Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

November is National Asbestos Awareness Month – Friday 28 Nov is Asbestos Awareness Day 2025

With around 4,000 Australians dying from an asbestos-related disease annually, (more than twice the national road toll), and the death toll continuing to rise, National Asbestos Awareness Month (November) aims to save lives by alerting Australians to the dangers of asbestos that lurks in 1-in-3 Aussie homes.

Conducted by the Asbestos Education Committee, the annual national campaign educates Australians about the ongoing dangers of legacy asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that can remain in any home built before 1990 by providing free tools and resources at asbestosawareness.com.au.

If sealed and in good, stable condition ACMs don’t pose a health risk. However, if disturbed during demolition, renovation or maintenance; and asbestos fibres are released and can be inhaled, those exposed can develop deadly diseases including malignant mesothelioma (there is no cure), lung cancer and asbestosis.

With evidence suggesting asbestos exposure is also linked to ovarian and laryngeal (voice box) cancers and increased risk of breast, stomach and colon cancers; only through increased awareness and providing free practical education tools to help identify and manage asbestos safely, will we prevent asbestos-related deaths.

Cherie Barber, Australia’s Renovation Queen™ and an Asbestos Awareness Ambassador for 12 years said, “Homeowners, renovators and tradies who fail to manage ACMs safely, not only risk exposing themselves to the deadly microscopic fibres, but can expose family members, children and neighbours.

“There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres, but there are tools and rules homeowners and tradies should follow to ensure ACMs are managed safely to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“They should start by visiting asbestosawareness.com.au to find out what they need to know and if a home was built before 1990, have it inspected by a licenced asbestos assessor or occupational hygienist to identify potential hazards and they should only use licenced asbestos removalists because it’s not worth the risk!”

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Safe Work Australia’s Mesothelioma in Australia 2024 report (29 August 2025), over the past 40 years the number of cases of mesothelioma has continued to steadily increase so awareness of the risks of exposure is essential to saving lives.

The report comprising cases of mesothelioma (reported up until 1 May 2025), noted that more than 9 in 10 people who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma and completed an Australian Mesothelioma Registry (AMR) exposure assessment, were assessed as having a history of possible or probable exposure to asbestos.

The AMR noted that while men have historically been more likely than women to be diagnosed with mesothelioma due to occupational exposure in trades, 94% (1,323 of 1,409) of respondents who completed the questionnaire reported non-occupational exposure.

89% of mesothelioma patients (1,176) reported ‘possible or probable asbestos exposure’ in non-occupational settings. Of these, 51% were exposed during major home renovations involving asbestos, 38% from living in a house while renovations were underway, 13% from residing in a fibro home built between 1947 and 1987, and 21% from living with someone occupationally exposed who brought asbestos dust into the home.

Clare Collins, Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee and campaign director since 2011 said, “Because Australia was one of the highest consumers of ACMs, twenty-two years after the national ban on asbestos came into force (Dec 2003), Australia continues to record one of the highest incidences of mesothelioma in the world.    

“Tragic cases of relatively young people being diagnosed with mesothelioma continue to be recorded because of exposure to fibres as children when their parents built homes using ACMs unaware of the risks,” she said.

“With the Australian Government’s First Home Guarantee Scheme expanding from 1 October 2025, considering property price caps, if young first homebuyers who are oblivious to asbestos risks purchase an older home requiring renovation, it’s vital they learn about asbestos risks and how to manage ACMs safely,” she said.

Ms Barber said, “Asbestos wasn’t just used in sheeting in the construction of fibro homes. Asbestos was used extensively in the manufacture of more than 3000 building and decorator products that can still be found in any brick, fibro, weatherboard, clad home or apartment built before 1990.

“Asbestos can lurk under floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, home extensions, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels. It was used everywhere!”

“Although in some states homeowners are permitted to remove up to ten square metres of bonded non-friable ACMs, people should avoid unnecessary asbestos risks and only use licenced asbestos professionals because the cost to homeowners, tradies and their families could be far greater if they’re exposed to the deadly fibres.”

“The message we want homeowners and tradies to hear is what NOT to do with asbestos! Don’t cut it! Don’t drill it! Don’t drop it! Don’t sand it! Don’t saw it! Don’t scrape it! Don’t scrub it! Don’t dismantle it! Don’t tip it! Don’t waterblast it! Don’t demolish it! Don’t dump it! And whatever they do…they should NEVER remove it themselves!” Ms Barber said.

Since 2011, Australia’s multi award-winning Asbestos Awareness campaign has been dedicated to saving lives by alerting renovators, property investors, managers and tradies to the asbestos risks and providing effective tools and information resources to ensure potentially hazardous asbestos materials are managed safely.

asbestosawareness.com.au is the world’s most comprehensive website for user-friendly information on identifying and managing ACMs with dedicated resources for renovators, investors and tradies including Asbestos in Homes: A Guide to Identification, Testing and Removal video; Asbestos 101 for Residential Property Owners, Managers and Tradies; Asbestos in Your Home – The Ultimate Renovators Guide video, Asbestos Awareness Residential Property Checklist – A Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying Asbestos-Containing Materials; Factsheets for homeowners and tradies, Trade-specific guides; Asbestos Products Database; Asbestos in Commercial Properties and Naturally Occurring Asbestos guidelines.

