Largest ever genetic study of age of puberty in girls shows links with weight gain

In the largest study of its kind to date, an international team led by researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, studied the DNA of around 800,000 women from Europe, North America, China, Japan, and Korea.Published today in Nature Genetics, the researchers found more than…

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Transformation of BRICS: From Symbolic Power to a Real Financial Pole in The Modern World

This year, Russia will be hosting the BRICS summit in October in Kazan. Our governmental circles, our ministries and our NGOs are all preparing for the summit. It is considered the key foreign policy event in Russia this year. The top political question, as I personally see it, could be…

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The decisive edge: 5 steps to improve organizational decision making

In a landscape where big and small decisions can have meaningful impacts on an organization’s strategic and cultural direction, building intentional and healthy decision-making habits is essential. What makes for “healthy” habits is determined by the company’s growth stage and current needs. For mid-size companies, the balance between rapid growth…

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Look-alikes and trade dress protection: guidance from Italian Court on how brand owners can take enforcement action against third party imitators  

22nd May 2024 To what extent can product packaging be an illicit look-alike of a competitor’s product packaging?  A ruling by the Court of Turin provides some guidance on look-alikes and trade dress protection.  Look-alikes are deemed to contravene Italy’s unfair competition rule. Consequently, the Court granted a preliminary injunction in…

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‘You’re not a wave. You’re water,’ – Melinda French Gates

Throughout her life, philanthropist and businesswoman Melinda French Gates has navigated difficult transitions, including career changes, having children, and losing a close friend. In each case, she felt terrified that life as she knew it would end." hroughoutThroughout her life, philanthropist and businesswoman Melinda French Gates has navigated difficult transitions,…

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Minnesota Ban on Staffing Agency Nonsolicitation Provisions to Take Effect July 1, 2024

Quick Hits Minnesota’s new ban on the use of nonsolicitation agreements by service providers or staffing agencies takes effect on July 1, 2024. The law will prohibit service providers from restricting in any way its employees from being solicited or hired by user companies. The law will render such provisions…

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What the 2024 general election could mean for your finances

2024 has been called “the year of elections” with an estimated 2 billion people around the world heading to the polls. Voters in the UK will have their say on 4 July. Now that each of the main parties has published their manifestos, here’s what the 2024 general election could…

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Practical tips to avoid greenwashing

In today's business landscape, sustainability and environmental consciousness have become paramount. However, it is crucial for businesses to avoid making misleading or exaggerated claims about their green initiatives, a practice known as greenwashing. How can businesses navigate the complex world of sustainability claims and maintain their credibility? To shed light…

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Global Economics Intelligence executive summary, May 2024

Consumers and businesses looking forward to the fillip of an interest rate cut may have to wait a little longer. Among our surveyed economies, only Brazil’s Monetary Policy Committee (Copom) cut its policy rate in May—but by just 0.25 percentage points, taking the Selic rate to 10.50%.Hopes of imminent interest…

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‘Believe in Something Unconventional, Something Unexplored,’ NVIDIA CEO Tells Caltech Grads

NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang on Friday encouraged Caltech graduates to pursue their craft with dedication and resilience — and to view setbacks as new opportunities. “I hope you believe in something. Something unconventional, something unexplored. But let it be informed, and let it be reasoned, and dedicate yourself…

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Arizona Court Nullifies Two City Ordinances on Prevailing Wage

Quick Hits The Superior Court of Arizona ruled Arizona municipalities cannot set prevailing wage ordinances. The court struck down prevailing wage ordinances enacted by Phoenix and Tucson affecting construction contractors. On June 21, 2024, the Superior Court of Arizona Maricopa County ruled in favor of three trade associations challenging the…

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Iranian Democracy and the Global South

On June 28, the Valdai Club held a discussion dedicated to the presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the potential for the development of Iranian-Russian relations. The event was moderated by Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Club. Vitaly Naumkin, Full Member of the Russian Academy…

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Europe’s new resilience regime: The race to get ready for DORA

Digitalization of the financial sector has brought significant benefits but has also exposed businesses to rising technology risks, including cyberattacks, system outages, and third-party information and communications technology (ICT) failures. To ensure financial institutions (FIs) remain resilient in the face of these threats, the European Union’s Digital Operational Resilience Act…

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DC Sources New Revenue From Assignments of Long-Term Leases

On May 17, 2024, the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) published a notice summarizing the District of Columbia’s current policy regarding the recordation and transfer tax treatment of an assignment of a lease, including a ground lease, with a term of at least 30 years (including…

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Discover in our June issue how AI is making health care smarter and faster

You probably read the predictions. For a decade, they peddled the same sunny promise: Someday AI will help make medicine smarter and faster. Someday has dawned. Nearly 80% of health care organizations now use AI. In fact, AI is already helping to reduce repetitive clinical tasks and enable more precise…

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78% of retirees could be missing out on investment returns by accessing their pension early

According to research from Scottish Widows, more than three-quarters of retirees could be missing out on potential investment returns by accessing their pension before their retirement date. Understanding the implications of withdrawing money from your pension could help you to make a decision that’s right for you. Read on to…

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Generative AI and the future of work: A Singapore perspective

To explore how generative AI (gen AI) could transform the future of work globally, and in Singapore particularly, McKinsey partner Sanjna Parasrampuria, an expert in data, artificial intelligence and generative AI,  talked to Terence Chia, assistant chief executive of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore, and to Kathryn…

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No evidence that England’s new ‘biodiversity boost’ planning policy will help birds or butterflies

From 2024, the UK’s Environment Act requires planning applications to demonstrate an overall biodiversity net gain of at least 10% as calculated using a new statutory biodiversity metric.The researchers trialled the metric by using it to calculate the biodiversity value of 24 sites across England. These sites have all been…

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The state of US women’s heart health: A path to improved health and financial outcomes

At a glance Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for women. Cardiovascular conditions in the United States make up at least a third of the women’s health gap because of inequities between women and men in care delivery, efficacy, and data availability. Addressing heart health at every…

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Louisiana Institutes New Restrictions on Noncompete Agreements for Physicians

Quick Hits Act No. 273 modifies La. Rev. Stat. § 23:921, Louisiana’s noncompete statute, to limit the noncompete restrictions allowed in contracts with physicians. Any contract that restrains a primary care physician from practicing medicine expires three years after the effective date of the contract and all other physicians five…

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AI Data Drop: Which jobs have an AI advantage?

At Microsoft, we’re doing deep research into AI adoption at work—what's working for people, what challenges are emerging, and how organizations can move from early experimentation to broad business transformation. Today we’re surfacing new data from Copilot customers that shows which job functions are gaining an early AI advantage. To…

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Gen AI Marketing: How Some ‘Gibberish’ Code Can Give Products an Edge

It’s the new way of comparison shopping in the age of large language models (LLM): Tapping into AI-driven search engines for research and advice on which products to buy. But can consumers trust the recommendations to be impartial?New research finds that companies can subtly manipulate the LLM into favoring their…

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Why the “4% rule” could put your retirement finances at risk

When you’re accessing your pension, it’s important to consider the sustainability of your withdrawals. You might have heard of the “4% rule”, which provides a seemingly simple way to calculate how much you can access each year. However, for modern retirees, applying this rule to your pension could be risky.…

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Biden Should Go on Offense—Without Being Offensive

Several top Democrats have reportedly issued strong warnings to Joe Biden to challenge Trump’s friendly ties to corporate America when the two face off on Thursday’s presidential debate, and less time talking up his legislative accomplishments. The news reflects continued pressure on Biden to lean more into populist, anti-corporate appeals.…

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The ups and downs of global productivity

Demographic, regional, and technological shifts all influence the current story of global productivity. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey senior partners Chris Bradley and Olivia White join editorial director Roberta Fusaro to discuss how best to measure productivity, what’s behind reduced productivity numbers, and what can be done to ramp…

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Confiscation of Russian Assets: Politics vs. Economics

On June 27, the Valdai Club hosted a discussion on the confiscation of Russian assets abroad. The moderator, Ivan Timofeev, highlighted that a new development has emerged in this regard. While previously, the emphasis was on freezing assets, the current concern involves the dispossession of property rights. He went on…

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Louisiana Institutes New Restrictions on Noncompete Agreements for Primary Care Physicians

Quick Hits Act No. 273 modifies La. Rev. Stat. § 23:921, Louisiana’s noncompete statute, to limit the noncompete restrictions allowed in contracts with physicians. Any contract that restrains a primary care physician from practicing medicine expires three years after the effective date of the contract and all other physicians five…

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10 surprising benefits of gardening

With summer finally here, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the warmer weather by exploring the great outdoors. Yet, although the 2021 census found that 87% of UK households have a garden, many people overlook the simple joy of spending more time looking after it. As well as allowing you…

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GenAI for intelligent industry

Generative AI’s (GenAI) power to transform every aspect of our lives is now common knowledge But business leaders are still unsure exactly how to make this revolutionary technology an integral part of their activities. The truth is that the integration of Generative AI for operations requires a very different approach…

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Mind the gap: Europe’s strategic investment needs and how to support them

27 June 2024By Othman Bouabdallah, Ettore Dorrucci, Lucia Hoendervangers and Carolin NerlichEurope needs trillions of euros to manage climate change, become digital and defend itself. How can EU and national policymakers support these projects? This Blog post discusses the options in times of low growth and high public debt levels.The…

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The state of GCC banking: An exceptional operating environment

Following a record showing in 2022, the global banking sector continued to exceed expectations during 2023. Global return on tangible equity reached 13 percent in 2023, its highest level since the 2008 financial crisis. Meanwhile, the worldwide Tier 1 ratio hit a ten-year high of 13.4 percent, and net interest…

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Beyond Bread and Games

The European Football Championship is in full swing. Germany beat Scotland 5:1 in the opening game. But for the host country, it is not just about sports. The Euro 2024 and the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris belong to the category of mega-events where billions are at stake – and…

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Anaplan CEO: How decision excellence drives enterprise performance

Since it was founded in the United Kingdom close to two decades ago, enterprise software company Anaplan has been built around the core concept of what it has dubbed “connected planning.” For customers who had long dealt with a messy patchwork of different systems and manual processes, this has meant…

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CMO Success, Stage by Stage

For chief marketing officer success, focus on helping them attain the right skill set at the right corporate growth stage. Kimberly A. Whitler and Jonathan Metrick June 26, 2024 Reading Time: 6 min  Nick Lowndes/Ikon Images Chief marketing officer turnover has long been a challenge for companies. As a company…

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Hong Kong’s Foreign-Sourced Income Exemption (FSIE) Regime Refined

To bring Hong Kong’s Foreign-Sourced Income Exemption (FSIE) regime in line with the European Union’s updated guidance on FSIE regimes promulgated in December 2022, the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Taxation on Foreign-sourced Disposal Gains) Ordinance 2023 was enacted on 8 December 2023 to refine Hong Kong’s FSIE regime with effect from…

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The surprising effect your childhood has on your money mindset

Your relationship with money may play a huge role in how you handle financial decisions and your long-term security. Many factors affect your financial decisions, but you might be surprised by how much your childhood experiences still influence you today. The majority of parents recognise how important financial education is.…

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Private capital in insurance 2.0: Building the flywheel

Over the past decade, private-capital firms and insurers have built a symbiotic relationship. Private-capital firms, which typically raise money from institutional investors such as pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, encompass multistrategy private-market firms, private-credit firms, private equity firms, and real estate firms. Tie-ups with insurers have allowed private-capital firms…

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Streaming Seeks a Path to Profitability

Q: When we talked two years ago, you described an industry in search of a profitable business model. You warned that companies would be in for a tough stretch. Where do things stand now? It’s been a very difficult two years for the entertainment sector— worse than we could have…

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