Democracy in decline; is big data too big? And other top stories of the week

Dark times for democracy. Nineteen “full democracies” remain.

No more international institutions? How to avoid a global unraveling.

Is ‘big data’ getting too big? Risks and possibilities of the new digital age.

How to make the UN a more effective force for peace: go local.

Better information and flexible career paths. Practical ways to close the gender gap.

Are millennials right to worry? Many are unprepared for the new economy.

What the Fourth Industrial Revolution can learn from nanotech’s mistakes.

AI, robots, and jobs. Economic implications of new technology.

Did ‘fake news’ really change American minds in the 2016 election? This academic study doesn’t think so.

Programming computers — and people. The growing threat to democracy.

Ice, ice, baby. Lessons for coal from the once mighty ‘natural ice’ industry.

Does foreign competition cost jobs? A new challenge to an old assumption.

Science is failing women. Cites Global Gender Gap Report. (Asia Times)

Why is Finland able to fend off Russia’s information war? Cites Forum data on educational systems. (Foreign Policy)

China eyes global economic leadership. Refers to President Xi’s speech in Davos. (USA Today)

Can you have too much maternity leave? Relies on data from the Global Gender Gap Report. (Bloomberg)

The economic crisis in Yemen. The Global Competitiveness Report helps show the gravity of the situation. (Al Arabiya)