To help save lives, in 2025 the Asbestos Education Committee continues the National Asbestos Awareness Month campaign and its long-standing leadership role of providing world-first, user-friendly and freely accessible education resources at asbestosawareness.com.au for anyone who might risk disturbing ACMs including homeowners, renovators, landlords, tradies, commercial property and regional property owners and managers.

To access asbestos information and resources, images and graphics of asbestos-containing materials or Asbestos Awareness Ambassador Cherie Barber, Australia’s Renovation Queen™, please refer to the Media Centre at asbestosawareness.com.au

With just under seven days until the Micronesia Music Festival and Miss Micronesia pageant, more music acts have been revealed for the event running from 6-9 October in Nauru.

Festival director Livingstone Hiram said excitement was building in anticipation of a “hugely talented” festival lineup, which will showcase the best of Micronesian music and culture.

“Music is in our veins and the festival will help to showcase this throughout the region,” he said.

Event organisers have also announced that Kiribati's Broadcasting and Publications Authority would be a broadcast partner for the event, “to give the festival the widest possible audience.”

Mr Hiram said this will ensure the event is livestreamed to Kiribati, while Nauru Media would also be livestreaming.

“Those who can’t attend in person will still be able to participate and enjoy some truly memorable performances in an event that’s all about culture, community, and celebration.”

The music festival features artists from Nauru, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Chuuk, Kosrae, Yap and the Northern Mariana Islands.

These include Garden Rootz from Kiribati, Barab Harris and Sugahspooks from Marshall Islands, and Zerobecoolin from FSM.

The theme for the event is “We are Micronesia! Navigating our legacy; Charting our future.”

Coinciding with the music festival, Nauru is also hosting the 2025 Miss Micronesia Pageant in a celebration of Micronesian nations.

Mr Hiram said the pageant would be colourful and exciting, and the contestants are looking forward to another opportunity to showcase their talents in a wider regional competition.

“Our culture, people, natural attractions and more will be on display in Nauru during this celebration as we come together in unity.”

Source: Amnesty International

Rohingya communities in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State are facing forced labour, food and health crises, severe restrictions on movement and escalating armed conflict, Amnesty International said today as it warned against dangerously premature decisions to repatriate refugees from Bangladesh.

Tomorrow the UN General Assembly will convene a High-level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar. The conference aims to formulate a planunder which the more than one million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh can return home to Myanmar after the majority were violently driven from the country by the military in 2016 and 2017.

Amnesty International conducted interviews with 15 Rohingya refugees who arrived in Bangladesh within the past year, as recently as July 2025. The refugees came from both Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships, which were both captured from the Myanmar military by the Arakan Army in 2024. The organization also spoke with UN agency staff, diplomats, researchers and international humanitarian organizations.

In addition, Amnesty International met with representatives from the political and humanitarian wings of the Arakan Army: the United League of Arakan (ULA) and the Humanitarian and Development Coordination Office (HDCO).

“Existing conditions in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State are nowhere near ready for Rohingya to return safely,” Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher Joe Freeman said. “The Arakan Army has, to many Rohingya, replaced the Myanmar military as their oppressor. The military are using Rohingya civilians as cannon fodder to fight against the Arakan Army, and Rohingya armed groups are launching new attacks into the territory. The dramatic reduction of US aid has further contributed to a humanitarian crisis in which supplies are scarce and prices are skyrocketing.

“While it is vitally important to put an international spotlight on the Rohingya crisis with this conference, any attempt to push ahead with repatriation without addressing the acute dangers facing all communities – Rohingya, Rakhine and other ethnic minorities in Bangladesh and in Myanmar – could be catastrophic.”

‘This is not your country’

The northern part of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, which borders Bangladesh, is now under the control of the Arakan Army, while the Myanmar military still controls the state capital Sittwe, a key entry point for aid and transportation.

In November 2023, the Arakan Army, which is also loosely aligned with myriad opposition armed groups fighting against the Myanmar military since a coup in 2021, began an offensive that drove the military out of much of the northern part of the state. It now has effective control of Myanmar’s entire border with Bangladesh.

Long-standing tensions between the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population of Rakhine State and the Rohingya Muslim population have been exploited by the Myanmar military, which worked with Rohingya armed groups and forcibly recruited Rohingya civilians to fight against the mostly Buddhist Arakan Army.

Due to the armed conflict, Rohingya and Rakhine civilians have been caught between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military, which has blocked the delivery of humanitarian aid via the state capital Sittwe, and carried out deadly indiscriminate air strikes. Earlier this month, in one such attack, a military air strike reportedly killed at least 19 Rakhine students while they slept. 

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya are internally displaced, and more than 150,000 Rohingya men, women and children have fled across the border to the Bangladesh camps in the last 20 months, according to the UN refugee agency, bringing the total number of refugees to an estimated 1.2 million.

Amnesty International and other groups have documented violations of international humanitarian law and mounting abuses against civilians by the Arakan Army, including indiscriminate attacks and arbitrary detention.

For Rohingya civilians, life under Arakan Army rule in Rakhine State feels painfully similar to life under the Myanmar military. Many allege it is worse, as they are constantly under suspicion of being tied to Rohingya militant groups. A report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on 2 September said that “restrictions on the rights and freedoms of Rohingya imposed by previous Governments remained in place,” and that similar to the Myanmar military, the Arakan Army denied Rohingya identity by referring to them only as Bengalis or Muslims.

Arakan Army representatives argue the group is the victim of a propaganda campaign fuelled by Rohingya activists and armed groups.

According to testimony gathered by Amnesty International, Rohingya communities in northern Rakhine state face severe restrictions on movement by the Arakan Army, discriminatory bans on fishing or other livelihood options, forced labour and inadequate access to healthcare, education and humanitarian aid. They also continue to die or be seriously injured in the ongoing conflict.

One man in his 20s said that while Arakan Army soldiers were leading him and members of his family to a camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), he saw at least four people lose limbs from stepping on landmines.

A 60-year-old man who fled Myanmar with his family in July 2025 described life in an IDP camp in Buthidaung Township, where he was moved after the Arakan Army took Buthidaung from the Myanmar military in May 2024. He said the Arakan Army were searching for members of Rohingya armed groups at the camp and that they “randomly took people from the crowd and disappeared them”.

People living in the camp were also forced to work, including in frontline conflict areas.

“They would make us carry stones and bricks to their checkpoints and stack them there while we were hungry. Since I was old, they did not make me do all of that work, but my children had to do it more than 10 times…if we refused to work, [members of the Arakan Army] would beat us severely, forcing us to lie face down while they beat us.”

People who lived in IDP camps in Myanmar before fleeing to Bangladesh said they ate infrequently, relying on rice and water from a muddy well, and that children died after getting diarrhea.

“They [the Arakan Army] did not provide anything; instead, they seemed happy when anyone died,” the 60-year-old man said. “They would say, ‘This is not your country. This is our country, our land, our water, our air – nothing here belongs to you. Get out of our country.’”

People were told by the Arakan Army that if they did not follow their rules or refused to work, they would be kicked out of Myanmar.

‘No school, no medicine and no aid’

A 25-year-old who spent eight months displaced from his home in Buthidaung Township before arriving in Bangladesh in January of this year said conditions in the IDP camp where he lived were “terrible”.

“We had no school, no medicine, no food and no aid. Occasionally, we secretly brought back some rice from unburnt villages. We used water from a single pond and needed Arakan Army permission to go anywhere.”

He said his brother was shot and injured by the Arakan Army when soldiers were trying to forcibly relocate large groups of people and they were not moving fast enough. On another occasion, the man said the Arakan Army suspected him of being part of a Rohingya armed group and began beating him for information. When the man’s pregnant wife asked them to stop, he said they hit her as well, which the couple believe caused developmental problems with their baby after the birth.

“The Arakan Army treated us worse than the Myanmar military. Whenever fighting occurred between the two forces, they forced us to clean the aftermath, picking up bodies and debris, then dumping them in the river. I was forced to do this over 10 times without pay. Every family was required to send someone aged 15 to 70 for forced labour. If anyone refused, they were beaten,” he said.

A 35-year-old woman, who also arrived in Bangladesh in January 2025 after walking for five days across mountainous terrain with her children, said farmers had to pay tax in rice to the Arakan Army, and Rohingya had to make paid applications to seek permission to travel.

“Under Arakan Army control, every household was forced to provide night guards, boys from as young as 10 years old up to men in their 70s, and to send family members for forced labour at least five times per month,” she said, adding that young men were also forcibly recruited to fight. “If anyone refused, we were told to leave this country or face punishment.”

The descriptions of restrictions on movement imposed by the Arakan Army match details of travel documents obtained by Amnesty International that show the permissions needed to move from place to place. One interviewee said mandatory travel documents had to be paid for, and some were only good for two days. Another said that the Arakan Army would allow only a limited number of people to leave their homes for basic errands and only for one hour.

Under international law, forced labour is defined as any work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty, and for which the person has not offered himself voluntarily.

Responding to these allegations, Arakan Army representatives told Amnesty International that it did not practise forced labour against civilians, but that detainees such as convicted criminals or prisoners of war would sometimes be put to work, or given tasks as “exercise”. They said that any clean-up activities following the conflict were voluntary community work, and that while there were fees for travel authorization documents, they were around 2,000 to 3,000 Myanmar kyats, equivalent to $1 to $1.50 USD.

