Reform the justice system to save democracy, says David Sklansky

When he was a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles in the 1990s, Stanford Law School Professor David Sklansky often participated in the selection of juries. “I would hear potential jurors talk about their views about criminal justice, the police, and about crime in their neighborhoods, and I was repeatedly struck by how complicated and nuanced those views were,” says Sklansky, author of the recently published Criminal Justice in Divided America:…

Continue ReadingReform the justice system to save democracy, says David Sklansky

Not a United Front: How the Nordic Countries Are Promoting the Collective Security Agenda for the Baltic Sea and Arctic Regions Within NATO

The events of February 2022 provoked a sharp change in rhetoric among the authorities of the Nordic states and pushed two countries that had not previously planned to join the alliance to take more decisive action. Thus, it can be said that from their point of view, NATO has become the only option for articulating and ensuring their military-political interests in the Baltic Sea region and in the Arctic. The…

Continue ReadingNot a United Front: How the Nordic Countries Are Promoting the Collective Security Agenda for the Baltic Sea and Arctic Regions Within NATO

Frequently Asked Questions About the New Jersey Data Protection Act, Effective January 15, 2025

Quick Hits The New Jersey Data Protection Act (NJDPA) takes effect on January 15, 2025, as New Jersey joins eighteen other states with comprehensive data privacy laws. The NJDPA defines a “consumer” as a New Jersey resident acting in an individual or household context, excluding those acting in commercial or employment contexts. The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs will provide a grace period for enforcement of the NJDPA until…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingFrequently Asked Questions About the New Jersey Data Protection Act, Effective January 15, 2025

New interpretation of the Canada Health Act

Introduction On Jan. 10, 2025, the federal Minister of Health released long-awaited guidance on the delivery of insured health care services pursuant to the Canada Health Act (the CHA). The Honourable Mark Holland, Federal Minister of Health (the Minister), issued a letter clarifying the Government’s position that patients should not be charged for services provided by any health professional if those services would otherwise be covered when delivered by a…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue ReadingNew interpretation of the Canada Health Act

Exploring an uncertain future with the help of scenarios

15 January 2025By Matteo Ciccarelli, Matthieu Darracq Pariès, Bettina Landau and João SousaCentral banks project future developments based on past data patterns and a set of assumptions. Crises can change economic structures, complicating this forecasting. The ECB Blog explains how scenario, risk and sensitivity analyses address the new uncertainty.We use economic models and data patterns from the past to project the future. In normal times, assessing what conditions will be…

Continue ReadingExploring an uncertain future with the help of scenarios

Last starlight for ground-breaking Gaia

Launched on 19 December 2013, Gaia’s fuel tank is now approaching empty – it uses about a dozen grams of cold gas per day to keep it spinning with pinpoint precision. But this is far from the end of the mission. Technology tests are scheduled for the weeks ahead before Gaia is moved to its ‘retirement’ orbit, and two massive data releases are tabled for around 2026 and the end…

Continue ReadingLast starlight for ground-breaking Gaia

Dependency and depopulation? Confronting the consequences of a new demographic reality

At a glance Falling fertility rates are propelling major economies toward population collapse in this century. Two-thirds of humanity lives in countries with fertility below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per family. By 2100, populations in some major economies will fall by 20 to 50 percent, based on UN projections. Age structures are inverting—from pyramids to obelisks—as the number of older people grows and the number of younger people…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:107 mins read
Continue ReadingDependency and depopulation? Confronting the consequences of a new demographic reality

New Year, New Penalties: OSHA and USEPA Increase Penalties

Seyfarth Synopsis: The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) have published their 2025 increases to civil penalties. We have blogged previously about the annual adjustments to the maximum civil penalty dollar amounts for OSHA and EPA violations. The agencies have now finalized the 2024 inflation adjustments, which increase the penalties. Under the rule, the new maximum OSHA civil penalties for 2025 will be increased by 2.6%:…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingNew Year, New Penalties: OSHA and USEPA Increase Penalties

Trump and Fear: the new alliance between mercantilism and geopolitics

Transactions vs. manipulation The first stage is media manipulation: what little protest Western governments have raised has been weak. There is a mix of explanations for this apparent apathy, the first of which is outright shock. At the heart of the Trump playbook (as demonstrated by many things Trump has said) is the strategy of cultivating a kind of “power through uncertainty” which vaguely echoes Nixon’s “madman theory”1 and which,…

  • Post category:Credit Agricole
  • Reading time:10 mins read
Continue ReadingTrump and Fear: the new alliance between mercantilism and geopolitics

