North American rail and port woes are adding to a long list of challenges facing global shippers, while China is developing new trade routes.

We need to move away from consumerism and find better measures of economic progress – if we want to avoid a climate catastrophe

Studies show that US tariffs have not only hit the economy, but also failed to meaningfully reduce trade deficits.

Paranoia over grave and imminent dangers all around is distracting America from the serious risks of domestic terrorism and political violence.

International migration is a force for good that developed economies need, despite the protests of xenophobes and populists.

The UN projects a drop in the global population by 2100 as longer life expectancy and migration shape communities amid a collapse in fertility.

In particular, Trump’s exotic plan to replace income tax with universal export tariffs threatens catastrophe.

The Council on Foreign Relations’ China-focused project could be a chance to rethink flawed assumptions underpinning the rules-based order.

The results of the 2024 UK general election have humbled the Conservative Party, but also put on display some of the quirks of the democratic process.

True, no one has ever bet against Hong Kong and won. But it would be a foolhardy administration that underestimates the challenges still faced.

The first US presidential debate was alarming not just for US voters but for anyone who cares about the integrity of our political systems.

Far from being a particularity in Hong Kong, rodent problems are a fixture of urban environments the world over.

The rapid emergence of AI has sparked concerns about its attendant risks, and few sectors exemplify that more than the production of sex robots.

Rather than end wildfires, humanity’s challenge is to restrain destructive fire and reduce the amount of combustion driving climate change.

After bananas and coffee, oranges are the latest breakfast staple to succumb to disease and weather as Brazil’s crop collapses.

While the end of globalisation is much touted today, nations are grappling with too many issues that cannot be solved unilaterally.

Environmentalists want an overhaul of world aquaculture, but not enough focus is on countries that can make the biggest difference.

Hong Kong should focus on connections with people and organisations that can serve the city’s unique role in global trade and investment.

Sports shoe tech development is moving at a sprinter’s speed, with smart shoes offering wearers more information than ever. Such advances are, however, far beyond the needs of most runners, who would be better off looking for discounts at outlet stores.

After shelving Hong Kong’s waste charging scheme, the government needs to rid itself of the bureaucratic shackles that have led to decades of inaction. Officials must create a system that can meet the city’s needs before its landfills run out of space in 2026.

Two cases in Britain have recently been concluded, with damning evidence of abuse of government power and cover-ups. In drawing a line under the infected blood scandal, the British prime minister acknowledged that it was “a day of shame for the British state”.

The world is seeing a renewed focus on spying amid heightened geopolitical stress, alarming wars, new invasive technologies and national security fears. Engaging in espionage is a dangerous, expensive habit few countries can truly afford, and we must pray all of them choose to engage in it responsibly.

The West misunderstands China’s efforts at boosting innovation and satisfying domestic demand as seeking to undermine foreign competitors. While oversupply is a valid concern, a bigger problem is concentrated production among a small cluster of firms which US tariffs on China will not address.

In enacting yet another round of tariffs on Chinese exports, the Biden administration has its sights set firmly on its fortunes in November’s election. The US president has to shore up Democrats’ support in rust belt states and clearly thinks American firms and consumers are ready to pay the price tariffs will bring.

The arithmetic underpinning the global economy is massively out of kilter at a time when the world desperately needs concrete action on climate change. We cannot afford to have leaders clinging to the status quo while increasing spending on defence and other domestic priorities.

Rebuilding the US shipbuilding sector will take decades, if at all possible, and diluting China’s dominance will mainly benefit shipbuilding powerhouses like South Korea and Japan.

Much of the criticism of artificial flowers is environmental: they are made in factories, use plastics and end up in landfills. But the cut-flower business also has poor green credentials.

Getting a good night’s sleep has become a lucrative business with a range of solutions from supplements to sleep tourism being touted. The industry is populated by serious academics and pharmacologists but, with so much we still do not know, snake-oil treatments also proliferate.

EU and US manufacturers already complaining of Chinese competition in solar power and electric vehicles won’t like China’s hydrogen policy. As it moves to produce hydrogen using renewable energy, this could become an important part of the world’s low-carbon future.

China’s subsidies have been more effective than in most parts of the world because they are an intrinsic part of a distinct economic model. Rather than targeting China, the US and Europe should examine the effectiveness of their own economic strategies.