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Researchers deal a blow to theory that Venus once had liquid water on its surface

The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, studied the chemical composition of the Venusian atmosphere and inferred that its interior is too dry today for there ever to have been enough water for oceans to exist at its surface. Instead, the planet has likely been a scorching, inhospitable world for its entire history.The results, reported in the journal Nature Astronomy, have implications for understanding Earth’s uniqueness, and for the search…

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New datasets will train AI models to think like scientists

The initiative, called Polymathic AI, uses technology like that powering large language models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini. But instead of ingesting text, the project’s models learn using scientific datasets from across astrophysics, biology, acoustics, chemistry, fluid dynamics and more, essentially giving the models cross-disciplinary scientific knowledge.“These datasets are by far the most diverse large-scale collections of high-quality data for machine learning training ever assembled for these fields,”…

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Novo Nordisk announces £18.5 million of funding for a further 20 Postdoctoral Fellows

Leading global healthcare company Novo Nordisk has deepened its partnership with the University of Oxford by announcing £18.5 million of funding for a further 20 Postdoctoral Fellows in this prestigious scientific research programme, over the next nine years. This expanded collaboration also introduces an innovative ‘Springboard Fellowship’, which offers selected fellows an extra two years of funding to further advance their research and professional development. The flagship Novo Nordisk –…

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Settling the Debate on Whether Green Investing Pays ‌‌

Can green investors help contribute to climate-change solutions and simultaneously earn a higher return? While roughly 60% of asset managers who responded to a 2019 survey expected their environmentally and socially aligned investment portfolios to outperform the market over the following five years, academics report starkly divergent findings when it comes to whether investors are right to hold this expectation.‌ Yale SOM’s Theis Jensen was drawn to this thorny question…

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Unifying data and strategy: Citizens Bank’s path to Agile enterprise management

Company Details Industry: Banking Company size: 23,000+ employees Project Scope: Data Governance team Services provided: Enterprise Technology and Financial Management; Apptio Targetprocess implementation and optimisation Executive summary Citizens Bank was grappling with a tangle of disconnected systems and opaque processes. Cprime Elabor8’s experts helped align IT with Finance and open a fresh perspective for data-driven decision-making by implementing and optimising their tooling and processes. The challenge Citizens Bank was navigating…

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Supreme Court of Canada: Landmark decision on corporate attribution and transfers at undervalue

On Oct. 11, 2024, the Supreme Court of Canada (the SCC) released its decision in Aquino v. Bondfield Construction Co. – the first case in which it has addressed the doctrine of corporate attribution in the context of insolvency proceedings. In particular, the SCC considered the way in which the doctrine interacts with section 96 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the BIA), also known as the “transfer at undervalue”…

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Emotional Discussion About Industrial Electricity: How Expensive Is Switzerland?

Are high electricity prices putting pressure on Swiss industry? In recent weeks, some industries, such as steel manufacturers, have raised concerns about a loss of competitiveness. The owner of Stahl Gerlafingen noted that electricity costs in Switzerland are roughly five times higher than in France. Public data on electricity prices should be interpreted cautiously, because industrial groups can buy their electricity freely on the market. For example, companies that secured…

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New Opportunities in a Multipolar World: Russia, the Global South, and the Global Majority

On November 29, 2024, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion titled “Russia, the Global South, and the Global Majority.” Moderator Timofei Bordachev called the topic both timely and important. According to him, interaction with the countries of the global majority and the Global South is of great importance for Russia in the new system of external relations. In addition, these countries themselves now have a much greater influence on…

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Court of Appeal finds the British Columbia Securities Commission treated the appellants unfairly: No sheltering behind deference

On November 15, 2024, in Morabito v. British Columbia (Securities Commission), the Court of Appeal for British Columbia allowed the appeals from a decision of the British Columbia Securities Commission because the procedure adopted by the Commission panel hearing the appellants’ abuse of process applications denied the appellants a fair hearing. The Court’s decision confirmed that while deference is generally owed to administrative tribunals such as the Securities Commission, the…

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Business Email Compromise Scams: What They Are, and How to Avoid Them

