Apple Wants People to Control Devices With Their Thoughts
Apple AAPL 6.31%increase; green up pointing triangle is embracing the world of brain computer interfaces, unveiling a new technology that one day could revolutionize how humans interact with their devices.
The company is taking early steps to enable people to control their iPhones with neural signals captured by a new generation of brain implants. It could make Apple devices more accessible to tens of thousands of people who can't use their hands because of severe spinal cord injuries or diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
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Fast Company
11 minutes ago
- Fast Company
NYC pension funds want asset managers like BlackRock to have legitimate net-zero plans—or lose their business
As the Trump administration funnels money into fossil fuels and the country largely retreats on climate efforts, New York City is trying to ensure its pension funds take the climate into consideration. In 2021, New York City officials announced that the city's pension funds divested an estimated $4 billion from fossil fuel companies, a landmark move in the effort to divest money from polluting industries. But divesting directly from these companies only covers a small portion of how the markets support the continued development of oil, gas, and coal. Major asset managers like BlackRock still invest in fossil fuels; so if a pension fund is invested in BlackRock, it's still essentially funneling money into oil, gas, and coal. Now, those asset managers will have to show the city that their investments align with New York's climate goals, or they could risk losing the pension funds' business. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander recently announced new climate standards for pension fund asset managers, including clear net-zero goals that decrease their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Asset managers have until June 30 to submit their climate strategies to the city. Officials will evaluate those net-zero plans to ensure that they're 'real and actionable.' If an asset manager's plans fail to meet those climate standards, they'll be sent to a 'rebid' process, meaning they'll have to bid again for the pension funds' business, and the funds could then move their money to a different, cleaner asset manager. As part of any new bidding process, Lander will recommend evaluating an asset manager's corporate-level climate behavior as well. 'What we're doing is getting the New York City pension funds to use their buying power to shift money from dirtier money managers like BlackRock, who are bad on climate, to cleaner money managers,' says Pete Sikora, climate campaigns director with New York Communities for Change, a nonprofit that campaigned for these new standards. Activists hope that by taking business away from the less climate friendly asset managers, those companies will be forced to clean up their portfolios in order to get back the pension funds' business. New York City's five pension funds have nearly $300 billion worth of investments, with a few hundred asset managers. The largest is BlackRock, which holds nearly $60 billion of the funds' investments. (In total, BlackRock has more than $11 trillion in assets under management.) The city's pension funds include the New York City Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), and Board of Education Retirement System (BERS), which have all historically been progressive on climate action; TRS is also the largest investor with $109 billion in assets. (The other two funds are the New York City Police Pension Fund and the New York City Fire Pension Fund.) Already, since 2019, New York City's pension system has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 37%. It aims to be net-zero by 2040. This move to require climate plans from asset managers—and to stop investing with them if their climate plans aren't strong enough—is crucial to reaching that goal, Sikora says. It's a more impactful move than just divesting directly from fossil fuel companies, he notes, 'because it pushes the entire financial industry' to be cleaner. 'There's no way to stave off global climate catastrophe unless finance as a whole flees from oil, gas, coal, and deforestation,' he says. The move is also a direct response to the Trump administration's efforts to funnel money into the fossil fuel industry, and to push back the entire country's climate progress. 'We will not retreat from our strong climate action, a position that remains consistent with our fiduciary duty. Climate risk is financial risk,' Lander said in a statement. 'Some may cave to the Trump administration and reverse their climate commitments, but we will not be deterred from jointly prioritizing our climate goals and financial responsibilities.' (Lander is running to be the Democratic candidate in New York City's mayoral race, and has made ' standing up to Donald Trump ' a tenet of his campaign.) New York Communities for Change has been advocating for these climate standards for years, Sikora says, and was talking to Lander about the possibilities before he was even elected as comptroller in 2021. Before that role, Lander was on the city council, where he sponsored a resolution calling on BlackRock, JP Morgan Chase, Liberty Mutual, and other financial institutions to stop lending to and investing in the fossil fuel industry. That hinted to activists that he would be supportive of these efforts. Though this effort was years in the making, it's becoming more urgent as the financial industry backslides on climate commitments at large. In January 2025, weeks before Trump took office, six major banks left the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a group that was setting net-zero targets for the financial world. Still, some funds are trying to hold banks to account. In February, the People's Pension, one of the United Kingdom's largest pension funds, said it was 'prioritizing sustainability' by pulling a majority of its money out of State Street; the fund moved £20 billion to a different asset manager, Amundi, which it says has stronger climate standards. Changes to New York City's pension funds won't happen immediately, though. After asset managers submit their climate plans to the city, officials have to review them before they make recommendations on whether to put the business up for rebid; those recommendations will likely start to happen in the summer or early fall. New York City's move to divest its pension fund from fossil fuels did face a lawsuit from oil and gas companies in 2023; in 2024, the city won. These additional climate requirements may also face criticism or legal pushback, particularly from the Trump administration, but Sikora is confident it will hold up in court. Investing in fossil fuels is no longer a sure route to profitability; thousands of oil and gas assets are at risk of becoming stranded —meaning they would be unprofitable or forced to shut down years before planned—because of the impacts of climate change. 'New York City pension funds have an interest in a healthy world,' he says. 'You don't have New York City pension funds in a dead New York City that is submerged under rising seas. . . . On a basic, prudential level, you shouldn't be furthering your own destruction with your investments.'
