Introducing Gemini Robotics ER 2
Gemini Robotics ER 2 is a step change in video understanding, tool orchestration, and multi-robot collaboration for robotic applications.
German Labor Court Rejects Nonbinary Applicant’s AGG Claim as Abuse of Rights
Quick Hits The ArbG Berlin found that a nonbinary person’s employment application was not genuinely aimed at obtaining the position and therefore dismissed the subsequent compensation claim as an abuse of rights. Whether a disadvantage had occurred remained open because the court dismissed the claim on the basis of abuse of rights. Protection of nonbinary persons against discrimination remains unaffected. The Case—Binary Job Posting and Rejection With an Incorrect Salutation…
The clean economy ITC labour requirements: How they work, new CRA guidance and some residual issues
NOTE: For a print-friendly version of this document that includes visuals and tables, please download and print the .pdf file. Canada’s clean economy investment tax credits (ITCs) constitute a major tax policy expenditure supporting Canada’s efforts to achieve a net-carbon-zero economy by 2050. These ITCs, which are explained and summarized here, are often a critical element in the financial viability of many carbon capture, energy generation, battery storage and other…
Sixty years on, the ball that won England the World Cup gives up its secrets
The ball's journey to its casing at the National Football Museum is just as fascinating as the final it was used in. After England's 4-2 win in front of some 97,000 spectators, Helmut Haller – who had scored the opening goal – carried it back to Germany, claiming tradition entitled the first scorer to keep it. It stayed there for 30 years, until a consortium of the Mirror Group, Virgin,…
New Jersey High Court Holds State False Claims Act Amendment Applies Retroactively
Quick Hits The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the 2023 Opposition Amendment, which permitted the state attorney general to more easily effectuate NJFCA lawsuits based on public disclosures, applied retroactively to pending cases. The court held that the Opposition Amendment was a procedural change that applied retroactively because it altered only how the state attorney general could overcome the NJFCA’s “public disclosure bar” (a doctrine that precludes actions by…
What CIRO is doing: Enforcement report for 2025-2026
On July 22, 2026, the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) released its enforcement report for the 2026 fiscal year, from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026 (the Report), which can be found here. The Report covers enforcement activities and priorities for both investment and mutual fund dealers over the past year and notes that most integration priorities have now been completed. CIRO “continues to modernize its regulatory approach by…
Brain cancer Achilles heel revealed in the hours after surgery
Scientists in Britain and Spain have discovered critical windows after glioblastoma surgery when the brain’s defences falter, creating a rare chance to deliver powerful treatments exactly where needed. If doctors time treatment within two narrow postoperative windows identified by the researchers, existing lipid nanoparticle medicines - already approved and routinely used in oncology hospitals today - could be redeployed to deliver early, precision‑targeted therapy to the brain. The studies, published…
New Jersey Bans Sale of Sensitive Data and Creates Public Registry for Data Brokers and Collectors
Quick Hits On June 30, 2026, New Jersey Governor Sherrill signed legislation that bans the sale of sensitive consumer data by nearly all individuals and entities, with limited exceptions for HIPAA-covered entities and Gramm-Leach-Bliley-covered financial institutions. Violators of the sensitive data sale ban face civil penalties of $50,000 for each record sold, offered for sale, or licensed. Data brokers and data collectors must register with the New Jersey Division of…
Demand or supply-driven? How firms view inflation right now
29 July 2026By Niccolò Battistini and Giovanni TrebbiEnergy prices are surging again, pushing up inflation in the euro area. This ECB Blog post examines whether firms are attributing this to a demand surge or to supply constraints. Two approaches – textual analysis and empirical models – can help make the picture clearer.For central banks, whether inflation stems from demand or supply makes a crucial difference. Demand-driven inflation (sometimes called demand-pull…
On the Brink of a ‘Fourth Republic’? Armenia after the 2026 Parliamentary Elections
In this sense, despite the contradictory provisions of the Fourth Republic project and doubts surrounding its implementation, Pashinyan, unlike his opponents, has offered the public a new vision of Armenia, one based not on ideology but on the imperative of state survival. In other words, the foundation of the new concept is peace as such, in contrast to the Third Republic, which, according to Pashinyan himself, was inextricably linked to…
From Mailbox to Inbox: DOL Proposes New Electronic Disclosure Safe Harbor for Group Health Plans
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 23, 2026, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued proposed regulations that would significantly expand the ability of group health plans to furnish required ERISA disclosures electronically (“Proposed Rule”). The proposal would create a new electronic disclosure safe harbor for group health plans modeled largely after the DOL’s 2020 electronic disclosure framework for retirement plan notices. For too long, plan administrators have been required to comply with…
DOJ’s Recent Small Business Administration FCA Settlement Highlights Risks for Contractors
The settlement arrives as the SBA is simultaneously overhauling the eligibility standards for its 8(a) Business Development Program, moving away from race-based presumptions of social disadvantage toward a new, discrimination-based test. Together, these developments underscore why businesses participating in SBA set-aside programs must stay current on evolving eligibility rules and ensure their certifications are well-documented to avoid inadvertent misrepresentations that could expose them to FCA liability. Quick Hits The DOJ…
The Possibility of ‘Both/And’: Talking Paradox with Dr. Wendy K. Smith
Organizational leaders are often under constant pressure to deliver simple solutions in the face of deeply complex challenges, with confidence and speed. You may experience this as a kind of “either/or” decision-making, a tension between doing things this way or that way. A leader pressured to decide quickly may miss insights that emerge from sitting with the tension within the paradox they face. Amidst these dynamics, can leaders hold the…
How Gemini Flash agents are helping a Michigan dairy farmer
See how Paul Windemuller, a Michigan dairy farmer, is changing the way he works by using AI agents built with Gemini 3.6 Flash.
Gemini API Managed Agents: 3.6 Flash, hooks, and more
We’re announcing even more new capabilities in Managed Agents in Gemini API so developers can build reliable, production-ready agents.
3 new ways nonprofits can put AI to work
We’re introducing new tools and resources for nonprofits to learn more about Google AI tools.
Middle School Students Explore Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics Through CMU Partnership
This summer, middle school students from Pittsburgh's Hazelwood neighborhood stepped inside world-class research laboratories at Carnegie Mellon University, explored advanced manufacturing technologies, discovered robots that have traveled to the moon and built robots of their own — all within blocks of their homes. For many students, the experience offered something even more powerful: a chance to imagine themselves as future engineers, researchers and innovators. Ph.D. mechanical engineering student Gala Solis…
What does it take to make defence alliances perform?
Building high-performing defence alliances: What separates success from failure Modern defence programmes depend on strong alliances between government, industry and technology partners, but collaboration alone isn’t enough. In this discussion, Q5’s Helena Simister and Joel Grundy explore the leadership, culture and operating models that enable defence partnerships to adapt, perform and deliver successful outcomes in increasingly complex environments. Reading time: 2 minutes The scale and complexity of modern defence programmes…
Russia-Africa Economic Cooperation: A Promising Future
From power generation and agriculture to infrastructure development, Africa is a continent of immense potential for external economic engagement. Now, the very character of Russia’s trade and investment on the continent is undergoing change as African economies mature and develop. Denis Degterev, Professor at the Higher School of Economics, explores the hopeful prospects for economic cooperation between Russia and the countries of the continent. The Russian Federation is entering a…
Colorado’s New Strict Requirements on Employment Eligibility Verification
Quick Hits Colorado now prohibits employers from retaining original versions of employee government identification documents for longer than ten hours. There is an express carveout for employers making and retaining copies of government identification documents. Employers must notify employees of the new prohibitions on retaining government identification documents when employment eligibility is verified, even if the employer does not require or retain original identification documents. Violations of the new law…
Safeguarding a CMU Tradition After Acts of Vandalism and Non-Student Paintings at the Fence
As Carnegie Mellon prepares to welcome thousands of students back to campus in the coming weeks, the university is reminding the community about the longstanding traditions and expectations governing the Fence following several recent troubling incidents.Over the last several weeks, the university has received multiple reports of vandalism and reports of non-CMU students and individuals unaffiliated with the university participating in painting the Fence. Officers routinely patrol campus and may…
Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center To Build Supercomputer That Puts Quantum Computing to the Test
A new hybrid quantum-classical computing platform led by the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center(opens in new window) (PSC) will help researchers understand what the supercomputer of the future may look like. Supported by a $5 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), in partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Rigetti Computing, TangleLab will serve as a national testbed where researchers and educators can investigate how quantum computing technologies can be integrated…
Darline Graham’s Bill: Are There ‘Black Swans’?
