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DOL Proposes to Readopt the 2021 Independent Contractor Rule with Minor Variations

Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a new independent contractor rule that would guide courts, companies, and workers in their determinations of who must be paid as an employee and who can be treated as an independent contractor under the FLSA and two other statutes. After much anticipation, the Department of Labor (DOL) has published a Proposed Rule defining independent contractors as opposed to employees under the…

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CMU’s Robotics Innovation Center Fuels Pittsburgh’s New Economic Renaissance

Farnam Jahanian “Today, this facility is bringing state-of-the-art infrastructure together with the ability to tap into the nation's and region’s most comprehensive regional network of robotics testing sites. And it demonstrates how a university can invest locally and meet national needs while enhancing our economic competitiveness and national security,” CMU President Farnam Jahanian said. “What excites me most about this space is the serendipity it will spark: Researchers crossing paths…

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Federal Grantees Get Preview of Draft ‘Illegal DEI’ Statement and Other New Certifications

On February 18, 2026, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) released a draft revised Supporting Statement providing the text of this proposed certification, which would be added to the registration process for the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), the federal database where entities must register to receive federal funding. The certification requirement implements Executive Order (EO) No. 14173, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” and the U.S. attorney general’s…

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Economic Cooperation Between Russia and Indonesia: Current State and Future Prospects

The two countries’ leaders also kept the discussion around prospects for bilateral cooperation going within the framework of Prabowo Subianto’s working visit to Moscow on December 10, 2025. During talks in the Kremlin, the President of Russia pointed out that “Our prospects in the field of energy industry, including nuclear energy as well, are highly positive. I am aware that such plans do exist in your country, and we are…

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Expert Comment: Church-to-mosque conversions grab headlines, but is funding the real crisis?

Professor William Whyte Micklegate Methodist Church in Pontefract is not perhaps everyone’s idea of an important architectural statement. Built in the mid-1960s, its bricky modernism evokes a ‘Pontins holiday camp vibe’ for at least one local resident, commenting on its closure in 2024.But it was the home of a worshipping community that dated back to the early years of the nineteenth century. It is still the location for a poignant war…

Continue ReadingExpert Comment: Church-to-mosque conversions grab headlines, but is funding the real crisis?

Learning from misses: what forecast errors reveal about the nature of shocks

27 February 2026By Alina Bobasu and Beatrice PierluigiEconomic forecasts rarely hit the mark as reality is full of surprises. Thankfully we can learn from the patterns of forecast errors. They shed light on the types of shocks that are shaping the economy beyond what forecasts anticipated.Forecast errors are often seen as unavoidable gaps between forecasts and reality.[1] Nobody likes to make mistakes, so forecast errors might sometimes be perceived as…

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NLRB Issues Final Joint-Employer Rule Returning to 2020 Standard

Quick Hits The NLRB issued a final rule that reinstates the 2020 standard for joint employer status, formally withdrawing a broader 2023 rule struck down in federal court.  The rule narrows the meaning of “essential terms and conditions of employment” for joint employer status purposes to wages, benefits, hours of work, hiring, discharge, discipline, supervision, and direction. The return to the 2020 rule provides greater clarity and predictability for employers,…

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VETS-4212 Data Published on New DOL Open Data Portal

Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a modernized open data portal that replaces its prior enforcement data page and expands access to a broader range of labor‑related datasets.  The information now made public includes unemployment insurance claims, federal contractor veteran employment data, and county‑level childcare price information.  The portal also introduces enhanced features such as data visualizations, a flexible API, and improved AI‑driven search capabilities. The U.S.…

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‘Sleeping Malware’: Protecting Your Organisation From Cyber Threats

Quick Hits Sleeping malware delays the cyber attack making it difficult for organisations to pinpoint where the threat has come from, and often can remain undetected making it too late to stop the attack. Attacks can result in business disruption, loss of personal data, and reputational damage. Organisations cannot entirely eliminate risk, but they can take precautions to reduce exposure and increase the likelihood of early detection and effective response.…

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Practice manager partners could be key to future sustainability of GP practices

Smaller GP practices that appoint a manager partner are significantly less likely to close or merge, the first study of its kind has found.The University of Manchester and Calgary researchers publish their study today in the Journal of Health Economics amid a backdrop of dwindling numbers of GPs practice owners-known as partners.That, say the researchers, puts the managerial and financial burden of operating a practice on increasingly smaller numbers of…

