Competition in digital markets is a topic that seems omnipresent right now. What are the elements that have emerged that make this into an issue that needs a lot of discussion? The platforms are extremely important for growth and innovation in GDP, and for how we live our lives as a practical matter. Keeping up with friends and family, shopping, searching for information, maps, etc. I carry around an iPhone…
Where does your company sit in the supply chain? I had never heard of it, but now I’m thinking I probably eat food all the time that arrives because of your product. We manufacture and supply stainless steel tubing, valves, and fittings that are used primarily in food processing and production. If you look at an industrial-scale bakery making potato chips, all the guts of that facility would be stainless…
To advance meaningful climate action, decision-makers need reliable, accessible data about what’s actually working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report from Stanford Law School’s Law and Policy Lab. A central message of the policy practicum team is that trusted, accessible climate performance data isn’t a luxury; it’s a public good and a precondition for increasing investments in effective climate solutions.The report, Increasing Accessibility to Trusted Climate…
Until now, studies on ancient proteins have been confined largely to mineralised tissues such as bones and teeth. But the internal organs – which are a far richer source of biological information – have remained a “black box” because no established protocol existed for their analysis. Our method changes that.Lead researcher Alexandra Morton-Hayward (University of Oxford)From brains and muscles, to stomach and skin – preserved soft tissues can offer unique…
Singer-songwriter and recent UN Global Environmental Ambassador, Ellie Goulding, will perform at the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Concert on 6 June at New Theatre, Oxford. The concert, hosted by United Nations Human Rights and University of Oxford, aims to call urgent world attention to the escalating human rights implications of the climate crisis. Events in Oxford include: Photography 4 Humanity: A Lens on Climate Justice, May 30-June 8 - Visit the Weston Library (exhibition moving to Fusion Arts…
Higher education faces an “extraordinary moment” as universities navigate complexities related to civil discourse, academic freedom, and AI alongside challenges to federal research funding, institutional autonomy, and public trust, said President Jonathan Levin during the 2024-2025 Annual Meeting of the Academic Council on Thursday. “Today, those challenges are clear and present,” Levin said. “Yet I can report that Stanford stands as a pillar of excellence in its mission of research and…
The first article in this series provided a general overview of the OSH Act and OSHA; the second article examined OSHA’s rulemaking process; the third article reviewed an employer’s duty to comply with standards; the fourth article discussed the general duty clause; the fifth article addressed OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements; the sixth article covered employees’ and employers’ respective rights; the seventh article addressed whistleblower issues; the eighth article covered the intersection…
Key Takeaways: The new law applies to employers with 50+ employees (excluding part-time workers) and mirrors many federal WARN Act provisions, with some notable distinctions Washington joins the majority of states with mini-WARN laws, requiring 60 days’ notice for certain mass layoffs and business closures Employers should review the new law to ensure compliance by its effective date, July 27, 2025 A Major Development in Washington Employment Law On May…
Quick Hits A jury awarded more than $400,000 in damages to an applicant who was denied employment due to a failed drug test—one that the applicant, a veteran, informed the employer she might fail because of legally prescribed medications she took for PTSD. The EEOC successfully argued that the employer, a retirement community, violated the ADA by failing to allow the applicant to explain her non-negative drug test result. The…
With the global population aging, understanding how the brain protects itself or becomes vulnerable has never been more urgent. To address this, Stanford researchers are pushing the boundaries of how we understand and preserve brain function across the lifespan. Since 2022, Catalyst Awards from the Phil and Penny Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience at Stanford’s Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute have supported interdisciplinary teams exploring how sleep, inflammation, endocannabinoid metabolism, cellular…
On May 21, 2025, Hong Kong's Legislative Council passed the Stablecoins Bill, establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins–cryptocurrencies whose value is tied to an external asset or commodity. This marks an important step in positioning Hong Kong as a progressive hub for digital finance. The legislation introduces a licensing regime for fiat-referenced stablecoin (FRS) issuers and strengthens the city's broader regulatory approach to virtual asset (VA) activities. It aims to…
Quick Hits Memorial Day, celebrated on May 26, 2025, is a federal holiday. Many private businesses give workers paid time off. Memorial Day was established to honor and remember men and women who died while serving in the military. Employers can use many different approaches to help veterans and servicemembers feel included in the workplace. Many private employers have employees who are in the National Guard, the Reserves, or previously…
Trump tariff twists drive Chinese manufacturers to Southeast Asiaby Stella Yifan Xie and Peggy Yevia Nikkei Asia on May 14, 2025 Western carmakers risk wipeout in China, warns Jeep owner Stellantisby Kana Inagaki, Patricia Nilsson, Ian Johnston and Mari Novikvia Financial Times on May 15, 2025 EU ‘has no interest’ in reviving stalled investment deal with Chinaby Dewey Simvia South China Morning Post on May 15, 2025 Starbucks kicks off…