Let's return to Darline Graham's bill. It has a fairly large number of co-sponsors – 62 senators, including both Republicans and Democrats. Some of the sponsors have previously co-sponsored bills on sanctions against Russia. These include Senators Richard Blumenthal, James Lankford, Ted Cruz, Jeanne Shaheen, and others. US President Donald Trump has periodically expressed support for the bill, including suggesting that it include sanctions against Iran. No such revisions have…
Meet the graduating UoM Humanitarian Scholars overcoming the challenges of conflict displacement
The scholarships were created in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine but were open to any international applicant who has suffered because of armed conflict or is at serious risk of persecution or violence.The graduating scholars reflect this diversity, with two Ukrainians joined by other students from Myanmar and Sudan.One of these graduates, Yefym, is graduating with a 2:1 in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Yefym joined us in Manchester…
Energy shock: why oil and gas prices have risen less than expected
27 July 2026By Lea Demuth, Ana-Simona Manu and Arthur Stalla-BourdillonWhy have energy prices risen less during the Iran war than after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? This ECB Blog post compares the two episodes and explains the role of market buffers, demand and competition for LNG shipments.The wars in Ukraine and Iran have both led to significant energy shocks and, as a result, rising energy prices. Yet the two shocks differ…
DOL Issues Two Detailed Opinion Letters on Compensable Commute and Travel Time
Quick Hits The WHD issued two companion opinion letters, FLSA2026-9 and FLSA2026-10, that together explain how it analyzes whether commute and pre-commute time is compensable under the FLSA. The unifying test is the “primary beneficiary” analysis—time predominantly for the employer’s benefit is work, time predominantly for the employee’s benefit is not—applied to the totality of the circumstances. FLSA2026-9 recognizes the ordinary commute as a third category of noncompensable time that…
Venezuela’s Commercial Reopening: New Oil Regulations, Expanded Sanctions Authorizations and Heightened Compliance Expectations
Venezuela’s legal and commercial environment is entering a new phase. Recent hydrocarbons reforms and implementing regulations have expanded opportunities for private participation across the oil value chain, while the United States has issued a series of general licenses permitting defined categories of energy, minerals, financial-services and investment-related activity. These developments may create meaningful opportunities for Venezuelan businesses seeking foreign capital, technology, services, financing and access to international markets. They do…
D.C. Circuit Rejects NLRB’s Post-Merger Bargaining Rule
Quick Hits The D.C. Circuit ruled that the NLRB’s “successor bar” rule violates the NLRA when it forces employers to recognize unions despite evidence of lack of majority support. The ruling reinforces employees’ rights to choose their representatives or to be union-free and challenges the NLRB’s authority to create additional barriers to change or remove union representation. This decision signals increased judicial scrutiny of NLRB decision-making, following the Supreme Court’s…
Children and Monkeys Share a Common Understanding of Geometry
With their ability to use tools, remember faces and even learn how to communicate with humans through sign language, non-human primates are considered to be among the smartest creatures on earth. However, some concepts — geometry, for instance — have traditionally been thought of as beyond the abilities of humanity’s closest cousins.But a new study from Carnegie Mellon University published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences calls that…
How Much Is Crawling Your Content Worth to an AI Bot?
