Human Times
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North American Edition
8th July 2026
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THE HOT STORY

Rise of non-compete clauses blamed for harming productivity

Companies’ growing use of non-compete clauses is harming productivity in rich economies, according to OECD research that found about a third of private sector employees restricted from joining a rival, limiting their outside options, and thereby weakening their bargaining power and reducing wage growth. The OECD said stronger rules alone may not stop the misuse of non-compete clauses, as unclear or overly broad terms are still common. Governments can improve transparency, simplify regulations and increase enforcement, including sanctions for clauses that are too broad, the OECD said.
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AI BUYING GUIDE

The HR AI evaluation framework you actually need 

Most HR teams go into vendor demos underprepared. They see a polished walkthrough, ask a few questions and sign. Six months later, the AI can't answer anything about their actual data because it was never connected to begin with.  

Emmy Luong replaced a legacy platform at VDX.tv after 12 years. On July 14, she's sharing the specific questions that separate real AI from rebranded search — and the ones most teams don't think to ask until it's too late. Walk away with a benchmark question list ready for your next conversation.  

July 14 | 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET  

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LEGAL

CEO pleaded guilty to trading on insider tips from lawyers

Arya Bolurfrushan, the founder and chief executive of Abu Dhabi-based AI startup AppliedAI, secretly pleaded guilty last year to participating in ​a long-running scheme in ​which ​law firms' attorneys tipped traders about mergers their employers were advising on. The former Goldman Sachs banker pleaded guilty ​after reaching a deal with federal prosecutors in Boston who were working to ​build cases against dozens of other people accused of taking part in the scheme, including Nicolo Nourafchan, who had worked at Sidley Austin, Latham & Watkins ​and Goodwin Procter, and 29 others accused of engaging ​in a scheme to profit from confidential information about mergers underway. Prosecutors agreed to recommend that Bolurfrushan be sentenced to two years in prison and forfeit $954,496 he derived ​from the scheme. Nourafchan has pleaded not guilty to securities fraud and other charges and is awaiting trial.

Chicago moves to ban insider betting

Chicago is considering a ban on employees and elected officials using insider knowledge to bet on online prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. Ald. Timmy Knudsen, the measure's proponent, said: “The work that we do within City Hall and within all of our offices is innately sensitive and often confidential . . . We just need to be sure that people aren't using any of that information for profit or for playing games.” The City Council Ethics Committee unanimously advanced the proposal, which aims to prevent potential misuse of confidential information for personal gain. Knudsen noted that existing laws already prohibit such actions, but the rise of prediction markets has created a "little bit gray" area due to a lack of federal regulation. The ordinance seeks to establish clear boundaries.

Court curbs Trump’s immigration detention

A federal appeals court has ruled that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot hold immigrants in detention for longer than 90 days without allowing them to request release through a bond hearing while their deportation cases remain pending. “It is part of the historic majesty of this long-ago founding charter that it makes no exceptions in providing basic rights to those within our boundaries, including a right to be heard when personal liberty is taken,” wrote Judge Leslie Southwick, who was appointed by George W. Bush to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana. The decision was made by a panel of three judges, which means the government will have an opportunity to seek a rehearing of the panel’s decision by the full appeals court.
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Law firms leave their DEI chief posts unfilled

Several major law firms, including Ropes & Gray and Simpson Thacher, have left their DEI chief positions unfilled for over a year amid the Trump administration's discouragement of diversity and inclusion initiatives. Other firms, including Kirkland & Ellis and Cravath Swaine & Moore, have also not replaced their diversity officers who departed in recent months. “It’s unmistakable in so far that this sends a message that this is no longer a priority as an institution,” observes Stacy Hawkins, a professor at Rutgers Law School who was the first diversity director for Ballard Spahr before leaving in 2007.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING

GLP-1 usage reaches new high in U.S.

