Latest news with #Costfoto
New York Post
20-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Trump, Xi may meet ahead of or during APEC summit October: report
President Trump might visit China before going to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit between Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, or he could meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC event in South Korea, the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday, citing multiple sources. The two countries have been trying to negotiate an end to an escalating tit-for-tat tariff war that has upended global trade and supply chains. The two sides have discussed a potential meeting between the leaders in the region this year, but they have not confirmed a date or location yet, according to a person familiar with the matter. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2019. REUTERS Trump has sought to impose tariffs on US importers for virtually all foreign goods, which he says will stimulate domestic manufacturing and which critics say will make many consumer goods more expensive for Americans. He has called for a universal base tariff rate of 10% on goods imported from all countries, with higher rates for imports from the most 'problematic' ones, including China: imports from there now have the highest tariff rate of 55%. Trump has set a deadline of Aug. 12 for the US and China to reach a durable tariffs agreement. President Donald Trump has set a deadline of Aug. 12 for the US and China to reach a durable tariffs deal. Costfoto/NurPhoto/Shutterstock A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment about the reported plans for a meeting with Xi in the autumn. The two countries' most recent high-level meeting was on July 11, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had what both described as a productive and positive meeting in Malaysia about how trade negotiations should proceed. Rubio said then that Trump had been invited to China to meet with Xi, and said that both leaders 'want it to happen.' On Friday, China Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said China wants to bring its trade ties with the US back to a stable footing and that recent talks in Europe showed there was no need for a tariff war.
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Don't Miss This Weekend's Sky Show — Venus And A Stunning Star Cluster
Venus and the Pleiades as seen from Beijing, China, on April 3, 2020 (Costfoto/Barcroft Media via ... More Getty Images) Early risers on Saturday, July 5, are in for a pre-dawn treat — Venus shining brightly as the 'Morning Star' close to the glittering Pleiades star cluster. Two of the most stunning sights in naked-eye astronomy will shine together just before sunrise. Here's everything you need to know about when and where to see them. Where And When To Look To see the duo, head outside about an hour before sunrise and look east. Venus, shining brightly at magnitude -4.1, will be unmistakable even in the growing twilight. Venus will be just beneath the Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45), one of the closest open clusters of stars to the solar system. It's about 444 light-years from the solar system. What You'll See Look below-left of Venus — directly beneath the Pleiades — and you may be able to make out a V-shape of stars centered on one bright reddish star. The star is Aldebaran, a red supergiant star and the brightest in the constellation Tauris, the bull. Its name means 'the follower' because it appears to follow the Pleiades through the night sky. It's also known as the 'eye of the bull.' Both the Pleiades and Aldebaran are typically thought of as winter objects. They're currently making a brief pre-dawn appearance and will soon be lost in the daytime sky until fall. Between Venus and the Pleiades will be the planet Uranus, though it's far too dim to be seen without a telescope. Saturday, July 5: Venus And The Pleiades Observing Tips Most people immediately think of a telescope when they think about astronomy. It's not necessary for this event. You'll see much more just by using your naked eyes. However, a pair of binoculars is always useful when stargazing, allowing you to zoom in on the Pleiades, not only to see more of its over 1,000 stars but also the incredible nebulosity between the stars. That light is a passing molecular cloud of gas and dust being lit up by the stars of the Pleiades. Choose an observing location with a clear, unobstructed view to the eastern horizon, if possible, away from city lights — though light pollution makes zero difference when observing planets. Pleiades open star cluster with nebula (Messier 45) in constellation of Taurus photographed with ... More high quality amateur telescope. What's Next In The Night Sky Look to the southern sky from about 45 minutes after sunset on Sunday, July 6, and you'll see a bright waxing gibbous moon shining close to the famous summer constellation Scorpius, the scorpion. Return 24 hours later, and it will be closer to Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius. For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AI And The Future Of Sustainability: Building Intelligence For Impact
Tourists watch the ecological patrol robot in Yuyuantan Park in Beijing, China, on April 23, 2025. ... More (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) By Dr John Mullins, London Business School Artificial intelligence (AI) has long promised to revolutionize business. But as it moves from the margins of experimentation to the mainstream of industry, its most profound impact may not be efficiency or profit—it may be sustainability. Whether we're talking about decarbonizing supply chains, optimizing resource use, or navigating complex ESG reporting landscapes, AI is already reshaping how organizations engage with the urgent demands of sustainable development. The question is no longer if AI will influence our sustainable future, but how we will guide it to do so responsibly, inclusively, and at scale. As the world faces climate change, economic volatility, and mounting social inequality, AI could be the most powerful tool we've ever had for addressing systemic challenges—if we build and govern it the right way. AI for Economic Resilience In an era of constant disruption, resilience has become a competitive advantage. AI helps organizations build this resilience by enabling better foresight and faster