Category: Transport

MIL-Evening Report: Strongmen, Daggy Dads and State Daddies: how different styles of political masculinity play into Australian elections

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blair Williams, Lecturer in Australian Politics, Monash University

Australian politics has historically been a male domain with an overwhelmingly masculine culture. Manhood and a certain kind of masculinity are still considered integral to a leader’s political legitimacy.

Yet leadership masculinity changes along party lines. We are now halfway through the election campaign and can already see differences in the masculine performances of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

State Daddy versus Strongman Tough Cop

In a recent open-access study, I identified the emergence of two Australian political masculinities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, the traditional “Daggy Dad” of former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison, centred around the nuclear family and paternalistic protection.

Second, the “State Daddy”, embodied by Labor leaders such as Albanese, who perform a more compassionate masculinity focused on social provision. In the 2022 election, Albanese effectively used his caring masculinity against Morrison’s faltering protective paternalism, highlighting many of Morrison’s weaknesses and especially his unpopularity with women.

The 2025 election is shaping up to be another “gender election”, this time between the State Daddy and the Strongman Tough Cop.

Albanese and Dutton’s adoption of certain masculine identities reveals not only how they want to be perceived but also how they envision the electorate, the nation, and its defining values.

Dutton is a “tough-nut” conservative who portrays himself as a “strongman” protector. His leadership masculinity combines that of several other Liberal leaders, notably John Howard. But his conservatism is more reactionary, focusing less on economics and more on stoking culture wars.

Like Tony Abbott, he is a pugilistic opposition leader who promises to keep Australians safe while reinforcing fear and uncertainty. Following Morrison’s lead, Dutton also targets outer-suburban electorates that traditionally vote Labor.

His plan is to tap into voters’ anxiety and offer his “strongman” masculinity as its antidote. Since becoming leader, Dutton has frequently attempted to emasculate Albanese, labelling him “weak”, “woke”, and too preoccupied with “elite” issues, such as the Voice Referendum, to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

Dutton positions himself as the traditional masculine protector of the nation. The mobilisation of fear of a threat, real or imagined, is core to this identity. Dutton vows to protect Australians by being tough on crime, immigration and “wokeness”.

Yet his strongman persona and conservative policies do not resonate with women, who fear he will follow Trump’s lead on gutting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives or cuts to the public service and rights to work from home.

The strongman protective persona is aimed at men in the outer suburbs, especially those at risk of voting Labor.

In contrast, Albanese’s State Daddy masculinity targets women over men and seeks to inspire hope, care, and a collective response. The focus is on issues of equality, embodying a caring masculinity to rival traditional conservative masculine identities.

Physical attractiveness is integral to the State Daddy image. For example, before the 2022 election, Albanese underwent what is colloquially termed a “glow up”.

Seeking to appeal to the female gaze, he gave an “at home” interview for The Australian Women’s Weekly. These images are a useful tool for State Daddies for two reasons. First, to physically differentiate them from the dishevelled look preferred by conservative political leaders, such as Morrison, Boris Johnson or Donald Trump. Second, to visually signal their commitment to women voters.

Both the Daggy Dad and Strongman Tough Cop often fall short. They claim to provide financial and physical protection to citizens, but only in exchange for subordination to their masculine authority. These limitations are often exposed when it’s necessary to protect citizens during crises such as, in Morrison’s case, bushfires, flood or plague. This protector masculinity fundamentally fails to recognise citizens’ needs and exposes the empty rhetoric at the core of protectionism.

Who can we see at the 2025 election?

Albanese is a far less popular leader than he was in 2022, for many reasons. However, the ALP are again campaigning on boosting the care economy, with major commitments to health care, aged care, and childcare. These are primarily women-dominated industries that Dutton, like Morrison before him, has repeatedly failed to support and engage.

In contrast, Dutton was forced into an embarrassing back-down on a promise to end work-from-home arrangements for public servants, 57% of whom are women.

Distracting from the Coalition’s long-standing “women problem”— which in part cost them the 2022 election — Dutton has been implying that Albanese’s “wokeness” has left men behind.

Taking a page from the Trump playbook, Dutton has appeared on podcasts targeting mainly male audiences. On one appearance, he made a pitch to young male voters, noting: “Young males feel disenfranchised [and] ostracised”. He sympathised with the “anti-woke revolution” and argued that young men are “fed up” with “woke” practices.

Albanese, meanwhile, has appeared on podcasts targeting mainly women audiences, including Abbie Chatfield’s “It’s A Lot” or Cheek Media’s podcast. He spoke about Labor’s policies supporting women’s health in areas including endometriosis care, contraceptives and menopause.

It’s clear that both leaders are targeting very different parts of the voter bloc, in policy platforms and social media strategies.

Blair Williams does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Strongmen, Daggy Dads and State Daddies: how different styles of political masculinity play into Australian elections – https://theconversation.com/strongmen-daggy-dads-and-state-daddies-how-different-styles-of-political-masculinity-play-into-australian-elections-252727

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Honoring Former Representative John LaFalce

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced flags on state buildings will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday, April 14, in honor of former New York State representative, John LaFalce.

“John LaFalce had a profound influence on my early career, recruiting me from a large DC firm to serve as his Legislative Counsel on Capitol Hill and putting me on the path to a lifetime of public service,” Governor Hochulsaid. “A true champion for Western New York, John cared deeply about his constituents and worked tirelessly to bring transformative projects home to the district he loved. My thoughts are with his wife Pat, his son Martin, and all who loved him.”

John won his first election to the New York State Senate in 1971, then moved to the State Assembly in 1973. He then won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served three different districts from 1975 to 2003.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 14, 2025

MIL-OSI: Welnax BioClear Reviews [Urgent Update]: Do Not Buy Until You Read This.

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WOODHAVEN, N.Y., April 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Millions of people around the globe silently battle with toenail fungus, it is one of the most common ailments affecting the toes. It is a deep insecurity a lot of people tend to hide.

It usually starts out a small yellow patch but quickly spreads leading to weak, brittle and awkward looking toenails.

If this is you, then you have probably tried all kinds of solutions, from over-the-counter meds, homemade remedies and what not, however toenail fungus is one tough nut to crack and most of the mainstream solutions tend to take months to work or flat out don’t work.

Luckily, technology has intervened and there is a more efficient solution on the markets, that solution is called Welnax Bioclear.

Welnax Bioclear provides a non-invasive, drug-free method to effectively treat toenail fungus, it targets the root cause of toenail fungus using specialized UV light therapy.

People of all ages can easily use this device thanks to its intuitive design. Simply place it over the affected toenail, turn it on, and let the light work. There’s no need for complicated application steps or frequent doctor visits. Many users in the U.S. report noticeable improvements in nail texture and appearance within weeks, with even better results over time with consistent use.

This review will take a closer look at the features, benefits, and real user experiences of the Welnax BioClear Toenail device. Keep reading to see if it’s the right solution for you!

What is Welnax Bioclear (Welnax Reviews)

Welnax BioClear is a revolutionary light therapy device that helps to improve the health of toenails through non-drug, non-surgical technology. Producing specific light wavelengths that can penetrate through the nail bed, it attacks fungal infections along the way as well as treating conditions such as discoloration, brittleness, and thickening of nails.

In contrast to conventional treatments like antifungal tablets or creams (usually side effect inducing with long courses of treatment—Welnax BioClear provides a safer, more convenient option.

The phototherapy component of its mode of action is designed to break down and destroy fungal cells without damaging nearby skin or nail tissue, ultimately leading to healthier, clearer nails with ongoing use.

One of the greatest things about it is that it’s so easy to use. Its lightweight, small size makes it easy for anyone to treat their toenails at home with no messy application, discomfort, or repetitive visits to the doctor’s office. Just place the device over the affected toenail, flip on the light therapy, and it’ll get to work.

The increasing popularity of light therapy on medical and cosmetic markets is testimony to its use as a non-surgical option. Visible improvements are reported by the majority of users within weeks, with usage leading to increasingly dramatic results.

If you have become frustrated with recurring toenail problems and need a break from traditional treatments, Welnax BioClear might be the revolution you are waiting for.

How Welnax BioClear Works

Laser Penetration – The unit possesses 18 antifungal laser beams which penetrate deep into the nail bed, down to the root where the fungal cells are located. The impact damages the fungus’s DNA, stopping the fungus from growing.

Thermal Effect – Along with laser treatment, the device also sends out gentle heat, which breaks down the fungus and promotes faster healing. The combination of heat and light ensures that the entire fungus is removed.

Non-Invasive & Drug-Free – Unlike oral antifungals, which have the reputation of being accompanied by side effects such as liver toxicity or skin rashes, Welnax BioClear is a completely natural, chemical-free approach.

Encourages Healthy Nail Growth – By removing the infection from the start, the device allows for the development of new healthy nails instead of the infected ones.

Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is also recommended by skin and nail physicians. It is safe, painless, and proved to be effective for nail fungus. You can enjoy healthier and clearer nails with Welnax BioClear without worrying about side effects of frequent treatments.

The Problem with Toe Nail Fungus (Welnax Bioclear reviews)

Toenail fungus, or onychomycosis as it is referred to medically, is a humiliating and frequently embarrassing condition that afflicts millions of individuals worldwide.

What begins as an apparently harmless nail discoloration or nail thickening can quickly turn into a persistent, unsightly, and occasionally painful condition that’s hard to get rid of.

To those afflicted, it’s more than a cosmetic problem. The condition erodes self-esteem so that individuals conceal their feet in closed-toe shoes even in warm weather or feel humiliated at the beach, the pool, or even in intimate situations. It’s one of those afflictions that isn’t life-threatening, yet it has a huge effect on everyday life—particularly when the condition persists for years without relief.

The real problem is that toenail fungus is so difficult and slippery to eradicate. It’s not a rash or skin irritation that you can send packing with a couple of applications of cream.

Fungal spores are incredibly resilient, penetrating deep beneath the nail bed where most topicals are unable to reach. The infection likes warm, dark, damp environments—like the inside of shoes—and often resists treatment.

Creams and ointments, regardless of their price or promise, frequently just scratch the surface—literally. They cover the surface of the nail without reaching deep enough to eliminate the fungus at its origin.
And oral antifungal drugs might bring some degree of relief but have their own horror stories to deal with. These drugs can cause nasty side effects, such as headaches, stomach pain, liver toxicity, and hazardous interactions with other drugs.

Even more disheartening, most of these drugs must be taken for months at a time—and even then, they don’t always produce long-term effects.

Aside from the health concern, there is a monetary factor that also adds up fast. Individuals invest hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars in doctor appointments, prescriptions, over-the-counter medication, pedicures that purport to “cleanse” the nails, and “miracle” vitamins, all in the hope of getting healthy nails.

Some others try hazardous home remedies, such as vinegar or bleach soaks, that create even more problems.

And for those who opt for professional laser treatments—arguably the most effective conventional option—the costs skyrocket into the hundreds per session, often requiring multiple appointments over several months.

Add travel time, clinic wait times, and the anxiety of recurring symptoms, and you’ve got a problem that feels downright inescapable.

Perhaps the most disabling part of the toenail fungus struggle is the emotional one.

It’s easy for people who haven’t suffered from it to brush it off as something minor. But anyone who has struggled with this condition can remember the hopelessness of trying another round of treatment only to have the infection persist—or worse, spread.

It’s frustrating to think you’re doing everything correctly—washing your feet every day, trimming your nails, applying antifungal sprays—and not getting any better.

People suffer in silence with the condition, conceal their feet, and don’t discuss it due to stigma.

Shame, embarrassment, and feelings of helplessness exist. You cannot simply will your nails to be clean and healthy. You require a proper treatment—something that goes beneath the surface to combat the fungus from the inside out.

Introducing Welnax BioClear, a breakthrough treatment that doesn’t camouflage the issue but rather targets it with cutting-edge, scientifically tested technology.

This over-the-counter, handheld unit uses Low Light Laser Therapy (LLLT) to penetrate the nail bed and kill fungal cells at their source—where creams and ointments can’t.

It’s a painless, chemical-free, and drug-free solution to conventional treatments, doing away with the need for toxic oral medications and messy creams. It only requires seven minutes a day to start reversing months or years of fungal growth.

And unlike laser therapy at the office that costs an arm and a leg, Welnax BioClear is a one-time expense that users can count on daily from the comfort of their own homes.

It not only claims to cure the issue of toenail fungus—it does so with ease, convenience, and guarantees.

In a world full of broken cures and unsuccessful treatments, Welnax BioClear is the genuinely effective, inexpensive, and safe answer to a problem far too many individuals have suffered in silence for far too long.

What are the benefits of Welnax Bioclear (Welnax Reviews)

On the surface, Welnax BioClear may seem like nothing more than a small device intended to cure toenail fungus.

But in reality, it’s so much more than that. It is your silent warrior in the battle against a frustrating and all-too-common condition that has likely had you feeling not in control for far too long.

Does it leverage proven technology? Yes.

Does it produce actual results? Yes.

But the true magic lies in how it transforms your confidence, enhances your day-to-day living, empowers your sense of control—and ultimately, changes your life.

Let’s take a deeper look at how Welnax BioClear benefits you—not just on the surface, but far beyond.