‘We were not allowed to fish’

The World Food Programme said in August that “a deadly combination of conflict, blockades, and funding cuts is driving a dramatic rise in hunger and malnutrition”. It added that in central Rakhine State, the number of families unable to meet basic food needs was up to 57 percent, compared to 33 percent in December 2024. It said the situation in northern Rakhine state, where international organizations are not active, was likely “much worse”.

A 45-year-old man who arrived in Bangladesh in July 2025 said that ethnic Rakhine people in Buthidaung Township were allowed to fish and move around freely, while Rohingya were not.

“We were not allowed to fish or go to the river. We could not work or buy food. The Arakan Army began demanding money from us, used us as forced labour without pay and banned movement between villages. Anyone who refused was punished harshly,” he said, adding that this included being detained and denied food.

“One day, I tried to go fishing for survival. The Arakan Army caught me, beat me with a rifle…and took away the fish I had caught.”

Arakan Army representatives told Amnesty International that movement and livelihood restrictions were not discriminatory and applied to Rakhine communities too. They said due to the armed conflict the restrictions were necessary for the security of the community. They also added that the Rohingya – whom they referred to as Muslims – were given jobs and that their rights and freedoms would be fulfilled and protected, pointing to the recent opening of a long-closed mosque in Maungdaw.

“We welcome any steps by the Arakan Army to provide the Rohingya communities with long-denied rights, and we hope that their public commitments to inclusivity, justice and accountability match the situation on the ground. They must avoid presenting one face to the international community and another to the Rohingya,” Freeman said.

New CommBank data reveals 11 per cent of customers reduced their direct debit repayments, with customers 32 months ahead on average.

29 September 2025

Data at a glance

• 11 per cent of eligible1 CommBank home loan customers reduced their direct debit repayments following the August rate cut.
•  First home buyers were less likely to make changes, with around 8 per cent reducing repayments, compared to 11 per cent of subsequent buyers.
• 14 per cent of customers aged 31 to 40 reduced their repayments, the highest of any age group.
• NSW and ACT residents were the most proactive, with nearly 14 per cent opting to lower their direct debit repayments.

New home loan trend emerges

New CommBank data shows that following CBA’s August variable rate reduction, 11 per cent of eligible home loan customers reduced their direct debit repayments – a figure slightly above, but still consistent with the proportions seen after the February and May cuts at the same point in time.

Across this year’s three variable rate cuts, most customers have kept their repayments unchanged – demonstrating a consistent trend and helping them to stay ahead of their repayments.

Executive General Manager Home Buying Marcos Meneguzzi said: “What really stands out is the consistency. Following each rate cut this year, the percentage of customers reducing their direct debit repayments has been almost identical at the same point in time. That is even as the potential savings from reducing repayments have increased.”

Across the February, May and August rate cuts, the combined monthly savings for a customer making principal and interest repayments on an average loan size of $500,000 is $240. 2

“While most customers have left their repayments unchanged, it’s important for them to know they can reduce them at any time in the CommBank app and NetBank, generally in just a few minutes. We want to make sure people feel supported and have the flexibility to manage their home loan in a way that works best for them,” Marcos said.

CommBank’s 2025 Financial Year results showed 85 per cent of home loan customers were ahead on their repayments, with an average buffer of 32 monthly payments – up from 80 per cent and 29 months at the same time in 2024.

First home less likely to reduce home loan repayments

First home buyers were more likely to keep their repayments unchanged, with just 8 per cent choosing to reduce their direct debit amount. By comparison, 11 per cent of subsequent buyers opted to lower their repayments.

CommBank customer Libby Strassmeir, a 29-year-old occupational therapist purchased land and built her first home in Sydney two years ago and is among the nearly 8 per cent of first home buyers who chose to reduce their repayments.

While Libby hasn’t reduced her repayments to the new minimum amount, she has chosen to lower them slightly after each rate cut. This has allowed her to manage her home loan in line with her personal situation, while still building a financial buffer and increasing her cashflow.

“Keeping my repayments above the minimum gives me the capacity to live my life and enjoy things with my family and friends, while also still feeling like I am making a good financial decision, chipping away at my larger mortgage,” Libby said.

Age cohorts reducing repayments reflect different life stages

Eligible customers aged 31 to 40 were nearly twice as likely to reduce their direct debit repayments compared to those under 20, with 14 per cent making reductions, versus just 8 per cent of the younger cohort.

Meanwhile, customers over 60 were the least likely to make changes, with only 7 per cent reducing their repayments.

Looking at other age groups: 11 per cent of customers aged 21 to 30 adjusted their repayments, as did 13 per cent of those aged 41 to 50, and 9 per cent of those aged 51 to 60.

“Similar to what we’ve seen previously, the age groups choosing to reduce their repayments reflect the different life stages of our customers,” Marcos said.

“Those in their thirties and forties could be raising young families and may need more immediate financial relief, while customers over 60 or just starting out on their home loan journey were less likely to make changes, as their priorities and circumstances are quite different.”

