Though obvious that the objective of superannuation should be to provide retirement incomes for older Australians, the Coalition has sought to transform it into a solution to everything from housing affordability to healthcare problems, while the wealthy use the system to evade taxes. The reforms proposed by the Albanese government are a decent starting point from which to begin rectifying the superannuation.
It is disgraceful that Labor is characterizing the decision to allow people to access their funds during the pandemic merely as a cost to the taxpayer when they are actually motivated by a problematic plunge in liquidity for the current administration. The party's ultimate goal is crystal clear to restrict Australians from using their own money so that the Albanese Cabinet can plunder it to fund spending without the need to drastically alter the national budget.
There's a 43% chance that the Coalition will win the next Australian federal election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency have stepped up to ensure that the residents of East Palestine and the affected area are treated fairly and that Norfolk Southern is held accountable. Norfolk Southern has been given a legally-binding order to pay for the cleanup and restoration. The company will also be held accountable for any health issues they've caused. Strong government action is holding Norfolk Southern accountable.
It's clear that officials and the media are not being transparent about how far this catastrophe reaches. Chemical spills this large have long-standing implications on life in the impacted area. Residents are experiencing headaches, rashes, nausea, and other discomforts and are feeling a disconnect between what they are feeling and what they are being told. Residents are demanding accountability and transparency as they navigate this devastating disaster and try to make health and safety decisions — right now, there is a major disconnect.
This horrific assassination comes at a time when Chukwu was about to oust the incumbent senator for Enugu East, Chimaroke Nnamani, as his campaign was causing worries among local political moguls. Given the horrifying record of violence related to the now APC supporter Nnamani, it's no coincidence that the political climate in the state has reached a new low this week.
Although an investigation is still underway, the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra group's fingerprints are all over these deadly simultaneous attacks against candidates from Nigeria's main political parties. This is an obvious attempt to spread terror among the nation and disrupt the electoral process ahead of Saturday's vote.
There's a 50% chance that at least 14 at-risk Nigerian states will experience Islamic State attacks from Sept. 17, 2021 to Sept. 17, 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Despite the US and its allies blaming Pyongyang for increasing tensions, Washington cannot obscure the fact that it bears the main responsibility for declining diplomatic relations, especially as the Biden administration has switched back to a confrontational course following Donald Trump's efforts at de-escalation. Washington is fueling conflict to muscle closer ties with Japan and South Korea in order to expand its regional influence.
North Korea's escalating missile tests and repeated threats not to refrain from using tactical nuclear weapons demonstrate the regime's unpredictable hostility, putting the peace and stability of the entire region at risk. Kim Jong Un understands only the language of strength, as the failed negotiations in the Trump era have proven. US extended deterrence is the only way to both protect South Korea and force Kim to the negotiating table.
There's a 15% chance that North Korea and South Korea will be recognized as a single sovereign state by 2045, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
The media is often quick to link these types of events to climate change. However, researchers have yet to see evidence of that connection in this case. That California is experiencing a blizzard carrying rain and snow after a three-year-long period of drought is not unusual. These recent storms appear no different from other major storms that have struck the Golden State every decade or more since records began in the 1800s.
While this storm alone may not be evidence of climate change, its combination with extreme heat, drought, and rain across the nation — and globally — certainly makes a compelling argument that this is the result of global warming. This weather whiplash is reaching a boiling point, and leaders cannot stand idly by as people worldwide succumb to its effects.
One year into Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, allowing Moscow to achieve its goals and subvert the norms of international law and territorial sovereignty would be a moral travesty. The West must ensure Ukraine is well armed so that it can drive Russia out and prevent it from launching further invasions.
Since the war began, Western countries have poured fuel to the fire by relentlessly providing weapons to Ukraine — motivated by a desire to degrade Russia on the world stage, the West has dragged out the conflict rather than sought mediation. Ukrainians have paid the price for this with the destruction of their homeland and energy infrastructure, as well as through the deaths of thousands of soldiers. It's time to seek a political settlement.
There's a 24% chance that there will be a bilateral cease-fire or peace agreement in the Russo-Ukraine conflict before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
As is the case with many other technological advancements, this move is simply an attempt by an established global institution to hold onto the little power it still has. As cryptocurrency becomes legitimized by more and more people, the average worker and saver are becoming less reliant on the current system of debt slavery — that's the real reason the IMF recommends against providing legal tender status.
As the crypto market continues to prove itself dangerously volatile, governments should be focused not on banning but regulating these digital transactions so that they don't overtake traditional, more stable currencies, which is exactly what the IMF's latest plan seeks to do. As some national economies have already been negatively impacted by the likes of Bitcoin and others, it's time for authorities to promote trust in their own fiat currencies so that citizens don't get hurt by the unregulated global crypto market.
There's a 50% chance that at least five countries will recognize Bitcoin as legal tender by Jan 1, 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Approval ratings of labor unions are at their highest among Americans for almost six decades. As stoppages become more common — and it becomes clearer that engaging in collective activity gains workers more leverage to improve their conditions and pay — labor organization will only spread and power will become more equitably distributed between employers and employees.
While there has been a rise in stoppages following the pandemic, the levels seen today are nowhere near the scale of the 1960s and '70s. The strikes may also be short-lived, as SCOTUS appears poised to open the door for businesses to sue workers over any strike that causes economic damage to the employer in Glacier Northwest v. Teamsters. The significance of this trend should not be overstated just yet.
There is a 50% chance that at least 12% of American workers will be represented by a labor union in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Joint US-Russia space projects have been, and continue to be, isolated from the conflicts back on Earth. Though there has been some talk of Russia leaving the International Space Station, the two global foes have managed to continue working together for the betterment of science and humanity.
It was a short-sighted decision from the US to rely on Russia for the success of its space missions. The recent events in Ukraine underscore the need to immediately break this dependency and for the US to develop its own capabilities.
The worsening of the TTP insurgency in Pakistan is a direct result of the Taliban's takeover of neighboring Afghanistan. Though the Taliban may claim that it can be trusted to secure the border and strengthen the security situation in Afghanistan, it's a direct ally of the TTP and is likely supporting its attacks in Pakistan. The TTP, which has long taken refuge in Afghanistan, has benefited from the Taliban's return to Kabul, as it can now freely launch terror attacks into Pakistan.
Restraint is necessary on both sides of the border for an effective and just solution to this dispute. Both Afghanistan and Pakistan benefit from cross-border trade, and closing the border helps no one. The Taliban should take a stronger stand against the TTP, but Pakistan must also allow sick Afghans to cross the border. Neighbors should work together toward mutual benefits.
There's an 86% chance that Pakistan will recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.