The World’s Most Powerful Women: July 22

By lauracohn

The global news cycle has not been kind to Carolyn McCall, CEO of EasyJet. Terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels and Nice–plus the shock of Brexit and the state of emergency in Turkey after a failed coup–have conspired to create the toughest time in recent memory for the budget airline chief.

“There are so many moving parts,” McCall (No. 7 on Fortune‘s list of the Most Powerful Women, EMEA) said yesterday, in announcing third-quarter results. “There are more terrorist events than in any years anyone can remember, air traffic control action, and the devaluation of the pound on top of that.”

EasyJet was the biggest decliner on the FTSE 100 yesterday morning, with shares falling 6%. McCall says the airline’s costs have risen by 40 million pounds since the Brexit decision because a rise in the dollar has boosted the price of fuel. Cancellations have been rising as well: up 70% from where they were the same period last year.

There is a silver lining–for customers like you and me. As McCall told the BBC, “It actually means it’s cheaper to fly and ticket prices are low.”

British airlines were already vulnerable to the aftermath of Brexit, since it calls into question their participation in Europe’s open market that has bolstered the industry. But all the uncertainty surrounding other world events has only made things worse. In fact, the future is so incalculable, McCall said the airline “can’t be precise about guidance.” No wonder.

Laura Cohn

@laurascohn

EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA

The agony of defeat
Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva didn't hesitate to express her anger at the decision that Russian track and field athletes will not be allowed to compete in the Rio Olympics because of accusations of a state doping program. Isinbayeva, who won the gold medal at the 2012 games, told Tass, the Russian news agency: "Thank you all for this funeral for athletics."
BBC

#BringBackOurGirls leaders lash back at Chris Christie

Nigerian leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign aren't very happy with Chris Christie at the moment. Oby Ezekwesili, a leader of the campaign and former federal minister, said the New Jersey governor had an "absolute lack of character" for blaming Hillary Clinton for the abduction of girls in Nigeria at the RNC. She also called his comments "appalling."

Quartz

Enhancing diversity at YouTube

YouTube has reached across the pond to hire a diversity expert. The company has chosen Oona King, a former London mayoral candidate and a current diversity exec at U.K.'s Channel 4, as its new global director of diversity. She also advised former Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the issue.

Business Insider

THE AMERICAS

Ivanka on her dad

Ivanka Trump spoke at the RNC last night, and essentially stole the show, Time reports. Trump, who is "basically untouchable," as Fortune's Valentina Zarya notes in this story, drew big applause at a convention that was marred by plagiarism by telling personal anecdotes about her father. Reaching out to female voters, Trump said her father would "make childcare affordable and accessible to all" and "fight for equal pay for equal work." Donald Trump, meanwhile, attacked Hillary Clinton in unusually harsh terms for a nominee's acceptance speech and said her legacy as Secretary of State was "death, destruction, terrorism and weakness."

Time

Driving profit at GM

Mary Barra must have had a pretty good day yesterday. The CEO of GM, and No. 1 on Fortune's Most Powerful Women list, not only reported results that beat expectations and were the best since the company came out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy seven years ago, she raised earnings guidance for the year. But Barra could face a charge to fix future Takata Airbags, and Brexit is threatening to slow GM's turnaround in Europe.

USA Today

Where Hillary trumps Trump

Voters under the age of 45 prefer Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump. That's the finding of a new national poll from Morning Consult, which showed Clinton beats Trump by 17 percentage points among 18- to 29-year-olds, and by 10 points among 30- to 44-year-olds.

Fortune

ASIA-PACIFIC

Taking a stand on honor killings

There's an update to the story I mentioned earlier this week about the so-called honor killing of Pakistan's leading social media star, named Fauzia Azeem but known as Qandeel Baloch. Activist Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of the prime minister, said the country is preparing to enact legislation against such acts.

New York Times

Making inroads in India

How Khabar Lahariya, the award-winning, all-female rural newspaper in India, has grown from a feminist concern to a force to be reckoned with. The paper, which has been around for 15 years and has 22 female journalists, is making a move online.

Factor Daily

Poking holes in Womenomics

Much has been made of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "Womenomics," which purports to bring more women into the workforce. But Barron's takes issue with this, arguing that if Abe really were a supporter of women, he'd be backing Yuriko Koike, the former defense minister who's the first female candidate to lead the city of Tokyo.

Barron's