Global Stories

The United Steelworkers (USW), one of the largest unions in North America and Canada, has urged Bangladesh to immediately release all garment workers and union members arrested on alleged ‘trumped-up charges’ due to protest demonstrations against the inadequate minimum wage rise and drop charges against workers involved in demonstrations in December last year. USW national...

Natural disasters kill more than 50,000 people and displace tens of millions more each year. The total economic damage amounts to more than $100 billion annually. Populations in less developed countries are hardest hit: in countries with a medium or low human development index, up to six times as many people can be affected by...

Google and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with the National Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Office of Thailand, hosted the Asia-Pacific AI for Social Good Summit in Bangkok, bringing together researchers, policy makers, NGOs, and the private sector from across the Asia-Pacific region...

Gender Diversity in the business world makes a company more productive, as measured by market value and revenue, according to research conducted by Harvard Business Review. In a study of 1069 leading firms across 35 countries and 24 industries, it was found that countries and industries that view gender diversity as important, capture benefits...

Artificial intelligence, while not a silver bullet, could contribute to the multi-pronged efforts to tackle some of the world’s most challenging social problems. Social impact domains used by social-sector organizations and CSR committees could benefit largely, according to a report by McKinsey Global Institute. Here are 10 ways to apply AI to social good. 1....

The average consumer is not aware of the staggering and depressing extent of food wastage and food loss in retail. If food has not been sold by its best before date, or if it is unsold close to, or past the best before date, retailers can send product back to the processor or manufacturer, and...

About 1.7 billion people worldwide are “unbanked,” that is, they do not have an account at a financial institution or through a mobile money provider. Companies in India can also have difficulties in accessing finance. Artificial Intelligence can help address core difficulties holding back financial inclusion: difficulties in verifying identities and in a lack of...

The idea of environmental racism is controversial. Even in the age of climate change, many people still view the environment mostly as a set of forces of nature. To many people, racism often connotes purposeful decisions by a master hand, and many see existing segregation as a self-sorting or poverty problem. Among the injustices faced...

Smartphones have taken up our lives by a storm. Be it for business, relationships, transportation, or healthcare, we will face a handicap without these devices. India is one of the largest smartphone users in the world. With the rise of the digital revolution, AI, and an increasing number of apps, the demand for smartphones...

The earth has warmed by more than a degree Celsius since the 19th century. While this may sound an insignificant rise in temperature, it can cause magnanimous changes in living conditions. A United Nations (UN) report has listed the consequences of temperature rise in global warming from 1.5 to 2 degree Celsius. Status of Arctic...

The theme of Globalization 4.0 at this year’s World Economic Forum meeting in Davos brought together the current digital revolution and its growing integration among people, companies and governments. Innovation combined with a society mobilized for action is the path to solving global challenges, including climate change. However, this issue is complex and multi-layered. Because...

As the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019 came to an end on Friday after five days of brainstorming by over 3,000 leaders across hundreds of sessions, the organisers said the event this year made an impact on the world in as many as 25 ways. 1. The WEF listed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of...