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India records the highest annual freshwater withdrawals in this ranking at 761 billion mÂł per year, followed by China at...
09/17/2026

India records the highest annual freshwater withdrawals in this ranking at 761 billion mÂł per year, followed by China at 581 billion mÂł and the United States at 444 billion mÂł. Indonesia and Pakistan complete the top five, at 223 billion mÂł and 183 billion mÂł, respectively.

Agriculture is the dominant pressure across much of the list. It accounts for more than 90% of withdrawals in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran and Vietnam, with Vietnam recording the highest agricultural share at 94.8%. China also directs 62.1% of its withdrawals to agriculture despite its large industrial base.

The United States presents a notably different profile. Industry accounts for 45.3% of withdrawals, compared with 39.7% for agriculture and 15.0% for domestic use, making it the only country in this Top 10 where industry represents the largest share.

Japan stands out at the other end of the sector mix: 18.9% of withdrawals go to domestic use, the highest proportion among these ten countries, while agriculture accounts for 68.0%.

The comparison underscores an important distinction in global water use: high withdrawal volumes do not necessarily mean the same kind of demand. Irrigation, industrial activity and household use place very different pressures on national water systems, and total withdrawals alone do not indicate how water-stressed a country may be.

Source: Economy Insights, based on FAO AQUASTAT/ World Bank data, 2018–2020

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Photo source: Sustainable Water Network (SWAN).

For Generation Z, stress is increasingly becoming a workplace issue, not just a personal one.In 2024, an average of 54% ...
09/16/2026

For Generation Z, stress is increasingly becoming a workplace issue, not just a personal one.

In 2024, an average of 54% of Gen Z adults across 31 countries said they felt stressed enough that they could not go to work at least once in the previous 12 months.

The figure stands out as more members of Gen Z move from education into full-time employment. Born roughly between the late 1990s and early 2010s, this generation passed through formative years during an unusually disruptive period marked by pandemic restrictions, remote schooling, social isolation and major changes to everyday life.

That experience does not explain every challenge Gen Z faces today, and the data does not establish the pandemic as the sole cause. But it provides important context for a generation reporting high levels of stress as more enter the workforce.

The implications are increasingly difficult for employers to ignore. Mental health, workload, flexibility and workplace culture are becoming central questions not only for employee wellbeing, but also for attendance, retention and productivity.

More than half of Gen Z reporting stress severe enough to keep them from work is not a marginal signal. It is a workforce trend with increasingly global relevance.

Source: Ipsos’ Global Health Service Report 2024

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Between 2000 and 2026, the global economic hierarchy has shifted considerably, reshaping the relative position of the wo...
09/15/2026

Between 2000 and 2026, the global economic hierarchy has shifted considerably, reshaping the relative position of the world’s largest economies.

The United States remains 1, while Germany holds 3 and Brazil stays at 10, making them the only economies in this comparison to keep exactly the same position over the period.

The biggest change comes from emerging powers moving up the table. Russia climbs from 20 to 9, India from 13 to 6, and China from 6 to 2.

Three countries are new to the Top 20 compared with 2000: TĂĽrkiye (16), Indonesia (17), and Saudi Arabia (19). Their entry reflects the growing economic weight of large emerging markets across Eurasia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

At the same time, three economies that were inside the Top 20 in 2000 are no longer there in the 2026 projection: Iran, Taiwan, and Argentina.

Several long-established economies also lost ground in relative terms. Mexico falls four places, while Canada, Spain, South Korea, and the Netherlands each drop three. France, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland also move lower.

The broader shift is not simply about economies growing or shrinking. This ranking is based on nominal GDP in current U.S. dollars, meaning exchange rates and inflation also influence position.

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2026. 2026 figures are projections.

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Stable: United States, Germany, Brazil
New in the Top 20: TĂĽrkiye, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia
Out of the Top 20: Iran, Taiwan, Argentina

Sweden’s election has come down to just three seats.Preliminary results from Sweden’s 2026 general election put the cent...
09/14/2026

Sweden’s election has come down to just three seats.

Preliminary results from Sweden’s 2026 general election put the centre-left opposition, led by Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrats, at 176 seats, narrowly ahead of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing bloc at 173 in the 349-seat Riksdag. The margin leaves the country on course for a potential change of government — but the outcome is not yet final.

The Social Democrats remain the largest party with a projected 100 seats, although that is seven fewer than in 2022. The Moderates rose to 70 seats, retaking second place, while the Sweden Democrats fell from 73 to 62, one of the most notable shifts of the election. The Left Party rises to 29 seats, the Centre Party to 25 and the Greens to 22, while the Christian Democrats hold 22 and the Liberals reach 19.

Polling had consistently favored the opposition, but its advantage narrowed sharply in the final weeks. The Liberals entered the election at serious risk of falling below Sweden’s 4% parliamentary threshold, yet preliminary results indicate they will remain in the Riksdag.

Even a 176-seat opposition majority would not automatically produce a straightforward government. The Centre Party and Left Party remain divided over the terms of cooperation, meaning Magdalena Andersson could still face difficult negotiations before assembling a viable parliamentary majority. Sweden’s system allows minority governments, making coalition arithmetic just as important as which bloc finishes first.

The count is continuing. On Wednesday, September 16, Swedish election committees will process late-arriving advance ballots and votes from abroad, and that stage can extend into Thursday if necessary. The Swedish Election Authority expects to establish the final Riksdag result later, after the full final count.

Sources: Swedish Election Authority (Valmyndigheten), Reuters, AP, Atlantic Council.

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Buying a home has become significantly harder across many developed economies, especially for younger adults trying to e...
09/14/2026

Buying a home has become significantly harder across many developed economies, especially for younger adults trying to enter the market for the first time. Home prices have risen faster than incomes in many countries, while higher mortgage rates, larger down payments and limited housing supply have pushed the cost of ownership further out of reach. In the Ipsos Housing Monitor, 56% of renters across 29 countries said they do not believe they will ever be able to afford to buy a home.

The pressure is not simply about wages. Construction costs have increased, land and planning restrictions limit new supply in many cities, and higher borrowing costs affect both buyers and developers. At the same time, demand remains concentrated in major urban areas, while younger households often have to save for a deposit while already paying high rents. The result is a widening gap between those trying to enter the housing market and those who already own property.

That divide is also increasingly generational. Millennials, particularly those in their early 40s, tend to record some of the highest household incomes among today’s buyers, but Baby Boomers still hold the strongest position in the housing market because they have accumulated far more wealth and home equity over time. Many can finance their next purchase with proceeds from a previous home - or buy entirely in cash - while first-time buyers must rely much more heavily on income, savings and mortgages. The housing affordability crisis is therefore not only about expensive homes; it is increasingly about the difference between already owning housing wealth and trying to build it from scratch.

Sources: Ipsos Housing Monitor 2025; OECD; Eurostat; National Association of Realtors; Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

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Ragweed has spread far beyond its native range in the Americas, becoming a growing public-health concern across Europe a...
09/12/2026

Ragweed has spread far beyond its native range in the Americas, becoming a growing public-health concern across Europe and other parts of the world.

The International Ragweed Society lists 31 countries with documented infestations. In Europe, Ambrosia artemisiifolia — common ragweed — is the dominant species, with major hotspots across Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Romania and Austria, as well as parts of Italy, France, Serbia and Ukraine.

Its European expansion began in the 19th century, accelerated around World War I through contaminated seeds and grain, and intensified after the 1950s.

The plant’s impact is driven largely by its highly allergenic pollen, especially Amb a 1, which can trigger seasonal rhinitis, eye irritation and asthma symptoms in sensitive people.

Climate change may further reshape its range: warmer conditions, longer growing seasons and higher COâ‚‚ levels can favor pollen production and allow ragweed to spread farther north.

Source: International Ragweed Society

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Gen Z is now the world’s largest generation, with an estimated 2.04 billion people - 24.8% of the global population. Mil...
09/11/2026

Gen Z is now the world’s largest generation, with an estimated 2.04 billion people - 24.8% of the global population. Millennials follow at 1.87 billion (22.6%), while Gen Alpha accounts for 1.74 billion (21.1%).

Together, these three generations represent about 5.65 billion people, or 68.5% of humanity. Nearly 62% of the global population is under 40, placing an extraordinary share of the world in childhood, early adulthood or core working age.

The implications are broad. Millennials are shaping housing, family formation and labor markets; Gen Z is rapidly entering the workforce and redefining expectations around technology, flexibility and purpose; Gen Alpha will grow up in a world increasingly shaped by AI, climate pressures and digital infrastructure.

The bigger story is not simply which generation is largest, but how three massive cohorts are moving through very different life stages at the same time, reshaping education, work, consumption and public policy.

Sources: DataReportal, Oct. 2025. Generational estimates and methodology by World Visualized. Additional analysis: Deloitte, UNICEF, Pew Research Center.

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Twenty-five years ago today, the September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people in New York City, at the Pentagon and aboard U...
09/11/2026

Twenty-five years ago today, the September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people in New York City, at the Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

The victims came from 90 nations and included office workers, airline passengers and crew, firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other emergency personnel. In New York alone, 2,753 people were killed, including those aboard American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175.

The World Trade Center site has since been extensively rebuilt. Construction of One World Trade Center began in 2006 and was completed in 2014, with the tower officially opening on November 3 that year — roughly eight years after construction started. At 1,776 feet, it became the centerpiece of the redeveloped complex.

Today, visitors can see the 9/11 Memorial, where two reflecting pools occupy the footprints of the original Twin Towers, as well as the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which preserves artifacts, testimonies and structural remains from the site. The plaza also includes the Survivor Tree, while One World Observatory offers panoramic views from the upper floors of One World Trade Center.

Source: National September 11 Memorial & Museum; Port Authority of New York & New Jersey / World Trade Center

Photo: Balthazar Korab, 1976. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Balthazar Korab Collection.

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Global agricultural trade is dominated by a mix of major producers and powerful trading hubs.In 2024, the United States ...
09/10/2026

Global agricultural trade is dominated by a mix of major producers and powerful trading hubs.

In 2024, the United States ranked as the world’s largest agricultural exporter, with $172.36 billion in aggregate crop and livestock exports. Brazil followed at $141.89 billion, ahead of the Netherlands at $133.90 billion, Germany at $102.21 billion, and China at $84.33 billion. Together, the 15 countries shown account for more than $1.23 trillion in agricultural exports.

Brazil and the United States benefit from vast production systems, while countries such as the Netherlands and Germany combine intensive agriculture with processing, logistics and re-export networks that give them an outsized role in global food trade.

At the commodity level, concentration is even more pronounced. Russia, Canada, Australia, France and Argentina are major wheat exporters; India, Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan dominate rice trade; while Brazil and the United States are central to global soybean exports. Indonesia and Malaysia hold a similarly powerful position in palm oil, while a relatively small group of countries leads trade in bananas and cocoa.

Source: FAOSTAT via World Population Review, 2024 data.

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The American Dream still rests on a powerful promise: that hard work can open the door to opportunity. But new Ipsos pol...
09/09/2026

The American Dream still rests on a powerful promise: that hard work can open the door to opportunity. But new Ipsos polling shows many Americans are questioning whether the system delivers that promise fairly.

Three-quarters of U.S. adults — 75% — say the economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful, while just 15% are highly confident that law enforcement and the courts apply the law fairly to all Americans. The gap between aspiration and performance is just as striking: 71% say providing economic opportunity is important, but only 19% believe the U.S. is doing extremely or very well at providing it.

When asked whether a 25-year-old legal immigrant arriving with little money or formal education could still “make it” through hard work and determination, Americans are divided. 36% are extremely or very confident, another 36% are somewhat confident, while 26% are not too or not at all confident.

The picture is not one of abandoning the American Dream altogether. Rather, it points to a widening tension between the value Americans place on self-reliance, effort and opportunity and their confidence that economic and legal institutions provide an equal path upward.

Source: Ipsos America 250 Poll, Feb. 25–Mar. 4, 2026.

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