Is Dialogue with an ‘Alternative Truth’ Possible? Historical Memory and New Narratives About Holocaust

On January 29, 2025, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion dedicated to historical memory in the context of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops. Anton Bespalov, the moderator of the discussion, noted that although Nazism was defeated by the joint efforts of the West and the East, with the Soviet Union playing a decisive role, this fact has apparently become inconvenient for the Western…

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Fostering better decisions through holistic ROI estimates

Recent volatility has added new layers of complexity to a topic that already challenges business leaders: prioritizing investments. When executives want to understand the trade-offs between different initiatives, they typically compare the projects’ net present values (NPVs)—the measure of an investment’s worth over its entire lifetime discounted to today. In theory, these analyses should balance near-term and long-term financial viability. In practice, however, that’s increasingly difficult to do because uncertain…

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What the Trump Administration Means for Sustainability Efforts

Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images A new (or is it old?) administration is back in power in the U.S. After a four-year Biden Administration, one that passed the largest climate bill in history (called, in Washington-speak, the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA), the country has…

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Pivotal Labor and Employment Law Issues in 2025: Healthcare

Quick Hits Healthcare employers will have to navigate several labor and employment law issues in 2025, including a potential continued rise in union organizing, new restrictions on the use of noncompete agreements, emerging workplace safety risks, compliance concerns, additional pay transparency laws, and immigration regulatory and enforcement changes. The issues arise as the new presidential administration seeks to shift federal policy on several of the key issues, including labor relations…

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Microsoft Cloud and AI strength drives second quarter results

Microsoft Cloud and AI Strength Drives Second Quarter Results REDMOND, Wash. — January 29, 2025 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the following results for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year: ·        Revenue was $69.6 billion and increased 12% ·        Operating income was $31.7 billion and increased 17% (up 16% in constant currency) ·        Net income was $24.1 billion and increased…

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Improving government productivity: A systemwide approach

Making government more productive offers substantial rewards for the public. A McKinsey study across 42 countries found that if public services could reach the productivity levels of the leading performers in their peer groups, the improvement would be worth an estimated $3.5 trillion per year. Since then, governments have spent more on public services, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Allowing for this increase and inflation, the productivity gap could be…

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The Code Generation Explosion and What It Means for Code Reviews: Our investment in Baz

As we navigate through the current AI revolution in software development, one thing is glaringly apparent: Both the infrastructure and application layers are experiencing a surge in demand. AI and other trends are dramatically increasing the amount of code being developed, meaning there is more code than ever that needs to be reviewed and verified before it’s put into production. That’s catching the attention of huge tech players like GitHub,…

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Trove of California history to be housed at Stanford

Stanford University Libraries (SUL) have assumed permanent stewardship of the California Historical Society Collection, a trove of over 600,000 items spanning the history of California and the West since the 18th century.The collection, acquired in collaboration with the Bill Lane Center for the American West, will become known as the California Historical Society (CHS) Collection at Stanford and will be made available to the public and academic community in the…

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Resetting the EEOC: President Trump Removes Two EEOC Commissioners

Quick Hits President Trump removed two of the three Democratic commissioners on the EEOC. The removals leave the EEOC with two remaining commissioners and likely will lead to a Republican majority that will push the president’s agenda, including recent executive orders. The unprecedented action is likely to lead to legal challenges regarding the grounds for removing the EEOC commissioners. According to media reports, on January 28, 2025, Commissioners Burrows and…

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Microsoft is beginning to celebrate its 50-year anniversary. Check out our photos, timeline and more

Frequently asked questions How is the company celebrating its 50th anniversary?  Microsoft is commemorating our 50-year anniversary by celebrating the achievements of our employees, customers, and partners that have dreamt, built, and used Microsoft technology as a force for good, while also looking ahead to the future.  Microsoft recognizes that our success and growth globally would not have been possible without the support of the place we call home, the…

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NLRB Shake-up: President Trump Removes Board Member, Discharges General Counsel

