Brazil’s economy is stable, but consumers are feeling down

Brazil’s economic sentiment has taken a hit. Overall, consumers are more pessimistic about the state of Brazil’s economy than they were last year or even last quarter. At first glance, this shift seems counterintuitive given the country’s robust economic landscape. Unemployment has fallen to 6.2 percent, almost the lowest level on record, and GDP is hovering at around 3 percent. However, this positive momentum is overshadowed by persistent inflation, at…

Continue ReadingBrazil’s economy is stable, but consumers are feeling down

Webinar: Illinois Emerging Privacy Litigation – What 2025 Has in Store

FlyD, Unsplash Wednesday, March 12, 20253:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Central1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mountain12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific Register Here About the Program Join us for an informative program that offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of privacy law in Illinois. The panelists will cover the latest developments in the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and the Genetic Information Privacy Act…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingWebinar: Illinois Emerging Privacy Litigation – What 2025 Has in Store

Supreme Court Expresses Skepticism Over Higher Burden in Majority Discrimination Cases

Quick Hits On February 26, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in a lawsuit, Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, claiming a state agency discriminated against a straight employee because she is straight. The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether an employee who is part of a majority group must also meet the “background circumstances” rule in proving discrimination. The background circumstances rule…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:6 mins read
Continue ReadingSupreme Court Expresses Skepticism Over Higher Burden in Majority Discrimination Cases

6 ways to inspire future leaders during Women’s History Month

Celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day 2025 with engaging experiences from Minecraft Education, Learning Accelerators, and more. Each year on March 8, communities around the world come together to celebrate International Women’s Day, recognizing the remarkable contributions of women who have shaped history and championed equality. In the US, this celebration coincides with Women’s History Month, an opportunity to learn about the lives of leaders like Ellen Ochoa…

  • Post category:Microsoft
  • Reading time:8 mins read
Continue Reading6 ways to inspire future leaders during Women’s History Month

Stanford engineers help prepare Air Force test pilots for autonomous technology advances

Students at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School recently visited Stanford to learn from leading researchers in artificial intelligence and aerospace technology.The goal of the Test of AI & Emerging Technologies course, which took place over 10 days in January, was to help the students prepare for testing and evaluating AI-guided aircraft and satellites, which are expected to play a prominent role in future defense operations.During the first part…

Continue ReadingStanford engineers help prepare Air Force test pilots for autonomous technology advances

Art as Experience: How Aesthetic Experience Fuels Creativity, Collaboration, and Wellbeing

Creative expression is essential for everyone—to think differently, connect deeply and thrive through uncertainty. In the Season 4 premiere of Learning Through Experience, Heidi Brooks welcomes Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen, co-authors of Your Brain on Art, for a thought-provoking conversation about how engaging with art can help shape the way we learn, collaborate and navigate life’s complexities. Ivy and Susan share their personal journeys into the worlds of art…

Continue ReadingArt as Experience: How Aesthetic Experience Fuels Creativity, Collaboration, and Wellbeing

Now Available! 2025 Commercial Litigation Outlook

Last year’s Commercial Litigation Outlook was dominated by the promise and peril that AI poses to myriad industries. No doubt, the evolution of AI in the last year has been significant, and it is still a material consideration. In this year’s Outlook, as we reach our fifth year of publication, we address anticipated developments in commercial litigation against the backdrop of the sea changes expected on multiple fronts with the…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingNow Available! 2025 Commercial Litigation Outlook

Avoiding compliance déjà vu: CIRO’s compliance report for 2025

The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) released its latest annual compliance report (the Report). The Report details some of the current issues which CIRO regulated dealers should focus on for their supervision and risk management efforts. Completed CIRO integrations to date The Report begins by discussing some of the compliance integration work already completed by CIRO, including: The integration of the former investment dealer and mutual fund dealer compliance teams;…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:8 mins read
Continue ReadingAvoiding compliance déjà vu: CIRO’s compliance report for 2025

Russia and Central Asia: Relations Beyond the ‘Shadow of War’

Relations between Russia and the Central Asian states are a special phenomenon in modern international politics: they are the a product of the interaction of several unique factors that do not require evidence at the conceptual level. This is not because they share a common heritage, dating back to their joint development as parts of a single state. The most important of these factors are of a more fundamental nature.…

Continue ReadingRussia and Central Asia: Relations Beyond the ‘Shadow of War’

A Comparison of Swiss Cities: Unchecked Growth in Public Administration?

