The planet is still on track to nearly 10 billion people by 2050, yet most families are having fewer children than they want. Longer lives, lower fertility and uneven migration now demand a rethink of how societies support parents and care for an ageing population.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) projects that global population will grow another 20-30% from 2020 to 2050 before starting to level off around 2100.
Behind the headline figure, average fertility has plunged from five children per woman in the 1950s to 2.3 today and is expected to reach the “replacement level” of 2.1 by mid-century.
Two-thirds of humanity already lives in low-fertility contexts, where economic pressure, costly housing and education, unequal care duties and patchy reproductive-health services keep birth rates below what couples say they would like.
Short-term fixes such as baby bonuses rarely work, UNFPA warns. Instead, evidence shows that affordable childcare, flexible work, shared parental leave, gender equality and secure incomes help families reach their desired size while preparing economies for older populations.
The report also said that countries which overhaul pensions, healthcare and workplace rules early can turn demographic change into an opportunity rather than a crisis.
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Dozens of people were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanese officials said, straining a fragile ceasefire agreed between the countries in April. The attacks came as Iran accused the U.S. of violating a separate ceasefire with strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Britain and Poland are set to sign a new defence and security treaty on Wednesday (27 May), deepening cooperation between the two NATO allies as European governments respond to what they describe as a growing range of hostile threats across the continent.
Tajikistan is hosting the Fourth International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” in Dushanbe from 25 to 28 May, bringing together more than 2,500 participants from governments, international organisations and financial institutions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Kazakhstan late on Wednesday for an unprecedented second state visit to the country in two years. He will gift Astana four Siberian tigers during the trip, as Moscow attempts to bolster its relationship with its closest partner in Central Asia.
A peace agreement between Washington and Tehran is yet to materialise, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying that negotiations are incomplete and an Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman saying that a deal isn't imminent.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 26 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda was outpacing response efforts, with 220 suspected deaths reported so far.
Iran has called Monday's U.S. strikes on it 'a gross violation' of their ceasefire. The U.S. military said it carried out defensive strikes in southern Iran after boats were seen laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the U.S. says a peace deal may require several more days.
Shortly after nine o’clock on Tuesday morning (26 May), a sleek white train eased into Tbilisi’s central railway station, a couple of minutes behind schedule, carrying passengers from Baku for the first time since 2020.
Britain and Poland are set to sign a new defence and security treaty on Wednesday (27 May), deepening cooperation between the two NATO allies as European governments respond to what they describe as a growing range of hostile threats across the continent.
Chinese investigators have uncovered hidden tunnels, missing worker trackers and fake underground walls during an initial investigation into the country’s deadliest mining disaster in more than 15 years.
Europe continues to swelter in a record-breaking heatwave, with France recording its hottest day in May and Britain breaking a temperature record for the second time in 24 hours.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 27 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korea says it has carried out a series of weapons tests involving tactical ballistic missiles, multiple-launch rocket systems and AI-assisted precision cruise missiles, according to the state-run KCNA news agency.
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