Environment
How the explosives shortage could make everyday items even more expensive
The United States is facing a shortage of TNT, a high explosive that is essential to the manufacturing of commercial explosives products, like cast boosters, which are commonly used in the mining and construction industries, according to the Institute of Makers of Explosives, or IME. “Everything from your cellphone to your laptop to the roads […]
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Russia is late to the party, but it’s still preparing to enter the rare earths fray
Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 15, 2025. Alexander Zemlianichenko | Afp | Getty Images Russia is looking to ramp up rare earths production but it’s late to the party and faces challenges along the way to establishing its position in the highly-lucrative global market, analysts say. Russian President Vladimir Putin last week ordered his […]
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China’s key weapons in its AI battle with the U.S. — massive Huawei chip clusters and cheap energy
China is focusing on large language models in the artificial intelligence space. Blackdovfx | Istock | Getty Images It’s well known that Chinese semiconductors designed for artificial intelligence cannot compete with the American firm Nvidia. Yet, China has managed to continue developing highly advanced AI models, with many being run on homegrown chips. China’s secret? […]
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How Chinese EV makers are winning in Brazil
On the streets of Rio de Janeiro, it’s not hard to spot the latest sign of China’s growing global auto ambitions. Electric vehicles from Chinese brands like BYD and Great Wall Motor have been flowing in. “There are a lot of Chinese cars on the streets,” said EV owner Sérgio Ramalho. Brazil has become the […]
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Fossil fuel leaders herald the energy addition era: ‘Music to my ears’
Guests look at a model of the largest data center in the UAE under construction in Abu Dhabi as the Stargate initiative, a joint venture between G42, Microsoft, and OpenAI, during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by […]
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Xpeng tops over 40,000 monthly deliveries again as its mass market strategy plays out
SHANGHAI, CHINA – OCTOBER 16, 2025 – New energy vehicles displayed in Xiaopeng Motors store in Shanghai, China on October 16, 2025. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images While most Chinese electric vehicle makers have seen ups and downs, Xpeng has built a slow and […]
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‘Useless’ and ‘hopeless’: Ryanair CEO slams U.K. government over travel tax
Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary gestures while making a point during a press conference with Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair, and Jason McGuinness, Commercial Director, to talk about the future of the company’s operation in the Portuguese market on July 23, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. Horacio Villalobos | Corbis News | Getty Images Ryanair chief […]
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The global critical minerals race is heating up — and rare earths stocks are skyrocketing
A wheel loader takes ore to a crusher at the MP Materials rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California, U.S. January 30, 2020. Steve Marcus | Reuters The emergence of critical minerals as a new arena of geopolitical competition has coincided with a dizzying rally in U.S.-listed rare earths mining stocks. Despite paring gains in […]
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Hurricane Melissa set to trigger $150 million Jamaica catastrophe bond to help rebuild
Drone view of damage to coastal homes after Hurricane Melissa made landfall, in Alligator Pond, Jamaica, Oct. 29, 2025. Maria Alejandra Cardona | Reuters Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane of the year, made landfall this week as a Category 5 storm in Jamaica. The strength of the storm means it will likely trigger […]
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GM lays off more than 1,700 at sites in Michigan, Ohio, citing EV challenges
The Ultium Cell factory in Warren, Ohio, is shown, July 7, 2023. Gene J. Puskar | AP General Motors laid off roughly 1,700 workers at manufacturing sites in Michigan and Ohio on Wednesday, citing a slowdown in the electric vehicle market. The company confirmed there were around 1,200 layoffs at Detroit’s electric vehicle plant and 550 cuts […]
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