Unemployment: the price of stability? Morocco is steeped in a culture of stability which, looking beyond recent events and shocks, seems to be rooted in an older DNA probably related to the country’s political structure and attachment to monarchy. However, as the economy slows, it has become legitimate to wonder whether this attachment to stability – a mark of trust for investors – has in some ways gradually become an…
Machine learning models have seeped into the fabric of our lives, from curating playlists to explaining hard concepts in a few seconds. Beyond convenience, state-of-the-art algorithms are finding their way into modern-day medicine as a powerful potential tool. In one such advance, published June 3 in Cell Systems, Stanford researchers are using machine learning to improve the efficacy and safety of targeted cell and gene therapies by potentially using our…
Some Washington healthcare employers will be subject to new requirements for meal and rest breaks starting next year. Moving forward, under amended RCW 49.12.480, there are new hoops these employers must jump through in order to secure waivers for certain meal and rest break requirements, which means updates to handbook policies and the waiver form. Under the current law, non-exempt hospital employees who are directly involved in patient care or…
Canada is currently facing an erratic and expansive trade disruption with its closest trading partner. The first executive order signed by the President of the United States on Feb. 1, 2025, set out a blanket tariff rate of 10 per cent on all imports from Mexico and Canada. The President has since imposed higher rates on certain goods, including a 25 per cent rate on non-CUSMA compliant Canadian vehicles and…
Generative AI is reshaping society much like Gutenberg’s printing press once did. The printing press democratised knowledge, shifting power from the literate few – primarily monks and the elite – to the masses. Today, GenAI is democratising capability, enabling people and organisations to accomplish tasks previously reserved for experts. Yet, as with every technological revolution, the benefits won't be distributed evenly.The history of technological advancement reveals a consistent pattern: Raw…
The research team, led by the University of Cambridge, used the GPT-4 large language model (LLM) to identify hidden patterns buried in the mountains of scientific literature to identify potential new cancer drugs.To test their approach, the researchers prompted GPT-4 to identify potential new drug combinations that could have a significant impact on a breast cancer cell line commonly used in medical research. They instructed it to avoid standard cancer…
Materials value chains are complex and span the entire globe, and they represent 20 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To reach net-zero targets, the world is undergoing a materials transition in tandem with the ongoing energy and mobility transitions. Organizations around the world are making net-zero and circularity pledges to support this transition and decarbonize. Increasingly, consumers and governments are championing regulations and policies that promote a circular…
Quick Hits The New York Retail Worker Safety Act took effect June 2, 2025, and requires compliance with workplace violence prevention policies and training. The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) released guidance and model templates to help employers comply with the Retail Worker Safety Act. Employees can report violations of the Retail Worker Safety Act through an online complaint form provided by the NYSDOL. NYSDOL Guidance The NYSDOL’s…
L’accès à la justice est reconnu comme étant une valeur fondamentale du système de justice canadien. Dans un pays démocratique comme le nôtre, il s’agit notamment d’une condition indispensable à la confiance du public envers notre système judiciaire. De nos jours, l’accès à la justice est même devenu un enjeu parmi les plus pressants et plusieurs institutions œuvrent activement à en faire la promotion à travers divers programmes et initiatives.…
What’s the best way for a company to talk about a price increase caused by something outside their control? When prices have to go up because of something like a government tariff or a global supply issue, it’s important that customers understand why. People are much more accepting of price changes when they believe the reason is fair and unavoidable. So instead of just saying, “Our prices are increasing,” it…
It’s easy for a start-up culture to survive in a new corporate venture that comprises just a handful of like-minded people. But when corporate ventures grow to hundreds or even thousands of people, the culture can break down. To avoid this outcome, the venture’s leaders can systematically build and maintain a healthy culture that takes the unique corporate context into account. The cost of not doing so can be high.…
The new findings could help complement research complexes such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the largest and highest-energy particle accelerator in the world.‘One of the great hopes for particle colliders like the Large Hadron Collider is that it will generate dark matter particles, but we haven't seen any evidence yet,’ said study co-author Professor Joseph Silk, a researcher at the University of Oxford and an astrophysics professor at…
As states compete to become the preferred jurisdiction for incorporation, Texas has taken a bold step with significant amendments to its Texas Business Organizations Code. Following Delaware’s recent pro-management reforms—prompted by the “DExit” movement criticizing its courts as unfriendly to business— on May 14, 2025 and May 19, 2025, the State of Texas adopted amendments to its Texas Business Organization Code (via Senate Bill 29 and Senate Bill 1057, respectively)…
Not long ago, I was invited to a “brainstorming session” at a high-tech company. The major investor, who had just taken over, wanted my view on what exactly he’d walked into.I expected an intimate, strategic meeting. Instead, I observed a full-scale corporate production. Every senior executive and mid-level manager had been summoned to the company auditorium.The CEO stood on the podium. We were here, he said, to save the company…