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SURF Project Scales New Heights in Rescue Robotics

When Leo Wang arrived at Carnegie Mellon University from Hong Kong, he was already fascinated by robots. But it wasn’t until he joined the Robomechanics Lab led by Aaron Johnson(opens in new window) that his interest evolved into a mission: to teach quadrupedal robots to climb steep terrain using reinforcement learning.“I’ve always dreamed of building general-purpose robots that could help in the home or navigate complex environments,” said Wang, now a…

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Janet Currie: Investing in Kids

Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale economist Janet Currie to discuss how early-life investments in health, education, and environmental protection shape children’s lifelong well-being and economic opportunity. Harlan highlights a new Medicare payment model that would reward measurable improvements in chronic disease outcomes; Howie reflects on the spread of medical misinformation and a new effort to push back. Show notes: The ACCESS Payment Model CMS: ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care…

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The New Logic of War: Credibility, Endurance, and the Industrial Return

2. Warfighting now rewards adaptive integration If prevention breaks down, battlefield performance hinges on integration quality under stress. Three dynamics dominate. First, persistent exposure: ubiquitous sensing, both military and commercial, compresses concealment cycles and punishes static force posture. Second, amplified attrition: precision does not eliminate consumption; it redistributes it across munitions, electronics, repair pipelines, and skilled labour pools. Third, conditional control domains: air and electromagnetic superiority are increasingly episodic. They…

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Rice gene discovery could cut fertiliser use while protecting yields

Our study clearly shows that this regulator is a promising target for sustainable crop improvement. It was extraordinary to see the difference that the improved version of the gene had on rice yields during our field trials.Corresponding author Dr Zhe Ji, Department of BiologyNitrogen fertiliser is essential for modern agriculture but is environmentally costly, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and soil degradation. Crops typically respond to nitrogen deficiency by…

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New Jersey Bill Could Strengthen Employment Protections for Medical Marijuana Patients

Quick Hits New Jersey Senate Bill S3452 aims to enhance employment protections for registered medical marijuana patients by preventing employers from taking adverse employment action against them based solely on their status as medical marijuana cardholders or their having tested positive for cannabis. If enacted as proposed, the bill would prevent an employer from taking adverse employment action against such an employee unless the employer can establish by a preponderance…

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Why community voices could make or break world’s forest restoration plans

A new study has revealed a critical gap between global promises to restore forests and what is happening on the ground for the communities who depend on, manage and care for them.The research, led by researchers from The University of Manchester and published in the journal Restoration Ecology, is based on a detailed assessment of national policies in Mexico. It found that while governments are increasingly committed to restoring ecosystems…

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From Partner to Pawn: Europe’s New Geoeconomic Reality

The European Union is not merely being pressured; it is being reshaped. Its industrial base, strategic autonomy, energy transition goals, and monetary sovereignty are all under strain, Kashif Hasan Khan writes. In geopolitics, outcomes are seldom driven by facts alone. They are shaped by political, economic, and social needs. What does a society demand? What narratives direct its politics? What apprehensions drive policy? Those who can read these signals early…

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Closing the gap between strategy and execution

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="request-WEB:3fb7d580-788f-4bab-a602-8eba1b410b4a-0" data-testid="conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"> Why do so many organisations deliver successful projects but fail to realise strategic impact? In this Q5 think piece, we explore the hidden disconnect between strategy and execution, where green dashboards and on-time milestones mask a lack of meaningful progress. We examine why portfolios drift, why initiatives lose alignment with strategic intent, and why transformation alone is not enough to deliver lasting…

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First Circuit Ruling Highlights Ongoing COVID-19 Religious Discrimination Issues

Quick Hits On January 29, 2026, the First Circuit reversed the dismissal of plaintiffs’ religious discrimination and retaliation claims arising from their employer’s COVID-19 vaccination policy. In doing so, the First Circuit made clear that “my-body-is-my-temple arguments rooted in a plaintiff’s religious beliefs are sufficient to plead the existence of a bona fide religious belief.” Additionally, although the employees resigned their employment, the court concluded that allegations regarding the investigation…

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Neurosurgeons Are Really Good at Removing Brain Tumors, and They’re About To Get Even Better