According to the FBI, Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams often involve the spoofing of a legitimate, known email address or the use of a nearly identical address to appear as someone known to or trusted by the victim. Real Estate Wire Fraud is a subcategory of BEC, in which criminal actors target individuals or companies executing large wires related to real estate transactions. From 2020 to 2022, there was a…

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Recent changes to extended producer responsibility in Canada

Mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems continue to roll-out in Canadian provinces, making producers responsible for the products and product packaging they supply to consumers. The rollouts include new fees, third party verification of data, significant penalties for non-compliance, and expansion of scope.  Most provinces have now enacted EPR legislation, except for Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. As we have discussed in previous articles, EPR…

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8080 Books – Microsoft

As fans of books, especially in their physical format, it is our great pleasure to launch 8080 Books, an imprint of Microsoft. Our first title, No Prize for Pessimism, is authored by Sam Schillace, deputy chief technology officer at Microsoft, and is available today. Our second title, Platform Mindset, by Marcus Fontoura, will be available later this year.  Computing has become an essential ingredient to almost every endeavor on our…

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Is Working Yourself “To The Bone” Ever Worth It?

In some sectors, workers are constantly pushed to extremes, not unlike stunt performers whose bodies are treated as tools – stretched and sacrificed to meet professional demands. Notably, similar patterns are observed in soul-sucking, albeit prized, careers such as consulting, investment banking and other financial services. The recent deaths of employees from Bank of America and Ernst & Young resulting from overwork reignited the furore arising from the alleged 100-hour…

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Austin Calling: As Texas Absorbs Influx of Residents, Rekor Taps NVIDIA Technology for Roadway Safety, Traffic Relief

Austin is drawing people to jobs, music venues, comedy clubs, barbecue and more. But with this boom has come a big city blues: traffic jams. Rekor, which offers traffic management and public safety analytics, has a front-row seat to the increasing traffic from an influx of new residents migrating to Austin. Rekor works with the Texas Department of Transportation, which has a $7 billion project addressing this, to help mitigate…

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New Ruling Says Engagement Ring Must be Returned to Donor if the Engagement Fails

In a diversion from longstanding Massachusetts law, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) has adopted the modern trend that following a failed engagement, regardless of which party breaks off the engagement, the engagement ring must be returned to the donor. The decision overturns the Commonwealth’s previously settled rule that if the engagement failed, then the engagement ring should go to the party who was not responsible for terminating the engagement.…

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Take Two: Proposed Amendments to Alberta’s PPCLA and the PWA​ (Bill 30)

Background On Nov. 4, 2024, the Minister of Service tabled Bill 30, the Service Alberta Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Bill 30). Bill 30 introduces proposed amendments to Alberta’s Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act (the PPCLA) and the Public Works Act (the PWA) that could result in changes to the province’s construction industry. Bill 30 presents an interesting opportunity for the Alberta Legislature to provide additional clarification around the adjudication…

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Watermarked LLMs Offer Benefits, but Leading Strategies Come With Tradeoffs

It's increasingly difficult to discern between content generated by humans and artificial intelligence. To help create more transparency around this issue and detect when AI-generated content is used maliciously, computer scientists are researching ways to label content created by large language models (LLMs). One solution: using watermarks. A new study(opens in new window) from School of Computer Science(opens in new window) researchers looks at the tradeoffs of some of the…

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How a European growth company kept on trucking through market setbacks

For sennder, a leading European digital road freight forwarder, challenges have been catalysts for growth. Founded in 2015, the Berlin-based trucking company has rapidly transformed the European industry by digitalizing road logistics. Although sennder’s growth has been explosive, it hasn’t come without hurdles. However, thanks to a culture of learning, transparency, accountability, and team spirit, the company has used setbacks as opportunities to scale its operations, secure significant funding, and…

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OCMT chokes on Bitfarms 15 per cent poison pill

The Ontario Capital Markets Tribunal (OCMT) cease traded the Bitfarms Ltd. (Bitfarms) shareholder rights plan pursuant to its public interest powers. The OCMT’s decision found the Plan “undermined, in a real and substantial way, the principles underlying the take-over bid regime.” The reasons for the decision provide important insights into the use of shareholder rights plans to prevent hostile take-over bids. What you need to know The purpose of the…