As dengue cases rise, research points to a simple solution: trash cleanup

As cases of dengue fever skyrocketed globally this past year, new findings by Stanford researchers and their international collaborators underscore the importance of one measure that can significantly reduce disease risk: cleaning up trash. Dengue fever is a viral illness spread through mosquito bites. While cases can be asymptomatic, many people experience high fever and painful body aches. Second infections are often more severe and can lead to hemorrhagic fever, shock,…

Continue ReadingAs dengue cases rise, research points to a simple solution: trash cleanup

FTC Announces 2025 Hart-Scott-Rodino Act Thresholds and Filing Fees

On January 10, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the 2025 threshold for applying the size-of-parties test of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act will increase from $119.5 million to $126.4 million. Deals that exceed this $126.4 million threshold may need to be reported to the FTC and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) depending on the size of the parties to the transaction as measured by the volume of their sales…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingFTC Announces 2025 Hart-Scott-Rodino Act Thresholds and Filing Fees

FAQs Provide Details on Workforce Demographic Reporting for Massachusetts Employers

Quick Hits Massachusetts issued new FAQs containing details for employers on how they can meet their obligations when reporting wage data pursuant to the state’s new pay transparency law. Employers in Massachusetts will need to submit workforce demographic information to the state each year under a new law. Covered employers must submit their most recently filed EEO-1 report to the state by February 3, 2025. Employers need not provide customized…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingFAQs Provide Details on Workforce Demographic Reporting for Massachusetts Employers

What’s in the Price?

“Am I too late?” This is the question that plagues traders trying to make gains from “novel” information. After all, there is always a chance that the signal that they are about to trade on has already been priced in by the market. When speculators contemplate trading based on a particular signal, can they tell if their signal is truly novel (on which it would be profitable to trade) or if…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue ReadingWhat’s in the Price?

BMI, blood pressure and physical activity levels in childhood linked to brain differences

Obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure) and physical inactivity are known to be cardiovascular risk factors for dementia in middle age but, so far, little is known about these links between heart and brain health much earlier in life.Researchers led by a team at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry, in collaboration with University College London and funded by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre and Wellcome, looked at…

Continue ReadingBMI, blood pressure and physical activity levels in childhood linked to brain differences

The State of Luxury: How to navigate a slowdown

Over the past five years, the luxury industry experienced a period of exceptional value creation. Between 2019 and 2023, unprecedented demand for personal luxury goods—fashion, leather goods, watches, and jewelry among them—combined with a deep well of supply allowed the sector to achieve a 5 percent compound annual growth rate. Luxury brands outperformed global markets and achieved new profitability records. The pace of growth across the industry was remarkable and…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue ReadingThe State of Luxury: How to navigate a slowdown

The ‘value now’ consumer: Making sense of US consumer sentiment and spending

In McKinsey’s latest ConsumerWise research, consumers report feeling more optimistic about the US economy than they have all year. Even so, US consumer optimism overall is still lower than prepandemic levels, and more than half of consumers (53 percent) report mixed feelings or being pessimistic about the state of the economy.For decades, consumer sentiment and consumer spending have moved in sync—when people feel unsure about the economy, they spend less. But…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:14 mins read
Continue ReadingThe ‘value now’ consumer: Making sense of US consumer sentiment and spending

Turbocharging Organizational Learning With GenAI

Topics How to Maximize the Business Value of Generative AI The promise of generative AI is value — higher revenue, streamlined efficiencies, and more innovative decision-making. Achieving this value isn’t easy. Maximizing it is even harder. This MIT SMR Executive Guide offers expert insights into the strategies needed to get the most out of GenAI. Brought to you by: More in this series Neil Webb Generative AI can radically improve…

Continue ReadingTurbocharging Organizational Learning With GenAI

Oxford researchers develop blood test to enable early detection of multiple cancers

Named TriOx, this innovative test analyses multiple features of DNA in the blood to identify subtle signs of cancer, which could offer a fast, sensitive and minimally invasive alternative to current detection methods.The study, published in Nature Communications, showed that TriOx accurately detected cancer (including in its early stages) across six cancer types and reliably distinguished those people who had cancer from those that did not.Cancers are more likely to…

Continue ReadingOxford researchers develop blood test to enable early detection of multiple cancers

The Art of Delegation

Consider this man. He takes daily post-lunch naps and frequently dozes off in a lounge chair after dinner. He spends his afternoons at home rather than at the office, tending to his garden and golfing. He spends months away from work on vacation. He prides himself on avoiding “hustling”. “I’m here because I shirked: [I] did less work,” he reflects.Many people may look askance at such a guy, but in…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:8 mins read
Continue ReadingThe Art of Delegation

