap between the desire for multipolarity and the gravitation toward a pro-Western development scenario. The problem is fuelled by key opposition forces – the Spear of the Nation and Fighters for Economic Freedom parties. These socialist-minded parties are opposed to the exploitative neoliberal system and are members of the Progressive Wing opposition coalition. If DA, in their worldview, panders to the West,…

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Rethinking customer value for growth

How understanding customer value unlocks smarter, sustainable growth Most businesses chase more customers for more revenue, but true growth comes from understanding which customers really drive value. This article explores how we help organisations redefine customer segmentation, focus investment where it counts, and build sustainable growth through smarter, data-led customer strategies. Reading time: 5 minutes Rethinking customer value for growth Many organisations fall into the trap of assuming that their…

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