NSW and the ACT lead the way

State-by-state, eligible customers in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory were most likely to reduce their home loan direct repayments, with around 14 per cent choosing to do so. Victoria followed at 12 per cent, while Queensland and South Australia both saw 9 per cent of customers making reductions.

In contrast, customers in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania were the least likely to lower their repayments, all at 7 per cent.

Household finances show signs of recovery

With many CommBank customers choosing to stay ahead on their home loan repayments, CBA’s Head of Australian Economics Belinda Allen says there are encouraging signs of recovery in household finances.

“More broadly we are seeing the household sector show signs of improvement after a challenging couple of years. In our latest Household Spending Insights Index we have seen six months of consistently better spending momentum, led by those who rent and those who have a mortgage,” Ms Allen said.

“Improvements in household income driven by lower inflation, lower interest rates and income tax cuts have all helped. We are optimistic this trend in household spending should continue in the last few months of the year and into 2026.”

The relentless Israeli offensive in Gaza City has forced Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to suspend its vital medical activities in the area due to the rapidly deteriorating security situation, including continued airstrikes and advancing tanks less than one kilometre from our healthcare facilities. The escalating attacks from Israeli forces have created an unacceptable level of risk for our staff, forcing us to suspend lifesaving medical activities.

“We have been left with no choice but to stop our activities as our clinics are encircled by Israeli forces. This is the last thing we wanted, as the needs in Gaza City are enormous, with the most vulnerable people – infants in neo-natal care, those with severe injuries and life-threatening illnesses – unable to move and in grave danger,” says Jacob Granger, MSF Emergency Coordinator in Gaza.

While large numbers of people have fled south due to evacuation orders, there are still hundreds of thousands in Gaza City, who are unable to leave and have no other option but to stay. Those who are able to leave face an impossible choice: either remain in Gaza City under intense military operations and the deterioration of law and order, or abandon what’s left of their houses, their belongings and their memories, to move to areas where humanitarian conditions are rapidly collapsing.

At the same time, partially functional hospitals across the Strip are overwhelmed due to severe shortages of staff, supplies, and fuel, while patients face enormous obstacles reaching care, often arriving late and in critical condition. Last week alone, and despite the rising offensive, our clinics in Gaza City carried out over 3,640 consultations and treated 1,655 patients suffering from malnutrition. We have also treated patients with severe trauma injuries, burns, as well as pregnant women and others requiring ongoing medical care who are unable to leave the city. This shows the scale of medical needs. Although MSF has been forced to suspend its activities in Gaza City, we aim to continue supporting key services in Ministry of Health facilities, including Al Helou and Al Shifa hospitals, while they continue to function. Access to and the provision of safe drinking water, food, shelter and care is increasingly restricted. People in Gaza City have been repeatedly and relentlessly bombed. They are exhausted and are being deliberately deprived of the essentials needed to survive.

We call for an immediate halt to the violence and concrete measures at the necessary scale to protect civilians. Israeli authorities must immediately guarantee unhindered access and security for humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza City and acceptable conditions for the safe and sustained delivery of medical care and humanitarian aid—conditions that are clearly not in place today.

September 26 2025 – A sweeping new tariff on branded and patented pharmaceuticals is poised to backfire on the United States, and global investors are already positioning for the fallout.

This is the immediate reaction from Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, one of the world's largest independent financial advisory and asset management organizations, following the 100% duty announced by President Donald Trump, due to take effect on October 1.

It is designed to force drug manufacturing back onshore. Instead, it threatens to raise costs, disrupt supply chains and accelerate capital flows away from US markets.

Nigel Green, chief executive of deVere Group, warns that the move undermines the very goal it claims to serve.

“A tariff of this magnitude on high-value medicines will ripple through every part of the global health economy,” he says.

“Rather than sparking a manufacturing renaissance, it'll deter investment, heighten inflationary pressure and drive sophisticated capital to markets that remain open and predictable.”

The stakes are enormous. US pharmaceutical imports have surged to more than $200 billion a year, reflecting a tightly knit global production system that cannot be uprooted quickly.

Active ingredients and critical components often cross borders multiple times before a finished treatment reaches a patient.

“You can't rebuild decades of specialized infrastructure overnight,” he notes. “Investors see that reality more clearly than policymakers.”

This tariff arrives as the US already wrestles with rising healthcare costs and persistent medication shortages.

Analysts expect higher prescription prices within months, as importers and distributors pass on the new levy.

“The inflationary impulse is obvious,” Nigel Green says. “Global investors will look beyond headlines and position for a weaker dollar and firmer pricing power in non-US pharmaceutical hubs.

“Capital is fluid; and it won't wait for Washington to change course.”

He points to the broader context of trade confrontation. The administration has expanded national-security probes into robotics, industrial machinery and medical devices, signalling that pharmaceuticals are only one front in a wider campaign.

“The message to markets is that the US is prepared to weaponize tariffs across critical sectors,” observes Nigel Green.