Immediate Benefits: Your Quick Wins

1. It Targets the Fungus at the Source
Welnax BioClear isn’t just another lotion that coats the surface. It employs Low Light Laser Therapy (LLLT) to penetrate through your nail and target the fungal infection down below under the nail bed. That’s where the fungus lives—and that’s where this technology gets in to work its magic. You’re not covering up symptoms anymore; you’re actually treating the source of the issue, something most over-the-counter treatments can’t do.

2. Healthier, Cleaner Nails Begin to Regrow
The longer you keep using the product, the more you’ll see your nails smooth out, clear up, and get more luminous. Yellowing discoloration, thickening, or that horrendous crumbly texture will be a thing of the past. Your nails will, instead, grow stronger, which is a huge win—not only aesthetically, but for your nails’ overall health.

3. You Get a 100% Pain-Free, Chemical-Free Treatment
There is no burning, no stinging, and no danger to your liver from oral drugs. Welnax BioClear works gently and non-invasively, so you can get the results you want without having to suffer from unpleasant side effects. This is especially great if you’ve got sensitive skin, allergies, or just want a treatment that doesn’t feel like punishment.

4. It’s Fast and Easily Fits into Your Day
Each session takes just seven minutes. You can use it while watching TV, checking your email, or preparing for bed. No mess, no hassle, and no complicated setup. Simply put it over your nail, press a button, and let it work its magic as you go about your day.

5. In the Long Run, You Save Money
Let’s be real here—most individuals who suffer from toenail fungus spend plenty of money in the long term. From medical visits, the expense of renewing prescriptions, to the cost of over-the-counter creams that just don’t work, the funds can add up really quickly. With Welnax BioClear, there is only a single investment that eliminates all of that residual spending, offering a genuine long-term solution without depleting your bank.

6. You Can Take It Anywhere
Whether you’re on the go, sleeping over at a friend’s, or on the road for work, Welnax BioClear is convenient and portable. That means no interruption to your routine. You can keep to your routine—without the inconvenience of carrying a drawer-full of creams or skipping a step.

Long Term Benefits: Life-Changing Results

1. You Finally Feel Comfortable Showing Your Feet
You don’t know how much toenail fungus hurts your self-esteem until it’s gone. Suddenly, you’re not ashamed to expose your feet in public, you’re not avoiding sandals, and you’re not apologizing for the way your toes look. Whether you’re strolling on the beach barefoot, hanging out around the pool, or gliding into summer shoes, you’re feeling good again. That matters.

2. You Break the Cycle of Failure and Frustration
If you’ve attempted hundreds of pills and creams, yet experienced minimal or no real change, it’s little wonder despair has taken hold. Welnax BioClear shatters the vicious cycle. This is not another broken promise, but a solution founded upon real science and tangible results. The instant you notice the unmistakable signs of your recovery, a wave of relief washes over you. Hope once more starts to grow. This type of change in attitude can literally transform your life.

3. You Connect Intimately Without Self-Consciousness
Fungus on the feet is a sneaky relationship stretcher. Maybe you’ve kept your partner at arm’s length, afraid of physical intimacy, or avoided affection because you felt self-conscious about your feet. Taking care of your nails does more than make you look better—it makes you feel better about being in your own skin. That sense of self-confidence carries over into every encounter, especially those that are most meaningful.

4. You Take Charge of Your Own Health Journey
You feel the independence when you drive your own care—on your own terms, unencumbered by prescription, clinics, and the constant nag of needing to follow up. Welnax BioClear gives you that very independence. It grants you the freedom to set your own course for healing. No need to place faith in others as you move forward.

5. You Let Go of the Worry That It’ll Come Back
One of the worst fears people have with toe nail fungus is the constant worry that it will return, even when it seems to have cleared up. Welnax BioClear doesn’t just eliminate the infection you currently have; it fortifies your nails and defends you against any future invasions.
That peace of mind? Priceless.
You don’t question your own cleanliness anymore. You don’t panic every time your toe stubs or appears a bit unusual. You just keep on living.

6. You Enjoy a Life Without Limits and Shame
Toenail fungus is more than just about looks—it’s a limiter of wardrobe options, of destinations, of even your own self-image. With healthy, clear nails, those subtle concessions disappear. You wear what you want. You walk with confidence. You hold your head a bit taller. You smile more readily. That is not vanity—that is freedom.

7. You Save Time, Energy, and Emotional Drain
No more hunting for miracle cures. No more reading reviews for the next useless cream. No more standing in front of the pharmacy shelf torturing yourself over what to try next. Welnax BioClear cuts through the hype. It simply works. The peace of mind that comes from having one product that can do the job at hand is, in itself, a blessing.
In fact, Welnax BioClear not only makes you have healthier nails, what it really gives you is confidence, control, relief, and freedom.
It’s more than just curing a fungal infection; it’s really about healing the effect that infection has had on your life.
When you care for your nails, you care for so much more. That’s the benefit that really matters.

>>> Click Here To Get Welnax BioClear From The Official Website For 50% Off (Discount Expires Soon) <<<

Pros and Cons of Welnax Bioclear Device

Pros of Welnax BioClear

✔ Effectively treats fungus from its roots
Welnax BioClear utilizes Low Light Laser Therapy, which reaches deep into the nail bed to target the fungus where it actually lives—not just mask symptoms on the surface.

✔ Non-invasive and pain-free
You need not endure discomfort, chemical burns, or the uncertainties of risky medications. The treatment is entirely painless and safe, even for those with sensitive skin.

✔ Easy to use at home
Just place it on your nail and press a button. It’s quick (only 7 minutes a day) and has no setup, no appointments, and no messy cleanup.

✔ No ongoing expense
It’s a single purchase. You don’t have to continuously purchase creams, pills, or schedule podiatrist appointments. It’s cost-saving in the long term.

✔ Strengthens nails and discourages reinfection
Not only does it purify your nails, but it also strengthens them and improves circulation, thus reducing the risk of future infections.

✔ Helps restore confidence
No longer will you hide your feet, nor will you feel embarrassed in sandals or during intimate moments. You can once again take pride in your appearance.

✔ Portable and travel-friendly
It’s lightweight and compact, so you can take it with you wherever you go and stay consistent with your treatment.

✔ No mess, no chemicals, no hassle.
There is no need to apply anything or clean afterward. Simply a clean, smooth device that performs its function quietly and efficiently.

✔ Ideal for all ages
Due to the absence of aggressive drugs or chemicals, it is appropriate for both young and elderly users.

✔ 30-day money-back guarantee
If you’re not satisfied, you can return it. That kind of risk-free assurance is an indication of confidence in the product’s performance.

Cons of Welnax BioClear

✔ It demands both consistency and patience.
This is not a fast solution. You have to use it daily—sometimes for weeks or months—to see full effects. If you are not consistent, you might not get the desired result.

✔ Does not have immediate cosmetic benefits
If you are in search of a quick solution such as a nail polish or cosmetic Band-Aid, look elsewhere. New, healthy nails replacing old, damaged ones cannot be done overnight.

✔ For sale online only
Welnax BioClear is not available in physical stores; therefore, you must purchase it from the company website directly.

✔ Not designed to substitute medical care in emergencies
If you are experiencing especially painful or severe fungal infections, it is still best to consult with a healthcare professional when using this device.

Welnax Bioclear Vs Alternatives – How Does it Fare

(Welnax BioClear Toenail Reviews)

Feature	Welnax BioClear	Topical Creams	Oral Antifungal Medications	Laser Treatment at Clinics
Treatment Method	Low Light Laser Therapy (LLLT)	Surface-level antifungal agents	Systemic drug therapy	Medical-grade laser therapy
Targets Fungus at the Source	✅ Yes	❌ No – Mostly surface-level	✅ Yes – But through bloodstream	✅ Yes
Painless Application	✅ 100% Painless	⚠️ Possible irritation/burning	❌ Can cause side effects	✅ Usually painless
Side Effects	❌ None	⚠️ Skin dryness, itching	❌ Liver damage, nausea, headaches	⚠️ Mild skin sensitivity possible
At-Home Use	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No – Requires doctor visit	❌ No – In-office only
Daily Time Commitment	7 minutes/day	5–10 minutes (multiple times)	Must follow daily dosage schedule	30–60 min/session (per visit)
Ease of Use	✅ One-button simplicity	⚠️ Messy application	⚠️ Strict medication schedule	❌ Must book appointments
Cost	One-time payment	Ongoing purchases	Expensive over time	Very expensive (hundreds+ per session)
Effectiveness	✅ High (with consistency)	⚠️ Low to moderate	✅ Moderate to high	✅ High
Chemical-Free	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
FDA-Approved Technology	✅ LLLT is well-studied & safe	⚠️ Varies by brand	✅ Yes (prescriptions only)	✅ Yes
Suitable for Long-Term Use	✅ Yes	⚠️ Limited due to irritation	❌ Risky for long-term use	⚠️ Too costly for ongoing treatment
Available Without Prescription	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Prevents Reinfection	✅ Strengthens nails	❌ Usually doesn’t	⚠️ Depends on continued use	⚠️ Short-term unless repeated

Welnax BioClear Pricing & Discounts — Why It’s a Steal

Let’s talk real numbers.

Welnax BioClear isn’t just effective—it’s surprisingly affordable. When you compare it to the mountain of ongoing costs from traditional treatments like doctor visits, prescriptions, antifungal creams, and clinic-based laser therapy, this device starts to look like a straight-up bargain.

Right now, Welnax is offering up to 50% off, depending on how many units you grab:

✅ 1 Device – $99.90 (previously $199.99 )
✅ 2 Devices – $149.90 (previously $398.80)
✅ 3 Devices – $179.90 (previously $599.7)
✅ 4 Devices – $199.90 (previously $799.60 )

That means you can get rid of your toenail fungus for less than the cost of one clinical laser session (which often runs $200–$400 per visit—and you’ll likely need multiple sessions).

Even prescription oral antifungals can cost $60–$120 per refill, not to mention potential liver testing, doctor follow-ups, and risk of side effects. Add it up over time, and you’re easily looking at $500+ a year.

Now compare that to a one-time payment of just $99.90, and you get to keep the device, use it at home, and even share it with family (with proper hygiene precautions).

But let’s zoom in even more—this is the kind of purchase that costs:

Less than 2 large pizzas and a soda night out
Less than 4 fancy Starbucks drinks
Less than your monthly Netflix + Spotify combo
Less than one pair of trendy sneakers you’ll only wear occasionally

For something that could restore your confidence, fix your nails, and finally solve a long-standing health issue? That’s a no-brainer. You’re not just buying a device—you’re buying freedom from an annoying, recurring problem. And at this price, it’s one of the smartest health investments you can make.

>>> Click Here To Get Welnax BioClear From The Official Website For 50% Off (Discount Expires Soon) <<<

Welnax BioClear Guarantee — Zero Risk, Every Reward

We all know buying something new on the internet might appear to be a risk. That is the exact reason why Welnax BioClear is backed by a 100% satisfaction, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Here’s how it works:
If you do choose to try Welnax BioClear and aren’t satisfied with it, or don’t experience an improvement for any reason, you can return it within 30 days from when it was shipped for a complete refund—with no questions asked.

There are no complicated facts, no unexpected surprises in your path, and you needn’t explain yourself. You receive what you desire, or you receive your money back. That’s all.

Why is this important?

It testifies to the reality that Welnax stands by their product. They don’t market hype, but a clinically-supported product that provides real results, and they have the confidence to allow you to try it risk-free on your part.

Compare that to expensive laser treatments or prescription meds, which can’t be refunded, even if they don’t work. With Welnax BioClear, the only thing you risk is the chance of missing out on clear, healthy nails.

So go ahead—try it with confidence. You’ve got 30 days to see how it fits into your routine and what kind of difference it makes. And if it’s not for you? No harm done, no money lost.

>>> Click Here To Get Welnax BioClear From The Official Website For 50% Off (Discount Expires Soon) <<<

Customer Testimonials (Welnax BioClear Reviews Consumer Reports and Complaints)

Many customers have reported getting exactly the result they wanted from the Welnax BioClear. Below are Real consumer reports from verified customers:

Sophia T.| Verified Buyer – “I’ve struggled with nail fungus for years, and nothing seemed to work. I was skeptical at first, but the Welnax™ BioClear has truly been a game-changer! The Low Light Laser Therapy is gentle yet effective. I noticed a visible difference in my nails after just a few weeks of consistent use. After about two months, my nails are finally looking healthy again. I no longer feel embarrassed about my feet, and I’m so glad I gave this product a try. It’s safe, simple, and most importantly, it works!”
John H.| Verified Buyer – “I’ve tried countless treatments for nail fungus, but Welnax™ BioClear is the first one that has actually made a difference. It’s super easy to use and doesn’t require a lot of time. Within a month, I started to see healthier nail growth. I’m really impressed with how well it works and how non-invasive it is. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s struggled with nail fungus and wants a simple, effective solution.”
Dylan P.| Verified Buyer – “I’ve been using Welnax for just over a month now, and I’m amazed at the results. My nails are noticeably healthier, and the thick, discolored spots are slowly fading. I love how easy it is to use—no mess, no chemicals, just a quick 7-minute session each day. I’m finally feeling confident about my nails again and will definitely keep using this device.”
Emily W.| Verified Buyer – “I was tired of using creams and ointments that didn’t seem to help. I was about to give up. But Welnax has really surprised me. I’ve been using it for about four weeks now, and my nail is almost completely cleared up. I was skeptical at first, but now I can honestly say it works. So glad I found this!’
David S.| Verified Buyer – “ I got this for my wife because she’d been dealing with toenail fungus for a while, and honestly, she hates going to the doctor. She’d tried everything from the drugstore, but nothing worked. After using Welnax™ BioClear for a couple of months, she was super happy with the results. Her nails actually look healthier now, and she’s really glad we gave it a shot. I’m pretty relieved too!”

