The World Bank just notched up growth expectations for Mexico, with economic momentum shifting to a still-modest 0.5% in 2025. Marginal improvement since the mid-year outlook is still below the 1.5% growth for the year that was forecast in January. The sober setting can be attributed to the impact of US tariff policies, both real […]
Commercial shipping between the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean begins to see more normal patterns, as once-looming Houthi rebels suspend their unconventional, if not deadly, toll practices at Bab al-Mandab. The head of the Suez Canal Authority affirms that as many as 50 vessels adjusted their itineraries to pass through the waterway in February, rather than […]
El Segundo, California is trend forward in the innovation business. The near-LAX city is an unlikely spigot for the next generation of American startups. Venture capitalists find fresh opportunity there in military-related projects, channeling patriotism. Silicon Valley once considered investing in defense to be taboo. A confluence of circumstances has changed that sentiment. One obvious […]
American politics and American business converge at the Mexican border. In the popular imagination, we find it peculiar that the crossing is viewed as some sort of national liability. The obvious rebuttal is that Mexico is now the largest US trading partner. Many border issues should be dissected, if not discarded, because they discolor meaningful […]
An unfolding policy of stationing US Marines onboard commercial oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz seems dangerously theatrical. The approach threatens a direct confrontation between the US and Iran. That analysis, however, may be too simple. As the world’s largest oil producer, the US has diminished interest in protecting oil supply lines in the […]
With no long-range strike capabilities, Australia may be set to purchase a squadron of B-21 Raider stealth aircraft from the United States. No official announcement has been made, in part because the B-21 Raider will be unveiled publicly by contractor Northrop Grumman in December. The flare by Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles strikes a chord […]
Hidden behind the January 6 proceedings, something else extraordinary is happening on Capitol Hill. And many American businesses seem unaware of its implications. Congress is batting around legislation that would formalize an outbound foreign investment review process with sweeping implications for US competitiveness. The National Critical Capabilities Defense Act will require US firms to notify […]
Experts once expected Africa to suffer catastrophically from Covid-19. Yet infections have been falling across the continent from comparatively muted levels since July 2021. One possible explanation is that government data is wildly inaccurate, portraying a misleading picture of on-the-ground challenges. Limited vaccine coverage, after all, cannot align with low infection rates, at least in […]
Japanese companies have spent years outsourcing components of their supply chain to China. Among other points, the approach was a sensible way to lower operating costs in a deflationary environment. But, in effect, Japan created a single point-of-failure for its manufacturers. Covid-19 has exposed that weakness, forcing government and industry leaders alike to examine vulnerabilities. […]
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