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Transmitting an Unwritten Culture: Hermès HR Leader Sharon MacBeath

Topics Culture Champions Building a healthy culture is one of the most important — and hardest — leadership jobs. These articles, based on a webinar series and research by Donald Sull and CultureX, share actionable advice from leaders whose cultures produced exceptional business results and a world-class employee experience. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Aleksandar Savic Hermès is one of the world’s most admired brands, renowned for its…

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Ontario Cyber Security Standard: Impact on licensed electricity transmitters and distributors

On Oct. 1, 2024, amendments to the Ontario Energy Board’s (OEB) Transmission System Code (TSC) and Distribution System Code (DSC, and together, the Codes) came into force. The amendments are intended to facilitate and enhance cyber security readiness, collaboration and innovation in Ontario’s electricity sector. The amendments require licensed electricity transmitters and distributors (utilities) to comply with the new Ontario Cyber Security Standard (the Standard), which lays out cyber security…

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Are Premium Bonds a suitable way to hold your wealth as the prize rate falls?

More than 22 million savers in the UK hold Premium Bonds, hoping to be among the lucky ones who win big in the monthly prize draw. Every £1 you invest in Premium Bonds gives you a single entry into the draw, with a top prize of £1 million. This might make Premium Bonds sound very attractive, but it’s important to remember that only two incredibly fortunate people win £1 million…

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Security, Emancipation, and Hope: Africa and the Middle East Address Turmoil

The Red Sea, between Africa and Asia, plays an essential role in international trade and oil transport. Any disruption or closure due to intensifying conflict in the Middle East would have immediate repercussions for the economies of many African states. For example, countries such as Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya and Egypt rely heavily on this sea route for their imports of essential goods. Closure or disruption would increase logistics costs, making…

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Tax planning for non-doms: how to leverage the temporary repatriation facility in 2025

By Tahir Mahmood and Jonathan Gold | 18 Nov, 2024 A great deal has been written since Rachel Reeves delivered her maiden budget on 30th October. Much of it has focussed on her fiscal policies for raising taxes. Most notably for the UK-based investor community, some of the announcements focused on the non-domiciled regime of taxation have created some highly significant planning opportunities. Opportunity Before April 2025: Navigating the Transition…

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Capturing the generative AI opportunity for the Dutch labor market

The Dutch labor market is strong and evolving: labor force participation is notably high, and unemployment levels are historically low. But ongoing trends, including an aging population and declining productivity growth, are putting the labor market under pressure. Recently, McKinsey projected that labor market tightness could triple by 2030 if the Netherlands maintains current levels of growth in GDP (1.6 percent CAGR) and productivity (0.4 percent CAGR). While traditional automation…

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Financial intermediation beyond banks: taking a macroprudential approach

28 November 2024By François Haas, Cornelia Holthausen and Vasileios Madouros[1]The European Commission is seeking the views of stakeholders on policies to guard against the build-up of systemic risk in the financial sector beyond banks. This ECB Blog post describes the pillars of a macroprudential approach for the so-called non-bank financial sector and explains the need to further develop the policy framework.Since the global financial crisis, a key development in the…

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Holiday Shopping Surge: Bracing for the Increased Retail Workplace Violence Risks

Quick Hits Retail employers face increased risks of workplace violence during the holiday season due to larger crowds, heightened stress, and potential understaffing, among other factors. Retail employers may want to consider steps to mitigate workplace violence risks such as developing a workplace violence prevention plan, training staff, and enhancing security measures during the busy shopping season. The welcome heightened retail activity can lead to increased stress, longer working hours,…

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Why Indian Climate Tech Is the Sector to Watch

Already the world’s fastest-growing major economy, India is on track to become the third largest by 2030. However, this development comes with a significant challenge − sustainability. India ranks seventh globally for climate vulnerability, and both its consumers and companies are generally unwilling or unable to pay a ‘green premium’ for sustainable solutions. This means that Indian climate entrepreneurs must focus on cost-effective innovations that can scale without raising prices.Solutions…

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Bilateral Dynamism: New Comprehensive Russia-DPRK Partnership Treaty

