The COVID-19 pandemic delivers a powerful shock to economies and exposes uncertainty. Waiting for vaccines and treatments, governments put the brakes on activities, imposing lockdowns to “flatten the curve” of infections and prevent a crush on hospitals. Governments and business try a range of...
Frontlines: The world was put on notice after COVID-19 overwhelmed hospitals in China’s Hubei province, left; governments juggle shutdowns and rescue packages as essential businesses like grocery stores pay workers bonuses to keep stores stocked (...
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 (...
A new coronavirus for China emerged in early January, and a 17-year-old student in Mercer Island, Washington, worried about misinformation. Before the disease spread from China, Avi Schiffmann set out make a one-stop website that compiles official data. “The site’s simple homepage consists of quick...
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....
When fertility rates drift from an average of about two births per woman, societies must manage population bulges of very young or old. Nigeria has a fertility rate of 5.5 children per woman, with a median age of 18. The median age for Italy, with a rate of 1.3 children per woman, is 45. Such...
Divided world: Developing nations with high fertility rates like Nigeria, left, must devote more resources for education while Italy and other nations with low rates prepare for aging populations with retirement, health and other programs (Source:...
The COVID-19 pandemic could have been an opportunity for the U.S. and China to cooperate and disregard previous enmity. On the contrary, both countries approach the worst period since the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 through mutual exchanges of blame and conspiracy theories. The first-stage...
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...
Africa is confronting increasing militant threats from extremists, including Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and Boko Haram. However, the United States has reduced its military presence in Africa by cutting 17 percent of personnel over the past two years – actions aligned with an adjustment of its...