According to CEO and Managing Director T. V. Narendran, Tata Steel has been actively pursuing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ideals since its establishment in 1907. For instance, founder J. N. Tata did not want the company to replicate the problems English laborers experienced during the industrial development of the 1800s, so he built workers’ accommodations close to steel factories. In the 1920s, Tata Steel instituted an eight-hour workday, introduced…
Quick Hits In the EU, pay transparency has been identified as a key obstacle to closing the gender pay gap. Directive (EU) 2023/970 aims to close the gender pay gap and promote fair pay practices by increasing transparency and accountability between employers and employees. The principle of “equal value” will require employers to undertake an evaluation exercise to determine where equivalence of the respective value of roles may exist across…
Europe’s technology ecosystem stands at a turning point. While this ecosystem has matured significantly over the past decade, persistent structural barriers—fragmented markets, conservative corporate norms, and a slower flow of late-stage capital relative to early-stage investment—continue to constrain the region’s ability to scale global champions. However, a rare alignment of geopolitical, regulatory, and technological shifts is creating new momentum and, with it, a window to build global leadership. This report…
In September 2023, a bizarre global seismic signal was observed which appeared every 90 seconds over nine days – and was then repeated a month afterwards. Almost a year later, two scientific studies proposed that the cause of these seismic anomalies were two mega tsunamis which were triggered in the remote Dickson fjord in East Greenland by two major landslides which occurred due to warming of an unnamed glacier. The waves…
Stanford captured its third NCAA title in school history on Sunday morning, highlighted by victories in the second varsity eight and varsity four crews in their respective Grand Finals as racing concluded at Mercer Lake.Stanford, which also claimed NCAA championships in 2009 and 2023, put the finishing touches on an impressive season in which it lived up to its billing as the national championship favorite. The Cardinal totaled 129 points…
Imagine a plant with entirely new abilities – more nutritious food, crops that survive heatwaves, or leaves that grow useful materials. With new ARIA funding Cambridge researchers hope to unlock the technology to fast-track crop development and enhance plants with new qualities, like drought-tolerance to reduce the amount of water they need, or the ability to withstand pests and diseases.Their research has the potential to revolutionise the future of agriculture…
Sustainability is facing increasing resistance. In the United States, President Donald Trump and other political figures have criticised environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards as distractions from economic growth. Similar pushback is surfacing elsewhere, as firms face scrutiny over greenwashing, shifting regulations and the perceived costs of ESG compliance.Despite this climate, many companies are proving that sustainability can drive – instead of dilute – business value. Take the case studies…
Au terme d’une audition contestée, BLG a obtenu la nomination de Raymond Chabot inc. à titre de séquestre aux actifs de 9444-4486 Québec inc., 9444-4494 Québec inc., 9444-4441 Québec inc. et 9444-4445 Québec inc. (collectivement les « Débitrices »)1. Faits Dans la foulée de la pandémie de COVID-19, les Débitrices acquièrent deux résidences pour personnes âgées. Cette transaction est financée par La Banque Toronto-Dominion (la « Banque »). À compter de mai 2023, les…
Michael Friedman, the Suppes Professor of Philosophy of Science, Emeritus, in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences, known for studying Immanuel Kant through the lens of the natural sciences, died March 24, 2025. He was 77.Friedman’s lifework explored how philosophy and science interact. He began by grappling with the philosophy of physics and Einstein’s theory of relativity and then turned his attention to Kant, the 18th-century German philosopher famous for…
With an estimated one in three Canadians being affected by a mental illness in their lifetime, mental health challenges can have a significant impact on the Canadian workforce, and it is crucial that employers address these challenges effectively. To help employers deal with these complex issues, BLG’s experienced team of labour and employment lawyers from across Canada — Shelley-Mae Mitchell, Kailey Hubele, Laura Mensch, Jessica Wuergler, Dan Palayew, Kate Agyemang and…
All securities or derivatives dealers and advisers registered in Québec with the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), including members of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) and firms that service clients in Québec while having no business location in Québec, will have new compliance obligations regarding complaint handling as of July 1, 2025. The Regulation respecting Complaint Processing and Dispute Resolution in the Financial Sector (the Regulation), requires firms to assess and…
It was an only-at-Stanford moment that became a tradition: a group of students gathered in a spacious bathroom in Outdoor House to hear three of their classmates play George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” on their saxophones from the shower stall. Turning the space into a mini jazz club on the first Wednesday of winter quarter has become a “cherished highlight of dorm life, a testament to the creativity and camaraderie that flourishes…
In today’s global workplace, managing sexual harassment complaints is no longer a matter confined to a single jurisdiction. As companies expand across borders, their legal obligations become increasingly complex. A recent Seyfarth Shaw webinar brought together employment law experts from the US, UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Latin America to explore the challenges of conducting cross-border investigations into sexual harassment. The key takeaway? There is no universal playbook. Each jurisdiction…
On April 17, 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued its long-anticipated Notice of Action and Proposed Action setting out the fees that would be levied on Chinese-built vessels calling at American ports, among other trade measures targeting the People’s Republic of China. While there was another hearing on May 19, 2025, it only concerned further proposed tariffs on Chinese ship-to-shore cranes and cargo-handling equipment. Discussions and…
To millennials and Gen Zers, wellness has become a daily, personalized practice rather than a set of occasional activities or purchases. As this shift takes hold, it’s influencing the direction of the $2 trillion global wellness industry, which is expanding beyond its core categories. Even though younger demographics may be pushing the industry forward, older consumers, too, are becoming more interested in an expanding definition of wellness. In our fourth…
Every year, millions of tourists flock to Italy to take in cultural sites and, of course, shop. Italy is home to major global fashion brands and storied craftsmanship, playing a critical role in the global fashion industry. There may be high foot traffic on Via Montenapoleone in Milan or Via Tornabuoni in Florence, but the Italian fashion sector nevertheless faces several challenges, some of which are homegrown, while others are…
In a special episode recorded at Connecticut’s largest entrepreneurship event, Howie and guest host Megan Ranney, the dean of the Yale School of Public Health, welcome four Yale innovators: entrepreneur and YSPH lecturer Kaakpema “KP” Yelpaala; Basmah Safdar, director of Women’s Health Research at Yale; Kayla Wooley, a YSPH graduate and the founder of two nursing home staffing companies; and Yale College student Laurie Jimenez, founder of FulcrumCare, a value-based…
Most CEOs recognize the transformation opportunities inherent in an M&A transaction. As we’ve noted previously, the deal can be a catalyst for reimagining the strategy of the combined business; identifying and pursuing new sources of value; enhancing operations, or the way the business executes on its strategy; and attracting and developing new talent and capabilities. Of those four opportunities, the last one—the talent factor—holds perhaps the most promise in terms of…
On a recent morning in an industrial yard on the east side of campus, a group of Stanford students and staff emptied a trash bin onto a table. Dressed in aprons and gloves, they carefully sifted through the waste. “The bin came from a residence hall, so inside we found bathroom products, personal items, a lot of food wrappers, food containers, to-go boxes, plastic forks – stuff like that,” said Katelyn…
Featuring keynote speeches, panel discussions and performances that bring together leading voices from policy, activism, business and academia to explore the relationship between climate change and human rights, the launch event will set the stage for a 24-hour global online plenary continuing into World Environment Day on 5 June.The evening will begin with opening addresses from Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and Volker Türk, United Nations…
Quick Hits New Jersey will consider new regulations that could significantly limit the classification of workers as independent contractors by clarifying the state’s “ABC test” for determining employment status. The proposed rules aim to define the control, independence, and business engagement of workers, raising concerns among business groups about increased liability for misclassification. The proposed regulations will have a sixty-day public comment period, which began on May 5, 2025. On…
Advertising is the industry that won’t sit still. Over the past three decades, the industry has morphed again and again. Brands once reached people primarily through mass media like TV, print, and radio, gaining precious few consumer insights. The internet changed all that with targeted and interactive campaigns online. More recently, retail media networks (RMNs) helped retailers enter the media business. Leveraging shopper and transaction data, RMNs help brands reach prospective…
Such positive changes do not, however, cancel the existing threats to stability in the continental space surrounding Russia. First, relations between even the largest regional powers are not free from conflicts and contradictions. The recent tragic events on the border between India and Pakistan have shown how vulnerable Eurasian stability is in terms of the problems existing between states that are, in principle, good partners of Russia. These include those…
Medtech companies are at the forefront of healthcare innovation, developing life-changing devices and solutions to help clinicians diagnose diseases earlier, perform interventions more precisely, and monitor patient health more effectively. Innovations such as minimally invasive surgical robots, AI-powered diagnostic imaging, and connected diabetes management systems have transformed patient care. As the industry emerges from a period of margin compression and dampened multiples, AI, enhanced by gen AI, can play a…
Quick Hits The Stronger Workplaces for Nova Scotia Act amends the Workers’ Compensation Act to include Section 89A, which outlines the duties of employers and employees regarding the early and safe return to work of injured workers. This change will come into effect on July 15, 2025. Starting September 1, 2025, the act will also amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act to include psychological health and safety in the…
Quick wins alone can’t solve long-term problems. For instance, as anyone who has tried to get healthier can attest, cutting calories can be a good first step, but making comprehensive changes in diet and exercise is most critical to achieving lasting results. The financial-services industry provides another example. Like other industries, it has experienced increased instability over the past decade. To address long-standing cost challenges, many financial-services companies have responded…