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3241588	有图 <p> <p> <p> <p> <p>During the global launch of its new language model, OpenAI identified BBVA as one of the first institutions to adopt this technology in the financial sector. The bank has been testing the system in strategic tasks as part of its commitment to exploring the potential of generative artificial intelligence to enhance organizational processes and drive team innovation.</p> </p> </p> </p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <source srcset="https://www.bbva.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bbva-innovacion-chat-gpt-5-768x429.jpg"> <source srcset="https://www.bbva.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bbva-innovacion-chat-gpt-5-1024x572.jpg"> <source srcset="https://www.bbva.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bbva-innovacion-chat-gpt-5.jpg"> <source srcset="https://www.bbva.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bbva-innovacion-chat-gpt-5.jpg"> <img src="https://www.bbva.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bbva-innovacion-chat-gpt-5-150x150.jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </p> </p> </p> </p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> Vanessa Pombo Nartallo (BBVA Creative) </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <i></i> Listen to audio <i></i> Leer en español </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p>In the event, OpenAI highlighted BBVA’s example as one of the pioneering financial institutions adopting ChatGPT. Olivier Godement, Global Head of the Platform at OpenAI, explained how the bank has been testing the functionalities of the new model, which has enabled it to complete highly strategic tasks in just a few hours—tasks that typically require two to three weeks of work.</p><p>According to the company’s website, GPT-5 surpasses OpenAI’s previous advances in advanced intelligence, including 4o, the OpenAI reasoning series, agents, and advanced mathematical capabilities. The model represents improvements in accuracy, speed, reasoning, contextual understanding, structured thinking, and problem-solving.</p><p>“GPT-5 marks a significant leap forward for us at BBVA, not only in how our people interact with AI thanks to deeper responses that are more useful, but also in advancing our aspirations toward multi-step agent automation,” said Elena Alfaro, BBVA’s Global Head of AI Adoption, in the press release. “The new model is demonstrating great potential, especially in writing code and handling technical tasks.” Alfaro also highlighted its ability to handle the Spanish language—a major milestone in a context where language models are typically trained primarily in English.</p><p>The collaboration between BBVA and OpenAI began in May 2024, and since then, 11,000 licenses have been deployed across the Group. The bank aims to harness the potential of generative AI to accelerate processes, improve productivity, and foster innovation in a safe and responsible manner. Over 80% of users use the licenses daily and report saving nearly three hours per week on routine tasks.</p> </p> </p> </p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <i></i> </p> </p> </p> </p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p>Keep reading about</p> Artificial Intelligence Data Innovation </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> OpenAI highlights its collaboration with BBVA in the global launch of GPT-5	查看 5249	西班牙对外银行	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 14:10:21	word
3241587	无图 Ayala Corp. managing director Mariana Beatriz Zobel de Ayala takes up challenge to recharge 191-year-old group’s future growth.<p>This story is part of Forbes’ coverage of Philippines’ Richest 2025. See the full list here.</p><p>Mariana Beatriz Zobel de Ayala was a 24-year-old equity analyst working on Wall Street over a decade ago, when she got a call from her father, Jaime Augusto. The chairman of the Philippines’ oldest conglomerate, Ayala Corp., nudged his eldest daughter to come home. “He hinted at opportunities in the Philippines,” Mariana recalls. There was never any pressure, she hastens to add, with the option of returning to New York left on the table. Her sense of duty won out and she quit her job at JPMorgan: “It was the right thing to do.”</p><p></p><p><small>.</small></p><p>After spending 12 years learning the ropes in various roles across the 191-year-old banking-to-property group, Mariana, 36, was appointed this March as a managing director at Ayala Corp. She’s tasked with sprucing up its vast leasing portfolio of aging malls, office buildings and hotels—a number of which sprung up after Ayala Corp. spun off its expanding real estate division in 1988 and listed Ayala Land three years later.</p><p></p><p><p>Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman of Ayala Corp.</p><small>Courtesy of Ayala Corp.</small></p><p></p><p><p>Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, CEO of AC Mobility.</p><small>Courtesy of Ayala Corp.</small></p><p>At the same time as her elevation, her brother Jaime Alfonso, 34, and cousin Jaime Urquijo, 37, were named executive directors at the group. With these promotions, Ayala Corp. said, the next-generation of leaders was in place to drive its future growth.</p><p>“We’re firing on all cylinders in the next few years,” Mariana tells Forbes Asia from her top-floor office at the 39-story Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, in Makati City, home to Ayala Corp. and other Philippine corporate giants, such as noodle maker Monde Nissin and telecoms firm PLDT. The booming financial hub was the family’s first real estate development, carved out from vast tracts of agricultural land acquired when the Philippines was still a colony of Spain.</p><p></p><p>As one of the stewards of a storied legacy and with her dad’s office just a few doors away from hers, the Harvard-and-Insead grad isn’t taking things lightly. “We’ve seen how the prior generations charted new paths,” she says. “That’s something we hope we can continue to do.”</p><p></p><p><p>Jaime Urquijo, chief sustainability and risk officer of Ayala Corp.</p><small>Courtesy of Ayala Corp.</small></p><p>While her brother is charged with the group’s EV infrastructure and car distribution businesses as CEO of AC Mobility, and cousin Jaime Urquijo targets ESG deliverables as Ayala Corp.’s chief sustainability and risk officer, Mariana has her work cut out for her at Ayala Land, the nation’s second-largest property developer by market cap ($6.5 billion).</p><p>Mariana is working with its president and CEO Anna Ma. Margarita B. Dy as the group undertakes one of its biggest capital investments to date: $2.5 billion to be spent on expanding Ayala Land’s footprint across the country over the next five years. “It’s not just about our family shareholders, we have public shareholders too,” Mariana says. “It’s a huge responsibility.”</p><p>“We’re firing on all cylinders in the next few years.”</p><p>The masterplan includes a $1.5 billion makeover of its retail properties: On the to-do list is refurbishing eight of its 34 malls and building new ones to add 700,000 square meters of gross leasable area (GLA) by 2028 to the current 2.2 million square meters. Several Ayala-owned hotels and resorts, operating under homegrown brands Seda Hotels and El Nido Resorts, are also slated for redevelopment alongside plans to seek new global brand partners. And this year will see the launch of Ayala Land’s first two “technohubs,” purpose-built buildings for science and tech companies.</p>Firm FoundationAyala Land’s portfolio of shopping malls, office buildings and hotels makes up about a third of revenue.<p></p><p><small>Source: Ayala Land</small></p><p></p><p>“Our malls, offices and hotels provide a steady stream of recurring income that complements the dynamic nature of our property development business,” Dy says by email. “Under [Mariana’s] leadership, we’re not just renovating spaces, we’re reimagining them...shaping environments that reflect the evolving needs of a new generation of users.”</p><p>Ayala Land isn’t a laggard by any stretch. It posted record revenue in 2024 of 181 billion pesos, up by a fifth from a year earlier. But future-proofing is a key priority, says Benjamin Garcia, head of research at AP Securities in Manila—in particular, reducing its reliance on cyclical residential sales, currently the biggest contributor to the company’s top line. Then there are its deep-pocketed rivals to contend with.</p><p>SM Prime, the country’s biggest mall developer with 88 malls and 10 million square meters of GLA, owned by the Sy siblings (No. 1 on the list of Philippines’ 50 Richest), is spending 10 billion pesos to add seven new hotels to its hospitality portfolio. Robinson Land, controlled by Lance Gokongwei and his family (No. 14), in June hived off nine of its 56 shopping malls into a commercial REIT to bankroll expansion plans. Meanwhile property-to-spirits billionaire Andrew Tan’s (No. 15) real estate arm Megaworld is building new resorts outside of Metro Manila and recently partnered with French hotel chain Accor.</p><p></p><p><p>An artist impression of the Greenbelt 1 shopping center, expected to be completed by 2028.</p><small>courtesy of Ayala Land</small></p><p>Since joining Ayala Land in 2015, after two years with the parent company’s strategy and business development team, Mariana has learned first-hand the perils of underestimating competitors. She cut her teeth as a project manager at The 30th Corporate Center, a 19-story mixed-use building east of Manila, becoming general manager of the mall when it opened two years later. While its office tower is almost fully leased, the shopping mall is about 80% occupied—well below the company’s targeted occupancy benchmark of 95%.</p><p></p><p>In hindsight, Mariana says she and her team made the mistake of assuming that with the Ayala brand, “if we build a mall, people will come.” They also too easily dismissed its proximity to the Sys’ SM Megamall, which sits about a kilometer away. “That early grounding gave her a deep understanding of the business from the ground up,” says Dy.</p><p>The budget of 18 billion pesos for upgrading its four flagship malls, three in Metro Manila and one in Cebu, starting this year, will be strategically spent. “I want to ensure that our malls don’t just serve the community around them, but there’s a reason for people to visit,” Mariana explains. “Each mall should have a story.”</p><p>At the fore is Greenbelt 1 in Makati, the group’s oldest shopping center of 1980s vintage, that was demolished last year. In its place will rise a new mixed-use complex designed by American architectural firm Gensler, which, she says, is known for combining a global outlook with a local sensibility. (Its projects include converting a freight terminal in New York’s Hudson Square into a workplace for Google.) With such elements as a rainwater collection system for its three-hectare garden, “it will be one of our most premium developments,” says Mariana.</p>Growth PillarsAyala Corp.’s crown jewels, Bank of the Philippine Islands and Ayala Land, continued to be the biggest contributors to core net profit last year.<p></p><p><small>Source: Ayala Corp.</small></p><p>She’s lining up a slew of luxury brands for its 2028 reopening. Ayala Land already counts Balenciaga, Hermès and Louis Vuitton among its high-end tenants. “This goes to show the strength of the demand from the premium side, which has always been their key market,” says Raffy Mendoza, a Manila-based analyst at Maybank Securities. The company has lately been churning its retail mix, adding such brands as Singaporean fashion chain Love, Bonito, New York-headquartered perfume maker Le Labo and Australian home and lifestyle brand Anko.</p><p></p><p>Despite the encroachment of online shopping, Mariana remains a firm believer of brick-and-motar retail. “Because the Philippines doesn’t have a lot of public parks, malls serve as a gathering place for friends and families,” she explains. While malls accounted for 23 billion pesos, or 13% of Ayala Land’s revenue in 2024, residential projects made up the lion’s share of its sales, though growth in that segment slowed in the first quarter of 2025. In a recent research note, Jelline Gaza, an analyst at JPMorgan in Manila, attributes the sluggish offtake to an oversupply of condos in Metro Manila.</p><p></p><p><p>An artist impression of the BPI Tower, slated for completion in 2029.</p><small>Bank of the Philippine Islands</small></p><p>Empty offices are also on the rise in the capital city, and with global tensions keeping interest rates high and borrowing costs elevated (the company’s debt rose 9% to 282 billion pesos last year), Ayala Land shares took a knock, dropping nearly 20% in the past 12 months. Office vacancy rates in Metro Manila stood at 18% in the first half of 2025 as tenants vacated about 470,000 square meters of office space, according to Leechiu Property Consultants.</p><p>Despite the supply glut, Ayala Land will deploy 28.6 billion pesos to grow its office portfolio. Mariana counters that demand in prime locations remains strong and convenience is key. The company says it has achieved an average vacancy rate of 9% across its office buildings, including at One Ayala, a mixed-use retail and office property with direct links to commuter rail and a bus interchange.</p><p>Mariana’s also involved in the renovation of Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 1—built in 1996—which will offer amenities such as daycare centers and gyms to keep tenants sticky. Across the business hub’s main street—Ayala Avenue—the company is constructing the new headquarters for Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), another of Ayala Corp.’s crown jewels. The 45-story office tower of the country’s second-most valuable bank is set to redefine Makati’s skyline when completed in 2029. With the upcoming technology hubs in Laguna, south of Manila, and in the central Philippine province of Iloilo, the company’s gross leasable office space will increase 26% to about 1.8 million square meters by then.</p><p></p><p><p>The Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, headquarters of Ayala Corp.</p><small>Courtesy of Ayala Land</small></p><p></p><p>On another front, Ayala Land is going all out to grow its hospitality portfolio, betting on a travel boom. The company will spend $500 million on renovations and new builds to almost double its current room count to 8,000 by 2030. In May, it bought 578-room New World Makati for an undisclosed amount from Hong Kong-based New World Development, the debt-laden company controlled by Henry Cheng and his family.</p><p>“Tourism is largely untapped in the country,” Mariana says. “With minimal incremental investments, we could reap major benefits.” While tourist arrivals increased nearly 9% to 5.4 million in 2024, that number is way below the 8.3 million peak set in 2019 just before the Covid-19 pandemic, government data show.</p><p></p><p><p>The Seda Hotel at the Bonifacio Global City, near Makati.