Category: Shortages

G7 Countries Hold Off on Releasing Emergency Oil Supplies

Finance ministers for the seven industrialized countries met on Monday and said they would consider releasing oil from reserves but were not ready to do so now.
Countries in Asia Try to Contain the Economic Fallout of the Mideast Conflict

Across Asia, where countries are highly exposed to rising oil and gas costs and tightening supply, governments are acting to mitigate economic harm.
Microsoft Pledged to Save Water. In the A.I. Era, It Expects Water Use to Soar.

Driven by the artificial intelligence frenzy, Microsoft is internally projecting that water use at its data centers will more than double by 2030 from 2020, including in places that face shortages.
An Auto Holy Grail: Motors That Don’t Rely on Chinese Rare Earths

Weary of being captive to geopolitics, car companies are looking for ways to replace powerful rare-earth magnets in electric motors.
California Has a Legal Clause for Housing That Could Put NIMBYs in a Corner

For years, the state has been nudging its cities to build housing to address a severe shortage. Maybe what they needed was a shove.
Netherlands Hands Back Control of Chipmaker Nexperia

Uncertainty over the availability of the Chinese-owned company’s chips, which are used in cars and electronics, had added to concerns of a global shortage.
China Resumes Some Chip Exports, Easing Fears of a Global Crunch

A leading German automotive supplier said it was again allowed to ship semiconductors that Beijing had barred for export.
How Trade Tensions Sent Automakers Scrambling for Chips

Carmakers and their suppliers are piecing together new supply chains after a Chinese-owned company in the Netherlands was caught in the middle of the trade war, revealing European vulnerabilities.
As Shutdown Slows Air Traffic Training, These Schools Are Stepping In

New programs cannot turn out the numbers needed to make up for the controller shortfall. But they hope to have a higher success rate than the Federal Aviation Agency’s official academy.
Step by Step, How China Seized Control of Critical Minerals

China’s far-reaching rules already affect manufacturers of semiconductors, cars and many other products. They will soon become much broader.
India’s Most Valuable Export: Tens of Millions of Workers

India plans to send its vast work force abroad to countries with labor shortages, like Germany and Japan.
Volkswagen Says Loss of Chip Supply Could Hit Production

After China stopped deliveries of Nexperia’s chips over a dispute with the Dutch government, German carmakers are worried about supply shortages.