FAQ (Welnax BioClear Reviews)

Here are some frequently asked questions concerning Welnax bioclear

How long does it take to see results?
People experience improvements at different times based on how severe the infection is. However, after daily usage for four to six weeks, most people experience changes. Buyers like Sophia T. and Dylan P. vouch that they fully recover within a couple of months and experience good progress within a couple of weeks.

Will the Welnax BioClear benefit my fingernails?
Yes! While the product is mainly sold for toenail fungus, it also applies to fungal infections of the fingernails.

Is it easy to use?
Yes, it is simple enough to be used at home. Simply position the unit over the infected nail, turn it on, and wait for the light therapy to start; each session only takes a few minutes. There is no special setup, and it is completely painless.

When is the optimal time to take Welnax BioClear?
Depending on the intensity of the infection, the device should be used once or twice a day for optimal results. To achieve the desired outcome, it needs to be used regularly and consistently.

Is it possible for multiple people to use one device?
The Welnax bioclear is a personal item, so each one should ideally have its own to use.

What is the duration of each session?
Every session of nail treatment takes about seven minutes. Clients can continue with their daily routines during treatment.

Is it possible to combine Welnax BioClear with other treatments?
Yes, Welnax BioClear can be used in conjunction with other nail care products that promote healthy nails or antifungal creams. Most customers, however, discover that the device is enough on its own to give them the effect they need.

Does it work on stained or thick nails?
Welnax BioClear helps to make nails look natural again and removes fungal infections. With regular use, many have seen nail improvements, little colour change, and better nail health overall.

Will Welnax BioClear prevent infections in the future?
Actually, regular application of Welnax BioClear not only clears up current toenail fungus, but also prevents them from coming back by promoting healthy nail growth. Trimming, keeping clean, and drying the nails regularly also increase defense against future fungus infection.

What do people say about Welnax BioClear? (Welnax BioClear Reviews Reddit)
Welnax BioClear received many great customer reviews. Customers like Emily W. and John H. have shared their experiences, complimenting how simple and effective the device is. The majority of reviews talk about how simple it is to use and how quickly they noticed improvement in their nails. Success stories of real customers confirm that Welnax BioClear is an effective treatment for toenail fungus.

Is Welnax BioClear suitable for everyone?
Most customers report good improvements, but individual factors such as how frequently and how intensely they use it may alter the outcome. After experimenting with numerous other treatments that were not very successful, verified buyers have commended the Welnax as being a great asset in their nail fungus struggle.

Is it possible to use nail paint and Welnax BioClear simultaneously?
You will have to clear any nail polish prior to using the device. Nail polish will block the light from passing through and hence undermine the success of the light therapy as it must reach the nail bed directly.

Why is the Welnax BioClear different?
Welnax BioClear provides a painless, convenient, and natural solution to messy creams and pills with unpleasant side effects.

>>> Click Here To Get Welnax BioClear From The Official Website For 50% Off (Discount Expires Soon) <<<

Final Thoughts — Is Welnax BioClear a Good Choice?

If you’ve got toenail fungus, you know how frustrating it is. You’re self-conscious. You’re embarrassed. You’re spending money on creams and pills and treatments that don’t really work. It’s not only about having nails that look strange or are thick—it’s about feeling held back in your daily life, from what shoes you can wear to your confidence.

Welnax BioClear does more. Not only does it repair the surface, but it also combats the fungus at its root using cutting-edge Low Light Laser Therapy. It’s pain-free, chemical-free, simple to treat at home, and doesn’t require you to continually purchase it or make trips to the doctor. Just 7 minutes per day can, over time, make your nails healthier, stronger, and clearer.

You can finally be comfortable showing your feet. You don’t have to miss pool time, flip-flops, or special events. You won’t be humiliated like you’ve tried everything and failed. With Welnax BioClear, you’re not just getting rid of a persistent infection—you’re getting back your confidence, freedom, and peace of mind.

And right now, with up to 50% off, free shipping in some regions, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, there’s never been a better time to try it.

But fair warning: supplies are limited and demand is high. Once this discount window closes, you could end up paying more—or waiting for the next restock.

Don’t wait until your nail fungus gets worse or spreads. Take control now with Welnax BioClear and start your journey toward healthier nails today.

>>> Click Here To Get Welnax BioClear From The Official Website For 50% Off (Discount Expires Soon) <<<

Media Details:

Project name: Welnax BioClear
89-16 Jamaica Ave, Woodhaven, NY, 11421, United States
Postal code: NY 11421

Media Contact:
Full Name – Neil white
Company website: https://www.welnax.com/
Email: Neilwhite@welnax.com

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The MIL Network –

April 14, 2025

MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN visits Pavilions of ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste at World Expo 2025

Source: ASEAN

While participating in the World Expo 2025, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, visited Pavilions of the ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste. SG Dr. Kao received a warm welcome from each head of delegation, whom he symbolically presented the stamps for the ASEAN Trail Challenge. While each pavilion has its own distinct focus, they collectively aspire to a future that is more resilient, prosperous, and inclusive.

The post Secretary-General of ASEAN visits Pavilions of ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste at World Expo 2025 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More than 200 attendees join major psychology conference hosted at the University

Source: University of Abertay

More than 200 attendees join major psychology conference hosted at the University

Abertay University welcomed more than 200 delegates to its campus for the annual British Psychological Society (BPS) Scottish Branch Undergraduate Conference, held on Saturday 29 March 2025.

The event provided a platform for psychology students from across Scotland to showcase their research, enabling them to present their work and findings through engaging conference talks.

More than 100 student presenters covered a variety of topics from counselling to clinical, educational and neuro-psychology; with students from more than 10 Scottish universities taking part.

In addition to student presentations, the event featured a Futures Fair, where attendees connected with representatives from many divisions of the BPS – including Clinical, Health, and Educational Psychology. These professional representatives provided invaluable career advice and insights into their respective fields, helping students navigate their future paths.

Dr Lynn Wright, a Senior Lecturer in Abertay’s Department of Sociological and Psychological Sciences, was part of the organising committee for the event.

She said:

The BPS Scottish Branch Undergraduate Conference was a huge success, and it was such an honour to host the event at Abertay. It was incredible to see such a broad array of topics covered by the students presenting at the conference – and to give them this opportunity to showcase their research. Events like these are crucial for psychology undergraduates – allowing them to build on presentation skills, share their experiences, garner invaluable feedback, and network with other students and peers in the field of psychology. It was brilliant to see so many people in attendance engaging with the work of students, including the research of our own psychology undergraduates.

The keynote address was delivered by Sheila Cunningham, Professor of Social Cognition at Abertay University. Her talk addressed important issues surrounding gender biases and the social factors that shape educational choices, offering attendees a thought-provoking perspective on current challenges in psychology.

The BPS serves as the UK’s representative body for psychology and psychologists, dedicated to promoting excellence in the field and advocating for the discipline’s impact on individuals and society.

BPS President Dr Roman Raczka said:

The Scottish Undergraduate Conference is a really important event for the BPS. This year’s conference at Abertay University was a fantastic display of the psychology research being undertaken by students across Scotland. Presenting at a conference like this is hugely important for the career development of undergraduate students. Additionally, the opportunity to network with other students and psychology professionals is invaluable. I was really impressed by the range of different topics that were covered at the conference. It shows the incredible diversity of study and research that is being undertaken by psychology students across all of Scotland’s universities. It was great having the event hosted at Abertay University. The staff did a fantastic job of pulling together all the different presentations from universities across Scotland.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni’s statement on Russian attack on Sumy

Source: Government of Italy (English)

Vai al Contenuto Raggiungi il piè di pagina

13 Aprile 2025

On this holy day of Palm Sunday, another horrible and despicable attack has been carried out by Russia, in Sumy, yet again resulting in innocent civilian victims, sadly including also children.

I firmly condemn these unacceptable acts of violence, which contradict any real efforts towards peace, being advanced by President Trump and strongly supported by Italy together with Europe and other international partners. I express my most sincere condolences for the victims, to their families and all Ukrainian people. We will continue to work to stop this barbarity.

MIL OSI Europe News –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary General of ASEAN meets with Deputy Governor of Osaka Prefecture at World Expo 2025

Source: ASEAN

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with Mr. MORIOKA Takekazu, Deputy Governor of the Osaka Prefecture, during his visit to the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion. During their meeting, Dr. Kao congratulated the Government of Japan for the much-anticipated World Expo 2025, which opened on 13 April 2025. He also commended the ongoing bilateral cooperation between Osaka and several cities in ASEAN, and expressed confidence in Osaka’s strong industrial and innovative ecosystem to drive ASEAN-Japan economic relations in the years to come.

The post Secretary General of ASEAN meets with Deputy Governor of Osaka Prefecture at World Expo 2025 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI: CEEC unveils future city blueprint at Expo 2025, pushing global sustainability

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BEIJING, April 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the only Chinese central enterprise participating in exhibitions at the China Pavilion during Expo 2025, China Energy Engineering Corp Ltd, or CEEC, is showcasing its eight-network integrated future city development solution in the China Pavilion at Expo 2025, which officially opened in Osaka on April 13. In the “Smart Future City” exhibit, CEEC highlights the latest milestones in Chinese-style modernization and contributes to a global vision for sustainable development in collaboration with countries around the world.

Held under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, Expo 2025 has drawn participation from over 150 countries, regions, and international organizations. The China Pavilion, one of the largest foreign self-built pavilions in terms of land area, is themed “Building a Community of Life for Man And Nature — Future Society of Green Development”. It displays traditional ecological wisdom cultivated over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and showcases the concepts and accomplishments of green development in the new era.

In the “Endless Vitality” exhibition section of the pavilion, CEEC’s smart city display is centered around its eight-network integrated future city development solution. Closely aligned with the “future society” theme, the exhibit emphasizes immersion, interactivity, and engagement.

Using model sand tables, 3D video, interactive multimedia, and other methods, the company has created a thematic light show that fuses digital innovation, green revolution, and cultural heritage, according to Chu Xinyan, manager of the brand management and convergence media department at CEEC.

This presentation showcases China’s breakthroughs and applications in frontier technologies such as clean energy, artificial intelligence, smart transportation, zero-carbon buildings, and low-altitude economy.

Song Hailiang, board chairman and executive director of CEEC, stated that the company is committed to “building livable, resilient, and smart cities”.

Leveraging its strengths, CEEC has creatively proposed the eight-network integrated future city development solution. This solution systematically integrates eight elements: the energy network, transportation network, digital network, water network, ecological network, industrial network, health network, and cultural network.

“Through ongoing fusion, transformation, and iterative upgrades, the solution enables these networks to deeply integrate, interact, and coexist, thereby enhancing the city’s economic efficiency, ecological resilience, and cultural vitality in multiple dimensions,” Song said.

During the exhibition, CEEC presents its integrated city development solution featuring more than 10 cutting-edge clean energy technologies. These include marine energy integration, compressed air energy storage power stations, high-altitude wind power generation, and solar thermal power. “These new technologies offer a Chinese answer to global energy transformation,” said Chu.

In Yingcheng, Hubei province, CEEC has successfully put into operation the world’s first 300-megawatt compressed air energy storage demonstration project, setting three world records in unit power capacity, storage scale, and conversion efficiency.

In Songyuan, Jilin province, the company’s investment in the world’s largest integrated green hydrogen-ammonia-methanol project is set to go into operation this year.

In Jixi county, Anhui province, CEEC has successfully generated electricity with the country’s first grid-connectable megawatt-level high-altitude wind power demonstration project.

The company is also developing a series of projects that fully tap into energy area, including wind power, photovoltaic power, solar thermal power, nuclear power, hydrogen power.

Energy China is a comprehensive group enterprise that provides holistic solutions and full industrial chain services for global energy, power, and infrastructure sectors, with operations in more than 140 countries and regions.

In recent years, the company has focused on promoting four key transformations: innovation-driven development, green and low-carbon strategies, digital intelligence, and shared integration. It is cultivating future industries and actively developing new quality productive forces, contributing Chinese solutions to the global energy transition, sustainable development, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, according to Chu.

Company: China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd.(ENERGY CHINA)
Contact Person: Chu Xinyan
Email: xychu2489@ceec.net.cn
Website: http://en.ceec.net.cn/
Telephone: 186 1109 6653
City: Beijing

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80b6a5c7-e447-4a64-a50a-ee6fcb5a08ce

The MIL Network –

April 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Newspoll steady but Albanese’s ratings jump; swing to Labor in marginal seats

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

A national Newspoll, conducted April 7–10 from a sample of 1,271, gave Labor a 52–48 lead, unchanged since the March 31 to April 4 Newspoll. Primary votes were 35% Coalition (down one), 33% Labor (steady), 12% Greens (steady), 8% One Nation (up one) and 12% for all Others (steady).

Anthony Albanese’s net approval jumped seven points to -4, his best net approval since May 2024. Peter Dutton’s net approval dropped two points to -19, his worst since September 2023. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by 49–38 (48–40 previously).

Leaders’ ratings changes may imply that future Newspolls will be better for Labor on voting intentions, but this doesn’t always happen. Here is the graph of Albanese’s net approval in Newspoll this term. The plus signs are data points and a trend line has been fitted. Albanese’s ratings have surged from a low of -21 net approval in mid-February.

This Newspoll is the only new national poll since Friday’s article, but a Redbridge poll of marginal seats had a 1.5-point swing to Labor since the 2022 election, implying that Labor is gaining seats. Here is the national poll graph.

I believe Donald Trump is most responsible for Labor’s surge in the polls to a clear lead and a probable majority government (they won a majority in 2022 on the same primary vote Newspoll gives them). Albanese’s ratings have probably lifted owing to a favourable comparison between Albanese and Trump.

Coalition senator Jacinta Price’s use of “Make Australia Great Again” on Saturday, an echo of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, will damage efforts by the Coalition to distance itself from Trump.

Asked what type of government they wanted after the election in Newspoll, 32% wanted a Labor majority, 32% a Coalition majority, 21% a Labor minority government and 15% a Coalition minority government. This means 64% wanted a Labor or Coalition majority, while 36% wanted a minority government. The overall 53–47 split for a Labor government nearly matches the 52–48 two-party estimate.

Redbridge marginal seats poll has swing to Labor

A poll of 20 marginal seats by Redbridge and Accent Research for the News Corp tabloids was conducted April 4–9 from a sample of 1,003. It gave Labor a 52.5–47.5 lead, a three-point gain for Labor since the late February marginal seats poll. Primary votes were 36% Coalition (down five), 35% Labor (up one), 12% Greens (steady) and 17% for all Others (up four).

The overall 2022 vote in these 20 seats was 51–49 to Labor, so this poll implies a 1.5-point swing to Labor from the 2022 election. If applied to the national 2022 result of 52.1–47.9 to Labor, Labor would lead by about 53.5–46.5.

Albanese’s net favourability improved three points since late February to -8, while Dutton’s was down five points to -16. Dutton led Albanese by 27–23 on best to manage the relationship with the US and Trump (31–22 previously). But if people really thought Dutton would be able to prevent Trump’s tariff chaos, voting intentions would not have shifted towards Labor.

On whether the US is a reliable partner and friend for Australia, 61% said it had been a reliable partner and friend, but less so now than it was, 18% said the US is still a reliable partner and friend, and 12% said it was never a reliable partner or friend.

Dutton may be trailing in Dickson, and other seat polls

Dutton won the Queensland seat of Dickson by 51.7–48.3 against Labor in 2022. The Poll Bludger reported Saturday that a uComms poll of Dickson for the Queensland Conservation Council, conducted April 9–10 from a sample of 854, gave Labor a 52–48 lead over Dutton.

In other Dickson seat polls, the Coalition said their own polling by Freshwater gave Dutton a 57–43 lead, a uComms poll for Climate 200 gave Labor a 51.7–48.3 lead and Labor’s polling had it tied 50–50. Seat polls are unreliable.

In the Western Australian Liberal-held seat of Forrest, a poll for Climate 200 gave a teal candidate a 51–49 lead over the Liberals. In the Tasmanian Labor-held seat of Lyons (50.9–49.1 to Labor in 2022), a uComms poll for the Australian Forest Products Association gave Labor a 50.9–49.1 lead over the Liberals.

In other seat-specific news, in the Victorian seat of Macnamara, Labor incumbent Josh Burns won’t recommend preferences on how to vote material between the Liberals and Greens. Previously Labor has recommended preferences to the Greens. It will be more difficult for the Greens to win Macnamara if the final two candidates are the Liberals and Greens.

Candidate nominations declared

Candidate nominations were declared on Friday. The Poll Bludger said there were 1,126 total candidates for the 150 House of Representatives seats, an average of 7.5 candidates per seat. That’s down from 1,203 total candidates in 2022, an average of 8.0 per seat.

Labor, the Greens and the Coalition will contest all 150 seats, One Nation 147 (all except the three ACT seats), Trumpet of Patriots 100 (down from contesting all seats under UAP in 2022), Family First 92, Libertarians 46 and Legalise Cannabis 42. There are a total of 132 independent candidates, up from 98 in 2022.

Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Newspoll steady but Albanese’s ratings jump; swing to Labor in marginal seats – https://theconversation.com/newspoll-steady-but-albaneses-ratings-jump-swing-to-labor-in-marginal-seats-254445

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: U.S. tariffs are about to trigger the greatest trade diversion the world has ever seen

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Wolfgang Alschner, Hyman Soloway Chair in Business and Trade Law, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs have shaken the global trading system. Canadians have rightly been preoccupied by the tariff’s devastating impact on U.S.-Canada relations, but the wider ripple effects could prove just as damaging.

The tariffs have redirected billions of dollars in exports originally bound for the U.S., which are now poised to flood global markets — including Canada’s. This will trigger a historic trade diversion that will put even the most free trade-minded nations to the test.

Around 15 per cent of global imports went to the U.S. in 2024. The country has long been the world’s biggest consumer market, in part, due to its low average tariffs of just 3.3 per cent.

These days are now over. On April 2, the U.S. increased its average tariff rate seven-fold to a staggering 22 per cent — by far the highest among countries with a major economy.

Read more:
Canada was mostly spared from Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, but it must not grow complacent

Even though the U.S.’s “reciprocal” tariffs have since been suspended for all countries except China and Trump has now exempted smartphones, computers and microchips, a 10 per cent baseline rate and several sectoral duties remain in place.

Together, they form a tariff wall around the U.S. unlike anything seen in generations.

The Great Trade Diversion

Much of the trade disruption stems from China. In 2024, China exported US$438.9 billion worth of goods to the U.S. Millions of parcels, sent via e-commerce platforms like Shein, entered the U.S. duty-free because they fell below the US$800 “de minimis” threshold.

On April 2, Trump eliminated this exemption for low-value Chinese exports and imposed a reciprocal tariff on all Chinese imports of 34 per cent.

This rate was increased further after China vowed to retaliate on April 4, and is now stacked on top of a 20 per cent fentanyl-related tariff. The result is an effective tariff rate exceeding 100 per cent, making it prohibitively costly for China to export to the U.S.

Last time U.S.-China trade tensions escalated, China rerouted many of its exports through Southeast Asia. This time, however, Southeast Asian countries were hit hard, too.

Vietnam, a major destination of Chinese export-oriented foreign investment, exported US$137 billion in goods to the U.S. in 2024. While the 46 per cent reciprocal tariff against Vietnam has since been suspended, the U.S. is unlikely to tolerate such circumvention this time around.

The U.S. has also imposed a 25 per cent tariff on all imported automobiles. South Korea, Japan and Germany all export cars to the U.S. market. While some of these exports may continue as tariff costs are absorbed or passed on to customers, others will divert their vehicles to alternative markets.

All told, billions of dollars in trade are being rerouted, with a tidal wave of diverted goods now headed for markets around the world.

A repeat of the Great Depression

The world has been here before. In the 1930s, the U.S. enacted the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which raised tariffs on thousands of imported goods in an effort to shield American industries during the Great Depression. The result was a rapid contraction of global trade.

What ultimately tipped the world over the edge wasn’t direct retaliation against the U.S. Instead, global trade collapsed as U.S. trading partners turned on each other. Faced with a flood of diverted goods, they rushed to protect their own manufacturing by enacting trade restrictions of their own.

Similarly, today, we face a similar risk. The greater concern is not Trump’s tariffs themselves or even the retaliation they provoke, but rather the resulting trade diversion and wave of protectionism it can trigger.

Old fears, new pressures

In some respects, the world may be in a more precarious position today than it was in the early 1930s.

For close to a decade, western policymakers, including G7 members, have sounded alarm bells over “Chinese overcapacity.” China consumes too little at home and exports too much abroad, often using unfair non-market practices such as covert subsidization to undercut local prices.

Fears of deindustrialization have already led some governments to put new trade barriers in place. Canada, for example, placed a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles to protect its own nascent industry in 2024. A flood of diverted Chinese imports will only heighten these pre-existing concerns.

At the same time, global trade rules meant to safeguard against protectionism have become brittle. The U.S. has blocked the appointment of judges to the World Trade Organization’s highest court, which is tasked with enforcing trade rules.

The resulting impunity has emboldened countries beyond the U.S. to openly flout WTO rules. Indonesia, for example, continues to maintain a WTO-inconsistent export ban on nickel. Canada’s electric vehicle tariff will likely be judged illegal under trade rules as well.

Global trade system at a crossroads

The Great Trade Diversion is set to put an already strained system to the test. There is still time for countries to reaffirm their commitment to international trade rules. Those same rules also allow countries to temporarily restrict trade when faced with a flood of imports.

The Canadian government can proactively identify sectors at risk of disruption and call on the Canada Border Services Agency to self-initiate investigations into vulnerable sectors to swiftly clear the procedural hurdles for imposing temporary import restrictions.

If countries stick to these rules, the global trading system can weather the storm. Just as possible, though, is a slide toward protectionism. Faced with a deluge of goods coming from China, the temptation to erect illegal trade barriers like the U.S. already has will be high.

The global economy stands at a crossroads: one path leads to a reassertion of international co-operation and global rules; the other to a cascade of protectionist measures and a weakening of the very system that has enabled decades of economic growth and stability.

Wolfgang Alschner receives funding from the SSHRC.

– ref. U.S. tariffs are about to trigger the greatest trade diversion the world has ever seen – https://theconversation.com/u-s-tariffs-are-about-to-trigger-the-greatest-trade-diversion-the-world-has-ever-seen-254049

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How I’m teaching Holocaust literature in light of Canadian recommendations around combatting antisemitism
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Regan Lipes, Extended Sessional Instructor, English and Comparative Literature, MacEwan University

As university students encounter hate speech, like statements perpetrated by music industry personalities they may have once enjoyed, they have questions about antisemitism — and what it really is.

I research and teach Jewish literature with a focus on Holocaust narratives. With rising tensions on both sides of the Israel-Hamas War, and 24 hostages still in captivity, Canadian communities feel the continued conflict domestically.

In December 2024, the House of Commons’s Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights released a comprehensive document: Heightened Anisemitism in Canada and How to Combat It.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, societal tolerance for blatant acts of antisemitism has risen. This makes this document all the more timely, especially as it reports: “Many witnesses noted that the rise in antisemitism has been particularly acute on university campuses.”

Among the document’s 19 recommendations is guidance around Holocaust education and remembrance. While there is longstanding scholarly discussion around best practices and ethics pertaining to teaching the Holocaust and remembrance, educators must also be responsive to our current — and evolving — contexts.

Here, I share ways I have sought to adapt my own approach to teaching Holocaust literature. For educators wondering how to begin approaching the integration of Holocaust topics, a 2020 collection of articles on the subject, Understanding and Teaching the Holocaust, edited by Laura Hilton (professor of history) and Avinoam Patt (professor of Holocaust studies), could be a launching point.

Modern-day antisemitism, trajectories

The committee’s sixth recommendation is that the government of Canada work with provinces and territories to “ensure that Holocaust education in public schools and other institutions includes explanations of modern-day antisemitism and integrates a Jewish community-centered lens.”

For a course teaching film adaptations of the Holocaust, I solicited the assistance of a colleague, historian Carson Phillips, at the Azrieli Foundation, a charity whose eight funding areas include Holocaust education and legacy, to tackle this recommendation.

Working with Phillips brought an additional voice to the discussion of how Holocaust denial and Holocaust distortion are connected to antisemitism. Holocaust denial is a form of antisemitism with all its malignant intentions.

Read more:
How Hitler conspiracies and other Holocaust disinformation undermine democratic institutions

Phillips suggested I try to additionally focus on survivor memoirs that explore life prior to the Holocaust to illustrate the trajectory of antisemitic agendas. He noted I should concentrate on memoirs with a connection to Canada so this message would be more relevant for my students.

He provided me with A Cry in Unison by Judy Cohen,
Flights of Spirit by Elly Gotz and Memories in Focus by Pinchas Gutter. I also applied his advice in the fiction I taught and incorporated the 1970 novel, Crackpot, by Adele Wiseman, to show that between the First and Second World Wars in Canada, there was societal antisemitism and social isolation of Jews.

To further connect this to a Canadian context, and to consider trajectories of hate, in the future I may include content around how there were plans to export the “final solution” from Europe to North America. This illustrates that tolerance of antisemitism can quickly threaten societal stability.

Antisemitism far predates Nazism

I wanted my students to see that although the Holocaust was caused by antisemitism, antisemitism long predated the rise of Nazism and survives today because of a lack of shared awareness.

The Art Gallery of Alberta recently hosted an exhibit Here to Tell of photograph portraits of Holocaust survivors and their recorded testimonies.

Read more:
Holocaust survivor stories are reminders of why we need to educate against antisemitism

In three of my courses, I gave the extra credit option to visit the exhibition and reflect on ideas, themes and concepts that resonated. Similar engagement is being implemented in high school classes to address Alberta’s curricular requirements.

This has the aim of better informing learners about what can occur when xenophobia and hate are allowed to proliferate.

The documentary connected to the exhibit vividly illustrates why antisemitism is dangerous when left to fester and breed, or if misinformation masquerades as fact.

‘Here to Tell: Faces of Holocaust Survivors’ project.

As recent events in a suburb of Edmonton suggest, not combating antisemitism allows the tentacles of white supremacy and xenophobia to affect other communities too. There, masked demonstrators stood with an apparent anti-immigration sign while one gave a Nazi salute.

Addressing Holocaust remembrance

The eighth recommendation of Heightened Antisemitism calls for the government of Canada, “in line with its commitment to build strong communities and celebrate multiculturalism,” to “provide funding to develop a five-year program to enhance the literacy of post-secondary students regarding the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.”

For me as an educator, this made the marking of International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD) especially meaningful in the context of classroom learning in Alberta.

After all, Alberta was the province where James Keegstra first began teaching Holocaust denial to high school students in the 1980s. After Prof. Anthony Hall of the University of Lethbridge finally retired in 2018, it seemed like Holocaust denial and baseless vilification of Zionism was on the decline in Alberta. As reported by CBC, in 2016 Hall was suspended without pay for “allegedly promoting conspiracy theories and denying the Holocaust in online articles and videos.”

This year was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and to to mark IHRD, I organized two guest speakers to present their research to students. Speakers helped contextualize the immediate legacy of the Holocaust and how this contributes to contemporary antisemitism.

With Yom HaShoah (Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day) soon approaching, these discussions should be at the forefront of Canadian human rights awareness.

Read more:
How Jan. 27 came to be International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Wider implications

Although my students are likely not familiar with the report’s broader recommendations for how to combat antisemitism, a sizeable portion of the report’s advice does focus on university campuses. There are implications far beyond teaching the Holocaust or Jewish subject matters which may potentially impact students.

Recommendations include:
- Calls for more robust and effective strategies to combat antisemitism and safeguard Jewish communities across Canada;
- For action to address antisemitic incidents;
- That the “full diversity of the Jewish identity be acknowledged within Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) frameworks, including Jewish peoplehood, ethnicity, nationality, multi-denominational religion, cultural diversity, and language, as well as Zionist and Indigenous aspects of Jewish identity.” This point notes that “this includes the recognition of Zionism as the self-determination of Jewish people in their ancestral homeland of Israel.”
It has yet to be seen how a change in federal Canadian leadership will uphold the values articulated in this important committee report, but the document does provide hope for Holocaust educators and broader Canadian communities isolated by a rise in hate.

Regan Lipes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. How I’m teaching Holocaust literature in light of Canadian recommendations around combatting antisemitism – https://theconversation.com/how-im-teaching-holocaust-literature-in-light-of-canadian-recommendations-around-combatting-antisemitism-247747
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Humanity depends on the ocean — Here is what we need to prioritize for immediate ocean science research

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Brad deYoung, Robert Bartlett Professor of Oceanography, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Humankind is inextricably dependent on the ocean. Many of our greatest civilizations have thrived on the rim of the ocean. Today, we are more reliant than ever on the ocean for our economic, social and physical well-being.

Maritime activities, from global trade to tourism, exceed US$3 trillion annually. The “ocean economy” is the fourth largest in the world. Furthermore, our global economic vitality is largely due to the cost-effective nature of ocean transportation, which contributes to the reduced price per ton of shipped goods.

From submarine cables to shipping, fisheries and aquaculture, we are increasingly reliant on the blue economy. Roughly 20 per cent of the animal protein that we eat comes from marine fish.

The ocean has changed dramatically in the past century, and we expect more change to come. Collapses of fisheries, coral reefs, shark populations and other species — along with increased dead zones, red tide blooms and invasive species — have followed increased human development, industrial use of the sea, climate change and pollution.

Humanity is at a social, political, environmental and scientific nexus point.

We are a group of researchers and experts who served on a committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to advise the National Science Foundation on forward-looking approaches to investing in ocean science research, infrastructure and workforce development.

We considered the question: What vital research must we pursue now, and what investments must we make to achieve ambitious research goals?

Our scientific efforts must focus on the key gaps in our predictive knowledge, and on the critical pathways and thresholds for ocean change. We should support ocean science to prepare for the future.

Readying ocean science

Given limited resources and rapid changes, we need to consider how to set priorities. Our committee offered a distinction between urgent and vital research: urgent research is time-sensitive, with immediate relevance to emerging regional and global issues, while vital research transforms our ability to grapple with rapid changes in the ocean and the Earth system.

Our ability to observe, model and understand the ocean has greatly increased in recent years.

For example, Argo — an ocean weather observing system — provides a global view of water properties around the planet. Argo has expanded our understanding of the global ocean and has significantly improved weather forecasts.

In addition, research on the impact of climate shifts on ocean species is more accurate, helping us to understand the impact of these shifts on carbon sequestration, shoreline protection from storms and tipping points in interconnected ocean systems.

The growing focus on links between the chemical, physical, geological and biological states of the ocean, and planetary climate states, provides a much-improved structure for forecasting the state of the ocean.

Healthy oceans, healthy people

A focus on human well-being and its dependence on ocean processes can provide an important connection that places ocean sciences in key conversations related to human health.

When it comes to understanding the importance of ocean and climate, we need to determine how the ocean’s ability to absorb heat and carbon dioxide will change. While the ocean presently absorbs 90 per cent of global heat and roughly 30 per cent of carbon dioxide, changes in the physical and biological ocean will likely slow these rates, leading to accelerated atmospheric warming.

Related to this climate question, how will marine ecosystems respond to changes in the Earth system? Declining ecosystem resilience will likely have strong negative impacts on food supplies and livelihoods.

Can we develop new understanding that will support model forecasts to determine the effects of warming, acidification and de-oxygenation on marine life?

Another challenge is to improve our ability to forecast extreme events driven by ocean and seafloor processes. Marine earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and storm surges are natural processes that pose serious risks to human well-being. Societal vulnerability to these extreme events can be profound.

As our built coastal infrastructure expands, and climate change shifts patterns of such extreme events, it is critical to improve our ability to observe, understand and forecast extreme events.

Investing in ocean futures

Ocean research depends on continued funding of basic studies and investment in key ocean science infrastructure. We must integrate emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and expanded use of existing ocean infrastructure such as globally ranging research vessels, global drifters that float on the ocean surface and gather information, underwater communication cables and coastal marine laboratories.

International co-operation is needed since few of these challenges are truly local. A move towards more collaborative, transdisciplinary research is necessary, alongside an expanded ocean science workforce with training and knowledge well beyond those of traditional disciplines.

Our assessment of the state of ocean science in the United States identified key infrastructure required to address these challenges.

For example, while advances in autonomous vehicle technology offer many opportunities, there will remain a need for specialized research ships that can operate in coastal and deep-sea waters and ice-covered regions to drill for** seafloor samples. Globally, there has been a decline in available ships to support ocean research.

Likewise, nearly 100 marine laboratories dot U.S. coastlines, providing training, access and research for thousands of students each year. The development of this infrastructure offers opportunities for international collaboration and cooperation with private sector partners. It may also be that some of the existing infrastructure, such as the Ocean Observatories Initiative, needs to be reconsidered in light of shifting priorities and developing technologies.

An ocean glider deployed at sea.
(B. DeYoung), CC BY-ND

Collective action

We differentiate between urgent and vital ocean science research priorities.

While the urgent will continue to demand our attention — the next coral bleaching event, the latest fisheries collapse — it is our commitment to the vital research priorities identified in the report that will ultimately determine our ability to steward rather than merely react to complex changes in the oceans.

Our work offers a compass, but navigation requires collective action. Research institutions must transform their approach: restructuring tenure and promotion criteria to reward transdisciplinary investigations, supporting reskilling and upskilling of faculty, and preparing an innovative, adept workforce.

Policymakers must create frameworks that value long-term investigation. And citizens must advocate for sustained investments in ocean science that transcend political cycles. The ocean’s future — and our own — depends on our willingness to pursue what is vital.

Kristen St John receives funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation. She is the author of a lab book Reconstructing Earth’s Climate History: Inquiry-Based Exercises for the Lab and Class, and an in press textbook Earth’s Climate: A Geoscience Perspective.

Mona Behl receives funding from U.S. National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautic and Space Agency, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. She is affiliated with the American Meteorological Society, and the Oceanography Society.

Peter Girguis receives funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, Schmidt Sciences, the National Aeronautic and Space Administration, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He is affiliated with Harvard University, Schmidt Sciences, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution .

Richard W Murray has received funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation and other U.S. federal agencies.

Stephen Palumbi receives funding from NSF, The Pew Charitable Trusts among other sources. He is affiliated with The Ocean Conservancy as a Board member, and is a member of the National Academies of Sciences. He has been vocal about the value and fun of bringing ocean science to the general public in book like The Extreme Life of the Sea and the upcoming book Born Predators.

Brad deYoung does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Humanity depends on the ocean — Here is what we need to prioritize for immediate ocean science research – https://theconversation.com/humanity-depends-on-the-ocean-here-is-what-we-need-to-prioritize-for-immediate-ocean-science-research-252247

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China International Consumer Products Expo unveils tech-driven future

Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

HAIKOU, April 13 — A seamless integration of cutting-edge technologies into daily life is taking center stage at the ongoing fifth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in south China’s Haikou City, painting a vivid picture of a smarter, more interconnected future.

Slated from April 13 to 18, this year’s expo features dedicated exhibition zones for groundbreaking innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) and low-altitude economy for the first time.

Tech giants like Huawei and China Mobile are showcasing futuristic solutions. Huawei’s HarmonyOS ecosystem demonstrates cross-device synergy across “people, vehicles, and homes,” featuring AI-powered eye-tracking technology for hands-free e-book navigation.

China Mobile’s smart home ecosystem includes quadruped robotic companions for elderly care and AI-driven home security systems.

“AI is accelerating its integration into everyday scenarios. The expo is undoubtedly a major platform to showcase these advances,” said Zhan Wenyu, vice president of AI company iFLYTEK, which has participated in the expo for five consecutive years.

The expo’s dedicated AI zone displays humanoid robots capable of complex tasks, such as dancing in traditional local Li ethnic brocade costumes or handling delicate objects.

Tesla’s latest humanoid robot boasts enhanced mobility and tactile sensitivity, while the Ti5 Robot unveils breakthroughs in electric drive technology with lightweight joint modules and smart dexterous hands.

Health and wellness technologies also claim a prominent spotlight. Continuous glucose monitors and light therapy glasses under various brands further spotlight the fusion of tech and well-being, while brain-computer interfaces highlight advancements in medical accessibility. Companies like SenseTime and Asus are presenting smart health ecosystems at the event.

Brands like OSIM and Ogawa have debuted AI massage robots. Air Nutri Solution Inc., a Vancouver-based non-medicinal sleep solutions provider, introduces its “deep sleep cabin,” which uses charged particle waves to create immersive rest environments.

The OSIM sees the expo as a key platform for engaging in meaningful conversations with global consumers, said Lin Xiaohui, deputy general manager of brand management and marketing of OSIM North Asia.

Making its debut this year, the low-altitude economy zone showcases electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, flying cars, and drones.

Autonomous vehicles served expo attendees, offering driverless shuttles and cleaning services around key venues, providing a glimpse into smart city logistics.

United Aircraft brought the TD550, which obtained the first type certificate for unmanned helicopters in China, to the exhibition. “China is entering an era of rapid development of the low-altitude economy,” said Zhou Xiaoyue, director of the firm’s public relations.

“The Hainan Free Trade Port provides unprecedented opportunities for the innovation of the drone industry,” Zhou said, adding that the firm will work with global partners through the expo platform to promote the industrial implementation of the low-altitude economy.

MIL OSI China News –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Accra is a tough city to walk in: how city planners can fix the problem

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Seth Asare Okyere, Visiting lecturer, University of Pittsburg and Adjunct Associate Professor, Osaka University, University of Pittsburgh

Humans are walking beings. Walking is intrinsically linked to our physical development from childhood and enables our connections with people and places. We can say it is essential to our physical and mental well-being.

Walking can also help create inclusive and sustainable cities. Most western cities incorporate this need in their spatial planning.

In African countries like Ghana, however, the fact that most people walk doesn’t always mean they prefer to. They need to walk because it’s cheaper than using motor vehicles. But many African cities are not friendly to pedestrians.

More than 70% of the urban population in Africa walk daily for various purposes. To deal with the challenges pedestrians encounter, some African cities have incorporated policies and strategies for walking into their motorised transport policies. For instance, in Nigeria, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority has developed a policy that aims to create a safe and pleasant network of footpaths, greenways and other facilities that serve everyone in the city.

In Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), a similar policy was developed. Its objective is to increase the number of people who walk by investing in walking facilities and improving connectivity to public transport.

The strategies in these documents are commendable, but they have met practical challenges like funding, public perception and technical capacity.

Ghana also has several transport and local development planning policies. Yet most urban areas in Ghana don’t have walking infrastructure and a safe walking environment.

As scholars interested in sustainable urban development planning and policy, we reviewed some of these policies to explore how they treat walking as a way of getting around. The research also assessed institutional perspectives and residents’ everyday lived experiences of walkability in Accra, the capital city. We found that both policies and urban plans paid little attention to making the walking experience enjoyable.

Read more: City streets: why South Africa should design more people-friendly spaces

The study

The Ghana Transport Survey Report indicates that over three-quarters (75.3%) of the country’s population make up to ten daily trips on foot, and most urban areas lack walking infrastructure. Pedestrians account for about 42% of road deaths in Ghana.

We chose two study sites in Accra, the capital, where many come to find work. The sites represented inner-city and suburban areas. The research used in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 80 people to capture the perspectives of institutional representatives and community residents. We explored walking experiences in terms of accessibility, safety and enjoyment.

Findings

Accessibility: The national transport policy seeks to provide dedicated, safe, reliable and appropriate facilities for users across all transport modes. What we found, however, was an absence of infrastructure to enhance pedestrian access to facilities and services.

One resident commented:

The roads are not only in poor condition but they have no sidewalks. It is not hard to assume that these were built for car owners, not pedestrians’ everyday use.

Safety: The research revealed a chasm between policy ambitions for walking and realities at the community level. Municipal development plans don’t say how they will address the frequent crashes that result from commuters, vendors and motorists competing for space. The most at risk are pedestrians, who represent 42% of transport-related fatalities. This is because of noncompliance with bylaws that regulate activities on the roads and pedestrian pathways.

One municipal official said:

Look at the streets: Motorists, street vendors, school children on the same street space. There is encroachment, reckless driving, illegally parked cars on road shoulders. School children and the disabled face constant risks. But the plan aims to make the neighborhoods walkable. Just words as always.

Enjoyment: Enjoyment was the least considered aspect of walkability in both national policy and municipal development plans. The absence of facilities and infrastructure that offer comfort, aesthetics and other pleasures for pedestrians provides a clear indication of this.

A community leader complained:

Flooding and poor sanitation create an unpleasant walking environment. Clogged waste, poor drains, and rubbish along streets and alleyways are a problem. There is nothing pleasant about walking: the smell, the dust, the noise and the heat. You walk because you have no choice.

Read more: New forms of urban planning are emerging in Africa

Towards cities that are walkable

The deep gulf between what the policies say and everyday experiences in our study calls for new ways of thinking and implementation within the urban transport in Ghana’s development planning regime.

We suggest that there is a need for transport planners, urban and development planners, and policymakers to consider coproduction strategies in identifying, framing, developing, and implementing interventions. This will help harness the potential for walking as a social equaliser and its contribution to healthy, safe, equitable cities and communities.

Here, action-oriented collaborative strategies like workshops that consider communities as partners can transition African urban residents from captive walkers to walkers who enjoy it.

– Accra is a tough city to walk in: how city planners can fix the problem
– https://theconversation.com/accra-is-a-tough-city-to-walk-in-how-city-planners-can-fix-the-problem-253636

MIL OSI Africa –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CS attends FSD open day

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Fire Services Department today held an open day at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy (FASA) in support of National Security Education Day, which will be held on Tuesday.

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki attended a flag-raising ceremony and spoke at the event, which attracted more than 9,000 participants.

He praised the 41 departmental staff who recently took part in search-and-rescue operations in earthquake-stricken areas of Myanmar, commending the team’s swift response and professionalism. He added that their efforts demonstrated China’s commitment to global humanitarian efforts and support for the spirit of international security, which he said is an essential element of a holistic approach to national security.

The Chief Secretary then toured an exhibition on national security, and also the National Security Education & Resource Centre at the FASA. Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung visited game booths set up as part of the open day.

As part of the event, facilities such as the simulated Pak Shing Kok railway station, training simulations, and the fire and ambulance services education centre, were also open to the public.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 13, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Fresh details emerge on Australia’s new climate migration visa for Tuvalu residents
ANALYSIS: By Jane McAdam, UNSW Sydney

The details of a new visa enabling Tuvaluan citizens to permanently migrate to Australia were released this week.

The visa was created as part of a bilateral treaty Australia and Tuvalu signed in late 2023, which aims to protect the two countries’ shared interests in security, prosperity and stability, especially given the “existential threat posed by climate change”.

The Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union, as it is known, is the world’s first bilateral agreement to create a special visa like this in the context of climate change.

Here’s what we know so far about why this special visa exists and how it will work.

Why is this migration avenue important?
The impacts of climate change are already contributing to displacement and migration around the world.

As a low-lying atoll nation, Tuvalu is particularly exposed to rising sea levels, storm surges and coastal erosion.

As Pacific leaders declared in a world-first regional framework on climate mobility in 2023, rights-based migration can “help people to move safely and on their own terms in the context of climate change.”

And enhanced migration opportunities have clearly made a huge difference to development challenges in the Pacific, allowing people to access education and work and send money back home.

As international development expert Professor Stephen Howes put it,

Countries with greater migration opportunities in the Pacific generally do better.

While Australia has a history of labour mobility schemes for Pacific peoples, this will not provide opportunities for everyone.

Despite perennial calls for migration or relocation opportunities in the face of climate change, this is the first Australian visa to respond.

Fresh details emerge on Australia’s new climate migration visa for Tuvalu residents. I explain here … https://t.co/EvPJkDUxEa via @ConversationEDU

— Jane McAdam (@profjmcadam) April 10, 2025

How does the new visa work?
The visa will enable up to 280 people from Tuvalu to move to Australia each year.

On arrival in Australia, visa holders will receive, among other things, immediate access to:
- education (at the same subsidisation as Australian citizens)
- Medicare
- the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
- family tax benefit
- childcare subsidy
- youth allowance.
They will also have “freedom for unlimited travel” to and from Australia.

This is rare. Normally, unlimited travel is capped at five years.

According to some experts, these arrangements now mean Tuvalu has the “second closest migration relationship with Australia after New Zealand”.

Reading the fine print
The technical name of the visa is Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement).

The details of the visa, released this week, reveal some curiosities.

First, it has been incorporated into the existing Pacific Engagement Visa category (subclass 192) rather than designed as a standalone visa.

Presumably, this was a pragmatic decision to expedite its creation and overcome the significant costs of establishing a wholly new visa category.

But unlike the Pacific Engagement Visa — a different, earlier visa, which is contingent on applicants having a job offer in Australia — this new visa is not employment-dependent.

Secondly, the new visa does not specifically mention Tuvalu.

This would make it simpler to extend it to other Pacific countries in the future.

Who can apply, and how?

To apply, eligible people must first register their interest for the visa online. Then, they must be selected through a random computer ballot to apply.

The primary applicant must:
- be at least 18 years of age
- hold a Tuvaluan passport, and
- have been born in Tuvalu — or had a parent or a grandparent born there.
People with New Zealand citizenship cannot apply. Nor can anyone whose Tuvaluan citizenship was obtained through investment in the country.

This indicates the underlying humanitarian nature of the visa; people with comparable opportunities in New Zealand or elsewhere are ineligible to apply for it.

Applicants must also satisfy certain health and character requirements.

Strikingly, the visa is open to those “with disabilities, special needs and chronic health conditions”. This is often a bar to acquiring an Australian visa.

And the new visa isn’t contingent on people showing they face risks from the adverse impacts of climate change and disasters, even though climate change formed the backdrop to the scheme’s creation.

Settlement support is crucial
With the first visa holders expected to arrive later this year, questions remain about how well supported they will be.

The Explanatory Memorandum to the treaty says:

Australia would provide support for applicants to find work and to the growing Tuvaluan diaspora in Australia to maintain connection to culture and improve settlement outcomes.

That’s promising, but it’s not yet clear how this will be done.

A heavy burden often falls on diaspora communities to assist newcomers.

For this scheme to work, there must be government investment over the immediate and longer-term to give people the best prospects of thriving.

Drawing on experiences from refugee settlement, and from comparative experiences in New Zealand with respect to Pacific communities, will be instructive.

Extensive and ongoing community consultation is also needed with Tuvalu and with the Tuvalu diaspora in Australia. This includes involving these communities in reviewing the scheme over time.

Dr Jane McAdam is Scientia professor and ARC laureate fellow, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Sydney. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government cuts price of everyday items and summer essentials
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Government cuts price of everyday items and summer essentials

The Government has cut prices on the imports of everyday essentials like spices and juices to boost economic growth.
Prices slashed on 89 foreign products – ranging from pasta, fruit juices and spices to plastics and gardening supplies – over next two years

Cheaper imports will save businesses at least £17 million per year in a further bid to kickstart growth as part of the Plan for Change

Savings could be passed onto families, mixologists and amateur gardeners through lower prices on everyday items and summer essentials

UK committed to economic growth, business security and lower prices through free and open trade

UK businesses and consumers could benefit from lower prices on imports of everyday essentials like spices and juices as the Government takes further action to make the UK the best place to do business and kickstart economic growth.

In a further demonstration of the government’s commitment to free trade and responding to business need, the UK Global Tariff will be temporarily suspended on 89 products saving UK businesses up and down the country at least £17 million a year.

The products include plywood and plastics, which are essential for construction – making life easier for chippies all over the country.

Working in partnership with industry, the government has decided to suspend import tariffs on a whole range of products to lower costs for businesses, tariffs will now be cut to zero until July 2027.

The savings to businesses on products such as pasta, fruit juices, coconut oil and pine nuts could be passed onto consumers just in time for the summer season, meaning lower food prices in supermarkets, restaurants and pubs.

Products including agave syrup, often used in margaritas, and plant bulbs will also see tariffs removed meaning keen cocktail-makers and amateur gardeners could enjoy lowered costs as the warmer weather approaches.

These changes will support key growth sectors such as advanced manufacturing and clean energy to compete with international rivals, supporting the Government’s Industrial Strategy with the Plan for Change.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

Free and open trade grows economies, lowers prices and helps businesses to sell to the world, which is why we’re cutting tariffs on a range of products.

From food to furniture, this will reduce the cost of everyday items for businesses, with savings hopefully passed onto consumers.

As we face a new era of global trade, this government is going further faster to make Britain the best country to do business, delivering on our Plan for Change. These suspensions are just another example of that.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

In a changing world we know families are anxious about the cost of living, and businesses uncertain about their future. That’s why we’ve announced lower prices on imports of everyday essentials – helping businesses to thrive and pass on savings to customers.

Through our Plan for Change we’re supporting British business and putting more money in people’s pockets.

The UK Global Tariff applies to goods entering the UK that do not qualify for preferential treatment under, for example, a free trade agreement.

Businesses across the UK apply for temporary suspensions on a regular basis by providing evidence of the benefits to themselves, their sector and the wider economy.

CBI Europe and International Director Sean McGuire:

In the face of an uncertain and unpredictable global trading environment, government should be commended for suspending import duties on an array of products. Measures like these will be important for reducing the financial pressures on firms and help to drive growth for businesses of all sizes across the country.

The UK has already reduced tariffs on certain imported goods, benefitting British consumers with better choice, quality and prices on products like fruit juices from Peru and vacuum cleaners from Malaysia.

The Government is going further and faster in negotiating trade deals with partners including India, the Gulf Cooperation Council, South Korea and Switzerland which will unlock new opportunities for businesses, support jobs, and boost wages.

These measures come as the government acts swiftly to protect UK businesses and workers in a new era of global trade, through increasing flexibility on the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, cutting the red tape and bureaucracy that slows down clinical trials in the life sciences sector, investing up to £600 million in a new Health Data Research Service and backing a £30 million package to support the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport which is expected to support 5,000 jobs and boost the economy by £5 billion. 

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Published 13 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN holds a pull-aside meeting with Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia brand co. at the World Expo 2025

Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a pull-aside meeting with Mr. Rudy Khaw, Chief Executive Officer of the AirAsia brand co., on the margins of the World Expo 2025. Dr. Kao commended AirAsia’s pivotal role in promoting regional connectivity, integration, and tourism, aligning ASEAN’s goals of enhancing economic growth and cooperation among member states. AirAsia is at the World Expo 2025 to join the ASEAN Trail Challenge launch, a stamp rally adventure that invites visitors to explore unique gems and untapped potentials of each member states.

The post Secretary-General of ASEAN holds a pull-aside meeting with Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia brand co. at the World Expo 2025 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 13, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Labor and Coalition support for new home buyers welcome but other Australians also struggling with housing affordability

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Cull, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University

doublelee/Shutterstock

There is no denying housing reform is urgently needed in Australia to make housing more affordable and accessible to everyday Australians.

Both major parties have now announced the incentives they are offering to help first-home buyers. While both Labor and the Coalition are hopeful their newly announced policies will win the most votes, how easy will it be to implement and how will it help first-home buyers?

What new housing incentives are being offered?

Refreshingly, both major parties are offering more novel policies than have previously been announced. In addition, both policies offer welcome relief to first-home buyers.

As part of their $43 billion housing plan that already includes delivering 55,000 social and affordable homes, a Labor government will spend $10 billion to help more Australians purchase their first home.

The first part of this plan includes increasing housing supply by building 100,000 new homes over eight years – just for first home buyers. The government would work with the states to identify where these homes will be built, beginning next financial year.

The second part of Labor’s plan involves expanding the 5% deposit Home Guarantee Scheme to remove the annual cap of 50,000 places and removing income thresholds.

It will also increase property price caps to better reflect local markets so that buyers can look to purchase a property where they currently work and/or live. For example, the current cap in Sydney will increase from $900,000 to $1.5 million.

The Home Guarantee Scheme, which has already been used by more than 150,000 Australians, allows eligible first-home buyers to purchase a property with a 5% deposit and without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance. The government guarantees part of the home loan. This will speed up the time that it will take for first-home buyers to save for a deposit, as they will be able to use a smaller deposit to secure a home.

The 100,000 homes that would be built as part of Labor’s plans would only be available to first time home owners.
Go My Media

The Coalition have announced they will permit first-time buyers of newly built properties to deduct interest on up to $650,000 of their mortgage against their income for up to five years. The first home buyers, however, have to remain in their home for this time period.