Public administration in Switzerland’s ten largest has grown significantly. In 2022, the latest available date, these cities employed a combined total of 36,254 staff members. That’s equivalent to the population of the city of Chur and represents an 13.3 percent increase compared to 2011. Meanwhile, population growth in these cities during the same period was only 9.7 percent. This disproportionate expansion of public administration raises questions. Large urban-rural divide in…

  • Post category:Avenir Suisse
  • Reading time:6 mins read
Continue ReadingA Comparison of Swiss Cities: Unchecked Growth in Public Administration?

Five Traits of Leaders Who Excel at Decision-Making

Leaders who understand how to manage the emotional discomfort of uncertainty are better equipped to make level-headed decisions. Concentrate on five specific areas to improve your ability to be decisive. David Tuckett February 27, 2025 Reading Time: 8 min  Topics Leadership Leadership Skills Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images You may feel that this is a time of radical uncertainty, when past patterns no longer reliably predict the future. Uncertainty…

Continue ReadingFive Traits of Leaders Who Excel at Decision-Making

New York Amends the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act

Quick Hits Employers are required to comply with all aspects of the law by the June 1, 2025, effective date. The definition of “musculoskeletal injuries and disorders” was replaced by “work-related musculoskeletal disorders,” making it clear that the musculoskeletal disorder must be work-related. The amendment expands who is qualified to conduct the worksite evaluation. Employee input is required in worksite evaluations. Expanded Definitions The amendments expand the definition of “musculoskeletal…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingNew York Amends the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act

“Political Advertising” rules for Ontario and federal elections

This year is shaping up to be an important year for Canadian democracy. The Ontario provincial election is slated to take place on Feb. 27, 2025, while the federal election will be held no later than Oct. 20, 2025. Individuals and entities seeking to publicly engage in the political process and promote or oppose a political party, its leader or a candidate must carefully assess whether their involvement is regulated…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue Reading“Political Advertising” rules for Ontario and federal elections

Telecom emissions: How to tackle the biggest challenges

Telecommunication operators have set ambitious targets to decarbonize their emissions footprint, but so far most have gone after the low-hanging fruit. Some have made progress on emissions from their operations (Scope 1) and those from the energy they use (Scope 2). However, few have squarely taken on the much more challenging emissions from their value chain (Scope 3), which account for the majority of their carbon footprint. The challenge is…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:16 mins read
Continue ReadingTelecom emissions: How to tackle the biggest challenges

New global map promises to better pinpoint vital rare earth deposits

Rare earth elements are vital components in many everyday and high-tech devices, from smartphones and lightbulbs to clean energy solutions like wind turbines and electric vehicles.With the global shift towards low-carbon energy sources, the demand for rare earths is soaring. While there are rare earth deposits around the world, China dominates the global supply chain, accounting for 70% of rare earth ore extraction and 90% of rare earth ore processing.…

Continue ReadingNew global map promises to better pinpoint vital rare earth deposits

Newest models in Microsoft’s Phi family empower developers with advanced AI capabilities

We are excited to announce Phi-4-multimodal and Phi-4-mini, the newest models in Microsoft’s Phi family of small language models (SLMs). These models are designed to empower developers with advanced AI capabilities. We are excited to announce Phi-4-multimodal and Phi-4-mini, the newest models in Microsoft’s Phi family of small language models (SLMs). These models are designed to empower developers with advanced AI capabilities. Phi-4-multimodal, with its ability to process speech, vision,…

  • Post category:Microsoft
  • Reading time:15 mins read
Continue ReadingNewest models in Microsoft’s Phi family empower developers with advanced AI capabilities

Europe Without America

Once again, US President Donald Trump has caught Europe with its pants down. On 13 February, he announced that the United States would negotiate directly with Russia to end the Ukraine War, without European or Ukrainian participation. A day later, his Vice-President told the world’s security elite that a lack of Trump-style “democracy” in Europe was a bigger security threat to the continent than China or Russia. Europeans were left…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:8 mins read
Continue ReadingEurope Without America

It’s Not All in Your Head: 5 Signs You’re In a Toxic Workplace

If you’ve ever questioned whether your workplace is truly toxic or if you’re just “overreacting,” you’re not alone. The truth is, if work feels unbearable day after day, it’s not a bad week—it’s a bigger problem and can be signs you’re in a toxic workplace. Research confirms that toxic workplaces aren’t just unpleasant; they take a measurable toll on employees and businesses alike. According to the MIT Sloan Management Review,…

  • Post category:Civility Partners
  • Reading time:6 mins read
Continue ReadingIt’s Not All in Your Head: 5 Signs You’re In a Toxic Workplace

Cambridge initiative to address risks of future engineered pandemics

These are some of the questions being addressed by a new initiative launched today at the University of Cambridge, which seeks to address the urgent challenge of managing the risks of future engineered pandemics.The Engineered Pandemics Risk Management Programme aims to understand the social and biological factors that might drive an engineered pandemic and to make a major contribution to building the UK’s capability for managing these risks. It will…

Continue ReadingCambridge initiative to address risks of future engineered pandemics

Non-Governmental ‘Russian Houses’ in Africa: Focus on Mali and the Dynamics of Influence

Non-governmental “Russian Houses” are part of the strategy of Rossotrudnichestvo. On the one hand, they are currently becoming an increasingly important instrument of Russia's international influence, and on the other hand, they support the development of friendly countries. Recently, the number of non-governmental "Russian Houses" throughout the world has grown significantly, particularly in Africa, where they have opened in a number of cities, including Dakar, Luanda, Dar el-Salam, Addis Ababa,…

Continue ReadingNon-Governmental ‘Russian Houses’ in Africa: Focus on Mali and the Dynamics of Influence

Eight tech-forward imperatives for consumer CTOs in 2025

In 2024, chief technology officers (CTOs) at consumer companies grappled with the challenges—and embraced the opportunities—of the evolving technology landscape. Learning to use and extract value from AI, modernizing legacy tech systems, meeting ever higher consumer expectations, and complying with digital-trust legislation were all top of mind for these leaders. In the year to come, these issues will become only more pressing. To stay ahead of the challenges, consumer CTOs—or…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:15 mins read
Continue ReadingEight tech-forward imperatives for consumer CTOs in 2025

A New Machine Learning Approach Answers What-If Questions

1. S. Feuerriegel, Y.R. Shrestha, G. von Krogh, et al., “Bringing Artificial Intelligence to Business Management,” Nature Machine Intelligence 4, no. 7 (July 2022): 611-613; and P. Hünermund, J. Kaminski, and C. Schmitt, “Causal Machine Learning and Business Decision-Making,” SSRN, updated Feb. 19, 2022, https://ssrn.com. 2. S. Feuerriegel, D. Frauen, V. Melnychuk, et al., “Causal Machine Learning for Predicting Treatment Outcomes,” Nature Medicine 30 (April 2024): 958-968; V. Chernozhukov, C.…

Continue ReadingA New Machine Learning Approach Answers What-If Questions

Scott Kennedy joins Q5 Arabia as Managing Director

A new chapter for Q5 Arabia as we set our sights on 2025 Q5 Arabia is proud to welcome Scott Kennedy as its new Managing Director. With over a decade of experience across multiple sectors and regions, Scott brings deep expertise in strategy execution and organizational effectiveness. His leadership will drive Q5 Arabia’s growth, strengthen client relationships, and localize Q5’s expertise in the Middle East. Reading time: 2 minutes Q5 is…

  • Post category:Q5 Partners
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingScott Kennedy joins Q5 Arabia as Managing Director

