INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Nov 07 2025SCIENCE

Can New Zealand Make Its Own Medicine After a Global Disaster?

New Zealand, a small island nation, depends on imports for many essential goods. One critical area of concern is pharmaceuticals. If a global catastrophe strikes, international trade could collapse. This would leave New Zealand struggling to access vital medicines. The country faces several potential global threats. These include nuclear war, bioengineered pandemics...

reading time about 1 minute
Nov 05 2025POLITICS

Supreme Court Weighs Big Tariff Debate

The Supreme Court is currently looking into whether the president can impose tariffs on almost every country using a law meant for emergencies. This is a big deal because it's about how much power the president has and how it affects trade. The president has been using a law from 1977, called IEEPA, to put these tariffs in place. This law was made to deal with emerg...

reading time about 1 minute
Aug 22 2025BUSINESS

US Deliveries on Pause: What's the Deal with New Import Taxes?

Big changes are happening in the world of international shipping. Starting August 29, the US is changing its rules on import taxes for small packages. This has caused a lot of confusion and delays. Royal Mail and DHL have decided to pause some deliveries to the US. They need time to figure out how to handle the new taxes. Royal Mail says letters and cards can still ...

reading time about 1 minute
Aug 06 2025BUSINESS

Panama's Ports: A Battle for Control

Panama is making waves in the shipping world. The country's president, Jose Raul Mulino, has hinted that Panama might take over two major ports near the Panama Canal. This move could disrupt a huge $20 billion deal involving BlackRock and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The ports in question, Balboa and Cristobal, are currently managed by CK Hutchison. This co...

reading time about 1 minute
Jul 08 2025POLITICS

Trade Talks or Tariffs: Countries Face Tough Choices

Fourteen countries got a wake-up call from the U. S. They have until August 1 to make a deal. If not, they'll pay more to sell their stuff to America. The U. S. is playing hardball. They say, "Make a deal or pay more. " But if these countries fight back with their own taxes, the U. S. will hit them even harder. Let's look at some of these countries and what they're ...

reading time about 1 minute
Jun 29 2025BUSINESS

G7 Makes a Deal: US Gets a Tax Break, Others Compromise

The G7 recently made a big decision. They agreed to let the US off the hook on a global minimum tax. This tax was supposed to apply to all big companies worldwide. The idea was to make sure everyone pays their fair share. But the G7 said the US doesn't have to follow this rule, at least not right now. This deal comes at a tense time. The US and the EU are in the mid...

reading time about 1 minute
Jun 26 2025FINANCE

China's Push to Make the Yuan a Global Player

China is stepping up its game to get the world to use the yuan more. This comes as the U. S. dollar is losing some of its shine. The yuan has been getting stronger, while the dollar has been dropping in value. China's central bank is making big moves. They want to reduce the world's reliance on just one currency, the U. S. dollar. They are setting up a new center in...

reading time about 1 minute
May 28 2025OPINION

China's Tech Race: Fair Play or Foul?

China is making waves in the tech world. Every month, it seems, a new, groundbreaking technology emerges from the country. BYD, now the world's top electric vehicle maker, has just unveiled a rapid charger. This charger can juice up a car's battery with 250 miles of range in just five minutes. That's a game-changer for electric vehicles, making them more practical fo...

reading time about 3 minutes
May 23 2025POLITICS

Trump's Tariff Power: A Legal Puzzle

The topic of tariffs has stirred up quite the debate. A court case in Florida recently made waves by suggesting that the president has the power to impose tariffs on his own. This isn't just any president, but Donald Trump, who has been quite active in this area. The case in question was brought by a Florida-based company called Emily Ley Paper, which took issue with...

reading time about 2 minutes
May 14 2025POLITICS

U. S. Backtracks on AI Chip Export Limits: A New Chapter in Tech Diplomacy

The U. S. Department of Commerce has decided to undo a recent rule that was set to limit the export of AI chips to various international markets. This move came after pushback from the tech industry and several countries. The rule, which was supposed to start on a Thursday, aimed to control the number of AI chips that could be sent abroad without federal permission. ...

reading time about 1 minute