Charting the path to patients

Life sciences is on the cusp of a new era of innovation. The convergence of breakthrough technologies, widespread access to data, and deeper insights into complex biological systems is revolutionizing how the industry approaches R&D. For instance, venture capital funding for machine-learning-enabled drug discovery surged more than sevenfold from 2019 to 2022, according to McKinsey analysis. Interest in innovative modalities such as antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) remains strong, with the top…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:16 mins read
Continue ReadingCharting the path to patients

External innovation: Biopharma dealmaking to boost R&D productivity

The competition among biopharmaceutical companies for externally sourced assets is heating up. Despite recent successes delivering innovative therapies at a faster pace and achieving solid returns for shareholders, demand persists across a range of unmet needs. And yet, companies are increasingly pursuing the same disease areas and targets. This “herding” behavior makes it less likely that any company can outperform. Further, the breadth and complexity of all available targets and…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:12 mins read
Continue ReadingExternal innovation: Biopharma dealmaking to boost R&D productivity

Building a shared vision for pharma R&D–supplier partnerships

Innovation is flourishing in the biopharmaceutical industry. Over the past decade, the volume of Phase I candidates in the drug development pipeline has grown by 60 percent, promising potential breakthroughs in treating a wide range of diseases. At the same time, there has been a noticeable shift across the industry toward outsourcing R&D activities. Driven by the need for flexibility, specialized expertise, and wider global reach, pharmaceutical organizations have engaged…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:9 mins read
Continue ReadingBuilding a shared vision for pharma R&D–supplier partnerships

Yuhki Yamashita on ‘user love’ as the fuel for product-led growth

In this episode of McKinsey on Building Products, McKinsey partner Rikki Singh sits down with Yuhki Yamashita, chief product officer at Figma, a company that provides collaborative online design tools. With a career in product and design at companies of all sizes, Yamashita has an approach to product development that centers on generating “user love.” During their conversation, Singh and Yamashita discuss building and tapping into communities to make better…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:16 mins read
Continue ReadingYuhki Yamashita on ‘user love’ as the fuel for product-led growth

Michael Froman on the business implications of geopolitics

Power politics. Wars. Trade battles. Climate change. Pandemics. Geopolitics is increasingly influencing how businesses operate, pushing senior leaders to look well beyond the walls of the corner office. Council on Foreign Relations president Michael Froman has spent his career bridging these worlds, from senior positions in the administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama to executive roles at Citigroup and Mastercard and serving on the board of The Walt…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:11 mins read
Continue ReadingMichael Froman on the business implications of geopolitics

What to expect in US healthcare in 2025 and beyond

Since 2019, the United States healthcare industry has experienced substantial financial pressure, with industry EBITDA as a proportion of the National Health Expenditure declining by an estimated 150 basis points (Exhibit 1). The decline has hit payers and providers particularly hard—payers’ estimated margins in 2024 could be at their lowest in a decade. Inflationary pressures have not yet been fully absorbed within the healthcare system, and providers continue to face…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:20 mins read
Continue ReadingWhat to expect in US healthcare in 2025 and beyond

What we know about the health effects of wildfire

As wildfires continue to rage across the Los Angeles area, their toll on lives, homes, and natural landscapes is undeniable. Less obvious are the health impacts, such as respiratory issues caused by smoke inhalation and mental health strains of evacuation and loss, that could stretch far beyond the burn zone and linger for years to come.Stanford researchers are working to uncover the full scope of wildfire-related health risks and how…

Continue ReadingWhat we know about the health effects of wildfire

OEMs Might Soon Get Clarity On Massachusetts and Maine Right to Repair Laws

OEMs may finally get some clarity in the next couple of months about their obligations under Massachusetts and Maine right to repair laws requiring them to provide owners and independent repair facilities access to mechanical data in vehicles that utilize telematics systems.  In Massachusetts, a constitutional challenge that has been pending in federal court for over four years without a decision may finally be inching toward resolution after the case…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingOEMs Might Soon Get Clarity On Massachusetts and Maine Right to Repair Laws

Wildfires in Los Angeles: Key Considerations for Employers Navigating Disaster Response and Compliance

Quick Hits Wildfires sweeping through the Los Angeles area have prompted evacuation orders affecting tens of thousands of residents and creating dangerous conditions for travel. Employers affected by the disaster may need to consider their emergency preparedness plans, immediate workplace safety risks, and employment and staffing concerns while maintaining critical business functions. Wildfires, pushed by high winds and drought conditions, have swept through areas around Los Angeles, destroying homes and…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue ReadingWildfires in Los Angeles: Key Considerations for Employers Navigating Disaster Response and Compliance

Bringing digital to B2B payments

Digital payments in the B2B arena have lagged far behind consumer e-commerce, even with the big shift to digital brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The vast majority of B2B payments occur between small and midsize businesses (SMBs), which are the target market for the B2B financial operations platform BILL. The company seeks to streamline and simplify SMBs’ financial operations, including accounts payable, receivables, and expense management. In addition, BILL…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:17 mins read
Continue ReadingBringing digital to B2B payments

Scaling gen AI in the life sciences industry

Back in July 2023, researchers at the McKinsey Global Institute estimated that gen AI could unlock between $60 billion and $110 billion a year in economic value for the pharmaceutical and medical products industries, boosting productivity and innovation in domains across the industry’s value chain—from the way new treatments are discovered to how they are marketed and administered by physicians. Six months later, McKinsey experts dug deeper into those numbers,…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:15 mins read
Continue ReadingScaling gen AI in the life sciences industry

How the Lego Group Built Culture Change: From the Ground Up

Topics Culture Champions Building a healthy culture is one of the most important — and hardest — leadership jobs. These articles, based on a webinar series and research by Donald Sull and CultureX, share actionable advice from leaders whose cultures produced exceptional business results and a world-class employee experience. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Aleksandar Savic From 2004 to 2015, the Lego Group was on a tear, growing…

Continue ReadingHow the Lego Group Built Culture Change: From the Ground Up

First patients scanned in new study investigating traumatic brain injury in young athletes

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and long-term disability in young people. However, research in this area remains limited in particular due to a lack of data concerning head injuries sustained by the young population. An innovative longitudinal study designed and conducted by The Podium Institute is harnessing advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to uncover why some children recover worse than others after they have…

Continue ReadingFirst patients scanned in new study investigating traumatic brain injury in young athletes

The hidden traps of business building: A guide for life science CEOs

Life science companies have traditionally kept patients and consumers at arm’s length. Pharmaceutical, biotech, and medtech companies have viewed providers and payers, not patients, as their key customers and have rarely interacted with them as end customers. This approach has had to evolve in recent years. Consumers are now accustomed to apps and smartwatches that provide a 360-degree view of their well-being, and they engage with direct-to-consumer brands such as…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:11 mins read
Continue ReadingThe hidden traps of business building: A guide for life science CEOs

In Defense Of Dual-Class Shares

This commentary originally appeared in Corporate Board Member. As the 2025 proxy season launches, dual-class shares may once again become a common target of proxy ratings firms and activist investors. These reflexive critics miss the reality that dual-class shares can often be a vital protector of shareholder value and allow vital structural advantages such as:‌ More efficient capital allocation: Unlike virtually every peer, Berkshire Hathaway under Warren Buffett has never…

Continue ReadingIn Defense Of Dual-Class Shares

AI Playground offers a safe place to explore and experiment

As artificial intelligence continues to rapidly evolve, Stanford’s AI Playground provides a convenient environment for faculty, staff, and students to experiment with AI technology.Earlier this year, University IT began piloting the AI Playground, a Stanford-hosted environment that allows users to test out and compare a range of AI tools, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Wolfram. As of Oct. 1, the AI Playground is accessible to all Stanford faculty, staff, students,…

Continue ReadingAI Playground offers a safe place to explore and experiment

U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Title IX Final Rule Addressing Sex-Based Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Vacated

Quick Hits The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky vacated the U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Title IX Final Rule, which had expanded the definition of sex-based harassment to include sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, and pregnancy. The court found that the 2024 Title IX Final Rule violated the First Amendment and the Spending Clause of the United States Constitution, and it exceeded the U.S. Department…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingU.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Title IX Final Rule Addressing Sex-Based Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Vacated

Feeding your good gut bacteria through fibre in diet may boost body against infections

The group of bacteria called Enterobacteriaceae, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella, E.coli and others, is present at low levels as part of a healthy human gut microbiome. But at high levels - caused for example by increased inflammation in the body, or by eating contaminated food - these bugs can cause illness and disease. In extreme cases, too much Enterobacteriaceae in the gut can be life-threatening.Researchers have used computational approaches including…

Continue ReadingFeeding your good gut bacteria through fibre in diet may boost body against infections

Public vs. private R&D: impacts on productivity

10 January 2025By Arnaud DyèvreThis is the third post in our series featuring work submitted to the ECB’s 2024 Young Economist Prize. Arnaud Dyèvre was selected as one of the finalists with the research highlighted in this post. Applications for the 2025 Prize will be open from 13 January to 12 February 2025. For more details, go to the dedicated webpage.Investments in R&D typically foster productivity growth. But the funding…

Continue ReadingPublic vs. private R&D: impacts on productivity