“It invites reciprocal measures, further fragmenting supply chains and creating precisely the uncertainty that long-term investors avoid.”

Their strategies are already likely to be shifting. Emerging markets with strong life-sciences infrastructure and stable trade regimes are drawing fresh attention.

Currencies tied to those economies could see renewed strength as funds diversify away from the dollar. Equity allocations are likely to tilt toward firms and jurisdictions insulated from US trade policy.

“The instinct is to move toward reliability,” Nigel Green says. “Regions that maintain open markets and support cross-border production will command a premium.”

He also highlights the knock-on effects for the wider US economy. Pharmaceutical research and development relies on predictable global inputs.

If those flows are interrupted, pipeline delays and cost overruns will ripple into healthcare providers, insurers and ultimately consumers.

“Investors are calculating the second-order consequences,” he explains. “When the supply of essential medicines is threatened, it affects productivity, labour markets and overall economic confidence.”

Nigel Green adds that the policy could erode America's competitive standing in an industry that thrives on international collaboration.

“Restricting access to world-class ingredients and expertise will not strengthen the US. It will encourage global talent and capital to deepen their commitments elsewhere.”

The timing compounds the challenge. With US inflation still above the Federal Reserve's long-term target and interest-rate cuts only just beginning, another source of upward price pressure complicates monetary policy.

“Investors will read this as a fresh reason to hedge US exposure,” Nigel Green says.

“They'll increase allocations to assets that benefit from dollar weakness and to regions that can supply essential drugs without disruption.”

Despite official assurances that construction of new domestic plants will accelerate, the practical barriers are immense. Building advanced pharmaceutical facilities takes years and billions in capital, and the global expertise required cannot be conjured by decree.

“Markets understand that this is not a switch you flip,” Nigel Green remarks. “In the interim, shortages and higher costs are almost inevitable.”

He concludes that the market response will be swift as “capital hates uncertainty.”

By introducing a sudden, sweeping tariff in a critical sector, “Washington has ensured that global investors will reweight toward economies and industries where policy risk is lower. This is likely to be the opposite of reshoring, rather it can be expected to lead to exporting investment.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

26 SEPTEMBER 2025 – Equinor and partners in Åsgard and Mikkel licences have started phase 2 of Åsgard subsea compression in the Norwegian Sea.

The project will help maintain production from the field by increasing the pressure in the pipelines between the wells and the Åsgard B platform.

“In this project, Equinor, together with partners and suppliers, has further developed and qualified the next generation of compressor modules. The technology allows us to recover more gas from producing fields. Good resource utilisation is important to maintain high and stable production from the Norwegian continental shelf,” says Trond Bokn, Equinor's senior vice president for project development.

The first plan for development and operation (PDO) of Åsgard was approved in 1996. The field came on stream with Åsgard A in 1999 and Åsgard B in 2000. In 2012, the PDO for Åsgard subsea compression was approved by the authorities, and the first phase of Åsgard subsea compression came on stream in 2015.

This was the world's first facility for gas compression on the seabed and the result of extensive technological development.

The plans described that there would be a need for increased pressure in the long term to compensate for the pressure drop in the reservoirs. The first compressor module in phase two was replaced in 2023, now the second and final module has been installed, at a depth of 270 meters.

“The compressor system has produced stably for ten years with almost 100% uptime. The system has so far contributed to increased value creation from the field of about NOK 175 billion,” says Randi Hugdahl, vice president for Exploration and Production for Åsgard and Kristin.

Combined for both phases, the recovery rate from the Mikkel and Midgard fields will increase to 90% due to the compressor plant.This amounts to an additional 306 million barrels of oil equivalent from the fields.

Licensees Åsgard: Equinor Energy AS (operatør) 35,01%, Petoro AS 34,53%, Vår Energi ASA 22,65% og TotalEnergies EP Norge AS 7,81%.

Licensees Mikkel: Equinor Energy AS (operatør) 43,97%, Vår Energi ASA 48,38% og Repsol Norge AS 7,65%.

The ÅSC station, located in 270 meters of water on the Midgard field

Facts

• The ÅSC station, located in 270 meters of water on the Midgard field, about 40 km from the Åsgard field centre, is an impressive subsea structure.
• With a total weight of 5100 tons, a footprint of 3300 m2 and towering 26 meters above the seabed, it is the largest subsea processing plant ever installed.
• The station consists of two identical compressor trains operating in parallel, each powered by a compressor with an electric motor capacity of 11.5 MW.
• A complete spare train is available in Kristiansund, which makes it possible to quickly replace parts if problems occur. The system is modular, much like Lego bricks.
• A number of key components from the old compression modules have been overhauled and reused in the new modules.

Main suppliers

Development and delivery of the new compressors
Everllence (formerly MAN Energy Solutions)
Development and delivery of the new compressor modules
OneSubsea AS (formerly Aker Solutions Subsea AS)
Construction of both modules has been done by Aker Solutions AS, Egersund

Marine Installation

TechnipFMC in 2023
Ocean Installer in 2025
Functional test, full-scale in pool and with hydrocarbons
Carried out at Equinor's test facility (K-lab) at Kårstø
System Integration Test
Carried out at Vestbase, Kristiansund.