A record 11% of Americans are taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, according to Gallup, up 3% from 2024. Meanwhile, the obesity rate among Americans fell to 36.4% in 2026, down from a record high of 39.9% in 2022, the year after the GLP-1 medication Wegovy was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat weight loss. Just over two-thirds (68%) of GLP-1 users reported taking a name brand drug developed by pharmaceutical majors such as Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, including Ozempic, Mounjaro or Zepbound; 19% said they took custom-mixed drugs unapproved by the FDA.
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ECONOMY

Poll finds most Americans struggling with rising living costs

Nearly all Americans believe the U.S. is facing an affordability crisis, with half reporting difficulty paying for essentials such as groceries and gasoline, according to a Harris Poll conducted for The Guardian. Economic sentiment has deteriorated since February, with 57% of respondents saying the economy is worsening, while confidence in the federal government's ability to address the cost-of-living crisis remains low across party lines. The survey also found growing concerns over inflation, debt, and job opportunities, highlighting the affordability challenge as a key issue ahead of this fall's midterm elections.
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INTERNATIONAL

Spain immigration amnesty draws 1.2m applicants

Some 1.2m unauthorized immigrants have applied for legal status in Spain under an amnesty program promoted by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s leftwing government, more than double the estimated number. A total of 1,174,978 applications were submitted between mid-April and June 30 when the window closed, Secretary of State for Migration Pilar Cancela said. Latin America accounted for 67% of the submissions; African nationalities followed with 22.9%. “Without immigration, Spain would lose 19% of its GDP by 2050,” Sanchez said. “And what does that mean in business terms? It means, for example, that 90,000 bars would have to close, that 50,000 primary and secondary classrooms would find themselves without students, and that around 220,000 farms would disappear.” Without immigration, he added, Spain would be “poorer, emptier, weaker and without the resources to fund its welfare state . . . The only decent thing to do is extend a hand, not turn our backs on immigration.”

Women returning to Afghanistan seek rare private sector jobs

More than six million Afghans have been pushed back to their home country from neighbours such as Iran and Pakistan in what the United Nations has called one of the largest population repatriation movements globally. Job opportunities are rare, particularly for women who also face restrictions from Taliban authorities. Projects backed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) offer an economic lifeline for Afghan women who have found work weaving carpets or in other factories. Both agencies are partnering with businesses in what could be a launching pad for finding longer term solutions. "The approach we have here is really . . . going immediately into the logic of a longer-term perspective and going outside of the immediate short-term," said UNDP head Alexander De Croo.

Guatemala's new attorney general vows to dismantle predecessor's 'repressive' legacy

Gabriel García Luna, Guatemala's new attorney general, has committed to dismantling the "repressive and vengeful" administration of his predecessor, Consuelo Porras. Porras faced international sanctions for obstructing anti-corruption efforts and persecuting justice officials. “Everyone has a concept of a Public Prosecutor's Office that can be used in a certain way, and we can no longer have that,” García Luna said. “It is not a political entity, nor a political weapon for anyone, and I do not intend to repeat the actions taken in previous administrations.” He has launched a review of cases involving alleged abuses during Porras' tenure. His predecessor had “formed a parallel government that destroyed the prosecutorial profession, mainly by dismissing between 800 and 1,000 employees during her eight-year tenure,” García Luna said.
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OTHER

California bans 'sell by' labels to reduce food waste

California has become the first U.S. state to ban "sell by" labels on food packaging, replacing them with standardized date labels designed to reduce consumer confusion and cut food waste. From 1 July, manufacturers must use "Best if Used By" or "Best if Used or Frozen By" to indicate product quality, and "Use By" or "Use or Freeze By" to signal food safety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates date label confusion contributes to nearly 20% of the country's food waste, while California alone throws away around six million tonnes of unexpired food each year. The measure has been backed by food waste campaigners and grocery retailers, despite requiring some stores to update their labeling systems. Similar legislation has been passed by New York lawmakers and is under consideration in several other states, while a bipartisan bill to introduce national standardised food date labels is also awaiting action in Congress.
 
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