Quick Hits May 30, 2025, is the last day for paying profit sharing (PTU). As of May 31, 2025, the Labor Ministry is expected to start labor inspections to verify compliance with PTU payment requirements, and employees and former employees will become entitled to claim PTU payments and/or get the specifics on why no payment was made to them. Key Considerations for Employers in Mexico Although May 30, 2025, is…
There’s been a growing gap between air travel demand and the aviation industry’s supply of new aircraft to meet it. While passenger demand has rebounded from pandemic-era lows and is projected to keep growing, delivery times for newly manufactured aircraft—and maintenance turnaround times for aircraft in existing fleets—have slowed. What are the implications of this aircraft shortage for key stakeholders along the aviation value chain? What future scenarios are possible?…
Angeline Yu spent much of her upbringing in her parents’ small Hawaiian restaurant. It was where she learned to talk to strangers. “I got to know the customers, their stories, their favorite orders,” Yu said. “I really enjoyed learning about other people.” In high school, she began volunteering at a local hospital where she’d visit patients in their rooms and learn about their medical challenges and hospital experiences. “I would often sit…
Quick Hits Washington Governor Ferguson signed legislation amending the pay transparency requirements of the EPOA. The amended EPOA provides employers a cure period of five business days after receiving notice of a defective posting to change a posting to comply with the pay transparency requirements. The new law will also allow employers to advertise a single fixed pay amount in job postings instead of a pay range, in certain circumstances.…
For many large medtech companies, scale and diversification were intended to drive innovation and efficiency. Large, diversified companies in other industries have delivered superior shareholder returns by rationalizing fixed costs, mobilizing their balance sheets, and building broad-based relationships with customers. But while many large medtechs are among the industry’s most profitable, their diversification has not brought the same improvements in shareholder value as in other industries (Exhibit 1). Diversification has…
Airlines are often categorized into groups differentiated by their business models—in particular, their cost structures and revenue approaches: Legacy carriers (also known as full-service airlines) tend to offer multiclass cabins and a wide range of amenities, with many service features included in the ticket price. Examples include American Airlines, British Airways, and Cathay Pacific. Low-cost carriers and ultra-low-cost carriers—a combined group known as (U)LCCs—tend to sell discounted base-fare tickets and…
Quick Hits The amendment to Mexico’s INFONAVIT law includes new obligations for employers related to deductions allowed under INFONAVIT per the loans granted by said authority. Evidence of compliance with the new obligations must be presented before September 17, 2025. New Obligations for Employers Per the amendment, employers must adjust their systems and processes to determine, make, and enter deductions from the salaries of employees who are granted INFONAVIT loans.…
From forged cheques to impersonation scams, fraudsters have long exploited the trust, distance and communication gaps that underpin commercial transactions. But the digital age has given rise to a new and particularly insidious form of deception: business email compromise (BEC) fraud. In these schemes, attackers infiltrate or spoof a businessperson’s email account—often that of a trusted vendor—redirecting payments to fraudulent bank accounts with alarming ease. As the financial consequences of…
By Laima Zirne and Tahir Mahmood | 19 May, 2025 As you plan for retirement, it’s essential to understand how Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) work. Key Terms Before we begin, let’s define a few key terms to set the stage: Traditional IRA – a tax-deferred retirement account where contributions may be tax-deductible, and withdrawals in retirement are taxed as ordinary income. Roth IRA – a…
In 2020, CG Power and Industrial Solutions, an Indian multinational in the motor, power systems, and railway industries, was on the brink of bankruptcy. Plagued by a host of challenges, the company clearly needed a transformation to survive. Under the leadership of Natarajan Srinivasan, CG Power experienced a remarkable turnaround. Once a company teetering on the brink of collapse, CG Power has now seen a significant rise in its stock…
What does it mean to create something that didn’t exist before—and to do so with a sense of possibility, even in the face of constraint? In this episode, artist Mario Moore joins Dr. Heidi Brooks to reflect on art as agency, the power of process, and the untold stories behind his Yale-commissioned painting Black Governors. Together, they explore the tension between presence and invisibility, and what it means to embed…
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could continuously monitor the molecular state of our body? Consider the solutions that could enable, from optimized drug delivery to early detection of deadly diseases like cancer. For the last two decades, research has aimed to make this a reality by developing devices that measure a chemical or biological reaction in our bodies and send their measurements as a signal readable from outside the…
By Maryam Lokhandwala and Tahir Mahmood | 22 May, 2025 In the world of wealth management, selecting the right investment vehicle is essential for maximising returns and minimising tax liabilities. One option that often goes unnoticed is the offshore bond. What Are Offshore / Onshore Bonds? Offshore bonds are financial products designed to help you grow your money over the long term. They are offered by insurance companies and work…
23 May 2025By Andrej Ceglar, Francesca Danieli, Irene Heemskerk, Mark Jwaideh and Nicola RangerThe degradation of natural ecosystems slows growth and leads to financial instability. Water scarcity, natural flood protection and water quality are most critical. Surface water scarcity alone puts almost 15% of the euro area’s economic output at risk.The euro area economy depends heavily on natural ecosystems and the services they provide. These include clean water, flood protection,…
M &A activity is down, as is private equity investment, and companies are facing a range of new geopolitical tensions. Still, there is a path to growth through M&A for those companies that maintain an active acquisition strategy, understand their capabilities, and avoid certain assets, says McKinsey Senior Partner Jake Henry. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, he and McKinsey Senior Partner Mieke Van Oostende join McKinsey Editorial Director Roberta Fusaro…
International competition in the geo-technological sphere is growing, and the nuclear energy is being reborn in a new way and with new tasks: in the coming years, we can expect large projects to integrate nuclear energy and data centres. If such projects are successful, this will not only accelerate the development of artificial intelligence technology, but also affect the landscape of global energy, Maria Bazlutskaya writes. Nuclear energy is making…
Airline planning is inherently challenging, in part because many planning inputs are outside an airline’s control. The global aviation ecosystem relies on interwoven networks shaped by competing stakeholder priorities. Travel demand patterns are forever shifting and tough to forecast. Unpleasant surprises—including major storms, airport infrastructure breakdowns, IT failures, ground staff shortages, and aircraft delivery delays—can add significant uncertainty to any projections. This can be further exacerbated by global crises, geopolitical…
Quick Hits The NLRB’s acting general counsel issued a new memo, relaxing requirements for officials to approve settlements related to unfair labor practice allegations. The memo gives NLRB’s regional directors more discretion in crafting settlement agreements to reduce the pending backlog of cases. The new policy takes effect immediately. On May 16, 2025, William B. Cowen, acting general counsel of the NLRB, released a memo to clarify the discretion NLRB…
Running an airline isn’t for the timid. Weather events, infrastructure failures, and fickle passenger demand can make an already-tough business even more challenging. As this article goes to publication, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tension are both threatening to alter travel flows, piling yet more stress on airline executives. These business challenges show up on ledger sheets. Since 2005, we’ve analyzed the financial performance of the aviation value chain. Our research demonstrates…
When a neuron in our body gets damaged, segments of RNA produce proteins that can help repair the injury. But in neurological disorders such as ALS and spinal muscular atrophy, or following spinal cord injuries, the mechanisms for moving life-essential RNA to injured sites within the cell fail. As a result, RNA molecules can’t get to where they are needed and damage becomes permanent.Researchers at Stanford have developed a technology…
Quick Hits The EEOC has opened the 2024 EEO-1 Component 1 reporting period, emphasizing that employers must not use the reported demographic data to justify discriminatory employment practices based on race, sex, or other protected characteristics. EEOC Acting Director Andrea Lucas warned employers that there is no “diversity exception” to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, even if the data suggests employer policies may have a disparate impact on…
Romania’s 2025 presidential election was far more than a domestic political contest —it was a stress test for Europe’s digital defences. Amid rising political instability and economic downturn, the country became a frontline example of how digital interference, algorithmic manipulation, and platform inaction can collide to undermine democratic processes.What unfolded in Romania is both a warning and a lesson: in the digital age, electoral integrity can no longer be separated…
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. A good time to reflect on how work environments either support or sabotage employee well-being. Burnout is on the rise and employers’ role in addressing burnout has never been more important. If you’ve ever worked in a toxic culture, you know firsthand how it can chip away at your mental health. As an employer or leader, you play a critical role in creating a…
Why are the French-speaking countries of Africa uniting faster? The formation of modern African countries was influenced by the France-Afrique system, which France created in the second half of the 20th century and used for more than 40 years. In the 1950s, for President Charles de Gaulle, policy on the African continent was part of the country’s foreign policy development within the framework of the concept of the greatness of…
The new Fellows have been recognised for their remarkable contributions to advancing medical science, groundbreaking research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and the wider public. Their work exemplifies the Academy’s mission to create an open and progressive research sector that improves health for everyone.They join an esteemed Fellowship of 1,450 researchers who are at the heart of the Academy’s work, which includes nurturing the next generation of…
May 21, 2025 - Seyfarth Shaw LLP has further enhanced its highly decorated Labor & Employment Department by adding Kyle Nelson as a partner based in Seattle. Nelson focuses primarily on wage and hour class action defense. His practice extends to high-stakes employment litigation and employment law counseling. He has earned a strong reputation for litigating class action cases creatively and finding strategic advantages to position cases for resolution. “Kyle…
The new Fellows have been elected to the Academy in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the advancement of biomedical and health science, cutting edge research discoveries, and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.The Oxford Fellows are among the 54 new Fellows announced this year who will be formally admitted to the Academy at a ceremony on Wednesday 9 July 2025.The new Fellows are:Professor Charalambos Antoniades FMedSci,…