September 25 2025 – Artificial intelligence spending will keep the US and the global economy out of recession next year and remain the single biggest investment story of 2026, predicts Nigel Green, CEO of global financial advisory deVere Group.

“AI investment is rewriting the economic outlook,” he says.

“The sheer scale of spending on data centres, advanced chips and supporting infrastructure is strong enough to counter slower job growth and softer consumer demand.

“It'll keep the US and the global economy growing through 2026, we believe.”

Recent US data show how decisive the trend has become. Remove tech-driven investment and output earlier this year would have been close to contraction.

Instead, GDP continues to expand even as payroll gains ease.

“AI projects are capital-heavy but need far fewer workers,” Nigel Green explains.

“A company like Nvidia employs roughly 36,000 people yet generates trillions in market value and drives trade flows across Asia, Europe and the US.”

Global figures reinforce the prediction. Industry analysts expect AI infrastructure spending to rise more than 30% annually, fuelling record chip exports from Taiwan and South Korea and unprecedented order books for Europe's ASML.

This momentum is sustaining global trade at a time when traditional manufacturing is mixed. Semiconductor shipments from Taiwan alone jumped by double digits this year, while South Korea's chip exports have surged back to pre-2022 highs.

Energy groups report a parallel boom in demand for power and cooling systems to keep pace with the buildout of hyperscale data centres.

“Markets have never seen a single tech sector with this much macro impact,” the deVere CEO says.

“AI investment is not a niche story; it's the backbone of worldwide growth for the next year and beyond.”

He points to three forces behind the continued surge: relentless competition among US tech giants to build computing power, government incentives from Washington to Tokyo, and insatiable demand for the chips that underpin machine learning and generative AI.

“Every major economy wants a stake in the AI build-out,” he adds.

“This guarantees another year of massive investment.”

Governments are fuelling the “AI arms race.”

In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act have unlocked billions in subsidies for semiconductor capacity and energy infrastructure. The European Union has committed record funding for next-generation fabrication plants, while Japan and South Korea are offering tax breaks and fast-track permits to secure their roles in the supply chain.

Nigel Green believes this global policy push is crucial. “The competition for technological advantage is now a core part of economic strategy,” he says. “This competition ensures that capital keeps pouring into AI.”

He also highlights the feedback loop between AI development and energy markets. Data-centre electricity use in the US is forecast to double by 2030, prompting utilities to expand grids and renewable capacity.

“The AI buildout drives not just chips and software but heavy investment in power, metals and construction,” Nigel Green notes.

“It creates a multi-layered growth engine that touches every sector.”

Investors who treat AI as a short-term theme risk missing a structural shift.

“Currencies, equities, commodities and bonds will all be shaped by this wave,” he says. “The smartest strategies for 2026 will start with the recognition that AI is the global growth engine.”

Energy supply and regulatory hurdles may eventually slow the pace, but not soon enough to derail the expansion.

“Concerns about power demand or oversight are real, but they will not outweigh the profitability case in 2026,” Nigel Green predicts.

“Capital will keep chasing AI because the potential returns are extraordinary.”

He expects the impact to extend far beyond technology shares.

“Shipping, logistics, rare earth mining, construction materials—every link in the chain benefits,” he says. “This is why global trade remains resilient even when traditional industrial production wavers.”

Nigel Green concludes: “Next year, we believe, will not bring a US or worldwide recession. AI investment ensures ongoing expansion, redefining how economies grow and how markets move.

“It's the dominant investment theme of 2026 and the clearest macro force of the coming decade.”

Nauru is set to host a celebration of Micronesia through music and pageantry at the inaugural Micronesia Musical Festival and Miss Micronesia Pageant that will run from 6-9 October 2025.

The major cultural event will celebrate the region’s unity and history and will feature musical artists and pageant contestants from across the region.

The theme for the event is “We are Micronesia! Navigating our legacy; Charting our future.”

Nauru’s Minister for Cultural Heritage Charmaine Scotty said the festival would celebrate Micronesia’s unique cultural identity, providing a platform for Micronesian nations to highlight their resilience and commitment to preserving their environment and heritage.

“Micronesian people have a deep-rooted connection to their ancestral traditions and this is an opportunity for us to come together in unity,” she said.

“Storytelling is at the centre of Micronesian culture and the artists gathering for the festival are going to keep this tradition alive, along with the Miss Micronesia Pageant contestants.

“If you love music, pageantry and storytelling, join the celebrations at the Micronesia Festival,” Minister Scotty said.

The festival is expected to draw strong local and regional attendance, with events to be livestreamed, providing those unable to visit Nauru with the opportunity to be part of the celebrations.

Festival director Livingstone Hiram said the event was about culture, community, and celebration.”

“Each country will showcase its own unique culture but we are also celebrating all that unites Micronesian nations.

