When problems emerge, the instinct for China’s leaders is to shut down reporting. After detecting multiple cases that resembled SARS, Wuhan physician Li Wenliang sent a WeChat message to medical school alumni in late December. Local authorities wasted valuable time by targeting Li, pressuring him...
Crackdown: Local authorities in Wuhan pressured physician Li Wenliang into admitting guilt for sending an early coronavirus alert; weeks later, the country imposed strict lockdowns and checkpoints, not to mention tight controls on media coverage (...
Understanding global demographic trends is essential for government and business planners, offering insights into resolving numerous challenges. World population growth is slightly ahead of what was projected a few years ago, reports demographer Joseph Chamie. More than half the world lives in...
Planning ahead: Population predictions help governments plan education, housing, retirement and other programs; residents in Manila gather at a water distribution center during a drought, and Nigeria’s population is expected to double by 2050 (...
Many countries in the world are undergoing demographic transition, with fertility rates below replacement level for more than 80 nations, about half of the world’s population. Women are choosing to have fewer children for many reasons related to financial and personal costs as well as uncertainty...
Falling population, dropping support: A sharp drop in population is reported for Ukraine, and the United States is among the nations with low public spending for family benefits
NEW YORK: The fertility rate, or the average number of births per woman...
The term "shanghaied" – to be compelled to action through fraud or coercion – entered the English language in 1870. A new term, the second verb in history derived from the name of a city, has arrived. T-shirts have appeared in Silicon Valley bearing the slogan, "Don't Get...
If you come across someone in Silicon Valley wearing a T-shirt screaming: 'Don't Get Bangalored!' don't be surprised. It's official. Bangalored now means losing one's job to outsourcing in India, and more specifically, to Bangalore....
Thirty countries report confirmed coronavirus cases. Global public health experts suggest that case counts are low and express concern about the spread to less developed countries with dense populations and deep trade connections with China. For example, battling COVID-19 would be a challenge in...
Homelessness is a mark of failure for communities in providing basic security. Based on national reports, about 2 percent of the world’s population may be homeless. Another 20 percent lacks adequate housing, reports demographer Joseph Chamie. Such statistics come with a caveat. Obtaining accurate...
Under the open sky: Increasing numbers of people are homeless, in both wealthy and poor cities, from Russia to India
NOTE: This article was updated on 21 January 2020 to include the specific cautionary note from the OECD on using the data for...
Out-of-wedlock childbirths have become more common worldwide since the 1960s, but with wide variations among and within countries. Inreasing economic independence and education combined with modern birth control methods have given women more control over family planning. In about 25 countries,...
Shifting culture: Women's increasing economic independence contributes to more children born outside of marriage, though acceptance varies widely among countries; throughout much of Latin America, out-of-wedlock births are the norm, left, but some...
The European Commission wants the world’s top tech companies – Amazon, Facebook, Google and others to follow the lead of financial services firms by sharing data with small firms. The commission released a “European Strategy for Data,” and proposes compulsory data-sharing in areas with market...