</p><small>Courtesy of Ayala Land</small></p><p>Revenue from the hospitality business increased 10% to 2.6 billion pesos in the first quarter after rising 11% to 9.7 billion pesos in the whole of 2024, according to Ayala Land. “Our hotels are doing very well,” Mariana says, adding that in March, hotel room rates at their luxe El Nido Resorts in Palawan jumped almost 80% on average from a year earlier, thanks to high demand for their island villas that can cost upward of $1,000 a night. And in addition to expanding its Seda business hotel group, which manages almost 3,300 rooms across 12 properties, on the anvil are two new homegrown brands to offer tourists Filipino-style hospitality, says Mariana.</p><p>"Tourism is largely untapped in the country. With minimal investments, we could reap major benefits."</p><p>“We’re constantly talking to international hotel companies for potential partnerships,” she adds. Ayala Land is set to open the 276-room Mandarin Oriental at its Makati complex next year, and its latest project is a 260-room hotel under Marriott’s Moxy brand, to open in late 2026 at an Ayala mixed-use estate on the edge of Makati. It also owns three hotels managed by Fairmont, Holiday Inn and Raffles. “Property developers really have to diversify their revenue streams away from residential, and hotels seem like the best choice,” AP Securities’ Garcia says.</p><p></p><p><small>Geric Cruz for Forbes Asia </small></p><p></p><p>Over the past three decades, Mariana’s father Jaime Augusto and uncle Fernando Zobel de Ayala have steered Ayala Corp., branching from its mainstay businesses of banking and property into telecoms and utilities and lately into education and healthcare. But BPI and Ayala Land remain the group’s biggest cash generators, accounting for about 95% of 2024 core net profit of 45 billion pesos.</p><p>Last year, Ayala Corp. rebranded its automotive subsidiary AC Motors as AC Mobility, the largest distributor (by dealership) for Japanese automakers Honda and Isuzu Motors in the Philippines, which under Jaime Alfonso, is stepping up the distribution of China’s BYD electric vehicles in the country. It’s also installed 226 EV charging stations nationwide and plans to expand the network to over 700 by year end. Meantime, under Jaime Urquijo’s watch, Ayala Corp. cut its greenhouse gas emissions by a quarter in 2023 compared with 2021 levels, and is on track to realize the group’s net zero target by 2050.</p><p>Mariana says her father’s big theme for the group is to build more consumer-focused businesses and that resonates with her. “I love thinking about what’s going to excite Filipino consumers,” she says. While she appreciates her father’s counsel, she says she’s learnt the most by observing how he makes decisions: “He stays true to his values even when he encounters rough winds.”</p><p></p><p><p>Jaime Zobel de Ayala (in 2014, the group’s 180th anniversary).</p><small>Edwin Tuyay/Bloomberg</small></p>Frontier Family<p>Ayala Corp. traces its roots to 1834 when Antonio de Ayala and Domingo Roxas built a distillery to make a juniper-flavored liquor called Ginebra San Miguel. (That eventually morphed into a gin-production company, today’s largest by volume, owned by billionaire Ramon Ang.) Antonio, whose daughter married a Zobel, was later named a director of the Philippines’ first bank, the predecessor to Bank of the Philippine Islands.</p><p>The family began developing Hacienda Makati in the late 1940s, which had been the site of the country’s first commercial airport, later turned by the Americans into an airbase during World War II. Joseph McMicking, a colonel who married Mercedes Zobel de Ayala from the fifth generation, created the blueprint that would transform the virtual grassland into the country’s financial capital.</p><p>Jaime Zobel de Ayala, 91, Mariana’s grandfather, under whom the family’s $3.4 billion fortune is listed at No. 7, took the helm in 1983 when his cousin, Enrique Zobel (d. 2004) retired. Amid political and economic turmoil, which led to the ouster of late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Jaime steadied the ship, listing the property division as Ayala Land. When his sons—Jaime Augusto and Fernando—became co-vice chairmen in the mid-1990s, the conglomerate was ready to embark on expansion. The brothers pushed into new businesses with Jaime Augusto taking over as group chairman after the patriarch retired in 2006.</p><p></p>More From Forbes AsiaForbesForbes Philippines" 50 Richest 2025 List - Philippines" Billionaires RankedForbesAyala Land Buys Philippine Hotel From Cash-Strapped New World<small>By Ian Sayson</small>ForbesPhilippines’ Ayala Land To Spend $500 Million To Expand Hotel Footprint Amid Tourism Boom<small>By Ian Sayson</small>Forbes ME$108M Deal: Ayala Land Snaps Up Former Media Giant"s Property The Eighth-Generation Heir Driving Big Changes At Philippines’ Oldest Conglomerate Ayala	查看 16326	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241586	无图 <p></p><p><p>Jean Salata, chairperson of EQT Asia.</p><small>Shoko Takayasu/Bloomberg</small></p><p>EQT Private Capital Asia, the Asia arm of Swedish private equity giant EQT led by Hong Kong-based billionaire Jean Salata, has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in Remember & Company in a deal that values the Seoul-based professional network platform operator at 500 billion won (about $400 million).</p><p></p><p>EQT said on Monday that BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII will buy an unspecified stake from South Korean investment firm Ark & Partners. BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII is managed by EQT Private Capital Asia.</p><p>In 2021, Ark & Partners bought a roughly 47% stake in Remember & Company for about 110 billion won in a transaction that valued the HR tech company at 230 billion won. Other investors of Remember & Company include South Korean billionaire Lee Hae-jin’s internet giant Naver and Kosdaq-listed recruitment platform operator Saramin.</p><p>“Remember is a rare and differentiated asset, uniquely positioned at the intersection of South Korea’s demographic structural transformation and the rise of AI-driven talent management,” said Yeon Dayea, head of EQT Private Capital Asia’s Korea team, in a statement on Monday. “By leveraging our global network of industry advisors, along with our in-house digitalization and sustainability capabilities, we are excited to support Remember’s ambition to become Asia’s leading HR tech platform.”</p><p>With this deal, BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII, the $11.2 billion fund closed in 2022, is set to be 90% to 95% invested, according to the statement. The transaction, subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed in the third quarter.</p><p></p><p><p>Choi Jaeho, founder and co-CEO of Remember & Company.</p><small>Remember & Company</small></p><p>Founded in 2013, Remember & Company started out as a business card management app. With a database of more than 500 million name cards, it has since then expanded to include LinkedIn-like offerings, including job matching and networking for job seekers, and talent acquisition for employers. It has also rolled out an anonymous forum for professionals to discuss workplace issues and share advice. Remember & Company said it currently has more than 5 million users across South Korea and Japan, where it launched operations in 2018.</p><p>Choi Jaeho, founder and co-CEO of Remember & Company, said in a separate statement that the EQT investment will help fulfill his “founding vision of creating the ‘LinkedIn of Asia’.”</p><p>Remember & Company is the latest addition to EQT’s portfolio of HR tech firms, as the private equity giant bets on rising demand for outsourced and AI-powered recruitment services. Last year, EQT Private Capital Asia acquired Australian HR software provider PageUp Group for an undisclosed amount. It followed the buyout fund’s purchase of a majority stake in Japanese HR software startup HRBrian in 2023 for an undisclosed amount.</p><p></p><p>EQT Private Capital Asia was formed in 2022 following EQT’s acquisition of Salata’s Baring Private Equity Asia in a deal worth $7.5 billion. Since then, Salata has been leading the combined Asian operations from a base in Hong Kong, while sitting on EQT’s executive committee.</p>MORE FROM FORBESForbesInside $250 Billion EQT’s Plan To Dominate Asian And European Private Equity<small>By Hank Tucker</small>ForbesPrivate Equity Maven Jean Salata Takes Aim At India<small>By Cat Wang</small>ForbesBillionaire Jean Salata’s EQT Asia To Buy Singapore’s PropertyGuru For $1 Billion<small>By Yessar Rosendar</small> Billionaire Jean Salata’s EQT Asia To Invest In Korean LinkedIn Rival	查看 3654	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241585	有图 <p><img src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/68995b986aeafe83a208f8cc/Keppel/960x0.jpg?fit=scale" rel="noopener noreferrer"></p><p><p>Keppel, which founded mobile carrier M1 in 1994, is selling the telco business to Simba Telecom in deal valued at $1.1 billion.</p><small>Courtesy of Keppel</small></p><p>Simba Telecom—a unit of billionaire David Teoh’s Australia-listed Tuas Ltd.—is buying M1 in a deal valuing the Singapore-based mobile carrier at S$1.4 billion ($1.1 billion).</p><p>Keppel has agreed to sell its 83.9% stake in M1 to Singapore-based mobile operator Simba for cash proceeds of close to S$1 billion, the company said in a statement on Monday. Keppel will retain M1’s Information and Communications Technology businesses, which complements the conglomerate’s connectivity operations such as data centers and subsea cables.</p><p>While the transaction will result in a S$222 million loss for state-linked Keppel, the deal “crystalizes value from Keppel’s investment in M1 over the years,” the company said. The sale of M1, which Keppel founded in 1994 to compete with telecom giant Singtel, is expected to be completed in a few months subject to regulatory approvals.</p><p>The divestment unlocks value for Keppel, which plans to use the cash proceeds to fund growth opportunities, lower debt levels and reward shareholders. Keppel said it has identified a portfolio of non-core assets (worth more than S$14 billion) that it plans to sell.</p><p></p><p>“M1 and Simba are a highly synergistic combination—together, they can scale more efficiently, optimize infrastructure and accelerate 5G and digital investments,” Loh Chin Hua, CEO of Keppel, said in the statement.</p><p>MORE FOR YOU</p><p>Simba’s parent Tuas reported a first-ever net profit of S$3 million in its first half ended January as revenue jumped 34% to S$73.2 million. Tuas expects to remain profitable for the rest of the fiscal year. Simba had 1.2 million mobile subscribers and over 14,000 broadband customers as of January.</p><p>Tuas, which was spun off as a separate listed entity after its parent TPG Telecom merged with Vodafone Australia in March 2020. Teoh, 69, an Australian citizen of Malaysian descent, is the founder and former executive chairman of TPG Telecom. He has a real-time net worth of $2.1 billion, according to Forbes.</p> Australian Billionaire David Teoh’s Simba Telecom To Buy Singapore’s M1 In Deal Valued At $1.1 Billion	查看 2344	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241584	无图 Topline<p>A “planet parade” is building in the eastern sky before sunrise this week — and the highlight comes on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Best seen about an hour before sunrise, as the peak of the Perseid meteor shower draws to a close, bright planets Jupiter and Venus will appear less than one degree from each other in the eastern sky. Best seen about an hour before sunrise, the close conjunction will occur while Saturn is visible in the south and Mercury begins to become visible below the two bright planets. Although neither are visible to the naked eye, Uranus and Neptune will also be in the sky, creating a six-planet parade. </p><p></p><p><p>A spectacular “planet parade” (also called an alignment) featuring six planets is visible during August 2025.</p><small>getty</small></p>Key Facts<p><p>Venus and Jupiter will come to a close conjunction in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, Aug. 12, when the two planets will be just 0.9 degrees apart. That"s the width of a little finger held at arm"s length.</p><p>The two planets will be above east-northeast from an hour or two before sunrise, in the constellation Gemini. Jupiter will be on the left, slightly higher in the sky than Venus.</p><p>Venus will shine at -3.9 magnitude and Jupiter at -1.9 magnitude, making cloudy, reflective Venus around six times brighter than Jupiter. However, Jupiter will appear to be about twice as big as Venus.</p><p>The following “planet parade” will occur in October 2028, when five planets will be visible together, again before sunrise. </p></p><p></p><p><p>The planets an hour before sunrise on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, during the "planet parade." </p><small>Stellarium</small></p>Explaining The Optical Illusion<p>This conjunction is merely a line of sight illusion. After all, we"re watching the solar system from a moving platform. During the conjunction, Venus and Jupiter will be around 438 million miles (703 million kilometers) apart, with Jupiter almost five times farther from Earth than Venus. Jupiter, an outer planet, is currently rising higher into the night sky as its gets closer to Earth, becoming brighter, as it orbits the sun on its 12-(Earth) year journey. Venus, on the other hand, is receding from Earth, slowly sinking into the horizon and becoming dimmer as it does so. During the conjunction, Venus will be 115 million miles (186 million kilometers) from Earth and Jupiter 552 million miles (889 million kilometers).</p>The Perseid Meteor Shower<p>The conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, and the arrival of Mercury, both in the pre-dawn sky, will occur on the same day as the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. This annual display of "shooting stars" will peak overnight on Tuesday, Aug. 12 through Wednesday, Aug. 13. It will likely underwhelm this year because bright moonlight will restrict the view of its 50-75 meteors per hour on the peak night, though skywatchers should still see a healthy amount of the brightest meteors.</p><p></p>What’s Next In The Night Sky<p>After this week’s Venus-Jupiter conjunction, the “planet parade” will intensify, with Mercury becoming easier to see as it rises higher into the pre-dawn sky. Next week, a waning crescent moon will move through the planets, with the “planet parade” drawing to a close around Aug. 26 as Mercury disappears from view, leaving Saturn and Jupiter to gradually brighten as Venus begins to fade. </p>Further ReadingForbesA Six-Planet Parade Is Coming — When To See It<small>By Jamie Carter</small>ForbesPerseid Meteor Shower Begins Next Week — When To Get The Best View<small>By Jamie Carter</small>ForbesDon’t Miss This Week’s Dazzling Venus-Jupiter Encounter<small>By Jamie Carter</small> When To See The Fabulous Sky Show On Tuesday As ‘Shooting Stars’ Fall	查看 3668	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241583	无图 Topline<p>Overnight on Monday, Aug. 12, through Tuesday, Aug. 13, sees the annual peak of the Perseid meteor shower, when up to 75 “shooting stars” per hour can normally be seen in a dark, moonless night sky away from light pollution. However, the presence of the full sturgeon moon in the night sky this year will make faint meteors harder to spot.