“Our love of the environment and cultural tradition will be brought to life by the festival’s performers, making it an event to remember.”

More than 20 artists will participate in the music festival from locations including Nauru, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Chuuk, Kosrae, Yap and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Contestants in the Miss Micronesia Pageant are Miss Nauru – Charlei Deiye, Miss Marshall Islands – Claret Taonang Chongum, and Miss Kiribati – Atiterentaai Rinimarawa.

Honouring Rachael Maza’s Extraordinary Legacy

Australia's longest running First Peoples theatre company, ILBIJERRI Theatre Company proudly announces the appointment of acclaimed Yorta Yorta/Gunaikurnai playwright and director Andrea James as its new Artistic Director and co-CEO, following the remarkable 18-year tenure of Dr Rachael Maza AM.

Andrea's appointment, the result of a rigorous national search led by ILBIJERRI's Board of Directors and supported by REA arts + culture, specialists in executive search for cultural leaders across Australia and Aotearoa/NZ, heralds a bold new chapter for Australia's longest running First Peoples theatre company.

Andrea James said, “I have been privileged to witness the rise of a theatre organisation that came from the ground up, to the staunchly Blak and highly respected company that ILBIJERRI is today. Rachael Maza leaves a legacy that has taken ILBIJERRI to the national and international stage with community and cultural integrity at the core.

“Theatre brings people and communities together and in these dangerous times, if ever we've needed a company that celebrates Boldness, Blakness and Brilliance in all its full power, it is now.

“I am honoured to build on the 'Maza-era' to continue to platform First Peoples stories of national significance with an invigorated focus on our surrounding communities and their thriving waves of spirited Blak talent.”

Ping Flynn, Executive Director and co-CEO, ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, said, “Seeking our new Artistic Director was as much about looking toward the future as it was honouring the past 18 years of Rachael's trailblazing leadership. Andrea James is an exceptionally talented playwright and director, who has already had a tremendous impact on the company with her work on Big Name, No Blankets and Coranderrk: We Will Show The Country.

“Her wealth of theatre-making experience and unwavering commitment to First Peoples storytelling will bring the company into its next chapter with brilliance.”

Dr Eugenia Flynn, Chair of ILBIJERRI said, “The Board of Directors recognises the unique place ILBIJERRI holds within the First Peoples arts and culture sector and the broader theatre landscape, grounded in the Koorie communities of Victoria. After a rigorous national search, we are delighted to welcome Andrea James as Artistic Director and co-CEO. Andrea brings exceptional experience, deep cultural grounding and an exciting artistic vision that will carry ILBIJERRI's bold, Blak and brilliant storytelling into an even stronger future.”

Dr Rachael Maza AM, outgoing Artistic Director and co-CEO, said, “I'm incredibly proud of everything I've built with ILBIJERRI over nearly two decades as Artistic Director. It was important to me to embark on this next chapter at the right time and the company has never been more solid.

“Andrea James's appointment fills me with excitement for the future of Blak storytelling. Her sharp contemporary voice is rooted in identity, creative sovereignty and truth-telling. Andrea's extraordinary talent as a writer, director and producer will honour ILBIJERRI's legacy of bringing bold and impactful Blak stories to the national and international stage. I can't wait to see her carry this vision forward.”

A Legacy of Bold Blak Storytelling

Founded in 1991 on Kulin Country, ILBIJERRI Theatre Company emerged from a collective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists determined to tell their own stories, in their own voices, on their own terms. Over more than three decades, ILBIJERRI has become a national and international force, creating a body of work that celebrates the strength, resilience and creativity of First Peoples.

From early works such as Up the Road and Chopped Liver, to landmark productions including Jack Charles V The Crown, Black Ties, Heart is a Wasteland and Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country, ILBIJERRI has forged a reputation for fearless storytelling with cultural integrity at its core. The company has toured extensively across Australia and overseas, from remote communities to world stages, ensuring First Peoples voices are heard everywhere.

Under Rachael Maza's transformative leadership since 2006, ILBIJERRI expanded its reach, built enduring community partnerships and achieved critical acclaim, all while remaining grounded in culture and community.

About Andrea James

Andrea James is a Yorta Yorta/Gunaikurnai woman and graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts. A celebrated playwright, director and producer, Andrea creates work that reflects her identity and shares historical and contemporary Aboriginal experiences in a striking contemporary theatrical language.

Her acclaimed works include Yanagai! Yanagai!, Coranderrk: We Will Show The Country, Sunshine Super Girl, Winyanboga Yurringa and Big Name, No Blankets. Her productions have toured nationally and internationally, and she has directed and written for companies including Melbourne Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre and Urban Theatre Projects.
 Andrea's accolades include the Mona Brand Award for women stage and screen writers (2021) and a National Theatre Award (2024).

Thanks to Our Supporters

ILBIJERRI gratefully acknowledges the support of Creative Australia and Creative Victoria in making this leadership transition possible.