This will be available to singles on incomes up to $175,000 and couples with a combined income of up to $250,000. This is similar to the mortgage interest tax deduction currently permitted through negative gearing to property investors with rental properties.

How easy are these housing policies to implement?

While Labor’s Home Guarantee policy is already in operation, it should be relatively easy to expand this policy.

However, in terms of building 100,000 homes, we know Labor is already well behind on its plan to build new housing stock, even though the number of dwellings increased by 53,200 to 11,294,300 for the quarter ended December 2024.

This is where Labor’s policy of increasing subsidies to apprentices in the construction industry, as well plans to invest in prefabricated and modular homes and introduce a national certification system will help. While welcomed by housing advocates, the detail surrounding exactly where the houses will be built is an important part of this new housing policy.

The Coalition’s proposal is more radical and will require changes to legislation before it can be implemented.

It may also need to form part of more holistic taxation reform to have the intended effect. Details are still needed as to how this reform may affect the current capital gains tax exemption and other property tax concessions for one’s principal place of residence.

Whether the Coalition have other taxation reforms planned is yet to be revealed.

Could these policies work?

The latest housing policies announced by both major parties are a step in the right direction.

However, the details are missing and concerns remain around how these policies will interact with other policy proposals and whether there will be an unintended effect of pushing up housing prices.

Peter Dutton says the deduction scheme would save the average family about $11,000 a year.
Andrey Popov/Shutterstock

While increasing the supply of housing is the answer to the housing crisis, whether these houses can be built quickly is still questionable. The 5% deposit for first home buyers will go a long way in enabling first home buyers to save a deposit. However, this means the remaining 95% still needs to be repaid and first home buyers will still need to prove they can service the loan. It will also increase pressure on first home buyers if interest rates increase early in their home ownership journey.

First home owners who want to claim a tax deduction on their mortgage interest will still need to construct a new home, which will take some time to build.

The tax deduction will help first-home buyers in the early years of their mortgage when mortgage interest is highest. However, it does tend to favour higher income earners who receive larger tax deductions due to their higher tax brackets.

While it does little to put downward pressure on housing prices, the Coalition has combined this with an aggressive immigration policy aimed at increasing supply of established homes.

Given the tight and expensive market in Australia, the latest housing incentives announced by the major parties may come as welcome news to first home buyers. But any new policy must be viewed as part of the larger package of policies being offered. First home buyers are not the only ones experiencing problems with housing affordability and accessibility.

If anything, the contest for the federal election has forced both major parties to seriously consider their housing policies and share these with the public. However, the hardest part is yet to come: whether the incoming government’s housing policy is actually effective.

Michelle Cull is a member of CPA Australia, the Financial Advice Association Australia and President Elect of the Academy of Financial Services in the United States. Michelle is an academic member of UniSuper’s Consultative Committee. Michelle co-founded the Western Sydney University Tax Clinic which has received funding from the Australian Taxation Office as part of the National Tax Clinic Program. Michelle has previously volunteered as Chair of the Macarthur Advisory Council for the Salvation Army Australia.

– ref. Labor and Coalition support for new home buyers welcome but other Australians also struggling with housing affordability – https://theconversation.com/labor-and-coalition-support-for-new-home-buyers-welcome-but-other-australians-also-struggling-with-housing-affordability-254451

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Over 11,000 tonnes of waste collected

Source: City of Birmingham

Published: Sunday, 13th April 2025

Since Friday 4th April 2025, our clean-up crews across the city have collected 11,588 tonnes of waste, including the waste taken to HWRCs – the equivalent to 1,000 killer whales.

Our crews have been clearing approx. 1,500 tonnes of waste a day since our vehicles have been able to deploy on time, with around 100-120 refuse collection vehicles out every day. We have repurposed between 40 and 60 housing and street cleansing vehicles and deployed multiple ‘grab trucks’ to clear large rubbish piles each day, prioritising 15 of the most affected hotspot wards.

We are also supported by extra vehicles through mutual aid.

We predict we have around 4,500 tonnes left to clear up this week.

Leader of the Council Cllr John Cotton said: “Our work to clear the backlog is gathering pace and we will continue collecting waste over the weekend.

“I fully appreciate that there is still more to do, and I share the frustration of people across the city, but now that we are getting our crews out on time every day, we are starting to see a difference and I want to thank our amazing crews for their hard work over the last week.

“I also want to thank every citizen, community group and organisation that is helping with the clear-up. People are helping in neighbourhoods right across the city and their support is helping to clear our streets.”

Some of our household recycling centres have extended opening hours and slots can be booked online, and our mobile household waste centres are operating on extended hours too. You can check locations here.

Talks to resolve the dispute will continue next week and Cllr Cotton added: “I will stress again that we have made a fair and reasonable offer that means that no-one has to lose any pay at all, with alternative roles offered within the service, or indeed a promotion to work as a driver. We’re determined to reach an agreement but in the meantime, the clear-up continues.”

Useful links

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, Waihi

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Emergency services are at the scene of a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Rosemont Road and Consols Street, Waihi.

Police were called about 8.20pm.

The road is closed, with diversions in place.

Motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN holds a pull-aside meeting with Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia brand co

Source: ASEAN

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a pull-aside meeting with Mr. Rudy Khaw, Chief Executive Officer of the AirAsia brand co., on the margins of the World Expo 2025. Dr. Kao commended AirAsia’s pivotal role in promoting regional connectivity, integration, and tourism, aligning ASEAN’s goals of enhancing economic growth and cooperation among member states. AirAsia is at the World Expo 2025 to join the ASEAN Trail Challenge launch, a stamp rally adventure that invites visitors to explore unique gems and untapped potentials of each member states.

The post Secretary-General of ASEAN holds a pull-aside meeting with Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia brand co. at the World Expo 2025 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, Lower Hutt

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash on Dowse Drive, Maungaraki, involving a vehicle and a pedestrian.

Police were called about 7.15pm.

The pedestrian is reportedly in serious condition.

The road is closed, with diversions in place.

Motorists should avoid the area if possible.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Accra is a tough city to walk in: how city planners can fix the problem

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Seth Asare Okyere, Visiting lecturer, University of Pittsburg and Adjunct Associate Professor, Osaka University, University of Pittsburgh

Humans are walking beings. Walking is intrinsically linked to our physical development from childhood and enables our connections with people and places. We can say it is essential to our physical and mental well-being.

Walking can also help create inclusive and sustainable cities. Most western cities incorporate this need in their spatial planning.

In African countries like Ghana, however, the fact that most people walk doesn’t always mean they prefer to. They need to walk because it’s cheaper than using motor vehicles. But many African cities are not friendly to pedestrians.

More than 70% of the urban population in Africa walk daily for various purposes. To deal with the challenges pedestrians encounter, some African cities have incorporated policies and strategies for walking into their motorised transport policies. For instance, in Nigeria, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority has developed a policy that aims to create a safe and pleasant network of footpaths, greenways and other facilities that serve everyone in the city.

In Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), a similar policy was developed. Its objective is to increase the number of people who walk by investing in walking facilities and improving connectivity to public transport.

The strategies in these documents are commendable, but they have met practical challenges like funding, public perception and technical capacity.

Ghana also has several transport and local development planning policies. Yet most urban areas in Ghana don’t have walking infrastructure and a safe walking environment.

As scholars interested in sustainable urban development planning and policy, we reviewed some of these policies to explore how they treat walking as a way of getting around. The research also assessed institutional perspectives and residents’ everyday lived experiences of walkability in Accra, the capital city. We found that both policies and urban plans paid little attention to making the walking experience enjoyable.

Read more:
City streets: why South Africa should design more people-friendly spaces

The study

The Ghana Transport Survey Report indicates that over three-quarters (75.3%) of the country’s population make up to ten daily trips on foot, and most urban areas lack walking infrastructure. Pedestrians account for about 42% of road deaths in Ghana.

We chose two study sites in Accra, the capital, where many come to find work. The sites represented inner-city and suburban areas. The research used in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 80 people to capture the perspectives of institutional representatives and community residents. We explored walking experiences in terms of accessibility, safety and enjoyment.

Findings

Accessibility: The national transport policy seeks to provide dedicated, safe, reliable and appropriate facilities for users across all transport modes. What we found, however, was an absence of infrastructure to enhance pedestrian access to facilities and services.

One resident commented:

The roads are not only in poor condition but they have no sidewalks. It is not hard to assume that these were built for car owners, not pedestrians’ everyday use.

Safety: The research revealed a chasm between policy ambitions for walking and realities at the community level. Municipal development plans don’t say how they will address the frequent crashes that result from commuters, vendors and motorists competing for space. The most at risk are pedestrians, who represent 42% of transport-related fatalities. This is because of noncompliance with bylaws that regulate activities on the roads and pedestrian pathways.

One municipal official said:

Look at the streets: Motorists, street vendors, school children on the same street space. There is encroachment, reckless driving, illegally parked cars on road shoulders. School children and the disabled face constant risks. But the plan aims to make the neighborhoods walkable. Just words as always.

Enjoyment: Enjoyment was the least considered aspect of walkability in both national policy and municipal development plans. The absence of facilities and infrastructure that offer comfort, aesthetics and other pleasures for pedestrians provides a clear indication of this.

A community leader complained:

Flooding and poor sanitation create an unpleasant walking environment. Clogged waste, poor drains, and rubbish along streets and alleyways are a problem. There is nothing pleasant about walking: the smell, the dust, the noise and the heat. You walk because you have no choice.

Read more:
New forms of urban planning are emerging in Africa

Towards cities that are walkable

The deep gulf between what the policies say and everyday experiences in our study calls for new ways of thinking and implementation within the urban transport in Ghana’s development planning regime.

We suggest that there is a need for transport planners, urban and development planners, and policymakers to consider coproduction strategies in identifying, framing, developing, and implementing interventions. This will help harness the potential for walking as a social equaliser and its contribution to healthy, safe, equitable cities and communities.

Here, action-oriented collaborative strategies like workshops that consider communities as partners can transition African urban residents from captive walkers to walkers who enjoy it.

Seth Asare Okyere receives funding from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations.

Daniel Oviedo receives funding from University College London and the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations.

Louis Kusi Frimpong receives funding from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) funding program

Mariajose Nieto receives funding from Volvo Research and Educational Foundation

Matthew Abunyewah and Stephen Leonard Mensah do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Accra is a tough city to walk in: how city planners can fix the problem – https://theconversation.com/accra-is-a-tough-city-to-walk-in-how-city-planners-can-fix-the-problem-253636

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China-Laos Railway extended in shuttle-service section

Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

KUNMING, April 13 — An international train service on a section of the China-Laos Railway has been extended with more train stations added to it, thereby providing increased travel solutions for international passengers, according to China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. on Sunday.

In addition to the train service linking the terminal stations of Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, and the Laotian capital Vientiane, there is also a shuttle train service section on the China-Laos Railway connecting Xishuangbanna of Yunnan with Luang Prabang in Laos.

From Sunday, this shuttle-service section will offer a 94-km extension to Pu’er in Yunnan, a city famous for its tea and coffee production, while this service extension also features a stop at Nateuy of Laos.

As of Sunday, the section of Xishuangbanna-Luang Prabang international passenger train service on the China-Laos Railway had transported a total of 220,000 passengers, including 81,000 cross-border passengers, since its launch a year ago.

MIL OSI China News –

April 13, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Election Diary: Liberal and Labor launches focus on housing, but who thinks either side can fix that crisis any time soon?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

If anyone had any doubts before, Sunday’s Liberal and Labor launches highlighted that this election is an auction for votes, in particular those of the under 40s and people in the outer suburbs.

Amid the usual launch hoopla – the Liberals choosing western Sydney and Labor returning to Perth – both parties announced major fresh housing initiatives. They were making a deep bow to what’s a central issue for younger Australians who still aspire to the so-called “Australian dream” but can’t see themselves affording it.

Significantly, Peter Dutton also produced a tax handout – a tax offset of up to $1200 targeted to lower and middle income earners. This was despite his signalling earlier in the campaign he wouldn’t be able to afford to do so. On tax, Anthony Albanese promised people would be able to claim a $1000 automatic tax deduction for work expenses (at a cost of $2.4 billion over the forward estimates).

The Liberal campaign has been flagging. Labor has appeared headed for victory, at least in a comfortable minority. The Liberals might say they’ve been working on the policies produced on Sunday for some time, but they do have a “break glass” feel about them, as the opposition seeks to reinvigorate its campaign.

The Liberals’ proposal for the interest on a mortgage to be tax deductible has strict limits. It only applies to first home buyers, to new homes and (for the house buyer) for five years, and provided the buyer remains living in the home. There is a means test, and the interest deductibility only applies on the first $650,000 of the loan. This is why the plan is costed at a modest $1.25 billion over the forward estimates.

The plan will come under some tough criticism in the final three weeks of the campaign. Independent economist Saul Eslake said on Sunday the policy would put upward pressure on house prices. “We have 60 years of evidence going back to the Menzies government’s initial first home owners’ grant scheme that anything allowing people to spend more on housing than they otherwise would results in more expensive housing and a smaller proportion of the population owning it.”

Eslake argues that when this policy is combined with the Liberals’ policy to give people access to their superannuation for a deposit, “they make a candidate for the worst policy decision of the 21st century so far.”

In its new housing offer, Labor is promising to invest $10 billion for the construction of up to 100,000 new homes to be sold only to first home owners. Also, the present scheme under which the government guarantees a 5% home deposit would have the means test removed (the Liberals would also tweak some detail of this measure).