adaptation. Predictive analytics, for example, allows businesses to identify potential risks—ranging from supply chain delays to climate-related hazards—before they materialise. Consider the agricultural sector. AI-driven models can analyse weather patterns, soil conditions, and satellite imagery to help farmers optimize crop yields and reduce water usage, mitigating the effects of drought and fluctuating climate conditions. In finance, AI can assess creditworthiness in underbanked communities using alternative data, expanding access to capital and financial inclusion. In supply chains, AI can reroute logistics dynamically in response to geopolitical conflict or environmental catastrophe—limiting economic losses and enhancing continuity. These applications are not merely operational improvements; they are strategic levers for long-term sustainability. Environmental Stewardship Powered by Data Environmental sustainability demands real-time, high-resolution data—and this is where AI shines. Machine learning algorithms can sift through massive volumes of environmental data, identify patterns invisible to human analysts, and offer actionable insights. Take energy optimization. AI systems can potentially balance grid loads, forecast demand, and even shift energy usage to periods of lower carbon intensity. Google, for instance, has used AI to cut energy used for cooling its data centres by up to 40%. Such improvements can be replicated across commercial real estate, manufacturing, and transport. AI is also proving critical in emissions tracking and reporting—two major pain points in ESG compliance. Startups are now using AI to automate carbon accounting, aggregating Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data across complex supply chains. This not only improves transparency but builds trust with stakeholders and investors increasingly wary of greenwashing. AI's contribution to circular economy models—where waste is minimized, and resources are continually reused—is growing, too. It can track product lifecycles, anticipate obsolescence, and guide design choices that extend usability and reduce environmental impact. As regulators push for more sustainable production, such insights will become business-critical. Advancing Social Responsibility Beyond the environmental and economic, AI is also helping organizations act more responsibly on social issues. Natural language processing can detect harmful language patterns in online platforms, enabling faster action against hate speech or misinformation. In human resources, AI is being used to reduce unconscious bias in recruitment and to detect signs of workplace dissatisfaction before they become crises. AI also plays a vital role in improving accessibility—enhancing tools for the visually or hearing impaired—and in delivering essential services like healthcare or education to remote or underserved populations. However, it's in the overlap of these domains—social, environmental, and economic—that AI's most powerful potential lies. In sustainability, silos no longer serve us. AI's ability to connect disparate datasets across systems enables more holistic understanding, smarter decision-making, and coordinated action. The Governance Imperative Yet with great power comes significant risk. AI systems, if unchecked, can also reproduce or exacerbate social and environmental harms. Bias in data sets can reinforce discrimination. Poorly designed algorithms can overlook ecological consequences. And the compute power required to run advanced models—especially large language models—can result in substantial energy usage if not managed sustainably. That's why governance must sit at the heart of AI for sustainability. Organizations must develop internal ethical frameworks for AI development and deployment—ensuring fairness, explainability, and transparency in their models. Boards must demand oversight, and regulators must move beyond reactive enforcement toward proactive partnership with industry. Globally, we also need interoperable standards for sustainable AI—guidelines that account for carbon intensity, data sourcing ethics, and social outcomes. The EU's AI Act is a good start, but the real work will be in implementation: aligning incentives, educating users, and integrating sustainability metrics into performance evaluations for AI projects. Additionally, the lack of diversity in AI development teams remains a systemic barrier to equitable outcomes. If we want AI to work for all of humanity, then all of humanity must be represented in the labs, data sets, and decisions that shape its evolution. AI, Innovation, and Responsibility: A Balancing Act AI is not inherently sustainable or unsustainable. It is a tool—one whose impact depends on how we use it. This requires leadership with vision and integrity. Entrepreneurs, investors, and executives must ask harder questions: Is our AI innovation aligned with long-term societal needs? Are we measuring not just what AI can do, but what it should do? Encouragingly, many startups and corporations are beginning to take this seriously. Sustainability-focused AI startups are growing in number and influence. Venture capital funds are beginning to include ESG criteria in their due diligence. Multinational companies are creating Chief Sustainability Data Officer roles to oversee responsible AI integration. These are promising signs—but we cannot afford complacency. The dual challenge of advancing AI and achieving sustainability will define the next decade of business. Those who can navigate this complexity with authenticity and boldness will shape the future—not just of markets, but of society. Building Intelligence for Impact As AI continues to evolve, it must not be defined only by its technical sophistication, but by its real-world impact. If we succeed in aligning AI's trajectory with the goals of sustainable development, we can harness one of the most powerful tools of our era to build a future that is not only intelligent, but just, inclusive, and resilient. This is no small task. But it is the task of our time. Dr. John Mullins is Associate Professor of Management Practice in Marketing and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. He is an award-winning educator, a three-time entrepreneur, and the author of four books on the creation, management, and financing of entrepreneurial ventures. His work focuses on helping business leaders navigate the intersection of innovation, growth, and impact.
