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Insights & Views

Wed, Dec 24, 2025 12:16 PM All times are UTC

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NDIS reforms aim to make the scheme fairer. But we’ve found the groups struggling to gain access

| Insights & Views

When the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established in 2013, one of its driving aims was to make disability services and support systems fairer. However, our new research shows significant inequalities...

The New Cold War race for digital currencies could redefine global power. Should Australia be in it?

| Insights & Views

On Donald Trumps return to the White House, he issued an executive order banning a US digital dollar. A compelling new book, framed as a wake-up call to Western policy-makers, reveals the global significance of this move....

In Afghanistan, families are forced to sell children to survive. Trump’s USAID cuts will be devastating

| Insights & Views

The dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is a serious blow to the soft power of the United States and disastrous for many poor countries where it helps provide humanitarian, health and...

Unrest in Bangladesh is revealing the bias at the heart of Google’s search engine

| Insights & Views

Googles search engine handles the vast majority of online searches worldwide. By one estimate, it fields 6.3 million queries every second. Because of the search engines enormous scale, its outputs can have outsized...

We asked young people if they wanted tighter vaping regulation to phase out nicotine – here’s what they said

| Insights & Views

New Zealands smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smokings harms. The smokefree generation would have ended sales of tobacco products to...

‘I feel constant anxiety’: how caring for a seriously unwell pet can lead to stress and burnout

| Insights & Views

Living with a pet brings many benefits, including constant presence, love and support. Pet ownership is also linked with a lower long-term risk of early death. Most of us would do anything for our pets if they become...

Fourth industrial revolution in South Africa: inequality stands in the way of true progress

| Insights & Views

In his 2019 State of the Nation address, South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he was creating a commission on the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). The term refers to the integration of advanced digital...

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Economy

Asian Stock Markets Trade Flat as Holiday Liquidity Thins and BOJ Minutes Watched

Asian stock markets traded mostly flat on Wednesday as subdued year-end trading volumes and holiday-thinned liquidity limited investor activity across the region. With Christmas and New Year holidays approaching, many...

US and Japan Fast-Track $550 Billion Strategic Investment Initiative

The United States and Japan have agreed to accelerate coordination on their Strategic Investment Initiative, a major bilateral framework backed by a $550 billion fund established under the two countries tariff agreement....

Japan Plans $189 Billion Bond Issuance as Record Budget Signals Expansionary Fiscal Policy

Japan is preparing to issue new government bonds worth approximately $189 billion to help finance a record-breaking national budget for the next fiscal year, according to a draft budget reviewed by Reuters. The move...

BOJ Minutes Reveal Growing Debate Over Interest Rate Hikes and Inflation Risks

Bank of Japan (BOJ) policymakers actively debated whether to continue raising interest rates toward levels considered neutral for the economy, according to minutes from their October policy meeting released on Wednesday....

Gold Price Breaks $4,500 as Safe-Haven Demand and Rate Cut Bets Fuel Rally

Spot gold surged past the key psychological level of $4,500 per ounce for the first time on Wednesday, marking a historic milestone for the precious metal and reinforcing its status as a preferred safe-haven asset. The...

Politics

Anutin Charnvirakul Named Bhumjaithai PM Candidate Ahead of Thailand’s February Election

Thailands caretaker prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul has been officially selected by the Bhumjaithai Party as its candidate for prime minister in the upcoming general election scheduled for February 8. The decision comes...

EU Condemns U.S. Visa Ban on European Figures, Warns of Firm Response

The European Commission has strongly criticized the United States over its decision to impose a visa ban on five European individuals, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, calling the move unjustified and...

Zelenskiy Urges High-Level Talks With Trump as Ukraine, U.S. Near 20-Point Peace Framework

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for a direct meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve the most sensitive elements of a potential peace agreement with Russia, particularly issues related to...

U.S. Signs $2.3 Billion Global Health MOUs With Four African Nations

The United States has signed four new global health memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Botswana, and Ethiopia, reinforcing its long-term commitment to strengthening global health security...

U.S. Discusses Migrant Transfer Plan With Palau Despite Lawmaker Opposition

The United States has renewed discussions with Palau over a controversial proposal to transfer third-country nationals to the Pacific Island nation, despite clear resistance from Palaus lawmakers earlier this year....

Science

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge in First Amendment Ruling

A federal judge in Texas has blocked the enforcement of a new state law that would have required app stores and developers to verify users ages, marking a significant legal win for major technology companies and digital...

FTC Praises Instacart for Ending AI Pricing Tests After $60M Settlement

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has welcomed Instacarts decision to end its artificial intelligence-based price testing, a move that follows weeks of consumer backlash and regulatory scrutiny. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson...

John Carreyrou Sues Major AI Firms Over Alleged Copyrighted Book Use in AI Training

Investigative journalist John Carreyrou, widely known for exposing fraud at Silicon Valley blood-testing startup Theranos and for authoring the bestselling book Bad Blood, has filed a new copyright infringement lawsuit...

Italy Fines Apple €98.6 Million Over App Store Dominance

Italys competition authority has imposed a 98.6 million ($115.53 million) fine on U.S. technology giant Apple and two of its subsidiaries, citing alleged abuse of a dominant market position related to the distribution of...

Moore Threads Unveils New GPUs, Fuels Optimism Around China’s AI Chip Ambitions

Moore Threads Technology Co Ltd (SS:688795), often described as Chinas potential alternative to NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), attracted investor attention after unveiling a new lineup of graphics processing units at...