</p><p></p><p><p>In this 20-second exposure, a meteor lights up the sky over the top of a mountain ridge near Park City, Utah.</p><small>NASA/Bill Dunford</small></p>Key Facts<p><p>The Perseid meteor shower will peak around 20:00 UTC (4:00 p.m. EDT) on Monday, Aug. 12. That means the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 11, Monday, Aug. 12, and Tuesday, Aug. 13 are when meteors will be most numerous. </p><p>Just a handful of the up to 75 “shooting stars” per hour that would normally be visible are expected to be seen by skywatchers this year because of an 84%-lit waning gibbous moon. The moon will be in the night sky for the first half of the week. </p><p>As the moon rises, so does Saturn, which is approaching its closest and brightest point to Earth for the year. It will reach opposition on Sept. 21.</p><p>By Friday, Aug. 15, the moon will have decreased in brightness and will rise around midnight, making sky conditions better for viewing what remains of the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. </p></p>How Bright Is Moonlight? <p>On the night of the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, there will be an 84%-lit waning gibbous moon, the leftovers of the weekend’s full moon. Although the advice is always to escape light pollution to see more “shooting stars,” the full-ish moon this year makes that moot. “A gibbous moon like on the night of the Perseids peak typically makes a dark sky about as bright as a moonless night sky in a small city or relatively distant suburbs at the edge of major metro areas,” said Dr. Qicheng Zhang, astronomer at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, in an email. </p>Which Direction Do You Look For Perseids?<p>“Shooting stars” can appear anywhere in the night sky at any time, so an observing location with as wide a view of the sky is wise. However, what you will notice if you see multiple meteors is where they appear to come from. Trace their trajectory back, and you’ll come to the northeastern night sky, where the constellation Perseus is located (it’s rising as the night sky darkens). This is the radiant point of the Perseids, hence their name. If you see a “shooting star” that doesn’t trace back to Perseus, it isn’t a Perseid. It’s probably a sporadic — a random meteor — or one from the Delta Aquariid meteor shower, whose radiant point is the constellation Aquarius in the south. </p>How To Photograph ‘shooting Stars’<p>The easiest way to photograph a “shooting star” is to use a manual DSLR or mirrorless camera and a wide-angle lens on a tripod. The trick is to take a sharp, long-exposure image of the stars and then simply set the camera to take the same image for multiple hours. Manually focus the lens on the stars (or set the lens to infinity focus), use a shutter speed of 30 seconds, then adjust the settings for aperture (from around f/2.8) and ISO (800-1600), and shoot in raw. Take the same shot 200 times — preferably using an intervalometer or a shutter release cable on lock — and you may catch a “shooting star.”</p><p></p>Further ReadingForbesMeet ‘Ammonite’ — A New World Just Found In The Solar System<small>By Jamie Carter</small>Forbes20 Best Dark Sky Campsites In The U.S. For Stargazing, From Hipcamp<small>By Jamie Carter</small>ForbesSee The Perseid Meteor Shower Now Before It Peaks, Experts Say<small>By Jamie Carter</small> Why Friday May See The Perseid Meteor Shower At Its Best	查看 3661	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241582	无图 <p>Topline<p>Paramount struck a $7.7 billion deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship just days after merging with Skydance, giving CBS and Paramount+ streaming and broadcasting rights to the mixed martial arts fights President Donald Trump has sometimes been spotted attending. </p><p></p><p><p>Paramount struck the UFC deal days after merging with David Ellison"s Skydance. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Variety via Getty Images)</p><small>Variety via Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>The new deal is valued at $1.1 billion per year for a period of seven years, and will begin in 2026, multiple outlets reported. </p><p>Under the terms of the deal, CBS and Paramount+ will obtain the rights to stream and broadcast UFC’s 13 marquee events and 30 “Fight Night” events.</p><p>The Paramount deal ends UFC streaming deal with ESPN, which paid $550 million per year, and also ends ESPN’s pay-per-view approach to charging for the fights.</p><p>Trump, a noted friend of UFC President and CEO Dana White, was spotted at two fights with Ellison earlier this year, once in April and again in June.</p><p>Ellison was able to secure the Paramount deal after what appeared to be a number of concessions by the previous owner to placate Trump and his FCC, which had to approve the deal. </p></p>Why Is The Ufc Deal Lucrative For Paramount?<p>Ellison has said on numerous occasions he wants to boost Paramount+’s subscription numbers and increase the amount of time subscribers spend using the streaming service. Paramount said in a quarterly report last month it had 77.7 million subscribers as of June 30, a decrease of 1.3 million from the previous quarter. Its subscriber total lags far behind competitors like Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max. In a message posted to Paramount’s website on his first day as CEO last week, Ellison said no changes to the company “will be more pivotal to our future than the evolution of our streaming services,” stating he wants to increase “investment in premium, exclusive content,” singling out sports as a possible draw for subscribers. Ellison also said he plans to consolidate Paramount+ with Pluto TV, the company’s ad-supported free streaming service. Paramount recently struck an exclusivity deal with “South Park” worth $1.5 billion, claiming the streaming rights to the series from HBO Max.</p>What Are Trump’s Links To The Ufc?<p>Trump has a decades-long relationship with the UFC, dating back to the early 2000s, when he allowed the organization to host matches at his Trump Taj Mahal property in Atlantic City, New Jersey. “Nobody took us seriously. Except Donald Trump,” White said at the 2016 Republican National Convention about Trump’s early help. White has backed Trump’s presidential bids and Trump has been spotted at numerous UFC events throughout his presidencies, which typically draw raucous reactions from the crowds, including both standing ovations and boos. Trump attended a Miami UFC fight in April flanked by an entourage of administration members, including then-Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</p>Key Background<p>The Paramount-UFC deal comes less than one week after the media company closed its merger with Ellison’s Skydance. Skydance and Paramount agreed to merge in July 2024, but the deal languished over a year of political tumult and apparent concessions to the Trump administration. Trump sued Paramount and CBS last year, accusing the CBS News show “60 Minutes” of deceptively editing an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, his election opponent. Paramount agreed in July to pay $16 million to settle the lawsuit, which Trump considered a victory. Paramount also stirred controversy for announcing the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which it said was a financial decision, though Colbert, a Trump critic, noted the announcement was made shortly after the Paramount settlement. Skydance also vowed to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies in an apparent move to secure FCC approval, shortly before the deal was finalized. </p><p></p>Further Reading<p>Skydance Closes $8 Billion Merger With Paramount (Forbes)</p><p>What We Know About David Ellison—Soon-To-Be Paramount Chief And Major Hollywood Honcho (Forbes)</p> Paramount Secures Streaming Rights For UFC Fights In $7.7 Billion Deal	查看 4346	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241581	有图 <p>Topline<p>Canadians intensified their U.S. travel boycott in July—cementing a massive economic loss for American tourism this year as visitors from all over the globe choose not to travel to the States.</p><p></p><p><p>Canadians continue to boycott travel to the US. Last month, 37% fewer Canadians traveled to the US by car than in July 2024.</p><small>getty</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>The volume of Canadians taking road trips into the U.S.—the way most Canadians visit—dropped by 37% last month compared to July 2024, according to new data from Statistics Canada, following a 33% drop in June.</p><p>There was also a 26% decline in air travelers from Canada year-over-year.</p><p>July was the seventh consecutive month of steep declines in inbound Canadian travel, with double-digit year-over-year drops in both car and air travel to the U.S. every month since April.</p><p>Travel in the other direction is also down, though far less severely, with 7% fewer Americans having traveled to Canada by car in July compared to last year and a slight increase (0.7%) of Americans flying to Canada last month compared to a year ago.</p></p>How Much Has Canadian Travel To The U.s. Declined In 2025?<p>In the first six months of 2025, Canadian travel to the U.S. was down 24% overall, according to Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics—but that’s before factoring in the July numbers. It adds up to an enormous loss for U.S. tourism. In recent years, Canadian tourists have made up roughly one-quarter of all foreign travelers who come to the United States, according to the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office , part of the Commerce Department. Last year, Canadian tourists vacationing in the U.S. spent $20.5 billion. </p><p><fbs-embedly iframe-src="https://embedly.forbes.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fdatawrapper.dwcdn.net%2FzMiJD%2F3%2F&display_name=Datawrapper&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdatawrapper.dwcdn.net%2FzMiJD%2F3%2F&image=https%3A%2F%2Fdatawrapper.dwcdn.net%2FzMiJD%2Fplain-s.png%3Fv%3D3&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=dwcdn"></fbs-embedly></p>Which Us Regions Have Been Hurt The Most By The Canadian Boycott?<p>Unsurprisingly, U.S. states along the northern border—whose tourism industries are highly dependent upon Canadian visitors—saw the steepest declines in the first half of 2025. In the Pacific Northwest, Seattle (-27%) and Portland, Ore. (-18%) led the country in lost Canadian tourists, according to Tourism Economics data. The Great Lakes region also saw steep double-digit drops, including in Detroit (-17%), Cleveland and Buffalo (both -15%), Minneapolis (-14%), Columbus (-13%) and Indianapolis and Milwaukee (both -12%) suffering the biggest declines. In the East South Central U.S., Louisville (-16%) and Nashville (-14%) saw the largest drops in Canadian visitors. At least 20 city markets saw more than 10% fewer Canadian tourists from January through June, according to Tourism Economics.</p><p></p>What Is Driving Away Tourists From The U.s.?<p>Tourism Economics attributes the decline in US inbound arrivals to “the apparent negative consequence of a mix of Trump administration policies and statements that have shifted sentiment and raised concerns among many potential travelers,” including adversarial trade negotiations, statements challenging national sovereignty, and immigration and border security measures have attracted media attention and resulted in travel warnings by origin countries. While the recent announcement of a travel ban is expected to have a limited impact, it will add to “the perception of the U.S. as a less predictable and welcoming destination,” according to Tourism Economics’ latest report.</p>Big Number<p>$1.8 billion. That’s how much in export revenue is lost for every 1% drop in international visitor spending, according to the U.S. Travel Association. If the downward trajectory continues through the end of the year, the country stands to lose at least $21 billion in travel-related exports.</p>Further Reading<p>Trump Administration: Some Foreign Tourists Must Post Bond Of Up To $15,000 To Enter U.S. (Forbes)</p> Canada’s Travel Boycott Grows: Car Travel To U.S. Drops 37%	查看 4124	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241580	无图 <p>Topline<p>A federal judge in New York denied the government’s motion to unseal the records from a grand jury that indicted Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2020, insisting most of the information in the records was already public knowledge and unsealing the documents “would not reveal new information of any consequence.”</p><p></p><p><p>Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said that the grand jury records “do not discuss or identify any client of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s.”</p><small>Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Grand jury records are usually kept under seal, and after reviewing materials from the grand jury that indicted Maxwell, Judge Paul A. Engelmayer found they did not meet the government’s claim that special circumstances of “abundant public interest” warranted their release.</p><p>Both the 2019 grand jury that indicted Epstein and the 2020 grand jury that indicted Maxwell were not investigative, Engelmayer wrote, and they did not hear evidence from any witness, victim, eyewitness, suspect or records custodian.</p><p>Both grand juries only convened for a single day and heard evidence from one person—a federal law enforcement officer, who answered “tightly structured questions” about the case from an assistant U.S. attorney, and showed the jury a PowerPoint presentation of exhibits from the investigation.</p><p>Engelmayer also said the information the grand jury heard was already public knowledge, and said that any member of the public already familiar with Maxwell’s trial would learn “next to nothing new.”</p><p>Maxwell is appealing her conviction to the Supreme Court, and last week her lawyers filed a letter opposing the efforts to unseal the grand jury materials related to her indictment.</p><p>Maxwell was recently moved to a minimum-security prison in Texas a closed-door meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, sparking concerns that Trump could pardon the Epstein associate, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking, in exchange for favorable testimony.