When removing cancerous tissue in the brain, neurosurgeons often use “awake brain mapping” to minimize the risk of causing unintended disruptions to a patient’s quality of life while removing as much tumor as possible. This practice, which has been used for decades, involves waking a patient up mid-surgery to test their neurocognitive functions in real time by stimulating the brain surface and assessing for functional changes.A new study published today…

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New research indicates a simple blood test could detect the deadliest brain tumour in the future

Researchers in Manchester have developed an experimental method that shows potential for accurately detecting the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults, known as glioblastoma, from the blood.This pioneering study, led by scientists at the University of Manchester and involving teams in Denmark, has been published in Neuro-oncology Advances [add link to article].In what is considered a major breakthrough in the battle against brain cancer, scientists have…

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How an Antitrust Lawsuit from Michael Jordan Reshaped NASCAR

You recently testified in a high-profile antitrust lawsuit brought by NBA icon Michael Jordan against NASCAR. What was it about?NASCAR is the governing body for premier stock car racing. It organizes a regular season of 36 races followed by a series of final races that determine the winner of the Cup Series Championship. The core issue was whether NASCAR engaged in anticompetitive conduct that harmed stock car racing teams that…

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U.S. Department of Education Finds University’s Transgender Student-Athlete Policies Violated Title IX

Quick Hits The Department of Education found that San José State University’s policies allowing student-athletes assigned male at birth to compete in women’s sports and access the corresponding facilities “deny women equal educational opportunities and benefits.” This finding follows a directed investigation pursuant to President Donald Trump’s February 2025 executive order barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. The executive order—which takes the position that allowing transgender student-athletes’ participation…

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How tariffs threaten business dynamism, productivity and growth

25 February 2026By Marie Alder, Paloma Lopez-Garcia and Susana Parraga Rodriguez Tariff hikes are putting European companies under strain at a time when productivity growth is already sluggish. Short-term business sentiment is not the only thing at stake. Tariffs could also dampen business dynamism, a key channel for innovation and long-term growth.Business dynamism – the constant churn of firms entering the market, growing, contracting and then exiting – is crucial…

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March 2026 Visa Bulletin Brings Meaningful Forward Movement

Quick Hits EB-1 advances for China and India. All EB-2 categories advance, except China. EB-3 advances except China and India. Final Action Dates The final action dates chart show the following movement in the March 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-1: Advances one month for China and India; all other countries continue to be current. EB-2: No movement for China, India advances two months to September 15, 2013; all other countries advance…

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Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy: New implications for Canadian defence procurement

On Feb. 17, 2026, the Government of Canada released the latest iteration of Canada’s national defence strategy, Security, Sovereignty and Prosperity: Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy (the Strategy), which follows a commitment in Budget 2025 to invest $81.8 billion into the Canadian Armed Forces by 2030, and institutional efforts to facilitate a Canada-focused approach to defence procurement. The Strategy is centered upon a “Build-Partner-Buy” framework that prioritizes domestic procurement in areas…

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Lifesaving Search-and-Rescue Robots Expand Testing Grounds at New CMU Facility

Downed power lines, flooding and collapsed buildings are dangerous obstacles emergency responders must navigate when searching for survivors of catastrophic events. But robots that can overcome these challenges could save lives without putting human rescuers at risk. Soon, search-and-rescue robotics researchers at Carnegie Mellon University will be able to build on their work at the Robotics Innovation Center(opens in new window) (RIC) to test their inventions. Flying robots to the rescueResearchers…

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‘The Plastic Divide’ – how carrier bag bans impact the poorest communities

A new study from The University of Manchester has shed light on an unexpected consequence of plastic bag bans in East Africa, and why well-intentioned environmental laws may actually be making life harder for the people they aim to protect.Anthropologist Dr Declan Murray spent nine months in Tanzania’s capital city Dar es Salaam, following the everyday journeys of plastic bags from small shops and street food stalls to people’s homes…

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Northern researchers and Whitehall unite to tackle the SEND crisis through connected data

On the day the government published its Every child achieving and thriving white paper on reforms to the schools and SEND systems in England, policymakers, researchers, clinicians and frontline practitioners gathered in Manchester to demonstrate how connected data can turn that ambition into reality. The Child of the North Data Showcase, held at the Whitworth Art Gallery at The University of Manchester, brought together nearly 100 delegates from NHS trusts, local…

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Solved: New analysis of Apollo Moon samples finally settles debate about the Moon’s magnetic field

Using samples from the Apollo missions, the researchers found that at times the Moon had an extremely strong magnetic field- even stronger than Earth’s. But these periods were very short and the exception – for most of the time, the Moon had a weak field. From left to right: Dr Simon Stephenson, Professor Claire Nichols, Associate Professor Jon Wade. Credit: Charlie Rex. The reason the debate persisted is because the…

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UNSC Veto in the 21st Century: Remnant of the Past or a Pillar of the World Order?