Quick Hits President Trump removed NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox and discharged NLRB general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, marking a significant shift in the Board’s leadership. Wilcox’s removal leaves the NLRB without a quorum (minimum of three members) to hear cases, raising questions about the legality of the dismissal and potential court challenges. According to media reports, President Trump removed Wilcox, a President Biden Democratic appointee to the Board, on January 27,…

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The rise of Asian global players

By 2040, Asia could contribute 42 percent of global GDP, be home to 60 percent of the Fortune Global 500 companies, and have 55 percent of the world’s total workforce. These factors form a favorable macro backdrop for Asian companies, driving the emergence of what we call Asian global players. Asian companies are making rapid advances in areas such as digital services, fintech, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. Their…

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Non-invasive brain stimulation opens new ways to study and treat the brain

The control panel to the human experience is hidden inside a bony box. We can thank our skulls for keeping our brains safe. But this protective case also makes the three-pound organ that generates our mental lives and behavior particularly challenging to study and treat. Add to this the sheer complexity of the human brain – 100 billion neurons, with more than 100 trillion connections among them. It is perhaps not…

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G20 South Africa: The Fourth Successive Global South Presidency

Two major areas for consolidation leading from the Brazil G20 are a major motivation for reviewing past agreements and declarations, as well as the extent of past G20 resolutions: The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty and the incorporation of the voices of civil society and other engagement groups to make sure that no area of society is left behind, Mikatekiso Kubayi writes. South Africa assumed the presidency of the…

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France – 2025-2026 scenario: in search of political stability, with growth undermined by uncertainty

The economy is not expected to have grown at all in Q4 2024 due to the boost from the Paris Olympics washing out. This would put full-year 2024 growth at 1.1%, unchanged year on year, mainly driven by foreign trade and public spending, with private domestic demand (excluding inventories) stagnating. Average annual CPI inflation eased from 4.9% in 2023 to 2% in 2024. In 2025, growth is predicted to slow…

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China Consumption: Welcoming the Year of the Snake

We have finally left 2024 behind us and are looking forward to what the new year 2025–the Year of the Snake–will bring for China consumption. Looking back at 2024, we’ve seen a steep contrast between perception and reality. Consumer and business sentiment remains at an all-time low, and there is no evidence that this will change anytime soon. At the same time, China yet again delivered 5.0 percent gross domestic…

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Geopolitics and the geometry of global trade: 2024 update

Trade relationships are continuing to reconfigure, and changing geopolitics is a major reason. The United States has continued to shift trade away from China and toward other economies such as Mexico and Vietnam. In some cases, this is due to these economies forming an intermediate step in trade flows between China and the United States. European economies have moved away from trade with Russia and increased trade with other partners,…

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Young adults generally more active after starting work, but sleep less – unless working from home

The increase in physical activity was mainly seen in those doing semi-routine occupations such as bus driving or hairdressing, and routine occupations such as cleaning or waiting, or technical jobs. There was little change seen among people entering managerial or professional occupations.People who work from home saw a decrease in levels of physical activity – though their sleep levels did not change when they started work. Young adulthood – ages…

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Google, As Non-Party, Not Subject To Injunction That Expressly Ordered It To Take Down Youtube Posts

In Future Motion, Inc. v. Lai, decided Jan. 7 by Judge Michael Simon (D. Or.) (appeal filed Wednesday), plaintiff sued defendant for patent infringement, and Judge Simon issued an injunction that purported to bind not just defendant but others: [I]n accordance with the Court's inherent equitable power to issue provisional remedies ancillary to its authority to provide final equitable relief, any internet service provider including but not limited to any…

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How Ferrari Hit the Brakes on a Deepfake CEO

Matt Harrison Clough In July 2024, an executive at luxury sports car manufacturer Ferrari received several messages that appeared to have been sent by CEO Benedetto Vigna on the messaging and calling platform WhatsApp. The messages, which originated from an unfamiliar number, mentioned an impending significant acquisition, urged the executive to sign a nondisclosure agreement immediately, and claimed that Italy’s market regulator and the Italian stock exchange had already been…

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Student needs, impacts of new administration discussed at Faculty Senate

Leaders of the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) outlined key student priorities, and President Jonathan Levin discussed potential impacts of the new presidential administration for Stanford during the Faculty Senate meeting on Thursday.In the student government’s annual report to the senate, ASSU President Diego Kagurabadza and Vice President Divya Ganesan highlighted issues important to students such as free speech, AI, academic accommodations, admissions, and social life. The ASSU represents…

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Improving B2B energy propositions: Four trends reshaping the industry

With the energy transition gathering pace, businesses are prioritizing cleaner energy sources and electrification to meet decarbonization goals and reduce energy costs. They are taking a more active role in managing their energy supply with the associated services, for example, through the direct procurement of clean energy via power purchase agreements (PPAs). This is being achieved by generating and managing on-site energy as “prosumers” and optimizing equipment and installations that…

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Oxford shares ambitious plans to support transformative social and economic change locally

Beyond Town and Gown: Working Towards a More Inclusive Oxford outlines the collegiate University's commitment to making a positive contribution and creating opportunities for all in the city and county.    A new report detailing Oxford University’s ambitious plans to support positive social, economic and environmental change in the city and county has been released.   Through our research, hospitals, museums and parks, commitment to lifelong learning and schools’ outreach programmes, contribution to the regional…

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Oxford and GSK launch £50million immuno-prevention programme to advance novel cancer research

The agreement establishes the GSK-Oxford Cancer Immuno-Prevention Programme, aimed at exploring the potential of cancer prevention through vaccination.The programme leverages the complementary expertise of GSK and Oxford in the science of the immune system, vaccine development and cancer biology. It is hoped that the insights generated through the programme into how cancer develops could inform new approaches to vaccination for cancer prevention, offering fresh hope in the fight against the…

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Botanic Gardens must team up to save wild plants from extinction

A major study of botanic gardens around the world has revealed their struggles with one fundamental aim: to safeguard the world’s most threatened plants from extinction.Researchers analysed a century’s worth of records - from 1921 to 2021 - from fifty botanic gardens and arboreta currently growing half a million plants, to see how the world’s living plant collections have changed over time.  The results suggest that the world’s living collections…

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Paul Yock receives National Medal of Technology and Innovation

Emeritus Professor Paul Yock, MD, formerly the Martha Meier Weiland Professor in the School of Medicine, a professor of bioengineering and of cardiology, and founding director of Stanford Biodesign (now the Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign), traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in a ceremony at the White House.The medal was awarded to Yock in recognition of his work in…

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California Pay Data Report Filing Platform Opens on February 3, 2025: A Preview of What Is to Come

Quick Hits The deadline for filing the 2024 California pay reports is May 14, 2025, and the filing platform will open for new filings on February 3, 2025. California requires covered employers to file payroll employee reports for their own employees and requires covered employers to file labor contractor employee reports for their labor contractor employees. The California Civil Rights Department has taken legal action against employers that have failed…

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Best practices from the Ontario Securities Commission: Crypto asset trading platforms

This article summarizes the Ontario Security Commission’s guidance on best practices for crypto asset trading platforms to ensure compliance with know-your-client, account appropriateness assessment, and client limit requirements. On December 10, 2024, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) released OSC Staff Notice 33-757, arising from a review of six registered crypto asset trading platforms (CTPs) based in Ontario and registered as restricted dealers. The review was designed to assess compliance with…

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Cancer-fighting compound shows immense potential to eradicate HIV

A compound with the unpresuming designation of EBC-46 has made a splash in recent years for its cancer-fighting prowess. Now a new study led by Stanford researchers has revealed that EBC-46 also shows immense potential for eradicating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. Compared to similar-acting agents, EBC-46 excels at activating dormant cells where HIV is hiding, the study found. These “kicked” cells can then be targeted (“killed”) by immunotherapies to fully clear…

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FTC and DOJ Jointly Issue ‘Antitrust Guidelines for Business Activities Affecting Workers’ on Eve of Trump Administration

Quick Hits On January 16, 2025, the FTC and DOJ issued their “Antitrust Guidelines for Business Activities Affecting Workers.” The guidelines identify five nonexhaustive types of agreements and policies that may constitute violations of antitrust laws by hindering commercial competition and restricting the free movement of employees. The dissenting statement issued by two FTC commissioners indicates the guidelines may be short-lived. Following the recent change in presidential administrations, employers are…

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Alberta Court of Appeal curtails enforcement of arbitration clauses on third-party beneficiaries

In the recent decision of Husky Oil Operations Limited v Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology Inc., 2024 ABCA 369, the Court of Appeal of Alberta cautioned against the enforcement of arbitration provisions on third-party beneficiaries to contracts. The Court declined to pronounce whether such enforcement was possible at all, but held that, at minimum, the requirement to arbitrate would need to be manifest and expressed in clear and explicit…

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Author Talks: How women can overcome the ‘broken rung’

In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing’s Alexandra Mondalek chats with McKinsey senior partners Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and María del Mar Martínez about their new book, The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women—and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It (Harvard Business Review, March 2025). The “broken rung” is the missing step on the career ladder that keeps women from reaching their first…

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How medtech companies can create value via inventory optimization

Access to cash is critically important for medtech companies. Cash allows medtech leaders to acquire emerging technologies and develop their own new products, which in turn drives the kind of innovation that improves patient outcomes and boosts shareholder value. But many medtech organizations have too much of their cash tied up in excess inventory on shelves in too many locations. Typically, medtech companies hold as much as three times more…

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Alberta overhauls its public sector access and privacy regime

I. Background In December of last year, the Alberta legislature passed a major overhaul of Alberta’s access and privacy legislation. Upon proclamation, Bill 33 and Bill 34 will split the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act) into the new Access to Information Act (AIA)1 and Protection of Privacy Act (PPA).2 The AIA will come into force at a time when public bodies in Alberta and across…

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Gain transformation momentum early by optimizing working capital

When companies embark on transformations, they naturally focus on the big picture: how a transformation will allow them to perform better through cost-out measures or how they can implement high-impact growth strategies to become bigger, leaner, and better. In companies’ rush toward change, however, they often end up overlooking or deprioritizing the impact that improving their net working capital can have as they begin the transformation journey, potentially thwarting early…

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Media Storms and Maximalist Bar: International Relations in the South Caucasus

On January 23, 2025, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion dedicated to Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and Russia’s policy in the South Caucasus. The discussion was moderated by Oleg Barabanov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club. Nikolay Silaev, Leading Researcher at the Institute for International Studies at MGIMO University, called for the media agenda to be separated from the diplomatic one and for focus to not be fixated on intermittent…

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Commemorating MLK’s 1967 speech at Stanford

Almost 58 years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech on poverty and racism, “The Other America,” at Stanford. This month – on King’s actual birthday, Jan. 15 – the Stanford community commemorated the event with a screening and discussion of King’s speech. Projected on a 16-foot-wide movie screen constructed on stage in Memorial Church, the black-and-white film made the slain civil rights leader feel present to the…

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Why the Global South Needs No Leaders

A highpoint of India’s G20 was the “Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS)” held in virtual format. The first online VOGSS held in January 2023 with over 100 Global South nations participation helped India to get their views, some of which were incorporated in the Delhi Declaration released at the G20 summit in September 2023. This incentivized India to get the African Union included as the 21st member of G20.…

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Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order

The judge described the executive order as “blatantly unconstitutional.” The executive order limiting birthright citizenship asserts that children born in the United States on or after February 19, 2025, who do not have at least one lawful permanent resident or U.S. citizen parent, will not have a claim to birthright citizenship. Quick Hits A federal judge in Washington recently granted four states a temporary restraining order halting enforcement of President…

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Canada’s mandatory PFAS reporting deadline: Be cautious relying on prior compliance

The deadline for meeting reporting requirements of the Notice with respect to certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances issued by Environment Canada and Climate Change (ECCC) is Jan. 29, 2025 (the Notice). The reporting obligations and other details about the Notice can be found in our other article found here. With the deadline to respond around the corner, companies captured under the Notice such as users, importers, and manufacturers, as well…

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