Fintech continues to expand in Ireland and internationally. As fintechs rely heavily on technologies such as AI and blockchain, a number of specific IP issues arise, as well as more general IP issues. The Central Bank of Ireland, in its Innovation Hub 2021 Update noted a number of key trends in innovation. These include the continued growth of institutional interest in digital assets as well as a shift to e-money and a focus on instant payments. Clearly the growth of fintechs...

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The electric motor is all the rage these days – powered mobility without a hint of tailpipe emissions – and the e-bike in particular is becoming ubiquitous on city roads and beyond. But what is it actually like to use one, day in, day out? There was a time when electric bikes were – let’s face it – a bit of a joke. Heavy, expensive, not very nice to look at and with very little range in the battery. While...

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Hearing loss in chronic diseases: an overlooked comorbidity The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define chronic diseases as "conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both". They also estimate that six in ten adults in the US have a chronic disease, and that four in ten have two or more. With 8.5% of adults aged 18 and older affected, diabetes is one of the most widspread chronic diseases,...

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The Act of 20 March 2022 (entered into force on 1 June 2022) and the Act of 8 May 2022 (entered into force on 28 May 2022), amending both the Belgian Civil Code and the Code of Economic Law, have introduced a number of new requirements for businesses contracting with consumers, focusing for a large part on players active in the digital economy. New rules apply to the supply of goods with digital elements and digital content or services, to...

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A canned seafood company based in Miami has received USD 2.5 million in funding from Tradewind Finance. This working capital will be used to expand business in the United States, where the company sells packaged tuna and sardines. As the canned seafood brand had a surge of orders within the US, it sought financing from Tradewind. In order to keep up with demand stateside, the Miami subsidiary needed faster cash flow from a parent company based in Ecuador. Moreover, the...

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This past month featured increased activity in privacy and data protection. U.S. Legislation and Regulation: Connecticut's governor signed a comprehensive privacy bill, and President Biden has before him a bill that would improve information sharing among Tribal, state, and local governments about cybersecurity. The U.S. House of Representatives also passed a bill to support research on privacy-enhancing technologies and promote responsible data use (while the Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticized the Department of Defense's (DOD) component agencies for lack...

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Stress in the workplace is inevitable. But chronic, debilitating stress is not, even if you work in an inherently stressful profession. Research shows that ongoing pressure accompanied by increased demands contributes to stress at work. In order to keep your sanity, there are surefire ways to assist, even at the most stressful times. Consider following these tips to help manage your stress level, ultimately improving your career. Surround yourself with positive people. The people you surround yourself with at work can...

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On December 14, 2021, Representative Jim McGovern and Senator Marco Rubio announced agreement on a compromise version of the proposed Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.  The bill was promptly passed unanimously by the House of Representatives and is expected to be taken up by the Senate very shortly with an eye towards forwarding it to the President for signature as soon as possible.  Different versions of the bill had previously been passed by the Senate (on July 15, 2021)...

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As part of a stunning series of votes on the EU’s future climate agenda and measures to fight climate change, MEPs on Wednesday backed a near-complete ban on the sale of new carbon emitting cars and light vans from 2035.  MEPs attending the European Parliament’s full Strasbourg plenary narrowly backed and adopted the compromise reached by MEP Jan Huitema (Renew/NL) in the chamber’s Environment committee by 339 votes to 249 with 24 abstentions. Since its proposal by the European Commission last...

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Download Q1 2022 Report Introduction and Market Update Welcome friends, clients and readers to FTI Consulting’s quarterly Activism Vulnerability Report, which will present findings from our Activism Vulnerability Screener for the first quarter of 2022 and discuss other notable trends in the world of shareholder activism and engagement. Markets experienced heightened volatility during the quarter, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exacerbating already challenging inflation, pandemic, supply chain and oil price considerations, amongst others. Many nations, including the U.S., have imposed heavy economic...

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