During the first decades of the UN’s existence, it became clear that this arrangement had a downside. Between 1946 and 1960, it was the USSR that became the principal beneficiary of the mechanism, exercising the veto more than 70 times—while the other powers rarely used it. The Soviet side justified its frequent vetoes as necessary to protect the world from decisions imposed by a Western majority in the UNSC. With…

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Washington Federal Court Rules FLSA Rights Can Be Waived by Contract

Quick Hits The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington recently granted summary judgment to an employer, holding that the plaintiff’s FLSA and Washington state wage claims were barred by a valid separation agreement and release. The court rejected the argument that FLSA rights can never be waived by contract, finding no binding authority or statutory text to support a categorical prohibition on waiver. The court also held…

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Oxford and Liverpool join forces to tackle global challenges

 The partnership aims to connect and activate the Oxfordshire and Liverpool City Region innovation ecosystem, providing a coherent UK pathway from research and company creation through to scale-up, industrialisation and global market growth, supporting the national industrial strategy to drive forward economic growth and productivity for the UK.The MoU was signed at a special partnership event by Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor…

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Expert Comment: Four years of full-scale war and Ukrainian resistance continues

At 5:00am on 24 February 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, marking a dramatic escalation of a conflict that had begun in 2014 when the Russian Federation illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula and Russian-backed separatists occupied cities in Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.Despite ceasefires and negotiated settlements like the Minsk Agreements in 2014 and 2015, the war raged for eight years as Russian troops sought to…

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The New Postmark Rule Could Make Employee Benefit Notices Late

Quick Hits The USPS recently changed a rule so that postmarks may reflect the processing date, rather than the date a post office obtained a letter or package. The new rule could lead to fines for employers if mandatory notices concerning employee benefit plans are deemed late. Electronically sending mandatory notices can help to meet a legal deadline, if the recipient has agreed to electronic communications. Under federal laws like…

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Disclosure of Carbon Emissions Spurs Business Creation

No matter how carefully it’s crafted, regulation has unintended consequences. When daycares tried to curb tardiness by charging parents who showed up late to get their children, the number of tardy parents doubled. Attempts to reduce housing discrimination by forbidding landlords from conducting criminal background checks appear to actually increase discrimination against Black men.“What we do as researchers is look into the unobvious consequences of regulation,” says Professor Raphael Duguay.…

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CMU’s Robotics Innovation Center Secures FieldAI as Inaugural Corporate Tenant

Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Innovation Center(opens in new window) (RIC) has secured its first corporate tenant, bringing the high-growth robotics unicorn FieldAI(opens in new window) to the university’s new research facility at Hazelwood Green. The move, announced ahead of the facility’s formal opening this week, embeds an industry leader in physical artificial intelligence into a 2,500-square-foot lab and office suite on the building’s second floor. Ali Agha "We've always believed that the best…

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Chancellor of Oxford University hosts special honorary degree ceremony

Rt Hon The Lord Hague of Richmond, CVO, Chancellor of Oxford University, has conferred honorary degrees on eight distinguished individuals at the Sheldonian Theatre today, one year on from his inauguration as Oxford’s 160th Chancellor. The event marks a longstanding tradition at the University, where the new Chancellor is invited to propose candidates for honorary degrees at a special ceremony to mark the start of their Chancellorship.I am delighted to honour eight exceptional individuals today,…

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New research shows high temperatures affect sex ratios at birth

Authored by Dr Jasmin Abdel Ghany, Nuffield Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow at Nuffield College and Associate Member of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the Department of Sociology, along with Dr Joshua Wilde, Senior Scientist and Researcher, Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, and Professor Ridhi Kashyap, Professor of Demography & Computational Social Science, Department of Sociology and Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, the study analyses more than five million births across 33 sub-Saharan African countries and India. By linking large-scale survey data…

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