Labor in its first term committed to spending $33 billion and set a target of 1.2 million new homes over five years. Progress to the target is off course. The latest initiatives could be seen by some voters as more of the same.

The Liberals hope the interest deductibility policy might be a show stopper. But there is a salutary lesson from the 2022 campaign. The Liberals also came out at that campaign launch with a big housing initiative – to allow people access to their super for the purchase of their first home.

It wasn’t the “game changer” Scott Morrison labelled it. It was too late, for one thing. For another, policy auction or not, many voters make decisions on wider criteria, including what they think of the leaders and the context in which the contest is taking place.

The latter is especially important this election, when the vagaries of the Trump administration are driving some voters towards staying with “the devil you know”.

While the Liberals’ tax offset announcement came as a surprise, perhaps it was inevitable the Coalition would have to offer something on taxation. It seemed at the time crazy brave for the opposition to reject the government’s $17 billion budget package of tax cuts.

The opposition rationalises the money involved in its election carrots. The earlier-announced cuts in petrol and diesel fuel excise (costing $6 billion) would last a year (although open to extension). Then the $10 billion tax offset would cut in. The Liberals argue this sequencing balances immediate cost-of-living relief with economic responsibility.

Nevertheless, the opposition’s giveaways don’t sit easily with its mantra about the need to cut spending. We have yet to see the circle squared, and that will only come (if it does) at the end of the campaign when the accounting numbers are all submitted.

Meanwhile, Labor is making the most of the threat of Dutton’s unknown spending cuts. Albanese said in his speech: “If Peter Dutton won’t tell you what cuts he will make before you vote, if he refuses to say where the $600 billion for his nuclear reactors will come from, then every other promise is worthless.”

The figure of Donald Trump continues to hang over the campaign, with Albanese declaring “the Liberals want to copy from overseas”.

In an own goal on Saturday Jacinta Price, who is shadow minister for government efficiency, referred to the opposition’s commitment to “make Australia great again” at an appearance with Dutton.

Dutton’s launch speech ran for the best part of an hour, with three former prime ministers, John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, in the audience. Predictably, there was no sign of Malcolm Turnbull.

Julia Gillard was there for Albanese’s launch. Paul Keating didn’t make the trek to Perth; Kevin Rudd, as ambassador in Washington, has other responsibilities these days.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Election Diary: Liberal and Labor launches focus on housing, but who thinks either side can fix that crisis any time soon? – https://theconversation.com/election-diary-liberal-and-labor-launches-focus-on-housing-but-who-thinks-either-side-can-fix-that-crisis-any-time-soon-254206

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 13, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Accra is a tough city to walk in: how city planners can fix the problem

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Seth Asare Okyere, Visiting lecturer, University of Pittsburg and Adjunct Associate Professor, Osaka University, University of Pittsburgh

Humans are walking beings. Walking is intrinsically linked to our physical development from childhood and enables our connections with people and places. We can say it is essential to our physical and mental well-being.

Walking can also help create inclusive and sustainable cities. Most western cities incorporate this need in their spatial planning.

In African countries like Ghana, however, the fact that most people walk doesn’t always mean they prefer to. They need to walk because it’s cheaper than using motor vehicles. But many African cities are not friendly to pedestrians.

More than 70% of the urban population in Africa walk daily for various purposes. To deal with the challenges pedestrians encounter, some African cities have incorporated policies and strategies for walking into their motorised transport policies. For instance, in Nigeria, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority has developed a policy that aims to create a safe and pleasant network of footpaths, greenways and other facilities that serve everyone in the city.

In Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), a similar policy was developed. Its objective is to increase the number of people who walk by investing in walking facilities and improving connectivity to public transport.

The strategies in these documents are commendable, but they have met practical challenges like funding, public perception and technical capacity.

Ghana also has several transport and local development planning policies. Yet most urban areas in Ghana don’t have walking infrastructure and a safe walking environment.

As scholars interested in sustainable urban development planning and policy, we reviewed some of these policies to explore how they treat walking as a way of getting around. The research also assessed institutional perspectives and residents’ everyday lived experiences of walkability in Accra, the capital city. We found that both policies and urban plans paid little attention to making the walking experience enjoyable.

Read more:
City streets: why South Africa should design more people-friendly spaces

The study

The Ghana Transport Survey Report indicates that over three-quarters (75.3%) of the country’s population make up to ten daily trips on foot, and most urban areas lack walking infrastructure. Pedestrians account for about 42% of road deaths in Ghana.

We chose two study sites in Accra, the capital, where many come to find work. The sites represented inner-city and suburban areas. The research used in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 80 people to capture the perspectives of institutional representatives and community residents. We explored walking experiences in terms of accessibility, safety and enjoyment.

Findings

Accessibility: The national transport policy seeks to provide dedicated, safe, reliable and appropriate facilities for users across all transport modes. What we found, however, was an absence of infrastructure to enhance pedestrian access to facilities and services.

One resident commented:

The roads are not only in poor condition but they have no sidewalks. It is not hard to assume that these were built for car owners, not pedestrians’ everyday use.

Safety: The research revealed a chasm between policy ambitions for walking and realities at the community level. Municipal development plans don’t say how they will address the frequent crashes that result from commuters, vendors and motorists competing for space. The most at risk are pedestrians, who represent 42% of transport-related fatalities. This is because of noncompliance with bylaws that regulate activities on the roads and pedestrian pathways.

One municipal official said:

Look at the streets: Motorists, street vendors, school children on the same street space. There is encroachment, reckless driving, illegally parked cars on road shoulders. School children and the disabled face constant risks. But the plan aims to make the neighborhoods walkable. Just words as always.

Enjoyment: Enjoyment was the least considered aspect of walkability in both national policy and municipal development plans. The absence of facilities and infrastructure that offer comfort, aesthetics and other pleasures for pedestrians provides a clear indication of this.

A community leader complained:

Flooding and poor sanitation create an unpleasant walking environment. Clogged waste, poor drains, and rubbish along streets and alleyways are a problem. There is nothing pleasant about walking: the smell, the dust, the noise and the heat. You walk because you have no choice.

Read more:
New forms of urban planning are emerging in Africa

Towards cities that are walkable

The deep gulf between what the policies say and everyday experiences in our study calls for new ways of thinking and implementation within the urban transport in Ghana’s development planning regime.

We suggest that there is a need for transport planners, urban and development planners, and policymakers to consider coproduction strategies in identifying, framing, developing, and implementing interventions. This will help harness the potential for walking as a social equaliser and its contribution to healthy, safe, equitable cities and communities.

Here, action-oriented collaborative strategies like workshops that consider communities as partners can transition African urban residents from captive walkers to walkers who enjoy it.

Seth Asare Okyere receives funding from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations.

Daniel Oviedo receives funding from University College London and the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations.

Louis Kusi Frimpong receives funding from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) funding program

Mariajose Nieto receives funding from Volvo Research and Educational Foundation

Matthew Abunyewah and Stephen Leonard Mensah do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Accra is a tough city to walk in: how city planners can fix the problem – https://theconversation.com/accra-is-a-tough-city-to-walk-in-how-city-planners-can-fix-the-problem-253636

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Xi, Indonesian President Prabowo exchange congratulations over 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties

Source: China State Council Information Office

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday exchanged congratulations with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto over the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

In a congratulatory message, Xi said that as close neighbors across the sea and good partners sharing a common future, China and Indonesia have stood together through thick and thin and engaged in sincere cooperation over the past 75 years, achieving remarkable progress in bilateral relations and fostering deep-rooted friendship between the two peoples.

The Chinese president recalled his two meetings with Prabowo last year, during which the two sides agreed to firmly support each other’s development visions, jointly advance their respective paths to modernization and build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future with regional and global influence so as to elevate bilateral relations to new heights.

Both as major developing countries and important members of the Global South, the cooperation between China and Indonesia carries strategic significance and global influence, he said.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Indonesia relations, voicing readiness to take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties as an opportunity to work together with President Prabowo to further deepen bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation, strengthen multilateral strategic coordination, keep enriching the dimensions of the China-Indonesia community with a shared future with the features of the new era, and set an example of solidarity and mutual trust between major developing countries, a model of common development and a vanguard of South-South cooperation, so as to make joint contributions to the cause of human progress.

For his part, Prabowo, on behalf of the Indonesian government and people, extended sincere congratulations to Xi and the Chinese people on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of China-Indonesia diplomatic ties.

Indonesia and China enjoy a time-honored friendship and a strong and dynamic partnership, and have made rapid progress in bilateral cooperation in the “five pillars” of politics, economy, people-to-people and cultural exchange, maritime affairs and security, he said.

Prabowo expressed the hope that both sides will continue to deepen cooperation and cement the friendship between the two peoples so as to make positive contributions to world peace and stability.

MIL OSI China News –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Members of public come to officer’s assistance, Feilding

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

A road policing officer was a couple of hours into her shift yesterday Saturday 13 April, when she responded to a report received shortly after 2pm of a group of people fighting on the side of the Lethbridge Street in Feilding.

She intervened and the situation began to calm down. However, the arrival of another aggressive person saw the incident flare up again, putting the officer in a potentially dangerous position.

Other Police staff were travelling to the incident but were still several minutes away. Fortunately, several members of the public saw what was happening, and came to the officer’s aid while she worked to resolve the situation.

Manawatu Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham says, “What started out as a fairly typical callout involving a handful of people quickly escalated with the arrival of an aggressive person. I appreciate that members of the Feilding community stepped in to provide assistance until this officer’s colleagues arrived.

“We work hard to be there for the community and we’re always grateful when they’re there for us.”

One person is reported to have received minor injuries as a result of the incident. No Police staff were injured.

Two people were arrested and have been charged with assault. A 35-year-old woman and an 18-year-old woman are due to appear in Palmerston North District Court on Thursday 17 April.

An 18-year-old man was also charged with driving while disqualified, and the vehicle he was driving has been seized and impounded. He is due to appear in Palmerston North District Court on 24 April.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: MyWay+ ready to roll with Fare Free Fridays
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The new ticketing system will go live on buses and light rail from Wednesday 27 November 2024.
In brief:
The new public transport ticketing system, MyWay+ is now live.

The new MyWay+ phone app and website are available now. Canberrans can also purchase a MyWay+ card now.

Canberrans can also travel for free on public transport every Friday.

If you need support or have questions about the new ticketing system, please visit transport.act.gov.au or call 13 17 10.

The ACT Government’s new public transport ticketing system, MyWay+, is now live.

MyWay+ allows you to simply tap on and off public transport with your bank card or payment method on a mobile phone.

Old MyWay cards will no longer be accepted but Canberrans can purchase or order a new MyWay+ card if they wish.

The new MyWay+ mobile phone app and online portal are also available.

The app lets you plan and pay for your journey across different modes of transport, check accessibility options and receive personalised messages for your favourite bus and light rail services.

A MyWay+ account allows you to:

access personalised and convenient travel management

transfer any travel credit from old MyWay cards

make contactless payments

register concessions

order a new MyWay+ travel card

view travel and transaction history

customise your real time journey notifications in the MyWay+ app.
The MyWay+ app can be downloaded for free from:

The app lets you plan and pay for your journey across different modes of transport, check accessibility options and receive personalised messages for your favourite bus and light rail services.

No account, no problem

For Canberrans who do not want to use the new digital features as part of the MyWay+ system, there is still a physical MyWay+ travel card available from retail outlets (including concession travel cards).

Passengers can also use a credit card, debit card, Apple or Google Pay on their mobile phone to tap on and off.

Fare Free Fridays

Starting from Friday 6 December, Canberrans can use public transport for free every Friday.

Canberrans will still be required to tap on and off each service to support data collection, but will not be charged for the fare.

Ongoing improvements

There will be several system improvements to the MyWay+ system over the coming weeks.

These improvements will be based on user feedback as well as planned future software and system updates designed to enhance the user experience and meet the needs of Canberrans. Transport Canberra provides a regular update on its website to the improvements that are being made.

Please be kind to our bus and light rail drivers as the new system rolls out, and they get you from A to B.

Help is available

Customer service representatives will be located at major bus and light rail stops and interchanges over the coming weeks.

For further information, including access to the MyWay+ account, real-time journey planner and MyWay+ app along with a list of retail agents, visit www.transport.act.gov.au

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:
MIL OSI News –
April 13, 2025

Category: Transport

State Daddy versus Strongman Tough Cop

Who can we see at the 2025 election?

More than 200 attendees join major psychology conference hosted at the University

Redbridge marginal seats poll has swing to Labor

Dutton may be trailing in Dickson, and other seat polls

Candidate nominations declared

The Great Trade Diversion

A repeat of the Great Depression

Old fears, new pressures

Global trade system at a crossroads

Modern-day antisemitism, trajectories

Antisemitism far predates Nazism

Addressing Holocaust remembrance

Wider implications

Readying ocean science

Healthy oceans, healthy people

Investing in ocean futures

Collective action

The study

Findings

Towards cities that are walkable

Government cuts price of everyday items and summer essentials

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

CBI Europe and International Director Sean McGuire:

Share this page

Updates to this page

What new housing incentives are being offered?

How easy are these housing policies to implement?

Could these policies work?

The study

Findings

Towards cities that are walkable

The study

Findings

Towards cities that are walkable

In brief: