Greetings from Davos. I'm here for the 44th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, where the theme is "The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business," and we've chosen this moment to launch The WorldPost, in partnership with the Berggruen Institute on Governance, as a hub for everything from political and economic news to discussions of the cultural and artistic forces shaping and reshaping our increasingly global collective imagination. It's a moment that represents the culmination of more than a year of conversations between Nicolas Berggruen, our editor-in-chief Nathan Gardels, executive editor Peter Goodman and me about the need for a global platform that can bring together a mix of perspectives, from world leaders to young people whose voices might otherwise go unheard, original reporting and a platform built for engagement and conversation.
To finally break the fossil fuel cycle that leads to warming and war, new and disruptive energy technologies (from advanced renewable fuels, to electric cars that leave their petrol-powered rivals behind, to more efficient, lower-cost solar cells and intelligent ways of heating and cooling buildings) need adequate financial backing.
After the 2008 international financial crisis, global trade and investment protectionism has again been resurgent. Policy barriers are becoming more covert, populism and provincial politics are causing greater disruption and policies are increasingly being made in a self-centered way. This trend deserves our high alert.
Reports, panel discussions and media reports still focus overwhelmingly on measuring the participation of women in what has traditionally been the world of men. But it is equally important to measure the participation of men in what has traditionally been the world of women.
If we make the right investments in the health sector today, we could achieve universally low rates of infectious, maternal and child deaths by 2035.
Basic education and learning is too often neglected when dividing up aid and young boys and girls are held back for years -- if not a lifetime -- by the absence of good schooling mindful of the life skills and employment skills that will serve them well.
The story is true. Every damned bit of it. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth, Texas was a single mother. A teenaged mom. She lived in a mobile home. And went to Harvard. Also, she got help along the way. Can you believe it?
The WorldPost is a product of the idea that the most foundational challenges of our era, from the perils of climate change to the epidemic of youth unemployment, can neither be understood nor addressed through the traditional frame of the nation state, but require collective efforts spanning geography and cultures.
What does it mean for a representative democracy when most of its representatives are insulated from the real-world economic experiences of its citizens?
They don't have to imagine how my favorite childhood characters from books walk or talk, what their voices sound like or how they interact with their friends and family -- it's all right there, laid out in front of them on screens both big and small.
It is impossible to prove an alternative history, what would have happened had Biden's Boots Off the Ground strategy been followed. But I found that as far as can be determined, the U.S. -- and many millions of people in the Middle East -- would be much safer and better off if Biden's counsel was heeded.
As the 2016 election approaches, it is likely that we will also be told that having a clear nominee early in the process, rather than a hard-fought, and potentially nasty, campaign for the nomination will be good for the party. This idea is intuitive and attractive, but it should be noted that it also completely false.
Even armed with the knowledge that the conversation was probably going to go my way and the feeling that I did deserve more, I had a tough time getting the words out of my mouth. After the talk ended, I was relieved, but not completely.
It's a troubling sign that the information age has entered a new era -- one where our rights to connect and communicate are under constant siege by governments and corporations.
Everyone sees the gap between the claims of the Brazilian miracle and the reality of daily life. People want more accountability to fix Brazil's institutions.
By pursuing the resilience dividend, cities can get an economic leg up and better prepare for what's next. Because no matter if the next shock hits tomorrow or 10 years from now, resilience is something a city can realize the benefits of each and every day.
Business elites and politicians continue to suffer from an acute case of cognitive dissonance. All the facts are there, we need to re-think and re-design our economies, yet they are largely in denial about the scale and pace of the necessary change.
e simply cannot celebrate Dr. King, then turn around and watch efforts to dismantle the very things he fought and died for. Here we are recognizing such an esteemed figure and a national holiday, yet the Supreme Court recently gutted part of the Voting Rights Act itself.
With the UN Climate Change negotiations underway, and as the United Nations designs its flagship Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, business needs to engage.
I am curious if you have ever found a moment, undressed of your "Tiger Mom, celebrity author" costume and all of the salesmanship it entails, to sit in your natural skin as an Asian-American, and as a mother, to properly measure how the thoughts you spread might affect our community, and in particular our youth.
Unless you yourself are paralyzed or you know someone who is, how could you possibly know everything about our world? So I'm here to set the record straight on some common misconceptions.
We're finally having a discussion about income inequality and the enormous disparity in wealth in this country. Is it really a surprise to anyone that Walmart is the go-to example of what's wrong in this country?
As we observe the anniversary of the historic Roe v. Wade decision, it's vital to remember that every woman has the right to have the children she wants, raise the children she has, plan her own family and make her own health care decisions. That means women must have the social, economic and political power to pursue their goals.
It's all good fun. But is it possible that such complete immersion in novel and extraordinary identities might have unintended consequences?
Bottom line: I'm not asking my parents to be BFFs with my friend. That's my job -- and it
sure is a fun one.
What does the future hold for dogs in the West? Perhaps, if the integration into human society continues, we could come to regard them as almost fully "human," with the rights and responsibilities that entails.
Sherman, in his brash, egotistical mini-monologue is neither a hero nor a villain. He's a human being, something the NFL has brilliantly excised from its product.
The provisions in the agreement will overrule measures passed by national, state, and local legislative bodies, in effect stripping democratically elected officials of much of their authority. Since most of the text is still secret we can only speculate on what the final agreement will include.
An examination of the Pearson publishing mega-giant's plan to control public education in Great Britain makes clear, the greatest threat to local initiatives in public education may be from powerful global corporations.
January 22 is the 41st anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Roe was supposed to put an end to the fight over access to a life-saving procedure. Far from it.
If we can achieve Mars without a major increase in budget, it would be fiscally irresponsible not to commit. We have made a long-term investment in space. Let's make the most effective use of taxpayer and private dollars and accomplish something bold and inspiring for the nation and the world.