Wall Street Journal
19 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
World Growth to Slow Amid Trade Turmoil, OECD Warns
The world economy will lose pace this year, hamstrung by uncertainty stemming from a whipsawing U.S. trade policy, according to new forecasts from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Collectively, the global economy is now set to grow by 2.9% this year and next, the OECD said in its quarterly report released Tuesday. That marks a downgrade to the group's previous forecasts, which saw growth at 3.1% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, and suggests the world economy is set to slow from the 3.3% expansion it booked last year.
Medscape
22 minutes ago
- Medscape
Nutritional Counseling May Be Free for Your Obesity Patients
As part of treating the overall well-being of your patients, it may be beneficial to recommend nutritional counseling. More insurance carriers are providing this service as a benefit. When patients have conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or obesity, suggesting nutritional counseling could help your patients become more informed about making healthier choices. More health insurance plans cover nutritional counseling, although some may only provide coverage for specific conditions. 'Integrating nutritional counseling into routine clinical practice is essential and necessary to achieving optimal health outcomes,' said Scott Isaacs, MD, adjunct assistant professor of medicine, Emory University, and president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, who is based in Atlanta. 'By ensuring that nutritional counseling is accessible, personalized, and supported by insurance, we empower our patients to prevent disease, effectively manage chronic conditions, and improve both quality of live and longevity.' What Exactly Is Nutritional Counseling? Nutritional counseling is a collaborative, patient-centered process led by registered dietitians or nutritionists, and it involves a comprehensive assessment of a patient's dietary habits (dietary history), medical history, cultural/ethnic preferences, and health goals, followed by personalized education and support, said Isaacs. Scott Isaacs, MD 'Think of nutritional counseling as a way to translate medical advice into a meal plan that is realistic and achievable for an individual's life situation. Nutritional knowledge with practical tips helps patients make gradual, sustainable dietary changes,' he said. 'This isn't about quick fixes, it's about building lifelong skills, making permanent lifestyle changes for better health.' Most Insurance Plans Will Cover It According to Isaacs, most health insurance plans, including those under the Affordable Care Act, cover nutritional counseling for preventive care and for patients with conditions like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. 'One of the most underused benefits is insurance-covered nutritional counseling,' he said. 'I encourage clinicians to proactively inform patients that these services are likely included in their health plan.' Although most insurance plans grant patients the self-refer option to a registered dietitian, some require a physician's referral, especially for specific diagnoses such as diabetes, obesity, or hypertension, said Isaacs. If a referral is needed, physicians should reassure patients that this is a routine process. How Does This Affect Treatment Plans? Nutrition counselling services are integral to holistic comprehensive care. Nutritional counseling can include: Comprehensive weight management programs Bariatric pre- and post-surgery Diabetes management Lowering cholesterol Irritable bowel syndrome Food allergies (including gluten) Personalized meal planning Medical nutrition therapy for chronic illnesses, including cancer Mindful eating techniques to address emotional and behavioral eating patterns Nutrition guidance during pregnancy and for sports performance Furthermore, medical specialists say that nutritional counseling can particularly be a win for those with specific health conditions. 'My perspective is that medical nutrition therapy is vital to overall patient care plans, especially in the setting such as celiac disease or short bowel syndrome,' said Lindsey Russell, MD, a gastroenterologist with the Center for Human Nutrition at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. 'At Cleveland Clinic, we practice a multidisciplinary approach to treating chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, which includes registered dietitians as part of the treatment plan.' Why Patients Benefit From Nutritional Counseling? Isaacs at Emory University said nutritional counseling is a proven, evidence-based approach for managing and preventing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. 'Nutritional counseling is not just about diet, it's about giving patients practical, sustainable strategies to improve their health,' he said. Lindsey Russell, MD Among the benefits of personalized dietary guidance, Isaacs said, is helping patients with weight management, blood glucose control, lipid management, reduce cardiovascular risk, and support long-term health and vitality. Why Do Patients Trust Your Guidance? Patients appreciate nutrition advice they receive from their physicians, and studies show that when doctors introduce such conversations, patients are more likely to adopt meaningful lifestyle tweaks. 'By recommending nutritional counseling, we're not just treating disease, we're helping patients improve their health and quality of life,' Isaacs told Medscape Medical News . Encouraging Patients to Try Nutrition Counseling Once a doctor encourages a patient to use their insurance coverage to see a registered dietician, follow-through should be part of the plan. 'I encourage my patients to be open about their experiences — what they have tried, what has worked, what hasn't, and most importantly, their motivation for change,' said Christopher Scuderi, DO, a family physician who practices at Millennium Physician Group in Jacksonville, Florida, 'Having a clear 'why' behind their goals makes a significant difference in maintaining long-term commitment.' In his experience as a family physician, Scuderi noted that patients struggling with weight loss often consult with him after trying multiple approaches on their own. 'They frequently bring a wealth of questions, many stemming from misinformation found on social media. I have found that consulting a nutritionist can be especially helpful in addressing these concerns, providing sound guidance, and ensuring close follow-up,' he said. Christopher Scuderi, DO In addition, during the last 2 years, Scuderi said he's noticed an uptick in patient interest in glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) medications. Due to this, it has been easier to approach the topic of nutrition counseling. 'I have found it increasingly easier to discuss weight management with patients. Many are particularly interested in GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound,' he said. 'However, insurance coverage for these medications can be a significant barrier for many individuals.' In conclusion, Isaacs at Emory University said 'when nutrition is a routine part of medical care, it empowers patients to take charge of their health through the foods they eat every day.' To facilitate the incorporation of nutritional counseling for a patient's care plan he recommends the following steps:
