North America
Supply Chain Volatility in the Automobile Industry
Vehicle production is taking a toll due to the ongoing computer chip shortage. According to a report by Goldman Sachs and forecasts by advisory experts, they predict the shortfall to persist throughout the rest of 2021, into 2022, and 2023, since demand will remain strong and supply will remain restricted.
Concern for the planet, or a statement that the US is back? Biden’s virtual summit puts the ball in Xi’s court, as the US reclaims a leading role on international climate action
President Biden has shown his intent to restate the US as global leaders on climate change as he hosted a virtual summit on 22-23 April, encouraging states to build on their climate pledges. It has been hailed as a major success, uniting leading countries in climate action. However, the summit has sparked debate regarding climate politics. As competition between the US and China reaches its zenith, climate change remains one of the few areas left for them to cooperate on. Whether climate action will lead to healthy competition or conflict will depend on a range of factors over the next decade.
Increasing Female Representation in U.S. Politics: Non-Partisanship and Confidence-Building for Political Empowerment
Running Start is a U.S. nonprofit that trains diverse young women to run for public office. Recognizing the lack of female representation at all political levels, the organization aims to encourage women regardless of partisan affiliation to seek political office and supports them through mentoring and skill-building in leadership, campaign strategy and teamwork. Under CEO & Founder Susannah Wellford’s leadership, Running Start has trained over 20,000 women from high school to college in more than 100 annual programs. 90% of alums who ran for office have won. SHE SAID spoke to Susannah Wellford about her vision for female political empowerment.
The US’s schizophrenic recovery: Banks’ earnings on the rise as the government bails out families
Talks of a “K-shaped” recovery after the pandemic crisis started in 2020, predicting that some sectors of the economy will benefit disproportionately by the pandemic, while everyone else bears the costs for it. Big banks and the world of finance are surely to be on the benefiting end. However, policy-makers, shareholders and executives seem to be missing a key lesson of the Great Recession -the risk of an enriching bank system that loses touch of reality may aggravate the schizophrenia of the post-pandemic economies.
America at a Crossroads: Split Strategies in the Republican Party As They Wrestle with the Future of Trumpism
The Trump presidency was a stress test on US democratic institutions, exemplified by the insurrection in Washington over the presidential transition. While it may appear that America sits at a
Canada’s Second COVID Lockdown
The placing of Canada’s most populated region under stricter lockdown measures is likely to lengthen the road to economic recovery post-COVID.
Sunburst: US Government Bodies Face Most Seismic Cyber Breach Since Cold War
Over the weekend of 12th-13th December 2020, it became apparent that a number of US Federal agencies and departments had been hacked as part of one of the “worst ever” cyber attacks in history. The intention of the attack appears to have been to conduct a “high-end espionage operation”, with the goal of stealing government and military secrets. The true scale and significance of the breach remains unknown. However, the attack has shaken governments around the world, exposing the fact that their defences are not strong enough, and that the security of software suppliers is an issue of vital importance.
Killing the Dollar: A Side-Effect of COVID and its Cures?
Since the end of World War II, the US dollar has consistently functioned as a safe harbour for investors caught by any sort of turbulence. Thus, no one was surprised by its appreciation at the height of the current pandemic, which began in April 2020. And no one will be surprised if vaccine makers’ promises to end the pandemic null all those gains. Yet, the currency’s status and reputation have been weakening since the demise of the Bretton Woods Accord in 1974 to the point that, as a side-effect, COVID and its cures may be lethal for the dollar’s international dominance.
The Influence of COVID-19 on the Future of US Politics at Home and Abroad
The two candidates for the 2020 US election both centered their campaigns on major dividing issues, including the global pandemic. The politicized debate around COVID-19 revealed the cultural differences that divide the United States, and forecasts change in the coming year in US domestic and foreign policy.
10 reasons why Trump is likely to win re-election
President Trump has been repeatedly reported to be trailing in the polls for this week’s General Election. However, we predict that the incumbent’s re-election is highly likely, and not as improbable as the mainstream media, polls and political risk institutions suggest.
