HARD NUMBERS

713: China had only registered 713 female pilots by the end of 2017, compared to 55,052 men who’d been granted their wings. But as demand to expand flights increases rapidly, the country is moving to bring more women into the aviation workforce.

50: Cities are increasingly the centers of global growth: a recent study from McKinsey shows that 50 “superstar” cities account for 21 percent of global GDP, despite being home to just 8 percent of the world’s population. #RunningAwayWithTheBall

14: On Monday, India’s capital Delhi experienced smog with levels of dangerous pollution up to 24 times the recommended limit. The country remains home to 14 of the 15 most polluted cities in the world, according to the World Health Organization, despite significant progress made by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in improving access to sanitation and prioritizing cleanliness.

11: Only 11 percent of strong Trump supporters believe the mainstream media, whereas 91 percent say they trust the word of the president, according to a CBS poll. The fervor with which many support Mr. Trump could fuel further clashes between his most loyal supporters and those who oppose his agenda after yesterday’s midterm results.

10: The former East Germany lost 10 percent of its population after the Belin Wall fell in 1989, with lasting political effects today. Two-thirds of those who left and didn’t come back were women. The resulting gender imbalance is reflected in the region’s support for Alternative for Germany party, which has cultivated particular success among disenchanted men.

More from GZERO Media

Vice President JD Vance participates in a Q&A with Munich Security Conference Foundation Council President Wolfgang Ischinger at the Munich Leaders' Meeting in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2025.
Munich Security Conference.

GZERO's Emilie Macfie reflects on a week of discussions between top European and American leaders at the Munich Security Conference's Washington, DC installment.

Customizing AI strategies for every region, culture, and language is critical | Global Stage

As artificial intelligence races ahead, there’s growing concern that it could deepen the digital divide—unless global inclusion becomes a priority. Lucia Velasco, AI Policy Lead at the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, warns that without infrastructure, local context, and inclusive design, AI risks benefiting only the most connected parts of the world.

AI can only help people who can access electricity and internet | Global Stage

Hundreds of millions of people now use artificial intelligence each week—but that impressive number masks a deeper issue. According to Dr. Juan Lavista Ferres, Microsoft’s Chief Data Scientist, Corporate Vice President, and Lab Director for the AI for Good Lab, access to AI remains out of reach for nearly half the world’s population.

A cargo ship is loading and unloading foreign trade containers at Qingdao Port in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China on May 7, 2025.
Photo by CFOTO/Sipa USA

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their Chinese counterparts in Geneva on Saturday in a bid to ease escalating trade tensions that have led to punishing tariffs of up to 145%. Ahead of the meetings, Trump said that he expects tariffs to come down.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks on the phone to US President Donald Trump at a car factory in the West Midlands, United Kingdom, on May 8, 2025.
Alberto Pezzali/Pool via REUTERS

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer achieved what his Conservative predecessors couldn’t.

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV (r), US-American Robert Prevost, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican after the conclave.

On Thursday, Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV and becoming the first American pontiff — defying widespread assumptions that a US candidate was a long shot.