Minnesota Court Rules Websites Are Public Accommodations Under ADA

Quick Hits A federal court in Minnesota recently ruled that the ADA’s “public accommodations” provision applies to websites, aligning with other courts that have made similar decisions. The plaintiffs who filed the suit claimed that the defendant’s website was not accessible to individuals with vision-related disabilities. The court rejected the argument that the ADA only applies to physical places of public accommodation, emphasizing the law’s broad evolving nature and denying…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingMinnesota Court Rules Websites Are Public Accommodations Under ADA

CEOs Don’t Want to Return to Russia, Because They Know It’s Bad Business

This commentary originally appeared in Time. The views expressed are the author’s own. On Inauguration Day, President Trump saluted Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky’s desire for peace and noted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unwillingness to end his assault on its peaceful nation. We congratulated Trump for seeing through Putin’s diplomatic propaganda and economic bluffs. From peace negotiations to economic partnership, Trump has reverted to trusting the devil. Now as Putin is…

Continue ReadingCEOs Don’t Want to Return to Russia, Because They Know It’s Bad Business

Introducing Season 4 of Learning Through Experience

Welcome to a new season of Learning Through Experience! This season will explore something that resonates deeply with everyone right now: facing uncertainty. My conversations are with a diverse array of exceptional guests who will talk with us about how they see and experience uncertainty through their lens. Together, we’ll dig into the mindsets, practices and environments that allow us to learn, adapt and thrive, even in—perhaps especially in—these uncertain…

Continue ReadingIntroducing Season 4 of Learning Through Experience

The critical role of strategic workforce planning in the age of AI

Forward-thinking organizations understand that talent management is a critical component of business success. S&P 500 companies that excel at maximizing their return on talent generate an astonishing 300 percent more revenue per employee compared with the median firm, McKinsey research shows. In many cases, these top performers are using strategic workforce planning (SWP) to stay ahead in the talent race, treating talent with the same rigor as managing their financial…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:15 mins read
Continue ReadingThe critical role of strategic workforce planning in the age of AI

Plaintiffs Are Responsible for Commencing Court-Ordered Arbitration

Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Court of Appeal held that after the employer-defendant successfully moved to compel arbitration of the plaintiffs’ employment-related claims, the employer-defendant did not waive its right to arbitration by failing to commence arbitration. The fact that the employer was the only party that “wanted” arbitration was irrelevant. The arbitration agreement required the plaintiffs to initiate arbitration, which they failed to do. Michelle Arzate, et al. v. ACE…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingPlaintiffs Are Responsible for Commencing Court-Ordered Arbitration

Illinois Pay Reporting Update for 2025: Additional Data Requirement as Enforcement Actions Increase

Quick Hits Beginning in March 2025, employers applying for an EPRC certificate will be required to provide new data including hourly/salary status, base hourly rate for hourly workers, and to answer whether employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. IDOL will be providing a new data template in March to provide employers with further information regarding required data and corresponding formatting. IDOL is stepping up enforcement efforts, as shown…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingIllinois Pay Reporting Update for 2025: Additional Data Requirement as Enforcement Actions Increase

Tough trade-offs: How time and career choices shape the gender pay gap

At a glance Diverging work experience patterns drive a “work-experience pay gap” that makes up nearly 80 percent of the total gender pay gap, equal to 27 cents on the dollar among US professional workers. Women tend to build less human capital through work experience than men who start in the same occupations, as seen in the tens of thousands of career trajectories we analyze. Over a 30-year career, the…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:12 mins read
Continue ReadingTough trade-offs: How time and career choices shape the gender pay gap

The New Global Governance Alternative: Indonesia’s Future Scenario

It is critical to consider Indonesia's new governance agenda under the Prabowo administration and its course of action as the world order shifts from unipolarity to multipolarity. First, Indonesia's foreign policy is being reframed as 'free and active.' This term, in the context of global dynamics, signifies a pragmatic strategy, write Sellita and Joko Susilo. The authors is a participants of the Valdai – New Generation project.   It allows Indonesia to maintain independence in decision-making while actively…

Continue ReadingThe New Global Governance Alternative: Indonesia’s Future Scenario

Global Economics Intelligence executive summary, January 2025

President Donald Trump took office on January 20 amid a flurry of executive orders focusing on multiple issues—many with significant economic implications. Notable instructions signed off by the returning president include measures to deport illegal migrants, an “America First” trade policy, relaxation of energy- and climate-related policies, and various orders addressing the development of artificial intelligence.On February 1, the US president announced a 25% import tax on goods from North…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:10 mins read
Continue ReadingGlobal Economics Intelligence executive summary, January 2025

Why Great Ideas Die on Managers’ Desks — and How to Save Them

Gary Waters/Ikon Images Managers who recognize the importance of innovation to their organization are likely to urge employees to bring them fresh, creative ideas. Yet, many employees grouse that their best ideas are frequently overlooked, dismissed, or misunderstood by those very same managers.  Ironically, managers themselves may be a serious impediment to innovation. Deeply rooted in their own domains of expertise, managers often struggle to recognize the value of novel…

Continue ReadingWhy Great Ideas Die on Managers’ Desks — and How to Save Them

Free, unlimited access to Think Deeper and Voice announced

We launched Copilot two years ago, focused on helping people access knowledge, get answers, reflect, brainstorm and create. As we continue to build your ultimate AI companion, today we’re excited to start rolling out even more powerful capabilities to all Copilot users with free, unlimited access to Voice and Think Deeper (powered by OpenAI’s o1 We launched Copilot two years ago, focused on helping people access knowledge, get answers, reflect,…

  • Post category:Microsoft
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingFree, unlimited access to Think Deeper and Voice announced

Leading Effective Teams with Prof. Julia DiBenigno

Think about the teams you’ve been a part of. A cross-functional department tasked with launching a new product. The family and friends who helped you pull off another great Thanksgiving dinner. Or maybe it was your high school swim team.‌ I swam the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle, and the 100 butterfly.‌ That’s Julia DiBenigno, a professor of organizational behavior at the Yale School of Management.‌ I was part of…

Continue ReadingLeading Effective Teams with Prof. Julia DiBenigno

Food beyond sustenance: A conversation with Mars’ Shaid Shah

The world looks quite different from when Frank Mars started selling candy out of his Tacoma, Washington, kitchen in 1911. Today the family-owned business is driven by what consumers want and prioritize. The company’s Food & Nutrition segment is focused on making food that is not just tasty but also convenient and healthy. In a recent conversation between McKinsey partner Biljana Cvetanovski and Shaid Shah, Mars Food & Nutrition global…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue ReadingFood beyond sustenance: A conversation with Mars’ Shaid Shah

Do Oscars Wins Pay Off?‌‌

How does an Academy Award nomination or win affect a film’s profitability? Are studios right to spend heavily to get them?‌ Studios do spend heavily, investing millions of dollars and sometimes tens of millions of dollars, in Oscar campaigns promoting their films, going back to the notorious (for other reasons) Harvey Weinstein and Miramax. It is not just about the immediate effect of winning on the movie or actor or…

Continue ReadingDo Oscars Wins Pay Off?‌‌

Expert Comment: Is an interdisciplinary research approach key to tackling global challenges?

What is driving the new ‘interdisciplinary turn’? As Director of TORCH, an interdisciplinary research centre based in Oxford’s Humanities Division, my frequent conversations with global counterparts oscillate between gloom over global crises and excitement over our new interdisciplinary initiatives. These two subjects are closely related.Several factors have driven interdisciplinarity’s current revivification, including an emphasis on holistic approaches to problem-solving which break down rigid disciplinary siloes; a desire to create a global…

Continue ReadingExpert Comment: Is an interdisciplinary research approach key to tackling global challenges?

Report of the president: Academic Council professoriate appointments

APPOINTMENTS WITHOUT LIMIT OF TIME:Kerr, Orin, Professor of Law, effective January 1, 2025Morrison, Matthew , Associate Professor of African and African American Studies, effective February 16, 2025Wakefield, Claire , Professor of Pediatrics, effective June 1, 2025APPOINTMENTS FOR A TERM OF YEARS:Adams, Leslie, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, for the period January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028Islam, Md Tauhidul, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, for the period February…

Continue ReadingReport of the president: Academic Council professoriate appointments