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Surviving The Next Shock: How To Fortify Your Supply Chain Now
A cargo ship loads and unloads cargo at the fully automated terminal of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, ... More China, on December 3, 2024. (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Global supply chains have driven decades of economic growth but are under unprecedented strain. Recent events exposed vulnerabilities created during a long period of stability ensured by a single superpower, the United States. These include Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, pandemic-induced factory shutdowns, and a new era of unpredictable tariffs. Executives need to rethink long-held assumptions about effective supply chain strategies. For decades, companies prioritized efficiency in their supply chains. The economics were compelling, but each efficiency increase created a silent loss in resilience. In an interview, Willy Shih, Baker Foundation Professor at Harvard Business School, told me, "We've had trade in this country since colonial times, and in the world all the way back to the Romans. Trade has always been driven by advancements in technology and communications." A technological revolution in shipping enabled the modern era of globalized supply chains. "What we've seen, especially since the late 1990s, is a vast expansion of the tradable sector enabled by container shipping," Shih said. "People tend to underestimate the importance of container shipping and the resultant expansion of the tradable sector because it is almost invisible." The business case for global trade after reduced shipping costs was compelling. Shih recalled his experience when China opened up: "I was in manufacturing in upstate New York, and it would cost me $80 to assemble a product that I could have assembled in Japan for $37, but I also could assemble it in China for $2.32. With labor costs 1/20th or less of those in the United States, I could throw 10 times as many people at a job and still be better off economically." The relentless pursuit of efficiency through offshoring relied on outdated assumptions about global stability and free benefits were undeniable: lower consumer prices, expanded product variety, and higher corporate profits. But these extended supply chains sacrificed resilience for efficiency, creating vulnerabilities that have become painfully apparent. Peter Zeihan, geopolitical strategist and author of The End of the World is Just the Beginning, argues that we've reached the end of this era. He contends that demographic decline, deglobalization, and geopolitical realignment are driving a fundamental restructuring of global supply chains. The global order enabling extended supply chains is fragmenting, and companies must adjust to this new reality. Recent disruptions have shattered the assumptions underlying global supply chains. Shih pointed to several examples: "When Houthi attacks shut down the Red Sea and we couldn't bring things through the Suez Canal; or for people living on the East Coast, when there wasn't enough rain in Panama so shippers couldn't bring as much through the Panama Canal; or during the pandemic, which took out 50 percent of global air cargo capacity because passenger flights were grounded." These disruptions exposed the fragility of a system optimized for cost and efficiency rather than resilience. The pandemic was particularly revealing. As factories shut down and shipping lanes became congested, companies discovered how little they knew about their supply networks. Many were shocked to find critical components from single sources they hadn't identified as vulnerabilities. Growing geopolitical tensions and rising protectionist policies are adding to these physical disruptions. Trade wars, tariffs, and export controls are creating new barriers to the free movement of goods. China's recent restrictions on critical minerals like gallium, germanium, and rare earths signal a world where access to strategic materials may be constrainedby political considerations. In this changed landscape, companies need to invest in resilience. What does that mean in practice? Here are five key strategies based on insights from Shih and Zeihan: "Number one, you have to understand where your vulnerabilities are. The scary thing is that people haven't learned their lessons from the pandemic," Shih said. This mapping isn't as straightforward as it sounds. Shih explained that our supply chains are built on a tiering system,exposing them to 'surprise dependencies.' "You need to know where there are sole source components, and a lot of that is just doing some research and figuring it out... You need to focus on the things that would really shut you down if you couldn't get access to them." Both Shih and Zeihan advocate for regionalization as a key resilience strategy. Shih stated, "It's time to think about how to regionalize production. The basic idea is to make things closer to principal markets: make in the Americas for consumption in the Americas; make in Europe