</p></p>Crucial Quote<p>“The materials do not identify any person other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor,” Engelmayer wrote. “They do not discuss or identify any client of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s.” He added the records also “do not reveal new venues at which their crimes occurred,” new information about Epstein’s death or any previously unknown details about their sources of wealth. Engelmayer rejected the notion that the grand jury records were some kind of “untapped mine lode of undisclosed information,” later writing “there is no ‘there’ there.”</p>Surprising Fact<p>Engelmayer said the government gave the court a binder with highlighted sections from the grand jury documents that were not already public knowledge and that they requested be released. However, the highlighted text did not contain significant details, Engelmayer wrote. “Only scattered words, clauses, and occasional sentences are highlighted. These items are few and far between,” Engelmayer wrote. The judge also criticized the government’s work as “significantly over-inclusive,” noting that “a number of items highlighted in fact were covered by testimony at Maxwell’s trial.” The highlighted items only provided “tertiary details” and “inconsequential portions of a few exhibits” that were already presented as evidence at her trial or made available in her indictment, Engelmayer noted.</p>Key Background<p>During the 2024 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump promised to release files related to the investigations into former financier and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019. However, the Justice Department’s release of documents in February revealed little new information and mostly unsealed files that were already available to the public. In July, the Justice Department abruptly ended the efforts, stating in a memo that Epstein died by suicide and “no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” Trump immediately faced fierce backlash, and later in July ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to move to unseal grand jury testimony related to the grand juries who delivered indictments against him and Maxwell, who was later convicted on sex trafficking charges in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Engelmayer acknowledged Maxwell’s pending Supreme Court appeal weighs against unsealing the materials, but also noted she “does not have a legal right to access the grand jury materials” and has not reviewed all of the material herself, adding that “had Maxwell been aware that the grand jury materials are duplicative of information in the public record, her position might have been different.”</p><p></p>What To Watch For<p>It is unclear if the Trump administration"s efforts to unseal the grand jury materials will be successful at all. A judge in Florida already rejected the government’s bid to unseal records related to grand juries convened in 2005 and 2007, when Epstein was first under investigation for soliciting prostitution from a minor. A different judge in the Southern District of New York will rule on a similar motion to unseal the materials from the grand jury that indicted Epstein in 2019, Engelmayer noted on Monday.</p> Epstein/Maxwell Grand Jury Records: Judge Rejects Trump Bid To Unseal Documents	查看 5332	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241579	无图 <p>Topline<p>Backup dancers on Beyoncé’s 32-show Cowboy Carter tour are sharing photos of a handwritten note and Louis Vuitton gift they received from the superstar singer two weeks after the end of the tour—and each piece retails for $3,500. </p><p></p><p><p>Beyoncé and her backup dancers perform in Chicago during the Cowboy Carter tour at Soldier Field on Sunday, May 18, 2025.</p><small>Parkwood Entertainment</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Dancers tagged Beyoncé and Parkwood, the entertainment company she founded in 2008, in thank you posts that showed they"d been gifted what looked to be the Horizon 55 piece of rolling luggage from Louis Vuitton. </p><p>The carry-on size bag, which has cowhide leather trim, features the classic Louis Vuitton logo in gray repeating across a black canvas and retails for $3,500. </p><p>The gift came with a handwritten note, signed from Parkwood, that reads, "Congratulations on the completion of the Cowboy Carter Tour! Thank you for all your hard work and dedication the last couple of months. We hope you enjoy your gift and know that we greatly appreciate all your contributions to this tour and its success." </p><p>There were reportedly 29 dancers on Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin" Circuit Tour, which started in April and ended on July 26. </p><p>If all 29 dancers received the same gift, as many posted they did, they’re worth a combined retail value of over $100,000. </p><p>Beyoncé notably partnered with fashion conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) earlier in her Cowboy Carter era when she launched whiskey brand SirDavis, a joint venture between the singer and Moët Hennessy, with a limited-edition Louis Vuitton trunk designed to hold the whisky bottle and glassware; she also posed for an image in a custom outfit that included a custom LV monogram bikini and matching leather chaps. </p></p><p></p><p><p>Kourtney Kardashian is seen at Los Angeles International Airport with a Louis Vuitton bag similar to the Horizon 55 on Oct. 1, 2017.</p><small>GC Images</small></p><p>Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you"ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.</p>Chief Critic<p>While some fans have praised the singer for rewarding the “loyalty” of her dancers, others have said the gift is “cheap” and compared the bags to the reported $197 million in bonuses Taylor Swift gave to the hundreds of people on her Eras Tour team over its nearly two-year run. “Giving louis vuitton while ticket prices could’ve funded a small country is wild,” one fan posted to X. “Pay them Not PR them,” said another, referencing Beyoncé’s close ties to the Louis Vuitton brand. It’s unclear if Beyoncé also gave cash bonuses to her supporting performers. </p><p></p>Tangent<p>Beyoncé has partnered with the Louis Vuitton brand for years, notably around the Cowboy Carter and Renaissance tours. Pharrell Williams, men"s creative director for the brand, created custom outfits for Beyoncé, her dancers and daughter Blue Ivy during the North American leg of her Renaissance World Tour that included a custom bodysuit hand embossed with crystals. She wore a western-inspired, crystal-studded Louis Vuitton look to the 2024 Grammys weeks before formally announcing her country music album, and she wore a custom denim outfit by Williams, seemingly inspired by the "Cowboy Carter" album, to the Louis Vuitton Men"s Fashion Week show in June. Williams gifted Beyoncé a Speedy bag straight from the runway in a viral moment, making her the first person—besides the model—to wear the purse.</p><p></p><p><p>Beyoncé during the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 24, 2025.</p><small>Getty Images</small></p>Key Background<p>Beyoncé released her first country music album, “Cowboy Carter,” last March. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart and launched at No. 1 on both the Top Country Albums and Americana/Folk Albums charts. It also sparked a conversation about the music industry as some in the country community questioned whether she truly belonged in the genre, and some radio stations refused to give the album airtime. The Cowboy Carter Tour was announced in February and demand for tickets, which ranged from $50 to $800 in price, crashed the Ticketmaster website. The tour"s five-show run at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles sold 217,000 tickets and grossed $55.7 million, according to Billboard. By the end of the tour, Cowboy Carter had broken, tied or extended 47 Billboard Boxscore records and was the highest-grossing country music tour in history. </p>Forbes Valuation<p>Beyoncé was ranked 45th this year on Forbes" list of America"s wealthiest self-made women. She was estimated to have a net worth of $780 million as of June. Her husband, Jay Z, has an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion as of Monday, making him the 1,524th-richest person in the world. His wealth was built on his music career and significant investments in alcohol, art and tech. The LVMH conglomerate is the parent company to brands like Louis Vuitton, Moët & Chandon, Tiffany, Dior, Sephora, Bulgari and dozens more. Its chairman, Bernard Arnault, has an estimated net worth of $141.7 billion and is the world"s ninth-richest person.</p>Further ReadingForbesBeyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Is Rewriting American Culture — And Boosting The Economy<small>By Richard Fowler</small>ForbesBeyoncé Changed Country Music Forever A Year Ago<small>By Hugh McIntyre</small>ForbesBeyoncé Is Now Worth $800 Million<small>By Marisa Dellatto</small> Beyoncé Gifts Louis Vuitton Luggage To Cowboy Carter Dancers	查看 5650	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241578	有图 <p><img src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/6899febcc6630fce302be303/The-first-product-will-be-a-midsize-electric-pickup-truck-in-2027-/960x0.png?fit=scale" rel="noopener noreferrer"></p><p><p>Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley announces a new electric vehicle platform and assembly system at the Louisville Assembly Plant on August 11.</p><small>Ford Motor Co. </small></p><p>Less than two weeks after announcing its electric vehicle unit lost $1.3 billion during the second quarter and expected to lose billions more this year, Ford Motor Co. now plans to invest around $5 billion to reset its EV program with more affordable vehicles produced more efficiently, at lower cost, the automaker announced Monday.</p><p>The key to the strategy is reinventing the process Ford first invented 122 years ago that changed the way vehicles have been built ever since—the assembly line.</p><p>“It represents the most radical change on how we design and how we build vehicles at Ford since the Model T,” Ford CEO Jim Farley declared during a ceremony at the Louisville Assembly Plant.</p><p>In essence, it’s a major do-over for the company’s EV operation.</p><p>A new line of what Ford describes as affordable, electric, software-defined vehicles will be based on the Ford Universal EV Platform, will be built on the company’s reinvention of the assembly line it calls the Ford Universal Production System.</p><p>The initial location to be converted to the new system is Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant where the first vehicle will be a midsize, five-seat, four-door electric pickup truck.</p><p>It’s due to reach customers in 2027 with a starting price Ford estimates at about $30,000. Final pricing and other specs will be announced closer to its launch.</p><p></p><p>However, the company offered a few tidbits including expected zero-to-60 mph “as fast as a Mustang EcoBoost, with more downforce,” and more passenger room than the latest model Toyota RAV4.</p><p>It will also include a frunk, bed, exportable power and will be capable of Ford’s Blue Cruise automated driving technology, chief operating officer Kumar Galhotra revealed in an online media briefing before the formal announcement.</p><p>MORE FOR YOU</p><p>The new platform and production system work hand-in-hand.</p><p>The Ford Universal EV Platform reduces parts by 20% versus a typical vehicle, with 25% fewer fasteners, 40% fewer workstations dock-to-dock in the plant and 15% faster assembly time, according to Galhotra.</p><p>A cobalt-free and nickel-free lithium-iron phosphate, or LFP, battery pack is a structural sub-assembly that also serves as the vehicle’s floor.</p><p>Where the traditional assembly line is basically a glorified conveyer belt where workers attach parts as the vehicle rolls by, or stops briefly, Ford is calling the Universal Production System an “assembly tree.”</p><p>“Instead of a linear assembly line, it will have three independent branches, front, the rear and the structural battery,” explained Galhotra. “So the battery itself is structure is critical to the structure of the vehicle and then the all of these branches come together at the end, when we integrate the interior, seats, carpet, consoles, etc, all of these branches run in parallel. So imagine, instead of one line, these three lines running in parallel and coming together at the end.</p> <p><fbs-embedly iframe-src="https://embedly.forbes.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FFnn-FkuTFPQ%3Ffeature%3Doembed&display_name=YouTube&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fshorts%2FFnn-FkuTFPQ&image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FFnn-FkuTFPQ%2Fhq2.jpg&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube"></fbs-embedly></p><p>Large single-piece aluminum unicastings replace dozens of smaller parts, enabling the front and rear of the vehicle to be assembled separately.</p><p>To improve ergonomics for line workers parts travel down the assembly tree to operators in a kit that includes all fasteners, scanners and power tools required for the job.</p><p>The company expects the new process to enable the new electric truck to be assembled 40% faster than current vehicles being produced at the Louisville plant.</p><p>To make this all happen, Ford says it’s investing nearly $2 billion to produce the new electric pickup truck. The project is also being supported by incentives from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority.</p><p>The $2 billion to build the new production system is in addition to the previously announced $3 billion investment in Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park in Marshall, Michigan which will start producing prismatic LFP batteries for the midsize electric pickup truck next year.</p><p>Between the two investments, Ford says it’s helping to secure nearly 4,000 direct jobs.</p><p>It’s all a multi-billion dollar gamble by Ford that by more efficiently producing EVs that are more affordable in body styles customers desire, it can start making money on electric vehicles for the first time.</p><p>“We’re at a crossroads about new technology and about new competition from everywhere. We saw this coming for years. We knew that the Chinese would be the major player for us globally, companies like BYD, new startups from around the world, big technology has their ambition in the auto space,” said Farley. “They’re all coming for us, legacy automotive companies. We needed a radical approach and a really tough challenge to create an affordable vehicle that delights customers in every way that matters, design and innovation, flexibility, interior space, driving pleasure and lower cost of ownership. But we need to do it.”</p><p>The automaker currently offers three EV models: the F-150 Lightning pickup truck, Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit.</p><p>Ford’s announcement comes a little more than six weeks before the $7,500 federal tax incentive on qualified EVs ends, further challenging the affordability of those vehicles for some.