China

Tesla Robotaxis Encounter New Challenges in China
The autonomous cars are being confounded by bus-only lanes and limits on data transfers.

Is China’s High-Speed Rail Boom Unsustainable?
The country is building tens of thousands of miles of rail service that is expensive to maintain and, in some cases, redundant.

New Tariffs Could Stifle the US Bike Industry
Higher tariffs on components built in China will make the cost of U.S. bike production much higher, likely slowing the growth of the industry.

AI and 5G Could Advance Port Automation
A vision for the future of automated ports with AI and 5G: harnessing technology for enhanced efficiency, reliability, and safety.

COP28: Will Developed Nations Reduce Emissions?
Tensions between developed and developing nations surfaced over emissions and energy, with the former focused on reducing fossil fuels and the latter pointing to unrealized emissions reductions from the nations most responsible for global warming.

The Dividing Line Between Good and Bad Density
Not all density is good, according to the participants at recent event hosted by the Congress for the New Urbanism’s District of Columbia chapter, and examples of new developments cross the line all over the world.

Dramatic Decline in New EV Models to Qualify for Federal Tax Credit
The Treasury Department released long-awaited rules required by the historic Inflation Reduction Action on March 31 that will determine which electric vehicle models purchased after April 17 will qualify for a federal credit up to $7,500.

Tiny Parks Make Big Impact in Hong Kong
New pocket parks provide valuable opportunities for residents to play and gather in the territory's dense neighborhoods.

Friday Funny: The Onion Blasts U.S. for Slow Trains
The satirical news site The Onion has imagined a world where China and the United States are competing over which country can operate the slowest, least dependable train systems.

Skyscraper Watch: Where the Tallest Buildings Are Under Construction
Of the 25 tallest buildings currently under construction around the world, only one is foun in the United States. The vast majority are in China.

We Now Can Build Really Tall Skyscrapers. But Why?
The new book Super Tall, by architect and writer Stefan Al, explains how the new generation of skyscrapers are built and how they fit into their respective urban fabrics.

Second Anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 11 marked the second anniversary of WHO's declaration of the pandemic and the beginning of its third year. Cases continue to plummet in the U.S. and plateau globally while war in Europe has overshadowed the virus that has killed 6 million.

COVID Zero: The High Price of Containment
Vision Zero: a strategy to eliminate road crashes, particularly those with fatal outcomes. COVID Zero: a strategy to end coronavirus transmission. Only one has worked—but at a steep price.

The Fastest Growing Cities in the World
None of the fastest growing cities in the world are found in North or South America.

Pandemic Paradox: World's Most Vaccinated Country Also the Most Infected
Is the lesson from the Seychelles, an African archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean, that all COVID-19 vaccines are not the same? If so, that could spell trouble for other countries relying on the Sinopharm and Covishield vaccines.

An American Lockdown
Words matter. Road safety advocates know that "crashes are not accidents." Similarly, calling coronavirus restrictions "lockdowns," fails to distinguish the severity among public health orders. On January 6, America experienced a true lockdown.

The Pandemic Expert in the Biden Cabinet Who is Not on the Biden Health Team
Ron Klain, President Obama's former Ebola response coordinator, will serve as chief of staff to President-elect Joe Biden. This post also looks at all the appointments and nominations for Biden's health team that will devise a Covid response.

Cities Have Doubled in Size Globally in the Last 20 Years, Study Says
New research from China finds an incredible rate of urban expansion in North America and China.

Pandemic Reveals the Importance of Open Space to Health and Well-Being
Hong Kong provides a lesson in the importance of open space for the health and well-being of residents, especially during the isolation and distancing of a pandemic.

Better Planning Needed to Address Effects of Urban Heat Island in Hong Kong
A recent study reveals the detrimental impact of hot nights compared to hot days, with the region experiencing hotter summers and more hot days due to climate change and the heat island effect.
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