On November 27, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion on the Russia-DPRK Treaty and the security situation in Northeast Asia. The moderator of the discussion was Ivan Timofeev, Programme Director of the Valdai Club. Dmitry Kiku, Deputy Director of the Department for Control over External Restrictions of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, called the Russia-DPRK Strategic Comprehensive Partnership Treaty a continuation of the bilateral treaties and…

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3 Ways to Manage Post-Election Stress at Work and Home This Holiday Season

Elections are more than debates and opinions—they’re emotional whirlwinds that don’t end when the polls close. This year, presidential election stress is breaking records, with reported levels higher than in both 2020 and 2016. And the fallout lingers. A University of Nevada study found that moderate to severe anxiety and depression can persist for up to three months after an election. And, it’s the holidays. Trust & Will found that…

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The state of grocery retail in Latin America

Latin America’s grocery retailers are finally on firm ground again. After several volatile years—with grocers battling everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to inflation and rising joblessness—the sector showed signs of stabilizing in the first half of 2024, leading to increases in spending. Yet challenges persist. Our latest report finds four primary trends grocery retailers across Latin America must respond to: consumers’ continuing search for value, an ongoing transformation of the…

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Climate issues catch up with India

The city’s hospitals have also reported a huge surge in the number of consultations for pulmonary infections and respiratory difficulties. Pollution is estimated to be responsible for around 12,000 deaths a year in New Delhi, equivalent to over 10% of all deaths in the city. The authorities are in denial, stubbornly claiming that “there is no conclusive data available to establish a direct correlation of death exclusively with air pollution”.…

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European nongrocery retail: Transition and transformation

Over the past five years, nongrocery retailers in Europe have faced twin challenges: navigating fierce macroeconomic headwinds and a heightened competitive landscape while catering to increasingly selective consumers. On the first count, inflation-adjusted sales have yet to return to 2019 levels in all top European markets, and generalist marketplaces and discounters have ignited a race to the bottom on price and quality. Balancing sustainability with growth poses a dilemma to…

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A Better Way to Avoid Project Delays

Frontiers Many organizations estimate project timelines inaccurately. Working from past project examples, however, can improve on-time completion. Matej Lorko, Maroš Servátka, and Le Zhang November 27, 2024 Reading Time: 6 min  Topics Operations Project Management Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Hardie/Ikon Images Why do so many managers underestimate the time it will take to complete a significant…

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Breaking Down the Implications of Using Generative AI in Retail Advertising

Generative AI tools have advanced tremendously in recent years, moving beyond novelties to becoming indispensable tools for companies to leverage. The ability of AI to generate images and videos, not just text, has caught the attention of many retailers, with brands such as Levi’s, Dove and Nike already capitalizing on AI to create marketing and advertising content. These tools allow for quick iterations and refinement, resulting in time and monetary…

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The capex crystal ball: Beating the odds in mining project delivery

The past few decades have not been easy for project deployment in metals and mining. Historically, the approach to project execution has been characterized by poor front-end project definition, misaligned incentives, constrained resources, and deeply ingrained legacy practices. Further complicating matters, the outbreak of COVID-19 created a whirlwind of volatility in most industrial markets, with volatility in few markets rivaling the level of operational disruption in mining. Since then, mining…

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Military Aspect of Turkey’s Foreign Policy in the Middle East and North Africa: The Case of Libya

For a long time, Turkey’s military industry has been critically dependent on Western financing, institutions and technology, the fragmentary manifestations and consequences of which persist today. However, during the AKP period, the Turkish military-industrial complex has gone through two main stages of development: eliminating external dependence and developing the country’s internal potential and introducing a high-tech component of the military-industrial complex and entering the international market, writes Nubara Kulieva, a…

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Protecting Workers From Heat Illness: Nevada’s New Regulation

Quick Hits On November 15, 2024, the State of Nevada adopted a regulation to protect workers from heat-related illnesses, requiring covered employers to conduct job hazard analyses, designate employees for emergency response, and implement comprehensive safety programs. The regulation requires employers to implement measures that will “reasonably mitigate the risk of occupational exposure to heat illness for affected employees.” These include the provision of water, rest breaks, cooling methods, and…

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