</p><p>“The elimination of government-backed incentives and the emergence of new tariff headwinds signal a more volatile phase for the industry. The training wheels are coming off, and the transition to electrification will no longer be buoyed by incentives alone,” wrote director of industry insights for Cox Automotive, Stephanie Valdez Streaty, in a recent report. “Automakers and retailers alike will need to navigate this next chapter with agility, as the EV landscape becomes more complex and demanding of true market resilience.”</p><p>It all adds up to compelling reasons for Ford to invoke its Model T moment.</p><p>When Henry Ford began selling the first mass-produced car he told customers they could have any color they wanted, as long as it was black.</p><p>More than a century later, the company that invented the assembly line is hoping the re-invented version of it, combined with a simpler platform, will provide enough choices at affordable prices to turn the bottom line for its EV unit from red…to the Model T’s only color.</p> Ford’s $5 Billion Model T Moment Aims To Turn EV Operation Profitable	查看 7010	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241577	无图 <p>Topline<p>President Donald Trump said Monday Washington, D.C., police would be controlled by the federal government and that he was deploying 800 National Guard troops there, as he announced a crime crackdown in the capital.</p><p></p><p><p>US President Donald Trump arrives for a Purple Heart Event in the East Room of the White House on Thursday August 7, 2025. (Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)</p><small>The Washington Post via Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Promising to “clean [Washington, D.C.] up real quick, very quickly,” Trump alleged “crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor” there, despite crime in Washington reaching a 30-year low this year.</p><p>The president also declared a public safety emergency in Washington, and said Attorney General Pam Bondi would oversee the takeover of local police under the Home Rule Act, which allows the federal government to take over local police in “special conditions of an emergency nature.”</p><p>Trump, previewing the announcement earlier Monday on Truth Social, dubbed it “LIBERATION DAY IN D.C.,” the same moniker he used to describe new tariffs he announced in April, adding “the days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER!”</p><p>Monday’s announcement comes after Trump reportedly sent FBI officials to conduct patrols in the city overnight on Sunday and was widely expectd to announce the National Guard deployment. </p><p>Trump previewed the announcement in a Truth Social post Sunday that included images of tent encampments and trash along the streets, writing that homeless people “have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” warning “criminals” would be “put in jail,” and adding “it’s all going to happen very fast, just like the Border.”</p><p>In the days leading up to Monday’s announcement, Trump has renewed his threats to “take Federal control of the City,” repeating a warning he’s made for years to tamp down on crime, often putting him at odds with Democrats who control the city’s local government. </p></p>Key Background<p>The Trump administration reportedly reassigned 120 FBI agents to night patrols in Washington, D.C., enlisting agents from Philadelphia and other locations. The Secret Service has also been ordered to conduct “special patrols” in the city. National Guard troops Trump may deploy to Washington are not expected to have arrest power.</p>What To Watch For<p>Trump said in a Truth Social post Sunday he will also announce “beautification” efforts in Washington, writing that Monday’s press conference “will also be about Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital.”</p>Tangent<p>Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser rejected Trump’s claims of a crime spike in Washington, but suggested in an interview on MSNBC on Sunday local authorities would cooperate with the federal crackdown. Bowser said she and Trump have “shared priorities” and touted cooperation between federal and local law enforcement, who she said “always work cooperatively with us, and we expect that they will again.” Violent crime, however, is down 26% in Washington compared to last year, a 30-year-low, Bowser noted in the interview. Trump criticized Bowser in one of his Truth Social posts over the weekend, writing she “is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive.”</p><p></p>Further Reading<p>FBI Patrols Reportedly Deployed In D.C. As Trump Says Homeless Must Leave ‘Immediately’—What We Know (Forbes)</p> Trump Says Federal Government Will Take Control Of Washington DC Police	查看 3609	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241576	无图 <p>Topline<p>A three-day trial starts Monday to determine whether President Donald Trump violated the 19th century-era Posse Comitatus Act by sending troops to Los Angeles earlier this year, in response to a lawsuit brought by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a landmark trial that comes as Trump similarly prepares to send the National Guard to Washington, D.C.</p><p></p><p><p>President Donald Trump shakes hands with California Gov. Gavin Newsom at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, on January 24.</p><small>AFP via Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>California federal Judge Charles Breyer will hold a trial Monday through Wednesday in response to Newsom’s request that the court declare Trump violated the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) by sending the National Guard to LA, purportedly to quell unrest and aid in the administration’s immigration efforts.</p><p>The PCA was enacted in 1878 in order to keep the military from interfering with the imposition of Jim Crow laws in the South, and broadly bars the federal government from using federal troops to participate in domestic civil law enforcement, unless expressly authorized to do so by Congress or the Constitution.</p><p>Trump deployed federal troops to Los Angeles in June amid protests against the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts and immigration raids in the city, sparking broad pushback from Democratic Newsom and the California government, which accused the president of unlawfully sending federal troops to the city.</p><p>Newsom argues the deployment violated the PCA because federal troops allegedly played a “direct, active role in civilian law enforcement activities” by performing security operations, forming blockades that restrict civilians’ movements and taking direct steps to apprehend and detain protesters.</p><p>California argued the Trump administration fails previous tests that courts have set out to determine whether acts violate the law, which are based on whether law enforcement made “direct active use” of the military to execute laws, whether federal troops “pervaded [law enforcement’s] activities” and whether the federal troops subjected citizens to “the exercise of military power which was regulatory, proscriptive or compulsory in nature.”</p><p>The Trump administration argues it didn’t violate the PCA because the president was just “using troops to protect federal personnel and property” and not for law enforcement purposes, also arguing that California can’t sue Trump in civil court for violating the PCA because it’s a criminal statute rather than a civil one.</p></p>What To Watch For<p>The trial begins Monday at 10 a.m. PDT and is expected to run through Wednesday, though it’s unclear if Breyer will rule from the bench at the end of the trial or issue a decision later on. There will not be a jury at the trial.</p>Tangent<p>The trial will only focus on whether the Trump administration violated the PCA and not on separate aspects of Newsom’s lawsuit that alleged Trump unlawfully federalized the National Guard. Breyer already ruled against the Trump administration on that argument, ruling that Trump exceeded his authority in sending the federal troops and violated the 10th Amendment, ordering the troops to vacate Los Angeles. The dispute is now being appealed, however, and an appeals court has allowed troops to remain in Los Angeles while the litigation plays out.</p>What Does The Posse Comitatus Act Say?<p>The PCA says anyone who “willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws,” without congressional or Constitutional approval, can be punished through a fine and/or up to two years in prison. The phrase “posse comitatus” means “the power of the county” and refers to a group of citizens—or “posse”—that are called upon to help law enforcement with enforcing the law. The law broadly bars the military from being used in law enforcement, though the Brennan Center for Justice notes there are a few exceptions where doing so is allowed. The law only applies to federal troops and excludes the Coast Guard, or the National Guard when it operates under state control, rather than federal control as Trump did. The Navy and Marine Corps are also governed under a different provision of federal law. The president can also legally invoke the military under the Insurrection Act, which allows troops to be deployed in order to curb insurrections. The Department of Defense has also previously argued there are more exceptions to the law, claiming in a 2018 memo that federal military commanders can use federal troops to “engage temporarily in activities that are necessary to quell large-scale, unexpected civil disturbances,” but only in “extraordinary emergency circumstances” where it’s impossible to get presidential authorization. Those arguments have never been tested before in court, however, the Brennan Center notes.</p><p></p>News Peg<p>The trial comes as Trump has once again announced the deployment of federal troops to a major U.S. city, saying in a press conference Monday he will deploy the National Guard to Washington, D.C. That’s governed differently than the situation in Los Angeles, however, as Washington’s Home Rule Charter does give the president express authority to take control of the city’s law enforcement for up to 30 days in “emergency” situations.</p>Key Background<p>The Trump administration deployed troops to Los Angeles in June before largely recalling them by the end of July as protests subsided, with only 250 troops remaining in the city as of July 31. Trump issued an executive order June 7 that invoked the military to deal with what he described as “violent protests,” claiming authority to do so under a statute of federal law that allows the president to invoke federal troops if “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.” Thousands of troops were deployed to Los Angeles, with National Guard troops also aiding in immigration enforcement actions and briefly detaining some protesters. The unprecedented step of deploying the military in a major U.S. city drew widespread pushback from Trump critics and sparked a number of other protests throughout the United States. Newsom quickly sued the Trump administration and accused it of unlawfully sending the military to the city without his approval. The clash also furthered Newsom and Trump’s public opposition, as the California governor has emerged as one of the Democratic Party’s major figures and high-profile Trump critics ahead of the 2028 presidential election.</p>Further Reading<p>Los Angeles Protests: National Guard Has Detained Some Protesters (Forbes)</p><p>Trump Keeps Control Of National Guard In Los Angeles After Appeals Court Pauses Ruling (Forbes)</p><p>Trump Says Federal Government Will Take Control Of Washington, D.C., Police Department (Forbes)</p><p>The Posse Comitatus Act Explained (Brennan Center for Justice)</p> Did Trump Legally Send Troops To Los Angeles? What To Know As Trial Starts Today	查看 7030	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241575	无图 <p>Topline<p>A cryptic post from Taylor Nation, the social media account for billionaire pop star Taylor Swift’s team, teased her “next era” in a post Monday morning, promptly sending Swifties into a frenzy speculating the singer may soon announce her 12th studio album.</p><p></p><p><p>Fans believe Swift"s social media team is teasing her upcoming 12th studio album with an orange color scheme. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management )</p><small>Getty Images for TAS Rights Management</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>“Thinking about when she said ‘See you next era…’” Taylor Nation said in a post on X Monday morning, attaching a thread of pictures of Swift wearing orange-colored costumes.</p><p>Swift and her fans have long considered each of her albums to represent a different “era” of her career—a concept she capitalized on for her $2 billion-grossing Eras Tour—but none of her albums so far have used the color orange, causing fans to speculate that could be the color scheme for her next project.</p><p>Fans noticed Taylor Nation posted 12 pictures of Swift wearing orange, a possible reference to her upcoming 12th studio album.</p><p>Also Monday morning, the New Heights podcast, co-hosted by Swift’s boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and his brother Jason, teased a “special episode with a VERY special guest” premiering Wednesday, Aug. 13—and fans were quick to note 13 is Swift’s favorite number.</p><p>The podcast attached a picture of the co-hosts with a silhouette of a woman set to an orange background, and in the picture, Travis Kelce is seen wearing Swift’s Eras Tour merchandise.</p><p>Republic Records, Swift’s record label, commented a “❤️‍🔥” emoji on Taylor Nation’s Instagram post, and fans noticed the label also liked the New Heights podcast’s Instagram post about its upcoming episode.</p></p>What Do We Know About Taylor Swift’s Possible New Music?<p>Not much. Swift has not yet said anything about releasing new music, though fans have long been looking for evidence that an album could be on the way. In April, Universal Music Group Sweden posted and swiftly deleted an excerpt from an interview with Swedish DJ Jacob Criborn, who said Swedish composer Erik Arvinder was working on “finishing Taylor Swift’s record,” though he did not offer any additional details about the new music. Arvinder has worked with pop stars like Lady Gaga, Madonna and Ariana Grande. </p>What Has Swift Been Up To Lately?<p>Swift has maintained a low profile since she wrapped up the Eras Tour in December, which became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. Swift has only made one post on Instagram in 2025 so far, announcing in May she purchased the rights to her first six albums from Shamrock Capital, ending the master recording dispute that prompted her to re-record and re-release four of her first six albums. Swift said in a post on her website she now owns her “entire life"s work,” which is her “greatest dream come true.” Swift had alleged the rights to her master recordings were stripped from her without her consent when record executive Scooter Braun purchased her former record label, Big Machine Label Group, in 2019. Swift’s announcement left the future of her re-recording project unclear. She said on her website she already re-recorded her debut album, “Taylor Swift,” but has not yet finished re-recording “reputation.” Swift admitted she felt she could not improve “reputation” by re-recording it, but said she may still release the “vault” songs—previously unreleased songs she has tacked on to all her re-recorded albums—if her fans want her to. Swift’s last album release was “The Tortured Poets Department” in April 2024, which broke various streaming and sales records and led the Billboard 200 albums chart for 17 weeks.