“Best recipe for banana bread.” “How to fix running toilet.” “Is Harry Styles engaged?”For decades, a well-established business model allowed internet users to answer big life questions like these. Search engines directed readers to content on other websites—and those visits helped support content through advertisements, subscriptions, and product sales.AI-assisted search is already threatening the once-symbiotic relationship between search engines and content producers. On Google, for example, many queries now result…
Loper Bright Strikes Again
In a July 21, 2026 decision, the D.C. Circuit struck down the National Labor Relations Board’s “successor bar” doctrine, holding that it is inconsistent with the National Labor Relations Act. In doing so, the majority opinion in Hospital Menonita de Guayama v. NLRB relied on Loper Bright and the court’s obligation to independently interpret statutes rather than to defer to an agency’s own interpretation of its statutory authority. The decision…
Mexican Government’s Increased Workplace Inspections Raise Compliance Stakes
Quick Hits Employers must comply with obligations related to: (i) the prevention of discrimination and violence against women, (ii) NOM-035-STPS-2018 Psychosocial Risk Factors, and (iii) the Chair Law (“Ley Silla”). The government has increased workplace investigations, raising the importance of ensuring that employers are in compliance with employment-related laws. Key Obligations Prevention of discrimination and violence against women. As a result of several amendments to guarantee an environment free of…
Macroprudential policy and productivity: friends not foes
24 July 2026By Ellen RyanAmid ongoing concerns over European productivity growth, this ECB Blog post looks at the relationship between macroprudential policy and productivity.Recent years have seen rising – and well-founded – concerns over European productivity growth. As these concerns grow a suspicion emerges: is regulation to blame for the sluggish economy? This post looks at this question in the context of macroprudential regulation and argues that macroprudential policy can…
Workplace Safety and the Offboarding Process: Strategies for Managing Employment Terminations
After the employment termination, employers may wish to continue monitoring for potential workplace safety threats and have strategic communication and crisis-response plans in place to address them. Quick Hits A pre-termination risk assessment and a carefully planned employment termination meeting can protect the safety and dignity of everyone involved. Prompt revocation of a departing employee’s system and building access, along with a coordinated return of company property, can help prevent…
Melanie Matheu: Turning Science into Impact
Transcript Harlan Krumholz: Welcome to Health & Veritas. I’m Harlan Krumholz.Howard Forman: And I’m Howie Forman. We’re physicians and professors at Yale University, and we’re trying to get closer to the truth about health and healthcare. Our guest today is Dr. Melanie Matheu. But first, we’re always checking in on whatever the current or hot topics in health and healthcare are. So, Harlan, where do you start?Harlan Krumholz: Well, there’s…
NJDOL Issues FAQs Making Clear That TDI/FLI Recipients Have Job Protection Under the NJFLA
Quick Hits The NJDOL has issued long-awaited guidance/FAQs on recent NJFLA amendments, which became effective on July 17, 2026. The guidance clarifies that employees receiving TDI or FLI benefits, whether through the state or a private insurance plan, are entitled to job protection for as long as they receive those benefits while on an otherwise unpaid leave of absence. The job protection is separate from reinstatement rights already provided under…
Iran Hasn’t Collapsed. The Analytical Model for Understanding It Has
Why the 2026 War Has Become a Reason to Revise the Analytical Model for Understanding Iran Part I Every war tests more than just armies. It also tests the analytical models through which states, societies, and international crises become objects of political analysis. Some wars change borders. Others reshape the balance of power. But there are wars that, above all, reveal the limits of the explanatory power of the analytical…
AI chatbots can be as effective as humans at emotional support – and sometimes better
Co-author Dr Belén López-Pérez, Lecturer in Psychology at The University of Manchester, said: “Our findings suggest that what makes emotional support effective is less about who provides it, and more about how it is delivered. Providing people with specific, actionable steps, rather than general reassurance, is a key ingredient for effective support, whether that comes from a person or a chatbot.She added: “While a human might typically suggest going for…
Solar for All Grantees Fight for Return of Funding in Federal Claims Court
WASHINGTON – Several nonprofit solar grantees have now filed claims against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Court of Federal Claims, challenging the agency’s decision to break grant agreements that had been awarded competitively under a nationwide program, Solar for All, meant to accelerate deployment of solar on residential homes and slash energy bills for millions of Americans. The Southern Environmental Law Center, Lawyers for Good Government, Seyfarth…
Washington State Employers Face Major Changes to Background Checks
Quick Hits As of July 1, 2026, employers in Washington State with fifteen or more employees anywhere that inquire about or consider criminal history in employment decisions have significant new requirements under the Washington Fair Chance Act. The law applies to all sources of criminal history information. The amended law expands protections to current employees. The amendments also expand employer obligations to notify employees of their rights. The WFCA amendments…
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