The shift of the centre of gravity from the Atlantic Ocean region towards East and South Asia is an objective process. Russia and the United States are only indirectly involved in it, and the growing influence of the countries in this region cannot be denied nor stopped. In this context,…
On May 22, 2024, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion, titled “Advanced Information Technologies as a Driver of Socio-Economic Development for African Countries.” Oleg Barabanov, the moderator of the discussion, called the formation of a new economy based on knowledge one of the key priorities of modern development, adding…
Protectionism, decoupling, regionalisation and Covid-19 have shaped and reshaped value chains in the last five years. In particular, the pandemic and other geopolitical dynamics have revealed the deeper interconnectedness between economies, with the protagonist at the centre, undoubtedly, being China. But these global dynamics have not led to tectonic shifts; they…
Mark Airs/Ikon Images Imagine that burst of enthusiasm when a senior executive unveils a plan that promises a significant and lasting impact on the organization’s financial performance. “Our new product creates more value for our customers than anything else on the market, and we should get paid accordingly,” they proudly…
This commentary originally appeared in Time. Recent battlefield reverses in Ukraine, with Kherson under increasing attack, are powerful reminders that Ukraine needs every penny of support it can get urgently. Yet Western governments still refuse to seize Russia’s $300 billion in frozen assets, even though the idea of making Russia…
The last several months have seen rapid changes in the employment and workplace health and safety space. With such dynamic movement, and then lots of commentary on each of these changes, it’s easy to view all these changes as one big jumble of puzzle pieces. And it can be hard…
Turmoil in the global economy is exposing an increasing number of large projects to unprecedented productivity and financial pressures. Severe microeconomic issues can arise on projects that stem from unforeseen macroeconomic events. We discuss this evolving situation and potential mitigants below. Introduction Turmoil is defined as “a state of…
Quick Hits The DOL is enforcing child labor laws through two key mechanisms: (1) preventing employers from shipping or profiting from “hot goods” and (2) assessing aggregate civil money penalties. An August 2023 DOL field assistance bulletin advises field agents on identifying violations of “oppressive child labor” and applying the…
Brian Kenny: You may have heard of the “Butterfly Effect” in which a butterfly flapping its wings in Texas leads to changes in wind patterns that cause a tornado in Brazil. It's a simple and poetic way to explain Chaos Theory. In February of 2020, the butterfly took the form…
The bipartisan bill seeks to foster innovation and promote US dollar dominance while protecting consumers and mitigating illicit finance risks. By Jenny Cieplak, Arthur Long, Yvette D. Valdez, Stephen P. Wink, Adam Fovent, and Deric Behar On April 17, 2024, US Senators Cynthia Lummis from the Senate Banking Committee and Kirsten Gillibrand from the Senate…
In research published in Nature Mental Health, the team found that as many as one in two children with ADHD show signs of emotional dysregulation, and that Ritalin – the commonly-prescribed drug to help the condition – appears to be less effective at treating this symptom.ADHD affects around one in…
According to African governments, public-private partnerships are expected to play a crucial role in the development of innovation centres. These partnerships involve the state covering only a small portion of the overall costs associated with the construction of these centres, typically around 5-10%. The success of these projects largely depends…
A review of evidence, gathered by a panel of 13 international experts, including Cambridge archaeologist Dr Gilly Carr, has sought to give the most accurate possible assessment of how many prisoners and labourers died on the Channel Island between 1941 to 1945.During this time, crimes were committed against forced and…
22 May 2024By Christophe Kamps[1]Why do central banks mostly give their guidance for future monetary policy in qualitative terms rather than providing a numerical formula? The ECB Blog takes a look through the lens of the “ABCs” of the ECB’s qualitative reaction function.For thousands of years scholars have been chasing…
1. R.M. Vogel and M.C. Bolino, “Recurring Nightmares and Silver Linings: Understanding How Past Abusive Supervision May Lead to Post-Traumatic Stress and Post-Traumatic Growth,” Academy of Management Review 45, no. 3 (July 2020): 549-569. 2. R. Janoff-Bulman, “Assumptive Worlds and the Stress of Traumatic Events: Applications of the Schema Construct,”…
As more than 50 countries hold elections in 2024, far-right politicians and policies look poised to gain ground, continuing a years-long trend evident in Europe, the United States, and South America.These movements often stoke grievances about international trade, immigration, fiscal policy, and the size of government and amount of state…
In 2009, Andrew Metrick and Gary Gensler were both serving in the Obama Administration on the front lines of the response to the Global Financial Crisis. In fact, they worked together to address hidden risks in the “repo” market that played a major role in the market crashes of that…
On May 20th, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion titled “Russia and Central Asia in new strategic conditions” following the 4th Central Asian Conference that took place in Ufa on May 14-15. The discussion was moderated by Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.Political scientist Akbope Abylkasimova,…
Quick Hits With Governor Jared Polis’s signing into law SB 24-205, Colorado becomes the first U.S. state to enact comprehensive legislation regulating the use and development of AI systems. The law addresses, among other things, the risk of algorithmic discrimination “arising from the intended and contracted uses of … high-risk…
There is however a solution that would avoid the risk of an early degeneration of the reform. It would require a clarification that, even if a country has been placed in an EDP only for breach of the deficit criterion, it should also satisfy the debt criterion of the EDP…
The well-being of the peoples of the six countries of Eurasia, as well as, in many ways, the peace and stability of the region depends on how the trust-based bilateral and multilateral (Central Asia plus Russia) dialogue, as well as the multifaceted cooperation that has developed between the parties is…
Imagine a world where your boss could be fined for contacting you after hours. California is considering a law to make this a reality. The "right to disconnect" movement is gaining traction globally, with Australia joining France, Italy, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Portugal and the Canadian province of Ontario in passing legislation to empower employees to…
Frontiers Four interrelated practices can bolster dignity, leading to more constructive problem-solving and collaboration. Merrick Hoben May 20, 2024 Reading Time: 5 min Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Rafael Lopez/theispot.com Conflicts between businesses pursuing commercial objectives…
With deepfakers, fraud agents and identity thieves growing in numbers and sophistication, the landscape of cybersecurity technology is growing in parallel. These days, it’s not enough to add an exclamation point to the same password you use for everything (seriously, don’t do that). The proliferation of global cybercrime and data…
James Doty, MD, discusses how we can create new neural pathways in our brain to help us advance toward a goal. James Doty starts his new book, Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How It Changes Everything (Avery, 2024), with an abrupt and clear statement to readers: The universe…
During their career most women face obstacles that hinder their progression which has resulted in a disproportionate number of men occupying top positions. Globally it is estimated that women make up 39% of the workforce however they only make up 16% of the traditional energy sector1. In 2023 only…
Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 17, 2024, Colorado Governor Jared Poils signed Colorado SB 24-205, making Colorado the first state to enact broad legislation regulating employers’ use of AI to make “consequential decisions.” Colorado SB 24-205 broadly covers a wide range of AI applications, including employment, and incentivizes AI risk management practices…
Every day, we make many decisions that affect not just ourselves but also the people around us. A few examples: Navigating different opinions at a team meeting, tipping wait staff at a restaurant, picking a weekend activity with friends, or choosing between conventional and sustainable but more expensive products. Traditionally, researchers…
Baku is “meddling” and this meddling is “extremely harmful”. So said Gérald Darmanin after a New Caledonian separatist elected official signed a memorandum of collaboration with the Azerbaijani Parliament. Then there is the involvement of Tavini Huira’atira (formerly the Polynesian Liberation Front) in the Baku Initiative Group, created to “stand…
Quick Hits The Supreme Court held that Section 3 of the FAA requires federal courts to grant stays of lawsuits after claims are sent to arbitration, if a stay is requested. The ruling resolves a 6–4 circuit split regarding whether federal district courts must stay lawsuits pending arbitration or whether…
A study involving the University of Cambridge has used virtual recreations of the earliest animal ecosystems, known as marine animal forests, to demonstrate the part they played in the evolution of our planet.Using state-of-the-art computer simulations of fossils from the Ediacaran time period - approximately 565 million years ago -…
On May 14–15, 2024, in Ufa, the very heart of Eurasia, the 4th Central Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club took place. One of the participants lauded it as “a feast of intellectual thought.” We invite our readers to explore what was said, because not all discussions were open…
In this episode of the AI + a16z podcast, a16z partners Guido Appenzeller and Matt Bornstein discuss the state of the generative AI market, about 18 months after it really kicked into high gear with the release of ChatGPT — everything from the emergence of powerful open source LLMs to…
Marathon season has arrived, and runners of all calibres gear up to conquer the daunting yet exhilarating challenge of endurance racing. Whilst the world of marathon running and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) may feel worlds apart, the mindset required is not too dissimilar. Whilst it presents opportunities for optimisation and…
For the past 15 years, we have been dedicated to transforming toxic workplace cultures and fostering positive environments through executive coaching, corporate training, and large-scale culture change projects. We’ve serviced over 250 clients and their thousands of employees worldwide! We understand the daily struggles faced by employees in toxic environments,…
The freshwater situation is becoming increasingly politicised. We can confidently say that the hydrological and political issues are gradually converging and will soon form complementary categories, write Alexey Mikhalev and Kubatbek Rakhimov for the 4th Central Asian conference of the Valdai Discussion Club.Central Asia is one region where the future…
Seyfarth Synopsis: Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed into law a bill that will expand Maryland employers’ pay transparency obligations. Effective October 1, 2024, employers must disclose in public or internal job postings a good faith wage range and a general description of benefits and other compensation offered for the…
Quick Hits OFCCP released its first detailed guidance on federal contractors’ use of AI and automated systems. The guidance instructs federal contractors to routinely monitor whether AI and automated systems have a disparate or adverse impact on protected groups and take actions to reduce those impacts or use different tools.…
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is Thursday, May 16, 2024. It's a day dedicated to understanding and practicing accessibility concepts that support the more than 1 billion people worldwide with impairments and disabilities. Seventy-two percent of classrooms have students with individual education needs, while 84% of educators say it’s impossible…
Astronomers have found supermassive black holes with masses of millions to billions times that of the Sun in most massive galaxies in the local Universe, including in our Milky Way galaxy. These black holes have likely had a major impact on the evolution of the galaxies they reside in. However,…