for consumption in Europe; make in Asia, including China, for consumption in Asia." This doesn't mean complete reshoring to high-cost countries. Rather, it involves building regional supply networks that reduce exposure to global shipping disruptions while maintaining cost advantages. Zeihan argues that regionalization isn't just a choice but an inevitability as the global order fragments. Companies that build regional supply networks early will have an advantage as transportation costs rise and trade barriers increase. Traditionally, efficiency has been tied to scale, but resilience may require different thinking. Shih observed, "Our mentality has been to have efficient plants driven by scale, but this may no longer make sense. I think we need to figure out how to decrease the scale required for efficient production." This means investing in manufacturing processes that can operate efficiently at smaller scales. Advanced technologies like AI, IoT, 3D printing, and software-defined manufacturing can enable this transformation, making smaller-scale production more economically viable while providing enhanced visibility and control. Small-scale manufacturing has emerged in industries like shoes and tires. Resilience starts with product design. Shih explained, "Designing for resilience means understanding how we tend to spec things. Do we spec parts that come from a sole source? We need to ask whether we can spec parts that allow for more substitution." Sometimes this means paying more for flexibility. Shih points to Tesla's approach: "Tesla chose to use FPGAs [field-programmable gate array chips] instead of ASICs [application-specific integrated circuit chips], which are less expensive. If you choose an ASIC or custom chip, you have to have exactly the right one to plug in. With an FPGA, you get more flexibility, but each one costs more." He recommends companies "pay for resilience" in their designs. "Where it makes sense, spec more expensive or more general-purpose parts to give you more flexibility. That should be a design consideration." Disruptions rarely happen without warning. Companies need systems to track potential trigger events and identify early signals of supply chain threats. To detect changes, monitor transportation routes, political developments, and supplier health indicators. Technology creates visibility around these potential threats, allowing companies to act before disruptions escalate. It also means having contingency plans ready. 'Know your alternatives, and identify trigger points to activate these alternatives.' The era of global supply chains optimized solely for efficiency is ending. A new model is emerging - one that balances efficiency with resilience, recognizing that the lowest-cost supply chain may not be the most profitable when disruptions are factored in. In this new reality, supply chain strategy is no longer just an operational concern but a core strategic issue that deserves attention at the highest organizational levels. Those who prioritize resilience in their thinking will gain a competitive advantage in an age of increasing uncertainty.
Forbes
29-04-2025
- Forbes
Apple's iPad Steals Another MacBook Feature
Customers are experiencing the newly released iPad Pro and iPad Air at the Apple Store in Shanghai ... More (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Apple loves to blur the line between its tablet-focused and keyboard-focused hardware. The latest step to bring more of the Mac to the iPad comes in one of the most straightforward UI changes possible, but it will have a considerable impact. The upcoming iPadOS 19 is expected to be previewed at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference 2025 on Jun 9. Following the event it will go into a mix of private and public beta versions, before a public release in late September. One of the updated features will include a traditional menu bar. It will not be present at all times. Still, when an external keyboard is connected (such as Apple's Magic Keyboard), the menu bar will become an ever-present feature, pushing the platform further towards a laptop-like portable experience than a handheld tablet. That feeling will be boosted by changes to Stage Manager, Apple's tool to support multitasking on the iPad. The next version of Stage Manager—part of iPadOS 19—will offer more control and management tools for apps when a keyboard is attached. Apple continues to blur the lines between its tablet-based products and its desk-bound products. The tweaks to iPadOS allow that distinction to be blurred again, although only under the limited circumstance of a third-party keyboard connecting to the iPad. Apple continues to push the idea of a connected ecosystem, allowing files and information to move between hardware. What it is refusing, once more, is to offer that same synergy of software in its hardware. The Mac will always be bound to a desk, the MacBook will always be a laptop, and the iPad will always be an iPad. Now read the latest iPad, iPhone, and Mac headlines in Forbes' weekly Apple Loop news digest...
