Italy Loses its Leader, Measuring Business Uncertainty, and More

Government use of facial recognition technology, North Korea's growing economic markets, and ways to improve global supply chains.

View in browser July 30, 2022 Italy loses Draghi as its leader—for now   The fall of the Italian government led by Mario Draghi earlier this month caused shock within the country and around the world. Carlo Bastasin explains the political turmoil that preceded Draghi's resignation and what happens next.    Read more Measuring business uncertainty in developing and emerging economies   Economists have often struggled to understand how uncertainty impacts businesses and the macroeconomy. Edgar Avalos, José María Barrero, Elwyn Davies, Leonardo Iacovone, and Jesica Torres highlight the substantial progress made in this area and discuss the implications for low- and middle-income countries.   Read more Mitigating bias and equity in use of facial recognition technology by the US Customs and Border Protection   As of December 2019, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has spent $1.241 billion on the rollout of facial recognition technology (FRT). However, the widespread adoption and use of FRT by CBP has not come without challenges. In testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations, Nicol Turner Lee highlights the intended and unintended consequences of FRT and its implications for human rights and civil liberties.   Read more 🎧 For weekend listening   Improving global supply chains. Amid the Ukraine conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and U.S.-China trade tensions, the flaws in global supply chains have been magnified. Darrell West joins the Dollar & Sense podcast to share recommendations for addressing key issues.   The internet and worsening U.S. gun violence. In 2022, not a single week has passed without multiple mass shootings. On the latest episode of TechTank, Nicol Turner Lee convenes a group of experts to examine the role technology, particularly social media, has played in acts of gun violence.   State, society, and markets in North Korea. On The Impossible State podcast from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Andrew Yeo discusses the growth of economic markets in North Korea, the North Korean consumer base, the state's involvement in markets, the impacts of COVID-19, and more.  The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Unsubscribe Manage your newsletter subscriptions | Receive the Brookings Brief less often