#Labor4

12 Jan 2026

Inflatable robotic arm to help apple harvest

Fruit growers face worker shortages, and researchers at Washington State University developed a low-cost inflatable robotic arm to pick apples and do orchard chores. The team is testing and improving the arm for safe use in orchards.

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Photo by wanderer shoot, Unsplash

19 Dec 2025

Tai Po housing estate fire in Hong Kong

On 26 November a large fire swept through the Tai Po housing estate. At least 160 people died, including migrant domestic workers, and survivors face housing, legal and compensation problems.

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28 Oct 2025

Madagascar's Education Crisis

Madagascar's education system has weakened over the last 20 years, affecting primary schools through universities. Low completion rates, underqualified teachers, poor infrastructure and governance problems limit job prospects and cause brain drain.

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24 Oct 2025

Low-cost cooling could help Bangladesh garment workers

A University of Sydney study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health on Monday (20 October), tested simple low-cost cooling in a chamber that mimicked extreme factory heat. Fans and water partly restored productivity; a reflective roof cut indoor temperature by 2.5°C.

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