</p>Tangent<p>Despite staying quiet this year, Swift has been the target of several posts by President Donald Trump on Truth Social. Last week, Trump said “Woke singer Taylor Swift” is “NO LONGER HOT” and compared her unfavorably to Sydney Sweeney, who stirred controversy over her American Eagle advertisement critics felt evoked eugenics. In May, Trump said: “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’” though it is unclear what prompted the post. His May post references an earlier remark he made in September—“I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”—which he said after Swift endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris, his 2024 election opponent.</p><p></p>Forbes Valuation<p>Swift is worth $1.6 billion, according to Forbes estimates, making her the richest female musician in the world. Swift’s Eras Tour earnings catapulted her to billionaire status in October 2023, when she became the first musician to make the billionaire ranks solely based on the value of her songs and concert tours.</p>Further Reading<p>Taylor Swift Buys Back Rights To First Six Albums (Forbes)</p><p>Trump knocks Taylor Swift in post supporting Sydney Sweeney, American Eagle jeans ad (USA Today)</p> Is Taylor Swift’s ‘Next Era’ On The Way? Here’s Why Fans Think So	查看 5030	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241574	无图 <p>Topline<p>Archewell Productions, the media company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, signed a new deal with Netflix and announced its first new project after rumors circulated that Netflix had cut ties with the couple. </p><p></p><p><p>Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are seen on April 23, 2025 in New York City.</p><small>GC Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Netflix on Monday announced it renewed its creative partnership with Harry and Meghan (after reports the relationship was ending) with a multi-year, first-look deal that will give the streamer the right of first refusal for all Archewell film and television projects </p><p>The new deal is structured differently than the $100 million, five-year agreement struck in 2020 in which Netflix paid Herry and Meghan for the exclusive rights to all Archewell content. </p><p>Under the new agreement, which the New York Times reported is worth less, Netflix has the first option to stream Archewell content.</p><p>The new deal comes with less commitment from Netflix and reflects the streamer’s move away from all-encompassing agreements (a deal with Barack and Michelle Obama"s production company Higher Ground that was similar to the initial exclusivity arrangement with Archewell transitioned into a first-look deal last year). </p><p>Netflix also invested in As Ever, the lifestyle brand Markle launched with the streamer last year that sells products like jam, wine and baking mixes, producing some of the products through its consumer product group and sharing in the revenue, according to the Times.</p></p><p>Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you"ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.</p>What’s To Come From Harry And Meghan’s New Netflix Deal?<p>In addition to a second season of "With Love, Meghan," which has already been made and will debut later this month, Netflix announced it will produce a special holiday episode at the couple"s California home called "With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration." The deal also includes a film adaptation of bestselling novel "Meet Me at the Lake" and includes a documentary short about an orphanage in Uganda, famous for its viral videos, called "Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within." Archewell Productions is also in “active development” on additional projects with Netflix and As Ever will expand into new product categories later this year, the streamer said. </p>What Have Harry And Meghan Already Made At Netflix?<p>When its first deal was announced, Archewell and Netflix said they would make “inspirational family programming” including documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows and children’s television, but it made just five projects in the last five years and none were children’s TV, feature films or scripted shows. The explosive 2022 “Harry & Meghan” docuseries was by far the most successful to come out of the deal and still holds the record for the most viewing time of any Netflix documentary in its debut week. It’s still drawing interest and was watched another 7.3 million hours in the first half of 2025. The deal also produced “Heart of Invictus,” a documentary following athletes participating in the Prince Harry-founded sporting event for wounded veterans; “Live to Lead,” a docuseries on impactful world leaders, "Polo" about the professional sport; and the lifestyle series “With Love, Meghan.” “With Love” spent one week on Netflix’s global top 10 list, at No. 10, with 12.6 million hours viewed in its first week. </p><p></p>What Is As Ever?<p>Markle launched a brand called American Riviera Orchard via Instagram on March 14, 2024 with a short video that showed the duchess arranging flowers, baking and standing in a stone walkway wearing a floor-length gown. Company registration documents revealed plans to create an online retail store selling tableware, cutlery, cookbooks, stationary, party decorations and other similar items, but no products were ever sold under the name. A trademark request for the brand was rejected and there were several reports no CEO had been found to run the business. In February, she partnered with Netflix and re-branded the company to be called "As Ever.” A handful of products were released, including two jams, three teas and honey, all of which sold out almost immediately. Since then, As Ever has released a Napa Valley rosé, which is available in a three-bottle pack for $90. The brand was featured in the first season of “With Love, Meghan.” </p>Further ReadingForbesMeghan Markle Renames Lifestyle Brand—Here’s What We Know About ‘As Ever’<small>By Ty Roush</small>ForbesPrince Harry And Meghan Markle Buy Rights To Bestseller ‘Meet Me At The Lake’ For Netflix<small>By Mary Whitfill Roeloffs</small>ForbesHarry And Meghan’s Spotify Podcast Deal Ends<small>By Alison Durkee</small>ForbesHere’s What We Know About Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s $135 Million Deals<small>By Carlie Porterfield</small> Netflix Re-Signs Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—But For Less Than Original Deal	查看 5074	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241573	无图 <p>Topline<p>Fabergé, the jeweler most known for its famously intricate Russian Easter eggs, has been sold for $50 million by a British mining company to an American tech investor who says he plans to expand its international presence. </p><p></p><p><p>The star piece of Viktor Vekselberg"s collection, a $24 millions Fabergé "Coronation Egg" from 1897, is displayed at an exhibition in Moscow in 2004.</p><small>AFP via Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Gemfields, a colored gemstone miner listed on the London stock exchange, sold the fabled brand to tech entrepreneur Sergei Mosunov’s U.S. company SMG Capital. </p><p>Gemfields will receive $45 million when the deal closes later this month, and the remaining $5 million through quarterly royalty payments.</p><p>The company said it will use the money from the sale to help fund its mining operations for rubies in Mozambique and emeralds in Zambia.</p><p>Sean Gilbertson, the chief executive of Gemfields, said the company would miss the "marketing leverage and star power" that came from owning Fabergé, despite the fact the brand has struggled in recent years amid a downturn in the luxury goods market. </p><p>Fabergé has been one of the most renowned jewelers in the world for almost 200 years but has seen revenue fall in recent years—it reported revenues of $13.4 million in 2024, down from $15.7 million the previous year and $17.6 million in 2022. </p></p><p>Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you"ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.</p><p></p><p><p>The Apple Blossom Easter Egg, part of the Fabergé collection.</p><small>Getty Images</small></p>Crucial Quote<p>“Fabergé’s unique heritage, with ties to Russia, England, France and the USA, opens significant opportunities for further strengthening its position in the global luxury market and expanding its international presence,” Mosunov, a Russian national based in the U.K., said in a statement. “We feel a deep sense of responsibility and incredible inspiration for the work ahead."</p><p></p>Key Background<p>The House of Fabergé jewelry company was founded in 1842 in St. Petersburg, Russia, by Gustav Fabergé. His son, Peter Carl Fabergé, was commissioned by Emperor Alexander III in 1885 to create an extravagant Easter gift for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, and the famous Fabergé eggs were born. Known as "First Hen," the original product is made of gold and coated with white enamel, with a gold hen set with ruby eyes hidden inside. The emperor continued to have them made each year, reportedly giving Fabergé complete creative freedom, and 50 were ultimately made for the Russian Imperial Family, known as the "Imperial Eggs." Nineteen other eggs were made for the aristocracy and other elites. When the Romanov family fell during the Russian Revolution of 1917, the 50 Imperial Eggs were scattered all over the world, and some remain lost to this day. The eggs were crafted from gold or silver and encrusted with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other precious stones. They often included hidden items inside, like a miniature Trans-Siberian Railway train made of gold or a tiny, working replica of the Imperial coach used in Nicholas II"s coronation. Today, Fabergé makes fine jewelry and egg objects inspired by the original eggs. They’re priced starting at $60,000.</p>Big Number<p>7. That"s how many Imperial Easter Eggs are still missing. Eight were missing until 2014, when a buyer at a Midwestern flea market bought one for about $14,000. Kieran McCarthy, a London antiques dealer, told PBS News an anonymous buyer purchased the egg with hopes of making a small profit reselling it for its gold content. It was then authenticated as one of the real eggs. It features a Vacheron Constantin watch and sits atop a jeweled gold stand.</p><p></p><p><p>A Faberge Egg on display in Moscow, Russia.</p><small>Getty Images</small></p>Surprising Fact<p>The most expensive egg is known as the Third Imperial Easter Egg, which was made in 1887. It has a solid gold case covered in sapphires and diamonds and houses a women"s watch with diamond-set gold hands. It was once valued at $33 million and is owned by an anonymous private collector. </p>Who Owns Fabergé Eggs?<p>Billionaire Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg owns 15 Fabergé Easter Eggs, making him the largest private collector in the world. Vekselberg bought nine Imperial Eggs from the Forbes media family, at the time the world"s largest private collection, in 2004 for just over $100 million. He also owns two Kelch, eggs made for Russian nobleman Alexander Ferdinandovich Kelch, and four other eggs. At the time of his purchase from the Forbes family, he said the collection represented “perhaps the most significant example of our cultural heritage outside Russia. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to give back to my country one of its most revered treasures." Vekselberg’s eggs are on display at the Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg. The British royal family also owns three Imperial Eggs, originally purchased by King George V and Queen Mary, King Charles"s great-grandparents. </p>Forbes Valuation<p>Vekselberg is worth an estimated $9.4 million as of Monday, making him the 328th-richest person in the world. He is a Ukrainian-born aluminum baron who made his first million selling scrap copper from worn-out cables and later turned several medium-size aluminum smelters and bauxite mines into Sual Holding in 1996. He later made his fortune in oil. His $120 million superyacht, Tango, was seized by Spanish police and the FBI in Palma de Mallorca in April 2022.</p>Further ReadingForbesJewels, Eggs and Empires: The Story Of Forbes And Faberge<small>By Abram Brown</small> Fabergé Sold To U.S. Company For $50 Million: What To Know About Fabergé Eggs	查看 5838	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241572	无图 <p>Topline<p>Tropical Storm Erin formed Monday and is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves across the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National Hurricane Center, though the potential risks to the U.S. remain unclear.</p><p></p><p><p>Erin is expected to form into a hurricane by Friday. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)</p><small>Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>The tropical storm, which formed in the eastern Atlantic on Monday and is now west of the Cabo Verde Islands, has 45 mph maximum sustained winds.</p><p>The storm is forecast to form into a hurricane by early Friday morning and a major hurricane by Saturday, when the National Hurricane Center projects it to be located northeast of Puerto Rico.</p><p>It is expected to be a Category 3 storm with 115 mph sustained winds at that time.</p><p>The track after that is largely unclear, with forecasters noting the spread in model guidance increases “markedly” at the end of the five-day projection.</p></p><p>Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you"ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.</p>How Many Named Storms Have Formed So Far This Hurricane Season?<p>Five, with Erin being the fifth. None have reached hurricane strength. However, Tropical Storm Chantal managed to directly hit the East Coast early last month, bringing flooding and tornadoes to the Carolinas, where at least six people died.</p>Tangent<p>Hurricane Henriette formed in the Central Pacific Ocean on Sunday. The system is north of Hawaii and is expected to continue northward before weakening around Wednesday and Thursday.</p><p></p>Key Background<p>The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its hurricane season forecast last week, forecasting the number of named storms this season to reach between 13 and 18. Of those storms, five to nine could become hurricanes and two to five could be major hurricanes. NOAA predicts a 50% chance for an above-normal season, a 35% chance of a near-normal season and a 15% chance of a below-normal season. An average season has 14 named storms. Outside of Tropical Storm Chantal’s deadly landfall in July, the U.S. has so far been spared of direct impacts this season. NOAA says warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean have contributed to its predictions for a busy hurricane season. </p>Further Reading<p>Prediction remains on track for above-normal Atlantic hurricane season (NOAA)</p> What To Know About Tropical Storm Erin—Expected To Become Major Hurricane	查看 2547	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241571	无图 <p>Topline<p>Gold imports will not face tariffs, President Donald announced in a brief post on Truth Social Monday afternoon, easing fears from U.S. importers after Customs and Border Protection initially informed businesses that one-kilo and 100-ounce gold bars would face the president’s “reciprocal” tariffs.</p><p></p><p><p>The White House previously said they would issue an executive order clarifying tariff levels on the precious metal this week.</p><small>Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>“Gold will not be Tariffed,” Trump announced Monday, offering no other details on the policy in a brief post.</p><p>U.S. gold futures briefly hit an all-time high Friday, climbing to $3,534.10 per ounce before settling after CBP informed a Swiss gold refiner that they could face reciprocal tariffs.</p><p>Switzerland, the world’s largest refiner of gold, faces one of the highest tariff rates at 39%, and Swiss leaders are working desperately to negotiate a trade deal with U.S. negotiators.</p><p>The price of gold on the Comex slid slightly Monday, but largely remained unchanged after Trump’s announcement, trading at $3,403 per ounce.</p></p>Key Background<p>Although commodities like gold do not offer the potential for dividends like stocks, the precious metal was previously seen as an investment safe from the chaos of Trump’s tariffs. The president had initially listed “bullion” as one of the goods exempt from tariffs after his “Liberation Day” event, alongside things like copper and pharmaceuticals—many imports the administration has said it would announce specific targeted tariffs on. The CBP’s ruling still came as a surprise, and the Trump administration seemingly moved quickly to reverse course, telling Bloomberg it would issue an executive order clarifying “misinformation” about its tariff policy on gold after the chaos.</p>Big Number<p>32%. That’s how much gold prices are up since last year, after passing the $3,000 threshold in March. Gold has previously broken records during times of economic unease—its price surpassed $1,000 during the 2008 financial crisis, and climbed over $2,000 for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>Tangent<p>Gold has also long held cultural sway amongst libertarian investors, and in recent years gold sellers have begun pitching the commodity to Trump’s MAGA base. One gold and silver seller pitched conservatives before a Turning Point Action conference before the 2024 election as a way to protect their assets, tThe New York Times reported. Advertisers on Trump’s Truth Social platform also market things like “free” gold bars and gold coins, although many of these products are later revealed to be only gold-plated, a Times review found.</p><p></p> Trump: Gold Imports Will Not Face Tariffs	查看 2731	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241570	无图 <p>Topline<p>President Donald Trump extended a pause on tariffs against Chinese imports to the U.S. for another 90 days Monday, hours before an initial 90-day moratorium was set to expire on the 145% tariff on Chinese goods Trump imposed briefly in May, according to multiple reports. </p><p></p><p><p>President Donald Trump attends a news conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, August 11, 2025. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu via Getty Images)</p><small>Anadolu via Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Trump signed an executive order to extend the truce until Nov. 9, multiple outlets reported, citing an unnamed White House official.</p><p>The U.S. and China reached an initial temporary agreement in May after talks in Sweden, lowering Trump’s tariffs from 145% to 30% (including a 10% baseline tariff and 20% additional penalty for fentanyl imports) for 90 days, while China agreed to lower its retaliatory levies from 125% to 10% and agreed to lift a moratorium on exports of rare earth magnets.</p><p>U.S. and Chinese officials hinted at the extended pause in the preceding days, with Trump telling reporters at the White House on Monday “we’ll see what happens,” adding “they’ve been dealing quite nicely—the relationship is very good with President Xi and myself.”</p><p>Chinese officials also said earlier Monday they were optimistic about a delay in implementing the higher tariffs, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian saying in a statement “we hope that the U.S. will work with China to follow the important consensus reached during the phone call between the two heads of state,” an apparent reference to the June phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, The Guardian reported.</p></p>What To Watch For<p>Trump in a Truth Social post Sunday urged China to “quadruple” purchases of U.S. soybeans, as Beijing—the largest buyer of American oilseed—has yet to book any cargoes for the upcoming harvest as of late July amid the trade standoff, Bloomberg reported, citing government data. </p>Tangent<p>Trump announced Monday gold imports will not face tariffs, alleviating fears among importers after Customs and Border Protection informed businesses that gold bars ranging from one to 100 kilos would be subject to tariffs. </p>Key Background<p>The extension of the pause on China tariffs marks Trump’s latest reverse course on trade after threatening a wide range of “reciprocal tariffs” on “Liberation Day” in April. Trump’s initial pause on the Liberation Day tariffs for most U.S. trading partners was lifted Thursday, driving tariffs to an average of more than 18%, the highest level since 1934, according to the Yale Budget Lab. Some countries, including Japan, South Korea and the European Union, negotiated individual trade deals with the U.S. during the pause. Trump also announced last week a new 50% tariff on India, double the current rate, in part as punishment for purchasing Russian oil as Trump has sought to negotiate an end to Russia’s war with Ukraine. China could also face an additional levy as punishment for buying Russian oil, Vice President JD Vance warned Sunday on Fox News.</p><p></p> Further Reading<p>Trump ‘TACO’ Tracker: Here Are The President’s 28 Tariff Flip-Flops (Forbes)</p><p>Trump Doubles India Tariffs To 50% In Retaliation For Russian Oil Purchases (Forbes)</p><p>Gold Imports Will Not Face Tariffs, Trump Says (Forbes)</p> China Tariffs On Hold For 90 More Days	查看 3482	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241569	无图 <p>Topline<p>President Donald Trump directed the federal government Monday to take over Washington, D.C.’s police operations in order to combat purported crime in the nation’s capital—and deployed the National Guard to the city—taking dramatic steps that are largely within the president’s legal authority, though there are still some checks on what Trump can do.</p><p></p><p><p>President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at the White House on Aug. 11 as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi look on.</p><small>Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Trump released an executive order Monday that directed Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to be temporarily under federal control, citing “special conditions of an emergency nature” that require the city’s police force to be used “for federal purposes.”</p><p>He also directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy National Guard troops to the city, saying in an order that troops should be deployed “to address the epidemic of crime in our Nation’s capital.”</p><p>Trump said he was taking control of the city’s police force under the Home Rule Act that lays out how Washington is run, which gives the president authority to use MPD “for federal purposes” in emergency situations, but only for 30 days, unless Congress approves an extension.</p><p>The president’s move to deploy the National Guard is less legally questionable in the district than in other U.S. cities—like when Trump sent troops to Los Angeles—as federal law broadly gives the president control over Washington, D.C.’s National Guard, and there are fewer legal restrictions on him deploying those troops.</p><p>Monday’s executive orders could still face legal challenges, however, as Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb said Trump’s actions are “unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful” and the district is “considering all of our options and will do what is necessary to protect the rights and safety of District residents.”</p></p>How Does The Home Rule Act Allow Trump To Control D.c. Police?<p>The Home Rule Act, passed in 1973, says the president can inform the mayor he’s taking federal control of the MPD whenever he “determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist” that necessitate using the district police force. The law states the president can only use the city’s police “for federal purposes,” however, which Georgetown Law professor Steven Vladeck notes means Trump cannot legally control how the police force carries out its other duties. It’s unclear what the full scope of using the MPD for “federal purposes” could include in practice. That suggests Trump could face legal challenges if he takes steps to more broadly control MPD’s operations. Trump is also only allowed under the law to control the local police force for up to 48 hours unless he notifies Congress of an extension, which he has reportedly already done. After the congressional notification, the president can use Washington’s police force for up to 30 days, at which point Congress would have to expressly authorize an extension.</p>Can Trump Deploy The National Guard To D.c.?<p>Most likely, though it still could be challenged in court. The Justice Department has previously ruled in legal memos that presidents have the authority to deploy the National Guard in Washington, D.C., without violating the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA), a 19th century law that otherwise broadly bars federal troops from being deployed for civilian law enforcement. While the National Guard is overseen by the governors of states where they’re deployed, federal law gives the president authority over the National Guard in Washington, D.C., so there’s more flexibility for Trump to deploy troops in that city compared to others. That being said, the DOJ’s previous memos on presidential authority in deploying troops to Washington aren’t legally binding, so Democrats could still try to sue over the issue.</p>Can Trump Fully Control Washington, D.c.?<p>No. While the Home Rule Act gives Trump some authority over the district and its law enforcement, Congress broadly allows the district to operate with its own city council and local government, rather than being directly under full federal control. Congress would have to amend that law for Trump to take greater control over the city, which is unlikely to happen given Republicans’ narrow majority in the Senate.</p><p></p>Can Trump Take Similar Steps In Other Cities?<p>Trump suggested Monday he could try to take similar steps to deploy troops to other Democratic-led cities, such as New York, Chicago and Baltimore. “This will go further,” Trump said Monday. That would be much harder to do, however, given those cities don’t have the same legal provisions allowing some federal power as Washington does. Trump is broadly barred from using federal troops to carry out law enforcement actions under the PCA, and he does not have the same privileges to take over other cities’ police operations as he does in Washington.</p>Tangent<p>Trump’s executive order deploying troops to Washington came on the same day as a trial began over the last time the president sent troops to a major city. A California judge is set to decide whether Trump violated the PCA by deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles earlier this summer in response to protests opposing his hardline immigration agenda. The trial began Monday and will stretch through Wednesday, though it’s unclear when a final ruling could come.</p>Key Background<p>Trump’s announcement on sending troops to Washington came after the president had teased for days that he could deploy the military in the nation’s capital as he decried crime in the district. “On Monday a Press Conference will be held at the White House which will, essentially, stop violent crime in Washington, D.C,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday, claiming the city “has become one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the World.” The president has long claimed Washington, New York and other major Democratic-controlled cities are riddled with crime even when statistics have suggested otherwise, with Trump critics pointing out that the DOJ previously said violent crime in Washington hit a 30-year low in 2024.</p>Further ReadingForbesTrump Says Federal Government Will Take Control Of Washington, D.C., Police Department<small>By Sara Dorn</small>ForbesFBI Patrols Reportedly Deployed In D.C. As Trump Says Homeless Must Leave ‘Immediately’—What We Know<small>By Ty Roush</small>ForbesTrial Starts Today On Whether Trump Legally Sent Troops To Los Angeles—What To Know<small>By Alison Durkee</small> What Is DC’s Home Rule Act? What To Know As Trump Takes Over City’s Police	查看 6715	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241568	无图 <p>Topline<p>One person is unaccounted for following multiple explosions at a U.S. Steel plant outside of Pittsburgh on Monday that killed at least one and drew first responders to battle flames and heavy smoke at the facility.</p><p></p><p><p>Emergency crew gather after an explosion at the Clairton Coke Works, a U.S. Steel coking plant, Monday, Aug 11, 2025, in Clairton, Penn,</p><small>Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Ten people were injured and one person died following multiple explosions at the U.S. Clairton Coke Works plant in Clariton, Pennsylvania, just after 11 a.m. EDT on Monday.</p><p>Rescue operations are underway for one person unaccounted for, local law enforcement told reporters in a 3:45 p.m. EDT press conference.</p><p>At least nine people were taken to local hospitals and Abigail Gardner, a spokesperson for Allegheny County, said some injuries were critical. </p><p>Zachary Buday, a construction worker on a job site about half a mile away from the plant, told The New York Times the explosion was “a shock wave. It almost took the air out of your chest,” he said. </p><p>Officials from the Allegheny County Health Department advised residents within one mile of the explosion to stay inside and keep windows closed as they monitor air quality, with the department later noting it has “not detected levels of PM2.5 (particulate matter) and So2 (sulfur dioxide) above federal standards.”</p><p>U.S. Steel executive Scott Buckiso said the plant is stable as search and rescue continues.</p></p><p>Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you"ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.</p>Key Background<p>KDKA-TV, the local CBS affiliate, reported the explosion happened in the "reversing room" of the 13/15 battery, which acts as a mechanical regulator ensuring coal bakes evenly in an oven. In steel production, coal is "baked" in a process to produce coke, a key ingredient for blast furnaces that reduces iron ore and provides heat for steelmaking. Little other information was available Monday afternoon on what caused the explosions. The Clairton Coke Works is the largest coking operation in North America. It employs thousands of people and produces about 4.3 million tons of coke annually, according to U.S. Steel.</p>Crucial Quote<p>"The mill is such a big part of Clairton,” Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi told KDKA-TV. “For anyone that works, how old or young you are, you have to work every day, you need to go home healthy, and some people are not going to see the same husband or son or somebody that"s working the mill. It"s just a sad day for Clairton.”</p><p></p><p> Explosion At U.S. Steel Plant In Pennsylvania: What We Know	查看 2798	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241567	无图 <p>Topline<p>The majority of states along the U.S.-Canada border could have a shot at seeing the northern lights Monday night, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which issued a similarly strong forecast for Tuesday night.</p><p></p><p><p>NOAA issued a Kp index of four for Monday night. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)</p><small>Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>A Kp index of four was issued by NOAA for Monday night, meaning the aurora borealis “can be quite pleasing to look at” for people in the right areas.</p><p>Monday’s curved viewing line stretches as far down as central South Dakota, with chances of seeing the northern lights increasing the further north viewers are from the line.</p><p>Northern lights viewers will have another shot at seeing the natural phenomenon on Tuesday, when a Kp index of four is also forecast alongside a viewing line identical to Monday’s.</p></p><p>Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you"ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.</p>Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible?<p>Monday’s viewing line includes Alaska, northern Washington, northern Idaho, most of Montana, all of North Dakota, the upper half of South Dakota, most of Minnesota, the Michigan Upper Peninsula, the northern half of the Michigan Lower Peninsula and northern Maine.</p><p></p><p><p>Monday"s viewing line.</p><small>NOAA</small></p><p></p>What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?<p>The window of time between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. usually provides viewers with their best chance at seeing the northern lights. Areas with little to no light pollution, as well as high vantage points, can increase the likelihood of seeing the aurora borealis.</p>What’s The Best Way To Photograph The Northern Lights?<p>Night mode and no flash should be used for those trying to snap a photo of the lights on their smartphones. Traditional cameras should be equipped with wide-angle lenses and low apertures while shooting the northern lights. Tripods can help smartphones and cameras with stability.</p>Key Background<p>Auroral activity has been above-average through much of 2024 and 2025. The increased activity comes from the sun reaching the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, generating coronal mass ejections and solar flares that often lead to northern lights showings. While the summer has brought some decent showings, winter months are typically the best time to view the northern lights due to longer and darker nights.</p> Northern Lights Alert: These 10 States Could See Aurora Borealis Monday	查看 2593	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241566	无图 Topline<p>Butter prices in the U.S. jumped to their highest levels in over a year, with dairy prices also rebounding globally—underscoring broader concerns about food inflation among consumers.</p><p></p><p><p>An employee works at butter packaging plant of AmulFed dairy in Gandhinagar, India, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)</p><small>Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.</small></p>Key Facts<p><p>U.S. butter prices rose to about $4.80 per pound in June 2025, according to the latest data cited by the St. Louis Fed, up nearly 4% from June 2024—putting prices at their highest since early 2023.</p><p>Tighter global milk supplies and rising input costs, including labor and packaging, are key drivers of the surge, the Financial Times reported Sunday, with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s butter price index at an all-time high. </p><p>The Financial Times reported that butter futures on international markets have climbed sharply in recent weeks, reflecting similar supply-demand imbalances in the EU, U.S., New Zealand, Argentina and Australia.</p></p>What Is The Correlation Between Global And U.s. Price Increases?<p>While the recent surge in U.S. butter prices reflects domestic inflation pressures, it’s also closely tied to developments overseas. A tightening in global milk supply—driven by poor weather conditions, herd reductions and rising production costs—has led to higher international butter prices, Bloomberg reported in July. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, dairy output from major exporters like New Zealand and parts of Europe—which together comprises around 70% of the butter exported around the world—began 2025 with historically low stockpiles that caused prices to spike. Bloomberg reported that New Zealand’s butter prices rose 46.5% through June to about $5.10 per pound. Although the U.S. produces most of its own butter, international price benchmarks influence domestic wholesale and retail pricing. Increased input costs also affect the prices of butter in the U.S., Europe and New Zealand, especially ahead of high-consumption seasons.</p>Butter Prices Underscore Americans’ Inflation Concerns<p>A Reuters/Ipsos survey of over 4,000 adults in April found that nearly 90% of Americans are concerned about rising inflation, with just 32% of Americans approving President Donald Trump’s handling of inflation. The overall Consumer Price Index—the most widely cited inflation metric—has been as low as 2.3% this year, nearly in line with the Federal Reserve’s long-term 2% goal for inflation. That’s significantly below the more than 9% inflation rate reached in June 2022, but Americans’ concerns have persisted as economists have warned Trump’s tariffs will lead to higher consumer prices. Inflation has ticked up slightly in recent months, reaching 2.7% in June, the second month in a row of increases after the 2.3% rate was recorded in April. According to the Consumer Price Index, food-at-home inflation has remained elevated—the St. Louis Fed shows an increase in butter prices beginning in April. </p>What To Watch For<p>The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release July’s CPI on Tuesday, which is reportedly expected to reflect rising inflation. Business Insider reported Monday that this week’s report is likely to show more tariff pressure on prices, with Trump’s efforts likely to reflect price increases for consumers—an expected 0.2% increase from last month and 2.8% year-over-year. </p>Key Background<p>The Financial Times reported an increase in dairy commodity prices, with butter futures in Europe rising in tandem with tighter global milk output. New Zealand’s lower-than-expected milk production and Europe’s heatwave-related farm disruptions are reportedly key contributors to a tighter global supply picture. Demand from food manufacturers in China and Southeast Asia has remained strong, putting further pressure on export markets. The international rebound has driven up wholesale prices, which are now being passed down the supply chain to U.S. retailers and consumers.</p><p></p> Butter Prices Surge In U.S. As Global Dairy Costs Rise—Here’s What’s Driving It	查看 4123	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241565	无图 <p>Topline<p>Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will continue pushing for a congressional redistricting map in the state “beyond” the candidate filing deadlines for the state’s upcoming primary election, doubling down on his open conflict with over 50 of Texas’ Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block a vote on the map that could add five GOP seats in the U.S. House if it is adopted for the election.</p><p></p><p><p>Abbott made the comments in an interview with CNN on Monday. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)</p><small>Getty Images</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>Abbott told CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview Monday the Dec. 8 filing deadline for candidates participating in Texas’ primary election in March will not stop Republicans from redrawing the maps.</p><p>Election officials have said they cannot move forward with March’s primary election without finalized maps, The Texas Tribune reported, meaning Democrats could continue blocking the vote on the redistricting map in hopes the upcoming election is conducted with the current map instead.</p><p>However, Abbott appeared steadfast on not allowing the election to hinder the new map, saying if Democrats think they can wait things out until December, “they’re wrong, I’m going to do this for the next two years, and they"re going to have to basically take up residency in Illinois,” one of a few states some of the Democrats have fled to.</p><p>Abbott has also said he will repeatedly call for new special sessions needed to vote on the new map if he needs to, suggesting to NBC News on Aug. 8 that Democrats will not return to the state until “like 2027 or 2028, because I’m going to call special session after special session after special session with the same agenda items on there.”</p></p><p>Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you"ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.</p>Tangent<p>California Gov. Gavin Newsom has threatened similar redistricting in his state if Texas goes through with its new congressional map, which could more than cancel out the potential five seats Texas may get from its own proposed map. In response, Abbott also told Tapper that Texas could remove 10 Democratic districts if California followed through on its own redistricting. </p>What We Don’t Know<p>When the Democrats will return to Texas. If they only intend to wait out the current special session for the vote on the redistricting map, they will need to stay out of the state until Aug. 20. The Democratic lawmakers like State Rep. Rafael Anchía have said they are open to returning to vote on other legislation, but will not return to “participate in an illegal act of violating the Voting Rights Act.”</p><p></p>Key Background<p>Redistricting in Texas has pushed back elections in the past. In 2012, the state’s primary election was delayed several months over disputes on a proposed congressional redistricting. A similar outcome could materialize this year, election officials told The Texas Tribune, expressing concern that a delay could end up in the loss of poll workers and locations already secured for April and March. In the meantime, Abbott and Texas attorney General Ken Paxton have filed petitions with the Texas Supreme Court to have 13 Democratic seats in the Texas House vacated, arguing some of the Democratic lawmakers have demonstrated “an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices” by leaving the state. However, the legal processes to vacate the seats could be lengthy and run into hurdles.</p>Further Reading<p>Texas Gov. Wants Democrats Who Left State Kicked Out Of Office. Can He Legally Do It? (Forbes)</p><p>Texas AG Ken Paxton Files Lawsuit To Vacate Seats Of 13 Democrats Who Fled State (Forbes)</p> Texas Gov. Will Go ‘Beyond’ Election Deadline To Pass Redistricting Map Opposed By Dems	查看 3805	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word
3241564	无图 <p>Topline<p>Taylor Swift announced her newest album, titled ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’ shortly after midnight on Tuesday, ahead of an appearance on boyfriend and NFL star Travis Kelce’s ‘New Heights’ podcast, where she teases the unveiling of the album cover.</p><p></p><p><p>Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift \| The Eras Tour" at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.</p><small>Getty Images for TAS Rights Management</small></p></p>Key Facts<p><p>The album’s name was announced on the superstar musician’s website at 12:12 a.m. ET, as ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’ is her 12th studio album.</p><p>The website mentions no release date, but the store page notes pre-order copies of the album will ship “before 10/13/2025.”</p><p>The cover art of the album is blurred out in the various promotional photos—which the website notes will be revealed at a later date.</p><p>On Instagram, Swift shared a clip of her upcoming appearance on the “New Heights” podcast alongside the Kansas City Chiefs’ star, where shows off the new album to Kelce’s brother and former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce.</p><p>This is swift’s first album release since the end of her Eras Tour, which became the highest-grossing tour of all time.</p></p>What Else Do We Know About Swift’s Podcast Appearance?<p>The next ‘New Heights’ podcast episode, where Swift will appear as a guest, is set to release on Wednesday. The podcast’s official Instagram page has shared a clip of the upcoming episode with the caption “Taylor’s about to do a f*cking podcast!” </p>How Big Was Taylor Swift’s Last Album?<p>Swift’s eleventh album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” released on April 19, 2024 amidst the “Eras Tour” and quickly became a commercial smash hit. It broke streaming records on Spotify, becoming the first album to register 300 million streams in a single day and 1 billion streams in the first week. In another first, the album’s songs also took up all of the top 14 slots on Billboard Hot 100"s chart.</p>Further Reading<p>Taylor Swift"s Team Teases Her "Next Era"—All The New Music Rumors, Explained (Forbes)</p><p></p><p>Taylor Swift Buys Back Rights To First Six Albums (Forbes)</p><p>This is a developing story.</p> Taylor Swift Announces Her Next Album ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’	查看 2217	福布斯	2025-01-01 00:00:00 2025-08-12 12:40:23	word

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