17 must-read stories for the weekend

5 ways to bring about structural reforms. “We urgently need to increase labour force participation and boost productivity,” writes Anders Borg.

How the language you speak changes your view of the world. Do bilinguals get all the perks?

Latin America is facing a perfect economic storm. With the end of the commodities supercycle and tapering in the US what should policy-makers focus on? Structural weaknesses.

By 2040, Africa will have a workforce bigger than China’s. It urgently needs to invest in its citizens.

The war for talent is a bruising one. These questions will help your people win it.

Why the EU would be wrong to sanction Google. Attacking technology companies won’t help foster European innovation, argues Andrea Stroppa.

The Latin American economy in 8 charts. Get up to speed ahead of our meeting in Mexico on May 6.

Does big data come at a big cost? The data we’re creating offers consumers and businesses opportunities, but it could turn everyday life into an economic transaction. A Forum report says the pros outweigh the cons. (Salon)

ASEAN’s economic consolidation will provide a counterpoint to US economic leadership. Linda Yueh observes a shifting power balance at the Forum’s meeting in Jakarta. (BBC)

Middle Eastern support for science is under threat. If leaders in the region want to bolster competitiveness, they need to start doing more to back researchers. (Nature)

What next for Greece? Anders Borg, chair of the Forum’s Global Financial System Initiative and Sweden’s former minister for finance, says Greek ministers “need to give Europe access to their government data.” (BBC)

Pope Francis speaks out on gender equality and the unfair position of women. Cites Forum research. (Quartz)

How technology has affected wages over the last 200 years. If history is a guide, it takes decades for the training institutions, business models, and labour markets to emerge that unlock the benefits of technology for ordinary workers.

Is American innovation declining? Economists think they have found an answer by studying semiconductor prices.

How certain are we about life expectancy? Britain has just discovered it seriously underestimated how long its people will live, with big implications for insurance, health systems and social equality.

Scientists just cracked one of the biggest conundrums facing quantum computing. Now they can detect all the calculation errors that determine if a quantum computer is working reliably.

Global institutions are no longer adequate for facing the world’s problems. Not the World Economic Forum, but a new analysis from the US State Department.

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Author: Adrian Monck is Managing Director and head of Public Engagement at the World Economic Forum.

Image: Visitors are seen from the roof as they pose for pictures at the Voortrekker Monument, a venue popular with both local and international tourists, in Pretoria, South Africa in this picture taken April 27, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings